[CALL TO ORDER]
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I'M GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21ST, 2026.
THE TIME IS 6:00 PM AND WE'RE MEETING AT THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER ROOM 14 0 5 6 3 1 0.
WILMINA DELCO DRIVE, AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND WE'LL START BY ESTABLISHING QUORUM.
IS THERE ANY GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION CHAIR? NO.
HAS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING ON OCTOBER 7TH, 2026.MOVED BY COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BRIMER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HANDS.
[2. Staff briefing regarding Sustainable Building Materials Forum and hands-on deconstruction workshop to increase local contractors’ capacity, salvage high-quality materials for reuse, and reduce demolition waste. Presentation by Cara Bertron, Program Manager II, Austin Planning; Beth Larkin, Project Manager, Austin Parks and Recreation; and Elizabeth Nelson, Planner Principal, Austin Resource Recovery.]
BRIEFINGS.ITEM NUMBER TWO, STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIALS FORUM AND HANDS-ON DECONSTRUCTION WORKSHOP TO INCREASE LOCAL CONTRACTORS CAPACITY SALVAGE HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS FOR REUSE AND REDUCE DEMOLITION WASTE PRESENTATION BY KARA BURTON, PROGRAM MANAGER TWO.
KARA BERTRAN WITH AUSTIN PLANNING IN THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING, HAVING ME AND COLLEAGUES HERE THIS EVENING.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF COLLEAGUES WHO ARE JOINING ON WEBEX, UM, FROM, UH, THOSE COLLEAGUES ARE ELIZABETH NELSON FROM AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY AND BETH LARKIN FROM AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION.
WE ARE, UM, OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING WITH AUSTIN ENERGY AND US GREEN, THE US GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL, TEXAS CHAPTER, TO ORGANIZE A COUPLE OF RELATED EVENTS IN NOVEMBER THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION.
SO HERE TO TELL YOU BRIEFLY ABOUT THOSE, THE EVENTS ARE A PUBLIC, UM, FORUM ON NOVEMBER 13TH, WHICH ELIZABETH NELSON WILL SHARE ABOUT AND A DECONSTRUCTION WORKSHOP THE FOLLOWING WEEK, UH, FOR CONTRACTORS THAT BETH LARKIN WILL SHARE ABOUT.
I'M GOING TO, I I'M DOING THE GLORIOUS INTRODUCTION PART HERE.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU ABOUT THE GOALS OF THESE TWO EVENTS, WHICH ARE LINKED.
UM, AND THEN I'LL HAND IT OFF TO MY COLLEAGUES.
SO, THESE TWO EVENTS ARE RELATED NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF TIME, BUT IN, IN THEIR GOALS.
SO THE, BOTH THE FORUM AND THE DECONSTRUCTION WORKSHOP SEEK TO BROADEN THE I THE DEFINITION, THE IDEAS AND AWARENESS AROUND WHAT CONSTITUTES SUSTAINABLE BUILDING.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK ABOUT SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS AND THEY THINK OF A BRAND NEW LEAD CERTIFIED BUILDING, OR AN AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING, MULTI STARD BUILDING.
IT CAN INVOLVE RETAINING EXISTING BUILDINGS, RETROFITTING THOSE BUILDINGS, UM, DECONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS, THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY.
AND THESE EVENTS WILL HELP TO UNDERSCORE THAT AND HOPEFULLY RAISE BROADER PUBLIC AWARENESS.
THE EVENTS WILL ALSO HIGHLIGHT SUSTAINABLE BUILDING INITIATIVES THAT ARE HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE CAPITAL C CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THE LOWERCASE C CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND FIRMS DOING WORK AS PARTICULARLY THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIALS FORUM.
AND THEN, UM, PARTICULARLY THE WORKSHOP AIMS TO BUILD THE LOCAL CAPACITY TO DO SOME OF THAT SUSTAINABLE WORK WITH BUILDING DECONSTRUCTION BY PROVIDING PRACTICAL, VERY APPLIED HANDS-ON TRAINING THAT WILL EQUIP PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND, AND TAKE PEOPLE, TAKE BUILDINGS APART RATHER THAN DEMOLISH THEM AND ADD TO LANDFILL WASTE.
UM, I WILL REMAIN STANDING HERE, I THINK WHILE I, UM, HAND IT OFF TO ELIZABETH NELSON FROM AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY TO TALK ABOUT THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIALS FORUM.
HEY, UM, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I'M A PLANNER PRINCIPAL WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
UM, SO THE FIRST PART OF OUR, OUR EVENT HERE IS THE AUSTIN SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIALS FORUM WITH A FOCUS ON DECONSTRUCTION DESIGN AND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY.
AND THIS WILL TAKE PLACE ON NOVEMBER 13TH, AND THIS IS AN ALL DAY EVENT THAT'S FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, THE FORUM WILL FEATURE SOME EDUCATIONAL PANELS COVERING A LOT OF THE TOPICS KARA MENTIONED.
UM, UH, WE'LL HAVE SPEAKERS FROM ACROSS GOVERNMENT, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
THERE WILL ALSO BE INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS ON TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS AND MEASURING EMBODIED CARBON.
AND ALONG WITH PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR
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NETWORKING WITH OTHER ATTENDEES AND TABLING ORGANIZATIONS, UH, BREAKFAST AND LAUNCH ART PROVIDED AND CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR A I A AND GBCI.UM, SO WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A GREAT AGENDA WITH SEVERAL PANELS, INCLUDING TOPICS LIKE, UH, OH, SORRY, THE LAST SLIDE.
AND SO, LIKE WE SAID, THIS IS A FREE, FREE EVENT, BUT WE DO, UH, ASK ATTENDEES TO REGISTER AND WE'LL HAVE A, A WEBSITE AT THE END OF OUR, OUR PRESENTATION WITH, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO SIGN UP.
I'M A PROJECT MANAGER FOR AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION, AND IN PARTICULAR, I'M MANAGING THE JOHNO JUNIOR AND METROPOLITAN PARK PHASE ONE PROJECT.
UM, THE DECONSTRUCTION WORKSHOP THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TONIGHT WILL TAKE PLACE NOVEMBER 16TH THROUGH THE 20TH AT JOHN TRAVINA JUNIOR METRO PARK.
THIS IS PART OF THE PHASE ONE IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, THE REMOVAL OF HOUSE ONE WAS SPECIFICALLY CALLED FOR IN THE VISION PLAN.
SO WE'RE USING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PAIR THE REQUIRED SITE WORK WITH THE HANDS-ON TRAINING IN SUSTAINABLE DECONSTRUCTION.
UH, THIS WORKSHOP TRAINS CONTRACTORS AND CITY STAFF IN SAFE, METHODICAL DECONSTRUCTION.
IT'LL COVER SITE LOGISTICS, STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS, DISASSEMBLY TECHNIQUES, AND MATERIALS MANAGEMENT.
IT WILL BUILD THE LOCAL WORKFORCE CAPACITY AND PRACTICE THAT REDUCES WASTE AND ADVANCES CIRCULAR ECONOMY GOALS.
UH, WE'VE KEPT THE SPACE, UH, TO KEEP IT LIMITED FOR HANDS-ON REASONS, AND WE'VE KEPT THE COST DOWN TO ABOUT $250 PER ATTENDEE.
THE STRUCTURE THAT WILL BE DECONSTRUCTED, IT'S KNOWN AS HOUSE ONE.
IT'S A SMALL SINGLE FAMILY WOOD FRAME RESIDENCE, WHICH WAS BUILT IN THE LATE 1950S.
HISTORICALLY, THIS BUILDING SERVED AS THE CARETAKER'S HOUSE WHEN THE SITE FUNCTIONED AS MORRISON RANCH.
IT'S VACANT AND LOCATED WITHIN THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT AREA FOR THE TRINO, UH, PHASE ONE, WE'VE COMPLETED ALL OF THE REQUIRED REGULATORY STEPS, INCLUDING THE SITE PLAN EXEMPTION AND SECURING OUR DEMOLITION PERMIT, UM, BOTH OF WHICH ARE FULLY APPROVED.
UM, IMPORTANTLY, THE MATERIALS FROM THIS HOUSE, HOUSE, PARTICULARLY THE OLD GRIFF LUMBER, WILL BE SALVAGED AND REUSED, UH, ON SITE, UH, OR IN OTHER AUSTIN PARKS, WHICH ALIGNS WITH OUR CITY'S SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENTS AND SUPPORTS WASTE DIVERSION GOALS.
TRADITIONAL DEMOLITION WOULD SEND ROUGHLY 30 TONS OF MATERIAL, OR ABOUT 150 CUBIC YARDS TO THE LANDFILL.
THIS PROCESS OF DECONSTRUCTION NOT ONLY DIVERTS WASTE, BUT ALSO PRESERVES VALUABLE BUILDING MATERIAL THAT EMBODY OLDER LUMBER QUALITIES THAT ARE INCREASINGLY HARD TO SOURCE TODAY.
FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT, THIS IS A MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS EMISSION REDUCTION, RESOURCE CONSERVATION, AND MATERIAL CIRCULARITY.
FOR THE MATERIALS RECLAIMED FROM THIS WORKSHOP, UH, WE PLAN TO INTEGRATE THEM INTO OUR UPCOMING PARK PROJECTS.
THE REGISTRATION FOR THE WORKSHOP IS OPEN NOW.
UM, LIKE I MENTIONED, SPACE IS LIMITED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A GOOD HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND WE'RE ENCOURAGING LOCAL CONTRACTORS AND TRADESPEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE ALONG WITH A LIMITED NUMBER OF CITY STAFF.
UM, GROWING OUR LOCAL DECONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE WILL HELP AUSTIN SCALE MORE CL CLIMATE CONSCIOUS BUILDING PRACTICES OVER TIME.
SO THIS IS THE, THE WEBSITE FOR BOTH THE WORKSHOP AND THE FORUM.
IF YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN GO ONLINE, REGISTER FOR THAT DAY LONG FORUM ON, UH, NOVEMBER 13TH, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH.
WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE Y'ALL THERE.
IF YOU ARE A CONTRACTOR OR YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO IS A CONTRACTOR WHO'S INTERESTED IN, UM, EXPANDING YOUR SKILLS TO DECONSTRUCTION WORK, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU APPLY FOR THE DECONSTRUCTION WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 16TH THROUGH THE 20TH.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S ON THAT WEBSITE AS WELL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
LET'S START WITH COMMISSIONER BRIMER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
PART OF ME CHAIR, WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER SIGNED UP FOR THIS ITEM.
CHRIS FLORES AND SPEAKERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
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UM, I AM BRINGING UP A POINT, UH, ON THIS, UH, EFFORT TO REDUCE DEMOLITION WASTE.UM, MY QUESTION TO THE PARKS STAFF ON THIS CALL, UH, THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE A AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION IS THIS, HOW WILL THIS EXPERTISE BE APPLIED TO FESTIVALS LIKE ACL AND TRAIL OF LIGHTS AND SILVER PARK AND OTHERS IN OTHER PARKS? HOW CAN YOU WRANGLE THE PEOPLE WHO PRODUCE THOSE EVENTS INTO ATTENDING YOUR, UM, EDUCATION, UH, UH, EVENTS, AND HOW CAN YOU REDUCE THEIR WASTE? UH, I DID A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST TO THE CITY IN 2023 TO LEARN HOW MANY TONS OF WASTE WERE BEING LANDFILLED.
AND THE FEE FOR THE INFORMATION WAS TOO HIGH FOR ME TO PURSUE.
ANY INITIATIVE LIKE THIS SHOULD HAVE A MEASURABLE COMPONENT, LIKE AS IS REPORT OF WHAT IS OUR LANDFILL CONSTRUCTION WASTE TONNAGE.
AND THEN AFTER THE FACT POST, UH, EFFORT FROM THE CITY, HOW HAS THE TONNAGE OF WASTE IMPROVED? THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM.
AND I WANNA NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT WE HAVE COMMISSIONER CHANG THAT ON THE DAIS ALL, COMMISSIONER BRIER BACK TO YOU FOR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
UH, I HAVE NO, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN? I, I THANK YOU,
UH, AS A CONSTRUCTION GUY, I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS PROJECT THAT Y'ALL ARE, HAVE BROUGHT TO US.
UH, THE IDEA OF, OF THROWING THAT OLD STUFF AWAY IS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR ME, AND I HATED DOING IT.
UM, AND I'VE DISCOVERED THAT ALL THOSE HOUSES THAT ARE BUILT BEFORE, SAY 1960, HAVE VERY INTERESTING LUMBER IN THEM, MOST OF WHICH IS PROBABLY OLD GROWTH, AND IN FACT, QUITE A DIFFERENT COLOR THAN WHAT WE FIND IN HOME DEPOT THESE DAYS.
SO I REALLY COMMEND Y'ALL FOR, FOR THINKING OF THIS AND, AND CARRYING IT THROUGH, BECAUSE THAT WOOD IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE AND IT VERY STRONG AND, UM, AND BEAUTIFUL.
ALSO, I HATE FOR IT TO EVEN BE PAINTED.
SO, UM, I COMMEND Y'ALL FOR DOING THAT.
I'M CURIOUS, UH, WHERE ARE YOU GONNA KEEP IT? WHERE DOES IT GO FOR STORAGE BEFORE YOU GO AND USE IT AGAIN? ANYBODY KNOW? I CAN, I CAN SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT.
FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, UM, WE HAVE A NEARBY SHED NEAR THE HOUSE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE STORING THE MATERIALS IN THAT HAS A ROOF.
UM, AND WE PLAN TO INCORPORATE THE MATERIALS IN PROJECTS THAT ARE, UM, IN CONSTRUCTION COMING UP SOON.
SO, UM, FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, WE HAVE ONSITE STORAGE.
UM, I IMAGINE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS FOR FEATURE DECONSTRUCTIONS.
UH, GOOD NEWS, UH, HOPEFULLY THE ROOF DOESN'T LEAK AND YOU HAVE THE WOOD OFF THE GROUND, SO, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T GET TERMITES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I'M SURE YOU'LL ALL, THERE'S A CONCRETE SLAB AND A VERY FUNCTIONAL ROOF, SO
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THOUGHT IT, UH, LOOK, LOOKING LIKE A GREAT PROGRAM.
DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, BUT I DID THANK THE PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT, UH, TEMPORARY EVENTS AND THE, THE WASTE GENERATED SEEMS LIKE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO ALSO EMPLOY THIS PROGRAM.
IS THAT SOMETHING Y'ALL HAVE ALREADY LOOKED AT? I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
THE, THE, UM, THE DECONSTRUCTION WORKSHOP IS THAT WE HAVE DESIGNED, AND THE TRAINER THAT WE'VE, UM, THE VERY EXPERIENCED TRAINER THAT WE'VE ENGAGED IS PARTICULARLY, THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE IN DECONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS.
PRETTY EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN DECONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS.
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T RECALL SEEING QUALIFICATIONS, BUT DECONSTRUCTING, UM, TEMPORARY STRUCTURES FROM EVENTS.
THAT SEEMS LIKE AN IMPORTANT, UM, CERTAINLY AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION, BUT I THINK A DIFFERENT TYPE OF, OF EFFORT THAN, THAN THIS ONE, WHICH IS REALLY AIMED AT REDUCING LANDFILL WASTE FROM BUILDING DEMOLITION.
NO MORE QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER SHANKS.
WELL, FIRSTLY, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE.
UM, YEAH, I AM SAD THAT I MISSED IT BECAUSE I WAS REALLY EXCITED FOR IT.
UM, BUT YEAH, JUST THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
I, YEAH, I'M SORRY,
THIS SEEMS LIKE A REALLY SORT OF VALUABLE EXPERIENCE.
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I, LONG TIME AGO DID A PROJECT WHERE I WAS INTERVIEWING A BUNCH OF, UH, CONTRACTORS ON LIKE, SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES.AND I THINK SOMETHING THAT ALWAYS CAME UP WAS LIKE A LACK OF HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE.
IT'S ONE THING TO READ ABOUT IT, ANOTHER THING TO ACTUALLY GET TO DO IT YOURSELF.
SO I THINK THAT'S VERY VALUABLE.
UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS, HAVE YOU GUYS DONE ANY SORT OF OUTREACH TO LOCAL CONTRACTORS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO KNOW ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY AND JUST WOULD BE CURIOUS TO KIND OF KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? I, YES.
WE, WE HAVE BEEN DOING OUTREACH TO LOCAL CONTRACTORS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN REACHING OUT THROUGH THE AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION, UH, CONTRACTOR LIST.
WE'VE SENT MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE EMAILS, POSSIBLY TOO MANY EMAILS TO THE CITY'S VENDOR LIST OF REGISTERED VENDORS FOR, UM, DEMOLITION CONTRACTORS, UM, CARPENTERS, UH, UH, VENDORS WHO DO CON UH, TO DO REHABILITATION AND GENERAL CONSTRUCTION.
SO, UM, WE'VE WORKED ON BROADENING AWARENESS THERE.
WE ALSO HAVE SLIDES UP AT THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER, UM, AND HAVE BEEN INCLUDING, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT THIS IN ORGANIZATIONAL NEWSLETTERS.
AND IF YOU HAVE, IF, IF ANY ANYONE, UM, FROM THE COMMISSIONER OF THE PUBLIC HAS ADDITIONAL WAYS THAT WE COULD REACH PEOPLE WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN THIS, THIS WORKSHOP, WE WOULD BE REALLY GLAD TO HEAR THEM.
YEAH, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE ALL BIG FANS OF, UH, SUSTAINABLE DECONSTRUCTION HERE, SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA FIND TOO MANY PEOPLE CRITICIZING Y'ALL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, TO PIGGYBACK ON, YOU KNOW, THE LAST QUESTION ABOUT OUTREACH, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, HAVE Y'ALL, UH, REACHED OUT TO SAY LIKE, YOU KNOW, A CC OR UT I KNOW THEY LIKE AC SINCE WE'RE ON A CAMPUS, YOU KNOW, THEY, I'M SURE THEY HAVE LIKE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION STUFF.
MY FRIEND JUST TOLD ME THAT HE IS TAKING LIKE A, A WELDING CLASS AND I'M JUST LIKE, OH, OKAY.
MAYBE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE PEOPLE THERE INVOLVED WITH, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION AND, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTORS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE, UH, A GOOD OUTREACH PARTNER AS WELL.
UH, I'M CURIOUS WHAT YOUR SPANISH, UH, OUTREACH IS.
'CAUSE LET'S BE HONEST, THIS IS TEXAS, RIGHT? UM, AND THEN YEAH, ALSO TOO, JUST LIKE ON LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA AND STUFF, YOU KNOW, I'M CURIOUS LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, I SEE Y'ALL HAVE A PAGE ON SPEAK UP, AUSTIN, SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO MORE TO, TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THESE EVENTS? THANK YOU.
YES, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO A C, C AND UT ABOUT, I'M NOT THE VICE CHAIR, BUT AM I TODAY? OH, SORRY.
I JUST, YOU'RE SITTING IN A POSITION.
YOU'RE SITTING IN A POSITION OF, OF POWER, I THINK
UM, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO A CC AND UT BOTH ABOUT THESE, THESE, UH, BOTH OF THE, THE FORUM AND THE WORKSHOP, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT INFORMATION IS BEING DISTRIBUTED.
I KNOW IT TAKES MULTIPLE, WE ARE IN A BUSY SEASON AND IT TAKES MULTIPLE OUTREACH, UM, TO, UH, KINDA ELEVATE THIS TO FOLKS' ATTENTION SOMETIMES.
UM, WE, AUSTIN ENERGY HAS BEEN, UM, POSTING ABOUT THE EVENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
UH, I'M NOT SURE IF PARKS HAS AS WELL, BUT, UM, WE ARE ASKING PARTNERS TO, TO DISTRIBUTE THOSE POSTS AND REPOST THEM.
AND IF ANY, IF, IF BETH OR ELIZABETH HAS ANYTHING TO ADD ABOUT OUTREACH.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION, UH, WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, I ALSO SERVE ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, SO, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY Y'ALL CAN GET UP THERE AND PRESENT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT THE EVENT, UH, THROUGH THAT PLATFORM AS WELL.
CAN YOU SAY THE NAME OF THAT COMMITTEE AGAIN? THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
SEEMS LIKE THIS IS UP THEIR ALLEY.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M THRILLED TO HEAR ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP.
IT'S EXACTLY THE KIND OF THING THAT I THINK WE NEED MORE OF IN THE CITY.
UM, AND I'M CURIOUS, IS THIS A PILOT PROGRAM? IS THIS A ONE-OFF? WHAT ARE THE INTENTIONS BEHIND IT? I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
WE ARE, UM, I THINK THE HOPE IS TO BUILD MOMENTUM TOWARDS MORE SUSTAINABLE POLICIES IN GENERAL AND PROGRAMS. AND I THINK WE'RE, WE ARE TRYING TO BE VERY DELIBERATE ABOUT HOW WE, HOW WE SET THIS UP.
UM, AND WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES.
THAT'S BETH OR ELIZABETH? ANYTHING TO ADD? I'LL JUST ADD, WE, WE HAD A, UH, SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIALS FORM IN 2017.
UM, SO THAT WAS NINE YEARS AGO.
UM, THIS IS, UH, A VERY LONG
A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST NINE YEARS.
UM, BUT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, BUILDING OFF OF, UH, OF WHAT WE, WHAT WE DID IN THAT FORUM NINE YEARS AGO.
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SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UM, DO SOMETHING AGAIN WITH THE, A SHORTER, UM, WINDOW OF TIME IN BETWEEN.SO IT SOUNDS LIKE RIGHT NOW THERE'S JUST FUNDING FOR THIS ONE EVENT, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE INTERNAL HOPE FOR MORE EVENTS LIKE THIS, BUDGET PERMITTING, STAFF PERMITTING.
YES, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S EXACTLY IT.
AND, AND ONE THING THAT HAS BEEN REALLY EXCITING ABOUT BOTH THE FORUM AND THE WORKSHOP IS THAT IT IS AN INTER INTERDEPARTMENTAL PROCESS.
UM, IT HAS BEEN A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A COLLABORATION IN RELATIONSHIPS AND TO TALK ABOUT SHARED GOALS.
AND I THINK ALL OF THAT POINTS TOWARDS BUILDING MOMENTUM TOWARDS SOMETHING, EVEN, EVEN IF WE DON'T QUITE KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE OR IF WE'RE NOT COMMITTING, EVEN IF WE'RE NOT COMMITTING TO, UM, SOMETHING ON A, AN ANNUAL BASIS YET.
HOW MANY SPACES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS ONE? 15 SPACES ARE AVAILABLE IN THE DECONSTRUCTION WORKSHOP.
AND AT THE END OF IT, DO FOLKS GET ANY KIND OF LIKE CERTIFICATION, A STAMP, SOME KIND OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THEY'VE PARTICIPATED IN THIS? WE, UM, WE ARE MODELING THIS WORKSHOP VERY CLOSELY ON A DECONSTRUCTION WORKSHOP THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS OFFERED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, AUSTIN DOES NOT HAVE A CER, THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES NOT HAVE A DECONSTRUCTION CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT AT THIS TIME, SO THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WILL PROVIDE.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PROVIDES BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE THAT REQUIREMENT AND THEY HAVE MUCH MORE EXTENSIVE, UH, DECONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS, UM, THAN WE DO, WHICH WE DO NOT HAVE, DO NOT HAVE ANY MM-HMM
SO THEY MAY GET A CERTIFICATE MM-HMM
BUT AT, AT PRESENT, THERE'S NOT A FRAMEWORK, UM, IN WHICH A CERTIFICATION WOULD MEAN ANYTHING.
YEAH, I'M JUST THINKING LONG TERM, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO BUILD OUT THIS PROGRAM AND PROGRAMS LIKE IT, AND THEN I WOULD PERSONALLY LOVE TO SEE PREFERENTIAL HIRING BY THE CITY FOR CONTRACTORS THAT HAVE THIS KIND OF CERTIFICATION IN THE FUTURE.
