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UH, I'LL NOW CALL TO ORDER THE CITY COUNCIL
[Call to Order ]
OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.IT IS 10:00 AM WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT CITY HALL MEMBERS.
UH, UH, WE HAVE ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL THAT ARE PRESENT IN PERSON, AND I WILL NOW READ, UM,
[Consent Agenda (Part 1 of 2) ]
THE CHANGES IN CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORD.WELL, AS SOON AS I FIND THEM, YEAH.
UM, ITEM NUMBER ONE, WE'LL APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
PLEASE DELETE THE F THE PHRASE BUDGET ADOPTION OF AUGUST 17TH, 2022.
SO IT READS, APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF NOVEMBER, NOVEMBER 15TH, 2022 SPECIAL CALLED OF NOVEMBER 21ST, 2022, WORK SESSION OF NOVEMBER 29TH, 2022, SPECIAL CALLED OF NOVEMBER 30TH, 2022.
DELETE THE WORDS REGULAR MEETING OF DECEMBER 1ST, 2022 SO THAT IT READS NOVEMBER 30TH, 2022.
WORK SESSION OF DECEMBER 6TH, 2022.
REGULAR MEETING OF DECEMBER 8TH, 2022, SPECIAL CALLED OF DECEMBER 21ST, 2022, AND REGULAR MEETING INAUGURATION OF JANUARY 6TH, 2023.
SHOULD READ JANUARY 18TH, 2023 RECOMMENDED BY THE WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION ON A SEVEN OH VOTE WITH TWO ABSENCES AND TWO VACANCIES ITEMS, SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT.
SHOULD READ JANUARY 18TH, 2023 RECOMMENDED BY THE WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION ON A SIX OH VOTE WITH COMMISSIONER PENN RECUSING.
TWO ABSENCES AND TWO VACANCIES ITEMS 45 AND 46 WITHDRAWN.
WILL RETURN AT A FUTURE DATE WITH UPDATES.
ITEM NUMBER 60 SHOULD READ POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 9TH, 2023.
ITEM NUMBER 61 SHOULD READ WITHDRAWN.
ITEM NUMBER 62 SHOULD READ POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 9TH, 2023.
2023 AT THEIR TWO TH TWO, 2:00 PM TIME CERTAIN A REQUEST TO POSTPONE RELATED ZONING CASES.
ITEMS NUMBER 71 AND NUMBER 72 TO FEBRUARY 9TH, 2023 WILL BE MADE.
NEXT ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ITEM NUMBER 53 HAS BEEN PULLED BY THE MAYOR.
ITEM NUMBER 55 HAS BEEN PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES MEMBERS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS TO BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING NONE, NO OTHER ITEMS WILL BE PULLED.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL THAT WANT TO RECORD AN ABSTENTION OR RECUSAL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING NONE, I'M SORRY.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER HARPER MADISON? NO.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ABSTAIN FROM ITEM NUMBER 41.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ABSTENTIONS MEMBERS? ARE THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL THAT WISHES TO BE SHOWN AS VOTING NO ON A CONSENT AGENDA ITEM? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY? I'D LIKE TO BE SHOWN AS VOTING NO ON ITEM 54.
COUNCIL MEMBER SH KELLY WILL BE SHOWN AS ABSTAINING ON ITEM NUMBER 41 AND VOTING NO ON ITEM NUMBER 54.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT ANY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO BE SHOWN AS ABSTAINING, RECUSING THEMSELVES, OR VOTING? NO.
[Public Communication: General ]
WE'RE GETTING READY TO TAKE UP THE SPEAKERS.UH, AND BEFORE WE DO THAT, I, I WANTED TO IN A, IN, IN A WAY THAT'S KIND OF TRANSPARENT, TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT I'M HOPING TO DO, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT AT THE VERY FIRST MEETING, UH, AS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
BUT I'M WORKING WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE SO THAT WE CAN REVIEW, UH, AND, AND HOW WE HEAR FROM PUBLIC SPEAKERS BOTH REMOTELY AND IN PERSON.
UH, I'M, AND BY THE WAY, I'M OPEN TO ANY SUGGESTIONS FROM MANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS OR, OR THE PUBLIC ON WAYS TO IMPROVE THE FLOW OF THE COUNCIL MEETINGS WHILE ENSURING THAT WE HAVE A ROBUST PUBLIC TESTIMONY FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM THE SPEAKERS AS IT'S BEEN RECENTLY DONE.
THE FIRST GROUP OF SPEAKERS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY NOW.
THEY WILL SPEAK ON CONSENT AND NON-CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. THE SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP FOR ZONING AGENDA ITEMS WILL BE CALLED AFTER TWO O'CLOCK.
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AT TWO O'CLOCK.EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION SPEAKERS AT 12 O'CLOCK WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THE THREE MINUTES UNDER OUR RULES.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN CREATE A PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS SO THAT SPEAKERS ARE ABLE TO SPEAK AT THE TIME OF THE ITEM.
THE CITY CLERK AND I ARE GOING TO WORK WITH OUR VENDOR WHO HELPS WITH THE REMOTE CALLS TO SEE HOW WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT ON THE REMOTE CALLERS AND THOSE TESTIFYING REMOTELY.
BUT I INTEND TO TRY TO START THIS PRACTICE WITH THE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS AT THE VERY NEXT MEETING.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS IF THEY'RE SPEAKING ON A SPECIFIC ITEM, THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK AT THE TIME WE CALL UP THE ITEM.
OF COURSE, I WANNA BE CLEAR IF IT'S MORE CONVENIENT FOR THE SPEAKER TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, LIKE WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO, INSTEAD OF AT THE TIME SPECIFIC WHEN IT'S CALLED, UH, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND, AND I'LL TELL YOU, I WANT, I WOULD LOVE TO EXPERIMENT WITH OTHER WAYS TO ASSURE GOOD PUBLIC INPUT.
AND LIKE I SAID A MINUTE AGO, I'M VERY OPEN TO IDEAS.
WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH AND THINK THAT WE CAN IMPROVE OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
PERHAPS YOU COULD CALL THE NOSE AND ABSTENTIONS AFTER WE RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS SO THAT IN CASE THERE'S INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY WHERE OFTEN I WILL VOTE NO OR ABSTAIN FROM ITEMS, I CAN CONSIDER THAT BEFOREHAND.
WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL DO THAT AND I'LL DO IT TODAY.
UM, IF THE CLERK WILL PLEASE BEGIN WITH THE REMOTE SPEAKERS, THEN WE WILL GO TO THOSE THAT ARE HERE IN PERSON.
THE FIRST REMOTE SPEAKER IS JASON GINELLI SPEAKING ON ITEM 55.
I'M A FORMER BUSINESS LEADER IN AUSTIN, WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED WITH CHILDCARE FOR THE PAST DECADE.
UM, THE RESOLUTION LISTED ON ITEM 55 OF YOUR AGENDA IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ZONING AND CDC ACCOMMODATIONS THAT WILL PROVIDE OR REMOVE BARRIERS TO NEW CHILDCARE FACILITIES HERE IN AUSTIN.
IT'S SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS FUENTES, ALISON AL ALTER OF VELASQUEZ HARPER MADISON, AS WELL AS MAYOR WATSON.
UM, I'M HERE TO ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO OVERWHELMINGLY PASS THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, THE CHILDCARE INDUSTRY WAS STRUGGLING PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, AND THEN ONE IN EIGHT CHILDCARE SITES PERMANENTLY CLOSED DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE AUSTIN METRO AREA POPULATION HAS GROWN CONSIDERABLY, AND TODAY THE CHILDCARE INDUSTRY IS UNABLE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.
AND LEMME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
AT MAINSPRING SCHOOLS, A NONPROFIT IN DISTRICT FIVE THAT SERVES ABOUT A HUNDRED AT RISK CHILDREN AGES ZERO TO FIVE.
THE WAIT LIST AT MAINSPRING IS MORE THAN 600, 600 TODAY, AND THAT'S AT ONE CHILDCARE PROVIDER.
AND ACROSS AUSTIN, THERE ARE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES WHO ARE UNABLE TO FIND CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND ARE THEREFORE UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE WORKFORCE.
AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
SO THIS RESOLUTION, RESOLUTION WON'T MAKE THE PROBLEM GO AWAY, BUT IT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO BUILD A CHILDCARE SECTOR THAT PROPERLY SUPPORTS OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS PASSAGE, AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
MAYOR, THAT IS ALL THE REMOTE SPEAKERS WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
SO I'M GONNA SWITCH OVER TO THE IN-PERSON LIST.
FIRST IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS NICOLE NETHERTON FOR ITEM 54.
MY NAME IS NICOLE NETHERTON AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TRAVIS AUDUBON.
I'M HERE TO APPLAUD YOU FOR THE INCLUSION OF THE RESOLUTION IN AGENDA NUMBER 54 AND TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE PASS THIS AND OTHER SENSIBLE MEASURES TO PROTECT BIODIVERSITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
TRAVIS AUDUBON IS AUSTIN'S OLDEST CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 1952.
WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BIRDS, NOT JUST FOR THE JOY THAT THEY BRING, BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE BELLWEATHER SPECIES IN OUR ECOSYSTEMS. AND BIRDS ARE TELLING US THAT WE ARE IN A CRISIS SINCE 1970 ALONE.
COMMUNITY SCIENCE DATA SHOW WE HAVE LOST AN ALARMING 25% OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS, WHICH IS 3 BILLION BIRDS IN THE PAST 50 YEARS.
BIRDS ARE JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF DECLINES, MATCHED, OR EXCEEDED BY OTHER SPECIES, ESPECIALLY INSECTS.
HUMANS HAVE A BAD HABIT OF SEEING OURSELVES AS ABOVE OR IN CHARGE OF NATURE INSTEAD OF BEING A PART OF IT.
IT TURNS OUT THAT THE SYSTEM IS A CIRCLE, NOT A PYRAMID.
AND OUR SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON EVERYTHING ELSE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY PLAYING A DANGEROUS GAME OF JENGA, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THE REMOVAL OF ONE MORE PIECE WILL CAUSE A COLLAPSE.
AUSTIN INCLUDES SOME OF THE MOST DIVERSE, MOST FASCINATING ECOSYSTEMS
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IN THE WORLD, AND I INVITE EACH OF YOU TO JOIN ME ON A NATURE WALK THIS SPRING TO EXPERIENCE THIS FIRSTHAND.HUMANS ARE PUTTING PRESSURES ON THE ENVIRONMENT IN WAYS THAT ARE HARD TO UNDERSTAND, MUCH LESS PREDICT.
AND BECAUSE ECOLOGY IS COMPLEX, EVERYTHING IN THE SYSTEM IS AFFECTED BY OUR CHOICES.
SO I APPLAUD YOU FOR CONSIDERING THE WAYS THAT THE 23 TARGETS FROM THE KUNMING MONTREAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FRAMEWORK MIGHT BE IMPLEMENTED IN AUSTIN'S ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY PLANS PROTECTING 30% OF LAND AND WATER, RESTORING DEGRADED HABITAT AND WATERWAYS, INCREASING ACCESS TO NATURE SPACE.
ALL OF THESE GOALS WILL MAKE AUSTIN A BETTER PLACE FOR ITS RESIDENTS, HUMAN AND OTHERWISE.
I ASK YOU TO PLEASE THINK OF YOURSELF AS A PART OF THE NATURAL SYSTEM.
WHEN YOU MAKE DECISIONS FOR US.
PLEASE CONSIDER OUR ENVIRONMENT AND ITS COMPLEXITY JUST AS YOU MIGHT CONSIDER THE PEOPLE YOU SERVE.
I HOPE YOU PASSED THIS RESOLUTION IN ITEM 54.
NEXT SPEAKER ON ITEM 54 IS CRAIG NAZER.
HELLO, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND WELCOME TO 2023.
I'M THE CONSERVATION CHAIR OF THE LONE STAR CHAPTER OF THE SIERRA CLUB.
THIS QUOTE IS FROM THE WRITINGS OF DR.
JOHN WALDMAN, A PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY AT QUEENS COLLEGE.
EVERY GENERATION TAKES THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENCOUNTERS DURING CHILDHOOD AS THE NORM AGAINST QUI.
IT MEASURES ENVIRONMENTAL DECLINE IN LATER LIFE.
WITH EACH ENSUING GENERATION, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION GENERALLY INCREASES, BUT EACH GENERATION TAKES THAT DEGRADATED CONDITION AS THE NEW NORM.
SCIENTISTS CALL THIS PHENOMENA, SHIFTING BASELINES OR GENERATIONAL AMNESIA.
AND AS PART OF A LARGER AND MORE NEBULOUS REALITY, THE INSIDIOUS EBBING OF THE ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL RELEVANCY OF DECLINING AND DISAPPEARING SPECIES.
KEEPING THIS QUOTE IN MIND, WHAT HAVE WE LOST IN AUSTIN OVER THE PAST 13 YEARS? ALTHOUGH THE BLACK CAP VIO HAS BEEN DELISTED AS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES, THEY'RE NOW MUCH HARDER TO FIND AROUND AUSTIN THAN THEY USED TO BE.
THE LAST SCISSOR TAIL FLY CATCHER IN NORTH AUSTIN DISAPPEARED WITH A DEVELOPMENT OF THE Q2 STADIUM AT THE MCCULLOUGH SITE.
ONE CAN NO LONGER HEAR CHUCK WILL'S WIDOWS CALLING IN WALNUT CREEK METROPOLITAN PARK ON A SUMMER'S NIGHT.
THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT LESS BUG SPLATS ON MY CAR WINDSHIELD AS I HEAD WEST INTO THE HILL COUNTRY ON A SPRING EVENING, LITTLE GREEN HERONS HAVE VIRTUALLY DISAPPEARED FROM OUR URBAN STREAMS. THERE ARE FEWER GREAT HORNED OWLS HOOTING ON COOL WINTER NIGHTS IN SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOODS.
HERE IS A QUOTE FROM THE WRITER, WENDELL BERRY.
WE HAVE LIVED OUR LIVES BY THE ASSUMPTION THAT WHAT WAS GOOD FOR US WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE WORLD.
WE MUST CHANGE OUR LIVES SO THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO LIVE BY THE CONTRARY ASSUMPTION THAT WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE WORLD WILL BE GOOD FOR US.
DESI TULES ON ITEM 54, FOLLOWED BY ROY WHALEY.
EDWARDS UNIVERSITY STUDYING POLITICAL SCIENCE, AND I'M ALSO AN INTERN WITH ENVIRONMENT TEXAS, A NONPROFIT ADVOCACY GROUP THAT AIMS TO MAKE OUR WORLD A GREENER AND HEALTHIER PLACE FOR ALL.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 54 AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER POOL FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD.
WE SHARE OUR PLANET WITH COUNTLESS INCREDIBLE CREATURES FROM THE GRIZZLY ON THE RIDGE LINE TO THE BEE IN THE MEADOW, FROM THE WOLF IN THE FOREST, TO THE BUTTERFLY IN OUR BACKYARD.
BUT THE SAD REALITY IS THAT AMERICA'S WILDLIFE IS ON THE DECLINE.
IN 2020 1, 23 SPECIES WERE REMOVED FROM THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT, NOT BECAUSE THEY WERE SAVED, BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE GONE.
IN ADDITION TO LOSING INDIVIDUAL SPECIES, THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS IS DROPPING.
BIRD POPULATIONS HAVE DECLINED BY 3 BILLION IN NORTH AMERICA SINCE 1970.
THAT'S MORE THAN ONE IN FOUR BIRDS HAVING DISAPPEARED FROM OUR SKYLINES.
IT'S THE RESULT OF HABITAT LOSS, PESTICIDE USE, INSECT DECLINES, CLIMATE CHANGE AND MORE.
OUR PLANET HAS CLEARLY SHOWN US THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG.
SCIENCE HAS BEEN SHOWING US WHAT CAUSES THIS WRONG TO, AND IT'S US, BUT WE ALREADY KNEW THAT IT'S TIME, JUST LIKE THE EARTH TO SHOW EACH OTHER AND OUR PLANET THAT WE CARE.
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CRITICAL STEPS TO PROTECT BIODIVERSITY, INCLUDING PROTECTING ENDANGERED GOLDEN SHEIK WARBLERS AND THE BARTON SPRINGS SALAMANDER.NOT EVERYONE IN POSITIONS OF INFLUENCE ARE TAKING ACCOUNTABLE ACTIONS TOWARDS PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT.
