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[CALL TO ORDER ]
THIS IS A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.IT IS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7TH, 2026.
WE ARE AT THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER EVENT CENTER, ROOM 1405 AT 6 3 1 0 WILLAMINA DELCO DRIVE, AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND WE'RE GONNA START BY ESTABLISHING QUORUM.
AND I'M COMMISSIONER KRUEGER HERE.
UM, AND DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? NO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO STRAIGHT TO OUR FIRST
[1. Name: South Shore PUD Addition, C814-2008-0087.02 ]
PUBLIC HEARING.THIS IS THE SOUTH SHORE PUTT EDITION C 8 14 20 0 8 0 0 8 7 0.02.
AND WE HAVE A STAFF PRESENTATION.
I'M WITH AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION AND I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THE SOUTH SHORE PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENT.
REFERENCE NUMBER C 804 2 0 0 8 0 0 8 7 0.2.
SO THE LOCATION OF THIS PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT IS EAST OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.
IT'S ACTUALLY EAST OF 35 ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
UM, BASICALLY AT THE INTERSECTION OF EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE AND SOUTH SHORE OR SOUTH LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD.
SO THE EXISTING HUD UM, WAS ORIGINALLY APPROVED IN 2008 FOR 19.3 ACRES.
UH, CODE MODIFICATION, UH, UH, WAS PASSED TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF A REGIONAL STORMWATER POND IN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
UM, THAT POND IS STILL THERE TODAY.
UH, 100 ACRES OF OFFSITE WATER QUALITY TREATMENT.
UM, BASICALLY, UH, THAT POND WILL TREAT WATER IS TREATING WATER FOR THE PUT IN A HUNDRED ACRES OF OFFSITE WATER TREATMENT, UM, THREE STAR AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING, EXCEED LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS BY 10%.
AND PLANT MATERIAL MUST BE 80% NATIVE OR ADAPTED AND 20% NON-INVASIVE.
SO THE PROPOSED EDITION, IF YOU COULD SEE HIGHLIGHTED THERE IN RED, IS AT THE CORNER OF EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE AND, UH, SOUTH LAKESHORE BOULEVARD.
IT'S, UH, PROPOSED ADDITION IS 1.4 ACRES.
THERE'S NO FLOOD PLAIN, NO CFS.
THERE'S A SMALL PORTION OF CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE ON THAT EASTERN BOUNDARY.
BASICALLY YOU CAN SEE THE BLUE HIGHLIGHTED AREA.
WAS THAT ME OR WAS THAT IT WAS, IS THAT THE RIGHT ONE? DIFFERENT ONE.
IS THAT THE RIGHT ONE? NO, UH, NO, WE HAVE TIME.
SO THE, IN THE IMAGE BELOW THE WORDING THERE, THERE'S A BLUE HOT LIGHTED AREA THAT'S A CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
AND THE GREEN AREA IS THE EXISTING WET POND THAT IS THERE.
UM, THE APPLICANT REQUESTS BUILDING HEIGHT OF 180 FEET, UM, IS THE MAJOR REQUEST IN THIS AMENDMENT.
UM, ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING TO POINT OUT IS THAT THIS LOCATION IS, UM, ON A TRANSIT CORRIDOR.
AND SO MIXED USE DENSITY NEAR FUTURE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER HERE.
UM, THE APPLICANT HAS ENGAGED THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP 'CAUSE ADJACENT TO THIS PROPERTY IS THE FUTURE LOCATION OF THE LAKE SHORE STATION AS PART OF THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL.
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AN IMPORTANT THING TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, UM, FOR THIS AMENDMENT.STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE PUD WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
THERE WILL BE NO ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CODE MODIFICATIONS ALLOWED WITH A NEW ADDITION TO THIS PUD THE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATED WITH A NEW ADDITION WILL USE THE UPDATED 20 25 3 STAR AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING STANDARD.
UM, AS OTHERS, WHY SPECIFICALLY MODIFIED BY THE PUT ORDINANCE.
THE DEVELOPMENT WILL COMPLY WITH CURRENT CODE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM, WE HAVE NO PRESENTATION FROM THE APPLICANT, IS THAT CORRECT? NO.
WITH THAT, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION.
SO COMMISSIONER FLURRY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR THE APPLICANT.
I, I GUESS FOR STAFF, THE 180 FOOT, IS THAT IN LINE WITH WHAT IS ALLOWED IN THE, THE LARGER P THE EXISTING ONE? IT, IT, IT WOULD EXCEED WHAT IS ALLOWED.
SO THAT'S THE VARI, THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN ASKS.
IS THE VARIANCE OF THAT IS THAT IS THE MAIN ASK.
AND THAT IT'S ABOUT 15 STORIES, IS THAT YEAH, IT'S ROUGHLY, I BELIEVE, UM, OR WE'LL ASK, UH, THE, MAYBE THE APPLICANT TO CONFIRM.
YEAH, MICHAEL WAS LOOKING OVER HERE LIKE, HE'S GONNA COME UP MICHAEL WHALE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
IT'S EITHER 14 OR 15, UH, STORIES.
YEAH, JUST TRYING TO, UH, GAUGE.
SO IT, I'M DROPPED IN STREET VIEW, YOU KNOW, REMINDING MYSELF WHAT'S THERE, THE RESTAURANT BABY ACAPULCO AND SEEING THE NEW DEVELOPMENT SOUTH SHORE ACROSS AND JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'LL BE QUITE, QUITE A BIT TALLER THAN WHAT, UH, RECENT DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA? WELL, ACTUALLY, UH, JUST, UH, UH, TO THE WEST, AS YOU MIGHT KNOW, THE ACTON SCHOOL SITE'S GETTING REDEVELOPED AS WELL.
AND YOU ALREADY HAVE THE 160, 120 OR 160 FEET RIGHT AT THE CORNER BY 35, UH, AS WELL.
I DID WANNA MAKE ONE CORRECTION IN TERMS OF NO CODE MODIFICATION.
WE DID HAVE A DISCUSSION AND AN AGREEMENT WITH ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER AND WITH UH, UH, UH, MS. LILY ABOUT THAT POND THAT THEY SHOWED YOU.
IT CAPTURE, IT WAS ALREADY DESIGNED TO CAPTURE THE WATER FROM THIS SITE, WHICH IS WELL OVER 90% IMPERVIOUS COVER.
YEAH, IT'S ALMOST 90, A HUNDRED PERCENT IMPERVIOUS COVER.
IT WAS DESIGNED TO TREAT THAT WATER AND THAT POND WILL REMAIN AND WILL BE THE WATER QUALITY AND STORM WATER FACILITY FOR THIS SITE.
SO I JUST WANTED THAT ON THE RECORD AS A CLARIFICATION AND, OKAY, THANK YOU.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER CAN CONFIRM THAT.
SO THE ISSUE THERE IS, UM, IT'S A WET POND, WHICH HAS ANCILLARY BENEFITS, UM, TO A STANDARD SEDIMENTATION FILTRATION POND, UM, ADDITIONAL PLANTS, ET CETERA.
HOWEVER, IT IS NOT TECHNICALLY CONSIDERED GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS THE CURRENT STANDARD BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO HAVE MAKEUP WATER FOR THOSE PONDS.
SO THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY AN ISSUE HERE.
IT'S GOT A LARGE ENOUGH DRAINAGE AREA.
SO, AND IT'S ALREADY TREATING THE IMPERVIOUS COVER FROM THIS.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT TECHNICALLY A CODE MODIFICATION SINCE IT'S STATUS QUO.
I MAY HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT NO MORE AT THIS TIME.
AND I'M GONNA GIVE COMMISSIONER LUKI SOME TIME TO GET CAUGHT UP.
SO I'LL GO TO COMMISSIONER MORRISON.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
UH, MY ONLY QUESTION IS JUST TO CLARIFY THAT YOU ALL ARE COMFORTABLE, UM, ABIDING BY THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT STAFF HAS MADE.
ARE YOU ASKING THE STAFF OR THE APPLICANT? THE APPLICANT.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY I AM STAFF.
YES, I AGREE WITH MY RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO EITHER STAY UP THERE OR YEAH, HAVE A SEAT.
I'M MIKE WAY AND ON BEHALF OF, UH, THE APPLICANT.
YEAH, I'M SURE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF AGREES WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION AND, AND WE DO TOO.
OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE GOT A, A, A OUTSTANDING STAFF THAT, UH, IS TOUGH.
UH, I CAN'T SAY THE WORD TOUGH ENOUGH.
AND, AND THIS IS, AND IT, AND IT WORKS.
AND WOULD YOU MIND JUST STAYING CLOSE? 'CAUSE I THINK THERE COULD BE OTHER QUESTIONS.
FEEL FREE TO HAVE A SEAT HERE AT THIS, UM, MIC IF YOU'D LIKE.
UM, COMMISSIONER MORRISON, DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN.
UM, WELL, I AM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER APPOINTEE TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF THAT BOUNDARY, BUT
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I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THERE'S A LOT OF VERY INTENSE DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING JUST TO THE WEST OF THIS OVER TO, UM, UH, SOUTH FIRST STREET OR, UM, CONGRESS AVENUE.SO, UM, THIS KIND OF FITS IN THERE WITH THAT.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I WENT BACK AND READ THE ORIGINAL PUD DOCUMENTS, UH, FROM 2008 OR WHENEVER IT WAS APPROVED IN 2009.
THE ORIGINAL ONE, THE REQUEST WAS FOR 120 FEET FOR THE ORIGINAL PUD.
AND, UH, COUNSEL REQUESTED THAT BE CUT BACK TO 90 FEET.
AND, UH, THEY REQUESTED ALSO THAT THE PROPERTY THAT CLOSEST TO THE RIVER BE CUT BACK TO 60 AND THAT THE 120 FEET HEIGHT BE RESERVED FOR THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE, UH, THE PARCELS.
UH, THERE WERE LIKE SEVEN DESIGNATED NORTH THE SOUTH AREAS.
AND, UH, THE, THE ONES THAT ARE FURTHER SOUTH, I GUESS WERE ALLOCATED TO BE THE TALLER ONES, WHEREAS THE ONES THAT WERE CLOSER TO THE LAKE, UH, WERE GONNA BE KEPT AT, UH, 90 FEET AS OPPOSED TO THE ORIGINAL REQUEST FOR, UH, 90 FEET.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IF THE ORIGINAL P IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WANTED 120 AND IT WAS CUT BACK BECAUSE IT WAS PROXIMITY TO THE LAKE TO 90, WHY ARE WE GOING NOW TO 180 FEET, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AGAINST WHAT THE ORIGINAL PUT REQUEST WAS, MICHAEL WHALE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, THE PUT IS ALMOST OLD ENOUGH TO DRINK NOW.
IT'S ALMOST OVER 20 YEARS OLD.
UH, AND, UH, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERS, UH, IS QUESTIONING WHY WE AREN'T GOING TALLER.
ACTUALLY, THE FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION GRANTS AND RIDERSHIP NEEDS, UH, FOR THE TRANSIT THAT'S ABOUT TO GO IN ARE, UM, EXTRAORDINARY.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF, UH, DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE, UH, WHICH WE, I THINK, AND SO COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN WILL BE ABLE TO DO THIS, UH, BY MEMORY, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY PLACE IN OUR CITY WHERE WE'RE BETTER THAN, ABOVE FAIR TO MEDIUM UNDER THE FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION ADMINISTRATION'S, UH, ANALYSIS.
AND SO THIS IS PART OF AN EFFORT TO, UM, BE SURE THAT OUR CORRIDORS ARE WHERE THE DENSIFICATION IS OCCURRING.
AND IMAGINE AUSTIN CORRIDORS YOU SAW, AND, UH, A PLACE WHERE HEIGHT AND DENSITY HAS BEEN DEEMED TO BE APPROPRIATE, UM, BY ALL OF THE PLANNING THAT'S BEEN BEING DONE BY AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERS AND BY, UH, CITY PLANNING OFFICE.
BUT SO THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN THE BIG SHIFT REALLY, IS, IS OUR, IS OUR CITY'S DOUBLED IN SIZE, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, EVERY 20 YEARS.
WELL, THAT GETS TO THE NEXT QUESTION IS, UH, THE ORIGINAL POD SUBMITTED, UH, A LOT OF SITE PLANNING, UH, MATERIALS THAT, UH, WAS NOT THOROUGHLY DESCRIPTIVE OF WHAT WAS GONNA BE BUILT, BUT IT DESCRIBED THE NATURE OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND IT WAS PRIMARILY, UH, YOU KNOW, APARTMENTS WITH SOME, UH, RETAIL SPACE HERE.
BUT THIS IS NOT DESCRIPTIVE AT ALL AS THE TYPE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION THERE.
SO WHAT IS THE, UH, WHAT, WHAT IS GONNA BE BUILT THERE? YEAH, SO THE, THE PLAT AMENDMENT THAT WE'VE SUBMITTED, UH, IS EXPLICIT THAT IT'LL BE MULTIFAMILY.
UH, IT IS A MULTIFAMILY 350, 1 57, ABOUT 350 UNITS OF MULTIFAMILY.
AND IT WILL BE, YOU KNOW, A CONCRETE STRUCTURE, 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE MORE THAN A 70, UH, FIVE FEET TALL.
THE ORIGINAL PUT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE DISPLACEMENT OF, UH, A LOT OF, UH, SINGLE FAMILY, UH, YOU KNOW, INEXPENSIVE HOUSING UNITS THERE.
UH, THIS SPEAKS NOTHING TO, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT YOU'VE SAID THAT THERE'S GONNA BE HOUSING HERE, HOW MANY OF THESE ARE GONNA BE AFFORDABLE UNITS? YES.
SO WE HAVE, UH, IN THE PUD YOU'LL SEE AN ARRANGEMENT TO, UH, IMPLEMENT, UH, A FEE AND LIE, WHICH WILL BE WELL OVER, I THINK ALMOST $2 MILLION, BUT IT'S WELL OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN FEE AND LIE TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
SO MY QUESTION TO STAFF IS WHY ISN'T THIS INFORMATION PART OF THE SUBMISSION TO BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THIS, TO BE IN ORDER TO BE COMPLETE? I MEAN, THE ORIGINAL POD APPLICATION PROVIDED ALL THIS INFORMATION, AND HERE YOU'RE ALL WE'RE SEEING IS A REQUEST FOR 180 FEET AND AN AMENDMENT THROUGH THIS.