TO, TO SECRETARY CHRISTIE'S POINT, IT'S INTERESTING THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS THAT.
SO I THINK MORE, MORE FOR US TO LOOK INTO.
UM, AND WHILE YOU ALL ARE HERE, THIS KIND OF REMINDS ME OF SOMETHING I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME, WHICH IS DOING A NATIVE LANDSCAPING EQUIVALENT OF THIS, BECAUSE WE ENCOUNTER LANDSCAPING A LOT IN THE, UM, CASES THAT COME BEFORE US.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S A KNOWLEDGE GAP AMONG LANDSCAPING COMPANIES WHEN IT COMES TO RESTORATION WORK AND NATIVE PLANTING.
SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU ALL OR ANY OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT WORKSHOPS, UM, FOR OTHER, YOU KNOW, KEY INDUSTRY GROUPS THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WHETHER IT'S LANDSCAPERS OR OTHER CONTRACTORS, BETH OR ELIZABETH.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF? UM, I HAVEN'T MOVED ANYTHING FORWARD, BUT I, I'M THE TRAILS LIAISON FOR THE PARK DEVELOPMENT DIVISION, UM, AND I'VE BEEN PUTTING TOGETHER, UM, SOME INFORMATION SESSIONS.
IT'S NOT QUITE A FULL WORKSHOP, BUT ON TRAIL, UH, STABILIZER SURFACING.
SO THAT'S ONE STEP INTO A REALM OF TRYING TO CREATE A SHARED LANGUAGE AROUND THAT.
AND THEN, UM, I HEAR YOU ON THE LANDSCAPING.
I'VE ENCOUNTERED THAT QUITE A BIT WITH THE PROJECTS AND PARKS THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN.
WHEN WE WORK WITH CONTRACTORS, THERE'S A BIG GAP BETWEEN, UM, THE PLANS THAT WE DRAW AND ISSUE AND THEN WHAT GETS BUILT.
SO I LOVE THE IDEA OF HAVING SOMETHING SIMILAR, UM, WITH A NATIVE LANDSCAPING, BUT, SO IT'S A FABULOUS IDEA.
WELL, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT ANY OF THOSE IDEAS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON? ALL RIGHT.
HEARING NONE, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
[3. Staff briefing regarding proposed amendments to the existing Interlocal Agreement between the City and the University of Texas related to the area generally bounded by Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake) to the south and west, Enfield Road and 8th Street to the north, and Veterans Drive and Hearn Street to the east that establishes the parties' expectations related to the conveyance of Lion's Municipal Golf Course (Muny), development regulations, the vacation of City rights-of-way, the creation of a regulating plan, and the creation of a tax increment reinvestment zone (TIRZ). Presentation by Trish Link, Division Chief, Land Use and Real Estate, Austin City Attorney's Office, and Kim Olivares, Director, Austin Financial Services.]
ITEM NUMBER THREE, STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE EXISTING INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RELATED TO THE AREA.GENERALLY BOUNDED BY LADY LADY BIRD LAKE, FORMERLY TOWN LAKE TO THE SOUTH AND WEST ENFIELD ROAD, AND EIGHTH STREET TO THE NORTH, AND VETERANS DRIVE AND HEARN STREET TO THE EAST.
THAT ESTABLISHES THE PARTY'S EXPECTATIONS RELATED TO THE CONVEYANCE OF LYONS MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE, MUNI DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, THE VACATION OF CITY RIGHTS OF WAY, THE CREATION OF A REGULATING PLAN, AND THE CREATION OF A TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE.
TOURS, PRESENTATION BY TRISH LINK, DIVISION, CHIEF LAND USE AND REAL ESTATE.
AUSTIN CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND KIM OLIVAREZ, DIRECTOR AUSTIN FINANCIAL SERVICES CAN SAY THAT AGAIN.
[00:25:08]
GOOD EVENING IS THE PHONE.UH, KIM LAVAR, DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL SERVICES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LETTING US, UH, COME BEFORE TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU A BRIEFING ON, UH, THIS HISTORIC EVENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, SO I THINK, UH, ACTUALLY MAYBE THERE WE GO.
UM, FIRST WANNA POINT OUT, UH, TO JUST PROVIDE SOME CLARITY THAT THIS IS AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.
UM, THAT'S KIND OF A UNIQUE ASPECT OF THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT OFTEN, IT'S OFTEN REFERRED TO AS A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, BUT IT IS TECHNICALLY AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY AND, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS WE ARE BOTH GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES IN ITSELF.
SO IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT PROCESS AS A RESULT.
UH, SO AS WE GO THROUGH EVERYTHING TONIGHT, FIRST, UH, WE'LL START OUT WITH PROVIDING SOME BACKGROUND ON BOTH THE, THE TRACKED AT HAND, UM, AND HISTORY ABOUT LIONS.
UH, DO AN OVERVIEW OF THE LEASE AGREEMENT, UH, AS WELL AS THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH ARE ACTUALLY TWO SEPARATE DOCUMENTS.
UH, THEN, UH, REVIEW THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, WHAT IS THE UPCOMING SCHEDULE, AND THEN FINALLY ALLOWING FOR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION.
SO FIRST I WANNA START LIKE, WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? SO THIS AGREEMENT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1989, AND AS I'VE BEEN REMINDED BY SOME COLLEAGUES, THEY WEREN'T EVEN BORN YET.
UH, BUT NONETHELESS, UH, WE, THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC, SPECIFIC STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS IN THAT 1989 AGREEMENT.
SO WITH THIS AGREEMENT, IT ALLOWS US TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS TO THE AREA IN COMPARISON.
IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO ADDRESS A VERY LONG STANDING COMMUNITY CONCERN ABOUT MUNI'S FUTURE.
UH, THE, UH, MUNICIPAL GO GOLF COURSE THAT IS LIONS THAT IS KNOWN AS MUNI.
UH, THERE HAS BEEN AN EFFORT TO, UH, DETERMINE ITS FUTURE TO SAVE IT, UH, FOR, UH, SEVERAL DECADES.
NOW, THERE'S ALSO, UM, AND, AND I'LL GO INTO THIS IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, BUT THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF HISTORY ABOUT LIONS THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO, TO BE AWARE OF AS WELL.
UH, FINALLY, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY OF DECADES OF WORK.
UH, THERE ARE AUSTINITES, MANY AUSTINITES WHO LOVE MUNI.
UH, THERE'S A COMMITMENT BY THE UT, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND THERE'S ALSO A COMMITMENT FROM THE GENEROSITY OF SOME OF DONORS TO THE UNIVERSITY THAT ARE MAKING THIS POSSIBLE.
SO FIRST OFF, THE BRACKENRIDGE TRACT, UH, ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1910, GEORGE BRACKENRIDGE, WHO WAS A PHILANTHROPIST AND ALSO THE LONGEST SERVING REGENT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, HE DONATED APPROXIMATELY 500 ACRES OF LAND ALONG THE COLORADO RIVER TO THE UNIVERSITY THAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE BRACKENRIDGE TRACT.
TO GIVE FOLKS AN IDEA OF THE AREA WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, THE AREA NOW INCLUDES ABOUT 350 ACRES SINCE THAT 1910 DONATION, UH, ACREAGE HAS BEEN, UH, HAS BEEN DISPERSED FOR ROADWAYS RIGHT OF WAY, VARIOUS OTHER USES.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 350 ACRES OF BOTH UNDEVELOPED AND DEVELOPED, UM, ACREAGE THAT INCLUDES THE LIONS MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE, UT STUDENT HOUSING, A FIELD LABORATORY, A YOUTH SPORTS COMPLEX, THE WEST AUSTIN YOUTH ASSOCIATION, AND, UH, VARIOUS COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS WE GO.
SO LYONS APPRO OCCUPIES APPROXIMATELY 141 ACRES OF THE UNIVERSITY OWNED PROPERTY.
UH, IN 1924, THE AUSTIN LIONS CLUB LEASED THE PROPERTY TO DESIGN AND BUILD A GOLF COURSE.
AND IN 1936 AND IN GOING INTO 37, THAT'S WHEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN TOOK OVER THAT LEASE AND HAS MANAGED LIONS EVER SINCE.
UH, IN 1950, AND THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT HISTORICAL FACTS, IS 1950 MUNI BECAME THE FIRST PUBLIC GOLF COURSE IN THE SOUTH TO INTEGRATE.
UH, THERE WAS A HISTORIC MOMENT THAT DAY OF THE, UH, THE MAYOR SAYING, LET THEM PLAY.
AS THERE WERE, UM, INDIVIDUALS, UH, UH, AFRICAN AMERICAN INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO PLAY ON THE COURSE.
IN 1972, FRANK IRWIN FROM THE UNIVERSITY SOUGHT TO ACTUALLY CANCEL THE LEASE, AND THAT IS WHAT, UH, WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE SAVE MUNI CAMPAIGN.
SO FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, THE COURSES COMMUNITY OF GOLFERS, NEIGHBORS AND STUDENTS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO FIND A PATH FORWARD TO SAVE MUNI.
AND TODAY IT IS HOME TO A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY
[00:30:01]
OF GOLFERS OF ALL AGES BACKGROUNDS.AND IT IS AUSTIN'S MOST USED PUBLIC GOLF COURSE.
IT HAS OVER 70,000, 75,000 ROUNDS OF GOLF ARE PLAYED EACH YEAR.
SO AS I NOTED BEFORE, THE LEASE AGREEMENT IS A WHOLLY SEPARATE DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT FROM THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
SO IN 1987, THE LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND UNIVERSITY, UH, WAS REACHED, BUT THERE HAD BEEN JUST A KIND OF A SEPARATE AGREEMENT GOING ON BEFORE THAT.
UH, SO WITH THAT 1987 LEASE AGREEMENT, IT SET FORTH THAT THE GOLF COURSE, UH, WAS AT THE A HUNDRED ONE FORTY ONE ACRES OF THE GOLF COURSE.
AND THE JUST OVER 14 AND A HALF ACRES OF THE WEST AUSTIN YOUTH ASSOCIATION TRACKS WOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND HANDLED SEPARATELY.
THAT LEASE WAS SET TO TERMINATE 1990.
HOWEVER, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE HAD THE OPTION THEN TO ADOPT A LAND USE PLAN ACCEPTABLE FOR THE PROPERTY KNOWN AS THE BRACKENRIDGE TRACT.
UM, AND THIS IS WHERE WE CAME TO HAVE THE 1989, UH, BRACKEN RIDGE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
SO THIS LION'S LEASE THAT FIRST STARTED IN 1987, IT HAS BEEN AMENDED AND EXTENDED FIVE TIMES SINCE THEN, THE LAST TIME IT WAS AMENDED IN MAY, 2020.
IT IS ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS.
HOWEVER, THERE IS A APPROXIMATELY FIVE MONTH TIMELINE FOR NOTICE IF THE UNIVERSITY WERE TO END THAT LEASE TO ALLOW FOR TRANSITION.
UM, BUT REGARDLESS, WE ARE ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS ON THAT LEASE AT THIS TIME.
UH, AND THEN ALSO POINT IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT HOW THE LEGISLATURE TOOK ACTION, UH, FOR THE ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
SO WITH THIS, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO TRISH LINK TO TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT AGREEMENT, IF IT'LL EVER CHANGE.
SO, UM, FOLLOWING UP ON KIM'S, UH, BACKGROUND.
SO THE 1989 INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE, AND UT IS REALLY SETTLING DISPUTE, A LONG RUNNING DISPUTE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE UNIVERSITY ABOUT THE CITY'S AUTHORITY TO REGULATE LAND THAT THE UNIVERSITY OWNS.
UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KIND OF CATEGORIZE INTO THINGS AS UNIVERSITY PURPOSES VERSUS NON UNIVERSITY PURPOSES, AND WE, WE'D HAD A LONGSTANDING DISPUTE ABOUT THAT.
UM, WITHOUT THE BRACKENRIDGE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, THERE ARE NO DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR THIS AREA.
UM, AND THE EXISTING BDA AS WE KNOW IT NOW, HAS DATED MISSING STANDARDS RELATIVE TO CURRENT CODE.
SO FOR NON UNIVERSITY STATE PURPOSES, THE BDA ESTABLISHES TRACK LEVEL REGULATIONS, UM, AND LIMITED ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS.
IT ALLOWS FOR A RANGE OF HEIGHTS, AND THEN IT ALSO ESTABLISHES A RANGE OF IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMITS.
IN THE AGREEMENT, THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANNING, FUNDING AND CONSTRUCTING UTILITY CAPACITIES TO SERVE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY.
AND, UM, THIS AGREEMENT WAS ACTUALLY BLESSED BY THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, UH, SUBSEQUENT TO, AND IT SERVED AS KIM SAID, AS THE, UH, LAND PLAN FOR THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO LEASE MUNI.
SO ON THIS MAP HERE, IT DOES SHOW A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE TRACKS AND HOW THE UNIVERSITY AND THE CITY TALK ABOUT THE TRACKS IN THE EXISTING AGREEMENT.
UM, AND THE, OBVIOUSLY THE LAND NORTH OF, UH, LAKE AUSTIN IS PREDOMINANTLY THE GOLF COURSE IN THE WAY OF SITE, AND THEN SOUTH OF IT ADJACENT TO THE RIVER IS GOING TO BE, UM, THE MOST, THE AREA THAT'S REALLY NOT DEVELOPED MUCH AT ALL.
AND THERE'S, UH, THE OPEN SPACE, WHICH IT'LL BE THE SETBACKS FROM THE WATER, UM, ARE SHOWN IN DARK GREEN.
SO FIRST WE HAVE SOME, UH, NON-REGULATORY PIECES TO WHAT WE HAVE PROPOSED IN THE, UH, UPDATE TO THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
FIRST AND FOREMOST WOULD BE THAT, UM, MUNI IS CONVEYED TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR USE AS A GOLF COURSE.
UM, THE UNIVERSITY HAS SOME LAND, OBVIOUSLY, AS WE KNOW, ADJACENT TO DOWNTOWN, AND THERE'S SOME RIGHT OF WAYS THAT THEY ARE INTERESTED IN THE CITY VACATING.
UM, WE WOULD BE REPLACING THE EXISTING AFFORDABLE STUDENT HOUSING ON THE BRACKEN RIDGE PROPERTY AND THE EXISTING AFFORDABLE STUDENT HOUSING
[00:35:01]
ON THE BRACKEN RIDGE PROPERTY COULD BE, UH, EITHER REPLACED ON SITE OR OFFSITE.UM, WE ALSO HAVE A LEASE WITH THE UNIVERSITY AT MUELLER, AND THIS, UH, A PRO PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD ADDRESS THAT AS WELL.
UH, WE WOULD BE ALSO ESTABLISHING, UM, OUR INTENT TO CREATE A TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE.
UM, AS, AS MANY OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THE AREA, YOU KNOW, SOUTH OF LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD IN PARTICULAR IS PREDOMINANTLY UNDEVELOPED LAX INFRASTRUCTURES AND THE STREET LAYOUTS ARE INADEQUATE.
UM, THE CITY DOES HAVE A 20%, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENT, AND THE UNIVERSITY, UH, WILL BE COMPLYING WITH THAT.
IT JUST MAY, IT MAY BE ON SITE AND IT MAY BE OFFSITE.
UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE COMING MONTHS, THE CITY AND THE UNIVERSITY WILL WORK TOGETHER, UH, TO DEVELOP THE DETAILS OF INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS, COST ESTIMATES, REIMBURSEMENT, AND THEN ALSO THIS WILL HELP US FULFILL OUR EXISTING OBLIGATION TO, UH, FUND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE AREA.
AND THEN LAST, UH, WE WOULD ALSO BE ADOPTING A REGULATORY PLAN, A REGULATING PLAN.
SO MOVING TO THE REGULATORY SIDE OF THINGS, UM, THE CURRENT BDA HAS IMPERVIOUS COVER AMOUNTS THAT RANGE FROM 30 TO 90%.
SO FOR THE RESIDENTIAL IT'S 30%.
FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL, IT RANGES FROM 75% TO 90%.
AND IN THIS AMENDMENT, WE'RE PROPOSING THAT THE ENTIRE 190 ACRES BE LIMITED TO 75% IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND FOR EACH AREA DEVELOPED, UM, THE MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVER WILL BE 85% AND THE IMPERVIOUS COVER CAN BE TRANSFERRED BETWEEN THE DEVELOPED AREAS.
TODAY, UH, THE BDA HAS A 200 FOOT SETBACK FROM LADY BIRD LAKE, SO WE WILL MAINTAIN THAT.
WE WILL ALSO ADD A NEW 50 FOOT SETBACK ON EACH SIDE OF THE MINOR WATERWAY THAT WAS THE DARK GREEN THAT WAS, UH, HEADING NORTH ON THE MAP, AND THEN ESTABLISH AN AGREEMENT TO REVIEW THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES AND DETERMINE APPROPRIATE SETBACKS BASED ON THAT REVIEW.
UH, THE CURRENT BDA DOES NOT ADDRESS TREE PROTECTIONS.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON AS THIS MOVES FORWARD IS TO ESTABLISH SOME HERITAGE TREE REQUIREMENTS.
THE UNIVERSITY HAS A POLICY THAT IS ACTUALLY, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS MYRIAD MIRRORED OFF OF OUR EXISTING REGULATIONS.
AND SO WE WILL MERGE THOSE TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH A, UM, SET OF HERITAGE TREE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AREA.
WATER QUALITY AND DRAINAGE, I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY THERE'S NO REQUIREMENTS.
UM, THEY ARE ALLOWED UNLIMITED CUT AND FILL CONSTRUCTION ON SLOPES.
THOSE WILL ACTUALLY CONTINUE FORWARD, BUT EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE NOTED, WE WILL BE ADOPTING, UH, THE CITY'S CURRENT REQUIREMENTS FOR WATER QUALITY AND DRAINAGE.
MOVING A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE LAND USE SIDE OF THINGS, UM, THE CURRENTLY THE SITE, UH, HAS A FLORIDA AREA RATIO THAT RANGES BETWEEN 0.4 AND 0.45 TO ONE.
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR THE AGREEMENT GOING FORWARD WOULD BE 0.6 TO ONE FOR THE ENTIRETY, SO THAT'S 190 ACRES.
UM, NOW EACH DEVELOPED AREA WILL BE ABLE TO EXCEED THAT 0.6.
HOWEVER, NO DEVELOPED AREA WILL BE ABLE TO EXCEED FIVE TO ONE UNLESS COUNCIL AUTHORIZES AN INCREASE IN FLORIDA AREA RATIO FOR THE DEVELOPED AREA.
AND THEN CURRENTLY THE BUILDING HEIGHTS ARE VARIED AS WELL IN THE CURRENT BDA.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GO WITH SOMETHING THAT'S MORE UNIFORM.
SO NORTH OF LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD, IT WILL BE 65 FEET FOR MAX HEIGHT FOR BUILDINGS THAT ARE SOUTH OF LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD, BUT IT LIKE CONTIGUOUS TO LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD, THE MAX HEIGHT WILL BE 65 FEET.
AS YOU GO DOWN THE SLOPE, IT CAN GO UP TO 105 FEET, BUT AT NO POINT IN TIME CAN ANY BUILDING BE MORE THAN 65 FEET WHEN YOU'RE STARING JUST ACROSS THE TOP OF THE BUILDINGS FROM LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD.
SO, MOVING ON TO OUR SCHEDULE, UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TODAY.
UH, NEXT WEEK WE'LL BE VISITING THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THEN, UH, WE WILL BE TAKING THIS ITEM TO COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 19TH.
AND THE BOARD OF REGENTS WILL ALSO, WE UNDERSTAND BE MEETING ON THIS IN NOVEMBER AS WELL.
AND THEN, UM, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, THERE'S A LOT OF ELEMENTS TO THIS.
SO THIS, SOME OF THIS WILL GET IT COMPLETED IN SPRING OF 2027, AND THAT'S GONNA BE FINALIZING ANY RIGHT OF AWAY VACATIONS AMENDING THE MUELLER RELEASE, DEVELOPING THE REGULATING PLAN THAT REFLECTS THE AMEN, BDA.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL ALSO DEVELOP THE TOURS, UH, PRELIMINARY PROJECT AND FINANCING PLAN.
WE'LL HAVE COUNCIL ACTION ON THOSE ITEMS. AND THEN THE ULTIMATE
[00:40:01]
WILL BE LAST ACTION WILL BE CONVEYANCE OF LINES TO THE CITY.SO IN RECAP, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A CONVERSATION THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES.
UM, THE, LIKE WE NOTED THE ORIGINAL LEASE BETWEEN THE CITY, UH, AND UT STARTED 19 36, 37, THE, THE BUILDING OR THE BRACKENRIDGE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IN 1989.
UM, AND VARIOUS AMENDMENTS SINCE.
UH, THIS IS REALLY REFLECTS AN IDEA TO PURSUE NOT ONLY A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL AGREEMENT, BUT A TRUE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND UNIVERSITY, UH, THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT EVERYTHING ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT THINGS MORE HOLISTICALLY, UH, RELATIVE TO HOW IT IMPACTS OVERALL PLANS FOR EACH ORGANIZATION, AS WELL AS HOW IT IMPACTS THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT ALSO MOST IMPORTANTLY, I THINK IS THE AMENDMENTS ENABLE BOTH OF US TO GUIDE BOTH THE CITY AND UNIVERSITY TO GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT IN A WAY THAT TRULY IMPROVES DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS AND PRESERVES GREEN SPACE, UH, IN THIS AREA.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
UM, ALSO JOINED US IS DR. JOHNSON, ONE OF OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS.
UH, HE LITERALLY JUST GOT HERE FROM THE AIRPORT, SO, UH, BUT HE IS HERE TO JOIN IN AND ANSWER QUESTIONS AS WELL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE'RE GONNA GO NEXT TO PUBLIC COMMENT CHAIR.
WE HAVE EIGHT SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IS ELIZABETH BOWMAN AND SPEAKERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
WELL, CAN YOU MAKE SURE YOUR MIC IS ON? OKAY.
MY NAME IS DR. ELIZABETH BOWMAN.
I'M A RESEARCH SCIENTIST AT THE BRACKEN RIDGE FIELD LABORATORY, WHERE I'VE WORKED AND CONDUCTED RESEARCH SINCE 2020 AS A FUNGAL ECOLOGIST.
MY COMMENTS HERE ARE MY OWN, THEY DON'T REPRESENT THE UNIVERSITY.
BRACKEN RIDGE FIELD LABORATORY, OR BFL ENCOMPASSES 82 ACRES OF DIVERSE HABITATS THAT SUPPORT A BIODIVERSE COMMUNITY, WHICH INCLUDE 700 SPECIES OF PLANTS, 1200 KINDS OF MOSS BUTTERFLIES, AND 160 BIRD SPECIES AMONG OTHERS.
CURRENTLY, I'M WORKING TO DOCUMENT THE FUNGAL DIVERSITY.
WE'VE LIKELY FOUND A NEW FEW, A FEW NEW SPECIES, AND THIS PAST WEEKEND, AN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT FOUND THE RARE TEXAS STAR CHOREO, ACTUS JASTER, WHICH IS THE STATE MUSHROOM OF TEXAS, AND IS EXTREMELY RARE.
THIS DISCOVERY ILLUSTRATES THE SCIENTIFIC VALUE OF BFL AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING THESE HABITATS.
ITS LOCATION WITHIN AUSTIN MAKES IT AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE FOR THE UNIVERSITY AND PUBLIC TO CONDUCT RESEARCH AND LEARN ABOUT THE ECOLOGY OF CENTRAL TEX, TEXAS.
AND AUSTIN BFL SUPPORTS RESEARCH WITH ESTABLISHED EXPERIMENTAL GARDENS, GREENHOUSES, RESEARCH SPACES, AND A MOLECULAR LABORATORY.
THESE FACILITIES PROVIDE ESSENTIAL RESOURCES FOR A DIVERSE GROUP OF FACULTY AND STUDENTS ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY, AS WELL AS PUBLIC GROUPS, GROUPS INCLUDING TEXAS MASTER NATURALISTS AND THE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY.
