[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
THE TIME IS 6:00 PM AND I'M CALLING TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
AGAIN, IT'S WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15TH, 6:00 PM WE'RE AT THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER ROOM 1405 AT 6 3 1 0 WILLAMINA DELCO DRIVE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND I'LL START BY ESTABLISHING QUORUM.
WE'LL GO TO COMMISSIONER BRIMER HERE.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
FIRST, UM, DO WE HAVE ANY GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION CHAIR? WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.SUSANNA, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I THINK THAT MICROPHONE ISN'T WORKING.
WE'LL HAVE TO SWITCH MICROPHONES.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
UH, AND I'M PASSING OUT THIS INFORMATION IS REGARDING THE MENTALIS FAIRWAY ZONING CASE.
AND YOU'LL SEE IN THE HANDOUT, UH, THERE'S ABOUT 10 PROPERTIES THAT ARE IN THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE CITY TO PURCHASE THE PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
AND I COME BEFORE YOU BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THE MAP, WE HAVE OVER 3,744 APARTMENT UNITS ALREADY IN THE MENTALIS COMMUNITY.
AND WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK IS WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MANY APARTMENT UNITS THAT ARE ALL BUILT AT 80% IMPERVIOUS COVER.
SO YOU COULD SEE THE IMPACT NOT ONLY OF HAVING SO MUCH IMPERVIOUS COVER IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO THE EROSION THAT IS CAUSING DOWNSTREAM, UH, DOWN TO THE COLORADO RIVER.
AND THE OTHER THING IS THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING IN MONTOPOLIS.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS PRESERVE OUR SINGLE FAMILY ZONING.
UH, AND WHEN OUR PLAN WAS ADOPTED IN 2001 BY THE CITY OF COUNCIL, THE LES NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM, UH, IT SAID THAT IT WOULD KEEP THE HEART OF ONTOP, THIS SINGLE FAMILY.
UH, NOW WE'RE BEING INVADED WHERE ALL THESE APARTMENTS WHERE PEOPLE WANNA GO TO DB 90 OR VERTICAL MIXED USE, UH, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO PRESERVE OUR SINGLE FAMILY ZONING.
AND SO I BRING THIS TO YOU BECAUSE, UH, LAST NIGHT WE GOT A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO HAVE THE CITY PURCHASE THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
UH, BECAUSE I COME BEFORE YOU, BECAUSE I THINK, UH, PRESERVING SINGLE FAMILY ZONING IS ALSO AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE, AND THAT WE NEED TO BALANCE THE AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT'S ALREADY IN OUR LITTLE BITTY COMMUNITY.
IF YOU SEE GROVE THROUGH THE WEST IS A BOUNDARY 71 TO THE SOUTH, 180 3 TO THE EAST AND NORTH, UH, AND HAVING SO MUCH IMPERVIOUS COVER IS REALLY GONNA, IT'S, IT'S ALREADY IMPACTING THE HEALTH OF THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION WITH A 33% POVERTY RATE THERE.
SO, UH, I KNOW IT'S NOT FOR ACTION, BUT I HOPE THAT SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE YOU WOULD PUT, UH, ON YOUR AGENDA SO THAT YOU MIGHT SUPPORT THIS EFFORT FOR THEM ON TOP OF THIS COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, CHAIR.
THAT WAS ON THE SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
[00:05:01]
FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.BOBBY, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
AND JUST SOME GENERAL HOUSEKEEPING, IF WE CAN MAKE SURE WE GET THAT MIC GOING FOR THE REST OF THE PRESENTATIONS.
BOBBY LAVINSKY, SAVE SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UM, I'M HERE TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE MOPAC, UH, DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT THAT IS CURRENTLY OUT.
AND I'M GONNA, AFTER I SPEAK, JUST DISTRIBUTE AN INVITATION TO A TOWN HALL THAT'S HAPPENING NEXT WEEK ON WEDNESDAY, UH, APRIL 22ND AT THE AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL FROM 60 8:00 PM WHERE THERE'S A KIND OF A COMMUNITY FOCUSED GATHERING OF, UM, TRYING TO ATTRACT ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
UH, MOPAC SOUTH EXPANSION FROM, UH, ESSENTIALLY ENFIELD TO, UH, SLAUGHTER IS ONE OF THE LARGEST, UH, PROJECTS THAT WE'VE SEEN TO AFFECT THE SPRINGS IN RECENT YEARS.
IT'S AN EIGHT MILE EXPANSION OF MPEC SOUTH.
IT INCLUDES EXPANDING, UH, THE HIGHWAY UP SIX TO EIGHT LANES IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS.
UM, AND SO IT'S, IT'S A ENORMOUS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT TO, UH, AN AREA THAT'S ENTIRELY WITHIN THE RECHARGE ZONE.
IT WILL ADD 110 ACRES OF IMPERVIOUS COVER.
IT INCLUDES 35 FOOT, UH, EASEMENTS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHICH WILL COMPLETELY CLEAR OUT ANY TREES IN THOSE AREAS.
IT GETS DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO SEVERAL RECHARGES FEATURES THAT HAVE BEEN MAPPED, INCLUDING WHIRLPOOL CAVE, UM, GAIN SINK, UH, JONES SINK AND ARBOR TRAILS.
UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL SPECIES THAT'LL BE IMPACTED BY MPEC SOUTH.
UH, FOUR OF 'EM HAVE BEEN ALREADY IDENTIFIED AS BEING HARMED BY THE HIGHWAY PROJECT, INCLUDING THE BARTON SPRINGS AND AUSTIN BLIND SALAMANDER, THE BEE CREEK HARVESTMAN, AND THE TOOTH CAPE SPIDER.
UM, AND THERE'S OTHER SPECIES IN THE AREA, INCLUDING THE GOLD CHEAP BL MONARCH BUTTERFLY TRICOLORED BAT, AND THE BRACKETED TWIST FLOUR.
UM, THE WATER QUALITY THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO PROPOSE IS THAT JELLYFISH TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST, UH, UH, MEETING.
THAT IS NOT AN ACCEPTED TECHNOLOGY FOR THE RECHARGE ZONE BECAUSE IT, IT DOESN'T TREAT ALL OF THE, THE POLLUTANTS THAT ARE, UH, THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHWAYS AND JUST ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER URBAN CONTAMINANTS.
UM, IT JUST, IT DOESN'T DO ENOUGH.
UM, AND IT, IT IS MARGINALLY BETTER, BUT IT'S ONLY MARGINALLY BETTER FOR A PROJECT THAT IS COMPLETELY PAVING OUT THE RIGHT OF WAY.
I MEAN, IT'S, YOU'RE CAUSING FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION HARMS WHEN YOU'RE DRILLING INTO THE RECHARGE ZONE.
YOU ARE CAUSING AN INCREDIBLY, UH, LARGE AMOUNT OF SEDIMENTATION THAT COULD AFFECT THE DOWNSTREAM SPRINGS, INCLUDING BARTON SPRINGS AND COLD SPRINGS.
YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, PENETRATING THE RECHARGE ZONE WITH THOSE HIGH PRESSURE DRILLS.
AND ANYTHING THAT'S GETTING, UH, SHOT INTO THE AQUIFER WILL CONTAMINATE OUR GROUNDWATER AND WILL HAVE AN IMPACT.
UM, UH, THE AIR QUALITY, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A QUICK NUMBER, THE ANNUAL VMT INCREASE FROM THIS PROJECT GOES FROM 518 MILLION, UM, PER YEAR TO 849 MILLION.
IT IS A 63.9% INCREASE IN VMT.
UH, 96 MILLION IS ATTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO THE BUILD.
UM, ULTIMATELY THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE, UH, THE I 35 DECISION BECAUSE THIS IS PARTIALLY A POLITICAL DECISION.
THIS WILL BE DECIDED BY THE CTMA BOARD, WHICH IS A SEVEN MEMBER BOARD, WHERE THREE, THREE PEOPLE ARE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, THREE PEOPLE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY, AND THE OTHER PERSON IS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
WE THINK WE HAVE A GOOD SHOT TO CONVINCE THE TRAVIS COUNTY COM, UH, APPOINTEES TO STICK WITH US.
IF WE CAN CONVINCE THAT FOURTH MEMBER WE CAN REJECT THE PROPOSED FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR A HIGHWAY THAT IS, HAS PROBABLY THE MOST ENORMOUS IMPACT THAT WE'VE SEEN IN A, IN A WHILE.
UM, I'M GONNA ALSO PASS OUT A RESOLUTION THAT THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, UH, RECENTLY PASSED, CALLING ON CTMA TO DO A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
IT WAS DONE FOR I I 35 EXPANSION, ALSO EIGHT MILES.
IT'S NOT BEING DONE FOR THIS AREA OF THE RECHARGE ZONE, WHICH IS ARGUABLY SOME OF THE MOST SENSITIVE LANDS IN THE ENTIRE STATE.
WE THINK THAT'S GROSSLY, UM, INADEQUATE.
AND WE NEED CTMA TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS THEY'RE GONNA BE HAVING IN THE AREA AND, AND PERFORM A FULL EIS.
SO I'M DISTRIBUTING THOSE TWO THINGS TO YOU, AND PLEASE CONTACT US AND, AND ATTEND THAT MEETING.
WE REALLY NEED YOUR EXPERTISE.
YOU GUYS ARE EXPERTS, AND WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH THAT
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE LAST MEETING'S[00:10:01]
MINUTES.I, I SAW, I HEARD A SECOND AND I SAW A MOTION.
I'M GONNA SAY MOTION BY SULLIVAN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HANDS.
I ALSO WANNA NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT WE HAVE COMMISSIONER MOREO EZ JOINING US RICHLY.
[2. Presentation, discussion, and recommendation to amend City Code Title 25 (Land Development) and amend Ordinance No. 20221115-048 to modify development review processes, methods to demonstrate water quality compliance, street design, and utility infrastructure design for the design and construction of certain transit system projects and related transit system infrastructure. Presented by Donna Galati, Capital Program Consultant, Austin Project Connect, donna.galati@austintexas.gov, 512-974-2733.]
ALL RIGHT.NEXT STEP, WE'RE GONNA GO TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND RECOMMENDATION TO AMEND CITY CODE TITLE 25, LAND DEVELOPMENT AND AMEND ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 0 2 2 1 1 1 5 DASH 0 4 8 TO MODIFY DEVELOPMENT, REVIEW PROCESSES METHODS TO DEMONSTRATE WATER QUALITY COMPLIANCE, STREET DESIGN AND UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN TRANSIT SYSTEM PROJECTS AND RELATED TRANSIT SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE.
THIS WILL BE PRESENTED BY DONNA GTI, CAPITAL PROGRAM CONSULTANT AUSTIN PROJECT CONNECT.
HELLO, I'M, IS THIS ON? DID I OKAY, GREAT.
HELLO, I'M DONNA GTI WITH AUSTIN PROJECT CONNECT.
AND BEFORE WE DISCUSS THE DRAFT ORDINANCE, UM, DON'T SIT DOWN JUST YET.
UH, BEFORE WE DISCUSS THE DRAFT ORDINANCE, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP IS HERE TO PROVIDE A BRIEF LIGHT RAIL UPDATE.
I AM WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE AN UPDATE THIS AFTERNOON.
IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR SINCE WE MET, AND NOW WE'RE DISCUSSING OUR BIG ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT WE WERE ADDRESSING.
BUT JUST TO REFRESH IT ON WHAT THIS PROJECT IS, IS THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL PHASE ONE PROJECT.
IT'S GONNA BE THE INITIAL LIGHT RAIL INVESTMENT FOR THE AUSTIN AREA.
IT'S ABOUT A 10 MILE PROJECT SERVING THE AREA, UM, AROUND 38TH STREET IN GUAD, UH, SOUTH AS WE GO THROUGH DOWNTOWN TO CONSTRUCT A BRAND NEW LIGHT RAIL PEDESTRIAN BIKE BRIDGE ACROSS LADY BIRD LAKE, TAKING US DOWN TO ALT TORF, UM, WITH AN EXTENSION OUT TO THE EAST SIDE ALONG RIVERSIDE, OUT TO YELLOW JACKET.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK OVER THE LAST, UH, MANY YEARS TO GET US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE STARTED WITH, UH, PLANNING BACK IN 2020, GETTING US THROUGH THE FEDERAL PROCESS, A REMINDER THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, AS A PART OF THEIR CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM.
THEY'RE VERY, UH, STRICT, UH, DIFFERENT CHANNELS AND THINGS WE HAVE TO DO TO GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PLANNING DESIGN AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND ALSO ADVANCING THROUGH TO THE ENGINEERING PHASE.
AND ULTIMATELY, WE'RE LOOKING AT INITIATING CONSTRUCTION ALREADY NEXT YEAR, UH, WITH OUR OPERATING YEAR TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED AS 2033.
AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS A VERY, UM, PROCESS THAT IS VERY RIGOROUS, WHERE WE NEED TO MEET VERY, UM, VERY TIME ENGAGING, UH, UH, MILESTONES THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
AND WE ACHIEVED SOME JUST REALLY RECENTLY, WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS HERE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO IS TO PUT OUR PROJECT THROUGH WHAT'S CALLED, UH, RATINGS APPLICATION PROCESS.
AND WE RECEIVED THAT RATING RESULTS IN NOVEMBER, AND WE RECEIVED THE RATING OF MEDIUM HIGH.
THE QUESTION ALWAYS IS, WELL, WHAT IS THE RATING SCALE? AND THE RATING SCALE IS LOW, MEDIUM, LOW, MEDIUM, MEDIUM HIGH AND HIGH.
MEDIUM HIGH WAS THE HIGHEST RATING THAT THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION PROVIDED THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR.
THE OTHER BIG MILESTONE IS THAT WE COMPLETED OUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT IN JANUARY OF 2026, UH, MAKING THAT, UH, FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT RECORD OF DECISION.
IF YOU RECALL, A YEAR AGO, WE WERE HERE PRESENTING ON THE STATUS UPDATE OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
SO NOW WE HAVE CONCLUDED THAT PROCESS.
WE RECEIVED, UH, SEVERAL THOUSAND COMMENTS, AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, WE DO HAVE THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT ALONG WITH A RECORD OF DECISION ON THE A TP WEBSITE.
AS PART OF THAT, YOU'LL ALSO SEE WE HAVE EVERY PUBLIC COMMENT RECEIVED, NOTED AND RESPONSE TO EVERY SINGLE COMMENT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A MITIGATION MONITORING PLAN.
AND THAT ADDRESSES HOW WE WOULD ADDRESS POTENTIAL IMPACTS DURING CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF THE PROJECT.
MAJOR ITEMS, UH, THAT HAVE RECENTLY OCCURRED TO KEEP THE PROJECT GOING.
UH, IN FEBRUARY, WE AWARDED OUR FINAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO AUSTIN RAIL CONSTRUCTORS.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE REALLY GIVING US THE DETAILED INFORMATION FOR THOSE MITIGATIONS THAT WE'RE ROLLING INTO OUR, UH, PLANS AS WE GO FORWARD.
UM, JUST TODAY ACTUALLY, WE, UH, AWARDED OUR OPERATIONS MAINTENANCE FACILITY CONTRACT, UM, TO A TEAM, A JOINT VENTURE, UH, THAT HAS A NATIONAL AND LOCAL FIRM.
AND THEN THIS SUMMER WE LOOK TO EXPECT AN AWARD ON THE ACTUAL VEHICLE, UH, VEHICLES THAT ARE GONNA BE ROLLING IN THE STREETS HERE IN THE YEARS TO COME.
UM, WITH THAT, OH, AND THEN JUST, SORRY, I WILL SLIDE AHEAD AND JUST REALLY, WE INCLUDED THIS SLIDE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK,
[00:15:01]
WELL, NOW THAT YOU HAVE A FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, ROD, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AND WHAT DID THAT ENTAIL? AGAIN, YOU RESPONDED ALL THE DIFFERENT COMMENTS.WE INCORPORATED DESIGN UPDATES THAT WE RECEIVED FROM COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS.
UM, WE ANALYZED ALL THE VARIOUS EFFECTS TO LOOK AT THE VARIOUS IMPACTS, AND THAT MITIGATION MONITORING PLAN, OR THE MMP WOULD BE OF GREAT INTEREST TO YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE DOCUMENTED ALL THE IMPACTS AND THOSE REALLY IMPORTANT MITIGATIONS ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION.
AND AS WE GET TO THE RECORD OF DECISION, THAT ALLOWS US TO UNDERTAKE MANY, MANY, UM, UM, SIGNIFICANT ACTIONS INCLUDING STARTING OUR RIGHT OF WAY PURCHASE PROCESS, AND, UH, LOCATING, UH, RELOCATING UTILITIES ALONG THE WAY.
AND I'LL TURN IT TO MY COLLEAGUE LISA, TO TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF THE PRE-CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES.
UM, I'M LISA STOR, UH, SVP OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN AT AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
HAPPY TO BE BACK BEFORE YOU ALL.
AS DARREN SAID, WE HAVE JUST RECENTLY, UH, AWARDED OUR PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILD CONTRACTS, BOTH FOR THE ALIGNMENT, THE 10 MILES, 15 STATIONS, ALL THE PUBLIC FACING INFRASTRUCTURE, AS WELL AS TODAY EARLIER AT OUR BOARD MEETING FOR THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY.
AND SO THOSE TEAMS ARE NOW GETTING UNDERWAY HARD AT WORK.
THERE'S PROBABLY AROUND 200 PEOPLE IN OUR OFFICE THESE DAYS, WORKING HARD AT ADVANCING THE DESIGN, MOVING TOWARD CONSTRUCTION, UH, EARLY CONSTRUCTION NEXT YEAR.
AND SO THIS SLIDE REALLY TALKS ABOUT ALL OF THOSE ACTIVITIES HAPPENING IN WHAT WE'RE CALLING PHASE ONE A.
A LOT OF THIS INCLUDES DOING MORE DETAILED SURVEY WORK, UH, YOU KNOW, GEOTECH UTILITY, LOCATES TREE SURVEY, DETAILED TREE SURVEY, UH, NOW, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE TOPO SURVEY AND BASELINE INFORMATION, UH, TO A GREATER DEGREE THAN WE DID IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, UH, PROCESS.
AND THEN ALSO ADVANCING THE DESIGN, TRYING TO BOTH SLIM UP THE RIGHT OF WAY WITH NOW A, A CONSTRUCTION, UH, ASPECT TO IT.
SO NOW THAT WE'VE GOT OUR CONTRACTORS ON BOARD LEADING THE CONTRACTS, THEY'RE HELPING US WITH REDUCING RISK, WITH MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE CONSTRUCTABLE AND ENSURING, UH, PRICE CERTAINTY, WHICH IS MAJOR VERY, UH, IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR BOTH US AND ALSO FOR OUR PARTNERS AT THE FTA.
UM, AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR, WE ARE HOPING TO GET INTO THOSE EARLY WORKS.
SO SOME OF THOSE, LIKE DARREN TALKED ABOUT, INCLUDING UNDERGROUND UTILITY RELOCATION AND SOME OF THOSE EARLY OFF ALIGNMENT WORKS.
AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, OUR ALIGNMENT, AS DARREN SAID, GOES THROUGH DOWNTOWN THIRD STREET AND GUADALUPE, SOME OF THOSE ADJACENT DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDE RELOCATING THE THIRD STREET PROTECTED BIKEWAY TO FOURTH STREET, SO THAT THAT CAN HAPPEN EARLY AHEAD OF OUR WORK.
AND SIMILARLY, WE'RE MAKING LAVACCA STREET TWO WAYS SO THAT WHEN WE TAKE, UH, GUADALUPE TO WORK ON THAT, THAT WILL ALREADY BE UNDERWAY.
AND ANY QUESTIONS FOR A TP BEFORE WE TURN IT OVER TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN? STUFF? I THINK WE'LL NEED TO HEAR THE FULL PRESENTATION FIRST, BUT THANK YOU.
A TP AND, UM, I'M BACK DONNA TI FOR THE ORDINANCE.
THIS ORDINANCE WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH INCREDIBLE COORDINATION BETWEEN SEVEN CITY DEPARTMENTS AND OUR PARTNERS AT AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION IN 2021, DIRECTING STAFF TO REVIEW CODE CRITERIA AND PROCESSES LOOKING FOR IMPEDIMENTS TO DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT CONNECT.
A FOUNDATIONAL ORDINANCE WAS PASSED IN 2022 THAT MODIFIED PERMITTING TOOLS.
WE ANTICIPATED THEN AND SPOKE ABOUT ADDITIONAL IMPEDIMENTS BEING IDENTIFIED AS DESIGN PROGRESSED.
AND WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE THOSE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES AND, UM, SUPPORT LIGHT RAIL AS IT ENTERS THE FINAL DESIGN.
THERE ARE SIX OVERALL COMPONENTS TO THIS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, SITE PLAN MODIFICATION, REMOVAL OF AN OUTDATED UTILITY POLICY, ESTABLISHING STREET SCAPE STANDARDS FOR LIGHT RAIL, A WATER QUALITY PROGRAM FOR LIGHT RAIL ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OF HERITAGE TREES MATCHING SCHOOLS AND WALLER CREEK AND ADMINISTRATIVE RULE AND ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, RULE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE LIGHT RAIL PERMITTING PROCESSES.
SITE PLANS WILL BE ALLOWED TO HAVE NON-CONTIGUOUS LIMITS OF CONSTRUCTION.
AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I WANTED TO HAVE SORT OF A REFRESHER ON THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE, WHICH MODIFIED FAST TRACK.
UM, FAST TRACK IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE IS
[00:20:01]
NOT ABOUT FAST ANYTHING.IT'S A, IT'S A MISNOMER IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT PERMITTING, UM, LIKE A BEING ABLE TO PERMIT A LAYER WHILE THE, THE, THE LAYER ABOVE IS STILL IN REVIEW OR, OR IN DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO THE ORIGINAL FOUNDATIONAL ORDINANCE, UM, MODIFIED SOME OF THOSE REGULATIONS.
AND ALL OF THESE COMBINED HELP PROVIDE OPTIONS FOR EFFICIENT PERMITTING AND SCHEDULING OF THE PROJECT.
AN ORDINANCE FROM, YOU KNOW, REGARDING THE OUTDATED UTILITY POLICY, AN ORDINANCE FROM 2000 INCLUDES A UTILITY POLICY THAT DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE CURRENT AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THIS POLICY IS OBSOLETE AND TO PREVENT CONFUSION, IT IS TO BE RESCINDED WITH THIS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT.
THE THIRD ITEM, LIGHT RAIL STREET SCAPE STANDARDS.
WHEN THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL WAS LAST UPDATED, A PLACEHOLDER FOR PROJECT CONNECT DESIGN CRITERIA WAS INCLUDED KNOWING THAT PROJECT SPECIFIC STANDARDS WOULD BE NEEDED.
THE PCDC PROJECT CONNECT DESIGN CRITERIA WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, AND WAS FURTHER REVIEWED BY A TARP WORKING GROUP.
THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY REVIEW PANEL, THE PCDC WAS APPROVED BY TARP THIS PAST MARCH 25TH, AND IS CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH THE RULES ADOPTION PROCESS.
THE PCDC WENT TO THE TARP BECAUSE IT ALSO INCLUDES REQUIREMENTS FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY, LIKE OTHER PROJECT SPECIFIC CRITERIA.
THE PCDC RESPONDS TO UNIQUE AND CONSTRAINED CONDITIONS AND REDUCES THE NEED FOR WAIVERS FOR LIGHT RAIL AND ADJACENT DEVELOPMENT.
THE PCDC ILLUSTRATES TYPICAL CROSS SECTIONS ALONG THE LIGHT RAIL ALIGNMENT, IDENTIFYING THE PREFERRED BACK OF CURB FACILITIES LIKE SIDEWALKS, BIKE LANES, SHARED USE PATHS, TREES, FURNITURE ZONES, AND ASSOCIATED SETBACKS AND BUFFERS.
IN MOST CASES, THE REQUIREMENTS MATCH THE CURRENT TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL, BUT FLEXIBILITY IS PROVIDED FOR CONSTRAINED CONDITIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, PROVIDING A SHARED USE PATH INSTEAD OF A SEPARATE SIDEWALK AND BIKE LANE.
ADJACENT PROPERTIES CONTINUED TO BE REDEVELOPED BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER CONSTRUCTION OF LIGHT RAIL.
THE PCDC PROVIDES REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE PROPERTIES THAT ARE COORDINATED WITH LIGHT RAIL DESIGN AND ALLOW THE ADJACENT PROPERTY TO ENHANCE THE BACK OF CURB.
IN THIS EXAMPLE, THE LIGHT RAIL DESIGN INCLUDES A TREE AND SHARED USE PATH, BUT AN ADJACENT PROPERTY WOULD PROVIDE A SEPARATE SIDEWALK, AND THE SHARED USE PATH WILL CONVERT TO A BIKE LANE.
AND I WILL PASS IT TO DIANA FOR THE NEXT PORTION.
MY NAME IS DIANA WANG, AND I AM THE I AM WATERSHED PROTECTIONS, UH, LIAISON TO PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE WATER QUALITY COMPONENT OF THIS ORDINANCE.
UM, AS WATERSHED PROTECTION HAS BEEN COLLABORATING WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, UM, ON THE KIND OF THE EARLY STAGES OF DESIGN, THERE'S BEEN A STRONG EMPHASIS ON ACCOMPLISHING OUR SHARED ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS.
SO WATER PROTECT WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENTS, UH, RAIN TO RIVER STRATEGIC PLAN REALLY EMPHASIZES, YOU KNOW, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
AND INTEGRATING AS MANY STORM WATER CONTROL MEASURES AS WE CAN IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO ACHIEVE THIS.
UM, SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, WATERSHED PROTECTION PREFERS FOR MORE WATER QUALITY TREATMENT CONTROLS TO BE BUILT INSTEAD OF COLLECTING PAYMENT IN LIEU.
AND SO IN ORDER TO INCENTIVIZE THAT FOR AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL, UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS ORDINANCE IS ALLOWING THE ENTIRE ALIGNMENT OF THE LIGHT RAIL TO BE VIEWED AS A PROJECT THAT CAN ACCOMPLISH WATER QUALITY COMPLIANCE AS A WHOLE.
SO THAT WOULD ALLOW WATER QUALITY TREATMENT COMPLIANCE ACROSS WATERSHEDS AND ACROSS SITE PLANS.
AND IT WOULD, IT WOULD ALLOW FOR CREDIT TO BE LOGGED FOR EQUIVALENT O OFFSITE TREATMENT AREAS AND THEN USED IN FUTURE SITE PLANS.
UM, SO TO GIVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, THIS IS A MAP OF THE LIGHT RAIL ALIGNMENT OVERLAID ON OUR, UH, WATERSHEDS OVER OUR WATERSHEDS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE LIGHT RAIL CROSSES QUITE A FEW WATERSHEDS, AND IT COVERS SOME OF THE MOST DENSELY DEVELOPED AREAS OF OUR CITY THAT HAVE LIMITED RIGHT OF WAY.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE EVEN LESS SPACE WHEN RAIL GOES IN.
AND SO ON A TYPICAL PROJECT, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS
[00:25:01]
EACH SITE PLAN OR PORTION OF THAT, THAT ALIGNMENT WOULD GO IN AND BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLIANCE FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL SITE PLAN.UM, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO ALLOW IS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE, UM, THERE MIGHT BE OPPORTUNITIES TO KIND OF TREAT MORE OFFSITE AREAS AND HAVE SPACE FOR PONDS ON, SAY, RIVERSIDE TO THE SOUTH.
UM, AND THEN YOU LOG THAT CREDIT AND USE IT IN PLACES WHERE PAYMENT IN LIEU WOULD NORMALLY BE JUSTIFIED.
SO DOWNTOWN, OTHER AREAS ALONG THE ALIGNMENT.
UM, SO WE'RE REALLY WANTING TO ENCOURAGE THAT EXTRA WATER QUALITY TREATMENT INSTEAD OF JUST GETTING THE PAYMENT.
AND SO OUR PARTNERSHIP HAS ALREADY BEEN, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT.
UM, IT'S, IT'S VERY EARLY, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST KIND OF AN EXAMPLE OF, OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE OF FINDING POCKETS, YOU KNOW, AT, AT INTERSECTIONS.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT WATERSHED HAS BEEN ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATE IN THE PAST, UM, IN AREAS WHERE WE CAN, MAYBE IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SUBSTANTIAL, UH, RAIN GARDENS ALONG THE ROADWAYS, UM, OR IN MEDIANS.
UM, BUT IN ORDER FOR THIS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, THERE WAS ALSO RECOGNI RECOGNITION THAT KIND OF BEYOND JUST THE INCENTIVE AND THAT KIND OF FINANCIAL, UM, BENEFIT, WE REALLY NEEDED TO LOOK AT THE REALITIES OF IMPLEMENTING A PROGRAM LIKE THIS.
AND SO HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE IT, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY OF, OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE FOR RAIL, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THIS CAN THEN BE DONE QUICKLY? BECAUSE PROJECTS DON'T WANNA BUILD MORE THAN THEY HAVE TO, UM, IF THEY'RE TRYING TO MOVE FAST.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE'VE ALSO DONE IS WE'VE, YOU KNOW, TALKED ABOUT HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS PROCESS FASTER THAN A TYPICAL PROJECT? AND WITH THIS PROGRAM, WE ARE REQUIRING A PROJECT WIDE WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PLAN, UM, FROM THE BEGINNING.
SO WITH THAT FIRST SITE PLAN, OR BEFORE THAT FIRST SITE PLAN THAT TRIGGERS WATER QUALITY, WE WILL HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT WATER QUALITY LOOKS LIKE FOR THE ENTIRE ALIGNMENT.
AND SO THERE'S ALREADY A PLAN FOR, YOU KNOW, WHERE THESE PONDS WILL GO, WHERE, UH, PAYMENT IN LIEU IS BEING REQUESTED.
THESE DECISIONS USUALLY AREN'T MADE UNTIL PERMITTING A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, DURING PERMITTING, THERE'S THIS BACK AND FORTH ON WHEN PAYMENT IN LIEU IS JUSTIFIED.
AND, AND FOR THIS PROJECT, THE IDEA IS WE WOULD HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THAT IT'S ALREADY BEEN AGREED TO.
UM, SO IT'LL, IT'LL ACTUALLY MOVE FASTER.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT, THAT WE ARE RECOGNIZING IS, AS DONNA UH, MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THIS PROJECT IS BEING DONE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY WITH THE, THE, THE FAST TRACKED OR THE, UH, THE SITE PLAN LAYERS.
SO IN ALIGNMENT WITH THAT, WE RECOGNIZE THAT FOR A LARGER SITE PLAN, THE FIRST FEW LAYERS MIGHT NOT REALLY REQUIRE WATER QUALITY COMPLIANCE.