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AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT, THIS SEEMS TO BE AN INCOMPLETE REQUEST.LIZ JOHNSON ENVIRONMENT OFFICER, IS, UH, YOUR CONCERN THAT THE ORIGINAL PUD WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BACKUP? WELL, MY, MY REQUEST IS THAT THE AMENDMENT DOESN'T PROVIDE OTHER, IT DOESN'T PROVIDE ANY DETAIL AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON.
FOR EXAMPLE, IT DOESN'T INDICATE THAT IT IS GOING TO BE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTIAL HOUSING.
IT DOESN'T INDICATE HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE FEE IN LIEU, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE OTHER ONE, UH, THE ORIGINAL PUD ALLOWS FOR A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF SETBACK IN SOME CASES, UH, 50 FEET IN OTHER CASES, YEAH, A HUNDRED FEET.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF DETAIL THAT'S PROVIDED IN THE ORIGINAL PUD THAT, UH, PROVIDES DEFINITIVE DETAIL THAT ALLOWS THE COMMISSION TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY APPROVING THIS POD AMENDMENT JUST SAYS, YOU KNOW, INCLUDE THIS IN THE ORIGINAL POD.
AND IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME THAT THE, UH, THIS THING HERE, UH, CLEARLY INCLUDES THE, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS SOME SPEC SPECIFIC, UH, ALLOWANCES FOR THE TYPES OF, UH, ACTIVITIES THAT COULD BE ALLOWED WITHIN THE PUT, WHENEVER YOU DO A PUT, THERE'S, UH, SOME OTHER TYPES OF ZONING ACTIVITIES.
I DON'T KNOW, DAYCARE FOR EXAMPLE, JUST TO MAKE ONE UP.
AND THERE'S A LIST OF ITEMS AND I THINK THERE WERE LIKE 15 OR 20 OF THEM.
BUT THERE'S NO ACCOMPANYING LIST THAT SHOWS THAT THESE TYPE OF ACTIVITIES ARE GONNA BE ALLOWED HERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY BEING ASKED TO APPROVE SOMETHING WITH NO BACKUP DATED TO SAY WHAT WE'RE APPROVING OTHER THAN IT'S 180 FOOT BUILDING, UH, ON A CORNER.
AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I, I DON'T SEE ANY DOCUMENTATION.
THAT REALLY EXPLAINS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, I'LL, YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I THINK NOTED, UH, YOU WERE, UH, I THINK PERHAPS THE ZONING STAFF REPORT MAY HAVE BEEN MISSING.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
SO WHAT'S THE, ABOUT HOW MUCH IMPERVIOUS COVER WERE WE LOOKING AT HERE? UH, THE APPLICANT INDICATED, UH, APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE INDICATED THAT CURRENTLY WE'RE LOOKING AT 90 TO A HUNDRED PERCENT IMPERVIOUS COVER.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE AT THE END OF THE DAY WITH THIS IF IT'S BUILT? WHAT'S YOUR ANSWER, MICHAEL WHALE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
UM, BECAUSE THIS IS STILL IN ZONING AND ENTITLEMENTS, WE DON'T HAVE A FULLY, YOU KNOW, ARTICULATED SITE PLAN OR ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS OR BUILDING PERMIT YET.
THOSE WILL FOLLOW, BUT WE CAN, IT'LL EITHER BE THE SAME OR LESS THAN THE AMOUNT OF IMPURITIES COVER THAT'S THERE NOW.
THE APP PURVIS COVER ON THE LA ON THE ORIGINAL POD WAS BETWEEN 70 AND 75%, DEPENDING UPON THE EXACT PARCEL, IF I REMEMBER.
NO, THAT WAS, THAT'S IN CRAIG.
AND BECAUSE THIS SITE HAS SO MUCH IMPERVIOUS COVER, WE DID HAVE TO INCREASE THAT NUMBER TO 76.1, OR SE IT'S, IT'S JUST BELOW 77% OVERALL THE ENTIRE SITE.
IT WAS OVERALL, IT WAS AN OVERALL, SO IT, IT IS BECAUSE THIS SITE IS, UH, SO SMALL, 1.4 ACRES AND WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, CREATE A, A, A DENSE CORRIDOR, UM, WITH HOUSING ON 1.4 ACRES, THAT OVERALL PERCENTAGE OVER THE ENTIRE AREA IS GOING TO INCREASE, UH, TO JUST, UH, TO BELOW 77%.
NOW, IS THIS, THIS AMENDMENT, THIS, UH, THAT INCLUDES THIS PROPERTY, IS THE, UH, UM, I DUNNO WHAT THE PROPER WORD IS, SO I'M GONNA USE THE WORD TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE ORIGINAL POD GOING TO COVER THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY TOO.
ARE THERE'S A DIFFERENT, UH, SET OF ZONING AND EVERYTHING GONNA APPLY TO THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, ARE THEY GONNA BE DIFFERENT OR, OR WHAT? NO, THE, THE LANGUAGE HAS EVERYTHING THAT IS THAT EX THE ORIGINAL PUD THAT YOU'VE, YOU'VE REFERENCED AND HAVE ARTICULATED.
IF IT APPLY, IF, IF THE PROVISIONS ARE APPLICABLE, THEY WILL APPLY.
SO THERE ARE SOME PROVISIONS, AS YOU MIGHT NOTE IN THE ONE YOU READ THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO PARTICULAR AREAS, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND THERE ARE ALSO PROVISIONS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO PARTICULAR COMMERCIAL USES.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANY COMMERCIAL USES.
SO MANY OF THOSE PROVISIONS THAT ARE EITHER SPECIFIC AS TO A PARTICULAR PARCEL OR TO A PARTICULAR USE WOULD BE INAPPLICABLE, BUT PROVISIONS, OTHERWISE PROVISIONS THAT, UH, WOULD APPLY TO A MULTI-FAMILY
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DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE, UH, WOULD CARRY OVER AND WOULD APPLY.BUT THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED THIS EVENING THAT DELINEATES THE SPECIFIC PART, THE CARRY OVER FROM THE ORIGINAL PUD TO THIS AMENDMENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? UM, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING THAT OKAY.
DOES THAT, I MEAN, I CAN, I'M HAPPY TO EMAIL YOU THE AMENDMENT THAT WE HAVE AND OH, I'VE GOT THE AMENDMENT.
OH, WELL, I MEAN, I'VE GOT THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENT NOW AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE NEW STUFF, BUT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT IT.
WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS.
UH, WILL THERE BE A SUBSURFACE LEVEL PARKING FOR THIS? UH, THEY, I MEAN, AGAIN, THEY HAVE NOT, UH, UH, ENGAGED, UH, AN ARCHITECT TO BUILD OUT AND PLAN THE BUILDING YET.
SO THE ANSWER IS, I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE ORIGINAL PAD SEEMED TO PRECLUDE THE USE OF, UH, SURFACE LEVEL PARKING.
YOU MEAN THERE WAS A PROHIBITION ON SUBSURFACE PARKING? WELL, IT SEEMED, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I WENT THROUGH IT SEVERAL TIMES AND I'M NOT GONNA CLAIM I'M AN EXPERT ON IT, UH, 'CAUSE I ONLY HAD A FEW DAYS TO REVIEW IT, BUT IT SEEMED TO DISCOURAGE THE, UH, THE, IT MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES THE, UH, YOU KNOW, A PRE, YOU KNOW, THEY WANTED TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF SUBSURFACE PARKING.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE THE USE? I DON'T, IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE THAT IS GONNA CARRY OVER THAT'S GOING TO INCENT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEN, UM, AND IT'S APPLICABLE TO A MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT ON THIS 1.4 ACRES AND IT WOULD APPLY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA STICK WITH THE 50 FOOT SETBACK, IS THAT, I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.
WHOEVER ANSWERS, ANSWERS, I MEAN IT, WHETHER IT'S, UH, STAFF OR, OR, YES, I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER BUILDINGS THAT ARE 180 FEET TALL AROUND THE SOUTH SHORE? WILL THIS BE THE TALLEST BUILDING ON THE SOUTH SHORE? NO, THERE ARE OTHER, THERE ARE OTHER BUILDINGS ON THIS SCALE FARTHER WEST, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF, ON THE WEST SIDE OF 35.
I, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
SO I GUESS, HAS ANYBODY TALKED ABOUT BIRDS YET? YOU SAID BIRDS BIRD FREE DESIGN.
I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS GONNA CONSIDER THAT, CONSIDERING THAT IT'S GONNA BE THIS GIANT THING THAT BIRDS COULD FLY INTO, MAYBE SHOULD NOT LET BIRDS FLY INTO IT.
SO, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THAT.
I'M SURE MY HONOR WILL, WILL, UH, HAVE A BETTER ARGUMENT THAN MY, THAN I DO.
BUT, UH, THAT WAS MY ONLY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE HEIGHT.
OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T KNOW MUCH ELSE.
IT'S AN EARLY STAGE OF THIS AS WE SEE THESE FROM TIME TO TIME.
UH, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE STAFF IS OKAY SO FAR, I GUESS.
UM, AND, UH, CERTAINLY WHEN YOU'VE GOT 90% IMPERVIOUS COVER OR MORE THAN HE'S DEFINITELY GONNA NEED SOME STORM WATER PONDS.
THE QUESTION IS, ARE THEY BIG ENOUGH CONSIDERING THE FUTURE OF HEAVY RAINS THAT ARE COMING TOWARDS US? UM, YEAH.
AND SO THE ENGINEER IS HERE AND IT IS DESIGNED TO CURRENT STANDARDS AND WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO, UM, CAPTURE THE PREVIOUS COVER COMING OFF OF THIS.
AND I ALSO DO WANNA POINT OUT, SO WITH A BUILDING, IT'S A SMALL PROPERTY.
THERE'S NOT LIKE ANY NATURAL AREA TO PRESERVE NECESSARILY.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY ALL BUILDING.
AND THE MAIN SUPERIORITY FOR THIS IS THE CURRENT, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN, UH, BUILDING RATING THREE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY REALLY PRETTY GOOD.
IT'S, IT'S, UH, THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO THAT.
UH, WORD FRIENDLY DESIGN IS AN OPTION FOR, TO GET A POINT.
SO IT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THEY DO WIND UP DOING THAT, THAT WOULD BE PART OF, UM, THE, UH, PROCESS APPROVAL FOR THE GREEN BUILDING.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO MAKING REALLY ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDINGS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.
HEY, Y'ALL APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UH, A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS WERE COVERED BY, UH, COMMISSIONERS PREVIOUSLY, SO SHOUT TO THEM.
UM, YEAH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME QUESTIONS AROUND,
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YOU KNOW, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S GOING TO BE NEAR, YOU KNOW, A MASS TRANSIT CENTER.I THINK THERE ARE ALSO SOME QUESTIONS OF JUST LIKE ENVIRONMENTALLY WHAT WE CAN DO, RIGHT? IF THE SITE'S GONNA BE RIGHT NEXT TO, AGAIN, A MAJOR TRANSIT CENTER WITH THE LAKESHORE STATION ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO BEAUTIFY THE AREA AND MAKE IT LOOK AS MUCH AS, I HATE TO SAY IT, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK FRIENDLY, RIGHT? 'CAUSE UH, IT'S GOING TO BE AN AREA THAT'S USED BY A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I WOULD ALSO URGE TO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, HAVE GROUND FLOOR RETAIL AND IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, SUCH A TALL BUILDING, HAVE IT BE MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EAST SIDE I FEEL LIKE IS JUST, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS OFFICE SPACE IS BEING BUILT AND IT'S NOT REALLY BEING USED LIKE SPRINGDALE GENERAL, OR NOT JUST GENERAL SPRINGDALE COMMONS, MAYBE THE ONE OFF SPRINGDALE AIRPORT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH EMPTY.
SO I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEREVER WE CAN DO TO INCENTIVIZE, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEAR THESE MASS TRANSIT CENTERS, UH, I THINK WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED BY THE FUTURE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY.
UM, AND, UH, I THINK I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PER SE.
COMMISSIONER BRIER, WOULD YOU MIND TURNING OFF YOUR MIC JUST IN CASE THERE'S ANY INTERFERENCE FOR THE ONLINE FOLKS? THANK YOU.
SO YOU MENTIONED THAT PLANTS MUST BE 80% NATIVE AND ADAPTED 20% NON-INVASIVE.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
CAN YOU TALK TO ME LIKE WHY NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT NATIVE AND WHERE I'D BE ALL FOR THAT? IS THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL? OR WHERE IS THAT DECISION MADE? WELL, YEAH, IT WAS IN THE ORIGINAL PUD AS WELL.
WELL, UM, SO THEY'RE KIND OF GOING WITH WHAT WAS ALREADY IN THE PUD, WHICH IS 10% ABOVE THE LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS, UHHUH,
SO COULD THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SUPERIORITY IF THE APPLICANT AGREED TO A HUNDRED PERCENT NATIVE PLANTING? I IMAGINE IF THEY AGREED TO IT, YEAH.
I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
AND I THINK IT'S A PRETTY LOW LIFT AND LOW BUDGET REQUEST, ESPECIALLY ON SUCH A SMALL PIECE OF LAND ANYWAY, TO JUST ASK THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE PLANTING IS NATIVE.
WELL, I WILL ASK THE APPLICANT DIRECTLY WHEN HE COMES UP FOR FUTURE QUESTIONS.
UH, MY NEXT QUESTION IS ABOUT FLOODPLAIN IN THIS AREA.
WHAT ACCOMMODATIONS, IF ANY, ARE NEEDED TO BE MADE? WHAT IS THE FLOODPLAIN DESIGNATION FOR THIS AREA? UH, THERE IS NO FLOODPLAIN ON THAT SITE.
THERE'S JUST THAT LITTLE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE THERE WHERE THE WET POND IS.
UM, AND THE NEXT QUESTION IS FOR THE APPLICANT.
IF WE COULD HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE COME UP PLEASE.
UM, YES, I APPRECIATE THE MENTION OF BIRDS.
SO OF COURSE THIS IS A MAJOR AREA OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S A MAJOR HUMAN TRANSIT CORRIDOR.
IT'S ALSO A MAJOR TRANSIT CORRIDOR FOR BIRDS.
SO AUSTIN IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CENTRAL AMERICAN FLYWAY WHERE 1 BILLION BIRDS TRAVEL EVERY SPRING AND EVERY FALL.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, MILLIONS OF BIRDS DON'T MAKE THEIR DESTINATION BECAUSE OF STRIKES AND COLLISIONS.
UM, THEY'RE NOT ONLY LIMITED TO TALL BUILDINGS, BUT TALL BUILDINGS PRESENT AN ADDED CHALLENGE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING AS A COMMISSION ON UPDATING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE WITH CITY COUNCIL TO, UM, ALLOW FOR MORE BIRD FRIENDLY BUILDING DESIGN.