RESEARCH AT BFL CONTRIBUTES TO A LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RECORD THAT HELPED US UNDERSTAND BIODIVERSITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE OVER TIME, ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF URBANIZATION.
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE BRACKENRIDGE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, LIKE ANY EXPLICIT PROTECTION FOR BFL AND THE MAP OF THE BRACKENRIDGE TRACT ON SLIDE NINE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, BRACKENRIDGE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT PRESENTATION DESIGNATES THE AREA THAT IS CURRENTLY B-L-B-F-L AS A DEVELOPMENT AREA WITHOUT CLEAR BINDING PROTECTIONS IN THE AGREEMENT, THIS DESIGNATION RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT THE LONG-TERM FUTURE OF THE FIELD STATION, ITS RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND THE ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES IT SUPPORTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING TO THE COMMISSION EXPLICITLY AND CLEARLY DELINEATE THE ENTIRE 82 ACRE BFL PROPERTY, INCLUDING ITS RESEARCH HABITATS, EXPERIMENTAL AREAS, GREENHOUSES AND RESEARCH FACILITIES COMPLETE AND PUBLICLY RELEASE A COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT BEFORE APPROVAL.
ESTABLISH PROTECTIVE BUFFERS AROUND BFL PROHIBIT THE TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT INTENSITY INTO SENSITIVE A AREAS REQUIRE CONSTRUCTION PHASE, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, AND LONG-TERM MONITORING.
AND IF POSSIBLE, RECOGNIZE BFL AS A LONG-TERM SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATION RESOURCE.
I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE COMMISSION TO RECOMMEND THAT BFL BE EXPLICITLY IDENTIFIED AND PROTECTED, PROTECTED IN THE AMENDED AGREEMENT BEFORE IT IS FORWARDED FOR FINAL APPROVAL FOR CITY COUNCIL IN THE UT BOARD OF REGENTS, THE LOSS OF BFL WOULD BE IMMENSE.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO VISIT, VISIT BFL AND LEARN ABOUT ITS RICH PAST IN THE SCIENCE THAT IS ONGOING THERE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ED LABRUN.
[00:45:14]
HI, UH, THANK YOU FOR, UM, ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.MY NAME IS, UH, EDWARD LABRUN.
UH, I'M A RESEARCH SCIENTIST AT THE, UH, BRACKEN RIDGE FIELD LABORATORY.
UM, I'M HERE AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN AND NOT REPRESENTING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
UM, I'VE WORKED AT BFL FOR 21 YEARS NOW.
UM, AND I CANNOT EXPRESS AS ELOQUENTLY AS MY COLLEAGUE LIZ DID.
IT'S IMPORTANCE, UM, WITH RESPECT TO SCIENCE AND LEARNING, UM, AND UNDERSTANDING URBAN BIODIVERSITY.
UM, ANOTHER POINT THOUGH THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE IS THIS VALUE TO THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN IN GENERAL.
UM, THERE ARE MANY PUBLIC LECTURES THAT GO ON THERE.
THERE ARE, IT'S, UH, 82 ACRES OF GREEN SPACE WITHIN THE CITY.
SO, SO RELAXING THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS OR CHANGING THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE BDA THAT PRESENT MAJOR CHANGES TO THIS, TO THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR THIS IMPORTANT TRACK TO LAND ALONG LADY BIRD JOHNSON LAKE, AND ANY CHANGES IN THE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS TO THIS LAND IMPACTS ALL THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN AND SHOULD NOT BE DONE WITHOUT, UH, PROPER CONSIDERATION AND THOUGHT.
UM, ANYTHING THAT'S DONE TO THIS LAND CANNOT BE UNDONE AND IT SHOULD NOT BE RUSHED.
THERE'S REALLY NO OTHER INSTITUTION IN THE NATION LIKE THE BRACKEN RIDGEFIELD LABORATORY WHERE THERE IS TOP FLIGHT ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH GOING ON IN THE CITY AND THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO, UH, BE A PART OF IT.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS COLIN MORRISON.
AND I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT WHAT I SAW IN THE SLIDE DECK IS THIS MESSAGE THAT REPLACING NO REGULATIONS WITH REGULATIONS IS TO REGULATE THE ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS BRACKENRIDGE TRACT, OF WHICH THE BRACKENRIDGE FIELD LAB THAT MY COLLEAGUES JUST DESCRIBED AS AT THE CENTER OF IT.
THE BRACKENRIDGE FIELD LABORATORY IS THE FLAGSHIP OF UT'S GROWING FIELD STATION NETWORK.
AND I KNOW THAT UT IS NOT HERE, BUT THAT IS, THIS IS, THIS IS THE DOG AND PONY SHOW UPON WHICH UT IS ABLE TO LEVERAGE A LOT OF FUNDING AND DEVELOPMENT TO ADVANCE OUR RESEARCH INTO THE SUSTAINABLE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THIS STATE.
THE BRACKENRIDGE FIELD LABORATORY HAS BEEN TRAINING UNDERGRADUATES AND GRADUATE STUDENTS SINCE 1967.
THOUSANDS OF STAKEHOLDERS PASSED THROUGH HERE THAT ARE NOW WELL POSITIONED THROUGHOUT OUR CITY AND OUR STATE AS THE REGULATORS, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT SCIENTISTS AND ADMINISTRATORS THAT ARE OVERSEEING HOW WE'RE GOING TO GUIDE OUR NATURAL RESOURCE USE MOVING FORWARD.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF WILD LAND LEFT IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
NOT A LOT WILD, WILD LAND LEFT IN CENTRAL AUSTIN.
BRACKENRIDGE FUEL LABORATORY CAN BE PLACED INTO SOME KIND OF AN EASEMENT AROUND THIS THAT WOULD PRESERVE THIS WHILE ALLOWING FOR SOME LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I URGE THE COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER AS THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, WITH THIS REGULATING OF THE DEREGULATIONS.
IT'S, IT'S NOT EXACTLY HOW IT SOUNDS THAT WAY, AT LEAST FROM MY INTERPRETATION OF THE SLIDE DECK.
YEAH, I'LL JUST, I'M NOT GONNA REITERATE WHAT MY COLLEAGUES ALREADY SAID ABOUT THE WILDLIFE DIVERSITY, THE TREE DIVERSITY, THE INSECT DIVERSITY, AND THE GREEN SPACE THAT IT PRESENTS AS A MAJOR RESOURCE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD NOT GO FORWARD UNLESS THERE'S SOME SPECIAL CONSIDERATION GIVEN WITH DUE TIME TO HOW WE CAN PRESERVE THIS SPECIAL TREASURE IN THE CENTER OF OUR CITY.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRIS FLORES.
UM, GOOD EVENING, UH, CHRIS FLORES, DISTRICT 10 ONCE AGAIN.
UM, I HAVE, UH, SEVERAL ASKS FOR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE EXISTING INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, UH, IN NO SPECIAL ORDER.
NUMBER ONE, REQUIRE A FORMAL INDEPENDENT LAND SURVEY THAT USES
[00:50:01]
LIDAR TO MAP WHAT'S UNDERGROUND, THE ELEVATIONS, THE FLOOD HISTORY, AND THE PROPERTY DEEDS.UM, THIS AREA GOES BACK TO THE 18 HUNDREDS.
MOST OF IT HAS NEVER BEEN SURVEYED, UH, IN LAND THAT IS THIS VALUABLE.
EVERY FOOT COUNTS, SO IT, WE NEED TO SEE EXACTLY, UH, AND HAVE A, AN ACCURATE MAP OF WHAT'S THERE AND WHAT'S UNDERGROUND.
UH, NUMBER TWO, THE MAYOR'S EMAIL ABOUT THIS BRACKENRIDGE DEAL WOULD INVOLVE ATI A-T-I-R-Z FINANCIAL TAX DEAL MEANT FOR BLIGHTED UNDEVELOPABLE LAND.
THIS RIVERFRONT TRACKED BETWEEN TWO OF THE WEALTHIEST DEVELOPED NEIGHBORHOODS IN AUSTIN SHOULD NOT GET A TAX BREAK.
UH, NUMBER THREE, A DETAILED EXPLANATION OF HOW DEVELOPING THE BRACKEN RIDGE TRACK MEETS THE INTENT OF THE FAMILY WHO DONATED THE LAND.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE USES OF THE LAND AND THE PROFITS FROM THE SALE OF THE LAND WERE VERY SPECIFIC.
I WOULD NOT WANT THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO ENTER INTO THE, INTO A RUSE OF AN AGREEMENT THAT VIOLATED THE UNDERLYING DONOR AGREEMENT REGARDLESS OF THE UNIVERSITY'S POSITION.
UH, NUMBER FOUR, REQUIRE A 400 FOOT CONCRETE FREE SETBACK FROM THE RIVER TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT.
NUMBER FIVE, THERE ARE RUMORS OUT THERE ABOUT A BOARDWALK AS PART OF THE WEST TRAIL SIDE ALONG THE RIVER.
CAN THAT PLEASE BE CLARIFIED? I THINK THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE RIVER IN THAT AREA WILL SUFFER WITH A CONCRETE TRANSFORMATION TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR LIKE A BO BOARDWALK NUMBER SIX, AN EIGHT STORY BUILDING ADJACENT TO DEEP EDDY POOL.
A PARK SPACE ALONG THE RIVER WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
EIGHT TO 10 STORY BUILDINGS COULD EASILY BE SQUEEZED IN ALONG LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD AND HAVE A VIEW OF THE RIVER WITHOUT TAKING UP THE LAND ALONG THE RIVER.
UM, I'M HERE IN MY INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT I HAD BEEN INVOLVED, GOD, BACK TO 1999 IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE BRACKENRIDGE TRACT.
UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN ALSO HAD A VISION FOR TRYING TO PRESERVE THE MUNI GOLF COURSE AND PRESERVE WIA.
UH, AND, AND, AND WE SAID WE WOULD WELCOME DEVELOPMENT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS LONG AS IT WAS NOT GONNA IMPACT THE SINGLE FAMILY CHARACTER OF THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WE ALSO REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS THAT WERE GONNA PROTECT THIS PLACE.
UM, I, I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THE DETAILS OF THIS, BUT I, MY PRELIMINARY TAKE ON THIS, IS THIS AS AN AGREEMENT THAT WE SHOULD TAKE AND RUN WITH.
UH, THERE ARE, WE'RE GETTING THE, THE GOLF COURSE PRESERVED PERPETUITY.
WE'RE GETTING
UM, I DIDN'T QUITE GO THROUGH ALL THE, THE, THE IMPACTS OF THE CHANGES, UH, UNDER THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT COMPARED TO THE EXISTING ONE, BUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS ARE GONNA BE STRONGER.
UH, THE COVER WILL BE MORE UNIFORM.
UH, LAKE SETBACKS ARE GONNA BE KEPT, I GUESS THE SAME, MAYBE I MISSED, MAYBE THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL ONE I DIDN'T QUITE HEAR.
UH, THERE WILL BE IMPROVED, UH, WATER QUALITY, UH, RULES COMING IN COMPLIANCE TO THE CITY'S EXISTING RULES.
UH, HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE TREE PROTECTION ALSO IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THERE WILL BE POTENTIAL NEW IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES COMPARED TO THE THE CURRENT BDA.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS THE GOLF COURSE IS PRESERVED.
UM, WE HAVE KIND OF A TENDENCY IN THIS COMMUNITY TO OVERDO OUR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW SOMETIMES, AND I JUST DON'T WANT US TO SCREW THIS UP.
SO I RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE TWEAK AND MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS.
MAYBE YOU CAN PRESERVE A LITTLE ROPE SWING ALONG THE LAKE THERE FOR PEOPLE WHO ENJOY GOING INTO LADY BIRD LAKE.
BUT, UH, LET'S, LET'S TAKE THIS DEAL PRESERVE LION COMMUNITY GOLF COURSE FOR PERPETUITY.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CAMERON CASTILLO.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
UH, MY NAME IS CAMERON CASTILLO AND I'M A JUNIOR PRE-MEDICAL LIFE SCIENCES STUDENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE RESEARCHER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
I'M TAKING CRITICAL TIME AWAY FROM MY STUDIES TO STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT BECAUSE THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENTS FOR THE BRACKEN RIDGE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THREATENED THE ECOLOGICAL SAFETY OF THE COLORADO RIVER AND LADYBIRD LAKE PAVING OVER THE BRACKEN RIDGE TRACK WITH DENSE URBAN DEVELOPMENT, ELIMINATES A MASSIVE LIVING RIPARIAN BUFFER AND INTRODUCES
[00:55:01]
A MYRIAD OF RISKS REPLACING THE COMPLEX SOIL AND CANOPY WITH IMPERVIOUS COMMERCIAL CONCRETE WILL ACCELERATE DOWNSTREAM EROSION, INCREASE FLASH FLOOD RUNOFF, FLASH RUNOFF VOLUME, AND INTRODUCE POLLUTANTS THAT FUEL TOXIC ALGAL BLOOMS AND CAUSE WIDESPREAD ECOLOGICAL DAMAGE.FURTHERMORE, THESE PLANS THREATEN A GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED RESEARCH INSTITUTION, BRACKENRIDGE FIELD LABORATORY, WHICH SITS AT THE SITE, UT PLANS TO DEVELOP PROPOSALS CLAIMING THAT BRACKENRIDGE CAN BE MOVED OFFSITE IN FAVOR OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT ARE SCIENTIFICALLY FRAUDULENT.
RELOCATING AN ACTIVE BIOLOGICAL FIELD STATION RESETS THE OVER 60 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS HIGH QUALITY ECOLOGICAL MONITORING DATA THAT MAKES THAT SITE A BENCHMARK FOR GLOBAL URBAN ECOLOGY TO ABSOLUTE ZERO SIX DECADES OF IRRE IRREPLACEABLE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ARE BEING SACRIFICED AS A BARGAINING CHIP JUST TO FUND THE PRESERVATION OF A GOLF COURSE.
LASTLY, THIS DEAL ACTIVELY SELLS OUT STUDENTS IN FAVOR OF COMMERCIAL PROFIT BRACK RIDGE FIELD LABORATORY'S UNIQUE PROXIMITY TO CAMPUS ALLOWS WORKING UNDERGRADUATES AND PRE-MEDICAL RESEARCHERS SUCH AS ME TO CONDUCT RIGOROUS INDEPENDENT FIELD PROJECTS AND MANAGE LAB DUTIES WHILE STILL BAND BALANCING DEMAND AND COURSEWORK.
THIS IS WHAT GETS YOU INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL DOING THIS TYPE OF RESEARCH AND IT'S MADE ACCESSIBLE BY THIS PLACE.
MOVING THIS INFRASTRUCTURE MILES OUTSIDE THE URBAN CORE BUILDS AN INSURMOUNTABLE BARRIER FOR WORKING STUDENTS WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION.
IT STRIPS US OF TIER ONE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES AND REDUCES OUR FIELD SCIENCE EDUCATION TO A HOLLOW INDOOR SIMULATION.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION'S EXPLICIT MANDATE IS TO ENFORCE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY PROTECTIONS AND STOP HIGH DENSITY URBANIZATION FROM DESTROYING SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL ZONES.
UM, IRIS'S COMMISSION TO ISSUE A DECISIVE, UNAMBIGUOUS RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO REJECT ANY AMENDMENT TO THE BRACKENRIDGE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT ALLOWS COMMERCIAL URBANIZATION, REZONING, OR OFFSITE RELOCATION OF 82 ACRES OF BRACKENRIDGE FIELD LAB AND THE SURROUNDING AREA THAT COULD RUIN RESEARCH THERE DUE TO ITS IMPORTANCE TO THE CITY.
WHAT MAKES THE CITY IMPORTANT IS ITS ABUNDANT GREEN SPACE THAT YOU DON'T SEE IN MOST METROPOLITAN AREAS, NOT SHOPPING CENTERS, NOT LUXURY CONDOS.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS HOLLY REED.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
I SERVE ON THE WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE MUNI CONSERVANCY BOARD.
I AM ALSO A FORMER MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
I'M SPEAKING TO YOU TONIGHT AS A MEMBER OF A WORKING GROUP THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION HAS CREATED TO ADDRESS THE AMENDMENTS TO THE BRACKEN RIDGE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
THE WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP IS WORKING ON A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
THIS AGREEMENT WAS THE BRACKEN RIDGE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WAS ORIGINALLY SIGNED INTO EFFECT IN 1989, IS STILL IN EFFECT TODAY, AND WAS NEGOTIATED IN GOOD FAITH BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND PUBLIC STAKEHOLDERS, AND APPROVED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS BOARD SYSTEM, BOARD OF REGENTS AND THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE.
THE BRACKEN RIDGE TRACT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AREA AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE LIONS MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE IS 141 ACRES OF PUBLIC OPEN GREEN SPACE FULL OF HUNDREDS OF TREES, AND WAS THE FIRST PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION IN THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES TO INTEGRATE.
SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1973, THE WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THE FIGHT TO PRESERVE THIS HISTORIC PLACE, WHICH IS A CIVIL RIGHTS LANDMARK.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED THAT A POSSIBLE PATH TO THE PERMANENT PRESERVATION OF LYONS MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE HAS BEEN PROPOSED AS WELL AS THE WEST AUSTIN YOUTH ASSOCIATION, BUT WE STILL HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS TO THE BRACKEN RIDGE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND THE REST OF THE BRACKEN RIDGE TRACK.
THE TOWN LAKE TRACKS ARE VERY ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE, AND THEY ARE ADJACENT TO LADY BIRD LAKE.
WE NEED MORE INFORMATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY AND THE CITY ON HOW THE PROPOSED NEW DEVELOPMENT WILL IMPACT TRAFFIC AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH CITY STAFF AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS ON AMENDMENTS TO THE BRACKENRIDGE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT WILL BENEFIT NOT JUST WEST AUSTIN, BUT THE ENTIRE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HA HEARING YOUR INPUT AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
[01:00:01]
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.THE NEXT SPEAKER IS BEATRICE ANDERSON.
UM, BEATRICE ANDERSON WITH SAVE SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE THIS, THIS IS ANOTHER MANUFACTURED RUSH BY THE CITY WHERE THEY ARE DANGLING A CARROT AND THEN DEMANDING THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT ASKING QUESTIONS AND JUST TAKING THE FIRST DEAL THAT THEY'RE PRESENTING TO US.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE AND, AND REALLY VALUE PROTECTING, UM, THE GOLF COURSE AS A CIVIL RIGHTS LANDMARK.
THAT CANNOT BE AN EXCUSE TO IMMEDIATELY SAY, PAVE OVER THE BRACKENRIDGE TRACK NEXT TO IT.
UM, THERE HAS TO BE A, A BETTER DEAL THAN THAT AND THERE HAS TO BE MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ENGAGE WITH, UM, AND DECIDE WHAT THE FUTURE OF THE BRACKENRIDGE TRACT COULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, I THINK PRESENTING THIS TO ONLY TWO COMMISSIONS BEFORE IT GOES, YOU KNOW, NEXT MONTH TO CITY COUNCIL IS TOO, IS TOO FAST.
UM, THIS IS NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO REALLY DIGEST EVEN WHAT THE SEVERAL DOCUMENTS IN BACKUP EVEN SAY AND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE PROPOSED CURRENT AMENDMENT EVEN ARE.
UM, UH, AND IN ADDITION, WE, WE, WE DON'T HAVE CRITICAL DETAILS LIKE HOW MUCH IMPERVIOUS COVER IS GOING TO BE ALLOWED IN THAT SETBACK.
WE SAW THIS WITH THE DOGS HEAD AGREEMENT TOO, YOU KNOW, CLAIMS OF, OF OPEN SPACE.
BUT OPEN SPACE MEANS IMPERVIOUS COVER PAVING OVER UTILITY BUILDINGS.
IS THAT WHAT, WHAT OPEN SPACE MEANS HERE, IS THAT WHAT PROTECTED RIVERFRONT MEANS? DOES IT MEAN A BOARDWALK? THERE ARE JUST SO MANY QUESTIONS THAT HAVE YET TO BE ANSWERED AND THERE IS NOT ADEQUATE TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS OR GET THOSE ANSWERS AND HAVE THOSE INCORPORATED INTO THIS DEAL BEFORE IT GOES HEAD TO COUNCIL NEXT MONTH.
SO I, I REALLY URGE YOU TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS HERE TODAY.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, PUSH BACK ON ON THIS UNNECESSARY URGENCY.
UM, AS EVERYONE HAS SAID THIS IS, THIS IS PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE CITY AND UT FOR DECADES.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR DECADES.
WE DO NOT NEED AN IMMEDIATE SOLUTION TO THIS RIGHT NOW WITHOUT ANY QUESTIONS BEING ASKED.
THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
AND WE'LL GO TO COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS AND WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER BRIMER.
I HAD LIKE TO DEFER TO SOME OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
UH, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE, UH, FIELD LAB AND WE HAVE SOME COMMISSIONERS ON HERE THAT HAVE ACTUALLY THEIR JOB IS WELL LAB STUFF AND SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR THEIR QUESTIONS BECAUSE THEY MAY BE A LITTLE BIT MORE ACCURATE THAN MINE.
SO I'D LIKE TO DEFER TO OTHER FOLKS FIRST.
COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN, RESEARCH SCIENTIST.
YEAH, BUT I'M NOT REPRESENTING THE UNIVERSITY HERE.
UM, WITH REGARD TO THE, THE NEW RULES, HOW DO THEY COMPARE TO THE EXISTING RULES UNDER THE BDA IN TERMS OF THE SEVERITY OF HOW MUCH IMPERVIOUS COVER AND THE HEIGHTS OF BUILDINGS? SO IMPERVIOUS COVER THROUGHOUT, WELL THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY IS BURIED BASED ON WHAT'S TRACKED IS BEING DEVELOPED AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
SO IF THEY'RE DOING RESIDENTIAL, AND THIS KIND OF APPLIES ACROSS THE BOARD IF THEY'RE DOING RESIDENTIAL, SO SINGLE FAMILIES, 30% IMPERVIOUS COVER UNDER CURRENT BDA CLUSTER SLASH TOWNHOMES IS 60%.
WHEN YOU GET BEYOND THAT, UM, EACH TRACT HAS ITS OWN SEPARATE IMPERVIOUS COVER AND THEY RANGE FROM 75% TO 90%.
SO OVERALL IN TOTAL THOUGH IS, ARE THE NEW RULES GOING TO REDUCE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER OVERALL OR INCREASE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER OVERALL BECAUSE THE ENTIRETY IS LIMITED TO 75% OVERALL? UM, I, IT WOULD REDUCE IT THOUGH.
I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TELL YOU BY HOW MUCH.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE HEIGHTS OF THE BUILDINGS? WHAT'S ALLOWED NOW UNDER THE PDA VERSUS WHAT'S ALLOWED WITH THE 65 PER 65 FOOT DOWN TO A HUNDRED AND 105 FEET OR UP TO 105 FEET? SO TODAY, UM, HEIGHTS
[01:05:01]
RANGE FROM 40 FEET TO 65, 65 FEET.UM, AND THEN WE HAVE, OH YEAH, SO IT'S 40 FEET AND 65 FEET ARE THE TWO HEIGHTS, UM, PUT THROUGHOUT THE AGREEMENT.
TODAY WE'RE GOING WITH ONE HEIGHT OF 65 FEET AND THEN AS YOU GO DOWN, GO DOWN, IT CAN GO HIGHER, HIGHER, BUT IT CAN NEVER BE TALLER THAN 65 FEET FROM LAKE AUSTIN IF MEASURED FROM THERE.
WELL THE, THE POINT IS THAT THERE'S ALREADY AN A, THERE'S ALREADY RULES THAT ALLOW DEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR ON THE BRACKRIDGE CHECK.
AND I'M TRYING TO GET AT WHETHER THE RULES ARE WEAKER OR STRONGER NOW UNDER THE REVISED P-D-A-B-D-A.
SO WE'D HAVE TO, UM, LOOK AT CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THE TRACKS THAT HAD LOWER HEIGHTS ARE ALREADY DEVELOPED.