OUR COUNTRY DIDN'T GET INTO THIS AGREEMENT, AND THAT'S WHY YOU BROUGHT IT FORWARD.
SO WE NEED TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE A SAY IN.
AND THAT'S ME SPEAKING WITH YOU AND YOU SPEAKING WITH THE REST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND GETTING THIS FORWARD AND TAKING OUT THE INITIATIVE.
THANK YOU ROY WHALEY FOR ITEM 54.
HOW TO Y'ALL? MY NAME IS ROY WHALEY AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN REGIONAL GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB.
NAZER IS THE STATE CHAIR FOR THE STATE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE.
AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, NOT ONLY FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, BUT GOING AND LEARNING MORE AND TAKING AUSTIN TO THIS.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE CO-SPONSORS, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUTOS AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER QURE AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER.
AND I KNOW WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA START GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION WITH ALL THE ALTARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS NATASHA, YOU COULD CHANGE YOUR NAME TO HARPER MADISON ALTAR AND, AND LIVEN THINGS UP.
ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS.
I DON'T NEED TO SAY MUCH BECAUSE SO MUCH HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE CAN DO, IS TO PROTECT OURSELVES AND TO PROTECT THE NEXT GENERATIONS AND THE NEXT GENERATIONS.
UH, AND THE ENVIRONMENT IS, AND I WILL SAY THIS LATER, THE ENVIRONMENT TOUCHES EVERYTHING.
IT TOUCHES EVERY DECISION WE MAKE.
YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO BEFORE THE, UM, AUDUBON SOCIETY WAS, UH, UH, ESTABLISHED, WE HAD OUR, OUR COAL MINERS.
THEY ALWAYS KEPT A CANARY AND THE COAL MINE WITH THEM.
AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY WERE AUDUBON SOCIETY MEMBERS OR WANTING TO BE, THEY KNEW THAT WHEN THAT CANARY STARTED HAVING TROUBLE, THEY WERE IN TROUBLE.
SO WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THIS AND, AND SEE HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.
AGAIN, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, AND THANK YOU FOR TO ALL OF YOU BECAUSE I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL GOING TO VOTE TO SUPPORT THIS.
JESSICA COHEN FOR ITEM 54, AND THEN ANTHONY CARILLO.
I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN ENVIRONMENTAL DEMOCRATS.
I'D LIKE TO START BY BRIEFLY WELCOMING THE NEW MEMBERS.
IT WAS A PLEASURE GETTING TO MEET ALL OF YOU DURING YOUR CAMPAIGNS, BUT NOW THE REAL WORK BEGINS.
SINCE ROY PRETTY MUCH COVERED EVERYTHING, UM, I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF ITEM 54.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER POOL AND THE CO-SPONSORS OF THIS RESOLUTION.
AND I'D LIKE TO VOICE MY APPRECIATION TO COUNCIL IN GENERAL FOR PRIORITIZING THE ENVIRONMENT SO EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR.
UH, CAMPAIGN SEASON MAY BE OVER, BUT OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT ISN'T, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR WORK WITH Y'ALL AND, UH, KEEPING AUSTIN A LEADER AND, AND BEING A STEWARD AMONGST CITIES OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.
ANTHONY CARILLO FOR ITEM 55, AND THEN RYAN NELL.
HEY, COUNSEL, UH, FIRST TIME UP HERE.
I'VE NEVER, NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE.
DON'T HAVE A PREPARED STATEMENT.
ALL I HAVE IS MY STORY TO TELL.
UM, MY WIFE AND I STARTED DOWN THE PATH OF TRYING TO CREATE A, A CHILDCARE CENTER WITH MY OLDEST DAUGHTER.
UH, AND THEN THE PANDEMIC HIT.
AND FORTUNATELY WE COULDN'T DO THAT.
UH, WE HAD TWINS AND THEN STARTED LOOKING FOR CHILDCARE, AND WE HIT SOME OF THE SAME OBSTACLES THAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS FACING, RIGHT? A LOT OF, UH, UNAVAILABILITY, HUGE WAIT LISTS, UNAFFORDABILITY, IT'S A BIG PROBLEM HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, SO WE DECIDED TO BECOME PART OF THE SOLUTION, AND WE TRIED TO OPEN OUR, OUR, OUR OWN CENTER.
SO, UH, OUR ACQUIRER PROPERTY, GOT ALL OF THE RENOVATIONS DONE, GOT EVERYTHING SET UP, AND THEN FOUND OUT THAT, UH, IT'S PRETTY DIFFICULT TO OPEN A CHILDCARE CENTER HERE IN AUSTIN.
WE DIDN'T REALIZE, UH, I'M IN CONTACT WITH A NUMBER OF, UH, DAYCARE OWNERS AND THEY ALL SAY THE SAME THING.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T OPEN IN AUSTIN.
WE OPEN A ROUND ROCK OR KYLE OR BUTA.
UH, WE JUST DON'T OPEN IN AUSTIN.
IT'S, IT'S PRETTY DIFFICULT TO DO BUSINESS THERE.
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AND I'M SO THANKFUL THAT COUNCILWOMAN FUENTES, UH, HAS THIS BILL ON, ON THE, ON THE RE THE RESOLUTION ON THE DOCKET BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S MUCH, MUCH NEEDED.UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS A, A IDEA OF COSTS, UH, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, WHICH IS REQUIRED IF YOU'RE IN A RESIDENTIAL SPACE, COSTS IN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS JUST FOR THE PERMITTING FEES TO THE CITY.
ON TOP OF THAT, YOU GOTTA FIND AN ENGINEER TO DO A FULL SITE PLAN.
AUSTIN'S GROWING TONS OF BUILDERS.
TONS OF BUILDERS ARE, UH, THEY'RE DOING GREAT THINGS HERE, BUT YOU CAN'T FIND AN ENGINEER TO SAVE YOUR LIFE.
SO THAT'S DIFFICULT IF YOU'RE A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
AND THEN ON TOP OF ALL THAT, UH, YOU HAVE TO FIND SOMEBODY TO HELP YOU WITH THE PERMITS.
IF YOU'RE NOT A LAND DEVELOPER YOURSELF, IF YOU'RE NOT USED TO THAT WHOLE PROCESS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF, OF DOLLARS TO AN ENGINEER.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO SOMEBODY ELSE TO HELP YOU WITH THE PERMITING PROCESS AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO THE CITY.
SO MY MOM, SHE GRADUATED AS A, UH, AS A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER.
AND I, I TRY AND PUT MYSELF IN A MINDSET OF HER IF SHE WANT, IF SHE RETIRED, SHE WANTED TO OPEN A SMALL SCHOOL, THERE'S NO WAY SHE COULD DO IT.
SO, THANK YOU COUNSEL FOR THE RESOLUTION ON THE, ON THE DOCKET, AND, UH, APPRECIATE YOU GUYS.
RYAN NILL FOR ITEM 55 AND THEN BRAD LANDY.
I PUT MY SON IN DAYCARE FOR THE FIRST TIME TWO WEEKS AGO.
UM, AND HE'S IN DAYCARE RIGHT NOW.
AND LIKE THE FORMER SPEAKER SAID, IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND CHILDCARE.
WE ONLY FOUND THREE PLACES THAT WE THOUGHT WERE SUITABLE.
UM, THE CLOSEST ONE WHICH WE COULD WALK TO WAS A 30 MINUTE WALK.
UM, SO I THINK INCREASING THE AREAS WHERE THEY'RE ALLOWED WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, EXCELLENT.
AND ADD TO THE AFFORDABILITY OF THE CHILDCARE SERVICES.
I WANT TO ECHO WHAT THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER SAID ABOUT THE C I LOOKED INTO CS WHEN I WAS, UM, WHEN I SUPPORT COOPERATIVE HOUSING.
UM, I WON'T GET TOO MUCH INTO THE DIFFICULTIES CAUSE I THINK HE DID AN AMAZING JOB EXPLAINING IT, BUT I CAN SUGGEST, UH, A RECOMMENDATION WHICH IS BRING BACK THE MINOR USE PERMIT, WHICH WAS IN CODE NEXT, WHICH IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL RATHER THAN A POLITICAL APPROVAL.
AND SO IT ENDS UP BEING LESS TIME CONSUMING.
UM, ALSO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD JUST COMPLETELY REMOVE THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS IN THE CHILDCARE CENTERS.
UM, BUT IF WE CAN REMOVE THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS, YOU CAN HAVE MORE KIDS ON THE SITE AND LESS CARS INCREASING THE AFFORDABILITY.
UM, BUT ALSO AS A CITY, WE REALLY PRIDE OURSELVES ON OUR OUTDOOR SPACES, OUR PARKS, UH, GREEN BELTS.
AND I THINK HAVING MORE OUTDOOR SPACES INSTEAD OF PARKING LOTS FOR CHILDCARE CENTERS WILL BREED HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND ENCOURAGE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO USE THESE GREAT AMENITIES IN AUSTIN.
UM, SO ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM AND SUPPORTING AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE.
THANK YOU FOR ITEM 82, BRAD LANDY.
UH, MY NAME'S BRAD LANDY, THE CHIEF OF JOLLYVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF AGENDA ITEM 82.
AND HONESTLY, I'M JUST HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MAY COME UP FROM THAT ITEM.
AND IF THERE AREN'T ANY, I'LL SET BACK DOWN.
WE APPRECIATE YOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE IN PERSON, BUT WE DO HAVE ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL THAT CALLED IN REMOTE, SO I'LL CALL THAT SPEAKER NOW, PLEASE ZNO JOSEPH SPEAKING ON ITEM 41, 43, 45, 46, AND 48.
THANK YOU MAYOR COUNSEL, I'M ZNO JOSEPH.
MY COMMENTS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO ITEM 41 IS TO REQUEST THAT YOU TABLE THIS ITEM THAT'S THE $600,000 FOR THE IVA BELONG AND AUSTIN STABILIZATION FUND.
WHILE I CERTAINLY DO SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE, UH, FUNDING FOR EL ONE SAMARI, I JUST WANNA CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS THAN THEY'RE WHITES, UH, COUNTERPARTS.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY ACCORDING TO THE JULY 1ST, 2022 ECHO STUDY.
I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU WOULD, UH, FIND A FISCAL AGENT THAT'S IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
AND MY RECOMMENDATION IS HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH, THEY'RE NEUTRAL AND THEY HAVE A JUST FAITH SOCIAL JUSTICE MINISTRY.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS WELL THAT EL BOYN, SO SAMARI TOWN'S, UH, PROFILE ON K D T BACK IN JUNE 1ST, 2020, SPECIFIES THAT THEY SERVE 93% OF THEIR CLIENTS ARE LOW INCOME, BUT THEY'RE LATINO IN LATINO AND SPANISH SPEAKING IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.
AND AUSTIN, THEY'VE BEEN ESTABLISHED SINCE FOR
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ABOUT 30 YEARS.BUT, UM, HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AND HAS A TEXAS HISTORICAL MARKER SINCE 1936.
SO THEY'RE TRUSTED PERSON, UH, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS WELL THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN WAIT 60 MINUTES FOR THE BUS THAT'S 10 TIMES LONGER THAN THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS.
AND IT'S ABOUT TWO TO THREE HOURS TO GET THE ELLIN SAMARI.
THAT'S FUNDING, HOWEVER, DOES NOT GO DIRECTLY TO THE TENANT.
IT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE FISCAL AGENT, UM, FOR VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICES OR TEXAS REAL GRAND LEGAL AID.
AND THEY ONLY SERVE LE, THE TR LA ONLY SERVES INDIVIDUALS THAT EARN ABOUT $24,000.
SO YOU HAVE A HUGE GAP, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU WILL NEVER, UH, ELIMINATE THE 3000 PEOPLE THAT ARE, UH, HOMELESS BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTINUE TO CYCLE.
I'M ASKING THAT YOU ACTUALLY, UH, CONDUCT A, A WORK SESSION WITH THE LAWYERS, UH, JU JUSTICE OF THE PEACE TRAVIS COUNTY AND ALSO WITH THE CITY.
AND I WILL JUST, UM, I DID SEND YOU A MEMO.
I HOPE THE CLERK GOT IT TO YOU AND JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT ALLOCATED, UM, 6.3 MILLION FOR THIS, UM, FOR THE LAWYERS, UM, ON NOVEMBER 1ST, 2022.
SO THERE SHOULD NOT BE A GAP IN SERVICES ISSUE TABLE THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU MS. JOSEPHS, THE ITEMS I'LL SEND YOU.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THE MEETING.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, PURSUANT TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S GOOD SUGGESTION, I'LL ASK, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT AFTER PUBLIC TESTIMONY, UH, WISHES TO BE, UH, SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES ABSTAINING OR AS A NO VOTE OR WANTS TO CHANGE A VOTE THAT THEY'VE ALREADY RECORDED? OKAY, VERY GOOD.
[Consent Agenda (Part 2 of 2)]
MEMBERS, THE CHAIR INTENDS TO TAKE UP THE CONSENT AGENDA BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.UH, OBVIOUSLY MINUS THE IT, THE ITEMS THAT WERE HAVE BEEN PULLED, THE UNANIMOUS CONSENT WILL INCLUDE AND RECOGNIZE THE ABSTENTION, UH, BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY AND THE NO VOTE BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.
THE ABSTENTION IS ON ITEM NUMBER 41 AND THE NO VOTE IS ON ITEM NUMBER 54 PRIOR TO TAKING ACTION.
UH, I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR VERY BRIEF REMARKS REGARDING ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS. MAYOR PRO TIM, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
YOU'RE KEEPING YOUR TRACK RECORD OF GETTING US THROUGH THINGS VERY SMOOTHLY, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, THE ITEMS THAT I WANTED TO BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT, ITEM NUMBER TWO IS ABOUT UTILITY SERVICE REGULATIONS.
AND, UM, IT TALKS ABOUT INSTALLATION OF SOCKET MOUNTED TRANSFER SWITCHES, WHICH IS I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HELP US WITH OUR CLIMATE AND RESILIENCE EFFORTS, UM, AS WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES BEING MANAGED, UM, THROUGH OUR UTILITIES.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR TALKS ABOUT WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LAND IN SOUTHWEST TRAVIS COUNTY AND NORTHEAST HAYES COUNTIES.
AND SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT THIS IS BEING UPDATED SINCE THE LAST PLAN WAS DONE ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO OR 10 YEARS AGO.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE, UM, THE, THE BENEFITS THAT WE CONTINUE TO ACHIEVE THROUGH OUR WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS AND HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE A TRUE LEADER ON PROTECTING ENDANGERED SPECIES AS SOME OF THE FOLKS HAVE SPOKEN TO EARLIER TODAY, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE LEADING BY EXAMPLE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND RESILIENCE EFFORTS.
AND THEN ITEM NUMBER 52 IS A 2023 TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE SET ASIDE PROGRAM.
THERE'S SOME GOOD DETAILED INFORMATION THAT WE HAD ASKED IN THE Q AND A, SO FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE THAT WINDOW OPEN, UM, THERE'S A VERY GOOD DETAILED MAP TOWARD THE VERY END OF THAT DOCUMENT THAT, UM, WE ASKED A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS OF THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THERE WAS NOT GOING TO BE DUPLICATIVE EFFORTS, UM, WITH THE WORK THAT TECHO IS DOING ALONG 360 FOR A SHARED USE PAS.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT DELINEATED MAP IN THE BACKUP FOR OUR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ONLY FILLING IN SOME OF THE GAPS THAT WOULD NOT HAPPEN OTHERWISE.
AND I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT SAFETY MEASURE, NOT ONLY FOR BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, BUT CUZ WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CYCLISTS IN TOWN THAT UTILIZE 360.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD, SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO STAY PHYSICALLY FIT AND ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS AS CYCLISTS IN TOWN.
SO IF YOU ARE CURIOUS ABOUT SEEING THAT MAP, THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD DETAILED INFORMATION FROM TRANSPORTATION.
UM, BUT I'M SUPPORTED TO, UH, I'M EXCITED TO SUPPORT THIS CONSENT AGENDA TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION MAYOR.
