[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
AND WE'LL BEGIN THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD FOR OCTOBER 27TH, 2025.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL ATTENDANCE OF STEPHANIE BISON PRESENT VICE CHAIR FLOWERS PRESENT.
UM, BOARD MEMBER ORM PRESENT BOARD MEMBER VILLALOBOS.
PRESENT BOARD MEMBER KERNS OSTERWEIL.
UM, BOARD MEMBER EUBANKS PRESENT AND BOARD MEMBER BECKER.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
QUORUM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION GENERAL.THIS IS RESERVED FOR THE FIRST 10 SPEAKERS TO ADDRESS ITEMS NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE CAROL BAXTER, FOLLOWED BY PAULINA GUERRERO.
AND THEN GAIL ROTI IS CAROL BAXTER.
HERE, FEEL FREE TO HAVE A SEAT.
HIT THE LITTLE RED BUTTON IN FRONT OF THE MICROPHONE TO TURN IT ON.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
MY NAME IS CAROL BAXTER AND I'M THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TONIGHT.
THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB OR A RC IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT'S BEEN PART OF THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY SINCE 1981.
WE'VE PROUDLY OPERATED UNDER A CITY CONTRACT SINCE 1988, PARTNERING WITH PARKS AND RECREATION TO PROVIDE RECREATIONAL AND ATHLETIC OPPORTUNITIES ON LADY BIRD LAKE.
WE'RE LOCATED RIGHT IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, NEAR THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE RAINY STREET DISTRICTS.
OUR LOCATION MAKES US ONE OF THE MOST ACCESSIBLE GATEWAYS FOR AUSTINITES AND VISITORS ALIKE TO GET OUT ON THE WATER AND ENJOY ONE OF THE CITY'S MOST BELOVED NATURAL SPACES.
OUR IMPACT STRETCHES ACROSS ALL PARTS OF THE CITY.
WE HAVE A VERY ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP BASE THAT REPRESENTS EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL DISTRICT, DISTRICT ONE BOARD MEMBER ORM 49 MEMBERS, DISTRICT TWO BOARD MEMBER VILLALOBOS, 24 MEMBERS, DISTRICT THREE BOARD MEMBER MERIT, 83 MEMBERS, DISTRICT FOUR VICE CHAIR FLOWERS, 28 MEMBERS, DISTRICT FIVE CHAIR BAAN 70 MEMBERS, DISTRICT SIX, BOARD MEMBER ABARA, 38 MEMBERS, BOARD MEMBER KERNS, 39 MEMBERS, DISTRICT EIGHT BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, 88 MEMBERS, DISTRICT NINE BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN 137 MEMBERS.
DISTRICT 10 BOARD MEMBER EUBANKS 90 MEMBERS.
IN ADDITION TO OUR MEMBERS, THOUSANDS OF LOCALS AND VISITORS ACCESS THE LAKE EVERY YEAR THROUGH OUR KAYAK AND PADDLE BOARD RENTALS.
THESE PROGRAMS HELP MORE PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THE LAKE SAFELY, SUSTAINABLY, AND AFFORDABLY.
WE ALSO HOST EVENTS LIKE OUR ANNUAL REGATTAS, WHICH BEGIN BRING HUNDREDS OF ATHLETES AND SPECTATORS FROM ACROSS TEXAS AND BEYOND.
THESE EVENTS ADD CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC VALUE TO AUSTIN, AND THEY'RE A WONDERFUL SHOWCASE OF COMMUNITY TEAMWORK ON THE WATER.
I'D LIKE GIVE TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO PAR SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM AND AMANDA FINCHER FOR THEIR TREMENDOUS HELP PREPARING FOR OUR RECENT REGATTA.
ALTHOUGH, ALTHOUGH THE EVENT NEEDED TO BE CANCELED DUE TO THE STORMS, THEIR SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING PROCESS WAS ABSOLUTELY INVALUABLE AND DEEPLY APPRECIATED, ESPECIALLY ARRANGING FOR MEETINGS WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAST WEEK TO HELP MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION ON WHETHER WE NEEDED TO CANCEL THE EVENT.
EVEN WITH THE WEATHER CHALLENGES, WE WERE ABLE TO TURN THAT DAY INTO SOMETHING POSITIVE WITH OUR BRUNCH AT THE BOATHOUSE EVENT, WE GAVE AWAY FREE TACOS TO TRAIL USERS CONNECTING WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO STOP BY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ROWING AND ENJOY OUR COMMUNITY.
I ALSO WANT TO SHARE THAT WE'VE RESUMED OUR ROWING IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM THIS YEAR.
OUR COACHES BRING ROWING MACHINES TO MARTIN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MEKESSON MIDDLE SCHOOLS, WHERE WE INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO THE SPORT OF ROWING.
WE TEACH THEM TEAMWORK, PEER PERSEVERANCE, PHYSICAL FITNESS, AND INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF ROWERS RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN.
WE'RE PROUDLY WE'RE PROUD OF THE WORK WE DO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT.
NEXT, OH, NEXT TO ME IS ONE OF OUR COACHES, PAULINA GUERRERO.
UM, MY NAME'S PAULINE AND GUERRERO.
UH, I STARTED ROWING WITH AUSTIN ROWING CLUB BACK IN 2015, MY FRESHMAN YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL.
I BORN AND RAISED IN EAST AUSTIN.
UH, HOW I FOUND OUT THROUGH, UM, THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM WITH AUSTIN ROWING
[00:05:01]
CLUB WITH AN OUTREACH PROGRAM THROUGH JIM REDDY.UH, IT WAS ABOUT FOUR OF US THAT ENDED UP PARTAKING INTO THIS PROGRAM.
AND OUT OF THE FOUR, I WAS THE ONE THAT STUCK IT OUT AND BEEN WITH THE BOATHOUSE SINCE.
UH, I ENDED UP CONTINUING MY EDUCATION HERE IN AUSTIN AT ST.
GOT MY BACHELOR'S DEGREE AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF MY TIME IN COLLEGE, I STUCK AROUND WITH THE BOATHOUSE BECAUSE I FELT LIKE A RC ENDED UP BRINGING MORE OF A FAMILY AND COMMUNITY AND AN OUTLET TO KEEP MYSELF HEALTHY AND ALSO TO GIVE BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, ONCE 2018 ENDED UP HITTING, I ENDED UP JOINING THE MASTER'S COMP TEAM.
UH, THAT ACTUALLY HELPED ME BE ABLE TO TRAVEL AROUND THE STATES HERE, UM, IN THE US AND GO NATIONALLY.
UM, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO COMPETE IN BOSTON, OHIO, MICHIGAN.
UM, I REALLY ENJOYED THAT BECAUSE I KNOW FROM COMING FROM A SINGLE MOTHER HOUSEHOLD AND, UH, FINANCES, I KNOW I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO BEING A PART OF AUSTIN ROWING CLUB, BEING ABLE TO BE ON A SCHOLARSHIP AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS ABLE TO HELP WITH THOSE FINANCES ASPECTS AND EVERYTHING.
SO I DO THANK THEM A LOT FOR THAT.
UH, ONCE I FINISHED COLLEGE AND EVERYTHING AND BEEN ABLE TO TRAVEL A LITTLE BIT MORE, I STUCK AROUND AND STARTED COACHING IN 2020, UH, WITH THE JUNIORS PROGRAM FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL ALL THE WAY UP TO HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THEN I ENDED UP REACHING OUT TO THE OUTREACH PROGRAM, KIND OF BECOMING HEAD COACH THERE.
SO WORKING WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS AS WELL AS, AS CAROL HAS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.
AND THEN NOW I'VE ALSO TRANSITIONED TO THE MAC GROUP, WHICH WE MEET ONCE A WEEK.
WE'RE SLOWLY STARTING TO INSTITUTE TWICE A WEEK TO GET READY FOR THE SPRING SEASON TO ACTUALLY GET A BOAT OUT ON THE WATER WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS TO COMPETE.
AND THEN I'M ALSO WITH THE GROUP THAT'S CALLED TEAM SURVIVOR.
SO FAR WE'RE, SINCE THE FALL SEASON AND SUMMER, WE KIND OF DRILLED DOWN TO FOUR, BUT HOPEFULLY IT RATS BACK UP TO BACK TO THE NINE COMING BACK SINCE SOME HAVE RETURNED BACK TO CHEMO AND, UM, RADIATION TREATMENT AND SUCH LIKE THAT.
BUT WITH THAT GROUP, I ACTUALLY JUST GOT OFF THE WATER WITH THEM.
I HAD TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT WE ENDED UP TAKING OUT A DOUBLE AND WITH THIS GROUP THAT I REALLY AND TRULY ENJOY WORKING WITH THEM BECAUSE I'M ABLE TO SEE THAT EVEN THROUGH THEIR HARDEST TIMES OF GOING THROUGH THIS TREATMENT, THEY'RE STILL ABLE TO COME OUT INTO THE WATER TO FEEL A LITTLE BIT AT PEACE WITH THEMSELVES.
AND AS WELL AS BEING MORE AS A COMMUNITY AND BEING MORE OPEN TO THIS OUTLET OF A EXERCISE AND NOT FEELING LIKE THEY'RE LEFT OUT.
UM, I STILL CONTINUE ON BEING WITH AUSTIN ROWING CLUB AS LONG AS I'M IN AUSTINITE AS LONG AS I'M AVAILABLE TO LIVE HERE AND EVERYTHING.
UM, AND THAT, THAT WAS IT FOR ME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE GAIL ROADIE, FOLLOWED BY MARK MAY AND THEN SANTIAGO, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
I LEAD A VOLUNTEER GROUP IN ZILKER PARK.
UNDER THE ADOPT A CREEK GROW ZONE PROGRAMS, WE HAVE RESTORATION PLANS APPROVED BY PARKS AND BY WATERSHED FOR TWO SMALL WATERWAYS IN THEIR RIPARIAN ZONES.
WE HAVE PLANTED HUNDREDS OF NATIVE PLANTS REMOVED INVASIVE SPECIES, AND TAKEN OUT MORE LITTER THAN I CARE TO THINK ABOUT.
I WANT TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE THAT IS BROADER THAN THE, THAN TWO OF THE ISSUES ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, BUT THERE IS SOME OVERLAP.
FIRST, ELECTRIFICATION OF LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT IS NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT.
OTHER CARBON NEGATIVE OR LOW CARBON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES CAN POTENTIALLY GARNER EVEN GREATER BENEFITS.
SECOND LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, ESPECIALLY MOWING, HAVE TURNED SOME PARKLAND SOILS INTO FUNCTIONALLY IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT EXACERBATES RUNOFF AND DRAINAGE.
SO MY REQUEST TO YOU TONIGHT IS THIS.
I ASK THIS BOARD TO RECOMMEND THAT PARKS AND RECREATION WATERSHED AND CLIMATE ACTION AND RESILIENCE REVIEW LANDSCAPING POLICIES AND PRACTICES WITH THE GOAL OF POTENTIALLY REDUCING AIR POLLUTION, INCREASING CARBON SEQUESTRATION, REDUCING THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, REVERSING SOIL COMPACTION, IMPROVING SOIL HEALTH AND INCREASING SOIL ABSORPTION, MITIGATING FLOODING, DRAINAGE AND EROSION, INCREASING BIODIVERSITY AND REDUCING COST.
CURRENT MOWING PRACTICES SEEM TO IGNORE RAIN DROUGHT SEASON AND DIFFERENT USES OF DIFFERENT AREAS.
GRASS IS ROUTINELY CUT SO SHORT AS TO MAKE SURVIVAL UNLIKELY IN SOME AREAS AND LEAVES BARE GROUND EXPOSED AND VULNERABLE TO RUNOFF AND EROSION.
MOWING UNDER THESE CONDITIONS CREATES CLOUDS OF DUST THAT ARE HARMFUL TO WORKERS THEMSELVES TO PASSERS BY AND ESPECIALLY TO YOUNG CHILDREN.
MANY GROUPS ACROSS THE CITY REPORT SIMILAR ISSUES.
[00:10:01]
THERE ARE JUSTIFIABLE REASONS FOR CURRENT PRACTICES, BUT THERE ARE STILL MORE COMPELLING REASONS FOR CONSIDERING SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.RECENTLY, CENTRAL TEXAS BECAME PART OF THE CLIMATE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES ACCELERATOR.
HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY TO ALIGN THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR PARKLANDS AND REALLY ALL CITY PROPERTY WITH THE LARGER MOVEMENT TO PREPARE OUR C OUR COMMUNITIES FOR A CHANGING CLIMATE.
I HAVE A SHORT VIDEO AND TWO PHOTOS TO SHARE WITH YOU IF I STILL HAVE TIME.
DO I HAVE A VIDEO? I'M NOT SURE IT'S GONNA WORK.
SO I THINK THAT'S CLEAR WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT THE CLOUDS OF DUST AND THE MOWING IN NON-EXISTENT GRASS.
AND THEN I HAVE, THIS IS A PICTURE I TOOK IN ZUCKER PARK YESTERDAY, UH, AFTER THE ONE AND A HALF INCH RAIN AND A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF DROUGHT.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THE EXPOSED WHITE PIPE THERE.
THIS IS ALL COMING OFF A FIELD THAT IS MOWED TOO AGGRESSIVELY.
AND THEN THE NEXT PICTURE IS JUST SHOWS ALL THAT SEDIMENT RUSHING INTO THE POOL AREA, EVERYTHING BROWN.
THERE IS SEDIMENT THAT THAT RAN OFF THAT FIELD.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE MARK MAY FOLLOWED BY SANTIAGO.
GO AHEAD, HIT THAT LITTLE, UH, RED BUTTON SO THAT YOUR MICROPHONE TURNS ON.
UH, UM, SO, UH, MY NAME IS MARK MAY AND I LIVE IN D FIVE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT PARK FUNDING.
WE'VE ALL SEEN THE UPCOMING TRE NEXT WEEK THAT ASK ASK TAXPAYERS TO PAY MORE FOR SOME CITY BASICS IN INCLUDING PARKS.
I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR THAT FOR ASKING TAXPAYERS TO PAY MORE FOR PARKS, WE SHOULD ASK MORE OF OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS.