AND SO IF THOSE WERE TO BE REDEVELOPED IN THE FUTURE, THOSE COULD BE TALLER THAN THEY ARE TODAY.
UM, THE ACTUAL TOWN LAKE TRACK IS, WHICH IS THE PREDOMINANT TRACT IN THIS SPACE, IS THE HEIGHT OF 65 FEET MAX.
UM, SO AS YOU GO DOWN, YES, THOSE HEIGHTS WOULD BE TALLER THAN THEY'RE ALLOWED TODAY.
ALRIGHT, SO IT'S IT'S KIND OF A MIX THEN.
AND IT'S, WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT IT FROM A, UM, COMPLETE PICTURE RATHER THAN THE INDIVIDUAL TRACK REGULATIONS.
WELL, THE WAY I LOOK AT IT IS THAT THE RULES TODAY THAT WE HAVE TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY ARE STRICTER THAN THEY WERE IN WHATEVER YEAR YOU WANNA POINT TO IN THE PAST.
AND SO I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT THE RULES THAT EXIST NOW ARE MUCH EASIER TO BUILD UNDER THAN THE RULES THAT WE HAVE NOW IN 2026.
'CAUSE THERE'S, FOR EXAMPLE, CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES.
THERE ARE NO PROTECTIONS RIGHT IN THE CURRENT BDA.
I'M, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT, UH, YOU COULD PUT THE MAP UP, UH, OF, OF THE, OF THIS SPACE? I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHERE THE 82 ACRES OF THE BRACK FIELD LAB EXIST ON THIS MAP.
WHERE ARE THEY? I'M LOOKING AT DEVELOPMENT AREA SETBACK, OPEN SPACE.
CAN Y'ALL HELP FIGURE OUT, DO YOU KNOW WHICH PART, WHERE IT IS? SLIDE NINE IS BETTER.
UM, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND GOING UP TO THE MICROPHONE, I'M SORRY.
I KNOW IT'S HARD TO SPEAK AND POINT AT THE SAME TIME, BUT JUST FOR OUR ONLINE LISTENERS, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE YOUR VOICE CAPTURED.
SO THE, UM, LIKE LINE THAT'S DARK GREEN GOING DOWN JUST TO THE RIGHT OF IT, YOU CAN SEE KIND OF A SQUARE THAT'S CLEAR.
THAT'S THE EXPERIMENTAL GARDEN AREA, WHICH CONTAINS GREENHOUSES.
WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE ARE EXCLOSURES FOR, UM, MAMMAL STUDIES.
YOU DON'T SEE THE FISH TANKS THAT ALLOW FOR, UM, PEOPLE WHO DO AQUATIC STUDIES THROUGHOUT.
AND THEN AT THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY, YOU HAVE THE MAIN BUILDING, WHICH HAS THE LABORATORIES, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, WILL BE HOUSING PART OF THE BIODIVERSITY COLLECTION.
UM, SO AS I SEE THIS MAP, I SEE THAT ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT, UH, THAT WERE JUST POINTED AT ARE ALL WITHIN THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT AREA.
AND IT'S PLAUSIBLE THAT ALL OF THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED AND COULD CHANGE THIS 82 ACRES THAT THE, THAT'S BEING USED AS A FUEL LAB, IS THAT CORRECT? SO THE UNIVERSITY CAN REDEVELOP IT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE CHANGE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, PARTICULARLY FOR UNIVERSITY PURPOSES.
UM, FOR NON UNIVERSITY PURPOSES, YES.
THIS WOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE DEVELOPED NOW.
[01:10:03]
I'M CURIOUS ALSO ABOUT THE, THE LEASE, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS LEASE AT THE MILLER DEVELOPMENT, THE MODIFY, UH, THAT, THAT LEASE AGREEMENT.WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN? SO THEY, BY THE WAY, I'M ON THE COMMISSION THAT OVERSEES THE MILLER DEVELOPMENT, SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS.
SO PLEASE LET EVERYBODY ELSE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS.
SO THE, THE UNIVERSITY HAS A GROUND LEASE FOR 11 ACRES IN THE MILLER DEVELOPMENT.
UH, WHEN THAT LEASE AGREEMENT WAS EXECUTED, THERE WAS AN INTENT FOR THE MEDICAL SCHOOL TO BE LOCATED IN THE, IN THE MILLER.
THAT OBVIOUSLY IS NOT WHAT OCCURRED.
UM, WHEN THAT, WHEN THE MEDICAL SCHOOL WAS INTENDED TO BE IN MILLER, UH, THE LEASE AGREEMENT WAS, UH, STRUCTURED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY WOULD BE FOCUSING ON LIFE SCIENCES, UH, FOCUSED, UH, USES.
UH, SO THEY ARE ASKING FOR US TO BE, TO ADD, UH, USES FOR HOUSING FOR, FOR STUDENT AND FACULTY HOUSING.
UH, AND SO IT'S, IT ALLOWS FOR THEM TO CONTINUE TO MEET OTHER UNIVERSITY PURPOSES, UM, THAT THEY CAN'T DO RIGHT NOW UNDER THE EXISTING AGREEMENT.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR A LONG TIME TO FIND OUT WHAT THE UNIVERSITY WAS GONNA DO WITH THAT LAND.
I THINK THE LEASE STARTED 20 YEARS AGO.
WELL, UM, SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING STUDENT HOUSING TO, AND I'M ASSUMING AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THE MILLER DEVELOPMENT FOR STUDENTS.
AND, UH, ALSO, UM, GIVE THE, THE UNIVERSITY OR GIVE THE CITY THE, WHO'S GETTING THE ABILITY TO DEVELOP THIS LAND? IS IT THE CITY OR THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS? MILLER? NO, NOT MILLER.
THE, THIS, THE, THE BRACKENRIDGE TRACT.
THIS IS THE UNIVERSITY'S LAND.
SO THE CITY DOES NOT, WOULD NOT BE TAKING PART IN THE DEVELOPMENT.
WE ARE, HOWEVER, REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, TO SERVE THE AREA UNDER THE EXISTING 1989 AGREEMENT.
AND SO THAT REQUIREMENT, UH, CONTINUES.
SO THAT WOULD BE OUR, OUR ROLE.
UM, IS ANYONE HERE REPRESENTING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS? YES.
UM, THE, UH, YEAH, I, I MEAN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, GENERALLY SPEAKING AS I'VE BEEN ON IT FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, IS VERY INTERESTED IN DOING THE RIGHT THING WITH DEVELOPERS.
I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN OUR GOAL.
UM, AS I SEE THIS
AND, UM, THAT CONCERNS ME A GREAT DEAL.
UM, I I, WE DON'T FEEL LIKE DEVELOPMENT IS A BAD WORD HERE, HONESTLY, BUT, UM, SOMETIMES DEVELOPING CERTAIN THINGS SEEMS LIKE A, A BAD IDEA.
A SO, UH, I LIKE THE IDEA OF A LIDAR MAP RESEARCH, UH, UH, THERE.
THAT'S, THAT'S VERY INTERESTING.
UM, BUT, UM, UH, I'M CURIOUS ALSO ONE OTHER THING REGARDING, UH, WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP.
UH, YOU'RE, YOU SAID YOU HAVE A RESOLUTION.
I'M CURIOUS WHAT THE RESOLUTION IS.
UM, JUST AS A GENERAL NOTE, IF FOLKS ARE INVITED BY THE CHAIR TO COME SPEAK FROM THE AUDIENCE, THEY ARE, BUT I DON'T WANNA ENCOURAGE FOLKS JUST CHIMING IN.
UM, BUT THERE IS A, A DIRECT QUESTION, SO I WILL ALLOW YOU TO, TO COME UP TO THE MIC AND ANSWER, BUT JUST DON'T WANT THAT TO BECOME A GENERAL PRACTICE.
IT'S A COM COMPLICATED ISSUE WE'VE GOT HERE.
SO AS I SAID BEFORE, WE'RE WORKING ON A RESOLUTION.
WE HAVE CREATED A WORKING GROUP, KIND OF LIKE, UM, OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS CAN C CREATE TO ADDRESS THE AMENDMENTS BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND WE WANT TO SEE SCENARIOS OF HOW THIS WOULD PLAY OUT.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS REPRESENTATIVES, AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL BE WORKING WITH CITY STAFF AND CONTACTING THEM AS WELL, OUR COUNCIL MEMBER AND SO FORTH.
[01:15:01]
A RESOLUTION YET BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION.HOW LONG IS IT GONNA TAKE TO GET THE RESOLUTION? WE WILL HAVE IT BEFORE NOVEMBER 19TH.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP MEETING TO RIGHT.
PASS THE RESOLUTION, RIGHT? CORRECT, YES.
WHEN'S YOUR NEXT MEETING? OUR NEXT MEETING IS NOVEMBER 7TH.
AND WE ALSO SOMETIMES MEET VIRTUALLY FOR, UM, UH, IF NECESSARY TO VOTE ON, ON ISSUES.
SO, AND YOU, IS YOUR RULE FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP THAT YOU HAVE TO POST THE ELECTION OR THE, THE VOTE A MONTH BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY DO THE VOTE? IS THAT SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO PUBLISH FIRST BEFORE YOU HAVE A ACTUAL NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP VOTE? I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S IN OUR BYLAWS.
SO, UM, WE, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON THIS AND IT'S A PROCESS.
WE, WE WANT IT TO BE THAT WE GATHER AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE BEFORE WE CAN TAKE A STAND ON THE AMENDMENTS.
UM, WE HAVE TOLD REPRESENTATIVES, UM, FROM THE CITY AND ALSO THE UNIVERSITY, THAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE OUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE BFL PRESERVED.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE ENVIRONMENT TAKEN CARE OF.
AND WE, WE ALSO ADAMANTLY WANT THE GOLF COURSE AND THE WEST AUSTIN YOUTH ASSOCIATION PRESERVED, UM, AT THIS POINT, THE UNIVERSITY HAS SAID THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE, BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT THE UNIVERSITY DECIDES.
AND SO, UM, WE WANT TO WORK WITH THEM IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN TO MAKE THIS A GOOD SETUP AND AMENDMENT.
UM, THERE'S ALWAYS THE THREAT THAT THE UNIVERSITY HAS SAID, WE DO NOT HAVE TO WORK WITH THE CITY AT ALL, AND WE CAN FORGET ABOUT THE CONVEYANCE OF THE GOLF COURSE AND THE YOUTH ASSOCIATION, AND WE WILL DEVELOP THE LAND INDEPENDENT OF CITY RULES AND THE CITY.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING AS A WORST CASE SCENARIO.
AND SO HOPEFULLY THERE'S SOME WAY THAT WE CAN FIND A WIN-WIN WITH THIS.
UM, IF IT WERE ME, I WOULD, I WOULD ADVISE SPEAKING TO THE COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES DEAN AND TO THE PEOPLE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS THAT MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE FIELD LAB.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DO YOU FEEL THREATENED BY THIS SITUATION AT ALL? AS A NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP? WE FEEL LIKE THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALWAYS FELT LIKE THE GOLF COURSE WAS BEING USED AS A, BECAUSE WE WANT THE PRESERVATION OF THE GOLF COURSE, AND WE'VE ALSO WANTED THE PRESERVATION OF THE FIELD LAB, AND THAT WAS NEGOTIATED IN THE BDA, THAT THAT WAS KIND OF A, A NEGOTIATING TOOL, IF YOU WILL, PUTTING IT NICELY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER FLURY? YEAH, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, UH, FOR THE CITY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FULLY WHAT THE COUNCIL IS VOTING ON IN NOVEMBER, WHAT IS WE'RE BEING ADHERED TO? WHAT'S GETTING LOCKED IN PLACE? UH, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, SHOULD WE, DOES THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAVE SAY, OR AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE 75% IMPERVIOUS COVER? OR IS THAT LOCKED IN AND WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY IS BEING LOCKED IN? SO THE VOTE IN NOVEMBER, OUR COUNCIL WOULD BE TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO THE BDA AND THEY WOULD COVER THE ELEMENTS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY.
UM, ONE OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE WHOLE PACKAGE IS THE REGULATING PLAN, WHICH WILL COME BACK TO THE COMMISSIONS, UM, BUT IT WILL BE ALIGNED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE ENTER INTO WITH THE UNIVERSITY IF COUNSEL APPROVES IT.
SO IT WOULD BE THAT 75% IMPERVIOUS COVER OVER THE ENTIRETY OF THE SITE.
IT WOULD BE, UM, THE HEIGHTS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED, THE FLORIDA AREA RATIO, THE USES AND, AND ESSENTIALLY ALL THOSE ELEMENTS.
AND IS THAT, THAT BDA, IS THAT, UM, POSTED FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE RIGHT NOW? IS THAT, SO IN YOUR BACKUP IS THE EXISTING, UH, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY ALONG WITH, UH, THE AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THAT TIME.
AND ALSO WE'VE, UH, PUT INTO THE BACKUP, THE PRESENTATION, AND THEN A CHART KIND OF WALKING THROUGH WHAT THE CURRENT BDA SAYS AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING ALONG WITH A LIST OF THE USES THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED, UM, NORTH OF LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD AND SOUTH OF LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD.
UM, AND I, I THINK I FIGURED IT OUT AND I HAD, UH, NOT PROPERLY UNDERSTOOD THAT
[01:20:01]
UT UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE THE DEVELOPERS.SO WHAT THEY'RE BENEFITING FROM IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, THE BRACKENRIDGE TRACT.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP THEIR LAND.
SO IT'S, UH, I, FIRST QUESTION I HAD IS WHY COULDN'T THAT BE PARK LAND? LIKE WHY CAN'T WE SAVE MOONEY AND THEN HAVE MORE PARK LAND? THAT'S THAT, UNDERSTAND THAT QUESTION.
UM, IT IS NOT WITHIN THE CITY'S CONTROL YEAH.
TO MANDATE THAT, UM, AS A STATE ARM OF THE STATE.
UM, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE WE WOULD NOT OBJECT IF THE UNIVERSITY WANTED TO TAKE THAT APPROACH, BUT THEY HAVE MADE CLEAR TO US THAT IS NOT THE APPROACH THEY'D LIKE TO TAKE.
UM, AND THEN I GUESS A QUESTION ON HOW THE TURS GETS, UH, DECIDED TO BE APPLIED HERE.
IS THAT ONLY BECAUSE YOU TEASE THE OWNER? OR HOW IS IT, UH, I MIGHT BE MISREPRESENTING THIS, BUT THE BUT FOUR CLAUSE THAT, UH, UNDERSTANDING SIMILAR TO DOG'S HEAD THAT THIS IS A VERY VALUABLE REAL ESTATE AND WHY, WHY DO WE NEED FURTHER INCENTIVES TO BUILD OUT THIS UNIQUE PROPERTY? SO, AND WITH THIS LAND, UH, THE, THE UNIVERSITY IS THE SOLE OWNER.
THEY AS THE LANDOWNER HAVE THE RIGHT TO REQUEST A T UNDER TEXAS TAX CODE.
UH, THERE'S ALSO COMPONENTS OF THE TEXAS TAX CODE THAT SPEAK TO, UH, ROADWAYS INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, PLATING, UH, VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS HERE.
SO THERE'S, UH, VIABILITY OF THE TURS UNDER BOTH OF THOSE PERSPECTIVES, BUT ALSO, UH, PROTECT PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IS THAT UNDER THE EXISTING AGREEMENT, WE ARE OBLIGATED TO PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO SERVE THAT, THAT DEVELOPMENT.
UH, SO FOR US TO DO THAT, UM, IN A WAY THAT IS, UM, LEAST IMPACTFUL TO, TO TAXPAYERS ACROSS THE, THE CITY UTILIZATION OF THE TURS IS, IS VERY, IS IS AN APPLICABLE USE HERE.
UM, THIS WAY THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT LAND IS IN ITSELF PAYING FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE ON, ON THE SITE.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS AND MINIMIZE IMPACT ELSEWHERE AS WELL.
AND THEN IN THE MAP WHERE IT SHOWS OPEN SPACE, IS THAT JUST MEAN IT WON'T BE DEVELOPED OR IT HAS POTENTIAL TO BECOME PARKLAND FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN? UM, SO IT'S NOT PARKLAND FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THOSE ARE THE SETBACKS, UM, FROM THE WATER AND FROM THE TRIBUTARY.
UM, AND SO THEY HAVE SOME LIMITED DEVELOPMENT ALLOWANCES, BUT, UM, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE LIKE THE REGULAR PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
AND DOES THE, IS THE TOURISM AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE PARKLAND? THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO CREATE PARKLAND IS IF THE UNIVERSITY WANTS IT TO BE PARKLAND.
SO THEY COULD SAY TO US, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU THIS LAND TO MAKE IT PARKLAND.
UM, OR THEY COULD DECIDE THEY WANT IT TO BE, UM, A UNIVERSITY FACILITY THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, THERE'S NO OTHER LIKE, MECHANISM FOR US TO MANDATE, UM, PARKLAND.
I MAY HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL PASS IT ONWARDS FOR NOW.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CHINKS THAT.
UM, AND THANKS FOR ALL OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AS WELL.
UM, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK THE MAJORITY OF MY QUESTIONS ARE FOR UT AND I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ARE ABLE TO ANSWER ANYTHING.
UM, FIRSTLY, UM, I'M REALLY CURIOUS.
SO IN THE PAST, I, I READ THAT IN 2008 THE AMENDMENTS INCLUDED SOME SORT OF PROTECTION FOR THE FIELD LAB.
UM, SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE READ, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THE CITY IS SUPPORTING, UM, THE TRAIL AROUND THE BRACKENRIDGE TRACK, UM, PROVIDED NONE OF THAT TAKES AWAY FROM THE, THE FIELD LABORATORY.
AND I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHY THAT LANGUAGE ISN'T RETAINED IN THESE CURRENT RESOLUTIONS FROM THE CITY.
BECAUSE THE, I I WILL SAY FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE, YES, THAT WAS NOT AN OPTION ON THE TABLE FOR US.
AND, UM, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, MY NAME IS RICHARD SU, I'M HERE WORKING WITH UT ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, I CAN'T ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS TO THE BIOFIELD LAB.
THAT'S A TOTALLY SEPARATE FROM THE LAND USE SECTION THAT'S, THAT'S A UNIVERSITY DECISION ON WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.
SO I CAN'T ADDRESS ANYTHING ABOUT THE BIOFIELD LAB.
UM, SO IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SECTION OF OF WELL LAND USE.
[01:25:01]
THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE BY THE UNIVERSITY.THE BOARD OF REGENTS, UM, OUR DIRECTION HAS BEEN WHAT YOU SEE ON, IN THE, IN THE AGREEMENT.
SO YEAH, I DON'T THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER ANY OF MY QUESTIONS.
UM, I GUESS THEN, SINCE THERE,
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, NOT TO SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THE CITY DOES AS WELL, UM, IN TERMS OF THE, THE FIELD LABORATORY, I MYSELF AM A RESEARCHER AND I, I SEE THE VALUE IN THAT.
UM, FROM WHAT I'VE READ, IT SEEMS LIKE HISTORICALLY UT HAS ALSO SEEN THE VALUE IN THAT, IN, IN THEIR PREVIOUS PROTECTIONS.
THE BOARD OF REGENTS HAD VOTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO PROTECT THE FIELD LABORATORY.
UM, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BOARD OF REGENTS IS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NEW REGENTS THAT CYCLE IN EVERY SIX YEARS OR SO.
UM, AND THEY ARE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR AND HAVING INTERACTED WITH THAT OFFICE IN THIS CAPACITY BEFORE, UM, I CAN SAY THAT THEY VERY OFTEN APPOINT PEOPLE THAT ARE IN LINE WITH THEIR, UH, THEIR OFFICE'S GOALS.
UM, AND SO YEAH, I, I AM EQUALLY AS, AS WORRIED, UM, ABOUT THE FIELD STATION AND, UM, HOW LONG THE CURRENT PROTECTIONS WILL LAST FOR IT.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, I, I DO THINK THAT THE, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HAS A FEW SORT OF, UH, SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE ALMOST, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL ENDOWMENT FUNDS THAT, UM, HAVE MADE THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIELD NETWORK, UM, KNOWN.
AND THEY, THEY'VE MADE THAT SOME OF THEIR TERMS IN, IN THE ENDOWMENTS.
UM, I I SAY THIS NOT AS LIKE A, A CITY THING, BUT YOU KNOW, MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE ACTED UPON, UM, IF THEY'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE, THE TERMS OF THE ENDOWMENTS.
UM, I DO KNOW THAT THEY'RE STILL ACTIVELY SUPPORTING THE FIELD LAB AND FUTURE RESEARCH GOING ON THERE.
LIKE THEIR CURRENT ADVERTISEMENTS ARE FOR, UM, THEY'RE STILL PRIORITIZING RESEARCH THAT IS ABLE TO INTEGRATE THE, UH, FIELD STATION NETWORK AT THE POSTDOCTORAL LEVEL, AND THAT'S IN LINE WITH THE STENGEL WIRE, UM, ENDOWMENT.
BUT YEAH, I THINK PERHAPS ENDOWMENTS MIGHT BE THE WAY TO GO, UM, IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO INFLUENCE THEIR OPINIONS.
UM, YEAH, I DID TAKE A LOOK AT THE BOARD OF REGENTS AND IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF THEM HAVE INTEREST IN DEVELOPMENT, UM, AND OIL AND GAS, SO THAT'S INTERESTING.
UM, YEAH, I GUESS THAT THAT IS THE END OF MY QUESTION AND COMMENTS.
UM, BUT I AM WITH YOU AND I, I FEEL YOU AND I, I HEAR YOU.
UM, AND YEAH, I, THIS IS AN INTERESTING ONE, BUT THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ATKINS.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY NEARLY ALL OF MY QUESTIONS ALSO RELATED TO THE FIELD LAB, WHICH JUST SOUNDS LIKE WE'LL NOT BE ABLE TO GET VERY SUBSTANTIVE, UH, ANSWERS TO TODAY.
UM, I KIND OF, I WANNA ECHO THE PREVIOUS COMMISSIONER'S POINT THAT I DO FIND THIS, LIKE, OVERALL VERY CONCERNING.
UM, AND I DO THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE, BE SMART FOR US TO AT LEAST PUSH FOR SOME LEVEL OF PROTECTIONS, UH, FOR THE FIELD LAB.
AND I JUST WANNA ECHO THE PREVIOUS, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTERS POINT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS 60 YEARS OF INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE TO GO INTO A FIELD LAB THAT ARE NOT EASILY TRANSFERABLE IF YOU WERE TO TRANSPORT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE IN AUSTIN.
UM, I GUESS MY PRIMARY QUESTION IS, I, I DO WANNA FOLLOW UP ON, ON THE TURS QUESTION JUST A LITTLE BIT AS TO SORT OF, ITS NECESSITY.
THIS PROJECT DOES JUST LOOK SO DIFFERENT THAN EVERY OTHER USE OFTS AND THAT, THAT I'VE, YOU KNOW, EVER READ ABOUT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
[01:30:01]
THIS IS INCREDIBLY VALUABLE LAND.UM, AND I, I THINK I MIGHT'VE BEEN LOST IN THE EXPLANATION OF SORT OF THE NECESSITY OF THE TURS UNDER THIS SITUATION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE OBLIGATIONS THAT MUST BE PAID OUT, BUT I WONDER IF THIS COULD BE UNPACKED A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND I MIGHT HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.
SO WITH THE, THE REQUIREMENT TO PAY FOR THE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE ON SITE, UM, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING SOURCES, WE, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO FUND WITH CASH.
IT WOULD BE, UH, UTILIZATION OF, UM, VOTER APPROVED BONDS IS, UH, PROBLEMATIC AS WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PAY FOR THIS INFRASTRUCTURE REGARDLESS.
UM, THERE'S PRACTICALLY, THERE'S VERY LITTLE VALUE ON THE TRACKS AS IS BECAUSE IT IS STATE OWNED LAND, IT'S NON, IT'S TAX EXEMPT LAND, SO IT STARTS OUT AS ZERO VALUE.