UM, ITEM NUMBER 82 IS FOR THE CREATION OF E S D NUMBER 13, UM, AND FOR THE JOLLYVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT I SPENT A LOT OF MY FORMATIVE YEARS VOLUNTEERING AT THE JOLLYVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND IT IS UNIQUE TO DISTRICT SIX IN THAT WE, JOLLYVILLE IS NOT IN DISTRICT SIX, BUT THE LITTLE ISLANDS OF THE E J AND THE, UM, MUD ARE SURROUNDED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
[00:30:01]
PROPOSED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING EMERGENCY AND MEDICAL SERVICES IN RESPONSE TO ANY EMERGENCY SITUATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AUTHORITY GRANTED TO EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICTS UNDER CHAPTER 7 75 OF THE TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE.UM, E S D 13 WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY SERVICES ALREADY PROVIDED BY E S D ONE AND, UM, THE PROPOSED CREATION OF ESD 13 WILL NOT IMPACT SERVICE DELIVERY OR OPERATIONS FOR AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS OR THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AS SUCH, BEING AS UNIQUE AS IT IS DISTRICT SIX WITH THOSE LITTLE POCKETS THAT AREN'T SERVICED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THOSE AREAS REALLY AFFECT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.
ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND SO I'M PLEASED TO HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH SOME OF THOSE RESIDENTS ABOUT HOW ENCOURAGED THEY ARE BY THE CREATION OF THIS OVERLAY.
UM, WITH OUR APPROVAL TODAY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, IT WILL THEN GO TO THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT FOR FURTHER, UM, APPROVAL.
UM, AND ON ITEM NUMBER 41, UM, IT AUTHORIZES $600,000 FROM THE HPD CAPITAL BUDGET, WHICH IS FUNDED FROM VARIOUS FEES AND FROM THE CITY'S TAXPAYER FUNDED GENERAL FUND FOR VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLDS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR COVID 19 STATUS.
UM, AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD EARLIER, I DID VOTE NO ON THAT ITEM, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ARE NOW OUT OF THE PANDEMIC AND PEOPLE ARE BACK TO WORK.
AND MY NO VOTE IS A QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT IT'S THE PROPER USE OF TAXPAYER FUNDS OR IF IT COULD BE DONE DIFFERENTLY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE RECOGNITION, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, HARPER MADISON.
UM, I WANTED TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ON, UH, AGENDA ITEMS NUMBER 42, 44, 45 AND SIX AND 47.
UM, MY BRIEF COMMENTS INCLUDE, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE CITY'S CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH A I S D ON AFTERSCHOOL TUTORING AND SHARED OPEN SPACE AND, UM, CRITICAL FUNDING FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE SERVICES PROVIDERS LIKE SAFE AND THE SOBRIETY CENTER, AND NOT MY SEVENTH GRADER, SORRY.
UM, PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THESE, UH, THAT THE CITY HAS ESTABLISHED OVER TIME ARE EXAMPLES OF HOW MUCH GREATER THE IMPACT OUR LIMITED TAX DOLLARS AND RESOURCES CAN BE WHEN WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH OTHERS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THOSE ITEMS, THE PARK SPACE CONVERSATION WITH AD FACILITIES IS AT LEAST ANOTHER ONE OR TWO, UH, BOND PACKAGES AND THE FUNDS WILL BE PROVIDING TO SAFE AND THE SOBRIETY CENTER WILL PROVIDE HOPE AND SUPPORT TO THOSE WHO MAY HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN FORGOTTEN OR WORSE, FRANKLY, PLACED UNDER THE BRIGHT SPOTLIGHT OF AN IGNORANT AND OVERLY OPPRESSIVE, UH, JUSTICE SYSTEM.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE DIVERSION WORK.
AND LASTLY, UH, THANK YOU A I S D.
THANK YOU SAFE AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE SOCIAL WORKERS AND PEOPLE WHO WORK IN, UM, AS PUBLIC EMPLOYEES THAT ARE LOOKING OUT FOR US RATHER THAN JUST LOOKING AWAY.
I'M SUPER PROUD TO SUPPORT THESE ITEMS AND LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE COLLABORATIONS LIKE THESE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.
I WANTED TO LAY OUT QUICKLY THE IMPORTANCE OF ITEM 54.
RECOGNIZE AND THANK MY CO-SPONSORS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALLISON AL ALTER, VANESSA FUENTEZ, AND Z CADRE FOR THEIR EARLY SUPPORT AND THANK MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR COMING TO OFFER THEIR SUPPORT FOR THIS ITEM TODAY.
THIS PAST DECEMBER, MY STAFF AND I ATTENDED THE 15TH CONFERENCE OF PARTIES TO THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN MONTREAL.
THE CONFERENCE WAS TASKED WITH CREATING A PLAN FOCUSED ON PRESERVING BIODIVERSITY AND ECOLOGICAL HEALTH.
THE PLAN IS CALLED THE KUNMING MONTREAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FRAMEWORK.
AND THE FRAMEWORK HAS 23 ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL TARGETS.
BIODIVERSITY IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR PLANET.
IT PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN MAINTAINING THE BALANCE OF ECOSYSTEMS AND PROVIDES A RANGE OF BENEFITS TO HUMANS, INCLUDING CLEAN AIR AND WATER AND HEALTHY NATURAL FOOD.
WHILE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES LIKE CUT 15 ARE IMPORTANT, CITIES HAVE THE POWER TO IMPLEMENT POLICIES THAT CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO TAKE ACTION AND TO BE LEADERS IN THIS AREA.
AND WITH THAT SAID, I HOPE YOU WILL ALL SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION.
OUR VOTE ON THIS ITEM TODAY ADVANCES OUR WORK, AND I AM SO PROUD TO LIVE IN A CITY AND TO BE PART OF A COUNCIL THAT LEADS IN THESE REALLY IMPORTANT WAYS.
UH, AND GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
UM, I JUST WANNA QUICKLY TOUCH BASE, UH, ON ITEM 54 AND 55.
UH, I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL AND HER AND HER STAFF, UH, FOR WORKING ON THIS RESOLUTION AND FOR OUR APPROACHING, UH, OUR STAFF.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT MEANT A LOT TO ME.
[00:35:01]
I JUST WANNA APPLAUD, UH, IN RELATION TO ITEM 55, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES AND, AND HER STAFF.UH, I'M LEADING ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE, UH, AND, AND BEING A VOICE FOR, FOR FAMILIES, ALL FAMILIES IN AUSTIN.
UH, AND, AND MY ONLY ASK IS THAT I COULD, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO, TO CO-SPONSOR ITEM 55.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER AND I, AND ITEM 55 WAS PULLED, SO, UM, WE, WE'LL BRING THAT UP AFTER WE, WE, WE DO THIS, I JUST WANNA DO FOR CLARITY, PURPOSE, I WANNA ANNOUNCE THAT, UH, AS INDICATED, UH, MEMBERS, THE CHAIR INTENDS TO, UH, TAKE UP THE CONSENT AGENDA BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING NONE.
THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY BEING SHOWN AS ABSTAINING ON ITEM NUMBER 41 AND COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY BEING SHOWN AS VOTING NO ON ITEM NUMBER 54 MEMBERS, IT IS, UH, JUST AFTER 10 30, IT'S 10 36.
SO WHAT I WOULD, UH, SUGGEST THAT WE DO IS THAT WE RECESS THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL SO THAT WE CAN CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
UM, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO RECESSING THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING SO THAT WE CAN CONVENE AS THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION? HEARING NONE, THE MOTION IS ADOPTED AND THE CITY COUNCIL IS IN RECESS.
[10:30 AM - Austin Housing and Finance Corporation Meeting ]
CALL TO ORDER THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS.IT IS JANUARY 26TH, 2020 3, 10 30 6:00 AM WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, UH, AT AUSTIN CITY HALL.
I'LL NOW, UM, UH, ASK STAFF TO GIVE US A, WALK US THROUGH THE HFC AGENDA.
I'M, UH, VICE PRESIDENT, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
I'M THE, UH, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER FOR THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UH, TO WALK YOU THROUGH YOUR, UH, AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD AGENDA REAL QUICK, WE'VE GOT FOUR ITEMS BEFORE YOU.
THE FIRST IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, UH, FROM THE DECEMBER 1ST AND DECEMBER 8TH BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.
THE, UH, SECOND ITEM IS A RESOLUTION TO AN INDUCE OR APPROVE A INDUCEMENT RESOLUTION, UH, FOR AN APPLICATION FOR PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS FOR SAGE AT FRANKLIN PARK THAT IS LOCATED AT 4,500 KNUCKLES CROSSING ROAD.
THE LAST TWO ITEMS ARE TO SET PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR ISSUANCE OF, UH, PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS TO TWO SEPARATE PROPERTIES.
ONE IS THE LIBERTAD AUSTIN AT GARDNER, WHICH IS AN A HFC PARTNERSHIP.
AND THE SECOND IS WOODWAY SQUARE, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 1700 TERRY ROAD.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND I OFFER ALL OF THESE ON CONSENT.
COUNCIL ROTH, UH, ALISON AL ALTER.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
DO WE NEED TO APPOINT THE A H F C BOARD BEFORE WE CAN VOTE? DON'T MENTION THAT SINCE WE HAVE NEW MEMBERS.
I THOUGHT YOU'D DONE IT ALREADY, BUT PERHAPS, UH, SHE AND CORRECT ME.
SHEY, KALEY, UH, GENERAL COUNSEL, LAW GENERAL COUNSEL'S OFFICE UNDER THE BYLAWS FOR THE HOUSING PLAN CORPORATION, UH, THE BOARD'S AUTOMATICALLY APPOINTED WHEN COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ELECTED IN THE OFFICE.
CUZ I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER BOARDS THAT WE HAVE TO, TO CHANGE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE IN ORDER AND ALL.
AND THE SAME GOES FOR THE OFFICERS AS WELL.
COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE, I MEAN, DIRECTORS.
UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS? THESE, THESE, UH, ITEMS HAVE BEEN OFFERED AS A PART OF A CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY ITEM THAT A DIRECTOR WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING NONE.
IT'LL BE OFFERED AS A CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? NO, MA'AM.
WE HAVE NO SPEAKERS IN THAT CASE.
MEMBERS, UH, AGAIN, THE, THE PRESIDENT INTENDS TO TAKE UP THIS I THESE ITEMS BY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
IS THERE, IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE RECUSED OR SHOW AN ABSTENTION OR A NO VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? THAT BEING THE CASE, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE ADOPTION OF THE MOTION, WHICH IS, WHICH IS TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR A H F C? HEARING NONE.
THE MOTION IS ADOPTED AND ALL OF THE AGENDA ITEMS ARE ADOPTED.
MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO ADJOURNING THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION? HEARING NONE, UH, THE MOTION IS ADOPTED AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THAT WILL TAKE US BACK TO, UH, I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE, UH, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE UP, UH, THE, THE REGULAR MEETING MEMBERS.
[53. Approve appointments and certain related waivers to citizen boards and commissions, to Council committees and other intergovernmental bodies, and to public facility corporations; removal and replacement of members; and amendments to board and commission bylaws. ]
THERE WERE TWO ITEMS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.UH, ITEM NUMBER 53 AND ITEM NUMBER 55.
ITEM NUMBER 53 WAS, UH, DEALT WITH OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
AND THERE WILL BE TWO PARTS TO THIS.
THE FIRST WILL BE THE COUNCIL COMMITTEES AND
[00:40:01]
INTERGOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES APPOINTMENTS.THE SECOND WILL BE NOMINATIONS AND WAIVERS.
AND THOSE ARE INSTANCES WHERE SOMEONE HAS BEEN NOMINATED BY A MEMBER, AND THE APPOINTMENT WILL THEN BE MADE BY A VOTE OF THE FULL COUNCIL.
YOU HAVE LATE BACKUP ON THE SECOND PART OF THIS.
AND IN YOUR LATE BACKUP, AND I'LL READ IT INTO THE RECORD, IT IS AN APPOINTMENT BY, UH, NOMINATION BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD OF STEPHANIE BAAN.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, LET ME, UH, EXPLAIN WHAT I, I THINK WE WANT TO DO ON THIS.
UH, EVERYBODY, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY THANK YOU AND, AND I, YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER AL ALTER, RYAN AL ALTER.
CAN I HAVE THAT, CAN I SAY A QUICK WORD? IS THIS THE MOMENT NOW OR IS IT LATER WHEN WE GET TO YOUR POSITION? ALL RIGHT, I THANK YOU.
UM, AND I'M ASSUMING I KNOW WHAT, WHICH, WHICH, WHICH ONE YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT.
UM, SO CORRECT ME IF I END UP MESSING THAT UP, BUT HERE, HERE, HERE'S WHAT THE WAY I, I I THINK WE ARE RIGHT NOW, IS THAT THROUGH THE MESSAGE BOARD AND THE WORK SESSION THAT WE HAD EARLIER THIS WEEK, WE ARE IN A POSITION WHERE, UH, EVERY INTERGOVERNMENTAL ENTITY APPOINTMENT AND EVERY COUNCIL COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT, WE KNOW WHAT THOSE WOULD BE WITH TWO EXCEPTIONS IN THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE SUGGESTIONS, UH, IN THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON AS CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER, ALTER IS VICE CHAIR.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, FOUR PEOPLE, FOUR PEOPLE THAT, UH, HAVE INDICATED A WILLINGNESS OF DESIRE TO BE ON THERE, BUT WE CAN ONLY HAVE THREE OR IT BECOMES A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
SO UNLESS THERE'S SOMEBODY WILLING TO ROLL OFF AND SAY THAT, NOW, WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE'LL DRAW LOTS.
AND THE WAY WE WILL DO THAT IS THE FOUR MEMBERS, ELLIS, CADRE, VELA, AND VELAZQUEZ WILL DRAW NUMBERS ONE THROUGH FOUR.
AND NUMBER FOUR WILL BE THE PERSON THAT IS AN ALTERNATE OR OFF THAT COMMITTEE.
WITH REGARD TO INTERGOVERNMENTAL ENTITY APPOINTMENT SUGGESTIONS.
THE ONLY ONE THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH IS THE AUSTIN CITY OF AUSTIN, A I S D AND JOINT COUNTY AND, AND TRAVIS COUNTY JOINT COMMITTEE.
AGAIN, WE CAN ONLY APPOINT THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THERE ARE FOUR PEOPLE THAT HAVE INDICATED AN INTEREST, SO WE WILL DO THE SAME DRAWING OF LOTS ON THAT ONE.
LET ME ASK, IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO BE PULLED OFF EITHER ONE OF THOSE TWO COMMITTEES OR ENTITIES? WITH THAT BEING SAID, YES, CAN YOU REMIND ME THE, UH, THE JOINT COMMITTEE, WHO ARE THE MEMBERS FOR THAT ONE? AGAIN? THE JOINT COMMITTEE.
THE JOINT COMMITTEE IS COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING, ESPECIALLY COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ IS, UM, DIRECT SERVICE WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER HAS, UM, MANY POLICY PROPOSALS RELATED TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND, AND CITY OF AUSTIN.
I, I WOULD BE WILLING TO ROLL OFF THAT BOARD.
SO NOW THAT, AND I'LL RE MEMBERS, I'M GONNA READ ALL THESE INTO THE RECORD HERE IN A SECOND.
BUT JUST FOR YOUR NOTES OR, UH, RECORDS, UH, THAT MEANS THAT THE JOINT COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, A I S D AND TRAVIS COUNTY WOULD BE COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER, COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER, THAT LEAVES THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, THE P THE FOUR THAT WE WILL HAVE DRAW LOTS WILL BE MAYOR PRO TIM ELLIS, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA AND COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.
DO WE HAVE THE, DO WE HAVE THE BUCKET
COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER.
UM, MAYOR, I WAS WONDERING WHERE WE LANDED WITH THE REGIONAL AFFORDABILITY COMMITTEE.
I ROLLED OFF OF THAT SO THAT THE AFFORDABILITY COMMITTEE WOULD NOW HAVE, OR I, I VOLUNTEERED TO STEP OFF OF THAT SO THAT WE WOULDN'T NEED TO DRAW LOTS.
AND SO THAT WOULD NOW BE COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER AS AN ALTERNATE.
WHILE SHE'S HANDING THOSE OUT, I JUST WANNA COMMENT THAT I THINK IT'S A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE THAT TOO MANY PEOPLE WANNA SERVE.
NO, THIS, THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS WE CAN COUNT UP TO FOUR.
SO WE, WE KNOW HOW TO GET THERE.
[00:45:01]
UM, MAYOR PRO, TIM, IF YOU'LL DRAW FIRST, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.SO, SO THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE WILL BE COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON AS CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL.