AND SO, UH, THAT REVIEW AND THOSE PAYMENTS WOULDN'T BE REQUIRED UNTIL WE REALLY NEEDED TO, UM, LOOK AT IT.
UM, AND SO WITH THIS PROGRAM IN PLACE, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT, UH, OF AN IDEA OF AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIPS AND A VISION, UM, FOR THE FUTURE.
AND SO THIS IS A VIEW OF RIVERSIDE AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA RIGHT NOW, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A GRASSY MEDIAN, UM, AND YOU'RE JUST SEEING, UH, A MU MUCH MORE LUSH AND GREEN SPACE AND, AND WATER QUALITY TREATMENT IS REALLY PART OF THAT STORY AS WELL.
UM, SO WHEN YOU ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF, OF WHAT THIS COULD LOOK LIKE, UM, ALONG THAT BIKE TRAIL, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN RAIL AND, UH, OUR, OUR SHARED USE PATHS, UM, YOU COULD HAVE RAIN GARDENS, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT YOU KNOW, THE RAIL, THE RAILWAY ITSELF IS GREEN.
AND SO KIND OF IN, IN ADDITIONAL, IN ADDITION TO THE, YOU KNOW, TREATMENT CONTROLS THAT ARE ALREADY MEETING OUR STANDARD COATING CRITERIA, UM, AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IS EXPLORING INNOVATIVE MEASURES AS WELL.
UH, AND, AND AS A PARTNERSHIP, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT WORK TOGETHER.
UM, THE LAST TWO ELEMENTS OF THE ORDINANCE.
UM, NUMBER FIVE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OF HERITAGE TREES.
IT DOES NOT ALTER, UH, REGULATIONS.
THIS ENSURES EXPEDITIOUS REVIEW,
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WHICH FURTHER ADDRESSES IMPEDIMENTS TO PROJECT SCHEDULE.AND THIS LANGUAGE IN THE ORDINANCE IS BORROWED, UH, FROM A ISD AND WALLER CREEK ORDINANCES.
UM, FINALLY, NUMBER SIX, ADMINISTRATIVE RULE MODIFICATIONS.
THESE ARE CODE MODIFICATIONS TO ADDRESS, UH, COMPLIANCE CHALLENGES.
LIGHT RAIL REQUIRES A UTILITY FREE ZONE UNDER THE GUIDEWAY, UH, UNDER THE TRACKS WHERE NO UTILITIES CAN EXIST, GIVEN OUR ALREADY CONSTRAINED RIGHT OF WAY.
THIS CREATES AN ESPECIALLY CRAMPED CONDITION UNDERGROUND AND MAKES COMPLIANCE WITH EXISTING SPACING RULES VERY CHALLENGING.
UM, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND OUR UTILITY DEPARTMENTS PROACTIVELY WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP THESE CODE MODIFICATIONS THAT WOULD PRESCRIBE NEW SPACING MINIMUMS THAT CAN BE USED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
AND, UM, OUR UPCOMING SCHEDULE TODAY, WE ARE HERE, AND ALSO I WILL BE UPSTAIRS AT CODES AND ORDINANCES JOINT COMMITTEE, UM, APRIL 28TH AT PLANNING COMMISSION AND MAY 21ST AT CITY COUNCIL.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
NEXT WE'RE GONNA GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT CHAIR.
WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM, CRAIG NASER.
CRAIG, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CRAIG NAZER.
UM, THE SIERRA CLUB, UH, ONE OF, I, THIS PLAN IS PRETTY COMPLICATED AND I'VE LEARNED SOME BY LISTENING TO THE, THE PRESENTATION.
UH, BUT I STILL HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT TREES AND THAT CONCERN, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN OUT TO OAKLEY HILL RECENTLY, BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING WE HAD NO CONTROL OVER, AND TXDOT TOOK EVERYTHING AND IT'S JUST, IT WAS, IT WAS VERY HEARTBREAKING.
AND SO I WOULD HATE TO SEE A PROCESS THAT IS STRICTLY ADMINISTRATIVE THAT ALLOWS US TO GET RID OF, PARTICULARLY HERITAGE TREES AS FAR AS CLIMATE CHANGE GOES, WHICH, WHICH IS WHAT TRANSPORTATION IS SUPPOSED TO ADDRESS.
OUR BEST CHEAPEST WAY TO MITIGATE FOR THAT THAT'S HERE RIGHT NOW ARE TREES, AND THE BEST TREES TO DO THAT ARE OUR LARGEST TREES.
SO I THINK, AND, AND THAT IS MISSED.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, UH, YEAH, TO MAKE IT GO THIS WAY OR THAT WAY.
I MEAN, I'VE SEEN TONS OF PLANS WHERE THEY'VE TRIED TO CHANGE IT TO MAKE SPACE FOR TREES, AND IT, IT'S A, IT'S A SITE BY SITE THING.
IT'S A MINUTE BY MINUTE THING.
IT'S LIKE A A BUT IF YOU LOOK AROUND YOU, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE DOING TOO MUCH CUTTING DOWN OF TREES.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY QUESTION ABOUT IT.
SO I WOULD BE VERY CAREFUL ON WHAT I WOULD APPROVE AS FAR AS CUTTING OUT TREES.
I'M ALSO SOMEWHAT CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPERVIOUS COVER, ALTHOUGH WHAT THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, IT, IT MAKES SOME SENSE FROM THE PERMITTING VIEW, BUT IT, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU MAKE THINGS TOO EASY, YOU ALLOW, I MEAN, EASIER, I SHOULD PUT IT THAT WAY.
I KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ALLOW PEOPLE TO CUT CORNERS, FOR INSTANCE, MITIGATING FOR THIS AND BEING PAID OVER HERE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T REPEAL THE LAWS OF HYDROGEOLOGY.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY, THEY WORK THE WAY THEY DO, AND CLIMATE CHANGE IS GONNA BRING US MORE FLOODING.
SO I'D BE VERY CAREFUL ON THAT TOO.
ALTHOUGH I ADMIT HERE IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE.
SO I WOULD PLEASE ADVISE YOU TO LOOK AT THIS VERY CLOSELY AND MAKE SURE THAT IN TRYING TO DO GOOD, WE END UP DOING WORSE.
NEXT WE'RE GOING TO GO TO COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS.
WE'LL START ONLINE WITH COMMISSIONER FIERRO.
I HAVEN'T REALLY LIKE COME UP WITH THE GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK I HAVE ONE, BUT I'LL LET OTHER COMMISSIONERS GO FIRST AND THEN COME BACK TO ME AT THE END.
I AM NOT VERY CLEAR ON WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REGULATIONS AND REVIEW PROCESSES.
SO THERE WAS ONE PART IN THE SLIDE THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, WITH THE, UH, CUTTING THE TREES, UH, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY ALTERATION IN THREE REGULATIONS, BUT THEY ARE GONNA BE CHANGES IN THE REVIEW PROCESS.
UM, IS, DOES ONE DEPEND ON THE OTHER? AND IF WE ARE ALTERING REG, IF THE REVIEW PROCESSES
[00:35:01]
ARE MODIFIED, THEN THE REGULATIONS AT THE END WILL SOMEHOW BE A LITTLE BIT, NOT FULLY ALTERED, BUT CHANGED OR MODIFIED IN ANY WAY.CAN YOU EXPLAIN? MAYBE I'M JUST, YEAH, A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED.
I'M WITH AUSTIN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
UM, THE PROPOSAL, THE ORDINANCE DOES NOT CHANGE THE HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE.
IT ONLY SPEEDS UP THE PROCESS.
UM, SO THE APPLICANTS, THIS AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL WILL DEMONSTRATE REASONABLE USE AND ACCESS FOR THE PROPERTY EXHAUST, ALL OTHER SECTIONS OF CODE, UH, IT JUST ALLOWS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS.
UM, SO THE SAME RULES WILL UPHOLD, AND THESE IS REGARDING A TREES, HERITAGE TREES, SINGLE STEM 30 INCHES AND GREATER.
SO THEY WILL DEMONSTRATE ON THE SITE PLAN THE SAME THINGS THAT THEY DEMONSTRATE FOR PROTECTED TREES, REGULATED TREES, AND ESPECIALLY HERITAGE TREES.
UM, THIS ORDINANCES HAVE BEEN PASSED FOR THE WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT TO ALLOW FOR THE FAST TRACK OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
UH, SAME WITH THE AIRPORT, SAME WITH A ISD SCHOOLS.
UM, SO THIS DOES NOT ALTER THE HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE, THE PROTECTED TREE ORDINANCE, THE REGULATED TREE ORDINANCE, THE SAME STANDARDS APPLY, IT'S JUST THAT BECAUSE OF THE TIMELINE, THE FINANCIAL DEADLINES OF A MASSIVE PROJECT, IT DOES NOT ALTER THAT.
SO IT JUST MOVES THIS PROJECT BACK, LIKE ALL THE WAY UP IN THE LINE SO IT GETS PROCESSED FASTER, ALL THE, THE STUDY, RIGHT? YES, IT'S THE SAME ADMINISTRATIVE RULES.
IT'S JUST THAT DUE TO THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT TIMELINE, THE ENGINEERING, THE PLAN SUBMITTALS, UM, THERE IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE THAT THE SAME ORDINANCE APPLIES.
SO IF, IF THEY, IF AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL PROPOSES TO REMOVE A HERITAGE TREE, WE WILL ASK THEM TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY HAVE SOUGHT WAIVER MODIFICATION AND VARIANCE FROM ANOTHER SECTION OF CODE THAT PREVENTS THE REMOVAL OF THE TREE.
SO THOSE SAME EXACT STANDARDS WILL APPLY.
UM, THIS ISN'T, YOU KNOW, A NORMAL SITE PLAN WHERE THEY CAN WORK AROUND TREES.
UM, WE'RE GONNA ASK THEM IF THEY CAN TRANSPLANT ANY PROPOSED TREE REMOVAL AS WELL.
SO THE SAME, SAME STANDARDS ARE UPHELD.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I WAS GLAD TO SEE Y'ALL GOT THE MODERATE HIGH RATING AND JUST WANNA INQUIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT LEARN.
UM, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT PREVENTED Y'ALL FROM GETTING THE HIGHEST RATING? WHAT WERE SOME OF THE, THE DRAWBACKS, I GUESS? UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF I INTRODUCED MYSELF.
MY ROLE IS KIND OF TO WORK WITH THE TEAM TO OVERSEE THE NEPA AND THE FEDERAL PROCESS AS WELL.
UM, THE QUICK ANSWER IS WE'RE NOT SAN FRANCISCO OR NEW YORK.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, NO, REALLY NO AGENCIES RECEIVE A HIGH RATING WHEN THEY GO THROUGH THE FEDERAL PROCESS.
SO THAT MEDIUM HIGH WAS REALLY KIND OF A FEATHER ON OUR CAP.
AND AS YOU GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, EVERY PROJECT IN THE, UM, IN, IN THE, AS IT GOES THROUGH A RATING, YOU HAVE TO ACHIEVE AT LEAST A MEDIUM RATING.
AND WHAT IT LOOKS AT IS THAT THAT RATING LOOKS AT, UH, POTENTIAL RIDERSHIP, FUTURE LAND USE FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT IN THE AREA, UM, UH, UH, TOD AND CITY SUPPORTIVE POLICIES ALONG TRANSIT LINES.
SO ALL THAT WORK THAT THE CITY, WORKING WITH THE CITY THAT DID OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THAT REALLY HELPED WITH OUR APPLICATION.
AND WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET THAT MEDIUM HIGH RATING.
HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERED THE QUESTION A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOT NECESSARILY LIKE WHAT KEPT IT, EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT'VE BEEN UNACHIEVABLE.
NO, UM, PLAN HAS ACHIEVED THE HIGHEST RATING.
I'M, I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
IS THAT, UH, WHAT WERE SOME OF THOSE, I GUESS? YEAH, HIGH, HIGH LEVEL WOULD BE IS IF WE SAW MAYBE TENS OF THOUSANDS MORE POTENTIAL RIDERS AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
IF WE SAW, UM, HIGH RISES, AGAIN, THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THOSE REALLY URBAN DENSE CITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, HIGH RISES ALL ALONG THE ALIGNMENT, UM, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT REALLY WOULD RATE IT HIGH.
AND AGAIN, THERE'VE ONLY BEEN MAYBE ONE OR TWO HIGH RATINGS IN THE LAST 15 TO 20 YEARS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S AROUND, AS YOU SAID, NOT SAN FRANCISCO OR EL ELSEWHERE.
DENSITY POPULATION PLAYS ALONG IN THAT, SO IT'S NEW TO AUSTIN.
UM, SO, UH, WHEN I KIND OF BLUR MY EYES AT THE RENDERINGS, YOU DO SEE A LOT OF GREEN IN THERE.
AND SO IT'S, WE'RE WE'RE INVESTING A LOT IN GREENNESS OF THIS, YOU KNOW, LINEAR TRAIL.
[00:40:01]
GONNA REDUCE IN, IN SOME SENSES THE STREETSCAPE STANDARD STANDARDS.AND SO I'M, I'M WONDERING WHAT, AND YOU PROBABLY OUTLINE THIS, BUT WHAT GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ASSURE ALL THAT GREEN, ALL THAT, ALL THOSE TREES, VEGETATION IS GONNA STAY ALIVE IN THIS CHANGING DROUGHT STRICKEN CLIMATE.
LISA, DO YOU WANNA ADDRESS THAT? OKAY, THANK YOU.
SWITCHING SWITCH HITTERS DEPENDING ON QUESTIONS.
UH, AGAIN, LISA, STORE A TP DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, THANK YOU ALSO FOR NOTICING.
I THINK OUR RENDERINGS, UM, DO A LOT OF WORK IN TRYING TO CONVEY THE HIGH PERFORMANCE PEOPLE-CENTERED DESIGN APPROACH THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE HERE.
UM, BOTH TO MAKE THIS NEW CHOICE IN THE WAY TO GET AROUND THE CITY, ATTRACTIVE TO AUSTINITES AND VISITORS HERE, BUT ALSO TO MAINTAIN IT AS SORT OF A LEGACY OF PLACE AND TO HAVE FOLKS DESIRE MORE SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO
I THINK YOUR QUESTION IS MOSTLY ABOUT OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT LEGACY, UM, OF THE SYSTEM, NOT ONLY FROM DAY ONE, BUT SORT OF THERE.
YOU'RE PROBABLY SEEING 10 YEARS OF GROWTH RIGHT AFTER PLANTING OF, OF NEW, UH, PLANT MATERIAL.
AND I DO WANNA JUST CONVEY THAT OUR FUNDING SOURCE AND OUR MISSION AS AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP IS NOT ONLY TO PLAN, DESIGN, CONSTRUCT AND BUILD, BUT ALSO TO OPERATE AND MAKE SURE THAT THIS SYSTEM IS FUNDED FOR THE LONG TERM.
SO OUR FUNDING SOURCE IS ALSO OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, IT'S OPEX AS WELL AS CAPEX.
AND OUR, THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES OF MAKING SURE THAT IT'S FUNDABLE, MAINTAINABLE AND EXISTS FOR A LONG TIME IS IN OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS WELL.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT ONLY GETS TURNED OVER AND, UM, OPERATED AS TYPICAL.
SO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE'RE WORKING ON NOT ONLY A DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENTS WITH OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAP METRO, BUT ALSO FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AND LOOKING AT LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOW THAT IS DONE.
UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT VERY DIFFERENT MODES HERE.
SO DIFFERENT IDEAS FOR, UH, STREET TREE STANDARDS, LIKE IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE TREE MANUAL, LOOKING AT, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE INNOVATIVE WATER QUALITY MEASURES THAT DIANA TALKED ABOUT, LIKE EVEN IN THE TRACK WAY.
AND SO THOSE ARE GONNA TAKE SOME UNIQUE DIFFERENT KINDS OF OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, UH, EXPERTS.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, THE O AND M PART.
UM, BUT MAYBE JUST EX EXPLICITLY, AND THIS MAY BE ALREADY IN THE, THE, THE TREE PLANTING STANDARDS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S GONNA IMPLY, BUT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A MINIMUM SOIL VOLUME GIVEN TO, TO STREET TREES OR LIGHT RAIL TREES? IT'S A TRICKY QUESTION.
UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO, AND OUR COMPREHENSIVE TREE MANUAL TALKS ABOUT GOALS FOR SOIL VOLUME PER TREE, BUT THE DETAILS OF THAT ARE REALLY HARD.
AND HONESTLY, AS A, UH, POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATION, IT'S A REALLY DIFFICULT ONE TO UPHOLD.
THERE'S NO INSPECTIONS FOR SOIL VOLUME THAT ARE REALLY USEFUL IN A WAY FOR INSTALLATIONS.
UM, BUT YES, WE'VE GOT GOALS FOR SOIL VOLUME, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF INTERESTING SORT OF FORWARD LOOKING DETAILS RELATED TO, UH, STRUCTURAL SOIL CELLS, OTHER COMPONENTS THAT ARE FEASIBLE, UH, DUPLICATING RAIN GARDENS AND TREE PLANTING IN THESE STREET TREE SECTIONS AND OTHERS, UM, AS DOCUMENTED IN THAT, IN THAT OPTIONS LIST, SORT OF FOR OUR FUTURE DESIGNERS.
UM, I IMAGINE SOME OF OUR COMMISSIONERS MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON THAT, BUT I WILL, UH, MOVE ON TO ONE OTHER QUESTION.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES OF CALLING THIS FAST TRACK, BUT NOT NECESSARILY WANTING IT TO SOUND FAST AND RUSHED, WONDERING WHAT ARE ARE SOME OF THE RISKS.
UM, AND SO ONE THAT STANDS OUT TO ME WAS THE CHANGE IN THE SITE LIMITS, UH, NOT BEING CONTIGUOUS.
AND, UM, AND SO THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT, CLEARLY THIS IS A LINEAR PROJECT, MUCH MORE COMPLEX THAN THAN THAN OTHERS.
UM, BUT THE, AND, AND MAYBE THIS ISN'T THE BEST, UH, RELATION, BUT, UM, THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PLANNING OF A ROADS OR TRAILS AND YOU GOT 20 MILES, BUT YOU FOUND A, A, A KINK IN MILE 10, UH, A RESOURCE THAT YOU HAVE TO MOVE AROUND, BUT THIS ONE'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, BUT NOW IT'S IMPACTING THE LAYOUT AND, UH, MAYBE THE ALIGNMENT IS ALREADY SET, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A RISK OF ONE BEING APPROVED AND NOT ANOTHER NOT BEING APPROVED AND, AND HOW THOSE WOULD RELATE.
UM, I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, WELL, WELL, FIRST I WANNA, I JUST WANNA ADDRESS THAT, UM, THE TERM FAST TRACK IS JUST, IT'S ALREADY IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
AND IT ALREADY IS A MISNOMER, AND IT, AND IT ALREADY DOESN'T MEAN FAST, YOU KNOW, IT JUST MEANS APPROVING.
[00:45:01]
USED FOR HIGH RISES THAT HAVE AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE, AND YOU CAN GET THAT PERMITTED RELATIVELY EASY COMPARED TO ALL OF THE CONTEXT OF THE ABOVE GROUND ELEMENTS.UM, SIMILARLY, THERE COULD BE A SEGMENT, THERE COULD BE A SEGMENT OF, UM, LIGHT RAIL THAT IS A SITE PLAN, AND MAYBE THE DESIGN IS READY FOR UTILITY RELOCATION.
AND BECAUSE THAT'S EARLY, EARLY DESIGN, EARLY CONSTRUCTION, AND THEY ALREADY KNOW THAT WE'VE GOTTA MOVE THESE, THESE PIPES OUT OF THE UTILITY, UH, FREE ZONE THAT I HAD MENTIONED.
SO IN, IN THIS INSTANCE, I IMAGINE THAT COULD BE A LAYER THAT IS EASY TO PERMIT, EASY TO REV, EASY TO DESIGN, EASIER, RELATIVELY EASY TO REVIEW AND, AND PERMIT.
WHILE THE CONTEXT OF THE ABOVE GROUND ELEMENTS, ALL OF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S THE WATER QUALITY IS, IS BEING REVIEWED, UM, BEING REVIEWED, DESIGNED.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF BEING ABLE TO PERMIT A LAYER ONE SO THAT THAT CONSTRUCTION CAN START AND NOT DELAY THAT, THAT COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ABOVE.
OTHERWISE SORT OF EVERYTHING BLOCKS UP UNTIL IT'S ALL PERMITTABLE.
WHEREAS WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE, UM, PERMITTING OPTIONS THAT ALLOW FOR CONSTRUCTION OF KNOWN COMPLIANT ELEMENTS TO BE ABLE TO KEEP, TO START MOVING WHILE OTHER ELEMENTS ARE BEING REVIEWED AS APPROPRIATE.
UM, AS FOR THE LIMITS OF CONSTRUCTION, IT'S JUST A MISSING TOOL THAT, THAT WE COULD HAVE.
UM, THERE COULD BE, THERE COULD BE A SEGMENT, UM, WHERE WE, WE JUST SIMPLY NEED A SITE PLAN HERE AND HERE AND, AND WE DON'T WANNA HAVE TO, UM, WE'RE JUST TRYING, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T WANNA NECESSARILY HAVE TO LIKE DRAW FAKE LIMITS OF CONSTRUCTION JUST TO, JUST TO JOIN THESE TWO ELEMENTS.
I MEAN, IT'S STILL ONE SITE PLAN, CASE NUMBER ONE, SITE PLAN WITH THESE, WITH THESE TWO AREAS THAT NEED TO BE REVIEWED.
AND WE DON'T WANNA HAVE TO FORCE THE APPLICANT TO LIKE KIND OF EXPAND THE, THE NATURE IF THEY, IF THEY MADE THOSE TWO, UH, THOSE TWO PIECES CONTIGUOUS ANYWAY, JUST BECAUSE THE CODE SAYS IT NEEDS TO BE CONTIGUOUS.
SO THEY MAKE IT CONTIGUOUS ANYWAY, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY SLOW DOWN REVIEW BECAUSE NOW ALL OF THIS STUFF THAT ISN'T PART OF THE SITE PLAN ISN'T PART OF REVIEW OR ISN'T PART OF CONSTRUCTION IS BEING REVIEWED NONETHELESS.
AND SO AGAIN, IT'S JUST A TOOL THAT WE'RE ADDING TO THE PERMITTING TOOLBOX TO HELP SORT OF, UM, FACILITATE OPTIONS FOR PERMITTING OR OPTIONS TO LIKE HELP, UM, I DON'T KNOW, HELP YEAH.
I THINK THE WAY YOU DESCRIBE IT HELPED ME DESCRIBE FAST TRACKING IS ALMOST MORE LIKE CONTINUOUS REVIEW INSTEAD OF LIKE SINGLE INSTANCE REVIEWS.
IS THE WAY IT SEEMS. UM, YOU MENTIONED BRIEFLY THAT WE HAVE A PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILD CONTRACT, WHICH ALSO ALLOWS FOR FLEXIBILITY OF HOW WE DETERMINE COLLABORATIVELY WITH THAT CONTRACTING PARTNER WHERE AND HOW THEY WANT TO GO AFTER THIS WORK.
STARTING 10 MILES OF AN ALIGNMENT ALL AT ONCE SEEMS LIKE A HUGE IMPACT FOR EVERYONE IN, IN THE CITY.
AND SO PART OF THE WORK OVER THIS NEXT YEAR IS TO REALLY STRATEGICALLY FIGURE OUT NOT ONLY FROM A PERMITTING STANDPOINT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THE TEAM HAS REALLY WORKED VERY HARD ON, BUT ALSO IN AN ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION AND WORK PACKAGE WAY, HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS.
SO THESE TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX OF FLEXIBILITY ALLOW FOR THAT FLEXIBILITY TO BE SHARED WITH OUR CONTRACTING PARTNER SO THAT WE CAN DO THINGS THAT WE NEED TO, LET'S SAY, I DON'T KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO GET, UH, OUR TRACTION POWER SUBSTATIONS GOING AND THEY'RE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, SEPARATE LOCATIONS, BUT ALL OF THAT WORK IS VERY SIMILAR.
LET'S GET IT PERMITTED WHILE WE CAN.
WITHOUT NEEDING TO WORRY ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE AS A LAYER.
IS THAT HELPFUL? YEAH, NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ONE LAST QUESTION, AND I HOPE IT'S, UH, SIMPLE.
HAS ANY BIG MAJOR LOCATIONS CHANGED IN THE ALIGNMENT? IN PARTICULAR THE, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS THE MAINTENANCE STATION ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN, ALL OF THE DOCUMENTATION
[00:50:01]
IN THE FEIS, WHICH I THINK WE CAME BACK AND TALKED THROUGH, YEAH.I THINK WE PREVIOUSLY HAD MULTIPLE LOCATIONS FOR THAT OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY, MAINTENANCE OF WAY SITE THAT HAS BEEN CONSOLIDATED.
IT'S BOTH SITES ALONG AIRPORT COMMERCE DRIVE.
WE ALSO, BETWEEN THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND THE FINAL IMPACT STATEMENT, FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, UH, LOCATED THE YELLOW JACKET PARK AND RIDE A LITTLE EASTWARD DUE TO COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
WE ALSO INTRODUCED A STATION AT WOOLDRIDGE SQUARE BASED ON COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND CONFIRMED THAT THE WATERFRONT STATION WILL BE ELEVATED AND THE STRUCTURE, UH, WILL CON WILL SORT OF CONTINUE THERE ALONG THE, THE AREA NEAR, UH, EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE WHERE IT SPLITS.
THOSE WERE THE BIG, LIKE CHANGES THAT OCCURRED BETWEEN DEIS AND FEIS.
NO CHANGES GENERALLY SINCE THEN.
UH, VERY COMPLICATED THING WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
I'M, I'M CURIOUS, UH, MY FIRST QUESTION WAS, WHO IS AUSTIN RAIL CONSTRUCTORS? I THINK WE MUST, WE SHOULD PROBABLY MAKE A PLAN TO HAVE THEM COME BACK AND TALK TO YOU TOO.
UM, AUSTIN RAIL CONSTRUCTORS IS A JOINT VENTURE THAT IS LED BY A, A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN STACEY WHITBECK CONSTRUCTION AND SUN CONSTRUCTION.
IT ALSO INCLUDES JAY REESE CONSTRUCTION, UH, MOTT MCDONALD, KIMLEY HORN, GRIMSHAW ARCHITECTS, LIONHEART, UH, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS.
WHO ELSE AM I FORGETTING? I KNOW I'M FORGETTING PEOPLE.
PAIGE, STANTEC AND SEVERAL OTHERS.
SO IT'S A VERY LARGE PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILD TEAM.
SO WE WENT THROUGH A VERY LONG PROCUREMENT PROCESS TO SELECT THEM, AND I THINK WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT PROCESS.
UH, A LOT OF DOCUMENTS ON OUR WEBSITE ABOUT IT, BUT, UM, PLEASE LET, LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION.
UM, Y'ALL JUST, UH, I GUESS, UH, PUT THAT TEAM TOGETHER, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? UM, WE PROCURED HIM AS A PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILD PARTNER.
SO I, I, I CAN'T DO THIS JUSTICE.
I'M NOT PART OF OUR PROCUREMENT TEAM, BUT I WILL DO MY BEST.
UM, JANUARY, 2025, WE RELEASED WHAT WE CALLED AN R-F-I-F-A REQUEST FOR INDUSTRY FEEDBACK, WHICH INCLUDED OUR GENERAL SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE ALIGNMENT, UM, OUR FULL CONTRACT TERMS, UH, SORT OF A SOLICITATION TO THE INDUSTRY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND OUR DESIGN GOALS.
UM, WHAT MAKES AUSTIN UNIQUE, OUR PROJECT DEFINITION, ALL OF THE INFORMATION WE HAD AT THE TIME, INCLUDING THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUFF, ALL OF THAT WORK, AND ASKED FOR INDUSTRY FEEDBACK SO THAT WE COULD SOLICIT, UM, INTEREST IN THE PROJECT.
THOSE TEAMS STARTED FORMING BECAUSE OF THAT WITH INTERESTED CONTRACTORS, SORT OF FORMING DESIGN TEAMS WITH THEM AND, UM, SEEKING SORT OF TALENT TO COME AND THINK ABOUT BUILDING THIS, THIS, UH, PROJECT.
WE MADE CHANGES BASED ON THEIR FEEDBACK.
WE THEN RELEASED AN RFQ IN LAST SUMMER.
I THINK WE HAD FIVE, FOUR INTERESTED, FOUR INTERESTED, UH, TEAMS THAT WENT AFTER THAT THAT WERE QUALIFIED AND THEN WE WHITTLED THAT DOWN TO THREE IN AN RFP STAGE.
WE THEN DID, UM, VERY COMPREHENSIVE RFPS WHERE WE ALSO ASKED THEM TO PROVIDE IDEAS FOR DESIGN INNOVATION.
WE WENT THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT WHERE WE BRING ALL OF THEIR KEY PERSONNEL IN AND WE WORK THROUGH KIND OF REAL TIME MOCK PROBLEMS WITH THEM TO SEE HOW WELL THEY CAN COLLABORATE, UM, AND REALLY 'CAUSE PEOPLE CAN MAKE A PROJECT GO OR, OR FAIL.
UM, AND THEN WE ENDED UP SELECTING THIS ARC TEAM, THE AUSTIN RAIL CONSTRUCTORS OUT OF THAT PROCESS.
SIMILARLY, WE DID A VERY SIMILAR PROCESS AND TIMING, UH, WITH THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY AS A SEPARATE CONTRACT.
AND THAT WAS JUST AWARDED TODAY TO A DIFFERENT TEAM.
THEY'RE CALLED CAP KAP, THAT'S KEYWOOD AUSTIN PARTNERSHIP.
THEY'RE A WHOLE OTHER TEAM OF BUILDERS AND DESIGNERS AS WELL.
UH, I GUESS THE OBVIOUS QUESTION, IS IT, HAVE ANY OF THEM BUILT ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE? YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S ACTUALLY THE, THE GREAT PART.
WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF EXPERTISE FROM ELSEWHERE.
UM, WE ALSO GOT TO EXPERIENCE SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS, NOT MYSELF, BUT A LOT OF FOLKS FROM A TP GOT TO GO AND SEE PROJECTS UNDERWAY IN TORONTO, THE PURPLE LINE IN MARYLAND, PHOENIX, UM, SALT LAKE CITY AND ELSEWHERE, WHERE THESE
[00:55:01]
PARTICULAR CONTRACTORS WHO ARE GOING AFTER THESE PROJECTS COULD SHOW OFF WHAT THEY WERE DOING ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.UM, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THIS IS GONNA COST? OUR CURRENT BUDGET HAS NOT CHANGED.
SO WE ARE CURRENTLY STILL ESTIMATING THAT THE OVERALL PROJECT AS A WHOLE IS COMING IN AT $7.1 BILLION.