SO IT DOES CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT ON THAT SITE TO PAY FOR.
HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE UTILIZED HERS TO PAY FOR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WE'RE CONTINUING THAT UTILIZATION HERE, UM, AS WELL AS PROTECTING, UH, AS THE BEST WE CAN, UH, TAXPAYERS ACROSS THE CITY, UM, IN MAKING SURE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT ON SITE IS, IS, IS SUPPORTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE COST.
I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION.
UM, YEAH, UH, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS FOR THE MOMENT.
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER BRIMER, WE'RE BACK TO YOU.
UH, SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS IS A BRIEFING, NOT A RECOMMENDATION FOR ACTION, SO WE CAN JUST ASK QUESTIONS AND BE BRIEFED BY WHOEVER'S HERE.
AND, UH, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING HERE.
WE CANNOT TAKE A, MAKE A SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, IS THAT NOT CORRECT? NOT AT THIS MEETING, CORRECT? CORRECT.
NOW WE HAVE SEVERAL NEW MEMBERS ON THE COMMISSION WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM FLORIDA AREA RATIO.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME OR TO THE COMMISSION EXACTLY WHAT FAR MEANS AND YOU KNOW, HOW IT'S BEING CHANGED FROM WHATEVER IT IS NOW TO WHATEVER IT IS IT'S GOING TO BE? SO, FLORIDA AREA RATIO IS ESSENTIALLY HOW MUCH SQUARE FOOTAGE YOU CAN BUILD ON A SITE.
AND THE CURRENT AGREEMENT HAS 0.4 TO ONE ON CERTAIN SITES OR CERTAIN TRACKS.
AND THEN ON OTHER TRACKS IT IS 0.45.
SO THE OVERALL THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW GOING FORWARD IS 0.6 TO ONE.
AND THIS WILL BE LARGER THAN WHAT IS CURRENTLY ALLOWED IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
SO WE'RE MOVING FROM ABOUT 0.4 TO 0.6 IS WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING ABOUT, ABOUT, CORRECT.
UM, NOW I LOOKED AT, DOES THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY APPLY TO THIS AREA? THERE ARE PORTIONS OF THE LAND THAT WERE THEY NOT SUBJECT TO THIS AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY AND NOT STATE LAND? YES, THEY WOULD BE SUBJECT TO IT.
SO HOW MUCH OF THE AREA THAT IS NOT A, THAT'S HOW MUCH DOES NOT, IS NOT COVERED BY THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY? I CANNOT REMEMBER THE EXACT BOUNDARIES, BUT ESSENTIALLY THE SETBACK THAT WE HAVE OF THE 200 FEET MIRRORS THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH FARTHER IN IT GOES FROM THERE.
BECAUSE THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY HAS REALLY A LOT OF SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS THAT ABOUT WHAT'S BEING ABLE TO BUILD.
SO I GUESS WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY BUILDING REQUIREMENTS DO NOT APPLY TO THE BULK OF THE PROPERTY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SETBACK FROM THE LAKE? CORRECT.
SO WE'RE STARTING FROM SCRATCH PAST THE SETBACK FROM THE, UH, THE, THE, YEAH, THAT'S, YEAH, THAT'S ONE WAY TO DESCRIBE IT.
I MEAN, IT'S THE, EVEN IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS AGREEMENT IN PLACE AND IT WAS STATE OWNED LAND, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ENFORCE THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY.
UH, NOW YOU'RE GOING WITH 75% IMPERVIOUS COVER, UH, AND DOING A COMPARISON, WHICH I HAVE A HABIT OF DOING IS WHEN I LOOK AT THE PUDS THAT, THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION APPLIES, OR, YOU KNOW, HAS APPROVED, TYPICALLY IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK
[01:35:01]
AT SAY 65%, 70%, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.YOU KNOW, IN THAT GENERAL THING, OCCASIONALLY WE GO HIGHER.
WHY IS 75% WHAT YOU'RE GOING FOR HERE AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, A COMMON THING WHICH MIGHT BE AVERAGE AT 67% WHAT WE APPROVE.
SO THE WAY THE BDA IS SET UP TODAY, THERE ARE A RANGE OF IMPERVIOUS COVERS FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL USES, AND THEY RANGE FROM 75% UP TO 90%.
AND THEN RESIDENTIAL USES HAVE 30%, UM, FOR SINGLE FAMILY AND 60% FOR CLUSTERS AND TOWN HOMES.
UM, 75% IS THE LOW END, OBVIOUSLY OF WHAT THE NON-COMMERCIAL USES.
THE COMMERCIAL USES AND NON-RESIDENTIAL USES HAVEN'T BEEN ALLOWED.
UM, AND ACTUALLY SINGLE FAMILY IN THIS, AND INADVERTENTLY LEFT THIS OFF THE SLIDE, THE IMPERVIOUS COVER IS 45%.
SO FOR YOUR SINGLE FAMILY SITES, 45% IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND THEN FOR THE NON SINGLE FAMILY IT WILL BE, UM, 85% AT THE, AT THE, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT LEVEL.
AND THEN OVERALL FOR THE ENTIRETY IT'S 75%.
BUT YOU ALSO HAVE HERE THING WHERE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO ROLL OVER IMPERVIOUS COVER FROM ONE LOT TO THE NEXT.
SO THEORETICALLY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, AND I I I HAVEN'T DONE THE MATH ON THIS.
LET'S SAY YOU DO 50% IMPERVIOUS COVER IN ONE LOCATION, YOU COULD THEORETICALLY HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT IMPERVIOUS COVER AT ON ANOTHER LOCATION.
AND EXPLAIN TO ME WHY THAT'S GOOD.
THAT IS WHAT THE UNIVERSITY HAS ASKED FOR AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE NEGOTIATED WITH THEM.
AND EXPLAIN TO ME WHY YOU DIDN'T NEGOTIATE A BETTER DEAL THAN THAT.
BECAUSE A HUNDRED PER PERCENT PER IMPERVIOUS COVER IS LIKE THE MOST TERRIBLE SOLUTION IN THE WORLD.
SO THE ENTIRETY OF THE 190 ACRES CANNOT BE DEVELOPED AT A HUNDRED PERCENT IMPERVIOUS COVER.
YES, I KNOW, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I ASKED.
BUT THE WAY IT WORKS NOW, SOME OF THOSE SITES UNDER THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT CAN GO UP TO 90% ACROSS THE ENTIRETY OF ATTRACT.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE HAVE TAKEN IT FROM A HIGHER LEVEL OF OVERALL 75%, AND THEN WE HAVE ADDRESSED IT AS WELL AT THE INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT LEVEL.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING.
NOW THE SETBACK, I THINK IS 200 FEET IN SOME LOCATIONS ON THE WATERFRONT OVERLAY.
IN OTHER PLACES IT'S 300 FEET.
IS IT GONNA BE, BUT YOU'RE GOING WITH 200 FEET OVER THE ENTIRE THING? OR ARE YOU, ARE YOU SAYING THAT 'CAUSE IT'S STATE OWNED LAND, YOU CAN ONLY DO 200 FEET SETBACK? THE AGREEMENT TODAY AND THE AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE PROPOSING COUNCIL, UM, CONS THAT WE'RE ASKING COUNCIL TO CONSIDER HAS 200 FEET OF, UM, SETBACK FROM THE WATER SO THAT WE'RE BEING CONSISTENT, BUT WITHOUT EITHER ONE OF THOSE, THEY CAN BUILD UP TO THE WATER'S EDGE.
UH, WILL THE SITE PLANS COME BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FOR REVIEW? ASSUMING THEY REQUIRE A VARIANCE? THE SITE PLANS WILL BE HANDLED IN NORMAL CITY PROCESS.
UM, THE EXCEPTION WOULD BE IF THERE IS CUT AND FILL OR CONSTRUCTIONS ON SLOPES.
THERE IS NOT, UM, THERE WOULD NOT BE A NEED FOR A VARIANCE BECAUSE THERE IS NO LIMITATION TODAY AND THERE WOULD NOT BE A LIMITATION GOING FORWARD.
CAN, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT LAST PHRASE? I DIDN'T CATCH IT.
THE CUT AND FILL AND CONSTRUCTION ON SLOPES TODAY IN THE BDA, THERE ARE NO REGULATIONS AROUND THAT.
AND GOING FORWARD, WE WOULD NOT HAVE LIMITATIONS ON THAT EITHER.
AND SO THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY PLANS RELATED TO CUT AND FILL OR CONSTRUCTION ON SLOPES THAT WOULD COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
SO CUT AND FILL AND CONSTRUCTION ON SLOPES WILL NOT BE, UH, THAT WILL NOT BE MANAGED AT ALL BY, BY THE CITY.
SO THERE WILL BE NO LIMITS ON CUT AND FILL OR CONSTRUCTION ON SLOPES? CORRECT.
UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT VARIATION OR, UH, VARIANCES TO, UH, CITY CODE WOULD COME BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
THE WAY WE HAVE STRUCTURED IT IS THEY WILL FOLLOW CURRENT CODE FOR WATER QUALITY AND DRAINAGE EXCEPT FOR THE PIECES THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED SO FAR.
UH, NOW WHO'S GONNA BE WRITING THE REGULATING PLAN? UH, CITY STAFF.
[01:40:03]
CITY STAFF OR THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS CITY STAFF WILL BE WRITING THE REG REGULATING PLAN.AND WILL THAT COME BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FOR INPUT OR JUST APPROVAL? IT WILL COME TO THE COMMISSION FOR RECOMMENDATION.
IT WILL BE MODELED AFTER THE AGREEMENT WE ARE REACHING WITH THE UNIVERSITY.
UH, SO IT WILL IN, IT WILL ADHERE TO ALL THE ASPECTS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL, INCLUDING, UH, CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONES AND ALL THAT OTHER SORT OF THING.
SO WE WILL HAVE THE SETBACKS AND WHATEVER, UH, CURRENTLY APPLIES IN THOSE SETBACKS IN THE CURRENT BDA ARE BEING CARRIED OVER.
SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE IS A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE DEVELOPMENT THE BDA AND THE CRITERIA MANUALS, THE BDA WOULD CONTROL, UM, BUT WE HAVE NOT MADE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO THE CRITERIA MANUALS AT THIS TIME.
SO THE BDA IS THE GOVERNING AGREEMENT THEN? CORRECT.
SO IT SUPERSEDES ANY CITY CODE? CORRECT.
UH, AND WHY ARE WE DOING, UH, 105 FEET, UH, WORTH OF BUILDINGS ALONG THE LAKE? THAT IS THE WHAT CITY STAFF AND THE UNIVERSITY HAVE NEGOTIATED, AND THAT IS WHAT CITY STAFF IS RECOMMENDING.
UH, DO WE KNOW WHAT CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES ARE ON THE PROPERTY RIGHT NOW? NO.
PART OF THE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE REACHED WITH THE UNIVERSITY IS THAT WE WILL GO AND THERE WILL BE WORK DONE TO REVIEW WHAT IS ON THE PROPERTY TODAY.
WILL THAT BE DONE PRIOR TO ANY CONSTRUCTION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? I, I WOULD EXPECT BEFORE CONSTRUCTION, UM, I EXPECT OR WILL IT BE DONE? THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
MY EXPECTATION IS THAT WOULD BE BEFORE CONSTRUCTION, BUT THE UNIVERSITY DOES GET TO DO ITS OWN CONSTRUCTION AND I CAN'T CONTROL THAT.
UM, NOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS COME UP RECENTLY IS THAT, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE DSD DIRECTOR HAS, UH, BEEN DELEGATED AN EXTRAORDINARY AUTHORITY TO GRANT ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, VARIANCES WITHOUT INPUT FROM BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
IS, UH, DEVELOPMENT ON THIS, UH, PARTICULAR PROPERTY GOING TO FOLLOW, THAT SORT OF THING.
WE HAVE NOT MADE ANY PROVISIONS TO CHANGE, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE OR VARIANCES FROM COMMISSION APPROVED TO ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED.
NOW, WITH REGARD TO THE GOLF COURSE, WHO'S GONNA BE MANAGING THE GOLF COURSE? CURRENTLY GOLF COURSES ARE MANAGED BY, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT OR WHATEVER THEY CALL THEMSELVES THIS WEEK.
IS THAT STILL GONNA BE THE CASE OR WILL THAT BE MANAGED BY SOMEONE ELSE? IT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE MANAGED BY THE, THE GOLF DIVISION OF THE AUSTIN PARKS RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND WHO'S GONNA BE MAINTAINING IT? IT, IT ALREADY IS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE MAINTAINED BY THE GOLF DIVISION.
THERE'S A, UH, CLAWBACK PROVISION THAT ALLOWS THE UNIVERSITY TO TAKE THE COURSE BACK.
SHOULD THE 18 HOLE CONFIGURATION OF THE GOLF COURSE NOT BE MAINTAINED.
IS THERE AN ALLOWANCE FOR, UH, THINGS LIKE WALKING TRAILS OR HIKING TRAILS OR, I MEAN, CAN CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS BE MADE TO THE GOLF COURSE THAT DON'T RESULT IN THE THING BEING CLAWED BACK? SO RIGHT NOW, THE WAY THAT WE MANAGE AND, UM, OPERATE THE GOLF COURSES DETERMINED BY THE LEASE THAT WE HAVE, THE MONTH, THE MONTH LEASE WE HAVE WITH THE UNIVERSITY, AT THE END OF ALL OF THIS WORK ON THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, THE GOAL IS FOR IT TO BE CONVEYED TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND THE ONLY RESTRICTION WE HAVE DISCUSSED IS THAT IT REMAINS A GOLF COURSE SLASH PARKLAND.
BUT IT SAID 18 HOLES IN THE DOCUMENTS THAT I READ, AND THAT WILL BE, AND WITH NO MODIFICATION.
SO I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS, I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, SO IT, A LOT OF COURSES THEY CHANGE THEIR CONFIGURATION BECAUSE THE PLAYERS GET TIRED OF PLAYING THE SAME COURSE ALL THE TIME, SO THEY CHANGE THE LAYOUT OF THE COURSE, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO DOES THE CHANGE OF THE LAYOUT OF THE COURSE TRIGGER THE, UH, CLAWBACK OR HOW MUCH CHANGES CAN YOU MAKE WITHIN THE, ON THE COURSE BEFORE THE, THE CLAWBACK IS TRIGGERED? SO WE HAVEN'T NEGOTIATED THE LANGUAGE OF THE CLAWBACK FOR THE DEED.
SO IF IT IS DEEDED TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE WILL BECOME THE FULL OWNER OF THE GOLF COURSE.
AND OUR AGREEMENT IS THAT IF WE STOP USING IT AS A GOLF COURSE OR PARKLAND, THEN IT WOULD GO BACK TO THE UNIVERSITY.
NOW, I ASSUME THE FEE STRUCTURE'S GONNA RING RELATIVELY CONSISTENT TO ALLOW, UH, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC ACCESS
[01:45:01]
AND, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE, THE GOLF COURSE IS RENOWNED FOR HAVING A RELATIVELY LOW FEE STRUCTURE TO ALLOW PEOPLE OF MODEST MEANS TO GAIN ACCESS TO IT.I ASSUME IT'S GONNA REMAIN THAT TYPE OF COURSE GOING FORWARD? YES.
UH, AND I HEARD YOU SAY THE HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE WILL APPLY ON THE, UH, ON THE PROPERTY, NOT THE, THE GOLF COURSE I'M TALKING ABOUT.
SO THE UNIVERSITY HAS A HERITAGE TREE POLICY THAT IS SIMILAR TO OUR CODE.
UM, SO WE'LL KIND OF MESH OUR CODE ALONG WITH THEIR POLICY AND PUT THOSE REQUIREMENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AND DO WE KNOW HOW MANY HERITAGE TREES ARE ON THE PROPERTY AT THIS TIME? NO.
WILL THE, ANY MITIGATION BE, UH, ON THE PROPERTY OR WILL BE SOMEWHERE ELSE ON EITHER UNIVERSITY PROPERTY OR CITY PROPERTY MITIGATION FOR TREES? YES.
IF, IF YOU HAVE TO CUT DOWN A HERITAGE TREE, WILL MITIGATION BE ON THE PROPERTY OR UNIVERSITY PROPERTY OR CITY PROPERTY? THAT IS SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO WORK THROUGH AS WE, WE MESH THE POL THEIR UNIVERSITY'S EXISTING POLICY WITH OUR CITY CODE.
NOW, MY UNDERSTANDING IF I HEARD THIS CORRECTLY, IS ALL THE MARRIED STUDENT HOUSING WILL BE LEVELED.
IS THAT CORRECT? IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE UNIVERSITY INTENDS TO DEVELOP THAT LAND.
AND DOES THE UNIVERSITY, TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, HAVE ANY PLANS TO REPLACE THAT, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON A UNIT BUT UNIT FOR UNIT BASIS AND OTHERS? LET'S SAY THERE'S 400 UNITS, ARE THEY GONNA BUILD 400 UNITS, LET'S SAY OVER IN MUELLER BECAUSE THEY HAVE THIS AMAZINGLY COINCIDENTAL VACANT LOT THAT IS NOT GONNA BE USED FOR A TEACHING HOSPITAL ANYMORE FOR SOME REASON.
AND NOW THEY CAN BUILD 400 MARRIED STUDENT HOUSING AFFORDABLE UNITS THERE.
SO PART OF OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY IS THAT THEY REPLACE THE EXISTING HOUSING THAT, UH, THAT MARRIAGE STUDENT HOUSING.
UM, BUT IT MAY BE IN THE BRACKENRIDGE AREA OR IT MAY BE ON DIFFERENT UNIVERSITY PROPERTY.
NOW, I WAS LOOKING AT THE WHAT COULD BE USED OR CONSTRUCTED, WHAT LAND USE IS GONNA BE USED, YOU KNOW, ON THAT PROPERTY, UH, YOU HAD MANUFACTURING THERE, AND THAT'S EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE A 200 FOOT SETBACK THAT IS REALLY KIND OF ADJACENT TO THE LAKE, AND A LOT OF TIMES MANUFACTURING, DEPENDING ON THE, IT JUST SAYS LIGHT MANUFACTURING, I FORGET THE OTHER ONE.
UH, IS THERE ANY REAL REASON WHY WE ARE ALLOWING MANUFACTURING ADJACENT TO A LAKE WHERE WE MAY HAVE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND DRINKING WATER OR ANYTHING? I MEAN, SHOULD WE NOT CONSIDER, UH, NOT HAVING MANUFACTURING ADJACENT TO THE LAKE? SO THE WAY THAT THIS IS SET UP, THERE ARE TWO, UM, MANUFACTURING OPTIONS.
ONE IS CUSTOM MANUFACTURING, AND THAT IS UTILIZED ACTUALLY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, THE SECOND IS THE LIGHT MANUFACTURING.
AND AT THIS POINT, I'M NOT ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
UH, NOW IS THERE ANY GUARANTEE THAT THE BRACKENRIDGE FIELD LABORATORY WILL BE PERMANENTLY RETAINED? NO.
IS FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME, IS IT GUARANTEED TO BE RETAINED? NO.
SO THE DAY THIS IS SIGNED, IT COULD BE LEVELED, THE UNIVERSITY COULD DO THAT, THEY COULD DO THAT TOMORROW AS WELL.
BUT UNDER THE NEW AGREEMENT, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE, UH, PRESERVED.
IT WAS THE WAY THE, UM, BEA AT ONE POINT READS IS THAT THE FIELD LAB FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME COULD NOT BE REDEVELOPED FOR NON UNIVERSITY PURPOSES.
AND WHAT IS THAT CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME? IT WAS THE LENGTH OF THE, UH, AGREEMENT, BUT THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE A, THE AGREEMENT GOING FORWARD.
SO WHEN THE NEW AGREEMENT IS SIGNED, IT COULD BE LEVELED? CORRECT.
AND SO I'M GONNA MAKE, I'M GONNA READ SOMETHING THAT CAME BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 15TH OF, UH, 2025.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH A PUD THAT CAME BEFORE US AT THE YMCA.
UH, AND THERE WAS A, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD COMMENTS ON THAT.
UH, A GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF STEVE AMOS, WHO'S A RESIDENT OF THE WEST AUSTIN, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD SPOKEN OPPOSITION TO THE YMC POD.
AND HE STATED SPECIFICALLY OTHER LAND HOLD HOLDERS, INCLUDING UT AUSTIN AND PRIVATE DEVELOPERS, COULD CITE HIS THIS CASE AS JUSTIFICATION TO SEEK SIMILAR EXEMPTIONS ALONG LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD AND THE RED BUD AISLE CORRIDOR.
THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT WOULD BE THE URBANIZATION OF AUSTIN NATURAL WATERFRONT GRADUALLY ERASING THE OPEN
[01:50:01]
GREEN STYLE LINE THAT DEFINES OUR CITY'S CHARACTER AND QUALITY OF LIFE.WHAT BEGINS AS ONE EXCEPTION AT THE YMCA SITE COULD OVER TIME BE A CHAIN OF EXEMPTIONS STRETCHING FROM LAMAR TO RED, BUT IS DESTROYING NATURAL HABITAT.
THE CITY'S DEFINING SEA VISTA AND PROV AND PROVEN BENEFITS TO CHILDREN AND ADULTS MERGED NATURE.
NOW I'M GONNA HAVE ONE COMMENT, I KNOW THIS IS KIND OF FAR AFIELD FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, BUT I HAVE A, SO THE TURS MONEY GOES TO THE UNIVERSITY BASICALLY FUNDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION.
THE PRELIMINARY PROJECT FINANCING PLAN HAS YET TO BE DEVELOPED FOR THAT CHURCH.
IT'S WITH THE ACTION THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED BY COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER IS TO, THAT THEY, WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH DEVELOPING THAT PRELIMINARY PROJECT AND FINANCING PLAN INTO THE SPRING.
UH, PART OF NEGOTIATING AND DEVELOPING THAT PRELIMINARY PLAN INCLUDES, UH, HOW THE FINANCING TAKE ACTUALLY TAKES PLACE ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS OR THING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THEIR DEVELOPMENT IS A DI HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON, NOT ONLY ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS, BUT ALSO THE CAPABILITY OF IT BEING PAID FOR.
UH, SO THERE'S A LOT TO STILL BE DISCUSSED FOR THAT FINANCING AGREEMENT COMPONENT ON HOW THEY MIGHT BE REIMBURSED.
UM, SO THE, I I CAN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION AT THIS POINT AS TO THE ON SPECIFICS.
HOW MUCH MONEY IS THE TUR SUPPOSED TO BE? WE DON'T KNOW THAT YET.
UH, NOW I HEARD YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE DOING A TURS BECAUSE IF YOU ISSUE BONDS ON THIS, THAT THE, THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO BEFORE THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN FOR APPROVAL AND THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THE CITIZENS WOULD VOTE IT DOWN.
IS THAT KIND OF WHAT YOU DID? I INTERPRET WHAT YOU SAID CORRECTLY.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE SITE.
AND, AND IF IT WAS A WENT UP AS A BOND ISSUE, THEN IT COULD BE VOTED DOWN.
WE WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE SITE.
NOW I JUST, SOMETHING POPPED INTO MY MIND WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TURS LAST TIME.
SOMEONE SHOWED UP BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND TALKED ABOUT A PROPERTY THAT NEEDED A TURS.
UH, THE PROPERTY WAS TURNED, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REFERRED TO AS A BOMBED OUT MINE.
THIS HARDLY LOOKS LIKE A BOMBED OUT MINE.
THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION.
BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
HEY, Y'ALL APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
APPRECIATE ALL THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN AND, UH, ALL THE, THE NICE PEOPLE AT UT WHO CAME OUT TODAY.
UH, APPRECIATE ALSO ALL THE CITY STAFF THAT SHOWED UP.
UH, YEAH, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, I DEFINITELY ECHO THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TURS.
YOU KNOW, UH, LET'S BE FRANK HERE.
RIGHT? SO, UM, LIKE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, AND I'M A BIT OF A MORON, SO BEAR WITH, BEAR WITH ME HERE.
