[00:00:02]
ALRIGHT, THE TIME IS[CALL TO ORDER]
6:02 PM I'M GONNA CALL THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO ORDER.IT IS WEDNESDAY, JULY 1ST, 2026.
WE'RE AT THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER ROOM 1405 AT 6 3 1 0 WILLAMINA DELCO DRIVE, AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND WE'LL START BY ESTABLISHING QUORUM.
CAN YOU HEAR US? WE'LL COME, WE'LL COME BACK.
CAN YOU HEAR US? I SAW AN UNMUTE THAT LOOKS PROMISING.
WE'LL NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET HIS ASCENT 'CAUSE THAT IS OUR QUORUM.
SORRY, Y'ALL, WE'RE GONNA PAUSE JUST FOR A SECOND UNTIL WE CAN MAKE SURE HE CAN HEAR US.
IN THE MEANTIME, WHILE WE'RE WAITING, NOW'S A GOOD TIME TO GET PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS IN TO NICOLE.
IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY SUBMITTED THEM.
THE AV TECH IS TROUBLESHOOTING THE ISSUE, SO IT MAY BE A FEW MINUTES.
DO WE NEED TO FORMALLY RECESS OR ANYTHING WHILE THIS IS HAPPENING? OKAY.
SINCE YOU'RE NOT, WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE FORUM, SO THIS IS EXCITING.
SO WE WILL FINISH ESTABLISHING QUORUM AND COMMISSIONER LUKI, YOU CAN ATTEST THAT YOU'RE PRESENT.
SO, NEXT WE'LL GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC
[00:05:01]
COMMUNICATION CHAIR.NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE LAST MEETING'S MINUTES.IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LUKI.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HANDS.
[2. Staff briefing regarding Austin Watershed Protection's Reservoir Update for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. Presentation by Brent Bellinger, Conservation Program Supervisor, Austin Watershed Protection. ]
BRIEFINGS.ITEM NUMBER TWO, STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTIONS RESERVOIR UPDATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 20 26.
PRESENTATION BY BRENT, BY BRENT BELLINGER.
CONSERVATION PROGRAM SUPERVISOR AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION.
IS THAT, IS THAT WORKING? FEELS VERY INFORMAL.
SITTING DOWN, UH, FOR THIS, UH, WAIT FOR THE POWERPOINT TO COME UP.
THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH, UH, FOR HAVING ME FOR MY ANNUAL UPDATE.
UH, BRENT BELLINGER, AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION.
UM, I COME OUT HERE, UH, EACH YEAR, UH, FOR, GOOD TO HAVE A AUDIENCE, UH, FOR THIS, UM, AND PRESENT IN PERSON.
UM, I'M THE RESERVOIR ECOLOGIST WITH AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION.
AND, UH, EVERY YEAR, UH, VERY GRACIOUSLY INVITED, UH, TO COME OUT HERE AND PROVIDE SOME UPDATES ON KIND OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING, UH, IN OUR WATERWAYS.
UH, PROVIDE SOME UPDATES, UH, BROAD UPDATES.
AND THEN, UM, I GET A CHANCE TO NERD OUT A LITTLE BIT, UH, TO A GREAT AUDIENCE, UH, ABOUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT SCIENCE, UH, MONITORING PROGRAMS, OTHER EFFORTS THAT WE'RE DOING TO UNDERSTAND, UH, KIND OF THE OVERALL CONDITIONS, UM, OF OUR WATERWAYS.
UM, AND, UH, WHAT WE CAN DO TO MANAGE 'EM.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT MAYBE THEY NEED, UH, FOR MANAGEMENT.
SO, UM, THANK YOU, UH, FOR THAT.
UH, SO JUST KIND OF A BROAD OVERVIEW ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA COVER, UH, TODAY.
SO THE AUSTIN LAKES INDEX, UH, IS KIND OF OUR BROAD MONITORING PROGRAM THAT WE DO FOR OUR RESERVOIRS.
UM, IT, IT'S, UH, REPORTED EVERY YEAR, UH, IN THE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S MANDATED BY CITY COUNCIL, UH, FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, AN EQUIVALENT FOR OUR CREEKS, THE ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY INDEX.
UH, I'LL BE DISCUSSING KIND OF AQUATIC VEGETATION, WEEDS, GRASS, UH, WHICHEVER VERNACULAR YOU PREFER, UH, KIND OF IN MORE DEPTH, UH, AS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S A BIT, UH, UH, RISING IN IMPORTANCE, UM, AND, AND KIND OF CONCERNS, OF COURSE, UH, THE HARMFUL ALGAL PROLIFERATIONS, UH, TOXIC CYANOBACTERIA, OUR EFFORTS FOR MONITORING, UH, SOME OF THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING TOWARDS, UH, MITIGATION, A PILOT PROGRAM WITH THAT.
AND THEN, UH, THE LAST TOPIC IS, UH, JUST KIND OF AN INTERESTING, UH, LIMNOLOGICAL STUDY.
SO THE OTHER THINGS ARE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, LONG, YOU KNOW, MID TO LONGER TERM EFFORTS, UH, PERSPECTIVES.
UM, BUT THE LAST ONE, UH, WAS SOMETHING THAT JUST KIND OF POPPED UP OVER THE WINTER, AND WE GET TO REALLY KIND OF DEMONSTRATE, UH, SOME OF, UM, THE RELATIONSHIPS, GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WE HAVE WITH OTHER ENTITIES IN THE CITY, THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY.
UM, AND JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW HAVING THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS OUT THERE CAN HELP, UH, ANSWER QUESTIONS OF INTEREST.
UH, SO THAT WAS JUST KIND OF A FUN ONE THAT, THAT HAD POPPED UP, UM, THIS PAST WINTER.
SO THE AUSTIN LAKES INDEX FOR THE UNINITIATED, UM, THIS IS, UH, A BROAD WAY OF KIND OF CHARACTERIZING THE OVERALL HEALTH.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WHAT WE DO IS YOU GIVE A FINAL SCORE, A GRADE, UH, TO YOUR WATERWAYS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE PURPOSE OF IT IS, UH, BY MEASURING A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS, PUTTING 'EM TOGETHER, GENERATING THESE SCORES, WE CAN LOOK AT, UH, THE OVERALL CONDITION, UM, OF OUR WATERWAYS.
UH, AND DEPENDING ON WHERE, UH, THE DIFFERENT METRICS FALL IN THE RELATIVE SCORES, GIVES US AN IDEA OF WHAT'S DRIVING THOSE CHANGES.
UH, THE POLICY RELATION, UH, THIS IS, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE HERE.
THIS IS, UH, THE EV COMMISSION.
Y'ALL, UH, OBVIOUSLY MAKE A LOT OF DECISIONS, UM, ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS, PROJECTS ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, AND THESE ALL HAVE DIRECT IMPACTS ON OUR WATERWAYS.
UM, EVERYTHING FLOWS DOWN INTO THE COLORADO RIVER, OUT TO THE GULF OF MEXICO,
[00:10:01]
COLORADO RIVER.THE WATERSHED ITSELF STARTS IN WEST TEXAS.
WE'RE JUST THIS LITTLE WEST SPOT THAT'S HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
UM, BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR OVERALL WATER QUALITY.
AND THE GOAL, UH, WITH THE AUSTIN LAKES INDEX IS TO HAVE, AGAIN, THIS LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE, AND WE WANT TO ACHIEVE AS HIGH OF A SCORE AS POSSIBLE.
AND WE GET THERE BY, UM, CHANGING, MANIPULATING WHAT WE CAN IN THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE WANNA TRY TO KEEP IT THERE.
SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE OVERALL GOAL.
UM, WITH THIS, UH, FOR THESE SCORES, THIS IS, AGAIN, THIS IS KIND OF ON A ZERO TO 100, UH, TO KIND OF MAKE IT, UH, INTUITIVE.
UM, I'VE PUT ON THERE, UH, FOR Y'ALL.
SO THE, UH, X AXIS, UH, IS TIME FROM 2013 TO 2025.
AND I'VE HIGHLIGHTED, UH, THE RANGE WHERE OUR RESERVOIRS TYPICALLY FALL, THE GOOD, FAIR AND MARGINAL, UM, IN THERE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A BIT OF VARIABILITY, VARI BOUNCING AROUND OVER TIME.
AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN TRACE IT TO, WELL, WAS THERE A DROUGHT? WAS THERE, UH, SOME FLOOD EFFECTS? WAS THERE AN ABSENCE OF VEGETATION? WHERE WE HAVE IN CYANOBACTERIA BLOOMS, ALL THESE THINGS INTERACT, UH, TO MODIFY OUR SCORES.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS KIND OF LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THAT END PRODUCT, THE AMALGAMATION OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT METRICS.
UM, BUT WHEN YOU START TO LOOK INTO IT AND TEASE IT APART, YOU CAN GET A GOOD SENSE OF, UH, WHAT'S AFFECTING, UH, THE WATERWAYS.
YOU KNOW, SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, A VERY DISTILLED VERSION.
UM, BUT IF YOU DIG INTO THE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT OR, YOU KNOW, CONTACT ME DIRECTLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET INTO, UH, KIND OF MORE OF THOSE DIALS, UH, THAT ARE GOING INTO IT.
AND AGAIN, THE DRIVERS, IT'S EVERYTHING KIND OF IN THE WATERSHED AND THE CLIMATE, UH, THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR WATERWAYS.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE DO, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU ARE IN THE CITY, UH, WILL HAVE AN EFFECT, UM, ON, ON OUR, ON OUR WATER BODIES, THEIR OVERALL HEALTH.
AND I HIGHLIGHT, UH, AQUATIC VEGETATION.
AGAIN, THIS IS KIND OF A LEAD IN, UH, TO THE NEXT TOPIC.
VEGETATION IS A VERY IMPORTANT ECOSYSTEM COMPONENT, UH, FOR WATER QUALITY.
IT'S COMPETING FOR NUTRIENTS WITH PLANKTON, WITH, WITH POTENTIAL HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS THAT MAY IMPACT, UH, RECREATIONAL USAGE.
UH, IT PROVIDES GREAT HABITAT FOR INVERTEBRATES.
ONE OF THE METRICS THAT GOES INTO THE SCORE.
AND OBVIOUSLY, UH, IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF GRASS, UH, THEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF BIG BASS OUT THERE.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THAT, UH, ONE-TO-ONE RELATIONSHIP.
PEOPLE APPRECIATE BASS MORE THAN THEY APPRECIATE, UH, MAYBE THE AMOUNT OF DRAGONFLIES OUT THERE, BUT THE TWO ARE INTERTWINED.
UM, BUT YOU CAN HAVE TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING.
UH, YOU CAN HAVE TOO MUCH VEGETATION, AND THEN YOU CAN'T GET OUT THERE.
YOU CAN'T RECREATE, YOU CAN'T GET TO YOUR FAVORITE FISHING SPOTS POTENTIALLY, OR YOU CAN'T WATER SKI OR, OR WAKE BOAT.
UM, AND THE COMPOSITION, UH, IS VERY IMPORTANT.
IF YOU HAVE A MIXED ASSEMBLAGE OF NATIVE SPECIES, YOU HAVE THIS GREAT ARCHITECTURE OUT THERE.
THIS IS VERY FAVORABLE, UM, AND, AND BETTER OVERALL FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
WHEREAS IF YOU HAVE O AN OVERABUNDANCE OF NON-NATIVE SPECIES, WHILE THEY'RE PROVIDING SOME ECOSYSTEM SERVICES OF BENEFIT, UH, IN GENERAL, THEY DETRACT FROM THE OVERALL QUALITY.
SO IN THAT SCORE, UH, THERE'S KIND OF THIS GIVE AND TAKE BETWEEN, WELL, WE HAVE VEGETATION, WHICH IS GOOD, BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT IT'S A, IT'S AN ABUNDANCE OF NON-NATIVE SPECIES, WHICH IS, UH, KIND OF DETRIMENTAL.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF, AGAIN, THE GIVE AND TAKE THAT'S WRAPPED UP, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THAT SCORE THAT YOU'RE SEEING OUT THERE.
SO ABOUT THE AQUATIC VEGETATION, WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON LAKE AUSTIN.
UM, I CAN TALK ABOUT LADYBIRD LAKE, IF YOU ALL INVITE ME BACK.
UH, LAKE AUSTIN, THOUGH, UM, THE ISSUE OUT THERE, AND FOR ANY AUSTINITES THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, IT'S THE, UH, RESURGENCE OF THE NON-NATIVE HYDRILLA.
THERE'S ANOTHER NON-NATIVE THAT'S OUT THERE.
EURASIAN WATER MILL FOIL TENDS TO BE MORE CONSTRAINED IN ITS DISTRIBUTION TO THE UPPER RESERVOIR BECAUSE OF ITS KIND OF WATER TEMPERATURE PREFERENCES.
UH, SO IT CAN BE KIND OF A NUISANCE, BUT NOT AT THE SAME KIND OF SYSTEM SCALE THAT WE SEE WITH HYDRILLA.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, REALLY KIND OF, UH, BECAME AN ISSUE IN, IN LATE 2024 INTO 2025.
UM, SO, UH, WITH OUR PARTNERS AT TEXAS PARSON WILDLIFE, THEY CAN CARRY OUT THE VEGETATION SURVEYS MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR, UH, AND SHARE THAT DATA WITH US.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE VEGETATION FROM KIND OF THAT, UH, FISHERIES GAME FISH STANDPOINT.
UH, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR US, UNDERSTANDING THE WATER QUALITY AND THE HABITAT AND THESE OTHER THINGS.
SO IT'S A GREAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DYNAMIC AND BACK AND FORTH.
UM, AND THE MANAGEMENT DECISIONS, THE NEED TO GET PERMITS GOES THROUGH TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE.
SO YOU WANT, WE MAINTAIN THIS RELATIONSHIP, UM, TO TRY TO BEST BALANCE
[00:15:01]
AND MANAGE, AND WE WILL GET MORE INTO THAT.UM, BUT FOR, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MUCH OF THIS I GAVE FOR LAST YEAR, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE FOOTPRINT, YOU KNOW, OVER THE WINTER YOU EXPECT THE VEGETATION TO KIND OF DIE BACK TO A DEGREE.
UH, SO YOU GET KIND OF THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, B DYING BACK SENESCENCE FOR THE, YOUR, YOUR $3 WORD OF THE NIGHT.
UM, OUT THERE WE SEE, WE SAW SOME CHANGES, UM, OUT THERE, KIND OF THE HEALTH OF THE PLANTS, THE DISTRIBUTION IN THE UPPER PART OF THE RESERVOIR.
UM, THAT'S FORESHADOWING FOR THE LAST TOPIC.
UH, BUT IN LOWER RESERVOIR WHERE THIS PICTURE IS FROM, UH, WE REALLY DIDN'T SEE MUCH IN TERMS OF CHANGES, IN TERMS OF THE FOOTPRINT.
AND REALLY IT KIND OF STAYED, KIND OF TOPPED OUT.
AND THE WATERS, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY STAYS WARMER IN THE LOWER PART.
UM, THERE'S REALLY GOOD WATER CLARITY.
UH, THIS IS A POSITIVE FEEDBACK LOOP WITH THE VEGETATION.
THEY MAKE IT CLEAR THEY CAN GROW, THEY CAN KIND OF SUSTAIN THEIR GROWTH.
UM, BUT WE'LL HAVE TPWD JUST WRAPPED UP THEIR MOST RECENT SURVEY.
THAT DATA WILL BE COMING OUT THAT'LL GET REPORTED OUT ONCE EVERYTHING, UM, HAS GONE THROUGH THE PROPER VETTING.
BUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS FROM FEBRUARY, AND AGAIN, YOU DON'T REALLY EXPECT TO SEE THIS MUCH KIND OF GREENERY, UM, AND VEGETATION AT THE SURFACE.
UM, AS, AS WE SAW OVER THE WINTER.
UH, THIS GRAPH, UH, KIND OF HIGHLIGHTS THE, THE LAKE AUSTIN HYDRILLA STORY.
UM, IF YOU WILL, UH, AGAIN, X AXIS TIME.
THAT'S KIND OF THE CONSISTENT THING YOU'LL SEE.
UM, WITH MY SLIDES ON THE, UH, LEFT Y AXIS, UH, THAT IS FOR THE VEGETATIONS.
THAT'S THE ACRES OF LAKE AUSTIN THAT ARE, UH, KIND OF GROWN WHERE YOU HAVE VEGETATION COVERAGE.
THIS IS BASED ON, UH, SURVEYS AND GIS MAPPING THAT TPWD DOES.
UH, THERE'S TWO LINES THAT ARE RELATED TO VEGETATION EXTENT.
THE SOLID LINE IS HYDRILLA, THE DASH LINE, THAT'S TOTAL VEGETATION.
AGAIN, WE HAVE EURASIA WATER MILL FOIL OUT THERE.
WE ALSO DO HAVE IN PATCHES SOME NATIVE SPECIES.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF YOUR TOTAL VEGETATION.
UH, WHEREAS WE CALLED OUT HYDRILLA BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONE THAT IS THE PRIMARY NUISANCE, UH, THAT SHADED AREA.
UH, GRASS CARP IS THE TOOL THE, UH, THAT WE HAVE USED TO MANAGE HYDRILLA OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THIS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN, UH, THE GRASS CARP AND THE HYDRILLA, THE TOTAL VEGETATION.
UM, AND IF FOR THOSE, THE EAGLE EYE ONES AROUND 2014, YOU SEE THE PEAK IN THE GRASS CARP, THE PEAK THAT PRECEDES IN VEGETATION.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE CRASH AND A DECADE OF NO VEGETATION IN LAKE AUSTIN.
UH, NOT IDEAL, THE GRASS CAR POPULATION, NO NEW FISH WERE ADDED.
SO IT JUST KIND OF NATURALLY, UH, DIES OFF.
UM, THE FISH ARE STERILE, SO THEY'RE NOT REPRODUCING.
AND SO YOU JUST GET THIS, UH, NATURAL MORTALITY AND LOSS, UH, OF THE BIOMASS.
AND THEN YOU HAVE, IN 2023, WE STARTED SEEING AND MAPPING NATIVE PLANTS, UM, OUT IN LAKE AUSTIN AGAIN.
AND THEN THE HYDRILLA AGAIN, 2025 IN PARTICULAR, JUST TOOK OFF.
AND WHERE YOU SEE KIND OF THOSE STEEPEST CLIMBS IN THE HYDRILLA HAPPEN TO COINCIDE WITH YEARS OF DROUGHT, WHERE WE'RE HAVING VERY LOW FLOWS, WHERE WE HAVE WARMER WATER TEMPERATURES, UH, WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF HAVE YOUR DIPS BESIDES THE GRASS CAR.
IF WE HAD A LARGE FLOOD THAT IMPACTED THE SYSTEM, UH, THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN GET A REALLY SIGNIFICANT DROP IN YOUR HYDRO.
SO, CLIMATE'S VERY IMPORTANT, UH, IN, IN THE, UM, ECOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING OF LAKE AUSTIN.
IT'S A RIVER RAIN FLOW THROUGH, PASS THROUGH SYSTEM.
SO VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO, UH, WATER MOVEMENT FLOWS, VELOCITIES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND THAT'S KIND OF BORN OUT, UM, IN THIS STORY.
AND SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WITH A LOT OF COMP, COMPLICATED MODELING, WHICH, UM, WE'LL GET TO SOON.
SO THE GRASS CARP, UM, FOR THOSE THAT HAVEN'T SEEN IT, AGAIN, THESE ARE TRIPLOID, THESE ARE STERILE.
UM, SO THEY'RE NOT REPRODUCING OUT THERE.
IT ALLOWS US TO REGULATE THE AMOUNT THAT ARE OUT THERE.
SO WE CAN ADD, OR CAN'T REALLY SUBTRACT, PER SE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR MORTALITY.
UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GOOD ESTIMATES OF THAT.
SO WE KIND OF HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW MANY ARE OUT THERE AT ANY GIVEN TIME WITHIN, YOU KNOW, SOME ERROR BARS.
GOTTA GIVE US A LITTLE BREAK ON THAT, UH, STOCKINGS THAT WE'VE DONE.
THERE WAS A SMALL STOCKING IN THE SUMMER OF 2025, AFTER SEEING AGAIN THAT STEEP RISE IN THE HYDRILLA.
WE INCREASED OUR STOCKING RATES.
WE STOCKED OVER THE WINTER IN NOVEMBER, WE STOCKED AGAIN, UH, THIS SPRING IN MAY.
IN RESPONSE TO THE TEXAS PARSON WILDLIFE SURVEYS.
WE'VE ADJUSTED THE STOCKING RATE OUT THERE.
SO THAT EIGHT FISH PER ACRE, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE PITCHED IN THE LITERATURE.
UH, BUT WITH PARSON WILDLIFE GUIDANCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS WE'RE,
[00:20:01]
YOU KNOW, KIND OF STAYING AT A LOWER END.UH, BECAUSE AGAIN, IF YOU STOCK TOO MANY TOO FAST, YOU GET THAT STEEP RISE IN THE GRASS CARP, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THAT STEEP DROP IN YOUR VEGETATION THAT WE SAW IN 2014.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING, UM, TO PREVENT.
ANOTHER THING THAT'S BEING TALKED ABOUT A LOT RECENTLY, UH, A MANAGEMENT OPTION, UH, BUT ALSO SOMETHING OF BENEFIT FOR THE RESIDENTS OF LAKE AUSTIN IS A DRAWDOWN.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HISTORICALLY WOULD HAPPEN EVERY YEAR OR TWO, UH, WHERE THEY WOULD LOWER THE LAKE.
AGAIN, THIS IS A RESERVOIR, IT'S A REGULATED SYSTEM, AND THAT MEANS YOU CAN MANIPULATE WATER LEVELS.
AND SO, UH, SO IT WOULD BE THAT THEY WOULD DROP THE LEVEL 12 FEET DURING THE WINTER.
UM, AND THIS WOULD ALLOW, UH, HOMEOWNERS TO DO MAINTENANCE ON THEIR BOAT DOCKS ON THEIR SHORELINES.
IT'S A LOT EASIER, UH, WHEN THE WATER LEVEL'S NOT UP.
YOU DON'T HAVE BOATS AND TRAFFIC AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS GOING ON.
UM, SO YOU GOT THESE CALM CONDITIONS, YOU HAVE EASIER ACCESS, UM, WHILE YOU'RE OUT THERE.
AND IT IS OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE EXPOSING ALL THESE SEDIMENTS, UM, OUT THERE.
IF THAT WAS ALL HYDRILLA, WHICH IT CURRENTLY IS, YOU EXPOSE THAT THE PLANTS OBVIOUSLY DESICCATE DRY OUT AND THEY'LL DIE.
UM, IRONIC, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PROS, SOME OF THE CONS.
YOU KNOW, HYDRA IS A VERY AGGRESSIVE PLANT, AND IT'S WELL SUITED TO, UM, THESE TYPES OF, UH, MANIPULATIONS AND CHANGES.
THEY PRODUCE UNDERGROUND SEEDS, TUBERS, AND TURS THAT CAN SURVIVE A DRAWDOWN.
IT TAKES YEARS TO, TO ACTUALLY KILL THOSE OFF IN THE SEDIMENTS.
SO AS SOON AS THEY GET WATER BACK, THESE THINGS ARE RESPROUTING.
UM, AND AGAIN, THEIR GROWTH RATES TEND TO EXCEED OTHER PLANTS.
SO IT GIVES THEM KIND OF A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.
AND SO THESE AREAS THAT ARE DENUDED OF VEGETATION NATIVE, NON-NATIVE, ARE NOW OPEN HABITAT AND OPEN NICHE, IF YOU WILL, AND THE FRAGMENTS CAN MOVE INTO THESE AREAS AND RECOLONIZE.
UM, WITH THAT, FROM A OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, YOU LOWER THE LAKE LEVEL, UM, AND YOU LOSE THAT HEAD PRESSURE, SO YOU CAN GENERATE LESS ELECTRICITY THROUGH THE MULAR DAM.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, HAS, UH, CAUGHT THE KIND OF ATTENTION OF ERCOT.
AND SO, AGAIN, HISTORICALLY, THE DRAWDOWNS WERE IN THE WINTER, UM, BUT THEY'VE CHANGED THEIR RULES.
AND SO LCRA CAN NO LONGER DO LOWERINGS IN THE WINTER, IN, IN THE JANUARY, FEBRUARY, BLESS YOU.
UM, INSTEAD, WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR IS A FALL DRAWDOWN.
SO THERE WAS, UH, IN SOME OF THE OTHER HIGHLAND LAKES LAST YEAR, THEY DID A DRAWDOWN OF, UH, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH LAKES, THEY DID A DRAWDOWN OF ONE OR TWO OTHER LAKES UP THERE IN THE FALL.
UM, AND THAT'S TO MAKE SURE THAT DURING, UH, AN EMERGENCY, IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE A YURI, A WINTER STORM, YURI, IF IT'S, UH, A HEAT WAVE IN AUGUST, THAT THEY HAVE MAXIMAL POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY.
UM, OF COURSE, THAT THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, STILL NICE WEATHER.
UH, YOU CAN CAN'T LAUNCH YOUR BOATS.
YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE MAIN CHANNEL VERY EASILY FROM YOUR DOCKS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF TRADE-OFFS AND A LOT OF THINGS WITH THIS, UH, THAT ARE GOING INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, AUSTIN WATER, AUSTIN ENERGY, LCRA, UH, WORKING ON THIS GUIDED DOCUMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT'LL LOOK LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WHEN REQUESTS COME IN TO DO A LAKE LOWERING, AND THEN, NO, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOME ANIMATION TO IT.
YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT, WE TALK ABOUT THE MANAGEMENT.
ONE OF THE, UH, CITY MANAGERS, UM, UH, GOALS, OBJECTIVES FOR THIS YEAR, FISCAL YEAR 26.
HE WANTED TO SEE A MANAGEMENT PLAN DRAFTED FOR HYDRILLA.
AND SO WATERSHED PROTECTION MYSELF, UH, WITH LIZ AND, AND, UH, ANDREW, UH, COMMON OVER THERE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, UH, AQUATIC PLANT MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT WILL PROVIDE, UM, THE FRAMEWORK FOR MAKING DECISIONS, HOW AGGRESSIVELY WHAT TOOLS YOU USE, UH, FOR MANAGING VEGETATION, NOT JUST IN LAKE AUSTIN, BUT ALSO IN LADYBIRD LAKE.
AGAIN, I MENTIONED, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF VEGETATION THERE.
WE'RE FORTUNATE IT'S NOT THE, UH, NON-NATIVE HYDRILLA, IT'S A NATIVE PLANT FAN WART.
BUT IF YOU'VE BEEN ON BARTON CREEK RECENTLY, YOU SEE ALL THAT VEGETATION IN THERE.
THAT'S THE NATIVE FAN WARD KA BAMBA THAT'S GROWING IN THERE.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, IS, UM, YOU KNOW, CAUSES, UH, SOME ISSUES, UH, TO RECREATIONAL USE OUT IN THE MAIN CHANNEL.
IT CAN CAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME IMPAIRMENTS, UM, AND, AND SOME ADVERSE IMPACTS TO THE COMMERCIAL OPERATORS OUT THERE.
AND SO WE WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THOSE.
AND SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, A LITERATURE REVIEW AND ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A GUIDANCE FRAMEWORK FOR HOW TO APPROACH THOSE THINGS.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT THAT 2014
[00:25:01]
TO 2023 PERIOD OF NO VEGETATION, WHICH IS NOT IDEAL, UH, ECOLOGICALLY THAT IT, THAT IT'S A QUITE UNHEALTHY SYSTEM.BUT WE ALSO, WE, WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPAIRMENTS THAT VEGETATION CAN CAUSE, ESPECIALLY NON-NATIVE SPECIES.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE THE RESERVOIR FUNCTIONALITY AND THE USAGE AND THE ECOLOGY AMONGST ALL THESE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS THAT WANT ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS FROM THE RESERVOIR.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S A VERY TRICKY THING.
AND SO WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN SOMETHING'S COMPLICATED AND TRICKY? YOU THROW SOME REALLY FUNKY MATH AT IT.
UH, I'M VERY FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH SOME BIG BRAIN, UH, MODELERS.
AND SO THIS IS AN EXAMPLE SIMULATION.
EACH OF THOSE LINES IS A SIMULATION, UH, OF A STARTING HYDRILLA, STARTING GRASS CARP, DIFFERENT GRASS CARP STOCKING EVERY SIX MONTHS, DOING A DRAW DOWN EVERY FOUR YEARS.
AND WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES? HOW DOES THE HYDRILLA RESPONSE? SO AGAIN, YOU HAVE YOUR TIME FROM ESSENTIALLY NOW OUT THROUGH, I THINK IT'S SEVEN YEARS ON THERE.
AND THEN ON THE Y IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE HYDRO HYDRILLA AND THE VEGETATION, TOTAL VEGETATION RESPONSE TO THESE MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS.
AND SO OUT OF A THOUSAND INTERVENTIONS, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF, UH, SPREAD AND VARIABILITY OUT THERE.
SO AGAIN, IT'S, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS AT PLAY, UM, A LOT, YOU KNOW, A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY.
BUT THIS GIVES US, UM, YOU KNOW, AN IDEA OF THE DIRECTION.
AND THEN WE CAN, AGAIN, TURN LEVERS.