ALTER AS VICE CHAIR MAYOR PRO TIMM ELLIS, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE AND COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA CAN, UH, CAN SERVE AS AN ALTERNATE.
WELL, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT AN ALTERNATE AS SUCH.
SO, BUT WE CAN ALL ATTEND THE MEETINGS THAT WE WANT TO.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR PURPOSES OF A MOTION.
AND FOR THE RECORD, AND THIS, THIS WILL BE PROVIDED IN WRITING TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
LET ME READ THROUGH THE COMMITTEES THAT WE'LL BE VOTING ON IN THE MEMBERSHIP, AUDIT AND FINANCE COUNCIL MEMBER, ALISON AL, ALTER CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, VICE CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER, AUSTIN ENERGY UTILITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY VICE CHAIR COMMITTEE, AND IT'LL BE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AUSTIN WATER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, POOL CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER, VICE CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELASQUEZ, PUBLIC HEALTH.
MAYOR, IF I CAN INTERRUPT YOU.
I DIDN'T WANNA SERVE AS VICE CHAIR.
I THOUGHT THAT WE HAD AGREED THAT, THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN THAT WAY.
I HAD SAID THAT I DIDN'T WANNA SERVE AS VICE CHAIR AT THE WORK SESSION.
UM, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT HAVING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER SERVE AS VICE-CHAIR.
IT WOULD MAKE HIM A VICE-CHAIR OF TWO COMMITTEES.
UH, I'M, I'M GONNA JUST LOOK AROUND AND SEE IF ANYBODY OBJECTS TO THAT HAPPENING.
AND, AND WE'LL JUST PLUG THAT IN.
CAUSE ALL I GOTTA DO IS JUST CHANGE ONE LETTER FROM R A TO R.
I'M, I'M SORRY THAT I MISUNDERSTOOD YOU.
SO THE AUSTIN WATER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WILL BE COUNCIL MEMBER POOL AS CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL.
ALTER IS VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE.
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES IS CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE AND MAYOR WATSON HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON IS CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL.
ALTER IS VICE CHAIR MAYOR PROM.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE.
MAYOR PRO TEM ELLIS, CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, VICE CHAIR.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY PUBLIC SAFETY COMMI COMMITTEE.
MAYOR WATSON, CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY VICE-CHAIR.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, VICE-CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES APPOINTMENTS.
AUSTIN FIREFIGHTERS RELIEF AND RETIREMENT FUND.
MAYOR WATSON, B C C P, COORDINATING COMMITTEE, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK.
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES CAPITAL AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
ASSEMBLY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA AND MAYOR WATSON ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY CLEAN AIR COALITION MAYOR PRO TIM ELLIS AS VICE CHAIR AND MEMBERS RECALL THAT THROUGH COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S SERVICE, UH, ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, SHE ENDS UP SERVING ON TWO ADVISORY COMMITTEES IN THAT ROLE.
CAMPO MAYOR PRO TIM ELLIS, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES AND MAYOR WATSON IS AN ALTERNATE.
I'M COUNTING ON Y'ALL BEING ON TIME AND ALWAYS THERE.
METRO COUNCIL MEMBER POOL COUNCIL MEMBER VELA EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, THE JOINT COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, A I S D AND TRAVIS COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER, THE CLEAN AIR FORCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAYOR PRO.
TIM ELLIS, NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES
[00:50:01]
ALL COUNCIL, PECAN STREET COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE POLICE RETIREMENT FUND.COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, THE REGIONAL AFFORDABILITY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER IS AN ALTERNATE.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, THE COLORADO RIVER FLOODPLAIN COALITION.
MAYOR PRO, TIM ELLIS, TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
MAYOR WATSON, US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS, MAYOR WATSON.
COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE AND MAYOR WATSON PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES, STAKEHOLDERS GROUP COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON AND MAYOR WATSON, THE HATE CRIMES TASK FORCE COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL.
COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD MAYOR WATSON AND THE BOARD OF WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS OF CENTRAL TEXAS.
MAYOR WATSON, BEFORE I CALL FOR A VOTE.
UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO VICE CHAIRS BEING PROPOSED FOR THE, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING, UM, I WAS WONDERING HOW YOU WANTED TO HANDLE IN YOUR ABSENCE, THE ROTATION OF COUNCIL MEMBER BELLA AND I SHARING THAT ROLE.
WELL, WHAT I'LL DO IS, UM, BEFORE THE FIRST ONE, I'LL FLIP A COIN AND THAT'LL BE THE FIRST ONE AND THE NEXT ONE WILL BE ON THE ROTATION.
AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO MENTION BRIEFLY, UM, AS FAR AS THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES APPOINTMENTS, I WAS NOTIFIED YESTERDAY BY NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES THAT I WAS APPOINTED TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIME PREVENTION COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THAT.
WERE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS IN THAT CASE? THE MAYOR PRO 10 MOVES THAT WE ADOPT THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES APPOINTMENTS AND, AND THE COUNCIL COMMITTEES, AS I HAVE JUST READ THEM.
UH, AND A COPY OF THIS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE CLERK.
THAT MOTION IS SECONDED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE MOTION HEARING? NO OBJECTION TO THE MOTION.
THE MOTION IS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY.
AND THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK ON THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
THERE WAS AN APPOINTMENT TO THE ARTS COMMISSION FOR THE DISTRICT ONE OFFICE WAS THERE YESTERDAY AND, AND APPARENTLY NOT THERE TODAY.
THE ARTS COMMISSION, YOU, YOU DID COMMISSIONS.
AND SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AL ALTER HAD, UH, SO AN APPOINTEE.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE APPOINTMENTS THAT WILL NOW BE MADE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT DROPPED OFF.
UH, IF SOMETHING I'LL, I'LL FIND OUT FOR YOU.
SO, MEMBERS THAT TAKES CARE OF THE COUNCIL COMMITTEES AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES, I INDICATED TO YOU THAT THERE WAS A SECOND, UH, PART OF ITEM NUMBER 53 AND THAT'S NOMINATIONS AND WAIVERS.
AND YOU HAD IN YOUR BACKUP, UH, MATERIAL, AS I HAVE ALREADY READ AN APPOINTMENT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER OF STEPHANIE BAAN.
AND MY NOTES SHOW THAT IN THE COUNCIL MEMBER HARBOR MEDICINE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS IS THE ONE YOU'RE YOU'RE THINKING OF, BUT THAT IN THE LATE BACKUP IT SHOWS FOR THE ART COMMISSION, UH, CA CATHERINE, AND I'M GONNA MISPRONOUNCE HER NAME.
IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO? YES, SIR.
WELL, WE WILL BE VOTING ON THAT.
SO, SO THAT'S ON, THAT'S, BUT IT WAS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THAT YOU SAW, BUT IT IS IN, UM, IT'S IN LATE BACK.
SO IT MAY BE THAT YOU ALSO SAW THE, THE ORIGINAL.
THAT'S EXACTLY, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
I THINK I'M THE SUPER LATE BACKUP.
YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE WAY WE, WE CHARACTERIZE IT.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO, TO SAY A QUICK WORD ABOUT MY APPOINTMENT.
UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRST LARGE TASKS WE HAVE HERE IS, IS APPOINTING MEMBERS TO THE ROUGHLY 60 COMMISSIONS THAT WE HAVE.
AND, AND THE ONE THAT, THAT I'VE BROUGHT US TODAY, UM, I REALLY WANNA HIGHLIGHT CUZ IT'S, IT IS A SPECIAL ONE TO ME.
UH, I CONSIDER THE PARKS BOARD TO BE A KEY BODY THAT ADVISES THIS COUNCIL.
IT'S ONE OF OUR OLDEST BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND HAS INCLUDED A LOT OF NOTEWORTHY INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE GIVEN A GREAT DEAL TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO THIS ONE THOUGH IS SPECIAL BECAUSE OF THE WHO AND STEPHANIE BAAN IS, SHE'S A NATIVE AUSTIN KNIGHT, A MOM COMMUNITY LEADER, AND SOMEONE WHO HAS PROUDLY SERVED SOUTH AUSTIN THROUGHOUT HER CAREER.
UH, SHE'S A GRADUATED GRADUATE LEADERSHIP AUSTIN, PRESIDENT OF ST.
ED'S ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, CURRENTLY SERVES ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, HISPANIC IMPACT FUND, AND THE BOARD OF THE JUNIOR LEAGUE.
BUT REALLY MORE THAN THAN THAT, I, I GOT TO KNOW HER, UH, WHO SHE IS
[00:55:01]
AND HER HEART FOR OUR COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE, THE CAMPAIGN OVER THE PAST YEAR.AND JUST, SHE IS SOMEONE WHO CARES SO DEEPLY ABOUT NOT ONLY SOUTH AUSTIN, BUT THIS CITY AND ITS FUTURE.
AND SO I SAW THIS AS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR HER TO CONTINUE THAT SERVICE.
AND I KNOW SHE IS INCREDIBLY EXCITED TO DO IT AND I AM EXCITED THAT SHE'S WILLING TO DO IT.
SO I JUST, UH, WANT TO GIVE HER A, A, A SPECIAL WELCOME AND, AND TELL HER I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HER IN, IN THIS CAPACITY.
AND, AND THANK Y'ALL FOR TAKING A MOMENT.
UH, SO THE MOTION WILL BE TO APPROVE THE LIST OF NOMINATIONS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN ITEM NUMBER 53.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE APPROVAL OF ALL OF THE NOMINATIONS, UH, TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT ARE LISTED IN ITEM NUMBER 53, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE IN THE LATE BACKUP HEARING? NO OBJECTION.
[55. Approve a resolution related to creating an economic development program for affordable child care operations and initiating amendments to Title 25 of the City Code to increase the availability of child care services. ]
TO ITEM NUMBER 55 MEMBERS.UH, THE WAY, UH, I, I WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED ON THIS, UH, FOR CLARITY PURPOSES, TRANSPARENCY, AND, UH, HOPEFULLY EFFICIENCY IS I'M GOING TO RECOGNIZE, UH, FIRST THE SPONSOR OF ITEM NUMBER 55, UH, TO LAY OUT THE PROPOSAL.
AND THEN I'M GOING TO GO IN ORDER.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, A NUMBER OF, WE HAVE THREE, I THINK, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
WHAT I WILL, WHAT I WILL DO IS WE WILL TAKE UP THE MAIN MOTION, LET HAVE THAT LAID OUT, AND THEN I WILL GO, UH, IN ORDER THAT I, I RECEIVED THE AMENDMENTS AND THIS IS THE WAY I RECEIVED THEM IS THERE'S, I'M JUST DOING IT FOR CLARITY PURPOSES.
AND THAT'LL BE COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
WE WILL VOTE ON EACH AMENDMENT IF THERE IS A MOTION TO AMEND, AND WE WILL ADOPT THE AMENDMENT OR NOT.
FIRST, IF WE END UP ADOPTING AN AMENDMENT, THEN WE WILL COME BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION AND WE WILL VOTE ON THE MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED.
SO WITH THAT, UH, EXPLANATION, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
COLLEAGUES, I'M VERY EXCITED TO BRING FORWARD MY FIRST POLICY IF C FOR 2023.
AND IT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON, AT ITS CORE, IT'S FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING AFFORDABILITY.
WE HEARD FROM SEVERAL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TODAY TALKING ABOUT HOW HARD IT IS TO FIND HIGH QUALITY ACCESSIBLE CHILDCARE AND HOW COSTLY IT IS TO BUILD CHILDCARE CENTERS IN THIS CITY AND TO EXPAND CHILDCARE CENTERS.
AND SO THIS POLICY IS LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE REDUCE ZONING BARRIERS, REGULATORY BARRIERS, SET UP A FUND SO THAT IF AN OPERATOR WANTS TO OPEN UP A CHILDCARE CENTER IN A CHILDCARE DES DESERT, THAT THEY HAVE THEIR FEES WAIVED OR HAVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
AND THIS POLICY CAME OUT OF RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, FROM OUR CITY STAFF AND ALSO THROUGH A, A WORKING GROUP LED BY, UM, INCLUDING UNITED WAY KATHY MC COURSE, WHO DID SIGN UP TO TESTIFY EARLIER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO.
BUT I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, HER INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP AND EXPERTISE IN THIS ISSUE AREA.
UM, SO AGAIN, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE IN AUSTIN, EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE.
THAT IT SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE.
AND THIS POLICY REALLY IS ROOTING, IS ROOTED IN THAT.
AND I WANNA THANK MY CO-SPONSORS, MAYOR WATSON, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER, COUNCIL MEMBER NATASHA HARPER MADISON, AND COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELAZQUEZ FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, ALSO AS A CO-SPONSOR.
UH, AND I WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO SOPHIA MO MORALES IN MY OFFICE FOR HER, UH, STRONG LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE AREA.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I MOVE TO ADOPT ITEM 55.
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES MOVES TO ADOPT ITEM NUMBER 55.
IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER.
UH, I WILL NOW, UH, CALL ON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, WHO I UNDERSTAND HAS COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
UM, ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUE.
UH, IT HAPPENED TO ME EARLIER TOO.
OUR COMPUTERS HAVE DECIDED TO SIGN, UH, TO RESTART THEMSELVES.
AND, UM, I MOVED TO AMEND ITEM 55 TO READ AS FOLLOWS AT A NEW, UM, FIVE AFTER LINE ONE 14 TO READ.
THE PROGRAM SHOULD INCLUDE PROVISIONS THAT SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS POLICE, FIRE, EMS, AND NINE ONE ONE AND THREE 11 CALL TAKERS AND DISPATCHERS WITH CHILDCARE SERVICES AND RESOURCES.
AND EACH MEMBER SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THIS IN FRONT OF THEM MEMBERS.
YOU'VE HEARD THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE AUTHOR OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTAR.
I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FUNCTIONALLY IS THIS SAYING WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THOSE DAYCARE CENTERS WHO HAVE
[01:00:01]
CHILDREN OF THESE PARTICULAR, UH, TYPES OF EMPLOYEES.AND I JUST WANNA BETTER UNDERSTAND THE GOAL.
AND I'M SORRY THAT I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO REACH OUT TO YOU BEFORE AND ASK YOU THIS.
UH, MY INTENT IS JUST TO ENSURE THAT THESE, UM, GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS, UH, WHO WORK FOR OUR CITY ARE INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS.
UM, BUT I HAVE HEARD CONCERNS THROUGHOUT THOSE SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY AT 9 1 1, THAT THEY DO NEED SUPPORT SERVICES RELATED TO CHILDCARE.
AND I THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD BE A GREAT FIT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTEZ, BRINGING THE ITEM FORWARD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE AUTHOR OF THE AMENDMENT COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
YOU KNOW, THAT JUST MADE ME THINK ABOUT, UH, MY TIME BEING MARRIED TO AN AUSTIN FIREFIGHTER.
WE NEEDED OVERNIGHT CHILDCARE.
SO I WONDER IF THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR CONSIDERATION SPECIFICALLY THERE WITH THAT AMENDMENT.
WELL, AND MY HOPE IS, OR IF THERE'S ONE IN THE, MY HOPE IS THAT THAT WOULD BE A CONSIDERATION FOR THOSE SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS AS THEY DO WORK OFF SCHEDULE HOURS THAT THAT WOULD BE LOOKED AT IN PARTICULAR.
I WONDER, MAYOR, DO YOU THINK WE NEED TO SAY THAT EXPLICITLY IN THE AMENDMENT? OR IS IT ASSUMED? PLEASE READ THE AMENDMENT.
ADD A NEW FIVE AFTER LINE ONE 14 TO READ.
THE PROGRAM SHOULD INCLUDE PROVISIONS THAT SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS POLICE, FIRE, EMS, AND 9 1 1 AND THREE.
CALL TAKERS AND DISPATCHERS WITH CHILDCARE SERVICES AND RESOURCES.
I THINK IT, I THINK THAT COVERS I AGREE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT.
TIM, I HAVE A BIT OF A QUESTION.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS FOR THE AUTHOR OR POTENTIALLY THE CITY MANAGER OR OTHER STAFF, BUT DOES THIS, DOES THIS COME WITH A FISCAL IMPACT FOR PROVIDING IT, OR IS IT JUST SAYING, LET'S FIGURE OUT A PATHWAY TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS NOT BEING OVERLOOKED? MANAGER? I'LL DEFER TO THE, THE, THE AUTHOR, BUT, UH, HOW I JUST HEARD THE INTERPRETATION OF THE LAST QUESTION WAS TO CONSIDER AND, AND TO LOOK AT THE, THE WAY THAT THOSE STAKEHOLDERS WOULD BE INCLUDED.
