[00:00:01]
I KNOW THAT WE ONLY SAW EACH OTHER LAST WEEK, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY BEING HERE.
[Call to Order]
THIS IS THE, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.SPECIAL MEETING IS FRIDAY, JULY.
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE ROLL, UM, BOARD MEMBER.
UH, DID HE REMEMBER RINALDO? MOREOVER, THE CARLA OKAY.
BOARD MEMBER OF FAUST BOARD MEMBER MORGAN, OR MEMBER LUCA HERE FOR MEMBER, UH, COTTON SEIBEL HERE.
AND I THINK VICE-CHAIR, FARSAD JUST GOT HERE, RIGHT? CORRECT PRESENCE.
SO WE STILL DON'T HAVE BOARD MEMBER FAUST OR MASON MURPHY, UNLESS I CAN'T SEE YOU AND BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND, UM, AND GET STARTED AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND JUST MOVE WITH
[Additional Item]
THE, UM, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, WHICH IS THE, OH, EXCUSE ME, CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS, WHICH IS FIRST.DO WE HAVE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? YES, MA'AM WE DO.
UM, I'LL GO IN THE ORDER IN WHICH I RECEIVED, UM, EMAILS FROM THE INDIVIDUALS.
SO WE'LL START WITH JOEL MANZO.
JOEL, IF YOU'LL UNMUTE YOURSELF, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M A BORN AND RAISED AUSTIN RESIDENT CURRENTLY WORK FOR AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION AS A ZEBRA PARKS DROWNED ASSISTANT.
AND FOR FIVE YEARS, I WAS A LIFEGUARD AT BARTON SPRINGS POOL ALSO, AND AN ECO TOUR GUIDE FOR SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE, WHICH GIVES, UH, EDUCATIONAL TOURS OF BARTON CREEK AND BARTON SPRINGS.
I'M ALSO PART OF THE ALDERBROOK COMMUNITY GARDEN.
I'VE PLAYED IN THE AUSTIN METRO BASEBALL LEAGUE, WHICH HAS PLAYED IT DOWNFIELD FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS, WHICH I'VE ALSO PLAYED WITH TTB EL COUNTRY, TEXAS BASEBALL LEAGUE, THE COLLEGIATE THERE, IT GOES TO LEAGUE LA LIGA, HISPANA SOFTBALL AND CRAIG AND HAVENS PARKS, WHICH ARE ALL CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS.
I VOLUNTEER FOR THE RBI PROGRAM, WHICH USES CITY VOCS IN THE BASEBALL FIELDS, WHICH THAT IS MY CONCERN THAT I'M BRINGING UP TODAY.
SHE ALL IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND REC BASEBALL FIELDS AND THE LACK OF ACCESSIBILITY.
HI, I'M AN AVID BASEBALL PLAYER.
I'M BORN A BASEBALL TO MEXICO THIS PAST TIME.
I'VE PLAYED SINCE I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES ARE PREMIER IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, BOUNCY OVER IS EVER GOES BACK TO HARPER, J D SOR NORTHWEST PARKMAN.
THOSE, UH, WHAT'D YOU GROW ALL BASEBALL FIELDS AND GO VALLEY ARE ALL BASEBALL FIELDS THAT ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, WHICH I'M TRYING TO BRING THE SITUATION TO GIVE ACCESSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC FOR THESE BASEBALL FIELDS.
UM, THE YOUTH WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS.
ADULTS WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS IN ALL, UH, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS WHO BENEFITS FROM THIS.
UM, WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THE CONTRACT ON HOW WE CONTRACT THESE FIELDS TO, UH, PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE DOWNFIELD IS CONTRACTED OUT TO THE AUSTIN METRO BASEBALL LEAGUE.
CAUSE HERE IT GOES TO IT'S CONTRACTED TO RBI.
JT THORPE IS CONTRACT TO THE AISB.
THESE ARE ALL CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC, WHICH THEY WERE LOCKED UP ALL YEAR AROUND AND ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE ON THAT BASEBALL FIELD.
THEY HAVE THE AWESOME ATRIAL BASEBALL LEAGUE, UH, THEY'RE CONTACTED THERE, WHICH I LOVE PLAYING BASEBALL.
I LOVE PLAYING IN THAT LEAGUE, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF ARCHAIC RULES AND REGULATIONS.
WHEN YOU PLAY IN THAT LEAGUE, WE PAY ABOUT $350 PER PLAYER TO PLAY ON A TEAM, WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO HAVING ONE SOFTBALL TEAM OR ONE SOCCER TEAM WITHIN AUSTIN PARKS RECREATION.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ABOUT $5,000 PER TEAM AT DOWNFIELD THROUGH AUTO METRO BASEBALL WEEK, BUT THEIR ARCHAIC RULES ARE SPECIFIC AS IF YOU PAY TO PLAY IN OUR LEAGUE AND YOU PAY TO PLAY IN ANOTHER LEAGUE.
THE COMMISSIONER WILL, WILL SUSPEND YOU WITHOUT REFUND.
[00:05:01]
THAT IS AGAINST ALL MORALE TO BASEBALL.THAT IS AGAINST ALL AMBITION AND INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND REC COMMISSION.
AND THAT IS AGAINST ALL MORALE TO DOWNFIELD, WHICH IS CREATED BECAUSE BLACKS COULDN'T PLAY IN WEST AUSTIN.
UM, WE ARE CREATING SEPARATION AND SEGREGATION BASEBALL PLAYERS RIGHT NOW BY LETTING THESE DICTATORS, UM, MR. MANZO, YOUR TIME HAS GONE.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK.
THE NEXT CALLER IS CHARLES RAECHEL.
IF YOU'LL UNMUTE YOURSELF, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
THANK FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT ITEM B ONE.
THE REVISED MASTER PLAN FOR JOHN'S WOULD HAVE BEEN YOUR JUNIOR METROPOLITAN PARK IN COMPARING THE PRESENTATION DATED JULY 10TH, 2020.
WITH THAT STATED SIMPLY JULY, 2020.
I NOTICED THE DESIGN TENT PLAN ELIMINATES THE SKATE AND BIKE SKILLS FACILITY.
THE SKATE AND BIKE FACILITY WAS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH WHAT I NEEDED, THE LACK OF ACCESSIBILITY.
AND, UM, I'M SORRY, SOMEBODY IS INTERRUPTED MY PRESENTATION HERE.
COMPARING THE PRESENTATION DATED JULY 10TH, 2020, WITH THAT SEDATED SIMPLY JULY, 2020, I NOTICED THE JULY 10TH PLAN ELIMINATE THE SKATE AND BIKE SKILLS FACILITY.
THE SKATE AND BIKE FACILITY WAS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE NATURAL BEAUTY AND FAMILY ORIENTATION OF THE SITE.
AND SUCH A FACILITY WOULD HAVE CONSUMED UNNECESSARILY PART OF A LIMITED SPACE IN THE RAVINE AREA THAT LIES ABOVE THE PARTS FLOODS LANE.
I BELIEVE ELIMINATION OF THE ESCAPE AND BIKE FACILITY IS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT.
HOWEVER, NOTICE THE JULY 10TH VERSION OF THE MASTER PLAN PRESENTATION USES THE DESIGNATION, A COMMUNITIES WALK FOR THE ONE MILE TRAIL THROUGH THE PART'S PRIMARY SPACES AND EARLIER VERSIONS OF THE MASTER PLAN.
THIS WAS CALLED
IF THAT IS TRUE, IT WOULD BE VERY DISAPPOINTING.
THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT TO EXPLAIN TO THE VENULES HISTORIC IMPORTANCE WAS A BRILLIANT AND UNIQUE IDEA.
ASIDE FROM THAT CONCERN, I'M ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE JULY 10TH REVISION OF THE MASTER PLAN AND OF APPROACH PHASES FOR DEVELOPING THE PART.
THE PAN PLAN INCLUDES THE KINDS OF FEATURES FOR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY.
THIS IS SORT OF VENIAL CONSISTENTLY AND EMPHATICALLY REQUESTED CHARLES MABRY, DAVID MALDA AND THEIR RESPECTIVE TEAMS ARE TO BE CONGRATULATED FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY WORK.
THEY HAVE DONE LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY AND CREATING A MASTER PLAN THAT MAKES THE MOST OF THIS UNIQUELY BEAUTIFUL SITE.
SO YOUR SERVICE TO AUSTIN AND I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
THE NEXT CALLER IS OUR MELINDA ZAMARRIPA OR MELINDA.
IF YOU WOULD UNMUTE YOURSELF, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES BEGINNING NOW.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE PARKS BOARD AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK MY SUPPORT FOR ITEM B ONE, THE JOHN CORVINO METROPOLITAN PARK MASTER PLAN.
BY 20 YEARS AGO, I INITIATED THE PLAN TO HONOR MY UNCLE WHO WAS THE FIRST MEXICAN AMERICAN ELECTED TO THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
I AM TRULY GRATEFUL AND HAPPY THAT WE ARE FINALLY ON THE CUSP OF THE PARKS DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE BEEN PLEASED WITH THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE MASTER PLAN.
DAVID MALDA, THE CONSULTANT AND PARKS MANAGER.
CHARLES MAYBREY HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC.
THEY DEVELOPED A PLAN THAT IS SIMPLE AND BEAUTIFUL.
THE PROCESS WAS VERY DEMOCRATIC AND I HOPE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO ENGAGE G G N IN FUTURE PROJECTS.
WE VOICED HER OPPOSITION TO A BIKE AND STATE FACILITY.
IT RUNS CONTRARY TO THE FAMILY ORIENTATION OF THE PARK AND THREE, NO ONE REQUESTED SUCH FACILITIES THAT ANY OF THE 2018 BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE MEETINGS.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
[00:10:02]
PLAN REPLACES ESCAPE BY FACILITY WITH SOME THREE REFERRED TO AS ADVENTURE PLAY.AND EL CAMINO, THE TREVINO OR JOHN TREVINO OR WALK IS NOW CALLED A COMMUNITY WALKS.
WE STRESSED OUR DESIRE TO HAVE A TRAIL WITH APPROPRIATE MARKINGS OF FORCED STATUARY TO SERVE AS AN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHERS TO LEARN SEMI COULD WE JUST MOVE ON? AND IF SHE GETS BACK ON, WE CAN JUST GIVE HER A MINUTE TO SEND US LEWIS.
SHE'S ACTUALLY ON, I CAN HEAR HER ON THE LINE THAT SHE CALLS IN WITH.
SO WE'VE LOST, UH, THE SPEAKER CONNECTION WITH YOU ALL.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR ANY OF THE SPEAKERS, UM, CTM IS WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT, UH, WHAT HAPPENED.
WE'VE HAD SOME TECHNICAL HICCUPS TODAY THROUGHOUT OUR MEETINGS, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
NO, IT'S THE JOY OF VIRTUAL MEETING, SO.
OKAY, WELL, UM, MAYBE HOW MANY MORE SPEAKERS DID YOU HAVE LOUIS? WE JUST HAD ONE AFTER IRMA, LINDA, STEPHANIE TREVIÑO STEPHANIE, ARE YOU ON? AND CAN YOU HEAR AND TRY AND TALK, JERRY, THIS IS DANIEL WITH CTM.
CAN YOU GIVE ME ABOUT TWO MINUTES TO SET UP THESE LINES BACK UP? SURE.
WELL, IN THAT CASE, SO WE DON'T TAKE AWAY 10 MINUTES.
LET'S KIND OF, UM, JUGGLE THE SCHEDULE JUST A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK WHAT WE COULD DO WOULD I THINK, DID WE GET BORN, UM, BOARD MEMBER? MASON MURPHY.
ARE YOU THERE? YOU JUST TEXTED.
AGAIN, IT LOOKS LIKE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CUT THE MEETING FOR JUST A MOMENT.
SO CAN Y'ALL GIVE ME TWO TO THREE MINUTES WITH A, OKAY.
SO WE JUST STAY HERE AND HE KEPT THE MEETING.
Y'ALL Y'ALL STILL BE IN THERE.
UH, SO JUST GIVE ME JUST A SECOND AND Y'ALL Y'ALL CAN GO OVER A LITTLE BIT TODAY.
SO NO WORRIES THERE CONFERENCING CENTER, PLEASE ENTER A CONFERENCE ID FOLLOWED BY POUND.