WE CAN UPDATE THE MODEL EVERY YEAR WITH, OKAY, WELL, WHAT IS OUR GRASS CARP ESTIMATED POPULATION? WHAT ARE WE SEEING FROM OUR VEGETATION SURVEYS? AND THEN WE CAN MODIFY AS NEEDED, DEPENDING ON WHERE IT FALLS, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THOSE SIMULATED OUTCOMES.
SO THAT'S BEEN, ACADEMICALLY SPEAKING, A VERY INTERESTING, FUN THING.
BUT IT'S VERY COMPLICATED IN TRYING TO BALANCE, UH, A LOT OF THINGS IS, YOU KNOW, IS CHALLENGING.
SPEAKING OF CHALLENGES, ALRIGHT, BLUE-GREEN ALGAE, UH, WE'LL MOVE DOWN NOW INTO, UH, LADYBIRD LAKE.
WE DO MONITOR, UM, IN LAKE AUSTIN, UH, FOR THE PRESENCE.
UH, WE COLLECT ALGAE SAMPLES OUT THERE, UM, AT A FEW SITES.
BUT FOR THIS, UM, THIS IS FOCUSING ON LADY BIRD LAKE, UM, THE PROGRAM, THIS WAS ESTABLISHED AFTER THE UNFORTUNATE DOG DEATHS IN 2019, UH, TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CHANGED IN OUR SYSTEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, WAS IT JUST, WE WEREN'T LOOKING FOR IT? WAS IT THAT, UH, KIND OF SMALL, MINUSCULE IT DISTRIBUTION THAT IT WASN'T AFFECTING DOGS? UM, AND THE ECOSYSTEM, WHAT WAS IT, 2019 THAT CHANGED THAT? NOW WE SEE, UH, THESE MATS OF ALGAE BEING SO KIND OF PROLIFIC, ESPECIALLY AROUND RED BUD IS.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN MONITORING, UM, EVERY ONE TO THREE WEEKS.
WE'LL GO OUT, WE'LL COLLECT SAMPLES.
UH, IF IT'S FLOATING MATS, WE CAN PEEL THE MATS.
YOU CAN PEEL IT OFF OF THE ROCKS THAT ARE UP THERE, GOOEY, SLIMY, UM, GNARLY STUFF.
UM, WE MEASURE, UH, THE, THE TOXINS THAT ARE IN THE MATS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT SPECIES COMPOSITION.
WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, MACRONUTRIENTS LIKE YOUR PHOSPHORUS, NITROGEN, AND CARBON.
WE'RE LOOKING AT MICRONUTRIENTS AND METALS, IRON AND MANGANESE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE VERY IMPORTANT, UH, TO CY A BACTERIA ECOLOGY AND GIVES THEM IN CERTAIN RATIOS AND ADVANTAGE OVER OTHER ALGA.
WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT IS, UH, TO DETERMINE IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN MODIFY, MANIPULATE THE SYSTEM TO REDUCE, UH, THEIR PREVALENCE.
NOW, ONE OF THE, UH, PILOT PROJECTS THAT WE STARTED, UM, IN 2021, UH, WAS THE CLAY APPLICATIONS.
THIS IS LANTHANUM, MODIFIED BENTONITE, UH, BENTONITE.
UH, NOTHING, NOTHING MUCH TO IT.
LANTHANUM A RARE EARTH ELEMENT, UH, BUT VERY BENIGN.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY USED IN MEDICAL PROCEDURES BECAUSE OF ITS ABILITY TO SCAVENGE PHOSPHATE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOUR BODY IS HAVING TROUBLE PROCESSING PHOSPHATE, THEY'LL USE LANTHANUM, UH, IN THE ENVIRONMENT.
IN LAKES, THEY'VE BEEN USING LANTHANUM TO, UH, REMOVE AND SEQUESTER AND BIND PHOSPHATE FROM THE WATER COLUMN FROM THE SEDIMENTS, WHICH ARE AN IMPORTANT SOURCE.
THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT YOU CAN USE ALUM, UM, ALUMINUM SULFATE THAT'LL BIND PHOSPHORUS, BUT UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, IT MIGHT RELEASE IT.
WE WANNA BIND THIS UP AND WE WANNA MAKE IT UNUSABLE TO THE SIGN OF BACTERIA.
AGAIN, THESE MAPS, THEY START THEIR LIFECYCLE ON THE SEDIMENTS.
SO IT KIND OF STANDS TO REASON.
WELL, IF THERE'S A SET, A PHOSPHOROUS SOURCE, NOT JUST SPIRALING ABOVE 'EM IN THE WATER, BUT ALSO COMING UP FROM THE SEDIMENTS BELOW, WELL, LET'S TARGET THE SEDIMENTS.
AND SO FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE DONE THREE APPLICATIONS A YEAR.
UM, IT MAKES FOR GREAT PHOTO OPS.
UH, THESE GUYS OUT THERE SPRAYING, UM, THIS, THIS PRODUCT.
UH, BUT BESIDES JUST APPLYING THE BENTONITE, WE GOTTA COLLECT A LOT OF DATA.
[00:30:01]
MONITORING OF THE ALGAE OF THE WATER, OF THE SEDIMENTS, BUT WE'VE DONE SOME DIFFERENT, UH, SEDIMENT CHEMISTRY, UM, TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT OF THE BENTONITE, OF THE LANTHANUM.SO ON THE LEFT, UH, WHAT THAT IS, IS YOUR SEDIMENT, TOTAL PHOSPHORUS.
OKAY? THAT'S ALL OF THE PHOSPHORUS THAT'S THERE IN THE SEDIMENTS.
AND YOU CAN SEE SINCE WE STARTED THE PROGRAM IN 2021, UH, THE AMOUNT OF PHOSPHORUS, IT'S VARIABLE, BUT IT'S GOT AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY.
THIS IS RIGHT BELOW THE TOM MILLER DAM.
THERE'S KIND OF CONSTANT INPUTS OF SEDIMENT AND ORGANIC MATTER.
UH, YOU KNOW, FROM UP RIVER, YOU HAVE RUNOFF FROM RED BUTT IS ITSELF.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT THAT SURPRISING THAT WE'RE SEEING INCREASES IN PHOSPHORUS OUT THERE.
NOW, THE INTERESTING THING, THE RIGHT GRAPH, OKAY, AGAIN, TIME.
AND THEN THAT'S, UH, A PERCENT OF PHOSPHORUS.
SO IF YOU TAKE THAT TOTAL PHOSPHORUS, AND WE'RE GONNA BREAK IT UP INTO PERCENTAGES, AND THOSE PERCENTAGES ARE HOW MUCH OF THAT PHOSPHORUS IS SEALED AND LOCKED UP AND UNAVAILABLE, AND HOW MUCH OF THAT PHOSPHORUS CAN BE LEACHED AND, UH, RELEASED FROM THE SEDIMENTS AND THAT MOBILE, WHAT WE CALL MOBILE PHOSPHORUS.
THAT'S WHAT THE CYANOBACTERIA COULD POTENTIALLY BE USING.
AND SO THE, UH, THE, THE SOLID CIRCLES, THAT'S THAT MOBILE PHOSPHORUS, THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TARGET AT THE START OF THE PROJECT.
BEFORE WE DID OUR FIRST APPLICATION, IT WAS ABOUT 60 40.
WHAT WAS MOBILE IMMOBILE OUT THERE? 60 40, UH, IMMOBILE.
WE START DOING OUR TREATMENTS, AND YOU CAN SEE THERE WAS A VERY QUICK RESPONSE IN THE SEDIMENT PHOSPHORUS POOL.
AND THAT MOBILE FRACTION, UH, DROPPED DOWN TO 20%.
AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP IT, UH, WITHIN AROUND 20% OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
SO THAT'S A, A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DROP AND CHANGE IN THE SEDIMENT CHEMISTRY.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT THE PRODUCT'S SUPPOSED TO DO.
SO THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HOPE TO SEE, UM, OUT THERE.
SO THIS SITE RESPONDED, UM, AS, AS EXPECTED.
NOW THIS YEAR, WE'RE NOT DOING ANY NEW LANTHANUM TREATMENTS, UM, OUT THERE BECAUSE WE WANNA SEE, WELL, WHAT IS THE SYSTEM RESPONSE WHEN YOU'RE NOT CONSTANTLY ADDING, UH, YOU KNOW, A FEW THOUSAND POUNDS OF, OF FRESH LANTHANUM, UM, OUT THERE, LANTHANUM BENTONITE OUT THERE.
SO WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN KIND OF, I GUESS, AGAIN, ACADEMICALLY SPEAKING, FORTUNATE, WE'VE HAD THESE LARGE RAIN EVENTS.
WE'VE HAD SOME FLOODGATE OPERATIONS.
WE'VE HAD THESE THINGS THAT CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THIS SITE.
IT'S CONTRIBUTING FRESH MATERIAL.
SO THE SAMPLING THAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR, UH, WILL GIVE US AN IDEA OF HOW THE SYSTEM RESPONDS WHEN THERE'S NOT FRESH LANTHANUM.
AND IT GIVES US A CHANCE TO SEE HOW THE ALGAE ARE RESPONDING.
AND FROM THAT, THEN WE CAN MAKE, UH, YOU KNOW, DECISIONS ON, YOU KNOW, THIS APPLICATION, THIS DIRECTION, OR DO WE NEED TO PURSUE, UH, OTHER AVENUES OF MANAGEMENT.
UH, AGAIN, THESE ARE FLOW THROUGH SYSTEMS. THE WATERSHED IS BIG.
THERE'S A LOT OF INPUTS THAT ARE COMING IN.
WE'VE HAD SOME BIG RAIN EVENTS LAST 4TH OF JULY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THOSE TRAGIC RAINS THAT WE HAD IN THE, UH, CENTRAL TEXAS IN THE WATERSHED, UH, CAN JUST TREMENDOUS VOLUMES OF WATER.
UH, VERY, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY TYPICAL OF FLASH FLOOD ALLEY HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
UM, WHAT WAS SURPRISING WAS IN THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY, STARTED GETTING SOME CALLS FROM FOLKS THAT LIVE IN UPPER LAKE AUSTIN THAT THEY WERE SEEING THE WATER VERY TURD UP THERE.
THIS PICTURE DOESN'T REALLY DO IT JUSTICE, BUT I MEAN, IF YOU, YOU KNOW, THE WATER CLARITY, YOU KNOW, IS NOTHING OUT THERE.
TEXAS PARSON WILDLIFE WAS OUT THERE AND THEY'RE LIKE, WE CAN'T DO OUR SURVEYS 'CAUSE THE WATER'S TOO TUR.
AND SO IT WAS KIND OF A, WHAT'S KIND OF GOING ON OUT THERE? WHY IN FEBRUARY, YOU KNOW, ARE WE SEEING THIS KIND OF, UH, TURBIDITY EVENT? AND THERE WAS SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME SPECULATION.
WELL, WITH ALL THE VEGETATION, MAYBE IT'S IMPACTING FLOW DYNAMICS, AND YOU'RE GETTING RESUS SUSPENSION, UM, OF SEDIMENTS BECAUSE THE, UH, THE FRICTION BEING CAUSED BY THE VEGETATION.
FORTUNATELY, LCRA HAS GOT THIS COOL NEW PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT THEY HAD DEPLOYED RIGHT ABOVE THE MANSFIELD DAM.
UH, THAT LITTLE PLATFORM THERE, UM, HAS A SAND.
IT'S THIS LONG DATA LOGGER LIKE THIS, AND IT'S GOT ALL KINDS OF PROBES THAT ARE ON IT THAT CAN MEASURE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
TEMPERATURE, PH CONNECTIVITY, AND TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS.
AND SO THEY HAVE THIS DATA, THEY HAD DEPLOYED IT OUT THERE, AND THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, LET'S LOOK AT OUR DATA AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY INSIGHTS INTO IT.
SURE ENOUGH, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK FROM OCTOBER, UH, THROUGH FEBRUARY, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT TYPICALLY YOUR TOTAL SUSPENDED, SOLID CONCENTRATION THAT'S, UH, ON YOUR LEFT, UH, ON THE Y AXIS, UH, TENDS TO BE VERY, VERY LOW, YOU KNOW, AT
[00:35:01]
KIND OF NEAR BACKGROUND LEVELS.AND THEN IN JANUARY, AND ESPECIALLY IN FEBRUARY, YOU GET THESE SPIKES.
AND THIS IS, AGAIN, THIS IS LAKE TRAVIS DATA, ALL RIGHT.
UM, WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? WELL, THIS IS THE DEEP WATER.
THIS IS AT THE BOTTOM, SO BELOW 40 METERS.
SO THIS IS THAT BOTTOM KIND OF COMPARTMENT OF WATER, OF LAKE TRAVIS.
AND ALL OF THESE SEDIMENTS ARE BEING RESUSPENDED.
WHAT WE THINK WERE SEDIMENTS, FINE SEDIMENTS THAT WERE DEPOSITED FROM THE JULY FLOODS, POTENTIALLY.
SO THEY JUST HAVEN'T SETTLED AND CONSOLIDATED YET.
UM, SO YOU HAVE THIS PLUME THAT'S OUT THERE, AND AGAIN, THE MANSFIELD DAM, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW IT, DISCHARGES WATER FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE DAM.
SO THE DAM'S, YOU KNOW, 150 FEET TALL, IT'S DISCHARGING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE DAM.
SO IT'S PULLING THAT TURID WATER OUT AND DISCHARGING IT INTO UPPER LAKE AUSTIN.
OKAY, SO THAT MAKES SENSE WHY WE HAD THE TURBIDITY, BUT WHY DID WE HAVE THIS RESUS SUSPENSION EVENT? THAT'S THE COOL LIMNOLOGY.
SO THAT PROBE, IT'S GOING UP AND DOWN ON A REGULAR BASIS, COLLECTING DATA.
SO YOU HAVE, AGAIN, YOU HAVE YOUR TIME ON YOUR X YOU HAVE ON YOUR Y WHAT YOU HAVE IS YOUR DEPTH.
SO THE TOP IS YOUR SURFACE, THE BOTTOM IS YOUR BOTTOM, AND THEN THE COLORS ARE THE CONCENTRATION, OR IN THIS CASE, TEMPERATURE.
SO THIS IS SHOWING THE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT OF LAKE TRAVIS FROM OCTOBER THROUGH FEBRUARY, RIGHT? SUPER COOL.
THE COLORS THAT YOU HAVE, THOSE HOPEFULLY, IF YOU'RE NOT COLORBLIND, THE PURPLES AND THE BLUES, THIS IS WARMER WATER, UH, THAT'S UP THERE.
SO YOUR UPPER WATER, VERY WARM, AND THEN YOU HAVE THIS SHARP GRADIENT, AND THOSE GREENS ARE COLD WATER.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE CALL A STRATIFIED SYSTEM.
SO YOU HAVE THESE LAYERS THAT ARE ISOLATED FROM EACH OTHER.
THE SURFACE WATER, YOUR BOTTOM WATER, THEY'RE ISOLATED.
AND LAKE TRAVIS STAYS THAT WAY THROUGH THE SUMMER, STAYED THAT WAY THROUGH THE WINTER UNTIL JANUARY, AND THEN YOU SEE THOSE GREENS GOING TOP TO BOTTOM.
WELL, IF YOU REMEMBER WHAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF END OF JANUARY, BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY WAS, IT WAS OUR QUOTE UNQUOTE WINTER.
THAT'S WHEN WE GOT OUR COLD SNAP.
SO THE SURFACE WATER IS COOLED ENOUGH.
THERE WAS A SMALL ENOUGH GRADIENT THEN BETWEEN THE SURFACE WATER TEMPERATURE OF THE BOTTOM WATER TEMPERATURE, AND THE WHOLE SYSTEM FLIPS.
YOU GET THIS VERTICAL MIXING ALL THIS WATER GOING UP AND DOWN.
UM, AND IT WAS APPARENTLY ENOUGH TURBULENCE TO RESUSPEND THOSE FINE SEDIMENTS.
WHAT CAUSED THE RESUS SUSPENSION, WHAT CAUSED THAT TURBIDITY WAS THIS FLIPPING, UM, OF LAKE TRAVIS OVER THE WINTER.
BUT IT, IT REALLY, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT, HAVING THE RIGHT TOOLS, UM, AND THE RIGHT DATA ALLOWED US TO ANSWER A VERY SPECIFIC QUESTION OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN LAKE AUSTIN.
THEN THE SYSTEM STRATIFIES, EVERYTHING SETTLES DOWN.
THIS IS, I THINK, MAY THROUGH JUNE, UH, ALMOST THROUGH THE END OF JUNE.
UM, AGAIN, EVERYTHING KIND OF CAME BACK DOWN TO BASELINE.
YOU SEE IN JUNE, KIND OF MID-JUNE, THERE'S ANOTHER LITTLE BLIP THAT CORRESPONDS WITH THAT THREE INCH RAINFALL EVENT THAT WE HAD, UH, IN THE MID MONTH.
SO AGAIN, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WATERSHED, OUR CLIMATE, VERY STRONG, SIGNIFICANT EFFECT AND IMPACT ON OUR WATER BODIES.
SO TO WRAP UP, I'M SURE I'VE GONE WAY OVER MY TIME.
APOLOGIZE, UH, OUR REG RESERVOIRS, THESE ARE AMAZING RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
UM, WE'RE GLAD PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GET OUT AND ENJOY 'EM, UM, TO RECREATE.
UH, BUT THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY CHALLENGED.
THEY'RE CHALLENGED BY WHAT'S GOING ON LOCALLY, WHAT'S GOING ON IN WEST TEXAS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE HILL COUNTRY THAT CONTRIBUTES TO OUR WATERSHEDS.
SOME THINGS WE HAVE CONTROL OVER, AND THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL, UH, THANKFULLY ARE HELPING WITH.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, ADAPT, UH, AS WE CAN TO THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO THE VEGETATION GROWTH IS A CHALLENGE.
THE TOXIC ALGAE ARE A CHALLENGE.
THESE ARE RESPONSES TO THOSE DRIVERS, TO WARM TEMPERATURES, TO A LACK OF FLOODING, TO NUTRIENT ENRICHMENT THAT, THAT ARE GOING ON, CONTRIBUTING TO THE SYSTEM.
EVEN WHEN YOU GET A LITTLE BIT OF A FLOOD, IF IT'S NOT A SCOURING, YOU'RE CONTRIBUTING A LOT OF FRESH MATERIAL THAT CAN THEN FUEL THE GROWTH OF YOUR PLANTS OR YOUR ALGAE.
WE ARE VERY ACTIVELY ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS, OBVIOUSLY, LAKE AUSTIN, UH, IT IS RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS UP AND DOWN THAT, AND WE, UH, HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE HAVING TOWN HALL MEETINGS AS WELL AS SMALLER STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WITH THOSE FOLKS, GETTING FEEDBACK AND THINGS THAT ARE GOING INTO OUR MANAGEMENT PLAN, TAKING THOSE INTO CONSIDERATION.
WE DO A LOT OF OUTREACH, SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHERWISE ABOUT THE RISKS OF THE TOXIC ALGAE.
I JUST GOT A CALL THIS WEEK, UM, A FAMILY THAT'S COMING DOWN FROM THE NORTHEAST,
[00:40:01]
STAYING UP AT APACHE SHORES, AND THEY WANTED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOXICOLOGY AND THE RISKS, AND HOW DO THEY AVOID THIS.SO THE, THE MESSAGE AND THE INFORMATION IS GETTING OUT THERE.
PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION AND ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GREAT.
SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO USE IT, USE IT RESPONSIBLY, USE IT CAREFULLY, UM, TO REDUCE THOSE RISKS OUT THERE.
AND OBVIOUSLY, AGAIN, THIS IS SHORT TERM, MIDTERM LONG TERM, YOU KNOW, THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT IS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE.
THE TOXICOLOGY A LONG ONGOING ISSUE, WHAT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE AUSTIN LAKES INDEX IS SOMETHING THAT KIND OF CAPTURES THAT.
BUT THEN YOU HAVE THESE SMALL INTERMEDIATE THINGS LIKE THE TURBIDITY EVENT, YOU KNOW, BUT WHAT ARE THE LONGER TERM RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT TYPE OF EVENT? SO IT'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE GET TO LOOK AT, ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT AND TRACK OVER TIME.
AND WHAT CAN WE DO? AGAIN, SINCE I HAVE THIS GREAT AUDIENCE HERE, EVERYBODY, I'M ASSUMING LIVES IN THE COLORADO RIVER WATERSHED.
EVEN IF IT'S NOT TO A RESERVOIR PER SE, IT'S GOING TO THE RIVER, IT'S GOING DOWN TO THE GULF.
SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE OUR MONITORING, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE OUR MODELING, UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO REIGN IN, UH, THE HYDRILLA GROWTH WITHOUT TIPPING THE SYSTEM.
WE'RE GONNA WRAP UP THE TOXICOLOGY MONITORING PROJECT, AND THEN WE WILL REIMAGINE THAT, TRYING TO ENGAGE WITH FEDERAL PARTNERS, TRYING TO ENGAGE WITH UNIVERSITIES AS TO WHAT ARE THE BEST PATHS FORWARD, UH, TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE AND PROVIDE THE BEST INFORMATION TO FOLKS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, AGAIN, THE DECISIONS OF THE COUNCIL, UH, THE COMMISSIONS, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, ARE HOLDING, UH, NEW DEVELOPMENTS ACCOUNTABLE, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE RUNOFF IS BEING CAPTURED, THAT THEIR WATER'S BEING TREATED, SLOWING THE FLOW.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE GOOD AT THE MACRO SCALE, BUT ALSO AT THE HOMEOWNER SCALE, CISTERNS, RAIN GARDENS, THESE TYPES OF THINGS.
ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO SLOW THE FLOW, REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF RUNOFF THAT'S COMING OFF OF YOUR PROPERTIES, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A GREEN LAWN, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A GREEN LAKE.
FERTILIZER IS FERTILIZER, GRASS IS GRASS, WHETHER IT'S HYDRILLA OR IF IT'S, UM, BERMUDA GRASS.
IT'S ALL BEING DRIVEN BY THE SAME THINGS.
AND SO WE CAN ALL DO OUR PART TO REDUCE THAT GROWTH, EVEN IF YOUR HOA WANTS IT.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS.
FIRST, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM CHAIR? THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR THIS ITEM.
COMMISSIONER BRIMER, CAN YOU HEAR US YET? OKAY, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON THAT.
WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN.
UH, JUST BY COINCIDENCE, UM, I HAPPENED TO, BECAUSE OF AN ITEM LATER IN OUR AGENDA, I WAS USING THE RA'S DATABASE FOR DATA.
UM, IS THE CITY COLLECTING THIS DATA OR IS LCRA COLLECTING THIS LCRA, UH, LAKE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY COLLECTING THE DATA? UH, EVERYTHING THAT'S ON THAT DATABASE IS LCRA IS COLLECTING.
AND, UM, THE, IT LOOKED LIKE THE DATA, YOU HAD MORE DATA POINTS THAN I DOWNLOADED FROM THE RA'S WEBSITE.
IS THIS CONTINUOUS DATA OR IS IT ONCE A DAY, OR IS IT ONCE A WEEK OR MOST, UM, MOST OF THE MONITORING SITES, UH, ARE BIMONTHLY.
SOME OF THOSE ARE LEGACY SITES AND SOME AREN'T, UH, ACTIVELY MONITORED ANYMORE.
UM, BUT FOR THE ACTIVE SITES, FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, IT'S TYPICALLY ON A BIMONTHLY, UH, COLLECTION BASIS.
UH, UM, REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE DATA, WHEREVER YOU GOT IT.
UM, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, THE LGAL PROLIFERATION.
IS THAT, UM, AFFECTED BY, UH, HEAT DRAMATICALLY? YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GREAT, UH, QUESTION.
THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IS THAT THE SIGN OF BACTERIA, UH, TEND TO OUTCOMPETE OTHER ALGAE WITH FORMER WATER TEMPERATURES.
THE PROLIFERATIONS, WE'VE KIND OF SEEN THEM IN, UM, IN SPOTS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY CONFORM TO THAT.
SO IT, IT, IT'S STILL SOMETHING THAT'S BEING TEASED OUT, UH, OF THE DATA.
I WOULD SAY IN GENERAL THOUGH, I MEAN, WE TEND NOT TO SEE THE THICKEST GROWTH UNTIL, YOU KNOW, MAY, JUNE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THROUGH THE SUMMER.
[00:45:01]
SO THERE IS THAT SEASONAL ASPECT TO IT.UM, BUT IS IT TO THE SAME EXTENT AS THE, THE PLANKTON, YOU KNOW, REMAINS TO BE SEEN.
I'M NOW REMEMBERING THAT YOU SAID THE, THE WATER COMING THROUGH THE DAM, UH, WHERE RED BUTT ISLAND BASICALLY EXISTS, IT'S COMING THROUGH THE BOTTOM.
SO WOULDN'T THAT BE THE COLDEST WATER THAT THERE IS YEP.
IN THE LAKE? WHAT'S THAT TEMPERATURE? IT'S STILL, UH, SORRY, I'M GONNA BE CENTIGRADE FOR A SECOND.
IT'S STILL IN THE, UH, YOU KNOW, UPPER SEVENTIES.
UH, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF YEAR, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF FLOW THAT THE WEST SIDE OF THE ISLAND GETS SO THAT THE PICTURE THAT I, THAT I SHOWED IN THERE IS ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE ISLAND.
SO IT'S NOT GETTING AS MUCH FLOW SO THAT WATER ISN'T, UM, BEING COOLED TO THE SAME EXTENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT, UH, OF WATER THAT'S PUSHED THROUGH VARIES FROM DAY TO DAY.
UM, THEY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TIMING OF THE RELEASES, IF IT'S IN THE AFTERNOON OR EVENING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DAY IS YOU ALREADY HAVE THAT RATE OF, UH, YOU ALREADY HAVE THAT RADIATIVE COOLING HAPPENING.
UM, BUT YES, IT IS THE COOLEST WATER LAKE AUSTIN'S BOTTOM WATER, THOUGH, UM, AS A CAVEAT DOES NOT, IS NOT AS COLD AS WHAT'S COMING OUTTA LAKE TRAVIS.
SO IF, IF YOU WERE STANDING IN THE WATER AT REDWOOD ISLE VERSUS AT JESSICA HOLLIS PARK, IT'S A VERY NOTICEABLE, YOU KNOW, EIGHT PLUS 10 DEGREES CENTIGRADE DIFFERENCE CENTIGRADE.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, BARTON SPRINGS POOL VERSUS YOUR POOL.
SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER, IS THIS PHENOMENON, UH, ON ANY OTHER ISLANDS? I KNOW THERE'S THE ISLAND AT, AT THE OTHER END OF LADY BIRD LAKE, CLOSE TO THE, TO CLOSE TO THE DAM THERE.
WHAT IS THAT ISLAND CALLED? IS THAT SNAKE ISLAND? SNAKE ISLAND, RIGHT.
UM, I HAVE NOT NOTICED, UH, THE MASS GROWING DOWN THERE, THE, THESE TYPES OF GROWTH.
UM, AND IT, IT'S KIND OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE SEEING GLOBALLY.
IT'S, IT'S SHALLOWER AND COBBLY, UH, SUBSTRATES.
IT'S, AGAIN, KIND OF DEFYING A LOT OF THE CONVENTIONS.
UM, AND SO YOU HAVE WHERE YOU HAVE A BIT OF WATER FLOW AND NOT TOO MUCH WHERE IT SCOURS OR FLUSHES OUT, BUT ENOUGH WHERE YOU GET SOME PARTICULATE MATTER, YOU'RE GETTING FRESH INPUTS OF NUTRIENTS WHERE YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT COOLER WATER.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S THE SHALLOW AND THE SUBSTRATE AROUND, UH, SNAKE ISLAND.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY DEEP AROUND THERE AND THERE'S NOT, UH, REALLY THE RIGHT SUBSTRATE FOR IT, UH, TO GROW.
SO I HAVEN'T NOTICED IT, UM, DOWN THERE, NO EVEN, YOU KNOW, AROUND, UH, AUDITORIUM SHORES AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AT THE MOUTH OF SHOAL CREEK, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF SUBSTRATE THAT'S KIND OF MORE APPROPRIATE AND WHERE I'VE COLLECTED SAMPLES BEFORE.
UM, BUT BELOW THAT, IT'S, IT'S REALLY JUST THIS DIFFERENT MUCK AND SEDIMENT COMPOSITION, AND I DON'T SEE THE SAME STUFF GROWING.
ARE Y'ALL CHECKING ANYWHERE ELSE, LIKE BEYOND, LIKE COLORADO RIVER? FURTHER DOWN? WE, WE HAVEN'T BEEN LOOKING BELOW, UH, LONGHORN DAM.
WE'VE HAVE THREE SITES ON LAKE AUSTIN, JESSICA HOLS PARK.
AGAIN, THE VERY SIMILAR, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT IT VERY SIMILAR, IT'S A REDWOOD AISLE.
WE PERIODICALLY GET SITES, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE FLOW DYNAMICS ARE DIFFERENT UP THERE, UM, AT ONG PARK, UM, VERY SANDY SITE, AND I DON'T THINK I'VE COLLECTED A MAP THERE YET.
AND THEN AT WALSH BOAT RAMP, WHICH WE HAD REPORTED ABOUT IN OUR, UH, LAST PRESSER, UM, IT'S, WE SEE IT GROWING ACTUALLY OFF OF THE CONCRETE PILINGS AND OFF OF THE RIP WRAP THAT'S, THAT'S AROUND THE DOCK THERE.
SO IT'S, IT'S CONSISTENT, UM, IN HOW IT'S GROWING.