UM, SO IT WOULD BE MORE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM ITSELF.
AND I'M CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE ACCESS TO THESE TYPES OF, UH, SERVICES.
I ALSO CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER IF THERE MIGHT BE OTHER FOLKS IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT ALSO RUN INTO THIS NEED.
UM, AND SO I WOULD HOPE IT WOULD BE, AND SO I WOULD HOPE IT WOULD BE UNDERSTOOD TO NOT BE EXCLUSIVE OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND I CAN AMEND IT IF THAT'S NECESSARY.
BUT IF IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED, THEN IF, IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S YOUR WILL, THEN WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE AN ACTUAL AMENDMENT AND NOT JUST AN INTERPRETATION, UH, OF THAT AMENDMENT AS WE'RE SITTING HERE ON THE DIAS FOR, FOR TRANS FOR NO OTHER REASON, TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES.
SO IF YOU WANT TO AMEND THE AMENDMENT, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO ACTUALLY AMEND THE AMENDMENT.
WHAT IF I VERBALLY AMENDED ON THE FLY JUST TO SAY THAT SUPPORT PUBLIC SA OR, UM, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS? UH, MAYOR PRO TIM, IF SHE WANTS TO OFFER THAT, SHE, WE DO NOT HAVE A MOTION YET.
I PURPOSEFULLY DID THAT SO THAT THERE COULD BE THINGS, BUT, BUT, BUT AN ORAL AMENDMENT LIKE THAT WON'T WORK UNLESS WE WANT TO MAKE, PUT IT IN WRITING AND MAKE THAT THE AMENDMENT THAT WE WILL TAKE THE MOTION ON.
SO IF, IF SHE, IF WE'VE NOT, AGAIN, I'VE NOT TAKEN A MOTION ON THE AMENDMENT FOR, FOR JUST THIS REASON, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT JUST ORALLY.
COUNCIL MEMBER JUST WANNA, UM, HIGHLIGHT FOR OUR CITY STAFF THAT I BELIEVE THERE HAS BEEN A RESOLUTION THAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD BY COUNCIL MEMBER BE TOBO OR PERHAPS THEN COUNCIL MEMBER ADALIA GARZA AROUND CHILDCARE FOR CITY EMPLOYEES.
AND IT PARTICULARLY INCLUDED OFFERING CHILD, OR IT ADDITIONALLY INCLUDED CHILD OFFERING CHILDCARE DURING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
SO I FEEL LIKE THERE MIGHT ALREADY BE SOME PRECEDENT SET.
UM, AND SOME POLICY PRESS TO, TO LOOK BACK ON REGARDING CHILDCARE SERVICES FOR CITY EMPLOYEES.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALISON AL ALTER, UM, I JUST WANNA FLAG THAT I KNOW THAT UNITED WAY IS WORKING ON THIS ISSUE OF NON-TRADITIONAL CHILDCARE AND HAS PARTNERED WITH THE URBAN INSTITUTE TO DO SOME STUDIES.
AND I KNOW WE EXTENDED AN INVITATION TO AT LEAST, UM, CHIEF CHI TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE NEEDS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND THAT SOME OF THAT WORK IS GOING ON.
WE ALSO FUNDED, UM, SOME WORK IN THAT REGARD WHEN WE FUNDED THE CHILDCARE ITEMS, UM, WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE ARPA.
SO I ASK IF THERE WERE QUESTIONS, AND NOW WE'RE GETTING INTO MOTIONS AND, AND, AND DISCUSSION.
SO I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A MO BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN TO THAT POINT.
I AM GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY MOVES TO AMEND.
I DO HAVE AN ACTUAL MECHANICAL QUESTION.
I CAN, I, BEFORE THE MOTION, I GET THE MOTION? NO, WHEN I GET THE MOTION ON, I'LL, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU FOR A QUESTION.
IT'S ABOUT HOW THE MOTION FAIR ENOUGH.
[01:05:01]
PRO TEMS DESIRED CHANGE IS INCLUDED IN COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S, THAT'S MOTION AS SHE READ IT.THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
UNDERSTAND MECHANICALLY, THAT'S WHAT I SAID, SAID, APOLOGIZE.
I SAID THAT WOULD BE THE WAY WE COULD GET THAT IN THERE NOW.
BUT THAT WOULD BE IF COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY WANTS TO MAKE THAT PART MY OF HER MOTION.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY MOVES THAT WE AMEND ITEM NUMBER 55.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER, WILL YOU READ THE MOTION THAT YOU'RE MAKING? YES.
I MOVE TO AMEND ITEM NUMBER 55 TO READ AS FOLLOWS.
ADD A NEW FIVE AFTER LINE ONE 14 TO READ.
THE PROGRAM SHOULD INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO PROVISIONS THAT SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS POLICE, FIRE, EMS, AND 9 1 1 AND THREE.
CALL TAKERS AND DISPATCHERS WITH CHILDCARE SERVICES AND RESOURCES.
SO MEMBERS, YOU WILL NOTE THAT AFTER THE WORLD WORD INCLUDE I ADDED, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO.
AND THAT IS NOT AVAILABLE ON THE DAY I MADE THAT CHANGE WHILE MAKING THIS MOTION.
MEMBERS, UH, YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE A SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, UH, DISCUSSION ON THE MO MOTION TO AMEND.
IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE MOTION TO AMEND? HEARING NONE.
THE MOTION TO AMEND IS ADOPTED.
THE NEXT ITEM IS A MOTION TO AMEND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ.
SO I HAVE A, I HAVE AN AMENDMENT.
UH, I HAVE TO AMEND MY AMENDMENT.
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ IT FIRST AND THEN ADD THE AMENDING? I I THINK THAT'D BE THE, THE BEST WAY TO DO DO THAT.
UH, UM, FOR ITEM 55, ADD A NEW LINE, ONE C AND ONE D AFTER LINE 98 TO READ.
THE CITY MANAGER SHALL ESTABLISH CRITERIA FOR EQUITABLE GRANT DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT THE CITY WITH A FOCUS ON ESTABLISHING CHILDCARE FACILITIES IN THE 31 ZIP CODES CONSIDERED CHILDCARE DESERTS.
ONE D THE CITY MANAGER SHALL ENSURE THAT GRANT FUNDING IS PRIORITIZED FOR CHILDCARE FACILITY EMPLOYERS THAT OFFER THEIR EMPLOYEES A LIVING WAGE AS SET BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, OR THE MINIMUM WAGE AS ESTABLISHED BY CITY ORDINANCE.
THE, IF I MIGHT ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT, IS THAT, DOES THAT INCLUDE WHAT YOU WANTED TO AMEND ON YOUR AMENDMENT? NO, SIR.
WHY DON'T YOU, I NOTICED YOU LEFT OUT THE WORD CITY ON THE LAST LINE.
UH, SO IT WOULD READ CITY MINIMUM WAYS AS ESTABLISHED BY CITY ORDINANCE.
WOULD YOU TELL US WHAT YOUR AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT IS? THE AMENDMENT.
UH, AND, AND WE'RE NOT, BY THE WAY, IT'S NOT REALLY AN AMENDMENT TO AMENDMENT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A MOTION THAT HAS A COMPLETE MOTION ON YOUR TO AMEND.
THE CITY MANAGER SHALL INCR ENSURE THAT THE GRANT FUNDING IS PRIORITIZED FOR CHILDCARE FACILITY EMPLOYERS THAT ARE OFFERED THEIR EMPLOYEES A LIVING WAGE AS SET BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, MINIMUM WAGE AS ESTABLISHED BY CITY ORDINANCE, WHICHEVER IS HIGHER.
BY THE WAY, WHEN WE'RE DOING IT THIS WAY, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES.
DO WHAT WE WILL NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CLERK HAS A CLEAR COPY OF WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING.
BUT FOR PURPOSES OF READING IN THE RECORD, IF, IF I MIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER ONE D THE MOTION TO AMEND IF HE, IF, IF HE MAKES A MOTION TO AMEND, IT WILL INCLUDE AN ITEM ONE C AS HE READ IT, AND AS YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR, UM, ON YOUR YELLOW SHEET.
AND THEN IN ONE D, IT WILL READ, THE CITY MANAGER SHALL ENSURE THAT GRANT FUNDING IS PRIORITIZED FOR CHILDCARE FACILITY EMPLOYERS THAT OFFER THEIR EMPLOYEES A LIVING WAGE AS SET BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OR THE CITY OF AUSTIN MINIMUM WAGE AS ESTABLISHED BY CITY ORDINANCE, WHICHEVER IS HIGHER.
MR. ME, UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? JUST QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE HI.
HIS MOTION TO AMEND COUNCIL MEMBER AL ALTER IS LIVING WAGE THE SAME THING AS THE LABOR'S DEPARTMENT OF LABOR'S MINIMUM WAGE? THOSE ARE DIFFERENT.
THEY PUBLISHED THOSE SEPARATELY.
ALL I, I'M UNFAMILIAR, SO I WAS WANTED TO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ'S MOVES TO AMEND ITEM NUMBER 55 AS IT'S BEEN READ INTO THE RECORD BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ AND THE MAYOR.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM? IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE MOTION TO AMEND ITEM NUMBER 55 BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ? HEARING NONE, THE MOTION TO AMEND IS ADOPTED.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
UH, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA FOR A MOTION TO
[01:10:01]
AMEND.I'M OFFERING, UH, MY AMENDMENT.
THERE'S A VERSION TWO THAT LAW HAD A SUGGESTED, UH, CHANGE THAT ESSENTIALLY IT MIRRORS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES A LANGUAGE ON THIS ITEM.
MY AMENDMENT WOULD TAKE THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS, UH, FROM HALF A SPACE PER EMPLOYEE TO, UH, ELIMINATE THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR, UH, CHILDCARE CENTERS.
UM, THE, AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, MOST OF THESE PLACES ARE GONNA HAVE PARKING, BUT WHEN, IF THEY, FOR EXAMPLE, ONLY HAVE ONE SPACE, THEY WOULD BE, UH, REQUIRED TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL SPACE THAT'S, UH, A COST TO THE CHILDCARE FACILITY THAT IS COMPETING FOR OUTDOOR SPACE FOR THE CHILDCARE CENTER.
UH, TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, CHILDCARE SERVICES OR HAVE A VERY LOW NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, UH, A LOT OF FAMILY, UH, OWNED AND, AND MANAGED, UH, CHILDCARE CENTERS.
SO, UH, AND THEN OF COURSE THE, YOU KNOW, THE PARKING NEEDS, GENERALLY SPEAKING ARE PRETTY MINIMAL.
YOU KNOW, I, I HAVE, UM, HAVE THREE KIDS AND VERY, VERY FAMILIAR WITH, UH, DAYCARE, UH, OPERATIONS.
AND, UH, TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THERE'S, THERE'S FOLKS THAT GO AND, YOU KNOW, DROP OFF IN THE, IN THE MORNING AND GO AND PICK UP IN THE AFTERNOON.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A SITUATION WHERE, UH, A BAR OR RESTAURANT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE KIND OF COMING AND GOING THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
UH, AND IN ORDER TO, TO MAXIMIZE THE AFFORDABILITY OF CHILDCARE IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE NUMBER OF LOCATIONS WHERE WE CAN LOCATE THESE TYPES OF, UH, CHILDCARE FACILITIES, I WOULD LIKE TO ELIMINATE THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS, UH, IN THEM AND OFFER IT.
I BELIEVE THAT'S A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL TAKE THAT IF IT'S FRIENDLY.
UM, FOR CLARITY PURPOSES, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO ASK IF ANYBODY ASK QUESTIONS, BUT, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, FOR CLARITY PURPOSES, THE AMENDMENT WOULD BE TO AMEND LINE 67 THROUGH 69 SO THAT IT WOULD READ, ELIMINATE PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILDCARE SERVICES THAT MIRROR DAYCARE SERVICES GENERAL IN DAYCARE SERVICES COMMERCIAL.
WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE AUTHOR OF THIS AMENDMENT, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL? I SUPPORT THE, THE CHANGE, UH, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WOULD BE PROVIDED, UM, BY THE DAYCARE CENTER AND WHAT THE CITY MIGHT REQUIRE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA FORCE THE MATTER.
I I DO HAVE SOME, UH, QUESTIONS AND, AND JUST MAYBE AM LOOKING FOR SOME ASSURANCES RELATING TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES MM-HMM.
AND WOULD THERE BE A PROVISION OF ADA PARKING AT ALL IN CONSIDERATION WHEN WE, WHEN WE APPROVE THE, THE DAYCARE CENTERS? I WOULD, THAT'S A EX EXCELLENT QUESTION.
AND I WOULD ASK OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
IT, IT WOULD, I DON'T WANT TO, I DEFINITELY WANT TO FULFILL ANY AND ALL ADA REQUIREMENTS, UH, AND THE, UM, NOT LOOK LOOKING TO ELIMINATE ANY ADA REQUIREMENTS.
SO TRISH LINK IS COMING UP TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.
OUR DIVISION CHIEF FOR LAND TRISH LINK, UH, WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, THE STUFF THAT WE'VE DONE PREVIOUSLY, WE HAVE ELIMINATED PARKING REQUIREMENTS, BUT MAINTAINED THE ACCESSIBLE REQUIREMENTS.
AND IF COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT EXPRESS, WE CAN SAY ELIMINATE NON-ACCESSIBLE PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND THE ACCESSIBLE WOULD BE THE PARKING SPACES THAT COMPLY WITH THE ADA.
CAN I, MAY I ASK A QUESTION? OF COURSE, YES.
UM, ADA IS A FEDERAL PROGRAM, ISN'T ADA AREN'T, UH, SO WOODEN PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ALWAYS BE REQUIRED REGARDLESS.
SO WE HAVE SOME COMPLEX PROVISIONS IN OUR CODE RELATED TO THAT.
UM, SO IT, TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED ANYWAY, THEY WOULD BE STILL REQUIRED, BUT BE WE ELIMINATE A PARKING REQUIREMENT, I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY SPACES THEY WOULD NEED TO HAVE.
SO, UM, AND YOUR, YOUR RECOMMENDATION, AND I, I APOLOGIZE AS TO ADD THE WORD NON-ACCESSIBLE ON THE MOTION SO THAT IT, THAT IT WOULD BE ELIMINATE NON-ACCESSIBLE PARKING REQUIREMENTS.
MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, I'M, UH, OPEN TO THAT AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO ACCEPT, UH, UH, AN AMENDMENT, UH, IN THAT REGARD.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA MOVES THAT WE AMEND ITEM NUMBER 55, SO THAT ON ITEMS 60, UM, I'M SORRY, LINE 67 THROUGH 69, IT WILL READ AS FOLLOWS, ELIMINATE NON-ACCESSIBLE PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILDCARE SERVICES THAT MIRROR DAYCARE SERVICES GENERAL AND DAYCARE SERVICES COMMERCIAL.
IT IS SECONDED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
UH, I WAS ATTEMPTING TO, OKAY, GOOD DEAL.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO THE MOTION TO AMEND BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA? YES.
JUST THANK YOU COUNCIL VELA FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
[01:15:01]
TOPIC OF PARKING REQUIREMENTS IS ONE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE MUCH MORE BROADLY, UM, THROUGHOUT SEVERAL OF THE DIFFERENT USES WITHIN OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION AS A DAY IS IN THE COMING MONTHS.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT THE FOCUS HERE, UH, IS AROUND EXPANDING ACCESS TO CHILDCARE SERVICES AS A WAY TO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY.
AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT PART DOESN'T GET LOST IN THE DISCUSSION.
UH, AND, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE, THE MOTION.
IT'S, UH, IT'S, UH, EXCELLENT, UH, ITEM AND, UH, I'M EXCITED TO SEE A PASS.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUES FOR BRINGING THESE ITEMS FORWARD.
I THINK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION BEFORE ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, THAT CHILDCARE, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THE PRIMARY COST, UM, BARRIERS THAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCE.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE STARTING 2023 OUT RECOGNIZING THAT REMOVING BARRIERS FOR ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, UM, REQUIRES US BEING BOLD AND INNOVATIVE.
SO, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, FOR TAKING THE FIRST BOLD STEP IN 2023.
