[00:00:06]
ALL RIGHT.[CALL TO ORDER]
SO I'M CALLING A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO ORDER ON OCTOBER 21ST, 2020 AT 6:05 PM.UH, LET'S DO A QUICK ROLL CALL.
PAM THOMPSON, ABSENT RYAN NIL, ABSENT.
ARE YOU THERE? I'LL LOOP BACK AROUND, BUT UM, THERE YOU GO.
LINDA GUERRERO HERE FOR A LITTLE BIT.
Y'ALL ALL RIGHT, SO THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, FIRST ITEM ONE
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ACTION]
AC APPROVAL, APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ACTION.HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE.
MADAM VICE CHAIR, IF YOU'RE FEEL READY FOR IT.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
WE'VE A FIRST BY A COMMISSIONER RAMBLER.
THAT'D BE THE SECOND CURTIS STUCK IN ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
I'M NOT GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL FOR THAT ON ANY OPPOSED.
UM, MOTION PASSES TO APPROVE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 7TH, 2020.
UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO,
[2. STAFF BRIEFINGS]
A FOUR STAFF BRIEFING UPDATE ON SAWYER CLEVELAND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, UH, IS ABLE ON YES FOR US.I THINK I HAD SOME HESITATION.
YOU'RE ALSO VERY HARD TO HEAR.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO HEAR YOU ALSO.
IS IT HARD TO HEAR ME WHEN I'M TALKING? NO, I CAN HEAR YOU, HUH? YEAH.
UM, AND MAYBE ABEL WE'LL WORK ON THAT FROM OUR END.
UM, CAN I START, OR YOU CAN BEGIN ABOUT, AND THEN JUST CALL OUT WHEN YOU WANT US TO CHANGE SLIDES FOR YOU.
MY NAME IS
I'M MENTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DIVISION IN WATERSHED PROTECTION.
I THINK OUR OTHER FOLKS HAVE IN OUR OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVING TROUBLE HEARING.
I THINK I'M HAVING TROUBLE HEARING TOO, AND I'M NOT SURE IF SOMETHING THAT, UM, THE I T FOLKS CAN HELP WITH.
CAUSE IT'S A LITTLE LOW FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS HERE AT CITY HALL.
EVERYONE IS VERY LOUD EXCEPT FOR ABEL, SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
UM, AND IS IT BETTER NOW? A LITTLE BIT.
UH, MY NAME IS
SO IN 2018, THE SIRE CLEVELAND PARTNERSHIP APPLIED TO THE TEAK TO THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY FOR WHAT'S CALLED A T P D E S PERMIT THAT STANDS FOR TEXAS POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM FROM IT.
AND IT BASICALLY ALLOWS THE PERMITTEE TO DISCHARGE POLLUTANTS INTO OUR WATERWAYS, GIVEN CERTAIN CRITERIA, THEY MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA.
SO IN OUR CASE, THIS PERMIT WOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO A DISCHARGE PERIOD WASTEWATER EFFLUENT INTO THE TRIBUTARY OF BURN CREEK IN THE CONTRIBUTING ZONE OR THE BURN SPRING SEGMENT OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER.
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WE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DIVISION HAVE MODELED THIS DISPARITY AND ASSESS ITS IMPACT ON THE WATER QUALITY BURN CREEK.I'M GOING TO KIND OF ORIENT YOURSELF SPATIALLY WITH THIS MAP.
UM, THE DARK LINE THAT GOES NORTH TO SOUTH THAT'S,
UM, AND THAT YELLOW DOT KIND OF IN THE LOWER LEFT, THAT'S WHERE THE DISCHARGE POINT IS.
AND THAT'S ABOUT SEVEN MILES WEST OF AUSTIN, KIND OF IN BETWEEN DRIPPING SPRINGS AND AUSTIN.
UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE IS I'M GOING TO ZOOM IN A LITTLE MORE WITH THIS, WITH THIS SLIDE.
AND AGAIN, YOU SEE THAT THE S TWO 90 GOING EAST WEST, AND THERE'S A LITTLE YELLOW.IN THE MIDDLE ON THE BOTTOM.
THAT'S WHERE THE DISCHARGE POINT IS NOW THE, UH, THICK, UH, LIGHT BLUE LINE, THAT BIG DARK BLUE LINE THAT REPRESENTS THE EXTENT OF OUR MODEL OR OUR MODEL DOMAIN WITH THE LIGHT LINE INDICATING LONG BRANCH, WHICH IS THE TRIBUTARY OF BARTON CREEK, WHICH IS A DARK BLUE LINE.
SO THERE AGAIN IS US TWO 90 AND THE STAR, THE YELLOW STAR ON THE BOTTOM IS THE DISCHARGE POINT.
AND SO AFFLUENT WILL GO UNDER THE HIGHWAY THROUGH A CULVERT DOWN A DITCH AND THROUGH SOME AMENITY PONDS FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND IT, AS IT MAKES ITS WAY TO LONG BRANCH.
SO THE PROPOSED EPDS PERMIT, UH, WOULD AUTHORIZE A DISCHARGE OF PEANUT WASTEWATER NOT TO EXCEED 92,000 GALLONS PER DAY WITH AN ESTIMATE EFFLUENT CONCENTRATION OF 22 MILLIGRAMS PER LITER OF NITROGEN AND FOUR MILLIGRAMS PER LITER OF PHOSPHORUS.
AND TO PUT THAT INTO A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, UH, THE OTHER EPS PERMIT IN THAT AREA IS IN DRIPPING SPRINGS.
AND THAT ALLOWS A EFFLUENT DISCHARGE OF ABOUT 995,000 GALLONS PER DAY, OR BY 10 TIMES AS MUCH.
BUT THE EFFLUENT CONCENTRATIONS FROM DRIPPING SPRINGS ARE LEFT A LITTLE BIT LESS, BUT ON A PER MASS BASIS FOR PROSPEROUS, THEY'RE PRETTY EQUIVALENT.
THEY'RE DISCHARGING AT ABOUT THE SAME MASS OF PHOSPHORUS.
SO WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT PHOSPHORUS AND NITROGEN? NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO PHOSPHORUS AND NITROGEN PROVIDE THE ENERGY FOR, TO FUEL THE GROWTH OF PETRIFIED TIN OR ALGAE.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT AND BURTON CREEK THAT, THAT PICTURE IN THE BOTTOM, RIGHT, THERE WAS A MAP OF ALGAE THAT'S GONE JUST TOO BIG.
AND SO OUR MODEL WE'LL WE'LL WE'LL ESTIMATE HOW MUCH OF THE ALGAE WILL COME FROM THE CONCENTRATIONS OF PHOSPHOROUS AND NITROGEN AS WELL AS FROM LIGHT CONDITIONS AND FLOW CONDITIONS.
SO OUR MODEL WILL PREDICT AMOUNT OF ALGAE AND SEE HOW IT, WHEN THE COPEC STATUS OR THE CLARITY OF THE STREAM WILL CHANGE.
SO THESE ARE THE RESULTS OF OUR MODEL.
SO THE X AXIS ON THE TOP IS YOUR DREAMLAND IN MILES.
SO FROM ZERO TO SIX, ABOUT SIX MILES IS A LONG BRANCH AND FROM SIX MILES.
SO ABOUT 24 MILES IS BARTON CREEK.
UM, THE Y AXIS IS YOU'RE A CORPORAL, A CONCENTRATION IN PORTERVILLE, A IS HOW WE MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF ALGAE IN THE STREAM.
SO THE BLUE LINE AND THE BOTTOM THAT'S AT ABOUT 10 MILLIGRAMS PER SQUARE METER.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE THINK IS THE BASELINE AMOUNT OF, UH, FORKLIFT A CURRENTLY IN BURN CREEK IN LONG BRANCH.
THE MODEL IS PREDICTING THE RED LINE, THE THICK RED LINE, WHICH WOULD BE AROUND 200 MILLIGRAMS PER SQUARE METER ABOUT AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE, MORE THAN AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE IN EXISTING.
SO THAT'S UNDER LOW FLOW CONDITIONS, WHICH IS KIND OF CONSERVATIVE.
IF WE WERE TO BE A LITTLE MORE PERMISSIVE AND GO TO HIGH FLOW CONDITIONS, THAT THERE IS MORE DILUTION, UH, JUST BARTON CREEK WOULD GO, THE CONCENTRATION OF PORTFOLIO AND BURN CREEK WILL GO DOWN.
THEY'LL STILL ABOUT AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE TO A HUNDRED MILLIGRAMS PER SQUARE METER.
I SHOULD ALSO SAY THAT, UM, WE THINK THAT THRESHOLD WHEN THE OPEX STATUS CHANGES FROM SOMETHING LESS CLEAR IS IT HAPPENS AROUND 20 OR 30 MILLIGRAMS PER SQUARE METER UNDER BOTH CONDITIONS.
IT'S THE CHANGE IN PHOBIC STATUS, BUT WE'RE PREDICTING A CHANGE IN PERFECT STATUS.
SO LAST YEAR WE PROVIDED A LETTER, A LETTER OF COMMENTS TO THE TCEQ, AND I'VE PROVIDED THAT AS BACKUP MATERIAL AND TCQ IS NOW WORKING ON A DRAFT PERMIT BASED ON THEIR OWN MODELING
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AND SAW YOUR PROPOSED PERMIT APPLICATION.WE SUBMITTED OUR OPEN RECORDS REQUEST FROM THE TCQ SO THAT WE CAN REVIEW THEIR MODELING RESULTS AND THEIR PROPOSED EFFLUENT LIMITS IN THEIR DRAFT PERMIT.
AND WITH THOSE MOLLY RESULTS AND EFFLUENT LIMITS, WE'LL PUT THAT BACK IN OUR OWN MODEL AND SEE IF THERE WAS ANY AGENT IMPACT FROM THEIR, UH, PROPOSED OR FROM THEIR DRAFT PERMIT LIMITS.
UM, THAT'S THE PLAN FOR NOW, AND WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO KEEP THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION UPDATED.
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
UH, WELL, UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, DO WE KNOW A KIND OF A SCHEDULE OR A TIMELINE FOR TCQ REVIEW OR ISSUANCE OF THAT PERMIT? THERE'VE BEEN, THERE'VE BEEN REVIEWING IT FOR OVER A YEAR NOW AND I THINK IT WAS KIND OF ON THE BACK BURNER, BUT, UM, I THINK THINGS HAVE SPED UP A LITTLE BIT.
SO I, I ESTIMATE THEY'RE FINISHING UP THEIR DRAFT PERMIT RIGHT NOW, MAYBE BY THE END OF THE YEAR OR EARLY NEXT YEAR, THEY'LL HAVE SOMETHING FOR US AND, AND, AND, AND PROCESS WISE THAT THEY WOULD ISSUE A DRAFT PERMIT.
AND THEN THERE'D BE A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AFTER THAT.
OR IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND KIND OF WALK THROUGH THE STEPS OF THAT PROCESS, MAYBE IF THE HARRINGTON WOULD BE BETTER TO SAY THE PROCESS, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE APPLICANT WILL ALSO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO PURSUE IT OR NOT WITH THOSE LIMITS.