I UNDERSTAND THAT'S BEEN A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION AND I JUST WANNA HEAR FROM YOU HOW THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN AND IF YOU CAN MAKE SOME ASSURANCES HERE THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL INCORPORATE.
WELL, UH, THE BIRD FRIENDLY, UH, GLASS I THINK, OR I, I FORGOT THE STANDARD IS PART OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING, UH, LIST AS AN OPTION.
AND IT WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO BE AN OPTION.
WE HAVE NOT YET DESIGNED, UH, THE SITE PLAN OR THE BUILDING.
AND SO IT WILL DEFINITELY BE A FACTOR THAT'S CONSIDERED WHEN THEY'RE DESIGNING THE BUILDING WHETHER TO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT SO MANY OTHER ELEMENTS THAT ARE MOVING PARTS MM-HMM
UH, IN TERMS OF THE POINT SYSTEM, IT'S A PRETTY, AND BY INCREASING THE POINT SYSTEM, IT'S, IT'S A, IT, IT'S GONNA BE AN EFFORT TO HIT THE THREE STAR.
AND SO IT OBVIOUSLY BECOMES A, A, A MAJOR FACTOR THAT HAS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
BUT I, I'M NOT PREPARED TO SAY, YES, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS FACTOR AND NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THIS WATER.
UH, UH, REUSE FACTOR OR, OR YES, WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING OR, AND NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT.
I THINK YOU GOTTA LET THE ARCHITECTS WORK ON THE ENTIRE PACKAGE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ACHIEVE IT.
[00:30:01]
MM-HMMSO THAT'S BEEN THE DISCUSSION.
UM, AND YOU ASKED ABOUT THE SHADE TREE, THE NATIVE YES.
UH, SO PLANTING THE REASON, REASON WE'RE 80%, I CAN'T GET TO A HUNDRED PERCENT BECAUSE THERE ARE, UH, WE'VE GOT SOME BECAUSE OF THE RAIL LINE AND, AND, UH, SHADE TREE REQUIREMENTS MM-HMM
SO THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A CONFLICT HERE.
I DON'T KNOW, AS I'M STANDING HERE RIGHT NOW, WHETHER ALL OF THE SHADE TREES THAT ARE, UM, THAT CAN BE SELECTED OR THE TREES THAT HAVE TO FIT BELOW THE, UH, ELECTRIC LINES MM-HMM
ARE, UH, NATIVE SPECIES, I'M ASSUMING AND HOPEFUL, BUT I'M NOT GONNA STAND UP HERE AND COMMIT TO A HUNDRED PERCENT WHEN I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE SHADE TREE ISSUE.
WE'VE COMMITTED TO THAT MM-HMM
AND, UM, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY PREPARED IF, UH, NATIVE OPTION IS AVAILABLE FOR SHADE TREES, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CORRIDOR WHERE THERE'S GONNA BE WIDER SIDEWALKS.
I MEAN, THE, THE BUILDING GETS SQUEEZED BY, UH, UH, THE EMPHASIS ON THE PEDESTRIAN AND, UH, BIKE, UH, COMMUNITY THAT'S GONNA BE UTILIZING, UH, A MUCH BETTER WIDER, UH, AREA.
BUT IT ALSO IS GONNA NEED TO HAVE TREES THAT CAN SHADE WITHOUT BEING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BIKE LANE THERE.
IN THE PEDESTRIAN WAY, UM, SHADE THE AREA.
SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT WAS KIND OF THE THINKING.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT STAFF KNOWS? I KNOW STREET TREES ARE BEING CONSIDERED RIGHT NOW? YEAH.
SO YEAH, THERE'S, UM, FOR SHADE TREES, THEY'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO BE NATIVE OPTIONS AS WELL AS UTILITY COMPATIBLE.
I MEAN, NOT EVERY TREE ON THE UTILITY COMPATIBLE LIST IS A NATIVE, UM, CRATE MYRTLES ARE OFTEN ON THERE, FOR EXAMPLE.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS THAT ARE NATIVE THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD, UM, WORK.
SO HEARING THAT, DOES THAT HELP? NO, BECAUSE I'M NOT, AND I'M NOT EDUCATED ENOUGH.
BUT LIZ IS, YEAH, WELL, SHE'S VERY EDUCATED.
AND SHE JUST SAID IT'S POSSIBLE.
I, I DON'T THINK SHE'S BUILT, UH, A, UH, A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR BUILDING YET.
SO LET ME, LET ME GO BACK IF, YOU KNOW, AND WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT, BUT MM-HMM
AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU START PUTTING ORNAMENTS ON SOME AND IT JUST TOPPLES AND MM-HMM.
I FEEL LIKE 80% GETS YOU REALLY, REALLY, REALLY FAR.
AND, UH, I JUST DON'T WANT TO HAVE, UH, DON'T WANT TO THROW OUT, UH, THE GOOD FOR THE, FOR TRYING TO GET SOMETHING PERFECT.
SO ANYWAY, THAT, SO WE'RE, WE'RE STICKING AT 80%.
I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A, A, A, A RESPECTABLE PLACE TO BE RIGHT NOW.
WELL I SOUNDS LIKE A HUNDRED PERCENT COULD BE POSSIBLE.
I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU, YOU VALUE YOUR WORD, WHICH I APPRECIATE.
YOU DON'T WANNA SAY SOMETHING HERE THAT YOU CAN'T COMMIT TO, SO I'M NOT GONNA ASK THAT, BUT I JUST ASK THAT YOU BE OPEN TO OH, AB TOTALLY.
THAT IN OUR, OUR INCLUDING OUR BEYOND TREES, LIKE ORNAMENTAL SHRUBS, WHATEVER YOU'RE CONSIDERING, I IMAGINE TREES AREN'T THE ONLY PLANTING THAT YOU'LL HAVE ON SITE.
SO WE'RE ALREADY KIND OF COMMITTING TO A MEANINGFUL AMOUNT.
WHEN YOU KIND OF START TO THINK ABOUT IT, YOU REALIZE, WELL, THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA END UP WITH MOSTLY, IF NOT ALL NATIVE.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW, I'M NOT THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT MM-HMM
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHO IT IS.
WELL, I JUST ASK THAT THAT'S INTRODUCED AS PART OF THE CONVERSATION WHEN YOU'RE SELECTING THOSE FOLKS TALK ABOUT.
AND THEY'LL HAVE THESE PARAMETERS AS WELL.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR THE APPLICANT? OKAY, WITH THAT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING.
MOVED BY SULLIVAN SECOND, SECONDED BY QURESHI.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? OH, FIRST OF THE YEAR, DO YOU KNOW, STILL WORKING ON THE KINKS? UH, WE DO HAVE A MOTION.
UH, SO THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION, UH, NUMBER 2 0 2 6 0 7 0 1 0 1 SOUTH SHORE PUTT EDITION, CASE NUMBER 8 1 4 DASH 2008 DASH 0 0 8 7 0 2.
WE'RE AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZED, THE APPLICANT, AMHERST AND BROWN PLC IS REQUESTING AN AMENDMENT TO A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE'RE, AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES, THE SITE IS LOCATED IN URBAN WATERSHED AND LABOR LAKE WATERSHED.
AND WE'RE, AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS THIS PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENT NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE SOUTH SHORE PUTT ADDITION OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, STAFF CONDITIONS, UH, DEVELOPMENT WILL COMPLY WITH THE 2025 CITY OF AUSTIN'S GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM AT A THREE STAR LEVEL.
UH, B, NO NEW CODE MODIFICATIONS TO ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS WILL BE SOUGHT C EXCEPT AS MODIFIED BY THE PUD DEVELOPMENT WILL DEVELOP TO CURRENT CODE.
THERE ARE ALSO SOME ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CONDITIONS, UH, A USE NATIVE PLANTING FOR THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT POSSIBLE,
[00:35:01]
B BIRD, BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN AND BIRD COLLISION DETERRENTS FROM LEAD STANDARD, UH, WITH THE POSSIBILITY TO ADD OTHER CONDITIONS AS WELL.AND THAT'S BASICALLY THE MOTION.
ANY DISCUSSION? SO YOU DO HAVE THE EXPRESSION IF POSSIBLE IN THERE FOR THE BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN AND THE, UM, WE CAN ALWAYS THROW THAT IN THERE.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT YOU SAID THOUGH.
THAT WAS FOR THE NATIVE PLANTINGS.
BUT UH, I THINK WITH THE BIRD STUFF, WE CAN DEFINITELY THROW AN IMPOSSIBLE IN THERE.
WHY NOT? ALTHOUGH I'M ALWAYS FOR ASKING DEVELOPERS TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT ENOUGH MONEY, YOU KNOW.
I DUNNO, POINT OF CLARIFICATION, IF FOR THE BIRD FRIENDLY, I THINK YOU REFERENCED LEAD, THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING AUSTIN GREEN BUILDING, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT PROGRAM.
SEE, THAT'S WHY THEY PAY YOU THE BIG BUCKS.
HOW ABOUT PRIORITIZE? PRIORITIZE BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN? WHAT COMMISSIONER BRIER? YEAH, I, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY SPEAKING IN MY QUESTIONS, I BROUGHT OUT TWO CONCERNS I HAVE.
ONE IS THAT WE HAVE NO BACKUP MATERIAL, SO WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
WE'RE, WE'RE VOTING ON A BLANK PIECE OF PAPER.
AND I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH THAT.
I THINK THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT BACKUP MATERIALS SUBMITTED WITH THIS SO THAT WE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
NOW, IT'S NOT THAT I NECESSARILY DISAGREE WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON, YOU KNOW, AND SO I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH VOTING ON A BLANK SHEET OF PAPER, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING THAT TYPE OF THING.
UH, ALL WE HAVE IS THE WORD OF PEOPLE SAYING, WELL, WE'RE NEGOTIATING THIS, AND THERE'S PIECES OF PAPER THAT SAY THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER THING.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT.
SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
THE OTHER THING THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT THE ORIGINAL PUD REQUESTED A MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF 120 FEET, BUT COUNCIL CUT THAT DOWN TO 90 FEET.
AND THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT WAS TO BE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE, UH, RIVER, UH, BECAUSE OF A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT THEY DISCUSSED IN THE COUNCIL MEETING AND AT, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS.
NOW THEY'RE PUTTING 180 FEET THERE NOW.
NOW I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE ABOUT THE TRANSIT CORRIDOR AND ALL THAT OTHER SORT OF THING, HOWEVER, THERE IS NO LIGHT RAIL THERE NOW AND THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THERE WILL BE A LIGHT RAIL NOW.
SO PLANNING FOR SOMETHING THAT IS KIND OF NOT REALLY, WE KNOW THAT'S GONNA BE, THERE IS A BIT, YOU KNOW, OF A STRETCH IN MY POSITION.
SO WE ARE GIVING ANOTHER 90 FEET OF HEIGHT, BUT WE AS A CITY ARE GETTING NOTHING IN RETURN FROM THAT.
THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GETTING ANOTHER 20% OF NATIVE PLANTS.
WE'RE NOT GETTING, UH, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING FROM IT.
WE'RE JUST GIVING AWAY 90 FEET OF HEIGHT AND NOTHING, GETTING NOTHING IN RETURN.
AND I THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO GO AGAINST THE ORIGINAL P THE ORIGINAL VOTING OF THE ORIGINAL COUNCIL BACK IN 2008, 2009, THE CITY SHOULD BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE A BETTER DEAL ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
SO THOSE ARE MY TWO CONCERNS ABOUT, ABOUT THE WHOLE THING.
SO, QUESTION, WOULD YOU BE ASKING FOR A HEIGHT REDUCTION OR SETBACK INCREASE? WHERE, WHERE ARE YOUR FEELINGS HERE? WELL, MY, I'M LESS CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEIGHT, SORT OF.
I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF DOCUMENTATION ON WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I, I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE HEIGHT.
UH, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY CUT A DEAL AND I THINK THAT THE DEAL IS WHAT THE DEAL IS AND WE NEED TO GO WITH THAT.
BUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NO DOCUMENTATION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON REALLY GIVES ME HEARTBURN.
I THINK IT'S A REALLY BAD PRECEDENT TO SET TO BE VOTING, APPROVING SOMETHING THAT SET THE CITY IN A COURSE OF ACTION BASED UPON NO WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION OF WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY A TERRIBLE IDEA.
SO I CAN PROBABLY GET BY WITH 180 FEET THING, MAYBE, IF THAT WAS THE ONLY ISSUE.
BUT VOTING ON SOMETHING WHERE WE HAVE NO WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION AS TO WHAT WE'RE AGREEING TO IS REALLY, I THINK, SETTING A BAD PRECEDENT MOVING FORWARD.
AND I THINK IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL THOSE INVOLVED PROVIDE US WITH THE WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION JUSTIFYING OUR SUPPORT OF A PARTICULAR
[00:40:01]
COURSE OF ACTION.AND SO I DON'T, YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S JUST THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT IT, I'LL JUST SAY I KIND OF FEEL THE SAME AND WAS MAYBE FEELING JUST A LITTLE BIT NEW AND DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS AN ERROR IN DOCUMENTATION OR WHATNOT, BUT FELT, OOH, DO I ABSTAIN? 'CAUSE I DON'T NOT KNOW IF I HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION, WAS INITIAL FEELING, BUT GATHERING MORE WAS, WAS HELPFUL, BUT IT WAS CLEARLY A GAP.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW, IS THIS NORMAL TO NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION OR SOME SUPPORTING INFORMATION.
SO WANNA JUST GO ON RECORD SAYING THAT AS WELL? WELL, I WOULD ADD, IF YOU GO BACK TO ALL THE OTHER PUDS THAT WE'VE REVIEWED SINCE YOU'VE BECOME ON THE COMMISSION, THERE'S ALWAYS A LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS.
LIKE, WE HAD ONE A FEW WEEKS AGO AND THERE WAS A LIST OF, AND WHAT POPS INTO MY MIND IS, UM, ADDITIONAL TYPES OF BUSINESS THAT THE APPLICANT WANTS TO BE ABLE TO RUN THERE.
SO THEY'RE ASKING FOR A TYPE OF ZONING, WHATEVER IT IS, AND THEY SAY, OH, BY THE WAY, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
WE WANT TO DO LIGHT MANUFACTURING, WE WANT TO DO DAYCARE, WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, SERVICE CARS, I DUNNO, WHATEVER IT IS.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS THIS LIST OF THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE DONE THERE AND, YOU KNOW, BUT THERE'S ALL A BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF.
