[00:00:02]
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
ALTHOUGH I KNOW WE MIGHT HAVE A FEW OTHER PEOPLE JOINING US.
[CALL TO ORDER]
IT IS 10 OH ONE AND WE HAVE QUORUMS AND WE'RE CALLING THE MEETING REPORTER.UM, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS? NEGATIVE.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
GO INTO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE MIDDLE.
ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM AUGUST 26TH? IT, WE HAVE A MOTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UH, THEN LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
UM, I'M GOING TO JUST CALL OUT NAMES, UH, AND YOU CAN INDICATE HOW YOU'RE VOTING.
IS THERE A THANK YOU FOR, SO HOW DO YOU WANT TO VOTE? THANK YOU.
ANOTHER CALLING USER FIVE WARRANTY'S SEVEN, NINE, SEVEN.
THAT'S KAREN HADN'T I OH, OKAY.
UM, KAREN, MEGAN, DID YOU VOTE BEFORE? OKAY.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO VOTE? YES.
THAT'S DID I MISS ANYBODY? OKAY.
UM, GOING BACK TO HER AGENDA, WE
[2a) Conduct JSC officer elections (Discussion and/or possible action)]
HAVE A NEW BUSINESS.FIRST UP IS OFFICER ELECTIONS.
WE NEED TO PULL UP A CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
SO JUST OPEN BOTH OF THOSE FOR NOMINATIONS AND THE WAY THIS WORKS IS YOU CAN NOMINATE YOURSELF.
YOU CAN NOMINATE SOMEBODY ELSE, BUT ARE YOU WILLING TO SERVE IN THE SAME ROLE? AGAIN, I AM WILLING ON THE OTHER HAND, IF SOMEBODY ELSE IS LOOKING TO TAKE IT OVER, I WILL NOMINATE YOU.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR? UH, NOT, NOT, NOT ANY NOMINATION.
JUST A CURIOUS QUESTION, KATIE, BUT IT IS YOUR TERM.
UH, IT TIED TO A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT IS ROLLING OFF THIS ELECTION.
SO I AM, OH, ACTUALLY I WAS APPOINTED TO THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION BY COUNCIL MEMBER GARZA.
SO SHE IS OBVIOUSLY, UM, AND THAT IS, THAT IS WHO I'M REPRESENTING HERE.
SO IF I AM NOT REAPPOINTED, WE WILL NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER OFFICER ELECTION IN THAT CASE, KATIE, WOULD YOU, UH, MY, EXCEPT MY NOMINATION, JUST, UH, FOR CHAIR, JUST ON THAT REGARD, I THINK YOU HAVE A LONGER TERM ALREADY SET, IS THAT RIGHT? I'M JIMMY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FLANAGAN'S, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, NOT A REP.
SO I THINK, UM, WELL IT DEPENDS.
WE KNOW, WE KNOW, UH, PROTON BARS IS NOT GOING, OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER OF PLANNING AGAIN IS ALSO UP FOR REELECTION AS WELL.
ALL THESE SHORT TERMS ARE VERY HARD TO DO WITH NEVERMIND, NO DISCUSSION ITEM.
[00:05:01]
I JUST THOUGHT FOR CONTINUITY SAKE, UH, IT'S AN IMPORTANT YEAR WITH THE CLIMATE UPDATE PLAN.SO I KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING TOO, IS THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO COUNCIL, LIKE IN OUR, IN OUR, UM, RECOMMENDATION AROUND THE CLIMATE PLAN, WE RECOMMENDED ALSO THAT THERE ARE A FEW OTHER SPOTS FOR THIS, UM, TO MISSION.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ALSO IN THE UNIT, THE
SO I THINK WE'LL BE COVERED, BUT WORST CASE SCENARIO WE'LL HAVE TO SCRAMBLE A LITTLE BIT.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE.
I DON'T WANT IT TO BE A SPLIT VOTE SITUATION.
JUST THAT I PUT THE THOUGHT OUT THERE.
WE HAVE PRETTY, UH, UH, A LONG GROUP.
SO I THINK, I THINK IT'S ALL GOOD.
UM, IF KATIE OR MYSELF IS NOT OR NOT REAPPOINTED AND WE NEED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, SHIFT THINGS AROUND WHEN, WHEN DID THE TERMS ACTUALLY END? I CAN'T REMEMBER.
IT'S IT'S NOT JANUARY, RIGHT? OR IS HOW DOES THAT, YOU KNOW, NO, I THINK I CAN LOOK THIS UP TO GET SOME ON.
I THINK IT'S BASED ON WHEN YOU WERE FIRST APPOINTED THAT BEING SAID, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO HOLD YOUR POSITION UNTIL THEY APPOINT SOMEONE ELSE.
SO IF IT'S MANY MONTHS BEFORE THEY APPOINTED SOMEONE ELSE, YOU CAN STAY IN THAT POSITION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, DAVID, I DIDN'T THINK THAT IT HAPPENED IN JANUARY.
SO I GUESS WHAT THIS MEANS IS PROBABLY WORST CASE SCENARIO.
WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, TRY TO ADDRESS THIS IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY.
UM, IT, IT'S NOT LIKE WE WOULD NECESSARILY HAVE TO LIKE DO SOMETHING IN DECEMBER.
UM, YEAH, I THINK DAVID'S RIGHT, BUT IT SAYS PROBABLY ABOUT YOUR TERM, UH, OCTOBER 1ST, 2015 TO FEBRUARY 28, 2021.
SO FEBRUARY 28TH, RIGHT? WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S ASSUMING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WILL, UH, KIND OF STAY THE COURSE WITH THE ELECTION.
I THINK DELL IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT BECAUSE SHE'S ACTUALLY ELECTED SOMEWHERE ELSE AND SHE'S ACTUALLY ROLLING UP DIFFERENTLY IF THAT'S THE CASE FOR ME.
SO, UM, I'M LIKELY WILL ROLL UP WHENEVER SHE, I DUNNO.
UH, I THINK THIS IS MAY NOT BE EVEN RELEVANT.
I JUST THOUGHT IT'S MAYBE GOOD TO PUT IT OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE CONTINUITY IN THIS GROUP.
UM, BUT, UH, KATIE BY 100% BEHIND YOU IN MY EXPERIENCE, OR I SHOULD SAY IN WHAT I'VE OBSERVED OVER NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS IS IT TAKES THEM MANY, MANY MONTHS BEFORE THEY APPOINT FOR BALL OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
SO MY GUESS IS YOU'D PROBABLY BE SAFE UNTIL AT LEAST THE SUMMERTIME, IF YOU WANTED TO STAY AND WEREN'T REAPPOINTED, BUT THAT'S JUST BASED ON WHAT THE LAST SEVERAL ELECTIONS, WHAT I'VE OBSERVED.
UM, THAT'S THE ALIGNS WITH WHAT I'VE USUALLY SEEN USUALLY IT'S THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BEG COUNCIL MEMBERS TO MAKE QUICKER APPOINTMENT FOR VACANCIES.
UM, THAT SAID, UM, I DO COMMIT THAT, UH, IF IT SEEMS LIKE I'M NOT GOING TO BE AROUND, I WILL START TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMEBODY IS TEED UP TO, UM, HAND THE BATON TO SO THAT WE'RE NOT, UM, TO THE Y'ALL AREN'T SCRAMBLING.
UM, IF I AM NOT GONNA BE AROUND, I'M SORRY, WAS SOMEBODY ELSE SPEAKING OR IS THAT MY ECHO? OH, I WAS GOING TO, THIS IS KAREN HEMI.
I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST THAT I'M CURIOUS WHILE WE VOTE FOR, UM, THE CHAIR.
SO, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY MORE NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR? OKAY.
IF NOT, I THINK WE CAN MOVE TO VOTE.
SO I'LL, I'LL RUN THROUGH, UH, HAUTE LACKEY.
SO I'M SORRY I MISSED THE, UH, WHAT THE VOTE.
I KNOW WE'RE VOTING FOR THE CHAIR, BUT WHO'S UP.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE VOTING FOR CHAIRING UNTIL YOU THAT HAS NOMINATION.
[00:10:01]
I OKAY.I UM, AND THEN WHO ARE OUR CALLINGS? I BISIAH.
AND, UH, KAREN, KAREN, KAREN HADDEN.
I N UM, HAVE I MISSED ANYONE GOING THROUGH YOU? UH, I THINK I MISSED MELISSA.
MELISSA JUST JOINED MELISSA ROTHROCK.
UH, ARE YOU, ARE YOU AN I AND FOR HIS NOMINATION TO CHEER YOU BET.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AND LOOKING FORWARD TO A MORE, MORE, UH, MORE LEADERSHIP FROM YOU ON JSC AND MOVING THIS CLIMATE PLAN FORWARD.
UM, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO VICE CHAIR AT KATIE.
ARE YOU WILLING TO KEEP DOING THAT? UH, I'M HAPPY TO, YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE KATIE FOR VICE CHAIR, BY THE WAY.
SHE HAS BEEN AWESOME AT PARTICIPATING IN, IN HELPING WITH THE AGENDAS, WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATE.
UM, SO VERY MUCH DOING THIS AS A TEAM.
SO I WANT TO KEEP YOU WELL, ALBERTA SECOND SPOT FOR KATIE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE, UH, WANTING TO MAKE A NOMINATION FOR VICE CHAIR? ALRIGHT, THEN LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
AND KATIE, UH, CONTINUING ON AS VICE CHAIR.
MEGAN, I THANK YOU, KATIE, RIGHT? THANK YOU, ALBERTA ALBERTA.
UH, MELISSA, I THANK YOU, NAT.
AND WAS THERE A SECOND CALL IN USER OR WAS THAT SOMEBODY THAT'S ON BOTH VIDEO? THANK YOU.
I WISH THERE WAS A WAY TO LIKE ATTACH A NAME TO, TO THE COLON USERS.
UM, THAT SETS US UP FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
WE'LL SEE IF WE HAVE TO COME BACK TO THIS, BUT, UH, FOR NOW WE CAN MOVE ON.
[2b) Presentation from CapMetro on Project Connect (Discussion and/or possible action)]
A NEXT STEP.WE HAVE CAP METRO BRIEFING US ON PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, CONTINUED DISCUSSION ON PROJECT CONNECT.
CAUSE OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A VERY TIMELINE ISSUE, SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE JACKIE AND HER AND BIRD HERE WITH US, UH, TO GIVE US AN UPDATE.
UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.
MY NAME IS JACKIE NIERENBERG I'M COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER AT CAPITAL METRO, AND I'M GOING TO WALK EVERYBODY THROUGH THE INITIAL INVESTMENT FOR PROJECT CONNECT.
THAT IS WHAT WILL BE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.
UM, ORIGINALLY WE HAD, UH, THE STAFF HAD RECOMMENDED A SYSTEM PLAN BACK IN MARCH AND, AND THAT WAS ADOPTED IN JUNE.
UM, SINCE THEN THAT HAS BEEN IN LIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC.
UM, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AN INITIAL INVESTMENT.
SO I'M GOING TO ATTEMPT TO SHARE MY SCREEN AND LET ME KNOW IF Y'ALL CAN SEE.
[00:15:01]
SEE.LET'S START FROM THE BEGINNING THEN.
SO THIS HAS BEEN A, WHOOPS, THIS IS, THIS HAS A DELAY ON IT.
I'M SORRY, BUT I'LL JUST TALK, TALK THAT SIDE, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS.
WE STARTED ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO ON PROJECT CONNECT AGAIN.
AND IF YOU RECALL, PROJECT CONNECT, UM, WAS PART OF A REFERENDUM IN 2014 THAT FAILED.
THAT WAS FOR, UH, URBAN WHAT WAS CALLED URBAN RAIL THAT NEVER REALLY WENT AWAY.
UM, WE LEARNED SOME LESSONS FROM THAT.