TO THAT END, I SENT YOU ALL SOME INFORMATION, UM, ON A FEW OF THE NONPROFITS IN THE LAST MONTH.
I BELIEVE THAT INFORMATION SHOWS SOME OF THESE RE RELATIONSHIPS ARE OUT OF BALANCE WITH THE FISCAL NEEDS OF THE, UH, CITY.
YOU'LL, YOU'LL RECALL FROM THAT, THAT A PF HAS NEARLY $22 MILLION IN ASSETS AND BANK $3.6 MILLION IN JUST ONE YEAR WITH THE BULK OF THEIR FUNDING COMING FROM ACTUALLY RENTING OUT A PUBLIC PARK.
IN SPITE OF THE PUBLIC NATURE OF THEIR FUNDING, THE A-P-F-C-E-O MAKES A GOOD PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, SALARY WITH COMPENSATION LARGER THAN THAT OF MAYOR WATSON.
WHY CAN'T WE ASK A PF TO CONTRIBUTE MORE TO THE PARKS? IF YOU LOOK AT THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS, THEY ACTUALLY VIOLATE THEIR CONTRACTS AND OVERCHARGE THE PUBLIC WHILE, WHILE ENJOYING FEE WAIVERS FROM THE, UH, CITY.
THEY UNDULY PROFIT WITH HIGH END TICKETS THAT LET THE WELL TO DO BYPASS LINES EVEN ON FREE NIGHTS WHEN LINES ARE ACTUALLY THE LONGEST.
DO WE REALLY NEED TO WAIVE FEES FOR A NONPROFIT SELLING $90 TICKETS THAT INCLUDE BACKSTAGE CART, CART RIDES AND DRINKS? THESE FEE WAIVERS COME RIGHT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THEN THERE IS A TRAIL, A CONSERVANCY.
LAST YEAR, THEY ASKED THE CITY FOR ALL OF THE REVENUE FROM THE CONCESSIONS ON BUTLER TRAIL TO HELP BALANCE THEIR FINANCES.
THEY ALSO SAID THEY WOULD NOT MEET THE SIX MONTH RESERVE FUND THAT'S REQUIRED BY A LEVEL A PARTNER.
SO THE, SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR INCLUDES $700,000 GIVEN TO TTC IN A YEAR.
WHEN THE CITY ASKED THE TAXPAYERS TO DIG DEEP, THEY'RE PROPPING UP A NONPROFIT WITH MONEY THAT SHOULD HAVE GONE TO THE GENERAL FUND.
THE, THE CONCEPT HERE IN THE IDEA WITH THE TTC PMA WAS THAT THE NONPROFIT WOULD HELP THE CITY, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
SO PAR I KNOW WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO DO IS NOT COMFORTABLE AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE EASY.
HOWEVER, LOOKING INTO THESE NON-PROFIT DEALS DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE TRYING TO KILL THE ENTIRE NONPROFIT MODEL OR YOU DON'T SUPPORT PARD OR THE PARKS.
IT MEANS YOU'RE DOING YOUR JOB ASKING TOUGH QUESTIONS AND TOUGH TIMES.
YOU ARE LOOKING OUT FOR THE GENERAL WELFARE OF OUR PARKS.
THAT'S A KEY PART OF YOUR CHARTER.
PLEASE, UH, CONSIDER THE INFORMATION I'VE SENT YOU AND ADD A TOPIC
[00:15:01]
ON THIS IMPORTANT, UH, TOPIC IN A FUTURE MEETING.OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE, WE HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION FROM A BOARD MEMBER.
EUBANKS, UH, MR. MAY, IF POSSIBLE, COULD YOU SHARE WHATEVER BACKUP INFORMATION YOU HAVE REGARDING THESE ISSUES? UM, THEY'RE COMPLEX AND I'D LIKE SOMETIME THE NUMBERS HELP, RIGHT? ARE YOU ASKING FOR MORE THAN I ALREADY EMAILED? YES.
I CAN, I CAN, I'LL PROVIDE MORE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE SANTIAGO I, GREETINGS BOARD.
I AM HERE TODAY TO SPEAK, UM, ON BEHALF OF FESTIVAL BEACH FOOD FOREST.
UM, AND UH, FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO EXTEND AN INVITATION.
THIS SATURDAY WE ARE HAVING A ROOTS AND WING FESTIVAL, UM, FROM 10 UNTIL TWO IN THE PARK, UM, GONNA BE MUSIC AND FOOD AND SOME WORKDAY.
UM, SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FESTIVAL BEACH FOOD FOR IN 2014, THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION, UM, TWO THIRDS OF AN ACRE WAS PUT UNDER STEWARDSHIP OF A COMMUNITY LED ORGANIZATION.
AND, UM, MORE RECENT YEARS, UH, THAT EXPANSION, THERE'S BEEN AN EXPANSION TO THREE ACRES.
UM, I WANNA TALK TODAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF ROOTS, RELATIONSHIPS, SOLIDARITY, SENSE OF PLACE AND SHARED MEMORY, AND A, UH, POST KILO ENVIRONMENT, UH, WHICH WAS A SUPREME COURT CASE THAT RULED ON THE PUBLIC USE, UM, FOR ECONOMIC, UH, VALUE.
I WANT TO REEXAMINE THAT WITH A MORE NARROW, UH, TEST, UH, UM, PUBLIC PURPOSE AND THE VALUE, UH, TO SOCIETY AS A WHOLE.
AND WITH REGARD TO ACTUAL USE OF OCCUPATION BY THE PUBLIC, UM, THIS PAST SATURDAY, UH, TWO HERITAGE TREES WERE REMOVED, UM, AS PART OF THE I 35 EXPANSION.
UM, IN 2024, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, UM, PASSED A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL TO LOOK AT A 1965, UH, MARKER THAT DESIGNATED A PECAN GROVE IN EDWARD RONE SENIOR PARK, UH, IN DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, AND TO UNDERSTAND THE BOUNDS OF THAT PARK AND WHAT THE IMPACT OF, UH, TAKING OF THESE TREES.
UM, THERE ARE FOUR MORE HERITAGE TREES THAT ARE UNDER, UM, TO BE REMOVED, UH, BY TXDOT, UM, IN THE COMING MONTHS, UH, OR COMING YEARS IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
UM, I THINK WHAT THE ACTION THAT I'M ASKING FOR THIS BOARD IS THAT IN APRIL OF 2026, THE TEMPORARY NON-CONFORMING USE WILL BE EXPIRED.
AND TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE $1.1 MILLION THAT WAS, UH, GIVEN TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, FOR THE USE OF THIS LAND WILL BE SPENT.
UM, I WANT TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COLLABORATE WITH, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE EAST AUSTIN CAESAR CHAVEZ NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND VESSEL BEACH FOOD FOREST.
UM, AND YEAH, UH, ALSO IT WOULD BE REALLY WONDERFUL TO, UM, HAVE SOME OVERSIGHT IN TERMS OF, UH, TREE PROTECTION, UH, FOR THE REMAINING, UH, EXISTING TREES THAT ARE IN THE PARK.
UM, AND TO, UM, I BELIEVE THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH OR IN THE COMING MONTHS, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY WILL BE PRESENTING, UH, CHAPTER 26 PUBLIC NOTICE FOR, UH, 138 KILOVOLT, UH, TRANSMISSION LINES THAT ARE GONNA BE PUT INTO, UH, MOVED INTO THE PARK AND AFFECTING OUR, UH, CANOPY.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE PRESENT THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT? THAT IS THE END OF GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2025.WE'LL TAKE A MOMENT TO REVIEW THE MINUTES IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO ALREADY.
[00:20:35]
ALL RIGHT.ANY CHANGES, ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE REVISED.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 29TH.
A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER VIA LOBOS IN A, OH, I'M SO SORRY.
UM, ALL RIGHT, THERE'S A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[2. Presentation, discussion and approve letters of support for the Austin Parks and Recreation Athletics Team for adult sports program offerings including upcoming initiatives designed to expand equitable access to adult sports opportunities throughout the city. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Park Access for All, Urban Public Spaces). Presenter(s): Jim Kotick, Recreation Program Manager and Elizabeth Tajchman, Recreation Program Supervisor, Austin Parks and Recreation. ]
ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. THIS NEXT ONE IS A PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION ATHLETICS TEAM FOR ADULT SPORTS PROGRAM OFFERINGS, INCLUDING UPCOMING INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO EXPAND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO ADULT SPORTS OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM? ALRIGHT, WE CAN MOVE STRAIGHT INTO THE PRESENTATION.
WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT ADULT ADULT ATHLETICS.
MY NAME IS JIM KOTICK, I'M THE RECREATION DISTRICT MANAGER.
I'VE GOT LIZ HYMAN WITH ME, WHO IS OUR RECREATION SERVICES MANAGER.
OUR DIVISION MANAGER, KRISTA MCCARTHY IS ALSO HERE.
UM, AS JIM MENTIONED, MY NAME IS LIZ TEMAN.
I'M THE RECREATION SERVICE SUPERVISOR FOR THE ADULT ATHLETIC OFFICE, UM, FOR ADULT ATHLETICS.
OUR YEAR ROUND PROGRAMS OFFERS INCLUSIVE RECREATIONAL LEAGUES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND CO-ED TEAMS ACROSS THE CITY, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ATHLETES OF ALL SKILLS AND LEVELS TO COMPETE AND CONNECT.
SOME OF THE SPORTS WE OFFER IS OUR ADULT SOFTBALL LEAGUE.
THIS IS BY FAR OUR LARGEST ANNUAL LEAGUE.
WE OFFER FIVE EIGHT WEEK SESSIONS OF ADULT SOFTBALL GAMES.
PLAYED WEEKDAY EVENINGS AT THE WALNUT CREEK METRO PARK IN NORTH AUSTIN, AND THE CRAIG SOFTBALL COMPLEX IN CENTRAL AUSTIN, UTILIZING A TOTAL OF 16 FIELDS ACROSS BOTH LOCATIONS FOR OUR ADULT BASKETBALL LEAGUES.
UM, THEY'RE HOSTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR, UH, DEPARTMENTS, COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTERS, AND OPERATE THREE SEASONS PER YEAR FOR OUR INDOOR VOLLEYBALL LEAGUES.
THEY TAKE PLACE AT THE AUSTIN RECREATION CENTER.
WE PARTNER WITH THEM TO OFFER FOUR SEASONS ANNUALLY, ALONG WITH A VARIETY OF ADULT TOURNAMENTS BETWEEN LEAGUE SESSIONS.
ADDITIONALLY, OUR FLAG FOOTBALL LEAGUE IS PLAYED ON OUR MULTI-PURPOSE FIELDS AT THE CRAIG COMPLEX AND AT ZILKER PARK ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS. WE OFFER MULTIPLE DIVISIONS RANGING FROM BEGINNER TO INTERMEDIATE COMPETITIVE LEVELS OF PLAY TO ENSURE AN INCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS IN SKILL LEVELS.
IN 2024 ALONE, WE HOSTED A TOTAL OF 1,113 TEAMS ENGAGING AS APPROXIMATELY AROUND 1100 AND OR 11,500 COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGHOUT ADULT SPORTS PROGRAMMING FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.
ALONG WITH THE LEAGUES WE OFFER, WE OFFER A VARIETY OF TOURNAMENTS AND EVENTS, UM, NOT ONLY HOSTED AT THE CRAIG COMPLEX, BUT A VARIETY OF OUR, UM, LOCATIONS AROUND AUSTIN.
UM, IN COLLABORATION WITH OVER 40 LOCAL BUSINESSES AND EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS.
WE COORDINATE TOURNAMENTS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
FOSTERING PARTNERSHIPS THAT STRENGTH, THAT STRENGTHEN AUSTIN'S SPORTS COMMUNITY LISTED ARE JUST THE FEW OF THE OVER 40 ORGANIZATIONS WE OFFER THESE.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WITH LOCAL RECOVERY, A TX.
THAT'S A LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, UM, THAT PARTNERS FOR, UH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
UM, SO WE HELP THEM HOST TOURNAMENTS AND FACILITATE THEIR LEAGUES.
UM, AS WELL AS WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH AUSTIN SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF TO HOST THEIR NATIONAL TOURNAMENT.
UM, WE JUST GOT DONE HOSTING THEM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
AND THEN WE HAVE A VARIETY OF LGBTQ PLUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH, UH, LOCALLY AS WELL AS OUT OF STATE.
UM, HERE, COMING UP TO WRAP UP OUR 2025 TOURNAMENT SEASON, WE HAVE A LARGE, UM, NATIONAL, UM, LGBTQ COMMUNITY KICKBALL TOURNAMENT THAT WE'RE
[00:25:01]
HOSTING AT CRAIG.UM, IT'S A FULL, FULL SATURDAY AND SUNDAY EVENT UTILIZING ALL OF OUR FIELDS FOR THIS KICKBALL EVENT.
WE'RE EXPECTING OVER 1200 PEOPLE JUST AT CRAIG ALONE ON BOTH THOSE DAYS, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THEM.
IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME COMING TO, TO AUSTIN TO HOST THEIR NATIONAL TOURNAMENT.
UM, LASTLY, IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT AND GOLF A TX, UM, WE HOST THE ANNUAL CITY OLYMPIC SPORTS TOURNAMENT FOR CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES WITH MORE THAN 900 PARTICIPANT PARTICIPANTS COMPETING IN 2025, JUST AS PAST SEPTEMBER.
SO THE PHOTO ON THE LEFT UNDER NEW INITIATIVES IS A FACILITY ENHANCEMENT THAT IS THE FOOTPRINT OF OUR PREVIOUS MULTIPURPOSE FIELD, WHICH WAS BERMUDA GRASS FOOTBALL PLAYS UP THE CENTER, SO WE JUST COULDN'T KEEP THE GRASS ACTUALLY HAVING TO SHUT IT DOWN FOR SIX WEEKS IN THE SUMMERTIME JUST TO GET THE GRASS TO GROW.
SO WE WORKED WITH OUR PLANTERS.
WE SECURED SOME OF THE PARD BOND DOLLARS AND WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE WILL BE AN ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELD.
IT SHOULD BE DONE ROUGHLY THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO PROGRAMMING IT IN 2026.