IF YOU'RE THE MEETING ORGANIZER, PRESS STAR.
[00:15:07]
PLEASE WAIT FOR THE LEADER.YOU ARE NOW JOINING THE MEETING.
ENTER YOUR ACCESS CODE OR MEETING NUMBER FOLLOWED BY POUND.
ENTER YOUR ACCESS CODE OR MEETING NUMBER FOLLOWED BY POUND.
ENTER YOUR ATTENDEE ID NUMBER FOLLOWED BY POUND.
IF YOU DO NOT KNOW YOUR ATTENDEE NUMBER,
WE THINK WE'VE GOT EVERYBODY HOPEFULLY ROUTED BACK THROUGH, UH, IRMA.
LINDA, CAN YOU HEAR ME? AND CAN YOU HEAR US, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE, IF YOU'D WANT TO, UM, FINISH UP YOUR COMMENTS, STEPHANIE TREVIÑO CAN YOU HEAR US?
IS THERE ANY WAY TO WORK ON THAT WHILE WE'RE TALKING? YES.
WE'LL GIVE IT A TRY BACK HERE ON THE BACK END.
UM, BUT YES, IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD.
I THINK WE NEED TO GO AHEAD, SAMMY.
WOULD YOU ALL LIKE SAMMY, YOU JUST HAVE THEM CALL ON YOUR CELL PHONE AND PUT IT ON SPEAKER AND CAPTURE IT THAT WAY? UH, I CAN, UM, I CAN GIVE THAT A TRY.
UM, I NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS.
UH, I NEED TO WRITE THEM DOWN AND CALL THEM ON MY CELL PHONE.
WE CAN, I DO A QUICK CHECK AND SEE IF ANTHONY SIGORA OR SUZANNE PIPER OR RICARDO CAN DO A MIC CHECK REAL QUICK AND JUST CHECK IN WITH US.
WELL, LET'S GET HER MELINDA AND LET HER DENNIS SO WE CAN MOVE ON.
OKAY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT IT AND GIVE IT A TRY.
WE'RE DOING SPEAKER AND MELINDA TO MY COMPUTER MICROPHONE.
SO I'M NOT SURE HOW SUCCESSFUL WE'LL BE, BUT THANK YOU FOR MEMBER DIPLOMA.
WELL, WHERE DID I FINISH? WHERE DID YOU LAST YEAR? I WAS TALKING ABOUT TRUMP.
WE HEARD, WE HEARD YOUR COMMENTS AND YOU'D HOPE THAT THE VENDOR WOULD BE USED AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.
AND, UH, SO DID YOU HEAR ABOUT OUR OPPOSITION TO THE BACK OF THE BIKE AND SKATE FACILITIES? YES, WE DID.
SO THEN I'LL GO TO LIKE, ALMOST THE SECOND TO THE LAST PARAGRAPH, WHICH IS, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, UH, THOUGH.
SO, AND THAT IS, DID YOU HEAR THAT? YES.
[00:20:01]
DIDN'T, WE NEVER RECEIVED THE QUESTIONS, BUT, UM, WELL I, AND I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY ASK THEM HERE.SO THE JULY 10 2020 PLAN, WE HAD PLACES ESCAPED BY FACILITY WITH CENTER REFERRED TO AS ADVENTURE PLAY.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS.
AND EL CAMINO THAT OR JOHN TREVINO PAR WALL IS NOW CALLED A COMMUNITY WALK.
WE STRESSED OUR DESIRE TO HAVE A TRAIL WITH APPROPRIATE MARKETS OR STATUARY TO SERVE AS AN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHERS TO LEARN THE LOCAL HISTORY ABOUT A MEXICAN AMERICAN PIONEER AND HERO WHOSE LEGACY CONTINUES TO BENEFIT EVERYONE IN AUSTIN.
SO THE QUESTION IS, HAS A COMMUNITY WALK THEN REPLACED.
OKAY, SO LET'S DO SO WE CAN'T GET STEPHANIE, RIGHT? YOU HAVE HER NUMBER ROOTS.
I'M GOING TO TRY AND PUT THE MICROPHONE THAT I'M SPEAKING INTO UP TO THE SPEAKER OF THE LAPTOP.
EXCUSE ME, THE LAPTOP THAT STEPHANIE IS CALLED IN ON AND SEE IF WE CAN'T MAKE THAT WORK FOR HER COMMENTS.
STEPHANIE, ARE YOU ON? YES, MA'AM WE CAN YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES? GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
I'M THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF JOHN JR.
I'M HERE, THE PERMANENT REMOVAL OF TWO SECTIONS OF BMX PUMP, TRACK AND ESCAPE PARK.
AS STATED PREVIOUSLY, THE FINAL SURVEY SHOWS THAT PUBLIC DID NOT PRIORITIZE EITHER OF THESE SECTIONS TO BE ADDED TO THE PARKS MASTER PLAN.
THE SECTIONS WERE ADDED IN THE MASTER PLAN AFTER A GROUP OF WEST NINTH STREET, BMX BIKERS AND SKATEBOARDERS PETITION AUGUST, 2019 TO TAKE OVER ALL OF 330 ACRES OF LAND.
WE'RE ASKING THAT PART BE TRANSPARENT AND HONEST ABOUT THE REVISED PLAN AND LABELED ED RANCHER PLACE AND NOT LEAVE IN THESE SECTIONS.
SO THE SAME GROUP CAN COME BACK AND REQUEST THE C-SECTIONS BE BUILT IN THE FUTURE.
WE'RE ALSO ASKING IF ELIMINATING THROUGH THE NOSE WALK IS A FORM OF RETALIATION FOR THE FAMILY.
SPEAKING UP ABOUT OUR CONCERNS FOR THE PLANS OF THE PARK.
IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC SURVEY, IT'S EXTREMELY CLEAR THAT THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ACTUALLY WHIPPED AROUND THE PARK DO NOT WANT THESE SECTIONS AND PUT EITHER THAT THERE BE NO FAMILY AND THE CITY OF BOSTON EQUITY OFFICE AND THE HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION HAVE ALL VOICE OPPOSITIONS FOR THESE SECTIONS OF THE PARK.
THE PARK IS SUPPOSED TO BE A COMMUNITY PART.
SO GOING FORWARD, THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS CAN SEE CLEARLY HOW EQUITABLE THESE ACTIONS OR FAMILY WANTS THE PARKS AND RECREATION TO HELP THE PARK AIMED AT PROMOTING OUTDOOR RECREATION THAT WILL PROTECT AND PRESERVE EXISTING ACTUAL RESOURCES.
YOU WANT IT TO BE A COURAGE OF THE HERITAGE OF THE PART THOUGH, LIKE A SEA OF MY GRANDFATHER AND NATURE TOURISM.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CONSIDER THE MESSAGE THAT YOU'RE SENDING BY LEAVING THE SECTION AND THESE PARTS, AND THEN MOVING UP THERE WOULD BE NO CARD.
PLEASE CONSIDER WHAT VOICES YOU ARE AMPLIFYING AND THE VOICES YOU WILL BE FILED THING AT THESE SECTIONS WITH FULL WORD AND THE LEGACY OF JUNIOR AS WELL.
SORRY ABOUT ALL THE TECHNICIANS.
OKAY, SO NOW I THINK WE CAN OFFICIALLY MOVE ON.
[A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approve the minutes of the Parks and Recreation Board special meeting of June 24, 2020.]
GO AHEAD AND DO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AND HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY HAS TIME TO LOOK AT THOSE ALREADY.AND IF THEY HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR DELETIONS TO, UM, TO LET US KNOW, IF NOT, IF SOMEBODY COULD PLEASE MOVE TO PASS THOSE, I'LL MOVE THAT THE MINUTES BE APPROVED.
SO MOVE BY BOARD MEMBER MORGAN SECONDED BY TWO VICE CHAIR FOR OUR SITE.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR, IF YOU CAN JUST SAY, RAISE YOUR HAND
[00:25:01]
AND THEN LET'S SEE, I CAN'T SEE YOU VICE CHAIR PARTS OFF BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE HER ON THE PHONE.I GOT EVERYBODY THAT I THINK IS UNANIMOUS.
DID I MISS ANYBODY? OKAY, THEN THIS UNANIMOUSLY, THANK YOU.
LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEW BUSINESS, WHICH IS
[B1. NEW BUSINESS: Recommendation to the City Council for adoption of the Master Plan for John Trevino Jr. Metropolitan Park at Morrison Ranch. Presenters: Charles Mabry, Associate Project Manager, Parks and Recreation Department and David Malda, Principal, GGN]
THE, AND AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS I'LL GO AROUND AFTER THE PRESENTATION AND ASK PEOPLE IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS AND IF IT EVOLVES INTO A DISCUSSION, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR A RECOMMENDATION.SO, UM, BUT LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
IT'S FOR A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION OF THE MASTER PLAN FOR JOHN TREVINO JR.
METROPOLITAN PARK AT MORRISON RANCH.
AND DO WE HAVE, UM, CHARLES MAYBERRY AND DAVID MALDA? YES.
YOU KNOW, SAFETY CHAIR AND TAKE YOU BOARD MEMBERS.
AND THIS IS CHARLES MURRAY WITH THE PARK CLEANING DIVISION.
AND I'M JOINED BY DAVID BALTA, THE PRINCIPAL WITH GGN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS START CONSULTANT ON THIS PROJECT.
AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION, OR THAT JOHN SHOULD MEET NEW A JUNIOR METRO PARK AND MORRISON RANCH MASTER PLAN.
AND AT THIS POINT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DAVID TO RUN THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, HIGHLIGHTING THE PLANNING PROCESS WE WENT THROUGH AND ON THE DRAFT MASTER PLAN ITSELF.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE PRESENTATION THAT DAVID IS SHARING.
CAN EVERY BUTTON HERE LOOKS LIKE? YES.
THE LAND WAS PURCHASED BY PART IN 2003 AND SIGNIFICANTLY IN 2006, IT WAS NAMED AFTER JOHN TREVINO, JR.
WE'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF THE FAMILY TODAY AND, UH, THE LEGACY OF JOHN TRIVINIA JR HAS BEEN AT THE HEART OF ALL OF OUR DISCUSSIONS IN THINKING AROUND THIS PARK.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT STORY THAT WE'VE HOPED TO TELL AS WE'LL TALK ABOUT TODAY, AS WE WALKED THROUGH THE DESIGN, IT'S ABOUT 330 ACRES, 5,000 FEET OF FRONTAGE ON THE RIVER.
AND TWO THIRDS OF THIS PARK LIES IN A FLOOD PLAIN, WHICH SETS A LOT OF CONSTRAINTS.
IT IS LOCATED BETWEEN FM NINE 69 AND US ONE 83 A, WHICH IS AN AREA THAT HAS HISTORICALLY NOT HAD A LOT OF PARKS INVESTMENT IN RESOURCES.
SO WE DO SEE THIS AS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO SERVE AND SPEAK TO THOSE WHO LIVE AROUND THE PARK, WHICH HAS BEEN AT THE CORE OF HOW WE'VE TRIED TO APPROACH THE DESIGN PROCESS THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH HAS HAD ENGAGEMENT ALL ALONG THE WAY.
UM, WE BEGAN BY, UH, REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE STORIES TAKING, UM, A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS, TAKING AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAND, BUT ALSO TALKING TO RESIDENTS AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHO IS JOHN TREVINO, WHAT ARE THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND BUILDING A SHARED VISION AND VALUES, UM, IDEA OUT OF THAT, WHICH WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL MEETING TO CONFIRM THAT WE WERE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, WE'VE DEVELOPED PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS.
AND THEN THAT BECAME THE BASIS FOR THE PREFERRED MASTER PLAN, WHICH THEN OUTLINED PRIORITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO THERE'S THINGS IN THIS PLAN THAT ARE LOWER PRIORITY AND THINGS THAT ARE HIGHER PRIORITY.
UM, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO ESTABLISH A BIGGER, BROADER VISION AND THEN ARTICULATE WHAT COMES FIRST WITH COMMUNITY INPUT.
THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, UH, TOOK MANY FORMS. ONE OF THE BIGGEST GOALS THAT WE HAD WAS TO NOT JUST SIMPLY SAY, UH, WHAT'S THE SURVEY VOTE ON WHICH ONE YOU LIKE, BUT REALLY GET PEOPLE CONNECTED TO IN THROUGH THIS PLACE.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE LAND ITSELF HAD AN INCREDIBLE VALUE FOR WHAT IT WAS.