UH, ONE OF THOSE LESSONS WAS THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDED TO SEE WHAT THE FULL SYSTEM WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND ALTHOUGH THAT ALIGNMENT WAS ORIGINALLY PART OF A FULL SYSTEM, IT WAS NOT REALLY COMMUNICATED IN THAT REFERENDUM.
SO WE SET ABOUT CREATING A SYSTEM PLAN, A FULLY CONNECTED SYSTEM OF PROJECTS THAT THE COMMUNITY COULD THEN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BENEFIT WOULD BE TO THEM, UH, WITH THIS PLAN.
UM, SO I MENTIONED THAT FIRST SYSTEM PLAN WAS RECOMMENDED AND ADOPTED IN JUNE, THEN WENT TO, UH, AN INITIAL INVESTMENT PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO PUT ON THE BALLOT.
AND THE INITIAL INVESTMENT INCLUDES PORTIONS OF THE SYSTEM PLAN, ACTUALLY A WHOLE LOT OF IT.
UM, SO I'M GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT'S IN IT NOW.
SO THE CENTERPIECE OF THE INITIAL INVESTMENT ARE GOING TO BE THE RAIL LINE.
SO WE HAVE TWO LIGHT RAIL LINES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING THE ORANGE LINE, WHICH WILL RUN NORTH AND SOUTH THE BLUE LINE, WHICH WILL CONNECT THE AIRPORT INTO DOWNTOWN AND UP TO ACC HIGHLAND, AND THEN COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE THERE.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIGHT RAIL AND COMMUTER RAIL IS, IS JUST THE SERVICE THAT THE TYPE OF SERVICE THAT IT OFFERS, UM, LIGHT RAIL IS AN URBAN SERVICE AND IT HAS A LOT MORE STOPS.
SO PEOPLE COULD GET AROUND THROUGH THE CORE OF US MORE, THE MORE DENSELY POPULATED AND DEVELOPED PART OF THE CITY, COMMUTER RAIL IS ITS NAME IMPLIES IS TO GET PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF THE CORE OF THE CITY TO GO TO WORK EVERY DAY OR SCHOOL OR WHATEVER THEY NEED TO ACCESS THE CENTER OF TOWN FOR.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A, UM, COMMUTER LINE CALLED THE RED LINE.
YOU'RE, I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
UM, AND PROJECT CONNECT WOULD ENHANCE THAT RAIL LINE TO ADD MORE, UH, SERVICE.
UM, WE'LL, WE'RE DOING THAT ALREADY.
UM, EVEN BEFORE PROJECT CONNECT BY, UH, BUILDING SOME SIGHTINGS AND DOUBLE TRACKING SO THAT OUR SERVICE CAN CIRCUMVENT THE FREIGHT SERVICE ALSO USES THAT TRACK FACILITY.
UM, AND THERE WILL BE OTHER ENHANCEMENTS THAT I'LL TALK ABOUT JUST A MINUTE.
AND THEN WE'RE PROPOSING A NEW COMMUTER LINE CALLED THE GREEN LINE, WHICH WOULD SERVE EAST AUSTIN.
ADDITIONALLY, AS PART OF THE BLUE LINE, WE'RE PROPOSING A DOWNTOWN TRANSIT TUNNEL THAT WOULD, UM, INCLUDE THREE DOWNTOWN STATIONS, INCLUDING REPUBLIC SQUARE.
AND THE IDEA BEHIND THE DOWNTOWN TUNNEL WOULD BE TO SEPARATE THE LIGHT RAIL SERVICE FROM STREET TRAFFIC THAT MAKES THE SERVICE FASTER, MORE RELIABLE, AND OBVIOUSLY SAFER FOR EVERYONE.
UM, ANOTHER THING WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING IS FOR NEW METRO RAPID ROUTES, METRO RAPID SERVICE, YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN OR WRITTEN ON THE BIG RED BUSES THAT TRAVEL ON PRIORITY LANES DOWNTOWN AND HAVE SIGNAL PRIORITIZATION.
UH, SO THAT SERVICE IS A LOT QUICKER, MORE FREQUENT, UM, LESS STOPS.
AND WE'D LIKE TO ADD MORE SERVICE AROUND THE CITY, THE SERVICE, MORE AREAS OF TOWN WITH THAT THAT WILL ALSO ALLOW PEOPLE TO CONNECT INTO THESE RAIL LINES.
UM, THIS WOULD INCLUDE 10 YEARS STATIONS.
UM, AND ONE OF THOSE LINES, THE GOLD LINE WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED IN THE RECOMMENDED SYSTEM PLAN AS A LIGHT RAIL LINE AND THE INITIAL INVESTMENT THAT'S GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AS A METRO RAPID SERVICE WITH THE INTENT THAT IN THE FUTURE, THERE WILL BE A INVESTMENT TO DEVELOP THAT INTO A LIGHT RAIL LINE.
THE PLAN ALSO INCLUDES THREE NEW METRICS, BREAST COMMUTER ROUTES.
METRO EXPRESS ARE OUR COMMUTER BUSES AND THEY TRAVEL IN FROM THE OUTSIDE OF TOWN INTO DOWNTOWN MUCH LIKE OUR METRO RAIL SERVICE ALLOW PEOPLE TO AN EASIER COMMUTE IN AND OUT OF THE CITY.
UM, AND WE'D LIKE TO ADD THREE NEW METRICS, PRESS ROUTES WITH THIS INITIAL INVESTMENT AND NINE NEW PARKING RIDE FACILITIES IN A TRANSIT CENTER TO SERVICE THOSE.
IT D ADDITIONALLY, OUR ENTIRE FLEET WILL BE ELECTRIC AS ZERO EMISSIONS FLEET.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD 15 NEWS NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATOR SERVICES.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATORS ARE ALREADY, UH, SERVICING
[00:20:01]
SIX NEIGHBORHOODS IN TOWN AND THREE OF THE COMMUNITIES OUTSIDE OF TOWN THAT ARE PART OF OUR SERVICE AREA.AND YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THESE VEHICLES.
THEY'RE SMALLER VEHICLES, MUCH LIKE OUR METRO ACCESS VEHICLES AND THEY'RE BRANDED AS PICKUP.
UM, IT'S AN APP BASED SERVICE, BUT CAN ALSO BE ACCESSED BY PHONE AND IT WILL PICK YOU UP AT YOUR FRONT DOOR AND TAKE YOU TO THE NEAREST BUS STOP OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ZONE, UM, FOR ABOUT 25, WHICH IS THE SAME PRICE AS WRITING THE SERVICE.
AND IF YOU HAVE A DAY PASS, YOU JUST USE IT TO WRITE THE CIRCULATOR SERVICE.
AND THE IDEA BEHIND THESE NEIGHBORHOODS CIRCULATORS IS THAT THEY PROVIDE THE MICRO TRANSIT SOLUTION TO CONNECT TO THE NEXT BIGGER SERVICE, UM, AND BRIDGE THAT FIRST AND LAST MILE, UM, ISSUE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ACCESSING THE NEAREST BUS STOP OR STATION, UM, PARTICULARLY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, WHERE THE SUMMERS CAN BE 105 DEGREES FREQUENTLY.
SO, UM, AND I, UH, ADDITION TO THE PUZZLE AND I A GOOD PIECE TO THE PUZZLE TO CONNECT EVERYBODY INTO THE OTHER SERVICES.
UM, METRO BIKE INTEGRATION, WE CAPITAL METRO RECENTLY TOOK OVER THE B CYCLE PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE, UM, PROVIDING AN ALL ELECTRIC BIKE FLEET THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR RENT AT OUR TRANSIT HUBS.
WE'LL HAVE ENHANCED METRO ACCESS SERVICE, OF COURSE, MAINTENANCE FACILITIES, UH, AND ADDITIONALLY BETTER, UH, BETTER, UH, CUSTOMER TECHNOLOGY SO THAT PEOPLE CAN USE PASSES FOR A VARIETY OF SERVICES AND A MUCH MORE SEAMLESS WAY TO BUY AND USE YOUR PASS.
IN A NUTSHELL, THEN I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH SOME OF THESE PROJECTS INDIVIDUALLY, UM, OH, REALLY QUICKLY.
HERE'S A RENDERING OF WHAT YOU COULD EXPECT.
THE LIGHT RAIL SERVICE TO LOOK LIKE ON THE GROUND.
THE PREFERENCE IS FOR IT TO RUN CENTER, UH, IN THE CENTER OF THE ROAD, UM, THAT MAKES FOR SAFER BOARDING, UH, LESS CONFLICT WITH THE SERVICE.
AND SO WHERE POSSIBLE WE EXPECT TO DO THAT.
SO IF YOU IMAGINE, SAY NORTH LAMAR BOULEVARD OR, UM, RIVERSIDE WHERE THE BLUE LINE WOULD BE RUNNING, THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD, COULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, WITH SOMETIMES YOU CAN HAVE PLATFORMS ON EITHER SIDE, UH, SOMETIMES THEY'RE STAGGERED ONE ON ONE SIDE, ONE ON THE OTHER.
UM, ALL OF THOSE DETAILS WILL BE NEEDED OUT WHEN WE START THE ENGINEERING AND DESIGN WORK.
SO THE ORANGE LINE, UM, THIS IS OUR NORTH SOUTH ROUTE, UH, A LIGHT RAIL SERVICE.
UM, IN THE INITIAL INVESTMENT, IT WILL BEGIN AT THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, WHICH IS AT US ONE 83 IN LAMAR.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A DOTTED LINE TO THE NORTH OF THAT ALL THE WAY UP TO TECH RIDGE, THAT DOTTED LINE REPRESENTS FUTURE INVESTMENT IN THE ORANGE LINE, UH, FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS, UM, LATER ON.
AND SO THE INITIAL INVESTMENT AT WOULD INCLUDE STOPS AT THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, PRESS VIEW STATION, UTI REPUBLIC, SQUARE AUDITORIUM SHORES, AND THE SOUTH CONGRESS DISTRICT.
AND LET'S SEE, WELL, THERE WE GO.
THAT'S THE LOWER HALF OF THE ORANGE LINE, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT DOTTED LINE FROM STASSNEY TO SLAUGHTER.
THE INITIAL INVESTMENT WILL TERMINATE IT.
STASSNEY WITH THE INTENT TO DEVELOP IT FURTHER TO SLAUGHTER IN THE NEXT ROUND OF INVESTMENT.
THE BLUE LINE, UH, AS I MENTIONED, CONNECTS THE AIRPORT INTO DOWNTOWN AND UP TO ACC HIGHLAND.
IT IS A LIGHT WILL BE A LIGHT RAIL SERVICE.
AND, UM, NOT ONLY WILL IT PROVIDE A SERVICE FOR FREQUENT TRAVELERS, BUT THERE ARE OVER 7,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING AT THE AIRPORT EVERY DAY.
SO IT WILL PROVIDE A CRITICAL WAY FOR THEM TO ACCESS THEIR JOBS EVERY DAY.
UM, THE INITIAL INVESTMENT WILL HAVE IT STARTING AT NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER.
IT'LL TRAVEL SOUTH AND, UH, REPUBLIC SQUARE DOWNTOWN STATION.
AND LET ME SHOW YOU THE BOTTOM PART OF THAT IS TO ADVANCE.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW IT THEN TRAVELS ON.
THERE WOULD BE A CROSSING IT LADY BIRD LAKE.
UM, THE DOWNTOWN PORTION WOULD BE UNDERGROUND AND WOULD TRAVEL ON RIVERSIDE TO THE AIRPORT, EVERYONE, THE GREEN LINE, WHICH IS THE NEW COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS INITIAL INVESTMENT, UM, WOULD IN THE INITIAL INVESTMENT BEGIN AT COLONY PARK.