IS THAT RIGHT, DARREN? THAT'S FOR THE 9.8 MILES YES.
AND OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY AND THE FLEET OF LIGHT RAIL VEHICLES.
WHAT, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT BUDGET IS, UH, FEDERAL DOLLARS? MAYBE THIS IS A DARREN QUESTION.
WE'RE ASKING FOR A 49% SHARE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, WHAT DAD? AND THAT'S, UH, ALL BASICALLY UNITED STATES TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE PROCURING THAT, THAT THE ENGINES ARE GONNA BE BUILT HERE.
ALL THAT STUFF IS GONNA HAPPEN IN, IN, IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT IS, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF A PROVISION CALLED BUY AMERICA.
AND SO BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING FEDERAL FUNDS, THEY'RE VERY STRICT ON MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS ALL COMPLIANT WITH THE BUY AMERICA IN TERMS OF, UM, THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS, THE MATERIALS WORKING WITH THE LABORERS.
SO YES, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROJECT.
WELL, AS FAR AS THIS COMMISSION IS CONCERNED, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS, IS, UH, THAT YOU DON'T RUIN ANYTHING THAT'S ALREADY HERE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT'S A LONG ANSWER, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF TREES TO THIS COMMISSION AND, UH, NATIVE DROUGHT, TOLERANT TREES BEING THE, THE ONES THAT WE'RE MOST INTERESTED IN.
UH, WE KEEP SAYING THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER WITH EVERY PROJECT THAT COMES BEFORE US.
SO A PREPONDERANCE OF, OF EFFORT ON THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, CAN YOU EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON THE DRAINAGE AMENDMENT AND THE, I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS COVERED IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT IT'S IN ONE OF THE, UM, YEAH.
ONE OF THE ATTACH, ONE OF THE WORKING DRAFT FOR AMENDMENT, UH, DOCS THAT WAS SHARED WITH THE MEETING MATERIALS.
AND I'M, I'M MOSTLY JUST CURIOUS, UH, AND WANT TO SORT OF CONFIRM THAT THERE AREN'T REDUCED DRAINAGE, UM, REQUIREMENTS FOR FLOOD PRONE AREAS.
UH, DIANA WANG AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, UM, SO THE, THE DRAINAGE, UH, CHANGES THAT ARE IN THE ORDINANCE ARE MOSTLY FOCUSED ON SEPARATION DISTANCES FOR UTILITIES.
SO THE SEPARATION FROM A WATERSHED PROTECTION STORM DRAIN, AND ANY OTHER NON STORM DRAIN INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE ALREADY CONGESTED RIGHT OF WAY THAT LIGHT RAIL IS GONNA BE GOING THROUGH IS BECOMING EVEN MORE CONGESTED.
AND ALL OF THE UTILITIES THAT ARE BEING TORN OUT HAVE TO BE PUT BACK IN.
UM, AND IN SOME, IN, IN A LOT OF CASES, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO MEET CURRENT CRITERIA, UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, DICTATES FIVE FEET SEPARATION DISTANCE.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE SAYING WHERE THESE CONSTRAINED CONDITIONS EXIST, AND WE DO DEFINE THOSE, YOU CAN GO DOWN TO, UH, A SMALLER SEPARATION DISTANCE TO AVOID THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN AND THE PERMITTING DELAYS OF LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF WAIVERS.
SO THERE'S NO, YOU'RE, YOU'RE CONFIDENT THAT THERE'S NO INCREASED RISK OF, OF FLOODING IN AREAS WHERE, UM, THE DRAINAGE STANDARDS ARE NO, NO, BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT THIS DOESN'T CHANGE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY REQUIREMENTS FOR NO ADVERSE IMPACT OR THE THINGS THAT, THAT AFFECT FLOODING.
WELL, FIRST LET ME JUST, UM, TELL EVERYBODY THAT I DO SERVE ON THE A TP ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED.
UM, AND I'LL REPEAT THE SAME QUESTION THAT I, UH, ASKED THERE.
AND THAT'S ABOUT THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU TRAVEL DOWN I 35 IN NORTH AUSTIN, NORTH OF DOWNTOWN, YOU SEE A LOT OF PLACES WHERE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN REMOVED.
AND IT'S VERY TRAGIC TO LOOK AT IT.
AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE LIGHT RAIL, AND I THINK ABOUT PLACES LIKE WHEATSVILLE OR DIRTY MARTINS WHERE THERE'S BEEN, TALK ABOUT THEM HAVING TO MOVE OR BE TORN DOWN.
[01:00:01]
HAVE TO BE MUCH MORE CAREFUL ABOUT THIS.WE DON'T WANNA BE LIKE TDOT, RIGHT? SO HAVING, UM, MORE CARE ABOUT LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S INTERESTING TOO, BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN, I THINK IT WAS BREWSTER MCCRACKEN WHEN HE WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL, HE ENCOURAGED BUSINESSES TO MOVE CLOSER TO THE SIDEWALK.
AND NOW WE'RE IN A POSITION WHERE MAYBE THAT'S NOT THE BEST THING TO DO BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN A ROAD HAS TO BE EXPANDED OR SOME OTHER FORM OF INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE A LIGHT RAIL IS GONNA RUN DOWN THAT STREET.
BUT, UM, THE IDEA WAS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEDESTRIANS TO GO FROM A SIDEWALK INTO A BUILDING.
UM, SO ANYWAY, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF CONSIDERATION ARE YOU GIVING TO SMALL BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT BE DISTURBED? THAT'S ONE QUESTION, AND I HAVE ANOTHER ONE AFTER THAT.
UH, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, AND I'LL GO BACK TO KIND OF SOME OF THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, ANY TYPE OF DISPLACEMENT, ANY TYPE OF, UM, UM, RIGHT OF WAY IMPACTS WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE UNIFORM RELOCATION ACT, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.
IN FACT, UM, JUST ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, UH, THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION CAME INTO TOWN AND WE HAD A, A, A REAL ESTATE BOOTCAMP.
IT WAS THE FIRST ONE IN THE COUNTRY THEY'VE DONE TO SEE THAT WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE THROUGH OUR REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT PLAN AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS ANY TYPES OF IMPACTS.
UM, ONE OF THE BENEFITS BETWEEN THE DRAFT EIS AND THE FINAL EIS IS OUR PREVIOUS DESIGN HAD IDENTIFIED AN AREA ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO IMPACT FOUR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
SINCE WE ACTUALLY HAD, UH, UPDATED THE DESIGN FOR THE FINAL EIS, WE SHIFTED THE ALIGNMENT SO WE NO LONGER NEED THOSE RESIDENTIAL TAKES.
SO THERE ARE NO RESIDENTIAL IMPACTS ALONG THE ALIGNMENT.
AND THAT BEING SAID, THERE ARE POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL IMPACTS THAT WE'LL NEED FOR THE ALUMNI FACILITY AND OTHER FACILITIES ALONG THE WAY.
BUT WE'RE DOING A COUPLE OF THINGS ON THAT FRONT.
UM, NUMBER ONE IS, IS NOTIFICATION AS PART OF ONE OF OUR BOARD ACTIONS TODAY.
UM, SOME MONIES WERE APPROPRIATED TO ACTUALLY ADVANCE AND START THAT REAL ESTATE ACQUISITION PROCESS SO WE COULD START TO HAVE THOSE COMMUNICATIONS.
THE OTHER THING WE'RE DOING TOO IS WE'RE WORKING ON A BUSINESS RELOCATION PLAN, BUS BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR REAL ESTATE FOLKS, UH, REALLY KNOW AND THEY'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
BUT THAT'S PART OF THE PROJECT AS WELL.
UM, SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT WE HAVE ENGAGED, INCLUDING OUR CONTRACTORS, THEY'VE WORKED ON THE BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE, THEIR INDIVIDUALS ON OUR TEAM WORK ON THE, ON THOSE, ON THOSE PROGRAMS HAVE ALSO OVERSEEN THOSE PROGRAMS THAT I KNOW FOR A FACT IN PHOENIX AND OTHER LOCATIONS AS WELL.
SO WE'RE REALLY TAKING A, A CONCERTED EFFORT TO ADDRESS THOSE POTENTIAL IMPACTS.
WELL THE, UM, UH, I'M GLAD ABOUT THAT.
WILL, HOW FAR IN ADVANCE WILL PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE TO MOVE OR, UM, YOU KNOW, MOVE THEIR BUSINESS OR WHATNOT? YEAH, THE, THE BEST ANSWER, I GUESS IS PROBABLY A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, AND, AND LISA ALLUDED TO IT, NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR CONTRACTORS ARE ON BOARD, WE NEED TO DEVELOP A SEQUENCING PLAN.
LISA SAID, WE'RE NOT GONNA BUILD IT 10 MILES AT ONCE, SO RIGHT.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST PRIORITY AREAS IN ONE OF THE ONES, OF COURSE IS THE OPERATIONS MAINTENANCE FACILITY, WHICH DOES CURRENTLY HAVE, UH, BUSINESS TENANTS ON THAT LOCATION.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE INITIAL PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING GOING TO LOOK TO PURCHASE.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T THE FIRST LIGHT RAIL PROJECT IN AMERICA, SO HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT OTHER CITIES TO SEE WHAT KIND OF PROBLEMS THEY HAD THAT WE CAN AVOID? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WHAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE CONTRACTORS ON BOARD THAT HAVE, UH, BUILT THESE PROJECTS, BUT, UH, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP FORMED IN 2020, NOW ALMOST SEVEN YEARS, ALREADY BROUGHT IN A LOT OF EXPERIENCED PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED ON PROJECTS AND I CAN GO LA METRO AND DALLAS AND SEATTLE.
I DID WORK IN PHOENIX, MYSELF, UM, UH, HOUSTON.
SO ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WE BRING THESE AND WHAT REALLY HELPS US IS THAT, UM, IT BRINGS A LOT OF THE BEST PRACTICES AND THOSE LESSONS LEARNED.
SO WHAT LISA TOLD YOU ABOUT THE WHOLE PROCUREMENT STORY, THAT'S REALLY A ONE OF A KIND IN THIS NATION AND THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION IS TELLING OTHERS TO GO LOOK AND SEE WHAT AUSTIN IS DOING.
WE HAVEN'T TURNED ANY DIRT YET, BUT WE'RE ALREADY KIND OF BEING SHOWN AS KIND OF THE GOLD STANDARD IN TERMS OF GETTING THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS, GETTING THROUGH PROCUREMENT, AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE THAT WE BROUGHT TO AUSTIN.
JUST WANNA CLARIFY BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT THEM UP, BUT WE CURRENTLY SHOW NO IMPACT ON EITHER DIRTY MARTINS OR THE CURRENT LOCATION OF WHEATSVILLE.
UH, APPRECIATE THE, UH, PRESENTATIONS.
SOME OF 'EM MAY BE IN KIND OF A RANDOM ORDER, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE, UH, FOLKS,
[01:05:01]
AND I'M GONNA ASK THE QUESTIONS AND IT DOES REALLY MATTER WHO STANDS UP AND ANSWERS 'EM, SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE FOLK THAT ARE GONNA BE ACTUALLY WORKING ON THIS HAVE PARTNERED BEFORE.
HAVE THEY WORKED TOGETHER AS A TEAM IN THE PAST? YEAH.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE IT THAT DIFFICULT.
NO, NO, THAT, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
AND REALLY, UM, SINCE STACY BECK, THAT THOSE TWO FIRMS JOINED TOGETHER HAVE DONE PROJECTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, I KNOW THEY'VE DONE AT LEAST TWO OR THREE LIGHT RAIL LINES IN PHOENIX.
I KNOW THEY'VE WORKED IN SEATTLE, THEY'VE WORKED AT LA METRO.
AND THAT BEING SAID, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ON OUR TEAM THAT I, I COULDN'T TELL YOU, BUT THOSE FIRMS DEFINITELY KNOW EACH OTHER, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING THROUGH THEIR, UM, CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS INTERNALLY AND SO FORTH.
KIEWIT IS THE OTHER FIRM, AS LISA MENTIONED, WORKING ON THE OPERATIONS FACILITY.
AND YES, THEY'VE WORKED, UM, THEY'RE WELL KNOWN FOR ALL THE OPERATIONS AND LIGHT RAIL WORK THEY'VE DONE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AS WELL.
AND YOU MENTIONED THEY'RE WORKING ON CURRENT PROJECTS AT VARIOUS PLACES IN THE COUNTRY.
UH, ARE THEY ON SCHEDULE, ON BUDGET, ON THOSE, UH, PROJECTS? I, YEAH, IF YOU KNOW BETTER THAN I DO, BUT I MEAN, YEAH.
I THINK THEY HAVE A VERY GOOD TRACK RECORD.
UM, IT'S HARD, RIGHT? THESE PROJECTS ARE QUITE, QUITE LONG.
SO WE CHECK IN A LOT OF TIMES WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AND OTHER, UM, TRANSIT AGENCIES ON HOW ALL OF THEIR CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE GOING.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF VARIETY.
THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY EXAMPLES YET OF THIS MODEL OF, OF, UH, CONTRACTING, OF PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILD BECAUSE IT DOES GIVE US A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY.
UM, AND IT ALSO PROVIDES A SHARED RISK BETWEEN THE AGENCY AND THIS CONTRACTING PARTNER BECAUSE WE'RE BRINGING THEM AT ON EARLY.
SO WE'RE ESPECIALLY MONITORING THOSE TYPES OF CONTRACTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND IN CANADA.
UH, IN REVIEWING THE, UH, DRAFT ORDINANCE, UH, IT SAYS THERE'S A DISCUSSION ABOUT PLANTING OF TREASON THE RIGHT OF WAY.
FORGIVE ME, I'M NOT REALLY FAMILIAR WITH PLANTING TREES IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT HOW YOU'RE PLANTING THE RIGHT OF WAY VERSUS THE CURRENT STANDARDS? SURE.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO A PROVISION WITHIN THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL THAT TALKS ABOUT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN A TREE PLANTING AREA AND THE NOSE OF A MEDIAN OF AN INTERSECTION.
IT MOSTLY PERTAINS TO VIEW ANGLES FOR STREETS COMING IN, AND MOSTLY RELATES TO UNPROTECTED INTERSECTIONS WHERE THERE ISN'T A SIGNAL.
UM, AS YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED IN OUR RENDERING RELATED TO THE EAST RIVERSIDE GREENWAY CONFIGURATION, WE HAVE A LOT OF TREE PLANTING IN THAT MEDIAN AREA BETWEEN TRAVEL LANES.
UM, HOWEVER, EVERY SINGLE INTERSECTION WITH THE GUIDEWAY IN IT, WITH WHERE THE TRAINS RUN, IS PROTECTED AND WILL ALWAYS BE SIGNALED.
SO THERE ISN'T THE SAME RISK OF SORT OF THAT VIEW PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE'S A, A SIGNAL HELPING THOSE CROSS STREETS.
SO WE'VE ALLOWED, BASICALLY, OR THE, THE CITY HAS WORKED WITH US TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PLANT TREES AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITHIN THAT CENTER ZONE.
UM, I THINK INSTEAD OF BEING 200 FEET BACK FROM EVERY INTERSECTION, WHICH IS WHAT'S CURRENTLY IN THE TCM.
AND, UH, I ASSUME THE TREES YOU'RE GONNA BE PLANTING AS STREET TREES ARE THE ONES THAT, UH, WATERSHED HAS THEIR LIST OF, UH, YOU KNOW, FAMOUSLY, YOU KNOW, NICE TREES TO PLANT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I THINK WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF TREE LISTS.
UM, YES, WE'VE GOT, WELL, THE ONLY ONES THAT I'M IN INTERESTED IN ARE THE ONES THAT ARE HAPPY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN TREES IN WA, MONTANA.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF TREE LISTS OF NATIVE ADAPTED SPECIES THAT ARE GOOD IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS, LET ME PUT IT THAT WAY.
ONE OF THEM IS WATERSHEDS, WHICH I THINK, UH, WE LIKE VERY MUCH.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A LIST FROM THE CITY ARBORIST OFFICE, UH, OF TREES THAT THEY ARE RECOMMENDING, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR CHANGING ENVIRONMENT.
UM, AND SO EXCITED TO TEST SOME NEW POTENTIAL SUGGESTIONS FROM THAT TEAM TOO.
NOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, A TP IS GONNA BE PERMANENTLY RUNNING THE WHOLE SHOW, RIGHT? I MEAN, ONCE IT'S OPERATIONAL YEAH.
WE HAVE A LIFETIME SORT OF COMMITMENT AS OUR AGENCY.
I WAS GONNA ASK WHOSE LIFETIME, BUT NEVERMIND
UH, SO WHO, SO YOU'RE GONNA BE TAKING CARE OF THE TREES, WATERING THEM, REPLANTING THEM IF THEY EXPIRE, OR WHATEVER THAT
[01:10:01]
IS.SO THERE'S GONNA BE PERMANENT MAINTENANCE OF ALL THE TREES THAT ARE PART OF THIS WHOLE, WHOLE PROJECT, RIGHT? THAT IS THE INTENTION.
THERE'S A THING IN HERE THAT TALKS ABOUT, UH, IMPERVIOUS COVER CONSTRUCTED UNDER A PREVIOUS SITE SITE PLAN LAYER.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? CAN YOU READ THE FULL PART OF THAT? WELL, IT SAYS PARAGRAPH D.
IT SAYS, ONCE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF NEW AND REDEVELOPED IMPERVIOUS COVER WITHIN THE AREA, THE SITE PLAN EXCEEDS 8,000 SQUARE FEET.
CUMULATIVELY WATER QUALITY TREATMENT WILL BE REQUIRED BEFORE A SITE PLAN LAYER CAN BE APPROVED.
THIS INCLUDES THE IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED UNDER THE PREVIOUS SITE PLAN LAYER.
SO WHAT'S THAT IN ENGLISH? SURE.
SO, SO CURRENT CRITERIA, UM, REQUIRES WATER QUALITY TREATMENT WHEN YOU HIT THAT 8,000 SQUARE FOOT THRESHOLD.
FOR NEW AND REDEVELOPED IMPERVIOUS COVER.
BECAUSE THIS PROJECT, UM, KIND OF HAS THAT FAST TRACK SITE PLAN LAYER, UM, ALLOWANCE.
WE'RE JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THAT KIND OF UNDER THAT, THOSE RULES.
IF YOU COME IN WITH, SAY YOUR FIRST LAYER IS DEMOLITION, THERE'S NO IMPERVIOUS COVER.
YOUR NEXT LAYER IS UTILITIES, BUT MAYBE FOR SOME REASON YOU ADDED A LITTLE BIT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER BECAUSE THE ROADWAY FOR SOME REASON EXPANDED.
IF YOU DIDN'T HIT THAT, UH, THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE THRESHOLD, WE'RE NOT GONNA REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, WATER QUALITY REVIEW.
IT'S ONCE THAT LAYER THAT DOES HIT THE, THE 8,000 COMES IN, WE'RE GONNA ASK FOR, UM, COMPLIANCE FOR THE WHOLE SITE PLAN.
SO THAT GETS INTO, WELL, OKAY, HOW MUCH IMPERVIOUS COVER IS THIS WHOLE THING GONNA GENERATE? THAT'S A VERY COMPLICATED CALCULATION THAT IS STILL, STILL, I UNDERSTAND.
SO TELL ME, TELL ME THE FINAL NUMBER.
I DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE CALCULATION IS.
YEAH, BECAUSE WHAT DOES MAKE IT COMPLICATED IS THAT THAT REDEVELOPED PORTION OF IT AND WHAT KIND OF QUALIFIES UNDER THAT DEFINITION.
THERE'S ALSO EXISTING EXEMPTIONS IN THE CRITERIA.
SO, YOU KNOW, TRAILS, UM, AND UTILITIES, YOU KNOW, JUST THAT, THAT UTILITY TRENCHING REQUIRED.
SO IT, THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT, UM, COMPONENTS.
BUT I GUESS IF YOU WERE BUILDING A SHOPPING MALL AND, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD COME IN AND SAY, OKAY, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE 60% IMPERVIOUS COVER, LET'S SAY.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT CODE ALLOWED.
AND IF YOU WANTED 65%, YOU'D COME IN AND SAY, WE NEED A VARIANCE ON THAT.
AND WE WOULD BE HERE TALKING ABOUT WHETHER WE GAVE YOU A THAT OR WHETHER OR NOT WE'D ASK YOU TO PLANT MORE TREES OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING.
SO I'M ASKING YOU, THIS IS A BIG SHOPPING MALL THAT'S IN A STRAIGHT LINE.
HOW MUCH IMPERVIOUS COVER ARE YOU PLANTING IN THIS CITY? RIGHT? LIKE, HOW MUCH IS BEING ADDED? YES.
I, I DON'T EI DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT WE COULD TAKE A GUESS, BUT
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE MUST HAVE DRAWN THIS ON A MAP SOMEWHERE.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY, WE ARE DEEP IN THE CALCULATIONS AND IN DRAWING THROUGH IT WITH EVERY ADJUSTMENT TO THE DESIGN THAT CALCULATION ADJUSTS TO.
SO ONCE WE ARE FAIRLY STABLE WITH THIS NEXT PHASE OF DESIGN, AND WE SUBMIT THAT WHOLE PLAN AND WE TALK ABOUT IT WITH THE CITY PARTNERS, WE WILL HAVE THAT NUMBER.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT NOW.
I WOULD LIKE YOU TO THINK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN A SHOPPING MALL.
WE'RE NOT BUILDING A SHOPPING MALL, BUT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THIS ENTIRE PROJECT IS WITHIN EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY, MUCH OF WHICH IS ALREADY IMPERVIOUS.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS MOSTLY REPLACING IMPERVIOUS COVER WITH IMPERVIOUS COVER, AND HOPING THAT WHEN WE ARE ALSO PLANTING TREES AND ADDING MORE STREET TREES AND MEDIANS, THE GREENWAY, ET CETERA, THAT WE'RE, THE IDEAL WOULD BE TO BALANCE IT OUT.
I DON'T THINK WE WILL BE THERE, BUT IT'S NOT AS THOUGH WE'RE GOING FOR LIKE A VIRGIN SITE THAT IS FULLY PERVIOUS AND ADDING A BUNCH OF IMPERVIOUS COVER.
IT'S MORE LIKE A CORRIDOR PROGRAM PROJECT WITHIN UN ZONE RIGHT OF WAY.
IN PARAGRAPH C, IT SAYS, THE PRELIMINARY WATER QUALITY TREATMENT MAP IS AT, UH, AS ATTACHED IN EXHIBIT C.
UH, THERE WAS NO EXHIBIT C IN MATERIAL.
THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN EXHIBIT C.
UM, AND WHAT I FOUND AN A AND B ON ONE OF THE ATTACHMENTS, I DIDN'T SEE THAT MAYBE THE, IT LOOKS LIKE THE A1 Z WERE NOT ADDING TO BACKUP.
[01:15:01]
C DOES SHOW IS, SO THE MAP IN MY PRESENTATION THAT SHOWED THE RAIL ALIGNMENT OVERLAID ON THE WATERSHEDS, WHAT IT WOULD SHOW IS A FEW TRIANGLES BASICALLY, THAT REPRESENT PONDS ALONG RIVERSIDE AND ON SOUTH CONGRESS.SO WE CAN CERTAINLY GET THAT TO YOU SO THAT YOU HAVE THAT FOR REFERENCE.
BUT WHAT IT'S SHOWING IS AT THE MOMENT, WHAT AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP THINKS ARE POTENTIAL LOCATIONS FOR WATER QUALITY PONDS THAT EITHER, YOU KNOW, MEET REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS OR COULD POTENTIALLY EVEN BRING IN MORE OFFSITE TREATMENT TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS.
WHERE THAT WILL HAPPEN IS MOSTLY, MOSTLY SOUTH OF THE RIVER WHERE THERE'S SPACE TO DO THAT.
SO THAT, THAT WAS THE, THE PURPOSE OF THAT, UM, THAT EXHIBIT A PARAGRAPH F SAYS, AND YOU MAY HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS.
PARAGRAPH F SAYS, THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION MAY ALLOW PAYMENT INSTEAD OF CONSTRUCTION OF WATER QUALITY CONTROLS.
THE AMOUNT OF PAYMENT IS BASED ON A FORMULA AND APPENDIC VIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL.
AND I DIDN'T BOTHER TO GO LOOK UP THAT FORMULA 'CAUSE I REALLY DON'T CARE.
BUT MY, WHAT I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO WATER QUALITY CONTROL AND YOU JUST THROW MONEY IN A BUCKET.
NO AC ACTUALLY, WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THE OPPOSITE.
SO, BUT THEN WHY DOES IT SAY THIS? IT, IT ONLY SAYS THAT BECAUSE, AND THAT'S ALREADY AN EXISTING CRITERIA, BUT IT'S TO, UM, ALLOW US TO USE APPENDIX U FOR THE ENTIRE ALIGNMENT INSTEAD OF A MIX OF, THERE, THERE ARE TWO APPENDIX APPENDICES, APPENDIX T AND APPENDIX U.
AND IT JUST ALLOWS US TO USE, UH, ONE APPENDIX FOR THOSE CALCULATIONS TO SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS.
UH, NOW IT ALSO SAYS THAT, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF WATERSHED MAY AGREE TO REIMBURSE A PUBLIC ENTITY FOR CONSTRUCTING, UH, A PROJECT FOR WILD QUALITY TREATMENT PROVIDED THAT EXCEEDS REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS FOR A DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL.
THAT MEANS, I MEAN, THE WAY I READ THAT IS THAT IF YOU DO A REALLY GOOD JOB TREATING THE WATER, THEN YOU GET MONEY BACK FROM WATERSHED.
TH THIS IS FOR A SCENARIO WHERE, BECAUSE WE'RE TREATING THIS AS ONE LARGE PROJECT, IF AT THE END OF THE PROJECT, UM, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP WITH EACH SITE PLAN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BUILDING OR THEY'RE, UH, PAYING PAYMENT IN LIEU, OR THEY'VE TAKEN CREDIT FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE BUILT ABOVE AND BEYOND, UH, REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF AFTER ALL OF THAT IS SAID AND DONE, WE FIND THAT THEY'VE ACTUALLY BUILT MORE THAN THEY WERE REQUIRED TO FOR THAT ENTIRE ALIGNMENT.
MEANING THEY BROUGHT ON OFFSITE TREATMENT, UM, WELL ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WAS THE, THE REGULATORY REQUIREMENT, THEN WE WOULD BE REIMBURSING FOR THAT EXTRA, UM, UH, BUILT CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS OUR PREFERENCE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ACHIEVABLE, BUT WE WANT TO OPEN UP THE POSSIBILITY FOR THAT.
WELL, I HAVE TWO ISSUES WITH THAT.
FIRST OF ALL, IT SAYS THEY WILL, THAT WATERSHED WILL REIMBURSE THEM, BUT THERE'S NO LIMIT ON WHAT THE WORD REIMBURSE THEM MEANS.
IN OTHER WORDS, IN THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH I QUOTED, THERE WAS A FORMULA IN APPENDIX U THAT SAYS, WE'LL DO THIS COMPLICATED MATH FORMULA THAT WILL SPIT OUT A NUMBER THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, $50.
BUT HERE THERE'S NO FINANCIAL LIMIT AT WHICH THAT, UH, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE'S THEORETICALLY NO LIMIT AT WHICH THE ENTITY CANNOT COME BACK AND SAY, GIVE US THIS MUCH MONEY.
I HAVE A, I HAVE A CONCERN THAT WHEN THERE'S NO BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE, IT WILL NOT STOP.
AND SO MY CONCERN IS THAT YOU NEED TO PUT IN THERE, IT SAYS THE UPPER LIMIT IS, I CAN HELP A LITTLE BIT WITH THAT LIZ JOHNSTON ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.
SO THE SAME METHODOLOGY, APPENDIX U THAT IS USED TO DETERMINE WHAT THE PAYMENT COULD BE, WOULD BE USED TO SAY, WELL, OKAY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE, YOU KNOW, HAD 10 ACRES MORE OF TREATMENT, UM, THAN WE WHEN WE REALLY NEEDED.
AND SO THAT APPENDIX U IS WHAT YOU WOULD USE.
YOU WOULD SAY, OKAY, WELL WITH THIS THEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THAT CALCULATION? SO THERE, IT, THERE ISN'T AN UPPER, I MEAN,
[01:20:01]
THE CRITERIA SAY WHAT THE, THE FEE WOULD BE.I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID.
BUT THE DRAFT ORDINANCE DOESN'T SAY THAT.
AND IT'S ONLY WHAT THE DRAFT ORDINANCE SAYS IS THAT THAT'S GONNA BE PASSED BY COUNCIL.
WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO USE THE APPENDIX U 'CAUSE THAT'S THE WAY THAT IT'S SPELLED OUT IN THE ORDINANCE TO, TO CALCULATE IT.
I KNOW WE'RE VOTING ON WHAT'S HERE, NOT, NOT WHAT'S PROMISED LATER ON.
UH, THEN IN, UH, PARAGRAPH I, IT TALKS ABOUT, UH, PARKLAND THAT'S REPURPOSED ON A PERMANENT BASIS BY CITY COUNCIL.
IS THIS GONNA BE SECTION 26 LAND? BECAUSE IF YOU REPURPOSE PARKLAND, UH, PER CITY CHARTER, PARKLAND HAS TO, IF YOU REPURPOSE PARKLAND, IT HAS TO BE DONE BY, UH, VOTE OF THE PUBLIC, OR IT HAS TO BE SECTION 26 IN, WHICH HAS TO BE DEMONSTRATED.
THERE'S NO VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO USE PARK THEN TO USE PARKLAND IN THAT PARTICULAR, FOR THAT PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
SO I'M KIND OF CURIOUS HOW WE GOT THERE WITH THIS.
UM, ANY OF THE IMPACTED PARKLAND THAT WE HAVE DOCUMENTED THAT HAS BEEN THROUGH THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND FINAL IMPACT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT WILL GO THROUGH THE CITY'S PROCESSES FOR CHAPTER 26 AND THE CITY CHARTER, UH, FOR CHANGE OF USE.
AND THAT HAS NOT YET OCCURRED.
YOU KNOW, I'M SURE YOU ALL WILL SEE THAT WHEN IT DOES.
UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION ON THOSE ITEMS. AND SO THERE WILL BE MITIGATION MONEY YES.
IF IT GOES THROUGH CHAPTER 26.
OR IT WILL GO BEFORE THE PUBLIC TO BE VOTED ON TO REPURPOSE PUBLIC PARK LAND TO NON PARKLAND THE WAY THE CITY CHARTER REQUIRES.
SO BECAUSE WE ARE NOT SUGGESTING ANY CHANGE OF REAL ESTATE, EVERYTHING IS STILL CITY OWNED AND WE WANT IT TO BE CITY OWNED, IT WILL JUST BE CITY OWNED RIGHT OF WAY INSTEAD OF CITY OWNED PARKLAND.