THE, THE TERMS IS LIKE BASICALLY LIKE A, A PROPERTY TAX LIKE REBATE, RIGHT? THAT LIKE BASICALLY THAT FUNDS, UH, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE CITY DEVELOPING THAT AREA AS FAR AS LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE.
IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S NOT A REBATE, IT'S A FACTOR OR A FUNCTION OF TEXAS TAX CODE, UH, THAT ALLOWS FOR UTILIZING REV PROPERTY TAX OR SALES TAX REVENUE FROM A DEVELOPMENT TO GO TOWARDS NEEDS ON THE PROPERTY.
AND IN THIS CASE, WE WOULD UTILIZING PROPERTY TAX REVENUES TO PAY FOR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE SITE.
SO LIKE UT CURRENTLY PAYS PROPERTY TAX ON THAT PROPERTY TO THE CITY? NO, I'M SORRY.
CAN SO, SO WE WOULD BASICALLY BE, WE THE CITY RIGHT? WOULD BE PAYING THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS TO DEVELOP THIS PROPERTY THAT THEY IN TURN WILL NOT BE PAYING US BACK FOR.
WE ARE REQUIRED UNDER THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TO PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE ON THAT SITE.
UH, I'M JUST TRYING TO PUT IN LIKE LAYMAN'S TERMS WHERE I CAN UNDERSTAND IT.
I, I THINK REAL FAST TO FOLLOW UP ON, UM, KIM'S POINT, THE USE THE LAND IS OWNED BY THE UNIVERSITY.
IT IS NOT TAXED THE STATE OF TEXAS, RIGHT? SO THE STATE OF TEXAS, IT'S NOT TAXED.
IF THERE IS DEVELOPMENT ON THE AREA THAT IS FOR NON UNIVERSITY PURPOSES, THEN WE WILL BE IN A POSITION TO TAX THAT LAND.
SO WHOEVER DEVELOPS ON THAT LAND WILL PAY TAXES ON THAT LAND, ON THE, WHAT THEY DEVELOP ON THAT LAND.
AND THAT IS WHAT HELPS TO FUND THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE AREA.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR THAT UP 'CAUSE THERE'S A DIFFERENCE WHEN THE UNIVERSITY IS OWNING IT AND DEVELOPING IT
[01:55:01]
FOR ITS PURPOSES VERSUS PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENED TO BE ON LAND THAT WAS UNIVERSITY LAND.SO UT'S GOING TO SELL THE LAND OR PROPERTY, THEY WILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SELL OR TO GROUND LEASE HOWEVER THEY SEE FIT, THAT IS A UNIVERSITY DECISION.
AND SO IF THE STATE OF TEXAS SELLS THE PROPERTY TO A PRIVATE OWNER, THEN THAT PRIVATE OWNER WILL PAY PROPERTY TAXES AND THEN WE AS A CITY OF AUSTIN GET LIKE REIMBURSED FOR WHATEVER WE SPENT FOR THE TURF.
SO ARE WE ROOTING FOR UT TO SELL THIS PROPERTY? AND AGAIN, I'M VERY STUPID HERE, SO JUST BEAR WITH ME.
WE DON'T HAVE A POSITION ON THAT.
WE HAVE BEEN, WE'VE WORKED ON A DEAL BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE UNIVERSITY.
THE UNIVERSITY HAS EXPRESSED TO US THEY WANT TO DEVELOP THEIR PROPERTY AND THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DEVELOP IT TODAY.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US AND WHETHER IT GETS DEVELOPED OR NOT IS NOT NECESSARILY A, UM, PRO AND CON IN OUR MIND IN TERMS OF HOW THIS MOVES FORWARD.
YEAH, I MEAN, I'M FROM AUSTIN.
I'M CERTAINLY AWARE OF THE PUSH AND PULL BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE CITY TO PLAY POLITELY.
UM, YEAH, I ALSO, YOU KNOW, I SEE THE CONCERNS THAT THE, THE QUOTE UNQUOTE UT RANK AND FILE HAVE ABOUT THE, THE LAB POTENTIALLY, UM, BEING DEVELOPED, DESTROYED, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO FRAME IT.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN THE, THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK, THE HISTORIC BUILDING THAT WAS THERE, UH, BE TORN DOWN FOR, UH, A FOOTBALL PRACTICE FACILITY.
SO I THINK WE'RE ALL KIND OF AWARE THAT LIKE, UH, DOLLARS TRUMP CULTURE, UH, WITH THE CURRENT BOARD OF REGENTS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, AS ANOTHER COMMISSIONER POINTED OUT, UM, THEY'RE VERY POLITICALLY MOTIVATED, RIGHT? THEY'RE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR WHO, I MEAN IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN UT, IT'S BASICALLY JUST LIKE WHITE SUPREMACIST PATRIARCHY, RIGHT? SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS THERE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK CERTAINLY I UNDERSTAND THAT WE WANNA DEVELOP THIS PROPERTY.
WELL UT WANTS TO DEVELOP THIS PROPERTY.
UM, WHY HAVE THEY NOT DEVELOPED IT SO FAR? THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE A QUESTION ANSWERED BY THE UNIVERSITY.
LISTEN MAN, I GRADUATED FROM UT.
I WOULD LOVE TO GET THESE PEOPLE UP HERE.
THEY CAN GIMME SOME FREE FOOTBALL TICKETS, UM, AND BASKETBALL TICKETS TOO.
UM, YEAH, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE JUST SO MANY QUESTIONS HERE.
LIKE, SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO USE THE LAND FOR, RIGHT? LIKE THEY COULD, THEY COULD DESTROY THE LAB AND PUT UP LIKE A FERRIS WHEEL THAT SELLS LIKE VINCE YOUNG BEER CUPS FOR ALL WE KNOW.
RIGHT? I'M NOT SURE IF THEY WOULD FIT IN THE USES THAT WE'RE AGREEING TO, BUT I GUESS IF IT WAS PURELY UNIVERSITY OWNED COULD, THEY COULD DO LIKE A FACTORY, THEY COULD DO LIKE A FACTORY THAT MAKES VINCE YOUNG BEER CUPS.
IT IS POSSIBLE THEY COULD DO THAT.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU KNOW, UM, WHERE IS THIS, YOU KNOW, MUELLER TRACT THAT I GUESS, YOU KNOW, IS BEING FLOATED AS LIKE A POSSIBLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REPLACEMENT? OH, OKAY.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT LIKE GIANT HULKING LIKE GREEN STUFF IS WITH LIKE THE TREES THAT I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED WHY THAT WAS EMPTY.
NOW I KNOW MY ALMA MATER LOVE TO SEE IT.
UM, YEAH, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST THROWING THIS OUT THERE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE KNOCKED DOWN THE FRANK IRWIN CENTER.
I MEAN THAT WOULD ALSO BE A GOOD PLACE TO PUT SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT YOU KNOW, I LIVE NEAR MUELLER SO I WOULD LOVE MORE, UH, UT PEOPLE THERE.
MAYBE THEY WOULD, UH, YOU KNOW, ENTICE THE BARS TO STAY OPEN LATER.
SO THAT'S JUST MY OWN PERSONAL, UH, SENTIMENT.
AND YOU KNOW, MY PERSONAL FEELING IS THAT WE NEED A WORKING GROUP BECAUSE CLEARLY THERE'S A LARGE DIVIDE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WANTS, WHAT, UH, YOU KNOW, UT RESEARCHERS AND STAFF WANT, UH, WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE BOARD OF REGENTS WANTS, UH, WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CITY WANTS.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS UH, AND I HATE TO RHYME, BUT THIS'S A VERY NUANCED SITUATION HERE.
AND UH, I THINK AS WE'VE SEEN WITH THE DOG'S HEAD DEVELOPMENT, UH, I THINK THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN IN GENERAL, WE WANT TRANSPARENCY.
UH, SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT HERE.
BUT THEN AGAIN, THAT'S NEVER BEEN SOMETHING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS OR THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR.
UH, BUT AGAIN, I THINK AS A COMMISSION WE SHOULD DEFINITELY TRY TO DO OUR PART.
AND, UH, I THINK THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
THANKS AGAIN TO THE AUDIENCE MEMBERS FOR BEING HERE.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS, UM, WHAT HAS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT BEEN UP TO THIS POINT BY THE CITY
[02:00:01]
AND BY THE APPLICANT? I CANNOT SPEAK TO WHAT THE UNIVERSITY HAS DONE, UM, ENGAGEMENT WISE.UM, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT PRIOR TO THIS TIME.
UM, BUT THIS TIME RIGHT NOW WHERE WE'RE AT IS WE ARE DOING THE TWO BRIEFINGS AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO COUNSEL WHAT'S, WHAT WAS THE ENGAGEMENT THAT HAPPENED PRIOR TO THIS TIME OVER THE YEARS WHEN THEY HAVE WORKED THROUGH A VARIETY OF, OF OPTIONS.
I KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN INVOLVED, BUT I DON'T, I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
SO I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, HOW MUCH OR HOW LITTLE, BUT THERE HAS BEEN ENGAGEMENT OVER THE YEARS.
SO YOU MEAN LIKE DATING BACK TO 1989 WHEN THIS WAS FIRST SIGNED TO TODAY, YOU'RE KIND OF SPEAKING ABOUT THAT HISTORIC PERIOD OR IN RECENT YEARS LEADING UP TO THE DECISION THAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY? IT GOES BACK INTO THE SEVENTIES.
WHEN, UH, THE DECISION, WHEN FRANK ERWIN WAS SUGGESTING ON END OF THAT, UH, THEY END THE LEASE FOR THE GOLF COURSE.
UM, THAT'S WHEN THERE WERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT UM, CERTAINLY STARTED TO GATHER AND, AND UM, ORGANIZE AROUND SAVING MUNI.
AND UH, SO I, I WAS NOT PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AT THAT POINT EITHER.
SO, BUT THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATION COMMUNITY EFFORTS, UH, THERE'S VARIOUS ORGAN, THERE'S UH, A, THESE STATE, UH, UM, HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT WAS CREATED FOR MUNI.
THERE'S ALSO THE SAVE MUNI CONSERVANCY, UM, AND THEY'RE VERY ACTIVE ON THIS, UH, IN THIS CONVERSATION AND HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS.
SO, UM, THERE'S ALWAYS, THERE'S THAT FACTOR AS WELL.
AND I MEAN, I GUESS THE QUESTION BEFORE US TODAY ARE THESE FOUR AMENDMENTS, SO SPECIFIC TO THESE FOUR AMENDMENTS, WHAT, WHAT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT HAS HAPPENED REGARDING THOSE IN TERMS OF INFORMING THE COMMUNITY? SO THAT BEGAN WITH THE MEMO THAT WAS RELEASED TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THIS WAS MOVING FORWARD.
AND WHAT WAS, I THINK WE HAVE THAT IN THE BACKUP.
JUST WANNA REMIND MYSELF THE DATE OF THAT.
DO YOU KNOW OFFHAND WOULD'VE BEEN THE 14TH.
UM, TO WHAT EXTENT HAVE CITY COUNCIL OFFICES BEEN INVOLVED EITHER IN NEGOTIATIONS OR DECISION MAKING? UP TO THIS POINT? THIS HAS BEEN, UM, LED BY THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
AND SO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE HAS BEEN INVOLVED, UM, AND BEEN LEAD ON THAT.
SO I DON'T TO WHAT EXTENT THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE INVOLVED.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT? YES, TO THE QUESTION.
UM, THE, UH, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE HAS BEEN LEADING ON THIS IN TANDEM WITH, UH, UH, UT IN A LAW DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S BASICALLY THE SETUP FOR THINGS RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO I UNDERSTAND THE AMENDMENTS ARE OF COURSE COMING BEFORE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
AT WHAT POINT DO YOU PLAN ON ENGAGING THE COUNCIL OFFICES AND OTHER CITY STAFF, INCLUDING WATERSHED AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS SPECIFIC TO THE AMENDMENTS? I WOULD TURN THAT TO LAW IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL AMENDMENTS, BUT NORMALLY WHAT WE WILL DO IS HAVE CONVERSATIONS, UM, UM, WITH COUNCIL OFFICES AS THIS THING STARTS TO REFINE.
SO THAT HADN'T HAPPENED YET, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE INTEND TO DO.
YEAH, I'LL JUST, UM, ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF CITIZENS AND CITY STAFF AND EVEN, YOU KNOW, FRIENDS I HAVE IN CITY COUNCIL OFFICES WHO I KNOW, UM, ARE EAGER TO GET INVOLVED EARLIER ON IN THE PROCESS FOR DEALS LIKE THIS AND OTHERS.
SO JUST REQUEST THAT YOU ENGAGE THEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE 'CAUSE THEY ARE A CONDUIT TO THE PUBLIC.
SO, OKAY, SO THE CITY FIRST BECAME AWARE OF THIS A WEEK AGO THROUGH THE CITY MEMO THAT THESE FOUR AMENDMENTS ARE HAPPENING.
UM, SO TO THE POINT OF SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT, WHAT, WHAT IS THE RUSH BEHIND THIS? DO WE HAVE TIME FOR GREATER PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT HERE AND INVOLVEMENT OF MORE CITY DEPARTMENTS? SO I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, THE UNIVERSITY AND THE CITY HAVE AGREED TO TRY TO GET THIS RESOLVED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR US, UM, BASED ON KIND OF EVERYONE'S SCHEDULE IS THE 19TH OF NOVEMBER.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AIMING FOR, KNOWING THAT THE ACTUAL KIND OF THE, THE RIGHT OF WAY VACATIONS, ALL THOSE OTHER ELEMENTS WILL ACTUALLY COME IN THE SPRING.
BUT THIS IS TO LAY THAT FOUNDATION, UH, BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR AND
[02:05:01]
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TO ACHIEVE.AND WHAT, WHAT'S THE IMPETUS FOR THAT THOUGH? LIKE WHY THE END OF THIS YEAR? IS IT UM, UH, YEAH, I GUESS I DON'T, I DON'T UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I GUESS TO SECRETARY KRESGE'S POINT, I DON'T SEE AT THIS POINT THE FINANCIAL BENEFIT TO THE CITY.
UM, AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM, MAYBE THE LONG TERM IF UT SELLS SOME OF THE PROPERTY AND WE GET THAT TAX REVENUE.
BUT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, I, I UNDERSTAND WHY UT WOULD WANNA ACT QUICKLY, BUT I'M CURIOUS WHAT IS MOTIVATING THE CITY TO GO ALONG WITH THAT? THE CITY HAS BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONVEYANCE OF MUNI AND WOULD LIKE TO ENSURE THAT MUNI LIONS MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE COMES TO THE CITY.
AND THE BEST PATH FORWARD FOR US TO ACHIEVE THAT IS TO HAVE, UH, COUNCIL AND BOARD OF REGENT VOTES BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, THIS IS A QUESTION THAT HAS COME UP FROM SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS, UM, THAT I'M ALSO RE WRESTLING WITH, WHICH, UM, ARE THE GROUNDS FOR THE TURS.
AND SO WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY, I WON'T REPEAT THE QUESTION 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN ASKED IT SEVERAL TIMES,
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M LOOKING AT THE RIGHT PART.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE BDA, IS IT SECTION 9.3 THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE NUMBER IN FRONT OF US.
IF WE'RE, I CAN, I CAN READ AND YOU GUYS CAN TELL ME.
SO SECTION 9.3 SAYS FINANCIAL GUARANTEE, SO LONG AS THE UNIVERSITY HOLDS ANY OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN THE PARCEL BEING SUBDIVIDED, NO CASH, ESCROW, LETTER OF CREDIT, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF FINANCIAL GUARANTEE FOR THE COMPLETION OF ANY SUBDIVISION IMPROVEMENT ON THE PROPERTY OR ANY PART THEREOF OR FOR THE RESTORATION OF DISTURBED AREA WITHIN THE PARCEL BEING SUBDIVIDED SHALL BE REQUIRED BEFORE THE CITY'S APPROVAL OF THE PLAT, RECORDATION OF THE PLAT AND THE TRAVIS COUNTY PLAT RECORDS, THE CITY'S APPROVAL OF THE SUBDIVISION CONSTRUCTION PLANS OR ACCEPTANCE OF ANY SUBDIVISION INFRASTRUCTURE BY THE CITY FOR OWNERSHIP, OPERATION OR MAINTENANCE.
THAT IS NOT THE, THAT'S NOT IT PROVISION.
UNDER THE CURRENT AGREEMENT, UM, THERE IS VERY LITTLE CITY PROCESS.
UM, WE ARE, UM, I HATE TO DESCRIBE IT THIS WAY, BUT A RUBBER STAMP, THE UNIVERSITY IS CONTROLLING ALL OF IT UNDER THE CURRENT AGREEMENT, EVEN FOR LAND THAT IS DEVELOPED FOR NON UNIVERSITY PURPOSES.
AND SO THAT WAS PART OF, UH, THE, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AT THE TIME OF HOW TO DO THAT.
WHAT WE'RE SHIFTING TO IN THIS AGREEMENT IS THAT NON UNIVERSITY DEVELOPED OR LAND IS DEVELOPED FOR NON UNIVERSITY PURPOSES, WE'LL FOLLOW OUR CITY CODE, UM, AND WE WILL BE THE REGULATORS AGAIN AS WE SHOULD BE.
YEAH, I DID A KEYWORD SEARCH FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND THIS WAS LIKE THE CLOSEST FIT THAT I FOUND.
SO DO Y'ALL HAVE THE EXACT LANGUAGE JUST SO I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT Y'ALL ARE SAYING WE'RE LEGALLY BOUND TO RIGHT.
IT'S, IT'S, THE WORDING IS UTILITY CAPACITIES.
SO IT, IT SPEAKS TO THE CITY AGREES TO PLAN, FUND, AND CONSTRUCT ADEQUATE UTILITY CAPACITIES.
UM, SO THIS IS ARTICLE ONE, SECTION 1.1.
THE UNIVERSITY SHALL RETAIN EXCLUSIVE CONTROL OF THE USE OF THE PROPERTY AND THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF SITE DEVELOPMENT FEATURES ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF THE PROPERTY FOR NON UNIVERSITY PURPOSES.
IN ADDITION, THIS AGREEMENT DESCRIBES THE UTILITY NEEDS FOR THE PROPERTY AND THE CITY AGREES TO PLAN, FUND AND CONSTRUCT ADEQUATE UTILITY CAPACITIES TO SERVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS AGREEMENT.
UM, SO I'M CURIOUS IF WE'RE ALREADY RENEGOTIATING THIS AGREEMENT ANYWAY AND PUTTING FORWARD FOUR NEW AMENDMENTS, WHY CAN'T WE PUT FORWARD AN AMENDMENT THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT, ACTUALLY THE CITY'S NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA AGREE TO PAY TO FUND THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
LIKE IF WE'RE ALREADY CHANGING THIS DOCUMENT ANYWAY.
I DON'T SEE WHY WE NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE BOUND TO THE 1989 AGREEMENT.
THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE AGREED TO WITH THE UNIVERSITY TO CARRY THAT FORWARD.
AND I GUESS I'M WONDERING WHY, LIKE, WAS THERE, WAS THERE A GOOD FAITH ATTEMPT TO TRY AND HELP HELP US OUT THERE? SO YEAH, PART OF THIS TRANSACTION IS THE CONVEYANCE OF MUNICIPAL OF LIONS MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE TO THE CITY.
THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE THE CASH TO PAY FOR THAT GOLF COURSE, SO THE CITY IS USING OTHER MEANS TO PAY FOR THAT GOLF COURSE.
SO YOU SEE IT AS AN EXCHANGE LIKE WE'LL PAY FOR YOUR UTILITIES AND Y'ALL GIVE US THE GOLF COURSE.
THAT'S ALSO WHY THE MUELLER LEASE IS PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.
THAT'S ALSO WHY THE RIGHT OF WAY VACATIONS ARE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXCHANGING WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO US, UH, FOR US RATHER THAN THE PRICE TAG THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD IN CASH.
[02:10:01]
IT.UM, OKAY, SO THEN OUT OUTSIDE OF THE TURS, WHAT ARE CASH IS AN OPTION, BONDS ARE AN OPTION, TOURS IS AN OPTION.
WHAT ARE ALL THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO FUND THE UTILITIES IF INDEED WE CAN'T OR WON'T NEGOTIATE OUT OF IT? THAT'S IT.
SO JUST FOR MY UNDERSTANDING, HAS THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN OR IS THAT IN THE PROCESS OF BEING WRITTEN RIGHT NOW? SO WE'RE IN THE DRAFTING PHASE OF THE INTERLOCAL, BUT IT WILL FOLLOW THE TERMS THAT WE'VE OUTLINED.
UM, AND IS THAT THEN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, CITY LEGAL AND UT THE PARTIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN DRAFTING IT? CORRECT.
SO I GUESS SIMILAR QUESTION THERE.
AT WHAT POINT DO YOU ALL PLAN ON ENGAGING CITY COUNCIL OFFICES AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS ON THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT OR GIVING THEIR FEEDBACK OR, OR INPUT? SO AS IT CONCERNS A SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN THE INTERLOCAL, UM, JUST AS WE DISCUSS, UM, ELEMENTS OF THE AGREEMENT KIND OF IN A BIG PICTURE WAY, WE HAVE STAFF REVIEW THE LANGUAGE THAT WE CRAFT TO ENSURE THAT IT DOES WHAT WE ALL THINK IT DOES AND IT MEETS THE, UH, ESSENTIALLY THE TERMS THAT WE HAVE AGREED TO.
AND THEN FOR THE COUNCIL OFFICES THAT TYPICALLY THEY WILL SEE THAT WHEN IT GOES LIVE.
UM, AND UH, OVER THE YEARS FROM TIME TO TIME THEY HAVE THEIR SUGGESTIONS AND IF WE CAN GET EVERYONE ON BOARD, THEN WE CAN INCORPORATE THOSE.
BUT, UM, THE DRAFTING IS THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANAGER OFFICE ALONG WITH A LAW DEPARTMENT.
AND AGAIN, I KNOW EVERYONE'S BUSY COUNCIL OFFICES ARE BUSY AND MAY NOT ALWAYS HAVE TIME, BUT JUST TO REPEAT WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM STAFFERS IN COUNCIL OFFICES, I THINK THERE IS A DESIRE TO HAVE A SAY EARLIER ON IN THE PROCESS AND AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, UM, I FEEL BEST REPRESENTED BY THE COUNCIL OFFICES WHO WE ELECTED.
SO WOULD, WOULD APPRECIATE THEIR INVOLVEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO NEXT ON IMPERVIOUS COVER, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN TOUCHED ON BY A FEW COMMISSIONERS, UM, COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN ASKED DIRECTLY ABOUT A COMPARISON BETWEEN IMPERVIOUS COVER NOW UNDER THE CURRENT ALLOWABLE PERCENTAGES AND THEN, UH, THE NEW PROPOSED.
UM, AND YOU SAID YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS, BUT BY YOUR ESTIMATION, THE NEW AGREEMENT WILL RESULT IN ULTIMATELY LESS ALLOWABLE IMPERVIOUS COVER OVERALL.
DO YOU, 'CAUSE I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY DO QUICK, MAYBE NOT QUICK MATH, BUT WE COULD DO THE MATH ON IT.
UM, SO HOW LARGE IS THE PORTION OF LAND THAT'S DESIGNATED SINGLE FAMILY RIGHT NOW AT 30%? DO YOU KNOW THE ACRES? UM, IN THE CURRENT AGREEMENT, I CANNOT REMEMBER.
IF WE HAVE A LOT SIZE, UM, IT WOULD BE RE, THE ONLY ONE THAT IS EXISTS WOULD BE RESIDENTIAL.
AND MY GUESS IS THAT LOT SIZE IS PROBABLY COMPARABLE TO OUR 57 50, BUT I'D HAVE TO GO AND AND CHECK THAT FOR SURE.
UM, RIGHT NOW, SINGLE FAMILY AS WE'VE KIND OF, WITH HOME, IT'S, IT'S DOWN TO I THINK 1800.
SO IT WOULD BE A MUCH SMALLER LOT NOW THAN, UH, WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN ALLOWED, I BELIEVE, AT THE TIME.