THIS IS CHRIS HARRINGTON ENVIRONMENT OFFICER.
SO YOU'RE CORRECT ABOUT, UM, COMMISSIONER ROMBERG.
ONCE THE DRAFT PERMIT IS PUBLISHED, THERE WOULD BE 30 DAYS FROM THE DATE IN WHICH THAT NOTICE IS PUBLISHED IN THE AREA NEWSPAPER TO SUBMIT ANY COMMENTS.
IT IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S PRACTICE TO OPPOSE DIRECT DISCHARGE OF TREATED EFFLUENT AND THE BARTON SPRINGS ZONE.
SO IF WE WERE TO CONSISTENT WITH OUR PRIOR COUNCIL DIRECTIVES, WE WOULD THEN SUBMIT A REQUEST.
WE WOULD PROVIDE COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT PERMIT IF IT IS NOT PROTECTIVE OF WATER QUALITY, AND IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE SO BASED ON THE MODELING THAT YOU'VE SEEN FROM MR POROUS, THEN WE WOULD SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR A CONTESTED CASE.
HEARING THAT PROCESS STATUTORILY IS SUPPOSED TO COMPLETE WITHIN SIX MONTHS, BUT IT GENERALLY TAKES LONGER BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH A REVIEW OR A COMMENT, AND THEN RESPONSE TO COMMENT, PERIOD, AND THEN POSTING ON A COMMISSION AGENDA TO THEN BE PUT THROUGH A RECOMMENDED FOR A CONTESTED CASE HEARING TO THE STATE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS.
SO THIS ONE WILL BE AROUND FOR A WHILE, IF THEY DO PROCEED WITH, UH, PURSUING, IF THE APPLICANT DOES PURSUE A DRAFT PERMIT OR DOES PURSUE A DISCHARGE PERMIT.
I HAVE A QUESTION DIRECTED AT, UM, CHRIS POTENTIALLY.
SO DOES THE CITY HAVE STANDING IN THIS CASE, OR WE THINK WE HAVE STANDING TO REQUEST A CONTESTED CASE.
HEARING THE CITY IS A HOLDER OF A CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON SHIELD RANCH, WHICH IS LOCATED ON LONG BRANCH TRIBUTARY, UM, DOWN NEAR THE CONFLUENCE OF THE TRIBUTARY WITH BARTON CREEK.
SO WE CERTAINLY WOULD ARGUE THAT THE CITY IS AN EFFECTED PARTY BASED ON THIS ACTION, BECAUSE IT WOULD AFFECT THE INTENT OF THAT CONSERVATION EASEMENT TO PROTECT THE QUALITY OF WATER IN BARTON CREEK AND RECHARGING THE BARTON SPRINGS SEGMENT OR THE PHOTOGRAPHER.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEELEY.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? IF SO YOU'RE MUTED, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO TALK.
UH, I'M TRYING TO THINK WHAT'S THE BEST THING FOR US TO DO, TO MAKE OTHERS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T, WE ARE NOT SUPPORTING IT.
DO WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE RIGHT AWAY SO WE CAN BE RIGHT ON TOP OF IT OR WHAT WHAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO TO BE EFFECTIVE? I WILL SAY JUST FOR NOW THAT, UH, AND I'M SURE THAT, UH, OUR, OUR CHIEF ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER WAS ABOUT TO SAY THIS, BUT, UM, WE'RE NOT CLOSE TO FOR ACTION ON IT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S JUST A STAFF BRIEFING, BUT I'LL DEFER TO HIM ON NEXT STEPS.
WE ARE NOT POSTED FOR ACTION TONIGHT.
UM, AND STAFF ARE NOT REQUESTING ANY ACTION.
WE'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED OUR COMMENTS TO THE COMMISSION ON THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
AND SO THEY'RE AWARE OF THAT WE ARE INTERESTED AND THAT WE'VE ALREADY PROVIDED THEM OUR MODELING RESULTS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
ONCE WE SEE THE REVISED A DRAFT PERMIT ISSUED, WE'VE SPOKEN WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND SO, UH, WE HAVE CERTAINLY MADE OUR OPINION KNOWN AS HAVE OTHER OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY GROUPS.
UM, CERTAINLY SAY BARTON CREEK ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS THAT ARE TRACKING THIS PERMITTING MATTER AS IF WE DO NEED ACTIONABLE, CERTAINLY COME BACK AT THAT POINT.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THE TIME IS RIPE AT THIS POINT.
[00:15:04]
I CAN'T SEE EVERYONE.SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE IS TRYING TO SPEAK ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
WELL, TO ME, IT'S, UM, IT'S MARYANNE NEELY TO ME.
IT'S, UM, I THINK THAT PEOPLE KNOW RIGHT AWAY THAT THE PEOPLE IN THIS AREA ARE NOT SUPPORTING IT.
YES, COMMISSIONER, THIS IS CHRIS HARRINGTON.
AGAIN, I CONCUR AND WE HAVE ALREADY MET WITH THE OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF THE POLO CLUB, WHICH WOULD BE THE FIRST NEIGHBORHOOD DOWNSTREAM, UM, AND HAVE BEEN PROVIDING ALL OF OUR INFORMATION TO THE SAY, BARTON CREEK ASSOCIATION AS PART OF THEIR, UH, NO DRIPPING SEWAGE CAMPAIGN.
UM, AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY IN THAT REGARD.
AND OBVIOUSLY BY OUR STAFF PRESENTATION TONIGHT, UM, MR. PARIS HAS HELPING US TO CONTINUE TO GET OUT THE WORD TO THE PUBLIC.
DOES I THINK IT HELPS FOR US OUR NAME TO BE THERE ON THE LIST OF, OF PEOPLE NOT SUPPORTING IT.
AND, AND, UM, YES, I THINK, YOU KNOW, CHRIS, LET US KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO TO, TO HELP SUPPORT IN THE FUTURE AND KEEP US IN THE LOOP ON IT.
AND, AND MR. POROUS, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING TO, TO LET US KNOW AND TALK US THROUGH THIS.
UM, HOPEFULLY WE'LL STAY COMMUNICATIVE AS THIS PROGRESSES.
UM, ANY OTHER OUTSTANDING COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE? ALRIGHT, SO, UH, JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE MUTING IT'S, UH, IT'S, YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING.
[3a. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION Approve 2021 Environmental Commission schedule (10 minutes)]
PORRAS AGAIN.SO MOVING ON TO ITEM THREE, A, UM, APPROVED THE 2021 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SCHEDULE, I BELIEVE THAT'S YOU CHRIS? GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
THIS IS KAYLA CHAMPION WITH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
I BELIEVE THEY'RE GOING TO PUT THE PROPOSED CALENDAR UP ON THE SCREEN SO THAT YOU CAN SEE IT.
I'LL JUST WAIT FOR A MOMENT FOR THAT TO APPEAR.
JUST LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU CAN SEE IT.
SO, UM, THE PROPOSED CALENDAR IS ON THE SCREEN AND IT SHOULD ALSO BE IN YOUR BACKUP.
UM, THIS IS THE PROPOSED ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SCHEDULE FOR 2021.
WE ARE PROPOSING TO CONTINUE MEETING AT THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED TIME ON THE FIRST AND THIRD, WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 6:00 PM.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROPOSED MEETING SCHEDULE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
AND THEN THE COMMISSION CAN TAKE ACTION AND APPROVE THE SCHEDULE WHEN YOU'RE READY, WHEN YOU'RE READY.
AND, AND KAYLA, THAT JUST, UH, THIS DOES REQUIRE A FORMAL ACTION FROM US TO APPROVE.
JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT THAT JULY 21ST DATE ON THERE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
THAT'S OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RETREATS.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT THIS YEAR, BUT IT'S A REALLY VITAL POINT FOR US IN REALLY SETTING UP OUR GOAL SETTING FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND DEBRIEFING FROM THE PREVIOUS.
SO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT'S ON THE CALENDAR, ESPECIALLY.
UM, BUT, UH, ANY, ANYONE HAVE A MOTION QUESTION IS SINCE IT'S THE CALENDAR'S GONE AGAIN AND I WAS TRYING TO DOUBLE CHECK SOMETHING, WHAT ARE THE SEPTEMBER PROPOSED SEPTEMBER MEETING GATES SEPTEMBER 1ST AND SEPTEMBER 15TH IS WHAT I'M SEEING.
WELL, I'LL JUST POINT OUT BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED, I THINK IT WAS A YEAR AGO, SEPTEMBER 15TH IS YOM KIPPOR.
SO THAT'S THE HOLIEST DAY OF THE JEWISH CALENDAR.
SO YOU WIPE OUT THE PARTICIPATION OF SOME SWATH OF THE CITY, UM, YEAH.
THAT WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD NOT DO THAT.
SO THAT WAS OFF MY RADAR AND IT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN, UM, KYLA CAN REALLY, WHAT IS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION? IS THAT A RESCHEDULE SPECIAL EXAMPLE THAT MONTH? OR WE SLIP THAT MEETING? I THINK IT'S UP TO THE COMMISSION.
WE CAN ATTEMPT TO TRY TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE DAY, UM, UM, ON THAT WEEK OR WE CAN CANCEL THE MEETING.
UH, WE HAVE TALKED TO THAT CLERK'S OFFICE IN THE PAST AND, UM, THEY WERE, WE WERE UNABLE TO MAKE IT A HOLIDAY ON THE CALENDAR, BUT THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD ALSO, UM, NOT COUNT AGAINST COMMISSIONERS FOR ATTENDANCE ON THAT DAY, BUT WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TRY TO RESCHEDULE IT.
YEAH, IT'S KIND OF A, I MEAN, NOT, NOT QUITE FUNNY, IRONIC OR SOMETHING WHEN THIS, THIS HAPPENED, IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO, WE WERE DEALING WITH A CAMELBACK
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ISSUE.AND INTERESTINGLY, WE WERE IN DEALING WITH THE CAMELBACK ISSUE, YOU KNOW, IN A PART OF TOWN THAT IT HAS A LARGER JEWISH POPULATION.
AND SO, UH, THE, THE NIGHT OF, OF OUR PUBLIC MEETING, IT WAS THE SAME NIGHT THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE COULDN'T PHYSICALLY PARTICIPATE.
SO I'M, I SUPPOSE ONE WAY AROUND THAT TO MAYBE ALSO JUST TO THINK ABOUT THE, THE SCHEDULE THAT NIGHT AND TRYING TO AVOID PUTTING SOMETHING THAT'S SAY HIGHLY CONTENTIOUS ON THE SCHEDULE THAT EVENING, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD PRECLUDE PEOPLE FROM PARTICIPATING, I THINK, CAN WE, UM, CAN WE APPROVE THE SCHEDULE PENDING A REVISION OF THAT DATE, KAYLA? ABSOLUTELY.
OR IF THE COMMISSION IS AMENABLE, WE COULD ALSO JUST PUSH THAT DATE TO THE NEXT WEEK ON SEPTEMBER 22ND.
AND THAT IS, UH, LATELY WE HAVE BEEN NOT MEETING STARTING AT SIX O'CLOCK.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING NOW WE WILL START GOING BACK TO 6:00 PM TO BEGIN.