MEMBERS, WE HAVE THREE AMENDMENTS TO ITEM NUMBER 55 THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS TO BE OFFERED ON ITEM NUMBER 55? HEARING NONE, UH, I'LL RETURN TO THE MAIN MOTION, AND THE MOTION IS TO ADOPT ITEM NUMBER 55 BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES AS AMENDED.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE MOTION TO ADOPT ITEM? I ACTUALLY, FOR PURPOSES OF CLARITY, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES MOVES THAT WE ADOPT ITEM NUMBER 55 AS AMENDED.
AND IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN RYAN.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE MOTION HEARING? I'M SORRY, MAYOR PROTE? NO OBJECTION.
I HAVE A HANDOUT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTEZ AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS INCLUDED IN IT.
YES, IT, IT'S, IT WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL.
SO WE'RE VOTING ON THE MAIN MOTION AS AMENDED.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE MAIN MOTION ITEM NUMBER 55 AS AMENDED? HEARING NONE, THE MOTION IS ADOPTED.
[58. Approve a resolution authorizing the filing of eminent domain proceedings and payment to acquire the property interests needed for the relocation of the City’s water and wastewater lines to accommodate the expansion of Interstate Highway 35, (Texas Department of Transportation’s Interstate Highway-35 South Waterline Relocation: State Highway 71/Ben White Boulevard to State Highway 45 Southeast Project), for the public use of accommodating roadway improvements, relocation of water and wastewater lines in conflict with the expansion of Interstate Highway 35, the acquisition of a water and wastewater easement consisting of approximately 896 square feet (0.021 acres) and temporary working space easement consisting of approximately 868 square feet (0.02 acres), being out of and a portion of Lot 1, James H. Watson Subdivision, according to the map or plat thereof, recorded in Volume 95, Page 389, Plat Records, Travis County, Texas, in the City of Austin, Travis County, Texas currently appraised at $41,740 subject to an increase in value based on updated appraisals or a Special Commissioner’s award. The owner of the needed property is GTY-EPP Leasing, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. The property is located at 110 West Slaughter Lane, Austin, Texas, 78748. The general route of the project is along Interstate Highway 35 South from Ben White Boulevard to State Highway 45 Southeast. ]
MEMBERS.THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 58.
AND WITH RESPECT TO ITEM 58, UH, BEING A NON-CONSENT CONDEMNATION ITEM, UM, WE WOULD NEED A MOTION TO THE EFFECT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN AUTHORIZES THE POWER OF THE USE OF THE POWER OF IMMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY SET FORTH AND DESCRIBED IN THE AGENDA FOR THE CURRENT MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC USE DESCRIBED THEREIN.
IS THERE A MOTION, MOTION MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TIM, IS THERE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ON THE MOTION? SEEING NONE, I'LL ASK THE CLERK.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THERE IS NO PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON THIS ITEM, CORRECT? NO PUBLIC TESTIMONY MEMBERS.
THE, THE MOTION IS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN AUTHORIZES THE USE OF THE POWER OF IMMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY SET FORTH AND DESCRIBED IN THE AGENDA, UH, IN THIS, FOR THIS CURRENT MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC USES THAT ARE DESCRIBED THEREIN.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE MOTION? HEARING NONE.
THE MOTION IS ADOPTED ON ITEM NUMBER 58 MEMBERS.
WE HAVE AN ISSUE, AND THAT IS, WE'RE OUT OF THINGS TO TALK ABOUT UNTIL NOON
JOHN, YOU WEREN'T PLANNING ON GOING AN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR YOU.
CAN I MAKE A MOTION TO RECESS AND WELL, THAT, THAT WOULD BE, THAT'S A, YOU'RE READING MY MIND.
UM, HERE'S WHAT I, OH, UNTIL NOON.
WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL COME BACK IN AT NOON AND PROMPTLY AT NOON, AND WE WILL RECONVENE, UH, FOR, UH, PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND FOR MUSIC.
AND, UH, THEN WE WILL ALSO KEEP IN MIND WE WILL ALSO HAVE THE TWO O'CLOCK ZONING CASES.
UH, THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE, UH, TO RECESS.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE MOTION? HEARING NONE.
WE'RE IN RECESS UNTIL 12 O'CLOCK NOON.
I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
UH, AFTER A A RECESS, UH, WE ARE GOING TO GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, BUT FOR THE, I JUST WANNA MAKE CLEAR TO FOLKS, ITEMS 60, 61 AND 62 WERE EITHER WITHDRAWN OR POSTPONED.
SO IF SOMEBODY'S HERE TO SPEAK ON THAT, WE DID THAT AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, AND I JUST DON'T WANT THERE TO BE ANY CONFUSION.
[12:00 PM - Public Communication: General ]
WITH THAT, WE WILL GO TO GENERAL PUB, OUR 12 O'CLOCK GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION,[01:20:01]
AND I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO PLEASE, UM, CALL OUR SPEAKERS.WE DON'T HAVE THE ONE REMOTE SPEAKER YET, SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND START WITH IN PERSON.
UH, ROBERT BATI, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, I ACTUALLY PRONOUNCE IT BATI, BUT GROWING UP IT WAS PRONOUNCED BATTLE.
SO WHEN I TALKED TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN MAYNARD, I PRONOUNCE IT BATTLE, BUT WHEN I TALK TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE, I PRONOUNCE IT BAT THAI, SO I'LL PRONOUNCE IT BAT THAI WITH YOU GUYS.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AMONGST THESE NEWBIES AND, UH, YOUNG IDEALISTS THAT REALLY WANNA MAKE SOME CHANGES HERE.
NOW, THERE'S A BOCCI BALL COMING AROUND HERE.
THERE'S THE LITTLE ONE THAT'S CALLED THE PAULINO.
AND THE LARGER ONE, SOMETIMES CALLED A BULL, EACH TEAM HAS FOUR OF THE BIG BALLS.
YOU ROLL THE LITTLE BALL, YOU TRY TO GET AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN.
THE OTHER TEAM ROLLS UNTIL THEY GET ONE CLOSER.
ONCE THEY GET ONE CLOSER, IT FLIPS BACK TO THE OTHER TEAM.
GOES BACK AND FORTH, YOU HIT THE BALLS, YOU BOUNCE OFF THE WALLS, IT GOES BACK AND FORTH.
BACHI IS THE SECOND MOST POPULAR SPORT IN THE WORLD NEXT TO SOCCER AS FAR AS PEOPLE ACTUALLY PLAYING.
I STARTED A LEAGUE IN, UH, SANTA ROSA IN 2009.
NOW IT HAS 600 PEOPLE PLAYING IN IT, 600.
THEY PLAY EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK.
HELEN TOWN OF 4,000 PEOPLE THAT HAS NINE COURTS.
THEY PLAY EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK.
PLUS, UH, FARMER'S MARKET ON, UH, FRIDAY MORNINGS.
THAT'S ME UP ON THE LEFT THERE.
ROLE IN THE FIRST BALL IN THE TOP IS ST.
AND THEN KIND OF WORKING YOUR WAY AROUND TOWARD THE LOWER LEFT THERE IN THE MIDDLE IS TRIANGLE PARK.
HAVE YOU BEEN THERE? OR I GUESS I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO INTERACT SO SORRY.
UM, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THIS IS TRIANGLE PARK RIGHT HERE.
THAT WAS A, UH, STARTED BACK IN, I BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT 2007.
NOW, THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE FOR ONE THING, THIS IS A PRIVATE PUBLIC PARK.
NOW YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS A GREAT DEAL.
WE'RE GONNA GET THESE PRIVATE PEOPLE TO MOW THE GRASS, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT'S ALL THEY DO.
WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU'RE TURNING YOUR LIVELY PUBLIC PARK INTO AN OPEN SPACE.
NOW, WHEN THE DEVELOPERS COME IN, OF COURSE THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY SING.
THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT SONG AND DANCE.
IN THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT, THE DEVELOPER WAS GOING TO PUT IN FIRST CLASS AMENITIES.
THEY WERE GONNA DO FIRST CLASS MAINTENANCE.
THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED A BRICK IN LIKE 10 YEARS, AND THEY WERE GONNA DO LIVELY PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
TO ME, WITH THESE TWO BACHI COURTS YOU'RE SEEING UP THERE, THAT MEANS WE HAVE BACHI LEAGUE.
BUT THIS DESIGN IS TOTALLY INADEQUATE FOR DOING THAT.
ALL THE PEOPLE HAVE TO GO OUT TO THE SIDES AND INTO THE STREET INSTEAD OF INTO THE CENTRAL AREA.
NOW, I DESIGNED THIS AND I GAVE IT TO THE, UH, PARKS AND REC AS A CAP PROPOSAL, THAT CITIZENS ACTION THING, I'M LIKE, SO DISAPPOINTED.
GUESS WHAT? THEY CAME BACK AND SAID, THEY SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, THE COMMERCIAL PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO INVEST IN THIS, AND NEITHER DOES THE RESIDENTIAL PEOPLE.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT I TOLD THEM.
I'VE BEEN TELLING THAT FOR FIVE YEARS.
THEY DON'T WANNA SPEND ANY MONEY ON IT.
THEY ALSO DON'T REALLY WANT US IN THERE PLAYING, BECAUSE THEN THEY'D HAVE TO EMPTY THE TRASHCAN THREE TIMES A WEEK INSTEAD OF ONCE A WEEK.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING WITH US.
GOSH, I HAD LIKE ANOTHER HALF AN HOUR TO
WELL, THAT'S WHY THAT BUZZER GOES OFF
WELL, AT LEAST THERE'S NO HOOK.
UH, SO ANYWAY, I SENT YOU GUYS A LETTER IF YOU CHECK THAT OUT, AND LET'S FIGURE OUT A PLAN TO GET THIS HAPPENING.
RICHARD VICTORIAN AUDITS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST MAYOR WATSON AS STATE SENATOR.
YOU WROTE AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1515, THE 290 MILLION INCENTIVE FOR FORMULA ONE RACING.
LATER IN 2010, WHEN FORMULA ONE WAS ANNOUNCED, AUSTIN WAS CAUGHT UNAWARE.
WE KNOW FROM LAND TRANSACTIONS, FROM BUSINESS FORMATION, FROM OPEN RECORDS, FROM INTERVIEWS THAT THE IDEA OF CONSTRUCTING A FORMULA ONE RACETRACK WAS WELL UNDERWAY.
BY 2008, SENATE BILL 1515 MADE TWO TA TWO CHANGES TO THE SPECIAL EVENTS LAW.
IT ADDED FORMULA ONE SECOND AND CENTRAL TO THE STADIUM FINANCE MECHANISM.
YOU CHANGED WHAT HAD BEEN ONE OFF
[01:25:01]
PAYMENTS TO EVENTS LIKE THE SUPER BOWL AND THE OLYMPICS TO A MULTI-YEAR SUPPORT MECHANISM.YOU UNDERSTOOD, YOU INTENDED, YOU KNEW THE PROCEEDS FROM SENATE BILL 1515 WOULD BE USED TO FINANCE THE MULTIPURPOSE SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT FACILITY KNOWN AS THE CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS.
YOUR BILL, YOUR LAW, WAS A TROJAN HORSE HEAD INSIDE A STADIUM DEAL BENEFITING A BILLION DOLLAR HEDGE FUND PROFIT CAPITAL ON THE BILLIONAIRE RED MCCOMBS AND MCCOMBS PARTNERS.
THE CIRCUIT OF AMERICA WAS BUILT, BUT TAXPAYERS, TEXAS TAXPAYERS PAID FOR IT.
$290 MILLION TO BE SCRAPED STRAIGHT OUT OF STATE CASH USING A TRUST FUND MECHANISM, WHICH KEPT THE TRANSACTION FROM BUDGET WRITERS.
SENATOR JANE NELSON, WHO'S BILL YOU CHANGED, DID NOT VOTE FOR YOUR BILL.
SENATOR NELSON WAS ON SENATE FINANCE.
VERY LIKELY SENATOR NELSON KNEW WHAT YOU WERE UP TO.
OUR INTEREST ALL ALONG HAS BEEN TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
AUSTIN VOTERS, CITIZENS, ESPECIALLY EAST AUSTIN, DEL VALLEY, EL ELROY, WERE CAUGHT COMPLETELY UNAWARE.
IN MAY, 2010, A YEAR BEFORE, AT THE END OF THE 2009 SESSION, YOU DID NOT ANNOUNCE FORMULA ONE AS A LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENT.
ANNOUNCER RACETRACK WAS COMING TO CENTRAL TEXAS.
TO THE CONTRARY, YOU HID INDUSTRIAL SCALE TOURISM FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS IN 2011 AND 2012 AND ENDURING LA AND DURING LAST YEAR'S MURAL CAMPAIGN, I ASKED FOR TIME, WHICH YOU AVOIDED.
TODAY I'M AT THE PUBLIC, PUBLIC PODIUM ASKING WHO BROUGHT IT TO YOU? SENATE BILL 15 HAD A LOT, I MEAN, A LOT OF POLITICAL PUSH AS IT SPED THROUGH COMMITTEES IN BOTH THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE.
WAS IT PROPHET CAPITAL? WAS IT GOVERNOR PERRY? WAS IT THE MCCOMBS ORGANIZATION? WAS IT CONTROLLER COMBS OR WAS IT ALL FOUR ASSEMBLED, WHICH GAVE THIS DONE DEAL A RUSH IN THE DOOR RATHER THAN A BUMS RUSH OUT.
I WAS IN ANNE RICHARDS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ARM WHEN SHE APPOINTED YOU TO THE CONTROL BOARD.
MAYOR, IF YOU, IF I HAD BROUGHT THIS STINKER TO GOVERNOR RICHARDS, SHE WOULD'VE FIRED US BOTH.
20 YEARS LATER IN 2009, HER APPOINTEE EVIDENTLY FOUND HIMSELF WORKING FOR A DIFFERENT GOVERNOR FOR ANOTHER PARTY OR SO IT APPEARS WHO BROUGHT YOU THE IDEA OF CHANGING THE STATE'S SPECIAL EVENTS FUND? THANK YOU, ROBIN ROSS, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO VISIT WITH YOU ABOUT THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER PROGRAM FOR THE UNHOUSED, PUTTING UP THE RIGHT DOCUMENT.
I'M A CONCERNED CITIZEN AND A FREQUENT VOLUNTEER WITH THE OPEN DOOR PROGRAM AT UNIVERSITY METHODIST CHURCH, WHERE WE PROVIDE FOOD, CLOTHING, AND NOW BUS PASSES TO PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING ON THE STREET.
I REALIZE THAT THE 11 OF YOU DON'T DIRECTLY OVERSEE THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER PROGRAM, BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU ARE IN CHARGE.
THIS PROGRAM IS OUR SHELTER OF LAST RESORT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO SLEEP IN REALLY BAD WEATHER.
IT MAY BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH FOR SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE AUSTIN NIGHTS.
SO WE ALL SHOULD BE INVESTED IN ITS SUCCESS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SHELTER WAS OPEN LAST NIGHT.
I SIGNED UP TO SPEAK REGARDING THE PROGRAM'S OPERATION IN DECEMBER WHEN WE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE NIGHTS BELOW 20 DEGREES.
THE COMMUNICATION ABOUT THIS EVENT WAS NOT ADEQUATE.
ALTHOUGH FORECASTERS WERE PROJECTING THESE LOW TEMPERATURES BY AT LEAST SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18TH, THE CITY DID NOT ANNOUNCE THE OPENING OF THE SHELTER OR UPDATE THE SHELTER HOTLINE UNTIL WEDNESDAY THE 21ST IN THE MORNING.
UNTIL THIS TIME, THE CITY'S MESSAGE WAS, WE ACTIVATE SHELTERS WHEN IT'S 32 OR BELOW.
THE FORECAST IS THAT IT'S GONNA BE 15 DEGREES, BUT WE CAN'T SAY UNTIL THE MORNING OF WHETHER WE'RE GONNA OPEN THE SHELTERS.
IT WAS LIKE A WEIRD, UNNECESSARY RIDDLE.
AS YOU KNOW, THE HOMELESS POPULATION CAN BE HARD TO REACH AND HARD TO CONVINCE TO GO TO SHELTERS.
MANY OF THESE FOLKS DON'T HAVE PHONES.
THE THREE PEOPLE THAT I HAD IN-DEPTH CONVERSATIONS WITH ON THE WEDNESDAY MORNING DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAM, AND ONE OF THEM DID NOT EVEN KNOW THAT THE COLD WEATHER WAS COMING AT ALL.