AND TO YOUR POINT WITH THE WATER TEMPERATURES, THAT SITE EXTREMELY WARM WATER, UM, AROUND THE BOAT RAMP, UH, THE BOAT DOCK, THE BOAT RAMP COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE SEE AT OTHER PLACES.
SO AGAIN, IT, IT'S KIND OF DEFYING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IN SOME RESPECTS, BUT FOLLOWING IT IN OTHERS, AND THAT'S, THAT'S STUFF WE'RE TRYING TO TEASE OUT.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE BIG MATH INVOLVED.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A LOT OF BIG MATH INVOLVED.
I WOULD ADD ONE THING, COMMISSIONER.
UM, I DID PREPARE A SHORT PRESENTATION THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA SHOW TONIGHT, BUT IT WILL BE IN OUR BACKUP, AND IT HAS THE URLS FOR THE LAKE AUSTIN, THE, THE LRAS DATA, AND THEY DO HAVE SITES ALL ALONG THE COLORADO RIVER FROM MANSFIELD DAM, UH, DOWN TO BASTROP.
AND IT SHOWS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU COOK ON THE THING AND IT'LL BRING UP THE DATA.
I WANNA NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT WE HAVE COMMISSIONER FIERRO JOINING
[00:50:01]
US ON THE DAIS REMOTELY.AND NEXT WE'RE GONNA GO TO COMMISSIONER FLURY.
UH, LOTS OF INFORMATION TO DIGEST AND TAKE HOME, AND I HOPE I DO IT JUSTICE.
UH, TRYING TO EXPLAIN IT TO SOME OTHERS LATER.
UM, IN PARTICULAR, THE, THE LAKE FLIP, I DON'T KNOW THE, THE, HOW, HOW THAT COULD HAPPEN.
I THINK MY DAUGHTER WILL ENJOY DISCUSSING THAT.
UM, ARE THE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE THREE THREE RESERVOIRS, THEIR PRIMARY PURPOSE IS RECREATION VERSUS WATER VERSUS WATER STORAGE, FLOOD CONTROL.
THEY'RE NOT DRINKING WATER, OR, OR AM I WRONG IN THAT? LAKE TRAVIS, UM, IS, UH, FLOOD CONTROL.
UH, IT'S, IT'S ALLOWED TO FLUCTUATE IN ITS WATER LEVEL SO IT CAN CAPTURE FLOOD WATER.
AND IT HAS, UH, DRINKING WATER INTAKES, WATER TREATMENT PLAN FOUR FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, LAKE AUSTIN AND LADYBIRD LAKE ARE WHAT ARE CALLED PASS THROUGH SYSTEMS. SO THEY'RE MAINTAINED AT A CONSTANT LEVEL.
UH, SO THEY, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY REAL WATER STORAGE.
UM, BUT, UH, THERE'S TWO DRINKING WATER INTAKES ON LAKE AUSTIN, UH, DAVIS AND ULRICH IN THE LOWER PART.
SO THAT'S A SIGN SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OUR DRINKING WATER SUPPLY, UH, LADYBIRD LAKE.
UM, AGAIN, FLOOD CONVEYANCE AND RECREATION, ALL OF 'EM PROVIDE RECREATION.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE CREATED, THE HIGHLAND LAKES WERE CREATED, UH, FOR, FOR FLOOD CONTROL, I THINK FIRST, UH, BUT ALSO TO GET ELECTRICITY OUT INTO THE HILL COUNTRY.
THESE WERE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE, UM, YOU KNOW, DEALS THAT WERE DEVELOPED IN THE, IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.
UM, BUT THE, THE EARLY REPORTS ABOUT LAKE AUSTIN BEFORE THEY BUILT THE MANSFIELD DAM, WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO ESTABLISH, UH, AND PROTECT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WITH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PREDECESSORS OF THE TOLAR DAM.
AND, UM, THERE WAS SO MUCH SEDIMENT THAT WAS COMING IN FROM THE WATERSHED THAT IT WOULD ONLY TAKE, UH, A, YOU KNOW, FLOOD EVENT OR TWO, AND YOU COULD, YOU WOULD LOSE THE MAJORITY OF THE VOLUME OF THE RESERVOIR.
AND THEY REALIZED THAT IF THEY WANTED TO USE THAT FOR MUNICIPAL PURPOSES, THAT THAT WAS, UH, UNTENABLE.
AND SO THEY NEEDED ANOTHER DAM.
AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THE AT WHEN IT WAS LAKE MCDONALD, I THINK WHEN THE DAM WASHED OUT, EVENTUALLY, ALL THAT DEBRIS IS KIND OF WHAT CREATED, UM, REDWOOD IS.
UM, AND THAT THOSE BIG PULSES AND FLOOD EVENTS WHEN THE DAMS FAILED, CLEANED OUT ALL THAT SEDIMENT AND REESTABLISH, UM, THE VOLUME.
BUT THEY REALIZED THAT THEY NEEDED MORE DAMS TO CAPTURE THE SEDIMENTS IF THEY WERE GONNA USE IT FOR MUNICIPAL PURPOSES.
UM, I THINK I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, UH, SO I, I KNOW, UH, LAKE, UH, TRAVIS IS THE MAIN DRINKING SUPPLY FOR CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT JUST IN THIS, I THINK YOUR PRESENTATION SAID CITY OF AUSTIN IS THE THREE RESERVOIRS.
SO LAKE TRAVIS IS SOMEWHAT NEAR JUST JURISDICTION, SOMEWHAT, NOT LAKE.
YEAH, THE, THE JURISDICTIONS ARE, EVERYTHING ARE KIND OF, UH, FUNKY.
UM, SO LAKE TRAVIS, IT DOES PROVIDE DRINKING WATER, BUT THAT IS SOLELY, UM, OVERSEEN BY LCRA, UH, LAKE AUSTIN, UH, WAS KIND OF THE OVERSIGHT OF, IT WAS KIND OF DEEDED TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND SO WE SHARE KIND OF THE MONITORING, SO THE WATER QUALITY DATA THAT'S ON THE RA'S WEBSITE, UM, THAT THE COMMISSIONER MENTIONED, HE WOULD SHARE THAT THE WATER QUALITY TESTING IS CARRIED OUT BY THE LCRA.
UM, BUT WE DO THE BIOLOGICAL AND OTHER MONITORING THAT'S OUT THERE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF COMPLIMENTING AUGMENTING, UH, WE OVERSEE LADY BIRD LAKE AND THEN LAKE WALTER E. LONG, WHICH IS AN OFF CHANNEL RESERVOIR.
SO THOSE ARE AUSTIN LADY BIRD OR TOWN LAKE FOR THE OLD, OLD HEADS.
AND THEN WALTER LONG ARE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE UNDER MY PURVIEW, LAKE TRAVIS IS WHEN SOMETHING'S GOING ON, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH LCRA, 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA DIRECTLY IMPACT LAKE AUSTIN.
AND SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT, HOW, WHY WE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS WE MAINTAIN THAT RELATIONSHIP PLUS THEIR COLLECTING THE WATER, UH, SAMPLES.
ARE WE GONNA HAVE ANY FUTURE RESERVOIRS IN CITY LIMITS OFF CHANNEL RESERVOIR
UH, AND I AM CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR WORK WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S SO MUCH IN RECREATION, UM, THIS IS A NECESSARY MISTAKE, BUT JUST DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR WORK, HOW IT RELATES TO RECREATION.
AND I'M, HOW OFTEN ARE YOU IN THE, THE ROOMS WITH THE PARK PLANNERS OR MASTER PLANNERS FOR, FOR WALTER E. LONG OR OTHER LAKES? UM, I, WHEN THE, UH, WALTER LONG MASTER PLAN WAS BEING DEVELOPED, UM, I WAS, I WAS THERE FOR THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
UM, OTHERWISE THEY'LL, YOU KNOW, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THEY'LL, THEY'LL CONSULT ME, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WITH DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.
UH, WHEN HOUSTON TILTON, THEY DID A GREAT STUDY ABOUT SPECIFICALLY KIND OF RECREATIONAL USE OF LADY BIRD LAKE, UM, YOU KNOW, NUMBER OF PEOPLE, UM, THAT, THAT KIND OF THING, THAT JUST HOW MUCH ARE WE LOVING THIS RESERVOIR, UH, IN ESSENCE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I PROVIDED, UM, THEY, THEY CALLED
[00:55:01]
ME UP AND ASKED ME SOME QUESTIONS.UM, SO THE RECREATION, I'M KIND OF TANGENTIAL TO.
UM, BUT FOR ME, I'M KIND OF MORE ON THE, THE ECOLOGY OF THE RESERVOIRS AND I'LL DABBLE IN THE OTHER AREAS AS NEEDED.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, THAT'S ALL.
COMMISSIONER BRIER, I KNOW YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO HEAR MOST OR POTENTIALLY ALL OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT WE DO HAVE IT IN BACKUP AND WANNA OFFER YOU A CHANCE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR MAKE ANY COMMENTS.
I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, UH, THAT I HAD PREPPED FOR THE MEETING, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT I CAN ASK IT IN A WAY THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT I'M GONNA GIVE IT A SHOT ANYWAY.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE'S TWO STYLES OF DAMS, ONE OF THEM BEING FLOOD CONTROL AND THE OTHER ONE BEING SOMETHING ELSE.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TRYING TO ASK? UM, I, I THINK IT'S KIND OF RELATED IN TERMS OF THE OPERATIONS, UM, OF, OF THE DAMS OF THE SYSTEMS. NOW ALL THE DAMS ARE CAPABLE, THEY HAVE FLOOD GATES, AND SO THEY CAN PASS, UH, EXCESSIVE FLOOD WATER.
UH, I MEAN, IT JUST HAPPENED IN JUNE WHERE THEY PARTIALLY OPENED A FLOODGATE, UM, ON TOM MILLER DAM.
THE, THE FLOODGATES FOR TOM MILLER DAM ARE AT THE TOP OF THE DAM.
SO THOSE AREN'T THE CONVENTIONALLY USED ONES WHEN THEY'RE PASSING WATER, WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON A DAILY BASIS FOR HYDROELECTRIC IS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE DAM.
UM, LAKE TRAVIS, UH, THEIR FLOODGATES AND THEIR HYDROELECTRIC IS ALL AT THE BOTTOM.
SO THEY, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY JUST BECAUSE RELATED TO SAFETY STRUCTURE, WHATEVER IT IS, BUT EVERYTHING FROM MANSFIELD IS FROM THE BOTTOM.
UH, TOM MILLER CAN USE BOTH TOP AND BOTTOM.
AND THEN, UH, LONGHORN DAM IS STRICTLY, UH, TOP.
UH, SO IF THEY WANT TO MOVE WATER, THEY RAISE OR LOWER, UH, GATES AT THE TOP OF THE DAM.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S HOW EACH OF THOSE ARE, ARE OPERATED.
YES, THERE, THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT STYLES THAT COULD BE USED.
THAT'S WHAT WAS SET UP, UM, TO, FOR THIS DIFFERENT PURPOSES, YOU KNOW, I WOULD GUESS OF EACH OF THE RESERVOIRS.
SO THE STYLE DIFFERENCE IN HAVING THE FLOOD GATES AT THE TOP FROM THE BOTTOM, I, WHAT'S THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TWO? I MEAN, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE EFFECTIVE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO? WHY WOULD YOU PUT SOME OF THE GATES AT THE TOP AND SOME OF THEM AT THE BOTTOM WHEN YOU COULD DO EITHER ONE? UH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I MEAN, I, I, YOU KNOW, FOR HYDROELECTRIC AND YOU WANT THAT HEAD PRESSURE, SO YOU'RE GONNA DISCHARGE FROM THE BOTTOM.
UM, YEAH, I DON'T, DON'T HAVE A, A GOOD ANSWER, UM, FOR, FOR WHY YOU WOULD DEVELOP OR, UH, A DIFFERENT DIFFERENT DAM STYLE, UM, OUT HERE.
AND I WOULDN'T HAVE ASKED IF YOU JUST HAD HAPPENED TO BE STANDING THERE YEAH.
YOU KNOW, IT JUST WAS A QUESTION THAT I HAD.
THE, YEAH, THE RATIONALE, I DON'T KNOW.
ECOLOGICALLY SPEAKING, IT'S, AGAIN, IT HAS RAMIFICATIONS.
IF YOU'RE DISCHARGING SURFACE WATER, IT'S GONNA BE WARMER.
UM, TYPICALLY WITH HIGHER OXYGEN, DIFFERENT NUTRIENT CONCENTRATIONS COMPARED TO THE BOTTOM.
AGAIN, WHEN YOU HAVE A LAKE THAT'S STRATIFIED, UH, WHEN YOU HAVE THAT LAYERING, THAT BOTTOM WATER LAYER, BECAUSE IT'S NOT MIXING WITH THE TOP, IT DOESN'T HAVE SUNLIGHT, SO THAT MEANS IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY, AND SO THERE'S NO OXYGEN BEING PRODUCED.
UH, BUT YOU STILL HAVE BACTERIA RESPIRING, UH, DOWN THERE AND, AND DOING THEIR METABOLIC STUFF, SO YOU LOSE ALL OF YOUR OXYGEN IN THE BOTTOM WATERS.
UM, AND WHEN YOU LOSE OXYGEN, THEN YOU CAN GET THE RELEASE OF NUTRIENTS FROM THE SEDIMENTS.
UM, AND SO WHEN YOU'RE DISCHARGING THAT BOTTOM WATER, IT TENDS TO BE LADEN AND RICH IN NUTRIENTS.
AND FOR ANYONE THAT'S BEEN NEAR, UH, A DAM, ESPECIALLY LATE IN THE SUMMER, IF YOU'VE SMELLED ROTTEN EGGS, THAT'S HYDROGEN SULFIDE, IT'S ACCUMULATING IN THOSE WATERS BECAUSE THERE'S NO OXYGEN.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DIFFERENCES IN DAMP STYLES HAVE RAMIFICATIONS ECOLOGICALLY, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE CONSIDERATIONS WHEN THOSE WERE BUILT.
BUT THE LONGHORN DAM, UH, HAS ITS, UH, GATES AT THE TOP.
SO IT'S, UH, RELEASING WARMER WATER THAT TENDS TO BE MORE OXYGENATED THAT, IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID CORRECTLY, TYPICALLY, YEAH.
THAT, THAT SPOT, IT'S, THE WATER DEPTHS ARE, ARE KIND OF ODD.
YOU CAN STILL, UM, IF YOU'RE PLAYING, YOU KNOW, SOFTBALL THERE AT CREEK FIELD, YOU'LL SMELL THE ROTTEN EGGS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE RELEASING WATER FROM THE DAM, WHICH IS KIND OF ODD.
SO IT, IT'S PULLING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A MIX OF WATER.
IT'S AN, IT'S AN ODD DYNAMIC AT THAT SPOT.
AND I WISH I COULD HAVE SEEN THE WHOLE PRESENTATION.
[01:00:01]
HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OFF.WELL, I SAW ALL, I JUST DIDN'T HEAR IT ALL.
AND COMMISSIONER FIERRO, I'M SORRY, WE HAVE THE, THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
I, I WANNA NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT YOU WERE HERE AT THE START OF THE MEETING, BUT WEREN'T ABLE TO GET IN UNTIL MORE RECENTLY.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK THEM.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PARTICULARLY, I COULDN'T HEAR MUCH ANYTHING AT ALL.
SO, UM, YEAH, DON'T HAVE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, SECRETARY KSI.
HEY, APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR TIME AND, UH, THE WORK THAT GOT PUT INTO THE PRESENTATION.
UH, YEAH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A SECRET THAT THIS YEAR THERE'S BEEN, UH, A LOT OF, UH, RAIN MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ACCUSTOMED TO IN THE LAST FEW YEARS WITH THE DROUGHT.
OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS, YOU KNOW, GONNA BE A PERMANENT THING OR JUST SORT OF LIKE A ONE-OFF YEAR, UH, YOU KNOW, PREVAILING, YOU KNOW, LOGIC IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WARMER TEMPERATURES LEAD TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, MORE ELIGIBLE BLOOMS. UH, WHAT ABOUT MORE RAIN, BECAUSE I MEAN, IT'S LIKE THEY'RE ALREADY ON A LAKE, SO THEY GOT WATER, RIGHT? SO HOW DOES THE WARM RAIN AFFECT STUFF, I GUESS THE LACK OF DROUGHT CONDITIONS? UM, YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UH, SO THE, YOU KNOW, THE RAINFALL, UH, BECAUSE WE GET THESE LARGE EVENTS AND, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY OUT TO THE WEST, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOSING THAT SEDIMENT MATERIAL.
THERE'S A LOT OF EROSION THAT'S, YOU KNOW, HAPPENING IN THE WATERSHED, BUT EVEN IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS, UH, JUST THAT AR UH, ARTICLE, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS A STATESMAN I THAT WROTE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE LADY BIRD LAKE TURNING, YOU KNOW, BROWN AFTER A RAINFALL EVENT, AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT IS JUST, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS RUNOFF THAT'S COMING FROM OUR FLASHY URBAN CREEKS.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF SLOWING THE FLOW.
WATERSHED PROTECTION SPENDS A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT BUILDING STORM WATER CONTROL MEASURES TO, UH, TRY TO CAPTURE AND DIVERT THE WATER THAT'S COMING OFF OF OUR IMPERVIOUS SURFACES.
AND, YOU KNOW, BY DOING THAT, THEN YOU CAN ALSO CAPTURE THE, THE SEDIMENTS AND THE PARTICULATES.
SO IT'S NOT, NOT JUST GOING INTO OUR CREEKS AND DOWN INTO THE LAKES.
SO THE RAINFALL, IT'S CARRYING THAT BED LOAD, ALL THESE SEDIMENTS WHICH ARE, HAVE NUTRIENTS ON IT, AND THEN THAT'S FUELING, UH, THE ALGAE, THE ALGAE BLOOMS. YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR SYSTEMS IN, IN THE GREAT LAKES, WHEN THEY LOOK AT A LOT OF THE LAKES AND LAKE ERIE BEING THE, THE BIG CASE EXAMPLE, THEY LOOK AT THEIR SPRING RAINFALL AS A PREDICTOR OF HOW BAD THE BLOOMS WILL BE IN JULY AND AUGUST.
AND IT'S IT'S A GOOD CORRELATION BECAUSE OF ALL THE RUNOFF THAT'S COMING FROM THE AGRICULTURAL FIELDS, THEY KNOW ROUGHLY HOW MUCH PHOSPHORUS THAT'LL CONTAIN, AND THAT'S GONNA BE THEN FUEL FOR THAT YEAR'S GROWTH.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S HOW ALL THAT LINKS TOGETHER.
APPRECIATE VICE CHAIR BRISTOL.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, BRENT AND ANDREW, WE ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO Y'ALL'S PRESENTATIONS, UH, EVERY YEAR.
AND, UM, AND I ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING NEW.
I THINK I'M WITH COMMISSIONER FLURRY ON THIS ABOUT THE LAKE FLIP.
MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ON THAT LATER.
UM, I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, LONGHORN DAM AS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE END OF THE RESERVOIR SYSTEM.
UM, AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IT, IT, IT'S KIND OF NOT IN GREAT SHAPE.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT
UM, I'VE JUST KNOW KIND OF THE SAME RUMORS.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S ABOUT THE EXTENT THAT, YOU KNOW, I CAN REALLY COMMENT ON THAT.
WELL, UM, I WAS HOPING YOU MIGHT KNOW MORE BECAUSE I, I THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING.
UM, SO, UM, I APPRECIATE THAT.
I DON'T NEED ANY MORE EGO, PLEASE.
WELL, THAT'S ALL I HAD ON QUESTIONS.
YEAH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE AND, AND GIVING YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, SO I WAS LOOKING, IT LOOKS LIKE THE AUSTIN LAKE INDEX STARTED IN 2013.
IS THAT RIGHT? DO WE HAVE ANY DATA THAT PREDATES THAT TO, TO LOOK AT HISTORIC TRENDS OR, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, UH, THERE IS, UM, SOME WATER QUALITY DATA SAMPLING, UH, THAT DOES GO BACK, UH, FURTHER.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO THE PREDECESSORS, SCOTT HIRES, I THINK MATEO, SOME OF THESE OTHERS.
THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST REPORTS WERE THE LADY BIRD LAKE, OR THE, SORRY, THE TOWN LAKE REPORT.
UH, THESE ARE AVAILABLE, UH, REPORTS, BIG TOES OF REALLY ROBUST SAMPLING REGIMES, BUT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF FOCUSED WATER QUALITY.
AND AT THE TIME, THERE WAS A, A LARGE INTEREST IN THE SEDIMENTS BECAUSE OF THE LEGACY, UH, PCBS AND, AND THESE OTHER THINGS.
[01:05:01]
THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IN OUR DATABASE, THE FIRST SAMPLING SITE WE HAVE ALL OF OUR SITES GET A SITE NUMBER.SITE NUMBER ONE IS THE BASIN IN LADY BIRD LAKE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, INTERESTING.
SO THERE IS, UH, FOR WATER QUALITY.
UM, THERE IS SOME, SOME INFORMATION THAT GOES WAY BACK.
UH, MATEOS GOGGINS, BEFORE HE LEFT, UM, OUR GROUP, UH, HE KIND OF DID A SYNTHESIS OF, YOU KNOW, THE WATER QUALITY TRENDS OVER TIME.
YOU KNOW, KIND OF LEANING ON THINGS THAT GO WAY BACK TO LOOK AT, WELL, YOU KNOW, AS THE CITY'S GROWN, BUT AS WE'VE IMPLEMENTED THESE DIFFERENT, UM, RULES AND REGULATIONS TO DIFFERENT, TO THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, YOU KNOW, ARE WE SEEING ANY EFFECTS, UH, IN THESE SYSTEMS? YOU KNOW, ARE THINGS REMAINING FLAT? UH, ARE THEY GETTING A LITTLE BETTER, WORSE, ET ET CETERA.
SO WE, THERE IS A REPORT THAT'S BEEN PUBLISHED, UM, ON THAT.
SO IT'S NOT THE FULL SUITE OF THINGS THAT WOULD GO INTO THE AUSTIN LAKES INDEX.
UH, BUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY COMPONENTS AND, AND OTHERS HAVE, HAVE TRIED TO SYNTHESIZE AND LOOK AT THAT, THOSE TRENDS.
IS THERE LIKE A, A TWO SENTENCE VERSION OF WHAT MATEO S GOGGINS DISCOVERED IN IN HIS TRENDS OVER TIME? YOU KNOW, I, OR WHAT YEAR HIS, HIS REPORTING STARTED, I, I CAN'T REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY WHAT YEAR, UM, THAT IS, ANDREW, I'M SURE IS PECKING AWAY LOOKING FOR THE REPORT.
UH, RIGHT NOW, THE STATUS AND TRENDS REPORT IN GENERAL, UH, IT WAS FLAT TO UPWARD, YOU KNOW, IMPROVING FOR THE WATER QUALITY, WHICH WE TOOK AS, AS A POSITIVE, AS THE CITY'S GROWN INFILL URBAN SPRAWL, CLIMATE CHANGE, ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON.
TO NOT SEE A DECLINE WAS SEEN AS A PRETTY, PRETTY GOOD WIN.
AND, AND WHERE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT WATERSHEDS, DIFFERENT AREAS, ANY MOVE MOVEMENT UP IS, IS ENCOURAGING.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DEMONSTRATION OF, UH, THE EFFICACY OF SOME OF OUR, UH, THE WORK AND, AND THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OUT HERE.
SPEAKING OF WATER QUALITY, WITH THE DATA THAT WE DO HAVE FROM 2013, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE FAIRLY CONSISTENTLY BEEN IN THE, THE FAIR RANGE.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET IT TO GOOD? IS THAT AT ALL REALISTIC? WHAT CHANGES WOULD WE NEED TO MAKE? UM, I THINK SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IT'S EASIER TO EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE, THE DIP.
YOU KNOW, I THINK AROUND 2015, UH, YOU KNOW, THE LACK OF VEGETATION OUT THERE, THE DROUGHT LED TO CYANOBACTERIA BLOOMS. UM, SO IT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THESE NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO THE, IN, TO THE BUG COMMUNITY THAT'S OUT THERE.
THE CYANOBACTERIA ARE DOMINANT.
UM, YOU HAVE EXCESS NUTRIENTS JUST BECAUSE OF INTERNAL CYCLING.
AND THEN YOU SEE THINGS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF COMING UP AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING RIGHT ON THAT BOUNDARY.
AND AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF THAT BALANCE OF WE ALMOST HAVE TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING IN TERMS OF THE VEGETATION, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO PUSH THAT TOO FAR IN LAKE AUSTIN.
YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS NATIVE VEGETATION THAT WAS 30% OF THE RESERVOIR AREA WOULD BE PHENOMENAL, YOU KNOW, SO THE, THE FACT THAT IT'S MILFOIL AND HYDRILLA IS, YOU KNOW, DRAGGING THAT DOWN.
OTHERWISE, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE IN THAT GOOD RANGE.
THE BUG COMMUNITY, THESE OTHER THINGS.
I MEAN, WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IMPROVEMENTS AT OUR MONITORING SITES.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT, THE SYSTEM IS, IS RESPONDING, UH, TO THESE THINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT SOME OF IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WE HAD, UH, ZEBRA MUSSELS WERE, UM, DOMINANT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, THEIR POPULATION BOOM.
SO THEY CONTRIBUTED TO GOOD WATER CLARITY, BUT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR INVERTEBRATES, THEY WERE THE DOMINANT IN THE SAMPLE, AND SO THEY'RE DRAGGING THAT SCORE DOWN.
SO AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF WORKING AGAINST EACH OTHER.
UM, SO THAT DOESN'T REALLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
WHAT CAN WE DO
UH, ALL THOSE THINGS MAKE A DIFFERENCE, YOU KNOW, INCREMENTALLY, YOU KNOW, DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS, BUT MAYBE IT'S RECOVERY BY A THOUSAND BANDAIDS, LESS FERTILIZER USE, I MIGHT ADD.
AND THERE WAS A BIG FOCUS ON AQUATIC VEGETATION, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT I'M ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT OTHER POLLUTANTS AND SUSPENDED SOLIDS.
WHAT DATA, IF ANY, DO WE HAVE ON THAT? AND WHAT CAN WE SAY ABOUT THOSE THINGS IN OUR LAKES? THE CONTAMINANTS OF EMERGENT CONCERN IS OF INTEREST.
WE HAVEN'T, UM, FULLY, YOU KNOW, UM, MADE
[01:10:01]
A CONCERTED EFFORT IN THAT DIRECTION YET, UM, OR INCORPORATED INTO THE INDEX.BUT, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR I PRESENTED ON, YOU KNOW, MICROPLASTICS, YOU KNOW, AS, AS YOU KNOW, AS THAT WOULD BE A STRESSOR, YOU KNOW, OUT THERE.
THOSE COULD CARRY DIFFERENT CHEMICALS.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO, BUT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE AND WHAT CAN, WHAT COULD EFFECTIVELY BE DONE, YOU KNOW, THE STORM WATER CONTROL MEASURES.
THEY CAN COLLECT PARTICULATES, THEY CAN ALSO COLLECT TIRE PARTICULATES, TIRE PARTICLES, SO THAT'S GOOD.
UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER THINGS IS THERE, IF WE FOUND 'EM, SAW 'EM, WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN THEN IN TERMS OF RESPONSE? SO IT'S, IT'S KIND OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF IF YOU'RE GONNA LOOK FOR SOMETHING ALSO, DO WE HAVE A PATHWAY THEN AS A RESPONSE, UM, TO THAT MM-HMM
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS ONGOING DISCUSSIONS, LITERATURE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW, UH, THAT'S COMING OUT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD OF SOMETHING BEING HERE? YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRETTY LUCKY THAT, UM, DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES OR DIFFERENT THINGS WE DON'T HAVE IN OUR WATERSHED, YOU KNOW, MAYBE TO THE EAST, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE IMPACTING OTHER PARTS OF THE COLORADO RIVER.
UH, BUT, SO THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO LOOK FOR, SO IT'S, OKAY, WELL, WHAT COULD OR SHOULD WE BE LOOKING FOR? SO THAT, IT'S, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION, AND IT'S ONE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS ASKING.
I HAVE A FEW MORE QUESTIONS, BUT JUST IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'LL, I'LL LIMIT, LIMIT MYSELF TO THIS LAST ONE.
UM, WHICH IS, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT LAKE LEVELS, UM, AND THAT TREND OVER TIME, AND HOW DOES THAT TIE INTO OUR WATER SECURITY? AH, UH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, AUSTIN WATER, LCRA WOULD BE BETTER SUITED.
THEY'RE THE AUSTIN WATER IN PARTICULAR.
I MEAN, THEY'RE CONSTANTLY MODELING, UPDATING THEIR MODELS.
YOU KNOW, THEY'VE DEVELOPED THE, UH, WATER FORWARD PLAN, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE NEXT A HUNDRED YEARS TO HAVE THAT WATER SECURITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A TRICKY THING.
YOU KNOW, LAKE TRAVIS WAS, AGAIN, DOWN IN THE 40% RANGE, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE BAILED OUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T GO FULL CORPUS CHRISTI.
WE GOT BAILED OUT BY THE JULY REIGNS.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO WHAT WAS A QUOTE I HEARD TODAY FROM ANDREW IS, YOU KNOW, OUR BAD DROUGHTS ARE USUALLY BROKEN BY BAD FLOODS.
SO, YOU KNOW, FEAST AND FAMINE, IT'S TOUGH.