AND I'M WONDERING HOW, UH, PEOPLE REALLY ENJOY THAT OR IS THAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO? I GOT USED TO IT FOR ME PERSONALLY, THAT IT BEING A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THE DAY.
I THINK COMMISSIONER NEELEY, WHAT WE'VE HEARD IS THAT THAT CONFLICTS WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE'S WORK SCHEDULES, MINE INCLUDED.
AND SO IT'S CUTTING INTO TIME WHERE WE SHOULD BE, OR COULD BE WORKING ON SO 6:00 PM.
AND WE HAD A SURVEY THAT ASKED FOLKS WHEN THE PREFERRED TIME IS, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THE COMPLETE RESULTS.
MAYBE KAYLA CAN OFFER INSIGHT.
SO I THINK THAT IS THE IDEA TO KEEP IT AT OUR TRADITIONAL, UH, EVENING TIME.
AND ALSO JUST RECOGNIZING THAT, THAT ALSO ALLOWS FOR A LOT MORE PARTICIPATION OF THE PUBLIC AT THAT TIME, ESPECIALLY IN PERSON AS WELL.
UH, IF WE GO BACK TO THAT IN 2021 AT SOME POINT, UM, SO YEAH, THAT'S ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WE HAVE A MOTION.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE, UH, CALENDAR AS POSTED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MOVING SEPTEMBER 15TH TO SEPTEMBER 22ND.
WE HAVE A FIRST BY COMMISSIONER HAMBURG AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER.
AND, UH, AND COMMISSIONER GORDON.
I APPRECIATE YOU REMINDING US OF THAT.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING I, I TRY TO KEEP LOOKING OUT FOR AND, UH, FORGET MYSELF.
AND, UH, I NEED TO DO A VOTE, SORRY.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THREE B UPDATE ON WILD LAND, URBAN INTERFACE CODE WITH MURPHY VICE CHAIR.
I'M CURIOUS IF YOU WOULD INDULGE US.
MAYBE WE TAKE FOR A I'M ANTICIPATING THAT MAY BE A QUICK, UH, ITEM.
AND WE DO HAVE, UH, A RESIDENT SPEAKER ON THAT ONE, AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK TO THREE B AND EXTENDED DISCUSSION.
I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT AS EVERYONE ELSE.
[4a. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND POSSIBLE ACTION a. Name: 1112 W. Annie Street; SP-2020-0093DS]
FOR A PUBLIC HEARINGS AND POSSIBLE ACTION.UH, AND WE HAVE FORAY, UM, 11, 12 WEST ANNIE STREET, AND AS THE AFRICAN HERE TO SPEAK, THE APPLICANT IS ON THE LINE AND WE DO HAVE STAFF HANK MARLEY HERE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION BRIEFLY, BARLEY.
HANK MARLEY, ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'LL BE PROVIDING A SUMMARIZED PRESENTATION OF THE CASE OF 1112 WEST ANDY STREET, CASE NUMBER
THE SITE IS LOCATED AT 1112 WEST ANDY STREET WITHIN THE WEST BOLDEN CREEK SHED OF THE URBAN WATERSHED REGULATION AREA.
IT IS NOT LOCATED OVER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE AND DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES.
THE PROJECT PROPOSES TO CONSTRUCT A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A BRIDGE SPANNING WEST BOLDEN CREEK.
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IT IS THE ONLY LOCATION THAT THE APPLICANT HAS TO GAIN ACCESS FROM THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY TO THEIR BUILDABLE LOT.IT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO SPAN THE 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN AND MINIMIZE, UM, THE REMOVAL OF TREES TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT FEASIBLE.
HOWEVER, SINCE IT IS LOCATED INSIDE A CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO SEEK A LAND USE COMMISSION BARONS TO LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE 25 EIGHT TWO SIX ONE FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE STAFF HAS DETERMINED THE REQUIRED FINDINGS OF FACT HAVE BEEN MET AND RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE VARIOUS REQUESTS WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS RESTORE ANY DAMAGE CAUSED DURING CONSTRUCTION TO CONSIDER EROSION CONTROL INFRASTRUCTURE UP TO THE STANDARD SHOWN AND THE WEST BOULDIN CREEK AT WEST ANNIE STREET STRING RESTORATION PROJECT, UM, UNDER GENERAL PERMIT NUMBER TWO ZERO ONE FOUR ZERO FIVE NINE THREE DOT WPD THERE ALSO TO PROVIDE A PLANTING PLAN REQUIRING CITY STANDARDS, SPECIFICATIONS SIX AND NINE S NATIVE SEEDING AND PLANTING WITH WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE WANT TO TAKE QUESTIONS NOW FROM STAFF OR HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT FIRST, OR IS THE APPLICANT SPEAKING OR IS JUST, UH, IS HE JUST HERE FOR QUESTIONS? HE'S HERE FOR QUESTIONS.
I SAW, UH, COMMISSIONER HIS HAND UP.
I THOUGHT, YEAH, I WOULD JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION.
I SHARE, UM, UH, IF, IF YOU WOULDN'T MR. MALI, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND GO GOING OVER THAT FIRST RECOMMENDATION, UM, AGAIN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE IT, UH, CORRECT AND CONSISTENT WITH WHAT I WAS REVIEWING EARLIER IN THE DAY.
SO AT THE LOCATION OF THE BRIDGE CROSSING, THERE IS EXISTING SEA EROSION CONTROL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS BEEN INSTALLED ALONG THERE TOO, UH, PREVENTING ROJAN LONGTERM.
UM, SO THE REQUIREMENT IS THAT, UM, THEY ARE TO REPAIR IT IN THE CASE.
ANY OF IT IS DISTURBED DURING CONSTRUCTION, UM, AND THE, UH, THE SITE PLAN OR THE GENERAL PERMIT NUMBER THAT I HAVE THERE IS, IS FOR THE IT'S THE ORIGINAL PROJECT OF WEST BOLTON CREEK AT WEST ANNIE STREET STREAM RESTORATION PROJECT.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY USE THAT PLAN SET TO, UM, YOU KNOW, LOCATE THE DETAILS FOR HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE RE-INSTALLED IF THEY DO DISTURB ANY OF IT.
AND THEN I NOTICED IN THE BACKUP THEY HAD, MAYBE I KNOW THE SECOND CONDITION WAS TO PROVIDE A PLANTING PLAN.
HAS THAT BEEN PROVIDED ALREADY? BECAUSE I THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A PLANTING PLAN OR A DRAFT VERSION OF IT IN THE BACKUP.
SO, UM, THEY HAVE PROVIDED A PLANTING PLAN, UM, AND IT'S, THERE MIGHT BE A FEW MINOR TWEAKS TO IT STILL, BUT IT'S MOSTLY THERE AT THIS POINT.
I HAVE A QUESTION IF IT'S OKAY.
IS WHEN I LOOK AT EVERYTHING ON MY PHONE, TRYING TO BE ABLE TO SEE, UH, WHAT, UH, CON I CAN'T, I'M NOT ABLE TO FIND, UH, FOR, FOR THE INFORMATION FOR TODAY, ARE YOU LOOKING AT, FROM KILOS? YOU KNOW? YES, I AM.
IT WAS FORMATTED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY AND JUST HAD A SINGLE LINK TO TAKE YOU TO THE CONTENT FOR TODAY.
SO IT'S JUST A QUESTION ABOUT ACTUALLY GOING BACK TO, I THINK IT WAS THE LAST QUESTION WAS THAT COMMISSIONER RANDBURG.
SO IF, IF THERE ARE WHATEVER PLANS THAT GOVERN THE EXISTING, UM, UM, FLOOD CONTROL INFRASTRUCTURE, WAS IT FLOOD CONTROL OR VERSION CONTROL? SORRY, BUT IS THAT GOING TO BE REALLY CLEAR OR WAIT, COULD WE POTENTIALLY GET INTO AFTER FACT, LIKE KIND OF, HE SAID, SHE SAID SITUATION AND DO WE NEED SOME REQUIREMENT IN OUR MOTION THAT WOULD JUST POINT TO, I GUESS WHOEVER'S LIKE THE FINAL ARBITER OF THAT MEETING CITY STANDARDS OR SPECIFICATIONS,
[00:30:01]
NOT CHEST, OH, GO FOLLOW THE PLANS OR MAKE SURE IT'S PUT BACK THE WAY YOU FOUND OUT.IT'S SOMETHING MAYBE SLIGHTLY MORE CONCRETE COMMISSIONER GORDON.
THIS IS CHRIS HARRINGTON ENVIRONMENT OFFICER.
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION.
AND THAT'S THE SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO THAT PLAN SET THAT MR. MARLEY MENTIONED, UM, IS EXACTLY WHAT THAT EROSION CONTROL PROJECT IS.
SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
AND SO THAT GIVES US THAT STANDARD AGAINST WHICH TO MEASURE ANY CHANGE IN THAT AS A RESULT OF THE CONSTRUCTION.
SO WE'VE, WE FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT WE HAVE CAPTURED THAT, UM, THAT BASELINE, IF YOU WILL, BY INCORPORATING THE PERMIT THAT HAS THE DRAWINGS OF THAT, UH, EROSION CONTROL, UM, HANK MARLEY.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD AS WELL THAT, UH, IN OUR RESTORATION PLAN, WITHIN THE SITE PLAN, UM, CASE REQUESTED THAT THE CONTRACTOR AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL SPECTOR CONTACT ME IN, UH, IN THE, UH, ENGINEER OF RECORD, WHO DESIGNED THAT EROSION CONTROL PROJECT AT THE END, SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY JUST RUN OUT THERE AND VERIFY AS WELL THAT IT WAS RE-INSTALLED PER THAT PLAN.
AND WE WILL ALSO BE RETAINING SOME FISCAL SURETY FOR THAT AS WELL.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER AMELIE.
DID WE WANT TO LOOP BACK AROUND TO ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UH, ON THIS? NOPE.
UH, WHERE WAS IT? I HAD LOOKED IT OVER, BUT DIDN'T REALIZE IT DIDN'T GO DOWN FURTHER A BIT.
UM, ON SUBJECT SP 2020 DASH ZERO ZERO NINE THREE D S AT 1112 WEST ANDY STREET.
UH, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE FROM LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE 25 DASH EIGHT DASH TWO 61 TO ALLOW DEVELOPMENT INSIDE THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY STONE.
AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS THIS VARIANCE WITH CONDITIONS.
HAVING DETERMINED, THE FINDINGS OF FACT HAVE BEEN MET.
THEREFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THIS VARIANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING STAFF CONDITIONS, ONE TO RESTORE ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY CONSTRUCTION TO THE CITY EROSION CONTROL INFRASTRUCTURE UP TO THE STANDARD SHOWN AND THE WEST BOULDIN CREEK AT WEST ANDY STREET RESTS STREAM RESTORATION PROJECT GENERAL PERMIT 2014 DASH ZERO FIVE NINE THREE DOT W P D AND TWO TO PROVIDE A PLANTING PLAN REQUIRING CITY STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS, SIX OH NINE S NATIVE SEED PLANTING, SEEDING, AND PLANTING WITHIN THE CRITICAL QUALITY TIME THINKING COMMISSIONER REMEMBERED BETWEEN THE SECOND.