AND THAT BECAME A CONSISTENT THEME THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT THAT THIS LAND IS THE REAL RESOURCE AND OPPORTUNITY, AND WE NEED TO GIVE PEOPLE ACCESS TO IT AND OPPORTUNITY THROUGH IT, UH, BUT NOT DEVELOP THE WHOLE THING, KEEP IT, UH, OPEN TO NATURE AND TRAILS AND ACCESS.
AND THROUGH THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF ENGAGEMENTS.
WE HEARD THAT LOUD AND CLEAR FAMILY NATURE, TRAILS, HERITAGE FISHING, ACCESS TO THE RIVER, ALL REALLY BIG PARTS OF THIS.
AND WE HAD GOOD COMMUNITY FEEDBACK FROM SURROUNDING ZIP CODES.
SO THIS REALLY BECAME THE BASIS FOR THE WAY WE THOUGHT ABOUT THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE PARK, WHICH WAS A STRUCTURE IN SOME WAYS IN THREE LAYERS, HOW IS THIS A PLACE TO REALLY ENGAGE THE INTERSECTION OF THE PRIMARY LEVEL, WHICH IS THE UPPER OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN ZONE AND THE RIVER BASE AND LEVEL, WHICH IS THAT LOWER TWO THIRDS OF THE PARK, BOTH AMAZING ECOLOGIES TOO.
THERE'S AN OVERLAY OF THE RANCH HISTORY OF THE PLACE.
HOW ARE WE ABLE TO BUILD ON THAT? REALLY ACCENTUATE THE FEATURES THAT ARE THERE TODAY, THE HEAD HEADROOM, DAVID YOU'RE ON MUTE.
[00:30:05]
DAVID.I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT.
SO THE LAST LAYER OF THAT WAS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, HOW DO WE ADVANCE THE COMMUNITY, A LEGACY OF JOHN TREVINO JR.
HOW HAS THIS PLACE SOMETHING THAT'S TAKING WHAT HE WORKED FOR THE SPIRIT AND MISSION OF HIS WORK AND SAYING, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF PARK WOULD THAT BE IN THIS PLACE? AND THAT'S WHAT DROVE THE DESIGN.
UH, THE GENERAL SITE PLAN ESTABLISHED TWO PRIMARY ZONES.
WE CALLED THEM THE RIVER LEVEL AND THE PRAIRIE LEVEL.
AND WITHIN THAT, WE DEVELOPED IDEAS FOR SPECIFIC ACTIVITY CENTERS.
IF YOU WILL, ANCHORS THAT COULD BUILD OFF THE UNIQUE CHARACTERS OF THOSE PLACES.
THE FIRST I'LL TOUCH ON IS THE FIELD, UH, IT'S CLOSEST OUT TO THE MAIN ROAD AND WE REALLY IMAGINED THAT THIS IS A PLACE OF ARRIVAL, PICNICKING, EASY ACCESS, SORT OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AMENITIES, A SMALL PLAY FIELD, BUT REALLY FOCUSED ON ACCESS TO A TRAIL SYSTEM AND A WILDFLOWER MEADOW WITH OTHER AREAS FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION.
SO IT'S GETTING FAMILIES THERE.
IT'S GETTING ACTIVITY IN A MORE PASSIVE WAY REALLY, BUT THEN ALSO ADDING SOME PLAY.
WE TRIED TO BE CONSCIOUS OF MIXING AGES AND KINDS OF USERS THROUGHOUT.
AND SO IT WASN'T JUST A COME FOR ONE THING AND THEN LEAVE, BUT YOU COULD CONNECT TO OTHERS BY COMING HERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE A GENERAL PLAN OF WHAT THAT IS.
AND NOTABLY HERE IS THE COMMUNITY'S WALK.
AND I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE OF, OF HOW THAT'S, UM, NOT EVOLVED, BUT JUST BEEN RENAMED FOR THE MOMENT.
UH, THE NEXT AREA OF THE RAVINE MOVES A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THAT SLOPE TOWARDS THE FLOOD PLAIN.
AND THIS IS AN AREA THAT WE IMAGINED IS REALLY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF TREES THAT ARE THERE, SHADE THAT'S THERE, UM, AND KIND OF A MORE COMPLEX TOPOGRAPHY THAT YOU COULD MOVE THROUGH AND FIND POCKETS OF ACTIVITY.
AND SO THIS IS THE AREA THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A POTENTIAL FOR A SMALL BMX OR BIKE, UM, SKATE ACTIVITY SPACE, UM, GIVEN ALL THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED MOST RECENTLY, WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A PART OF IT.
IT WAS REALLY NEVER AN ESSENTIAL PIECE OF THE FRAMEWORK.
THE IDEA IS NATURE EXPLORATION PLAY ACTIVITY.
AND THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE THOUGHT WITH THE WORD ADVENTURE PLAY, THAT WE MIGHT FIND SOME ACTIVITIES WITHIN THAT SETTING THAT COULD ATTRACT TEENS, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS ONE OF THE MOST ABSENT PROGRAM, UM, KINDS OF EXPERIENCES IN TERMS OF POPULATIONS WHO USE PARKS.
SO FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, ADVENTURE PLAY BEING SOMETHING THAT MAYBE IS A BIT MORE ACTIVE, MAYBE THERE'S A ZIP LINE OR SOME ROPES THINGS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT IT'S MOVING THROUGH NATURE IN, IN, IN GETTING OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT AGE, ESPECIALLY.
UM, BUT NOTABLY YOU SEE THE COMMUNITY WALK COMING THROUGH THIS AGAIN.
SO THE PLAN LAYS OUT A RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THIS.
OF COURSE WE'RE NOT SPECIFYING SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AT THIS POINT THAT COMES THROUGH THE DESIGN PHASES AND ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE FUTURE.
SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO HIDE ANYTHING HERE.
WE'RE JUST SAYING, THIS IS THE CHARACTER, THE FRAMEWORK THAT THE MASTER PLAN OUTLINES, AND YES, THERE MUST BE MORE ENGAGEMENT TO MAKE SURE IT CONTINUES TO MEET THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AS IT GOES FORWARD.
NOW, ANOTHER AREA WE'VE CALLED THE FARM, THIS TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE EXISTING BARN.
THAT'S OUT THERE AGAIN, AN AMAZING CHARACTER.
AND THE THINKING HERE IS THAT THIS COULD BRING IN FOOD, PRODUCTION, EDUCATION, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALTHY LEARNING, AS WELL AS SOME OTHER PLAY COMPONENTS AND COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACES CLOSE TO THIS WOULD BE A FIELD THAT COULD BE MOAN AND USED FOR APPROPRIATELY SIZED, NOT LARGE COMMUNITY EVENTS, UH, BUT IT'S REALLY AN EDUCATION RESOURCE FOOD ACCESS CONNECTION THAT BUILDS ON THE HERITAGE AGAIN OF THE PLACE THAT'S THERE TODAY.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE SUGGESTED, UH, FRAMEWORK FOR THAT.
UH, MOVING FURTHER SOUTH ALONG THE RIDGE, YOU GET TO WHAT WE'VE CALLED HOME, WHICH IS WHERE THERE'S THIS AMAZING HOUSE OUT ON THE BLUFF EDGE.
AMAZING VIEWS REALLY JUST KIND OF KEEP IT AS TRANQUIL AND WONDERFUL AS IT IS.
BRING AREAS FOR PICNIC, BRING AREAS FOR WALKING AND JOINING A FLYER FLOWERS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
NOW WE HAD AN IDEA FOR WHAT IN THIS PRESENTATION IS CALLED THE COMMUNITY'S WALK.
NOW WE UNDERSTAND THAT IN A MASTER PLAN PROCESS, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO NAMING OFFICIALLY.
SO THE VISION FOR THIS WALK CAME AS A LEGACY AND A MEMORIAL TO JOHN TREVINO, JR.
WHO IS AT THE HEART OF THE THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THIS PROGRAM AND IDENTITY AND ACCESS FOR THIS PLACE.
THIS WALK IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING ART IN.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING INFORMATION STORYTELLING ABOUT TREVINO, ABOUT THE IMPORTANT, UH, COMMUNITY ACTIVISM THAT WAS CENTRAL TO THAT, AND COULD BE AT THE HEART OF THIS PLACE TO WITHIN THESE DIFFERENT NATURAL ECOLOGIES AND SETTINGS.
SO THE INTENT OF THIS HAS IN NO WAY CHANGED FROM THE ORIGINAL MASTER PLAN CONCEPTION, WE JUST UNDERSTAND AND HAVE BEEN TOLD WE CAN NOT NAME IT OFFICIALLY IN THIS PROCESS OF MASTER PLANNING,
[00:35:01]
BUT THE VISION, THE ATTITUDE, AND HOPEFULLY QUITE FRANKLY, THE NAME CAN STAY THE SAME AS IT MOVES FORWARD.NOW, WHEN WE GET DOWN TO THE FLOODPLAIN LEVEL, THAT'S THAT TWO THIRDS OF THE PARK THAT SITS DOWN AT THE RIVER LEVEL.
THIS IS PRIMARILY LOOKING TO BE REFORESTED WITH ACCESS AND TRAILS MOVING THROUGH IT.
SO THAT'S 200 PLUS ACRES OF TRAILS AND REFORESTATION AT THE RIVER LEVEL THAT STILL BUILDS ON THE FRAMEWORK OF THE OLD FENCE ROWS.
SO THERE'S SOME AGRICULTURAL OVERLAY AND GOOD, CLEAR, SAFE ACCESS DOWN TO THE RIVER, AS WELL AS AN ACCESS POINT FOR SWIMMING, SORRY FOR FISHING OR BOAT ACCESS.
AND THEN A PART OF THIS IS MANAGEMENT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE MASTER PLAN, THE NEED FOR AN ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS DONE EFFECTIVELY AND STRATEGICALLY WITH THE KIND OF RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, WHICH ARE NOT A HUGE.
SO WE'VE GOT TO BE REALLY SMART ABOUT HOW TO DO THIS RESTORATION WORK TRAILS AND ACCESS THROUGHOUT DIFFERENT TYPES, BEING CONSCIOUS OF MULTILANE A BIKE WAYS THROUGH THIS, AS WELL AS HIKING TRAILS, IN TERMS OF PHASING, WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO LISTEN TO COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, WHICH IS SAYING ACCESS AND BASIC.
UM, RESTORATION IS THE KEY LAY, A GOOD FRAMEWORK OF THE GROUND OF THE ECOLOGY, AND THEN GET PEOPLE OUT THERE.
IT'S MORE OF A TRAIL HEAD MENTALITY WITH THE FUNDS AVAILABLE FUTURE PHASES, THEN REALLY LOOK TO DEVELOP MORE OF THOSE COMMUNITY RESOURCES THAT PICNIC AREAS, ADDITIONAL TRAILS ACCESS TO THE RIVER, UM, AND SOME MORE, UH, PLAYFIELD MULTI-USE KIND OF GATHERING SPACE, UH, IN THE PRIMARY LEVEL.
AND THEN WHAT WE'VE CALLED PARTNER PROJECTS ARE OTHER AREAS LIKE MAYBE THE FARM PIECE OR THE AGRICULTURAL PIECE OR THE PLAYGROUND AREAS AND THE RAVINE THAT WITH THE RIGHT KIND OF PARTNERSHIP AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING COULD MOVE FORWARD.
BUT THOSE ARE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD IN TERMS OF PRIORITIZATION IN WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN THE MASTER PLAN PROCESS.
I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS THAT WE'VE CONTINUED TO HEAR FROM CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN, A VERY ENGAGED PUBLIC.
AND THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY MEANINGFUL PROJECT IN THIS TIME.
UH, GIVEN THE, THE SOCIAL, UH, PRIORITIES THAT WE BELIEVE ARE AT THE HEART OF THIS THING.
AND IT'S AN AMAZING LAND RESOURCE THAT WE BELIEVE IS IT'S JUST INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO STEWARD IN A RESPECTFUL WAY THAT PRESERVES THE QUALITIES OF THE PLACE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO IF WE COULD JUST PULL IT DOWN FOR JUST A SECOND, SO I CAN SEE THE BOARD MEMBERS AND AGAIN, THANK YOU.
SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, I'M JUST GOING TO GO AROUND AND I'M JUST GOING TO DO IT IN THE ORDER, WHICH I SEE YOUR, YOUR, UM, YOUR SQUARES OR YOUR, YOUR PICTURE OR YOU.
AND SO IF YOU'RE NOT READY TO ASK QUESTIONS, YOU CAN JUST SAY SKIP, OR YOU CAN, UM, JUST SAY YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, OR GO AHEAD AND ASK.
SO THE FIRST ONE I SEE IS VICE CHAIR FARTS.
I APPRECIATE THE REVISION, PARTICULARLY DEALING WITH, UH, THE ADDING THE ADVENTURE PLAY AND NOT THE, A SKATEBOARD BMX, UH, FEATURE.
UH, I HOPE THERE'S A BETTER DESCRIPTION CAN BE A BETTER DESCRIPTION OF WHAT ADVENTURE PLAY MEANS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, UH, IT WAS HELPFUL FOR DAVID FOR YOU TO EXPLAIN THAT.
AND SO MORE DETAIL OF EXPLAINING WHAT ADVENTURE PLAY IS.
AND I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHY IT CAN'T BE NAMED THE WALL.
CAN'T BE NAMED THE JOHN TREVIÑO JR.
IT HAS TO BE, IT CAN'T BE NAMED AT THIS POINT, BUT I SEE THAT THE INTENT IS STILL TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, IN SOME VISUAL WAY, UH, THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT, UH, ALSO MEMBER FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER TREVINO MADE TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE, REALLY THE HEART OF WHAT I'VE HEARD OF PEOPLE OBJECT TO.
I, IT'S A GREAT, IT'S A GREAT PLAN.
UM, AND I LOOK, I HOPE I LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SAY IT'S COMPLETE FRUITION.
BUT AT 76, YOU KNOW, IT MAY NOT HAPPEN, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, I OVERALL I LOVE THE MASTERPLAN AND LOVE ALL THE NATURAL ELEMENTS INVOLVED IN IT AND THE ATTENTION TO LOCAL COLLEGEY AND HABITATS.
UM, AND SO WITH THE SUBSTITUTION OF THE ADVENTURE PLAY FOR THE SKATE PARK, UM, AM I CORRECT IN ASSUMING THAT IN MOVING FORWARD, YOU'LL BE DOING MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO
[00:40:01]
REALLY DETERMINE WHAT ELEMENTS WILL BE INVOLVED IN THE ADVENTURE PLAY.AND IT'S A LOW PRIORITY PROJECT.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT MAY NOT RISE TO THE SURFACE FOR MANY YEARS.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THE AREA'S GOING TO CHANGE A LOT AROUND JOHN AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS.
SO I'M DEFINITELY WITH THIS MASTER PLAN AND ALL OF OUR MASTER PLANS, IF IT GETS YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, WE, WE DEFINITELY DO MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE, WE'VE KIND OF BROADENED THAT IDEA OF THE SCENARIO TO, UM, GIVE IT MORE FLEXIBILITY IN IT AND REALLY MAKE THE MASTER PLAN, YOU KNOW, MORE OF A FRAMEWORK HAS AS IT SHOULD BE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I DO REALLY APPRECIATE THE TRYING TO BRING IN THE TEENAGE AND ADOLESCENT GROUP WITH THE SKATE PARK AND THE ADVENTURE PLAY.
I KNOW THEY'RE A GROUP THAT KIND OF GETS AGE GROUP THAT KIND OF GETS LEFT OUT SOMETIMES.
AND, UM, SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO INCLUDE ELEMENTS LIKE THAT AND IN THIS PARK AND IN OTHER PARKS AS WELL TO ENGAGE THAT GROUP, THAT'S ALL.
BOARD MEMBER, LUCA, THANK YOU, CHARLES, FOR THAT PRESENTATION TO USUAL.
UM, I ALSO AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID, THE SENSITIVITY, THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT IN SPECIFICALLY THIS PLACE, UM, COMES THROUGH LOUD AND CLEAR, AND I THINK IT'S GREATLY APPRECIATED.
UM, AND I'M ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING IT DEVELOPED AND SEE WHAT Y'ALL COME UP OR ADVENTURE PLAY.
I THINK ADDING THAT KIND OF VOCABULARY TO OUR PARK, UM, AMENITIES IS, IS PROBABLY A GOOD THING.
I CAN'T, NO, WE STILL CAN HEAR YOU WELL AND THEY'LL SEE, SHE'S GONE.
OH, WELL HOPEFULLY SHE'LL PLUG BACK IN COTTON.
UM, I AM REALLY GLAD THAT THEY'VE ADDRESSED.
YOU KNOW, WE SAW THIS IN THE FESTIVAL, I BELIEVE IN A FACILITY SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PARK.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE THOUGHTFULNESS THAT HAS GONE INTO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
I LOVE THAT THEY'RE KEEPING THE HOUSE.
UM, I DO APPRECIATE THE CONCERNS THAT THE FAMILY HAS AND I APPRECIATE THEIR TIME EXPRESSING THOSE.
AND I HOPE THAT THAT SORT OF NOTED DULY NOTED THAT THOSE, THOSE ARE CONCERNS.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE MAY NEED SOMETHING LIKE THAT SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THAT VICINITY.
UH, BUT I DO AGREE THAT CHANGING IT TO ADVENTURE PARK MIGHT BE A BETTER, A BETTER USE OF IT AT THIS POINT.
SO, UM, I'M, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS TOO.
I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PROPERTY AND, UM, THANKS TO THE FAMILY FOR PUTTING IT OUT THERE SO THAT OTHERS CAN ENJOY IT.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER, UH, RINALDI YOU'RE ON MUTE.
UM, YEAH, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST, I THINK THIS IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLAN AND I'M, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THIS IS JUST SUCH A RELEASE, STUNNING, UM, YOU KNOW, A STUNNING PARK THAT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP AND IT HAS SO MUCH NATURAL BEAUTY AND, AND SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES.
AND, UM, I, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THOUGH.
UM, I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ANY KIND OF RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE EXPLORED TO FACILITATE SOME OF THAT, UH, THE NATURAL, UM, HABITAT RESTORATION COMPONENT THAT YOU HAD? UH, YEAH, WE, WE ACTUALLY, WE WORKED AS SEVERAL GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE MASTER PLAN, INCLUDING MASTER NATURALISTS, UM, SIERRA CLUB MASTER GARDENERS.
I'M SURE I'M LEAVING PEOPLE OUT WITH NATIVE PLANTS SOCIETY AND THE TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY.
SO WE TRIED TO REALLY ENGAGE A LOT OF THESE NONPROFIT GROUPS AND IT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS PART AND TO REALLY HELP US IN THE FUTURE TO HELP WITH THAT RESTORATION AND TO HELP, YOU KNOW, HELP WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARK.
SO THAT WAS A KEY ELEMENT THAT DAVID HAD MENTIONED.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO ADD ANYTHING, DAVID.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS THAT WE DID VERY INTENTIONALLY LAY OUT THE LANGUAGE IN THE MASTER PLAN
[00:45:01]
THAT ONE OF THE FIRST NEXT STEPS WOULD BE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY SO THAT THERE IS A STRATEGIC APPROACH IN AN ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT APPROACH, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN SOME PARKS HAVE TAKEN HISTORICALLY TO BE ABLE TO STRATEGICALLY, UM, START RESTORATION AND KEY AREAS OR REDUCTION OF INVASIVES IN KEY AREAS.AND THEN AS FUNDS ARE MADE AVAILABLE, AVAILABLE, RESPOND TO WHAT'S WORKING AND, UM, CONTINUE THOSE, THOSE STEPS FORWARD.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH GLO GROUP ON THE TEAM, UH, TO LAY OUT THE LANGUAGE THAT GUIDES THAT INTENDED FUTURE NEXT STEP.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT SEEMS LIKE A REALLY FRUITFUL AREA FOR SOME REALLY UNIQUE FUTURE PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE HAVE, UM, THERE'S LIKE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE A GOOD RESOURCE TO EXPLORE THERE WITH JUST MOBILIZING THE COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF AND MAINTAIN THAT, UM, THAT AREA.
AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.
ONE ADDITIONAL THING I WOULD NOTE IS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT STEWARDSHIP AS A PROGRAM IN THIS MOMENT, SO THAT ENGAGEMENT AND, AND CONNECTION TO THE PLACE CAN BE FOSTERED THROUGH, YOU KNOW, TAKING CARE OF IT, UH, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT AND THE POTENTIAL.
YEAH, NO, I THINK, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S SO IMPORTANT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I LOVE THAT.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY THAT I PERSONALLY WAS, UM, DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THE SKATE PARK ELEMENT REMOVED FROM THIS PARK, BUT I THINK ADVENTURE PLAY IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S, UH, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOWER, UM, PRIORITY ELEMENT OR AREA OF THE PARK THAT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED, MEANING THAT IT'S ON A LONGER TIMELINE.
AND SO I THINK IT'S TOTALLY, I THINK IT'S TOTALLY APPROPRIATE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO WAIT AND MAYBE DO, UM, MORE ENGAGEMENT FURTHER DOWN THE LINE TO SEE HOW FOLKS ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, RESPONDING TO THE AREA, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE TIME COMES, BUT I, UM, SO IF THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S ALSO FINE, BUT YOU KNOW, IN MY EXPERIENCE, I THINK THAT I HAVE, I HAVE FOUND SKATE PARKS AND, YOU KNOW, THE BMX PARKS SUCH AS THE NINTH STREET BMX PARK TO BE VERY, UM, REALLY UNIQUE INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMMING ELEMENTS WHERE YOU DO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU DO SEE FAMILIES LIKE WITH, WITH YOUNG KIDS AND TEENAGERS ON THEIR OWN KIND OF, UM, SPENDING TIME TOGETHER IN THE SAME, UM, DOING THE SAME ACTIVITY AND KIND OF SPENDING TIME WITH EACH OTHER AND LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER.
AND THAT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE DON'T SEE THAT IN OUR PARKS VERY OFTEN.
AND I DO FEEL LIKE THE SKATE PARKS AND THE BMX, THEY DO HAVE, UH, A TRACK RECORD OF SHOWING THAT THAT'S AN ACTIVITY THAT IS IN DEMAND.
THE PARKS THAT WE DO HAVE FOR SKATEBOARDING AND BMX THING ARE CROWDED.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A SIGN THAT THERE IS DEMAND FOR THIS KIND OF PROGRAMMING AND IT, IT BRINGS SOMETHING REALLY UNIQUE THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE SEE IN, IN A LOT OF OUR PARKS.
UM, SO YEAH, I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I'M ALSO FINE WITH, YOU KNOW, LEAVING THAT OPEN ENDED AND KIND OF CONTINUING TO EXPLORE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE.
UM, AND, UM, I ALSO NEED TO MENTION TO THE BOARD THAT I ACTUALLY RECEIVED SOME LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THE BMX SLASH SKATE FACILITY.
UM, ONE FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION THAT, UM, UH, IS ADJACENT TO THE PARK AND THEN ONE FROM AN INDIVIDUAL, AND THIS IS ON ME, BUT I THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD BEEN SENT TO THE ENTIRE BOARD, BUT THEY HAD ACTUALLY JUST BEEN SENT TO ME AND I FAILED TO FORWARD THEM.
SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT BECAUSE, UM, WE SHOULD HAVE ALL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THAT, BUT THAT WAS, UM, THAT WAS MY BAD.
UM, SO JUST SO THAT YOU ALL KNOW, UM, WE DID GET SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THERE, I KNOW THAT WE'VE, UM, WE'VE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM FOLKS THAT DON'T LIKE THIS ELEMENT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DID ALSO HAVE SOME FOLKS REACH OUT TO ME AND SAY THAT THEY SUPPORTED IT AFTER THE LAST MEETING.
AND, AND, UM, AND IT LOOKS WONDERFUL.
I THINK IT'LL BE A GREAT PARK FOR DISTRICT ONE AND FOR THE WHOLE CITY, CAUSE IT'S A METRO PARK.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO WITH BOARD MEMBER DIPLOMA.
CAUSE I KNOW HE HAS, HE'S BEEN HERE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS, SO I KNOW HE HAS SOME PERFECT, I APPRECIATE IT.