UM, IT'S A TOUGH THING TO PLAN FOR.
HOW LONG DOES A A DROUGHT GONNA LAST? DO WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE A SUPER EL NINA THAT SHOWS UP? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN TERMS OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE WATER THAT'S GONNA COME IN HERE, THE PERSISTENCE OF THAT.
UM, BUT AUSTIN WATER, AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE FOLKS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY DILIGENT ABOUT THAT.
THEY'RE DOING A LOT TO PROTECT THE WATER SUPPLY, IF IT'S FIXING PIPES, INFRASTRUCTURE, THE SMART METERS.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO TO SAFEGUARD US.
UM, AND LCRA, THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A NEW RESERVOIR IN THE CITY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WHERE YOU'D DROP IT, I'D RATHER HAVE A BASEBALL STADIUM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LOOKING AT, LCR IS CURRENTLY LOOKING AT A RESERVOIR, AN OFF CHANNEL RESERVOIR THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, DOWN RIVER, YOU KNOW, SO HAVING THOSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE, I JUST DREW A BLANK ON IT.
UM, WHAT'S THE RESERVOIR THAT JUST CAME ONLINE, DOWN RIVER FOR THE RICE FARMERS? I'LL THINK OF IT.
UH, ANYWAYS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DEVELOPING, THEY'RE LOOKING AND DEVELOPING THESE THINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR WATER STORAGE.
AND THEN IT'S, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO WATER REUSE, WATER REUSE, CLOSING THAT LOOP, SO WE'RE NOT JUST SENDING EVERYTHING DOWN RIVER ALSO.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S REALLY MY PURVIEW.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT REALLY MY PURVIEW.
I KIND OF LOOK AT, WELL, WHAT IS THE RESPONSE TO A DROUGHT, TO A FLOOD? WHAT COULD WE ANTICIPATE TO OCCUR? AND I RELY AND LOOK TO OTHER BIGGER BRAINS TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE WATER TO STUDY.
ANY OTHER BURNING QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON? OKAY, HEARING NONE.
[3. Staff briefing regarding Austin Resource Recovery's On-Demand Brush, Bulk, and Household Hazardous Waste Program. Presentation by Ron Romero, Assistant Director, Samuel Gilbert, Litter Abatement Division Manager, and Andy Dawson, Diversion Facilities Assistant Division Manager, Austin Resource Recovery.]
GOING TO GO TO STAFF BRIEFING ITEM NUMBER THREE, STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERIES ON DEMAND, BRUSH, BULK, AND HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE PROGRAM PRESENTATION BY RON ROMERO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SAMUEL GILBERT, LITTER ABATEMENT DIVISION MANAGER, AND ANDY DAWSON, DIVERSION FACILITIES ASSISTANT DIVISION MANAGER, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.AND WHILE THESE NICE GENTLEMEN ARE GETTING SETTLED IN, UM, A LITTLE HOUSEKEEPING, UM, IF YOU DO, UM, NEED TO USE THE RESTROOM, IT'S IT'S WAY AROUND OVER HERE, BUT PLEASE USE THIS DOOR, UH, OVER HERE.
THIS ONE IS LOCKED, SO YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO COME BACK IN THROUGH THAT.
SO MAKE SURE YOU COME BACK THROUGH THIS STORE TOO.
[01:15:02]
UH, I'M RON ROMERO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.UH, THANK YOU COMMISSION FOR, UH, INVITING US BACK.
I WAS HERE LAST YEAR AND WAS ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE A, UH, PRESENTATION ON, UH, RECYCLING AND, UH, THE EFFECTS OF RECYCLING HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE INVITATION TO COME BACK AND SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT AUSTIN, WHAT GREAT THINGS AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY IS DOING.
UH, THIS EVENING, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUES.
THAT'LL BE, UH, PROVIDING THE PRESENTATION.
WE'VE GOT SAM GILBERT, WHO IS OUR DIVISION MANAGER IN LITTER ABATEMENT, AND WE'VE GOT ANDY DAWSON, WHO IS OUR ASSISTANT DIVISION MANAGER IN, UH, DIVERSION FACILITIES.
AGAIN, WE COME TO JUST PROVIDE INFORMATION, UH, SHARE INFORMATION, UH, GET ANY FEEDBACK THAT THE COMMISSION, UH, AND THE COMMISSIONERS MAY, UH, MAY HAVE.
UM, BUT IT'S REALLY JUST TO COLLABORATE WITH THIS COMMISSION.
OUR COMMISSION IS THE ZERO WASTE, UH, UH, THE ZERO WASTE COMMISSION.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF THE SAME GOALS.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE THE INVITATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU THIS EVENING.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS AND ALL PRESENT.
MY NAME IS SAMUEL GILBERT, DIVISION MANAGER WITH, UH, LITTER ABATEMENT WITH THE AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
AND AS DIRECT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ROMERO SAID, UH, WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR ON DEMAND SERVICES, WHICH ARE OUR BRUSH BULK AND HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.
AND THEN WE RECENTLY ADDED OUR TEXTILES.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, AND AS MOST OF YOU ALL KNOW, THE LIVE IN THE AUSTIN AREA, THE, UH, ONE THING THAT HAPPENED IN JANUARY OF 2025 WAS THAT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, UH, BEGAN CITYWIDE COLLECTION FOR BRUSH BULK AND HOUSEHOLD HAZARD HAZARDOUS WASTE, UH, MATERIAL THROUGH AN APPOINTMENT BASED, UH, PROGRAMMING, WHICH IS OUR ON DEMAND SERVICING.
AND THAT SERVICE MODEL, WHAT IT DOES IS IT ALLOWS FOR CITIZENS TO HAVE, UH, THREE COLLECTIONS PER YEAR.
UH, AND THESE COLLECTIONS CAN BE SCHEDULED AT THEIR LEISURE.
AND SO IT GOES AWAY FROM THE OLDER MODEL AND, AND, AND ALLOWING YOU TO REALLY SCHEDULE AT YOUR CONVENIENCE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU WAIT TILL THE SUMMERTIME, YOU WANNA SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS, OR YOU HAVE THINGS TO DO, UH, DURING THE FALL AND, AND, AND A CLEANING SCHEDULE.
AND SO IT, IT ALLOWS YOU TO SCHEDULE AT YOUR LEISURE.
AND THEN THESE COLLECTIONS ARE COMPLETED ALL SERVICE DAY, UH, TO INCREASE CURBSIDE ACCESS.
AND SO BASICALLY, IF YOUR TRASH OR RECYCLE SERVICES ARE ON MONDAY, YOUR ON DEMAND SERVICES WILL BE ON TUESDAY, AND THEN SO FORTH THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
NOW, THE PREVIOUS MODEL, AS YOU KNOW, WAS, UH, CUSTOMERS RECEIVED NOTIFICATIONS, UH, THROUGH THE MAIL, LETTING THEM KNOW WHEN THEIR BRUSH AND, UH, BULK COLLECTIONS WILL BE SERVICED.
AND THEN, UH, WITH THOSE BRUSH AND BULK COLLECTIONS, THEY WERE TWICE ANNUALLY, AND COLLECTIONS WERE GENERALLY SCHEDULED SIX MONTHS APART.
AND SO, BUT WHAT HAPPENS WITH, WHEN YOU SET OUT, UH, ON THAT TYPE OF PREVIOUS MODEL, IT LIMITS WHAT YOU CAN DIVERT FROM THE CURBSIDE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT LIMITS THE, UH, AMOUNT OF, UH, MATERIAL THAT A CUSTOMER CAN SET OUT BECAUSE IT'S IN CONJUNCTION, UH, AT SOME POINT WITH YOUR SERVICE DAY FOR YOUR RESIDENTIAL SERVICES.
AND SO THERE WASN'T A LOT OF DIVERSION OCCURRING.
AND THEN WITH HHW, THE APPOINTMENTS WERE BY DROP OFF ONLY.
AND SO IT REQUIRED INDIVIDUALS TO TRAVEL DOWN TO THE FACILITY IN ORDER TO, UH, HAVE ITEMS, UH, TO RECEIVE THOSE ITEMS. LET'S GO BACK VERY SENSITIVE.
OKAY? AND SO THE BRUSH AND BULK ON DEMAND APPOINTMENTS.
AND SO THIS INFORMATION IS BY CALENDAR YEAR.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CALENDAR YEAR FOR THE BRUSH IN BULK ON DEMAND, UH, THE MONTHLY TOTALS, UH, FOR THE BRUSH WERE 14,146 CALENDAR YEAR, CALENDAR YEAR APPOINTMENTS.
AND THEN FOR BULK, IT WAS, UH, SLIGHTLY OVER 52,000 CALENDAR YEAR APPOINTMENTS.
AND THEN THEY'RE BROKEN DOWN BY MONTH, UH, OVER THE COURSE OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO TONNAGES, THE, UH, APPOINTMENTS BASED SERVICING HAS, HAS CAUSED A GR DECREASE IN THE TONNAGE COLLECTED FOR BOTH BRUSH AND BULK, UH, LANDFILL.
UH, THE TONS, UH, OF RECYCLABLES, UH, DIVERTED
[01:20:01]
WERE INCREASED.AND SO BASICALLY BECAUSE OF THE SERVICE MODEL AND THE ABILITY FOR A CUSTOMER TO GO THROUGH AND SELECT WHAT THEY'RE SETTING OUT, IT ALLOWS US TO GO TO THE CURBSIDE AND PULL OUT THE, UH, THE, THE RECYCLABLES, UH, WHICH ARE THE METALS, THE ELECTRONICS, THE APPLIANCES, UH, AS WELL AS THE RIGID PLASTICS.
AND THEN FROM THAT, WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, DIVERT THOSE MATERIALS TO A RECYCLING FACILITY.
AND SO, ALTHOUGH THE, THE, UH, THERE WAS A DECREASE IN THE TONNAGES, UH, FROM YEAR TO YEAR, WE DID SEE OUR RECYCLABLES INCREASE, UH, TO NEARLY, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT, UH, SLIGHTLY OVER, NEARLY DOUBLE THE AMOUNT.
AND SO THE OPERATIONAL COST, THE REVENUE, THE DIVERSION, AND THE MILEAGE.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THIS PROGRAM, UH, SINCE THE INCEPTION, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN OUR, UH, OPERAT, YOU KNOW, OUR OPERATIONAL COSTS.
AS FAR AS THE, UH, BRUSH OVERTIME, UH, THERE WAS A DECREASE, UH, IN THE OVERTIME SAVINGS FOR BOTH BRUSH AND BULK.
UH, THERE WAS FUEL SAVINGS IN THE BRUSH PROGRAM.
UH, THERE'S REDUCED LANDFILL COSTS IN THE, UH, BULK PROGRAM, UH, THERE WAS A, WAS AN INCREASE IN THE FUEL COSTS IN THE, UH, BULK PROGRAM.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT INCREASE IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DIVERSION, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE VEHICLES TO DIVERT THAT MATERIAL.
AND SO WITH THE DIVERSION OF MATERIAL CAME AN INCREASE IN, IN VEHICLES, UH, TO PULL OUT THE METALS.
AND SO THEN WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS YOU HAVE A SET OF VEHICLES THAT ARE COLLECTING ITEMS THAT ARE LANDFILL, AND THEN YOU HAVE THESE VEHICLES THAT ARE, THAT ARE, UH, REMOVING YOUR METALS AND YOUR RECYCLABLES FROM THE CURBSIDE.
AND WE STARTED OUT WITH TWO VEHICLES TO, TO PULL OUT METALS.
BUT WE'VE SEEN SUCH AN INCREASE IN WHAT, UH, CUSTOMERS ARE, ARE WANTING TO DIVERT THAT WE'VE INTRODUCED A THIRD METALS, UH, TRUCK TO, TO, TO REMOVE, UH, ITEMS FROM THE CURBSIDE AND, AND RECYCLE THOSE ITEMS. THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BRUSH COLLECTION, UH, EXPERIENCE, A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE MILES DRIVEN, UH, BULK COLLECTION SHOWED AN INCREASE IN OUR TOTAL MILES.
UH, BUT OF THAT INCREASE IN THE BULK MILEAGE, 22% OF THOSE MILES ARE RELATED TO THE DIVERSION OF MATERIAL.
NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ANDY DAWSON.
ALL RIGHT, APPRECIATE IT, SAM.
UM, AS SAM HAD MENTIONED, UH, THE HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE OR HHW IS COLLECTED AT, UH, ONE SINGLE LOCATION DOWN SOUTH IN THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF BEN WHITE IN 35.
UM, HALF OF THAT OPERATION IS FOR HOUSEHOLD HAZARD SWISS.
THE OTHER HALF IS FOR RECYCLING, UH, MORE TRADITIONAL RECYCLING COMMODITIES LIKE SAM HAD MENTIONED, RIDGE PLASTIC, SCRAP METAL AND ALL THAT.
UM, BUT SINCE WE JUST HAVE ONE SOUTHERN LOCATION, IT WAS GETTING HARDER AND HARDER FOR FOLKS THAT MOVED TO THE NORTH OR NORTHWEST ESPECIALLY TO, TO GET DOWN OR TO, TO COME OUTTA THEIR WAY, TO COME ALL THE WAY DOWN SOUTH TO, TO GET RID OF THEIR MATERIALS.
UM, SO IN JANUARY, 2025, WE ALSO LAUNCHED OUR EIGHT HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE ON DEMAND, UH, PROGRAM.
UH, AND IT'S, UM, YOU CAN SEE WITH THE, THE GRAPH ON THE TOP RIGHT, UH, IT HAS REALLY INCREASED OUR, UM, PARTICIPATION RATE, UH, FROM ABOUT 34,000 TO ALMOST 36,000, UH, CUSTOMERS PER YEAR.
THAT'S THE ONLY FOR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.
UM, SO THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF DATA IN, IN THAT BOTTOM TABLE, UM, ON, IN THE BOTTOM LEFT.
BUT ESSENTIALLY IT DOES SHOW THAT, UH, IT EFFECTIVE COST PER HOUSEHOLD IS STILL A LITTLE BIT CHEAPER WITH OR MORE COST EFFECTIVE WITH A STANDALONE FACILITY THAN STAFF HAVING TO GO OUT AND, UH, GET THE MATERIAL FROM THE CUSTOMER.
HOWEVER, UH, WE HAVE FOUND THAT TYPICALLY FOLKS THAT SIGN UP FOR AN ON-DEMAND APPOINTMENT TYPICALLY, UH, HAVE NEARLY TRIPLED THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL FOR RECYCLING OR DISPOSAL THAN FOLKS THAT COME TO, TO DROP OFF THE MATERIAL AT THE DROP OFF CENTER.
UH, WE FIND THAT A LOT OF THAT MATERIAL IS USUALLY NEWER AS WELL, SO WE CAN, UH, NOT RECYCLE OR DISPOSE, BUT SET A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THAT MATERIAL, UH, ASIDE FOR REUSE AT OUR REUSE STORE THAT WE HAVE ON SITE WHERE CUSTOMERS CAN COME IN AND PICK UP MATERIAL FOR FREE, ESSENTIALLY, UM, HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS AND THE LIKE.
UM, BUT IT IS, IT HAS ALLOWED US, THIS PROGRAM HAS ALLOWED US TO, TO REACH, UH, LARGER AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE OTHER, THAT OTHERWISE HAD TROUBLE GETTING TO OUR LOCATION IN THE SOUTH.
[01:25:03]
SO, UM, THE, THESE GRAPHS SHOW, UM, THE SERVICE REQUESTS.SO THE, THE REQUEST COMING IN FOR PEOPLE FOR, UH, FOR US TO GO AND PICK UP CUSTOMER'S MATERIAL.
YOU CAN SEE IN OCTOBER, THERE'S A, A LITTLE BIT OF A SPIKE FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC AND PUBLIC OUTREACH CAMPAIGN.
UM, THERE IS A BIT OF SEASONALITY TO IT, SO YOU MIGHT EXPECT, OR, OR AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, UH, THE COLDER MONTHS DON'T HAVE AS MUCH, UH, PARTICIPATION FROM FOLKS COMING IN.
UM, AND IT, ANYWAY, THERE'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF SEASONALITY TO IT.
UM, WE HAD A, UH, LARGELY BECAUSE OF THIS, UH, PROGRAM, WE'VE HAD A 5% INCREASE IN PARTICIPATION YEAR OVER YEAR.
UM, JUST THE PROGRAM IS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO MORE FOLKS.
AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO, ANYWAY, GET MORE FOLKS INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM AND, AND KEEP MORE MATERIAL OUT OF THE, YOU KNOW, UH, MUNICIPAL WASTE STREAM.
UM, I, I HAD MENTIONED THAT THIS DOES, UH, FOLKS THAT ARE SCHEDULING ON DEMAND APPOINTMENTS TYPICALLY HAVE MORE MATERIAL, UM, AND IT'S NEWER MATERIAL.
UH, OUR, OUR THOUGHT IS THAT, UH, FOLKS THAT ARE COMING TO THE DROP OFF CENTER NOT ONLY HAVE CHEMICALS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE STYROFOAM, UH, PLASTIC FILM ELECTRONICS STUFF THAT TYPICALLY TAKES UP MORE SPACE IN THEIR VEHICLE.
SO THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PHYSICAL SPACE WITHIN THEIR VEHICLE.
HOWEVER, IF WE ARE GOING TO THEIR HOUSE, THEY CAN JUST PUT ALL OF THEIR STUFF OUT AT THE CURB AND WE CAN COME PICK IT UP.
WE DO HAVE A LIMIT OF 300 POUNDS, UH, AND, OR ANYWAY, A LIMIT OF 300 POUNDS, AND IT OFTENTIMES PUSHES THAT, THAT, UH, THAT LIMIT.
UM, THIS DOES HELP INCREASE SAFETY FOR, UH, NOT ONLY OUR STAFF, BUT FOR OUR VEHICLES.
UH, SOME OF THESE COLLECTION TRUCKS ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, AND, UH, IF POOL CHEMICALS OR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT REACT TO GET INTO THE BACK OF A TRUCK, WE HAVE A POTENTIAL FIRE IN THE BACK OF THAT TRUCK, AND WE COULD, YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCE THE LOSS OF THAT TRUCK.
BUT, UH, SAM, WANNA TAKE IT OVER FOR A SECOND? THANK YOU.
AND SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, THE COURSE OF WHAT WE DID OVER THE CALENDAR YEAR, YOU KNOW, THIS, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK JUST, UH, PRIOR TO THE, THE INCEPTION OF THE PROGRAM, UH, CITYWIDE, YOU KNOW, THE PILOT STARTED BACK IN 2018 FOR BULK COLLECTION.
AND WHEN WE STARTED THAT PILOT, WE MONITORED MANY THINGS OVER THE COURSE OF, OF THE MANY YEARS THAT THIS PILOT WAS GOING ON.
AND SO FROM THAT, YOU, YOU LEARN THE NUANCES OF THE CUSTOMERS, YOU LEARN THE NUANCES OF THE TRUCKS AND THE EMPLOYEES, AND THEN THE, THE COMMODITIES THAT YOU'RE COLLECTING.
AND SO WITH THAT, SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE PROGRAM CHALLENGES THAT, THAT CAME WHEN, UH, AS WE STARTED WITH THE PILOT AND THEN WENT CITYWIDE, WERE, UH, FOR THE BRUSH AND BOLT WERE, YOU KNOW, MATERIALS, UH, SET OUT NEAR OBSTACLES AT THE CURBSIDE, YOU KNOW, AND SO WITH THAT BECAME THE IDEA OF LET'S OPERATE OFF SERVICE DAY WHEN CARTS HAVE BEEN PLACED BACK WHEN, UH, VEHICLES HAVE BEEN BEEN MOVED, WHEN, YOU KNOW, OTHER OBSTACLES THAT THAT CAN PREVENT COLLECTIONS ARE OUT OF THE WAY.
AND, AND SO IT ALLOWED US TO, TO HAVE A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT FOR CUSTOMERS TO BE ABLE TO SET OUT, YOU KNOW, THE, IN THE MANNER THAT WE DESIRED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO REMOVE ITEMS AND HAVE THOSE ITEMS BE, UH, UH, DIVERTABLE.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE KEY OF CUSTOMER EDUCATION.
ONE OF THE, THE, THE, THE KEYS TO A VIABLE PROGRAM IS EDUCATING THE CUSTOMERS.
UH, TYPICAL TIMES IN WITH SOME SERVICES, YOU'LL SEE ITEMS THAT ARE, THAT ARE SET OUT AND THEY'RE IMPROPER, AND THEN JUST A PIECE OF LITERATURE IS LEFT FOR THE CUSTOMERS IN ORDER TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT, UH, WHY WE DIDN'T COLLECT IT.
BUT WITH THE ON DEMAND SERVICES, WE WANT TO FULLY EDUCATE THE CUSTOMERS.
WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW WHY ITEM MAY NOT, MAY HAVE NOT BEEN COLLECTED.
WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IF THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, IF THE APPOINTMENT, IF WE WENT UP TO A STOP AND THERE IT WASN'T SCHEDULED, WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW.
WE ALSO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW HOW.
AND SO WE WANT TO FULLY EDUCATE THE CUSTOMERS IN ORDER TO, TO HELP THEM HELP US, UH, DIVERT THESE MATERIALS AND INCREASE, UH, THE REVENUE THROUGH DIVERSION.
AND THEN THERE'S IMPROPER SET OUTS.
YOU KNOW, IMPROPER SET OUTS CAN LEAD TO, YOU KNOW, A LACK OF DIVERSION OR MATERIALS GOING TO THE LANDFILL, UH, THAT SHOULDN'T GO TO THE LANDFILL.
ANYTIME YOU'RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF, UH, IMPROPER SET OUTS WHERE THE ITEMS ARE CO-MINGLED, WHAT THAT DOES IS YOU HAVE HIDDEN HAZARDS, UH, IN THOSE CO-MINGLED ITEMS THAT CAN'T BE SEEN, WHETHER IT'S TIRES, WHETHER IT'S CHEMICALS, UH, THINGS THAT SHOULDN'T GO TO THE LANDFILL, BUT END COULD POTENTIALLY END UP AT THE LANDFILL.
AND WHEN THEY GET TO THE LANDFILL, IT DOES COME AT A COST TO THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IN TURN IS A COST TO THE CUSTOMERS.
[01:30:01]
HHW, YOU KNOW, WE SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE VEHICLE LIMITS AND, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF APPOINTMENTS THAT THEY COULD TAKE PER DAY, UH, TO, TO THE FACILITY.AND SO JUST BEING ABLE TO REMOVE SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES HELPS US HELP THE CUSTOMERS PARTICIPATION.
AND SO THE, YOU KNOW, MOST OF US WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
MOST OF US WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING ON OUR STREET.
UH, QUITE A FEW OF US WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR DISTRICT.
AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN EACH ONE OF THE 10 COUNCIL DISTRICT.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UH, THE, UH, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE DISTRICTS THAT HAD A HIGHER UTILIZATION, UH, WERE, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL DISTRICTS 1, 5, 7, 8, AND 10, AND THEY HAD, THEY AVERAGE AN 11 TO 14% UTILIZATION, UH, FOR THE ON DEMAND SERVICES.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE DISTRICTS THAT HAVE LOWER UTILIZATION.
AND SO I WON'T NAME THOSE DISTRICTS, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WILL DO IN THESE DISTRICTS AND HAVE DONE IS TARGET WITH MORE EDUCATION, BECAUSE WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THESE SERVICES.
AND SO THE, UH, AND THESE DISTRICTS HAD A SIX TO NINE, UH, PERCENT UTILIZATION.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL IS TO INCREASE USAGE ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS, WHETHER IT'S BULK BRUSH OR HHW AND NOW TEXTILES.
AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.
AND SO OUR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WAS CONDUCTED DURING THE, UH, SATISFACTION SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS.
AND, UH, THE OVERALL SATISFACTION, UH, POINTS TO AN APPROVAL, UH, OF THE SERVICE, UH, WITH THE EASE OF SCHEDULING, TIMELINESS OF THE SERVICE DELIVERY, UH, RANDOM SELECTION FOLLOWING THE RECEIPT OF, OF, OF ONE OR MORE, UH, ON DEMAND SERVICES.
UH, OVERALL, UH, CONFIDENCE FROM THE CUSTOMERS, UH, 98% CUSTOMERS RATED AS VERY SATISFIED OR SATISFIED, AND 95% WERE EITHER VERY SATISFIED OR SATISFIED, UH, WITH THE TIMELINESS.
AND SO THE, WE FEEL THAT AS A DEPARTMENT, WE'RE MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE CUSTOMER.
UH, WE DO WANT TO INCREASE DIVERSION.
WE DO WANT TO INCREASE, UH, SATISFACTION.
WE DO WANT TO INCREASE EDUCATION.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS FROM THERE IS THE SKY'S THE LIMIT WHEN IT COMES TO PARTICIPATION.
AND SO WHEN WE GET TO, UH, HIGHER LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION, THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S, UH, INCREASED DIVERSION.
THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S REDUCTION, UH, IN, IN WASTE GOING TO THE LANDFILL.
THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S INCREASES IN, IN WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER, UH, THE CUSTOMERS ON AN OVERALL PLATFORM TO BE ABLE TO, TO RECYCLE AND REUSE SOME OF THESE ITEMS AND INTRODUCE THEM BACK INTO THE, THE, THE PUBLIC.
AND THEN FROM THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S RECOGNITION, RECOGNITION GOES A LONG WAY, YOU KNOW, AND THE ONE THING THAT, THAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE, WE'VE PUT THIS INFORMATION OUT THERE, UH, WHETHER IT WAS THROUGH MAILERS, WHETHER IT'S BEEN, UH, CAMPAIGNS, UH, ON THE SIDE OF ONE OF THE VEHICLES, UH, WHETHER IT'S BEEN US SUBMITTING FOR AWARDS, AND, UH, WE WERE A FINALIST FOR THE TEXAS ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE AWARD.
AND, UH, ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T WIN, WE DID RECEIVE SO MUCH AS, YOU KNOW, AN HONORABLE MENTION.
AND THEN WE JUST RECENTLY SUBMITTED AS OF TODAY FOR ANOTHER AWARD THROUGH, UH, SWANA.
AND SO CUSTOMER HAS HAVE RECOGNIZED US THROUGH OUR 3 1 1 CALLS, UH, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN BEING A MODEL FOR CITIES OF ITS SAME SIZE AND SMALLER CITIES, WE CAN'T COUNT THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT WE'RE ON, ON A REGULAR BASIS TALKING ABOUT OUR SERVICES AND, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THE ON DEMAND SERVICES, BUT OUR STREET SWEEPING SERVICES AND, AND OUR DEAD ANIMAL SERVICES.
BUT WE'RE CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO PROMOTE THE CITY AND HELP SMALLER CITIES, UH, INTRODUCE NEW SERVICES, UH, WITHIN THEIR CITY.
AND SO IT IS JUST A WAY TO PARTNER AND COLLABORATE ALL ACROSS, UH, THE UNITED STATES.
AND, AND ONE, IT HELPS PUT AUSTIN ON THE MAP.
IT HELPS PUTS OUR CUSTOMERS ON THE MAP.
AND SO IN LETTING THESE CUSTOMERS KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE TO SERVE YOU ALL.
AND, UH, THIS PROGRAM IS NOT YET OPERATIONAL, BUT, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN RECEIVED AN EPA GRANT OF $4 MILLION TO PURCHASE PROPERTY, TO BE, TO HOUSE A REUSE WAREHOUSE.
[01:35:01]
UM, THIS WAREHOUSE WILL ACCEPT REUSABLE FURNITURE FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES, UH, PUBLIC DONATIONS, UH, ON DEMAND, BULK ROUTES, SMALL BUSINESS DONATIONS, ET CETERA.UH, THE PRIMARY GOAL IS TO KEEP USABLE FURNITURE OUT OF THE LANDFILL, UH, WHILE HELPING FURNISH HOMES FOR FOLKS THAT ARE TRANSITIONING OUT OF HOMELESSNESS.
UM, THE CITY PURCHASED PROPERTY IN APRIL.
UH, IT'S LOCATED AT 92 0 1 METRIC.
IT'S THAT L-SHAPED BUILDING, KIND OF CLOSER TO METRIC, THAT'S 180 3 IN THE BACK THERE.
UM, MINOR BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS AND PERMITTING ARE, ARE UNDERWAY WITH GOAL OF OPENING LATER THIS YEAR.
AND WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I GOT.
NICOLE, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR THIS ITEM CHAIR? NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, GIVEN THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC SPEAKERS WE HAVE FOR LATER ITEM, I'D LIKE TO ASK COMMISSIONERS TO TRY AND STICK TO JUST ONE QUESTION AND ONE FOLLOW UP, AND THEN I'LL DO, I'LL CIRCLE BACK AT THE END TO SEE IF ANYONE HAS ANYTHING ELSE.
AND WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN.
UH, I WAS JUST CURIOUS, UM, HOW MANY HOUSEHOLDS ARE IN OUR SERVICE AREA? TWO, ABOUT 216,000 HOUSEHOLDS.
UM, AND YOU HAD 52,000 APPOINTMENTS FOR BULK PICKUP LAST YEAR? YES.
SO THAT'S LIKE A QUARTER OF ALL THE HOUSES.
I USED THAT MYSELF, AND I JUST USED THE DROP OFF SERVICE THE OTHER DAY.
SO, UM, I'M VERY HAPPY WITH WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING, AND I ESPECIALLY LIKE THIS NEW FURNITURE WAREHOUSE THAT YOU'VE JUST DONE.