ALSO, IN ADDITION TO THE TURF, WE'VE GOT A FEW BRAND NEW HANDICAP SPOTS COMING TO THE PARK, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL CONCRETE TRAILS FOR MORE A DA ACCESSIBILITY IN THIS TURF SPACE.
WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROGRAM, WE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAMS. WE PLAN TO RUN SOME SOCCER PROGRAMS. WE PLAN TO CONTINUE AND POSSIBLY EXPAND OUR FOOTBALL PROGRAMS AS WELL AS, UM, OUTSIDE OF THIS TURF SPACE, HAVING SOME ADDITIONAL BASKETBALL PROGRAM CHANGES WITH POSSIBLY, UM, A SENIOR BASKETBALL PROGRAM THIS COMING YEAR.
THE ONE NICE THING THAT IS WITH THE TURF PROJ PROJECT IS THE, THE, UM, I DON'T WANNA SAY LACK OF RAINOUTS, BUT PRETTY MUCH NO RAINOUTS WITH, UH, WITH THE TURF BEING ABLE TO TAKE SEVERAL INCHES OF WATER IN ONE RAINSTORM AND WE CAN STILL PLAY THE NEXT DAY.
SO THIS WEEKEND, IF WE WERE ON THE TURF, WE WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO PLAY.
UM, UNDER CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS, THE COLUMN TO THE LEFT MANAGED TENNIS CENTERS, WE DO HAVE FOUR MANAGED TENNIS CENTERS IN AUSTIN.
THESE REPRE REPRESENT 38 TENNIS COURTS AND EIGHT PICKLEBALL COURTS.
THE TENNIS COURTS DO DO HOST LEAGUE PLAY, THEY HOST OPEN PLAY CLINICS, LESSONS MIXERS.
THEY HAVE ALL KINDS OF EVENTS ON THESE 38 COURTS.
UM, AS FAR AS THE ADULT CONTRACT ON THE RIGHT, UM, JUST A FEW WE'VE MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH TEXAS ROLLER GIRLS.
SO THEY DO THEIR PRACTICING ON SOME OF OUR COURTS, NOT THEIR COMPETITIONS, BUT THEIR PRACTICES HT PLAYS AT DOWNS FIELD.
UM, AUSTIN MEN'S SOCCER PLAYS DOWN OFF OF ONION CREEK IN THE PARK WITH 10 OF THE SOCCER FIELDS.
AND THEN OUR FINAL TWO AGREEMENTS LISTED.
WE HAVE AN ATHLETIC OFFICIALS AND A SOFTBALL UMPIRE AGREEMENT.
UM, THE PROGRAMS THAT LIZ MENTIONED ON HER FIRST SLIDE, WE DO PAY THESE TWO ORGANIZATIONS TO OFFICIATE KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE, AND WE DO SPEND ROUGHLY $300,000 A YEAR, UM, PAYING OUR UMPIRES AND OFFICIALS TO KEEP ALL THOSE GAMES SAFE.
UM, THANK YOU JIM AND UM, LIZ FOR THAT.
THAT ACTUALLY CONCLUDES KINDA THE RECOGNITION ITEM FOR ATHLETICS, UM, FOR ADULTS.
BUT WE DO WANNA TAKE THIS TIME TO TALK ABOUT, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL ATHLETIC TEAM UPDATES, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR YOUTH SPORTS EQUITY REVIEW THAT WE, THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, AND THE WORK TOWARDS THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PARKS INTEGRATION DEPARTMENT, UM, SORRY, BOARD ON IMPROVING PUBLIC ACCESS TO CITY OF AUSTIN BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, AND SOCCER FIELDS.
UM, SO WE HAVE A FEW ITEMS THAT WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF, UM, ESTABLISHED AND WORKED THROUGH, AND THEN WE HAVE SOME COMING UP ITEMS I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK AND SHARE, UM, A MORE IN DEPTH KIND OF PROCESS, UM, IN A FEW MONTHS TO TALK ABOUT HOW THAT IMPACT EITHER YOUTH SPORTS, UM, EQUITY AND HOW THE KIDS ARE GETTING SOME RESOURCES, UM, AS WELL AS HOW THE ADULTS ARE GETTING MORE ACCESS TO THESE FIELDS.
BUT TO DATE, WE'VE REALLOCATED SOME SUBSIDY FROM PRIVATELY OWNED FIELDS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO HELP, UM, DO SOME MORE, UM, FACILITY ENHANCEMENTS ON THE PUBLIC FIELDS THAT WE ARE LACKING IN MAINTENANCE FUNDING.
UH, WE HAVE A YSO CONTRACT TERMS THAT WE'VE ALREADY COMPLETED FOR THIS YEAR, THEIR INITIAL TERMS THAT ARE MORE CLARIFICATION IN NATURE.
UM, SO THE ITEMS SUCH AS PUBLIC ACCESS
[00:30:01]
ARE IN THEIR ORIGINAL CONTRACTS, BUT THIS PROVIDES A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A DEFINITION OF WHAT THAT MEANS TO THE CITY.UM, WITH, UM, INTENTIONS OF EXPANDING THAT WHEN WE REDO THE CONTRACT WITH MORE TERMS PROVIDED, UM, WE HAVE ALREADY WORKING ON DEVELOPING AN ONLINE RESERVATION SYSTEM WITH A, UM, RECREATION SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
IT'S A LITTLE COMPLICATED AND CONVOLUTED, BUT WE ARE WORKING THROUGH IT AND WE HAVE A PILOT AT ONE LOCATION RIGHT NOW WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS WANTING TO RENT IT.
SO WE'RE GONNA WORK THROUGH SOME LITTLE KINKS WITH THAT AND THEN OPEN IT UP, UM, FOR ALL OF OUR FIELDS WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
WE'VE ALSO WORKED WITH FINANCE ON, UM, RENTAL EXPENSE REFUNDS.
UH, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES AND BARRIERS WITH RENTING OUT FIELDS IS THAT THE, UM, MONEY, PARTICULARLY FOR YSO THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE, THAT FUND GOES BACK INTO GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
IT DOESN'T HELP WITH THE MAINTENANCE OF THE FIELDS.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS SOME FUNDS TO GO BACK INTO OUR BUDGET THAT WE CAN THEN USE FOR HELP SUSTAINABILITY ON SOME LARGER TYPE PROJECTS.
UM, AND THEN WE ARE WORKING ON, UM, FUNDING FOR RESOURCE ASSISTANCE.
SO ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS ON OUR YOUTH SPORTS EQUITY REVIEW IS THAT NOT ALL ORGANIZATIONS ARE THE SAME.
UM, AND SO WE WOULD LIKE THE QUALITY OF OUR PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH ACROSS AUSTIN.
EACH CHILD SHOULD HAVE A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE, WHETHER THEY'RE PLAYING ON THE EAST SIDE OR WHETHER THEY'RE PLAYING ON THE WEST SIDE.
UM, AND SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH A LOT OF RESOURCES THAT COULD BE AVAILABLE, UM, AND HAVE IDENTIFIED A FEW FUNDING PLACES THAT WE COULD USE TO HIRE STAFF TO MAYBE HELP WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WRITING GRANTS OR RESEARCHING OTHER WAYS IN WHICH THEY COULD HELP WITH FUNDRAISING.
UM, THINGS LIKE THAT FOR THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT MIGHT STRUGGLE IN, UM, THEIR RESOURCES.
SO UP NEXT IS GOING TO BE THE EXPANSION OF THE ONLINE SYSTEM.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING INTO MORE, UM, FUNDING DOLLARS TO GO INTO CIP PROJECTS FOR THOSE FIELDS THAT REALLY NEED IT.
UM, AND THEN THE LARGER ADMITTING THE YSO ORDINANCE, ADMINISTRATIVE ADMINISTRATIVE RULES AND YSO CONTRACTS, THAT WILL ACTUALLY KIND OF HELP, UM, IDENTIFY SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOTH THE PARKS BOARD AND THE ESPORTS EQUITY REVIEW THAT ARE GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
'CAUSE THEY'LL HAVE TO GET THROUGH COUNCIL.
UM, AND THEN ADDITIONAL RESOURCE GUIDE THAT I JUST TALKED TO, WE WANNA EXPAND ON THAT ONE.
SO I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OURS, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I HAVE A QUESTION JUST RELATED TO THE, THE YSO.
IS THERE ANY CROSSOVER WITH THE MAYOR'S NEW INITIATIVE AND UNITED WAY AROUND, UM, THE GENERATION A TX? I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY.
IT'S VERY FRESH, SO I JUST DIDN'T KNOW BECAUSE IT'S RELATED TO YOUNG AUSTINITES GROWING UP IN A CITY THAT PROVIDES FOR THEM AND HAS OPPORTUNITY AND EQUITY.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS GONNA BE ANY CROSSOVER OPPORTUNITY THERE, BUT I KNOW IT'S VERY NEW.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, BOARD MEMBERS.
CAN YOU SHARE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE, UM, THE OLYMPICS FOR, FOR THE BOARD, JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE COLOR AROUND THAT? YES, I'LL BE HAPPY TO.
SO, UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, CITY OLYMPICS FIRST STARTED BACK IN THE EARLY NINETIES.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE FROM PARKS IN THIS ROOM WAS THERE BACK IN THE NINETIES, I'M NOT TOO SURE
SO, UM, IT WAS STARTED IN THE, IN THE MID NINETIES AND THEN FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT STOPPED.
AND THEN I BELIEVE IN 20 13, 20 12, UM, ONE OF OUR FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBERS IN THE ATHLETIC OFFICE, HE WAS BORN AND RAISED AUSTINITE, HE DECIDED TO, TO TRY TO BRING IT UP AGAIN WITH OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND I BELIEVE I WASN'T IN THE ATHLETIC OFFICE DURING THIS TIME.
I WAS IN COMMUNITY REC AT PANAM RECREATION CENTER.
BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THEY, UM, HAD A DISCUSSION AND THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING FOR, FOR CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE, UM, THE, THE, THIS COMRADERY OF CITY DEPARTMENTS, WE WORK SO CLOSELY, ESPECIALLY IN ATHLETICS WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
AUSTIN ENERGY, AUSTIN WATER, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
SO I BELIEVE THEY, THEY, THERE WASN'T A CITY EVENT, SO THEY WANTED TO HOST A CITY EVENT.
SO I BELIEVE IT STARTED IN 2013.
AND WE, MY OFFICE HAS A, SINCE CRAIG IS ONE OF THE LARGEST, IS OUR LARGEST SPORTS COMPLEX THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND REX OWNS.
UM, WE HOST JUST FRIENDLY COMPETITIONS AND THEN IT'S GROWN THROUGHOUT THE YEARS TO THIS PAST TWO YEARS.
WE INCLUDED PICKLEBALL WITH PICKLEBALL COMING UP, OF COURSE.
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HOST THAT AT A, AT A TENNIS FACILITY AT AUSTIN TENNIS CENTER.UM, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO EXPAND, UM, CYCLING.
SO A LOT OF DIFFERENT DISC GOLF, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, WE ALWAYS GET FEEDBACK FROM, FROM CITY EMPLOYEES.
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT, HEALTHY CONNECTIONS, WHICH IS A PROGRAM FOR CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES TO PARTICIPATE IN PE PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THEY CAN SIGN UP AND EARN HEALTH REWARDS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE QUARTER.
SO WE, WE HOST THIS KIND OF AT THE END OF THE YEAR AS JUST A THANK YOU.
A FUN RECREATIONAL COMPETITIVE EVENT.
I ENCOURAGE FOR NEXT YEAR WE'RE, WE'LL START PLANNING, UM, BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR FOR NEXT SEPTEMBER FOR THE EVENT.
I INVITE ALL YOU GUYS OUT THERE.
IT'S ALWAYS FUN FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND PLAY AND DO CROSS, UM, WORKING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO, OH, YOU WORK WITH AVIATION? OH, YOU WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, BUILDING SERVICE, YOU KNOW? OH, I DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD THAT.
SO IT'S A GREAT WAY TO COLLABORATE.
ALL RIGHT, MR. BECK, I THINK WE NEED, UM, SOME PARP SWEATBANDS.
UM, ALRIGHT, WITH THAT I'LL READ OUR LETTER AND THEN I WILL ASK FOR A MOTION FROM THE BOARD.
THIS IS DATED OCTOBER 27TH, 2025, UM, AND IT READS, DEAR AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION ADULT ATHLETICS TEAM.
ON BEHALF OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, WE WANT TO EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING WORK IN KEEPING ADULT RECREATIONAL SPORTS THRIVING IN AUSTIN.
YOUR TEAM'S DEDICATION TO CREATING INCLUSIVE, WELCOMING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ATHLETES OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND SKILL LEVELS STRENGTHENS OUR COMMUNITY'S HEALTH AND CONNECTION.
THE SCALE AND REACH OF YOUR PROGRAMS TRULY DEMONSTRATE THEIR IMPACT.
WITH MORE THAN 1100 TEAMS AND OVER 11,500 COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATING IN LEAGUES ACROSS THE CITY EACH YEAR, ADULT SPORTS REMAIN ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL AVENUES FOR BELONGING, COMRADERY, AND ACTIVE LIVING.
THESE OPPORTUNITIES SPAN SOFTBALL, BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL, AND FLAG FOOTBALL DELIVERED ACROSS DOZENS OF HIGH QUALITY FACILITIES.
CITYWIDE COORDINATING ANNUAL TOURNAMENTS WITH 40 PLUS LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS HELPS BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND REINFORCES AUSTIN'S VIBRANT AND DIVERSE SPORTS CULTURE.
AND THE MOST RECENT CITY OLYMPICS THAT ENGAGED OVER 900 CITY EMPLOYEES IN RETIREES IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF SIGNATURE EVENT FOR MAJOR FACILITY ENHANCEMENTS, LIKE THE CONVERSION OF THE CRAIG MULTIPURPOSE FIELD TO SYNTHETIC TURF, TO EXPANDING PROGRAMMING WITH OUTDOOR SOCCER AND SENIOR BASKETBALL LEAGUES.
YOUR TEAM CONTINUES TO PUSH FORWARD TO ENSURE THAT EVERY AUSTIN RESIDENT CAN FIND THEIR PLACE IN SPORTS.