[00:50:01]
I'M SUPER HAPPY ABOUT THE WHOLE THING AND WHERE WE'VE COME OUT, ATTENDED IT EVEN BACK IN JANUARY, 2019, WHEN WE BROUGHT ON GGN I WAS OPTIMISTIC BECAUSE OF THE WORK WITH, WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM ON UNITED STATES NATIONAL MALL.AND I THINK THAT THEY THEY'VE GIVEN US SOMETHING, WORKING WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE PUT TOGETHER BY OURSELVES.
WASN'T IN OUR LONG RANGE PLAN ONTO TO DO SOMETHING LIKE WHAT WHAT'S BEEN THERE OR WHAT'S WHAT'S, WHAT'S IN THE MASTER PLAN.
UM, BUT YET IT CAPTURES A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN OUR MASTER PLAN FOR A LONG RANGE PLAN.
THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS LAST ONE ON THE 20, 20 EAST SIDE SPECIFICALLY.
SO I'M LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW.
SO, YOU KNOW, NATURAL SPACES, HIGH, HIGH PRIORITY TRAILS, HIGH PRIORITY OFF LEASH, DOG AREAS, HIGH PRIORITY FISHING AREAS AND DOCS, MEDIUM PRIORITY PAVILIONS, BARBECUE AREAS, MEDIUM PRIORITY.
UH, AND THEN GOING OVER TO THE PROGRAM SIDE, FARMERS MARKET, PUBLIC INSTALLATIONS, NATURE PROGRAM.
UM, SO, UH, THERE ARE FOOD TRUCK EVENTS.
AND SO THESE IT'S CAPTURED SO MUCH.
SO NOT ONLY ARE WE BRINGING SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS HELPED FORGE TOGETHER, BUT IT'S DOING SO THAT MAKES SENSE WITHIN OUR LONGTERM PLAN OBJECTIVES.
AND THAT'S WHAT I, I DO APPRECIATE IT.
I TOO AM A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED.
UM, WELL AS A BOARD MEMBER IN ALL THE LITTLE DISAPPOINTED AT FIRST ON NOT HAVING THE BMX AND SKATE SKATEBOARD PARK, BECAUSE IT'S ANOTHER LONG RANGE PLAN THAT WE NEEDED YEAH.
AND I UNDERSTAND, I ALSO UNDERSTAND WE ONLY HAVE TWO OF THESE FACILITIES IN AUSTIN AS WELL.
YOU CAN ALSO INCLUDE THE THIRD, UH, PUMP, UH, DIRT, THE DIRT BMX PARK OF THE RED DUNCAN.
AND SO WE HAVE THAT NEED, I'VE MET WITH THESE FOLKS OVER THE YEARS AND IT'S BEEN DIVERSE FOLKS.
I'VE ACTUALLY HAD HIM IN MY LIVING ROOM A FEW YEARS AGO AND THE DIVERSITY REPRESENTED AUSTIN AND IT WAS FAMILIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, I FEEL A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED ON THAT, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND WHEN I LOOK AT THE PARK AS A MACRO IN WHERE IT LINES UP, UM, AND THEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORHOODS SURROUNDING IT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW AREN'T VERY DENSE, BUT I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHERE OUR GROWTH IS GOING TO BE, BUT LIKE THE WOODLANDS, UM, IMPERIAL VALLEY, I MEAN, NOT REALLY THAT ACCESSIBLE EVEN AS A METRO PARK, THE WHOLE CITY.
SO I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY I LIKE TO DISCUSS AT THE NEXT PART MORE RELATING TO THAT.
BUT, UM, I WANT, I DO WANT TO SAY THIS IS A PASSION PROJECT FOR ME.
UH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH MAYOR PRO TEM FOR BEING, YOU KNOW, AND IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WHEN I WAS THERE FOR THE SIGNING OR THE GRAND OPENING OR THE SIGN.
I WENT TO THE PRELIMINARY MEETINGS WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND WAS ABLE TO ADDRESS ONE OF THE STAKEHOLDERS AND HAD BEEN FOLLOWING THIS THE WHOLE TIME.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S JUST GOING TO BE GORGEOUS AND IT'S GOING TO BE BEAUTIFUL.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY A GIFT.
AND SO I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS A PUBLIC METRO PARK FOR THE ENTIRE SETTING AND IT IS SO HONORED.
AND I THINK EVERY HAS TO BE SO HONORED THAT THESE 330 ACRES WAS, WAS NAMED TO HONOR JOHN TRIVINIA.
AND SO NOBODY SHOULDN'T LOSE SIGHT OF THAT.
AND I EVEN WENT BACK AND I'LL SEND IT TO THE BOARD, LOOK BACK AT THE APRIL 27TH, 2006, UH, MEETING WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED, APPROVED THE NAMING OF, UH, YOU KNOW, NAMING THIS PARK THAT WAS PURCHASED IN 2003 AFTER JOHN TREVINO AND THE REMARKS FROM FAIR FORMER MAYOR, GUS GARCIA, AND ONE OF MY MENTORS, COMMISSIONER, RICHARD MOYA.
UM, AND THERE'S SO MANY IN HER, MELINDA IS HIS NIECE AND IT WAS JUST INCREDIBLE AND POWERFUL.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I SEND THAT ALONG FOR FOLKS.
SO YOU CAN REALIZE, YOU KNOW, THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS, PARTICULARLY TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, BUT ALSO THE LATINO COMMUNITY HERE, HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
SO, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE MUCH MORE TO SAY ON THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION, ENTREPRENEUR WALK, EVERYTHING WOULD BOARD MEMBER MORGAN SAID,
WHAT, WHAT DOES THE ADVENTURE BLADE LOOK LIKE? UH, AND HAVING A STAKEHOLDER GROUP LIKE WE DID OVER AT DICK NICHOLS WHEN WE WERE DOING THE PLAYGROUND THERE AND, UM, JASON ASSESS WHAT THAT IS, SPECIFICS AND, UM, THAT THAT'S REALLY, IT, IT'S JUST, IT'S A GOOD DAY AND IT'S A GOOD DAY WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEED THESE.
SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT GGN HAS DONE AND THE STAFF HAS DONE.
CHARLES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LEADING THIS.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN PASSIONATE FOR YOU.
YOU'VE DEFINITELY PUT IN THE TIME ON THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT GOES RIGHT UP TO THE TOP, YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT
[00:55:01]
PROJECT.SO APPRECIATE IT AND APPRECIATE Y'ALL HEARING ME OUT.
UM, AND NOW I'M GOING TO TRY ONE MORE TIME.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY.
AND UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, UM, KEEPING EVERY, KEEPING IT VERY NATURAL.
UM, I UNDERSTAND I LIVE IN A FLOOD PLAIN, SO, UM, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND, AND JUST TO ENHANCE IT.
AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ECHO WHAT, UM, NINA OR COUNCILMEMBER RINALDI AND, UH, DIPLOMA BOTH SAID AS A FORMER MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL PE TEACHER, I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE'VE REMOVED EFFORTS TO ATTRACT TEENS TO SAFE PUBLIC SPACES AND OUR PARKS.
AND I TRUST THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME OTHER GREAT IDEAS OTHER THAN A SKATE PARK AND A BMX BECAUSE THIS COMMUNITY APPARENTLY DIDN'T WANT IT.
WE WANT ONE IN SOUTH BOSTON, SO YOU CAN CALL ME AT LUNCH.
AND WE DO, WE DO HAVE SOME REALLY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE THINGS FOR ACTIVE PLAY.
UM, SO I'M GOING TO, MOST OF THE POINTS I WAS GOING TO MAKE WERE ALREADY COVERED BY THIS WONDERFUL BOARD.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND ANY MORE PLANS SINCE WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT 30 MINUTES OR SO LEFT OF THIS MEETING, BUT I JUST, JUST DO WANT TO REITERATE THAT I REALLY LIKE THIS PLANET.
IT'S, IT'S A DIFFERENT PARK THAN MANY OF THE ONES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AND WITH THE COMMUNITY GARDENS AND THE FARM AND, YOU KNOW, THE INTERSECTION OF THE RIVER AND THE PRAIRIE AND ALL THAT, THE NATURE WALKS.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S JUST GOT A LOT TO OFFER AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WAS, UM, THAT WAS SOUGHT AND THAT WAS USED IN THIS WORK.
AND AGAIN, I DO ALSO AGREE HAVING, WORKING WITH SCHOOL AGED KIDS, THAT ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VOICES ARE ELEVATED AND REPRESENTED.
AND THESE PARTS IS IMPORTANT TOO, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO SPEND A LOT OF TIME THERE AND WE REALLY WANT TO KEEP THEM ACTIVE.
SO THEY, AS YOU KNOW, I KNOW EVERYBODY WHO WORKS WITH RELATES TO CHILDREN WANTS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE DOING HEALTHY, WONDERFUL THINGS AND, AND NOT ANYTHING ELSE.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME AND EFFORT AND WORK THAT WENT INTO IT.
AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE SPEAKERS AND EVERYBODY WHO SUPPORTED THIS.
SO IF I COULD JUST, UM, GET EMOTION AND, AND SINCE IT IS IN DISTRICT ONE WHO MAY WANT TO GET ONE FROM YOU.
I'D BE HAPPY TO, UM, LET ME ACTUALLY FIND THE LANGUAGE HERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, EVERYONE.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET THIS RIGHT.
YOU WANT ME TO READ IT? I HAVE IT.
WE RECOMMEND TO, UM, CITY COUNCIL, THE ADOPTION OF THE MASTER PLAN FOR JOHN TREVINO JR.
METROPOLITAN PARK AT MORRISON RANCH.
SECOND SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER DIPLOMA, WHO I WOULD HAVE ASKED HIM TO DO THAT.
UM, HE'D BEEN IN THE DISTRICT BECAUSE HE WAS SO INVOLVED WITH OKAY.
EVERYBODY IN FAVOR, IF YOU COULD RAISE YOUR HAND, ANYBODY, AND I CAN'T SEE YOU A VICE CHAIR FOR US.
SO WE HAVE A UNANIMOUS PASSAGE.
[B2. Use of Parks and Recreation Department baseball fields. Presenter: Lucas Massie, Assistant Director, Parks and Recreation Department]
NEXT ONE.NEXT ONE, WHICH IS, UM, USE OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT BASEBALL FIELD.
SO WE HAVE, UM, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MASSEY, WHO I WAS NEGLIGENT IN SAYING THAT I'M SORRY, DIRECTOR MCNEELY.
AND HE'S, HE'S IN CHARGE IF WE HAD ANY QUESTIONS.
SO I MEANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT EARLIER, SIR.
WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A HARD TIME HEARING YOU.
[01:00:02]
KIND OF SOME BACKGROUND NOISE.HOW'S THAT? DOES THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER? YES.
UM, WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE AND HAPPY FRIDAY.
UH, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT, UH, BASEBALL FIELDS IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
UH, I HAVE A QUICK PRESENTATION.
I'M ASSUMING WE'LL HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.
UH, THE OVERVIEW FOR OUR DEPARTMENT WAS WE HAVE 31 BASEBALL FIELDS, UH, TOTAL IN OUR INVENTORY.
SO YOU COULD SEE THE MAJORITY OF OUR FIELDS ARE GEARED TOWARDS YOUTH PLAY AND WE HAVE 10 HIGH SCHOOL FLASH, ADULT DIMENSION SIZE FIELDS.
UM, WE DO HAVE A STANDARD LEVEL OF CARE FOR ALL OF OUR ATHLETICS FIELDS, BASEBALL BEING PART OF THAT BASEBALL FIELDS TEND TO AIR ON A HIGHER LEVEL OF, OF NEED, UH, MEANING WE SPEND MORE MONEY ON BASEBALL FIELDS AND WE WOULD SAY AN OPEN GRASS FIELD THAT JUST KIND OF NEEDS TO BE REGULARLY MODE OR AIR RATED OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
BASEBALL FIELDS DO INVOLVE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE, DRAGGING, MAINTAINING THE MOUND, MAINTAINING THE HOME PLATE, THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO THE AVERAGE FISCAL, UH, COST PER YEAR TO MAINTAIN A FIELD OF A LEVEL ONE OR BETWEEN NUMBER ONE AND THREE IS 35 TO $45,000.