SECOND, WAS THAT A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GORDON COMMISSIONER MACIO SECTOR IN THE VERSION THAT THANK YOU.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I THINK I FORGOT TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? DO WE NEED A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? YES.
UH, SO WE HAVE, UH, A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE TABLE FOR APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS OF THIS ITEM.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE GO TO A VOTE.
I'M GOING TO DO ROLL CALL FOR THIS ONE.
ALL RIGHT, SO THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
I DON'T BELIEVE YOU ASKED MACIO THAT'S RIGHT.
SHE DOESN'T SHOW UP ON MY LIST.
SO MOVING RIGHT ALONG, UH, I THINK WE'RE
[3b. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION Update on Wildland-Urban Interface Code—Mark Baker, Environmental Compliance Specialist Senior, Austin Fire Department (1 hour)]
GOING TO LOOP BACK AROUND TO THREE B UH, UPDATE ON WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE CODE WITH MARK BAKER.[00:35:02]
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.APPRECIATE YOU LETTING US PRESENT TO YOU THIS EVENING OR UPDATE ON THE WILDLANDS BASED CODE.
THAT'S THE CITY HALL LADY IS GETTING THE PRESENTATIONS SET UP AND WE'VE GOT OUR TEAM ASSEMBLED AND WE START OFF WITH, UH, UM, LOW-KEY CITY, BOSTON FIRE MARSHALL.
I, I THINK IT, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? I CAN.
WELL JUST, UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, TOM BOGEY, CITY OF AUSTIN FIRE MARSHALL.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY ON THE, ON A WILD LAND, URBAN INTERFACE CODE.
WE'RE, UH, REALLY EXCITED THAT WE'RE GETTING CLOSE.
SO I'LL GO THROUGH A FEW THINGS HERE AND I'M GOING TO PASS IT ON TO, UH, TO MARVIN LEWIS IN A FEW MINUTES HERE, WHO'S GOING TO GO OVER A FEW THINGS RELATED TO KIND OF THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE AS HE'S ONE OF OUR ENGINEERING REVIEWERS, AND THEN WE'LL PASS IT BACK TO MARK THE WRAP THINGS UP.
SO IF YOU COULD, UH, GO TO THE SECOND SLIDE FOR ME, PLEASE.
SO KEY STAKEHOLDERS, THERE'S A TON OF STAKEHOLDERS, TOO MANY TO, UH, TO LIST ACTUALLY WE'D HAVE SEVERAL PAGES OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE'VE HAD INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE MAIN ONES THAT WE, UH, THAT WE VALUE HERE.
YOU ALL ARE LISTED ON HERE AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, AGAIN, THE MAIN THING THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON HERE IS THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF INPUT FROM, FROM EVERY SIDE, A LOT OF COMPETING INTERESTS AND A LOT OF CONCERN FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE'VE TRIED TO WEIGH ALL THOSE THINGS AND COME UP WITH WHAT WE FEEL IS A BALANCED RESPONSE AND, UH, A RESPONSE THAT'S EFFECTIVE, UH, AND ALSO PROTECTS ALL THE OTHER THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT AUSTIN.
UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS IS JUST KIND OF A, A MAP AND IT BASICALLY SHOWS WHERE THE RISK IS IN THE CITY AND, AND, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MOST PART, THERE'S RISK ALL OVER THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, BUT, UH, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE AREAS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED AS, AS ELEVATED, AND THEN SOME OF THE RED THAT'S HIGH RISK.
UM, REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO, UH, IN, IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IS, IS LIMIT THE SPREAD OF WILDFIRE TO STRUCTURES.
AND, UH, AND ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IS IGNITION RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION, UM, YOU KNOW, FIRE SPREAD AND INTENSITY ARE WHAT THEY ARE, UM, TYPOGRAPHY.
THERE'S NOT MUCH WE CAN DO TO CHANGE ABOUT THAT.
AND WE KNOW STRUCTURAL DENSITY, UH, IN A GROWING CITY IS, IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM.
AND WE KNOW THAT EVERYDAY MORE AND MORE FOLKS ARE PUSHING IN THE AUSTIN.
AND SO THERE'S MORE FOLKS PUSH IN THE DENSITIES INCREASING AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, YOU KNOW, STOP URBAN SPRAWL, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT ADDS DENSITY.
SO, UM, ALL THOSE THINGS ARE, ARE, UH, ARE ISSUES THAT ADD TO OUR RISK.
UM, AND THE ONE THING THAT WE HAVE FOCUSED ON, OR THE MAIN THING THAT WE FOCUSED ON WITH THIS CODE IS, IS GETTING BUILDINGS BUILT IN A WAY THAT PREVENTS SOME OF THE IGNITIONS AND SOME OF THE FIRE STARTS RELATED TO WILDFIRE.
AND THEN HERE, YOU CAN JUST SEE SOME STATISTICS AND REALLY WHAT THIS IS JUST SHOWING IS THE NUMBER OF STRUCTURES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT ARE, THAT ARE IN AREAS THAT ARE LOCATED VERY NEAR WHAT WE CONSIDER, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, RISKY AREAS.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S 35,000 STRUCTURES IN ZONE ONE, AND YOU CAN READ ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND SEE THE NUMBERS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S A THING THAT, UH, THAT CONCERNS US IS THE NUMBER OF STRUCTURES THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE EXPOSED TO, TO WHAT WE CONSIDER A, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT RISK AT RESTRUCTURES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, YOU KNOW, A GOOD PORTION OF THE CITY.
UM, SO THE TYPES OF, OF, UH, OF IGNITION, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE FOCUSED ON WITH THIS, WITH THIS CODE IS, ARE THE EMBER ATTACKS AND FIREBRANDS, UM, MOST HOMES LOST IN WILDFIRES ARE FROM EMBERS AND NOT FROM DIRECT CONTACT WITH FLAMES.
AND SO THAT HAS ALLOWED US TO FOCUS ON IGNITION RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION AS OUR PRIMARY MEANS OF MAKING THIS A WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE CODE EFFECTIVE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE KNOW ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE SPREAD FROM, FROM TREE CANOPIES AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
BUT WHAT WE ALSO KNOW IS THAT THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WE CAN DO TO PREVENT IGNITION OF STRUCTURES IS TO BUILD THE STRUCTURES IN A MANNER THAT, THAT DOESN'T ALLOW THEM TO CATCH FIRE, UH, FROM THE FLYING EMBERS.
AND SO ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS OF THIS CODE, UH, THAT, THAT MARK AND OUR TEAM HAS PUT TOGETHER IS THAT IT DOESN'T THAT WE DON'T FOCUS ON JUST RIGHT NEXT TO THE WILDFIRES AND, UH, RIGHT NEXT TO THE WILD LAND AREAS, UH, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING, UH, YOU KNOW, I GUESS DEFENSIBLE SPACE AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE POSSIBILITIES.
NOW, THOSE ARE ALL TOOLS THAT ARE VALUABLE, BUT WE WANTED OUR MAIN FOCUS TO BE ON IGNITION RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION, AND WE'VE, UH, EXPANDED THE EMBER ZONE AND THE AREA THAT OUR WILD-LAND CODE, UH, COVERS TO
[00:40:01]
A MILE AND A HALF FROM A LOT OF THESE AREAS.BUT WHAT THAT ALLOWS US TO DO IS IT ALLOWS US TO PROTECT STRUCTURES.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S A KEY COMPONENT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FOCUS ON, ON THE FIREBRANDS AS, AS THE, YOU KNOW, THE MAIN CAUSE OF, OF STRUCTURAL IGNITION AND, AND NOT FOCUSING SO MUCH ON, UH, ON THE DEFENSIBLE SPACE.
AND SO, UH, WHAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO IS HAVE A FIRE CODE THAT ALLOWED, UH, YOU KNOW, FLAMMABLE STRUCTURES TO EXIST AND, AND REMOVED ALL THE VEGETATION FROM THE AREAS AS, AS A WAY TO, UH, TO MEET THE CODE.
SO THIS CODE IS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT, FOR THE, FOR THE EMPEROR PROTECTION.
AND, UH, THAT'S ONE OF OUR MAIN FOCUSES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS, YOU KNOW, THE CODE IS JUST ONE PIECE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
A FIREWISE COMMUNITIES ARE, ARE A BIG PART OF AUSTIN.
AND IN THIS SLIDE HERE, IT SAYS THEY'RE 18.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, REALLY, I THINK IT'S 21.
NOW WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER COMMUNITIES THEY'RE ENGAGED IN AND TRYING TO BECOME FIRE, SAFE COMMUNITIES, FIREWISE COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND SO IT'S, IT'S A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PROGRAM AND WE'RE PROUD THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING LOTS OF THINGS IN AUSTIN.
THE CODE'S NOT THE ONLY THING WE'RE DOING.
THERE'S TONS OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THAT ARE RELATED TO WILD WILDFIRE SAFETY.
UH, AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE, UH, USE ALL THE, ALL THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO MINIMIZE OR REDUCE OUR RISK.
UM, AND AGAIN, SO, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S NEVER GOING TO BE ON A, UH, SERIOUS WILDFIRE DAY.
THERE'S NEVER GOING TO BE ENOUGH RESPONSE, A RESPONSE RESOURCES.
WE DO HAVE A HIGHLY TRAINED QUICK INITIAL RESPONSE TEAM, UH, THAT RECEIVES, UH, CONTINUOUS TRAINING.
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO IMPROVE OUR EQUIPMENT, AND WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO, UH, STOP THE FIRES, UH, EARLY ON, UH, THAT BEING SAID, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WE DO NEED HELP, UH, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE TIMES WHERE IT'S DRY, IT'S WINDY, THE CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT, AND WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO, UH, STOP EVERY, EVERY FIRE IN ITS VERY INITIAL STAGES.
NOW, MOST OF THE TIME WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTROL IT.
UH, BUT WHEN WE CAN'T, WE WANT TO HAVE A BACKUP AND OUR BIG BACKUP.
AND THE BIG THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE IS THAT IGNITION RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION, IT BUYS US TIME TO GET THERE.
IT BUYS US TIME TO EVACUATE FOLKS AND IT BUYS US TIME TO PROTECT THE LIFE SAFETY.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S OUR MAIN FOCUS.
AND SO JUST TO KIND OF GO OVER WHERE THE CODE IS RIGHT NOW, UM, IT WAS ADOPTED APRIL 9TH, UH, 2020, RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A JANUARY 1ST IMPLE IMPLEMENTATION.
UH, WE'RE WORKING ON ADMINISTRATIVE RULES RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE DEVELOPING ALL THE FINAL RULES AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE RULES PROCESS CURRENTLY.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO I'LL, UH, GO AHEAD AND LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND I'LL LET, UH, I'LL LET MARVIN, UH, LEWIS, WHO IS ONE OF OUR ENGINEERS TALK ABOUT, UH, KIND OF THE, THE CODE AND, AND ASK THE ASPECTS OF THE CODE YOU THERE, MARVIN.