I MEAN, THERE ALWAYS IS, AND THERE'S A LIST OF, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE DRAWINGS THAT SAY THIS HAS BEEN DONE.
AND THERE'S FREQUENTLY REVIEWS BY VARIOUS PEOPLE WITHIN STAFF THAT SAYS, OKAY, THE, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PEOPLE HAVE GONE THROUGH HERE AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE'RE OKAY WITH THE WAY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN GET IN AND OUT AND, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THE WATER RUNOFFS AND ALL THIS STUFF.
AND THAT'S ALL PART OF THE DOCUMENTATION OF THIS.
NOW, RIGHT NOW, THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE SAYS, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT.
NONE, BUT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO REVIEW AND APPROVE THIS BASED ON THE FACT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
AND I JUST FEEL THAT THAT'S A DEFICIENCY IN THIS PRESENTATION.
AND ALL WE'RE DOING IS, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A PIECE OF PAPER THAT SAYS LITERALLY THAT THIS PROPERTY THAT IS AMENDMENT HAS TO ABIDE BY THE PUD RULES SET BY THIS COUNCIL IN 2009 THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GIVEN A CON, THIS IS A CONTRACT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY, WE DON'T HAVE THAT CONTRACT IN FRONT OF US.
WE'RE APPROVING A CONTRACT WITHOUT ANYTHING WRITTEN DOWN.
NO ONE DOES THIS, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE SOMETHING THAT IS A BLANK PIECE OF PAPER THAT SOMEONE ELSE IS GONNA FILL IN THE BLANKS LATER ON.
COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER, YOU COULD ASK FOR AN INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT.
I'D BE, I'D BE HAPPY WITH THAT.
AT THIS POINT WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, SO WE'LL NEED TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THIS.
BUT IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY DISCUSSION OR AMENDMENTS THEY WANT TO ADD BEFORE WE VOTE, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO THAT.
AND I'LL JUST REMIND FOLKS, THE LANGUAGE THAT WE HAVE NOW FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CONDITIONS ARE USE NATIVE PLANTINGS TO THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT POSSIBLE AND THEN PRIORITIZE BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGNS SLASH BIRD COLLISION DETERRENTS FROM AUSTIN GREEN BUILDING STANDARD, I GUESS.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE STAFF CONDITIONS.
SO BASED UPON WHAT COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN SUGGESTED, I WOULD MAKE LIKE TO MAKE A ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE MAKE A POSTPONEMENT UNTIL FULL DOCUMENTATION IS AVAILABLE FOR THE PUT ELIZABETH FUNK WATERSHED.
THAT WOULD JUST, IT'S CALLED A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
SO YOU'RE MOTIONING TO POSTPONE, WHICH THEN WE WOULD VOTE ON FIRST, AND THEN IF THAT FAILS, THEN YOU WOULD GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
UH, I WILL ALSO SAY IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE AN INDEFINITE OF POSTPONEMENT.
WE COULD PUT IT ON THE NEXT AGENDA SO YOU COULD POSTPONE IT TO THE NEXT AGENDA, WHATEVER WORKS.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU LIKE, I JUST WANT THE PAPERWORK.
I'M NOT REALLY POST, WANNA POSTPONE THIS 15 YEARS OR ANYTHING.
I JUST, WHENEVER THE PAPERWORK'S AVAILABLE, THAT'S FINE WITH ME.
LET'S, LET'S JUST CLARIFY FOR YOUR SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
SO WHEN THE PAPERWORK IS AVAILABLE, WE CAN REEXAMINE THAT.
SO THE EARLIEST DATE AVAILABLE, UH, JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU DO HAVE TO SAY A DATE.
YOU EITHER HAVE TO SAY INDEFINITELY OR SAY A DATE.
TO CLARIFY, YOU DO HAVE TO SET A DATE OR SAY INDEFINITELY.
AT THE NEXT MEETING, I WOULD LIKE TO REVISIT THIS WHEN ALL THE DETAILED PAPERWORK IS AVAILABLE FOR US TO REVIEW IN TOTAL.
[00:45:01]
OKAY.SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FLURRY.
OKAY, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE, UM, ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO BE CLEAR.
SO THIS WOULD BE POSTPONING THIS, UM, VOTE AND DECISION UNTIL THE NEXT ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING WHEN WE'LL HAVE MORE DOCUMENTATION.
SO COMMISSIONER FLURRY, UM, HOW DO YOU VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION? OKAY.
COMMISSIONER MORRISON IN FAVOR.
COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN AGAINST COMMISSIONER BRIMER FOUR SECRETARY KUSHI.
AND I THINK I WILL VOTE AGAINST, BUT THE MOTION PASSES, CORRECT? WE HAD TWO AGAINST.
AND THE REST IN FAVOR OR NO, YOU NEED TO HAVE SIX TO PASS.
OKAY, SO NOW WE'RE BACK TO CONSIDERING THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT BEFORE WE VOTE? YEAH, SO IF WE'RE GONNA SEE THIS BUILDING AGAIN IN THE FUTURE, RIGHT? ARE THEY GONNA COME BACK THROUGH AND SHOW US ALL THEIR WORK AFTER THE DECISIONS? THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY REQUIREMENT FOR IT TO COME BACK.
UM, THERE'LL BE NO REQUIREMENT, NO UN UNLESS THEY ASK FOR ANOTHER, UM, CHANGE, I GUESS.
IF THERE IS A, A SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT, THEN THERE WOULD NEED TO BE ANOTHER HEARING, UM, THAT WOULD GO TO COUNCIL AND THROUGH, THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND PLANNING COMMISSION.
BUT, UM, ASSUMING THIS PUD IS APPROVED AT CITY COUNCIL, THEN THEY WOULD SUBMIT A SITE PLAN AND IF THERE ARE NO, UM, CODE MODIF OR VARIANCES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, THEN THERE'S NO REASON FOR IT TO COME BACK TO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? WELL, I'LL JUST POINT OUT AGAIN, ONE OF THE SALIENT FEATURES FOR ME IS THAT THIS IS ONLY 1.4 ACRES, BUT IT'S GONNA BE AT A RAIL STATION AND WE NEED MORE PASSENGERS TO MAKE THE LIGHT RAIL WORK.
I'LL SAY THE SAME THING AND JUST REITERATE IT MAKES SENSE TO ME TO VOTE, BUT THERE STILL FEELS THIS GLARING GAP IN INFORMATION THAT WE'RE VOTING ON SOMETHING WITH CLEAR GAPS.
AND MAYBE IT JUST WASN'T, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THE RESEARCHER GOING TO FIND THE PUD, BUT YOU DID QUITE AN ENORMOUS RESEARCH THAT, YOU KNOW, I LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU THAT I WOULD'VE EXPECTED IN A PRESENTATION FROM THE APPLICANT OR IN SUPPORTING MATERIALS LIKE PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS.
I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE 1.3 ACRES, THE VISION, IT MAKES SENSE, BUT IT IS JUST THE PROCESS THAT IS, UM, TROUBLING ME.
SO I THINK THE STAFF REPORT IS MISSING.
THE APPLICANT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE A PRESENTATION.
SO WHETHER IT'S POSTPONED OR NOT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT MAY NOT BE THERE NEXT TIME.
WELL, I DON'T WANNA PENALIZE THE APPLICANT FOR A FAILURE SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE SYSTEM, BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE BE FULLY BRIEFED AS TO WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS IS THAT WE'D BE INFORMED AT THE TOTAL SCOPE OF THINGS.
AND HAD I NOT ASKED FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR YOU THE, THE ORIGINAL POD UH, APPLICATION, YOU KNOW, DATING BACK WHEN IT WAS AND YOU EMAILED IT OVER, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO READ IT AND DO THE RESEARCH THAT I DID ON IT.
AND SO THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PART OF THE ORIGINAL SUBMISSION, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SENT IT OUT SO THAT THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION COULD HAVE DONE THE RESEARCH TO THE LEVEL THEY FELT THAT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO DO THAT.
AND IT WAS A MINOR THING, BUT IT WAS A MAJOR THING.
AND TYING IT ALL TOGETHER, HOW THAT ORIGINAL, UH, P WOULD BE IMPACTING THIS PARTICULAR ADDITION TO THE PUD WAS TYING IT ALL TOGETHER AND WRAPPING UP AND PUT A BOW ON IT.
AS I SAID, I HAVE ISSUES WITH THE 180 FEET AND HOW THAT WORKS WITH THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE ORIGINAL P AND MAYBE I CAN GET OVER THAT, YOU KNOW, IF I SLEEP ON IT A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND THE WAY THIS THING IS BEING PRESENTED TO US JUST MAKES ME FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.
AND I THINK IF WE SET A PRECEDENT FOR INADEQUATE INFORMATION BEING, YOU KNOW, WE APPROVE SOMETHING WITH INADEQUATE INFORMATION TODAY, WE JUST OPEN UP THE FLOODGATES FOR THIS THING HAPPENING AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
AND IF WE TAKE THE TIME TO DO IT NOW, I THINK THAT'S FAIR.
I THINK YOUR POINT HAS BEEN MADE, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE STAFF UNDERSTANDS AND YOU KNOW,
[00:50:01]
WE WON'T BE IN THE SITUATION AGAIN.I WILL ADD FOR THE APPLICANT THAT IT IS UNUSUAL, I WOULD SAY TO NOT HAVE AN APPLICANT PRESENTATION.
UM, AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT TO ME IT'S A DEMONSTRATION OF GOODWILL AND FAITH AND, UM, JUST AN HONOR OF OUR TIME AND OUR ROLE HERE AS A CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD THAT WE ARE BRIEFED FULLY.
SO I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT FOR THE APPLICANT AS WELL THAT, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PRESENTATION NEXT TIME BECAUSE YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THINGS THAT, THAT WE DON'T.
UM, AND THAT MIGHT HAVE JUST CLEARED SOME THINGS UP, MADE TONIGHT A LITTLE MORE SMOOTH, SO.
ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? ALL RIGHT.
UM, SO COMMISSIONER FLURRY, UH, CAN I ABSTAIN? YOU MAY.
I'M FOR OKAY, COMMISSIONER MORRISON.
SORRY, ARE WE NOW VOTING FOR THE WHAT YOU HAD, UH, NARRATED LIKE 10 MINUTES AGO? YES.
SO THIS IS THE MOTION THAT INCLUDES THE STAFF CONDITIONS DEVELOPMENT WILL COMPLY WITH THE 2025 CITY OF AUSTIN GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM.
AT A THREE STAR LEVEL, NO NEW CODE MODIFICATIONS TO ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS WILL BE SOUGHT EXCEPT AS MODIFIED BY THE PUD.
THE DEVELOPMENT WILL DEVELOP TO CURRENT CODE AND THEN OUR CONDITIONS ARE USE NATIVE PLANTINGS TO THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT POSSIBLE, PRIORITIZE BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN, BIRD COLLISION, DETERRENCE FROM AUSTIN GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS.
COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN FOR COMMISSIONER BRIMER OPPOSE SECRETARY RESI.
I'LL VOTE FOR THIS AND I'LL ALSO VOTE FOR, SO THAT'S 1, 2, 3, 4.
AND SO IT'LL GO FORWARD WITH THAT WITHOUT A MOTION.
[2. Presentation, discussion, and action on an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Austin and Round Rock Independent School District. Presentation by Leslie Lilly, Environmental Conservation Program Manager, Austin Watershed Protection.]
TO DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. NUMBER TWO, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ROUND ROCK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT WHEN WE HAVE A STAFF PRESENTATION.UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
I'M A ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM MANAGER WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION.
AND TONIGHT I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE ROUND ROCK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT AS PROPOSED.
SO WHAT IS AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS, UH, DEFINED BY OUR, UH, STATE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
AND IT IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN A MUNICIPALITY AND A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT IS ABLE TO DEFINE HOW SITES ARE DEVELOPED.
SO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT THIS COMMISSION SEES IS ALL SORTS OF SITE DEVELOPMENT, UH, REGULATIONS, WHETHER IT'S PROTECTIONS TO THE ENVIRONMENT OR DIFFERENT PROCESSES BY WHICH, UH, SITES ARE DEVELOPED.
AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS ARE WITHIN ILAS OR INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS.
UM, ROUND ROCK ISD HAD, UH, AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT WAS IN EFFECT AND RECENTLY EXPIRED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH ALL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT EXIST WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE WAY THAT ALL OF THESE ILAS ARE, UH, NEGOTIATED IS THEY'RE INTERCONNECTED WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN ALLOWS FOR ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ADOPT THE REGULATIONS OF OTHER APPROVED ILAS.
SO IF ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT, FOR INSTANCE, AUSTIN, UH, ILA, AUSTIN ISD, THEIR ILA ALLOWS FOR ONE THING, THEN THAT KIND OF GIVES PRECEDENT FOR ALL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PURSUE THAT IN FUTURE AGREEMENTS THAT THEY HAVE WITH THE CITY THROUGH THIS ILA MECHANISM.
UM, SO ROUND ROCK ISD HAS ABOUT HALF OF THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT IN AUSTIN, WELL, A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN HALF.
UH, THIS IS A MAP OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROPERTIES OWNED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, 20 OF THE 56 PROPERTIES ARE WITHIN, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND THOSE PROPERTIES ARE SPLIT BETWEEN TRAVIS AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
UM, THIS ILA IMPORTANT TO NOTE WOULD ONLY APPLY TO THOSE 20 PROPERTIES.
IT WOULDN'T APPLY TO ALL OF THE ONES THAT EXIST THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, JUST THE ONES INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
AND THOSE 20 PROPERTIES ARE WITHIN TWO, UH, OF OUR REGULATORY WATERSHEDS ARE SUBURBAN
[00:55:01]
WATERSHED AND OUR WATER SUPPLY SUBURBAN WATERSHEDS.UM, THIS IS A MAP OF WHERE THOSE PROPERTIES ARE.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT THE BIG MAP OF AUSTIN AND WHERE THE LIKE CLUSTER OF ROUND ROCK ISD PROPERTIES ARE IN NORTH AUSTIN.
THEY ARE IN BOTH THE CITY, I MEAN THEY'RE IN BOTH THE FULL PURPOSE LIMITED, UH, PURPOSE.
AND THEN IN THE ETJ, THEY ARE PRIMARILY IN THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE.
THERE IS ONE OF THE 20 PROPERTIES THAT IS OUTSIDE THE AD EDWARDS.
AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT WHERE ALL OF THOSE PROPERTIES ARE, YOU KNOW, CLUSTERED KIND OF RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF OUR CITY LIMITS.
SO THE ILA IS A, UH, IT WAS PROVIDED IN LATE BACKUP.
IT'S A QUITE LONG DOCUMENT AND THERE IS A LOT OF COMPONENTS TO THE AGREEMENT THAT ARE REALLY BASED IN PROCESS, BUT THERE ARE SOME SECTIONS OF IT THAT DO, UH, DEFINE HOW DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ARE REGULATED.
AND WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THOSE WE NOW.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, THE LANDSCAPE STANDARDS.
SO IN THE ILA AS IT READS, THE LANDSCAPE STANDARDS FOR THE ROUND ROCK PROPERTIES WOULD COMPLY WITH CITY CODE EXCEPT AS MODIFIED.
UH, THE FOLLOWING THINGS WOULD BE INCLUDED.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCES FOR HERITAGE TREE REMOVAL, REMOVING SCREENING REQUIREMENTS AND SCREENING REQUIREMENTS ARE THE USE OF VEGETATION TO KIND OF BLOCK VIEWS THAT'S PUT IN PLACE LIKE AROUND PARKING LOTS OR IN FRONT OF BUILDINGS.
UH, IT HAS AN IMPORTANT SAFETY COMPONENT, UH, ON SCHOOL PROPERTIES, UH, AND THEN ALSO THE REMOVAL OF MEDIANS AND ISLANDS IN PARKING LOTS IN EXCHANGE FOR HAVING TREES PLANTED AROUND THE PERIMETER.
SO IT'S NOT JUST THAT BY RIGHT, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO REMOVE THE MEDIAN, BUT IN EXCHANGE FOR DOING THE MEDIANS, THERE IS A PERIMETER OF TREES THAT ARE PLANTED AROUND THE, UH, PARKING LOT.
AND IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THESE ARE THE EXACT REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE IN AUSTIN'S, UH, AUSTIN ISDS ILA.
ALSO IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS ARE, UM, DEFINED AND THOSE HAVE BEEN WELL DEVELOPED IN AUSTIN ISDS ILA AND IN AUSTIN'S, UH, ILA THERE ARE DIFFERENT IMPERVIOUS COVER REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL OF OUR REGULATORY WATERSHEDS, BUT SINCE ROUND ROCK ONLY HAS PROPERTIES IN THE SUBURBAN AND WATER SUPPLY SUBURBAN, THOSE REGULATIONS HAVE ONLY BEEN INCORPORATED IN THIS AGREEMENT.
SO A COUPLE OF THINGS, NATURE TRAILS AND NATURAL SURFACE TRACKS.
SO THAT'S LIKE A MULCH TRACK OR A GRAVEL TRACK.
THOSE DO NOT COUNT AS, UH, IMPERVIOUS COVER CALCULATIONS, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO HOW WE REGULATE TRAILS.
AND THEN IN THE SUBURBAN WATERSHED, THE IMPERVIOUS COVER IS LIMITED AT 50% GROSS SITE AREA AND GROSS SITE AREA MEANS THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROPERTY.
SO 50% OF THE ENTIRE PROPERTY.
AND THEN IN THE WATER SUPPLY SUBURBAN REGULATORY AREAS.
AND THERE'S FIVE OF THE 20 PROPERTIES THAT ARE IN THE WATER SUPPLY.
SUBURBAN, IT'S UH, 50% NET SITE AREA.
AND THE WAY THAT THAT IS CALCULATED IS THE NET SITE OF A PROPERTY HAS DEDUCTIONS IN ITS, UH, UH, AREA THAT ARE REDUCED FROM THE UNDEVELOPABLE AREA.
SO CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONES, SKIT REDUCTIONS, SLOPES THAT ARE STEEP GI REDUCTIONS.
AND ONCE YOU LAND ON THAT AREA THAT HAS ALL THAT REDUCTION TAKEN OFF, THEN YOU HAVE YOUR NET SITE.
AND SO 50% OF THAT IS ALLOWED TO BE IMPERVIOUS IN THE WATER SUPPLY SUBURBAN.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO, UH, IMPERVIOUS COVER TRANSFERS AND DIFFERENT CONDITIONS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IN THE DIFFERENT WATERSHEDS, UM, THAT ARE KIND OF SPECIFIC TO THE WAY THAT SCHOOLS ARE BUILT.
UM, SO THAT'S THE IMPERVIOUS COVER COMPONENT.
AND THEN THERE IS UH, UH, PARTS RELATED TO CUT AND FILL AND SLOPES.
SO THE WAY THAT THE CUT AND FILL REQUIREMENTS ARE WRITTEN IN THIS ILA IS THAT ANYTHING OVER, UH, FOUR FEET AND UP TO EIGHT FEET CAN BE ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY CURRENTLY ALLOWED BY OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE IN OUR SUBURBAN WATERSHEDS.
THERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC CONDITIONS THAT REVIEWERS WOULD CONSIDER FOR THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVALS, SUCH AS IS THERE ANY ADVERSE IMPACT TO CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES SUCH AS SPRINGS OR SEEPS, WHICH IS A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT IN THE, UH, EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE AREA.
IS THERE ANY, UH, ADVERSE IMPACT TO WATER QUALITY? UM, AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS ARE LISTED IN THE AGREEMENT
[01:00:01]
TO HELP REVIEWERS UNDERSTAND WHAT ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL CRITERIA SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR ANYTHING ABOVE, UH, FOUR FEET AND THEN UP TO EIGHT FEET.THOSE, UH, THAT'S KIND OF IN EXCESS OF WHAT IS REQUIRED BY CURRENT CODE.
ALSO, UH, ANY CUT AND FILL MUST BE STRUCTURAL.
ANY CUT AND FILL ABOVE FOUR FEET MUST BE STRUCTURALLY CONTAINED, WHICH IS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO REDUCE EROSION.
AND THEN THESE REQUIREMENTS, AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO REITERATE, THEY ARE IN AUSTIN ISDS ILA AS WELL.
SO THERE IS ALSO SLOPE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE DEFINED IN THE AGREEMENT.
AND VERY SPECIFICALLY, THE CONSTRUCTION ON SLOPES OF 25 TO 35% PERMITS CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS AND PARKING AREAS FOR SITES THAT ARE OWNED BY THE DISTRICT ON JANUARY 1ST, 1994.
SO THE REASON THAT DATE IS IN PLACE IS BECAUSE THAT WAS WHEN THE ORIGINAL ILA, WHICH IS WAS APPROVED FOR BOTH ROUND ROCK AND AUSTIN ISDS, THAT THAT IS THE DATE IN WHICH IF THE PROPERTY IS OWNED, THEN THOSE SLOPES WOULD BE ABLE TO BE CONSTRUCTED ON WITH A BUILDING OR PARKING LOT.
AND THIS IS THIS, THIS IS A SIMILAR PROVISION IN THE PREVIOUS ILA AND IT ALSO IS SHOWS UP IN THE AUSTIN'S ILA.
NOW THERE IS SOME COMPONENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MORE RECENTLY EVOLVED IN ILA.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS COME UP IN THE LAST TWO ILAS THAT HAVE BEEN AUSTIN'S.
UM, ILA HAS BEEN RECENTLY AMENDED TO INCLUDE ARTIFICIAL TURF.
AND HAYES, I-S-D-I-L-A HAS ALSO BEEN, UH, DEVELOPED TO INCLUDE ARTIFICIAL TURF.
SO RELATED TO WATER QUALITY AND ARTIFICIAL TURF, THOUGH ROUND ROCK, I-S-D-I-L-A HAS A REQUIREMENT FOR CURRENT CODE WATER QUALITY TREATMENT, WHICH IS GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT'S RAIN GARDENS, THAT'S BIO FILTRATION PONDS.
UM, AND THE ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELDS SIMILAR TO THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE IT ALLOWED, WILL BE ALLOWED ON SITE FOR ATHLETIC FIELDS AND THEY WILL BE EXEMPT FROM SITE IMPERVIOUS COVER CALCULATIONS IF THEY MEET THE FOLLOWING THREE CONDITIONS.
AND THAT IS THAT THAT AREA IS TREATED WITH CODE COMPLIANT WATER QUALITY TREATMENT.
SO GREEN STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT THERE IS A GRAVEL LAYER, A FIVE INCH GRAVEL LAYER UNDERNEATH THE, UH, WHOLE UH, TURF, ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELD.
IT HELPS WITH, YOU KNOW, CREATING STORAGE FOR THE STORM WATER BEFORE IT IS DISCHARGED TO THE POND.
AND THAT THE MATERIALS THAT ARE, THAT THE FIELD IS CONSTRUCTED OUT OF DO NOT HAVE ANY OF OUR FOREVER CHEMICALS.
OUR PFAS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT AND DOES NOT REALLY GET TREATED BY OUR WATER QUALITY TREATMENT, UH, STRUCTURES.
SO WITH THAT, THAT IS ALL OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENTS THAT ARE IN, UH, THE ILA THAT DIFFER FROM THE WAY OUR CURRENT LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REQUIRES.
SO THERE'S STILL REQUIREMENTS FOR PROTECTIONS FOR CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES, PROTECTIONS FOR OUR CRITICAL, UH, WATER QUALITY ZONES, UH, YOU KNOW, OTHER LANDSCAPE REQUIREMENTS AND SUCH.
AND STAFF SUPPORTS THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THIS ILA FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
FIRST, THAT STATE LAW ALLOWS SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ENTER INTO THESE AGREEMENTS WITH MUNICIPALITIES TO DEFINE SITE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS PER STATE LAW.
AND THAT PRECEDENTS SET BY PREVIOUSLY APPROVED SCHOOL, ILA ILAS MUST BE PROVIDED TO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION.
AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT THAT WENT INTO OUR CONSIDERATION AND CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THAT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS ARE STILL APPLICABLE AND MEET THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND THE TIMELINE THAT THIS PARTICULAR AGREEMENT IS ON RIGHT NOW IS TONIGHT, UH, THIS COMMISSION IS HEARING IT, AND THEN IT WILL BE GOING TO PLANNING COMMISSION NEXT WEEK AND THEN COUNCIL ON JANUARY 22ND.
SO I AM AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS, BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ALSO HERE TO PROVIDE A PRESENTATION FOR NO, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
DID YOU SAY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS A PRESENTATION AS WELL? GREAT.
UM, THANK YOU COMM COMMISSIONERS FOR, UH, HAVING US HERE TONIGHT.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BONDS WITH ROUND ROCK ISD.
AND, UH, WHAT WE WANT TO DO, UH, SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB OF EXPLAINING KIND OF THE, THE BEHIND THE SCENES WORK THAT WE DO WHEN WE START LOOKING AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, UH, FOR ALL OF OUR PROJECTS.
[01:05:01]
BUT WE HAVE, UH, 11 CAMPUSES THAT I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF, UH, REVIEW OF THE SCOPE AND, AND HOW IT'LL IMPACT THE, UH, THE, THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL PARTS OF IT.UM, THREE THINGS AS WE REVIEW THESE, UH, CAMPUSES, UM, WE ARE UPGRADING, UM, A DA COMPLIANT, UH, PLAYGROUNDS.
SO EACH TIME WE SEE THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE IS, IS NOT NECESSARILY THE EQUIPMENT, BUT THE FALL MATERIAL.
WE ARE CONVERTING FROM EITHER PEA GRAVEL OR, UH, WOOD CHIPS TO A, A, UH, SYNTHETIC TURF.
UM, SO THAT IS AT EVERY PLAYGROUND THAT WE'RE, WE'RE UPGRADING.
UH, WE ARE ALSO CONVERTING, UM, SOME SPORTS FIELDS FROM NATURAL GRASS TO SYNTHETIC TURF.
AND THEN THE THIRD, UH, KIND OF STANDARD SCOPE THAT YOU'LL SEE TONIGHT IS, UH, DRAINAGE ADDRESSING DRAINAGE ISSUES.
UM, MOST OF THESE ARE VERY LIMITED, VERY SPECIFIC AREAS IS WE'RE NOT DOING ENTIRE PARKING LOTS, IT'S JUST WHERE WE HAVE PONDING, FLOODING, POOR DRAINAGE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS THOSE.
SO THOSE ARE, THESE AREN'T MAJOR, UH, CIVIL DESIGN PROJECTS, BUT THEY'RE VERY LIMITED AND SPECIFIC TO AN AREA ON A CAMPUS.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS FOREST NORTH ELEMENTARY.
UH, SO WE CAN KIND OF POINT OUT, I'M NOT GONNA GO OVER THE, THE, THE, UH, SCOPE THAT IS NOT RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL OR CIVIL.
UM, AT FOREST NORTH, WE WILL BE DOING A DA PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS AT, AND ALSO DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
LIVE OAK ELEMENTARY, SAME, UH, A DA PLAYGROUND AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, POND SPRINGS, UH, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
WELLS BRANCH ELEMENTARY IS, UH, A DA PLAY, UH, PLAYGROUND, SYNTHETIC TURF.
UM, CANYON VISTA MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL BE, UH, WE'RE CONVERTING THE FOOTBALL FIELD FROM NATURAL GRASS TO SYNTHETIC TURF, UH, DEER PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UM, THIS ONE IS QUITE EXTENSIVE.
WE HAVE A 12 CLASSROOM EDITION, A NEW DA, UH, DANCE STUDIO EDITION THAT IS ALL NEW SQUARE FOOTAGE, UM, IMPERVIOUS, UH, MATERIAL, UH, AND ALSO CONVERTING THE FOOTBALL FIELD TO SYNTHETIC TURF, GRISHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL, UM, FIELD CONVERSION.
AND, UH, WE'RE ALSO ADDING A NEW FOOTBALL FIELD, RESTROOM FACILITIES, PEARSON RANCH.
WE HAVE QUITE A FEW THINGS GOING ON.
WE HAVE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
WE DO HAVE SOME LANDSCAPING IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS IS MINIMAL JUST IN CERTAIN AREAS WHERE WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY, UM, ESTABLISHING PLANTS.
UM, I, I, I HIGHLIGHTED, UH, TRACK RESURFACING HERE, ONLY TO POINT OUT THAT WE ARE ONLY RESURFACING.
WE ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING STRUCTURAL.
SO WE'RE, THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT GOING TO IMPACT THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT I WOULD JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
'CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE SEE RESURFACING AND THEY THINK WE'RE DEMOING EVERYTHING AND REBUILDING.
UM, BUT WE ARE, ARE ALSO, UH, CONVERTING THE FOOTBALL FIELD MCNEIL HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, SAME THING HERE WITH THE TENNIS COURTS.