WE'RE GONNA BE USING THE CHAPTER 26 PROCESS THAT PARKS HAS OUTLINED, GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AND YES, PAYMENT OF MITIGATION, UH, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS WILL BE OUR APPLICANT AS PART OF THAT.
AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AS DEFINED.
NOW, ONE OF THE, ALSO ALL OF THAT IS DETAILED AS JUST DARREN SHOUT OUT TO OUR, IN OUR MITIGATION MONITORING PLAN OR MMP.
UH, NOW ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE IN A BROAD SENSE IS THE REMOVAL OF HERITAGE TREES.
UH, MUCH HAS BEEN MADE ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE STAYING WITHIN THE CURRENT PROCESS AND WE'RE JUST MOVING IT FROM A PROCESS.
WE'RE WE'RE MAKING IT ADMINISTRATIVE AS OPPOSED TO, UH, ONE WHERE IT'S BROUGHT BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
AND CONTRARY TO THE TERM FAST TRACK, WHICH EVERYONE SAYS, WE REALLY DON'T MEAN FAST, WE JUST MEAN WE'RE USING IT.
'CAUSE IT'S A TERM IN CITY CODE.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE, THE, THE PATH OF THIS WHOLE THING IS ALREADY PRETTY WELL KNOWN.
I MEAN, IT'S LIKE WE'RE NOT REALLY CHANGING IT A WHOLE LOT.
SO WE ALREADY PRETTY MUCH KNOW THE TREES THAT ARE IMPACTED.
UM, WE DO KNOW OUR PATH, RIGHT? AND SO WHAT OUR TEAM HAS DONE IN BOTH, UM, OUR ANALYSIS, OUR, OUR TREE INVENTORY, AND IN NOW GOING BACK OUT TO REEVALUATE ALL OF THE TREES IN FIELD, NOW THAT THE NEW TEAM IS ON BOARD TO VERIFY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT ACCURATE MEASUREMENTS FOR 2026.
UM, WE HAVE EARLY DAYS TRIED TO AVOID ANY HERITAGE PROTECTED LARGE TREE IMPACTS, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S VARIETY OF THAT AND THE PERCENTAGES ARE HARD TO CALCULATE.
SO LET ME JUST CONVEY LIGHT RAIL IN GENERAL IS RUNNING DOWN THE CENTER OF THESE RIGHTS OF WAY WHERE THERE ARE TREES IN THE CENTER OF THE RIGHTS OF WAY SIMILAR TO THE MEDIAN IN EAST RIVERSIDE.
THOSE TREE IMPACTS ARE REALLY HARD TO AVOID.
WELL, LET ME HELP, YEAH, LET ME HELP YOU OUT HERE A LITTLE BIT BY SAYING THIS.
WE ARE GETTING, AS A COMMISSION, AN INCREASING NUMBER OF REQUESTS TO DO ADMINISTRATIVE REMOVALS OF HERITAGE TREES.
AND THE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS BECOMING A MORE AND MORE COMMON REQUEST ON PART OF A LOT OF GROUPS.
NOT JUST YOU, BUT OTHER GROUPS.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THE HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE IS TO GIVE THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE OR PROVIDE INPUT TO THE COMMISSION AND ALLOW THE COMMISSION TO
[01:25:01]
PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE THE REMOVAL OF THE TREE BASED UPON ALL THE INFORMATION WE CAN GATHER.AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME WE HAND OVER AND IT THIS PROCESS TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS, IT BECOMES LESS PUBLIC AND THERE'S LESS ABILITY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO DO ITS JOB TO REVIEW THESE THINGS PUBLICLY.
NOW, IF I FELT THAT THE COURSE OF THIS THING WAS GONNA BE DYNAMIC AND YOU WERE GONNA BUILD THIS ENTIRE PROJECT IN A WEEK, THEN I COULD SEE THE NECESSITY OF AN, OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS.
BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS IS GONNA TAKE A DECADE TO FINISH OUT.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT AMONG THIS FAST TRACK THING YOU'VE GOT GOING ON, YOU CAN SPARE A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO COME DOWN TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND SHOW US WHY A HERITAGE TREE NEEDS TO REMOVE.
NOW, I DON'T SEE THAT WE HAVE TURNED DOWN THAT MANY REQUESTS FOR REMOVALS.
SO I DON'T SEE THAT THAT BEING A MAJOR OBSTACLE.
NOW WE OCCASIONALLY FIND SOME OF THEM PARTICULARLY OBNOXIOUS FOR WHATEVER THE REASON IS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR A MAJOR PROJECT THAT IS A PUBLIC PROJECT THAT YOU FOLKS COME DOWN AND JUSTIFY WHY YOU'RE, WHY YOU WANNA REMOVE A HERITAGE TREE AND PERHAPS CAN'T RELOCATE IT.
AND BY THE WAY, WHEN YOU DO THIS THING, UH, YOU'RE NOT PAYING MITIGATION FUND MONEY FOR IT EITHER.
IF YOU GET BACK TO THE OTHER CITY CODE THAT YOU REFERENCE IN HERE, UH, IT SAID THAT YOU'RE NOT PAYING MITIGATION FEES FOR SOME OF THIS STUFF AS WELL.
SO YOU'RE NOT EVEN TOSSING MONEY INTO THE KITTY TO REPLANT STUFF.
SO I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING IS WHY CAN'T YOU GUYS JUST COME DOWN AND VISIT WITH US FOR AN EVENING AND EXPLAIN TO US WHY A PARTICULAR HERITAGE TREE NEEDS TO BE REMOVED? I ACTUALLY WOULD LOVE TO COME BACK AND EXPLAIN OUR BIG COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO TREE, UH, TO TREE PRESERVATION AND TREE PLANTING WITHIN THE PROJECT.
I KNOW THAT I STARTED AND IT, I DID NOT GET VERY FAR AND THAT'S NOT THE TOPIC FOR TODAY.
BUT I WILL PROMISE THAT A TP WILL COME BACK AND DO THAT PRESENTATION FOR YOU ALL.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I'LL HAVE NAOMI RESPOND TO YOUR PRESENTATION.
I KNOW, BUT RIGHT NOW YOU'RE ASKING FOR A WAIVER THAT IF WE PASS THE WAIVER, WE GIVE OUR OUR RIGHT TO DENY YOU PULLING UP A TREE.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS, WHY SHOULD WE GRANT A WAIVER TONIGHT ON YOU PULLING UP A TREE ON THE PROMISE THAT SIX MONTHS FROM NOW YOU'RE GONNA COME BACK AND PRESENT A TREE PLAN TO US, WHICH IS NOT TERRIBLY USEFUL ONCE YOU, WE'VE GIVEN YOU THE RIGHT TO PULL UP TREES WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL BY THIS COMMISSION.
NAOMI ROMMEL CITY ARBORIST, UM, THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, THE TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE, UH, THE HERITAGE TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE FROM 2010 STATES IN 25 8 6 4 2, THAT AN ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCE IS REQUIRED FOR ANY HERITAGE TREE THAT DOES NOT HAVE A SINGLE STEM 30 INCHES AND GREATER.
SO ALL THE S ACCORDING TO THE CODE THAT WAS PASSED BY THE COUNCIL IN 2000, 2010, REQUIRES AN ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCE.
THE LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCE IS UNDER 25 8 6 4 3, WHERE A SINGLE STEM HERITAGE TREE THAT IS PROPOSED TO BE REMOVED GOES BEFORE THE LAND COMMISSION.
AND WHAT THIS PROJECT HAS DONE IS THEY STARTED WITH A TREES DESIGN AROUND THE TREES FIRST APPROACH.
UM, THEY WORKED WITH US FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS, INCLUDING MY SUPERVISORS AND FOUR OTHER STAFF ON OUR PROGRAM TO LOOK AT A DESIGN AROUND THE TREES FIRST.
IN THOSE CASES, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE ALSO IDENTIFIED CONDITION OF THE TREES.
UH, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU STATED IS THAT THEY, THEY ARE, IF ANY TREE IS GOING TO BE REMOVED, IT WILL BE FULLY MITIGATED AND THE PROJECT IS GOING TO BE OVER PLANTING AND, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR THE DESIGN AND THE SHADE AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE SENSE OF PLACE ASPECT OF IT.
BUT THE, ANY HERITAGE TREE REQUIRES A 300% MITIGATION REMOVAL.
SO THERE IS ANY REMOVAL WILL BE MITIGATED FOR, UNLESS IT IS DEAD DISEASE, IMMINENT HAZARD.
[01:30:01]
IS THAT NO MITIGATION IS REQUIRED FOR ANY TREE THAT IS DEAD DISEASED OR IMMINENT HAZARD.DOES THAT HELP? NO, I UNDERSTAND, BUT I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT BEING REQUIRED TO BE DONE BY COMPLETED ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS AS OPPOSED TO BRINGING IT BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO, UM, KIND OF ANSWER THAT AS ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I DO, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE PUBLIC PROCESSES AND I SEE THE VALUE IN THAT.
UM, FOR PROJECT CONNECT, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT IS TAKING CARS OFF THE ROAD.
IT WILL RESULT IN WATER QUALITY THAT IS BETTER THAN THERE IS TODAY BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE ADDING, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR REDEVELOPED IMP PREVIOUS COVER, THEY'RE GONNA BE ADDING RAIN GARDENS.
SO THE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF THIS PROJECT ARE CLEAR AND IT'S A BOND FUNDED, VOTER APPROVED PROJECT WITH VARIANCES.
THE PROCESS WITH, FOR ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANCES, YOU KNOW, WE GET A RECOMMENDATION FROM ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, THEN IT GOES TO PLANNING COMMISSION OR THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION.
THERE'S ACTUALLY NOT ANY EVEN, UH, CITY COUNCIL UH, UH, APPEAL PROCESS.
THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THE FINAL SAY.
SO SAY THERE'S A TREE IN THE ALIGNMENT OF PROJECT CONNECT, LARGER CONTEXT, BIG THING THAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED TO, TO HAVE IT.
SO THERE'S A TREE AND WHAT HAPPENS IF IT GETS DENIED IS THAT GOOD GOVERNANCE TO HAVE ONE TREE HOLD UP PROJECT CONNECT.
AND THAT IS THE RISK THAT I THINK THEY ARE TRYING TO AVOID.
UM, SO I JUST, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT CONTEXT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND IS LIKE, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO HIDE ANYTHING.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO LOWER STANDARDS, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE USING OUR TAX PAYER AND BOND FUNDING WISELY AND, AND LOOKING AT THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE FOR, AS A PUBLIC BENEFIT.
SO JUST WANTED TO THROW MY THOUGHTS OUT THERE.
BUT WE HAVE, UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE CONFLICTING GOALS.
WE HAVE A CANOPY GOAL OF 20 BY 2050 OF A 50% CANOPY COVER.
WE HAVE CLIMATE EMERGENCY, WE HAVE ALL THESE OTHER THINGS AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO BALANCE ALL THESE THINGS.
AND RIGHT NOW WHERE I SIT IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, I'M LOOKING AT THE TREE ASPECT OF IT.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'M PAID TO DO.
UH, I'M GONNA RELY ON OTHER PEOPLE TO DRIVE THEIR POINT OF VIEW BASED UPON THE COMMISSION.
AND I'M GONNA RELY ON THE COUNCIL TO LOOK AT THE WIDER, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGER PICTURE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE WAY I PARCEL OUT THINGS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I APOLOGIZE IF I'M BEING TOO NARROW MINDED ON THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY I'M LOOKING AT IT AS A MEMBER OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UM, THEY MENTIONED THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
THE LAST ONE, THE DRAFT ONE WAS 16,500 PAGES LONG.
AND, UH, WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET THE NEXT ONE? AND I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU HAD AN EDITOR.
FINAL EIS AND THE RECORD OF DECISION, IT'S PUBLISHED ALREADY.
IT'S ON, UH, OUR WEBSITE AS WELL.
UH, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAD WITH THE PREVIOUS ONE WAS THE, UH, MAINTENANCE FACILITY WAS IN A FLOODPLAIN NO, YEAH, IT WAS ARE THE DRAFT OF MY IMPACT STATEMENT SHOWED IT IN FULL POINT? YEAH.
THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT HAD THE MAYBE DAVID, UH, MAINTENANCE FACILITY WAS IN A FLOODPLAIN.
THE INITIAL ONE THAT WASN'T IN THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
THAT WAS, BUT THAT WASN'T DOCUMENTED IN OUR DEIS.
WELL IT'D BE NICE IF WE HAD HAD 2021.
UH, SO IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE NEW ONE.
ARE YOU GONNA BRING THAT FOR US TOO? IT'S ALREADY BEEN PUBLISHED.
ARE YOU GONNA PRESENT IT TO US FORMALLY OR? OH, WE HADN'T TALKED ABOUT THAT.
HEY, Y'ALL APPRECIATE THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
ALWAYS INFORMATIVE STUFF, YOU KNOW, UH, MUCH LIKE, UH, COMMISSIONER BRIMER, I WAS READING SOME OF THE, UH, ATTACHMENT LANGUAGE AND MY EYES WERE GOING SIDEWAYS, BUT, UH, HE ASKED A LOT OF THE SAME QUESTIONS I WOULD'VE ASKED.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT UP THESE, UH, YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCES AND I HEAR YOU, LIZ, IN THAT, YOU KNOW, IN'S COOL IF YOU CHAIN YOURSELF TO A TREE OR WHATEVER, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THE, UH, WE DON'T WANT WHAT YOU COULD CALL POTENTIALLY ROGUE ELEMENTS SORT OF DERAILING, NO PUN INTENDED, THIS WHOLE TRAIN PROCESS.
BUT, UH, WHY NOT BUILD IN A SAFEGUARD LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, LIKE, OH, CITY COUNCIL CAN'T
[01:35:01]
EVEN UNDO, YOU KNOW, THESE COMMISSIONS.UH, MAYBE THE COMMISSIONERS WOULD FEEL BETTER IF THERE WAS SOME KIND OF LIKE, OH, AND IF IT DOESN'T PASS THESE, AND WE'LL GO TO CITY COUNCIL.
I'M NOT A LAWYER, THIS IS ABOVE MY PAY GRADE.
BUT THIS IS SORT OF ME SPIT BALLING.
UM, YEAH, I HAD SOME QUESTIONS TOO.
I FEEL LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, SO I DON'T THINK, JUST FROM THE WAY EVERYONE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK ACTUAL SIDE PLANS HAVE GONE UP.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT GONNA BE ONE WHOLE SIDE PLAN FOR THE WHOLE TRAIN.
I BELIEVE BELIEVE THERE'S, LIKE, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, I'M PICKING UP, IT'S LIKE CONTIGUOUS, SORT OF DIFFERING SITE PLANS.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEA LIKE HOW LARGE THE BIGGEST SITE PLAN WOULD BE? 'CAUSE I NOTICED WITH LIKE DEVELOPMENTS, A LOT OF TIMES IT'LL BREAK UP LIKE A LARGE DEVELOPMENT TO LIKE SMALLER SITE PLANS THAT HAVE LIKE LESS REGULATIONS.
UH, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY IDEA SORT OF ON LIKE WHAT THAT IS GONNA LOOK LIKE? WELL, ALL SITE PLANS HAVE THE SAME, UM, YOU'RE RIGHT, SMALL, SMALL SITE PLAN IS, IS A DEFINED TERM IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
AND THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT MAY NOT APPLY TO A QUOTE, SMALL SITE PLAN, BUT THAT'S VERY TINY.
THAT IS SOMETHING LIKE A A A, UM HMM.
LIKE A, UM, A SMALL SITE PLAN.
I MEAN, IT'S VERY, IT'S VERY SMALL, LIKE LESS THAN 10,000 SQUARE FEET.
UM, AND I'M LOOKING OVER TO SEE IF SOMEONE SHAKES THEIR HEAD.
UM, THESE SITE, THE, THE WAY THAT THESE SITE PLANS COULD POTENTIALLY BE IS POTENTIALLY A, A SITE PLAN SEGMENT.
SO MAYBE, UM, LIKE ALL OF THE, THE BRIDGE STRUCTURE, ALL OF ALL OF, FROM THE NORTH SHORE TO THE SOUTH SHORE, AND AS IT ELEVATES AND UNTIL IT, IT TOUCHES GR TOUCHES DOWN IS A SITE PLAN.
OR MAYBE NORTH LAMAR COULD BE A SITE PLAN.
AND THE WAY THAT THE, UM, THE WAY THAT THE ORDINANCE, THE FOUNDATIONAL ORDINANCE SORT OF CREATED, UM, TOOLS TO HELP, UM, SORT OF HAVE SITE PLAN OPTIONS.
UM, SO LET'S SAY NORTH LAMAR WAS A SITE PLAN, UH, AND THEN THAT'S PRETTY BIG, BUT WE HAVE THOSE LAYERS.
SO MAYBE, UM, MAYBE UTILITY RELOCATION COMES IN AS LAYER ONE AND, AND THAT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD AND IT'S, IT'S MOVING ALONG AND IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND MAYBE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, UM, A SITE PLAN FOR RAIL ABOVE THAT.
AND MAYBE THAT COMES ALONG AND IT'S, AND IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S CLEARED ALL OF ITS REJECTION COMMENTS AND IT'S MOVING ALONG.
AND THEN, UM, MAYBE THERE'S A SEGMENT HORIZONTALLY THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING, UM, THAT'S NOT APPROVED, UH, TO THE NORTH AND MAYBE IT'S, IT'S APPROVABLE TO THE, TO THE SOUTH.
THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SORT OF PHASE THAT AND APPROVE THAT THIS PORTION OVER HERE.
SO IT WOULD STILL BE THE IDEA BEING THAT IT'S ONE SITE PLAN CASE NUMBER PER SEGMENT, AND THAT SITE PLAN CASE NUMBER MAKES IT EASIER FOR COMMUNICATION.
IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
IF YOU WERE INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE INTERESTED IN THE RAIL IN THIS AREA, YOU WOULD SORT OF, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO LEARN 20 DIFFERENT SITE PLAN CASE NUMBERS.
YOU COULD LEARN ONE AND THEN SORT OF HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, IT, IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR STAFF, UM, CITIZENS THAT ARE INTERESTED FOR THE APPLICANT TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE BACK AND FORTH WITH STAFF.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA OF LIKE HOW MANY SEGMENTS WE'RE LOOKING AT? UM, WHAT DO SEGMENTS INCLUDE? TRAIN STATIONS, LIKE, UM, POSSIBLY SIX SEGMENTS.
AGAIN, I THINK LISA HAD MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THE, UM, THAT THE, THAT THE CONTRACTOR, UM, SORT OF AS THEY MOVE FORWARD, THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO, THAT'S KIND SORT OF THEIR NEXT JOB IS TO, IS TO APPROACH A TP AND, AND SAY, THIS IS HOW WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE TAKEN IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE AND THIS IS HOW WE PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PERMITTING AND WHAT WE, WHAT THE CITY AND AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP HAVE DONE IN ANTICIPATION OF THE CONTRACTOR IS SORT OF CREATE THESE TOOLS RIGHT HERE ARE THESE TOOLS.
WE UNDERSTAND THE EFFICIENCY ISSUES THAT YOU CAN POTENTIALLY BE FACING, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE HERE FOR THAT, THAT YOU HAVE THESE TOOLS AVAILABLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND SEE WHAT THEY,
[01:40:01]
WHAT THEY WANNA DO.SO WE, WE DIDN'T WANNA BE TOO PRESCRIPTIVE JUST BECAUSE THAT MIGHT NOT WORK FOR HOW THEY DESIGN.
YEAH, IT'S STILL RELATIVELY EARLY FOR SURE.
I MEAN, HEY, SOME NUMBERS ARE BETTER THAN A QUESTION MARK, YOU KNOW.
UM, YEAH, I FEEL LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL MENTIONED THAT Y'ALL RECENTLY AWARDED THE CONTRACT TO, UH, AUSTIN RAIL CONSTRUCTORS.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL EXTREMELY RECENTLY, I THINK WHAT Y'ALL, WHAT Y'ALL SAID TODAY, UH, AWARDED THE CONTRACT TO KIWIT KEY SOMETHING KEEP PR PRESS KIWIT AUSTIN PARTNERSHIP.
I HAVEN'T HEARD OF KEEP IT AUSTIN PARTNERSHIP, BUT I MEAN, HEY, WHATEVER, SHOUT OUT THE MONEY.
THEY'RE A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN KIWIT AND AUSTIN.
YEAH, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL MENTIONED SORT OF, YOU KNOW, UH, TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UPCOMING STUFF.
I FEEL LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD, THESE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS I THINK WOULD BE DEFINITELY WORTH IT TO, UH, TO HAVE A REPRESENT A REPRESENTATIVE, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM THESE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, UH, CONTRACTORS THAT HAVE BEEN AWARDED THESE BIDS SINCE LIKE YEAH.
YOU KNOW, THESE DIFFERENT CITY ENTITIES ARE THE ONES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CHARGING WITH WRITING THE RULES, BUT THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF IT WILL GO TO THESE CONTRACTORS.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, AS FAR AS AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, RAIL CONSTRUCTORS, I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY WOULD'VE BEEN GOOD TO HAVE THEM HERE AS WELL JUST TO HEAR US, YOU KNOW, YELLING AT THEM ABOUT TREES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE MAYBE WE CAN HAVE, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THEM HERE AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, KIWIT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING RELATED TO, TO MAINTENANCE OR THE MAINTENANCE YARDS.
I HAD SOME, UH, SOME MORE QUESTIONS TO, UH, YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER BRIMER ASKED A, A GOOD POINT WHEN HE WAS JUST LIKE, HOW MANY TREES? I GET IT, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TREES, BUT LIKE, JUST LIKE, DO YOU HAVE ANY LIKE GIS MAPS OR JUST SORT OF LIKE ROUGH SORT OF VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF LIKE, WHAT WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT, AND NOT ONLY FOR TREES, BUT LIKE DRAINAGE TOO, RIGHT? 'CAUSE WE HEAR ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONSTRUCTING THIS AND WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW, YOU KNOW, PAYMENTS FOR THIS PART.
SO IT'S LIKE, THIS IS CAPITALISM, RIGHT? IF EVERYBODY WON, THAT WOULD BE COMMUNISM AND THIS'S TEXAS, WE HATE COMMUNISTS, RIGHT? SO LIKE, WHERE'S THE DRAINAGE GONNA BE WORSE? LIKE, I FEEL LIKE IT'S A PERTINENT QUESTION TO ASK, RIGHT? OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE'S GONNA BE LIKE, WELL IT'S GONNA BE WORSE ON RIVERSIDE, BUT LIKE, CAN WE DROWN THE UT KIDS? LIKE WHAT'S, WHAT'S, WHAT'S, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT HERE? UM, MAYBE I'LL TAKE BOTH OF THOSE AT ONCE BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DETAILS THAT WE STILL NEED TO WORK ON FOR SURE.
AND SO WHAT I'M TAKING FROM THAT IS A COMPREHENSIVE SORT OF PRESENTATION OF A DESIGN UPDATE TO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AS WE GET THERE WITH THESE TEAMS ON BOARD.
I THINK WE'VE COMMITTED OVER THE PAST, I'VE BEEN HERE FOUR YEARS, UH, PRESENTED TO Y'ALL FOUR TIMES.
I THINK WE'VE DONE IT FIVE TIMES, UM, TO COME BACK EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND MAKE SURE WE ARE COMING BEFORE THIS BODY.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO THAT A LITTLE MORE FREQUENTLY THIS TIME, UH, AND BRING THOSE, THOSE PARTNERS WITH US AS WELL AS HAVE SORT OF THAT OVERARCHING PRESENTATION TO ANSWER SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS.
SO MAYBE WE CAN TABLE THAT FOR THAT TIME.
BUT I HEAR YOU AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION.
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY EARLY ON IS LIKE, WE'RE STUDYING, WE'RE STUDYING, WE'RE STUDYING NOW.
IT'S LIKE WE'RE BREAKING GROUND NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE REALITY THAT WE'LL DEAL WITH FROM A CONSTRUCTION STANDPOINT, ALL THAT STUFF.
AND I'D LIKE, LIKE TO POINT, LIKE THE, THE WHOLE PAYMENT THING, UM, SOMETIMES PEOPLE KIND OF FEEL LIKE THAT'S A GET OUTTA JAIL FREE CARD.
IT'S, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT AND IT GOES TO WATERSHED PROTECTION AND WE USE THAT MONEY TO UM, YOU KNOW, DO OUR OWN PROJECTS FOR SPECIFICALLY FOR WATER QUALITY TREATMENT.
SO IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT NO WATER QUALITY TREATMENT WILL HAPPEN, IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO BE RIGHT THERE.
WE WILL TAKE THAT MONEY AND DO REALLY GOOD THINGS WITH IT ELSEWHERE IN THE URBAN WATERSHED.
SO, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE LESS POLLUTION GOING INTO LADY BIRD LAKE BECAUSE OF THIS PROJECT.
'CAUSE THEY ARE GOING IN EXISTING RIGHT AWAY THAT ALREADY HAS IMP PREVIOUS COVER, ALMOST NONE OF IT HAS WATER QUALITY TREATMENT NOW.
AND, AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY IT WILL BE BETTER IN TERMS OF WATER QUALITY.
YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, I ADMIRE, UH, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION AND YOU KNOW, DON'T DOUBT FOR A SECOND THAT Y'ALL WANNA DO THE RIGHT THING.
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET IN FRONT OF THE COMMUNITY AND LET THEM KNOW, HEY, THIS IS WHERE WE THINK PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE MOST ADVERSELY IMPACTED.
VERSUS THEM FINDING OUT WHEN WE'RE ALL REBUILDING
[01:45:01]
THIS STUFF AND THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, HOW COME NO ONE TOLD US? AND WE'RE LIKE, WHOOPS, YOU KNOW, NEVER LOOKS GOOD.UH, SO I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF, UH, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE START, UH, PUTTING SHOVELS IN IN DIRT OR WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, THE RELEVANCE SAYING IS, UM, LEMME THINK I HAD, UH, I HAD SOME MORE QUESTIONS TOO.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THESE, THESE DRAWINGS THAT, THAT Y'ALL HAD, YOU KNOW, I DEFINITELY LOVE THE, UH, THE GREEN UNDER THE RAIL.
I WAS LIKE, IS THIS AI SLOP OR IS THIS JUST REGULAR OLD SCHOOL SLOP? BUT YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING EXPERIMENTING Y'ALL ARE WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, KUDOS.
I WOULD LOVE TO, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME KIND OF NATURAL COOL LOOKING THING THAT PEOPLE CAN POST ON TIKTOK OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW, SO THIS IS OF RIVERSIDE, RIGHT? AND SO, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE WHO GOES DOWN TO EAST RIVERSIDE KNOWS THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A BUNCH OF GREENERY IN THE MIDDLE.
WHAT ABOUT CONGRESS, RIGHT? IT'S DO WE PLAN A SIMILAR TRAIL LIKE THIS THROUGH, THROUGH CONGRESS? LIKE WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THAT? OR, OR LAMAR GUADALUPE OR, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE DRAG, RIGHT? LIKE THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO.
SO, UM, RIGHT NOW OUR INITIAL STUDIES ABOUT ECO TRACK, THIS IS OUR NAME FOR THE, UM, PLANTED FUNCTIONAL GUIDEWAY.
UM, REALLY SHOW IT ALONG THE GREENWAY OF EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
PARTIALLY BECAUSE OF THAT SEPARATION AND BECAUSE OF THE CONTINUITY WITH THE SHADED PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE PATH, WE ALSO THINK IT HAS A POTENTIAL FUNCTION FOR AREAS IN DOWNTOWN TO SORT OF PREEMPTIVELY, UM, GIVE FOLKS THAT INTUITIVE WAY FINDING NOT TO DRIVE ONTO THE GUIDEWAY IN LOCATIONS WHERE IT MIGHT BE CONFUSING.
SO I WILL SAY THE DETAILS OF THE TECHNOLOGY, HOW IT PROVIDES WATER QUALITY, ALTHOUGH WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITH AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION AND ITS DEPLOYMENT ACROSS THE SYSTEM IS STILL SOMETHING WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON.
AND AUSTIN RAIL CONSTRUCTORS AND KIEWIT ARE LOOKING AT BOTH OF THIS, UH, ARE LOOKING AT THIS TECHNOLOGY, UM, ALSO LEARNING FROM A LOT OF OTHER LOCATIONS WHERE THIS HAPPENS.
IT'S ALL THROUGHOUT EUROPE, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW WE ARE, UH, SORT OF LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY IT BEING ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE, UM, ALSO IN THE AREA OF OUR STATION THAT IS CALLED THE CONGRESS STATION, WHICH IS ON THIRD STREET BETWEEN COLORADO AND CONGRESS AVENUE, UM, WHERE WE DON'T HAVE CARS GOING IN THAT BLOCK.
SO A PERCEPTION SORT OF SHIFT IF, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE DRIVING VEHICLES THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE DRIVING THERE.
SIMILARLY AT, UH, OUR 29TH STREET STATION, WHICH IS ANOTHER SORT OF PLAZA CONDITION WHERE THERE ISN'T CARS IN THAT BLOCK.
SO WE'RE CONSIDERING IT AT THOSE, UH, PARTICULAR LOCATIONS AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, AND I REMEMBER THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT MAKING, UM, A LOT MORE OF THAT DRAG AREA, YOU KNOW, CAR FREE, BUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BURGER MAFIA OR WHOEVER'S IN CHARGE OF THAT, AND YOU ENDED UP WINNING.
SO, UH, I GUESS WE'LL HAVE CARSON ROAD FOR SOME OF THAT.
SO WHAT ABOUT LIKE THIS TRAIL THAT'S RUNNING THROUGH THE MIDDLE, RIGHT? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE DONE ON THE CONGRESS GUADALUPE PART? OR IS THAT LIKE, JUST SOMETHING THAT'S MORE RIVERSIDE? IT'S REALLY ISOLATED TO THE THREE MILES, UH, ON EAST RIVERSIDE BETWEEN THE LAKESHORE STATION AND THE YELLOW JACKET STATION.
SO THAT CONNECTS FIVE STATIONS ALONG THAT ALIGNMENT, AND AT LAKESHORE PROVIDES A CONNECTION THAT'S NOT TOO FAR AWAY FROM THE BOARDWALK.
SO ESSENTIALLY YOU COULD HIKE, BIKE, UM, YOUR WAY ALONG THAT NEW, UH, GREENWAY, UM, ALONG IT'S, IT'S REALLY THERE BECAUSE WE HAVE THE WIDEST RIGHT OF WAY IN THAT LOCATION FOR SURE.