WELL, I'M NOT, I'M NOT HEARING MARVIN, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE THROUGH THIS, UH, FOR RIGHT NOW.
SO THERE YOU GO, I GUESS, UH, THIS IS MARK.
I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE IT FROM HERE IF YOU'D LIKE.
UH, BE GLAD TO LISTEN TO THE REST.
UH, I GUESS I HAD A SET WRONG.
I CAN, I CAN, UH, FINISH IT UP FROM HERE, MARK OR NOT FINISHED IT UP, BUT, UH, GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT FROM HERE.
BUT AS CHIEF FOCI HAS SAID, UH, THE, THE MAIN FOCUS ON OUR, ON THIS CODE WAS TO PROVIDE, UH, UM, PROTECTION FOR THE STRUCTURES IGNITION RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION.
AND WHAT I'M GOING TO TRY TO DO IS GO THROUGH REAL QUICK AND OF, UM, TELL YOU WHAT THAT WILL ENTAIL ACTUALLY, UH, WHAT, UH, IGNITION RE IGNITION RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION WOULD, UH, CONSIST OF.
UM, THE, I GUESS THE BIGGEST THING WITH THE CODE IS WE'RE GONNA TRY TO, OR WHERE WE ARE GOING TO, UM, UH, PROVIDE IGNITION RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE, OF THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE IN PARTICULAR, UH, HOUSES OR STRUCTURES THAT ARE WITHIN 150 FOOT OF A 40 ACRE TRACT OF A WILD-LAND OR MORE IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO BE PROVIDED WITH A FULL IGNITION RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION, UH, THAT WOULD INCLUDE THIS AND RESISTANT WALLS DOORS, UH, AND, AND EVEN WINDOWS, IF THEY'RE WITHIN 50 FOOT OF THE WILD LAND, UH, ALSO THAT WOULD INCLUDE, UM, IGNITION RESISTANT ROOFS AND VENT SCREENING THROUGHOUT, WHICH WOULD BE BASICALLY ANYTHING, ANY VENTILATION UNDER THE HOUSE OR, OR IN THE ATTIC AREAS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE PROVIDED WITH SOME KIND OF EVENT SCREENING FOR EMBER PROTECTION.
UH, AND THAT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO GO OUT AS FAR AS A MILE AND A HALF FROM ANY 750 ACRE OR MORE TRACT OF
[00:45:01]
A WILDLAND URBAN, UH, OR WILD LAND AREAS.UM, NEXT SLIDE, UM, THE STRUCTURES THAT ARE GONNA BE CLEAR INCLUDED TO THIS AS ANY NEW AND REMODELED STRUCTURES THAT ARE IN THE WILBUR AREA, UM, THAT WOULD INCLUDE A COMMERCIAL END RESIDENTIAL.
UM, AND SO IF IT'S WITHIN THAT 150 FOOT AREA OF THE WILD-LAND OF THE 40 ACRES, THEN THAT WHOLE STRUCTURE, UH, WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE BUILT WITH IGNITION RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION, UH, WHICH BASICALLY IS, UH, THINGS LIKE EITHER BRICK OR STUCCO OR HARDIEPLANK ON THE OUTSIDE.
UH, AND THEN AGAIN, UM, A CLASS, A RESISTANT ROOF THAT COULD BE CLASS, A SHINGLES, OR A TILE SHINGLE ROOF, OR A CONCRETE SHINGLE ROOF OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
UM, AND THEN THE AMBER PROTECTION, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, OUT TO A MILE AND A HALF FROM 750 ACRES WOULD INCLUDE A SCREENING OF THE UNDER, UH, UH, OF THE, UM, CRAWL SPACES, THE ADDICTS, UH, WITH A ONE EIGHTH INCH OR LESS, UH, MESH ON THAT WOULD PREVENT, OR AT LEAST REDUCE EMBER INTRUSION IN TO THE HOUSE AND ATTICA IN PARTICULAR AND UNDERNEATH, UH, THE STRUCTURE.
UM, SO, UH, WE COULD, UM, REDUCE, UH, IGNITION IN THOSE AREAS.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, AS I SAID BEFORE, THE THERE WOULD BE INCREASED REQUIREMENTS CLOSEST TO THE WILD LAND THAT WOULD INCLUDE, UH, LIKE I SAID, FULL IGNITION RESISTANT WALL WALLS, DOORS, AND WINDOWS, UH, NEXT.
UM, FIRE RESISTANT, RIGHT OF THE EXTERIOR WALLS, DOORS AND WINDOWS.
UM, PASSE, RUTH WITH FIRE STOPS AT THE OPENING IS AN EVE'S.
THESE ARE ALL PART OF THAT IGNITION RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION, UH, CONSTRUCTION, EXCUSE ME, AND THEN APPENDAGES AND STRUCTURES SUCH AS DECKS AND FENCES, WE WOULD REQUIRE THE FIRST 10 FOOT OF A DECK OR THE FIRST 10 FOOT OF A FENCE THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE STRUCTURE TO BE BUILT OF SOME SORT OF IGNITION RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION AS WELL.
UH, THAT COULD BE IF I WERE TO TRY TO TREAT IT IN LUMBER, UM, UH, AGAINST SOME KIND OF A STONE FENCE OR STONE DECK OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE AS WELL.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE IT FOR ME, MARTIN.
UM, IF I COULD, UH, CLARIFY REAL QUICK THAT, UH, ENTIRE DECK WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE IGNITION RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION, THE 10 FEET WOULD BE IF IT'S ATTACHED TO A STRUCTURE AND SAY WITHIN FENCES, UH, WE FELT LIKE IT WAS REASONABLE IF THEY'RE ONLY REQUIRED AND FEET OF THE FENCE, THE IGNITION RESISTANT, AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF WHAT WE KNOW HOW FLAMMABLE FENCES CAN CARRY FIRE STRAIGHT.
THAT'S A BIG HAZARD I WANTED TO, UH, THANK THE COMMISSION FOR MEETING WITH US A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO FOR A WORK SESSION, TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE PROPOSED IN OUR RULES IN CIVIL SPACE.
I HAVE, UH, THROUGH OUR CODE REVISION FOR CITY COUNCIL AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR RULES, TRYING TO ADDRESS AND RESPOND TO AS MANY AS THE CONDITIONS THAT YOU ASKED US TO AT ONE THING MOST SIGNIFICANT.
I THINK YOU GUYS CAN RECALL FROM OVER A YEAR AGO, WE WERE SHOWING YOU THIS KIND OF DATA TABLE.
IT KNOWS WHEN OR WHEN IGNITION RESISTANT WOULD BE WIRED.
THIS WAS A SIMPLIFIED VERSION ON THE ORIGINAL CODE.
IT HAS THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF IGNITION PRODUCTION.
WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING PRETTY GOOD HERE, BUT WE GOT THE MESSAGE FROM YOU GUYS THAT YOU WANTED US TO FOCUS ON IGNITION.
PLEASE READ WITH THAT WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A COLUMN ON THE LEFT EAR FOR DEFENSIBLE SPACE IN THIS IGNITION RESISTANT TABLE.
WHAT THAT BASICALLY MEANS IS THAT THERE ARE CATEGORIES WHERE YOU COULD PROVIDE SENSIBLE SPACE AND NOT BE REQUIRED TO BUILD IGNITION RESISTANT STANDARDS AT ALL.
SO SIMPLY DELETED THIS TABLE AND REQUIRED ALL REMODELED CONSTRUCTION IN THE WILD LAND ROVER IT'S AREAS THAT THEY BUILD IN RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS.
SO THAT LEFT THERE ONE LITTLE CATEGORY AND RIGHT, UH, UNDER THEY'RE UNDER EXTREME HAZARD OR NOT ON THERE, THAT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RETAINING A 40 BY THE FAR MARSHALL FIRE SENSIBLE SPACE AS AN OPTION.
[00:50:01]
FRIENDLY HAZARDOUS DISTRICT, NEXT SLIDE, NEXT SLIDE.PLEASE HAVE A BIG FOCUS ON THE DOCUMENT THAT I PROVIDED YOU, PROVIDED YOU, UH, DEALT WITH, UH, CONDITIONS WHERE PRINCIPALS WOULD BE REQUIRED.
AND IT'S A COUPLE OF THINGS EARLY ON IN THE CODE WRITTEN SECTION THAT, UH, IT GIVES OUR MARKS WERE 42 RE REQUIRE SOMETHING TO RESOLVE WHAT COULD BE CONSIDERED A DISTINCT AS IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SAYING THAT THAT WOULD BE INTEGRAL SPACE REQUIRE OUR PROTECTION PLAN.
IT COULD INCLUDE INSERT SPACE.
AND THE OTHER THING I'VE MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT IS THAT WE KEPT FROM THAT IGNITION RESISTANT TABLE, THE NOT PERMITTED AT A GOAL.
SO I'M NOT REAL CLEAR ON HOW OFTEN THIS OCCURRED A MONTH, BUT WE CERTAINLY WANTED TO RETAIN 42 A WHILE IN SCHOOL SPACE.
IF THE PROPERTY HAD, UH, ALL OF THE HAZARD OF BNN, BASICALLY WHAT WAS IN THAT TABLE, WHICH WOULD BE AN EXTREME HAZARD VERITY AREAS THAT, UH, WE'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ON THE NEXT SLIDE AND NON-CONFORMING WATER SUPPLY, EXCESS AND DEFENSE SPACE FOR PROPERTY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS TO NOT BE ALLOWED TO GET ON THAT IN THE WILD LAND, URBAN INTERFACE AREAS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME A PROPERTY OWNERS COULD ADDRESS ANY DEEDS.
SO WORD ON DEFENSIBLE SPACE, HAZARD SEVERITY, EXCUSE ME, AS, UM, I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU AND, UH, THIS APP ONE TABLE I BELIEVE SHARED WITH YOU LAST YEAR, AND WE DID SHARE WITH COUNCIL AND GIVE HER THIS PATIENT REDUCTION, OH, WE'VE USED THE, UH, FACTORS OF UP CLOSE.
THERE WOULD BE TWO WILD LAND AREAS, SWOPE AND FUEL MODEL THAT YOU CAN SEE WHERE THEY'VE, UH, DARK ORANGE COLOR OR EASE FOR EXTREME HAZARD SEVERITY.
IT'S, UH, IT, REGARDLESS OF SLOPE.
SO IT'S STRUCTURES, IT WOULD BE STRUCTURES WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET AS A WILD LAND AREA OF 40 ACRES OF LARGER AND MEDIUM OR HEAVY FUELS, A LITTLE WHITE, MEDIUM, AND HEAVY FUELS CAN EASILY BE THOUGHT OF IT'S GRASS, PROBABLY IT'S RUBS AND FORCED TO DO.
ALSO, UH, WE DID ABOUT THE INDEX, WHICH IS A HAZARD SEVERITY FORM WHEN APPLICANT WOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO GO THROUGH THIS FORM AND, UH, COME UP WITH A SCORE FOR THEIR PROPERTY.