AND THE DOTTED LINE SHOWS THAT IN THE FUTURE, WE EXPECT TO DEVELOP THE LINE FURTHER TO, UM, SERVE AS MAINER AND POSSIBLY ELGON IN THE FUTURE.
AND DESTINATIONS WOULD INCLUDE EAST AUSTIN SPRINGDALE, THE U S ONE 83 PARKING RIDE AND COLONY PARK
[00:25:02]
SHOW THE BOTTOM PART OF THIS.AND YOU CAN SEE HOW IT TRAVELS TO DOWNTOWN, UM, STOPS AT PLEASANT VALLEY PLUS IT'S LTO.
AND FINALLY, THE DOWNTOWN STATION, OUR CURRENT COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE, THE RED LINE WOULD BE EXPANDED UNDER THIS INITIAL INVESTMENT TO INCLUDE TWO NEW STATIONS, ONE AT THE DOMAIN AND ONE AT MCCOLLOUGH PLACE, WHICH IS WHERE THE AUSTIN FC IS BUILDING ITS STADIUM AND DESTINATIONS WOULD INCLUDE OR DO INCLUDE LEANDER THE DOMAIN MAKALA PLACE, PRESS FREE STATION ACC, HIGHLAND MLK
AND THAT IS THE LOWER PART OF THE RED LINE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT WE ARE CONSTRUCTING THE DOWNTOWN STATION AS WE SPEAK, AND IT IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETE IN 2021.
UM, AND THEN WITH THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING COMING IN FOR PROJECT CONNECT, WE EXPECT TO ADD MORE SERVICE, MORE FREQUENT SERVICE, UM, AND THE TWO NEW STATIONS, THE METRO RAPID LINES, THESE FOUR LINES WOULD INCLUDE THE GOLD LINE.
AS I MENTIONED, THIS WAS ORIGINALLY RECOMMENDED AS A LIGHT RAIL LINE.
UM, WE'LL BEGIN IN THIS INITIAL INVESTMENT AS A METRO RAPID SERVICE, IT WOULD TRAVEL FROM ACC HIGHLAND TO SOUTH CONGRESS AND BEN WHITE.
AND YOU'LL SEE THESE PURPLE LINES ON THE MAP.
THE DOTTED PURPLE LINES ARE FUTURE METRO RAPID ROUTES.
WE'RE CONSIDERING FOR, FOR FUTURE INVESTMENT.
THE SOLID ONES ARE THE FOUR METRO RAPID LINES THAT WOULD BE MOVING FORWARD.
UH, ANOTHER ONE OF THE LINES WOULD BE THE EXPO CENTER LINE, WHICH WOULD TRAVEL FROM, UH, THE TRAVIS COUNTY EXPO EXPO CENTER TO THE EAST DOWN TO UT AND DOWNTOWN, UH, THE PLEASANT VALLEY ROUTE, WHICH WOULD RUN FROM MUELLER ALL THE WAY TO THE GOODNIGHT RANCH, WHERE THERE WILL BE A PARK AND RIDE FACILITY AND THE BURNET LINE, WHICH WOULD TRAVEL FROM THE DOMAIN TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH, UH, WOULD TRAVEL ON SOUTH LAMAR TO THE SOUTH, WORKING OFF IN TWO DIRECTIONS, ONE TO MIN CHAKA AND THE OTHER TO OAK HILL.
AND THERE, YOU CAN SEE THE LOWER HALF OF THE MAP.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE SOLID LINES ARE THE METRO RAPID ROUTES THAT WILL BE MOVING FORWARD IN THIS INITIAL INVESTMENT.
THE GOLD LINE SHOWS UP AS DOTTED SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS, UM, INDICATED AS A FUTURE LIGHT RAIL SERVICE, BUT IT WILL MOVE FORWARD AS A METRO RAPID LINE FOR THIS INITIAL INVESTMENT.
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A, UH, A VIEW OF WHAT A DOWNTOWN TRANSIT TUNNEL COULD LOOK LIKE.
THIS, THIS IS A RENDERING OF WHAT, UH, A CONCEPTUAL RENDERING OF WHAT REPUBLIC SQUARE STATION WOULD LOOK LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA.
IT RESEMBLES WHAT YOU SEE IN A LOT OF THE AIRPORTS WHERE YOU CAN, UM, THERE'S LEVEL BOARDING ON EITHER SIDE, UM, INFORMATION, YOU CAN ACCESS SEVERAL SERVICES, AND THEN THE MEZZANINE WOULD OFFER RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES AND, UH, FOOD VENDORS, PUBLIC RESTROOMS, OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC ART, UM, AND EVEN PUBLIC PERFORMANCE, ALL IN AIR CONDITIONING, WHICH IS VERY HELPFUL WHEN YOU'RE LIVING IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, THIS IS AN ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT A PARK AND RIDE FACILITY COULD LOOK LIKE.
WE CURRENTLY OPERATE A FEW PARKING RIDES IN TOWN, BUT WHAT, UM, THE PROJECT CONNECT VISION WOULD BE, WOULD BE TO ADD A LOT MORE AMENITIES TO THESE PARKING RIGHTS FACILITIES, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS FOR VEHICLES.
UM, I MENTIONED THE BIKE SHARE PROGRAM WHERE PEOPLE COULD RENT BIKES, UM, A KISS AND RIDE WHAT WE CALL KISS AND RIDE, WHICH IS WHERE YOU CAN BE DROPPED OFF BY EITHER TAXI RIDESHARE OR, YOU KNOW, UH, PERSONAL FAMILY OR FRIEND.
UM, ALSO THERE WOULD BE, UH, PUBLIC RESTROOMS, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE HAVE HEARD FROM OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE NEED TO OFFER AND PLENTY OF SHADE.
AND THEN THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION HUB OR CENTER.
AND THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT REGIONAL BUS SERVICES LIKE LONG LANE AND GREYHOUND AND MEGABUS COULD, UM, HAVE AREAS WHERE THEY COULD DROP OFF PASSENGERS WHO COULD THEN SEAMLESSLY CONNECT TO SERVICES.
ALSO OPPORTUNITY IS FOR TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT ELEMENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PERHAPS A PARKING FACILITY AS WELL.
AND JUST TO LOOK AT THE ENTIRE MAP, WHICH I WISH WE COULD SHOW ON ONE SLIDE, BUT IT TAKES TWO.
[00:30:01]
LOOK AT, UM, THE PROPOSED INITIAL INVESTMENT SERVICE AND THE DOTTED LINES REPRESENTING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.NOW WE'LL BE RECEIVING FUNDING FROM A NUMBER OF SOURCES, INCLUDING FROM CAPITAL METRO, UH, INCLUDING FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND, UH, FEDERAL FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION AND BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO PARTNER ON, UM, MANAGING THESE FUNDS, THE BOARD AND THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL DECIDED THE BEST WAY TO, TO MOVE FORWARD WOULD BE WITH AN INDEPENDENT AGENCY CALLED THE B AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, WHICH WOULD HAVE ITS OWN INDEPENDENT BOARD, UM, THAT WOULD PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AND, UM, A MECHANISM FOR MANAGING THESE FUNDS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE PROJECTS.
SO THERE WOULD BE ACCOUNTABILITY BUILT IN, IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
THERE WOULD BE QUARTERLY REPORTS TO BOTH THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD, AN ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE REPORT TO BOTH COUNCIL AND BOARD, AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR.
UM, AMANDA, THE MANAGING OF THE DAY TO DAY PROJECT CONNECT, IMPLEMENTATION AND EXECUTION OF DESIGNING CONSTRUCTION WOULD BE ITS PURVIEW.
UM, AND IT WOULD WORK CLOSELY WITH CAPITAL METRO OPERATIONS, HAT, METRO WITHIN OPERATE THE SERVICE.
ONCE IT IS BUILT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS IS ALL GOING TO PLAY OUT ON A TIMELINE, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A 13 YEAR TIMELINE TO COMPLETE ALL THE PROJECTS.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE LIGHT RAIL, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT YEAR NINE FOR COMPLETION FOR BOTH OF THE LIGHT RAIL SERVICES, THE ENHANCEMENT TO THE METRO RAIL, THE CURRENT METRO RAIL, THE RED LINE WOULD HAPPEN FAIRLY QUICKLY.
WITHIN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS, THE GREEN LINE WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN YEAR EIGHT OR RATHER THE CONSTRUCTION WOULD BEGIN IN YEAR EIGHT, UM, AND BE COMPLETE AROUND THE YEAR 13.
THE METRO RAPID ROUTES WOULD GET ON THE GROUND FAIRLY QUICKLY.
THE GOLD LINE MAY TAKE A BIT LONGER, BUT BECAUSE THERE IS A, SINCE THERE IS A PLAN TO, UM, TRANSITION IT INTO A RAIL LINE IN THE FUTURE, WE WOULD, WE WOULD HAVE TO COMPLETE THE, UM, FEDERALLY REQUIRED NEPA PROCESS, WHICH IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY FOR THAT.
AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THE METRIC EXPRESS AND PARKING RIDES WOULD BE ONGOING.
THEY WOULD ROLL OUT A FEW, A COUPLE AT A TIME, UH, SAME WITH, UH, ENHANCEMENTS TO METRO BUS AND THAT YOUR ACCESS, THE CUSTOMER TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS WOULD HAPPEN FAIRLY QUICKLY.
AND THEN I'LL DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE INVESTMENT AT THE BOTTOM SHOWING A HUNDRED MILLION IN EACH, UH, IN EACH OF THE THREE YEAR OR THREE OR FOUR YEAR PERIODS.
AND THAT REPRESENTS, UM, THE FUND THAT HAS BEEN SET ASIDE BY CITY COUNCIL, UH, AT OUR BOARD FOR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT MEASURES.
UM, AND THOSE WOULD INCLUDE THE PURCHASING OF LAND FOR DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AREAS ALONG THE CORRIDORS AND OTHER TOOLS THAT WOULD BE DEVELOPED TO MITIGATE OR PREVENT, UH, DISPLACEMENT.
AND THAT'S AN, IN A NUTSHELL, I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND STOP SHARING MY SCREEN.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE FOR YOU.
THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION, JACKIE.
LET'S JUMP RIGHT INTO QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, JACKIE, FOR THAT PRESENTATION, IT'S VERY EXCITING FOR THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS WITH CAPITAL METRO.
SO SOMETHING I'VE BEEN HOPING WILL HAPPEN FOR A LONG TIME FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS.
AND THERE'S BEEN SOME SPECULATION WITH THE NEW TESLA GIGAFACTORY IN EAST AUSTIN, THAT WHEN IT GETS UP AND RUNNING IN A COUPLE OF YEARS, THAT BREWING COMPANY WILL TUNNEL FOR EASY TRANSPORTATION TO THE AIRPORT.
AND BACK HAS IT'S BEEN DISCUSSIONS THAT YOU'VE HAD AT ALL WITH THE BORING COMPANY AND POTENTIALLY TO HAVE A CHEAPER TUNNELING CONSTRUCTION.
I'M AFRAID I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THAT, MELISSA.
I KNOW THAT OUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH TESLA ABOUT HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE ON SERVICE FOR EMPLOYEES THERE.
AND SINCE THE BLUE LINE IS RUNNING SO CLOSELY TO IT, UM, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT IT IS TO DO THAT, BUT I I'M AFRAID I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER DETAILS ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
WELL MAYBE THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
I, YES, WE'D PROBABLY NEED SOMEBODY FROM
[00:35:01]
OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM TO COME SPEAK, PERHAPS A BOARD MEMBER WHO CAN SPEAK TO THAT.AND THEN DAVID, I'M JUST CURIOUS IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, FROM A SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSIONING PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, I SAW A LOT OF AIR CONDITIONED SPACES, ET CETERA, AND THAT'S GOOD, BUT ARE THERE PLANS TO INCORPORATE SOLAR? UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, I MEAN, WHAT IS SORT OF THE ADMISSIONS PLAN? YES, THE INTENT IS TO DO THAT AND ALREADY STARTING TO DO THAT IN SOME OF OUR BUS SHELTERS, WE'VE INITIATED, UM, QUITE A FEW OF THESE, A COUPLE OF DOZEN.