UM, AMONGST THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
AND THE OPPORTUNITY SEEMED RIPE, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONDITIONS AND SIGNAL PHASING FOR CROSSING PEDESTRIAN, CROSSING THAT VERY WIDE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO BREAKING IT UP INTO SORT OF SEPARATE PHASES AND REDUCING THE SCALE OF THOSE CROSSINGS, UM, WAS PROVIDING MORE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IN ACCESSING THE STATIONS.
YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE, THE PICTURE IT LOOKS, IT LOOKS REALLY DOPE, YOU KNOW, BUT THE REALIST IN ME AS SOMEBODY THAT, YOU KNOW, RIDES MY BIKE AROUND THE CITY AND UH, AND WALKS MORE THAN, UH, A SANE PERSON SHOULD SOMETIMES, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS LIKE MATURE TREES IN LIKE THE SPRING, RIGHT? PEOPLE ARE SMILING, PEOPLE ARE HAVING GOOD TIME.
I WANNA SEE WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, LIKE YEAR DAY ONE IN SUMMER, RIGHT? DAY ONE DURING A BLIZZARD.
HOW IS THIS GONNA LOOK? RIGHT? IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF SWEATY, FROWNING PEOPLE, RIGHT? SO IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS LOOKS GREAT 'CAUSE THERE'S SHADE NOW, BUT HOW, HOW LONG DO THESE TREES HAVE TO GROW TO GET THAT TYPE OF SHADE WAY IF A TREE DIES AND YOU GOTTA REPLACE IT AND YOU START OVER FROM ZERO, RIGHT? MM-HMM
SO IT'S LIKE, I FEEL LIKE FOR IT TO, FOR THIS TRAIL, RIGHT? IT LOOKS GREAT ON PAPER, DON'T GET ME WRONG.
SPRINGTIME GONNA BE GREAT, FALL GONNA BE GREAT,
[01:50:01]
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 2, 3, 4 OR FIVE, SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR, RIGHT? LIKE, WE PROBABLY NEED SOME KIND OF LIKE SHADE STRUCTURE TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO USE THIS WHEN THE TREES AREN'T MATURE.BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU, AS SOMEONE THAT WALKS A LOT DURING SUMMER, LIKE DOWNTOWN OR TRAILS OR WHATEVER, YOU'RE BASICALLY JUST DARTING FROM SHADE TO SHADE, PRAYING THAT YOU GET THERE QUICKLY.
RIGHT? SO THIS LOOKS GOOD IN THEORY, BUT WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT IS YOU BE, YOU BASICALLY CREATE LIKE MINI PHOENIX ON THIS TRAIL RUNNING THROUGH THE CENTER OF RIVERSIDE WHERE IT'S CURRENTLY, IT'S LIKE JUST GRASS, RIGHT? WHICH, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GONNA BE GRASS HERE TOO, BUT IT'S JUST LIKE THE SHADE SUGGESTS IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE THIS FROM DAY ONE.
I MEAN, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE, RIGHT? YOU GO TO ANY PLACE WHERE WE'RE PLANTING, YOU KNOW, DOING NEW TRAILS WITH, YOU KNOW, AND YOU JUST SEE SORT OF LINES WITH SMALL TREES AND YOU'RE LIKE, ONE DAY THEY'LL GROW UP, RIGHT? BUT IT'S JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, REALISTICALLY WE WANT PEOPLE TO USE THIS.
LIKE WE NEED TO BE THINKING LIKE WORST CASE SCENARIO AND NOT BEST.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, FIGURING OUT HOW TO PLAN FOR THAT, AND I'M SURE THAT Y'ALL ARE, BUT I'M JUST LIKE REITERATING AS SOMEBODY THAT, YOU KNOW, BIKES ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE AND THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL A LOT.
THERE ARE PARTS OF THE CHURCH LIKE, UH, WHAT IS IT? UM, LIKE THE HOLLY FESTIVAL BEACH, SORT OF LIKE AL STUFF, RIGHT? THERE'S LIKE A LOT OF NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT THEY'VE DONE THERE.
AND IT LOOKS GREAT, FEELS GREAT WHEN THE WEATHER'S GREAT, WHEN IT'S SUMMER, YOU'RE JUST LIKE, OH MY GOD, I CANNOT WAIT TILL THESE TREES GROW.
RIGHT? SO I THINK BEING MINDFUL OF THAT, BECAUSE AGAIN, RIGHT, IF WE WANT THIS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, ESPECIALLY FROM A PUBLIC PERCEPTION, WE NEED TO PLAN FOR IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL FROM DAY ONE.
NOT LIKE WHEN THE TREES FINALLY GROW UP, YOU KNOW? UH, I THINK THOSE WERE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR, BRISTOL.
UM, FIRST OFF, LET ME JUST SAY, I MEAN, I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M SUPER EXCITED, UH, ABOUT LIGHT RAIL AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW Y'ALL WORKED A LONG TIME FOR THIS PROJECT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THE END RESULT WILL BE GOOD.
UM, BUT, UM, CHANNELING, UH, PAM, WHO IS A FORMAL COM, UH, COMMISSIONER HERE WHO LOVED OUR TREES PROBABLY MORE THAN ALL OF US COMBINED IN THIS ROOM, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I AGREE, UH, WITH WHAT COMMISSIONER, UH, BRIER, UH, ITERATED, YOU KNOW, THAT MY CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, WAIVING, UM, OUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS AND, AND JUST ONLY HAVING AN ADMINISTRATIVE, UM, REVIEW OF THE HERITAGE TREES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW AND TRUST, UH, NAOMI, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE JUST CONTINUE TO KIND OF SET SOME PRECEDENCE AROUND THAT.
AND IT'S JUST, IT'S A LITTLE, UM, I'M ALWAYS CAUTIOUS ON THAT, SO I JUST WANNA EXPRESS THAT VIEW.
UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS THE VIEW, VIEW THAT I, YOU KNOW, I WISH THAT WE TREATED OUR TREES LIKE WE TREATED THE BUSINESS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK A BIG HERITAGE TREE IS PROBABLY MORE HEALTHY BORIS THAN, THAN DIRT'S.
AND I CAN SAY THAT AFTER EATING THERE FOR, YOU KNOW,
AND, UM, IT, YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF WEARS ON YOU.
UM, IT, IT WEARS ON YOU A LOT.
SO, UH, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, PUT THAT OUT THERE.
I ALSO WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR, UM, YOUR COMMENTS EARLIER AND ALSO IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE RECOMMENDING, UM, NATIVE AND ADAPTIVE TREES, I WANNA REMOVE ADAPTIVE TREES FROM EVERYONE'S MIND.
I DON'T WANNA SEE A SINGLE ADAPTIVE TREE, UM, BECAUSE THAT CAN MEAN A LOT OF TREES THAT ARE ACTUALLY NOT GREAT FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT.
UM, AND THAT ARE ALSO, YOU KNOW, FALL INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, A, A CATEGORY OF, YES, THEY'RE FAST GROWERS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO FAST DYERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WE SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL IF YOU DRIVE DOWN BREAKER LANE, UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, TREES THAT WERE PLANTED THERE.
THEY GREW REALLY FAST, AND NOW THEY'RE ALL DEAD
SO, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S REALLY, LET'S LOOK AT OUR, OUR, UM, TEXAS NATIVE TREES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UH, A, A GOOD ABUNDANCE OF THEM.
AND THAT THEN FOLLOWS TO MY COMMENT, UM, LISTENING TO, UH, COMMISSIONER KREI, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHO MADE THE COMMENT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE, IT CAN BE HOT, YOU KNOW, UM, DURING, UH, DECEMBER AND, AND WHEN THE LEAVES ARE OFF THE TREES.
THE LIVE OAKS ARE BEAUTIFUL FOR A GREAT REASON.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T LOSE THEIR, THEIR LEAVES UNTIL MARCH.
UM, AND SO RIGHT WHEN THE WEATHER IS GREAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEN THEY LOSE THEIR, THEIR LEAVES.
IT'S A QUICK PROCESS, AND THEN THEY'RE BACK TO SHADING US AND GIVING US TREES,
[01:55:01]
UH, GIVING US SHADE.SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'M ALL, I'M ALL FOR, UH, THE LIVE OAKS AND OF COURSE I, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY TEXAS NATIVE TREE I'M FOR.
ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL MY, UM, THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS ON THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS ON THIS, AND, UM, I'M SURE THAT CHAIR KRUGER HAS SOME TOO.
THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS.
WHEN STAFF FIRST INTRODUCE THIS TO THE OFFICERS IN OUR OFFICER MEETING, THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO MIND FOR ME IS A CURIOSITY AROUND HOW ARE WE DEFINING PROJECT CONNECT? BECAUSE AS IT'S BEING DESCRIBED, I THINK I CAN GET BEHIND A LOT OF THESE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED.
I DON'T WANT TO IMPEDE PROGRESS, I BELIEVE IN THIS PROJECT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
BUT I AM CONCERNED AS CHAIR BRISTOL JUST TOUCHED ON CREATING PRECEDENT THAT WE THEN FIND YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, OH, WELL WE JUST THOUGHT IT WAS FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS OR FOR THIS PORTION, BUT NOW, YOU KNOW, HERE WE ARE 25 YEARS LATER AND THIS CODE IS NOW BEING USED TO, UM, BYPASS PUBLIC PROCESS.
SO HOW, HOW IS THIS PROJECT DEFINED WITHIN THIS CHANGE? WHAT'S THE TIMELINE? UM, IS IT JUST PHASE ONE OF THE PROJECT? DOES IT INCLUDE GOLD LINE AS WELL FOR THE BUS LINE? LIKE WHAT EXACTLY IS THIS ENCOMPASSING AND HOW ARE WE DEFINING THE END OF THE PROJECT? SURE.
UM, THE FOUNDATIONAL ORDINANCE OF 2022, UM, DEFINES TRANSIT SYSTEM, PROJECT AND INCLUDES, UM, AND TRANSIT SYSTEM PROJECT IS A MORE ENCOMPASSING ALL OF PROJECT CONNECT, ALL OF THE COLORS ON, ON, ON THE MAP.
AND THAT'S EXHIBIT A OF THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE, WHICH, AND THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE IS ONE OF YOUR BACKUP MATERIALS.
UM, AND THEN THERE ARE CERTAIN ELEMENTS THAT ARE LIMITED TO LIGHT RAIL.
UM, SO EVEN IN THE FOUNDATIONAL ORDINANCE, THERE WAS, UM, AN ELEMENT THAT WAS LIMITED TO LIGHT RAIL.
UM, AND IN THIS AMENDMENT ORDINANCE THAT'S BEFORE YOU, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT ELEMENTS THAT ARE LIMITED TO, UM, TO JUST LIGHT RAIL.
UM, AN EASY ONE TO DESCRIBE IT.
LIKE, BECAUSE THE LIGHT RAIL IS SUBJECT TO THE UTILITY RULES OF PRACTICE, THAT THAT UTILITY CLEAR ZONE, UM, THAT IS SORT OF A, A TRIGGER IN AN UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WOULD, THAT IT'S, UM, THAT THESE CON THAT CERTAIN CONSTRAINTS ARE, ARE BECAUSE OF THAT UTILITY CLEAR ZONE OR, UM, THAT UTILITY FREE ZONE THAT A BUS LINE WOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO I'M HEARING IT'S DEFINITELY RELEVANT TO THE LIGHT RAIL PROJECT.
AND MAYBE THE HOPE IS ONCE WE GET PHASE ONE DONE, THAT THIS IS GOING TO TRANSFORM OUR CULTURE AND, AND WE EXPAND BEYOND PHASE ONE.
SO WOULD THIS AND PERTAIN TO THAT AS WELL, AND, AND EXHIBIT, UM, A ONE THAT IS NOT IN YOUR BACKUP FOR DRAFT ORDINANCE? I DO HAVE A SINGLE COPY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN OVERHEAD PROJECTOR, BUT IT JUST SHOWS THE, THE PHASE ONE AND, UM, THE PRIORITY EXTENSION.
SO FROM PHASE ONE TO THE AIRPORT, FROM PHASE ONE TO CRESTVIEW, THE SAME MAP THAT DARREN SHOWED ON HIS SLIDE.
SO I THINK I HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT PHASE ONE LOOKS LIKE.
BUT MY QUESTION IS RELATED TO THIS CODE CHANGE, IS IT JUST PERTAINING, IT'S JUST TO THAT JUST PHASE ONE, RIGHT? SO, OKAY.
BECAUSE THE, BECAUSE IF THAT WERE TO, IF, BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF INCLUDING THIS MAP, THIS A ONE THAT, THAT HAS, THAT PHASE ONE, THAT BASICALLY THAT PHASE ONE MAP, UM, WERE THAT TO BE EXTENDED, WE WOULD NEED TO REVISIT THE ORDINANCE TO AMEND, AT LEAST ADD AN EXHIBIT FOR THE MAP.
UM, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO REVISIT THE ORDINANCE.
UM, SO WHAT ABOUT IF THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED TO PHASE ONE IN THE FUTURE? OR MAYBE, LET ME BACK UP.
SO THE, THE DEFINED ENDING OF THIS PROJECT IS THE COMPLETION OF PHASE ONE.
LIKE WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? LIKE THE TRAINS ARE RUNNING, THE BUILDINGS ARE BUILT.
IS THERE GONNA BE A DAY WHERE IT'S DECLARED PHASE ONE IS FINISHED AND THEREFORE THIS ORDINANCE IS NOW MOOT? HOW ARE WE GONNA DEFINE THAT? YEAH.
AND I MEAN, AND, AND I THINK, I THINK TOO, THERE, THERE WOULD BE A POINT AT WHICH IT'S
[02:00:01]
JUST ALL PERMITTED, RIGHT? WELL, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DEADLINE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE RUNNING IN 2033.BUT THERE'S, I MEAN, THERE WOULD BE A POINT, THERE WOULD BE A POINT TOO, UM, PRIOR TO TRAINS RUNNING WHERE EVERYTHING'S PERMITTED.
AND, AND THE ELEMENTS IN THIS ORDINANCE IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PERMITTING.
SO, SO ONCE YOU GET PAST PERMITTING AND IT'S JUST UNDER CON, YOU KNOW, ONCE EVERYTHING'S PERMITTED, IT'S JUST UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THEN THE ORDINANCE IS JUST OKAY, KIND OF SITTING THERE.
I MEAN, IT, IT'S NICE BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
THAT, THAT'S KIND OF GETTING TO MY QUESTION.
'CAUSE I'M JUST THINKING IF YOU DECIDE IN THIS INITIAL PHASE THAT YOU KNOW WHAT ADMINISTRATIVELY YEAH, THIS HERITAGE TREE, IT'S NOT IN OUR WAY.
BUT IF THERE ARE THEN SOME UPGRADES TO THE PROJECT DOWN THE LINE THAT ARE PART OF PHYSICALLY ON A MAP, WHAT WAS PHASE ONE? DO THESE, WILL THIS SAME ORDINANCE APPLY OR WILL WE BE BEYOND WHAT IS CONSIDERED THE SCOPE OF THIS? THESE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS.
I THINK WE NEED TO LIKE FIGURE THEM OUT.
THE CONTEMPLATION OF THIS IS REALLY FOR THE PERMITTING OF THE PHASE ONE PROJECT, WHICH THEN WOULD FOLLOW, EVERYTHING IS PERMITTED.
WE'RE IN CONSTRUCTION, CONSTRUCTION FINISHES, WE CLOSE OUT ALL PERMITS, WE DO A TESTING AND COMMISSIONING.
SO THERE WILL BE POINTS IN TIME THAT THAT OCCURS.
UM, THE QUESTION THAT YOU'RE ASKING, WHICH I THINK IS MORE LIKE ONCE THAT'S DONE AND WE'RE IN SERVICE, IF A TREE DIES OR A TREE HAS A ISSUE AND WE NEED TO DEAL WITH IT, I THINK WE DO IT, WE DO THAT NOT PROBABLY THROUGH A FULL SITE PLAN PROCESS, BUT THROUGH THE, THE AREAS THAT EXIST RIGHT NOW FOR DEALING WITH SINGLE TREES.
OR A SIMILAR SITUATION IN AN OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE SCENARIO, NOT IN A CONSTRUCTION WORLD.
PERMITTING CONDITION,
SO IF A TREE DIES IN THE FUTURE, UM, SAY WE HAD A LOT OF, IF WE HAVE A BIG STORM THAT HAPPENED, SO THEY WOULD JUST SUBMIT IF THE TREE DIES OR IS, YOU KNOW, INACTIVE FAILURE, THEY WOULD JUST SUBMIT A STANDALONE TREE PERMIT AND WE'D REVIEW IT THAT WAY UNDER DEAD SEA IMMINENT HAZARD.
YEAH, I WAS THINKING LESS ABOUT TREES DYING, BUT MORE IF SOME KIND OF, UH, MAINTENANCE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO THE RAIL TRACKS ITSELF, OR SOME OF THESE WATER LINES NEED TO BE PULLED UP FOR SOME REASON.
AND INITIALLY THAT TREE WAS NOT, UM, IN THE WAY OF THE WORK, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE NEW JOB NECESSITATES A LARGER AREA THAT THEN PUTS THAT TREE AT RISK.
WILL IT GO THROUGH THE STANDARD PROCESS THAT WE HAVE NOW? OR WILL WILL IT BE GRANDFATHERED IN UNDER THIS NEW ORDINANCE? JUST, JUST LIKE, UM, OTHER LARGE UTILITY PROJECTS IN THE CITY? IT WOULD REALLY DEPEND ON WHEN IT HAPPENED IN THE PROJECT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF, IF IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCT, IF IT'S STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT SOME, AT SOME POINT ALONG THE LINE, UH, WHEN IT HAPPENED, IF THE SITE PLAN IS STILL ACTIVE BECAUSE NOT ALL OF THE INSPECTIONS HAVE FINISHED, UM, THEN, THEN IT MIGHT BE HANDLED THROUGH A SITE PLAN REVISION OR A SITE PLAN CORRECTION, BECAUSE THAT'S STILL SUCH AN ACTIVE CASE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, JUST SIMILAR TO, YOU KNOW, ONCE, ONCE A, A BIG UTILITY PROJECT IS FINISHED, UM, EVEN THOUGH THAT BIG UTILITY PROJECT MAY HAVE HAD, UM, YOU KNOW, EXTENSIVE, UM, REVIEW ELEMENTS OR, OR EXTENSIVE TEAMS OF, OF COORDINATION IN DEVELOPMENT, IN DESIGN, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME YEARS PAST, ONCE IT'S, YOU KNOW, DONE AND IN THE GROUND AND THEN THERE'S AN ISSUE, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO LIKE PULL OUT THOSE PLANS AGAIN.
THEY JUST ADDRESS THE UTILITY ISSUE.
UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S, BECAUSE IT'S THERE AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND THEY WOULDN'T NECESSARILY, UM, HAVE TO SUBMIT A, A, A PLAN SET.
SO IT WOULD, IT JUST REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT EXACTLY IS HAPPENING.
UM, UH, IF A, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THEY HAD A, A, A STATION AND THEN IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE WAS SOME REASON TO LIKE REDESIGN AND THE STATION, THE, THE SITE PLAN HAS A LIFE OF, OF 10 YEARS AND THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DO A REVISION TO THAT, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER, UM, ANY OTHER SITE PLAN, YOU KNOW, THAT HAS A, A BUILDING, THE BUILDING IS BUILT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME REASON THERE'S A, THERE'S A, A GREAT NEED FOR, FOR REDESIGN, HEY, THEY CAN, THEY CAN DO A REVISION TO THAT.
SO IT WOULD REALLY JUST BE A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
[02:05:01]
THIS FOR ME JUST UNDERCUTS THE IMPORTANCE OF REALLY DEFINING THE PROJECT ITSELF IN THIS ORDINANCE, IN THIS AMENDMENT.UM, AND THEN ALSO WHEN IT IS ENDING, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT IS HINGING ON, WELL, IT DEPENDS ON WHERE IT IS IN THE PROJECT.
SO THAT'S WHY FOR ME, I WANNA KNOW CLEARLY WHAT IS CONSIDERED THE END OF THE PROJECT BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, UM, I CAN GET BEHIND A LOT OF THIS AND I, I DON'T WANT TO CAUSE GREATER INEFFICIENCY.
I DON'T WANNA BE AN IMPEDIMENT TO THIS, BUT WE ARE BEING ASKED TO, UM, ESSENTIALLY GIVE UP SOME OF OUR POWER AND AUTHORITY HERE.
UM, AND THAT IS AN ACT OF TRUST, UM, SAME WITH THE CITY.
SO BEFORE WE DO THAT, I JUST WANNA BE MINDFUL ABOUT WHAT THE PARAMETERS OF THAT ARE SO THAT WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF YEP.
WE ARE TRUSTING YOU WITH THIS.
WE WILL ABDICATE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY HERE OF PUBLIC INPUT HERE, BUT I, I NEED TO UNDERSTAND CLEARLY, UM, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE ELEMENTS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE WATER QUALITY, THERE WOULDN'T BE A POINT AT WHICH THEY WOULD THEN MAKE THEM RETROFIT BACK TO CODE PRIOR TO THIS ORDINANCE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UM, THE INITIAL, AND YOU KNOW, THE INITIAL RAIL AS, UM, THE PHASE ONE WILL ALWAYS BE SUBJECT TO THE RULES THAT IT'S JUST LIKE ANY DEVELOPMENT.
DEVELOPMENT IS SUBJECT TO THE RULES THAT IT WAS PERMITTED UNDER.
AND SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW IT WOULD, UH, HOW IT WOULD FUNCTION.
UM, I KNOW COMMISSIONER KRESS, YOU BROUGHT THIS UP.
I THINK COMMISSIONER BRIER PROBABLY DID TOO, BUT I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT.
ANOTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME, JUST WHEN, AGAIN, ABDICATING THIS LEVEL OF POWER AND AUTHORITY TO YOU ALL, IS HAVING A SENSE OF THE SCOPE.
AND SO I THINK THE QUESTION ABOUT APPROXIMATING HOW MANY HERITAGE TREES WILL BE IMPACTED IS A FAIR ONE.
IS IT 10? IS IT 300? IS IT A THOUSAND? BECAUSE 10 TREES, LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT, I DO CARE ABOUT EVERY TREE.
IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT I WILL TRUST YOU ALL WITH THAT.
IF IT'S 300 TREES OR 500 TREES.
THAT TO ME IS A DIFFERENT QUESTION.
SO DO WE HAVE A SENSE IN PHASE ONE ABOUT HOW MANY HERITAGE TREES WERE, WE'RE ENTRUSTING YOU WITH? UM, I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
IT WILL BE UPDATED CONDITION, WILL BE, UM, EVALUATED AT EACH SITE PLAN.
SO WE KNOW EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, IF THAT TREE WENT FROM FAIR TO POOR DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES, WHEN THAT, UH, SITE PLAN COMES IN, WE'LL EVALUATE IT AS SUCH.
THERE'S NOT MANY, THERE'S NOT MANY.
THE REASON I COME TO COMMISSION, MAYBE ONCE A YEAR, IF THERE'S AN ORDINANCE THAT IS A RESULT FROM A COUNCIL ORDINANCE TO SAY LIKE, YOU NEED A FAST TRACK AND BUILD A FLOOD WALL FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OR SOMETHING, IT ONLY HAPPENS ONCE A YEAR.
THERE'S NOT MANY TREES THAT ARE SINGLE STEM, ESPECIALLY IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
UM, THE RIGHT OF WAY HAS MANY, MANY SITE CONSTRAINTS.
THE BIGGEST ONE IS THE SOIL VOLUME AND THE GROWING SPACE.
YOU KNOW, IF THE AIRPORT, THERE'S A SEPARATE ORDINANCE FOR THE AIRPORT, THERE'S A SEPARATE ORDINANCE FOR THE SCHOOLS, SEPARATE ORDINANCE FOR, YOU KNOW, BUILDING A, A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.
UM, SO THERE ISN'T MANY TREES, THERE'S NOT MANY HERITAGE TREES, THERE'S A LOT OF TREES IN POOR CONDITION.
THERE'S A LOT OF SMALLER TREES THAT SHOULD HAVE THAT WERE NOT MAINTAINED.
BUT WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THAT ON A CASE BY CASE AND A SITE PLAN.
BY SITE PLAN, WE'RE GONNA DO FIELD VISITS.
THEY'RE GONNA UPDATE THEIR INVENTORY AND THEIR CONDITION.
WE'RE GONNA CONFIRM, AND I DO WANNA REITERATE THE CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR REMOVAL OF A HERITAGE TREE IS EITHER AS DEAD DISEASE, IMMINENT HAZARD.
THAT'S WHERE THERE'S NO MITIGATION REQUIRED BECAUSE THE CODE RIDERS IN THE 1983 REALIZE THAT IF THIS HOMEOWNER HAS A DEAD TREE, WELL WE DON'T WANNA PENALIZE THEM FOR THAT DEAD TREE NEXT TO THEIR HOUSE AND HAVING A REVIEW FEE OR A MITIGATION FEE, OR IF IT'S GOT OAK WILT AND IT'S SPREADING ACROSS A COMMUNITY AND IT'S TRANSMITTABLE.
UM, BUT SO THAT'S THE DEAD DISEASE AND THE HAZARD PART OF IT, THE NEXT SECTION OF THE CODE IS PREVENTS REASONABLE USE AND ACCESS.
SO WHAT THAT ENTAILS IS THAT THE DESIGNERS OR THIS, THIS PROJECT WILL NEED TO GO TO US AND SAY IT PREVENTS REASONABLE ACCESS, PREVENTS REASONABLE USE.
THIS IS THE RIGHT OF WAY AGAIN.
AND THERE'S GONNA BE UTILITY RELOCATIONS.
[02:10:01]
GO TO AUSTIN WATER, SAY FOR EXAMPLE, OR FIRE OR FROM A TRANSPORTATION OR TRANSPORTATION, BUT FROM ANOTHER SECTION OF CODE AND SHOW US THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DENIED A WAIVER MODIFICATION AND VARIANCE.SO A LOT OF TIMES IN SITE PLANS, UH, WE'LL WORK WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO, TO SQUEEZE IN THAT FIRE LANE.
WE'LL WORK WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, PUT THAT CURB SOMEWHERE ELSE AROUND THAT HERITAGE TREE WHEN THEY'VE BEEN DENIED THAT WAIVER MODIFICATION EXEMPTION FROM ANOTHER SECTION OF CODE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THAT.
THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF THIS IS LIKE THEY HAVE COME TO US TWO YEARS PRIOR TO THIS TO SAY, WE WANNA WORK AROUND ALL THESE TREES.
WE WANT TO SAY WE WANT TO HAVE THIS CANOPY HERE.
SO IT'S A VERY TREE CENTRIC APPROACH RATHER THAN WHEN WE SEE A SITE PLAN WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, A DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT WORK AROUND TREES FROM THE BEGINNING AND THEN AT THE END HAS TO, YOU KNOW, SEEK ALL THESE WAIVERS, MODIFICATIONS AND WE SAY NO, UM, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE, OR THE ORDINANCE.
IT'S, IT'S THE, THERE'S VERY FEW TREES UNDER 30 INCHES SINGLE STEM.
AND SO IT'S NOT LIKE A LOSS OF POWER, IT'S JUST THAT BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE ADMINISTRATION, THEY'RE GONNA BE RIGOROUSLY LOOKED OUT PER CODE, UM MM-HMM
'CAUSE WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE CODE.
UM, AND FROM THE WISDOM OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE CODE BACK IN 1983 AND 2010, UM, LEFT THESE PROVISIONS IN IT THAT, AND IF ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS IS THAT WORKING THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE TREE MANUAL IS THIS PROJECT AND THEIR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS WORKED AROUND CREATING, LIKE IF YOU HAVE A A HERITAGE TREE PROTECTED TREE, YOU NEED A SIDEWALK, YOU NEED A, UM, A MULTIM, LIKE A, UM, A OTHER TYPES OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, A BIKE LANE OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
YOU CAN ACCOMMODATE THOSE REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN AROUND THIS TREE.
SO IT'S A DESIGN FIRST APPROACH.
UM, BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY NOT HUNDREDS, DEFINITELY NOT THOUSANDS.
YOU SAY FEWER THAN 20 HERITAGE TREES, MAYBE IN PHASE ONE.
I THINK I LOOKED OR FEWER THAN IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
BUT FEWER THAN 50, YES, DEFINITELY FEWER THAN 50.
BUT WE'RE GONNA SEE THE DESIGN AROUND THE TREES TOO, UM, AND MEET THAT THE, THE PRESERVATION CRITERIA IN THE PRE, IN THE CRITERIA MANUAL AND TRANSPLANT.
UM, THE OTHER QUESTION THAT CAME TO MIND WHEN, WHEN I WAS TALKING TO STAFF EARLIER IN OUR SORT OF PRE-MEETING, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NEGOTIATION AROUND FEE AND L VERSUS RAIN GARDENS THAT WILL HOPEFULLY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF RAIN GARDENS THAT WE HAVE AND GREEN SPACE THAT WE HAVE, UM, FROM THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS GREAT.
AND HEARING THAT I WAS FIRST CONCERNED FROM AN EQUITY STANDPOINT ENDPOINT, HOW, HOW WE'RE GOING TO DECIDE WHERE THE RAIN GARDENS GO.
IS ONE PART OF TOWN GOING TO GET ALL OF THE RAIN GARDENS AND THEREFORE ALL OF THE BENEFIT FOR WATER QUALITY TREATMENT FOR FLOODING CONTROL, ET CETERA.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE LIMITATIONS IN TERMS OF SPACE.
SOUNDS LIKE EAST RIVERSIDE HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL, BUT, UM, SOMEWHAT TO COMMISSIONER S'S TONGUE IN CHEEK COMMENT ABOUT UT STUDENTS, I AM CURIOUS ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN THAT PART OF THE CITY AS WELL.
AND I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT, UM, OUR EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA ALREADY KIND OF ESTABLISHES THAT PAYMENT IN LIEU IS NOT A GIVEN.
SO IT'S ONLY IN THE CASE WHERE IT'S TRULY UNFEASIBLE TO, TO BUILD, UM, A WATER QUALITY CONTROL THAT IT'S ALLOWED.
UM, AND SO LIKE YOU ALLUDED TO, IT REALLY DOES JUST COME DOWN TO FEASIBILITY.
IS THERE SPACE AND DOES IT MAKE SENSE, YOU KNOW, TO EFFICIENTLY FIT A CONTROL THAT CAN BE MAINTAINED AND THAT CAN THRIVE? UM, OR, OR IS THERE NOT? UM, SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, IT'S, IT'S REALLY LOOKING LIKE SOUTH CONGRESS AND RIVERSIDE IS WHERE WE HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, BUT EVERY SINGLE SITE PLAN THAT COMES IN, YOU KNOW, IS SCRUTINIZED WITH THAT SAME LENS.