ONE OF THE BIG, UH, FOURS ON THAT FORM IS WE'RE NOT ABSOLUTELY MANDATING IT, BUT RECOGNIZE IT RECOGNIZE, AND IT COULD PROPOSED, WE WOULD ALLOW IT TO IT PERMITS FOR AN OTHERWISE I'M PERMITTED.
SO, UM, WHAT I SHARED WITH YOU WAS A DOCUMENT THAT I TRIED TO SUMMARIZE THE BEST OF WHAT THE RULES WOULD, UH, WOULD STAY FOR DEFENSIBLE SPACE AND, UH, RECOGNIZE THAT THERE MAY NOT BE MANY DIVISIONS WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY REQUIRE IT OR WE'LL FIND OUT.
I THINK AFTER WE IMPLEMENT THE CODE, IT STARTED, I TRIED TO HAVE IT AS INCLUSIVE AS POSSIBLE, BUT THIS DIAGRAM IS FROM THE CODE.
FORTUNATELY, IT'S DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE IGNITION RESISTANT PRODUCTION ABEL.
SO IN ONE RESPECT, IT'S PAINTED THE SAME TIME OUR MARSHALL WOULD STILL HAVE ALREADY TO INCREASE DECREASE, UH, MET THE STANDARD.
I MENTIONED FOR DEFENSIBLE SPACE BASED ON HAZARDS OR LIKE HAZARD, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
OH, THE CODE BASICALLY REQUIRES AND SUPPLE SPACE WHEN IT'S REQUIRED OR ALLOWED TO BE, UH, 30 FEET FROM THE PROPERTY LINE OR, OR FROM THE STRUCTURE IS, OR TO THE PROPERTY, UH, OR MORE BASED ON SITE CONDITION.
THAT'S WHERE I MENTIONED THAT THE GRAPHIC FOR INCREASING
[00:55:01]
THAT REDUCING OR GROUND COVER AND TREE CANOPY, THESE BASIC PRINCIPLES, UH, FOLLOWING OUR WISE USA PRINCIPLES AND RECOMMENDATIONS IS RIGHT CONTINUITY FROM THE LANDSCAPE, WHETHER IT'S FROM BETWEEN THE GROUND COVER AND THE CANOPIES OR GROUND COVER.AND IF HE'S IN STRUCTURED, PRIMARY WAS THROUGH THAT FIRE BURNING THROUGH THE LANDSCAPE STRUCTURES, BUT HIS DEFENSIBLE SPACE ALSO REQUIRED, UH, INCLUDES A COMPONENT OF EXCESS THAT'S WHERE I HAD PROPOSED CLEAR ZONE THAT WOULD ALLOW, LET'S SAY A FIREFIGHTER INTO PERHAPS PULLING A HOSE TO ACCESS ALL SIDES OF, AND FAR AS MAINTENANCE, IF A PROPERTY OWNER WOULD BE HARD TO STAY IN THOSE SEPARATION.
UM, THAT'S A WRAP UP PRETTY QUICK AND THEN, UH, PASS IT ON TO JUSTICE FOR RESET IF HE'S THERE.
SO, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR WORK SESSION ABOUT SEPARATION BETWEEN GROUND OF HER, THE CANOPY AND STRUCTURES I HAVE, UH, IS A SIX FOOT DIMENSION, BUT THAT'S VERY SUBJECTIVE AND VERY WIDELY ON THE FLAMMABILITY OR ARRANGEMENT THAT'S YOU GOT THE COVER AND GROUND COVER DOES INCLUDE UNDERSTORY VEGETATION.
WHAT'S WORSE THAN JUST A GRASS, BUT IT CAN BE SCRUBS UNDERNEATH THREES THAT WE DID HAVE A CONCERN FROM MISSION ABOUT POSSIBLY ALLOWING THAT DISTRICT JUST THE LESS, AND BY ALL MEANS, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO BE EXTREMELY RESTRICTED.
OUR RULES HAVE SOME STANDARDS.
AND WHAT WE WOULD DO FOR THAT, IF AN APPLICANT CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT THE GROUND COVER HAD TRANSFERRED TO A TREE, AND THAT CAN BE FROM THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE GROUND COVER EDUCATION OR ACCOUNTABILITY THREE, WE WOULD CERTAINLY CONSIDER PROPOSALS.
AND OBVIOUSLY THERE MIGHT BE SOME CONDITIONS WHERE YOU HAVE GRUBS AND A HIGHLY FLAMMABLE RECANT VIEWER, SIX FEET MINUTES WITH A SMART SUBJECTIVE, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT WHAT KIND OF SUBMITTALS OF A COUPLE OF OTHER NOTES ALONG THOSE LINES THAT IT WOULD ADJUST THE MASTER PLANS, UH, UH, RAN FOR AND ALLOW FOR FUTURE GROWTH PROPERTY OWNERS MAINTAIN THAT SEPARATION FOR, AND, UH, WELL, UH, WE WERE NOT, WE WEREN'T STRICT ABOUT REQUIRING QUALIFIED ARBORIST SAID I SEE CERTIFIED ARBORS X'S WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION QUALIFICATION.
IT IS INCLUDED IN THE RULES AS, UH, SOMETHING THAT COULD BE ALLOWED IN FOR AN EXTREME HAZARD OR CONDITION WHERE WE'RE REQUIRING PACE WOULD STILL ALLOW THAT OPTION.
SO A COUPLE OF NOTES HERE BEFORE A TEST TESTED ON TO JUSTICE THAT I THINK YOU GUYS, UH, BASED ON OUR WORK SESSION FROM LAST YEAR WITH RECOGNIZE, UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, REGULATIONS ARE LIMITED HOW DETAILED THE SIDE, TRYING TO HIT ON THE BIG ONSETS, REITERATE THAT WHERE THE RISKS ARE STILL THERE FROM DETAILS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR MINOR THINGS THAT CAN TRANSFER, ESPECIALLY FROM BLOWING THEM LIKE LEAF LITTER, ACCUMULATED, AND BETTER FOUNDATION OR A DECK STAY WITH LATTICE
[01:00:02]
WE CAN'T REGULATE THOSE THINGS, WHATEVER.AND WE INCLUDE IN OUR RULES AND SUGGESTIONS OR WHERE PROPERTY OWNERS WORK IS.
I THINK YOU GUYS ARE VERY AWARE, UH, AT, UH, A WEBSITE WILDFIRE.
YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO YOUR WORD CODE INFORMATION OR OTHERWISE USA, PRETTY SICK TO GO INTO DESCRIPTIONS WITH FUEL MODIFICATION IN THE PLAN ALSO, UH, AS, UH, PEOPLE TOLD YOU, OR IT'S WHY THEY ARE WISE, THOSE MEMBERS ARE DEVELOPING PROGRAMS WITH ESTIMATES AND, UH, WE'RE ALWAYS AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT.
UH, ALSO I DON'T WANT TO OVER LOOK BACK AT THE TEXAS A AND M FOREST SERVICE DEVELOPED THESE XS WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION QUALIFICATION CERTIFIED ARBORS LOOKING FOR HELP OR PROPERTY OWNER IS WE CAN REFER THEM TO A CERTIFIED ARBORIST WITH THAT QUALIFICATION.
I SAY MAINTAINS A LISTING ARBORIST REPORT BY AUSTIN AREA WITH MEMBERS NEAR YOU.
THIS IS WHERE I, UH, LIKE TO PASS IT ON TO INJUSTICE.
WELL, UM, I KNOW YOUR TIME IS VERY VALUABLE AND YOU'VE GOT SOME GREAT INFORMATION FROM THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT.
AND I DID JUST WANT TO RECAP THE, UM, UH, CAME TO FOR GUIDANCE.
YOU PROVIDED THAT LEADERSHIP AND WE TOOK THAT TO HEART AND BUILT A MODEL CODE THAT I BELIEVE IT'S, UH, A LIVABLE EXAMPLE FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES IN CENTRAL TEXAS, HOW THEY CAN, UH, REDUCE THEIR RISK FROM WILDFIRE AND PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT FROM WILDFIRE AT THE SAME TIME.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND LEADERSHIP.
AND I THINK THE PRESENTATION YOU HEARD TONIGHT, UH, WE HEARD YOU AND INTEGRATED THOSE VALUES INTO OUR THOUGHT PROCESS AND STRATEGIES MOVING FORWARD.
UH, WE KNEW OUR BIGGEST BANG WAS GOING TO BE TO FOCUS ON FINISHING THE RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION ONCE THAT IN PLACE, IT'S REALLY A LIFELONG BENEFIT FOR THAT, THAT STRUCTURE VERSUS HAVING TO MAINTAIN, UH, VEGETATION AROUND IT.
UM, WE KNEW A CHERRY IS WE'RE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY DIRECT FLAME CONTACT, BUT WE ALSO DIDN'T UNDERESTIMATE THE POTENTIAL FOR EMBER INTRUSION AS CHIEF VOKEY.
AND OTHERS MENTIONED, UM, BY FAR THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF HOME IGNITION THAT WE'RE SEEING IN, UM, EMERGING RESEARCH, UM, BY NOT ALLOWING DEFENSIBLE SPACE AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR THAT IGNITION RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION.
UH, WE ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A LASTING, UM, COMMUNITY BUFFER TOWARDS WILDFIRE.
WHAT WE'RE BUILDING INTO OUR COMMUNITY NOW IS THAT THE HOMES THEMSELVES ARE FIREBREAKS.
AND, UM, WE CAN'T UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF THAT.
NOW WE KNOW THAT ISN'T THE ENTIRE SOLUTION.
AND AS YOU MENTIONED, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER PROGRAMS IN PLACE TO, UM, ENSURE THAT OUR EXISTING COMMUNITIES ARE ADDRESSING THEIR RISK AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE, UH, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT RISK IS AND WE PROVIDE MEANINGFUL RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT WE'VE TAKEN THIS BIG LEAP AND HEADING OFF FUTURE WILDFIRE RISK.
AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE COMMISSION FOR YOUR, UM, GUIDANCE, SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP IN THIS ISSUE.
IF YOU'RE DONE, I'LL FINISH UP, GOT OUR TEAM HERE.
WE SAW THAT YOU GUYS COMMITTED A PRETTY LONG TIME, UH, DISCUSSED THIS, UH, HAS TOPICS IN MIND REQUESTING TO ANSWER THEM.
WELL, MY QUESTION IS, I'M SURE YOUR FOLKS WERE
[01:05:01]
VERY AWARE OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN CALIFORNIA AND THE OTHER WESTERN STATES ON THEIR HUGE FIRES.AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPEN HERE, OR DID YOU LEARN SOMETHING FROM THAT? UM, WHAT WAS GOING ON? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND IT WOULD BE A TRAVESTY NOT TO LEARN FROM THE UNFORTUNATE EVENTS THAT ARE UNFOLDING.
WE'VE SENT, UM, CREWS TO CALIFORNIA TO HELP COMBAT THE FIRES LAST 30 DAYS.
AND WHAT WE'VE ASKED THEM TO DO IS BRING BACK A SERIES OF LESSONS LEARNED, UM, FROM BEING ON THE FRONT LINES OF THOSE FIRES.