ADDITIONALLY, THE STRATEGIC AGREEMENTS YOU MANAGE, WHICH SUPPORT EVERYTHING FROM TENNIS FACILITIES TO ROLLER DERBY AND ADULT SOCCER HELP EXTEND PROGRAMMING AND ITS REACH.
THANK YOU FOR THE ENERGY, EXPERTISE AND HEART THAT YOU BRING TO THIS WORK EVERY DAY.
ADULT ATHLETICS IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE THAN THE GAME.
THESE SPORTS ARE ABOUT COMMUNITY CONNECTION, CONFIDENCE, AND WELLBEING.
YOUR EFFORTS POSITIVELY, POSITIVELY AFFECT THOUSANDS OF AUSTINITES AND HELP ENSURE THAT PLAY AND RECREATION REMAIN CORE TO WHO WE ARE AS A CITY.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM VICE CHAIR FLOWERS.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
AND A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER VILLALOBOS.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ANYTHING ELSE? BOARD MEMBERS? ALL RIGHT.
ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
GOT 10 ZERO AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
BOARD MEMBERS CLAP ONE MORE TIME GUYS.
[3. Presentation, discussion, and approve a recommendation to City Council to approve an ordinance amending City Code Title 25 Land Development Code to allow for an administrative variance to drainage easement requirements associated with development projects on parkland owned by the City of Austin. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Operational Efficiency, Program Alignment). Presenter(s): Kevin Shunk, Floodplain Administrator, Austin Watershed Protection. ]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE.THIS IS THE PRESENTATION DISCUSSION AND APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE TITLE 25 LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO ALLOW FOR AN ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCE TO DRAINAGE EASEMENT REQUIREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ON PARKLAND OWNED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER.
UM, GOOD EVENING PARKS BOARD VOLUNTEERS.
UH, FOR THE RECORD, I'M CHRIS FLOSS, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10.
I'M A PARKS VOLUNTEER, A SWIMMER AND A RETIREE.
I'M NOT AFFILIATED IN ANY WAY WITH OUTFITS WHICH
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SEEK TO PROFIT FROM AUSTIN PARKLAND.I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT TO OBJECT TO ITEM THREE AS WRITTEN, I OBJECT IN PRINCIPLE TO ITEMS WHERE THE UNELECTED PARKS DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR PROPOSES TO GIVE HIMSELF MORE UNCHECKED SOLE DISCRETION POWER OVER THE PUBLIX PARKLAND.
I UNDERSTAND THAT ITEM THREE PROPOSES TO WAIVE LAND SURVEYS AND LEGAL REVIEW FOR PARK DEVELOPMENT ON FLOODPLAINS AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
WHEN ASKED WHAT THE INTENT OF THE HARD TO COMPREHEND WORDED, UH, PROPOSAL WAS, PARK STAFF GAVE THE EXAMPLE THAT BIKE TRAILS COULD BE BUILT FASTER AND CHEAPER WITH LESS RED TAPE FOR THINGS LIKE SURVEYS OR LEGAL REVIEW, THEY SAID PARKS WOULD NOT HAVE TO HIRE A LICENSED LAND SURVEYOR.
UM, I HAVE A DIFFERENT EXAMPLE.
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO PICTURE ALL OF THE UNC SURVEYED WATERFRONT PARKLAND OWNED BY THE CITY NOW AND IN NEGOTIATIONS TO BE BOUGHT BY THE CITY IN THE FUTURE, ALL OF WHICH HAS BEEN FLOODED OVER AUSTIN'S HISTORY.
IT'S HIGHLY DESIRABLE LAND FOR THE TAKING BY DEVELOPERS, PUBLIC AGENCIES, AND PROFITEERS.
WITHOUT PROPER SURVEY, THE PUBLIC CANNOT BE PROPERLY COMPENSATED FOR TAKING LAND.
THE PUBLIC CANNOT EXPECT PROPER PAYMENT FOR CONCESSIONS ON THAT LAND UNLESS IT CAN SHOW EXACTLY WHAT LAND IS BEING RENTED.
I HAVE A SPECIFIC PROPERTY EXAMPLE.
THE 100 PLUS YEAR OLD DEEP ED POOL DOES NOT ACTUALLY HAVE A LAND SURVEY.
WE HAVE A DRAWING DONE BY A PARK STAFFER FROM THE 1970S.
I THINK A FORMAL LAND SURVEY PROTECTS THE CITIZENS' COLLECTIVE LAND RIGHTS AND SHOULD NEVER BE WAIVED BY ANYONE FOR ANY REASON.
UM, I OBSERVED THAT STAFF PRESENTING THIS PROPOSAL WERE UNPREPARED TO ANSWER ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE INTENT WAS AND WHAT THE PURPOSE WAS OF THIS PROPOSAL.
UM, PARK STAFF SAID THE PARKS DEPARTMENT INITIATED THIS PROPOSAL BY A MEMO TO YOU, THE PARKS BOARD.
HOWEVER, TONIGHT'S DOCUMENT STATES THAT THE WATERSHED DEPARTMENT OWNS IT.
I'M NOT CLEAR ON WHAT THAT MEANS.
IF THE PROPER STAFF EXPLANATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE, WHEN YOU REVIEW THESE THINGS, SHOULD THESE PROPOSALS ADVANCE? WHOSE JOB IS IT TO MAKE THE THING COMPLETE, ACCURATE, AND UNDERSTANDABLE? WHERE IS THE RED LINE DOCUMENT THAT SHOWS THE BEFORE AND AFTER OF THIS PROPOSAL? THIS IS NECESSARY TO REVIEW EXACTLY WHAT IS BEING CHANGED.
HOW DOES ELIMINATING LAND SURVEY OF FLOODPLAIN PARKLAND IMPACT THE CITIZEN OWNERS OF THE PARKLAND? WHAT ARE THE RISKS TO THE CITIZENS? THANK YOU.
THERE IS NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
I AM THE FLOOD PLAIN ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE CITY AND I'M IN THE AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
THE ITEM FOR BEFORE YOU IS A PROPOSED LAND USE, LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE CHANGE RELATED TO PARK LAND AND DRAINAGE EASEMENTS.
THE CURRENT LANGUAGE OF LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE STATES THAT AN OWNER OF PROPERTY THAT IS DEVELOPING THAT PROPERTY HAS TO PUT THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN INTO A DRAINAGE EASEMENT THAT THAT EXISTS ON THAT PROPERTY.
SO THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN IS SHOWN WHERE, WHERE IT IS SHOWN HOW IT'S LOCATED ON THE PROPERTY, AND THEY'RE REQUIRED TO PLACE THAT FLOODPLAIN INTO A DRAINAGE DRAINAGE EASEMENT.
THE INTENT OF THAT DRAINAGE EASEMENT IS TWOFOLD.
IT REMINDS THE CURRENT A APPLICANT OR DEVELOPER THAT THERE'S FLOOD RISK ON THE PROPERTY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT REMINDS FUTURE LANDOWNERS, PURCHASERS OF THAT PROPERTY THAT THERE'S FLOOD RISK ON THAT PROPERTY AS WELL.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TOOL FOR US TO GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS TO CURRENT AND FUTURE LANDOWNERS THAT THERE'S FULLY FLOOD RISK HERE AND THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN AND IF IT'S DEVELOPED IN THE FUTURE.
IDENTIFYING WHERE THAT FLOOD POND IS ON THE PROPERTY ITSELF IS TYPICALLY ACCOMPLISHED BY A A A A SURVEY OF THE PROPERTY OF THE PROPERTY ITSELF.
SO THE SUR THE SURVEY, THE PROCESS OF GETTING A SURVEY, UH, IS SOMETIMES LENGTHY AND SOMETIMES COSTLY.
AND THE, UH, THE PROCESS IS, IS, IS FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO HIRE A SURVEYOR, PREPARE THE MEETS AND BOUNDS OF THE SURVEY DOCUMENT, HAVE IT REVIEWED BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, HAVE IT REVIEWED BY STAFF,
[00:45:01]
AND THEN HOPEFULLY HAVE IT APPROVED AFTER THAT.WE HAVE PARKS, UH, STAFF HERE THAT CAN, UH, ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS IF WE HAVE, IF YOU HAVE SOME ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
THE PROPOSED CODE LANGUAGE WOULD INCLUDE IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND EX, UH, A VARIANCE OF THE, UH, EASEMENT REQUIREMENTS THAT CAN BE GIVEN BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
SO THE DIRECTOR OF WATERSHED PROTECTION WOULD HAVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE ABILITY TO GRANT A VARIANCE FROM THE EASEMENT REQUIREMENT FOR A PROJECT THAT IS PARKLAND ON CITY OF AUSTIN PARK LINE PROPERTY.
AND THERE'S WHERE IT'LL BE LOCATED IN THE CODE 25 7 1 52 BUNCH OF LETTERS AND NUMBERS HERE.
E TWO E TWO, LITTLE E PARKLAND OWNED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE INITIATED THIS PROCESS WITH THE COJC GROUP BACK IN JULY AND HAVE GOTTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO INITIATE THIS REQUEST ON AUGUST 12TH.
WE DID SEND A MEMO TO YOU, THE BOARD, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER, WENT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND HAD MEETINGS ABOUT IT IN, UH, MID OCTOBER.
HERE WE ARE TODAY, OCTOBER 27TH, AND THEN THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO HEAD THIS BACK TO COJC PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
ONE THING THAT I, I DIDN'T POINT OUT THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE IS, IS UNDERSTOOD IS THAT THE LACK OF PRESENCE OF DRAINAGE EASEMENT DOES NOT GIVE THE PROPERTY THE RIGHT TO NOT COMPLY WITH THE FLIGHTLINE REGULATIONS AT ALL.
JUST THE PRESENCE OF THE EASEMENT, THE PRESENCE OF THE EASEMENT DOES NOT GIVE THEM THAT REQUIREMENT.
THAT REQUIREMENT WILL STILL BE THERE.
YOU HAVE TO COMPLY WITH FLOOD PLAIN RULES IF YOU'RE DEVELOPING PROPERTY IN THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLAIN IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THEN WE HAVE DAN DEAN WILLIAMS CAN ANSWER SOME FOR THE ON RELATED TO THE PARK DEPARTMENT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DEFINITELY GOT SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UM, WERE THERE ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT YOU ADDED TO YOUR PRESENTATION, UH, ONCE YOU PRESENTED TO SOME OF THE OTHER GROUPS BASED ON THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU RECEIVED? THE PRE THE PRESENTATION DIDN'T CHANGE.
THE, THE TOPICS DIDN'T CHANGE.
I DON'T KNOW SPECIFIC SPECIFICALLY, SEAN, IF YOU CAN COMMENT ON THAT.
I, WHAT THE, WHAT THE REC, WHAT THE ASKS WERE TO, TO BE CHANGED, BUT I THE PRESENTATION ITSELF IS THE SAME.
UM, IF, IF, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS CORRECTLY, THIS WOULD GIVE THE HEAD OF WATERSHED THE RIGHT TO GIVE ITSELF A VARIANCE OR GIVE THE VARIANCE ON PARKLAND.
THIS IS NOT THE HEAD OF PARK GIVING THAT RIGHT VARIANCE.
WATERSHED GIVING THE RIGHT A VARIANCE ON PARK LAND CORRECT WATERSHED GIVING A VARIANCE TO THE REQUIREMENT TO HAVE A DRAIN EASEMENT.
OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYBODY ONLINE HAVE A QUESTION? OKAY.
DO YOU WANT ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'LL DO IT IN THE DISCUSSION.
UM, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE ON THE FLOOR BY, UH, VICE CHAIR FLOWERS.
WE'VE GOT A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER.
WE'LL OPEN THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION AND, UM, I KNOW MR. EUBANKS WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
I'M SURE THERE ARE GOOD COST SAVING REASONS TO DO THIS.
I'M VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE VARIANCE BEING GIVEN FOR ANY PROJECT OF THIS SORT ON PARKLAND.
WITHOUT THE PARTICIPATION OF THE DIRECTOR OF PARK, UH, I WOULD BE MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE IF THIS WAS DONE BETWEEN WATERSHED AND PART, NOT BY WATERSHED INDEPENDENTLY.
SO I'M UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT PART OF IT, NOT UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE IDEA.
I'M UNCOMFORTABLE WITH, WITHOUT DIRECT INVOLVEMENT
[00:50:01]
OF THE HEAD OF PARK, UM, DIRECTOR.IS THERE SOMEBODY WHO CAN SPEAK TO WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN, UM, PARKS DEPARTMENT AND WATERSHED WOULD BE IN? YOU KNOW, BEFORE PLEASE COME TO US.
START A LITTLE BIT, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THIS IS, UM, PART OF THE CODE THAT'S OVERSEEN BY WATERSHED PROTECTION.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE OVERSEE.
SO IF THERE WAS A, UM, A PROJECT WHERE WE WOULD REQUEST, WE WOULD GO TO THE PARK, TO THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND ASK FOR THAT.
BUT IT'S ULTIMATELY THEIR AUTHORITY.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF THIS SPECIFIC CODE WATERSHED.
I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTOOD THAT.
CAN YOU JUST REITERATE THAT IN A DIFFERENT WAY? AND ALSO IT WAS REALLY HARD TO HEAR THE MIC WAS KIND OF LOW OR IT WASN'T.
UM, JUST, I THINK, I THINK I'M GOING TO REPEAT THE SAME THING.
THIS IS UNDER THE CODE THAT IS MANAGED BY, UH, WATERSHED PROTECTION.
SO IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT TO HAVE A SAY ON THAT.
SO IN THIS CASE, IT IS THE DIRECTOR OF WATERSHED PROTECTION WHO WILL BE ALLOWING, WILL BE PROVIDING THE VARIANCE FOR THE EASEMENT, THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT TO, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND IT IS ONLY ABOUT THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT IN MANY CASES FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS THAT IS NEEDED TO HAVE THAT EASEMENT SO THAT WHEN THE PROPERTY IS TRANSFERRED, THE NEW OWNERS ARE ALSO AWARE THAT THIS IS A DRAINAGE EASEMENT.
THE PARKS DEPARTMENT OWNS THE LAND FOREVER, SO WE ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE IT TO ANYBODY AND WE ARE GOING TO COMPLY WITH ALL BLOOD CLAIM RESTRICTIONS AT ALL TIMES.