WE DO HAVE A SINGLE TURF FIELD IN OUR INVENTORY, WHICH IS A LOWER MAINTENANCE COSTS, BUT THE INITIAL UPFRONT COST OF A TURF FIELD IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER.
SO OUR FIELD USAGE, WE DEVELOPED OUR FIELD RENTAL RATES.
UM, THOSE ARE BUILT ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEVELS OF CARE.
SO THE HIGHER, UH, AMOUNT OF, UH, CARE THAT WE PUT INTO THE FIELD, THE HIGHER THE RENTAL, UH, RATE WOULD BE.
UM, TYPICALLY THOSE RENTAL RATES ALSO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL STAFFING AND THEY USE MAINTENANCE.
A LOT OF TIMES WE WERE DRAGGING IN LINING FIELDS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RENTER.
UM, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, WHICH ALLOWS US TO, UH, THE FIRST TIME OF THIS COST FROM OUR GENERAL FUND AND PUT THE COST ON OUR PARTNER OR HAVE THE PARTNER ASSIST WITH THAT.
IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN MANY OF THE OTHER, UM, CONCESSIONS THAT WE OPERATE OR TENNIS CENTERS THAT WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH, UM, OR SOCCER LEAGUES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, ESPECIALLY IN SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, KIND OF SPECIALIZED.
UH, WE HAVE YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS.
WE HAVE A CITY ORDINANCE, UM, THAT ALLOWS YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS TO PARTICIPATE ON FIELDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
UH, THOSE RENTAL FEEDS GET WAIVED AND EXCHANGE FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC SERVICE THAT THEY PROVIDE.
SO, UH, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT ON OUR, OUR YOUTH FIELDS.
AND WE DO HAVE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS, UM, INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UH, PROVIDE FIELD IMPROVEMENTS AND MAINTENANCE ON SOME OF OUR FIELDS.
WELL, OUT OF OUR, UH, 31 FIELDS, WE HAVE, UH, 30 THAT DO HAVE EXISTING CONTRACTS ON THEM.
UM, AND THOSE ARE LISTED HERE AS WELL AS OUR KIND OF FIELD INVENTORY.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT ALL OF OUR FIELDS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, THEY ARE THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR RENT TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, SO JUST AS IN, UM, WE'LL SAY GOLF, UH, MIGHT BE, UH, KIND OF A COMPARISON OR SOME OF OUR INTERNAL SOFTBALL LEAGUES.
UM, THE MAINTENANCE EFFORT THAT THEY REQUIRES TO KEEP THE FIELD IN GOOD SHAPE FOR PLAYING, UH, CONDITIONS IS, IS PASSED ON TO THE CONSUMER AT A, A PROPORTIONATE RATE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THE GENERAL OVERVIEW OF, OF OUR BASEBALL OPERATIONS, UM, SPECIFICALLY.
SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF TIFFANY CABIN IS ON THE LINE OR ABLE TO CHIME IN, BUT SHE IS, SHE WAS, IF SHE'S NOT THERE, UH, ARE KIND OF, UH, OPS EXPERT.
SO I MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER SPECIFICALLY.
AND IF NOT, WE CAN DEFINITELY GET THOSE ANSWERS TO YOU.
THIS IS TIFFANY CABIN WITH PARKS AND RECREATION, CENTRALIZED PROGRAMMING.
UM, ASSISTANT CHAIR, UM, MESSY.
SO THIS ITEM WAS KIND OF BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.
[01:05:01]
SEVERAL OF US WERE CONTACTED BY, UM, A MEMBER OF ONE OF THESE LEAKS.AND I'M GONNA AGAIN GO AROUND.
I'M SURE WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AROUND AND ASK IF YOU, I KNOW, I HOPE NOT.
IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO REFERENCE, HOPEFULLY THEY CAN PULL IT UP BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT IS TO SEE IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO SPEAK OR NOT.
OR SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, THANK YOU.
CAN I ASK YOU, I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU BOARD MEMBER COTTON'S SEIBEL.
I DON'T KNOW A LOT OF ABOUT BACKGROUND ON THIS, EXCEPT I DO KNOW WE HAD KIDS THAT PLAYED BASEBALL AND IT DAWNED ON ME THAT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW AT THE TIME THAT THESE WERE CITY LEAGUE.
I THOUGHT THEY BELONGED TO THE SOUTH AUSTIN LITTLE LEAGUE, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND SO IT DOES BRING A CONCERN TO MY MIND THAT, UM, I'M WONDERING IF IT IS LIMITING ACCESS TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE FIELDS.
AND IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE COULD THINK ABOUT REMEDYING THAT IF SO, I MEAN, I REALIZE, I HEAR, I HEAR WHAT, UM, UH, DIRECTOR MASSEY IS SAYING.
I JUST AM CONCERNED THAT MAYBE, UH, UH, LISTENING TO SOME OF THE, UM, THE, THE RIGHT END INFORMATION.
I'M WONDERING IF THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE PROHIBITING OTHERS FROM USING THE FIELD WHEN THAT MIGHT NOT BE NECESSARY.
YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT ASSISTANT? UH, SURE.
UM, I GOT, LIKE I SAID, UH, YOU KNOW, IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT CAPACITY OTHER INDIVIDUALS ARE TRYING TO USE IT.
SO IF THEY'RE LOOKING TO USE THE FIELD PRIVATELY FOR A TEAM PRACTICE, THE FIELDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR RENT OUTSIDE OF THE HOURS AND SAY THE CONTRACTS CONTRACTED ORGANIZATIONS ARE USING THEM.
IF THEY'RE LOOKING TO FORM A LEAGUE OR, OR DO SOMETHING OF THAT SORT.
SO THE VARIETY OF INTERESTS, IT JUST KIND OF DEPENDS.
I WOULD SAY, I GUESS, I GUESS I WOULD ASK IF PEOPLE JUST WANTED TO PLAY A PICKUP GAME, ARE THEY ALLOWED TO GO ONTO THE SEALS? BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SOME OF THEM ARE LOCKED.
UM, SO, SO THE ANSWER IS REALLY NO, ANY KIND OF ORGANIZED PLAY, UH, ON, ON THE FIELD WHERE THE MAINTENANCE LEVEL IS, IS KIND OF THAT HIGH HAS TO BE AN OFFICIAL RENTAL.
UM, WE DO HAVE FIELDS IN OUR INVENTORY THAT ARE JUST KIND OF OPENED BACKSTOPS.
UH, I BELIEVE WE HAVE FOUR THAT ARE JUST OPEN FOR PLAY IN GENERAL.
AND HOW MUCH DO MOST OF THE, I'M SORRY TO TAKE SO LONG, BUT HOW, HOW MUCH SOMEBODY MENTIONED? I THINK ONE OF THE EARLIER SPEAKERS MENTIONED A $350 FEE TO PLAY WITH A PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION.
IS THERE, ARE THEY ALL THAT EXPENSIVE? NO.
UM, SO FOR HOURLY RESERVATIONS, LIKE AN INFORMAL PRACTICE, UH, WE HAVE A FEE THAT RANGES AND I'M LOOKING ON MY, MY SCREEN HERE.
SO WE CAN, UH, WEEKDAY DAYTIME, UM, IT'S $24 PER HOUR FOR A RESIDENT AND $27 PER HOUR FOR NON-RESIDENTS.
UM, WEEKDAY EVENINGS IS $35 PER HOUR AND WEEKEND EVENINGS IS, WOULD BE THE MOST EXTENSIVE AT $51 AN HOUR.
AND THOSE BASED ON, UM, SOME OF OUR UTILITY USERS.
SO THE EVENINGS, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE LIGHTS, WE'RE GOING TO TURN THEM ON THAT TYPE OF THING POSTED AT THIS FIELD.
PEOPLE COULD CALL IN AND MAKE A RESERVATION.
SO A BOARD MEMBER IN MURPHY, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU FOR MEMBER TO CARLA.
UM, SO DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, BASEBALL FIELD RENTALS YOUR YOU'RE GETTING ON A WEEKLY BASIS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? LIKE HOW OFTEN ARE PEOPLE ACTUALLY RENTING THE FIELDS OUT? SO THAT'S WHEN I COME BACK TO YOU ON, I DON'T HAVE THAT.
UM, I'VE GOT, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CONFLICTS OF CONVERSATION WAS AUSTRAL AUSTIN, METRO BASEBALL LEAGUE.
I GUESS WHAT I CAN OFFER AND PLACE A NUMBER OF RENTALS IS THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF YOUTH SERVED A YEAR ON THAT LEAGUE IS 550, UM, ON THE YOUTH FIELDS.
UH, I THINK WE SERVE A TOTAL OF ABOUT BETWEEN FOUR, FOUR AND 5,000 KIDS A YEAR ON THOSE FIELDS.
SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE FIGURES I HAVE OF HAND.
IF WE'RE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT NUMBER OF RENTALS, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE.
UM, AND LET'S SAY, UM, IS THAT A REGULAR MAINTENANCE BEING DONE ON THE BALL FIELDS, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT BEING UTILIZED BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR PEOPLE WHO ARE RENTING THEM OUT,
[01:10:02]
UM, THE ONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE A CONTRACT, UM, BUT THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS DO PROVIDE THAT MAINTENANCE IS WHY ALSO THEY GET KIND OF PRIORITY SCHEDULING, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE CONTRACTS.AND, UM, HAVE, UM, ANY OTHER CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES BEEN EXPLORED FOR MORE ADULT LEAGUES OR IS THERE JUST NOT ENOUGH KIND OF, UH, FIELDS OR ADULT FIELDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE? UH, BASEBALL, I WOULD SAY SHORT, UM, BY THAT TIME, MOST OF THE RECREATIONAL, OR, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE A DIEHARD BASEBALL PLAYERS, IT FUNNELED THROUGH, UM, HIGH SCHOOL, UM, YOU KNOW, PROFESSIONAL LEAGUES.
UM, AND ACTUALLY THE, THE, THE KIND OF MEN'S ASSOCIATION WORKS IS KIND OF A HYBRID, LIKE A LITTLE PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE THERE.
UM, SO WE TEND TO SEE KIND OF A GREAT DROP OFF IN PARTICIPATION AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, UM, MUCH LIKE YOU WOULD KIND OF A FOOTBALL.
UM, IT TENDS IF YOU'RE KIND OF SHOOTING ALONG THOSE LINES, YOUR RECREATIONAL OPTIONS.
UM, AS, AS FOLKS GET A LITTLE BIT OLDER, TEND TO BE MORE IN THE SOFTBALL REALM.
UM, SO WE, I WOULD SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE A TON OF FIELDS DEDICATED TO BASEBALL, LIKE WE DO SOFTBALL AND THAT WOULD BE THE REASONING.
UM, WELL THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND GIVING US THIS OVERVIEW BECAUSE IT'S, UH, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THIS KIND OF REFRESHER.
WE HAVE SO MANY PROGRAMS IN OUR PORTFOLIO.
UM, ARE THERE ANY BASEBALL LEAGUES IN AUSTIN? WELL, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I CAN'T, I CAN'T THINK OF ANY, I DIDN'T THINK SO, BUT I JUST THOUGHT I'D ASK, UM, WHICH WELL WE DO, WE DO RENT OR SOFTBALL FIELDS.
WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE SUITABLE TO FAST PITCH SOFTBALL, WHICH WOULD BE TYPICALLY THE FEMALE EQUIVALENT IN COLLEGE RIGHT NOW, THE FIELDS THAT A WALNUT CREEK METROPOLITAN PARK, THOSE ARE SOFTBALL FIELDS, CORRECT? YES.
IF ANY, ARE YOU THERE? YEAH, SOME OF THOSE FIELDS ARE ALSO SOCCER FIELDS.
IT'S THAT STUFF? A MULTIPLEX CONFLICT.
LET'S STOP SOCCER AND FOOTBALL.
I KNOW THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION EARLIER ABOUT THE PRICE POINT, THAT $350.
IS THAT, HOW DOES THAT COMPARE WITH, UH, LEAGUES AND OTHER CITIES OR, I MEAN, IS THAT HIGH? IS THAT LOW? I HAVE NO WAY OF CALIBRATING THEM.
SO I GUESS I, I, MAYBE I MISSED THAT PORTION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE $350 IS REFERENCING.
SO TIFFANY, YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT ONE? CERTAINLY.