SO I HAVE TWO SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION.
ONE, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED IN THE MEDIA, WHEN THE FORECAST IS CLEARLY KNOWN IN ADVANCE, MAKE THE CALL EARLY.
COMMIT TO OPENING THE SHELTERS ON A SPECIFIC DAY AND GIVE YOUR SOCIAL WORKERS, YOUR EMS PERSONNEL AND YOUR VOLUNTEERS TIME TO SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND TWO, LET MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC LIKE MYSELF GET ON AN EMAIL ALERT LIST SO THAT WE CAN RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHELTER AND SHARE IT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO A SOCIAL WORKER FRIEND OF MINE SHARED THE CITY'S TEMPLATE
[01:30:01]
POSTER, WHICH CAME FROM PUBLIC HEALTH.AND SO I FILLED IN THE INFORMATION AND MADE COPIES AND ATTACHED IT TO THE BUS STOP BENCHES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL HELP YOU OUT AND SHARE THE INFORMATION IF YOU CAN GET IT TO US IN TIME AND IN ADVANCE.
THE RESOURCE RECOVERY PRO UH, DEPARTMENT HAS A PROGRAM CALLED THE ZERO WASTE BLOCK LEADER, WHERE PEOPLE SIGN UP TO BECOME THE GO-TO PERSON FOR RECYCLING INFORMATION IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS WOULD BE A GOOD MODEL FOR PUBLIC HEALTH TO USE TO DISSEMINATE COLD WEATHER SHELTER INFORMATION.
I'VE ALREADY MADE THE SUGGESTION TO GREG MCCORMICK AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT HAPPEN.
YOU'LL HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE AND A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT I ASK YOU TO PLEASE KEEP THE NEEDS IN THE MOST VULNERABLE AUSTIN NIGHTS AT THE FOREFRONT OF YOUR MIND, EVEN AS YOU DEAL WITH ALL OF THESE OTHER COMPLEXITIES, ESPECIALLY THE NEW MEMBERS.
UM, MS. ROSS, I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT I APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE TODAY.
I ACTUALLY HAVE AN ITEM I INTEND TO BRING FORWARD ON THE NEXT COUNCIL, UM, AGENDA RELATED TO COLD WEATHER, BUT ALSO WE'VE, UH, CHANGED IT SO IT'S EXTREME WEATHER.
WE'RE AWAITING ONE FINAL CO-SPONSOR ON THAT.
AND SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BRING ABOUT SOME CHANGES THAT YOU SPOKE ABOUT.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY.
IF YOU'LL CONNECT WITH MY OFFICE, WE'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE IT WITH YOU.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AND FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE OR REALLY OUR COMMUNITY'S EXPERIENCE DURING EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.
AND I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UM, FOR OUR CITY MANAGER THAT AS PART OF OUR RESPONSE SYSTEM, WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WANNA BE PART OF OUR EFFORTS, NOTIFY OUR COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
AND, UM, THIS LAST EXTREME WEATHER EVENT THAT WE HAD IN DECEMBER, UH, CAME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THERE'S STILL NOT A COORDINATED SYSTEM IN PLACE FOR OUR DEL VALLEY RESIDENTS.
AND I KNOW THAT IT IS A, IT IS A CHALLENGING, UH, COORDINATION BECAUSE IT'S CITY AND COUNTY.
AND SO I JUST WANNA BUBBLE UP THE CONVERSATION OF ENSURING THAT THAT INFORMATION REALLY DOES REACH OUT TO OUR EASTERN CRESCENT NEIGHBORS, UH, AND THAT WE DON'T, UM, DISCLUDE OUR COMMUNITIES IN THAT EFFORT.
CLEMENT, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT I HAVE TO BE HERE BECAUSE YOU, WHO YOU LOOKING AT THE PERSON THAT HAD BEEN HARASSED 18 YEARS, AND I SEND THE EMAIL TO MY COUNCIL MEMBER, THE CITY MANAGER, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AND THE NEWLY ELECTED MAYOR ABOUT WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH.
IT, IT IS BEEN, I'VE ACTUALLY, LAST YEAR I FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST POLICE CHIEF JOSEPH CHUCK ON, SINCE I CAN'T GET AHOLD OF HIS OFFICERS NAME OR BADGE, I WENT AFTER HIM AS WELL AS HIS COMMANDER, JASON BRYANT.
BUT JUST AS TYPICAL AS ALL THE OTHER OCCASIONS WHEN I FILED COMPLAINT TO MY THIRD COMPLAINT SPECIALIST, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN FILING A COMPLAINT FOR OVER A DECADE, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THIS PAST FRIDAY ON THE 20TH, I FILED MY SECOND COMPLAINT AGAINST CHIEF JOSEPH CHECKO.
SINCE I CAN'T GET AHOLD OF HIS MEN, I CAN GO TO THE TOP DOG OF THAT POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND THE CITY MANAGER KNOWS WHO I AM.
HE WAS THERE ON AUGUST THE 19TH, AS WELL AS THE 18TH, WHICH I GAVE A LETTER TO CHIEF CHACO WHEN HE WAS INTERIM CHIEF.
AND WHEN I PUT THAT LETTER ON THAT TABLE, I TOLD HIM EVERYTHING ON THAT LETTER, I'M WILLING TO SAY UNDER OATH IN A COURT OF LAW.
AND GUESS WHAT HAPPENED? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
AND I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT HARASSMENT, I'M TALKING ABOUT CRIMINAL ACTS OF A SERIOUS NATURE.
IF YOU WANNA LOOK MORE INTO IT, CHECK OUT MY FIRST CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.
AND THERE WERE THREE ASSISTED POLICE CHIEFS.
I FOUND OUT LATER THROUGH, UH, CHIEF MANLEY, THAT TWO STARS BEING ASSISTED POLICE CHIEF.
AND I TOLD THE TRUTH, AND I'M ALWAYS GONNA TELL THE TRUTH NO MATTER WHAT.
AND I WANNA MAKE THIS CLEAR BECAUSE WHEN I REPORTED IT TO MY THIRD COMPLAINT SPECIALIST, AND THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT, THE FIRST ONE DIDN'T GO NOWHERE.
YOU KNOW, INTERNAL AFFAIRS, YES, THEY CALLED ME, BUT IT'S ONLY FOR THE COMMANDER AND TWO OF THE LIEUTENANTS OUT THERE IN THE REAL WORLD THAT YOU GUYS PROBABLY NEVER SEE THIS.
PEOPLE THAT FEAR THE POLICE, THEY'RE AFRAID OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND YOU KNOW HOW TERRIBLE THAT SOUNDS? I EVEN HATE SAYING IT BECAUSE THE POLICE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO KEEP US SAFE.
[01:35:01]
AND MY KIDS, MY GRANDKIDS, THEY ALL LIVE HERE.SO YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THIS BECAUSE IF NOT SITUATION, JUST GONNA BE AS BAD AS, I HATE TO SAY THIS, WHAT HAPPENED IN MEMPHIS, THIS NEED TO CHANGE.
HE NEED TO HOLD HIS OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE.
I'VE EXPECTED A CITY MANAGER TO DO SOMETHING, BUT I HATE TO TELL YOU, YOU HAVE N NOTHING.
DEFINITELY THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
ANYWAY, I DON'T WANT TO COME HERE NO MORE IF I DO IT BECAUSE I GOT MORE COMPLAINTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS REMOTE.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE.
MY NAME IS KATIE FRICK TURNER, AND I AM JUST A VOLUNTEER FOR THE CITY.
AND I AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL THAT VOLUNTEERS CAN PROVIDE THEIR TIME TO HELP AT ANIMAL SERVICES, SPECIFICALLY THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
AND I WANTED TO INVITE YOU ALL TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT ANIMAL SERVICES.
YOU EACH ARE LIKELY TO HAVE MANY CONSTITUENTS IN YOUR DISTRICT WHO USE THE SERVICES OF AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER AND ENTITIES THAT THE CITY HAS CONTRACT WITH, SUCH AS EMANCIPATE AND THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY AND VOLUNTEERING FOR THE CITY AT THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
I'VE NOTICED A COUPLE THINGS AND I WANTED TO SHARE THOSE WITH YOU ALL TODAY AND TO SEE IF ANY OF YOU ALL ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING MAKE OUR CITY GREAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
AND IF SO, IF YOU COULD EITHER RAISE YOUR HAND OR HAVE YOUR POLICY AID REACH OUT TO ME.
THERE'S A LARGE GROUP OF CITY VOLUNTEERS WHO WOULD LOVE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
AND SPECIFICALLY IN TERMS OF, OF WHAT I'VE NOTICED IS THAT IT MIGHT TAKE A GOOD CITIZEN IN AUSTIN UP TO SIX MONTHS TO GET A LOW COST SPAY NEUTER APPOINTMENT AT EASA PET.
PERHAPS THE CITY COULD SET UP A MASS SPAY NEUTER DAY EVERY THREE TO FOUR MONTHS THAT ROTATE THROUGH DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
GIVEN THIS TWO IS, THERE'S MODELS OF OTHER CITIES THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN COULD LOOK AT TO TRY AND ADDRESS SOME OF THE, UM, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT SAN FRANCISCO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE IT IS NOT LEGAL TO OWN AN UNALTERED PIT BULL MIX, PERHAPS THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CONSIDER IN OUR CITY.
UM, JUST TO, TO HELP WITH, UH, THE, THE OVERPOPULATION OF, OF LARGE DOGS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
AND WHEN WE LOOK THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT'S COMING UP THIS SUMMER, PERHAPS, UM, THERE MIGHT BE AN INTEREST IN INCREASING FUNDING FOR THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY IN CERTAIN DISTRICTS LIKE D TWO, FOR EXAMPLE.
I THINK THAT COULD BE QUITE HELPFUL TO CONSTITUENTS IN CERTAIN AREAS.
AGAIN, IF YOUR, IF YOUR OFFICE IS INTERESTED IN HELPING MAKE OUR CITY GREAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS AT THE SHELTER THAT WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP.
SO FEEL FREE TO EITHER RAISE YOUR HAND OR REACH OUT TO ME.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, DANIELLE.
JUST SINCE THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HERE, I HOPE IT'S MY LAST, UH, I SENT AN EMAIL YESTERDAY.
IT'S CHANGED RADICALLY DOING MY RESEARCH THE PAST SINCE MONDAY.
AND I'LL START WITH THE LAST, THE BULLETS AT THE END OF IT.
UH, I WOULD LET I, I'M HERE BECAUSE OF PROPERTY TAXES AND I WANNA MAKE AUSTIN MORE AFFORDABLE.
AND IT COULD START WITH A I S D ROBINHOOD.
TO ME, IT'S JESSE JAMES, NOT ROBINHOOD.
HOW COULD DALLAS AND MIDLAND AND HOUSTON BE SOLD? POOR THAT COMBINE, THEY PAY LESS THAN A I S D.
HOPEFULLY YOU'LL USE YOUR, UH, EXPERTISE, EXPERIENCE AND WORK WITH THE STATE ON THAT.
AUSTIN CITY CONST GAVE THEMSELVES A 40% PAY RAISE IN THE FALL.
THEY IGNORED ME IN THE SUMMER ABOUT TCAD, THE
[01:40:01]
TRAVIS COUNTY ASSESSMENT.I'VE OWNED PROPERTY SINCE 1980 AND TWICE.
IT WAS BUMPED UP $50,000 FOR THE LOT THIS PAST YEAR.
IT WENT FROM 100,000 TO 250,001 YEAR, 39.3% INCREASE, KIND OF JIVES WITH THE 40% PAY INCREASE YOU GOT.
UH, THERE'S SO MUCH SCREWED UP WITH THE T THEIR OP, UH, COMPUTER OPERATIONS.
UH, THE OTHER SIDE, IT SHOWS THE EMAIL THAT WAS, UH, IGNORED BY THE CONSOLE.
I GOT ONE BACK FROM MY REPRESENTATIVE EIGHT, WHICH BASICALLY TOLD ME TO GO ENJOY SWIMMING AT DICK NICHOLS POOL.
TO NOW THAT'S TELLING GO JUMP IN A LAKE.
UH, IN THE SEVENTIES, I SAW I SMELLED THE BJO DISHES OF KOREA IN THE EIGHTIES.
I WATCHED TURKISH WOMEN DOING LAUNDRY BY HAND, RIVERSIDE THIS PAST SUMMER.
I SAW HOMELESS, UH, A VACATED HOMELESS, UH, ENCAMPMENT IN THE GREEN BELT NEXT TO THE LIBRARY AND OVER BY THE POOL.
AND I FELT THREATENED, UH, SIMPLY BECAUSE I WAS SOLO.
UH, UH, SHOULDN'T BE THAT WAY AT HOME.
AND LIKE I SAID, I HOPE I DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK.
I, I, I GOT REAMS OF DOCUMENTATION.
THERE'S THE EMAIL AND THEN WHAT'S DOWNLOADED HERE WITH THE TEXTING FROM TCAD.
PLEASE CALL ME AND RESOLVE THOSE THREE ISSUES AT THE END.
MY NAME IS DEBORAH HARMON MILLER.
I'M A MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE AND AUTHOR.
UM, FOR THE LAST, UH, YEAR, I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING THE TRANSIT SYSTEM HERE IN AUSTIN WHILE I WRITE MY NEXT BOOK, DEBBIE DES AUSTIN BY WHEELCHAIR.
I'M A COLUMNIST FOR THE CHALLENGER ON MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY.
I'M ALSO A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT WITH THE HEALTHY WILLIAMSON COUNTY COALITION.
BECAUSE OF MY WORK IN MENTAL HEALTH, LAST YEAR, I WAS WATCHED AS ADVOCATES BEGGED FOR BUS PASSES ALL SUMMER LONG WHILE THERE WAS AN FTA GRANT AVAILABLE WITH 300 TRILLION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN APPLIED THAT NO ONE ASKED FOR IN THE CITY.
IT WASN'T PART OF PROJECT CONNECT, IT WOULD PAY THE RENT OF ADDICTS WHO ARE CONSIDERED DISABLED, HIDDEN UNDER THE SENIORS MOBILITY GRANT WITH FROM BIDEN'S ADMINISTRATION TO HELP SENIORS GET BACK OUT.
THIS, I HAVE BEEN DOING A RESEARCH STUDY.
I WAS CALLED THE BLUE APPLE EXPRESS THAT I WOULD LIKE FUNDING FOR.
UM, IT, I DON'T NEED A LOCAL MATCH, BUT I NEED YOU TO APPLY FOR IT.
DURING THE PANDEMIC, MEDICARE DECIDED TO ONLY APPROVE FOREIGN AND MADE WHEELCHAIRS FOR PEOPLE CUZ THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD NEVER GO BACK OUTSIDE.
THEY'RE STUCK WITH US FOR FIVE YEARS.
NOW WE'RE SENDING FIRETRUCKS TO PICK THEM UP BECAUSE THEY FALL APART WITHIN A MONTH.
AND WE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT EVEN SAFE TO DRIVE ON THE STREET.
THE ONES THAT WE USED TO HAVE WERE CRASH TEST APPROVED.
AND RIGHT NOW YOU CAN GET ONE WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION OFF OF FACEBOOK FOR $50.
THEY'RE COMING TO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
RIGHT NOW WE ONLY HAVE FIRETRUCKS TO RESCUE PEOPLE WHO BREAK DOWN IN A WHEELCHAIR AND THE HANDICAPPED SYSTEM, UH, FOR BUS SYSTEM HERE, WE HAVE ONLY PURCHASED BUSES THAT WILL HOLD ONE WHEELCHAIR AT A TIME.
THE PEOPLE THAT PURCHASED THE WHEELCHAIRS THAT PURCHASED THE BUSES NEVER GOT IN A WHEELCHAIR AND GOT ON THE BUS.
THE WHEELCHAIRS DON'T FIT INSIDE THE BUSES.
IT IT, AND, AND, AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A CARING THOUGHT.
WE BUY THINGS FOR OTHER PEOPLE THINKING THEY CAN RETURN THEM IF THEY DON'T FIT.
BUT WE'VE BOUGHT BUSES THAT DON'T FIT.
WE BOUGHT TRANSPORTATION THAT DOESN'T FIT.
WE'VE BOUGHT UNSAFE TRANSPORTATION DEVICES FOR THE DISABLED TELLING THEM THAT THEY ARE NO GOOD.