THAT'S SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM.
AND, UH, WHOEVER'S IDEA WAS THAT Y'ALL GO AHEAD AND TAKE CREDIT FOR IT.
THANK YOU, MR. STILL, I'M SORRY.
UH, RIGHT IN THE, IN THE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL DETERMINING THE PILOT BECAUSE OF, OF COURSE, WITH THAT REUSE WAREHOUSE, YOU KNOW, UH, THE BULK PROGRAM WOULD BE VERY ASSISTED WITH THE, WITH THE INITIAL PILOT PHASE AND, AND COLLECTION OF MATERIAL AND JUST, WE HOPE TO, TO JUST COLLECTIVELY PUT TOGETHER A, A VERY GOOD PRODUCT FOR THE CITIZEN.
WELL, IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT THESE THINGS ALL FEED EACH OTHER.
ULTIMATELY, AND, UH, THE BENEFIT OF, OF THE PUBLIC BEING ABLE TO GO GET FREE STUFF IS, IS NOT TO BE, UM, UH, UNDERREPRESENTED HERE.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST PART.
AND, UH, THAT'S SOME GOOD IDEAS THERE.
COMMISSIONER FLURY? UH, YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, MAYBE MY QUESTION IS JUST MAKE ME, UH, MAKE SURE I'M SAYING THIS CORRECTLY, BUT, UH, WITH THIS NEW ON DEMAND PROGRAM, WE'VE GOTTEN INCREASE IN CUSTOMER SAT SATISFACTION, GIANT INCREASE IN WEIGHT, COLLECTED INCREASE IN DIVERSION AT TWICE THE COST.
NO, THESE, THERE'S A REDUCTION IN THE COST.
OH, THERE'S A REDUCTION IN, AWESOME.
SO YEAH, THERE, THERE'S A REDUCTION IN, IN CERTAIN, AND WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL REDUCTION, THERE WAS, THERE WAS A REDUCTION.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, THE, THE BULK PROGRAM IN ITSELF, YOU KNOW, WE, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T WANNA SEE INCREASES, BUT WE DID SEE INCREASES AND WE SAW INCREASES BECAUSE WE HAD TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES, UH, THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT, UH, TO SERVICE THE PUBLIC.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ADDITION OF THE LEVEL OF DIVERSION THAT WE'RE COMMITTING TO, YOU KNOW, WE DID INCREASE THE, UH, THE VEHICLES TO DIVERT MORE MATERIALS.
NOW WHERE WE'VE SEEN A COST REDUCTION IS IN OUR OVERTIME, YOU KNOW, AND, AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PREVIOUS MODEL AND YOU'RE SERVICING 8,000 PLUS CUSTOMERS, UH, ON A ROUTE DESIGN, THAT MEANS THAT EACH TRUCK IN THEIR SPECIFIC SEGMENT HAS TO GO DOWN EVERY SINGLE STREET.
AND SO WITH THE NEW MODEL, IT TAKES AWAY THE DESIGN, THE NEED TO GO DOWN EVERY SINGLE STREET WHERE SOME HOMES MAY NOT BE SET OUT.
AND SO WITH THE POINT TO POINT ROUTING, WE'RE ABLE TO GO DIRECTLY TO THAT, TO THAT LOCATION, COLLECT THE MATERIAL, AND THEN ULTIMATELY MOVE TO THE DESIRED, UH, DISPOSAL SITE.
NOW, FUEL WAS AN INCREASED COST FOR BULK.
UH, WE'VE SEEN A REDUCTION IN MILES FOR BRUSH.
WE'VE SEEN A REDUCTION IN FUEL FOR BRUSH.
UH, WE'VE SEEN A REDUCTION IN OVERTIME FOR BOTH PROGRAMS, AND WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN OUR REVENUE, UH, FOR THE DIVERSION OF THE MATERIAL THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE RECYCLED.
I, I THINK I JUST MISINTERPRETED A SLIDE.
WELL, FOR CLARIFICATION, UM, THE HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE ON DEMAND PROGRAM IS MORE EXPENSIVE PER HOUSEHOLD YEAH.
THAN, UH, IF WE GO PICK IT UP VERSUS IF THE CUSTOMER COMES AND DROPS IT OFF.
[01:40:01]
THE PERCENT, THE PERCENTAGE OF REUSABLE MATERIALS FROM THOSE ON DEMAND COLLECTIONS IS SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER THAN FOLKS COMING TO DROP OFF MATERIALS.SO THERE'S NO COST TO THE DEPARTMENT IF, UH, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE COLLECTED MATERIALS VIA ON DEMAND ARE JUST SET ASIDE IN OUR REUSE STORE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR DISPOSAL OR, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S, UH, THE, THE COST IS, THE COST INCREASE IS MINIMAL.
THAT, UH, TOTAL PERCENTAGE IN, UH, OF CUSTOMERS THAT USE THE ON-DEMAND SERVICE IN, IN 25 WAS, UH, ABOUT 20% OF OUR TOTAL CUSTOMERS COMING IN TO USE THE HHW.
YEAH, THIS ISN'T RELATED TO LIKE HAZARDOUS OR BULK, UH, WASTE, BUT I WAS JUST THINKING SOMETHING I'LL BE NOTICING AT MULTI-FAMILY BUILDINGS, SOME OF THEM FINALLY HAVE SOME COMPOST BINS, BUT THEY'RE NOT USED FOR COMPOSTS AND THEY'RE JUST LEFT THERE FOR LIKE MONTHS.
THERE WAS ONE BUILDING, UH, BY MY AREA THAT HAD THE SAME TRASH FOR LIKE OVER FOUR MONTHS.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING AROUND LIKE, I DON'T KNOW AROUND THAT OF LIKE, IS THERE SOME LIKE RESTRICTION OR AS IN LIKE, IF IT'S NOT RESPECTED AS COMPOSED, THEN IT'S JUST LIKE NOT PICKED UP OR SOME SORT OF LIKE ENFORCEMENT OR I DON'T KNOW, LET'S SAY THAT SOMEONE COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT, LIKE, YEAH, LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE?
BUT A CALL TO THREE ONE ONE WOULD PROBABLY DEFINITELY SPUR SOME ACTION, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM, UH, FROM THE DEPARTMENT AND US TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF MAYBE FOLLOW UP AND LOOK INTO WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER BRIMER, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I FOUND THAT VERY INTERESTING THAT YOU'RE SAVING MONEY ON THIS TYPE OF THING AS OPPOSED TO THE PREVIOUS STRATEGY.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
HEY, Y'ALL APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
I KNOW, UH, EVERYBODY MISSES THE OLD SYSTEM WHERE YOU COULD JUST GO DOWN THE ROADS AND JUST PICK EVERYTHING UP THAT EVERYBODY LEFT BEHIND, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT, WE, SOMEBODY WAS GONNA SAY THAT WE GOTTA SAVE SOME BREAD, SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PLANS TO KIND OF LIKE EXPAND IT, RIGHT? WHEN YOU THINK OF, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE GOODWILL OR SALVATION ARMY, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE GREAT, NOT TRYING TO DOWNPLAY THEM.
THERE'S REALLY NO REASON WHY THE CITY OF AUSTIN COULDN'T ADOPT LIKE A SIMILAR MODEL.
UM, ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO SORT OF EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THE REUSE WAREHOUSE TO LIKE DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN OR LIKE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT, UH, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT SORT OF MODELS OF, OF THINGS THAT ARE OR GIVEN OR, OR SOLD TO KIND OF LIKE BOOST THE WHOLE CIRCULAR ECONOMY TYPE THING? YEAH, YEAH, GOOD QUESTION.
UM, SO FOR RIGHT NOW IT WILL BE, UH, FURNITURE, PRIMARILY FURNITURE, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM THOSE, THOSE SOURCES I HAD MENTIONED TO, UH, HELP FURNISH FOLK, UH, HOUSEHOLDS FOR FOLKS EXITING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, WE DO PLAN TO TO WORK WITH ANY AND ALL NONPROFITS IN THE AREA TO, TO HELP, YOU KNOW, GATHER MATERIAL, MAKE SURE WE HAVE RIGHT OUTLETS FOR MATERIAL.
UM, IN ADDITION TO POTENTIAL EXPANSION OF, OF NEW MATERIALS, UM, WE HAVE, UH, MATTRESSES ARE ALWAYS BEING DISCUSSED AT THE DEPARTMENT, WHAT, YOU KNOW, IS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION FOR THOSE.
AS WELL AS, UM, SOME OTHER STUFF THAT WON'T BE DIFFICULT TO INCORPORATE, LIKE ELECTRONICS COLLECTION, UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE AT THE, THE RECYCLING REUSE CENTER DOWN SOUTH.
BUT, UM, THOSE ARE NOT QUITE IN STONE YET SINCE OPERATIONS HAVE NOT BEGUN.
BUT YES, THERE ARE PLANS TO EXPAND THE OPERATION.
I LOVE THAT WHEN INNOVATION WORKS.
I WANT TO COMMEND Y'ALL FOR, YOU KNOW, TAKING THIS AND REALLY TAKING A BIG SCALE LOOK AT HOW CAN WE DO THIS DIFFERENT AND KNOCKING IT OUT OF THE PARK.
UH, I WISH THAT OUR FORMER CHAIR, UH, BEDFORD WAS HERE, UH, TO HEAR THIS.
I KNOW THAT HE WANTED TO, TO KNOW THIS, UH, INFORMATION, UH, AND BROUGHT
[01:45:01]
IT UP, UH, MULTIPLE TIMES.UM, I THINK YOU ANSWERED MOST OF MY QUESTIONS.
I WANNA HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT TEXTILES SINCE YOU'VE JUST ADDED THAT.
AND HOW CAN, UM, HOUSEHOLDS PROPERLY PARTICIPATE IN THAT? SO IT'S A REAL SIMILAR PROCESS AS, UH, SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT FOR DROP OFF OR THESE ON DEMAND PROGRAMS. IT'S THE SAME WEBSITE, YOU JUST KIND OF CLICK AND POINT WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.
UM, SO IT IS, WE DO, WE ARE KIND OF TRYING TO FOLD THIS TEXTILE ON DEMAND COLLECTION INTO THE EXISTING HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO, TO TAKE IT REAL EASY, DIP OUR TOE IN THE WATER, SO TO SPEAK, UM, INITIALLY SO THAT, UH, WE'RE NOT KIND OF OVERWHELMED BY THE, BY THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, SO ULTIMATELY THOSE, UH, THE TEXTILE ON DEMAND COLLECTION FOLLOWS THE SAME GENERAL SCHEME AS THE BULK AND BRUSH AND HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.
SO, UH, HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE STAFF WILL COLLECT THE, THE TEXTILES OUT AND ABOUT ON THE ROUTE AND THEN DELIVER THEM BACK TO THE RECYCLING REUSE CENTER DOWN SOUTH AND HANDLE THEM THEIR RESPECTIVE WASTE.
AND SO WHEN YOU SAY TEXTILES, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CLOTHING, YOU KNOW, YOUR COMFORTER OFF YOUR BED, UH, YOUR COUCH SLIP COVER.
WHAT ABOUT CUSHIONS? YEAH, CUSHIONS.
UM, WE, WE TRY TO, WITH FOLKS THAT HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT CAN BE, WHAT WE CAN TAKE FOR, FOR TEXTILES, UM, I TRY TO TELL 'EM THIS STUFF WILL BE REUSED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
SO IF YOU WOULDN'T, IF YOU DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR A REUSE, IF IT'S TOO SOILED OR WHATEVER ELSE, THEN, THEN IT'S PROBABLY BEST NOT FOR THIS TEXTILE ON DEMAND, UH, PICKUP.
SO, BUT YEAH, UH, SLIP COVERS, CUSHIONS, CURTAINS, UH, STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO THESE ARE TO BE REUSED AND THEN, BUT NOT TO BE NECESSARILY RECYCLED? UH, YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
SO, UM, WE HAVE A, AN, UH, PARTNERSHIP WITH GOODWILL AT THE DROPOFF CENTER DOWN SOUTH, UM, TO WHERE, WHERE THEY KIND OF TAKE THE MATERIAL IN AND RESELL IT LOCALLY.
UM, AND FOR THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY, THAT IS, UH, WHAT HAPPENS TO 95% OF ALL THE TEXTILES THAT COME THROUGH.
GOODWILL IS FIRST AN ATTEMPT AT RESALE.
UM, AND IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, THEN WHATEVER'S MOST COST EFFECTIVE, UH, WILL KIND OF COME AFTER THAT.
WHETHER THAT'S SHREDDING FOR UPHOLSTERY, UH, STUFFING OR INSULATION OR STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT'S KIND OF SECONDARY TO THE PRIMARY RE UH, RESALE OPERATION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I, I'M WITH SECRETARY RESI.
I DO MISS, MISS THE BULK PICKUP IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS
I LIKED, I LIKED THE CURBSIDE SHOPPING.
I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING TO THE REUSE THAT HAPPENS THERE THAT WASN'T CAPTURED.
UM, SO I'M GRATEFUL THAT, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY SOME OF THESE ITEMS DO STILL MAKE IT TO REUSE AND MAKE IT TO GOOD HOMES.
UM, BUT I'M SOMEONE WHO LIKES A DEADLINE AND, AND HAVING THE SOCIAL PRESSURE OF, OH, ALL MY NEIGHBORS ARE PUTTING IT OUT, TIME FOR ME TO PUT IT OUT.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE USED THE ON-DEMAND BULK PICKUP AND IT WORKS GREAT.
I REMEMBER ONE OF MY CONCERNS LAST YEAR WAS ABOUT FUEL USE BECAUSE I COULDN'T SEE HOW IT WOULD BE MORE, UM, EFFECTIVE AND ECONOMICAL TO JUST GO TO DISPARATE HOMES ALL ACROSS THE CITY RATHER THAN HAVING A STRATEGIC ROUTE.
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALL LOOKED AT IT, THERE ARE HIGHER FUEL, FUEL COSTS, BUT IT'S NOT FROM THE ROUTE ITSELF, IT'S FROM THE FACT THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO SORT AND RECYCLE BETTER, WHICH IS A WIN IN MY BOOK.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON, YOU KNOW, THE HONOR HONORABLE MENTION THAT YOU ALL GOT GOOD LUCK IN THE NEXT, UM, PHASE OF, OF AWARDS THAT YOU'RE APPLYING TO.
SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
AND, UM, ONE FINAL NOTE, WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE DISTRICT BY DISTRICT DATA, WHICH WAS INTERESTING, I WAS CURIOUS, I'M IN D ONE AND I KNOW OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS JUST DECIMATED BY THE MICROBURST THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR AND WE WERE ALL USING THAT ON DEMAND BULK PICKUP.
SO I'M SURE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS FOR THAT DATA, BUT THAT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE.
UM, ALRIGHT, ANY FINAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON SECRETARY KSI? YEAH, UM, ONE THING THAT POPPED INTO MY MIND WHEN SHE MENTIONED THAT SHE LIVED IN D ONE, BY THE WAY, SHOUT OUT D ONE.
UM, YEAH, I WAS WONDERING TOO, IS THERE ANY LIKE BREAKDOWN OF LIKE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION BY, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT OR ZIP CODE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? YOU KNOW, YOU SORT OF PRESENTED AGGREGATE NUMBERS, BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE USEFUL IN FUTURE PRESENTATIONS TO BE ABLE TO DRILL DOWN BY, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL DISTRICT OR SOME KIND OF LIKE GEOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN.
SO BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, THE EAST SIDERS COULD JUST YELL AT THE WEST SIDERS THAT THEY HAVE IT BETTER, YOU KNOW, SO APPRECIATE IT.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR COMING HERE AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN OKAY WITH THAT.
UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO THE NEXT SECTION OF OUR AGENDA, WHICH ARE DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. WE'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST TWO HOURS, SO I'M GONNA SAY LET'S TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK
[01:50:01]
RIGHT NOW FOR RESTROOM WATER.IF YOU HAVEN'T SUBMITTED YOUR COMMENT CARDS TO NICOLE FOR ANY OF THE UPCOMING ITEMS, PLEASE DO THAT.
UM, YOU CAN INDICATE ON THERE IF YOU'RE DONATING TIME, GIVEN THE VOLUME OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO TWO MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU CAN DONATE TIME TO SOMEONE ELSE AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE WHOLE TWO MINUTES.
IF YOU GET UP AND SPEAK, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN JUST GET DONATE ONE MINUTE OF YOUR TIME.
UM, SO DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO DONATE THE WHOLE TWO MINUTES AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY LEFT.
SO, UM, ALRIGHT, THE TIME IS 7 53.
LET'S MEET BACK AT 8:00 PM TO GET GOING AGAIN.
PLEASE MAKE SURE TO DELIVER ANY PUBLIC COMMENT TO NICOLE.
OKAY, SO IT'S 8:00 PM AND WE'RE COMING BACK INTO SESSION.
ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL, TIME TO FIND YOUR SEATS.
[4. Discussion and action to recommend approval of the Austin Water Capital Improvement Projects located in the Drinking Water Protection Zone for inclusion in the five-year Capital spending plan as required by Financial Policy #8. ]
ON TO DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSSION AND ACTION TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE AUSTIN WATER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS LOCATED IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE FOR INCLUSION IN THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL SPENDING PLAN AS REQUIRED BY FINANCIAL POLICY NUMBER EIGHT.UM, SO WE DO HAVE RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF AUSTIN WATER STAFF HERE.
UM, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND SHARE WHAT YOU LIKE.
GOOD EVENINGS, CHAIRS, COMMISSIONERS, AND EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE.
MY NAME IS FRED GO, CAPITAL ASSET ACCOUNTING TEAM MANAGER FROM AUSTIN WATER.
WITH ME TODAY IS GABRIEL CASTANO, SUPERVISOR OF INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT DIVISION FROM AUSTIN WATER.
WE'RE HERE TO PRESENT AUSTIN WATER'S DRINKING WATER PROTECTION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR FY 27 TO 31 PLANNING CYCLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH FINANCIAL POLICY NUMBER EIGHT.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO PROVIDE A COMMISSION WITH THE LIST OF AUSTIN WATERS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS LOCATED IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECT ZONE AS REQUIRED BY FINANCIAL POLICY NUMBER EIGHT.
THIS POLICY REQUIRES ALL DRINKING WATER PROTECT ZONE PROJECTS BE REVEALED BY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UH, IN EACH BUDGET CYCLE.
SO TONIGHT WE DON'T HAVE THE SLIDE PRESENTATION, BUT I WILL WALK THROUGH THE MEMO DIRECTLY ON THE SCREEN AND HIGHLIGHT THE POINT ON EACH OF IT.
SO AS WE LOOK AT PAGE ONE, AND THIS PAGE INCLUDES THE MEMO HEADER, THE PURPOSE STATEMENT, AND A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW.
EIGHT EXPLAINS THE MEMO FULFILLS FINANCIAL POLICY NUMBER EIGHT, REQUIRING AUSTIN WATER TO IDENTIFY AND PRESENT ALL DRINKING WATER PROTECT ZONE CAPITAL PRODUCTS, EACH BUDGET CYCLE TO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION.
IT ALSO NOTES IN THIS PROJECTS ARE ESSENTIAL TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY, SUPPORT SYSTEM RESILIENCY AND ENSURE RELIABLE SERVICE.
PAGE TWO PROVIDES AN INDEX OF THE ATTACHMENT INCLUDED IN THE MEMO ATTACHMENT ONE IS PROJECT TABLE WITH DESCRIPTIONS AND THE SPENDING PLANS.
ATTACHMENT TWO IS DRINKING WATER PROTECTION MEMO ATTACHMENT THREE IS APPENDIX WITH POLICY REFERENCE AND THE DEFINITIONS.
PAGE THREE AND FOUR OF PROJECT TABLES.
THESE TWO PAGES SHOW THE FULL LIST OF 11 DRINKING WATER PROTECT ZONE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, THE TABLE LIST SUB PROJECT ID, PROJECT NAME DESCRIPTION, PROJECT STATUS FY 27 TO 31 SPENDING PLAN AND TOTAL SPENDING PLAN.
HERE I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AN IMPORTANT POINT.
ALL OF THIS 11 PROJECT, UH, CARRY OVER PROJECT FROM LAST YEAR'S PRESENT.
THERE ARE NO NEW DRINKING WATER PROTECTION PROJECTS ADDED IN THIS YEAR.
SO PAGE FILE PROVIDES A MAP SHOWING WHERE EACH OF THE ACTIVE DRINKING WATER PROTECT ZONE PROJECTS IS LOCATED.
[01:55:01]
HOW THE PROJECTS ARE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE WATERSHED AREAS.PAGE SIX IS APPENDIX WITH POLICY BACKGROUND.
IT INCLUDES THE COUNCIL ORDINANCE DEFINING THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION, THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN WATER FINANCIAL POLICY NUMBER EIGHT, INCLUDING EARLIER VERSION.
AND THIS CURRENT REVIEW REQUIREMENTS.
THIS PAGE PROVIDES THE LEGAL AND THE POLICY FOUNDATION OF WHY THESE PROJECTS ARE REVIEWED ANNUALLY.
THAT'S THE FULL OVERVIEW OF THE MEMO.
WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE PROJECTS.
UM, NICOLE, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM CHAIR? NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN.
SO, UH, ARE THESE, UM, ALL THESE ARE ALL CAPITAL PROJECTS? YES.
AND UM, I WAS ON THE BOND BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE.
I DON'T REMEMBER IF ANY OF THESE WERE ON THAT LIST.
SO THESE WOULD ALL BE, HOW WOULD THESE BE PAID FOR? THESE WILL BE AUSTIN WATERS, UM, REVENUE FROM SERVICE PROVIDED.
AND I FORGOT TO NOTE AGAIN, IF FOLKS CAN STICK TO ONE QUESTION, ONE FOLLOW UP, WHICH YOU ABSOLUTELY DID, BUT JUST A REMINDER THAT WE'RE ON A TIME CRUNCH A LITTLE BIT.
WE'LL GO NEXT TO COMMISSIONER LUKI HAVING BEEN ON THE SEEN THIS BEFORE IN THE, UH, RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION.
I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FLURRY.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FIERRO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BRIER? YEAH, I JUST HAVE ONE, UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, UH, FOR DRINKING WATER.
WILL THESE, UH, BE COVERED BY THE, UH, TUR BOMBS THAT ARE GOING OUT TO DOG HEAD OR WILL THESE BE SEPARATELY FUNDED IF DRINKING WATER HAS TO BE DONE OUT THERE? I BELIEVE THE QUESTION WAS WOULD THESE BE FUNDED THROUGH A TOURIST BOND? THE TURS, THERE'S GOING TO BE A, THE COUNCIL'S GONNA VOTE ON, UH, VOTE ON A TOUR IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO TO DO FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE OUT IN THE DOG HEAD DEVELOPMENT AREA.
AND MY QUESTION IS WHEN, UH, AND, AND THE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDES A LOT OF STUFF RELATED TO DRINKING WATER.
SO MY QUESTION IS GOING FORWARD, IS THE TURS GOING TO BONDS FOR THE TURS GOING TO PAY FOR THESE TYPE OF IMPROVEMENTS OUT IN THE DOG HEAD AREA OR WILL THESE STILL BE FUNDED BY, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BONDS UNDER THE CURRENT MECHANISM? THESE WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH THE CURRENT MECHANISM THROUGH OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
HEY Y'ALL APPRECIATE Y'ALL COMING OUT HERE TODAY.
UH, I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR BECAUSE THEY TELL ME I HAVE TO, AND UH, I SAW THAT THERE WAS A CLAUSE THAT SAID THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REQUESTED THAT ON THE 2026 REPORT IT SHOULD REFLECT ANY WATER LEAK DETECTION OR ABATEMENT TO LEAKS IN THE DRINKING WATER ZONE.
UH, I GUESS, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY UPDATES AS FAR AS, AS FAR AS THAT, AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, WHAT, UH, THE PROJECTS Y'ALL ARE GONNA BE WORKING ON, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, WATER LEAK DETECTION OR ABATEMENT TO LEAKS IS, IS SORT OF INCLUDING ANY OF THESE? I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY OF THESE PROJECTS THAT I CAN, UH, FOLLOW UP WITH THAT ON THAT QUESTION.
UM, ALL THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE LISTED HERE ARE RELATED TO, UH, GROWTH PROJECTS, MEANING THAT, UM, OUR SYSTEMS PLANNING GROUP HAS LOOKED AT THE PROJECTS IN QUESTION IF THEY NEED, UH, REHAB OR TO UPSIZE THE PIPE.
UM, BUT IF THERE IS ANY TYPE OF LEAK DETECTION IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS TECHNOLOGY THAT WE COULD ATTACH TO THESE CIPS, WE CERTAINLY WOULD, BUT I COULD FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
[02:00:01]
QUESTIONS.UM, AND I ALSO DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BUT JUST WANT TO REITERATE SECRETARY KASHI'S NOTE ABOUT LEAK ABATEMENT THAT WE'D LOVE TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS AND I THINK IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO LEAVE IN THAT LINE FOR A 2027 REQUEST AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE RECOMMENDATION? OKAY, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH WITH THAT SECRETARY RESI.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I AND NO WE DON'T.
YEAH, SO THIS IS RECOMMENDATION 2 0 2 6 0 7 0 1 DASH ZERO FOUR AUSTIN WATER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS LOCATED DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN WATER UTILITY PRESENTED AND UPDATED THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ON NEW AND EXISTING GROWTH RELATED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROJECTS LOCATED IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE.
AND WE AS THE AUSTIN WATER UTILITY PROVIDES ADEQUATE DRINKING WATER AND RELIABLE SYSTEMS FOR OUR CURRENT FUTURE CUSTOMERS.
AND WE'RE ASKING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REQUEST THAT ON THE 2027 REPORT IT SHOULD REFLECT ANY WIRE LEAK DETECTION OR ABATEMENT TO LEAKS IN THE DRINKING WATER ZONE.
THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST FOR INCLUSION OF THE CIP PROJECTS IN AUSTIN.
WATER UTILITIES, FIVE YEAR CAPITAL SPENDING BUDGET.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS RECOMMENDATION? ANY DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE, LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT TO A VOTE.
COMMISSIONER FIERRO FOR COMMISSIONER FLURRY FOR COMMISSIONER LUKI FOR SECRETARY KREI, FOR VICE CHAIR BRISTOL, FOR COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN FOR, AND I'M ALSO FOUR WITH THAT IT'S UNANIMOUS MOTION PASSES.
YEAH, I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, NO APPLAUSE FOR THAT.
[5. Approve a recommendation to Council from the Dog’s Head Working Group regarding the environmental aspects and future potential City Council action, including a vote on the creation of a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), for the Dog’s Head area, located between the Colorado River, US Highway 183, and State Highway 130. Sponsored by Chair Krueger and Vice Chair Bristol. ]
OKAY.NEXT WE'RE MOVING TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL FROM THE DOG HEAD WORKING GROUP REGARDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS AND FUTURE POTENTIAL CITY COUNCIL ACTION, INCLUDING A VOTE ON THE CREATION OF A TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE TURS FOR THE DOG HEAD AREA LOCATED BETWEEN THE COLORADO RIVER US HIGHWAY 180 3 AND STATE HIGHWAY ONE 30, SPONSORED BY CHAIR KRUGER AND VICE CHAIR BRISTOL.
UM, SO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM VICE CHAIR BRISTOL, AND AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, NOTES TO GIVE.
NICOLE, THIS IS, THIS IS YOUR LAST SHOT.
VICE BRISTOL, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
UM, IT IS VERY WEIRD FOR ME TO GIVE A PRESENTATION SITTING DOWN, SO I'M GONNA DO MY BEST HERE.
UM, FIRST I WANNA SAY A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO SHOWED UP, UH, TO THE JUNE 17TH MEETING.
UH, AND, UM, UM, BROUGHT OUR PASSION AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, YOUR MINDS, UH, TO THIS, TO HELPING, UH, CREATE SOME, UH, SOLUTIONS AROUND, UH, THIS PROJECT.
UM, WE, UH, YOU KNOW, WONDERFUL CITIZENS SIGNED UP FOR OUR WORKING GROUP, UM, AND KIND OF FAST HERE.
UM, WE HAD A ROTATION OF SEVERAL PEOPLE, BUT, UM, APPROXIMATELY 20 INDIVIDUALS, UH, WERE ON THE WORKING GROUP AND WE MET THREE TIMES BETWEEN JUNE 22ND AND JUNE 29TH.
UM, YOU WERE WONDERING WHY BACKUP MATERIALS WERE SO LATE ON THIS PROJECT IS 'CAUSE WE HAD TO WAIT TILL MONDAY, POLISH 'EM AND THEN GET 'EM OUT.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR PATIENCE, UM, ON THAT.
UM, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING, UM, I WANNA SAY FIRST A RECOGNITION I WANNA RECOGNIZE AND THANK ENDEAVOR FOR ACCEPTING OUR INVITATION TO COME AND MEET WITH US BEFORE THIS BODY AND GIVE US THE SPACE TO HAVE THAT DIALOGUE.
WE WERE NOT GRANTED THE SAME COURTESY FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, ALL OF THE ENERGY AND OF THAT MEETING REALLY WENT TOWARDS THE DEVELOPER.
IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE WORKING GROUP, NO ONE EVER SAID THIS PROJECT, THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT BACK TO PRISTINE, UH, YOU KNOW, GARDEN OF EDEN AND LEFT, UH, INTACT.