I BELIEVE THAT, UM, SOLAR, UH, POWER ALLOWS US TO HAVE, UH, WHAT'S CALLED THE PAPERWHITE INFORMATION SYSTEM.
SO IT IT'S POWERED BY THAT IT ALSO POWERS LIGHTING AT NIGHT.
UM, SO WE'VE ALREADY STARTED TO DIP OUR TOE INTO THAT AND EXPECT TO DO MUCH MORE OF THAT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I EXPECT THAT THE, THE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE BUILD, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL ALL BE SO SOLAR POWERED, BUT IT WILL BE WITH THE INTENT TO BE AS TO, TO CREATE AS LITTLE OF AN IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AS POSSIBLE.
UM, YEAH, JUST, I WAS CURIOUS, THE EXHIBITS PRESENTED, DON'T GIVE A CLEAR INDICATION AS TO THE EXTENT OF WHERE THE TUNNELS WILL BE DOWNTOWN.
DO YOU HAVE, UH, AN IDEA OF THAT YET? WE HAVE A ROUGH IDEA AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE WON'T KNOW FOR SURE UNTIL WE BEGIN THE ENGINEERING AND DESIGN WORK, BUT, UM, IT'S EXPECTED TO BE ABOUT A 1.6 MILE TUNNEL THAT WOULD RUN FROM AROUND THE RAINY STREET AREA.
UM, AND THEN HEAD TOWARD, UH, AROUND FOURTH STREET OR, OR CEZAR CHAVEZ WOULD HEAD TOWARD THE REPUBLIC SQUARE STATION, UM, TO THE WEST AND THEN ON GUADALUPE AREA TILL ABOUT 11TH, 12TH OR 13TH STREET.
AND AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS JUST YET, BUT THAT'S THE GENERAL IDEA.
THIS IS KAREN WITH A QUESTION CARRYING HIM.
UM, I APPRECIATE, UM, KNOWING THAT AMOUNT OUT OF THE TUNNELING, AND I'M JUST WONDERING, IT SEEMS LIKE TOWING IS SUPER EXPENSIVE AND COULD COME UP WITH ADDITIONAL PROBLEM.
UH, ANY NUMBER OF PROBLEMS THAT COME WITH PANELING.
IT DIDN'T ALWAYS GO SO WELL IN OTHER CITIES.
UM, I'M JUST WONDERING, ESPECIALLY IN THE DAY OF COVID, WHETHER THERE'S A POSSIBILITY, I LOVE THE WHOLE PROJECT.
I WANT TO SUPPORT IT ENTIRELY, BUT I'M WONDERING IF IT CAN BE DONE WITH A BOOK GROUND.
UM, I'M THINKING THAT OPEN AIR IS A LOT SAFER IN A COBRA WORLD, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW SOON WE'RE GOING TO BE OUT OF THE COVID WORLD OR, UM, IF EVER, AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE AN OPEN AIR SCENARIO MIGHT BE BOTH MORE AFFORDABLE AND SAFER IN TERMS OF HEALTH.
I'M WONDERING IF IT CAN BE DONE AND I KNOW KIND OF LATE IN THE GAME, BUT IT'S NOT TOO LATE IF THE ENGINEERING'S NOT DYING.
UH, I MEAN, NOTHING IS WRITTEN IN STONE.
UH, NO PUN INTENDED, UM, BUT THE, THE ARIEL, UM, OPTION WAS EVALUATED FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND WAS, DID, DID NOT MEET THE THRESHOLD FOR MOVING FORWARD.
UM, I THINK THAT WERE A NUMBER OF ISSUES, CONFLICTS.
THERE WAS THE CAPITOL VIEW CORRIDOR.
UM, I, I'M NOT SURE WHAT OTHER, AND WE CAN PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION IF YOU NEED IT.
UM, THERE WERE OTHER VARIABLES ASSOCIATED WITH BECAUSE THEY, THEY, THEY EVALUATED ON STREET UNDERGROUND AND ABOVE GROUND FOR THAT PARTICULAR AREA, SINCE IT'S SO FULL OF CONFLICTS, BOTH UNDERGROUND AND ON THE GROUND.
UM, AND THE TUNNEL CAME OUT AS THE, UM, THE CLEAR, UH, OPTION, THE ALTERNATIVE THAT, THAT NEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD FOR TECHNICAL REASONS.
WE ALSO HAD QUITE A BIT OF SUPPORT, UM, FROM PEOPLE WHO COMPLETED SURVEYS ONLINE WITH US FOR THE TUNNEL.
IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE, WHEN OUR, WHEN OUR TEAM VISITED OTHER CITIES AND SPOKE TO OTHER AGENCIES WHO RECENTLY DEVELOPED LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS, UM, ALL OF THEM WISHED THAT THEY HAD GONE WITH THE TUNNEL AND IN SOME OF THEM ARE DOING IT NOW IN RETROSPECT, AND IT'S A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE.
IT'LL NEVER BE AS CHEAP AS IT IS NOW.
UM, AND FROM A TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THIS SYSTEM WILL OPERATE MUCH BETTER, MUCH MORE RELIABLY
[00:40:01]
WITH THE TUNNEL BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF CONFLICTS ON THE STREET.UM, AND SO OUR PROJECT OFFICER, UM, DAVE COUCH, WHO IS HEADING UP THE IMPLEMENTATION FEELS VERY STRONGLY THAT WITHOUT THE TUNNEL, WE WOULD NOT BE OFFERING OPER OFFERING THE TYPE OF SERVICE THAT WE WOULD, UM, LIKE TO OFFER TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND IN A FUTURE PROOF WAY, IN A WAY THAT WOULD SERVE US FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS REGARDING CODE.
AND ANYTHING I CAN SAY IS THAT THIS IS A MULTIGENERATIONAL INVESTMENT.
UM, AND THAT HOPEFULLY COVID, WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO LAST, BUT IT IS A TEMPORARY VERSUS MULTIGENERATIONAL SITUATION.
UM, AND THERE WILL PROBABLY BE CONSIDERATIONS FOR VENTILATION THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE GOING TO BE NEW.
SO WE WILL BE, UH, LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE FACTORS WHEN WE BEGIN CONSTRUCTION, NO DOUBT.
UM, BUT THAT, JUST TO GIVE YOU A, UH, AN IDEA OF WHY THE, THE TUNNEL WAS CHOSEN, BUT THE ARIEL ARIEL OPTION WAS EVALUATED FROM A TECHNICAL STANDPOINT.
UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST COMMENT THAT, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD INCLUDE MYSELF THAT REALLY CANNOT USE THE FACILITY.
I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T GO INSIDE BUILDINGS ANYMORE.
UH, YOU KNOW, WITH MULTIPLE FACTORS, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE, NOT A LOT PEOPLE, KAREN, BUT I WILL, I WILL POINT OUT THAT THIS WILL NOT BE COMPLETE FOR ABOUT NINE YEARS.
SO JUST KEEP, KEEP THAT IN MIND.
AND WE'LL BE USING THE NEWEST TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE TO US, UM, REGARDING PROPER VENTILATION OR WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE AT THE TIME, BUT IT'LL BE AWHILE BEFORE THIS HAPPENS.
MY PERSONAL REQUEST IS THAT THERE'LL BE SOME REVISITING OF AERIAL OPTION.
IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD NOW THAN WHEN THE THING STARTED.
I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THAT PIECE OF IT UNDERSTOOD, UNDERSTOOD, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE ENGINEERING AND ENVIRONMENTAL WORK IS BEING DONE, UM, I SUSPECT THAT ALL OF THE OPTIONS WILL ONCE AGAIN BE EVALUATED BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS STILL A CONCEPTUAL PLAN, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BASED ON TECHNICAL ANALYSIS, WE REALLY HAVE TO GET INTO THE NITTY GRITTY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO WORK.
SO, UM, STAY TUNED, WE'LL BE INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU PRESENTING TO US AND HEARING MORE ABOUT THIS.
COULDN'T SUPPORT IT MORE, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S STILL WORK TO BE DONE AND FIGURING OUT ALL THE DETAILS ON IMPLEMENTATION, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M IN SUPPORTIVE OF, OF ALL OF IT.
AND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, EVEN THE, THE DOWNTOWN WORK AND PUTTING THAT UNDERGROUND, I THINK FROM AN URBAN DESIGN PERSPECTIVE HAS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT TO BE A WIN FOR DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT THAT THE TIMELINE ON THAT IS, IS REALLY PUSHED OUT FOR, FOR QUITE A WHILE.
THIS IS NASH LIKE TO CHALLENGE A LITTLE BIT.
UM, JUST, UH, UM, I DID SAY IT IN A BRIEFING MACK PACKAGE.
I DON'T THINK YOU WENT THROUGH THAT SLIDE, BUT, UH, SO FOR THE, SO THE, THE BOND PROPOSITION, THE TAX, UH, THE 80 SOMETHING CENTS IS MEANT TO ONLY COVER THE 55% LOCAL INVESTMENT, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, WE EXPECT ABOUT 45% TO COME FROM THE FTA.
AND THAT IS BASED ON RECENT PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED.
ONE IN MINNEAPOLIS THAT WAS ACTUALLY FUNDED BY, I THINK THEY AT 47% AND ONE IN LOS ANGELES THAT WAS, THAT WAS FUNDED AT ABOUT 46%.
SO IT'S A CONCERN CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE.
WE'RE THINKING 45% WILL COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND I DO NOT WANT TO GET INTO THE POLITICS.
I JUST, I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF, IF THE, FROM THE FINANCIAL MODEL STANDPOINT, IF, IF FOR SOME REASON AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL MONEY DOES NOT COME IN WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO COME IN, UM, OR COMMITTED WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO COMMITTED SAY THE VOTER PASSED THE BOND IN, IN, IN, UM, NOVEMBER AND THE PROJECT STILL GET GOING FROM DAY ONE AND, AND HIT THE TIMELINE AND THE DELAY THAT THE, THE, THE 45% GAP, IF THEY LIKE CAN BE MITIGATED TO SOME DEGREE,
[00:45:02]
TO SOME DEGREE, I EXPECT THAT WE WOULD BEGIN THEM WITH THE METRO RAPID PROJECTS AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE PARKING RIDE FACILITIES, METRO EXPRESS, THE CIRCULATOR SERVICES, ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE UNTIL SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SO THAT THE FUNDING COULD COME THROUGH.UM, AS FAR AS THE LIGHT RAIL, WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T WRITE GROUND ON THOSE.
I WOULD IMAGINE UNTIL WE HAD SECURED FEDERAL FUNDING, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I THINK THAT JUST PART OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY WITH VOTERS AND, YOU KNOW, IF THEY SAY, HEY, WE APPROVED THIS, WHY IS IT DOESN'T HAPPEN? YES, WE WOULD HAVE TO, WE WOULD ROLL OUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT, SOMETHING SMALLER, UM, IN THE HOPES THAT AT SOME POINT WE WOULD GET THE FEDERAL FUNDING, BUT, UM, WE COULD START RIGHT AWAY WITH, WITH THE SMALLER PROJECTS.
UH, AND THEN THE, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO TOUCH ON, UM, AND, UM, I'M SURE THERE'S MORE WORK STILL BEING DONE ON THIS AND, AND OUR, OUR CHART IN THIS COMMITTEE.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY ON THE CLIMATE SIDE, BUT IT'S COMMUNITY CLIMATE.
AND SO WE'VE DONE A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT EQUITY.
UM, WE DEFINITELY HAVEN'T DONE THAT JUSTICE.
WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO ZERO IN ON THIS SLIDE, 28, WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE COST OF THE PROGRAM IS SORT OF BREAK, BREAK DOWN, UM, WHERE IN HERE IS THE COST TO SUPPORT WRITERS WHO NEED SUPPORT.
YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST FROM AN EQUITABLE STANDPOINT, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT FROM THE FARE STANDPOINT OR, OR FROM THE FARE FROM THE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT IT, THE SIDEWALK FROM SOME NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE RAIL STATION IS NOT GOOD.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO JUST, JUST SORT OF JUST THE THOUGHT THAT, HEY, SOMEONE SHOULD THINK ABOUT FOLKS WHO MAY WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS, THEIR LIMITATION THAT MAY NOT HAVE TO DO WITH RAIL AMANTADINE WITH BUSES MAY HAVE TO DO WITH SIDEWALK, MAY HAVE TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, THEIR HOUSES DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, OTHERS, YOU KNOW, THINGS AND FARE IS DEFINITELY ONE PART OF IT.
I JUST TO, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST TALK ABOUT, JUST HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT I'M SURE THERE'S WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF INVESTMENT AROUND THAT.
I JUST THOUGHT THIS SLIDE DOESN'T MENTION IT TO US.
HAPPY, HAPPY TO EXPAND ON THAT.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER, NATASHA HARPER, MADISON SAID IT BEST WHEN SHE, THAT PROJECT CONNECTED MOBILITY JUSTICE PROJECT.
AND SO IT IS PRIMARILY BEING PUSHED FORWARD FOR THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST.
I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY WHO WE'RE DESIGNING THIS FOR.
UM, SO WITH EVERY PROJECT THAT IS BUILT, UM, IT WILL INCLUDE SIDEWALK INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT WILL INCLUDE IMPROVEMENTS OF THAT COURT, OR IT, YOU KNOW, IF FOR THE LIGHT RAIL LINES, FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE QUARTERS WILL, WILL BE IMPROVED CURB TO CURB, OR EVEN BEYOND THE CURB SIDEWALK TO SIDEWALK.
SO ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BIKE LANES ALSO, UM, WILL BE IMPROVED IN ASSOCIATION WITH ALL THOSE STOPS AND STATIONS.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE INTEND TO KEEP THE SYSTEM AS AFFORDABLE AS POSSIBLE.
UH, CAPITAL METRO IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE TOP THREE OR FOUR CHEAPEST AGENCIES, TRANSIT AGENCIES IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, I MEAN A DOLLAR 25, A RIDE TWO 50 A DAY PASSES IS REALLY INEXPENSIVE.
AND IT'S OUR INTENT TO KEEP IT AS CLOSE TO THAT AS WE CAN WITH THIS NEW, WITH THE NEW PROJECTS.
UM, WE ALSO PARTICIPATE IN SOMETHING CALLED THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND, WHICH, UM, IS A MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT THAT PROVIDES, UM, BOTH TRANSIT PASSES TO SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES WHO THEN CAN PROVIDE FREE PASSES TO, UM, THEIR CLIENTS WHO NEED THEM.
WE ALSO HAVE A DEEP DISCOUNT PROGRAM THAT, UM, PEOPLE CAN APPLY FOR.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A REDUCED FARE PROGRAM FOR OUR SENIORS.
UM, THAT IS ABOUT 60%, I THINK, A 60% DISCOUNT ON THE FAIR.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE.
AND, UM, ADDITIONALLY I MENTIONED THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUND THAT IS ALSO GOING TO HAVE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
IN ADDITION TO THE IT'LL HAVE AN INDEPENDENT BOARD THROUGH THOSE POSITIONS ON THE BOARD ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO COME FROM THE COMMUNITY WITH EXPERTISE IN THINGS LIKE FINANCE AND ENGINEERING.
BUT THEN WE'LL ALSO HAVE A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHO WILL ADVISE, UH, THESE PROJECTS BASED ON EQUITY AND, UM, ISSUES THAT AFFECT, UH, COMMUNITIES WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THOSE ON THE FRONT END.
UM, AND I WILL SAY THAT THAT FUND TWO THINGS.
[00:50:01]
AGENCY IN THE COUNTRY TREE HAS ESTABLISHED THIS KIND OF ON THE FRONT END OF A PROJECT BEFORE IT'S EVEN DESIGNED THAT'S NEW THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE MAKING HISTORY HERE.UM, AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT IT IS THE LARGEST ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUND ASSOCIATED WITH ANY TRENDS TRINSIC PROJECT IN THE COUNTRY.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE THE THINGS I WOULD SAY FOR NOW THE SIDEWALK INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, AS WELL AS BIKE LANES, THE, UM, INTENTION TO KEEP FARES AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY STARTING A NEW PILOT PROGRAM CALLED FARE CAPPING, WHICH WILL BE ROLLED OUT NEXT MONTH, UM, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN PURCHASE PASSES AS THEY GO ON A STORE VALUE CARD OR PASS AND HAVE THE DISCOUNT THAT YOU GET WHEN YOU BUY A MONTHLY PASS.
UH, SO THAT THAT'S ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT'S ROLLING OUT SOON.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTING A LOT.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET AT THIS IN A LOT OF WAYS TO PROMOTE, UM, EQUITY OF SERVICE.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
AND, AND I THINK, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HIGHLIGHT THOSE BECAUSE I THINK THOSE CONVERSATIONS THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THING THAT THIS, UH, THIS, UH, BOND OR INITIATIVE AND PROGRAM WILL SORT OF BE THE CATALYST FOR.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'VE HAD LIKE THAT.
AND YEAH, AND, AND IN THAT SPIRIT, I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE'S AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PLUS TRANSIT NEW MAPPING TOOL THAT SHOW AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALONG TRANSIT.
SO, YOU KNOW, MY, MY TIG IS EVERYTHING IS INTERCONNECTED AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN THAT, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF PAGES LONG.
AND I THINK THERE'S TRANSIT IS SUCH A KEY PART.
UH, SO I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME COMING AND BRIEFING US AND, AND KIND OF JUST TURNING THE MESSAGE.
WE HAVEN'T HEARD WHAT YOU SAID, RIGHT? UM, YEAH, IT WAS JUST SAYING, UH, GOOD, GOOD POINTS NOW AND ASKING IF YOU WOULD, UH, MAYBE SHARE THAT, UH, MAPPING TOOL AROUND.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR US, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
I'M JACKIE, THE ONE THAT I HAD JUST HAD WAS, UH, AROUND TREES.
I KNOW THAT, UM, THERE WAS SOME CONSIDERATION WHEN, UM, CODE NEXT WAS STILL A THING ABOUT, UM, MAKING IT EASIER TO REMOVE HERITAGE TREES ALONG, UH, TRANSIT CORRIDORS.
AND I DON'T THINK THIS WAS NECESSARILY SPECIFIC TO PROJECT CONNECT, BUT DRINKING FLANDERS GENERALLY.
SO I'M JUST IN A MORE GENERAL SENSE.
UM, ONE THING, IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO WHAT CAP METRO, UM, PLANS TO DO TO WORK AROUND TREES, AS, YOU KNOW, YOU FIGURE OUT WHERE THE, EXACTLY THE LINES, LIKE I KNOW THE, THE STREET THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GO DOWN.
THAT'S DETERMINED, BUT KIND OF WHERE EXACTLY IN THE STREETSCAPE, WE DON'T HAVE A WORK PLAN FOR YET, BUT I WILL SAY THAT, UM, IT WILL DEFINITELY BE PART OF THAT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT THAT'S DONE ON EVERY PROJECT, EVERY RAIL PROJECT, EVERY CORRIDOR, UM, AND AS PART OF THAT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, WE ALSO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, UM, ON MAKING DECISIONS.
SO THAT'S, AS FAR AS WE ARE RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT AT THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL JUST YET.
UM, BUT, BUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY WILL CERTAINLY MEET SOME OF THAT OUT, UH, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF WHAT, WHAT DIRECTION WE NEED TO GO IN AND WE'LL DO THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, I IMAGINE THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, FOLKS HERE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN.
WELL, IF THERE'S NOT OTHER QUESTIONS, I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE ON, BUT JACKIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY BY EVERYBODY.
[2c) Presentation on the Draft Austin Climate Equity Plan (Discussion and/or possible action)]
NEXT UP IS PRESENTATION ON THE DRAFT OF THE NEW AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, WHICH IS STILL OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT UNTIL NEXT WEDNESDAY, SINCE ZACH, DO YOU WANNA DO THAT? YEAH.[00:55:11]
ALRIGHT.CAN YOU GUYS SEE THAT? STILL LEARNING.
SO I JUST HAVE A FEW SLIDES HERE.
JUST SORT OF UPDATING ON WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.
SO, UH, THE FULL DRAFT OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, A BRIEF ACCESSIBLE VERSION OF THE A HUNDRED PAGE VERSION WERE BOTH RELEASED ON SEPTEMBER 2ND THERE ON SPEAK OF BOSTON.
THAT, THAT LINK RIGHT THERE, UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD CLOSES ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, WHICH IS NEXT WEEK.
UM, SO WE HAVE GOTTEN A BUNCH OF COMMENTS JUST, UM, WRITTEN IN THERE'S A LITTLE COMMENT BOX IN A LOT OF EMAILS.
AND THEN WE HAVE A SURVEY THERE THAT ASKS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'RE FROM AND WHO YOU ARE, AND THEN KIND OF ASKS, UH, PRIORITIZATION.
AND THERE'S A SHORT VERSION AND A LONG VERSION.
SO, UM, WE HAVE, WE'VE GOTTEN 170 RESPONSES SO FAR FROM EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT ACROSS THE CITY.
UH, WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S A PRETTY SOLID RESPONSE.
UM, SO, UH, THE SCHEDULE FOR SORT OF WHERE WE GO FROM THERE IS AFTER SEPTEMBER 30TH, WE WILL, YOU KNOW, BE MEETING WITH THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND MEETING WITH ADVISOR GROUPS, UH, TO ADDRESS THE, YOU KNOW, THE MAJOR COMMENTS.
AND WE'LL BE, YOU KNOW, MAKING FINAL REVISIONS TO THE PLAN AND THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS IN OCTOBER, AND THEN WE ARE AIMING FOR EITHER THE OCTOBER 29TH OR NOVEMBER 12TH.
UM, IT'S NOT EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ON A COUNCIL AGENDA YET, SO THAT'S NOT SET RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE IN TIMING.
SO LEAN AND, UH, SALINE BUY DOWN FROM MY STAFF.
AND, UH, OTHER STAFF HAVE BEEN HELPING ME, UH, GO AND PRESENT TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
SO WE HAVE BEEN PRESENTING TO, UM, ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT ARE REPRESENTED FROM THE JSC, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE DIMENSIONS.
SO ALL THE ONES THAT ARE IN GREEN HERE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE COMPLETE.
SO WE HAVE GOTTEN ON THEIR AGENDAS GIVEN, YOU KNOW, A 20 MINUTE PRESENTATION AND GOT COMMENTS BACK FROM THEM.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, ANOTHER ONE THIS AFTERNOON, HISPANIC, LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, IS AT ONE O'CLOCK TODAY.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT FOUR IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AND, YOU KNOW, OH, THE, UH, THE COMMISSION OF WOMEN ACTUALLY JUST GOT SCHEDULED YESTERDAY.
SO THAT ONE IS ON OCTOBER 7TH.
SO, UH, SO BY THE 13TH, THEY WILL ALL BE COMPLETE.
THIS IS JUST KIND OF A, UM, A HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING.
UM, MOST OF THE FEEDBACK HAS BEEN, UH, SUPPORTIVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S KINDA, IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING IN THIS TIME OF BOARD AND COMMISSIONS THAT WE ARE VERY RESTRICTED ON TIME.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN MOST OF THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, WE'RE RESTRICTED TO LIKE 20 MINUTES TO GIVE A WHOLE PRESENTATION CHALLENGE.