UM, WE ARE SHIFTING OUR TENNIS COURTS FROM ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER.
UM, BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS FLIPPING, SO IT'S GOING, THE TENNIS COURTS ARE GOING IN A PARKING LOT AND THE PARKING LOT'S GONNA GO WHERE THE TENNIS COURTS ARE, SO WE'RE NOT INCREASING OUR IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL.
UM, BUT NONETHELESS, I WANTED TO POINT THAT SCOPE OUT.
WE ARE CREATING SOME NEW FIELD STORAGE, NEW BATTING CAGES, AND YES, IT'S A BATTING CAGE, UM, BUT THE MATERIAL UNDERNEATH IT, THE SURFACE WILL BE CONCRETE.
SO THAT'LL BE IMPERVIOUS TRACK RESURFACING HERE.
ALSO, AGAIN, WE ARE NOT IN INCREASING ANYTHING OR CHANGING ANYTHING, IT'S JUST THE, UH, TOP SURFACE.
AND WE ARE CONVERTING THE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL FIELDS FROM SOME, UH, NATURAL GRASS TO SYNTHETIC TURF WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.
NOW, THIS TRACK, UH, THIS IS A COMPLETE TRACK DEMOLITION REBUILD.
SO WE'RE GOING BACK WITH MOST LIKELY THE EXACT SAME SQUARE FOOTAGE, BUT AS WE DEMO IT, WE WILL BE REDESIGNING THE CIVIL DRAINAGE TO STABILIZE THE SOIL.
UM, TENNIS COURT RESURFACING THAT ONE I POINTED OUT ONLY TO, TO TO SHOW THAT WE ARE NOT BUILDING NEW COURTS, AND IT'S ONLY THE SURFACE OF IT.
UH, WE ARE CONVERTING THE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL FIELDS, UH, TO SYNTHETIC TURF AND ALSO ADDING A MODULAR LOCKER AND RESTROOM BUILDINGS AND, UH, ADDING A SOFTBALL STAGE, UH, BATTING CAGE.
THE LAST PROJECT IS, UH, KIND OF OUR NEWEST PROJECT.
WE PURCHASED THIS BUILDING ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
IT'S THE, UH, SPECTRUM BUILDING AT 9,900 SPECTRUM, 210,000 SQUARE FEET.
UM, WE ARE CONVERTING THIS TO OUR NEW CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION FACILITY.
AND, UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE SCOPE, UH, WILL ALL BE INTERIOR.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF PARKING OUTSIDE.
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING OUTSIDE, BUT VERY MINIMAL.
UM, WE DO HAVE TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL FIRE LANE HAMMERHEAD FOR THE, THE FIRE TRUCKS TO TURN.
UH, BUT WE BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE, UM, IT, IT'LL BE A NET ZERO INCREASE OF IMPERMEABLE SURFACE.
[01:10:01]
HERE, BUT THIS IS OUR NEWEST ONE AND KIND OF OUR FUNNEST PROJECT.AND THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR, KIND OF OUR SIMPLE SCOPE OF OUR PROJECTS AND GREAT.
AND I MIGHT HAVE MISSED, WOULD YOU MIND REMINDING ME YOUR NAME AND WHAT YOUR ROLE IS? MIKE BROOKS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BONDS.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GO TO QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER FLURRY.
UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND, UH, LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF A, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN HAS ANY FURTHER FOOTBALL FIELDS OR STADIUM LIGHTINGS, BUT I'M, UH, JUST, JUST CURIOUS IF Y'ALL DO CONSIDER DARK SKY LIGHTING OR TIMED LIGHTING OR, OR SOMETHING TO REDUCE LIGHT IMPACT FROM SPORTS FIELDS? FOR, FOR SPORTS FIELDS, WE DON'T, UH, WE ARE, WE'RE CURRENTLY CONVERT, WELL, LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY.
WE ARE CONVERTING ALL OF OUR FIELDS, UH, ALL OF OUR SPORTS FIELDS FROM, UH, METAL HALI TO, UH, UH, LEDS.
UM, THE FOOT CANDLES ISN'T NECESSARILY BRIGHTER, SO THE GOAL OF SPORTS FIELD LIGHTING ISN'T TO MAKE IT AS BRIGHT AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT'S CONSISTENT A CERTAIN LEVEL OF, OF, OF LIGHTING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FIELD.
UM, THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT LED LIGHTING THOUGH, IS YOU CAN DRAW ALMOST A VERY STRAIGHT LINE WITH IT.
SO WE DON'T BLEED OVER INTO, UH, OTHER, THE NEIGHBORS, BASICALLY.
SO WE DO VERY MUCH LOOK AT THAT WHEN WE, WHEN WE ENGINEER AND WE DESIGN THE, THE SPORTS LIGHTING THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT FLOODING OVER OR BLEEDING OVER INTO THE NEIGHBORS.
REMIND ME, DO WE HAVE REQUIREMENTS RIGHT NOW FOR SPORTS FIELDS, UH, AND, AND, AND TYPES OF LIGHTING? GO AHEAD.
UM, UH, LESLIE LILLY WATERSHED PROTECTION.
SO, UH, THE WAY THAT THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT REQUIRES OR, UM, DEFINES EXTERIOR LIGHTING IS THAT IT MUST BE HOODED OR SHIELDED SO THAT THE LIGHT SOURCE IS NOT DIRECTLY VISIBLE FROM ADJACENT PROPERTY, UM, IN A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL OR MORE RESTRICTIVE ZONING DISTRICTS.
SO IT'S NOT FOR, YOU KNOW, ALL ZONING DISTRICTS, BUT IF THERE'S, UH, FA UH, SINGLE FAMILY OR RESTRICTIVE ZONING DISTRICTS, THEN IT CANNOT TRESPASS INTO THOSE PROPERTIES.
AND SO THOSE WOULD APPLY HERE.
YEAH, THAT IS LANGUAGE THAT IS IN THE, UH, DRAFT ILA UNDER OR COMPATIBILITY STANDARDS.
I'VE SEEN RECENTLY, A, I THINK IT WAS DRIP AND SPRINGS, ISD AND MAYBE KAMAL, ISDI MIGHT BE MISSPEAKING THERE, BUT THEY'VE BEEN MOVING TOWARDS SPORTS FIELDS AND, AND BEING DARK SKY COMPLIANT.
UM, AND THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY THERE TO, UH, A PRECEDENT FOR US TO FOLLOW.
UM, SOUNDS LIKE Y'ALL ARE BECOMING EXPERTS IN SYNTHETIC TURF.
I'M JUST CURIOUS, HAVE Y'ALL COME ACROSS, UH, ANYTHING THAT IS BEING PROMOTED AS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, NOT HAVING HARMFUL CHEMICALS FOR RUNOFF? UM, MAYBE, I'M SURE YOU, YOU'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN OF FROM ENVIRONMENTALISTS.
I, I, I DON'T HAVE THE BACKGROUND TO GO INTO THE DETAIL, BUT THAT IS SOME OF OUR CONSIDERATION THAT, UM, AND ALL THE DIFFERENT, THERE'S PROBABLY FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT LARGE COMPANIES THAT WE TALK TO.
AND, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ASK ABOUT IS WHAT ARE THE, NOT ONLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, BUT IF IT'S, IF IT'S IMPACTING THE ENVIRONMENT, IT'S ALSO IMPACTING OUR STUDENTS.
SO WHEN WE PUT OUR STUDENTS FIRST, UM, THAT USUALLY PROTECTS THE ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.
AND I, I KNOW THERE MAY WILL BE MORE QUESTIONS AND, UM, MAYBE CONSIDERATIONS FROM OUR WORKING GROUP ON THE, THE TURF COMING YOUR WAY.
UM, AND, AND I GUESS LAST QUESTION, I ASSUME, UH, ANY NEW PROPERTY ACQUIRED OR ANY PROPERTY SOLD, UM, THESE AGREEMENTS STILL A APPLY? SO FUTURE PROPERTIES AND THEN IF THEY WERE TO SELL A SCHOOL, THEY DOES IT CAN THAT THE NEXT OWNER HAVE, HAVE THE SAME IMPERVIOUS REQUIREMENTS? WELL, SO THE ILA WOULD BE FOR ANY OF THEIR SCHOOLS IN THE CITY'S JURISDICTION IF THEY SOLD IT, YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS ON THE USE AT THAT POINT, WHAT THE IMPERVIOUS COVER WOULD BE.
IF THEY SOLD IT TO ANOTHER SCHOOL, THEN THAT SCHOOL WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENTER INTO AN ILA WITH US.
UM, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO REMOVE ANYTHING, BUT, BUT IF THEY SOLD IT TO SAY A MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPER, THEN THE ILA WOULD BE VOID AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD JUST BE SUBJECT TO CURRENT CODE.
I THINK THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.
I AM TRYING TO SEARCH MY MEMORY TO HEAR IF WE EVER TALKED ABOUT TREES OR PLANTS OR THE FACT THAT, UH, WHENEVER ANY SCHOOLS, UM, ARE MODIFIED, IF THERE'S CONSIDERATION FOR NATIVE DROUGHT TOLERANT SPECIES TO BE CONSIDERED, IF THERE'S GONNA BE ANY LANDSCAPING, IS THAT EVEN IN THERE? SO, WELL, I, I WILL SAY MY BACKGROUND
[01:15:01]
IS DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE, UM, AND WE WANT AS LITTLE MAINTENANCE AS POSSIBLE AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO WATER.SO ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, UM, AND THAT WE'RE THINKING OF WORKING WITH OUR LANDSCAPE DESIGNERS IS, UM, UH, ZERO SCAPING.
SO, UM, AS MUCH NATURAL AND AS LITTLE WATER AND MAINTENANCE AS POSSIBLE.
ALSO, I'M VERY INTRIGUED BY THE FIRE LANE HAMMERHEAD.
WHAT IS THAT THE, THE WAY, AND, AND I MAY REFER TO, TO MR. PINKERTON TO HELP ME OUT WITH THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT I GET IT CORRECTLY THE WAY WE'RE HAVING TO CREATE, UM, A, A FIRE LANE ACCESS, BUT IT'S A DEAD END, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FIRETRUCK HAS ACCESS TO, OR, OR AN A, THE ABILITY TO GET IN THERE AND TURN AROUND.
YEAH, SO THEY CAN BACK BACKGROUND AND IT'S A LOT OF FOOTAGE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MORRISON.
DID YOU GUYS ME, UH, MENTION THE, THE LENGTH OF THE AGREEMENT OR HOW, HOW LONG THE AGREEMENT IS ACTUALLY EFFECTIVE? BELIEVE IT WAS QUITE A LONG TIME, RIGHT? IS IT 20 YEARS? IT'S, IT IS A LONG TIME.
UM, WELL LOOK AND DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT.
AND IS THAT PRETTY LIKE STANDARD? IT IS STANDARD, YES.
AND IN THOSE AGREEMENTS, ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES OR LIKE MECHANISMS TO RE YOU KNOW, REVIEW AS TIME GOES ON, OR AS CLIMATE AND WATER QUALITY, UM, NEEDS CHANGE? RIGHT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, NOT DURING THAT TIME PERIOD NECESSARILY, UM, UNLESS, YOU KNOW, BOTH PARTIES WERE IN AGREEMENT THAT THEY WANTED TO, TO, TO, UM, OPEN THE ILA UP AND, AND RE REDO IT.
SO I THINK AT THE TIME THAT IT GETS RENEWED IS WHEN THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN.
THAT'S, UM, THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION.
THE, THE AGREEMENT IS IN EFFECT FOR 25 YEARS.
YEAH, I MEAN, I, IT WOULD MAKE, IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ME FOR AN AGREEMENT THAT IS IN PLACE FOR SEVERAL DECADES TO HAVE SOME WAY TO REVISIT LIKE, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN PROVISIONS OR REQUIREMENTS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN A RAPIDLY EVOLVING, UM, ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO IF THAT'S, UM, SOMETHING THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED, I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
YEAH, I, I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THERE.
I THINK THAT THE, THE PURPOSE OF THE ILA IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHO ARE ENTERING INTO THE AGREEMENT HAVE CERTAINTY BECAUSE THEY HAVE A VERY LONG TIME THAT THEY'RE PLANNING OUT THEIR BONDS AND BUILDING THEIR STRUCTURES, AND THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE NEW STRUCTURES COME ON ALL THAT OFTEN.
AND SO FOR JUST STABILITY YEAH, FOR STABILITY AND FOR, YOU KNOW, JUST KNOWING THE, THE TURNOVER OF A RIGHT, OF AN ACTUAL SCHOOL BUILDING IS MUCH LONGER THAN 25 YEARS USUALLY.
UM, OKAY, SO LIKE WITH THE, THE TRACK RESURFACING, THESE ARE ALL QUARTER MILE TRACKS.
UH, IT'S A STANDARD EIGHT LANE UIL TRACK, 440 METERS OR 440 YARDS.
UM, SO THE, UM, DOES A ISD FOR STAFF, DOES A ISD HAVE THESE SAME PROVISIONS ABOUT THE NO PFAS, UH, THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION AND, UM, UNFORTUNATELY NO.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD THEIR BOND PROJECT AND THEY HAVE PUT THROUGH A NUMBER OF SITE PLANS AND, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN US AND THEM, WE'VE, WE'VE LEARNED QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE AGREED, PREVIOUSLY AGREED UPON LANGUAGE AND WHAT SOME OF THE CURRENT CONCERNS ARE.
AND SO WE TRIED TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE CERTAIN SO THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE GONNA BE ASKING FOR WATER QUALITY PONDS.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE PFAS IS REALLY BECOMING THE, THE CONCERN, UM, UH, FOR THESE TYPES OF MATERIALS.
AND SO THEY WERE IN AGREEMENT WITH US TO ADD THAT MM-HMM
AND JUST FOR MY COLLEAGUES HERE, WHEN IN OUR WORK GROUP, WE'RE MAINLY LOOKING AT LIKE RESIDENTIAL, BECAUSE IF A RESIDENTIAL LOT PUTS IN ARTIFICIAL TURF, THEY'RE GOING OVER THE 45% IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMIT.
SO IT'S A DIFFERENT ISSUE WITH THE, WITH SCHOOLS WHERE IT'S RESTRICTED TO THE SPORTS FIELD, BASICALLY.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BRIER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, SO, UH, THE HERITAGE TREE REMOVAL,
[01:20:01]
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING, IF I READ THE CONTRACT CORRECTLY, THAT'S GONNA BE BLANKET, UH, APPROVAL ADMINISTRATIVELY, CORRECT? UH, THAT IS CORRECT.UH, THE AR THE CITY ARBORISTS SHALL HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY TO CONSIDER AN APPROVE HERITAGE TREE REMOVAL VARIANCE OR OTHER REQUESTS.