RIGHT? NO, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS WILL BE DEVELOPED AND, BUT OUR GOAL IS TO GET IT DEVELOPED IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE WITH PROTECTIONS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND FOR THE PEOPLE.
AND WHAT WE REALIZED, UM, IN OUR DISCUSSIONS
[02:05:01]
WAS BASICALLY IT WAS A TOTAL SYSTEM FAILURE BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ERODING PUBLIC TRUST THE CITY OF AUSTIN CHOSE TO MEET IN SECRECY.THEY CHOSE TO IGNORE THEIR OWN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT ARE HARD FOUGHT AND WON FROM CITIZENS WHO HAVE BEEN ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS JUST LIKE THIS ONE BEFORE, THAT ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THAT ARE CARRYING INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT.
YOU KNOW, THE DECADES, UH, THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN IN OPERATION AND THAT IS REALLY FAILING ITS OWN PROCESSES.
ONE OF THE, THE KEY COMPONENTS IS, UM, THERE WAS NOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OR INVENTORY DONE BEFORE THE PROJECT WAS GREEN-LIGHTED.
THAT IS FALL SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW FROM ITS OWN ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL.
IF YOU READ THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL, IT'S FANTASTIC AND IT COVERS EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHEN A LARGE SCALE OR EVEN SMALL SCALE PROJECT IS COMING FORWARD.
HOW DO WE TAKE CARE OF THE ENVIRONMENT? HOW DO WE TAKE CARE OF THE SOILS AND THE WATER AND THE TREES AND ALL OF THE OTHER COMPONENTS THAT ARE ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY? AND WHY DOES THAT MATTER? WHEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN GAVE A PRESENTATION TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS LAST WEEK, THERE WAS THIS SLIDE ON THERE AND IT'S KIND OF SMALL ON HERE, BUT BASICALLY THAT'S A PICTURE OF THE DOG'S HEAD AND ON IT IT'S RECOMMENDING THAT THERE BE THREE NEW BRIDGES ACROSS THE COLORADO RIVER AS PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT, THAT WE WILL GET FROM THE TAX INCREMENT, UH, ZONE RE, UH, REINVESTMENT ZONE.
THE TURS, I DON'T REALLY LIKE THE WORD TURS, SO JUST GONNA PUT THAT OUT THERE.
UM, WHAT I EXPERIENCE AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN BEFORE IS ONCE LINES GET DRAWN ON THE MAP OF WHERE A ROAD IS SUPPOSED TO GO OR INFRASTRUCTURE IS SUPPOSED TO GO, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THAT CHANGED AND CHANGE SOME, THE ENGINEER'S MIND OF WHERE THAT SHOULD GO, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S ENVIRONMENTAL CRITICAL FEATURES THAT NEED TO BE SURPASSED OR MOVED AROUND.
AND SO WE DO THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, A LITTLE BACKWARDS ON THIS SOMETIMES, UH, ON OTHER PROJECTS, BUT IN PARTICULAR THIS ONE, BECAUSE WE DID NOT DO ANY KIND OF ENVIRONMENTAL INVENTORY OR ASSESSMENT BEFORE, COMING UP WITH THINGS LIKE, HEY, LET'S HAVE THREE BRAND NEW BRIDGES ACROSS THE, THE RIVER.
ONE OF THOSE BRIDGES ON THE LOWER ONE GOES TO, UM, IT LINES UP WITH A ROAD CALLED PLAT LANE.
PLAT LANE IS AT THE EDGE OF THE HORNSBY BEND BIRD OBSERVATORY.
UM, I WILL LET YOU DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS FROM THAT.
THERE IS NOT A NEIGHBORHOOD OUT THERE.
IT GOES RIGHT THROUGH PUBLIC LAND.
UH, IT WOULD CROSS OVER A PRISTINE PORTION OF THE RIVER.
UH, THERE IS A TRAIL THERE, THERE'S A RIVER TRAIL, UH, WHICH AGAIN IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S PUBLIC LAND.
UH, IT'S OUR LAND, UM, TO ENJOY AS A PARK.
THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT THING IS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN 271 SPECIES OF BIRDS RECORDED AT THIS LOCATION ALONE.
IT IS RIGHT WHERE THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE MEETS THE RIVER CORRIDOR.
AND THIS IS CRITICAL FOR BOTH MIGRATORY BIRDS IN THE SPRING AND FALL, BUT ALSO FOR WINTERING BIRDS AS THEY COME, UH, AND, AND SPEND THEIR TIME ON THE RIVER IN THE FIELDS AND ON ON THE TREATMENT PONDS.
DOWN AT HORNSBY BEND, AT HORNSBY BEND, THERE ARE 363 SPECIES OF BIRDS THAT HAVE BEEN RECORDED THERE.
IT IS TEEMING WITH LIFE, AND IT IS RIGHT ACROSS THE RIVER FROM THE DOG'S HEAD.
THEY MOVE BACK AND FORTH TO THESE PROPERTIES.
[02:10:01]
MOVE ALONG THE RIVER, THEY MOVE INTO THE FIELDS THAT ARE, UH, ON, AT THE DOG'S HEAD.IT IS A SIGNIFICANT BIRDING PLACE WORLDWIDE.
PEOPLE COME HERE AND THEY WANNA GO SEE THE BLACK CAT BUR AND THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER IN THE WEST, AND THEN THEY WANT TO GO TO HORNSBY BEND AND SEE ALL OF THE SPECIES, ESPECIALLY DURING THE SPRING MIGRATION THAT ARE, UM, THAT CAN BE FOUND THERE.
IT'S AN EXCITING PLACE TO BIRD AND NOT JUST AT THE TREATMENT PONDS, BUT DOWN ALONG THE RIVER WHERE THERE'S MASSIVE PECAN TREES AND BEAUTIFUL ELMS AND OAKS AS WELL.
DOING AN ASSESSMENT STUDY WOULD HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW THIS, UM, HOW THIS WILDLIFE IS SHARED BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THOSE PROPERTIES.
AND WHY DO BIRDS MATTER? WELL, WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT THEY MATTER TO OUR HEALTH, THE HEALTH OF THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO OUR OWN PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH WHEN WE HAVE ACCESS TO NATURE.
ALL THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT, THAT WE ARE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY HEALTHIER, AND THE MORE, THE GREATER BIODIVERSITY THAT WE HAVE INCREASES THAT, YOU KNOW, TENFOLD.
BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A DEVELOPMENT.
ACCORDING TO THE CORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY, 37% OF ALL ADULT AMERICANS, WHICH IS OVER A HUNDRED, A HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE, CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE BIRDERS.
THAT CONSTITUTES ABOUT $290 BILLION TO OUR NATION'S ECONOMY.
IN TEXAS ALONE, THAT'S $24 BILLION.
THE NEXT CLOSEST ONE TO THAT IS FISHING AT 14 BILLION.
AND GOLF COMES IN JUST BELOW THAT, AT ALSO ABOUT 14 BILLION.
I BRING UP GOLF BECAUSE ONE OF THE ALLEGED, UH, YOU KNOW, USES OF THIS PROPERTY WOULD BE TO HAVE A GOLF COURSE, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE JUST PUTTING IN ONE DOWN AT, UH, AT THE, UH, CIRCUIT OF AMERICAS GOLF COURSES REQUIRE FERTILIZER AND WATER AND MOWING AND GREEN FEES AND, YOU KNOW, STAFF AND ALL OF THESE THINGS, WHEREAS HAVING A BIRD PRESERVE DOES NOT.
SO I COMPARE THOSE TWO THINGS, AND BECAUSE I MENTIONED THEM, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE.
BUT AGAIN, WITHOUT HAVING THAT ASSESSMENT, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
WHEN WE HEARD FROM THE APPLICANT OR THE DEVELOPER, UM, THEY TRIED TO PAINT THE PICTURE THAT THIS IS A HUNDRED PERCENT BOMBED OUT AREA.
THIS IS ONE OF, UH, THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH SHARED FROM ONE OF THE FOLKS THAT WAS ON THE WORKING COMMITTEE AND, UM, WORKING GROUP.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE DATA THAT Y'ALL SHARED, WHICH WAS AN INCREDIBLE OUTPOURING.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE BEAUTIFUL TREES.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF GREENERY AND A LOT TO BE LOVED HERE.
NOW, THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT A LOT, LOT OF THIS AREA NEEDS A LOT OF RESTORATION, AND THAT'S SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THAT.
AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS AERIAL SHOT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE'S A LOT OF GREEN THERE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THOSE OLD MINES THAT ARE THERE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THEM.
WE DON'T HAVE THE ASSESSMENTS OF WHERE ARE THE POLLUTANTS, WHERE ARE THE TOXINS, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE ALSO, UM, WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT THE TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, HISTORICAL COMMISSION REPORT IN 2018 RECOGNIZED THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL SITES LOCATED ON THE DOG'S HEAD THAT ARE HISTORIC.
UM, THERE'S ALSO A CEMETERY, UH, ON THIS SITE AND, UM, CELEBRATES THE HERITAGE OF THE FARMING AND RANCHING SINCE THE 1830S.
WE CERTAINLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PRIOR TO THAT, THERE WAS PLENTY OF LIFE HERE AS WELL.
UH, WITH THE KOWA AND COMANCHE, TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE RECOGNIZES THAT THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE, THERE'S LESS THAN 1% REMAINS, AND IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST ENDANGERED ECOSYSTEM IN THE US AND THE DOG HEAD SITS RIGHT ON THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE.
[02:15:01]
GEARS A LITTLE BIT AND TALK ABOUT FLOODING.AND, UH, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT WATER TODAY.
WE'RE GONNA KEEP ON TALKING ABOUT WATER.
SO LONGHORN DAM, UH, WHICH IS UPSTREAM, UM, HAS BEEN, UH, DESIGNATED AS A HIGH HAZARD, KINDA LIKE THAT TERM.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT, UM, AND THAT'S THROUGH THE NATIONAL INVENTORY OF DAMS, UM, THAT THAT TRACK, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW IS THIS DAM DOING? HOW'S THE AGE? HOW'S THE FUNCTIONALITY OF IT? AND IF THERE WAS A CATASTROPHIC FLOODING EVENT AND THE DAM FAILED, WHICH IS POSSIBLE, THEN THERE WOULD BE PLENTY OF LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY DOWNSTREAM.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THOSE CHEMICALS ARE, HAS NOT BEEN INVENTORIED, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THOSE CHEMICALS THEN LEACH INTO THE WATER OR ARE DEPOSITED INTO THE ALLUVIAL AQUIFERS THAT SURROUND THE RIVER AND, UM, ARE, ARE UNDERNEATH THE SOILS THERE, WHICH WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL NOT JUST TO OUR OWN DRINKING WATER, BUT TO WILDLIFE, HUMAN LIFE AND, AND LIVESTOCK DOWNSTREAM.
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FLOOD MAPS, THE FLOODPLAIN MAPS.
THEY WEREN'T TRIGGERED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, AND SO THEY'RE BEING MODIFIED WITHOUT CITY STAFF INPUT.
AGAIN, WE'RE FALLING SHORT OF FOLLOWING OUR OWN PROCESSES THAT PROTECT THE CITIZENS AND PROTECT ALL OF US IN THIS PROJECT.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER BRIMER WHO, UM, IS ONLINE.
HE REALLY, REALLY DUG INTO THIS.
AND, UM, AND I THINK WE WERE ALL ASTOUNDED AND SHOCKED AND FRUSTRATED THAT THERE, WITHIN THE CONTRACT, IT ELIMINATES THE OVERSIGHT OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR 45 YEARS.
THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE HERE FOR A REASON.
WE ARE CITIZENS SERVING, LOANING OUR EXPERTISE.
SOME HAVE MORE EXPERTISE THAN OTHERS, THAT'S FOR SURE.
I'M AT THE LOW RANK DOWN HERE, BUT IF WE ELIMINATE THEM, WE NO LONGER HAVE THAT BEAUTIFUL INSIGHT OVERSIGHT THAT WE HAVE HAD ON ALL THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT HAVE COME FOR THIS CITY.
AGAIN, FAILING OUR OWN PROCESSES.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST A, A, A SMALL, TINY EXAMPLE OF WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT IN THE CONTRACT, THEY WENT AHEAD AND WAIVED THAT WE HERE AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WOULD NORMALLY OVERSEE THINGS LIKE CUT AND FILL AND WATER QUALITY DRAINAGE, TREE ORDINANCES.
AND MY FAVORITE IMPERVIOUS COVER, THIS CONTRACT GAVE THIS DEVELOPMENT 100% IMPERVIOUS COVER.
I'VE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING.
WHY WOULD WE GIVE SOMEBODY THAT? AND I HOPE WE NEVER, EVER, EVER DO IT AGAIN.
THIS IS IN THE FACE OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT MECHANISMS THAT SAY WHAT A DEVELOPMENT CAN AND CAN'T DO WITH THEIR IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND WE HEARD FROM THE DEVELOPER OF WHY THAT WAS, BECAUSE THEY'LL BE SHIFTING THINGS AROUND AS THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, DOING THEIR MODELING AND RESTORATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT WE LIVE IN AN AGE WHERE I DON'T FEEL VERY TRUSTWORTHY OF CORPORATIONS AND WHAT THEY SAY THEY'RE GOING TO DO.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE RULES,
THIS IS HOW WE PROCEED, THIS IS HOW WE DO BUSINESS.
AND THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT UPFRONT AND MAKE THAT DECISION WHETHER THEY WANT TO DO BUSINESS HERE IN AUSTIN, OR THEY CAN GO SOMEWHERE ELSE LIKE DALLAS OR HOUSTON OR WACO OR OKLAHOMA, UM,
[02:20:01]
THOSE, UM, BACK AND TAKING THOSE AWAY WAY WE CAN NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CITIZENS GROUPS TO ALSO BE ABLE TO COME FORWARD AND VOICE THEIR OPINIONS AND THEIR THOUGHTS JUST AS THEY DID HERE AT THE JUNE 17TH MEETING.I'M GONNA SWITCH GEARS A LITTLE BIT AND TALK ABOUT, UM, PARKS, UM, AND TRAILS AND THE COLORADO RIVER CORRIDOR PLAN, WHICH CLEARLY STATES, HEY, WE RECOGNIZE THE DOG'S HEAD IS PROBABLY GONNA BE DEVELOPED.
EVENTUALLY SOMEONE WAS GONNA GO, HEY, LOOK AT THIS GREAT PIZZA PROPERTY OVER HERE.
LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT? LIKE, LET'S DEVELOP IT.
BUT WITHIN IT, IT SAYS THAT PAR SHOULD, OR TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS SHOULD MANAGE THIS.
PARKLANDS SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS PARKLANDS AND THAT THEY BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF, UM, DISCUSSION AROUND, AROUND THAT.
WE HEARD FROM THE, UH, THE DEVELOPER THAT THEY WOULD SET ASIDE 260 ACRES, WHICH IS ABOUT 10% OF THE LAND.
BUT WHAT WAS ALSO SAID, AND IF YOU CAUGHT IT, YOU WERE LISTING CLOSELY, YOU CATCH IT, THAT SOME OF THAT WOULD BE GREEN SPACE ALONG RIGHT OF WAYS.
IT WOULD BE GREEN SPACE BETWEEN BUILDINGS.
IT WOULD NOT BE 260 ACRES OF PARK, IT WOULDN'T BE TRAILS.
NOW THEY DO WANNA HAVE A TRAIL, BUT AGAIN, THEY WANNA HAVE IT ALL WITHIN A CLOSED SYSTEM THAT THEY MANAGE THAT IS NOT OVERSEEN BY PAR AND IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WHY WOULD WE GIVE TAX INCENTIVES TO THIS PROJECT IF WE ARE NOT GETTING THESE TYPES OF THINGS OUT OF IT? I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME THE MOST THE OTHER NIGHT WAS THE UNDERSTANDING, THE HURT AND THE FRUSTRATION OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND ADJACENT LANDOWNERS NOT BEING NOTIFIED.
THERE WAS A COUPLE TIMES DURING THE MEETING, I, I FELT KIND OF MY STOMACH HURT, LIKE I'D BEEN KICKED IN THE STOMACH BECAUSE I COULD FEEL PEOPLE'S PAIN OVER THIS.
THE FRUSTRATION OF HAVING ALL OF THESE SECRETIVE MEETINGS AND STAFF EVEN HAVING TO SIGN NDAS.
THIS IS NOT HOW WE WANT THE CITY TO OPERATE.
WE NEED TO HAVE THE IMPORTANT INPUT OF OUR ADJACENT LANDOWNERS AND THE COMMUNITIES AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND EVERY CITIZEN THAT THIS WOULD IMPACT.
I'LL EXPLAIN THE PHOTO IN A SECOND,
WE HEARD FROM MULTIPLE CITIZENS AT THE JUNE 17TH MEETING ON THIS VERY TOPIC, AND WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT WE WANT THIS NOT TO HAPPEN.
AND SO WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? WELL, IF YOU BRING IN A DATA CENTER OR A CHIP MANUFACTURING PLANT THAT JUST CONTINUES TO COMPOUND THESE TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM IN A COMMUNITY THAT HAS TO FACE ALL KINDS OF RACISM ALREADY, LET'S DO RIGHT BY THIS COMMUNITY AND NOT HAVE THOSE TYPES OF MANUFACTURING.
WE HEARD AT THE TRAVIS COUNTY, WE HEARD AT THE TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, COMMISSIONER'S, UH, COURT MEETING, THAT THOSE WERE THINGS WERE BEING CONSIDERED.
AND SO EACH TIME WE HEAR FROM THE CITY OR FROM, UH, THE DEVELOPER, LITTLE, LITTLE NUGGETS OF INFORMATION COME FORWARD, BUT THERE'S NOT AN OVERALL SCOPE OF WHAT EXACTLY WE THE CITIZENS WILL GET.
WHAT'S THE BENEFIT TO US? WHAT'S THE BENEFIT TO THE CITY? AND WHAT WILL THIS PROJECT LOOK LIKE WHEN IT'S WHEN THEY GET STARTED? NOW I'M EXPLAINING THE PHOTO IN THE MIDDLE THERE, THERE'S A SCISSOR TAIL FLY CATCHER, AND IT'S SITTING ON A BRANCH.
I TOOK THIS PHOTO ON FRIDAY LAST WEEK, AND I WAS TAKING THE PHOTO AND, AND THE BIRD WAS JUST SITTING THERE SO NICELY, AND THEN ALL
[02:25:01]
OF A SUDDEN, THIS HUGE TRUCK STARTS BACKING UP TOWARDS IT AND DUMPING OUT THE UNCLEAN FILL ONTO A GIANT MOUND OF OTHER UNCLEAN FILL THAT THEY WERE PULLING OUT FROM THE MINES.AND THE BIRD FLEW AWAY AND THE BRANCH GOT DESTROYED AT THE END OF THE PHOTO SERIES OF PHOTOS.
I FEEL LIKE, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE THE BIRD IN THIS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS IS A BIG DEVELOPMENT AND YEAH, THAT, THAT WAS VERY SYMBOLIC TO ME TO, TO BE IN THAT SPACE LOOKING AT THAT.
I KNOW THAT WE CAN GET TO A BETTER PLACE.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME THINGS TO RETURN TO THE PROCESS AND REPAIR THE PUBLIC TRUST IN THE DOCUMENT AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE, UM, THAT I'LL READ, UM, AFTER OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
UM, WE DO HAVE 19, UH, DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS ON JUST THIS.
HOW CAN WE RESTORE THAT PUBLIC TRUST AND GET TO A BETTER PLACE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE CITY AND THE CITIZENS THAT SHARE THIS SPACE.
ALL OF OUR RESEARCH, UH, IS ON THIS GOOGLE DRIVE, WHICH I KNOW IT'S A REALLY, REALLY LONG, UM, THING, BUT YOU, YOU CAN HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
UM, COMMISSIONER BRIMER ALSO SUBMITTED A DOCUMENT, WHICH I WANNA CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO.
IT'S ON THE BACKUP MATERIAL ON THE WEBSITE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN WEBSITE RIGHT NOW.
AND IT IS VERY ELABORATE, UH, OF, OF A VERY THOROUGH LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THE CITY EITHER SKIRTED ITS OWN PROCESSES OR IS ARE WAIVING THOSE PROCESSES AS THEY MOVE FORWARD.
AND SO I I HOPE THAT YOU'LL HAVE A LOOK AT THAT, AND I HAVE A, A HARD COPY HERE IF ANYBODY WANTS TO, TO HAVE A LOOK AT THAT AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL DO PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE, UH, THE READING OF OUR, OUR RECOMMENDATION.
AGAIN, I WANNA CLOSE THOUGH WITH A, A TRULY HEARTFELT, UM, YOU KNOW, GRATITUDE FOR EVERYBODY WHO SHOWED UP, UH, TO THESE MEETINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE TWO HOURS A PIECE.
THERE WAS LOTS OF PHONE CALLS BACK AND FORTH AND EMAILS AND, YOU KNOW, UM, TO GET THIS TO A GOOD POINT.
UH, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF WHAT THE WORKING GROUP CAME UP WITH, UM, AND, UM, AND, AND SHARING THEIR THOUGHTS AND TIME, UH, ON THIS VERY, VERY SERIOUS PROJECT.
THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR BRISTOL, THANK YOU MEMBERS OF, OF THE WORKING GROUP FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
NEXT WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
AS A REMINDER, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UM, YOU MAY DONATE YOUR TIME TO SOMEONE ELSE.
IT CAN, CAN BE THE COMPLETE AMOUNT OF TIME OR JUST THE REMAINDER OF YOUR SPEAKING TIME.
YOU CAN DESIGNATE THAT WHEN YOU'RE UP THERE.
AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
AND WE DID DECIDE TO CALL SPEAKERS UP TWO AT A TIME.
IF SPEAKERS COULD SIT AT THESE TWO TABLES HERE, UM, TO GET ON THE MICS.
SO THE FIRST SPEAKER IS NIA SHAW.
NEXT SPEAKER IS ROBIN, RATHER.
JEN, THAT WAS A MASTERFUL JOB.
UM, I WANTED TO START BY RECALLING WHAT COMMISSIONER FERRERO SAID LAST TIME WHEN SHE POINTED OUT, QUOTE UNQUOTE, LAST TIME I CHECKED, YOU CAN'T RESTORE LAND WITH CONCRETE.
UH, THE MESSAGE I HAVE FOR TONIGHT IS ACTUALLY FOR THE CITY MANAGER.
UM, I I WANT HIM TO UNDERSTAND, WE KNOW THE CITY HAS A BUDGET PROBLEM.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS SOMETHING WE ALL NEED TO BOOST UP, BUT IF YOU
[02:30:01]
THINK THAT THIS IS THE WAY TO DO IT, UM, YOU'RE GONNA GET FOUGHT.TOOTH AND NAIL AUSTIN BECAME A LIVABLE OASIS.
IT BECAME A CITY THAT EVERYONE WAS PROUD OF AND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVED TO BECAUSE WE TOOK CARE TO BE LIVABLE.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONS, WE HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS, WE HAVE THE HEART TO DO IT RIGHT.
THE WORKING GROUP, OVER TWO WEEKS SPENT OVER 500 PERSON HOURS AS VOLUNTEERS, SCIENTISTS.
WE HAD MANY ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND MANY NEIGHBORS QUICKLY WORKING TOGETHER.
IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO GREAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TO DO IT SUSTAINABLY, TO DO IT THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT, WHICH MEANS TO DO IT RIGHT.
THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PRACTICAL.
WE SPENT MORE TIME THINKING THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF THIS PROJECT THAN THE DEVELOPER DID IN SEVEN YEARS, AND THE, AND THAT THE CITY APPARENTLY DID IN THE, AT LEAST THREE MONTHS THAT IT HAD.
WE CAN DO A GREAT JOB MAKING THIS A GREAT PROJECT, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT BY PAVING OVER EVERY INCH OF NATURE AND SCREWING OVER THE NEIGHBORS WHILE WE'RE AT IT.
AND SO I WANT TO SAY THIS IS DEMOCRACY.
THIS IS HOW YOU BUILD A REALLY GREAT CITY.
JUST REAL QUICKLY, LEE IS RECEIVING A DONATION OF TIME FOR A TOTAL OF 10 MINUTES.
A DONATION OF TIME FROM MELISSA GLIDEWELL, JULIE ARMSTRONG, BEATRICE ANDERSON, AND MARIO TI.
I WILL NOT SPEAK FOR 10 MINUTES.
UH, CAN WE DO IT LIKE THIS? CAN WE PLAY THE VIDEO AND THEN I'LL MAKE SOME REMARKS AND THEN WE CAN GO TO PHOTO TWO.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S PAUSE AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THE AUDIO WORKING.
UM, LEE, CAN WE COME BACK TO YOU? LET'S GO TO ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENTER WHILE WE WORK THIS OUT.
UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CLAUDIA BOYLES.
SHOULD WE GO TO, YEAH, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT.
UM, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS KIM VASQUEZ, ADJACENT TO THE, UH, DOG SET DEVELOPMENT, AND I WANT TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP WITH VOICING OUR CONCERNS ON THE DOC'S HEAD AG, UH, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY, UM, ON ITS ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND TO THE LIVABILITY EFFECT WHEN THERE ARE NO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS STUDIES, UM, AND HOW THE UNRESTRICTED DEVELOPMENT COULD DISRUPT THE RIVER'S WATER QUALITY, PLANT LIFE, WILDLIFE AND HUMAN LIFE, HOW IT'S PLANNED, MASSIVE ROADWAYS AND MULTIPLE BRIDGES CROSSING THE COLORADO RIVER AS INCREASED AIR AND NOISE POLLUTION, HOW IT COULD DISPLACE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF WILDLIFE SPECIES THAT REFUGE IN, UH, ALONG THE RIVER AND MIGRATORY BIRDS THAT, UM, THAT, THAT ARE ALONG THIS, UH, CORRIDOR RIVER.
HOW IT LACKS PARKLAND DEDICATION THAT MANAGES PUBLIC TRAILS IN OPEN SPACES THAT, THAT THAT PUBLIC HAS ACCESS TO.
HOW THE DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF FUTURE DATA CENTERS, DATABASE CENTERS, UM, AND HOW WE NEED TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC PROCESS PARTICIPATION.
YES, ESPECIALLY FOR THE COMMUNITIES AND THE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT.
[02:35:02]
UM, AND WHERE, HOW I AM HERE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT ITEM FIVE AND REQUEST THE COMMISSIONERS TO TAKE THE DOG'S HEAD WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL, TO LET THE COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOW OF THE, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND THE FUTURE POTENTIAL COUNCIL ACTIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY WOULD BE TAKING, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES THE TS ACTION, UH, CREATION.SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN, IN TAKING THE DOG'S HEAD WORKING GROUP TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
HOW ARE WE FEELING WITH THE AUDIO OVER THERE? I NEED SOME MORE TIME.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS DANIEL LOWE.
I LIVE ADJACENT TO THE DOG HEAD.
UM, IT, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND THANK YOU FOR COMMISSIONER BRISTOL TO SPEARHEAD THE, THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, A LOT, MOST EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID, UH, ALREADY, BUT I, I DO WANT TO TAKE AN EXAMPLE OF ONE THING OUT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND USE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE OF, OF WHAT CAN BE DONE.
THE, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, ONE OF THE CLAUSES IN THERE SAYS THAT CHEMICAL STORAGE CAN HAPPEN WITHIN OR 500 FEET OF A RESIDENCE.
AND SO I LIVE ABOUT 500 FEET FROM THE DOG'S HEAD.
UH, AND THIS SECTION HAPPENS TO ALSO BE, UH, PART OF THE AIRPORT OVERLAY, MEANING THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE HOUSES THERE, SO THEY'RE LIKELY GONNA HAVE SOME INDUSTRIAL USES THERE.
UM, BUT AS WE'VE HEARD IN, IN THESE MEETINGS, UM, HERE, THAT THE WHOLE AREA IS AN ALLUVIAL AQUIFER.
SO STORAGE OF CHEMICAL TANKS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE ANYWHERE IN THERE, MUCH LESS 500 FEET FROM PEOPLE.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING THAT MAYBE I'LL BE AFFECTED BY.
IF A WHOLE COMMUNITY DOWNSTREAM IS AFFECTED BY SOME CHEMICAL SPILL THAT GETS IN, GETS INTO THE GROUND, UH, BUT TO ME THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF, OF THE VALUE THAT THIS COMMISSION BRINGS.
UH, IT SHOULDN'T BE SEEN AS AN OBSTACLE FOR DEVELOPMENT, UH, BUT MORE LIKELY LIKE A SAFETY VEST THAT PROTECTS THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF, OF ALL OF US HERE AT THE CITY.
UM, SO I URGE THE COMMISSION TO TAKE UP THE WORKING GROUPS RECOMMENDATION AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE EFFORTS THAT YOU DO.
UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS STEPHANIE HOFFMAN.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME IN AND GIVE MY THOUGHTS HERE.
UM, AND YES, THERE WAS A LOT THAT'S, THAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID THAT I'D LIKE JUST TO GET IT ON THE RECORD.
UM, SO I'M A 16 YEAR RESIDENT OF EAST AUSTIN.
I'M ON THE DOG'S EAR IS BASICALLY WHERE I'M LOCATED.
UM, JOSE VELASQUEZ IS MY COUNCIL MEMBER IN DISTRICT THREE.
I HAVE REQUESTED TO SPEAK WITH HIM THREE TIMES IN PERSON ON THE PHONE, WHATEVER THE EMAILS HAVE COME IN AND HE HAS NOT RESPONDED.