UM, SO, UM, AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT, LIKE, IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION.
SO LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO IS NOT LIKE SOME OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE PERMISSIONS THAT ARE LIKE VERY NEW TO THIS TOPIC AND WE JUST LOSE THEM WITH THEIR 20 MINUTES OF LIKE INFORMATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO KNOW HOW, LIKE, WHEN WE DON'T GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHY IS THAT? UM, BUT WITH MANY OF THE COMMISSIONS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AND ENERGY ISSUES, AND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION, UM, UM, JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE LAST TIME, UH, PASTORAL RESOLUTION AND SUPPORT, UH, THE, UH, I BELIEVE THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION PASSED A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF ADOPTION.
AND THERE WAS ONE OTHER, I THINK THE PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL, UM, EITHER PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY OR BICYCLE ADVISORY PASSED A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT.
UM, BUT THERE WERE A BUNCH OF SORT OF ADDITIONAL REQUESTS OF THINGS THAT WE LOOKED INTO.
UM, SO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INTEREST ON THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT THAT PROGRAM, WHETHER IT'S INTERNALLY OR EXTERNALLY,
[01:00:01]
WE GET PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THAT INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, IN WAYS TO ENGAGE AND HAVE A COMMUNITY, UH, PROVIDE SUPPORT AND PROVIDE INPUT INTO PLANNING PROCESSES.SO EVEN DOING A LOT OF SHARING OF LIKE THE SPECIFICS OF HOW THAT REALLY WORKED.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE FOCUS ON EQUITY.
UM, WE'VE I HAD HEARD, NO, NO, ONE'S SORT OF SAY THAT, LIKE THEY THOUGHT THAT WAS A BAD IDEA.
SO EVERYBODY IS, UH, IS GLAD THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT IT AND READ IT.
I'M A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC QUESTION IS THAT, AND THIS CONNECTS BACK TO THAT CAP METRO PRESENTATION, UM, IS, YOU KNOW, THERE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, DATA ON OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IS, UM, SPARSE, LIKE REALLY SPECIFIC, EXACT INFORMATION.
IT'S HARD TO MEASURE ALL THE CARS, ALL THE TRIPS, ALL THE DISTANCE.
UM, SO IN YEARS PAST WE USE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE DATA SWITCHED OVER TO USING GOOGLE ENVIRONMENTAL INSIGHTS.
UM, AND THE GOALS THAT WE SET IN THE TRANSPORTATION LAND USE, UM, SECTION AROUND PUBLIC TRANSIT USAGE AND ON ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION USAGE, WE SET THOSE IN TERMS OF THE TOTAL, UH, TOTAL DISTANCE TRAVEL AND JUST SORT OF WHAT WE'RE LEARNING IS THAT LIKE, WHEN YOU GET INTO THESE SPACES, THERE'S A LOT OF DISPARATE MMM.
INFORMATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE STUFF.
SO LIKE, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT TOTAL TRIPS OR TOTAL DISTANCE OR VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED OR COMMUTE TRIPS, OR, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S ALL OF THIS LIKE VARYING LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING.
UM, SO WE, ONE THING THAT WE'VE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR IS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE THOSE GOALS A LOT MORE LIKE, UM, TWO YEAR IN TERMS OF BASELINE, EXACTLY WHAT METRICS ARE BEING USED AND THEN PROBABLY COMMUNICATE THOSE TARGETS IN TERMS OF LIKE TRIPS IN DISTANCE AND POTENTIALLY LIKE COMMUTE TRIP.
UM, AND, AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS LIKE, TO BE A LOT MORE CLEAR ABOUT HOW PROJECT CONNECT FITS INTO THOSE SCHOOLS.
CAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT IS, UM, TO GET FROM UNDER 1% OF THE TOTAL DISTANCE OF TRIPS, I'M ON PUBLIC TRANSIT OF THE 5% OF TOTAL DISTANCE OF TRIPS.
AND PEOPLE SEE THAT AND THEY THINK LIKE, OH MY GOSH, THAT'S SO LOW.
LIKE WHAT, YOU'RE NOT SUPPORTING TRANSIT, LIKE THAT'S SUCH A, YOU KNOW, A LOW TARGET.
AND IN ACTUALITY, LIKE WE'VE INCLUDED ALL OF THAT, YOU KNOW, HIGHEST ESTIMATES ON PROJECT CONNECT ON YOUR SHIP, PROJECTIONS INTO THE FUTURE, AND THEN EVEN ADDED ON TOP OF THAT IN YOU.
AND EVEN IF ALL OF THAT OCCURS, MAYBE WE GET TO 5% OF TOTAL DISTANCE OF TRIPS.
SO WE JUST NEED TO GET BETTER AT COMMUNICATING THAT AND REALLY SHOW LIKE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HOW NECESSARY PROJECT CONNECT PASSING IS TO REACHING THOSE MARKETS.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT'S COME UP, UM, IS WE HAVE HEARD LOTS OF SUPPORT FROM THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY GROUP, AS WELL AS MANY RESIDENTS, UM, SUPPORTING STRONGER BUILDING ELECTRIFICATION.
DE-CARBONIZATION SO SUPPORTING, UM, JUST THE CONCEPT OF GETTING TO NET ZERO CARBON BUILDINGS, UM, AND SORT OF MOVING AWAY FROM NATURAL GAS.
WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK.
UM, FROM THAT I THINK THE LAST TALENT WAS WE GOT LIKE 58 EMAILS TO OUR CITY ACCOUNT ON THAT.
SO THAT'S A TOPIC THAT THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS ADVISOR GROUP IS TALKING ABOUT NOW, UM, ABOUT HOW TO POTENTIALLY LIKE, UM, UH, MAKE THAT LANGUAGE STRONGER.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THERE ARE, UH, AND THIS HASN'T BEEN HAPPENING IN EVERY GROUP, BUT THERE THERE'S ALWAYS THE COST ABOUT, UM, WHAT'S THE COST OF THIS? HOW ARE WE GOING TO PRIORITIZE COST BENEFIT, REALLY PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE ANSWER IS THERE OR THAT LIKE WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY GO INTO IMPLEMENTATION MODE, UM, AND WORK WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, VERY SPECIFIC COST ESTIMATES AND HAVE THAT READY FOR THE NEXT BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THIS PLAN IS REALLY FOCUSED ON LIKE THE VISIONARY DIRECTION OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE ACHIEVED.
UM, AND THE SPECIFICS, UM, WE CAN COME BACK AT THE END, UH, TWO QUESTIONS.
UM, WE, EARLIER THIS SUMMER, WE DID A GOOD AMOUNT OF OUTREACH OUT TO, TO BUSINESSES AND HAD A SERIES OF WEBINARS, UM, SORT OF EDUCATING BUSINESS AND NONPROFIT LEADERS ABOUT THE CLIMATE.
UH, WE HELD THREE WEBINARS AND THERE WERE LIKE OVER A HUNDRED BUSINESSES THAT WERE ALMOST WEBINARS TO LEARN ABOUT THE CLIMATE PLAN.
UM, SO WE FOLLOWED UP WITH ALL OF THEM, TO US, UM,
[01:05:01]
ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GREEN BUSINESS LEADERS, UM, UH, PROGRAM THAT, THAT OUR OFFICE RUNS.AND SO WE INVITED OVER 330 BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS, UM, WITH A VERY SPECIFIC ASK, UH, THAT, WHICH HE HAS SENT OUT.
UM, AND I CAN SHARE, I CAN ACTUALLY SHARE THOSE SPECIFICS WITH YOU GUYS.
UM, AND SOME OF YOU ON THIS CALL MAY HAVE RECEIVED THAT REQUEST.
UM, BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY ASKING BUSINESS THIS, THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION LEADERS TO SIGN UP, TO BE A FOUNDING PARTNER OF LIKE OUR AUSTIN CLIMATE LEADERS.
I MENTIONED IT, AND IT'S ESSENTIALLY LIKE A THREE PARTNER COMMITMENT.
THERE'S A FILL, THERE'S A PDF THAT A BUSINESS LEADER CAN FILL OUT.
UM, SO THE FIRST THING IS ESSENTIALLY THAT A BUSINESS NEEDS TO CONFIRM SUPPORT FOR THE CLIMATE EQUITY LAND CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, BASICALLY THROUGH LIKE, YOU KNOW, A LETTER ON LETTERHEAD THAT SAYS WE SUPPORT THE CITY IN THE EFFORTS OF THIS PLAN.
AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS THAT WE'VE DETAILED OUT, UM, NUMEROUS DIFFERENT ACTIONS THAT ARE SORT OF IN THE CLIMATE PLAN AND THAT A BUSINESS COULD TAKE, UH, TO LOWER THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT.
SO WE ASKED THEM TO COMMIT TO AT LEAST FOUR THINGS, UH, TO TAKE ACTION UPON.
AND THEN THE LAST THING IS THAT WE SORT OF ASKED THEM TO WORK WITH US TO AMPLIFY SORT OF THEIR SUCCESS AND OUR SUCCESS, UH, THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO CONNECTING THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA WITH OURS, UM, THEY WILL, UH, THE IDEA IS THAT THEY WILL, THESE BUSINESS NAMES WILL SORT OF END UP IN THE FINAL VERSION OF THE CLIMATE PLAN AS IT'S PRESENTED, LIKE TO COUNCIL AS AN OFFICIAL LIST OF SUPPORTERS OF THE PLAN.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER LONGER TERM IDEAS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, AS WE MOVE TO IMPLEMENTATION, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD 120 COMMUNITY AND REBOOTS PART OF OUR ADVISORY GROUPS AND SEAR NEEDED TO CREATE THE PLAN.
UM, BUT A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS LIKE HAVE GIVEN A LOT OF TIME AND ARE PROBABLY GOING TO LIKE, UM, PEEL OFF.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND, UM, A LOT MORE STAKEHOLDERS.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AS WE MOVE TO IMPLEMENTATION, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, REAL LIKE BUSINESS, UM, PARTICIPANTS, APPLE TABLE TO REALLY LIKE FOCUS ON HOW TO DO THINGS REALLY GOOD.
SO, UM, THE HOPE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS ALSO OPENS THAT DOOR.
SO LIKE, HEY, YOU SUPPORT THE PLAN.
UH, CAN YOU HAVE SOMEONE FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME TO SUPPORT ON? SO THAT'S ALL OUT THERE.
WE JUST SENT OUT THIS REQUEST, LIKE WITHIN THE LAST WEEK OR TWO.
UM, SO, UH, I DON'T HAVE NUMBERS ON LIKE RESPONSES YET, BUT, UM, YEAH.
AND THAT'S IT FOR WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, LIKE I SAID, UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS, IS STILL GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
AND WE ARE, YOU KNOW, EXCITED TO SORT OF MOVE TO, UM, REVISION AND FINALIZATION SEASON.
AND IT'S A LITTLE HARD FOR ME TO SEE EVERYBODY.
SO IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING FEEL FREE TO JUST GO AHEAD TO SAY, OH YEAH.
SO I'M THAT, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, THE PRESENTATION TO THE COMMISSION, ARE THEY EXACTLY THE SAME PRESENTATION THAT GO UP TO EACH COMMISSION OR TAILORED IN SOME WAY? YEAH.
UM, WE HAVE KIND OF A, IF IT'S WITH A COMMISSION THAT DOESN'T HAVE A SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, TIE INTO THE PLAN AND THEY TELL US WE ONLY HAVE 20 MINUTES, WE HAVE ONE VIRGIN.
UM, BUT THEN TO THE PRESENTATIONS, LIKE URBAN TRANSPORTATION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND, YOU KNOW, PARKS, LIKE WE TAILOR THE PRESENTATION TO BE MORE DETAILED AND TO HAVE MORE SLIDES ABOUT THE SPECIFIC AREAS OF INTEREST IN THAT.