VICE CHAIR FLOWERS? YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY TO MAKE SURE MY UNDERSTANDING IS CORRECT HERE.
UM, THIS SECTION OF CODE ADDRESSES DRAINAGE EASEMENTS MORE BROADLY, WHICH OBVIOUSLY FALLS UNDER WATERSHED PROTECTION.
THIS IS AN AMENDMENT THAT NOW BRINGS IN PARKLAND TO THE CONVERSATION.
BUT THE OVERALL SECTION OF CODE IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT DRAINAGE EASEMENTS, WHICH WOULD BE, UH, IT WOULD BE SOMEWHAT BIZARRE TO PUT THE PARKS DIRECTOR IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT BECAUSE DRAINAGE EASEMENTS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU WERE IN CHARGE OF.
AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS ALWAYS PART OF IT.
SO WHEN WE WERE GOING TO DEVELOP PROJECTS, WE HAD THAT REQUIREMENT, WHICH BASICALLY ADDED COSTS AND TIME TO OUR PROJECTS AND WE ARE TRYING TO AVOID THAT.
I I DO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION.
UH, AND, AND THESE WILL BE BE LARGELY FOR, OR ARE EXCLUSIVELY FOR PROJECTS BEING DONE BY PARKS.
ANYBODY ELSE? ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION.
WHAT ABOUT PROJECTS DONE BY YOUR PARTNERS NONPROFITS? WOULD THEY GET THIS SAME ADVANTAGE OR TO, WOULD, WOULD IS THAT DIFFERENT? I'M, I'M, UH, I'M CONFUSED.
WE ALWAYS HAVE TO COMPLY WITH CODE THAT WILL NEVER, UH, BYPASS.
SO WE ARE NOT TRYING TO NOT COMPLY WITH FLOOD RESTRICTIONS.
UM, AND EVEN PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED BY PARTNERS ON PARKLAND, THEY HAVE TO COMPLY WITH ALL THE SAME RULES THAT WE HAVE TO, SO THEY WOULD NOT RECEIVE THE VARIANCE.
I WOULD THINK THAT THEY WILL, YES, THEY WILL RECEIVE THE VARIANCE FOR NOT DEDICATING THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT, BUT THAT'S ALL THERE IS.
BUT WE'LL HAVE TO COMPLY WITH FLOOD CLAIM RESTRICTIONS.
A NONPROFIT THAT DOESN'T OWN THE PARKLAND CAN'T RECEIVE THE VARIANCE.
THE PARKS DEPARTMENT RECEIVES THE VARIANCE.
THE NONPROFIT OPERATES ON THE PARKLAND.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND A SECOND.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE OPPOSED? WE'VE GOT ONE.
[4. Discussion and approve setting the Parks and Recreation Board 2026 regular meeting schedule as the 4th Monday of each month, except May and December, and May 18th at 6:00 p.m. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers)]
[00:55:01]
MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND APPROVE, UH, SETTING THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD 2026 REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULE AS THE FOURTH MONDAY OF EACH MONTH EXCEPT FOR MAY AND DECEMBER AND MAY 18TH AT 6:00 PM AND IT HAS TO BE WORDED THIS WAY,UM, AND WE HAVE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT MEMORIAL DAY AND THAT WE DON'T GENERALLY HAVE A MEETING, UM, IN DECEMBER.
ALRIGHT, ANY DISCUSSION? WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS.
UM, UH, QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS.
I'LL LET Y'ALL TAKE A LOOK AT THE, AT THE DOCUMENT THAT WAS PROVIDED IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE.
AND THE MEETINGS WILL BE HELD, UM, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS FOR 2026 AS WELL.
I I DID NOT SAY THAT PREVIOUSLY.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? BOARD MEMBER? UM, KIND.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A QUESTION TO COMMENT.
I JUST, ON THE, EVERYTHING LOOKS PERFECT.
THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD ABOUT, OR IS ON NOVEMBER THE 23RD, I KNOW THAT'S THREE DAYS BEFORE THANKSGIVING.
SO DO WE WANT TO KEEP THAT? I I I'LL PROBABLY BE HERE STUFF.
IT DOESN'T, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ON THAT DAY.
I ASKED THAT QUESTION A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND I THINK THE ISSUE IS THE OTHERWISE IT'S THE MONDAY AFTER THAN WELL OR THAT PUSHES YOU INTO DECEMBER DEPENDING ON THE YEAR.
SO WE WOULD HAVE, LOOKING AT, UH, MR. BECK, UM, AS WE GET CLOSER, WE COULD REVIEW THE AGENDA AGAIN AND MAKE AN AMENDMENT SO WE'RE NOT ALL IN.
OF OUR DUCKS IN A ROW AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
I'LL DO WHATEVER, BUT I'LL DO WHATEVER'S GONNA CAUSE THEM THE BIGGEST LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE.
SO
YEAH, THAT IS THE OTHER THING THAT'S TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
UM, IT IS NICE TO BE IN THE SAME SPACE SO THAT, UM, CONSTITUENTS KNOW WHERE TO EXPECT US TO BE.
UM, WE'VE HAD A BIT OF AN EXPERIENCE WITH MOVING SO
UM, ALRIGHT, WELL WITH THAT, UM, I WILL, UH, IS THERE A MOTION I MOVED TO? WE'VE GOT TWO.
MY TRIGGER FINGERS FASTER THAN YOUR SIDE.
ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT, I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE 2026 MEETING SCHEDULE.
AND THEN WE HAVE A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER ABU AMARA.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS, WE WILL TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE UH, 2026 MEETING SCHEDULE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, AND THAT ONE IS UNANIMOUS.
[5. Staff briefing on a Commercial Landscape Equipment Electrification Market Study. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers) Presenter(s): Jen Cregar, Founder and Principal, Terra Lumina Consulting.]
WE WILL MOVE TO STAFF BRIEFINGS NOW.UM, SO THIS IS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, STAFF BRIEFING ON A COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE EQUIPMENT, ELECTRI, ELECTRIFICATION MARKET STUDY.
AND WE'LL HEAR THAT PRESENTATION.
I USE SHE HER PRONOUNS AND I AM NOT, UH, AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION STAFF.
I AM A FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL OF TARA LUMINA CONSULTING.
AND TO MY RIGHT, YOUR LEFT IS MY PROJECT PARTNER LEON VARGAS, WITH WISDOM AND FAMIS, ALSO PART OF THE CONSULTANT TEAM.
AND TWO LEON'S LEFT, UM, OR RIGHT, YOUR LEFT IS SARAH TALKINGTON WITH AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION.
SO WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF A MARKET RESEARCH STUDY THAT LEONOR AND I DID, UM, BOTH WITH CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF AND PRIVATE, UM, AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AND INSTITUTIONAL LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT OPERATORS THROUGHOUT THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS STUDY WAS COMMISSIONED BY AUSTIN CLIMATE ACTION AND RESILIENCE, FORMERLY THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION, FORMERLY PARD.
UM, AND THE STUDY WAS COMMISSIONED TO HELP SUPPORT TWO, UH, AIR POLLUTION RELATED PLANS THAT THE CITY, UM, HAS CREATED AND SUPPORTED AND SIGNED ONTO THE FIRST BEING THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, WHICH IS OUR COMMUNITY PLAN FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE, UH, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, AS WELL AS OUR FIVE COUNTY REGIONAL AIR QUALITY PLAN, WHICH OUTLINES THE WAY THAT OUR CENTRAL TEXAS COMMUNITY SEEKS TO MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL AIR QUALITY STANDARDS.
[01:00:01]
UM, LOCALIZED POLLUTANTS LIKE GRIT THAT CAUSE GROUND LEVEL OZONE AND PARTICULATE MATTER.UM, BOTH OF THOSE TYPES OF POLLUTANTS CAN BE CREATED BY CONVENTIONAL GASOLINE OR OTHER FOSSIL FUEL, UH, COMBUSTION EQUIPMENT LIKE COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT.
AND SO THERE HAVE BEEN SOME RELATIVELY RECENT CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS, UH, DIRECTING STAFF TO LOOK INTO OPPORTUNITIES TO TRY TO REDUCE NOT ONLY SOME OF THOSE, UM, AIR POLLUTION EMISSIONS, BUT NOISE POLLUTION AND OTHER BENEFITS OF TRYING TO, UM, TRANSITION COMMERCIAL GRADE LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT TO ELECTRIC OPTIONS AND OTHER SUSTAINABLE AND LOW EMISSIONS LANDSCAPING PRACTICES.
SO AGAIN, UM, THE CITY ASKED LEONOR AND MYSELF TO DO A STUDY, BASICALLY TO GET A PULSE ON WHERE, UH, THE AUSTIN LANDSCAPING COMMUNITY IS IN TERMS OF AWARENESS OF AND PERCEPTIONS OF, UH, ELECTRIC BATTERY, ELECTRIC, COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT.
SO SPECIFICALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROFESSIONAL GRADE EQUIPMENT, NOT THE TYPES OF EQUIPMENT THAT, UH, YOU CAN BUY FOR YOUR OWN HOME AT LIKE A LOWE'S OR A HOME DEPOT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT EQUIPMENT THAT'S GONNA MEET THE, THE DAY-TO-DAY WEAR TO TEAR AND OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS IN SUSTAINED PROFESSIONAL SETTINGS, MUCH LIKE, UH, THE PARKS AND RECREATION STAFF DOES ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO, UM, WE WENT OUT AND WE SPOKE TO THESE EQUIPMENT OPERATORS, BOTH CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF, OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AND INSTITUTIONAL STAFF AND PRIVATE SECTOR FOLKS AS WELL.
UM, WE DID THAT IN A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS.
ONE IS WE DID AN ONLINE SURVEY, WHICH WE DELIVERED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
WE HAD 53 PEOPLE LOCALLY TAKE THAT STUDY.
49 OF THOSE FOLKS TOOK THE ENGLISH VERSION OF THE STUDY.
AND FOUR, UM, TOOK THE SPANISH VERSION OF THE SURVEY.
LEONOR AND I ALSO CONDUCTED ONE-ON-ONE AND SMALL GROUP INTERVIEWS, UM, AGAIN WITH THESE PROFESSIONALS, UH, THAT, THAT OPERATE LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, WHEN I SAY LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT, I'M TALKING ABOUT MOWERS AND BLOWERS AND TRIMMERS AND, UH, UTILITY TERRAIN VEHICLES, CARTS, ANYTHING THAT CAN BE USED TO MAINTAIN, UM, LANDS AND GROUNDS.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH FOLKS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ARE MAYBE JUST A HALF STEP AHEAD OF WHERE AUSTIN IS EITHER IN ALREADY TRYING TO TRANSITION THEIR OWN MUNICIPAL FLEET OF LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT TO ELECTRIC OPTIONS AND HAD SOME PERSPECTIVES ON WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED ON.
UM, AS WELL AS WE ALSO TALKED TO SOME, SOME PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS, SOME GOVERNMENTAL OR NOT, OR QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES THAT OFFER THINGS LIKE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES OR REBATES OR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO TRY TO SHIFT THE COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT PRO, UM, MARKET AT LARGE IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST WITH GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.
UH, WE'VE TRIED REALLY HARD TO GET SOME DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES THAT YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE.
WE TALK TO FOLKS ALL THE WAY FROM, YOU KNOW, SINGLE OR TWO PERSON, UM, BUSINESSES SERVING MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, UP TO NATIONAL LANDSCAPING COMPANIES THAT HAVE A LOCAL FRANCHISE WITH HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES, THOUSANDS OF PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, UM, AND CITY STAFF FROM ACROSS THE CITY OF AUSTIN ORGANIZATION, TRAVIS COUNTY, AUSTIN, ISD, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, ST.
EDWARDS UNIVERSITY, TO TRYING TO GET A REALLY ROBUST PERSPECTIVE ACROSS THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
YOU CAN SEE IN THIS GRAPH HERE ON THE SLIDE, THIS IS THE PROFILE OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN SPECIFICALLY THAT WERE REPRESENTED.
WE WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT WE HEARD FROM PARKS EMPLOYEES, UM, SINCE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION, UH, WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN A PILOT PROGRAM TO CONTINUE TO TRANSITION TO ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT AND OTHER SUSTAINABLE LOW EMISSIONS LANDSCAPING PRACTICES.
SO WE ABSOLUTELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VOICES AND PERSPECTIVES WERE HEARD AND THAT INFORMATION WAS ROLLED INTO, UM, KIND OF A STEP-BY-STEP PILOT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE THAT WE'LL MENTION IN A MOMENT TOO.
UM, THERE IS, UH, YOU, YOU HAVE IN YOUR BACKUP COPIES OF THE REPORT THAT BASICALLY DOCUMENTS OUR APPROACH AND OUR FINDINGS AND OUR RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON WHAT WE HEARD FROM FOLKS WE TALKED TO, AS WELL AS THAT STEP-BY-STEP, UM, AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION PILOT PROGRAM GUIDE AS WELL.
UM, BUT TODAY WE'RE JUST GONNA GIVE YOU KIND OF THE, THE HIGHLIGHTS AND I'M GONNA KEEP IT PRETTY HIGH LEVEL, BUT I'M HAPPY TO DRILL INTO DETAILS IF Y'ALL WANNA ASK QUESTIONS LATER ON.
UM, SO THIS SLIDE ESSENTIALLY SUMMARIZES WHAT WE HEARD IN A NUTSHELL IN TERMS OF WHAT PEOPLE REALLY LIKE ABOUT HAVING ELECTRIC LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT AND WHERE THERE ARE CHALLENGES STILL TO BE WORKED THROUGH.
SO I THINK ON THE, THE WELL LIKED THE BENEFITS SIDE.
UM, AND, AND ALSO LET ME STATE THAT THIS IS HIGHLY GENERALIZED, WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SHARE WITH YOU.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY CONSISTENTLY HEARD IS THAT THIS IS USER EXPERIENCE DRIVEN.
EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THEY, LIKE, WHAT WORKS WELL FOR THEM, THE, THE TYPE OF OPERATION THAT THEY'RE PRACTICING, THEIR BODY TYPE.