YEAH, I WOULD JUST, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A MAP OR A TABLE THAT HAS THIS PARCELED OUT WHERE I CAN SEE WHAT CURRENTLY IS SINGLE FAMILY, WHAT CURRENTLY ARE TOWN HOMES, WHAT CURRENTLY ARE THE QUOTE UNQUOTE OTHER TRACKS THAT ARE 75 TO 90.
SO THEN I CAN VISUALIZE HOW THAT IS CHANGING TO ALLOW FOR UNIFORM ACROSS THE BOARD, 75%.
UM, THAT WOULD JUST GIMME MORE ASSURANCE.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD GET FROM YOU ALL? YES, WE CAN WORK ON THAT.
I WILL SAY, UM, WITHIN THE, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, IT IDENTIFIES THE TRACKS AND HAS, ITS EACH SET ITS OWN REGULATIONS.
AND SO WE CAN DO THAT COMPARISON AT A, THAT TRACKED LEVEL.
UM, BUT TO BE FAIR, AT THIS POINT, THEY HAVEN'T DEVELOPED ANY RESIDENTIAL, SO RIGHT.
WHERE THEY WOULD PUT THE RESIDENTIAL UNDER THE OLD, LIKE UNDER THE CURRENT AGREEMENT VERSUS WHERE THEY MAKE GOING FORWARD, I, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO COMPLETELY GIVE YOU THAT.
BUT IT IS THE 45% NUMBER IS, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN 30 AND 60.
NOT AS LOW AS THE 30%, BUT MM-HMM
AND THEN FOR ALLOWABLE USES, JUST CONFIRMING WHAT I SEE IN THE BACKUP, THAT'S LABELED EXHIBIT A ONE, UM, THEY'LL ALLOWABLE USES WILL BE RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, AGRICULTURAL, CIVIC AND IS, AND THAT'S IT.
WHAT ARE THE CURRENT ALLOWABLE USES? UM, THEY CAN DO
[02:15:01]
A LOT.THERE IS A LIST OF SOME STUFF THAT THEY CANNOT DO.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A VERY LONG DOCUMENT, UM, AND IT'S ALL BULLETED OUT.
SO I, I WOULD, I CAN'T TELL YOU OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT WE CAN DO ALSO AS A FOLLOW UP TO EVERY, FOR EVERYONE A COMPARISON OF WHAT IS, UH, NEW VERSUS OLD.
AND I JUST WANNA ECHO WHAT, UM, AND I'M SORRY I DON'T REMEMBER WHICH COMMISSIONER AT THIS POINT SAID, BUT THIS, THIS IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE SITE FOR INDUSTRIAL USE.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY JUST NOT, IT'S A, A SPECIAL PLACE THAT IS RICH IN BIODIVERSITY THAT IS CRITICAL TO OUR WATER QUALITY.
UM, SO I WOULD REALLY REQUEST THAT THAT BE REMOVED FROM THE ALLOWABLE USES 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S JUST NOT APPROPRIATE HERE.
UM, THE, THE RIGHT TO TRANSFER LAND, UM, IS THAT WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO ANOTHER UT OWNED TRACK? ARE THOSE KIND OF THE, THE BOUNDS ON IT OR CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE LAND TRANSFER PIECE FOR THE IMPERVIOUS COVER? FOR IMPERVIOUS COVER? AND WAS THERE ANY OTHER MENTION? I SEE LIKE CONFUSED LOOKING FACES.
BUT
SO IF THEY, IF THEY MAKE ONE PARCEL THAT IS, YOU KNOW, 50% THE ANOTHER PARCEL THAT THEY CREATE, 'CAUSE IT'S ALL KIND OF JUST BIG TRACK LEVEL AT THIS POINT, THEY CAN TRANSFER SOME OF THAT.
UM, WHERE WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE NOT ON THE BRACKENRIDGE HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PIECE.
AND THAT COULD BE ONSITE AT THE BRACKENRIDGE BASIS OR AT A DIFFERENT UNIVERSITY PROPERTY.
AND WOULD IT HAVE TO BE A UNIVERSITY PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN? 'CAUSE UT OWNS LAND, LIKE ALL ACROSS THE STATE, SO I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S YES.
IS THERE A TIMELINE PUT ON THE REPLACEMENT OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS? NO, NOT RIGHT NOW.
UM, I, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THE UNIVERSITY'S PLANS FOR THE EXISTING HOUSING, UM, WHEN THAT WOULD HAPPEN OR NOT HAPPEN, WE, WE JUST DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD ALSO ASK, BE PUT IN THE AGREEMENT SO THAT STUDENTS IN AUSTINITES CAN BE ASSURED THAT WHATEVER HOUSING WE MAY OR MAY NOT LOSE WILL AT LEAST BE ENSURED TO BE REPLACED WITHIN LET'S SAY 15 YEARS.
UM, AND I AGREE WITH, UM, I THINK IT WAS COMMISSIONER BRIMER, LIKE A ONE-TO-ONE REPLACEMENT OR MORE I THINK WOULD BE PREFERABLE 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE A NUMBER OF YEARS OUT OF, OF THOSE HOUSING UNITS.
SO I THINK IT'S, IT MERITS, UM, MORE UNITS DOWN THE LINE.
SO THERE'S THE ONE-TO-ONE REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING HOUSING ON SITE, BUT THEN THERE'S THE ADDITIONAL HOUSING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE THROUGH THE TOURISM AND COMPLIANCE WITH OUR CITY POLICY.
UM, IS THERE A, A NUMBER OF UNITS ON THAT? IS IT DEFINED HOW MANY MORE? UH, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A DEVELOPMENT PLAN AT THIS POINT? WE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT, THAT INFORMATION.
BUT IT WOULD BE A 20% REQUIREMENT.
WOULD THAT GO SO THAT THAT WOULDN'T GO IN THE REGULATING PLAN? AT WHAT POINT WOULD WE HAVE LIKE A CONCRETE NUMBER FOR THE, THE UNITS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TS? CORRECT.
UM, IT WOULD BE IN THE TS DOCUMENTS.
UM, AGAIN, THOUGH IT STILL WOULD NOT BE NECESSARILY A NUMBER OF UNITS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE UNIVERSITY WILL KNOW AT THAT POINT IN TIME HOW MANY UNITS, RESIDENTIAL UNITS THEY PLAN TO CONSTRUCT.
BUT COULD WE REQUIRE IT AS PART OF OUR CONDITIONS? WE CAN ASK, UM, LET'S ASK, LET'S ASK.
WHICH, WHICH CITY STAFF WILL BE INVOLVED IN CREATING THE REGULATING PLAN? SO THAT WOULD BE, IT'S A, ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS, UH, RECEIVE, PROVIDE FEEDBACK JUST AS THEY WOULD ON THE AGREEMENT ITSELF.
UM, I MEAN THE TRUE AIR QUOTES DRAFTER IS THE LAW DEPARTMENT BECAUSE WE DRAFT ALL OF OUR REGULATORY DOCUMENTS.
HOWEVER CITY STAFF DO REVIEW, AND THIS IS A COMMON PRACTICE FOR ALL OF OUR THINGS.
THEY WILL REVIEW, GIVE US FEEDBACK, LET US KNOW, THIS ISN'T CLEAR, THIS IS CLEAR.
UM, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE, YOU'VE, YOU'VE CITED THE RIGHT SECTION OR, OR HELP US MAKE SURE THAT IT IS CORRECT.
SO THEY ARE INVOLVED IN THAT, UM, AS THEY ARE WITH EVERY CODE AMENDMENT.
AND ARE THOSE, UM, DEPARTMENT HEADS OR, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE NATURE OF THE SUBJECT MATTER AT HAND.
WHO GETS PULLED IN? UM, IT'S TYPICALLY THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENTS.
OCCASIONALLY DE DEPARTMENT HEADS WEIGH IN, BUT THEY HAVE THEIR STAFF LOOK AT IT AS WELL.
YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT I WOULD ASK, UM, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ALL ARE ABSOLUTELY LEGAL EXPERTS AND YOU'RE AN EXPERT AT MANAGING THE CITY.
AND ALSO WATERSHED IS, THEY ARE EXPERTS AT PROTECTING OUR WATERSHED.
[02:20:01]
SO AS SOON AS THOSE FOLKS CAN BE BROUGHT INTO THE CONVERSATION, I THINK WE'LL ARRIVE AT THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME FOR THE CITY AND THE REGULATING PLAN.SO JUST ASK THAT, THAT THEY BE INCLUDED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK THOSE ARE ALL, ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.
UM, I KNOW THAT WAS KIND OF DENSE, BUT I ALSO JUST WANT TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE AND EMPATHY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO CAME HERE TODAY.
I MYSELF AM A FORMER RESEARCH SCIENTIST.
I WENT TO DUKE UNIVERSITY AND PART OF THE ATTRACTION THERE ARE THE 6,000 ACRES OF FOREST FORESTED LAND THAT ALLOWS FOR INCREDIBLE BIOLOGICAL STUDY.
AND I WAS ONE OF THOSE BIOLOGY STUDENTS IN BOTH UNDERGRAD AND GRAD SCHOOL THERE.
UM, AND UT IS A WORLD CLASS INSTITUTION AND AT A TIME WHEN OUR GOVERNMENT IS CUTTING FUNDING FOR THE EPA, UM, CUTTING RESEARCH FUNDING, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY CONCERNS ME HAPPENING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
SO I THINK IT DESERVES OUR UTMOST ATTENTION AND PROTECTION, UM, FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
SO I'D REALLY ASK THAT YOU ALL CONSIDER THAT COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN, I WONDER IF IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO PUT THIS ON OUR NEXT AGENDA TO PASS A RESOLUTION TO SPECIFICALLY SAY SOMETHING LIKE, WE RECOMMEND A 200 FOOT BARRIER AROUND THE, BE THE, UM, ALCON'S, UM, BRACKENRIDGE, UH, YEAH, THE BRACKENRIDGE FIELD LABORATORY MM-HMM
A A COUPLE OF OTHERS HAVE BROUGHT UP, UM, THE IDEA OF RECOMMENDATION WORKING GROUPS.
I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'LL TALK ABOUT, UM, WHEN WE DISCUSS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. RIGHT.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I HEARD COMMISSIONER FLURY THAT THE, UH, THE TRANSFER, UH, THE SAVING OF THE GOLF COURSE REQUIRES THAT IT STAY A GOLF COURSE FOREVER OR IT CAN BECOME A PARKLAND.
SO FOR US, FROM OUR PURPOSES, PARKLAND AND GOLF COURSE ARE GO TOGETHER BECAUSE THAT'S WHO MANAGES OUR GOLF COURSES.
UM, BUT I THINK AT A MINIMUM IT WILL SAY GOLF COURSE, BUT OUR PARKLAND.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT IT COULD SAY GOLF COURSE.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS, IN PUBLIC OUTREACH, WAS THERE EVER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HONORING THAT LEGACY OF CIVIL RIGHTS, BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS, VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, BUT, UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER GOALS THINKING ABOUT HOW WE APPLY THAT TODAY.
UM, IS THERE STILL A STRONG NEED THAT IT STAY A GOLF COURSE VERSUS PARKLAND RIGHT NOW THE FOCUS FOR THE CITY IS GOLF COURSE.
WHAT, WHAT COULD HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE IS, UM, NOT SOMETHING I COULD ANSWER AT THIS POINT, BUT OUR GOLF COURSES ARE PARKS AND IS IT, I DON'T KNOW IF WE KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS, BUT JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING, IS IT CONSIDERED A WATER INTENSIVE USE? THE GOLF DIVISION, UH, DID AN ANALYSIS OF ALL THEIR COURSES TO SEE HOW THEY COULD, UH, BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH THEIR WATER USE.
UM, AND THEY LEAVE, UH, MUCH LARGER AREAS IN A NATURAL STATE, UH, AS OPPOSED TO IT ALL BEING WATERED AND MANICURED.
SO THEY'VE MADE, UM, ADJUSTMENTS IN THE LAST AT OVER MORE THAN FIVE YEARS AGO.
I, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT TIMEFRAME, BUT THEY'VE ALREADY MADE THOSE KIND OF ADJUSTMENTS AND I DON'T, UM, BEING INSPIRED AND THEY'RE ALSO RECLAIMED.
BEING INSPIRED BY THAT HISTORY.
I WONDERED, DID THE CITY APPROACH THIS WITH AN EQUITY LENS AT ALL, UH, OF THIS DEAL? MM-HMM
UM, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW CAN THIS AGAIN, BRING MORE ACCESS, UH, THE SAME WAY IT DID IN THE FIFTIES TO TODAY? IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE MORE RIVER ACCESS? IS THERE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND? HOW, HOW ARE WE BEING INSPIRED BY THAT HISTORY OTHER THAN JUST STATING IT? UH, DO YOU MEAN FOR THE GOLF COURSE OR FOR THE OTHER LAND? I GUESS FOR ALL OF IT.
'CAUSE WHEN I'M THINKING ABOUT THE DOG'S HEAD DEVELOPMENT, WE ULTIMATELY DID NOT DEDICATE ANY PARK LAND OR GOLF COURSE FOR IT.
AND IF I LOOK AT THESE 300 ACRES, WE'RE GOING AT LENGTHS, SAVE 150, 50% OF IT.
AND I JUST WISH WE COULD APPLY THAT EVERYWHERE.
IT'S AN AWESOME, YOU KNOW, THING TO BE INSPIRED BY, TO SAVE GREEN SPACE.
I THINK THE MOST THAT WE COULD SAY ABOUT IT AT THIS POINT IS IT IS AN EXISTING GOLF COURSE THAT'S BEEN THERE.
AND THIS ISN'T, UM, WE'RE NOT BUILDING A NEW GOLF COURSE.
IT IS A GOLF COURSE THAT EXISTS THAT THE CITY HAS WANTED TO OWN.
AND SO IT, IT'S NOT THE SAME AS DOG SAID IN THAT RESPECT BECAUSE IT IS A LONG-TERM GOLF COURSE.
AND, UM, I THINK KIM CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE, HOW IT'S USED.
SO LIONS HAS, UH, SOME VERY UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS, UH,
[02:25:01]
RELATIVE TO WHAT MANY FOLKS THINK ABOUT WHEN THEY THINK OF A GOLF COURSE.UM, IT IS MOST CERTAINLY A COMMUNITY HOME.
UM, THE, IT BRINGS TOGETHER A UNIQUE MIX OF SENIORS, YOUTH STUDENTS, ATHLETES, UM, WOMEN AND LOCAL CHARITIES.
UH, SO THEY PROVIDED US INFORMATION SUCH AS, FOR SENIOR AFFORDABILITY, THERE'S A SPECIALIZED $3 SENIOR RATE, UM, TO, FOR SENIORS TO BE ABLE TO PLAY ROUNDS ON THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE BE ON FIXED INCOMES.
UH, THERE'S JUNIOR AFFORDABILITY.
THEY HAVE A NATIONAL YOUTH ON COURSE PROGRAM, UM, GUARANTEEING OPEN FAIRWAYS FOR JUST $5.
UH, THEY ALSO DO, UM, THEY'RE CONSIDERED AN ACADEMIC AND YOUTH PIPELINE.
UH, THEY'RE THE HOME COURSE FOR AUSTIN HIGH GOLF TEAMS, UH, O HENRY MIDDLE SCHOOL PLAYERS.
UM, AND THEN THERE ARE EXTENSIVE AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMS, UH, FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES.
UM, THERE'S ALSO EXTENSIVE YOUTH TOURNAMENTS THAT TAKE PLACE.
UIL UM, HOLDS STATE THE STATE GOLF TOURNAMENTS FOR TWO A, UM, AT THIS COURSE EACH YEAR.
UM, THERE'S ALSO THE SOUTHERN TEXAS PGA JUNIOR TOURNAMENT, EXTENSIVE NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOL TOURNAMENTS.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, IT'S A VERY SIGNIFICANT BASE FOR WOMEN'S GOLF.
UH, THERE'S THE AUSTIN WOMEN'S PUBLIC LINKS GOLF ASSOCIATION, UH, THAT, UM, WAS FOUNDED AT AT MUNI IN 1940.
THERE'S ALSO AN AUSTIN LPGA AMATEUR GOLF ASSOCIATION THAT UTILIZES THE COURSE REGULARLY, UH, AUSTIN WOMEN'S CITY CHAMPIONSHIP.
AND ALSO, UM, HOST TWO GIRLS THAT GOLF EVENTS.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNITY AND CHARITY IMPACT, UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ANNUAL BENEFIT TOURNAMENTS HELD THERE, INCLUDING FOR FOUNDATION FOR THE HOMELESS, AUSTIN SAMARITAN, SPECIAL OLYMPICS, TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, LULAC SCHOLARSHIPS AND AMIGOS AND AZULE.
SO THEY ARE MOST CERTAINLY A COMMUNITY FIXTURE, UM, AND NOT WHAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER THE STEREOTYPE OF A GOLF COURSE.
HOW ABOUT THE USERS OF THE GOLF COURSE? ARE THEY, AS FAR AS THE, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY AUSTIN HAS THE EAST WEST DIVIDE, UM, THAT'S GENERALLY A WEALTHY AREA, WHITE AREA.
ARE WE STUDYING WHO'S, WHO'S SHOWING UP AND USING? SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU BUY A ROUND AT THE COURSE, THEY'RE NOT COLLECTING YOUR DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN DISCUSSED IN PARKS PURPOSES.
A GENERAL AND, AND DEFINITELY DISCOURAGED.
SO THEY, THEY DON'T TAKE PART IN THAT.
UM, THEY DO HOWEVER FOR, UH, UM, PASS HOLDERS, SO YOU HAVE AN OPTION TO BUY AN ANNUAL PASS.
UM, AND SO WE DO HAVE FIGURES ON, UH, THOSE LIKE THE PASS HOLDERS.
UM, AND WE HAVE, UM, OF THE 2,400, UM, CURRENT PASS HOLDERS, UH, THERE'S 24% OF THEM ARE FROM DISTRICT 10 AND ALL THE REMAINING ARE SPREAD OUT ACROSS ALL THE OTHER DISTRICTS.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S A, A HUGE MIX OF FOLKS FROM ACROSS THE CITY.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FLOY, YOUR QUESTIONS MADE ME THINK OF ONE OTHER QUESTION TOO.
WHAT IS THE, THE LENGTH OF THIS AGREEMENT, LIKE HOW LONG IS IT, THE LIFETIME OF IT? I DON'T KNOW THE CORRECT TERM TO USE, BUT HOW LONG IS IT IN EFFECT FOR? HOW LONG DOES IT APPLY FOR? SO THE, THE INTERESTING THING IS, IS RIGHT NOW IT'S ALL UNIVERSITY OWNED.
UH, IF THEY SELL IT, SOME OF THAT, THAT LAND WILL NOT NECESSARILY BE COVERED BY THE INTERLOCAL ITSELF BECAUSE THE INTERLOCALS BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE UNIVERSITY, UM, AS GROUND LEASES IS, ARE IF THEY GROUND LEASE INSTEAD.
I THINK WE STILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE THE REGULATING PLAN COMING BACK OR COMING UP AS WELL.
UM, SO THERE IS NOT A, UM, SPECIFIC TERM, BUT BECAUSE WE DON'T ALSO KNOW HOW LONG THE UNIVERSITY WILL CONTINUE TO OWN THE PROPERTY.
I'M SORRY, WAS THAT IN REFERENCE TO THE GOLF COURSE? UM, THE, THE BDA, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ITSELF AND THE REGULATING PLAN, HOW LONG IS IT MEANT TO BE IN PLACE FOR? AND SO, YEAH, SHE JUST EXPLAINED PART OF IT, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, PART OF IT WOULDN'T NO LONGER APPLY IF IT WERE SOLD, ALL SOLD OFF PRIVATELY.
BUT I MEAN, I GUESS ESSENTIALLY FOR ALL THREE DOCUMENTS, THE INTERLOCAL, THE BDA AND THE REGULATING PLAN.
TRISH, JUST IN REFERENCE TO THE GOLF COURSE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SO THE ELEMENTS ABOUT, UH, THE GOLF COURSE, THE RIGHT OF WAY, VACATIONS, THE CHORES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, UM, ESSENTIALLY WILL BE KIND OF INITIALLY, UH, WE WOULD BE DEMONSTRATING OUR INTENT TO DO THAT.
UM, THE TURS HAS A MAX LIFE OF 35 YEARS, SO IT, THE, THE TURS LIFE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED YET.
SO, UM, IT CAN, THE DIFFERENT TOUR AS WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY ARE, HAVE BEEN ALL
[02:30:01]
VERY DIFFERENT LENGTHS IN TIME, 20, 30, 40 YEARS.SOTS IS TBD THE REST AS LEGAL DOCUMENTS STAND IN PERPETUITY? CORRECT.
YEAH, THIS IS A DOCUMENT THAT'LL GOVERN GENERATIONS, SO I THINK IT'S ONE WE WANNA BE MINDFUL OF.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? CHAIR KRUGER? YES, COMMISSIONER LUKI.
WONDERING WHAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TURS AND A TIFF MIGHT BE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING, WHICH IS HOW THE MILLER DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN BEEN BUILT.
SO, UH, IT'S KIND OF A TOMATO, TOMATO, UH, SORT OF THING.
SO TAX INCREMENT, REINVESTMENT ZONE IS THE ZONE THAT YOU ESTABLISH, UM, TO SET BOUNDARIES, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
THE TAX AGREEMENT FINANCING IS THE ACTUAL, WHAT IS THE FINANCING UTILIZED AGAINST THAT ZONE AND THE REVENUES PRODUCED IN THAT ZONE.
MAKE SURE YOUR MICROPHONE'S ON.
YES, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
UH, WITH REGARD TO THE TURS, WHAT'S THE, UH, ANTICIPATED INTEREST RATE ON THAT? SAY AGAIN? DID ANTICIPATE WHAT RIGHT? YEAH.
UH, INTEREST RATES ON, UH, TAX FREE MUNICIPAL BONDS GOING UP.
WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE INTEREST RATE ON THAT TO BE THERE? IF, IF I COULD ANTICIPATE THAT I'D BE BUYING A LOTTERY TICKET RIGHT NOW, UM, 'CAUSE INTEREST RATES WILL VARY ANYTIME YOU GO TO MARKET.
UM, WHAT WE DO WHEN WE'RE ISSUING DEBT IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS IS WE SET PARAMETERS AND, AND GUARDRAILS FOR HOW WE, FOR, UH, SORRY.
UM,
OKAY,
UM, WE WILL, WE'LL TYPICALLY SET, SET GUARDRAILS FOR WHEN DEBT CAN BE ISSUED, UM, TO ENSURE THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE TURS.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN'T ISSUE DEBT ON DAY ONE BECAUSE IT'S NOT PRODUCING THE REVENUE NECESSARY TO SUPPORT DEBT, UM, TO MAKE THOSE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS.
SO YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT AT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO, TO BE ABLE TO BUILD UP THAT REVENUE REVENUE GENERATING CAPABILITY.
UM, SO BY THE TIME WE WOULD ISSUE DEBT, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YEAR THAT WOULD BE AND THEREFORE WHAT THE INTEREST RATES WOULD BE.
UM, WE DEFINITELY WOULD NOT BE ISSUING DEBT RIGHT NOW FOR IT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHERE INTEREST RATES ARE SPECIAL, JUST A SPECIAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS POINT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU ALL AGAIN SO MUCH FOR COMING.
THANK YOU TO THE AUDIENCE AGAIN.
THIS, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT DESERVES ATTENTION, SO I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE.
OH, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND TURNING YOUR MIC OFF, PLEASE ALSO, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO A 10 MINUTE RECESS FOR FOLKS.
IT IS 8:44 PM AND WE ARE GOING
[4. Discussion of the Congress for the New Urbanism Central Texas Chapter’s draft recommendation regarding the Green Infrastructure Initiative. Sponsored by Chair Krueger and Commissioner Sullivan.]
TO MOVE TO DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSSION AND ACTION TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL REGARDING THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE WITH A PRESENTATION BY OUR VERY OWN DAVID SULLIVAN.SO I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE CONGRESS FOR NEW URBANISM, CENTRAL TEXAS.