SO YOU HAVE A DECK THAT'S LIKE 50 SLIDES ALONG THE, HAS ALL THE DETAIL, AND THEN WE KIND OF TAILOR IT BASED ON THE WORD SPEAK TO BASED ON HOW MUCH TIME WE HAVE AND BASED UPON KIND OF LIKE WHAT THEIR FOCUS IS.
I ASK THAT BECAUSE I REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE INTERESTS, ESPECIALLY AT THIS TIME WHERE THERE'S SO MUCH PAIN AND, UH, WITH THE COVID SITUATION THAT I, UH, IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THE, THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PRESENTATION TO BE PROBABLY NOT TOO TECHNICAL, BUT TAILORED TO, UH, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, OF INTEREST TO, TO THAT COMMENT.
AND AS WELL AS I GUESS, ALL THE COMMISSIONS THAT ARE NOT TECHNICAL.
[01:10:04]
UM, SO A COUPLE THINGS CAME TO MY MIND ONE, UM, IN TERMS OF, UM, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS PASSING RESOLUTIONS, DQ MENTIONED A COUPLE.WERE THERE ANY WHERE IT WAS PUT FORWARD AND FAILED OR WAS IT JUST NOT PUT FORWARD FOR ACTION AT THE OTHERS? NO, THERE WAS NONE THAT WERE PUT FORWARD AND FAILED.
THERE WERE A FEW THAT SAID THAT THEY WOULD POTENTIALLY LIKE TAKE IT UP AT THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, BUT THAT'S YEAH, THAT'S IT.
SO LIKE THAT'S FOR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION.
THAT IS MY HOPE THAT WE TAKE IT UP AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SO THIS IS JUST KIND OF A NOTE TO ALL OF US.
WE'RE ALL SITTING IN ON OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
SO I'M WITH, I GUESS THE EXCEPTION OF ALBERTA, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, UNLESS YOU HAVE A REAL REASON NOT TO, IT WOULD BE, UM, I THINK REALLY GOOD FOR US ALL TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TAKE, TAKE AN ITEM FOR ACTION TO HER RESPECTIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH, NEXT MONTH.
AND IF THAT IS WHAT WE PASSED IT, JOINT SUSTAINABILITY, THAT'S FINE.
IF IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH A DIFFERENT FLAVOR, OR IF THE COMMISSION MAY BE WANTS TO RECOMMEND SOME CHANGES, THEN YOU KNOW, THAT'S FAIR GAME.
BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A LOT MORE COMMISSIONS WEIGHING IN ONE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER ON THIS.
UM, SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE LIST OF WHO GOT THE PRESENTATION, BUT THEN NO, UM, OFFICIAL FEEDBACK FROM THEM.
DO PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING THAT? YEAH.
CAN I, CAN I CHIME IN ON THAT? I PIGGYBACK ON THAT.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU JUST SAID THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT, WHICH IS TO REALLY, TRULY MOVE THE NEEDLE AT THE SPEED THAT WE NEED.
WE NEED PROJECT CONNECTED SUCCEED, AND, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME A RAIL BOND IS ON THE BALLOT AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT WE'LL WIN.
AND SO IT IS MY OPINION THAT I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST.
AND USUALLY I'M NOT THE GUY WHO WRITE THESE, UH, UH, RESOLUTION HERE, BUT I THINK I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE WRITE A RESOLUTION THAT UNEQUIVOCALLY STATE, THAT PROJECT CONNECT IS WHAT IT TAKE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE AND VERY STRONGLY RECOMMEND BACK THAT OTHER COMMISSION TAKE A POSITION.
UH, I DON'T, I DON'T BELIEVE THIS ISSUE IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE NEUTRAL OR, OR LIGHTED OR THE LIGHTLY WOODED ABOUT.
THERE ARE JUST SO MANY DOMINOES THAT WAITING FOR TRANSIT TO OCCUR.
AND SO, UH, MY, MY RECOMMENDATION TO, TO, UH, UH, THE FELLOW FOLKS ON THIS COMMITTEE IS LET'S, LET'S DRAFT A LETTER SHORT, SWEET THAT STRONGLY RECOMMEND THIS BACK TO COUNCIL, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, A LETTER THAT I CAN TAKE BACK TO MY COMMISSION AND OTHER FOLKS CAN TAKE BACK TO THEIR COMMISSIONS AND KIND OF GAIN THEIR SUPPORT BACKWARD THAT WAY.
USUALLY I SEE THE COMMISSION FEED INTO THIS COMMITTEE, BUT IN THIS CASE, I FELT LIKE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING GREAT THAT WE CAN BRING BACK TO OUR RESPECTIVE PERMISSION TO HAVE THEIR SIGN ON TO.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AS WELL.
I'M I, I'M JUST SUGGESTING WE PUT THAT IN LETTER FORM AND STRONG, UH, VERBIAGE.
AND THAT, JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT OR JUST, UH, LINKING THAT INTO THE PLAN AS A WHOLE.
WHAT W WHAT, CAN YOU CLARIFY A LITTLE? YEAH, SO I'M SORRY.
UH, YES, UH, UH, HIGHLIGHTING THE CLIMATE PLAN, BUT LINK THE PROJECT CONNECT DIRECTLY AS THE INITIATIVE THAT COULD MOVE THE NEEDLE AND ENCOURAGING THE CITY AND PEOPLE IN THE LEADERSHIP POSITION TO MAKE BOLD CHOICES LIKE THAT, THAT CAN, UH, MAKE THE CLIMATE PLAN REALITY.
OTHERWISE, IT'S JUST A PLAN THAT, YOU KNOW, MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE.
SO, UH, IT'S A TWOFOLD, IN MY OPINION, IT'S HIGHLIGHTING THE, THE CLIMATE PLAN, BUT IT ALSO POINT TO AN INITIATIVE THAT BOLD ENOUGH, THAT CAN MOVE THE NEEDLE SO THAT WE CAN TRULY GET BEHIND.
UM, ARE YOU THINKING FOR OUR NEXT MEETING OR WHAT, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
ARE YOU TRYING TO DO SOMETHING RIGHT NOW? I'M NOT GOOD AT WRITING ON THE SPOT, SO MAYBE THAT'S THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, BUT, OR WE CAN EVEN VOTE OVER EMAIL.
I THINK ONCE WE DRAFT SOMETHING UP, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN, WE CAN VOTE RIGHT NOW TO DRAFT AN ORDINANCE IN THAT SPIRIT, IF EVERYBODY AGREE, AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF THAT WAY THE LANGUAGE HAMMERING OUT IS MORE EFFICIENT, UH, SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE OR OVER EMAIL,
[01:15:03]
I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO VOTE OVER EMAIL.UM, WE ALSO CAN'T VOTE ON ANYTHING THAT'S NOT POSTED IN THE AGENDA FOR ACTION.
WAS THIS A DISCUSSION WHERE POSSIBLE ACTION OR JUST DISCUSSING THIS IS POSSIBLE ACTION.
ALL OF OUR ITEMS, UH, UNDER NEW BUSINESS TODAY HAVE DISCUSSION AND OR POSSIBLE ACTIONS.
UM, I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, WE CAN DETERMINE WHAT IT IS WE'RE ACTING ON.
WELL, IF THERE'S POSSIBLE ACTION, THEN, THEN LET ME TRY THIS.
I, UM, I'D LIKE TO MOTION THAT WE DRAFT AN ORDER AND, UH, DROP A RESOLUTION, UH, WITH THIS COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, TO HIGHLIGHT THE CLIMATE PLAN UPDATE AND DIRECTLY AND STRONGLY SUPPORT PROJECT CONNECT AS A KEY COMPONENT FOR SUCCESS OF THE CLIMATE PLAIN COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN.
NOW WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE, SO WE NEED A SECOND.
IF WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A VOTE ON THIS, I'M HAPPY TO SECOND THAT, BUT I'M NOT WILLING TO HEARING NECESSARILY TO WRITE IT.
I GOT TWO KIDS IN KINDERGARTEN, SO IF STAFF WILLING TO HELP ME, I CAN DRAFT SOMETHING.
WE NOT BE AS, UH, INTELLECTUALLY WELL-WORDED AS WHAT YOU AND KATIE HAVE COME UP WITH, BUT I'M WILLING TO WRITE HALF A PAGE OF SOMETHING THAT I THINK, UM, I THINK WOULD HIGHLIGHT THAT DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN BOTH ACTIONS AND, AND MOVING THE NEEDLE.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM, FROM OUR OTHER COMMISSIONERS HERE, WHAT DO FOLKS THINK ABOUT THIS? I SUPPORT THAT.
I GUESS I'M JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED, CAUSE IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE VOTING TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T NEED TO ACTUALLY VOTE TO DO, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PASS NEXT MEETING ANYWAY, JUST TO REFRESH MY MEMORY ARE DIDN'T WE GO ON RECORD ON PROJECT CONNECT AND HAVE A VOTE TWO OR THREE MONTHS AGO.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY WAS THAT AND WHAT, HOW EXACTLY IS THIS DISTINCT IN TERMS OF, I THINK THAT WAS THE VISION.
THIS ONE IS MORE DIRECTLY TIED TO THE PROP ON THE BALLOT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE ALLOWED TO DO SO, BUT I, I THAT'S, MY INTENT IS TO, UM, CREATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND KATIE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, ORDINANCE, UH, GET DRAFTED IN A TWO STEP PROCESS ALL THE TIME.
YOU KNOW, ONE IT'S A SET INTENTION AND THE OTHER ONE IS TO FINALIZE THE RECORD.
UM, I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME BEFORE THAT, THAT THIS IS NEEDED, BUT I GUESS WITH A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, VOTING, IT'S A, IT'S A BIG VOTING YEAR, SO I JUST FELT LIKE SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE.
AND, UM, I'D RATHER WHAT EVERYBODY HERE HAVE SOME, AT LEAST SOME SORT OF INTENTION BEFORE JABBING IT OUT AND THEN WE CAN ADOPT THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE NEXT TIME.
IT WAS REALLY JUST A PROCESS QUESTION JUST SINCE WE HADN'T DONE THAT BEFORE, AND WE DON'T DO THAT ON MY OTHER BOARD, BUT, UM, BUT NO, I'M, I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT OF SETTING THAT INTENTION.
MY OTHER, MY OTHER PROCESS QUESTION IS JUST IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL HAS DECIDED IT, IT HAS ALREADY BEEN DECIDED THROUGH THE PROCESSES SUCH AS THEY ARE, THIS IS TO BE VOTED ON BY THE PUBLIC IN NOVEMBER.
AND YOU KNOW, OUR ROLE HERE IS TO ADVISE COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT COUNSEL HAS ANY FURTHER ACTION TO TAKE ENDING NOVEMBER.
I THINK WE KNOW WHO'S INDIVIDUALLY ON IT, WHO FAVORS IT, WHO DOESN'T, BUT YOU KNOW, ONCE IT'S A MATTER FOR THE ELECTION, I JUST, I'M NOT SURE THAT IT'S OUR ROLE TO MAKE SORT OF ENDORSEMENTS AND ELECTIONS.
THAT'S JUST A THOUGHT, I THINK WE'RE DISCUSSING.
[01:20:01]
THINK THAT'S COMPLETELY FAIR.I THINK FROM A, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT ASPECT, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU.
I, THE, THE KEY THAT I THINK DIFFERENT HERE IS, YOU KNOW, COUNSELOR HAVE A TOUGH JOB, RIGHT? THEY HAVE TO BALANCE A LOT OF THINGS.
AND WHEN THEY MAKE DECISION AND PROJECT CONNECT IS NOT EXACTLY A SMALL DECISION.
I THINK AS, AS FAR AS THIS COMMITTEE IS CHARGED IS CONCERNED.