SO THIS IS GONNA SHIFT PERSON TO PERSON.
BUT IN GENERAL, UM, WE HEARD KIND OF A, A MAJORITY OPINION THAT FOLKS LIKED, ESPECIALLY THE HANDHELD TOOLS LIKE TREMORS, WEED EATERS,
[01:05:01]
BLOWERS, CHAINSAWS, THINGS LIKE THAT.IF THEY HAD A LIGHT DUTY APPLICATION, SO BLOWING OFF WALKWAYS OR UM, TURF AREA THAT MAYBE DOESN'T HAVE A HEAVY LEAF FALL OR, UM, TRIMMING TREES, NOT NECESSARILY TAKING DOWN A HERITAGE STYLE TREE, NOT THAT WE WOULD WANT THEM DOING THAT AT ALL.
UM, SO B LIGHTER DUTY APPLICATIONS, THEY FOUND THAT THEY LOVED THE QUIETNESS OF IT.
UM, ANYBODY THAT HAS OPERATED A LEAF BLOWER OR EVEN A LAWNMOWER IN YOUR OWN PROPERTY, UH, KNOWS THAT IT CAN BE REALLY LOUD AND IT CAN CAUSE HEARING DAMAGE PRETTY QUICKLY.
SO PEOPLE LIKE THE QUIET OPERATIONS, THEY LIKE THAT IT WAS CLEANER, BOTH FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE, FROM AN EMISSIONS POINT OF VIEW, AND THEN NOT HA HAVING TO HANDLE KIND OF LIQUID FUELS A GASOLINE OR DIESEL OR PROPANE THAT'S USED IN TRADITIONAL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE EQUIPMENT.
AND THEN THIS IS THE PIECE THAT GETS A LITTLE BIT MORE SUBJECTIVE, BUT SOME USERS REALLY FOUND THE ELECTRIC HANDHELD EQUIPMENT TO BE EASIER TO HANDLE, IN SOME CASES, TO BE LIGHTER WEIGHT, TO HAVE IMPROVED ERGONOMICS.
BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE ACROSS THE BOARD.
AGAIN, IT REALLY DEPENDED ON THE USER, UM, THEIR SIZE, THEIR TYPE, AND THEIR APPLICATION OF WHAT THEY WERE USING THE EQUIPMENT FOR.
UM, IN GENERAL, I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT HAS LOWER MAINTENANCE NEEDS.
THERE ARE FEWER MOVING PARTS, SO THERE ARE LESS THINGS TO FAIL AND WEAR OUT OVER TIME.
UM, BUT THAT SAID, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A LEARNING CURVE, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF THE MORE SOPHISTICATED, UH, ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT LIKE SOME OF THE AUTOMATED RO UH, MOWERS THAT HAVE KIND OF BUILT IN PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE.
THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A LEARNING CURVE WITH THOSE NEW KIND OF ELECTRONICS AND THINGS AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST PIECE ON THE BENEFITS SIDE IS, WELL FOR SURE RIGHT NOW THE COMMERCIAL GRADE ELECTRIC LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT IS MORE EXPENSIVE UPFRONT TO BUY NOT JUST THE TOOL, BUT TO BUY THE BATTERY BATTERY TO POWER THE TOOL AND THE CHARGING EQUIPMENT THAT GOES UP, GOES WITH IT.
UM, IN THE LONG RUN, THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR THE FULL LIFECYCLE COST TO BE CHEAPER BECAUSE, UH, ELECTRICITY, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF CITY OF AUSTIN OPERATIONS TENDS TO BE CHEAPER THAN THE, THE CHARGE THAT DEPARTMENTS GET FOR GASOLINE OR PROPANE FOR EXAMPLE.
'CAUSE THERE CAN BE SOME REDUCED.
THERE CAN BE SOME LABOR COST SAVINGS, AND THERE CAN BE THOSE MAINTENANCE COST SAVINGS.
SO ON NET, THE THE O AND M COSTS CAN BE LOWER AND THAT CAN OFFSET THE HIGHER UPFRONT PURCHASE PRICE.
NOW, THERE ARE STILL SOME CHALLENGES.
I THINK WE DEFINITELY HEARD STRONGLY THAT IN SOME CASES, ESPECIALLY WITH LARGER EQUIPMENT, THAT NEEDS TO BE OPERATED THROUGH A FULL EIGHT HOUR SHIFT ACROSS MULTIPLE PROPERTIES AND HUNDREDS OF ACRES THAT SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT IN THE ELECTRIC, UH, CATEGORY IS JUST NOT THERE YET IN TERMS OF THE PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS IN TERMS OF THE POWER OUTPUT, HOW LONG A BATTERY CAN LAST, WE HEARD THAT SOMETIMES THEY ONLY LAST FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, AND THEN YOU'VE GOTTA SWAP IT OUT FOR A NEW BATTERY OR FIND SOMEWHERE TO CHARGE IT UP.
AND SO SOME OF THOSE CHARGING CONSTRAINTS ARE VERY REAL, UH, ESPECIALLY AT SOME OF THE CITY FACILITIES AND THE, THE PARKS AND RECREATION AND CEMETERIES THAT HAVE SOME OLDER BUILDINGS THAT MAY NOT HAVE, UH, CHARGING OUTLETS AT ALL MAY HAVE SOME OUTDATED KIND OF WIRING AND REQUIRE SOME ELECTRICAL UPGRADES.
SO THERE IS A DESIRE TO REALLY THINK HOLISTICALLY AND STRATEGICALLY ABOUT HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR FACILITIES ARE READY TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE POWER REQUIREMENTS, TO CHARGE UP THE BATTERIES, TO RUN THIS EQUIPMENT.
I ALREADY MENTIONED SOME OF THE HIGHER UPFRONT COSTS.
UM, ANOTHER PIECE IS THAT THIS IS NEW TECHNOLOGY AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE GENUINELY EXCITED ABOUT SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND WORKER AND COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY BENEFITS OF IT.
BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME UNKNOWNS ABOUT THE END OF LIFE MANAGEMENT OF THIS EQUIPMENT.
SO ESPECIALLY WITH THE BATTERY EQUIPMENT, UM, WHAT IS THE MOST RESPONSIBLE AND COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO IDEALLY RECYCLE THOSE BATTERIES AND PUT THEM BACK INTO REUSE IF POSSIBLE, AND TO TRY TO MINIMIZE SOME OF THE UPSTREAM MINING IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE BATTERIES.
UM, AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT'S REALLY USER SPECIFIC.
SO WHILE SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS LIGHTER AND A BETTER ERGONOMIC FIT FOR THEM, OTHERS HAD THE OPPOSITE REACTION.
AND WHILE THERE ARE CERTAINLY SOME TECHNOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS, THERE'S ALSO SOME CULTURAL, UH, CONSIDERATIONS WITH THIS AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT WORK ON TEAMS, IT'S A PEER INFLUENCE, IT'S A CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT, AND SOME PEOPLE ARE USED TO HEARING THE NOISE AND FEEL THE HEFT OF GAS POWERED EQUIPMENT.
AND SO, UM, THERE MAY BE SOME DISTRUST THAT THE REALLY QUIET, SMOOTH OPERATION OF THE ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT CAN DO WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO.
UM, AND SO THERE THERE'S SOME KIND OF CULTURAL, UH, LEARNINGS AND THINGS TO GET USED TO AS WELL.
VERY QUICKLY, AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT I JUST SHARED WITH YOU, WAS PRETTY GENERALIZED ACROSS DIFFERENT TYPES OF STANDARD COMMERCIAL GRADE LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT.
BUT AGAIN, THIS REALLY MATTERS WHAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO THIS SLIDE I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO TO DETAIL NOW, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
THIS JUST KIND OF SHOWS WHERE, UM, BASED ON THE RESEARCH THAT WE DID, WE THINK THAT THERE ARE PROFESSIONAL GRADE BATTERY ELECTRIC OPTIONS THAT ARE UP TO SNUFF FOR, FOR THE TYPES OF OPERATIONS THAT HAPPEN BOTH INTERNALLY WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND
[01:10:01]
IN OUR LARGER COMMUNITY.AGAIN, REALLY FOCUSED ON THE TECHNOLOGY SEEMS TO BE THERE FOR LIGHT DUTY APPLICATIONS.
UM, BUT WE MAY STILL NEED SOME BACKUP, UM, KIND OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE OPTIONS FOR HEAVY DUTY OR APPLICATIONS AND SUSTAINED OPERATIONS.
SO BASED ON WHAT WE HEARD, WE DEVELOPED A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, IT GOES INTO MORE DETAIL ON, ON WHAT SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE, BUT THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY LUMPED INTO TWO CATEGORIES.
ONE, THERE WAS STRONG SUPPORT BOTH FROM CITY STAFF AND FROM OTHERS THAT WE INTERVIEWED AND OR COMPLETED THE SURVEY FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO REALLY LEAD STRONGLY BY EXAMPLE WITH ITS OWN EQUIPMENT.
UM, AND SO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE ON THE SCREEN IN FRONT OF YOU ARE WHAT THE CITY CAN DO FROM A LEAD BY EXAMPLE PERSPECTIVE IN THE REPORT.
THERE ARE ALSO SOME IDEAS FOR HOW THE CITY CAN DEVELOP, UM, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND JUST DRIVE GENERAL MARKET AWARENESS AND EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES TO TRY TO SHIFT THE FULL COMMUNITY TOWARDS MORE SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING PRACTICES AS WELL.
UM, SO THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM A LEAD, LEAD BY EXAMPLE PERSPECTIVE IS TO NOT GET TOO NARROWLY PRESCRIPTIVE ON A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, A HUNDRED PERCENT ELECTRIC OPTIONS FOR ALL FORMS OF LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT ACROSS THE BOARD BY A REALLY QUICK DATE TO ALLOW FOR A LITTLE BIT OF FLUIDITY AND FLEXIBILITY TO CHOOSE THE BEST EQUIPMENT TO MATCH THE INTENDED APPLICATION AND THE USERS THAT WILL BE OPERATING THAT EQUIPMENT.
AND SO ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS FOR THE CITY TO SET GOALS RELATED TO, UH, WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AS WELL.
SO THAT COULD LOOK LIKE SETTING, UM, AN EMISSIONS REDUCTION GOAL OVER TIME THAT WOULD HELP MEET THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND OUR REGIONAL AIR QUALITY PLAN AND TO SET SOME GOALS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, UM, REDUCING WORKPLACE SAFETY INCIDENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, AND HOW ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT CAN SUPPORT THAT.
BUT THAT THERE ARE ALSO OTHER PRACTICES LIKE REDUCING MOWING TO SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, LOOKING AT WAYS TO, UM, MORE STRATEGICALLY LOCATE, UH, EMPLOYEES AND EQUIPMENT SO THAT THERE'S LESS DRIVING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN WORK SITES, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, ALSO IN LINE WITH THAT WAS THE IDEA OF REALLY HONING IN ON A PHASED ROLLOUT.
SO NOT SETTING A HARD AND FIXED DEADLINE TO GET, AGAIN TO LIKE FULL ELECTRIFICATION, BUT TO PHASE THAT IN OVER TIME TO ALLOW BOTH THE TECHNOLOGY TO MATURE ON SOME OF THE LARGER, MORE HEAVY DUTY EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS TO ALLOW THE FOLKS THAT ARE GONNA BE USING THE EQUIPMENT TO GAIN SOME FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE AND COMFORT, UM, WITH THAT EQUIPMENT AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, REALLY TAKING A KEEN EYE TO WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO MAKE SURE THAT CITY FACILITIES ARE READY TO BE ABLE TO CHARGE THIS EQUIPMENT SO THAT THE EQUIPMENT IS AVAILABLE AND READY TO GO WHEN IT NEEDS TO BE USED THROUGHOUT A SHIFT AND THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
UM, AND THEN, UH, TAKING, UH, TAKING A A PAGE FROM I THINK WHAT, WHAT THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING IN TERMS OF ELECTRIFYING ITS ON-ROAD VEHICLE FLEET AND TRYING TO TAKE A MORE HOLISTIC LIFECYCLE VIEW OF WHAT ARE THE FULL, UH, LIFECYCLE COSTS AND BENEFITS WHEN MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO PURCHASE.
HAVING THE SAME APPROACH TO THINKING ABOUT WHICH ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT TO PURCHASE WHEN AND WHERE AND AT WHAT PRICE POINT.
UM, AND THAT THERE'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY FOR THE EQUIPMENT THAT THE CITY PURCHASES, BUT ALSO TO TRY TO USE, UH, THE CITY'S PUBLIC PURCHASING POWER TO TRY TO SHIFT THE MARKET THROUGH ITS VENDOR CONTRACTS.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THE PIECE ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD PRETTY STRONGLY FROM THE FOLKS THAT WE TALKED TO ACROSS DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, BUT THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
THEY'VE GOT SOME CURIOSITIES AND SOME THINGS THEY'D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, FOLKS ARE EXCITED, UM, AND WANT TO LEARN FROM OTHERS.
RIGHT NOW IT'S KIND OF A PIECEMEAL APPROACH ACROSS THE CITY.
SOME PEOPLE ARE TESTING OUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF ELECTRIC LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT, AND FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'RE KIND OF SETTING UP THEIR OWN CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, THEIR OWN SECURE AND SAFE STORAGE, UH, OPTIONS AND LEARNING HOW, HOW TO OPERATE THEM AND MAINTAIN THEM.
SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO TRY TO BRING ALL OF THAT TOGETHER AND CUT THROUGH SOME OF THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL SILOS SO THAT FOLKS CAN LEARN TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T COMPETE WITH ALREADY VERY, VERY HEAVY DEMANDS ON THEIR DAY-TO-DAY SCHEDULE.
AND THEN LASTLY, REFERRING TO THE PIECE THAT I MENTIONED ABOUT PROVIDING SOME CLEAR GUIDANCE AND RESOURCES ON HOW TO BEST MANAGE END OF LIFE, UM, BOTH FOR THE FOSSIL FUEL EQUIPMENT THAT'S BEING RETIRED SO THAT YOU CAN RECYCLE THE, THE SCRAP METAL AND OTHER PARTS THAT CAN BE, UH, REUSED OR RECLAIMED IN SOME WAY, MAYBE WORKING INTO VENDOR CONTRACTS, KIND OF TAKE BACK REQUIREMENTS FOR FOR BATTERIES, UM, AND OPTIONS LIKE THAT.