AND WE'RE ABOUT GOOD URBAN PLANNING.
AND, UH, ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, HE ASKED ME NOT TO TALK ABOUT HIM, BUT HE'S A BIG, UH, TREE GUY.
SO ANYWAY, UM, WHAT'S THIS ABOUT? WELL, THE, IMAGINE, IMAGINE, AND I'M GONNA ZIP RIGHT THROUGH THIS, I ONLY HAVE SEVEN SLIDES.
UM, THE IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OUTLINES A VISION FOR COMPLETE COMMUNITY WHERE DEVELOPMENT OCCURS AND CONNECTED PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY PATTERNS SUPPORTED BY TRANSIT.
AND IDENTIFYING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, IS A KEY STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.
THE, UM, AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN CALL FOR A 50 50 MODE SPLIT BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO DRIVE ALONE AND PEOPLE WHO SHARE CARS OR TAKE THE BUS OR WALK OR BIKE OR WHATEVER.
AND STREET TREES ARE AN, IN INCRE ARE A CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR PROVIDING SHADE, MITIGATING URBAN HEAT, MANAGING STORM WATER, IMPROVING AIR QUALITY, ENHANCING THE SAFETY, COMFORT, AND QUALITY OF, UH, THE PUBLIC REALM.
[02:35:01]
AND THIS, THIS IS ALL ON YOUR IN, UM, A LAR IN A TWO A THREE PAGE, UM, DEAL.THAT WAS ON OUR, UM, OUR, UH, BACKUP.
AND THEN, UM, ANOTHER POINT HERE TOO IS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION BACK IN 2024 THAT DIRECTS THE CITY MANAGER TO REVIEW AND IDENTIFY BARRIERS TO INSTALLING AND MAINTAINING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURES INCLUDING, OR PARTICULARLY STREET TREES WITHIN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY AND SIDEWALK.
NOW THERE ARE A LOT OF BARRIERS TO THAT BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT UNDERGROUND UTILITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH ARE PROBLEMATIC.
YOU DON'T WANT THE ROOTS TO GET INTO THOSE.
BUT THE POINT IS THAT STREET TREES ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR PROVIDING SHADE.
AND I, I CAN GIVE YOU MY PERSONAL, I, I WALK A LOT AND I RELY ON ALL THE SHADE FROM TREES.
SO ANYWAY, THE, UM, THERE'S, UH, THE RESOLUTION HAS A NUMBER OF WAREHOUSES AND I ONLY GAVE YOU A FEW OF THEM RIGHT THERE, BUT I'VE GOT ALL OF THE, UM, THEREFORES, SO, OOPS, BACK SULLIVAN.
HOW MANY, OKAY, SO THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AFFIRMS ITS SUPPORT FOR CITY, THE, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION BACK FROM 2004 AND THE INTEGRATION OF STREET TREES AND OTHER GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AS IMPORTANT ELEMENTS FOR AUSTIN'S PUBLIC'S RIGHTS OF WAY RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL REAFFIRM ITS COMMITMENT TO THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE AND DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE THE LEADERSHIP RESOURCES AND INTERDEPARTMENTAL SUPPORT NECESSARY TO ADVANCE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AUSTIN ROADMAP FOR ADVANCING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, WHICH WAS ANOTHER DOCUMENT THAT THE CITY, UM, HAS AND ALSO RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CLARIFY THE AUTHORITY OF THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN TRANSIT, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS IN DEPARTMENT, UH, PRIORITIES.
BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THOSE CONFLICTS ABOUT THE UTILITIES AND THE TRA TRANSPORTATION AND TAKING CARE OF SIDEWALKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THE, AND THE CRITERIA THAT AFFECTS THE RIGHT OF WAY DESIGN IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT COUNCIL PRIORITIES.
AND RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CLARIFY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVELY PROMOTE TREE-LINED STREETS WHILE MAINTAINING PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE FUNCTIONALITY.
AND THEN LAST, OH YEAH, AND THEN ALSO MY SECOND TO LAST SLIDE RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORTS TO COUNCIL OR THE APPROPRIATE COUNCIL COMMITTEE ADDRESSING PROGRESS TOWARD IMPLEMENTATION MILESTONES AND ROADMAP RECOMMENDATIONS PROPOSED PENDING AND COMPLETED REGULATORY AND PROCEDURAL CHANGES, SIGNIFICANT IMPLEMENT, UH, IMPLEMENTATION, BARRIERS AND ACTIONS TAKEN TO RESOLVE THEM, UH, MATERIAL DEPARTURES FROM ROAD ROADMAP RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE REASONS FOR ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES AND ANTICIPATED NEXT STEPS, SCHEDULES, AND ANY ADDITIONAL COUNSEL ACTION OR RESOURCES NEEDED.
AND THEN LASTLY, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ENSURE THE TIMELY AND EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S THE RESOLUTION AND IT'S A THREE PAGE DEAL E THAT WAS IN THE BACKUP AND I MOVE THAT WE, WE ADOPT IT.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO TO DISCUSSION.
UM, AND WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER AT ATKINS.
YEAH, NO, I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PIECE OF A GREAT RESOLUTION.
UM, I'VE LIVED IN SORT OF MULTIPLE PARTS OF AUSTIN IN A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
AND WHEN I FIRST LIVED IN AUSTIN, I WAS SORT OF IN AN AREA FAR SOUTH AUSTIN.
I WAS JUST LIKE REALLY INHOSPITABLE TO, TO WALK IN WHEN IT'S HOT, WHICH AS WE KNOW IS, YOU KNOW, HALF OF THE YEAR AT LEAST HERE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SHADE.
THIS WAS LIKE SORT OF, UH, WAS QUITE THE CULTURE SHOCK FROM, UH, MOVING FROM SUBURBAN KANSAS CITY WHERE THERE WAS, I WAS VERY LUCKY TO GROW UP IN A SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A LOT OF TREES.
UM, AND YEAH, I, I PARTICULARLY ENJOY OR APPRECIATE AND RESPECT THE, UH, THE LIKE THE PUSH FOR EFFICIENCY IN THIS.
AND I THINK THAT IS JUST SOMETHING WE NEED TO SORT OF, YOU KNOW, REPEATEDLY HAMMER IS THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS DO NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER AND HAVE A STREAMLINE
[02:40:01]
SORT OF, UH, APPROVAL PROCESS AND ORDER OF OPERATIONS.'CAUSE OTHERWISE IT'S, SO OFTEN THESE LOFTY GOALS GET SORT OF LOST IN TRANSLATION.
SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT, UH, PIECE OF WORK.
I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING IN THE EFFORT.
YEAH, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I, I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND WANTED TO ALSO SAY THANK YOU.
UM, YEAH, I THINK IT'S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE I, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A NO BRAINER.
LIKE, BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WAS MISSING.
AND I FIND THIS CONSTANTLY, BUT LIKE, THINGS THAT WERE LIKE, YEAH, LIKE I'M LIKE, WHY WAS THIS NOT HERE? AND IT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE HADN'T MADE THE EFFORT TO DO SO AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT.
YEAH, LIKEWISE SEEMS, UH, SENSICAL, UM, UH, I GUESS TO SHARE, UH, A STORY WITH YOU.
I HAVE SOMETIMES WE'LL BE ON A MILE, TWO MILE STRETCH AND WE'LL SEE THIS RANDOM HACK BARRIER MESQUITE THAT HAS FOUND ITS WAY TO SURVIVE.
AND I SOMETIMES I THINK, MAN, WHAT DO WE DO TO PROTECT THIS? DO I STICK TRASH OR SOMETHING IN FRONT OF IT FOR THE INEVITABLE, UH, LAWNMOWER THAT'S GONNA COME AND JUST RIP IT OUT WHEN THEY HAVE THESE BIG SCALE VEGETATION REMOVAL? AND SO IF THERE'S ANY WAY, IF THIS HELPS, LIKE A PLATFORM FOR US ADVOCATING FOR THOSE RANDOM HACKBERRIES AND MESQUITES THAT FOUND A WAY TO LIVE, THEY ARE, THEY CAN BE LIFESAVERS, UH, ON THOSE LONG WALKS.
AND YOU'RE 30 MILE RUNS? YEAH.
SO, UH, UH, I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT THIS.
UM, AND HAVING JUST DONE THE ECO FEST IN, UH, WINDSOR PARK THIS PAST SATURDAY WHERE WE GAVE AWAY 700 TREES AND, UM, OUR GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS CALLED THE SHADE BRIGADE ACTUALLY HAS GONE DOOR TO DOOR IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO FIND THOSE EMPTY SPOTS WHERE WE COULD HAVE TREES PLANTED IN PEOPLE'S FRONT YARDS, WHERE THEY ALSO ARE ASKED TO, UH, WATER THEM ONCE A WEEK FOR THREE YEARS, SO THEY'LL ACTUALLY SURVIVE.
UM, UH, I FULLY SUPPORT ANY EFFORT TO, TO, UH, TO PUT IN MORE TREES.
AND I, I WANNA POINT OUT ONE THING THAT WE JUST, UH, MADE A DEAL WITH THE, UM, UH, AUSTIN PARKS AND REC, UM, TO PUT A ROW TREES ALONG A WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY A A, AN UNDEVELOPED AUSTIN PARK, UH, ALONG SPRINGDALE AND WHERE MANOR MEETS UP WITH THAT NOT FAR FROM YOUR HOUSE.
YEAH, IT'S PART OF PECAN SPRINGS NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT, UM, IT'S BEEN UNDEVELOPED AND, AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA GET PROBABLY A HUNDRED SOMETHING TREES PLANTED ALONG THAT STREET, UH, THOSE TWO STREETS SPECIFICALLY TO SHADE THE, THE STREET ITSELF.
AND, UM, THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BE WALKING.
AND, AND WHAT'S A BONUS FOR THAT BECAUSE, UH, WE, WE APPLIED FOR AN URBAN FOREST GRANT, THEY'RE GONNA PUT A WILDFLOWER METAL MEADOW IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT CHUNK OF LAND.
AND SO THE, IT'S A, IT'S A DUAL WIN FOR THAT.
BUT I'M WONDERING, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO IDENTIFY ALL THIS CITY OWNED LAND THAT NEEDS TREES? IF THERE'S SOME KIND OF WAY OF DOING THAT? BECAUSE WE JUST HAPPENED UPON THIS, THIS PIECE OF LAND, BECAUSE I TOLD ALL OF MY, MY GUYS ON MY, ON MY, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, MY, UH, SORRY, MY, UH, CLIMATE COMMITTEE START LOOKING FOR OPEN TRACKS OF LAND AND WE IDENTIFIED THAT ONE AND, UH, IT TURNED OUT IT WAS CITY OWNED.
AND SO THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE IN NOW IS NOW GONNA MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND IT'S THE CITY WHO'S ACTUALLY KIND OF PAYING FOR IT IN, IN, IN THIS REGARD.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING VERY LUCKY ON THAT ONE DEAL, BUT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MANY PIECES OF LAND ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE LIKE THAT NEXT TO SCHOOLS ALONG, UM, DRAINAGE SPACES.
WELL, THEY, THEY ACTUALLY CALL THAT GREEN STRIP ALONG THE SIDEWALK, THE PLANTER STRIP.
OH, THAT'S MUCH NICER THAN THE OTHER TERM I'VE HEARD FOR IT.
THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE WE USED ONE OF THOSE PLANTER STRIPS ACTUALLY BEHIND A, A SCHOOL IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BLANTON ELEMENTARY.
AND WE PLANTED, UH, 30 TREES ALONG THAT AND WE NOW CALL IT THE BLANTON TINY FOREST.
AND, AND THE WAY THAT IT'S SURVIVING IS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FAMILIES TO ADOPT TREES AND THEY CARRY WATER TO THAT LOCATION AND WATER THEM ONCE A WEEK.
SO IT IS DOING EXTREMELY WELL.
AND THAT'S A, A A, A WAY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD RESPONDING TO THIS EXACT IDEA OF HOW DO YOU PULL IT OFF? BECAUSE WATERING
[02:45:01]
IS THE KEY ELEMENT TO THIS IDEA BECAUSE THERE'S NOT WATER LOCATED IN A LOT OF THESE PLACES.HOW DO YOU KEEP 'EM ALIVE? AND SO, YEAH.
UH, THAT AS THE ROADMAP IS DEVELOPED, WE NEED TO ASK ABOUT HOW WE WATER THESE THINGS BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART AS THE TIME OF YEAR.
AND GENERALLY THIS IS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, WE'VE GOTTEN PAST ALL THE A HUNDRED DEGREE DAYS AND WE GOT THREE QUARTERS OF THE YEAR BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT AGAIN.
SO TREE FOLKS SAYS THAT, UM, THE NOVEMBER TO MARCH IS THE TREE PLANNING TIME.
I TO SAY WE GOT THAT DATA TODAY.
THERE'S, UH, CANOPY LAYERS AND GIS AND SIDEWALK LAYERS, AND THE CITY WAS ADVANCING ON A TREE INVENTORY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO GET AN UPDATE.
AND SO THAT, AS FAR AS FINDING THAT DATA OUT THERE, THERE SHOULD BE MANY FOLKS THAT CAN PULL THAT MAP TOGETHER FOR YOU.
WELL, I, UH, ASK, I I'LL BE INVOLVED IN WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO, DAVE, WITH THIS.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BRIMER.
UH, I HAVE TWO, TWO SUGGESTIONS FOR IT.
ONE IS WHEN YOU SAY, UH, REPORT BACK TO COUNCIL, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO ADD IN THERE, UH, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UH, BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T THINK COUNCIL'S GONNA PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO THAT.
SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THEM.
DO WE WANNA TAKE CARE OF THAT RIGHT NOW THROUGH, WELL, I, A MOTION A SECOND.
OH, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE PUT TWO COUNSEL IN THERE.
BUT YEAH, WE CAN JUST TAKE IT ONE BY ONE.
SO YOU'RE, CAN YOU SAY THE, UH, IT'S NUMBER FIVE, JUST THE EXACT WORDING.
ONE MORE TIME FOR THE RECORD AND SAY THAT YOU'RE MOTIONING THAT AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND.
OH HELL, YOU'RE GONNA MAKE ME WORK.
UH, DAVID, YOUR THING, UH, COUNCIL.
WHERE WAS THAT? DO YOU SEE? IS THAT IN A NOW THEREFORE YEAH, IT'S NUMBER FIVE.
RECOMMENDS QUARTERLY REPORTING.
RECOMMENDS QUARTERLY REPORTING.
RECOMMENDS THAT CITY COUNCIL DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORTS TO COUNCIL AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION OR THE APPROPRIATE COUNCIL COMMITTEE ADDRESSING PROGRESS TOWARD IMPLEMENTATION MILESTONES, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
SO THAT MOTION CAME FROM COMMISSIONER BRIMER.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF INCORPORATING THAT LANGUAGE, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HANDS.
SO THAT LANGUAGE IS INCORPORATED.
AND MY SECOND RECOMMENDATION IS JUST BECAUSE I'M BEING CONTRARY, UH, I WANNA PUT DOG'S HEAD IN HERE SOMEWHERE,
WELL, I WANNA PUT EVERY OTHER LINE DOG'S HEAD, BUT OTHER, OTHER THAN THAT, NO, THE INTENT IS, I WANNA MAKE, MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WHAT DAVE IS RECOMMENDING APPLIES TO DOG'S HEAD TOO.
NOW HOW, WHERE THAT GOES AND HOW IT'S PHRASED, I WILL LET DAVE AS THE LITERATE AUTHOR OF THIS.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE FOR YOU AS AS THE MOTION.
AND IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, APPLIES TO ANY NEW ANNEXED PROPERTIES, ANY DEVELOP.
I LET PEOPLE TALK AND I'LL LET ME SEARCH.
SO LET'S GO NEXT TO SECRETARY KHI.
HEY COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN, APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS.
YOU KNOW, AS SOMEONE THAT SUFFERS FROM ALLERGIES, IT DOES PAIN ME TO HERE.
WE'RE TRYING TO PLANT MORE TREES.
HOWEVER, UH, AS SOMEONE THAT LIVES ON EAST AUSTIN OR YOU KNOW, IN EAST AUSTIN, WE DESPERATELY NEED AS MANY TREES AS POSSIBLE.
UH, YOU KNOW, RIDING YOUR BIKE OR WALKING DURING THE HEAT BASICALLY BECOMES A REAL LIFE VIDEO GAME OF GOING FROM TREE TO TREE.
UH, SO ANY WORK WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE IT, I'M DEFINITELY IN FAVOR FOR ALLERGIES, BE DAMNED APPRECIATE.
OKAY, WELL I'LL ECHO THE GRATITUDE AND THANKS.
AND YES, I, I TOO, AS I THINK WE ALL HAVE EXPERIENCED ON THE HOT DAYS, WHICH ARE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT HERE AND YOU'RE REALLY, YOU'RE EITHER WALKING OR YOU'RE RUNNING OR YOU'RE BIKING TO GET TO THAT NEXT SHADE POINT AND THEN STOPPING AND RESTING AND THEY ARE TOO FEW.
SO, UM, I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN, WELL ANECDOTALLY HAS BEEN WANTING TO ADDRESS FOR A LONG TIME.
AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THERE HAVE BEEN THESE ROADBLOCKS.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO YOUR UNDERSTANDING RIGHT NOW OF LIKE WHAT ARE THE IMPEDIMENTS TO PLANTING MORE STREET TREES AND HOW DO YOU THINK THIS RECOMMENDATION CAN HELP REMEDIATE THEM? WELL, AGAIN, THERE'S THE COST FOR ONE THING.
I MEAN, IS IT THE CITY'S JOB TO PLANT
[02:50:01]
TREES? WELL, I, I THINK IT IS BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR GREEN, YOU KNOW, CLEANING UP THE AIR AND PROVIDING SHADE FOR THE CITIZENRY AND WHATNOT.AND THAT'S PARTLY WHAT THIS IS ASKING FOR IS FOR THE CITY TO PLANT TREES AND NOT GET, OR, OR, OR AT LEAST GIVE MONEY TO SOMEBODY ELSE TO PLANT THE TREES.
SO, UM, BUT AGAIN, PART OF THE CONCERNS ARE, WELL YEAH, WE GOT UTILITIES UNDERNEATH THAT SIDEWALK, OR WE GOT U YOU KNOW, WATER LINES AND WASTEWATER LINES AND ELECTRIC POWER AND BLAH, BLAH BLAH.
SO YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE ROOTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND DOES THIS, UM, RECOMMENDATION OR THE, THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION ADDRESS THE UTILITY PART OF IT? OR IS THAT THE PART WHERE IT'S LIKE, WELL, DOES IT DOES TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WITH THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS HAS TO BE THE SAFEGUARD FOR THIS AND THEY HAVE, THAT'S THE PERSON WHO HAS THE, KNOWS WHERE THE UTILITIES ARE.
UM, SO I THINK THAT, YEAH, DOVETAILS TO MY CLARIFYING QUESTION FOR NUMBER THREE.
UM, RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CLARIFY THE AUTHORITY OF THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS TO RESOLVE CONFLICTING DEPARTMENT PRIORITIES AND CRITERIA THAT AFFECT RIGHT OF WAY DESIGN IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT COUNCIL PRIORITIES.
UM, AND SO THAT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT ALSO SOUNDS GENERAL AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING, LIKE SOMETIMES I AGREE WITH COUNCIL PRIORITIES, SOMETIMES I DON'T.
SO I'M WONDERING IF WE NEED TO SPECIFY THAT IN, IN MORE DETAIL, UM, IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
ALRIGHT, I'LL ADD AT THE END OF THAT SENTENCE.
IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT COUNCIL PRIORITIES REGARDING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, DO YOU THINK? OR WHAT DO YOU THINK? WELL, I WOULD SAY, UH, IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT STREET TREES AND OTHER FORMS OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO I'LL MOTION TO, UM, AMEND AND THEN NOW THEREFORE NUMBER THREE AT THE VERY END OF THE SENTENCE.
CAN YOU READ IT AGAIN DAVE? YEAH.
SO THANK YOU, UH, RECOMMENDS THAT CITY COUNCIL CLARIFY THE AUTHORITY OF THE DIRECTOR OF BOSTON TRANSIT AND PUBLIC WORKS TO RESOLVE CONFLICTING DEPARTMENT PRIORITIES AND CRITERIA THAT AFFECT RIGHT OF WAY DESIGN IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT COUNCIL PRIORITIES, IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT STREET TREES AND OTHER GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
OR SHOULD WE SAY COUNCIL PRIORITIES REGARDING STREET TREES.
ARE FOLKS CLEAR ON THE LANGUAGE THAT, THAT I'M MOTIONING.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HANDS AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
SO I WILL EDIT THIS AND THEN SEND IT, UH, TO NICOLE.
AND I'LL GET BACK TO MINE IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
UH, I HAVE TWO PLACES WHERE MINE COULD GO.
IT COULD EITHER GO AT THE END OF THE SENTENCE ON NUMBER TWO OR NUMBER FOUR AND I WOULD SAY THROUGHOUT THE CITY, INCLUDING DOG DEAD.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD MENTION A PARTICULAR PART, BUT WE COULD SAY SOMETHING LIKE, INCLUDING NEWLY ANNEXED AREAS.
THAT'S, THAT'S, I'M COOL WITH THAT.
SO YOU'RE MOTIONING FOR UNDER NOW, THEREFORE ITEM NUMBER TWO, THE SENTENCE IS ENDING OF THE AUSTIN ROADMAP FOR ADVANCING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, COMMA ACROSS THE CITY, INCLUDING NEWLY ANNEXED PROPERTIES.
SO MOTION BY PRIMERS OR A SECOND, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LUKI.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HANDS AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS LANGUAGE IS INCORPORATED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY, THANK YOU AGAIN.
SO NOW WE'LL GO BACK TO CONSIDERING THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
WE HAVE THE MOTION IN THE SECOND.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A ROLL CALL.
VOTE FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND THIS IS FOR THE EDITED VERSION WITH THE CHANGES THAT WERE INTRODUCED HERE, CORRECT? RIGHT, CORRECT.
AND WE WILL START WITH COMMISSIONER ATKINS FOUR.
AND I AM TIER KRUGER AND I'M FOUR.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN.
WE'VE GOT AN EMPTY ROOM NOW, BUT LET'S WAIT.
LET'S GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[02:55:02]
BROUGHT THIS FORWARD, BUT HE TOLD ME NOT TO MENTION HIS NAME SO WELL, BUT WE THANK HIM IN SPIRIT.[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
MOVE ON TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CONSIDER AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, A BRIEFING AND RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING THE, UH, MUNI DISCUSSION WE HAVE SO THAT, UH, WE CAN MAKE SOME SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNSEL.A DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM FOR THE BRECKENRIDGE TRACT.
AND IF IT'S BETTER THAT WE HAVE A WORKING GROUP, I WOULD BE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT AS WELL.
YEAH, WE DISCUSSED A WORKING GROUP.
THE TIMING OF IT IS TRICKY WITH THE CURRENT, UH, CALENDAR.
SO I DON'T THINK WE WOULD HAVE TIME TO FORM A WORKING GROUP AND THEN HAVE THAT WORKING GROUP RETURN BEFORE THE COUNCIL VOTE.
SO I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ACTION, I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE NEXT ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING WOULD BE THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT BEFORE THE CURRENTLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL VOTE.
MR. SULLIVAN? WELL MY, MY ONLY INSTINCT WAS TO ADD A VERY SPECIFIC, UM, I WAS GONNA SAY BARRIER, BUT AN UNDEVELOPED PORTION AROUND THE BRACKENRIDGE, UM, RESEARCH FACILITY.
TO PROTECT IT BASICALLY FROM OTHER DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD HAPPEN.
SO WE DO GET TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND TAKE ACTION AND WRITE A RECOMMENDATION.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT TIME.
ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? OKAY.
UM, ANY OBJECTIONS TO ADJOURNMENT? HELL NO.
THE TIME IS 9:08 PM AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.