WE, WE ARE HERE TO MAKE SURE THE CLIMATE PLAN, THE COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN IS SET UP FOR SUCCESS.
AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE IN MY TERM PERSONAL VIEW, A DELUSIONAL THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE A, SOMETHING AS BOLD AS A RAIL SYSTEM, THAT WE WILL GET ANYWHERE CLOSE TO BEING RELIABLE, YOU KNOW, MAKING THAT PLAN SUCCEED.
AND I THINK JUST STATING, SO IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT, YOU KNOW, HYPER BOWL OR, OR, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST DATA AND FACT DRIVEN, JUST LIKE ZACH MENTIONED, IF WE DO EVERYTHING RIGHT, EXCEPT FOR THE RAIL.
AND WE GET 5%, IF WE DO, IF THE RAIL HAPPENED THAT JUST THE GREENPOWER GENERATION PLAN TO ME, RIGHT.
IF WE SIT HERE AND BUY ALL OF THE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WAS, UH, CALIFORNIA IS GOING TO BAN ELECTRIC CAR BY 20 SOME YEARS.
BUT I THINK THAT'S NOT GOING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE IF THE POWER ITSELF IS NOT GREEN.
SO I THINK I'M JUST TRYING TO SEND THE MESSAGE THAT YES.
WE KNOW HOW PEOPLE WOULD MAKE DECISION BASED ON THE PROJECT CONNECT VISION AND THE BOND.
UH, BUT THIS IS ABOUT THE CLIMATE PLAN.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE CLIMATE PLAN NEEDS SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO WORK.
SO IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY, THE, THE LINK THAT KIND OF MAKES THIS, UH, I GUESS, VALID IN YOUR MIND, UH, IN TERMS OF OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, MISSION AS A, AS A BOARD IS THAT WE'RE RECOMMEND THE RECOMMENDATION IS JUST ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION, UH, TO SUPPORT THE CLIMATE PLAN AND TO IMPLEMENT THE CLIMATE PLAN.
AND IN THAT RECOMMENDATION, WE WOULD BE REFERENCING THE IMPORTANCE OF PROJECT CONNECT.
I THINK THAT CAN BE FINESSED, BUT I DO AGREE WITH WHOLE, LIKE, I THINK THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORDING IT THAT WAY SO THAT IT IS, UM, YEAH.
A VALID RECOMMENDATION COMING FROM THIS BODY.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THIS? I JUST SECOND THAT I THINK, YEAH.
AGREEING WITH BOTH THOSE POINTS, RIGHT.
MAKING A RECOMMENDATION FOR SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY.
IT'S JUST BEEN SAID, I SUCK AT THAT.
IT NEEDS TO BE TO THE CLIMATE PLAN, LINKING TO PROJECT CONNECTED.
SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
MATT, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS STILL SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD VOTE ON OR DO YOU JUST WANT TO DRAFT AND BRING IT BACK? WHAT WOULD YOU, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROCEED? I WILL TRY TO DRAFT IT REGARDLESS IF, IF, UH, THE BODY CAN TAKE AN ACTION.
SO I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO REHASH THE SAME, UH, CONVERSATION NEXT TIME WITH SOME OTHER FOLKS, I WILL FEEL MUCH BETTER AND TIME INVESTMENT, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I, I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT IT.
I THINK IT'S WORTH HIGHLIGHTING.
AND JUST EVEN THE FACT OF HAVING THIS DISCUSSION IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU'RE ENGAGING.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE AND THEN, UH, CALL IT THE NAMES.
I DON'T WANT TO BET ON SOMETHING THAT I CAN'T SEE.
UM, CAUSE I WOULD WANT TO SEE THE MOTION.
SO I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN AT THIS POINT.
PEOPLE'S ORDER MOVED AROUND A LITTLE ON MAYBE, UH, KAREN, MEGAN.
DID I MISS ANYBODY? OH, AND MYSELF, I WILL ALSO VOTE.
SO WHAT WE JUST LOADED ON WAS THIS GENERAL CONCEPT AND BRINGING THE LETTER BACK, UH, AT OUR NEXT MEETING, WHICH SHOULD BE PROBABLY RIGHT AROUND THE TIME THAT COUNCIL IS ABOUT TO TAKE ACTIONS.
[01:25:01]
SO I THINK WE'LL STILL BE TIMELINE THERE.I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD CONVERSATION TO HAVE.
[2d) Commission members report back on any relevant discussions from their respective boards and commissions – (Discussion and/or possible action)]
ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, AND WE DO ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES THAT OF, SINCE WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES, WANT TO DO THIS, UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE REPORTS BACK FROM ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, RELEVANT TO OUR WORK FROM YOUR RESPECTIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS? I'LL JUST SAY ONE THING REAL QUICK.UM, RELATED TO OUR LAST CONVERSATION, WE'RE SCHEDULED TO SEE THE PLAN, UH, NEXT WEEK AT DESIGN COMMISSION AND, UH, THIS COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION IS PART OF THAT BACKUP AND I HAVEN'T POSTED FRACTIONS.
SO I HOPE THAT WE DO SUPPORT IT AT THAT TIME.
UM, I GUESS THIS DID START WITH ME ASKING IF, IF OTHER FOLKS FELT COMFORTABLE, UM, TAKING SOME SORT OF RECOMMENDATION FOR ACT AND TO YOUR RESPECTIVE COMMISSIONS AND JUST STEP BACK A LITTLE.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE THINK THAT THEY CAN DO THAT IN THE COMING WEEKS? I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET SOMETHING IN FRONT OF FOOD POLICY BOARD, BUT WE ALSO HAVE OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING NEXT MONTH.
SO WE REALLY TRY TO HOLD THAT TO A SINGLE ISSUE.
AND THEN IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHEN OUR NOVEMBER MEETING IS IF IT'LL BE IN TIME, BECAUSE I THINK WE WANT TO DO A FINESSED VERSION AND HAVE SOME SPEAK TO SOME SPECIFIC POINTS ABOUT, ESPECIALLY THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST IN FARMLAND CONSERVATION.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE AT LEAST A HANDFUL OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I MEAN, BOARD, I THINK THAT'LL BE HELPFUL.
I CAN TALK TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CHAIR.
AND I THINK THE, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THESE MEETINGS HAPPENING, UH, AFTER THE 30TH, HOPEFULLY THEY WILL BE FAIRLY SOON AFTER THAT, UH, AN, AN, A NEW DRAFT, UM, FOR EVERYBODY TO LOOK AT.
SO, UM, IT'S NOT A BAD THING TO HAVE WAITED.
ANY, UH, REALLY QUICK UPDATES THAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAVE GOTTEN THIS EMAIL YET, BUT I HEARD FROM, UH, FROM BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP DOING WEBEX FOR MEETINGS.
UM, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE EXPANDED OPTIONS FOR TIME.
SO LIKE, IF WE WANT TO GO BACK TO THE FOURTH, WEDNESDAY AT SIX O'CLOCK, WE CAN GO BACK TO AN EVENING.
SO, UM, JUST, IS THERE ANY THOUGHTS FROM THE GROUP ON LIKE KEEPING US DURING THE DAY OR DO PEOPLE WANT TO MOVE BACK? WELL, THAT'S EXCITING THAT THEY'RE GIVING US OPTIONS NOW.
THOUGHTS FROM ANYBODY? LIKE I GOT KIDS, SO WHO LET YOU KNOW KINDERGARTEN IS NOT GOING TO BE AROUND, SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE NIGHTTIME, BUT AFTERNOON WOULD HELP A LOT.
UM, DO YOU MEAN LIKE LATER, LIKE AFTER NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS OR LIKE AFTERNOON OR? YEAH, LIKE THE SIX O'CLOCK TO ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS JUST REGULARITY.
I MEAN, I'M NOT SURE ARE WE DOING THIS LIKE EVERY FOURTH, FRIDAY, WHATEVER, OR LIKE, I'M JUST, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEEN AD HOC AND IT'S SO FAR HASN'T REALLY CRASHED ANYTHING IN MY SCHEDULE, BUT LIKE KNOWING, YEAH.
THIS MEETING, WE HAD KIND OF STUCK TO FOURTH, WEDNESDAY.
UM, SO I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT DID WE HAD DONE FOREVER WAS FOURTH, WEDNESDAY AT SIX O'CLOCK.
SO ZACH, DO YOU THINK YOU CAN FIND OUT WHETHER REGARDLESS OF THE TIME, MAYBE TELL THEM THAT LIKE A LATE AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING TIME, UM, WOULD BE BEST FOR US, BUT, OR WE HAVE A, I THINK AN INTEREST IN HAVING A SET TIME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
LIKE, CAN YOU FIND OUT IF THAT'S POSSIBLE OR DO YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT IT'S NOT AN OPTION? NO, I THINK IT IS AN OPTION.
I THINK WHAT THEY WERE SAYING IS THAT BY EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF OPTIONS, AND I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE ROOMS AVAILABLE, LIKE AT CITY HALL
[01:30:01]
TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO LIKE, PICK WHAT WE WANT.SO IF WE WANT TO STICK TO FOURTH, WEDNESDAY, LIKE I THINK JUST THE QUESTION IS WE WANT IT DURING THE WORKDAY OR DO PEOPLE WANT TO PUSH IT TO AFTER THE WORKDAY BECAUSE I KNOW ALL OF YOUR JOBS.
SO I LIKED, I REALLY LIKED THAT WE CAN HAVE A SET TIME.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND ARE WE STILL GOING TO BE SET TO AN HOUR AND A HALF? I DON'T THINK THEY CLARIFY THAT.
SO I DON'T ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN SAY FOR OUR DESIGN COMMISSION NEXT WEEK ACTUALLY GAVE TWO HOURS.
SO I THINK THEY'RE EXPANDING THAT AS WELL.
I'M LOOKING AT, YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
IT'S NOT SPECIFIED IN THE EMAIL ABOUT THIS TIME, THESE OTHER OPTIONS, BUT THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO THOSE SIX O'CLOCK BECAUSE IT IS AFTER THE WORKDAY AND THERE'S A LOT TO GET DONE DURING THE WORK DAY, IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO OTHERS.
DOES EVERYBODY TELL SIX WOULD FIVE WORK OR IS SIX, MUCH BETTER FOR PEOPLE THAT COULD WORK FOR ME THAT WOULD HELP THEIR TIME.
WINDOWS ARE EIGHT TO NOON, ONE TO FIVE AND FIVE 30 TO NINE 30.
SO I THINK STRICTLY SPEAKING, A FIVE O'CLOCK START WOULD NOT WORK, BUT A FIVE 30 IS THE EARLIEST THEY CAN ACCOMMODATE.
ALBERTA, DOES THAT, WOULD THAT WORK FOR YOU? YEAH.
FIVE 30 WOULD BE MUCH BETTER THAN FIVE.
SO, UM, DAVID, DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU? YEAH, THE, THE LAYER OF THE BETTER IS I, I CAN, I CAN MAKE IT WORK AT FIVE 30.
UH, WELL LET ME SACK, I GUESS SNOW, IF, IF IT SEEMS LIKE THE FOURTH, WEDNESDAY AT FIVE 30 DOESN'T WORK, THEN I THINK WE HAVE A GENERAL SENSE OF PEOPLE'S PRIORITIES TEAR.
ARE THERE ANY EVENINGS THAT WE SHOULD AVOID? AND IF IT TURNS OUT THAT LIKE THAT EVENING IS NOT AVAILABLE.
WELL, I WILL COMMUNICATE WITH THEM IN AIM FOR WEDNESDAY.
WE, WE ARE AT TIME, BUT IF ANYBODY HAD ANY FINAL WORDS FROM THEIR COMMISSIONS, UH, SPEAK THEM NOW, OTHERWISE I'M GOING TO HAVE US ADJOURN.