SO THAT, SO THAT WOULD INCLUDE TREES THAT NORMALLY WOULD COME, COME BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS BEING CUT OUT OF THAT PROCESS? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, YEAH, I ALSO, IT IT, IF I READ THE CONTRACT CORRECTLY, UH, AND YOUR PRESENTATION AS WELL, UH, THE CUT AND FILL THAT EXCEEDS EIGHT FEET, UH, TYPICALLY THAT'S SOMETHING COULD COME BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, THAT THAT WILL STILL COME BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UH, NOW I SAW A PICTURE IN THE PRESENTATION OF A SPORTS FIELD, A FOOTBALL FIELD, SOCCER FIELD, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT'S A LOT OF ARTIFICIAL TURF.
UH, AND WHEN I'M LOOKING AT, UH, IMPERVIOUS COVER, BECAUSE I BELIEVE, UH, THE CITY CONSIDERS THAT IMPERVIOUS COVER, IS THAT NOT CORRECT? UM, FOR ARTIFICIAL TURF? YES.
CURRENTLY THE POSITION IS THAT IT IS IMPERVIOUS COVER BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT'S USUALLY INSTALLED WITH COMPACTED BASE.
UM, AND, UH, YES, IMPERVIOUS COVER.
UH, SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REPLACING PLAYGROUNDS AND INSTALLING FOOTBALL FIELDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A LOT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT WE'RE GOING TO SOMEWHERE IN THERE I SAW THAT.
UH, HOW, HOW MUCH IMPERVIOUS COVER ARE WE ALLOWING A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HAVE? SO IT DEPENDS ON THE, UH, WATER SHED DESIGNATION.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY LESS IMPERVIOUS COVER THAN, SAY, A COMMERCIAL PROJECT WOULD HAVE.
SO 50% IN SUBURBAN AND THEN IT GOES LOWER FOR DRINKING WATER SUPPLY, 50% NET SITE FOR BOTH? NO, JUST FOR WATER SUPPLY.
SO IT'S LESS IN THE SUBURBAN AND A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE DRINKING WATER SUPPLY.
UM, SO THE, THE WAY THIS IS WRITTEN FOR ARTIFICIAL TURF IS THAT IT'S STILL, YOU KNOW, WOULD NEED A WATER QUALITY TREATMENT FACILITY, UM, ANY ADVERSE IMPACT FROM DRAIN.
SO IF THEY, IF THE DRAINAGE COEFFICIENT SHOWS THAT THERE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL FLOODING OR ADDITIONAL RUNOFF THAN A NATURAL FIELD, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF DETENTION.
SO AS FAR AS THAT GOES, IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, KNOW, BE KIND OF THE WAY, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD WANT TO SEE IMPERVIOUS COVER BE TREATED.
HOWEVER, THE, THE FIELDS THEMSELVES DON'T COUNT AGAINST WOULD NOT COUNT AGAINST THEIR OVERALL ALLOWABLE IMPERVIOUS COVER.
SO IT'S NOT COUNTED IN THE SITE AREA CALCULATIONS FOR IMPERVIOUS COVER.
BUT AS FAR AS STORM WATER CONCERNS FROM WATER QUALITY AND RUNOFF, IT WOULD BE STILL TREATED.
SO THE AREA WHERE THEY PUT THE BUILDING IS WHERE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER IS CALCULATED.
BUT IF YOU HAVE AN ARBITRARY NUMBER OF ACRES THAT ARE COVERED WITH IMPERVIOUS COVER FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE PLAYGROUND OR SPORTS FIELDS, THAT'S NOT COUNTED AS IMPERVIOUS COVER, EVEN THOUGH, UH, YOU PUT, UH, ARTIFICIAL TURF ON IT AND TECHNICALLY IT IS IMPERVIOUS COVER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I ALSO WANNA SAY THAT PLAYGROUNDS AND FIELDS, UM, ARE VERY COMPACTED.
AND SO THEY'RE ALSO NOT EXACTLY LIKE NATURAL SOIL IN REALITY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, KIDS ARE RUNNING AROUND THEM.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN PERUS AND IMPERVIOUS.
NOW, UH, I READ IN THE CONTRACT THAT, UH, IF A MINOR CHANGE TO THE CONTRACT WILL ALLOW YOU TO MAKE NO CHANGES TO THE, THE SITE PLAN, YOU CAN HAVE UP TO 10,000 FEET SQUARE FEET OF CHANGES WITHOUT DOING A, A CHANGE TO THE SITE PLAN.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S CORRECT, SIR.
I THINK THAT IS, UM, DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN, SO IT'S A APPROVAL PROCESS BETWEEN A CORRECTION, WHICH IS A LITTLE QUICK, IT'S A QUICKER REVIEW
[01:25:01]
AND A REVISION, WHICH HAS A LONGER TIMELINE.SO IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY SAYING WHAT CAN BE DONE, WHAT IS MINOR ENOUGH THAT IT CAN GO THROUGH THIS CORRECTION PROCESS VERSUS A MORE IN DEPTH REVISION PROCESS.
SO IT STILL GETS REVIEWED, IT'S JUST, IT'S A FASTER, QUICKER, CHEAPER PROCESS.
SO THAT WOULD INCLUDE, THAT WOULD INCLUDE, UH, THINGS THAT INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, SO, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO CHANGE THE CONFIGURATION OF THEIR PARKING LOT.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, AND IT, IT HAS 10,000 SQUARE FEET LIMIT OF CONSTRUCTION.
PEOPLE WILL STILL BE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE DRAINAGE, ALL OF THE IMPERVIOUS COVER CALCULATIONS, UM, AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
IT'S JUST, IT'S A, IT GOES FASTER.
NOW, IF I READ IT CORRECTLY, UH, AN OLD BUILDING MAY BE TORN DOWN AND REBUILT UNDER THE PREVIOUS, UH, CONTRACT, PREVIOUS ILA OR WHATEVER YOU CALL THIS THING, UH, RATHER THAN THE NEW ONE.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU'RE, WELL, THE REASON I ASK IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE UPGRADED THE STANDARDS UNDER THE NEW ONE, ONE WOULD, YOU KNOW, AND YOU TEAR DOWN AN ENTIRE BUILDING, ONE WOULD THINK THAT YOU REQUIRE IT TO BE, AND I THINK THIS IS UNDER SECTION ONE POINT, PARAGRAPH 1.1, IT SAYS, A RECONSTRUCTION OF ANY BUILDING STRUCTURE SITE MAY BE BUILT UNDER THE PREVIOUS STANDARDS.
SO YOU CAN TEAR DOWN AN OLD BUILDING AND NOT CONSTRUCT IT UP TO THE NEW STANDARDS.
THAT THAT'S THE WAY I I READ IT.
SO THAT MAY BE RELATED TO TECHNICAL CODE.
SO MAYBE OUTSIDE OF THE PURVIEW OF, UM, YOU KNOW, WATERSHED'S REVIEW.
BUT I MEAN, IF, IF THAT WOULD INCLUDE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES AS WELL.
WELL, IT TALKS ABOUT BUILDING CODE, FIRE CODE, ENERGY CODE, ELECTRICAL CODE, MECHANICAL CODE, PLUMBING CODE.
SO THOSE ARE THE TECHNICAL CODES.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WOULD BE, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT'S AN EX, THAT'S AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF CODES THAT INCLUDE, THAT'S I'M READING RIGHT NOW IN THE BACKUP.
OH, UH, COMMUNICATION TOWERS MAY NOT BE BUILT IN A CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, UH, BUT THEY MAY BE BUILT IN A FLOODPLAIN.
SO YEAH, THAT'S THE EXISTING LANGUAGE THAT AUSTIN A ISD HAS.
SO THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE IS A SETBACK ALONG A DESIGNATED WATERWAY.
UM, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE WATERWAY, THE SETBACK GETS BIGGER.
SOMETIMES FLOODPLAINS CAN GET VERY BROAD AND, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE JUST A, YOU KNOW, SIX INCHES OR WHATEVER, UH, YOU KNOW, LOW AMOUNTS OF, UM, INUNDATION IN THE A HUNDRED YEAR STORM.
SO THIS WAS A, YOU KNOW, IN THE CASE THAT THERE IS A, A LARGE FLOODPLAIN, A TOWER MAYBE BUILT THERE, IT WOULD STILL HAVE TO SHOW NO FLOOD, NO ADVERSE IMPACT, ET CETERA.
BUT IT WOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE THERE IF ALL THE OTHER FLOODPLAIN REQUIREMENTS ARE ALLOWED.
IT WOULD JUST NOT BE RIGHT ON THE PROTECTED WATER QUALITY BUFFER.
YEAH, I, I GUESS MY CONCERN IS WE'RE ALLOWING STUFF TO BE BUILT IN A FLOODPLAIN 'CAUSE THAT'S KIND OF COUNTERINTUITIVE NOWADAYS.
AND WE'RE NOT REQUIRING A TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS, WHICH I GUESS IS OKAY, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT ENCOURAGING THE, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO ENCOURAGE THE INCLUSION OF CAP METRO BUSES OR, UH, EV CHARGING STATIONS OR ANYTHING IN THE, UH, IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO MINIMIZE, UH, POLLUTION AND, AND ENCOURAGE MASS TRANSIT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO, ARE YOU IN DISCUSSIONS WITH TRANSIT? NOT, NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO.
BUT I, I WILL SAY, UH, TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS MAY NOT FALL UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, BUT, UH, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND, UM, MOST OF OUR CIVIL ENGINEERS, WE WILL STILL CONDUCT TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS, EVEN IF IT'S NOT REQUIRED.
BECAUSE THE LAST THING THAT WE WANT IS SEEING ELEMENTARY DRIVES, YOU KNOW, BACKED UP INTO NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO WE WILL STILL CONDUCT THAT.
WELL, THE CONTRACT SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED THE REQUIREMENT FOR A TRAFFIC ANALYSIS.
YOU MAY CHOOSE TO DO ONE, BUT IT'S NOT CONTRACTUALLY REQUIRED, SO, YEAH.
HEY, Y'ALL APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION FROM BOTH APPLICANT STAFF.
[01:30:01]
KNOW, UH, I HAVE THE FORTUNE OR MISFORTUNE, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT, OF, UH, HAVING ATTENDED R-R-I-S-D.SO BIG SHOUT OUT TO, UH, LEMME GET THIS RIGHT, THE BLUE JAYS, THE JAGUARS AND THE MAVS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WILLIAMSON COUNTY TENDS TO HAVE A REPUTATION FOR BEING COUNTRY COMPARED TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY FOLKS.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US JUST, YOU KNOW, GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, AND BY US I MEAN OUR ISD, UH, AND CREATE SOMETHING THAT ALL OF CENTRAL TEXAS CAN BE PROUD OF.
UH, NO PARTICULAR QUESTIONS, BUT JUST HAD TO SHOUT OUT, UH, MY FORMER ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
UM, MY FIRST QUESTION IS FOR THE STAFF, UM, WHEN THE AUSTIN I-S-D-I-L-A AGREEMENT HAPPENED, DID THAT COME BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION? YES, IT DID A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
I, I WONDER, I JUST DON'T RECALL IT.
MAYBE I WAST IT MAY HAVE BEEN BEFORE YOU.
BUT WE CAN, WE CAN DIG THAT UP, BUT YES, IT DID.
'CAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS 2024, WHICH ONLY WOULD'VE BEEN LAST YEAR AND I WOULD'VE BEEN HERE.
BUT SO, SO THERE MAYBE IT DIDN'T, THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, SEVERAL, UH, AMENDMENTS.
UM, SOME OF THEM HAVE COME BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UM, AND SOME OF THEM HAVE NOT.
UH, I THINK THE ONES THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING FORWARD, UM, WE, WE HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD, YOU KNOW, TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THERE'S DIFFERENT TRAJECTORIES FOR THESE THINGS BEING APPROVED AND THE ONES THAT WE HAVE BEEN REALLY ENGAGED AND HAVE, HAVE COME FORWARD.
SO WHEN YOU SAY AMENDMENTS, BECAUSE COMMISSIONER MORRISON WAS ASKING ABOUT LIKE, IS THERE ANY MECHANISM FOR UPDATING? NOT REALLY.
DO YOU MEAN LIKE WHEN THE ILA AGREEMENT IS REVISITED AFTER 20, 25 YEARS? YEAH, SO I THINK WITH THE AUSTIN ILA, THERE WAS A, MAYBE A, AT THE TIME, DIFFERENT CITY MANAGER, THAT CITY MANAGER MADE THE DECISION THAT, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THEIR FAST TRACK THAT IT WOULD SKIP, UM, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IF I RECALLED CORRECTLY.
SO THAT WAS A, UH, RE UM, IT WAS, I THINK EXPIRING AND THEY WERE RENEGOTIATING CERTAIN THINGS.
WELL THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING HERE.
I UNDERSTAND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND TALKING TO STAFF THAT THERE'S A DESIRE FOR EQUALITY ACROSS THE BOARD IN TERMS OF AUSTIN ISDS, ILA ROUND ROCK ISDS, ILA, I THINK THAT'S FAIR.
IT'S ALSO HARD FOR ME, UM, WHEN THERE ARE THINGS WITHIN THE ILA THAT I JUST DON'T AGREE WITH BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY'RE JUST NOT ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND.
UM, AND SO I DON'T MEAN TO HOLD YOU ALL TO A DIFFERENT STANDARD AND GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU WORKING IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
YOU DESERVE THE BEST OF EVERYTHING AND ALL THE MONEY AND ALL THE THINGS.
AND I DON'T WANNA MAKE YOUR JOBS ANY MORE ONEROUS THAN IT HAS TO BE.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATED YOUR COMMENT ABOUT WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CHILDREN IS BEST FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND VICE VERSA.
'CAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY HOW I SEE IT.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT, I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT'S MOTIVATING THE DECISION TO USE ARTIFICIAL TURF INSTEAD OF GRASS IN A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS? SO I, I DO WANNA STATE, UH, THE HIGH SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FIELDS ARE ALREADY CONVERTED TO SYNTHETICS TURF.
SO, SO WE'RE ONLY TALKING BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH IS BASE, UH, BASEBALL IS A LITTLE OVER TWO ACRES.