AND WHAT IS THE MITIGATION FUND THAT WE'RE REFERENCING? WHAT, WHAT'S ITS NAME? UH, THE, THE NAME IS THE URBAN STRUCTURAL CONTROL FUND.
HOW IS THAT SPENT? HOW'S THAT MONEY SPENT? YEAH, SO WE HAVE, UM,
[02:15:01]
AND OUR PROJECT DESIGN AND DELIVERY BRANCH, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE DIFFERENT TEAMS WHO FOCUS ON CERTAIN THINGS RELATED TO OUR MISSION.LOCAL FLOOD CREEK EROSION WATER QUALITY.
SO THIS FUND IS ADMINISTERED BY THE ENGINEERS TASKED WITH THE WATER QUALITY SECTION OF OUR CODE.
SO THAT IS WHERE ENGINEERS LOOK AROUND TOWN, SEE WHERE THE MOST NEEDS MOST NEED IS.
AND YOU PROBABLY WILL HEAR A LOT MORE ABOUT HOW WE ARE PROPOSING TO PRIORITIZE THINGS WITH OUR NEXT, UM, PRESENTATION WITH REINER RIVER.
SO THEY'LL GO INTO TO MORE DETAILS ON, ON THAT.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY IDENTIFY LOCATIONS TO BUILD RAIN GARDENS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY ON PUBLIC LAND.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE, THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, AND IT, AND IT'S TARGETED FOR THE URBAN, URBAN WATERSHEDS.
SO WE'RE NOT TAKING THESE FUNDS AND BUILDING RAIN GARDENS IN WEST AUSTIN IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE.
THIS IS LIKE WHERE WE NEED THE, THE MOST, UH, WATER QUALITY TREATMENT IN URBAN URBAN AREAS.
AND IS THE SI UH, THE SIZE OF THE RAIN GARDEN PROPORTIONATE THEN TO THE FEE AND LU AND THAT THE LARGER THE RAIN GARDEN, THE LESS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY INTO A MITIGATION FUND BECAUSE THAT RAIN GARDEN IS WORTH MORE THAN A SMALLER RAIN GARDEN? OR IS IT, HOW IS IT QUANTIFIED? IT'S QUANTIFIED BY THE, THE SIZE OF THE AREA THAT, YOU KNOW, NEEDS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE AREA OF THE AMOUNT OF NEW AND REDEVELOPED IMPERVIOUS COVER AND LAND VALUE SURROUNDING, IT'S KIND OF A, A MIX OF THAT.
IT'S A FORMULA THAT, UM, IS IN THE, THE LAND OR THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL.
SO IT, IT DOES TAKE IN, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S IN A, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN AREA FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S GONNA BE PRETTY HIGH.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO WE THEN WE TAKE THAT AND THEN WE WILL USE THAT IN WHEREVER WE CAN.
AND THEN FOR THE RIGHT OF WAY, THIS IS MAINTAINED BY YOU ALL.
TXDOT IS NOT A PART OF THIS, RIGHT.
ARE THERE ANY RIGHT OF WAYS THAT TXDOT HAS JURISDICTION OVER? UH, WE DO CROSS OVER I 35 ON THE NEW BRIDGE STRUCTURE THAT THE CAP EXPRESS CENTRAL PROJECT IS CONSTRUCTING AT EAST RIVERSIDE AS PART OF THEIR SPEWY SINGLE POINT OF URBAN INTERCHANGE PROJECT.
SO IN THAT SEGMENT, THEY'RE SORT OF BUILDING IN A, AN ALLOWABLE SECTION WHERE THE GUIDEWAY WILL EVENTUALLY GO.
AND I THINK THERE ARE ALREADY AGREEMENTS WHERE TEXDOT FOR CESAR CHAVEZ IN GENERAL, UM, TO BE RENAMED SOMETIME.
UH, OTHERWISE I THINK IT'S ALL CITY OF AUSTIN RIGHT OF WAY.
AND SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS WILL STAY CITY RIGHT OF WAY AND THE ELEMENTS OF ROADWAY AND SIDEWALKS, YOU KNOW, WILL JUST BE LIKE NORMAL ROADWAYS.
YEAH, I ASK IN PART BECAUSE LAST WEEK, UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS REPORTED BY PEOPLE I KNOW PERSONALLY WITH PHOTO AND VIDEO EVIDENCE THAT TEXDOT WAS DRIVING BY THE BELTCON CANYON LANDS PRESERVES, SPRAYING HERBICIDE, ALL ON A BEAUTIFUL BLANKET OF WILD FLOWERS.
SO OF COURSE I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO THE RAIN GARDENS THAT WE HAVE PLANNED.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM AND HEAR FROM YOU ALL THAT YOU'LL NOT BE USING ANY HERBICIDES.
UM, I ALSO, SPEAKING OF RAIN GARDENS, JUST WANNA ASK FOR NO MOWING IN THE RAIN GARDEN, IS THAT COMMON CITY PRACTICE? NOT TO MOW IT, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE RAIN GARDEN.
SO RAIN GARDENS HAVE PLANTS AND THEM, SOMETIMES THOSE PLANTS ARE JUST BERMUDA GRASS.
UM, SO IT KINDA DEPENDS ON WHAT THE PLANTS ARE.
IF THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, BEYOND BERMUDA GRASS, OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD NOT, YOU KNOW, MOW, IF IT'S FOR WHATEVER REASON NEEDS TO BE BERMUDA GRASS, THEN PERHAPS MOWING WOULD WOULD HAPPEN THEN.
OH, WHEN WOULD IT NEED TO BE BERMUDA GRASS? NEVER.
WELL, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S A LOT EASIER TO MAINTAIN AND THERE ARE MAINTENANCE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE RING GARDENS.
SO, YOU KNOW WHAT, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ANYTHING PRESCRIPTIVE RELATED TO THE TYPES OF PLANTS IN THE RAIN GARDENS RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT DEPENDING ON WHERE IT IS, IT MAY BE A PLACE WHERE MAYBE IT'S NOT GONNA BE POSSIBLE FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN, UM, YOU KNOW, A, A TURF FOR WHATEVER REASON.
I WONDER ABOUT, WONDER ABOUT COARSER OR FROG FRUIT, LOW LYING NATIVES THAT ARE LAWN ALTERNATIVES.
'CAUSE I WAS CHATTING WITH, UH, WITH SOME FOLKS ABOUT LIKE WHAT WOULD, WHAT WOULD WORK ON THE ECO TRACKS AND I SUGGESTED FROG FRUIT AND HORSE HERBS.
[02:20:01]
OKAY.SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ASK FOR NO MOWING REMOVAL OF INVASIVES.
I THINK THAT'S FINE FOR MAINTAINING.
UM, LET ME SEE IF I HAD ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
JUST WANNA REITERATE WHAT, UM, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF COORDINATING WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS ON, ON PUBLIC PROPERTIES AS WELL.
THIS WAS RECENTLY AN ISSUE WITH FESTIVAL BEACH FOOD FOREST, UM, WITH THE I 35 EXPANSION WHERE, AND, AND I WON'T BE ABLE TO SUMMARIZE IT PERFECTLY SUCCINCTLY, BUT ESSENTIALLY THERE WAS A WATER MAIN BEING PUT IN AND AN ELECTRICAL ELECTRICAL POLE BEING PUT IN THAT DIRECTLY CONFI CONFLICTED WITH A PIMA THAT THE FESTIVAL BEACH FOOD FOREST HAD WITH THE CITY.
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WERE PUT INTO EARTHWORKS AND TREE PLANTINGS AND IT WAS JUST A BIG FIASCO.
AND SO PLEASE LIKE OVER COMMUNICATE, OVER EXPLAIN, MAKE SURE YOU'RE IDENTIFYING THE STAKEHOLDERS EARLY AND COMMUNICATING WITH THEM.
I JUST WANNA FULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COMMENT.
I HAPPEN TO BE AT THAT PARKS BOARD MEETING SO WITNESSED THAT IN REAL TIME AND ESPECIALLY GIVEN OUR FORTHCOMING PARKLAND PROCESSES, WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO DO THAT IN A, AS AN EXAMPLE OF A WAY TO DO IT WITH THE CITY.
I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT I DO WANNA GIVE A CHANCE.
I KNOW COMMISSIONER FIERRO, YOU ASKED ME TO COME BACK TO YOU AT THE END.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS SORT OF OUR LAST OPPORTUNITY TO, TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE INTO FURTHER DISCUSSION AND A RECOMMENDATION.
AND FIRST CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALRIGHT, SO WITH THAT I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO MOVE MOVED BY VICE CHAIR BRISTOL.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BRIMER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
SO THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
SO WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE INTO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
AND ANY RECOMMENDATIONS? CHAIR I TO, I BROUGHT IT UP AND SEVERAL OTHER COMMISSIONERS BROUGHT IT UP.
UH, SPECIFICALLY THE ISSUE ABOUT SEATING INCREASING CONTROL OF ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL OF THESE THINGS.
I WAS GONNA ASK, IS THERE A DRAFT OR DRAFT RESOLUTION? THERE IS, BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU ALL WANT, WANT TO SEE IN IT.
WELL, THE OTHER, OKAY, THE OTHER THING SHARE, THE OTHER THING THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, WAS, UH, THE PARAGRAPH IN THERE THAT TALKED ABOUT PAYNE, THE, UH, OTHER PARTY MONEY, WHICH WAS AN UNDISCLOSED SUM, I AM JUST CONCERNED WHEN THERE'S NOT SOME METHOD OF DEFINING OR LIMITING THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT I CARE WHAT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IS, IT'S THAT IT'S NOT STATED.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT'S ALREADY DEFINED.
EITHER THAT'S THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL OR SOME ELSE.
THIS IS IF THEY OVERCOMPENSATE FOR THE, THE QUALITY OF WATER THAT THEY, THEY DO.
I THINK YOU JUST EXPRESSLY WANT APPENDIX U TO BE THE SOURCE OF WHAT THE CALCULATION IS.
WELL JUST SAY THAT THERE WILL BE A FORMULA TO CALCULATE TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY.
IN OTHER WORDS, I'M NOT AGAINST, WELL I AM, BUT IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE PROGRESS OF LIFE, I'M WILLING TO SAY I'M OKAY WITH IT.
IT'S JUST THAT I WANT A METHOD BY WHICH DEFINED THAT THERE'S A CALCULATION IN THERE.
MAYBE THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WANNA PHRASE THAT AND THEN MAYBE WE CAN READ THE MOTION THAT WE HAVE AND THEN YOU CAN PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO ADD THAT.
THAT'S BECAUSE HE'S THE SECRETARY AND HE KNOWS ALL THIS STUFF.
AND YOU USED TO BE THE SECRETARY.
YOU GUYS ARE BRILLIANT AT THIS, THIS READING OF THE MIND.
I WILL, I WILL TRY TO COME UP WITH, BREAK.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE HEAR EMOTION.
WITH THAT COMMISSIONER RESI, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? YEAH.
SO THIS IS RECOMMENDATION 2 0 2 6 0 4 15 0 2.
CITY CODE TITLE 25, LAND DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 0 2 215 DASH 0 4 8.
AMENDMENT FOR PROJECT CONNECT.
WE'RE ASKED, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WAS GIVEN A PRESENTATION ON THE UPDATES FOR THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL PLAN.
[02:25:01]
AND WE'RE ASKED THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP SEEK TO AMEND CITY CODE TITLE 25, LAND DEVELOPMENT AND ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 0 2 2 1 1 5 DASH 0 4 8 TO MODIFY DEVELOPMENT, REVIEW PROCESSES METHODS TO DEMONSTRATE WATER QUALITY COMPLIANCE, STREET DESIGN AND UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN TRANSIT SYSTEM PROJECTS AND RELATED TRANSIT SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE.AND WHEREAS AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND AUSTIN PROJECT CONNECT, 1, 2, 1 MODIFIED SITE PLAN REQUIREMENTS TO ACCOMMODATE PERMITTING TOOLS FOR THE LIGHT RAIL PERMITTING PROCESS.
TWO, RESCIND UTILITY ORDINANCE FROM 2003.
ESTABLISH BACKUP CURB STREET SCAPES STANDARDS FOR LIGHT RAIL.
FOUR, ESTABLISH A WATER QUALITY COMPLIANCE PROGRAM FOR LIGHT RAIL.
ESTABLISH ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEWER OF HERITAGE TREES FOR TRANSIT SYSTEM PROJECTS.
SIX, INCORPORATE ADMINISTRATIVE RULE MODIFICATIONS THAT ADDRESS CONSTRAINED RIGHT OF WAY CONDITIONS WHERE COMPLIANCE WILL BE CHALLENGING AND ENSURE CONSISTENCY AND EXPIRATION OF SITE PLANNING COMPONENTS.
NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONS ONLY NATIVE NO ADAPTIVE PLANTS, INCLUDING TREES WILL BE USED TO PROMOTE INSECT AND OTHER POLLINATOR SURVIVAL.
RAIN GARDENS AND OTHER GREEN SPACES IN THE RIGHT OF WAY WILL NEVER BE MOWED.
BUT PERIODIC EFFORTS TO REMOVE NON-NATIVE AND INVASIVE SPECIES WILL BE MADE TO PROMOTE THE SURVIVAL OF INSECTS AND AMPHIBIANS.
FALLING LEAVES FROM STREET TREES WILL NOT BE BLOWN, BUT MAY BE INSTEAD RAKED AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE TREE AND OR LEFT IN GREEN SPACE.
UH, DENY ADMINISTRATIVE WAIVER FOR HERITAGE TREES.
MAINTAIN THE CURRENT CODE STANDARDS.
IF THE WAIVER IS GRANTED, THEN EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO LEAVE HERITAGE TREES IN THEIR CURRENT LOCATIONS, FOLLOWED BY TRANSPLANTING THEM RATHER THAN CUTTING THEM DOWN.
STAFF, UH, A-T-P-A-P-C AND RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS WILL PRESENT UPDATES TO THIS COMMISSION REGULARLY AS THEY BECOME APPARENT AND CLEARLY DEFINE UNDER PROJECT AND THE ORDINANCE.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN.
ALRIGHT, OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ANY REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXCEEDING WATER REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS? WATER QUALITY REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS BE LIMITED TO A SPECIFICALLY DEFINED FORMULA.
SO I'M LOOKING AT THIS, THE, THE DRAFT ORDINANCE HERE.
SO BASICALLY, AND F'S, UH, PARAGRAPH, UH, HH YEAH.
SO F SAYS THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN WASHER PROTECTION MAY ALLOW PAYMENT INSTEAD OF CONSTRUCTION OF WATER QUALITY CONTROLS.
THE AMOUNT, THE AMOUNT OF PAYMENT REQUIRED IS BASED ON A FORMULA IN APPENDIX U OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL.
ANY PAYMENT COLLECTED SHALL BE DEPOSITED IN THE URBAN WATERSHED STRUCTURAL CONTROL FUND OF THE SUBURB OR THE SUBURBAN WATER SUPPLY STRUCTURAL CONTROL FUND BASED ON THE WASHER DESIGNATION.
NOW, H SAYS THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION MAY AGREE TO REIMBURSE A PUBLIC ANDY CONSTRUCTING THE LIGHT RAIL, THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL FOR ANY WATER QUALITY TREATMENT PROVIDED THAT EXCEEDS REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS.
SO I BELIEVE WHAT STAFF IS SAYING IS THAT F BASICALLY WHERE THEY TALK ABOUT APPENDIX U, THAT'S WHAT H IS ALSO TALKING ABOUT AS FAR AS THE PAYMENTS.
I'M GETTING A NOD, SO I DO SEE WHAT YOU'RE COMING FROM THAT IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE NICE TO BE LIKE, HEY, SPECIFICALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FORMULA IN APPENDIX U, BUT I BELIEVE WHAT STAFF SAYS IS THAT THEY ALREADY SAID THAT.
WELL, I MEAN, WOULD IT HURT TO ADD HIS AMENDMENT? CERTAINLY DOESN'T, I'M JUST, I'M JUST STATING STUFF 'CAUSE I'M A LAY PERSON, YOU KNOW.
WELL, I MEAN, IF IT WOULDN'T HURT, THEN LET'S ADD IT.
I'M CERTAINLY NOT OPPOSED TO IT.
I GOT THE FIRST PART OF WHAT YOU SAID.
UM, ANY REIMBURSEMENT FOR RECEIVING FOR EXCEEDING WATER FOR EXCEEDING QUALITY REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS BE LIMITED TO A SPECIFICALLY DEFINED FORMULA.
NOW IF THEY WANNA REFER BACK TO THE FORMULA IN APPENDIX TO YOU, I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
UH, I JUST WANT SOME SPECIFIC METHOD OF CALCULATING LISTED AND I'M FINE WITH WHATEVER.
PERHAPS NOT JUST A SPECIFICALLY DEFINED FORMULA, BUT ONE DEFINED BY THE CITY, I WOULD SAY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO FORMALIZE THAT AMENDMENT? MAKE A MOTION TO ADD THAT I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THAT AS AN ADDITIONAL AMENDMENT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADDING THAT LANGUAGE, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HANDS.
SO THAT LANGUAGE HAS BEEN ADDED.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE RECOMMENDATION AS A WHOLE? OKAY.
SO WITH THAT WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO TO A VOTE.
I WAS GONNA DO, LET'S DO A ROLL CALL VOTE.
UM, ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AGAIN, WE'RE VOTING ON THE RECOMMENDATION AS A WHOLE.
[02:30:01]
FLURY.SO WITH THAT WE HAVE A 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
UM, COULD I JUST GET THE SECOND ON THE AMENDMENT PLEASE? I MISSED IT.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT WE'LL GO TO DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. NUMBER THREE, APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL REGARDING THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE RAIN TO RIVER STRATEGIC PLAN PRESENTED BY JORGE MORALE, DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION.
CAN YOU TURN YOUR MIC ON? JUST SO ONLINE FOLKS CAN HEAR, MAY I MAKE A RECOMMENDATION? WE HAVE A, UH, FOUR MINUTE AND 32ND BREAK TO, UH, ACCOMMODATE PERSONAL NEEDS? SURE.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A BRIEF RECESS UNTIL 8 36.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET BACK TO OUR SEATS.
WHERE DID YOU, ALRIGHT, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING BACK TO ORDER AGAIN.
[3. Approve a recommendation to Council regarding the Final Draft of the Rain to River Strategic Plan. Presented by Jorge Morales, Director, Austin Watershed Protection.]
UM, ON DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. NUMBER THREE, ABOUT TO HEAR ABOUT THE RAIN REVERSE STRATEGIC PLAN IS THE MICROPHONE OH, IT IS ON.I DON'T SEE A GREEN LIGHT HERE, BUT GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.
UH, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS JORGE MORALES AND I SERVED AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
SO TODAY WE'RE VERY EXCITED, UH, TO PRESENT THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE RAIN TWO RIVER STRATEGIC PLAN FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF THE PLAN AND WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT.
WE'LL GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
WE'LL WALK THROUGH THE MAJOR ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN AND WE'LL CLOSE WITH A LOOK AT WHAT COMES NEXT.
SO TO START OFF, WHAT IS RAIN TO RIVER? RAIN TO RIVER IS THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION.
RAIN TO RIVER WILL REPLACE OUR CURRENT STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN 2001, AND IT WAS LAST AMENDED IN 2016.
THE PLAN ESTABLISHES THE MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES FOR OUR DEPARTMENT AND SET SETS OUT THE DIRECTION FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
IT'S ALSO A TOOL FOR COMMUNICATING OUR WORK AND PRIORITIES TO STAFF POLICY MAKERS, AND COMMUNITY.
WE WORKED WITH THE TEAM OF CONSULTANTS TO CREATE THE NEW PLAN THAT INCLUDED JORDAN MCCLEAN MEN COLLABORATIVE MEASURE, AUSTIN GEOTECH AND DR.
AS WE SET OUT THIS JOURNEY IN 2022, THESE ARE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT WE DEFINED TO SHAPE OUR PROCESS.
IN THE FINAL PLAN, WE WANTED TO BE CENTERED THAT WE WANTED TO CENTER THE NEEDS OF THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND THE GROUPS MOST AT RISK.
WE WANTED TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY WITH CLEAR OPEN COMMUNICATION TO BUILD OUT TRUST AND SHARED UNDERSTANDING.
WE WANTED COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND LIVED EXPERIENCE TO DIRECTLY SHAPE OUR STRATEGIES AND DECISIONS.
WE WANTED TO STRENGTHEN IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO EXPAND OUR IMPACT, WE WANTED TO ENSURE THE LEADERS AND THE POLICY MAKERS ARE EQUIPPED TO CHAMPION OUR MISSION AND GUIDE STRATEGIC ACTION.
WE WANTED TO CREATE AN ADAPTIVE IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK THAT ENSURES CONTINUOUS LEARNING, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND RESPONSIVE RESPONSIVENESS TO CHANGE.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS NEW PLAN.
AS THE CITY'S DRAINAGE UTILITY, WE REMAIN DEDICATED TO OUR MISSION OF REDUCING FLOOD AND EROSION RISK, PROTECTING WATER QUALITY, AND MAINTAINING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
THIS PLAN BUILDS ON THE FOUNDATION TO STRENGTHEN AND ADAPT OUR WORK TO REFLECT COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND SUPPORT LONG-TERM RESILIENCE.
BY TREATING LIVED EXPERIENCE AND COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE AS ESSENTIAL DATA, WE CAN CREATE STRATEGIES THAT ARE BOTH PRACTICAL AND RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY NEEDS.
THE STRATEGIES IN THE PLAN EMPHASIZE A HOLISTIC, PROACTIVE APPROACH TO BALANCE URGENT NEEDS WITH LONG-TERM INVESTMENT
[02:35:01]
IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENT.AND THE PLAN IS GROUNDED IN EQUITY AS AN ONGOING PRACTICE TO REDUCE HARM, ADDRESS DISPARITIES AND STRENGTHEN OUTCOMES FOR ALL THE COMMUNITY.
AUSTIN WATERSHED FACE INTERCONNECTED CHALLENGES THAT THREATEN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.
SO I WANNA SPEAK TO THE YEAR WE SIT IN.
WE'RE ACTUALLY CELEBRATING OUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY SINCE THE WATERSHED DEPARTMENT BECAME A DEPARTMENT IN 1996.
AND ALSO THIS YEAR IS THE MILESTONE OF THE 45TH YEAR OF THE 1981 FLOODS THAT ACTUALLY BROUGHT ATTENTION TO CREATING THIS WHAT WE IS NOW, THE WATERSHED DEPARTMENT.
UH, AUSTIN HAS A HISTORY OF FLOODING AND THE CLIMATE CHANGE IS SHOWING HOW IMPACTFUL IT CAN BE TO US.
AND SO THESE ARE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING AND WE JUST WANTED TO REMIND FOLKS WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.
UM, THERE'S A GOOD BOOK OF WHAT GOT YOU HERE, WON'T GET TO THERE.
UH, WE'VE SPENT 20 YEARS WORKING ON A PREVIOUS STRATEGIC PLAN, AND THIS IS TIME FOR A, A CHANGE IN THE JOURNEY THAT WE'RE ON RIGHT NOW.
SO I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO RAIN TWO RIVER WAS AN EXTENSIVE IN-DEPTH EFFORT.
AND THIS SLIDE HERE HIGHLIGHTS A LOT OF THE THE DATA POINTS THAT WE WANT, WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE.
WE, WE PRESENTED UPDATES ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THE CWP COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
WE HELD COMMUNITY EVENTS, RECEIVE SURVEY RESPONSES, AND WE REACHED OUT VIA COMMUNITY NETWORKS.
IN EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT, WE PRIORITIZE HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN UNDERREPRESENTED IN OUR PLANNING EFFORTS.
AND WE USE FOCUS ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES LIKE THE COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, PARTNERING WITH GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND FOCUS GROUPS TO GATHER RICHER AND MORE DETAILED INPUT FROM THE, THESE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY FLOODING, EROSION, AND WATER POLLUTION.
WE ALSO WORK TO ENSURE EVERY AUSTIN I WAS INVITED TO SHARE INPUT THROUGH THE WEB-BASED SURVEYS THAT WERE ADVERTISED BROADLY.
I WON'T READ THE NUMBERS FOR YOU, BUT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO, TO LOOK AT THE, THE PART OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
SO YOU CAN SEE HOW HOW IN DEPTH WE SPENT AS WE WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
WE ALSO LAUNCHED A COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD CALLED THE COMMUNITY ACTIVATION GROUP TO HELP US ENSURE THAT OUR PROCESS AND STRATEGIC PLAN WOULD REFLECT THE DIVERSE COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES AND KEEP THE, KEEP US ACCOUNTABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
CAG MEMBERS ARE DIVERSE COMMITTEE LEADERS WHO BRING SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE THAT'S RELEVANT TO WATERSHED PROTECTIONS WORK, INCLUDING EXPERTISE IN THE ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITY HEALTH AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RECOVERY.
THE CAG HELPED US SYNTHESIZE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, MAP COMMUNITY ASSETS AND MORE.
SO RAIN RIVER IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR MAJOR SECTIONS.
THE INTRODUCTION EXPLAINS HOW THIS PLAN IS DIFFERENT AND THE PROCESS WE USED TO CREATE IT.
THE UNDERSTAND SECTION OUTLINES OUR MISSION AND VALUES AND EXPLAINS THE WORK WE DO AS A DEPARTMENT.
THE ENVISION SECTION PRESENTS THE VISION AND COMMUNITY PRIORITIES THAT WILL GUIDE US GOING FORWARD.
AND THE EEN ENACT SECTION LAYS OUT OUR COMMITMENTS AND STRATEGIES FOR THE DEC NEXT DECADE.
AS YOU CAN TELL, I'M JUST BREAKING DOWN WHAT THE PA UH, THE ACTUAL REPORT LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU GO LOOK AT IT.
THE MISSION AND GOALS OF OUR DEPARTMENT REMAIN THE SAME IN THE NEW PLAN, AND THAT HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE WE BECAME A DEPARTMENT 30 YEARS AGO.
THE, THE REMAIN FOCUS ON REDUCING FLOODING, EROSION RISK, PROTECTION OF WATER QUALITY, AND MAINTAINING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHAT IS DIFFERENT IS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS, WE HAVE DEFINED A DEPARTMENT VISION AND VALUES.
THE, THE DEPARTMENT VISION WAS CREATED BY STAFF TO ARTICULATE OUR SHARED PURPOSE AND ASPIRATION.
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ THIS PART OF IT.
SO THE DEPARTMENT VISION IS WE ASPIRE TO AN EQUITABLE RESILIENT AUSTIN FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS, WHERE OUR NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT WORK IN HARMONY TO ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY FEELS SAFE WHEN IT RAINS AND OUR WATERWAYS ARE HEALTHY.
OUR VALUES REPRESENT HOW WE DO OUR WORK AND SHOW UP FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AS STEWARDS OF AUSTIN'S WATERSHEDS SHEDS, THESE DEPARTMENT VALUES ARE ALIGNED, WON'T EMPHASIZE THIS.
THESE DEPARTMENT VALUES ARE ALIGNED WITH THE CITYWIDE VALUES, THE FIVE E THAT YOU HEAR US TALK ABOUT, EQUITY, ENGAGEMENT, EXCELLENCE, ETHICS AND EMPATHY.
AND WERE ADOPTED BY LEADERSHIP LAST YEAR AFTER AN EXTENSIVE
[02:40:01]
CONVERSATION WITH STAFF ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT ABOUT WHAT MATTERS MOST AS WE DO OUR WORK HERE IN AUSTIN.THE, THE NEXT SET OF SLIDES I WANNA FOCUS IS, UM, THE COMMUNITY VISION.
THIS IS WHAT CAME FROM THE COMMUNITY, THE INPUT THAT WE RECEIVED.
SO THE COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY VISION GREW FROM YEARS OF ENGAGING WITH RESIDENTS AND ANCHORS.
THE DIRECTION OF THIS PLAN, THE COMMUNITY VISION REFLECTS THE RESIDENTS, WHAT THE RESIDENTS WANT FOR THE FUTURE.
WHILE THE DEPARTMENT VISION EXPLAINS HOW WE WILL DELIVER IN THE FUTURE, THE VISION FOCUSES ON NOT JUST WHAT, BUT THE HOW AND WANT.
WANNA EMPHASIZE ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS COMING FROM THE COMMUNITY VISION.
IN THE NEXT TWO SLIDES, I'M GONNA COVER THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES, THE 10 PRIORITIES THAT THE COMMUNITY SHARED WITH US.
SO THE 10 COMMUNITY PRIORITIES WERE DEVELOPED THROUGH SEVERAL YEARS OF LISTENING AND SURVEYING AND WORKING DIRECTLY IN AUSTIN'S WITH AUSTIN'S RESIDENTS.
THESE FINDINGS WERE SYNTHESIZED INTO DRAFT THEMES AND PRIORITIES BY OUR CONSULTANT TEAM.
THE COMMUNITY ACTIVATION GROUP THEN REF, REFINED AND VALIDATED THESE PO UH, PRIORITIES.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOCUS ON WHERE THE COMMUNITY SEES OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR DEPARTMENT TO ADDRESS GAPS AND STRENGTH STRENGTHEN PROGRAMS. SOME OF THE COMMUNITY RECOMMENDATIONS WILL NEED TO RELY SIGNIFICANTLY ON PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS.
THAT'S THE FIRST FIVE RIGHT THERE.
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THE, AT LEAST THE, THE HEADING OF IT, YOU KNOW.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO TO LOOK, LOOK AT THE PLAN.
SO THE FIRST ONE'S, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
NUMBER TWO IS FLOOD MITIGATION AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
NUMBER THREE, CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY.
NUMBER FOUR, NATURAL RESOURCES, PROTECTIONS AND AND RESTORATION.
NUMBER FIVE, TRUST AND COLLABORATION.
ACCESSIBILITY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
SEVEN OF SUSTAINABILITY, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH.
EIGHT, SUPPORT THE OUTHOUSE AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
NINE, EDUCATION AND YOUTH ENGAGEMENT.
AND NUMBER 10, INNOVATION AND LEADERSHIP.
ONCE AGAIN, THESE ARE THE 10 PRIORITIES.
WE HEARD THE COMMUNITY BASED ON THE TEAMS THEY PUT TOGETHER.
NOW ON THIS SLIDE IS WHERE IN, IN A NUTSHELL, WE'RE SHARING WHAT'S IN THE PLAN.
BASICALLY IT'S THE COMMITMENTS AND STRATEGIES FROM OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO RAINER RIVER OUTLINES 24 STRATEGIES TO GUIDE OUR DIRECTION FROM THE, FOR THE NEXT DECADE AND FOCUS HOW WE WILL STRENGTHEN AND ADAPT OUR WORK.