BUT THE EMERGING PACER INDICATES THAT THE HOMES THAT ARE CONSTRUCTED TO THE WILD LAND, URBAN INTERFACE CODE STANDARDS HAVE A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER SURVIVABILITY RATE THAN THOSE THAT DON'T FOLLOW THAT ARE SIMILAR CODE.
SO WE'RE SEEING EVIDENCE THAT THIS IS PART OF THE LONG-TERM SOLUTION FOR ADDRESSING WILDFIRE RISK AND UNTIL OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY REFLECTS, UM, RESISTANCE TO WILDFIRE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
UM, AND THIS IS A GREAT START.
I CAN ADD A LITTLE BIT TO THAT COMMISSIONER NEELEY, UH, THAT LAST SLIDE WE HAD ONE OF THOSE TRUCKS FROM CALIFORNIA FIRE.
THOSE ARE FIREFIGHTERS THEY'RE, UM, LOOKING AT STRUCTURES THAT SURVIVED IT AND, UH, SHARE INFORMATION WITH OUR ART DEPARTMENT.
AS A LESSON LEARNED, WE WERE DEEPLY AWARE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE.
A HORRIBLE LOSS, I THINK IS A BIG CHANGE WE'VE MADE LOCALLY WAS TO EXPAND OUR, NOT SAYING THIS YEARLY WIDE ON THE LOSSES WERE OCCURRING IN CALIFORNIA, BUT IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO LEARN AND APPLY TO OUR LOCAL ROAD.
I'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS, RIGHT? COMMISSIONER GORDON.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, UH, MARK BAKER, YOU WERE KIND OF CUTTING IN AND OUT, SO I DIDN'T REALLY CATCH EVERYTHING YOU SAID.
UH, AND I'M UNFORTUNATELY I THINK PROBABLY THE CASE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
SO MY QUESTIONS MAY, UH, OVERLAP OR NOT IN WHAT YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M, UH, I'M ONE OF THESE RESIDENTS AND LITERALLY AS I'M SITTING HERE IN MY HOUSE, I'M LOOKING OUT OVER THE VERY, YOU KNOW, HIGH SLOPE BETWEEN ME AND THREE 60 AND YOU KNOW, A WHOLE LOT OF FLAMMABLE MATERIAL.
SO I'M ONE OF THOSE FOLKS LIVING IN AN EXTREME WILDFIRE RISK AREA.
THAT'S NOT LOST ON ME, YOU KNOW, AT THE SAME TIME, I'M ALSO, YOU KNOW, A HOMEOWNER OF A 27 PLUS YEAR OLD HOUSE.
AND HAVING LOOKED AT SOME OF THESE MATERIALS AND HEARD THE PRESENTATIONS, I'M STILL VERY VAGUE ON THIS IS GOING TO POTENTIALLY AFFECT ME.
AND I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STILL KIND OF SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SAYING, OKAY, NEW CONSTRUCTION REMODELING, WELL, YOU KNOW, REMODELING IS A HUGE UNIVERSE AND YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING I'VE GOT SOME PROJECTS I NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS NEXT YEAR.
YOU KNOW, AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT EVEN BORDER MORE ON, I CONSIDER MAINTENANCE THAN REMODELING, BUT SINCE I DON'T KNOW HOW REMODELING IS BEING DEFINED HERE.
AND ON THE ONE HAND, YOU KNOW, I PREFER MY HOUSE NOT TO BE GOING UP IN FLAMES ANYTIME SOON, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, LIKE, WOW, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE MY HOUSE FIRE RESISTANT AT THIS POINT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT SUM OF MONEY.
IS THAT GOING TO DETER ME FROM ACTUALLY DOING MAINTENANCE? OR IS THAT GOING TO FORCE ME TO GO UNDERGROUND? BECAUSE YOU KNOW, MY WANTING TO JUST DO A FEW UPGRADES IS SOMEHOW GOING TO TRIGGER THIS VAST UNIVERSE OF REQUIREMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE DISCUSSION HERE.
I'M STILL NOT VERY CLEAR ABOUT, I I'LL ATTEMPT TO ANSWER TO THAT COMMISSIONER GORDON AND I APOLOGIZE FOR SOUND QUALITY JUST HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE YOU HAD A PAN OF AIR CONDITIONING RUNNING IN THE BACKGROUND.
I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR ME BETTER NOW.
SO THE, UH, REMODEL REQUIREMENT, UH, REQUIRED IGNITION RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION FOR ONLY THE PORTION OF THIS BOOK BEING REMODELED NOW THAT YOU DON'T ANTICIPATE IT TO HEAD OFF AS A SLEW OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS, BY ANY MEANS,
[01:10:02]
AS I THINK THE REASON WAS THE ADOPTION OF THE CODE LAG A LITTLE BIT AND WHY IT WAS STRESSFUL NOW IS BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE STARTED AND WORKING ON SINCE HER DIVISION FORMED IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AFTER 2011 AND, UH, MAYBE SOMETHING JUSTICE IS COMMENT A LITTLE BIT ON, BUT I REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT THAT'S ADDED A LOT TO OUR COMFORT LEVEL OF NOT REQUIRING DEFENSIBLE SPACE ON THE PROPERTY, FOR INSTANCE.SO LET ME PRESS YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE WORD REMODELED MEANS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, RIGHT? SO IF I ADD ONTO MY HOUSE, THAT'S A REMODEL.
IF I CHANGE THE FOOTPRINT OF MY HOUSE, THAT'S A REMODEL.
IF I NEED TO REPLACE WINDOWS IN MY HOUSE AND WITH, FOR WHICH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY WILL REQUIRE WHAT THEY CALL AN EXPRESS PERMIT.
IS THAT A REMODEL DOES THAT THEN TRIGGER MY, HAVING TO PROVIDE IGNITION RESISTANT MATERIAL TO THE WHOLE PORTION OF THAT, YOU KNOW, AREA OF MY HOUSE THAT'S BEING REMODELED, OR IT'S NOT, NOT A REMODEL OR MIGHT IT REQUIRE, WELL, IF YOU'RE GOING TO INSTALL NEW WINDOWS AND THE WINDOWS NEEDED TO FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO REQUIRE ANYTHING ELSE.
I GET YOUR POINT IN GETTING MORE SPECIFIC TO THAT LEVEL.
WE DID HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT AND THOUGHT THAT THROUGH CAREFULLY, I BELIEVE IN, I ALMOST RECALL, AND IN OUR WORK SESSION LAST YEAR, WE MAY HAVE DISCUSSED SOME, BUT PERHAPS IF MARVIN IS STILL ON THE LINE, BECAUSE, UH, LET YOU KNOW, WE'RE RE UH, REMODELED PERMITS ARE BIGGER.
AND, UH, HOW WE CODE IS FUCKING BRILLIANT.
CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME THIS TIME? YES.
UM, THE, UH, RETRO, THIS KIND OF GOES TO THE RETROACTIVITY PORTION OF THE CODE, UH, THAT WE, THAT WE PRETTY MUCH, I WON'T SAY TOTALLY TOOK OUT, BUT WE, UH, MODIFIED THAT PORTION OF THE CODE, UH, QUITE A BIT, UH, FOR, FOR SITUATIONS, UH, JUST LIKE YOU'RE EXPLAINING, UM, LET'S GO BACK DOWN TO THE WINDOWS FOR INSTANCE, THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE, WHAT WE WOULD PROBABLY REQUIRE THE ONLY THING THAT WE WOULD REQUIRE UNDER THAT SITUATION WOULD BE FOR THOSE WINDOWS, UH, TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS, UH, WHICH IN, IN THIS CASE WOULD JUST BE LOWY, DOUBLE PANE GLASS.
UM, SO YOU WOULDN'T, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO UPGRADE THE WHOLE HOUSE, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND LIKE MARK SAID WHILE AGO, LET'S SAY YOU WERE PUTTING A, UH, UH, UH, UH, AN EXTRA ROOM ONTO YOUR HOUSE.
THAT PORTION OF THE REMODEL, UH, WOULD HAVE TO MEET ALL OF THE, UH, UM, ITEMS OF THE, UM, ALL OF THE, IT WOULD HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE CODE.
THAT MAKES, THAT MAKES MORE SENSE.
AND OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU GO FORWARD, I JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY HEARD FROM YOUR STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE VERY SENSITIVE TO THIS ISSUE AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING, GOING OUT AS FAR AS EVEN A MILE AND A HALF.
AND I RECOGNIZE BECAUSE I SEE IT, YOU KNOW, MY NEIGHBORHOOD ALL THE TIME.
I MEAN, THEY'RE THE QUOTE REMODELS, WHICH CHRIS PEOPLE DO BECAUSE IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS OF CITY CODE, WHERE, OKAY, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, KNOCK THE ENTIRE OLD STRUCTURE DOWN TO ONE EXTERIOR WALL, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S CONSIDERED A REMODEL, WHICH LET'S FACE IT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR LONGSTANDING HOMEOWNERS LIKE MYSELF, I SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S W W WE'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, AT THE BOTTOM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, RIGHT THERE, THERE'S ALWAYS THIS PUSH PULL.
IT'S LIKE, YEAH, PEOPLE WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING, YOU KNOW, AND THEY REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE SOME, SOME SELF-INTEREST IN DOING THE RIGHT THING, YOU KNOW, BUT IF PUSHED TOO HARD, THEN PEOPLE WON'T DO THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE THE BOTTOM LINE IS THEY'RE GOING TO BE PROTECTING THEIR POCKETBOOKS.
AND, AND, AND WE, I THINK WE RECOGNIZE THAT EARLY ON THAT WAY, ESPECIALLY WITH REMODELS, UH, THAT, THAT WOULD BE A, UH, A HUGE, UM, A HUGE PUSH.
UH, THE RETROACTIVITY OF THE CODE ORIGINALLY CAME IN, UH, PRETTY MUCH, UH, IT WAS RETROACTIVE.
EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, ABIDE BY THE COMO, UH, BY THE CODE.
SO, UM, THAT WE KNEW WOULD NOT FLY.
UH, SO WE PRETTY MUCH, UH, UH, AMENDED THAT QUAD QUITE A BIT, ACTUALLY, UH, TO WHERE WE COULD, UH, TAKE UP FOR INSTANCES, JUST LIKE YOU'RE SPEAKING OF, AND I'LL JUST OFFER ONE OTHER COMMENTARY.
AND THEN I'LL, I'LL, UH, I'LL CRAWL BACK IN MY HOLE FOR THE EVENING.
AND I'LL SAY THIS AGAIN, JUST SORT OF MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE HERE IN THIS WEEK, IN
[01:15:01]
FACT, WHERE I'VE HAD CONTRACTORS OUT TO MY HOUSE, BECAUSE I NEED TO DO SOME WORK ON AN ADDITION TO MY HOUSE.AND THAT ADDITION, YOU KNOW, IS 15 FEET UP IN THE AIR, YOU KNOW, RIGHT OVER WHAT I OTHERWISE KNOW TO BE FLAMMABLE HILLSIDE.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE TRIED TO, IN FACT, PIN CONTRACTORS DOWN IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE ABOUT ASIANS, YOU KNOW, THE WAY MATERIALS ARE CURRENTLY IN USE, ARE THEY FIRE SAFE GOING FORWARD? RIGHT.