SOFTBALL IS ABOUT A 1.5, 1.75 ACRES, AND MIDDLE SCHOOL FOOTBALL IS ABOUT 1.5.
SO JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF, OF THE ACREAGE, UM, WHAT'S DRIVING THIS IS JUST WE'RE LOOKING AT MAINTENANCE COST.
UM, OUR, OUR OPERATING EXPENSES GO UP.
UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE STRETCHED TIGHTER EACH YEAR.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE MAINTAIN SAFE, UM, SAFE, NOT ONLY SAFE, BUT OUR FIELDS ARE USED, OUR PROGRAMS THAT WE HAD 25 YEARS AGO DON'T, UM, THERE MAY BE 25% OF THE PROGRAMS LIKE USAGE OF THE FIELDS NOW, AND NOT JUST, UM, OUR STUDENTS AND PROGRAMS, BUT OUR COMMUNITIES USE OUR FIELDS ALSO.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT OPERATING COST DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN HAS I IMPROVED ON SYNTHETIC TURF? UH, WHEN I STARTED IN THE SCHOOL BUSINESS 25 YEARS AGO, ON AVERAGE IT WOULD LAST EIGHT YEARS AND WE'RE NOW PROBABLY AROUND 12 TO 13 YEARS, SOMETIMES A LITTLE BIT LONGER ON MIDDLE SCHOOL FIELDS.
SO IT'S, IT'S A LOT LESS MAINTENANCE AND IT LETS US, UM, PUT MORE DOLLARS INTO ACTUAL, ACTUAL STUDENT, UH, PROGRAMS VERSUS THE MAINTENANCE OF THE PROGRAMS. WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE ARE THE SAVINGS OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 25 YEARS BY MAKING THESE ADJUSTMENTS? IT, IT'S, IT'S HARD.
I, I HAVEN'T PUT A PENCIL TO IT MM-HMM
UM, BUT IT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT ALL THE FIELDS, I I THINK WE HAVE SEVEN HIGH SCHOOLS, 11 MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
UM, IT, IT'S PROBABLY IN THE THREE, $400,000
[01:35:01]
RANGE MM-HMMOVER O OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD EASILY.
AND THAT IS INCLUDING THE INSTALLATION COSTS AND, AND CLEANING AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH ARTIFICIAL TUR.
THE, THE GROOMING? YES, MA'AM.
UM, IS ANY OF ROUND ROCK ISD IN THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE? WE HAVE TWO SCHOOLS IN THE CITY OF PFLUGER, BUT IT IS A MIDDLE SCHOOL, I BELIEVE, AND AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
BECAUSE I KNOW THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE HAS BANNED ARTIFICIAL TURF.
AND SO I'M WONDERING WHAT YOUR ILA LOOKS LIKE WITH THOSE TWO SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN THE CITY OF, I'M NOT SURE.
DO YOU HAVE AN ILA WITH THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE? WE DON'T HAVE AN I, NO.
WHY IS THAT JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE SO FEW SCHOOLS WITHIN THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE OR WHAT NECESSITATES AN ILA? THAT, THAT'S PROBABLY, AND I APOLOGIZE, I'VE ONLY BEEN WITH THE DISTRICT FOR 11 MONTHS MM-HMM
UM, AND WE HAVEN'T STARTED LOOKING AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I, I WILL SAY I SPENT THREE YEARS AT, AT PFLUGERVILLE ISD THOUGH MM-HMM
UM, BUT THAT WAS TWO YEARS AGO, SO THAT MAY BE A NEW, UM, POLICY.
DO YOU ALL KNOW STAFF WHEN THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE BAND ARTIFICIAL TURF CITYWIDE? NO, WE DON'T.
WE CAN GET BACK WITH THAT INFORMATION.
UM, YEAH, I'M CURIOUS IF IT WAS AN OUTRIGHT BAN OR IF IT WAS A BAN WITH EXCEPTIONS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, FOR EXAMPLE.
I MEAN, I THINK, JUST TO BE CANDID, WHAT I'M STRUGGLING WITH IS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING, AN AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO ADHERE TO FOR THE NEXT 25 YEARS WHEN WE KNOW THAT ARTIFICIAL TURF, EVEN IF IT DOESN'T HAVE PFAS IS STILL MADE OUT OF MICROPLASTICS AND WILL STILL INCREASE THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT AND IS DANGEROUS, UM, AND CONTAINS CARCINOGENS.
AND, UM, SO I JUST STRUGGLE TO APPROVE THAT KNOWING THE THINGS THAT I KNOW AND I CAN APPRECIATE THE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT POSITION THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN PUT IN WITH THE BUDGET THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, AND IT'S, AND ANGERING TO ME, AND IT'S, IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT WAY.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DO BELIEVE THAT WHAT IS BEST FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IS WHAT IS BEST FOR ALL OF US.
SO THAT'S MY STICKING POINT AND KNOWING THAT BECAUSE THE ILA WITH AUSTIN ISD IS STAGGERED WITH THE ILA FROM ROUND ROCK ISD, AND THERE'S A HOPE FOR EQUALITY ACROSS THAT AUSTIN ISDS ILA WILL EXPIRE THEN BEFORE YOURS.
AND SO THEY'LL THEN USE THE ROUND ROCK ISD AS THE REFERENTIAL POINT AND THERE WILL BE ALLOWANCES FOR ARTIFICIAL TURF.
AND SO I JUST THINK WE JUST, THIS WILL JUST KEEP US KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD FOR DECADES TO COME EMPLOYING A PRACTICE THAT WE KNOW IS BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND BAD FOR HUMAN HEALTH.
UM, AND SO I'M, I AM STRUGGLING WITH THAT.
UM, I GUESS OTHER QUESTIONS, UM, EXCEPTIONS FOR HERITAGE TREES, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S NOT A SUREFIRE DEAL THAT THE TREES WOULD BE REMOVED, BUT THE AUTHORITY ABOUT THE DECISION TO REMOVE THE TREES WILL LIE IN THE CITY ARBORIST ALONE AND NOT ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO NOTICED CONDITIONS OF, FOR IMPERVIOUS COVER TRANSFER, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I'M GOING TO DEFER.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE ACTUALLY ALLOWS IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, AN AREA IN A, IN A PROTECTED AREA THAT THEY, THEY CAN'T BUILD ON THOSE, UM, THOSE RIGHTS COULD BE TRANSFERRED TO MAYBE ANOTHER, UM, ANOTHER PROPERTY OR SOME SOMETHING ELSE.
SO IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THAT OFTEN, BUT IT DOES ALLOW A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY.
IF YOU NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE IMPERVIOUS COVER, YOU CAN TRANSFER DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS FROM ONE TO ANOTHER.
UM, SO YEAH, THAT, THAT, THAT'S FROM ONE SCHOOL TO ANOTHER ONE PRO.
AND THERE ARE LIMITS WITH THAT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS, IT'S USUALLY WITHIN THE SAME WATERSHED, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, AND IT, IT'S NOT A LOT MORE MAYBE UP TO 10% MORE OF IMPERVIOUS COVER.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT, IT ALLOWS FLEXIBILITY, BUT HONESTLY IT'S, UM, THEY DO NOT HAPPEN VERY OFTEN.
UM, YES, AND I'LL ALSO JUST ADD MY ENDORSEMENT OF DARK SKY LIGHTING, NOT JUST ON THE FIELDS, BUT ON THE BUILDINGS AS WELL, AND MOTION SENSORED LIGHTING, WHICH I THINK COULD HELP YOUR ELECTRICITY COSTS AS WELL.
SO I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S A BENEFIT FOR YOU ALL THERE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, MR. SULLIVAN? WELL, I, I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO YOUR COMMENTS THERE.
THIS ISN'T JUST HAPPENING HERE IN AUSTIN, IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
THIS IS HAPPENING ALL ACROSS, UM, I COULD SAY THE SPORTS WORLD WHERE, UM, SO I DON'T BELIEVE, UH,
[01:40:01]
THAT THERE'S BEEN ANY STUDIES SHOWING THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO CHILDREN OR, OR PEOPLE THAT PLAY ON ARTIFICIAL SURFACES.THERE HAVE MANY, WELL, I HOPE YOU'LL SHARE THAT WITH US.
I'M, I'M HAPPY TO, I HAVE BEFORE HERE, BUT I CAN FIND THEM AND, AND SEND THEM AGAIN.
BUT I MEAN, I, WHAT ISN'T WHAT I SAID CORRECT.
THAT THIS IS NOT JUST HERE, THIS IS HAPPENING ALL OVER AMERICA AND OTHER PLACES.
AND, AND I ALMOST HATE SAYING IT.
THE, THE, WHEN I STARTED NATURAL GRASS, IT WAS, IT WAS AN ART FORM.
IT WAS A SCIENCE TO, TO MAKE THEM GREEN AND LUSH.
BUT WITH AS MANY PROGRAMS ARE, ARE USING THEM NOW, UM, NATURAL GRASS FIELDS, THEY HAVE TO HAVE RECOVERY TIME.
WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO FERTILIZE, WHICH IS JUST AS MUCH MAYBE AS ENVIRONMENTALLY IMPACTING AS THE, THE BEADS AND THE, THE FILLS, RIGHT? I MEAN, I'M THE ONE WHO BROUGHT THIS TO THE COMMISSION MAINLY ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING IN THEIR YARDS.
BUT I CAN SEE THE UTILITY OF DOING IT FOR SPORTS FIELDS.
I WILL POINT OUT THAT THERE'S A NIH STUDY SHOWN, AND NOW GRANTED THIS IS NFL INJURIES AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT, UH, YOU KNOW, HIGHER SPEEDS THERE THAN IN, UH, HIGH SCHOOL OR, OR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
BUT, UH, THERE ARE 1.22 INJURIES PER GAME IN THE NFL FOR NATURAL GRASS AND 1.42 INJURIES PER GAME FOR ARTIFICIAL TURF.
SO, UH, THAT'S A STUDY THAT THE NIH HAS PUT OUT AND THAT THAT PARTICULAR, THERE'S ACTUALLY A, UM, A, A LAWSUIT AGAINST A PARTICULAR DESIGN OF FIELD OF OF THE NFL, THAT'S NFL ON NFL FIELDS.
AND WE'RE, I, I STARTED TWO YEARS AGO CONVERTING FROM THAT, THAT TYPE.
SO, UM, FOR THOSE OF US THAT THAT KNOW ABOUT IT, WE ARE MIGRATING AWAY FROM THE NFL DESIGNED TURF.
SO I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'LL JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT MAYBE FOR, UM, ON OUR PREVIOUS PRESENTATION ON ARTIFICIAL TURF, THE OUTRIGHT BAN ON, ON PFLUGERVILLE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE FRAME THAT PROPERLY.
'CAUSE UM, I, I BELIEVE I SHARED WITH, UH, UH, OUR, OUR, OUR TEAM, BUT MAYBE NOT, UH, THAT THEY DO HAVE AN EXCEPTION FOR POOLS AND POSSIBLY SPORTS FIELDS.
AND THEN THEIR NEW POOL, GILLIAN POOL COMPLEX THERE, THEY INSTALLED ARTIFICIAL TURF AS WELL.
ONLY TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS A VERY CHALLENGING ISSUE FOR THIS EXACT, UH, AND, AND WHERE WE'RE NEEDED, WHERE THIS TENSION IS TO FIGURE IT OUT.
BUT, UM, I, I'M JUST NOT CERTAIN IF IT WAS AN OUTRIGHT BAND AND IF THAT WAS FRAMED PROPERLY WHEN WE SAW IT.
ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY WITH THAT, IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SO MOVED.
WITH THAT, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
IS THERE A MOTION? WE DO HAVE A MOTION.
SO THIS IS RECOMMENDATION NUMBER 2 0 2 6 0 7 0 1 DASH TWO ROUND ROCK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZED THE APPLICANT ROUND ROCK INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS REQUESTING THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE SITES ARE LOCATED IT'S SUBURBAN AND WATER SUPPLY SUBURBAN WATERSHEDS AS WELL AS BURGER CROP CREEK, LAKE CREEK, AND SOUTH BRUSH CREEK WATERSHEDS.
AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE STAFF RECOMMENDS THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE R-R-I-S-D INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
AND THESE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CONDITIONS ARE NO EXCEPTIONS, WILL BE MADE FOR THE HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE AND WE WILL HAVE, UH, DARK SKY, DARK SKY COMPLIANT LIGHTING.
IS THERE A SECOND? COULD YOU READ THE PART ABOUT HERITAGE TREES AGAIN? NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE FOR THE HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO NOT ALLOW ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL ON HERITAGE TREES.
THAT WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT, THAT WOULD BE THE EFFECT.
ANY DISCUSSION WITH NO DISCUSSION? PERHAPS THERE IS A MOTION TO VOTE.
HEARING NONE, LET'S GO TO A VOTE.
COMMISSIONER MORRISON IN FAVOR.
COMMISSIONER BRIMER ABSTAIN COMM OR SECRETARY RESI? FOUR.
'CAUSE WE NEED ME TO VOTE FOR, FOR THIS TO PASS, RIGHT?
[01:45:01]
MM-HMMI'LL VOTE FOR YOU ALL KNOW WHERE I STAND ON THE ARTIFICIAL TURF.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ANYONE HAVE ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? OKAY, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UM, I WISH I'D DONE THIS AT THE BEGINNING, BUT I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE ELIZABETH FUNK.SHE HAS BEEN, OUR STAFF LIAISON HAS DONE IT SO WONDERFULLY WELL THAT I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYONE ELSE REPLACING HER
UM, YES, SHE'S MOVING ON TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS, A PROMOTION WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
SAD FOR US, BUT JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE OUR GRATITUDE FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE.
YOU HAVE MADE THIS COMMISSION WORK AS WELL AS WE DO AND HAVE SET THE BAR SO HIGH.
AND I ALSO JUST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, UM, HAVING HER COME IN DURING THE KIND OF THE COVID LOCKDOWN ERA, SHE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
SHE'S MADE OUR DEPARTMENT BETTER, MORE EFFICIENT, MORE HIGHER FUNCTIONING AND NICER.
UM, SO I'M VERY PROUD TO SEE HER GROW IN THIS ROLE AND TO SEE HER MOVE ON.
AND SHE'S GONNA HAVE A GREAT CAREER WITH THE CITY.
ALRIGHT, IF THERE ARE NO, NO OBJECTIONS, WE ARE GOING TO ADJOURN.
THE TIME IS 7:47 PM THANK YOU.
LOOK, MY EXTREME PESSIMISM PAID OFF.
WHAT'S THAT? MY EXTREME PESSIMISM PAID OFF.