THE STRATEGIES ARE ORGANIZED INTO THREE, COMMIT COMMITMENTS, CENTER COMMUNITY, INNOVATE TOGETHER, AND GOVERN RESPONSIBILITY FOR CENTER COMMUNITY.
WE'RE PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY ON DECISION MAKING, EMBEDDING EQUITY IN OUR WORK, SAFEGUARDING VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND STRENGTHENING EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR INNOVATE.
TOGETHER, WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINING WATERSHED HEALTH, MODERNIZING DATA INVESTING PROACTIVELY IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACHIEVING GREATER IMPACT THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS.
AND FOR GOVERN RESPONSIBILITY, WE'RE ESTABLISHING LEVEL OF SERVICE, INTEGRATING EQUITY INTO STRATEGY AND INVESTMENT, MANAGING OUR PORTFOLIO AND SUSTAINING WORKFORCE, WORKFORCE CAPACITY AND WISDOM.
WE'VE ALREADY MADE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS ON MANY OF THESE STRATEGIES, AND THIS PLAN PROVIDES THE STRUCTURE TO SUSTAIN AND ACCELERATE THAT MOMENTUM.
THIS NEXT SLIDE IS JUST, I'M GONNA, THE NEXT THREE SLIDES ARE EXAMPLES OF HOW WE'RE CONNECTING OUR STRATEGIES AND COMMITMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY'S PRIORITIES.
SO THIS ONE IS AN EXAMPLE OF STRATEGY TO ORIENT AROUND THE PLAN CONTENT.
THIS STRATEGY IS AN EXAMPLE OF STANDARD COMMUNITY COMMITMENT.
EACH STRATEGY STRATEGY WILL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS.
WHAT WATERSHED WILL DO, WHY THE STRATEGY IS IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE CITY STAFF.
A COMMITMENT STATEMENT TO THE, FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS WHERE WE WANT TO BE DONE BY 2036.
AND AT THE BOTTOM, A TRACK THAT'S ON THE RIGHT THERE WITH THE 10 COMMUNITY PRIORITIES IN THE ENVISION SECTION TO SHOW HOW THIS STRATEGY ALIGNS WITH THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES IN THE ENVISION.
THIS ONE'S AN EXAMPLE STRATEGY FOR THE INNOVATE TOGETHER COMMITMENT.
I'M NOT GONNA READ IT AND IT'S HARD TO READ ANYWAYS.
IT'S REALLY SMALL PRINT, BUT GO, GO LOOK AT THE PLAN.
AND THEN THIS ONE'S AN EXAMPLE, STRATEGY FOR THE GOVERN.
RESPONSIBLY COMMITMENT SETTING EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL WATERSHED SERVICES, ASSET MANAGEMENT, CUSTOMER RESPONSE, AND PROGRAMMING.
THAT WAS JUST TO GIVE YOU A FLAVOR FOR THOSE THAT HAVEN'T SEEN THE PLAN.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, I WANNA EMPHASIZE TO GO AND READ THE PLAN, LOOK AT IT, AND THEN, AND THE ADOPTION SCHEDULE IS LISTED HERE.
UH, WE SHARE THE DRAFT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND POLICY MAKERS ALREADY.
AND ULTIMATELY WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL ON MAY 21ST FOR APPROVAL AND ADOPTION.
[02:45:01]
THAT'S THE SCHEDULE RIGHT THERE.AND WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
AND WE HAVE OUR TEAM THAT'S BEEN HERE.
SO I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST THANK, NOT JUST THE TEAM THAT PUT IT TOGETHER, BUT AS YOU LOOK AT THE PLAN, YOU'LL SEE THERE'S A SECTION WHERE WE THANK EVERYBODY THAT PARTICIPATED.
SEEMS LIKE THE WHOLE CITY WAS PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS.
SO VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYBODY'S CONTRIBUTION TO GET US TO THIS POINT.
SO VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE'LL GO IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION THIS TIME.
SO COMMISSIONER BRIMER, I'M STARTING WITH YOU.
YOU'VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB ON THIS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM PUT PUT FORTH ON THIS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN WHAT WE DISCUSSED OFF THE RECORD.
AND THEN, UM, I'D HAVE TO SAY THAT A LOT OF THE CONCERN THAT I HEAR ABOUT IS, UM, THE FACT THAT WE ARE, WE HAVE GREAT DROUGHT SITUATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND, UM, ARE, ARE, I MEAN, DID IS THAT ADDRESSED IN THE PLAN TOO? THE FACT THAT WE HAVE GAPS IN NOT AS MUCH RAINFALL AS WE MIGHT HAVE HAD 10 YEARS AGO AND THEN THE NEXT 10 YEARS WE MIGHT HAVE EVEN LESS? YES SIR.
CLIMATE CHANGE IS DEFINITELY ADDRESSED IN THERE AND I DON'T IF ONE OF THE TEAM MEMBERS WANTS TO GIVE MORE SPECIFICS ON THAT OR JUST GIVE IT A YES.
YEAH, I, I MEAN I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY FRONT AND CENTER IN LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE OUR WATERSHED HEALTH FRAMEWORK, UM, AND HOW WE KIND OF ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, UM, AND PROTECTION GOING FORWARD.
AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, KEEPING AN EYE ON HOW THINGS ARE CHANGING WITH CLIMATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THIS, UH, DISCUSSION WITH OUR CONSULTANT TEAM ABOUT CLIMATE ANXIETY AND HOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S THIS FEAR OF, UM, YOU KNOW, LOSING WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT AUSTIN.
AND SO HOW DO WE REALLY ADAPT AS WE GO FORWARD AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR WATER WASTE CAN BE RESILIENT AND, UM, PLACES THAT PEOPLE CAN STILL LOVE AND ENJOY, UM, EVEN IF THEY MIGHT LOOK A LITTLE SWEATY AND ANGRY IN THE SUMMER.
MY NAME'S AARON WOOD AND I'M THE LEAD ON OUR PLANNING TEAM HERE IN WATERSHED.
WELL, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MORRISON.
JUST, UM, APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THAT, THE DEPTH OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, AND THE COMMITMENT TO, TO EQUITY AND, AND RESILIENCE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PLAN.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER LUKI.
YEAH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH Y'ALL DID ON THIS.
I DID ACTUALLY RESPOND TO, UH, A MAILER THAT I RECEIVED.
UM, AND, UH, UH, I, WHEN, WHEN I SAW IT, OF COURSE WE HAD ALREADY SEEN Y'ALL HERE IN THE COMMISSION, SO I WAS VERY AWARE OF IT.
I WAS HOPEFUL THAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RESPOND, BUT I, I, I FEEL LIKE I KIND OF CHEATED ON THAT BECAUSE I ALREADY KNEW A LOT ABOUT IT AND, AND, UH, HELPED ME, UM, GO AHEAD AND JUST ANSWER IT AND LOOK AT IT.
SO THAT WAS, UH, USER FRIENDLY AND UH, GOOD JOB ON THAT.
UH, REGARDING CLIMATE CHANGE, WHAT WE'RE NOTICING NOW, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY REMEDY FOR THIS, BUT WHEN IT, THESE DAYS, I HAVE A SAYING WHEN IT RAINS, IT FLOODS.
'CAUSE WE GET A LOT OF IT SOMETIMES.
AND THERE WAS A, A RAIN, I DON'T KNOW, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WHERE I WAS STANDING IN MY BACKYARD AND I HAD IT UP TO MY ANKLES GOING RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF MY ENTIRE BACKYARD.
AND THERE WERE EIGHT OTHER YARDS AROUND ME AND IT WAS JUST GOING RIGHT THROUGH TO THE CREEK THAT WAS ABOUT A HUNDRED YARDS AWAY FROM, FROM MY HOUSE, WHICH ISN'T WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO, OF COURSE.
BUT IT WAS JUST A REMINDER TO ME THAT EVEN IN MY OWN BACKYARD, I CAN HAVE IT FLOOD, WHICH IS KIND OF SHOCKING TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
'CAUSE UM, THAT NORMALLY JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN.
SO WHAT THAT SAYS TO ME IS, BOY, ARE WE GONNA GET A LOT OF HEAVY, BIG RAINS AND HOW DO WE MITIGATE THAT? HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THAT? DO Y'ALL HAVE A PLAN FOR THE REALLY BIG STUFF? GREAT POINTS, UH, COMMISSIONER AND YES.
UH, IT DOESN'T TAKE US THAT FAR FROM MAY 28TH OF LAST YEAR.
WE HAD THE MICROBURST OR RAIN BOMB, AS YOU MIGHT WANT TO CALL IT, LESS THAN 30 MINUTES, UH, RECORD SETTING, STORM EVENT THAT DEVASTATED US FOR THREE MONTHS AT LEAST OF RECOVERY IN, IN THE NORTHERN PART OF AUSTIN.
AND SO, YES, CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL TO HERE.
I TELL EVERYBODY, AND YES, UH, WE'RE UPDATING OUR MODELS FOR THE ATLAS 14 DATA, FOR THE FLOOD PLAINS, FOR THE LOCALIZED FLOODING, WHICH IS THE ONES THAT ARE AWAY FROM THE CREEKS.
[02:50:01]
WE'RE ALSO MODELING THOSE USING 2D TECHNOLOGY TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE RISK.BUT ULTIMATELY IDENTIFYING THE RISK WAS ONE PART OF IT.
A BIG PART OF THE PLAN IS EDUCATION AND ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF WHAT THEIR RISKS ARE AND WHAT THEY CAN DO TO PREPARE THEMSELVES.
SO THERE'S MULTIPLE STRATEGIES THAT ARE LAID OUT IN HERE, AND A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT YOU'RE SHARING WERE PART OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO, YES, A LOT OF OUR STRATEGIES ARE TIED TO THAT.
UH, AND ONCE AGAIN, I ONLY SHARED A QUICK HIGH LEVEL EXAMPLE, BUT WE HAVE 24 STRATEGIES OF THE LAYOUT AND, UH, USING OUR TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION TO MODEL THE WATERSHED AND THE HEALTH, LIKE AARON SAID, IS A BIG PART OF IT AS WELL.
SO THERE'S JUST A LOT OF DATA THAT WE DO COLLECT, BUT UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, ULTIMATELY IS WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WE HAVE TO UPSIZE IT WHERE WE CAN.
AND, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S AN ONGOING EFFORT FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
ANYBODY WANT TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY.
HI, UH, KELLY GAGNAN, INTERIM CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER, AND NORMALLY A PLANNER PRINCIPAL ON AARON'S TEAM.
UM, I ALSO WANNA EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE, THE OTHER ARM OF WORK, WHICH IS OUR REGULATORY FRAMEWORK AND JUST PROTECTING THOSE, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO KEEP PEOPLE OUTTA HARM'S WAY BEFORE THAT, USING THOSE DATA.
AND SO, AGAIN, I KNOW JORGE HAD THAT IN HIS MIND TOO, BUT JUST THAT, THAT THREE-LEGGED STOOL THAT WE THINK OF THE PROGRAMS, UM, WHICH INCLUDE PREPAREDNESS, EDUCATION, OUR MAINTENANCE, UM, OUR PROJECTS THAT CAN, IF WE CAN UPSIZE IT, IF WE CAN, UM, PROTECT OR PRESERVE LAND WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND THEN AGAIN, THOSE REGULATORY PROTECTIONS TO KEEP PEOPLE OUTTA HARM'S WAY, UM, FROM THE, FROM THE BEGINNING.
SO, UH, JUST ADDING THAT AS PART OF, SO THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR PART IN THAT.
THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR ROLE TOO.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND PLAN.
AND, UH, ONE ASPECT THAT I REALLY CONNECT WITH IS, UH, FOSTERING STEWARDSHIP, GETTING FOLKS OUT ENGAGING IN THE CREEK.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAPPEN TO SEE, I THINK IT WAS FORKLIFTED, THE WAY OF THE WATER KIND OF DANCE AND MUSICAL AND ONION CREEK.
AND THAT WAS JUST AN AMAZING PERFORMANCE.
IF Y'ALL SAW IT WAS A A A, A DANCE, UM, A MUSICAL OF THE WATERSHED DEPARTMENT, A NUMBER OF THEIR STAFF COMING OUT AND WORKING, HOW THEY FIX A DRAIN, HOW THEY PLANT A TREE.
IT WAS LIKE AN AUDIO WALK, IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE AND JUST A WAY TO HONOR THE COOL WORK AND THE DIVERSE WORK.
I HOPE YOUR PLANT HAS THINGS TO DO MORE OF THAT.
UM, DOES IT? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
UM, SOS MY HEART BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE PHASE OF THE JOURNEY WE'RE ON.
UH, UH, THOSE, UH, SHOWS WERE DONE IN ANY CREEK, SPECIFICALLY AS PART OF THE HEALING PROCESS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE DID IT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND, UH, YES, WE WERE PART OF IT.
UH, AND SO IF YOU GO TO OUR YOUTUBE WEBSITE FOR THE WATERSHED DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE THOSE VIDEOS THERE.
SO IF YOU DIDN'T PARTICIPATE, YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO WATCH SHORT CLIPS OF WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE.
BUT, UH, THAT PARTNERSHIP WAS REALLY ABOUT SHOWCASING THE WORK WE DO.
UH, WE DO A LOT OF GREAT WORK THAT SOMETIMES YOU DON'T GET TO SEE.
SO IT WAS IN AN ARTISTIC MANNER THAT WE EVER DO IT.
AND IT STARTED WITH THE WATER CREEK TUNNEL.
THE VERY FIRST SHOW WAS DONE AT THE TUNNEL FACILITY.
UH, WE GOT TO SHOWCASE A LOT OF THE GREAT WORK THAT THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT DOES.
AND SO, BUT YES, THAT'S BEEN PART OF THE JOURNEY OF THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT WE DID AS PART OF THE ENGAGEMENT THAT WE WERE DOING AS WELL.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT AARON AARON WOOD PLANNING TEAM? UH, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT, THAT YOU ARE CALLING OUT SOMETHING THAT WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE STRATEGIES IN THE PLAN, WHICH IS THE PROMOTE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHARED STEWARDSHIP.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
YOU SEE IT IN THE VISION THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WATERSHED PROTECTION IS MORE THAN JUST A DEPARTMENT, IT'S A SOCIAL CONTRACT BETWEEN THE WORK OF STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE, UH, TO GET OUT AND INTERACT WITH NATURAL SPACES AND WATERWAYS AND INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, AND REALLY KIND OF LEARNING FROM THEIR WISDOM, SHARING OUR KNOWLEDGE.
LIKE I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING REALLY GOING FORWARD.
THE PLAN WE WANNA SEE FRONT AND CENTER IS THAT SHARED STEWARDSHIP.
I GUESS ON A SIMILAR NOTE, A QUESTION I HAD, AND, AND IT MAY NOT BE NEEDED, BUT THE PHRASE I'LL USE IS LIKE A, A JOB CORPS.
WATERSHED CORPS, UH, THINKING OF GROUPS LIKE AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS, THE YOUTH RIVER WATCH, UH, DO Y'ALL CALL OUT SPECIFIC GROUPS TO WORK WITH OR A NEED FOR MORE IN THE PLAN? UM, WE LEFT IT PRETTY BROAD WITH THE COLLABORATING WITH PARTNERS ON SHARED PRIORITIES.
UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE KIRSTEN JOHANSEN FROM OUR TEAM HERE AS WELL TONIGHT, UH, THAT HELPS WORK ON THE, UH, A CC AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS PROGRAM, WHICH A LOT OF THOSE CONTRACTS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING OVER TO WATERSHED.
SO AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS, AUSTIN YOUTH RIVER WATCH, UM, HUNGRY HILL FOUNDATION.
SO HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, LEVERAGE THAT GREEN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND, UH, REALLY, YEAH, BRING IN MORE ORGANIZATIONS, UM, TO CONNECT WITH OUR WORK AND KIND OF MOVE FORWARD ON SHARED PRIORITIES.
AND, UH, I THINK MAYBE TWO MORE QUESTIONS, SHORT ONES, UM, THIS IS THE LARGER STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT, UH, I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER PLANS UNDER THIS.
UH, JUST FROM GENERAL KNOWLEDGE, WHERE WOULD LIKE AN ONION CREEK
[02:55:01]
MANAGEMENT PLAN SIT UNDER THIS STRATEGIC PLAN? OR IS THERE NOT ONE BY WATERSHEDS? I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THERE'S WHERE, WHERE A SPECIFIC WATERSHED PLAN COMES IN TO PLAY UNDER THIS? 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S VERY GENERAL AND BROAD AS A STRATEGIC PLAN DOES, BUT, AND THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME, LIKE KINDA MORE FOCUSED PLANS.WE HAVE A, A WEST BOLD MASTER PLAN, UH, THERE'S LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR SPECIFIC AREAS.
THERE'S DEFINITELY PROJECT PLANS, UM, AROUND, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN THAT ARE KIND OF HIGH PRIORITY FOR US ADDRESSING PROBLEMS. I THINK, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD THOSE, UH, WE WOULD LOOK TO ALIGNING THOSE WITH RAINER RIVER THE SAME WAY THAT WE WOULD LOOK FOR RAIN RIVER TO ALIGN UPWARDS WITH IMAGINE AUSTIN AND THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, AND THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO WORKING TOGETHER TO KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT OUR STRATEGIES ARE FEEDING IN TO WORK WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT TO OUR ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS AND ALL OF THAT.
UM, LAST QUESTION IS, IS 3 1 1 THE BEST KIND OF TOOL FOR REPORTING? I DON'T KNOW IF WATERSHED PROBLEMS IS ALWAYS THE THING, BUT JUST FOLKS, IT'S PROBABLY WHAT THEY NOTICE, BUT DO YOU, IS THAT PROMOTED AS THE, THE TOOL TO USE TO REPORT? YES.
SO DEFINITELY 3 1 1 IS THE THING TO CALL.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THIS PROCESS OF, UM, THROUGH THE ENGAGEMENT OF FOLKS SAYING LIKE, WELL, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS A WATERSHED PROBLEM THAT I COULD CALL AND LIKE Y'ALL WOULD COME DO SOMETHING ABOUT.
AND SO REALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT IS A, SOMETHING FRONT AND CENTER IN HERE IS CONTINUING THAT COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND AWARENESS TO THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT AND WHAT THEY CAN CALL, UH, IN FOR 3 1 1 AND WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE FOR HOW WE GO OUT AND DO INVESTIGATIONS AND RESPOND TO SPILLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
YEAH, I RECENTLY STARTED LOOKING AT THE APP AND LEARNED THE NEW PHRASE NUISANCE FLOODING.
UM, AND I'M SURE THERE'S GONNA BE OTHER CATEGORIES I'LL LEARN, BUT, UM, NO, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
THE ONE OTHER THING I'LL ADD ON THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK 3 1 1 IS DEFINITELY THE BEST THING TO CALL, BUT, UM, ACKNOWLEDGING WITH THE PLAN THAT WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE, WHEN WE PRIORITIZE OUR PROJECTS JUST BASED ON, YOU KNOW, WHO'S CALLING IN 3 1 1 AND SUBMITTING COMPLAINTS THAT WE ARE SEEING GAPS, ESPECIALLY FROM AN EQUITY PERSPECTIVE OF, YOU KNOW, WHO FEELS COMFORTABLE CALLING IN, WHO TRUSTS THAT THE CITY IS GONNA COME OUT AND DO SOMETHING.
UM, AND SO WANTING TO BOLSTER OTHER WAYS THROUGH OUR DATA AND MODELING, UM, THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CAPTURING, UM, PROBLEMS ACROSS THE CITY.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MORTA ORES.
IT MADE IT, IT MADE ME REALLY HAPPY.
SO I, IT'S SUCH AN INTEGRAL OR INTEGRATIVE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THE RIGHT WORD OR THE WORD I'M TRYING TO USE RIGHT NOW, BUT IT IS, YOU REALLY TRY TO ADDRESS A BIG PROBLEM FROM LIKE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ANGLES.
AND I'VE BEEN LIKE TAKING NOTES AND WHILE YOU WERE TALKING, SO I, I, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT I DO WANT TO CONGRATULATE FOR SUCH A HARD, HARD AND BIG WORK.
UM, WHAT DO YOU THINK RIGHT NOW ARE THE BIGGEST LIMITATIONS THAT YOU FACE? UH, IS IT FUNDING DATA GAPS? IS IT THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION? AND HOW DO YOU THINK THAT IS CHANGING THE PRIORITIES OF WHAT MINI PROJECT WITHIN THESE HUGE PROJECTS YOU'RE LAUNCHING FIRST? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I, I'LL TAKE A STAB AT IT AND THEN I'LL ASK THE TEAM MEMBERS TO JUMP IN AS WELL.
BUT FUNDING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CHALLENGE, RIGHT? WE'RE FUNDED, THE DEPARTMENT'S PRIMARILY FUNDED BY THE DRAINAGE UTILITY CHARGE.
AND SO AS WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS RIGHT NOW IS POTENTIAL 2026 BOND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF LARGE NEEDS THAT CAN BE FULLY FUNDED THROUGH THE DRAINAGE UTILITY CHARGE.
UH, BUT THE BIG PART OF THIS PLAN, THE SHIFT, THE PIVOT WE'RE DOING AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD IS MAKING SURE WE HAVE THAT COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND VOICE IN THERE.
AND SO WE, WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO PIVOT TO, WE ALREADY DOING SMALLER, MEDIUM SIZED PROJECTS, BUT DOING MORE OF THOSE ON THE GROUND THINGS.
AND SO FUNDING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BEING VERY STRATEGIC, HOW WE SPEND THE MONEY IS A KEY TO, TO THE SUCCESS WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS AS WELL.
BUT YEAH, I THINK IN A NUTSHELL, I THINK THAT IS, AND I'LL LET THE TEAM SPEAK TO IT, BUT I DO BELIEVE WE'VE GATHERED A LOT OF DATA AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO GATHER DATA AND WE'RE USING THE DATA, WE'RE USING TECHNOLOGY TO USE THE DATA TO HELP INFORM WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT ULTIMATELY MAKING SURE THAT IT'S COUPLED WITH THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY IS PART OF, PART OF OUR GOAL HOST.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THOSE KIND WORDS.
UM, AGAIN, KELLY GAGNAN, INTERIM CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER, PRINCIPAL PLANNER.
UM, AND I THINK BUILDING ON WHAT JORGE SAID, AND I THINK SOMETHING I ALSO WANNA SHOUT OUT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, YOU KNOW, THIS PLAN REALLY EMBODIES IS BUILDING UP, WE'VE SORT OF SAID THE WORD, YOU KNOW, LEVELING UP ON WHAT WE, UH, ESTABLISHED IN
[03:00:01]
THE FOUNDATION OF THE ITS FIRST STRATEGIC PLAN FROM 2001 WITH THE, YOU KNOW, WORST PROBLEMS FIRST.AND I THINK WE FOUND OURSELVES IN A PLACE WHERE, BECAUSE LIKE JORGE SAID, WE HAVE LIMITED FUNDING, WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES.
UM, EVERY SINGLE PROJECT IDEA THAT COMES IN, EVERY SINGLE ISSUE THAT SOMEONE CALLS IN IS IMPORTANT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND, AND OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, UH, WHILE WE'VE MADE A TON OF PROGRESS OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS WITH THE HELP OF, OF Y'ALL OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE'RE, WE'RE LEARNING A LOT.
WE'RE SEEING OUR BLIND SPOTS, WE'RE SEEING THE GAPS, WE'RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT TECHNOLOGIES, DATA ARE GETTING BETTER.
UM, AND WHAT I THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS HOW TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH IMPORTANT PROJECT SHOULD, WHERE DO, HOW DO WE SPEND THAT TIME AND HOW TO BE PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE, BALANCING URGENCY, UM, UH, AND ALSO THAT LONG TERM.
'CAUSE IF WE'RE ALWAYS CHASING, YOU KNOW, THE WORST PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, SO HOW TO THIS, HOW TO KIND OF, HOW TO MAKE THAT, UM, REALLY, THAT, THAT FULL PORTFOLIO THAT IS ENABLES US TO BE PROACTIVE, HELP, YOU KNOW, UH, INVEST IN, UM, SUSTAINABLE PREPAREDNESS WHILE WE ALSO ARE, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M ARTICULATING THAT WELL, BUT I THINK IT'S THAT SHIFTING INTO PREPARE, UH, PORTFOLIO, UM, MANAGEMENT IN A NEW WAY.
UM, SO YEAH, I THINK IT, IT MUST BE VERY HARD AT THIS POINT TO SEPARATE WHAT IS IMPORTANT VERSUS WHAT IS URGENT.
I, I, AND THAT ACTUALLY LEADS ME TO MY NEXT QUESTION, AND I, IT'S THE LAST ONE.
I'M JUST CURIOUS ON WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE COMMUNITY OR THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES, THEY DO NOT ALIGN WITH THE TECHNICAL DATA OR LIKE THEY POINT AT DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
HOW DO YOU MAKE THAT CALL WHEN YOU, WHEN THE COMMUNITY WANTS SOMETHING THAT YOUR DATA IS NOT NECESSARILY BACKING UP? OH, OH, I'M GONNA BRING SADIE ALBORNOZ.
SHE'S OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EXPERT, AND SHE CAN SPEAK TO THIS BEAUTIFULLY.
UM, ARIEL
UM, AND I'M A PLANNER SENIOR ON THE TEAM.
UM, SO I THINK THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND, UM, TO ANSWER THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOVED ABOUT OUR PROCESS WAS THAT, UM, WE BUILT IN AN INTERPLAY BETWEEN COMMUNITY INPUT AND, UM, STAFF EXPERTISE.
UM, AND SO AS WE WERE, UM, WORKING WITH A COMMUNITY ACTIVATION GROUP THAT CAG THAT JORGE MENTIONED, UM, TO HELP US SYNTHESIZE ALL THE, UM, COMMUNITY INPUT THAT WE HEARD IN OUR FIRST PHASE OF ENGAGEMENT AND HELP US PRIORITIZE, UM, THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIZE, UH, PRIORITIES THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED THROUGH THAT INITIAL ENGAGEMENT.
UM, THEY ALSO HELPED US TO, UM, THEY GUIDED US TOWARDS THE STRATEGIES THAT WE STARTED TO IDENTIFY.
UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT, THEY DON'T HAVE ALL THE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE THAT OUR STAFF HAS.
UM, WE DID HAVE A, A TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP, UM, COMPRISED OF STAFF WHO DO HAVE THAT TECHNICAL EXPERTISE.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THE COMMUNITY INPUT TO THAT TAG, UM, GROUP AND HAVE THEM KIND OF, UM, REALITY CHECK A LOT OF THE INPUT THAT WAS RECEIVED.
UM, AND THEY GAVE A LOT OF FEEDBACK AND THEN THAT WOULD BE TAKEN BACK TO THE CAG FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF, UM, FEEDBACK AND EDITS.
AND SO I THINK BECAUSE OF THAT, UM, SOME OF THE STRATEGIES OR ALL THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'VE ARRIVED AT ARE, UM, MORE COMMUNITY INFORMED AND FEASIBLE THAN THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN WITHOUT THAT INTERPLAY.
UM, AND I THINK THAT MOVING FORWARD, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO DO, UM, ONE OF THE PLAN STRATEGIES IS TO CREATE A, AN ONGOING, UM, COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD THAT'S YET TO BE NAMED, BUT IT WOULD BE SIMILAR, UM, IN COMPOSITION TO THE CAG THAT WE ESTABLISHED.
AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT GROUP WILL BE TO, UM, IMPLEMENT WINTER RIVER.
AND SO THAT WILL ALLOW SPACE FOR THAT INTERPLAY TO CONTINUE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE IMPLEMENTING SOMETHING, IF WE'RE FINDING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THERE'S A CHALLENGE THAT IS TECHNICAL IN NATURE, UM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE DIALOGUE WITH, UM, WITH STAFF TO HELP INFORM, YOU KNOW, HOW TO, HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT WHILE STILL, UM, RESPECTING COMMUNITY PRIORITIES.
YOU GUYS WANNA ADD ANYTHING TO THAT? KELLY GAGNAN? AGAIN, I THINK SOMETHING THAT LIKE GETTING, BUILDING ON WHAT SADIE MENTIONED, ONE THING THAT I THINK WE FOUND SO INCREDIBLE ABOUT THAT DYNAMIC WAS THAT THE COMMUNITY ACTIVATION GROUP KNEW WE COULDN'T DO EVERYTHING.
THEY KNOW WE HAVE FUNDING CONSTRAINTS.
THEY KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH.
AND IN FACT, IT REALLY, UM, EMPHASIZED THAT SHARED STEWARDSHIP THAT WE HOPE IS EMBODIED IN THIS PLAN OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ONE PART OF THIS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS RESPONSIBILITY, WE WANNA, WE WANNA SAVE THE WATERSHEDS, OF COURSE, BUT REALIZING THE COMMUNITY
[03:05:01]
DOES TOO.AND HOW DO WE, UH, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THIS NEW PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO BUILD THOSE PARTNERSHIPS, BE ABLE TO, UM, EXPAND OUR REACH IN AND OUT.
SO JUST BEING ABLE, THE, THE, A LOT OF IT WAS AROUND UNDERSTANDING AND EDUCATION, JUST LIKE WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO.
UH, OUR CONSULTANT LED, UM, A A COMMUNITY ASSET MAPPING EXERCISE, WHICH IS THE FIRST FOR ME.
BUT, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, IF WE CAN'T DO IT, WHO IN THE COMMUNITY CAN AND HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER? SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED 'CAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN DOING, UM, YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY AND EDUCATION, UM, STAFF.
UH, SO JUST BEING ABLE TO FORMALIZE THAT IN A NEW WAY, I THINK IS, IS, UH, SOMETHING WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT.
IT MAKES ME A LITTLE BIT REALIZE THAT I STARTED THE WRONG CAREER AND IT'S, I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO LATE.
I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THE PROJECTS WE DO ALREADY AND WE'VE BEEN DOING, THERE'S A BIG COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT WE DO ALREADY ON OUR SOLUTIONS, AND SO THAT WILL CONTINUE, BUT THIS HELPS INFORM THE STRATEGIES AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
COMMISSIONER FIERRO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING LIKE THIS.
UM, ON MY DAY TO DAY, I RUN THE SUNRISE MOVEMENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, Y'ALL HEARD FROM IT, BUT IT'S LIKE YOU'D CENTER, UH, HAS A LOT OF STEWARDSHIP AND LIKE, JUST HAVE WAYS THAT WE CAN, LIKE, PROVIDE FOR EACH OTHER IN CASE OF LIKE A CLIMATE DISASTER.
SO I'M EXCITED TO READ MORE IN DEPTH WHAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING ON, UM, AND YEAH, AND SEE HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE OUTSIDE FROM THE COMMISSION.
UM, YEAH, THAT'S ALL SECRETARY RESI.