UM, SO THE ADULT BASE BASEBALL LEAGUE THAT WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH, UH, THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE MINTS, THE NATIONAL LEVEL, MEN'S SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE AND THE MEN'S ADULT BASEBALL LEAGUE ASSOCIATION.
AND SO IT'S AN AMATEUR LEVEL PLAY THAT THEY OFFER WITHIN THAT PROGRAM.
UM, AND SO THAT STRUCTURE IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER CALIBER THAN THE, UH, RECREATIONAL LEAGUES THAT WE PROVIDE INTERNALLY, UM, WITHIN PARD.
AND SO WITH THAT, YOU DO SEE HIGHER FEES BECAUSE THEY HAVE STANDARDIZED UNIFORMS THAT THEY HAVE TO WEAR STANDARDIZE, UM, EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS THAT THEY HAVE TO PLAY IN ORDER TO BE A PART OF THAT NATIONAL LEAGUE.
IS THAT, UM, ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU.
UH, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
I'M JUST AWARE FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE WITH A BASEBALL PLAYING YOUNG MAN, ONCE A MONTH, ONCE IN OUR FAMILY THAT, UH, FINDING PRACTICE FIELDS FOR TEAMS IS A CHALLENGE.
UH, IT'S CERTAINLY A CHALLENGE AND ENTER SOME MILL WITH A ONE, UH, REALLY SOFTBALL FIELD WE HAVE, BUT IT'S A CHALLENGE THE SAME WAY WITH SOCCER PRACTICE.
UH, EVERYBODY SCRAMBLES TO TRY TO FIND A PRACTICE PRACTICE AREA.
AND, UH, WHOEVER GETS THERE FIRST, EARLY BIRD
[01:15:01]
GETS THE WORM, YOU KNOW, GETS, GETS THE FIELD.SO I CAN APPRECIATE THE CHALLENGE OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH, BUT ALSO CAN APPRECIATE THE CHALLENGE OF WHAT IT COSTS TO MAINTAIN THEM.
I APPRECIATED THE PRESENTATION DIPLOMA.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AT LUCAS.
THE, I THINK THEY NEED TO BE OPEN AND I THINK WHY WE NEED TO HAVE THEM OPEN WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'RE SECURED BASED UPON THE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM.
AND DURING THAT TIME, THEY GET TO USE IT FOR THIS MANY HOURS OUT OF A SEASON.
AND IT'S HOWEVER THEY'VE STRUCTURED THOSE HOURS.
AND THEN YET THE REMAINING HOURS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
ANY OTHER CONCESSION WE HAVE, WE WOULD NOT SAY YOU CAN HAVE EXCLUSIVITY AND THERE'S NO PUBLIC BENEFIT RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE CREATING ACCESS AND WE WANT THE INVESTMENT.
SO THERE IS A PUBLIC BENEFIT THAT PUBLIC BENEFIT IS THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF THOSE FIELDS, EVEN TO THE TUNE WHERE LIKE, IF WE HAD AN AD REPUBLIC SQUARE OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU YOU'D HAVE TO MAINTAIN, EVEN WITH THE PUBLIC USE, WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH NEFF FIELDS.
AND IT'S A LITTLE BIZARRE FOR ME BECAUSE WE CAN LOCK THE GATES HERE.
BUT AT LONESTAR, WHICH WE HAVE A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS AROUND A CIRCLE C GO RIGHT UP AND USE THE FIELDS AND THEY DO THE MAINTENANCE AND THEY DO, THEY PLANT THE GRASS AND THEY KNOW THAT'S PART OF WHAT THAT THEY DO.
BUT WHEN THERE'S A GAME COMING ON, WHEN THEY'RE RESERVED, THERE'S TIMES THEY KNOW THEY HAVE IT.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO RETHINK ABOUT BASEBALL.
I THINK WE'VE GIVEN IT TOO MUCH LEEWAY ON THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, WHEN I THINK ABOUT 550, I'M GLAD THAT 550 YOUTH ARE ON ANYONE, ANYONE PROGRAM OR TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT.
BUT YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS ACREAGE OF LAND, IT ONLY BE FOR 550 FOLKS YOUTH OVER THE YEAR FOR PROGRAMMING TO ME DOES NOT SEEM LIKE AN ROI.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT, I MEAN, THIS SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD GO TO CONTRACTS, CONCESSIONS, AND THAT WE REALLY LOOK AT IT IN THE MEANTIME, LIKE HAVING STAFF COME UP WITH THE COMPARISON, UM, OF BOTH ON, WELL, MAYBE IT'S A GENERALITY.
SO THAT, I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY THESE AGREEMENTS IN PLACE, BUT REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT OUR STANDARD AGREEMENT IS WITHIN BASEBALL, WITHIN SOFTBALL, AND THEN LOOKING AT WHAT IT IS, AND MAYBE YOUTH AND ADULT, BECAUSE THAT MIGHT DIFFER.
AND THEN LOOKING AT OUR OTHER, OTHER SPORTS THAT WE'RE DOING SOCCER IS THE ONE THAT COMES TO MIND, BUT MAYBE IT'S OTHERS BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL EQUITABLE.
AND IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE LIMITING PARKLAND AND A TWO WORD MEMBER MORGAN'S POINT.
I ALSO REMEMBER PLAYING BASEBALL AND STRUGGLING TO FIND WHERE WE WERE GOING TO FIND, YOU KNOW, FIELD TO PLAY IN.
AND THEY, GOD FORBID, I COULDN'T EVEN IMAGINE GROWING YET.
NOW AT 12 YEARS OLD, HANGING OUT WITH MY FRIEND OR NOT, YOU KNOW, 900 1234, MAYBE, MAYBE NOT OR 14, BUT YOU KNOW, GOING INTO A BALL FIELD TO GO PICK UP, DO A PICKUP GAME AND HAVE THE GATES BE LOCKED.
AND THEN WE RE COMPLAIN WHEN YOU GET INTO TROUBLE, BECAUSE WE DON'T GIVE THEM THESE RESOURCES FOR THEM TO OCCUPY THEIR TIME.
WE COMPLAIN WHEN THEY FEEL THAT THEY'RE HAVING LIKE ADHD AT HOME OR IN THE CLASSROOM, BECAUSE THEY DON'T BURN OFF THE ENERGY.
WE COMPLAIN BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SMALL NETWORK OF FRIENDS AND THEY, THEY GO ONLINE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T CREATE A TEAM.
SO I, TO ME DIRECT CORRELATIONS ON ALL OF THIS AND, AND GOING BACK TO PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM, YOU KNOW, HAVING THESE THINGS FOR OUR YOUTH THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE ARE SUPER IMPORTANT.
AND SO WE NEED DECISIONS WE NEED TO MAKE, WHETHER IT'S THIS ONE OR OTHERS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SURVEYS, WE HAVE TO START, INCLUDING KIDS, WE HAVE TO START INCLUDING TEAMS. WE CANNOT JUST HAVE ADULTS HAVE THE SAY ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THESE RESOURCES, RESOURCES, WHEN WE, AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR FONDEST MEMORIES OF PARKS, OF BASEBALL FIELDS, IT'S NOT WHAT I DID AS A 35 YEAR OLD.
IT'S WHAT I DID AS A KID AND WHERE WE ARE IN JEOPARDY, WHEN WE LIMIT OUR PUBLIC RESOURCES, UH, TO JUST THE CONFINES OF WHAT ADULTS WANT, WE ARE LIMITING FUTURE PARKING KEYWORDS.
I'M A PARK STEWARD BECAUSE I WAS IN A PARK WHEN I WAS A KID.
SORRY, I'M GETTING EMOTIONAL NOW.
AND I HATE TO CUT YOU OFF BECAUSE YOU WERE DOING A GREAT INTESTINE SPEECH, BUT WE'RE RUNNING LATE ON TIME.
GO AHEAD, BOARD MEMBER RINALDI.
[01:20:01]
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS FROM THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.AND I, I GENERALLY AGREE WITH SENTIMENT THAT I WOULD LOVE TO FIND SOME WAY TO INCREASE ACCESS TO THESE FACILITIES DURING THE TIME WHEN THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT BEING USED BY THE, UM, THE CONCESSION ERRORS FOR THEIR, YOU KNOW, THE ORGANIZED BASEBALL PRACTICES THAT THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN, THEY'RE COUNTING ON THOSE FIELDS FOR, UM, I, SO YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT INCREASED ACCESS.
AND, UM, I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THESE ARE, I MEAN, ACTIVE CONTRACTS RIGHT NOW.
AND SO I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT CHANGING THE, YOU KNOW, THE CONTRACTS THAT ARE ONGOING.
BUT I THINK THAT IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF FRANCE WALGREENS, IT MIGHT BE, THIS MIGHT BE A BETTER TOPIC FOR THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE, UM, TO MAYBE TALK ABOUT THE, UM, YOU KNOW, CREATING A NEW, UM, AN UPDATED KIND OF CONTRACT THAT CAN ENHANCE PUBLIC ACCESS TO THESE, THESE PLACES, AND THEN ALSO PROVIDES THE MAINTENANCE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, VICE CHAIR FOR A SEC.
UM, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THE FIELDS ARE CURRENT DAY.
THERE IS CURRENTLY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO, UM, RENT PRIME TO PLAY ON THE, ON, ON FIELDS, EVEN IF THEY'RE USED BY ORGANIZATIONS.
I'M CURIOUS WHAT THE RATIO IS OF THE AMOUNT OF LIKE, UH, LIKE AVAILABLE DAYS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC PUBLIC VERSUS THESE ORGANIZATIONS UNDER THE, UNDER THE CURRENT CONTRACT.
UM, THAT'S ONE, I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON IT.
IF, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THAT TYPE OF SPECIFIC INFORMATION, WHAT I, WHAT I CAN SAY IS, UM, JUST IN GENERAL, A LOT OF RENTAL REQUESTS ALSO COINCIDE WITH A LEAGUE PLAY.
SO IN SUMMERTIME, EVERYBODY'S LOOKING TO RENT A BASEBALL FIELD TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING IN THE WINTER TIME, EVERYONE'S TRYING TO RENT A BASKETBALL COURT TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING.
AND THAT TYPICALLY COINCIDES WITH THE SEASON THAT'S IN PLAY IN GENERAL.
UM, SO THAT, THAT IS MAYBE, UH, A BARRIER, IF YOU WILL.
I AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENTS OF A COUPLE OF OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT HAVE, UH, LIKE SUGGESTED THEY WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF THE FIELDS, UM, BEING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL, LIKE NOT BEING LOCKED AT ALL WHEN THEY'RE NOT BEING USED BY THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, BUT AT THE VERY LEAST, I THINK WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY IS THAT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH AVAILABILITY FOR PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO EVEN RENT THE SPACE.
AND SO AT THE VERY LEAST, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO LOOK AT LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE GIVE TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND, AND, UM, AND EXPANDING THE TIME AVAILABLE FOR GENERAL PUBLIC.
AND I MEAN, MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING FOR CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT MORE AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, BUT JUST A THOUGHT THAT GOOD POINT AS FAR AS I WILL, I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION, AND I DIDN'T INCLUDE THIS IN MY PRESENTATION PART OF, PART OF THE REASON THAT WE DO END UP LOCKING HIM UP A FIELD ALTOGETHER IT'S PUBLIC, DOESN'T JUST USE THE FIELD SPACE FOR BASEBALL.
WE DO SEE SOME OF THE OPEN FIELDS.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF DOGS OFF LEASH, UH, YOU KNOW, THROWING BALLS, THAT TYPE OF THING, WHICH ENCOURAGES A GREATER MAINTENANCE COST FOR STAFF WHO HAVE TO GO KIND OF PICK UP A DOG POOP ON THE, ON THE FIELD, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SAFE FOR THE KIDS TO PLAY ON.
BUT I JUST THOUGHT I'D THROW THAT OUT THERE AS A LAST NOTE THAT I HAD IN MY HEAD THAT I DIDN'T MENTION PREVIOUSLY.
UM, AND I, I, AND IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'M GOING TO KEEP MY COMMENTS SHORTER THAN I WANTED TO.
I AGREE WITH WHAT THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS SAID ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED, THESE ARE FIELDS ARE USED FOR BASEBALL, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEIR MAIN THING, BUT WE SHOULD TRY TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC HAS ASSETS AND THAT THE ADULT PLAYERS HAVE SST.
BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, THERE ARE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO PLAY BASEBALL.