AND I'M VERY, UM, AGGRAVATED THAT HE'S FAILING EAST AUSTINITES.
UM, I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM HIM.
SO I WAS AT THE LAST MEETING AS WELL.
AND, UM, I HADN'T HEARD THAT THIS WAS GOING ON UNTIL I HEARD IT ON THE RADIO.
UM, MY NEIGHBORS, WE JUST WERE NOT AWARE THAT CITY COUNCIL WAS GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT.
AND IT IS DEFINITELY A FAILING OF OUR OWN PROCESSES.
THERE'S NO DEVELOPMENT LIMITS, FLOOD PLAIN AND WATER QUALITY RISKS ARE THERE.
CODE VARIANCE WITHOUT OVERSIGHT.
RISKY WATER QUALITY PONDS TAX BREAKS FOR DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPER CONTROLS FOR 45 YEARS, THE DEVELOPER HAS VETO POWER OVER OUR CITY COUNCIL
[02:40:01]
DECISIONS AFFECTING THE PROPERTY FOR 45 YEARS.THE AGREEMENT CAN ONLY BE AMENDED WITH THE DEVELOPER'S CONSENT, BUT THEY CAN TERMINATE IT UNILATERALLY IF TAX BREAKS AREN'T GRANTED.
UM, THERE'S BROAD ZONING USES ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICES AS WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT IT.
I PROMOTE ECOLITERACY AMONG OUR YOUNGER GENERATION, UH, PRIMARILY FIVE AND SIX YEAR OLDS.
I TEACH ATTITUDE, AWARENESS, AND ADAPTABILITY.
INSPIRED TO BE OUTDOORS, EXPLORING AND EARTH-BASED SKILLS.
I MADE TIME TO KAYAK THE ENTIRE PARAMETER OF COLORADO ON MONDAY.
UM, I THOUGHT I HEARD SOMETHING.
I JUST LIKE, LIKE TO ASK FOR YOU ALL TO, UM, TO BE SURE TO VOTE WITH WHAT THE WORKING GROUP HAS SUGGESTED.
DO WE WANNA TRY THE VIDEO AGAIN WHERE I THINK THE AUDIO'S STILL HAVING SOME ISSUES, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER FOR NOW.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRIS FLORES TEST.
I'M A RESIDENT AT DISTRICT 10.
UH, MY GIVEN NAME IS MARIA CHRISTINA, FLORIDA.
SO I SIGNED UP ON THE WORKING GROUP, UH, WITH THAT NAME.
UM, I SUPPORT THE WORKING GROUP'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT TO SHARE MY CITIZEN CONCERN FOR OUR SHARED COLORADO RIVER WATER.
UH, 1 MILLION PEOPLE RELY ON THIS RIVER FOR OUR WATER.
THE DOGS HEAD DEVELOPER, UH, LANDOWNER HAS RIGHTS TO OUR SHARED RIVER AQUIFER.
OUR 120 YEAR OLD STATE'S RIGHT OF CAPTURE ALLOWS LANDOWNERS TO PUMP AS MUCH GROUNDWATER AS THEY CAN FROM BENEATH THEIR PROPERTY WITHOUT LIMITS THE WATER SHARKS ARE CIRCLING IN TEXAS.
THERE'S A DALLAS HEDGE FUND, MR. KALE, KYLE BASS, HE'S A HEAD FUND MANAGER.
HE'S LEADING A BIPARTISAN LEE HATED CONTROVERSIAL PROJECT TO EXPORT BILLIONS OF GALLONS OF GROUNDWATER A YEAR FROM THE CARO, UM, WILCOX AQUIFER TO PIPE IT OUT TO CITIES WHICH NEED IT FOR A PROFIT, IT'S BEING CHALLENGED.
UM, WHY IS THE FUTURE, UH, DOG'S HEAD, UM, PARTNER NAME NOT BEING REVEALED IS THE SECRECY ABOUT THE TAKING OF ONE MILLIONS PEOPLE'S OF WATER? I THINK IT COULD BE.
I'M DEEPLY TROUBLED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN DEPARTMENT EXECUTIVES BEING SILENCED BY NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS FOR A SECRET PRIVATE CLIENT AND WITHHOLDING INFORMATION FROM US CITIZENS.
WE TRUST THESE EXECUTIVES, WE RESPECT THEIR TENURE AND EXPERIENCE.
WHY WOULD A DEVELOPER SILENCE PUBLIC SERVANTS EXCEPT TO HIDE SOMETHING DEEPLY TROUBLING TO THE CITIZENS? THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA TRY THE VIDEO AGAIN AND IF THE AUDIO DOESN'T WORK HERE, WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S GONNA PLAY THE AUDIO ON THEIR COMPUTER, SO WE'LL TRY AND SYNC IT UP.
IS IT PLAYING? OH, OH, IT'S LAGGING ON YOUR END.
IS THERE ANY WAY FOR ME TO CAST IT? OKAY, WE'RE GONNA KEEP, IF Y'ALL CAN TALK, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER.
THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH US.
UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CAMERON SHAW.
SORRY, CAMERON, WERE YOU DONATING YOUR TIME OR DID YOU? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UH, I JOINED THE WORKING GROUP AS WELL, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WORK THERE.
[02:45:01]
UH, COMMISSIONER BRISTOL.UM, AND MY MESSAGE IS REALLY KIND OF, UH, FOR, FOR THE CITY, UM, AND FOR ENDEAVOR AND JUST ABOUT THIS PROJECT IN GENERAL.
UM, AND WE JUST REALLY NEED TO, TO SLOW THIS DOWN.
UM, AND WE KNOW HOW TO DO THIS RIGHT, UH, WITH THE MILLER DEVELOPMENT, WHICH AS I RECENTLY LEARNED, IT'S PRONOUNCED, UH, WE DID IT RIGHT.
IT IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED DEVELOPMENT.
UH, IT HAS LIKE OVER 40 AWARDS FOR, FOR URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN.
UM, AND IT TAKES THE COLLECTIVE WISDOM TO DO IT RIGHT.
AND WE HAVE THAT COLLECTIVE WISDOM HERE IN AUSTIN.
I MEAN, BETWEEN U UT, LCRA AND ALL THESE CITY BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY CUT OUT OF THIS PROJECT, IT TAKES TIME TO DO IT RIGHT.
UM, BUT THERE ARE HUGE RISKS AND CONSEQUENCES IF WE DON'T.
UH, DOG'S HEAD IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN MILLER.
IT HAS ALMOST SEVEN MILES OF RIVERFRONT AND, UH, RIPARIAN ZONES.
UM, IT'S THE WILDLIFE CORRIDOR INTO THE CITY.
UH, OTTERS ARE COMING THROUGH IT AND APPEARING IN IN TOWN LAKE AGAIN.
UH, IT'S ON A SHALLOW ALLUVIAL AQUIFER.
UH, THE RIVER DEPENDS ON THIS AQUIFER AS DO THE 47,000 PEOPLE THAT ARE DRINKING OF IT RIGHT NOW.
UH, AS ANOTHER SOMEONE ELSE SPOKE, UH, STORING TOXIC CHEMICALS HERE WHERE THERE'S A HIGH FLOOD RISK IS A JUST ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE IDEA FOR ALL THE DOWNSTREAM ECOSYSTEMS. UM, DOGHEAD ALSO HAS RICH FERTILE SOILS.
IT HAS A BADASS VIEW OF DOWNTOWN.
WE COULD HAVE AN ENTIRE MILLER, A ZILKER PARK, THREE JOHNSON'S BACKYARD GARDENS, WHICH IS A 200 ACRE URBAN FARM AND WE WOULD STILL HAVE A THOUSAND ACRES LEFT OVER.
THERE'S SO MUCH POTENTIAL HERE.
UM, 50 YEARS AGO, LADY BIRD JOHNSON STARTED PLANTING TREES AROUND TOWN LAKE.
UH, IT USED TO BE COMPLETELY FLAT AND BARREN.
THERE WAS NOTHING THERE, AND THEY STARTED PLANTING TREES AND NOW THERE'S THIS GORGEOUS RIVER WALK THAT WE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ENJOY EVERY DAY.
IT'S AN ICONIC PART OF THIS CITY.
UM, AND WE NEED TO GO SLOW AND ASK WHAT ARE WE PLANTING IN DOG'S HEAD FOR OUR CHILDREN TO ENJOY? UM, THERE'S SO MUCH POTENTIAL AND WE CAN SOLVE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS FACING THE CITY NOW, AS WELL AS THE ONES THAT WE'LL BE FIGHTING IN A HUNDRED YEARS.
WHEN YOU DELAY THE TURS, REWORK THE ANNEXATION CONTRACTS AND APPROACH THIS WIDELY WISELY, RATHER THAN THROWING CAUTION TO THE WIND, CHASING A SHINY FORTUNE 100 COMPANY.
LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE STILL WORKING OVER THERE.
LET'S GO TO THE NEXT, UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS PHIL LUHRMAN.
YEAH, YOU PRONOUNCED IT RIGHT.
HI, UH, I WANT TO SERVE VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR ANY AND ALL DELAYS IN REDUCTIONS TO THE DEVELOPMENT BEING BUILT IN DOG HEAD.
I SPENT A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MY CHILDHOOD IN THE EAST DOG HEAD AREA ON OTTS LANE AT JOHNSON'S BACKYARD GARDEN.
ACTUALLY, I REMEMBER RUNNING AROUND IN THE WOODED AREAS THERE AND SPLASHING AROUND IN THE WATER AND I PLAYED IN SOME OF THE ABANDONED HISTORIC HOUSES IN THE WOODS TOO THAT GOD MENTIONED.
UM, THIS GREEN SPACE IS SO VITAL TO ME GROWING UP JUST LIKE IT IS TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE.
NOW WITH FRESHWATER DWINDLING IN TEXAS, IT HAS ONLY INCREASED IN IMPORTANCE.
IT SHOULD BE IMPROVED IN ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND IF DEVELOPMENTS TO BE CARRIED OUT, IT SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT WITH EXTREME CARE FOR THE LAND THAT IT SITS ON.
THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE BUILT AT DOGHEAD THAT WOULD BE GREATER IN VALUE THAN PRESERVING THE NATURAL SPACE THAT IS THERE ALREADY.
NO INDUSTRIAL HUB WOULD MAKE UP FOR THE DEVASTATION TO ONE OF THE LAST PLACES OF BLACKLAND PRAIRIE IN TEXAS.
THE COMMUNITY IN THIS AREA DESERVES MORE INFRASTRUCTURE THAN NOT AT THE COST OF DEPRIVING THAT SAME COMMUNITY FROM ACCESS TO NATURE, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO HEALTH AND WEALTH, WELLBEING DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE ABOUT IMPROVEMENT, WHICH CANNOT BE DONE WHEN WE DO NOT FOLLOW DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES.
IF AUSTIN WANTS TO BE THE PROGRESSIVE CITY IT CLAIMS TO BE, THEN IT NEEDS TO START PUSHING BACK AGAINST THE WHIMS OF BIG BUSINESS AND STAND UP FOR THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR DECADES.
ANY DEVELOPMENT HERE SHOULD BE DONE WITH THE ADVICE OF THE WORKING GROUP WITH COMMUNITY INPUT AND CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND AS MUCH OF THIS LAND SHOULD BE PRESERVED AS POSSIBLE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MATTHEW KENNEDY.
MATTHEW IS RECEIVING A DONATION OF TIME FROM CON FRAZEE AND MATTHEW WILL HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH COMMISSIONER BRISTOL FOR THE INFORMATIVE BUT VERY ALARMING PRESENTATION AND TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP, SEVERAL OF WHICH I KNOW ARE IN THIS ROOM FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, MY NAME IS MATTHEW KENNEDY.
I'M A UNION MEMBER WITH CWA 6 1 4 3, AND AN ORGANIZER WITH AUSTIN'S PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO DELAY THE TRZ FOR ENDEAVOR'S.
PROPOSED DOGS HEAD DEVELOPMENT UNTIL JANUARY OR HOPEFULLY MUCH LATER.
I LOVE LIVING IN AUSTIN, BUT I SPEND MY SUMMERS HERE IN THE CITY LANGUISHING IN THE EXTREME HEAT BROUGHT ABOUT BY FOSSIL FUELS
[02:50:01]
CLIMATE CHANGE.MANY OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY HERE HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO DEALING WITH SYMPTOMS OF HEAT STRESS YEAR TO YEAR.
ONE THING I'M SURE WE ALL NOTICE IS HOW MUCH COOLER IT FEELS TO BE IN THE UNPAVED CANOPY.
PARTS OF THE CITY, WHICH ARE PREDOMINANTLY OF COURSE WEST OF I 35.
IN CONTRAST TO THE PARTS OF THE CITY THAT ARE PAVED WITH A CONCRETE THAT ENTRAPS US ALL IN AN URBAN HEAT ISLAND AND THAT ARE DEPRIVED OF THEIR TREE CANOPIES CHARACTERISTIC OF MUCH OF EAST AUSTIN, AUSTIN FREE PRESS REPORTED THAT NEIGHBORHOODS WEST OF THE HIGHWAY ARE 78% FORESTED.
BY CONTRAST, THE CANOPY EAST OF I 35 COVERS JUST 22% OF THAT LAND.
THIS ISSUE OF TREE EQUITY IS JUST ONE OF MANY MANIFESTATIONS OF THE DEEP ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM THAT IS FOUNDATIONAL TO OUR CITY'S HISTORY ENDEAVOR'S.
CURRENT PLANS FOR THE DOG'S HEAD DEVELOPMENT QUIETLY, RUBBER STAMPED BY CITY COUNCIL EARLIER THIS SUMMER WOULD ONLY SERVE TO ENTRENCH THAT ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM, ADDING MORE PAVEMENT THAT WOULD OVERHEAT THE EAST SIDE.
UM, DESTROYING MUCH OF THE REMAINING GREEN SPACE IN EAST AUSTIN.
INCREASING FLOOD RISK FOR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AND OPENING UP THE AREA TO A RANGE OF LAND USES THAT DO NOT BENEFIT THE LOCAL POPULATION, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT INCLUDE A DATA CENTER IN THE FUTURE.
JUST IMAGINE IF WE POSE THE QUESTION TO EAST AUSTIN NEIGHBORS, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO SEE BECOME OF THIS HUGE TRACT OF LAND? COULD IT BE DEVELOPED INTO PROTECTED WETLAND, CITY PARKS, BIKE TRAILS, SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL LAND INSTEAD OF CAR DEALERSHIPS? UH, AND A CONCRETE JUNGLE? IF THERE ARE NEW BUSINESSES, MIGHT THEY BE LOCAL BUSINESSES DEVELOPED ACCORDING TO COMMUNITY NEEDS AND DESIRES, NOT BY THE PROFIT MOTIVE OF PRIVATE CORPORATIONS.
IF THERE'S RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, MIGHT IT BE MUCH NEEDED, AFFORDABLE HOUSING INSTEAD OF WHAT WOULD LIKELY BE MORE OF THE UGLY LUXURY HOUSING THAT'S IN, UH, THAT'S CURRENTLY TAKING OVER A CITY WITH, I THINK I SAW LIKE 20% FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WHAT WE NEED NOW IS TIME, TIME FOR THE AFFECTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE SUFFICIENTLY NOTIFIED AND CONSULTED TIME FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDIES TO BE CONDUCTED AND COMMUNICATED, NOT JUST WITH CITY COUNCIL, BUT WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS ASSERTING ITS REVIEW AUTHORITY IN THIS REVOLUTION, UH, RESOLUTION OVER THE DEVELOPMENT.
AND I HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE AUSTINITES WHO ARE OPPOSED TO THIS TERRIBLE DEAL.
THE QUESTION IS NOT TO DEVELOP OR NOT TO DEVELOP, BUT WHAT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT AND FOR WHOSE BENEFIT AT WHOSE COST.
PERSONALLY, I THINK THE PEOPLE OF EAST AUSTIN DESERVE BETTER THAN ENDEAVOR.
I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT WHAT THIS AREA COULD CONTINUE TO BE AND COULD BECOME IF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL LISTENS TO THE COMMISSION AND TO ITS RES RESIDENTS RATHER THAN OFFER THIS $2 BILLION TAX GIVEAWAY TO A RANDOM REAL ESTATE COMPANY.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CRAIG NASER.
I WANNA THANK THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY FOR COMING TOGETHER ON THIS.
I AM ONCE AGAIN PROUD TO CALL AUSTIN.
MY HOPE, AS YOU KNOW, IN 1990, BARTON SPRINGS WAS THREATENED BY A 4,000 ACRE DEVELOPMENT.
WE WERE TOLD MAYBE UNSURPRISINGLY MUCH OF WHAT WE'VE HEARD RECENTLY, WE NEED TO ANNEX.
AUSTIN CAN'T GROW IF YOU DON'T ANNEX, WE WILL DEVELOP IT ANYWAY WITHOUT CITY CONTROL.
BUT AUSTIN SAID NO AND THE LAND WAS PROTECTED.
A CLEAN BARTON SPRINGS RIGHT NEXT TO DOWNTOWN AUSTIN IS NOW THE ENVY OF AMERICAN CITIES.
SO I STILL WONDER WHY DO DEVELOPERS STILL TRY TO BULLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY? THE ANSWER IS OF COURSE, MONEY.
SO HERE'S A LITTLE WALT DISNEY THAT I BELIEVE EXPRESSES WHAT MANY OF US ARE FEELING.
THE RAINSTORM AND THE RIVER ARE MY BROTHERS.
THE HERON AND THE OTTER ARE MY FRIENDS AND WE ARE ALL CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER IN A CIRCLE IN A HOOP THAT NEVER ENDS.
HOW HIGH DOES A SYCAMORE GROW? IF YOU CUT IT DOWN, YOU WILL NEVER KNOW.
COME RUN THE HIDDEN PINE TRAILS OF THE FOREST.
COME TASTE THE SUNSWEET BERRIES OF THE EARTH.
COME ROLL IN ALL THE RICHES ALL AROUND YOU, AND FOR ONCE NEVER WONDER WHAT THEY'RE WORTH.
[02:55:04]
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.I THINK WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GO WITH OUR NEXT SPEAKER, LEE EDWARDS.
WE'VE GOT BEATRICE FROM SOS WHO'S GONNA HELP US WITH THE VIDEO.
AND NICOLE, CAN I GIVE TWO OF THOSE 10 MINUTES TO CLAUDIA VOS? IS THAT POSSIBLE? THANK YOU.
YOUR TIME WON'T START UNTIL THE VIDEO STARTS.
AND WE CAN CUT IT OFF AT FOUR MINUTES.
YEAH, THAT IS THE THAT IS THE WORRY.
WHAT IS THE REASON WHY WE RELOCATED HERE? IT'S, IT'S,
[03:00:15]
I ACTUALLY TEARED UP SEEING DAVID BROWN.HE HAS LIVED HIS ENTIRE 75 YEARS ON ERGOTS LANE LANE.
HIS FAMILY HOSTED BROWN'S DRIVE-IN, IT WAS THE COMMUNITY CENTER IN WEST AUSTIN.
THEY TALK ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION HERE.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT BULLDOZING MY HOUSE, MAYBE HIS HOUSE.
UM, BUT I WANNA THANK THE COMMISSION FOR LISTENING AND CARING AND BEING THE KIND OF COMMISSION, SORRY.
WE WILL TAKE THE COMMUNITY INTO ACCOUNT.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHEAST COLORADO RIVER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
I LIVE ON THE DOG'S SHOULDER, BEEN THERE FOR 17 AND A HALF YEARS.
I'VE EXPLORED THE DOG'S HEAD ON FOOT ON BIKE BY CAR AND BY BOAT.
I, I WANNA SAY, I BELIEVE THAT A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT CAN BE PROFITABLE FOR THE DEVELOPERS, INCREASE THE CITY'S TAX REVENUE, AND PROTECT THE RIVER.
THEY WANT US TO BELIEVE THAT IS THIS AGREEMENT.
THEY WANT US TO BELIEVE THIS IS THAT AGREEMENT.
IF YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT'S THE INNER PART OF THE DOG'S HEAD? IT'S FLAT DIRT.
WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THE BOMBED OUT MINES, THEY TALK ABOUT THE BLIGHTED WASTELAND.
I START TO HEAR LIKE LUM, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE DANGER.
CREEPY SMOKING PIT WATER THAT'S, NO, IT'S NOT COME OUT.
WE'LL HANG OUT, WE'LL DRIVE, WE'LL WALK WE'LL BOAT.
I'VE SEEN IT WITH MY OWN EYES.
SO WHAT IS DRAMATIC IS THE OUTER PART OF THE DOG'S HEAD.
THAT'S THE RIVER, THAT'S THE RIVER BANKS.
I ALSO KAYAKED THE WHOLE PERIPHERY SIX AND A HALF MILES.
TWO DAYS AGO I SAW MONTEZUMA CYPRESS'S.
CATFISH WAS SO BIG THAT IT SCARED US.
I WANNA SPEAK OF ONE EXAMPLE ABOUT THE POSSIBLE LACK OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS BEING WRITTEN INTO AGREEMENT BEING CODIFIED.
MR. PASTOR OF ENDEAVOR SPOKE TO THE COMMISSION TWO WEEKS AGO AND ONE OF THE SPECIFIC THINGS HE SAID WAS, WE WILL PROTECT THE HERITAGE TREES.
WE WILL LEAVE MOST OF 'EM WHERE THEY ARE.
AND WE NEED, WHEN WE NEED THEM NOT TO BE WHERE THEY ARE, WE WILL MOVE THEM.
EXPLAIN TO ME HOW YOU MOVE A MONTEZUMA CYPRUS WITH A 50 FOOT CRITICAL ROOT ZONE.
THEY SAY THIS LAND IS SO VALUABLE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT WILL LEAD TO BILLIONS OF ADDED TAX REVENUE.
YET AT COUNTY COURT THEY SAID THAT IF THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITHOUT A SINGLE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION IS NOT RUSHED THROUGH THE LAND WILL SUDDENLY BECOME UNATTRACTIVE TO BIG FISH.
HUH? WHICH IS IT? IS IT THE HOMECOMING QUEEN OR THE WALLFLOWER? 'CAUSE THEY'RE WORKING IT BOTH WAYS.
AS YOU SAW IN THE VIDEO, THEY REACHED OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY EIGHT DAYS AFTER COUNCIL HAD VOTED NEGATIVE EIGHT DAYS OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
CAN I GET THIS TIME BACK TO THIS? CAN I HAVE 20 SECONDS BACK? OKAY.
I JUST, I JUST DON'T BELIEVE SO MANY THINGS THAT THIS IS THE BEST WE CAN DO FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
THAT WE'RE GONNA MOVE 50 FOOT ROOT BALLS, THAT THE LAND IS BOTH THE QUEEN AND THE WALL FLOWER.
WE CAN START OVER WITH A NORMAL PROCESS OF AN ENVIRONMENT IMPACT STUDY TREE STUDIES AND WE
[03:05:01]
CAN DO BETTER.LAST TIME I HAD A CLICKER TO ADVANCE IMAGES.
THANK YOU TO THE SUPPORT TEAM.
THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
CAN WE LOAD MY FIRST IMAGE PLEASE? LET'S PAUSE THE TIME UNTIL IT'S LOADED.
I WAS PART OF THE WORKING GROUP, THOUGH THE ONE WHO CAME IN LATE FROM WORK EVERY TIME
THIS IS A PICTURE OF MY HOUSE, THAT SHINY LITTLE THING THAT IS MY ROOF.
UH, FROM THE WINDOW OF WHATEVER FLIGHT I WAS ON.
SEE HOW FAR WE ARE FROM THE RIVER.
I'M ALSO SO DELIGHTED EVERY TIME I SEE MY HOUSE.
THIS IS ABOUT THE DOG'S EYE OR, SO THIS IS IN WINTER.
I'M JUST SHOWING YOU MORE FROM MY BACKYARD.
UM, MY MAIN POINT IS THAT I'M ASKING THE COMMISSION TO PLEASE ADOPT THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS, DELAY THE TURS, DO THE ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYS.
IF YOU WANNA BE A PART OF THE WONDERFUL CITY OF AUSTIN, YOU SHOULD ABIDE BY THE RULES THAT MAKE IT THE WONDERFUL CITY OF AUSTIN.
AM I POINTING THE WRONG THING? OH, OKAY.
THIS IS THE SAME THING HE SHOWED.
THIS IS FROM ABOUT THE DOG SNOUT AND THIS IS WHAT SOME OF THE CURRENT CONSTRUCTION LOOKS LIKE.
THIS IS AGAIN, MY BACKYARD, ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL BIRDS LIVING THERE.
THIS WAS MY MORNING WALK FROM MY HOUSE DOWN TO THE YB RANCH WITH MY DOG.
THIS WAS ONLY PAGE ONE OF MY MERLIN ACCOUNT.
THESE WERE THE, UH, SONG SONGSTER'S SINGING TO US THAT MORNING.
THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE A FAT MUCK.
I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE NO ONE'S COME TO LOOK.
I UNDERSTAND THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY SIGHTINGS, BUT I FOUND THIS IN MY VIDEO, IN MY CAMERA FEED.
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE LOOKING DOWNSTREAM TO THE HEAD OF THE DOG.
THIS IS AN IMAGE FROM A, UH, KAYAK ADVENTURE WE UNDERTOOK A FEW WEEKS AGO.
THIS IS LOOKING DOWNSTREAM, AND THAT IS LISA IN HER KAYAK.
THAT FOLDS UP LIKE AN ORIGAMI, UH, WONDER.
BUT I WANNA ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WHAT YOU SEE THERE IS THAT THIS IS A PIECE OF NOEL WOOD WHERE THEY HAVE REMOVED THE TREES AND HAVE BUILT RIGHT UP NEXT TO THE RIVER.
AND THAT IS A VERY EXPOSED, DANGEROUSLY EXPOSED BANK, IN MY OPINION.
I FACT TO THE FACT MUCK, MAYBE I CANNOT SAY THAT IT'S A FAT MUCK, BUT I CAN'T SAY IT'S NOT BECAUSE THE SURVEYS HAVE NOT BEEN DONE.
UM, I AM AN ACUPUNCTURIST BY TRADE AND IN ANCIENT CHINA, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE ENERGY CHANNELS AS IF THEY WERE RIVERS BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE RIVERS WERE CRUCIAL TO THE HEALTH OF THE EMPIRE.
YOU HAD TO HAVE THE RIVERS NOT ONLY TO NOURISH THE FOOD, BUT ALSO TO COMMUNICATE AND TO GET GOODS AND SERVICES AND PEOPLE THROUGHOUT.
UM, AND THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT IN THE HUMAN BODY IT WAS THE QUALITY.
WE ARE A TIME OF THOSE CHANNELS AND THE ENERGY MOVING WITHIN THEM THAT DEFINED HEALTH.
[03:10:01]
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSANNA ALMANZA.
NICOLE, DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND GET THE NEXT PERSON? QUEUE UP TO AND AFTER SUSANNA WILL BE GARRETT TONGUE.
I'M SUSAN ALMANZA WITH
UH, I SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION THAT'S BEEN PUT FORWARD BY THE COMMITTEE, BUT I'D LIKE TO LOOK FOR YOU ALL TO LOOK AT THE WHEREAS OF NUMBER 18, WHICH TALKS ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AC ACCESSIBILITY, I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE, UH, UM, UM, FROM 30 TO 60% MFI BECAUSE AFFORDABLE IS AFFORDABLE FOR WHO.
AND I'D LIKE TO, UH, TALK ABOUT ENDEAVOR.
WHEN I WAS ON THE CAPITAL METRO
UH, LATER WHAT THEY SAID, OH NO, WE'RE ONLY GONNA DO 15%, WE ONLY SAID 15% AFFORDABLE.
WE BUILDING UP TO 25% IF THE CITY, UH, GAVE SUBSIDIES.
SO HERE AGAIN, THEY WERE CHANGING THEIR PROMISES.
THE CITY CAME BACK IN 2017 AND SAID, OKAY, WE'D LIKE TO AMEND THE PROPOSAL AND THAT 50% OF THOSE UNITS BECOME AT LEAST TWO BEDROOMS. ENDEAVOR AT THAT TIME SAYS, IT'S UNWORKABLE.
SO, UM, THE CITY CAVED IN JUST LIKE THEY DID ON THIS CASE.
THEY CAVED IN AND SAID, OKAY, WE'LL ACCEPT LESS UNITS, FAMILY UNITS.
AND SO ENDEAVOR HAS BEEN GETTING AWAY WITH SO MANY THINGS THAT IT SHOULDN'T BE GETTING AWAY.
AND THAT'S WHY I SAID IN THIS, WHEREAS, I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU PUTTING SOME PERCENTAGES, SOME MFI PERCENTAGES ON HERE BECAUSE IT'S TOO BROAD.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY OF ENDEAVOR IS NOT A GOOD HISTORY.
ALSO, I WANNA JUST SAY THAT AS WE, WE WORKED TO PRESERVE THE ROY GUERRERO, COLORADO RIVER PARK WHEN THAT BACK IN THE LATE 1990S, WE FOUGHT THAT TOO.
THEY WANTED TO PUT A THEME PARK THAT WAS THE FIRST PROPOSAL TO PUT A THEME PARK IN ROY GUERRERO PARK.
AND WE FOUGHT THAT TO PRESERVE THE HABITAT.
AND THEN THEY WANTED TO PUT A SOCCER FIELD.
REMEMBER THAT FOR 20,000 PEOPLE, THE STADIUM DID NOW EXIST.
WE HAD TO FIGHT THAT ALSO A FOOTBALL FIELD.