AND WE DID GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, AND THEY'VE ALREADY GOT SOME CITYWIDE CONTRACTS GOING INTO PLACE, BOTH FOR KIND OF METAL RECYCLING AND STARTING IN EARLY 2026, THERE SHOULD BE A CITYWIDE BATTERY RECYCLING OPTION THAT AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION AND OTHERS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AS WELL.
[01:15:01]
IS A STEP BY STEP, UH, PILOT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE THAT AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.UM, WE ROUGHLY HAVE MAPPED OUT ANYWHERE FROM LIKE A 21 TO 24 MONTH TIMELINE, UH, STRICTLY FOR A PILOT SCALE OPERATION WITHIN, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION AND WITH THE HOPES OF SCALING THAT UP ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT AND POTENTIALLY ACROSS THE CITY ORGANIZATION AS WELL.
SO HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT ANY OF THAT IN MORE DETAIL IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
UM, HAPPY TO FIELD SOME QUESTIONS OR YOU CAN REACH OUT TO LEONOR OR MYSELF ANYTIME AT OUR EMAIL ADDRESS PROVIDED.
BOARD MEMBERS, BOARD MEMBER EUBANK.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, ONE HAS TO DO WITH THE TIMELINE.
I MEAN, GIVEN HOW FAST THIS IS EVOLVING MM-HMM
IT SEEMS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE 48, 60 VOLT BATTERY PLATFORMS ARE BECOMING MORE VIABLE.
UH, I CERTAINLY KNOW OF 24 INCH SAWS LIKE DEWALT THAT ARE BEING PUT INTO USE.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S MOVING VERY QUICKLY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK 24 MONTHS, 36, I MEAN, IF YOU WERE TIMING IT MM-HMM
TO WHERE WE HIT THIS DATE AND WE'RE HITTING AT THE SAME TIME THAT THIS, THE EQUIPMENT IS EVOLVING MM-HMM
TO A POINT WHERE IT'S VIABLE AT AT THE LARGEST SCALE.
WHAT WOULD THAT PERIOD OF TIME BE? WE DID TRY TO GAUGE THAT THROUGH SOME OF OUR INTERVIEWS, UM, AND IT VARIED PRETTY WILDLY.
UM, SO WE HEARD FROM SOME FOLKS THAT RIGHT HERE AS OF TODAY, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, WE TALKED TO ANOTHER NON-CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, MUNICIPAL PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND THEY FELT LIKE THE, WITH TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE TODAY AT THE PRICE POINT AVAILABLE TODAY WITH THE BUDGET THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO TODAY, THAT THEY CAN'T GET DEEPER THAN 10% OF THEIR EQUIPMENT INVENTORY ELECTRIFIED.
UM, AND THAT THEY WOULD LIKE, THEY WERE GIVEN A PRETTY SHORT TIMELINE TO GET TO A MUCH HIGHER PENETRATION OF ELECTRIFICATION.
AND THEY FELT LIKE THAT WAS UNREALISTIC WHAT THEY WERE GIVEN MM-HMM
AND SO THEY WERE ONE OF THE ENTITIES THAT WAS REALLY ENCOURAGING, UH, A MORE FLUID TIMELINE AND TO NOT SET LIKE A FULL A HUNDRED PERCENT OR 80% ELECTRIFICATION GOAL.
UM, WE HAD OTHERS, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ONE OF THOSE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY, THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED, THE MAJORITY OF THEIR EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN TURNED OVER ACROSS 800 CAMPUSES TO ELECTRIC OPTIONS.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS AVAILABLE IN CALIFORNIA THAN ARE AVAILABLE HERE.
SO THAT IS A REALITY TO BE MINDFUL OF, BUT IT'S COMING.
UM, AND THEN I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO TALKED WITH ANOTHER LARGE NATIONAL COMPANY WITH, WITH A LOCAL PRESENCE, AND THEY THOUGHT WE WERE PROBABLY FOUR TO FIVE YEARS OUT TO REALLY HAVING THE ROBUST MARKET AND PRODUCT CHOICE AND APPROPRIATE PRICE POINT THAT WAS NEEDED FOR COMMERCIAL PROFESSIONAL GRADE EQUIPMENT TO REALLY GET SERIOUS ABOUT GOING ALL IN ON THE ELECTRIFICATION.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A VARIETY OF SOME OF THE PERSPECTIVES THAT WE HEARD.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? YES.
WHAT IS YOUR NAME? THE ONE IN BLUE LEONOR LEONOR.
AND WHAT WAS YOUR ROLE IN THIS? UM, I PARTICIPATED IN THE PROJECT ALONG WITH JEN.
UH, WE INTERVIEWED INDIVIDUALS, UH, DID ALSO, UM, THE SURVEYS, UM, AND ALSO DOING OUTREACH IN THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY, UM, AND HELP WITH THE DATA ANALYSIS.
AND WHAT OUTREACH DID YOU DO TO THE SPAN WITH THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY? UM, WE REACHED OUT TO A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN EAST AUSTIN.
UM, WE PARTNERED A LOT WITH THE, UM, TELEMUNDO AND ION.
UM, WE ALSO DID, UM, SOME RADIO STATIONS, UM, NEWSPAPERS AND THEN SOME FOCUS GROUPS AND THE LULAC AND SOME EAST AUSTIN GROUPS.
AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN? WELL, THE ONES THAT RESPONDED, WHAT WE LEARNED WAS THAT THEY WERE REALLY INTERESTED, BUT THERE WAS CONCERNS ABOUT THE COSTS, THE COST OF THE EQUIPMENT.
UM, A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS IDENTIFIED JUST AS SMALL BUSINESS.
AND EVEN WHEN WE SPOKE TO HORIZON, JUST ONE OF THE LEADING, UM, PROVIDERS FOR EQUIPMENT, THEY SPOKE ABOUT HOW THE SMALL COMPANIES MOSTLY, UM, CANNOT AFFORD THE EQUIPMENT THAT'S AVAILABLE.
IT'S JUST TOO EXPENSIVE FOR THEM.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE WE LEARN A LOT ABOUT THE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, THE, THE WHAT PROGRAMS? HOW INCENTIVE, OH, THE INCENTIVES, UHHUH INCENTIVES, LIKE THROUGH CITIES THROUGH, RIGHT.
WERE YOU, UM, WE TALKED, DO WE, WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE A, WE DON'T HAVE A SLIDE ON IT.
YEAH, WE DIDN'T, UH, WE DIDN'T PUT A SLIDE TOGETHER JUST SO WE WERE LIMITED ON WHAT WE COULD PRESENT THIS EVENING, BUT WE DID TALK TO, I THINK FIVE DIFFERENT, UH, PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MOSTLY IN COLORADO, CALIFORNIA, UH, AND NEW YORK WAS ACTUALLY A, A STATE
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DEPARTMENT, NOT A PROGRAM OPERATOR, BUT TALK TO THEM ABOUT HOW THEY STRUCTURED THEIR INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, WHAT, WHAT WERE THEY GIVING, UH, TO BRING DOWN THE COST OF THE MORE EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT, HOW THEY WERE MARKETING IT TO DIFFERENT CONTRACTOR BASE AND WORKING THROUGH RETAILERS.SO ALL OF THAT IS DOCUMENTED IN OUR REPORT WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE HERE IN THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
MY MAIN CONCERN IS ONE, OBVIOUSLY MAKING SURE THAT THE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS ARE SUFFICIENT TO MAKE SOME OF THESE SMALLER BUSINESS OWNERS, PARTICULARLY FROM MINORITY COMMUNITIES, UH, MAKING IT ACTUALLY AFFORDABLE OR MAKING, MAKING SURE THAT THE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS MAKE, ALLOW THEM TO BE COMPETITIVE WHEN MAKING THESE BIDS.
BUT ALSO ON THAT, MAKING THE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS ACCESSIBLE TO THEM.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE CAN HAVE THESE PROGRAMS OUT THERE, BUT IF THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM, HOW TO FILL OUT THE APPLICATION, WHAT TO DO, LIKE, DO I NEED TO BUY THE MACHINE FIRST, THEN, THEN DO I NEED TO SUBMIT A REBATE AND LIKE, WHICH DEPARTMENT I NEED? RIGHT.
LIKE, SO MY, MY CONCERN IS MAKING SURE THAT THE INCENTIVES MAKE, ALLOW 'EM TO BE COMPETITIVE.
AND THEN TWO, MAKING SURE THAT THE INCENTIVES ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE HEARD THAT ACROSS FROM, UH, THE NATIONAL PARTNERS THAT WE SPOKE TO.
UM, THEY REALLY EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.
UM, WE HEARD ABOUT FARES WHERE ACTUALLY THAT WOULD TARGET, YOU KNOW, SMALL BUSINESSES TO COME AND LEARN ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
WHAT WERE THE INCENTIVES AND WHAT WAS THE TRADE IN.
UM, WE HEARD ABOUT WHERE THEY, YOU COULD BRING A GAS POWERED LAWNMOWER AND TRADE IT IN FOR AN ELECTRIC LAWNMOWER AND THEN PLUS GET A REBATE DISCOUNT FOR THE PURCHASE.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE AN EDUCATION COMPONENT TO IT, AND WE TALK ABOUT IT IN OUR REPORT.
AND DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS PROGRAM MEETS THE METRICS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE BEING MET IN ORDER FOR US TO PUT THOSE COMMUNITIES ON A COMPETITIVE LEVEL? YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT REALLY I, IT, I'M ALWAYS, BECAUSE I'M AN ORGANIZER BY TRADE AND I THINK THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMUNITY 'CAUSE IT'S EVER EVOLVING
I COULD SEE WHERE WE COULD INVOLVE, YOU KNOW, JUST SOME COMMUNITY LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO GET THEIR PERSPECTIVE.
UM, ONE OF THE FOCUS GROUPS WE TALKED TO SAID, WELL COME BACK TO US WHEN THE EQUIPMENT'S AVAILABLE AND WE'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE THINK.
I WAS LIKE, OKAY, THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, SO, AND IS THAT GONNA BE DONE? IS THAT PART OF THE STRATEGY? COULD THAT BE PART OF THE STRATEGY? WE, UH, SARAH, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT
SO I'M, UM, A CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEE.
I WORK FOR PARKS SPECIFICALLY, AND THIS IS, UM, TO DATE WHAT HAS BEEN CONDUCTED IS ESSENTIALLY AN ANALYSIS OF THE MARKET AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A PARKS, UM, PILOT TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO INCENTIVES AVAILABLE IN AUSTIN FOR COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE AND LAWN MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT.
UM, I GUESS TYPICALLY THOSE ARE, UM, ADMINISTERED BY AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT TYPE, UM, ENTITIES THAT WE DON'T HAVE, UM, AVAILABLE TO US HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND WHEN IS THIS PILOT PROGRAM? SORRY, I MIGHT HAVE MISSED THIS.
WHEN IS THIS PILOT PROGRAM SUPPOSED TO START? SO WE HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET TO, UM, UPGRADE INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE ZILKER MAINTENANCE BARN PROJECT IN ORDER TO TURN THAT SITE INTO A, UM, SITE THAT'S CAPABLE OF CHARGING THIS TYPE OF EQUIPMENT AND STORING THIS TYPE OF EQUIPMENT.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED THAT WE DIDN'T DELVE INTO TOO MUCH HERE IS THAT THERE'S VERY STRICT, UM, FIRE CODES AROUND THE WAY THAT THIS EQUIPMENT NEEDS TO BE STORED AND VERY STRINGENT, UM, ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE AT OUR EXISTING FACILITIES.
SO WE'RE GONNA START THIS AT A NEW FACILITY THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING, UM, CONSTRUCTED AT ZILKER.
IT'S A MAINTENANCE BARN AND TURN IT INTO THE FACILITY THAT CAN HOST THIS TYPE OF CHARGING SO THAT WE CAN START IT ON A LIMITED BASIS, UM, BEYOND WHAT'S ALREADY BEING PILOTED THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM.
SO IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOU CORRECTLY, THEN THIS PILOT PROGRAM ONLY IMPACTS
[01:25:01]
CITY OWNED EQUIPMENT THAT IT WILL BE OPERATED BY CITY STAFF? CORRECT.THE THINKING IS THAT WE HAVE THE BUYING POWER TO CHANGE AND TO WORK OUT SOME, WE AT PARKS HAVE THE BUYING POWER TO WORK OUT SOME OF THE KINKS, UM, AND ALSO TRANSITION THE MARKET MORE BROADLY AND ALSO PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH THE TYPE OF EXPOSURE THAT THEY NEED.
MOREOVER, WE MANAGE SOME, UM, NONPROFIT PARTNERS WHO HAVE CONTRACTS TO MAINTAIN, UM, THEIR PROPERTIES.
AND SO WE CAN BE WORKING THESE TYPES OF REQUIREMENTS INTO OUR CONTRACT LANGUAGE.
SORRY, I'M, I'M TAKING UP A LOT OF TIME.
UM, LAST QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU IS, IS, WAS THIS THIS SILK OR MAINTENANCE FACILITY ONLY FACILITY THAT WAS EVALUAT? LEMME BACK, LEMME REPHRASE IT.
IS THE ZUCKER FACILITY, THE ONE THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT, IS THAT THE ONLY FACILITY AT THIS TIME THAT WAS CAPABLE OF MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PILOT PROGRAM? YES.
I'M, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH, UM, BACKGROUND STORY YOU ALL HAVE ABOUT OUR MAINTENANCE FACILITIES AND THE TRANSITION GOING ON THERE IN TERMS OF, UH, UNCERTAINTY IN THE FUTURE.
SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO INVEST TOO MUCH IN, UM, FACILITIES THAT WE WILL BE SURRENDERING SOON, LIKE MOVING OUT OF, AND WE HAVE WORKED THESE TYPES OF REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN EXPECTATIONS INTO OUR NEWER FACILITIES.