AND THIS WAS SOMETHING ON MY MIND AND PARTLY ON MY MIND, BECAUSE I'M INVOLVED IN THIS COMMISSION AND YOU KNOW, THIS WORKING ON THE BACKGROUND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE YET TO MEET A CONTRACTOR TO TELL ME, AND EVEN IT'S IN THEIR BEST INTEREST, RIGHT.
TO HAVE MORE WORK TO SAY, OH YEAH, YOU OUGHT TO GO AHEAD AND REPLACE WHAT YOU HAVE.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SPACE WITH LESS FLAMMABLE MATERIALS, SOMETHING LIKE, LET'S SAY A HARDY PLANK.
AND SO I'M JUST SUGGESTING, AGAIN, WE ALL KNOW, YOU KNOW, EDUCATION IS GOING TO BE A HUGE COMPONENT OF THIS, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT JUST EDUCATING THE HOMEOWNERS.
IT'S EDUCATING THE CONTRACTORS, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THERE'S, THERE'S GOING TO BE THIS, THIS TWO WAY STREET.
BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR SOMEBODY LIKE ME WHO DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT HER, YOU KNOW, IT'S EASY FOR ME TO DELUDE MYSELF THAT WHAT I HAVE MIGHT NOT BE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER RISK, BUT YET IF I'M ASKING CONTRACTORS, YOU KNOW, THEY KIND OF SHRUG THEIR SHOULDERS AND GO, NAH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE ANY REASON TO CHANGE ANYTHING.
SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, SAY THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE GOING FORWARD.
I THINK A LOT OF THE CONTRACTORS, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU ASK HIM SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND THEY'RE JUST NOT WANTING TO, TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THEY JUST WANT THAT EXTRA WORK.
I MEAN, UM, I, YOU KNOW, IT IS, IT IS GOING TO BE A TRAINING ISSUE.
UH, WE ARE WORKING ON TRAINING, UH, FOR OUR TRAINING AND PRESENTATIONS, I KNOW FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND FOR THE CONTRACTORS.
UM, SO IT WILL BE, UH, UH, A BIT OF A TRAIN IT'S, IT'S A NEW ONE FOR EVERYBODY.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A BIT OF A TRAINING ISSUE, UH, FOR EVERYBODY REALLY.
AND DEFINITELY, AND PROVIDING THOSE RESOURCES TO HOMEOWNERS BECAUSE TO HOMEOWNERS, BECAUSE FOR SOMEBODY LIKE ME HAVING A PLACE WHERE I COULD GO OR A PERSON I CAN ASK, YOU KNOW, AND SAY, ALL RIGHT, YOU KNOW, HERE'S MY CURRENT SETUP.
WHAT DO YOU ADVISE GOING FORWARD? COMMISSIONER, GO AHEAD.
I WOULD SAY, AND COMMISSIONER, THIS IS TOM BOOKIE, FIRE MARSHALL.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO LOOK AT TO MOVING FORWARD IS ONCE WE ACTUALLY GET THESE RULES IN PLACE AND HAVE RULES AS BEING ABLE TO SHARE THEM, AND THEN ALSO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE FOR VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE FOR FOLKS LIKE YOURSELF THAT WANT TO HAVE COMPLIANCE, THAT REALLY DON'T KNOW EXACTLY.
AND THAT WAY WE'LL BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE TO THE CONTRACTORS EXACTLY WHAT'S REQUIRED.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE, WE WERE NOT LOOKING TO OVERSTEP AND MAKE A CODE THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO APPLY.
SO KNOW THIS IS STEP ONE, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON, ON THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST KNOWING THAT LIKE MOST ROOFS THAT GO IN NOW, OUR CLASS SAY ROOFS.
AND SO ANY ROOF REPLACEMENT IS GOING TO BE A, FOR THE MOST PART, IT'S GOING TO BE COMPLIANT.
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT'S NOT A HUGE ISSUE FOR US MOVING FORWARD.
MOST OF THE WINDOWS THAT MEET THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, UH, QUALITY CONDITIONS AND THE LOW E THOSE ARE GOING TO BE COMPLIANT.
SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN NATURALLY NOW WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION AND ENERGY EFFICIENT CONSTRUCTION, ALSO WORK HAND IN HAND WITH, UH, WITH THE WIFI CODE REQUIREMENTS.
SO THOSE ARE ALL IMPORTANT THINGS.
AND I'D SAY, JUST DEFINITELY BE EMPHASIZING THAT BECAUSE I SAY, YOU KNOW, AND I'M, I'M, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
I'M A LITTLE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT WHOLE HOST OF ISSUES.
ALL I KNOW IS LIKE, CAN, I'VE SEEN THE SLIDES THAT THROUGH SOME OF THIS.
AND I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THIS GOING TO REQUIRE ME? WELL, THEN YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, DOUBLE-PANE LOWY WINDOWS.
ALL MY WINDOWS GOING IN, YOU KNOW, THE LAST SO MANY YEARS, I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL DOUBLE PANE LOWY, AND THAT'S PRETTY STANDARD.
YOU KNOW, SO IT'S NOT THIS BIG SCARY THING.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE THIS BIG, SCARY THING, UNLESS YOU REALLY CAN KIND OF DRILL DOWN AND TALK TO HOMEOWNERS, YOU KNOW, IN WAYS IN THE LANGUAGES THAT YEAH.
YOU SAY, YEAH, MOST ROOMS GOING INTO THESE DAYS, YOU KNOW, THEY ALREADY MEET THESE STANDARDS.
SO LIKE FOLKS, YOU KNOW, DON'T WORRY, YOU'RE NOT REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO DO ANYTHING ABOVE AND BEYOND AND NOT THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT MESSAGING HERE FOR SURE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK ON THAT.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
ARE WE W WHERE ARE WE POSTED FOR ACTION? OR IS THERE ANY ACTION THAT WE'RE TAKING ON THIS TONIGHT OR, OR IS THIS KAYLA JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRESENTING AND ALL THE HARD WORK THAT'S GOING INTO THAT.
AND, AND, UH, WELL, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND, UH, HAVE A GOOD REST OF YOUR, YOUR ONCE-A-DAY.
THAT BRINGS US THROUGH OUR AGENDA
[5. COMMITTEE REPORTS]
[01:20:01]
TO FIVE, UH, WHICH IS COMMITTEE REPORTS, ANY REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES AS COMMISSIONER GORDON? I DON'T HAVE A COMMITTEE REPORT PER SE.I W WELL, MAKE YOU ALL AWARE THAT THE, THE ASSESSMENT THERE WAS A CLIMATE CHANGE RELATED ASSESSMENT THAT WAS CONDUCTED A COUPLE OF WORKSHOPS CONDUCTED LAST YEAR TO LOOK AT THE VULNERABILITY OF AUSTIN'S LANDSCAPE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND, UM, SO THERE WAS A SORT OF A VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT AND THEN AN ADAPTATION WORKSHOP HELD.
SO THE REPORT FROM THOSE WORKSHOPS, IT WAS PUBLISHED ABOUT A WEEK AGO BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
AND I CAN, IN FACT, I CAN SHARE THE LINK WITH KAYLA AND SHE CAN MAKE THAT AVAILABLE AND SHOULD ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, FUTURE AGENDA, IF HE WANTS SOME SORT OF PRESENTATION, I'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
AND ALSO, I KNOW SEPARATELY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE, UM, THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, I HAD TOLD THEM ABOUT THE SMALL AGO, THERE WAS AN INTEREST THERE IN A PRESENTATION.
SO I NEED TO ALSO CIRCLE BACK TO THEM.
I THINK A LOT OF THE AIR IN THE ROOM OVER THERE HAS BEEN STUCK UP WITH CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
RIGHTFULLY SO, BUT I THINK WE'RE, WE WOULD LOVE TO GET A PRESENTATION ON THAT OVER AT JSC WHO WON ON AUSTIN CITY STAFF WAS INVOLVED IN THAT, OR, OR TOOK A LEAD ON THAT.
WELL, SO, UM, SO TO JUST BRIEFLY EXPLAIN, SO THE, THE PROJECT LEAD, WE'RE A COUPLE OF USDA FOLKS, THEN THERE WAS SOME CITY STAFF KIND OF ORGANIZATIONALLY INVOLVES LIKE EMILY KING HELP WITH SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE WORKSHOPS.
THEN, UM, THERE, THERE WERE SOME OF THE BALCONIES CANYON LAMPS STAFF WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE WORKSHOPS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE AUTHORSHIP OF THE REPORT, IT COMES OUT TO THE TWO FOREST SERVICE EMPLOYEES.
I'M THE THIRD AUTHOR, AND THEN THERE'S SOME OF THE OTHER CITY STAFF LISTED AS CO-AUTHORS AS WELL.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S CERTAINLY RELEVANT AND WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THAT.
SO, UM, MAYBE CHRIS AND KAYLA, WE CAN PUT THAT ON A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, BULLET LISTS SO THAT WE CAN BRING THAT UP, UH, FOR MAYBE THE NEXT MEETING OR SO, UM, BUT THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP, COMMISSIONER GORDON, ANYTHING ELSE? I'LL BE SURE TO SHARE THAT LINK.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM COMMITTEES, VICE CHAIR COIN? YEP.
THIS IS KAYLA CHAMPLIN WATERSHED PROTECTION.
I HAVE ONE QUICK REMINDER BEFORE WE CLOSE THE MEETING.
JUST ONE SECOND ON, ON COMMITTEE REPORTS.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE THAT, UM, IT'S LIKE THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN EARLY NOVEMBER WILL LIKELY BE WHEN THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN GOES UP FOR APPROVAL.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A RESOLUTION ACTUALLY BEING CRAFTED AND SUPPORT.
UM, AND SO WE'RE KIND OF WORKING ON DEALING WITH FINAL COMMENTS ON THAT, BUT, BUT WE'RE HOPING FOR FINGERS CROSSED, UH, UH, COUNCIL SUPPORT AND ADOPTION IN EARLY NOVEMBER.
AT THIS SCALE CHAMPION WATERSHED PROTECTION JUST WANTED TO DO ONE QUICK REMINDER.
BEFORE WE CLOSE THE MEETING, UH, FOR THE LAST FEW MEETINGS WE'VE BEEN USING A NEW VERSION OF WEBEX CALLED WEBEX EVENTS, AND THIS REQUIRES OUR TECHNOLOGY MANAGERS MANAGEMENT STAFF TO CHECK IN EACH PARTICIPANT BEFORE WE CAN GO LIVE WITH THE MEETING.
SO GOING FORWARD, JUST TO, JUST TO REMINDER, TO PLEASE SIGN IN TO THE MEETING AT LEAST 10 MINUTES EARLY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A SMOOTH TRANSITION AND THEN BEGIN THE MEETING PROBABLY AT 6:00 PM.
ANY, ANY OTHER, UH, COMMUNITY REPORT BACKS OR ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO COVER BEFORE WE ADJOURN? OKAY.
THEN I, WE WILL ADJOURN AT SEVEN 29.