WE ARE AT TIME NOW, SO CONSTANTLY.
SO JUST REMEMBER THAT THE FIGHT'S NOT OVER.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE AND I'VE BEEN IN AUSTINITE FOR 18 YEARS.
UM, IT'S BEEN A TRUE PLEASURE TO BE PART OF THE WORKING GROUP FOR THIS DOG'S HEAD DEVELOPMENT.
I WANT TO THANK THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FOR ALLOWING ME AND MY NEIGHBORS TO HAVE A VOICE IN THIS PROCESS AND TO BE PART OF THE CHANGE WE WISH TO SEE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I FEEL THAT THE WORKING GROUP HAS PUT TOGETHER A REASONABLE LIST OF COMMON SENSE ENVIRONMENTAL REQUESTS, AND IT IS MY HOPE THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WILL APPROVE THE WORKING GROUP'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO PRESENT TO CITY CITY COUNCIL.
HOWEVER, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENT IS JUST ONE ASPECT OF THIS AGREEMENT.
CITY COUNCIL, IF YOU'RE LISTENING, I ASK YOU IF THIS WORKING GROUP CAN COME UP WITH THIS MANY RELEVANT AND ALARMING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS IN JUST TWO WEEKS.
WHAT ELSE COULD BE HIDING IN THIS THING? FINANCIAL, ECONOMIC ISSUES, DISPLACEMENT OR SAFETY RISKS? THE ANSWER COULD BE YES, THE ANSWER COULD BE NO.
WE NEED A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY BEFORE MOVING FORWARD.
AND WHILE WE'RE AT IT, WE SHOULD PROBABLY RUN THIS THING THROUGH ALL OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AT BYPASSED.
RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE NON-NEGOTIABLE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
I WANT TO THANK THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FOR ENGAGING THE PUBLIC AND BEING WILLING TO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.
I HOPE THE REST OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT FOLLOWS YOUR EXAMPLE AND DOES WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, AUSTINITES.
THE NEXT TWO SPEAKERS ARE ELIZABETH LEVIN AND ROY WHALEY.
[03:15:01]
IS LISA LEVINS AND I LIVE ON HER GODS LANE.WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I BOUGHT OUR HOUSE, IT WAS OUR DREAM HOME.
IT WAS A PLACE WE IMAGINED STAYING FOREVER.
WE DIDN'T BUY IT AS, AS A SHORT-TERM INVESTMENT OR A STEPPING STONE.
WE BOUGHT IT BECAUSE WE LOVED THE LAND, THE RIVER, THE QUIET, THE WILDLIFE, AND THE FEELING OF BEING PART OF A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT STILL FELT CONNECTED TO NATURE.
WE BUILT OUR LIFE THERE WITH THE HOPE OF RAISING A FAMILY THERE.
I SO WHEN I HEAR THIS AREA TALKED ABOUT LIKE IT'S JUST A MAP, JUST A TAX ZONE, JUST A FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY.
THIS IS NOT EMPTY LAND WAITING TO BE ACTIVATED.
IT IS AN ECOSYSTEM, IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IT'S OUR HOME.
AT YOUR JUNE 17TH MEETING, THIS COMMISSION HEARD FROM RESIDENTS, ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES AND THE DEVELOPERS.
WHAT BECAME VERY CLEAR IS THAT THERE IS STILL A MAJOR GAP BETWEEN WHAT THE PUBLIC IS BEING ASKED TO ACCEPT AND WHAT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN STUDIED, DISCLOSED, AND REVIEWED.
THAT IS WHY I'M ASKING THIS COMMISSION TO, TO PASS THE WORKING GROUP'S RECOMMENDATION ON THE DOG'S HEAD AND MAKE A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL.
DELAY THE JULY 23RD TIERS VOTE UNTIL COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, INDEPENDENT FLOODPLAIN ANALYSIS, AIR QUALITY REVIEW, AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
THE TOUR MAY SOUND LIKE A FINANCIAL TOOL, BUT IN THIS CASE IT IS ALSO AN ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION BECAUSE ENABLES THE PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD.
APPROVING IT MEANS MAKING A PUBLIC FINANCIAL COMMITMENT BEFORE UNDERSTANDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES THAT IS FINANCIALLY RECKLESS AND ENVIRONMENTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE.
I'M A LONGTIME ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST, LIFELONG, UH, LONGTIME SIERRA CLUB MEMBER ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS ORGANIZATION.
ALSO LONG TIME WITH, UH, SAFE TEXAS STREAMS, FORMERLY SAFE BARTON CREEK ASSOCIATION.
UM, AND I WANT TO START OUT WITH A SMALL CORRECTION ON THE PRESENTATION ON THE MAPS THAT WAS SHOWING THE COLORADO RIVER PARK.
UH, AND THAT IS ACTUALLY NOW THE DANIELLE GNI, UH, WILDLIFE PRESERVE.
SMALL THING, I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND WATERSHED PROTECTION.
I AM VERY EMBARRASSED ABOUT THE CITY OF COUNCIL, CITY OF AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
I THEY JUST SOLD US DOWN THE RIVER, NO PUN INTENDED, BUT THEY DID WHAT? A BUNCH OF DUMB ASSES.
THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT THEY WERE PASSING.
AND NOW THAT IT'S LEAKING OUT A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME, WE'RE FINDING OUT HOW WE REALLY GOT JERKED OVER ON THIS.
IT IS AS MUCH AS ANYTHING IS THE PROCESS, IT'S A LIE.
WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY STARTED OUT WITH, I WAS TOLD, AND SO IS THE COUNCIL.
WE'RE NOT PUTTING A DATA CENTER IN THERE.
WELL, NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN BECAUSE HOPEFULLY WE CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT IT IS.
NON-DISCLOSURE, WE'LL LOSE IT.
IF WE DON'T ACT RIGHT NOW, WE'LL LOSE IT THEN.
WHATEVER THIS BUSINESS IS THAT'S ANOTHER CITY IS COMPETING FOR, LOSE IT.
NOW LET'S DO SOMETHING THAT WILL FIT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
LET'S DO EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED, EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SUGGESTED IN THIS DOCUMENT.
GET WITH YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SAY, AUSTIN IS P****D OFF AT YOU RIGHT NOW.
OKAY? AND FOR THE ONES THAT ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, THEY REALLY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS BECAUSE I'VE NEVER SEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN MIRROR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THANK FOR YOUR COMMENTS, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THE WAY IT IS.
NOW, IF WE WANT TO BE A BUNCH OF TRUMPERS, JUST COME OUT AND SAY WE SE HOW HA TRUMP, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME CHAIR.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU ALL FOR STAYING THIS LATE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PASSION FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, GIVEN THE TIME, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO HEAR THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE WORKING GROUP, UM, AND THEN CENTER
[03:20:01]
OUR COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION AROUND THAT.SO VICE CHAIR BRISTOL, IF YOU'D LIKE TO READ IT INTO THE RECORD.
I ALSO, UM, THERE WAS SOMETHING I MEANT TO RECOGNIZE, UH, WHEN, UH, I WAS SPEAKING EARLIER AND THAT WAS THE FACT THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN ALSO, UM, CREATED SOME SLIDES AND CRUNCHED A BUNCH OF, UM, DATA.
UM, AND THAT IS IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL AS WELL AND VERY INFORMATIVE INFORMATION.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THAT.
IT ALSO INCLUDES THE URLS FOR OTHER PEOPLE IF THEY WANNA DO THE SAME THING.
IT'S A LONG ONE, SO GET READY TO LISTEN TO MY VOICE FOR A LITTLE BIT AND HOPEFULLY YOU WON'T FALL ASLEEP.
OH, AND ACTUALLY ON THAT NOTE, COULD WE RAISE THE LIGHTS AGAIN?
I THINK THEY WERE LOWERED FOR TO SEE THE VIDEO, BUT THIS IS FEELING A LITTLE SLEEPY IN HERE.
WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WAS INFORMED ABOUT THE DOG'S HEAD PROJECT BY ENDEAVOR REAL ESTATE GROUP, CITY STAFF, AND MORE THAN 35 CONCERNED CITIZENS AT THE JUNE 17TH, 2026 MEETING.
AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FORMED A WORKING GROUP TO ADVISE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF THIS PROJECT.
AND WHEREAS THE WORKING GROUP COMPRISED OF COMMISSIONERS AND CITIZENS MET ON JUNE 22ND, 24TH AND 29TH, WHEREAS THE, UH, THE WORKING GROUP WAS INFORMED THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAD NOT CONDUCTED AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDY OR AN ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY OR TREE SURVEY, OR WORKED WITH THE STATE TO ASSESS THE EXISTING POLLUTANTS ON THE PROPERTY.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS RECOMMENDING EXPANDING ACCESS TO THE DOG'S HEAD BY AT LEAST THREE BRIDGES ACROSS THE COLORADO RIVER AS PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE, YET HAS NOT CONDUCTED THE ASSESSMENTS NEEDED.
WHEREAS THE WORKING GROUP DISAGREES WITH THE STATEMENT MADE BY THE DEVELOPERS THAT THE ENTIRE PROPERTY IS BOMBED OUT OR TOTALLY DEGRADED TO THE POINT THAT THAT IT 100% HAS TO BE RESTORED.
HOWEVER, WE DO AGREE MAJOR RESTORATION IS NECESSARY AND SHOULD BE GUIDED BY THE CITY'S POLICIES AND PRACTICES.
WHEREAS TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE STATE HISTORICAL COMMISSION VIA THE HICKS REPORT RECOGNIZED PORTIONS OF THIS PROPERTY HAVE HAD, UH, PROPERTY TO HAVE EXISTING HISTORIC STRUCTURES FROM EARLIER FARMS AND RANCHING EFFORTS IN THE 1850S AND ADJACENT PROPERTIES THAT ARE STILL IN RANCHING PRODUCTION.
AND WHEREAS THE WORKING GROUP RECOGNIZES THIS PROJECT FALLS IN THE BLACKLINE PRAIRIE ECO REGION AND THAT TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE STATES THAT LESS THAN 1% OF THIS REGION IS LEFT IN TEXAS.
WHEREAS THE WORKING GROUP ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROJECT IS HABITAT FOR HUNDREDS OF SPECIES OF BUR MIGRATORY AND RESIDENT BIRDS THAT BRING IN BIRDERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD EVERY YEAR WHO CONTRIBUTE MILLIONS TO THE REGIONAL ECONOMY.
AND WHEREAS THE WORKING GROUP UNDERSTANDS THE PROJECT, ENCOMPASSES THE ALLUVIAL AQUIFERS THAT STORE AND FILTER WATER ALONG THE RIVER TO PROVIDE DRINKING WATER FOR COMMUNITIES SUCH AS AUSTIN'S COLONY MANOR, TRAVIS COUNTY, DOWNSTREAM COUNTIES, LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE.
WHEREAS ON NOVEMBER 6TH, 2024, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION PASSED A RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING THE COLORADO RIVER CODE AMENDMENT.
AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE 2 0 2 5 3 2 7 84 AMENDING SECTION 27 DASH SEVEN DASH 32 OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AS THE COLORADO RIVER PROTECTION ORDINANCE.
AND WHEREAS APPROXIMATELY 20% OR GREATER OF THE AREA WITHIN THE DOG'S HEAD DEVELOPMENT LIES WITHIN THE CALCULATIONS OF 100 YEAR FLOODPLAINS THAT IS BASED ON HISTORICAL DATA DATA AND DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT FUTURE MODELING OR PROJECTIONS.
WHEREAS THE WORKING GROUP IS CONCERNED THAT AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDY HAS NOT BEEN CONDUCTED AND THAT THE FLOODPLAIN MAPS ARE BEING MODIFIED WITHOUT THAT ASSESSMENT.
WHEREAS A WORKING GROUP AGREES, AGREES WITH THE TCE Q'S ASSESSMENT THAT THE COLORADO RIVER AS IT FLOWS SOUTH OF LONGHORN DAM, IS CONSIDERED TO BE SOME OF THE MOST PRISTINE IN THE RIVER SYSTEM.
WHEREAS THE WORKING GROUP IS CONCERNED ABOUT CATASTROPHIC FLOODING EVENTS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE HIGH HAZARD POTENTIAL CATEGORIZATION OF THE AGING LONGHORN DAM THAT COULD CAUSE EXISTING POLLUTANTS FROM THE AGING MIND AND INDUSTRY TO LEAD INTO OR BE DEPOSITED IN, INTO THE RIVER.
AND THAT COULD CAUSE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY.
[03:25:01]
A WORKING GROUP IS CONCERNED THAT THE CONTRACT WAIVES HARD WON OVERSIGHT BY CITIZEN DRIVEN BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR 45 YEARS, SPECIFICALLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION THAT OVERSEES VARIANCES SUCH AS CUT AND FILL AND IMPERVIOUS COVER AND WATERSHED PROTECTION AND MORE.WHEREAS A WORKING GROUP SUPPORTS THE IDEA OF PARKS THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY AND A TRAIL ALONG THE RIVER AS LONG AS THE TRAIL IS OUTSIDE OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES AND THE PARKS AND TRAIL SYSTEMS ARE MANAGED BY PART AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WHEREAS THE WORKING GROUP SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF MIXED USE, WHICH INCLUDES RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT MEET THE CITY STANDARD OF BEING WITHIN A QUARTER MILE WALKING DISTANCE OF A PARK AND TO MAKE, MAKE THE PROMISE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACCESSIBLE IN A TIMELY MANNER.
WHEREAS A WORKING GROUP FINDS THE SECRETIVE MANNER AND LACK OF COMMUNI COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN WHICH THE CITY CONDUCTED THE MEETINGS TO GREEN LIGHT.
THIS PROJECT TO BE A CLASSIC CASE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM.
THE WORKING GROUP RE RECOGNIZES AND SEEKS TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL HARMS AFFLICTED UPON THIS PROPERTY AND THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY WHERE IT RESIDES AND IS EMPHATIC THAT THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL RACIST HARMS ARE, ARE NOT CONTINUED IN THIS PROJECT.
WHEREAS A WORKING GROUP ACKNOWLEDGES ADJACENT LANDOWNERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ANNEXATION UNTIL AFTER THE FACT BREAKING WITH HEALTHY, EXPECTED AND NECESSARY PROCESSES, VALUED AND CODIFIED IN THE CITY.
THEREFORE, THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING.
NUMBER ONE, DELAY A VOTE ON THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE UNTIL JANUARY 20, 27 OR LATER.
INCLUDE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND OTHER COMMISSIONS IN THE PROCESS BEFORE AND AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE TOURS CONDUCT A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDY THAT INCLUDES THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S FLOOD MAPS, CATALOGING AND MAPPING OF ALL CRITICAL FEATURES AND TREE SURVEY AS DEFINED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITICAL, I'M SORRY, CRITERIA.
UH, CONDUCT AND MAKE PUBLIC AN ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEY OF THE EXISTING POLLUTANTS ON THE PROPERTY.
CONDUCT AN ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY ON THE PROPERTY AND IN THE RIVER.
ADOPT THE COUNTY STANDARD OF 400 FEET SETBACK ALONG THE COLORADO RIVER TO ENSURE A FULL WATER QUALITY ZONE, NEVER OFFER ANY OTHER PROJECT.
THE OPTION OF 100% IMPERVIOUS COVER.
REDUCE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER TO 45% FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT TO PROTECT THE ALLUVIAL AQUIFER AND ITS RECHARGE ZONE.
CONDUCT A HYDRAULIC SURVEY OF THE AQUIFERS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH, DEPTH OF THOSE AQUIFERS AND TO UNDERSTAND THE MOVEMENT OF POLLUTANTS IN THOSE SYSTEMS. BASED ON A SOIL SURVEY SET ASIDE 20 ACRES OR MORE IN THE UPLANDS OF THE PROPERTY FOR BLACKLAND PRAIRIE RESTORATION AND HABITAT.
SET ASIDE A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY THAT HAS VIABLE HIGH QUALITY SOILS TO CONTINUE AGRICULTURE AND AT A MINIMUM INCLUDE COMMUNITY GARDENS AND FARMLAND AS RECOMMENDED IN THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN.
DESIGNATE PARK LAND AND TRAILS TO BE OWNED AND MANAGED BY, UH, AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION.
UH, AS STATED IN THE COLORADO RIVER CORRIDOR PLAN, REQUIRE PARKS AND OPEN SPACE TO BE MADE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
REQUIRE PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES BE PAID PER NORMAL CITY CODE.
DESIGNATE THAT THERE SHALL NOT BE DATA CENTERS OR CHIP MANUFACTURING PLANTS.
FOLLOW BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN AND DARK SKY LIGHTING AS BEST PRACTICES REQUIRE ENTIRE PROP.
REQUIRE THE ENTIRE PROPERTY TO FOLLOW THE HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS REQUIRED FOR THE FLIGHT PATH.
ENGAGE THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED ONES AND LAST, ENSURE THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENTAL HARMS ARE NOT REPEATED OR FURTHER COMPOUNDED ON EAST OLAND COMMUNITIES.
FURTHERMORE, AFFIRM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RETAINS REVIEW AUTHORITY OVER DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY AND THE CITY'S ETJ PER EXISTING, UH, CITY CODE WHERE CITY CODE CHAPTERS 25 DASH SEVEN AND 25 DASH EIGHT PROTECTIONS,
[03:30:01]
CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONES, CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES OR EROSION HAZARD ZONES MAY BE IMPACTED CONSISTENT WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA, MAN MANUAL AND CONSISTENT TO THE COMMISSION'S PRIOR PRACTICES.THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION APPROVES THE RECOMMENDATION WITH THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
ALRIGHT, I SAW FIRST A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LUKI.
UM, SO WITH THAT WE HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND WE CAN GO TO DISCUSSION.
UM, WE HAVE 20 MINUTES LEFT IN THIS MEETING, SO LET'S TRY AND, UH, KEEP THE COMMENTS RELEVANT TO THE RECOMMENDATION BEFORE US ANY AMENDMENTS THAT WE WANT TO HEAR.
AND I'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN.
UM, I AGREE WITH THE SUGGESTION THAT WE, UH, INCLUDE A PERCENTAGE OF, UH, UH, FOR THE, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE, THE, THE MILLER DEVELOPMENT IS GOT MULTIPLE LAYERS OF THAT, BUT 60% TO 80% IS SOMETHING I WOULD RECOMMEND.
IF YOU WANNA WORK ON LANGUAGE FOR A FORMAL AMENDMENT, I'LL SAY LIKE, I THINK THE PUBLIC COMMENTER ASKED FOR 30 TO 60% MFI, WHICH I WOULD BE MORE INCLINED TO SUPPORT, BUT AGREE, WE NEED TO, UM, WELL, THE, THE STANDARD IS GENERALLY LIKE 60%, UH, FOR RENTAL AND 80% FOR OWNERSHIP.
WELL, LET'S MFI MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.
LET'S, WHOEVER WANTS TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT, LET'S WORK ON THAT LANGUAGE AND THEN WE CAN SEE IF WE GET A SECOND FOR THAT.
NEXT, WE'LL GO TO COMMISSIONER FLURY.
I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING NECESSARILY TO ADD, BUT JUST, UH, DO WANT TO GO ON RECORD SAYING A FEW COMMENTS, UH, SINCE IT WASN'T HERE LAST TIME AND IT'S, UH, BEEN GREAT TO HEAR, UH, Y'ALL'S VOICE, UH, AND JUST WANT TO AMPLIFY THAT.
UM, DON'T THINK TOO MUCH IS MISSED FOR ME.
IT'S JUST SHOCKING, UH, IN A TIME THAT THE CITY WOULDN'T USE THIS AS A, A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING THE, THE, THE LIMITS LIKE THIS, I DON'T THINK HAS OCCURRED IN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE OUR LIFETIMES OF UNDEVELOPED LAND AND THE SCALE OF IT.
IT'S AS BIG AS DOWNTOWN AND THEY'RE PROMOTING A DOWNTOWN IN AN AREA THAT'S NOT DOWNTOWN.
UH, THE, THE WAY, UH, UH, SPEAKER OUTLINED THAT WE COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, A MILLER AND THEN A ZILKER, AND THEN ANOTHER ZILKER AND STILL HAVE A THOUSAND ACRES LEFT, IS, I DON'T KNOW IF WE UNDERSTAND THE SCALE OF HOW LARGE THIS IS AND WHY AREN'T WE TALKING ABOUT IMAGINE AUSTIN, THE, THE ASKING THE PUBLIC WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR AND VISION.
WE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING THIS MOMENT OF, HEY, LET'S, LET'S USE THIS AS, UH, YOU KNOW, LET'S EMPLOY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN, MODERN DESIGN, STRATEGIC PLANNING STRATEGIES, NOT IGNORE ALL THAT.
AND SO I'M JUST SHARING THINGS I'VE HEARD FROM, FROM PEOPLE, AND I THINK Y'ALL MORE OR LESS CAPTURED IT WELL.
BUT I DO WANT TO WRITE MY COUNCIL MEMBER AND SAY, WHY AREN'T WE CELEBRATING THIS DIFFERENTLY? SO COMMISSIONER PIERO, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
COMMISSIONER BRIER? YEAH, I HAVE JUST SOME, JUST SOME COMMENTS HERE.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK VICE CHAIR BRISTOL FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND LEADING THE WORKING GROUP.
AND THE WORK PRODUCT IS REALLY A RESULT OF HER ABILITY TO COORDINATE THE ACTIVITIES OF ALL THESE PEOPLE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE WITHOUT HER.
I HAVE AN OBSERVATION ABOUT THIS WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THE DOGS HEAD BEING A BOMBED OUT AREA WITHOUT ROADS, WATER, WASTEWATER, PAVED ROADS, THE FIRST, AND THIS IS A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT REQUIRES TO BE A TURD.
THIS PRETTY MUCH DESCRIBES THE PERMIAN BASIN.
SO, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S JUST ONE COMMENT.
AND THE DOGS HEAD AGREEMENT, AS SEVERAL PEOPLE MENTIONED, BASICALLY THROUGH THE CITY CODE, THE CITY'S ENVIRON ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL AND THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION PROCESS CONCEPT, AND THE CONCEPT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT UNDER THE BUS.
ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ON SHORT NOTICE WERE SHOWED UP AT OUR JUNE 17TH COMMITTEE MEETING AND AT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE WORKING GROUP TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS.
ALSO, I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT THE CITY'S MANAGER'S OFFICE DID NOT RESPOND TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION'S INVITATION TO ATTEND THE JUNE 17TH ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A MORE DETAILED INFORMATION AS TO ITS RIGHT RATIONALE FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL DECISIONS IT MADE IN THE DOGHEAD AGREEMENT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THOUGH, HOWEVER, KIND OF LIKE, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, OR VICE CHAIR BRISTOL DID ENDEAVOR TO SHOW UP AT THE JUNE 17TH MEETING.
[03:35:01]
A VERY CONTENTIOUS MEETING AND, UH, NOT NECESSARILY FRIENDLY TO THEM, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE TWO SIDES, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE VIEWPOINTS AIRED, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THEM TAKING THE TIME TO SHOW UP AND DO THIS.FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY WHO HAD GREAT RISK VOICED THEIR CONCERN TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
THEIR PROFESSIONAL INPUT WAS NOT HONESTLY SOLICITED BY THEIR MANAGEMENT OR THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IN THIS PROCESS.
AND IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY IF AT ANY POINT IN THE PAST TWO OR THREE YEARS HAD THE CITY MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC, THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS CITY STAFF IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
AND ALTHOUGH IT IS ARGUED THE TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, IT WAS NOT SO FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN THIS PROCESS COULD BE STARTED.
AND I FULLY AGREE WITH THE, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE AGREEMENT AS WRITTEN.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST AS ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MENTION THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE COULD DO 30 TO 80% OF, UH, PUBLIC HOUSING.
I THINK THAT WAS WHAT SOMEONE MENTIONED, UH, SO WE COULD BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THAT WOULD BE MY COMMENT.
UH, APPRECIATE THE, UH, FOLKS OF THE WORKING GROUP.
ALSO APPRECIATE THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT SHOWED UP TO, YOU KNOW, EXPRESS THEIR CONCERN ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, I DEFINITELY SHARE THE CONCERN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN IT'S, UH, IT'S PRETTY CRAZY THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR, SORT OF JUST LIKE BLANKET, UM, I'M NOT GONNA SAY BRIBERY, BUT I JUST SAID IT, SO THERE YOU GO.
UM, YEAH, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WHAT HAS BEEN EXPRESSED IS PRETTY REASONABLE, HONESTLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW HOW MUCH CITY COUNCIL OR CITY MANAGEMENT IS GOING TO TAKE IT, CONSIDERING THAT THE CITY MANAGEMENT, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE HASN'T SHOWN UP FOR ANY WORKING GROUP MEETINGS.
BUT, UM, YEAH, YOU KNOW, WE ADDED THIS, UH, AMENDMENT TO IT TO ALLOW AND PRIORITIZE AFFORDABLE HOUSING RANGING FROM 30% TO 80% MFI THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
UH, COMMISSIONER LU KNOW IF THAT HE'S MOTIONING.
SO NOT AN EPIC FAIL ON MY PART.
UM, YEAH, IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY AMENDMENTS THAT THEY'D LIKE TO BRING FORWARD, UH, FEEL FREE.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL MY COMMENTS.
VICE CHAIR, BRISTOL, YOU ALREADY SAID IT ALL.
THANK YOU TO VICE CHAIR BRISTOL, THANK YOU TO THE WORKING GROUP.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR STAYING THIS LATE.
UM, I HEARD YOU ALL THANKING US SO OFTEN AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
BUT THAT ALSO JUST MAKES ME SO SAD BECAUSE THIS SHOULD BE THE NORM AND THE STANDARD, LIKE PROVIDING A PUBLIC FORUM IS THE BASIC FUNCTION THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROVIDE.
SO, UM, YEAH, I I I WON'T BELABOR ANY POINTS.
I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING BETTER THAN VICE CHAIR BRISTOL DID IN HER PRESENTATION, OR YOU ALL DID IN, IN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'LL JUST REITERATE THAT THIS IS EGREGIOUS AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE KEEP BENDING OVER BACKWARDS FOR FORTUNE 100 COMPANIES TO GIVE THEM TAX INCENTIVES AND TO REMOVE OUR OVERSIGHT FOR 45 YEARS.
IT IS JUST SO BACKWARDS, AND WE'VE SEEN THAT WITH SAMSUNG, WE'VE SEEN THAT WITH TESLA.
ALL WE'VE GOTTEN ARE ECOLOGICAL DESTRUCTION AND WORKPLACE VIOLATIONS.
WHEN ARE WE GONNA LEARN? I, IT'S, IT JUST BOGGLES MY MIND.
SO REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY INPUT AND EFFORT ON THIS.
AND YEAH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FLURRY FOR YOUR COMMENTS AS WELL ABOUT IMAGINE AUSTIN.
THAT WAS SOMETHING I HIGHLIGHTED LAST TIME WAS THAT THIS JUST GOES IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO ALL OF THE VISION PLANS AND DOCUMENTS THAT WE'VE PUT OUT AS A CITY.
SO WE SHOULD ADHERE TO WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GONNA DO, UM, AND, AND CELEBRATE THIS AREA THE WAY IT DESERVES.
I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY AMENDMENTS TO ADD ANY NOTES.
THIS IS, THIS IS COMPREHENSIVE, THOROUGH.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE WORK OF THE WORKING GROUP WILL CONTINUE BEYOND THIS RECOMMENDATION, BUT THIS IS A FIRST STEP.
UM, SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE GO TO A VOTE? AND JUST AS AN ADDED REMINDER, WE DO HAVE THE LANGUAGE AT THE VERY BOTTOM.
UM, WE HAVE NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION APPROVES THE RECOMMENDATION WITH THE FOLLOWING.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ALLOW AND PRIORITIZE AFFORDABLE HOUSING RANGING FROM 30 TO 80% MFI THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
UM, AND I'LL TAKE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT FOR THAT.
[03:40:01]
GOOD.IF THERE, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT ADDITION? LEMME PUT IT THAT WAY.
SEEING NO OBJECTIONS AGAIN, FINAL CALL FOR DISCUSSION, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER BRIMER.
COMMISSIONER FIERRO FOR COMMISSIONER FLURRY FOR COMMISSIONER LUKI FOR SECRETARY KURESHI, VICE CHAIR BRISTOL FOR COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN FOR, UM, AND I'M ALSO VOTING FOR, SO WITH THAT IT'S UNANIMOUS MOTION PASSES.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
LAST THING WE HAVE ARE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. OH, WE'VE GOT ONE FROM VICE CHAIR BRISTOLWE HAVE SOME AWESOME INTERNS AND UH, FROM WATERSHED AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE INVITE THEM TO COME AND, UM, SHARE WHAT THEY HAVE, UH, THEIR PROJECT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
UM, SO THE HIGH SCHOOL INTERNS ACTUALLY ARE, UH, ENDING SOON, BUT WE WILL SEE IF THEY CAN COME BACK IN AUGUST.
WE'LL, WE'LL SEE, BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING SOME GREAT WORK ON THE BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN RESOLUTION AND UH, UH, YEAH, WE WOULD, UH, WE'LL WE'LL SEE.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? OF COURSE, YOU CAN ALWAYS EMAIL US AS WELL.
HEARING NONE, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO ADJOURNMENT? ANY OBJECTION WITH THAT? THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 9:51 PM THANK YOU.