HEY, Y'ALL APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE PRESENTATION AND THE, UH, THE RAINER RIVER PLAN.
YOU KNOW, I, I LOOKED OVER IT BRIEFLY, WHAT LOOKS GREAT, GREAT VIBES.
HOWEVER, OF COURSE, THE, THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED WITH GREAT INTENTIONS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING TO MAKE A DOCUMENT, IT'S ANOTHER THING TO, YOU KNOW, SORT OF DAY BY DAY SORT OF ENACT THE PRINCIPLE OF THOSE THAT'S EMBODIED IN THE DOCUMENTS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, JUST AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO, TO CONTINUE TO, TO DO THE WORK, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S COMPLICATED STUFF AND IT'S, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANY ORGANIZATION TO BE PERFECT, ESPECIALLY DAY BY DAY WHEN YOU KNOW PEOPLE'S LIVES AND, AND, YOU KNOW, RESIDENCES AND, AND HOMES AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF OR AT STAKE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION.
UH, SO SHAMELESS PLUG, UH, I'VE GOT RADIO SHOW ON KZA 8.7 FM IN THE MORNING, AND ONE OF MY CO-HOSTS, WHO IS THE RECENT STATION MANAGER, HE HAS, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS VERY NICE TOUCH, UH, THAT, THAT HE ADOPTED OF SHOUTING OUT THE, UH, THE NATIVE STEWARDS, THE ORIGINAL STEWARDS OF THE LAND.
HOWEVER, HE'S NOT FROM HERE, SO WE HAVE A RUNNING JOKE THAT HE'S ALWAYS BUTCHERING THE PRONUNCIATIONS OF THESE TRIBES.
SO, SINCE Y'ALL SHOUT OUT THE TRIBES, I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM WHAT THE PRONUNCIATIONS ARE.
SO I'M PRETTY SURE WE LEARNED THIS AND, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I GREW UP IN THE AREA, I'M PRETTY SURE WE LEARNED THIS.
IT'S THE, THE AWA TRIBE OR, OR AWA, LIKE HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE PRONOUNCE THIS? DOES ANYBODY KNOW AWA? RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT WE LEARNED IN SCHOOL, SO I'M GONNA ASSUME THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, THE APACHE, UH, THIS ONE I HAVEN'T, UH, READ BEFORE.
THE ISLETA DEL PUEBLO, IS THAT HOW YOU SAY IT? ISTA.
UH, THE LIPAN APACHE TRIBE, ALTHOUGH I WAS READING ONLINE JUST NOW, AND, AND I BELIEVE IT MIGHT BE LEAP PINE APACHE.
IS THAT HOW WE SAY THAT? OKAY.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S GUADALUPE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S LIPAN.
UH, THE TEXAS BAND OF YAKI INDIANS,
I DIDN'T SEE ANYBODY SHAMING ME.
SO I WAS JUST CHECKING WITH Y'ALL.
I MEAN, Y'ALL PUT OUT THE DOCUMENT, SO I WAS HOPING SOMEONE WOULD KNOW HOW TO PRONOUNCE THESE, THESE TRIBES.
I MEAN, I APPRECIATE THAT COMMISSIONER, UH, PRONUNCIATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND SO, YEAH, I THINK WE'LL COMMIT TO YOU THAT WE'LL GET A VIDEO WITH THE CORRECT PRONUNCIATION YEAH.
I THINK THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
YOU KNOW, THE MORE WE CAN COLLECTIVELY SHAME PEOPLE INTO SAYING THESE, THESE PEOPLES, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE THESE ARE LIKE REAL PEOPLE, RIGHT? SO I, I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD DO THEM, THE DIGNITY AND THE JUSTICE OF AT LEAST BEING ABLE TO SAY THEY'RE TRIBE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE KICKED THEM OFF THE LAND.
WE CAN AT LEAST GET THEIR NAME RIGHT IF WE KICKED THEM OFF THE LAND.
UH, OTHER THAN THAT, I HAD REALLY NO QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UH, YOU KNOW, THE DOCUMENT LOOKS GOOD.
YOU KNOW, I ADMIRE ALL THE PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE STAYED IN THERE.
UH, IT'S JUST ANOTHER THING ENTIRELY TO LIKE ACTUALLY MAKE THAT REALITY.
BUT, UH, I APPRECIATE THE GOOD WORK THAT EVERYBODY DID ON THIS.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME STICKING AROUND TILL ALMOST 10 O'CLOCK.
I JUST WANT TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE REASON WE'RE RECOMMENDING A COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP IS TO CONTINUE TO CHECK IN ON A REGULAR BASIS
[03:10:01]
TO MAKE SURE THAT BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE 10TH YEAR, WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED WHAT WE DONE WE'RE GONNA DO.AND OF COURSE, WE'RE GONNA BE CHECKING IN WITH ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION BECAUSE WE COME HERE TO TALK TO YOU.
AND SO WE, I THINK WE HAVE SOME CHECKS AND BALANCES TO KEEP US TO, TO STICK TO THE PLAN WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GONNA DO HERE.
YEAH, I MEAN, UH, UH, A DEEP, UH, APPRECIATION FOR ALL THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE.
AND, UH, IT'S BEEN COOL TO SEE THIS SORT OF, YOU KNOW, UH, DEVELOP OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS AND ALWAYS APPRECIATE, UM, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL COMING HERE AND GIVING US UPDATES AND, UM, AND SEEING IT COME TOGETHER.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MY, MY OLD BOSS, UH, AT TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE SAY, YOU KNOW, WE, IT'S HARD NOT TO LIVE UNDER THE TYRANNY OF URGENCY.
AND, UH, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A GOOD PLAN LIKE THIS, I THINK IT ALLOWS FOR THOSE MOMENTS TO BE PUSHED THROUGH QUICKLY AND TRY TO GET BACK TO NORMAL.
SO I REALLY DO COMMEND Y'ALL FOR, FOR GETTING, YOU KNOW, GETTING YOUR ARMS AROUND THIS, BECAUSE AS WE DO, UM, DEAL MORE AND MORE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, AND WE WILL, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, WE JUST, WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE PLANS LIKE THESE IN PLACE, AND I REALLY LOVE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON, ON ALL OF THAT.
SO I ENJOYED READING THAT, THAT PART OF IT.
UM, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BECAUSE, UM, A, WE'VE HAD GOOD QUESTIONS HERE, BUT Y'ALL'S DOCUMENTS ARE SO THOROUGH AND, UM, I JUST, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA SAY THANKS.
I WILL ECHO EVERYONE'S THANKS HERE.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL, ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND I'M ALWAYS SO GRATEFUL THAT WATERSHED IS THE DEPARTMENT WE GET TO WORK MOST CLOSELY WITH ON THIS COMMISSION.
IT'S JUST SUCH A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE.
I AM CURIOUS WHAT ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS ARE IN PLACE FOR THE 24 STRATEGIES THAT YOU HAVE LAID OUT.
I SEE EVERY FIVE YEAR THERE'S GONNA BE A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
IS THAT KIND OF THE, THE MAIN ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM IN PLACE? ARE THERE INTERNAL ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS? GREAT QUESTION.
UM, AND SO WE'VE TOUCHED ON A LITTLE BIT OF THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, STANDING UP A COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP THAT WOULD BE SERVICING YOU AN ACCOUNTABILITY CHECK, YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS AN ADVISOR ON, YOU KNOW, TRACKING OUR PROGRESS AND, UM, LOOKING TO NEXT STEPS AND HOW WE, YOU KNOW, UH, ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK ON TOP OF THAT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT WANTING TO, NOT WANTING TO GO TO FIVE YEARS.
AND SO HAVING, YOU KNOW, ANNUAL REPORTING, UH, WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, IN A DASHBOARD OR SOME KIND OF TOOL LIKE THAT ONLINE, WHERE WE CAN FOR EACH STRATEGY SHOW, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE OVER THE LAST YEAR, WHAT WE HAVE ON DECK FOR THE YEAR TO COME.
UM, SO WE HAVE KIND OF, WE'RE BUILDING OUT NOW, UM, LOOKING TO, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE ACTUALLY MAKE THIS HAPPEN? UH, A DETAILED IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR EACH OF THE STRATEGIES, YOU KNOW, THAT LOOKS AT KEY MILESTONES AND DELIVERABLES FOR, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST YEAR, THE SECOND YEAR, FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS, UH, KNOWING THAT WE'LL NEED TO ADAPT THAT AS WE GO BASED ON FUNDING LIMITATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER PRIORITIES AND THINGS THAT COME UP.
BUT REALLY WANTING TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT WE ARE BEING TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE AND SHOWING WHERE WE'RE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS AND WHERE WE'RE REALLY HITTING BARRIERS OR RUNNING INTO CHALLENGES AND, UH, WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, COMMUNITY ADVISOR GROUP ON HOW WE NAVIGATE THOSE AND MOVE FORWARD.
SO THERE ARE PLANS FOR A VIRTUAL DASHBOARD SIMILAR TO THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN IMPLEMENTATION DASHBOARD.
THE, THE CLIMATE PLAN, UH, THE FOOD PLAN NOW, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT EXAMPLES, I THINK, FROM SOME OF OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS AROUND HOW THEY CONTINUE TO REPORT OUT, UM, ON IMPLEMENTATION.
AND I THINK A KEY PART OF THAT IS SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN A PART OF A BUNCH OF THOSE REPORTING PROCESSES FOR THE LAST, UH, 10, 20 YEARS, UM, IS PUSHING OURSELVES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST KIND OF TOUTING OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT LEANING INTO SOME OF THOSE STRUGGLES AS WELL, UM, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE GOOD PROGRESS GOING FORWARD.
LAST QUESTION I HAVE, UM, GOING OFF OF, UH, WHAT SECRETARY KURESHI BROUGHT UP IN TERMS OF LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, THERE'S LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THEN THERE'S LAND BACK.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BROUGHT UP IN THIS COMMISSION BEFORE, AND FRANKLY, I HAVE SOMEWHAT DROPPED THE BALL ON IT.
HOW CAN WE AS A CITY ENGAGE MEANINGFULLY IN LAND BACK MOVEMENTS AND INDIGENOUS STEWARDSHIP OF THE LAND? AND I DON'T KNOW IF WATERSHED IS A DEPARTMENT FOR THAT, BUT I'M CURIOUS IF ANY OF YOUR 24 STRATEGIES, WHICH I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE UP IN FRONT OF ME.
I DON'T KNOW IF STEWARDSHIP, UM, IS PART OF IT.
I KNOW RESTORATION WAS IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF THE 24 STRATEGIES.
THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME IN THE MIDST OF THE VAST ECOLOGICAL DESTRUCTION WE SEE ON A DAILY BASIS, WE SEE VERY LITTLE ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION.
AND SO I THINK LAND BACK IS PART OF THAT.
SO I JUST WOULD LOVE TO OPEN UP THE CONVERSATION HERE IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY INSIGHT INTO THAT,
[03:15:01]
OR THOUGHTS.THANK, THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
UH, I'M NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THAT TERM, BUT WE DO HAVE RESTORATION, AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE PLANS THAT WE'RE ROLLING OUT.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF ONE OF THE TEAM MEMBERS WANTS TO SPEAK OR ARTICULATE THAT.
WE USE THIS AS A CHANCE TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT MIGHT BE MY FAVORITE STRATEGY IN THE WHOLE PLAN.
UM, AND WHEN WE TALKED TO THE COMMUNITY ACTIVATION GROUP, UH, LAST WEEK AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ORIENTED 'EM TO THE PLAN, THIS WAS SOMEONE, ONE, THEY ALSO REALLY GRAVITATED TO.
AND ONE OF OUR WENT SO FAR AS TO SAY LIKE, THIS IS, THIS IS THE PLAN.
THIS IS THE CRUX OF WHAT WE CAME HERE TO DO.
UM, AND THAT'S 3.4, UH, WHICH IS PAGE 84, WHICH IS UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS PAST ENVIRONMENTAL HARMS. UM, SO REALLY FINDING A WAY TO LOOK TO HISTORIC ENVIRONMENTAL DISPARITIES.
YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT WATERSHED CONDITION, ENVIRONMENTAL RISK, UM, YOU KNOW, HISTORICAL DISINVESTMENT AND FIND WAYS, UH, TO ADDRESS THOSE PAST HARMS THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGH OPPORTUNITIES FOR STEWARDSHIP.
AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE THAT COMES TOP OF MIND FOR ME IN TERMS OF HOW WE, UM, THROUGH THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BUILD, YOU KNOW, BUILD OUR WAY FORWARD INTO HOW DO WE LOOK AT THOSE PAST HARMS AND MAKE GOOD ON THEM, UM, TO HEAL AND OUR ENVIRONMENT GOING FORWARD.
WERE ANY OF THE LOCAL INDIGENOUS GROUPS LIKE THE CENTRAL TEXAS CHEROKEE TOWNSHIP A PART OF, UM, CREATING THIS? I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WERE THEY ONE OF THE STAKEHOLDERS OR COULD A GROUP LIKE THAT BE BROUGHT IN TO HELP ENACT WHAT YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT? I THINK WE DEFINITELY WANNA CONTINUE TO BUILD THOSE CONNECTIONS GOING FORWARD, AND WE'VE STARTED TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS.
INDIGENOUS CULTURES INSTITUTE WAS ONE OF OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, UH, IN PHASE ONE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND SO THEY RECEIVED ONE OF OUR MINI GRANTS AND WENT OUT AND DID, UM, ENGAGEMENT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, A VARIETY OF PROCESSES.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WANNA CONTINUE TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, UH, GOING FORWARD AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR PLANNING TEAM, BUT ALSO KIND OF ACROSS WITH OUR LAND MANAGEMENT AND, UM, GREEN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND OUR, YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND GROW GREEN FOLKS ARE STARTING TO BUILD SOME OF THOSE CONNECTIONS AS WELL.
EVEN OUR SALAMANDER TEAM AND FOLKS THAT WORK AT THE POOL, KNOWING THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE FOUR SACRED SPRINGS.
I'D ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO LOOK AT THE LAND JUSTICE COMMUNITY SCHOOL.
THEN THERE'S A GROUP AT UT THAT I BELIEVE IS CALLED N-A-I-C-C, BUT I CAN FIND IT FOR YOU GUYS AND, AND PUT YOU IN TOUCH.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, SHOUT CHAIR KRUGER FOR BREAKING THIS UP.
EXCELLENT POINT THAT I DIDN'T REALLY THINK ABOUT, BUT, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE SEEN A LOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN POWWOW, RIGHT? AND THE EVENTS THAT THEY HAVE.
SO I SEE THAT THAT'S PRESENTED BY THE NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, SO I FEEL LIKE THEY WOULD BE GREAT PARTNERS AS WELL.
AND THEN, YEAH, I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST JUST, YOU KNOW, REACHING OUT TO THE DIFFERENT DISPLACED TRIBES, RIGHT? AND SORT OF THEIR, UH, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS THAT, UH, THAT SORT OF GOVERN THEM, UH, AND SORT OF GET THEIR RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHTING THE, THE, THE CULTURES THAT HAVE MADE CENTRAL TEXAS SUCH A, A RICH PLACE FOR, UM, MILLENNIA, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S BIGGER THAN MILLENNIA, BUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UH, IS REALLY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SUCH A IMPORTANT RESOURCE AS LIKE THE EARTH, WHICH I SAW Y'ALL REFER TO AS, UH, AS TURTLE ISLAND.
DIDN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY.
I DID WANNA EMPHASIZE WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS, DR.
TANYA WARD ACTUALLY HAD A WORKSHOPS FOR US ON GROUNDING OURSELVES, AND IT WAS FOCUSED ON THE INDIGENOUS AND THE, THE NATURE, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING A PLAN TOGETHER.
THAT'S FOR THE MILLENNIUM, TO YOUR POINT, NOT THE NEXT 10 YEARS, BUT HOW DO WE SET OURSELVES UP TO PROTECT THESE LANDS FOR THE NEXT THOUSAND YEARS? AND SO WE WERE GROUNDED IN THAT AS WE STARTED THIS PROCESS, AND I THINK IT'S EMBEDDED IN HERE, BUT TO YOUR POINT, WE NEED TO BUILD MORE RELATIONSHIPS AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
WITH THAT, WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
IT'S NOT A PUBLIC HEARING, SO WE'RE GOOD.
SO, UH, WE'VE GOT THIS RECOMMENDATION 2 0 2 6 0 4 15 0 0.
UH, I THINK THIS WOULD THE THREE, UH, RAIN RIVER STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, WE'RE AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WAS GIVEN A PRESENTATION ON THE AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION RAIN RIVER STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND WHEREAS CLIMATE CHANGE IS DRIVING MORE EXTREME WEATHER, INCLUDING MORE INTENSE STORMS AND PROLONGED DROUGHT, AND WHEREAS HISTORIC INEQUITIES HAVE LEFT SOME NEIGHBORHOODS MORE EXPOSED TO FLOODING AND DEGRADED WATERWAYS.
AND WHEREAS URBANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT ADD PRESSURE TO OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE WITH RISING HOUSING COSTS, DRIVING DISPLACEMENT OF RESIDENTS, AND INCREASE IN PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND WHEREAS THE RAIN RIVER STRATEGIC PLAN SEEKS TO REDUCE THE IMPACTS OF FLOODING, EROSION, AND WATER POLLUTION WITH A HOLISTIC AND PROACTIVE APPROACH THAT INCLUDES COMMUNITY VOICES LIVED EXPERIENCE, AND SHARED STEWARDSHIP AS ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF AN EQUITY FOCUS INFRASTRUCTURE.
[03:20:01]
NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO ADOPT THE RAIN RIVER STRATEGIC PLAN WITH THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONS, CREATE AN ONLINE IMPLEMENTATION DASHBOARD SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, TO MONITOR PROCE PROGRESS AND ALLOW FOR PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT, AND ALSO TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, FURTHER COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL INDIGENOUS GROUPS, UH, IN THE PURSUIT OF GREATER ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION AND COMMUNITY HEALING.IS THERE SECOND? I MAKE A MOTION.
UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, LET'S DO A QUICK ROLL CALL VOTE.
COMMISSIONER FIERRO FOUR, COMMISSIONER RETO EZ FOR COMMISSIONER FLURRY FOR COMMISSIONER LUKI, FOR COMMISSIONER MORRISON, FOR SECRETARY RESI, FOR VICE CHAIR BRISTOL, FOR COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN FOUR, COMMISSIONER BRIMER FOUR.
AND I'M ALSO VOTING FOR, SO THAT IS A 10 OH OH VOTE.
[4. Update from the Bird-Friendly Design Working Group regarding the meeting on April 10, 2026.]
NEXT WE'RE GONNA GO TO WORKING GROUP UPDATES.ITEM NUMBER FOUR, AN UPDATE FROM THE BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN WORKING GROUP REGARDING THE MEETING ON APRIL 10TH.
UM, SO, UM, WE, UH, HAVE HAD ACTUALLY, UM, THREE MEETINGS, UM, TOTAL SINCE JANUARY.
UM, AND OUR LATEST ONE WAS ON APRIL 10TH, UM, WHERE WE INVITED, UM, PEOPLE WHO HAD WRITTEN LETTERS, UH, OF SUPPORT FOR THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED, UH, IN, UH, NOVEMBER OF 20 24, 25, 24.
UM, AND, UM, JUST TO BRING THEM UP TO SPEED, UM, ON WHERE EVERYTHING IS.
UM, SO IN JANUARY, UM, THE CITY MANAGER, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UM, UH, CAME OUT WITH THEIR LETTER SAYING THAT THEY NEEDED A COUPLE MORE PIECES OF AND INFORMATION AND DATA COLLECTED.
UM, AND ONE OF THOSE WAS A BIRD STRIKE STUDY, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR AUSTIN.
UM, WHILE I ADAMANTLY DISAGREE, UH, WITH THAT PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION, UM, BECAUSE I, WE DEFINITELY HAVE ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE AND SCIENCE BASED TO ACT, UM, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
AND WE HAVE, UM, WE'RE BRINGING TOGETHER DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS TRAVIS AUDUBON, ST.
STEPHENS, TEXAS ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND OTHERS, UM, TO CREATE A CITIZEN SCIENTIST NETWORK TO, UM, UM, LOOK AT WHERE ALL THESE BIRD STRIKES OCCURRING.
UM, AND, UM, AND RECORDING THOSE IN BOTH INATURALIST AND BIRD COLLISION MAPPER, UM, SO THAT WE CAN AT THE END OF THE YEAR LOOK AT THOSE AND HAVE REPORTING.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL FACEBOOK GROUPS, UH, BIRDS OF TEXAS AND, UM, TEXT BIRD THAT I HAVE SEEN, ESPECIALLY RECENTLY.
PEOPLE ARE POSTING PICTURES OF, OH, A BIRD JUST HIT MY WINDOW, WHAT DO I DO? WHERE CAN I TAKE IT? HOW DO I REPORT IT? AND SO, YOU KNOW, CAPTURING SOME OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL FROM PEOPLE THAT DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW, YOU KNOW, HOW TO REPORT THOSE THINGS.
SO, UM, LOTS OF WORK TO BE DONE ON THAT FRONT.
UM, AND, UH, TRAVIS UBON HAS SOME OTHER STRATEGIES THAT THEY ARE HOPING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AS WELL.
UH, YOU CAN VISIT THEIR WEBSITE TO HAVE A LOOK, UH, AT THEIR BIRD FRIENDLY, UM, DESIGN, UM, WEBPAGE ON THAT.
AND, UM, IT'S QUITE THOROUGH OF WHAT THEY WANNA DO AND HO AND HOPE TO ACHIEVE.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT WE, UH, WE HAVE A, A, A MORE WORK, UM, CERTAINLY TO DO.
UH, I DO WANNA GO AHEAD AND COMMEND, UM, YOU KNOW, STAFF, UH, LIZ AND LESLIE WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, CREATING, UM, AN AMAZING RECOMMENDATION AND DOCUMENT, UM, THAT, UH, OTHER CITIES ARE LOOKING AT AND HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME AND SAID, HEY, CAN I, YOU KNOW, HOW, WHERE CAN I FIND THAT CAN, SO I, YOU KNOW, UM, I'D HATE TO BE NOT FIRST IN TEXAS, UH, TO BE THE FIRST CITY TO REALLY IMPLEMENT THIS AND HAVE THIS, YOU KNOW, IN, UM, IN OUR ARSENAL.
HOWEVER, IF ANOTHER CITY WANTS TO ADVANCE IT, UM, I'M ALL FOR IT.
UM, SO AGAIN, BECAUSE WHAT Y'ALL CAME UP WITH WAS A SUITE OF OPTIONS, UM, AND NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
UM, AND YOU CERTAINLY, UH, REACHED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO, TO GET THAT PUT TOGETHER.
SO I, I REALLY, UH, APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, WE WILL HAVE, UM, SEVERAL, UM, MARKETING STRATEGIES THROUGHOUT THE SPRING, UM, AGAIN, TO BUILD THAT TOP OF MIND AWARENESS TO GET THE CITIZEN SCIENTISTS OUT THERE, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE REPORTING IT.
AND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO HELP, UM, ESPECIALLY EARLY IN THE MORNING, UM, ALONG, UH, THE
[03:25:01]
ENVELOPE OF BUILDINGS, UM, WHETHER IT'S DOWNTOWN OR, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, UP AT THE DOMAIN OR YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE IN SOUTH AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, WHEREVER YOU OCCUR, UM, YOU KNOW, TO TO REPORT THOSE, UM, FINDINGS, UM, IN THERE WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL.OH, THE OTHER PARTNER I FORGOT TO MENTION IS, UM, TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, FOR REPORTING FROM THEIR BUILDINGS AS WELL.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, KIND OF WAS HOPING TO, UH, WIND DOWN THE WORKING GROUP, UH, IN JANUARY.
BUT, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE, WE STILL NEED TO KEEP THE BAND TOGETHER A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
CAN WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON AN UPDATE OR IS IT JUST A, AND I DON'T KNOW IF FOLKS DO HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE CAN BE DISCUSSION.
I THINK YOU CAN HAVE QUESTIONS.
ANY, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THAT UPDATE? OKAY, GREAT.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
LET'S GO TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A RECORD.UH, I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE HAVE A, UH, PUT ON THE AGENDA DISCUSSION OF THE MO MOPAC EXTENSION.
YEAH, I THINK THAT WAS ALREADY A REQUEST AND WE'VE REACHED OUT TO TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.
THE, UH, FOLKS WHO ARE, UM, COORDINATING OUR CITY RESPONSE.
UM, THEY WOULD PREFER IF C-T-R-M-A WOULD DO THE PRESENTATION, SO WE WERE HAVING SOME CON CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO MAKE THAT REQUEST.
UM, SO NO PROMISES, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING SOMETHING TOGETHER.
SO DOESN'T THAT, I MEAN, ISN'T CITI VOTING ON SOMETHING PRETTY SOON? I MEAN, DON'T WE NEED TO GET, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A RECOMMENDATION, DOESN'T THAT NEED TO COME IN PRETTY SOON? UM, SO I'M NOT AWARE OF A, SO I, I BELIEVE THERE COULD BE A, A RESOLUTION COMING FORWARD, UM, THAT CITY COUNCIL WILL BE ASKING CTRA TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS A, A VOTE TO ALLOW THE PROJECT TO GO FORWARD BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN, IT'S, THERE'S NOTHING THAT CITY COUNCIL HAS ON THEIR, UH, REGULATORY AUTHORITY TO APPROVE AT THIS POINT.
ONE COMMENT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, I MEAN, CERTAINLY I WOULD APPRECIATE A BRIEFING FROM C-T-R-M-A OR TEXT DOT, OR, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, HAVE HANDS ON KIND OF LIKE THE, UH, THE FOLKS FROM THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL THING, WHATEVER, WHOEVER THEY ARE, BECAUSE THAT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET, YOU KNOW, REAL INFORMATION FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY DOING THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT, UH, AT THE LAST MEETING WE DISCUSSED, UH, DATA CENTER OR THE MEETING BEFORE THAT, OR I DUNNO, WHATEVER IT WAS.
AND IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE, UH, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN PREPARED A PRESENTATION TO GIVE THE COMMISSION AN OVERVIEW OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TOPIC SO THAT WE HAD A, A BROAD AREA OF, OF INFORMATION TO WORK WITH.
UH, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT, UH, BARRING THE PARTICIPATION ON OTHER PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE FROM THE COMMISSION OR MULTIPLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION COULD SUGGEST THAT THEY COULD BRING UP, YOU KNOW, SOME SLIDES TO DISCUSS VARIOUS ASPECTS OF, OF THE TOPIC AND THEN PUT THAT OUT FOR EVERYONE AS, UH, YOU KNOW, FOOD FOR DISCUSSION ON THE WHOLE THING.
AND THEN FROM THAT WE COULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
AND CERTAINLY, LIKE I SAID, I'D PREFER TO HAVE OFFICIAL PARTICIPATION FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY POURING THE CONCRETE.
BUT, UH, CAN WE ASK THE BETTER MOPAC COALITION? I MEAN, CAN WE ASK BOBBY LEWINSKY, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, HE'S COME AND SPEAK ON IT SEVERAL TIMES, CAN'T WE ASK HIM? WELL, WE CERTAINLY COULD.
I WOULD LIKE TO ALLOW C-T-M-I-A TO EITHER, UM, AGREE OR DECLINE FIRST.
THE, THE REASON I PUT IT THAT WAY IS THAT, UH, I THINK IT WAS, UH, VICE CHAIR BRISTOL MENTIONED THAT THERE IS A TIME LIMIT ON THIS.
DID YOU BRING THAT? I THINK THERE IS.
I THINK THAT WAS WHAT HE MENTIONED IN HIS COMMENTS.
I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THERE'S ANY OUT HERE.
I'M SEEING THERE'S, SO THE TOWN HALL IS EARTH DAY APRIL 22ND, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS MARCH 9TH THROUGH MAY 3RD.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT COUNCIL DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING ON THEIR AGENDA, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE INFORMATION SO THAT COUNCIL CAN PROVIDE THEIR SENSE OF WHATEVER THEY WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THEIR INPUT TO THE PROCESS, THAT WE GET IT TO THEM IN A TIMELY MANNER.
UM, SO IF THERE IS A RESOLUTION COMING,
[03:30:01]
I BELIEVE IT COULD BE NEXT WEEK.UM, AND THAT WOULD BE DIRECTING OR REQUESTING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DO CERTAIN THINGS IN DIRECTING CITY MANAGER TO WORK WITH THEM ON CERTAIN THINGS.
SO THE PROCESS, THE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, I THINK ANYONE HERE COULD CERTAINLY MAKE COMMENTS.
THERE ISN'T REALLY A PROCESS FOR, UM, SAY YOU WERE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, YOU MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL, NOT TO THEM.
SO IF YOU MADE A RECOMMENDATION, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I THINK ALL OF YOU, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED OR SHOULD BE FEEL WELCOME TO MAKE COMMENTS WITH THEIR, THE, THE PROCESS THAT THEY HAVE.
UM, SO I DON'T THINK THAT MAY 3RD IS LIKE NECESSARILY THE END OF THE CONVERSATION.
UM, WE ARE STILL GOING TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH THEM ON THESE TOPICS.
UM, THERE'S STILL GONNA BE POLITICAL PRESSURE.
SO I THINK IF, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN GET C-T-R-R-M-A TO GIVE A PRESENTATION AND YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, THAT IS STILL PART OF, YOU KNOW, DON'T, I DON'T THINK THE, THE TRAIN WILL HAVE LEFT THE STATION AT THAT POINT.
UM, IF WE CAN GET THEM RELATIVELY QUICKLY YEAH.
IN OTHER WORDS, I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS IN SEPTEMBER, I GUESS MY UNDERSTOOD.
SO THEN, YEAH, IT SOUNDS LIKE, OH, GO AHEAD.
UM, I'D LIKE TO, UH, ASK, UM, THE WOMAN WHO, UH, OR, OR SOMEONE FROM, UM, THE, UM, MONTOPOLIS, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UH, TO COME AND GIVE US A PRESENTATION, UM, FAIRLY QUICKLY, UM, ON THEIRS AS WELL.
UM, LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE THE PEOPLE ORGANIZED IN DEFENSE OF THE EARTH AND RESOURCES.
UM, I'VE GOT AN EMAIL AND STUFF TOO, IF, UM, IF YOU DON'T MIND REACHING OUT TO HER.
I, I, SHE DIDN'T HAVE IT ON HER PAPERWORK, SO I HAD HER WRITE IT DOWN.
YEAH, SUSAN ALONZA, WE HAVE HER CONTACT INFORMATION.
AND I HAVE CONTACT WITH SEVERAL OF THOSE PEOPLE AS WELL.
ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? OKAY, HEARING NOW, THE TIME IS 9:38 PM AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.