WHAT I DO WANT TO FOCUS ON NOW IS LIKE THE COMMENTS THAT MR. MONSON MADE AND IN REFERENCE TO THOSE
[01:25:01]
SPECIFICALLY THAT, UM, TAKES CARE OF DOWNSCALED.AND I HAVE, HE HAS SENT SOME CORRESPONDENCE.
I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE IN SAME 15 PEOPLE THAT ARE UNHAPPY ABOUT THE CONTRACT.
AND SO I THINK LIKE WITH OUR CONTRACTS, I MEAN, WE CAN GO THROUGH AND TICK OFF ALL THE BOXES ABOUT THE, YES, THEY'RE DOING INSURANCE.
THEY'RE USING WATER CONSERVATION, BUT IF WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE THAT ARE WAITING IN THESE FIELDS AND THEY'RE COMPLAINING ABOUT IT AND WE ARE NOT, WE'RE JUST GOING ALONG WITH THAT, I DON'T THINK THAT'S BEING A GOOD JOB OF THE, CITY'S NOT ONLY BACKED UP THE CITY'S NOT MEAN A GOOD JOB OF REALLY WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING DUE DILIGENCE AND MAKING SURE THE COMMUNITY IS WELL REPRESENTED.
AND PEOPLE ARE HAPPY WITH THE USE OF THESE FIELDS.
AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO GET YOU LOOKED INTO.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF COMPLIANCE WOULD BE TO CHECK INTO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE, THE LEAGUES ARE FALLING IN THAT RESPECT AND ALLOWING THEM TO, UM, TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS AND SOMETHING THAT I HOPE THE COMMITTEE CAN COME TALK ABOUT WHEN THEY, UM, WHEN THEY NEED, AND ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, RELATED AND THE ASSESSABILITY TO DANCE AND STUFF, BUT AUSTIN BLACK SENATORS, AND HAS A LOT OF REALLY WONDERFUL HISTORY IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD REALLY THINK ABOUT AS WELL TOO.
I KNOW THE PARKS FOUNDATION ALSO DID SOME WORK OVER THERE, UM, MAKE SURE THAT IT WOULDN'T HAVE THAT, UH, THAT THOSE, THAT THE HISTORY WAS WELL-REPRESENTED.
SO I THINK WE DO NEED TO TOUCH ON THIS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO COMMENT RIGHT NOW, BUT I HOPE THAT WE CAN MAYBE DO SOME CONTEXT AND CONSISTENCE AND THAT I FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE STILL ALL.
UH, JUST, UH, IN SPECIFIC RELATION TO THE, THE FIELD THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED DOWNFIELD, UM, WE HAVE A SHARED USAGE THERE TOO WITH HOUSTON TILLISON AND OUR BASEBALL ORGANIZATION.
SO I WOULD KIND OF LIKE TO DRAW A COMPARISON TO SOMETHING LIKE A SAINT EDWARDS WHERE TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A UNIVERSITY OR HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL FIELD, IT'S SOMETHING THEY GENERALLY DON'T ALLOW PUBLIC ACCESS TO AND TENDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S DONE THROUGH A RENTAL PROCESS.
BUT WHAT I DO HERE, HERE AT THE BOARD AND, AND UNDERSTAND, UH, YOUR DESIRES.
THANK YOU, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MSCI FOR THE PRESENTATION FOR TAKING THE QUESTIONS.
AND SO, AND SO, UM, SO I HOPE BOARD MEMBER, LUCA, WE CAN ADDRESS THIS LATER ON AT THE, AT CONTRACTS AND CONSISTENCE.
[C1. ITEMS FROM BOARD MEMBERS Discussion and possible action regarding the Alternative Funding Working Group (Lewis, Farasat, DePalma, Rinaldi).]
THE INTEREST OF TIME, AND WE DON'T HAVE MUCH, I HAD TALKED TO BOARD MEMBER, UH, RINALDI, AND WE WERE GOING TO TRY TO PUT A HOLD ON THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE, UH, EXCUSE ME ABOUT THE, UH, ALTERNATIVE FUNDING AS A FULL BOARD UNTIL THE, THE WORKING GROUP KIND OF MET AND, AND KIND OF PASSED OVER SOME OF THOSE DETAILS.ISN'T THAT CORRECT? UH, YEAH, SO WE'LL, UM, YEAH, WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER WORKING GROUP MEETING, UM, FEEL FREE TO SEND ME ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, OR GIVE ME A CALL ABOUT THE, UM, THE NOTES THAT WERE SHARED WITH THE BOARD EARLIER.
THAT WILL BE THE TOPIC OF OUR NEXT WORKING GROUP MEETING.
CAN WE GET THAT MEETING SCHEDULED FOR LIKE TWO WEEKS OUT OR A YEAR OR TWO TO THREE WEEKS OUT? SOMETHING LIKE THAT? JUST, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
[C2. Discussion and possible action regarding the Park and Facility Renaming (Ordinance 20160324-021) Working Group (DiCarlo, Farasat, Luca).]
UM, CARLA, DO YOU WANT TO REAL QUICKLY JUST TALK ABOUT PARKING FACILITY RENAMING? YEAH, SURE.UM, YEAH, I'LL JUST GIVE, Y'ALL A BRIEF KIND OF OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC LANGUAGE OR DOCUMENTS TO PROPOSE TO THE REST OF THE BOARD, AND WE'RE STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS AND, UM, WE'RE DOWN TO TWO MEMBERS.
SO I HOPE THAT Y'ALL WILL BE A LITTLE PATIENT WITH US, UM, AS A BOARD MEMBER, LUCA, AND I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A WORKLOAD, UM, BUT I WILL SHARE THAT OUR METHODOLOGY WITHIN THE WORK GROUP HAS BASICALLY BEEN TO, UH, TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THE PARK, AS WELL AS THE OVERALL CITY NAMING AND RENAMING POLICIES, UM, DIFFERENCES, OR MAYBE, UM, CONFUSING OR CONFLICTING LANGUAGE, AND THEN RECOMMENDING UPDATES TO THAT LANGUAGE THAT MIGHT NEED FURTHER CLARIFICATION.
AND SO OUR GOALS RIGHT NOW ARE JUST TO CONTINUE REVIEWING POLICY.
WE DO HAVE QUESTIONS THAT COME UP, UM, THAT WE ASK THE PARK STAFF OF WHEN THOSE COME UP.
UH, WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE, UH, A MEETING SCHEDULED HERE NEXT WEEK WITH, WITH KIMBERLY AND LUCAS TO GO OVER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS AND WHAT WE HAVE SO FAR.
[01:30:01]
FORWARD TO THAT.UM, AND YEAH, AND IN ALL, WE JUST HOPE TO ENABLE THE, UM, AND IMPROVE THE PROCESS OF NAMING AND RENAMING TO BE, UH, EQUITABLE TO EVERYONE AND ALL THE PARTIES INVOLVED AS WELL AS, UM, HOPEFULLY A LOT OF BEST PRACTICES FOR NAMING AND RENAMING.
UM, AND SO, YEAH, HOPEFULLY AFTER OUR MEETING WITH PARK STAFF AND A FEW MINUTES WORK GROUP MEETINGS BETWEEN BOARD MEMBER LUCA, AND I WILL HAVE SOMETHING MORE CONCRETE FOR THE REST OF THE BOARD TO REVIEW AS WELL.
UM, AND I'LL ALSO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IF ANY OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY IDEAS AS FAR AS METHODS FOR THE ORDINANCE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WE WILL GLADLY ACCEPT OR MAYBE LOOK AT IF YOU WANT TO ASK SOMETHING.
UH, NO, I THINK, UH, UH, ANNA DID A FANTASTIC JOB OF WALKING YOU THROUGH WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED.
UM, WE ARE ALSO VERY SENSITIVE ABOUT THE TIMELINES BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE PROJECTS AND ATTEMPT TO SNEAK UP ON US.
AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DOCUMENTED WHAT THE PROCEDURES WOULD BE AND KIND OF TIMELINES FOR HOW A PROCESS, A NAMING PROCESS.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE ACTIVELY RECRUITING OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THIS PROJECT.
SO JUST GIVE US BOARD MEMBERS.
THE ONLY THING THAT LIKE I, I WAS THINKING ABOUT TODAY BECAUSE OF TRIVINIA WATT, IF THERE IS A WAY IN WHICH ANY LANGUAGE HAS PROPOSED THAT ACCOUNTS FOR NOT HAVING A GROUP, GOING BACK THROUGH A WHOLE PROCESS OF RENAMING FOR AN ASSET WITHIN AN OVERALL ASSET, THAT'S ALREADY NAMED AFTER THEM.
SO IF THAT BE CONSIDERED THAT THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
WELL, I THINK WE DID IT AND WE ACTUALLY REALLY QUICKLY JUST GO AROUND FOR ANY ITEMS FOR
[D. FUTURE ITEMS FROM BOARD MEMBERS ADJOURNMENT]
A FEATURE FOR THE NEXT MEETING, WHICH IS GOING TO BE AN AUGUST OR BEYOND.SO, UM, LET'S START WITH PEOPLE.
REMEMBER, LUCA, DO YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS? NO.
THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR FOR HERSA.
THANK YOU FOR MOVING TO CARLA.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER, MISSING MURPHY.
UM, I DO ACTUALLY, UM, JUST RECENTLY ON OUR, UM, PARK, UH, ADJACENT TO OUR COMMUNITY GARDEN AND WE'RE OVERRUN RIGHT NOW WITH HOMELESS CAMP ON OUR PART PROPERTY.
THEY HAVE GENERATORS TV NEEDLES.
WE HAD A FATALITY YESTERDAY AND I'M WONDERING, I'M TRYING TO BE SENSITIVE TO WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, IN A PANDEMIC AND I'M SENSITIVE TO PEOPLE LOSING THEIR JOBS, BUT I'M WONDERING HOW WE ARE LOOKING AT MOVING FORWARD IN OUR COMMUNITY TO GET OUR PARKS BACK WHERE THEY'RE SAFE PLACES FOR PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, EVERYBODY NEEDS PARKS AND GREEN SPACES, AND MOST OF OURS ARE, UM, TAKEN OVER.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO, CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE INSENSITIVE, BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO, UM, TAKE A STAND FOR THE PARKS AND SOUTH AUSTIN AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY WISH THEY COULD USE THEM SECOND.
SO THAT'S, SO THAT'S SPECIFICALLY ON THE HOMELESS IMPACT ON THE PARKS? YES.
UH, COTTON CYBELE I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AT THIS TIME.
UM, I'D LIKE TO DO A BRIEF, JUST A DISCUSSION, NO ACTION ITEM.
UM, RELATING TO, UH, MIX MIXED USE SPACES, SPECIFICALLY SKATEBOARDING, DERBY, AND BMX FACILITIES.
THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS IN IT IS, UH, THE LOOKING AT THE NEED, LOOKING AT THE LONG RANGE PLANS, LOOKING AT THE CURRENT LOCATIONS, BEST PRACTICES IN HEALTH AND SAFETY.
I THINK I HAVE ALL THIS INFORMATION ALREADY.
I JUST NEEDED TO MAKE IT READY.
THERE WAS SOME MESSAGING THAT'S GONE OVER THE
[01:35:01]
LAST TWO BOARD MEETINGS RELATING JUST SKATEBOARDING.AND SO I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHINE A LIGHT ON IT, BUT I WOULD NEED A SECOND TO BE ABLE TO.
SO, AND I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK THING.
I JUST WANTED TO LOOK AT THE, UM, JUST GET A QUICK CHECK IN WITH THE LAMAR BREEDS MASTER PLAN.
I THINK GETTING SOME COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ANIMAL CENTER AND WHAT THEIR, UM, THEIR DO NEEDS TO FIT INTO THE PLAN AND WHETHER THEY'RE GETTING A GOOD COMMITMENT.
SO JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THAT WOULD BE REALLY APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S STAY SAFE, BE CAREFUL.
MY GUT FEELING IS THAT WE WILL BE DOING A, UM, YOU KNOW, VIRTUALLY IN AUGUST FOR AWHILE CHAIR LEWIS.
UM, IS THERE A SECOND ON YOUR REQUEST FOR LAMAR? THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY WHO PRESENTED.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE.
PUT THIS MEETING TOGETHER AND Y'ALL A SAID, TAKE CARE AND CSUN.