MY, HERE'S, HERE'S, HERE'S THE ONLY PUSHBACK THAT I WILL GIVE BACK ON THAT JUST FOR FEEDBACK ADVICE IS I THINK I'M ALL FOR THIS PILOT PROGRAM AND I THINK THAT THIS IS LIKE A GREAT IDEA, BUT I THINK HAVING THIS, AND I, I, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S AT THE SILVER PARK MAINTENANCE FACILITY, BUT I THINK THIS IS PART OF THE REASON THAT WE KEEP HEARING FROM OUTSIDE OF CENTRAL AUSTIN IS THAT EVERYTHING ALWAYS HAPPENS IN SILVER'S SILK'S.
THE ONE THAT GETS X GETS Y GETS C, WHY, WHY CAN'T WE GET THAT? SO, UM, I CAN TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHY YOU DID IT AT Z BUT I DON'T THINK IT HELPS THE STEREOTYPE THAT WE GET ABOUT CENTRAL THAT THAT CENTRAL AUSTIN GETS.
AND IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I DO LIKE OBVIOUSLY WANNA FLAG THAT 'CAUSE IT'S FEEDING INTO THIS NOTION.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, HAVING A LAWNMOWER.
I HAVE A BUNCH OF PRO OF, UM, ELECTRIC LAWN EQUIPMENT AT MY HOUSE.
WHEN WE REACHED THE FOUR YEAR MARK, WE REALIZED, OH, OUR BATTERIES ARE STARTING TO FAIL AND I, WE ONLY USE THEM ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING, AS PART OF YOUR PILOT PROGRAM, IF YOU COULD JUST KIND OF NOTE, WHAT IS OUR LIFESPAN OF THESE BATTERIES? BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT CHEAP TO REPLACE, AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THAT COST MIGHT BE FOR COMMERCIAL.
JUST KIND OF UNDERSTANDING THAT FOR THE, THE, WE KNOW THAT THIS KIND OF EQUIPMENT HAS, UM, THAT HIGHER UPFRONT COSTS, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE COST IS HAVING TO REPLACE A BATTERY EVERY, I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN IT WOULD BE ON A COMMERCIAL, BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU COULD JUST NOTE AND, AND TRACK AS WELL.
YEAH, THAT IS, UH, FOR SURE ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PILOT PROGRAM GUIDE IS TO SPECIFICALLY DO THAT FULL LIFECYCLE ANALYSIS AND COMPARE WHAT IT WOULD COST TO NOT JUST PURCHASE, BUT TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN AND REPLACE, UM, A COMPARABLE BATTERY ELECTRIC PIECE OF EQUIPMENT WITH WHATEVER GAS POWERED OR OTHER INTERNAL COMBUSTION EQUIPMENT IS BEING CONSIDERED.
AND TO DO THAT KIND OF SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON, THAT TAKES TIME AND THAT TAKES A PERSON THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO HAVE THAT TIME AND TO SIT DOWN AND WORK THROUGH THOSE CALCULATIONS.
UM, SO THAT'S PART OF WHY THE, THE RECOMMENDED TIMELINE IS IN THAT KIND OF 21 TO 24 MONTHS PHRASE.
'CAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF DATA GATHERING ON THE FRONT END.
AND JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL, UM, ITEMS AND BACKUP.
THERE'S A PROGRAM GUIDE AND A STUDY REPORT AND OTHER PIECES THAT, UM, PROVIDE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION.
AND SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE LISTENING AND INTERESTED, UM, THERE IS A LOT MORE IN THE BACKUP, UH, TO REVIEW.
LET ME CHECK WITH OUR BOARD MEMBERS ONLINE AND THEN I'LL COME UP.
ANYBODY, ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS ONLINE, HAVE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AROUND THIS ONE? NOPE.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, TO SUPPORT WHAT COMMISSIONER VILLA LOBO SAID.
I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO HAVE IF IN THE FUTURE, UM, A PROGRAM OF THIS SORT, UM, THAT IS IN AN AREA WHERE WOULD HAVE A LARGER CONSTITUENCY.
MAYBE ONION CREEK WOULD BE AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR THIS SORT
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OF FACILITY.UM, AND I AGREE THAT NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE IN SOFA PARK AND MAYBE THIS WOULD BE, UH, SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE BASED ON FUNDING AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT GO INTO IT.
BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT, UM, UM, ELSEWHERE.
THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS FOR THAT, FOR THAT DISCUSSION.
THERE IS NO ACTION, UH, NEEDED ON THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH, MADAM.
MAY I ALSO JUST SAY ONE OTHER THING THAT I FORGOT TO MENTION, THAT WE ALSO DO HAVE A SPANISH VERSION OF THE REPORT AND THE PILOT PROGRAM GUIDE COMING, AND THERE'LL BE AVAILABLE BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
SO, UM, THAT'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO REVIEW AS WELL AND TO SHARE WITH YOUR
[6. Staff briefing on Parks and Recreation Department community engagement events, planning updates, development updates, maintenance updates, program updates and administrative updates. (Sponsors: Bazan, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Relief from Urban Life, Urban Public Spaces, Park Access). Presenter(s): Jesús Aguirre, Austin Parks and Recreation Director. ]
ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS THE STAFF BRIEFING ON THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, PLANNING UPDATES, DEVELOPMENT UPDATES, MAINTENANCE UPDATES, PROGRAM UPDATES, AND ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES.ALRIGHT, DIRECTOR, GOOD EVENING.
UM, GOOD TO BE WITH ALL OF YOU TONIGHT.
I WANNA JUST, I CAN GO THROUGH THE UPDATES AND THEN AGAIN, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WOULD LOVE TO JUST START OFF BY EXPRESSING GRATITUDE AND AND APPRECIATION FOR OUR ADULT ATHLETIC TEAM AND ALL THE GREAT WORK THEY DO.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S GREAT TO TO TO REALLY, UM, BE ABLE TO HEAR ALL THE UNBELIEVABLE ACTIVITIES WE WERE DOING SERVING OVER 11,000 PEOPLE LAST YEAR IN THESE, THESE, UH, EVENTS.
SO, UM, I'LL GO THROUGH OUR, OUR REPORT HERE AND, AND AGAIN, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR PAUSE, BUT, UM, MAYBE I'LL GO THROUGH IT.
DID I HAVE THE WRONG CLICKER? THANK, THANK YOU.
UM, THIS IS A FUN ONE I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.
UM, THE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS REALLY AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR MAINTENANCE FOLKS TO PARTICIPATE IN MAINTENANCE RODEOS.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ONE OF THESE, UH, IT'S, IT'S QUITE A BIT OF FUN.
UM, BASICALLY THESE ARE COMPETITIONS WHERE OUR, UM, OUR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE CREWS REALLY SHOW OFF THEIR SKILLS.
EVERYTHING FROM WHAT YOU SEE HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, A BACKHOE LIFTING THIS, THIS WEIGHT AND PLACING IT ON TOP OF A BARREL.
UH, WE HAD FOLKS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, COMPETING ON, ON TRYING TO HAMMER A NAIL WITH ONE, WITH ONE, UM, UH, ONE, UH, HAMMER, UH, MOVING TENNIS BALLS THROUGH THE OBSTACLE COURSE USING THE BLOWER.
SO JUST REALLY HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE TECHNICAL SKILL HERE IN THE, IN THE WORK THAT THAT, THAT THEY DO EACH AND EVERY DAY.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO COME AND CELEBRATE AND BE TOGETHER.
WE HAD OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN THIS MAINTENANCE RODEO, AND THIS IS A, UM, SORT OF A QUALIFYING EVENT FOR LARGER, LARGER MAINTENANCE RODEOS THAT HAPPEN, UH, AS WELL, INCLUDING THE ONE THAT WE DO THE, THE WHERE CULMINATES AT AT THE TEXAS PARKS AND RECREATION, UM, UH, SOCIETY MAINTENANCE RODEO AT THEIR CONFERENCE.
SO IT'S A LOT OF FUN AND, AND A GREAT THING TO, TO WATCH.
SO WE HAD LOTS OF GREAT, UH, UH, ACTIVITIES THERE.
UM, AND, AND THEN MOVING ON TO SOME OF THE OTHER UPDATES.
UH, WE HAVE SOME EXCITING NEWS FROM PARK PLANNING.
WE HAVE, UM, A PARK AT LITTLE WALNUT CREEK GREEN BELT THAT HAS BEEN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC JUST RECENTLY, UH, IN THE PECAN SPRINGS SPRINGDALE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, SOME NEW PLAY EQUIPMENT, NATURE PLAY FEATURES, SOME FITNESS EQUIPMENT AND AN OFF LEASH AREA AND SOME TRAILS.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN OFFICIAL RIBBON CUTTING THIS SATURDAY AND WE INVITE YOU ALL TO COME AND ATTEND AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN CHALLENGE EACH OTHER TO SEE WHO CAN CLIMB THAT CLIMBING WALL, UM, WITHOUT HURTING OURSELVES.
UH, BUT IT'S AN EXCITING, UH, AND REALLY NICE, UH, PARK.
YOU CAN SEE SORT OF A DRONE DRONE VIEW OF THIS THAT JUST SHOWS YOU SO THE TRAILS AND THE WAY THE PARK KINDA TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THAT AMAZING SPACE.
SO, UH, CONGRATS TO THE, TO THE PLANNING TEAM FOR THAT.
UM, FURTHER ON THIS, THIS IS A, A CELEBRATION WITH ONE OF OUR PARTNERS WATER THE GREENWAY.
UH, THEY, UH, DID A RIBBON COM RIBBON CUTTING FOR THIS BIOFILTRATION POND THAT IS ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY OVER BY THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AND THIS IS REPLACING SOME INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAD BEEN THERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME, JUST NOT BEING USED.
UM, AND THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH PARKS AND RECREATION, WITH, UH, WATERSHED PROTECTION AND OF COURSE THE GREENWAY, UH, THE CONSERVANCY AS WELL AS FUNDING FROM THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS PROVIDED SOME SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT FUNDING TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.
UH, WE JUST, UH, HELD THAT GROUND OPENING GROUNDBREAKING, UM, UH, JUST LAST WEEK.
UM, WE ALSO ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE A POP-UP EVENT AT, UH, BULL CREEK BLUFF NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
UH, THIS WILL BE, UH, SORT OF A COMMUNITY EVENT, UH, AS PART OF MY PARK DAY THIS SATURDAY.
AND, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR, WE INVITE ALL OF YOU TO JOIN US ON INTO MY PARK DAY, UH, THIS COMING SATURDAY.
UM, THIS WILL, UH, DISCUSS SOME OF THE, UM, IMPROVEMENTS COMING TO THIS PARK, UM, AROUND SOME OF THE TREES, RAIN GARDEN, ET CETERA.
UM, IN OUR RECREATIONS, UH, ON OUR PARK, OUR RECREATION SERVICES SIDE OF THINGS, UH, WE HAD LOTS OF FUN.
CELEBRATIONS ARE MACBETH RECREATION CENTER PARTICIPANTS.
THESE ARE OUR FOLKS, UH, 18 YEARS AND OLDER
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WITH DISABILITIES.UH, THEY HAD THEIR HALLOWEEN FESTIVITIES AND, AND HAD A LOT OF GREAT FUN WITH, WITH, UH, COSTUME CONTESTS AND LOTS OF GREAT ACTIVITIES FOR THESE FOLKS.
UH, WE ALSO, UM, ARE PARTICIPATING IN A, AN INITIATIVE FOR AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY ACTIVE LIVING COALITION.
UH, THEY WERE CHOSEN BY THIS HEALTH, UH, THE EPISCOPAL HEALTH FOUNDATION'S INITIATIVE TO PROVIDE IC COACHING AND NETWORKING AND, AND HELPING OUR, OUR STAFF, UM, IN THEIR PROGRAMMING AT ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE HEALTH INITIATIVES.
UH, VIRGINIA BROWN HAD THEIR FALL SOCCER PROGRAM AND, UH, WE HAD LOTS OF, UH, KIDDOS PARTICIPATING IN THAT, UH, PROGRAM.
UH, OUR HALLOWEEN SPECTACULAR HAPPENED AT THE SOUTH, SOUTH AUSTIN SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER.
UM, AND THEN OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, UH, HAS REALLY BEEN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF, UH, OH EXCUSE, TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE DROUGHT CONDITIONS AND HOW THEY'RE IMPACTING TREES.
AND REALLY JUST FOCUSING ON THE NEWER TREES THAT, THE TREES THAT RECENT, RECENTLY PLANTED, MAKING SURE THOSE WILL SURVIVE.
UM, AND, AND CONTINUE TO, TO, UM, FOCUS ON THE, THE MULCHING AND THE, THE WORK THAT HAS TO HAPPEN ON THE FRONT END BEFORE, BEFORE THE DROUGHT SEASON HAPPENS.
UH, AND THEY'VE GOT A BUNCH OF PROGRAMMING, UH, SLATED HERE.
YOU'LL SEE ON THE SCREEN, AGAIN, A LOT OF STUFF HAPPENING AS PART OF IT'S MY PARK DAY.
UH, AND THEN YOU SEE A BUNCH OF ACTIVITIES THERE THAT WE INVITE ALL OF YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN.
AND, UH, THE LAST SLIDE GIVES YOU ANOTHER, UM, JUST LISTING OF ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
LOTS OF CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE LOS MUTOS.
UH, I MENTIONED THE, THE LITTLE WALNUT CREEK GREEN BELT, UH, RIBBON CUTTING.
UH, AND THEN IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS WE'RE GONNA DO THE, UH, GRAND OPENING FOR THE VIOLET CROWN MILE ZERO TRAILHEAD, UM, AND INVITE ALL OF YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE ACTIVITIES.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, BOARD MEMBERS? NO QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR.
I KNOW MY LITTLES ARE ENJOYING, UH, THE SOCCER SEASON RIGHT NOW.
AT AUSTIN PARKS AND REC, SO AT SPRING, SO HAVING A BLAST.
WELL THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE.
WE WILL MOVE TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. THIS IS FOR ITEMS THAT ARE READY TO BE PRESENTED, BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT SOMETHING OR WANNA REQUEST A MEMO, YOU CAN DO HERE AS WELL.
UM, I THINK THAT IS IT FOR US.
IT IS 7 39 AND WITHOUT OBJECTION, I WILL ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.