THEY SHOULD ALL STAY HOME AND DO NOTHING.
I ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER MY PROGRAM THE BLUE APPLE EXPRESS, WHERE WE WOULD HAVE QUALIFIED M MHPS THAT WOULD GO OUT AND BE SUPPORTED THROUGH UBER AND, UH, LYFT RIGHT NOW TO BE TRAINED WITH 88 VEHICLES DURING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST TO, UH, TO RETRIEVE THESE WHEELCHAIRS THAT ARE ALL COMING TO TOWN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND GOOD LUCK.
I CHALLENGE YOU ON MARCH 8TH, KIRK, TO MEET ME AT THE BUS, AT THE TRAIN STATION, AT THE TRANSIT CENTER LAKELINE, AND RIDE THE TRAIN WITH ME FOR LESLIE DAY.
AND LET'S LOOK, TALK ABOUT LOOKING AT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO
[01:45:01]
SIT AS A PERSON WITH A MOBILITY CHALLENGE AND USE THE BUS SYSTEM ONE TO ONE.AND LET ME SHOW YOU AUSTIN FROM A WHEELCHAIR.
YES, MAY I, UH, THANK YOU DEBBIE FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE ACCOMPANYING PACKET.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS, UH, WELL CERTAINLY I SHOULD DEFER TO THE CHAIR, BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A MOBILITY COMMITTEE AND I THINK THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WE COULD BRING TO THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE.
UM, BUT I WOULD ALSO, UM, WHO'S, DO YOU KNOW WHO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER IS? WHAT DISTRICT YOU'RE IN? NO, I'M IN DISTRICT SIX, I BELIEVE.
I'M IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF AUSTIN THAT IS IN TRA IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
WE HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION TO DOCTORS.
AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHO MY REPRESENTATIVE IS.
IN FACT, I COULD NOT VOTE BECAUSE I COULD.
AND I THINK YOU'RE JUST ACROSS THE HIGHWAY FROM YOU ON RESEARCH.
ACTUALLY, I LIVE ON HIGH MEADOW, SO YEAH.
AND I LIVE ON ANDERSON MILL ROAD, SO I'VE BEEN WANTING TO MEET WITH YOU.
SO I WAS JUST GONNA SAY MY FIELD OFFICE.
I'LL, I'LL WORK WITH, I WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH TO WORK WITH YOUR, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, AND, AND SEE WHAT IT IS THAT, THAT WE CAN DO TO ELEVATE YOUR PROGRAM.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S APPLICABLE NOT JUST TO PEOPLE WITH, UM, MENTAL HEALTH, UM, ISSUES OR DISABILITIES, BUT, UM, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY RECENTLY TO VISIT, UH, AN ORGANIZATION THAT DOES WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING.
AND ONE OF THEIR LARGEST ISSUES WAS GETTING THEIR STUDENTS TO SCHOOL.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE ISSUING UBER AND LYFT VOUCHERS.
AND SO I THINK, UM, ALTERNATIVE, OH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK UP.
I THINK ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION IS, IS AN ISSUE THAT WE SHOULD ADDRESS ACROSS THE BOARD ISSUE WITH LYFT, THE UBER, THEY HAVE THE ON THEIR APP WHERE I COULD CALL FOR A WHEELCHAIR LIFT WITH THEM MM-HMM.
BUT THERE'S NO ONE THAT WILL RESPOND TO THE CALL BECAUSE IT COSTS MORE FOR AN 80 A VEHICLE, IT COSTS MORE FOR GAS.
AND SO WE DON'T HAVE HAVE DRIVERS SIGN UP IF THERE WAS A PROGRAM WHERE WE GAVE MM-HMM.
IT'S NOT FAIR TO DISABLE PEOPLE TO CHARGE EXTRA FOR A RIDE.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE NO RIDER, THE DRIVER.
HELLO, CITY MANAGER, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M HERE BECAUSE OF THE NEW BLOOD ON COUNCIL.
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT YOUR PREDECESSORS AND I DON'T WANT IT REPEATED.
SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE TALKING, TEXTING, EATING, AND LEAVING WHEN CITIZENS WERE HERE.
SPEAKING ON THE TOPIC OF THEIR CHOICE, SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE ON AN EGO TRIP.
I HAD TO BRING THEM DOWN OFF THEIR PEDESTAL BECAUSE ONE BY ONE COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD GET UP AND LEAVE AND NOT COME BACK.
THERE WOULD BE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS LEFT UP THERE.
I GUESS THERE ARE A LOT OF YES PEOPLE ON STAFF WHO WERE NOT BRAVE ENOUGH TO LET THEM KNOW HOW DISRESPECTFUL IT WAS AND HOW UGLY IT LOOKED.
THEREFORE, I HAD TO BRING IT TO THE ATTENTION THAT I WANTED.
EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER SEAT FAILED.
THEY TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO SOLVE IT.
SO EVERY TIME A COUNCIL MEMBER GOT UP TO LEAVE, RUN TO THE RESTROOM, A STAFF MEMBER WAS READY TO SIT IN THAT SEAT SO ALL THE SEATS WOULD BE FILLED.
THEN ONE DAY PETS ALIVE OR THE ANIMAL CENTER WAS HERE PROMOTING THE ADOPTION OF ANIMALS.
ABOUT THREE OR FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE WANDERING AROUND IN CHAMBERS WITH KITTENS AND PUPPIES TAKING PICTURES.
DON'T GET ME WRONG, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST PETS ALIVE OR THE ANIMAL CENTER, BUT IT WAS REALLY DISRUPTIVE WHEN SPEAKERS WERE TRYING TO BE HEARD.
ONE SPEAKER EVEN SAID THAT HE WAS BEING OB STAGED.
FOR THOSE REASONS, I FEEL EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA TO ALLOW TIME FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR ENJOYMENT.
THIS LAST COMMENT ON MY SPEECH, I HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO MY GHOST WRITER.
HE'S GREAT WITH LOGAN'S SPEECHES AND ADVERTISING GIMMICKS.
AND SINCE I'LL BE 68 ON TUESDAY IN FEEL BAD SOMETIMES BECAUSE OF MY, MY AILMENTS, I COULD SOON BE OUT OF THIS WORLD.
SO KUDOS TO TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS ENTERPRISES.
SINCE I STILL HAVE TIME, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR TALKING TO THE VOTERS, TAKING PICTURES AND ALL THE WHILE SMILING.
AFTER TAKING THE OATH, HE WAS FULL OF ENERGY AND SPIRIT AND I THINK HE MAY JUST HAVE BEAT OUT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAY IN THE LONGEST, OR AT LEAST WAS ONE OF THE ONES WHO STAYED THE LONGEST MINGLING WITH THE PUBLIC.
HE WAS THE FIRST ONE BACK AFTER BREAK TOO.
I NOTICED THAT
MADISON REMAINED WELL UNTIL EIGHT O'CLOCK.
OTHERS STATE, OTHERS STARTED OUT ON THE WRONG FOOT BY LEAVING EARLY.
FORGIVE ME IF YOU STAYED UNTIL EIGHT AND I DIDN'T NOTICE YOU.
I TRIED REALLY HARD TO NOTICE EVERYONE THAT WAS HERE.
[01:50:01]
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEXT WEEK.UH, I WANNA START BY THANKING THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR FOR TAKING AN OATH TO THE CONSTITUTION, UH, BECAUSE OF THEIR DESIRE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
AS I HAVE LEARNED FROM ONE OF MY MENTORS, RETIRED JUDGE BOB PERKINS, LONG-STANDING MISTAKES CAN BE CORRECTED WITH THE HELP OF CITY COUNCIL.
JUDGE PERKINS HAS TOLD ME ABOUT THE GREAT ADVERSITY TO THE CORRECTION OF THE SPELLING OF MENCHACA ROAD.
I LEARNED A FAILED LAWSUIT WAS FILED AGAINST THE CITY OF AUSTIN BECAUSE THEY DECIDED TO CORRECT THE MISSPELLING OF THE NAME MANCHACA.
SIMILAR TO JUDGE PERKINS WORKING AS A TAXI DRIVER WHILE IN LAW SCHOOL.
I WORK IN THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY WHILE STUDYING TO BE A CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY, SIMILAR TO JOSE ANTONIO MANCHACA.
MY FAMILY NAME WAS CHANGED BY THE ARMY.
I'M A MEMBER OF AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT MINORITY GROUPS, ITALIAN AMERICANS AND DISABLED AMERICANS.
I HAVE A VERY PERSONAL AND EXTENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF AT LEAST TWO CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS, THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, AND THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE TEXAS CHAUFFEUR COALITION.
THE TEXAS CHAUFFEUR COALITION SH SURVEY SHOWS THAT 99% OF THE CURRENT PETTY CAB OPERATORS WANT TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF PETTY CAB OPERATING AUTHORITIES IN AUSTIN, THE METRO CYCLE PETTY CAB'S OWNER HAS STATED THE CURRENT MORATORIUM ON PETTY CAB OPERATING AUTHORITIES WAS CREATED BECAUSE HE FELT HIS COMPANY WAS NOT MAKING ENOUGH MONEY.
THAT LAW IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ISSUES WITH TRANSPORTATION, AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OUR CITY IS CURRENTLY FACING.
TOGETHER WE CAN REIMAGINE TRANSPORTATION, AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY IN OUR CITY TO MAKE A MORE INCLUSIVE TOMORROW, I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL AND EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE FOR THEIR TIME.
ROY WHALEY, HOW TO Y'ALL? MY NAME IS ROY WHALEY AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS THE CHAIR OF THE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE OR THE AUSTIN REGIONAL GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB.
AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE SOME OF THE FAMILIAR FACES BACK AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE THE NEW FACES ON THE DIAS.
SO THIS IS MY FIRST TIME SPEAKING AT CITIZENS COMMUNICATION, BUT NOT MY FIRST.
I'VE GOT FREQUENT FLYER MILES DOWN HERE.
THE AUSTIN REGIONAL GROUP IS A PART OF THE LONE STAR SIERRA CLUB AND, AND DOVE CORTEZES AND FIRES REED ARE OVER TILTING AT WINDMILLS AT THE CAPITOL RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND THAT'S A SUBGROUP OF THE NATIONAL SIERRA CLUB THAT WAS FOUNDED BY JOHN YURIN, 1893.
I WASN'T THERE WHEN IT WAS FOUNDED.
NOW THEN THERE IS NO DECISION THAT ANY OF Y'ALL WILL MAKE THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENT TO IT.
EVERY DECISION YOU MAKE WILL HAVE SOME SORT OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENT THERE.
IT IS NOT LIKE THERE'S ANY DISTRICT IN AUSTIN THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO EVERYTHING IS IS TOUCHED BY THE ENVIRONMENT.
THE NATIONAL SIERRA CLUB IS RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR WORK ON ENDANGERED SPECIES PROTECTION.
IT HAS BEEN THAT AND OFTEN ONE OF THE MOST ENDANGERED SPECIES WE HAVE HERE ARE THE POOR, THE THE PEOPLE WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
AND WE NEED TO WORK FOR ALL OF US.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL DO THAT BECAUSE CLEAN AIR AND DIRTY AIR, CLEAN WATER AND DIRTY WATER, UM, IT JUST DOESN'T CARE WHO YOU ARE.
YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT IS THE SAME ON THE RICH AND THE POOR.
NOT REALLY, UH, PEOPLE OF COLOR.
AND IT DOESN'T CARE IF YOU'RE MALE OR FEMALE OR WHAT GENDER YOU ARE OR HOW YOU IDENTIFY.
IT DOESN'T MATTER ABOUT YOUR ETHNICITY, IT JUST DOESN'T CARE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU LIVE ON BALCON, UH, JUST BELOW MOUNT VANEL OR PROC LANE JUST BELOW THE RED BLUFF PRESERVE IN EAST AUSTIN.
AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK SIERRA CLUB DID, WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORS OVER THERE TO GET THAT PUT INTO A
[01:55:01]
PRESERVE.THE AUSTIN SIERRA CLUB IS READY TO WORK WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
WE WANT TO WORK ON ENVIRONMENTAL MENTAL ISSUES.
WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO AGREE, BUT WHERE WE AGREE WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOGETHER AND WE ARE READY TO DO THAT.
SO ANOTHER THING I WANT TO SAY WHILE I HAVE THE TIME IS THANK YOU FOR INCREASING THE TIME, ALLOWED TO SPEAK FOR GENERAL, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
GO AHEAD AND BUMP IT UP TO THREE MINUTES.
YOU KNOW, I JUST SAID A, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT I HAD TO SAY AND I HAD THREE MINUTES.
I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOU WERE HERE.
YOU KNOW THE REASON WE CAN STILL SWIM IN BARTON SPRINGS BECAUSE WE KEPT Y'ALL HERE ALL NIGHT.
YOU, I WAS NOT HERE FOR THAT, BUT, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
WELL, YOU WERE HERE FOR A LOT OF THINGS.
I, IT IS NICE TO SEE THE NEW FACES AND I'M COUNTING YOU IN ON THAT.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS WE HAVE FOR NOON PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
UM, MEMBERS, YOU JUST HEARD THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT CONCLUDES, UH, THE 12 O'CLOCK CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO GO TO, UM, OUR MUSIC PRESENTATION.
AND WHEN WE FINISH WITH THE MUSIC PRESENTATION, WE ARE GOING TO BE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
SO WE'LL PLEASE BE HERE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A MOTION TO RECESS, UH, UNTIL TWO O'CLOCK WHEN WE TAKE UP, UH, THE ZONING AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENTS.
SO WITH THAT, WE WILL GO TO, YOU CAN SAY IT NOW, BUT AFTER MUSIC WE'RE GONNA, ALRIGHT.
WHY DON'T I JUST DO, YEAH, OKAY, GOOD.
UM, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO, AT THE END OF THE MUSIC RECESSING, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL UNTIL A TIME CERTAIN OF 2:00 PM HEARING NO OBJECTION.
AFTER THE, AT THE CONCLUSION OF OUR MUSIC PRESENTATION, CITY COUNCIL WILL BE RECESSED UNTIL 2:00 PM WHEN WE'LL RECONVENE.
[Live Music Wyatt’s Big Brass Band]
RIGHT.WELL, YOU'VE HAD A TASTE, RIGHT?
UM, BIG WISES BRASS BAND IS, IS A, AS YOU CAN ALREADY TELL, IT'S A FRENETIC AND VERY ENERGETIC, UH, BAND WHERE THERE'S A PARTY WHEREVER THEY PLAY.
SO LET'S PARTY HERE IN CITY HALL, IT WAS FORMED FOR MEMBERS OF THE WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOLS BAND PROGRAM, AND THE BAND HAS PLAYED TO THE MUSIC LOVERS OF AUSTIN FOR NEARLY EIGHT YEARS NOW.
IN ADDITION TO PLAYING ICONIC AUSTIN VENUES SUCH AS ANTONES, THE CONTINENTAL CLUB, AND THE MOODY AMPHITHEATER, THE BAND HAS ALSO REPRESENTED AUSTIN AT INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVALS IN GUATEMALA AND COSTA RICA.
THEY PLAY AN ECLECTIC MIX OF TRADITIONAL NEW ORLEANS STANDARDS, FUNKY ORIGINALS, AND THEY'VE COLLABORATED WITH A VARIETY OF AUSTIN ART ARTISTS SUCH AS THE BEATBOX KING BEN BUCK, AND INDIE HEAVY HITTERS NIGHTCAP.
WHETHER IT'S A SECOND LINE WEDDING ON LAKE TRAVIS, THE AUSTIN HOT SAUCE FESTIVAL, OR JUST A ROCKING HOUSE PARTY, BIG WISE AIMS TO INVITE THE LISTENER ON A WILD RIDE THROUGH ITS BRASSY CONFECTIONS AND HARD-HITTING RHYTHM SECTION.
UH, THIS IS THE FIRST DAY I GET TO PROCLAIM THIS IS A PRETTY BIG DEAL.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS IS BLESSED WITH MANY CREATIVE MUSICIANS WHOSE TALENT EXTENDS TO VIRTUALLY EVERY MUSICAL GENRE.
AND WHEREAS OUR MUSIC SCENE THRIVES BECAUSE AUSTIN SUPPORTS GOOD MUSIC PRODUCED BY LEGENDS, OUR LOCAL FAVORITE FAVORITES AND NEWCOMERS ALIKE, AND WHEREAS WE ARE PLEASED TO SHOWCASE AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTISTS.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JANUARY 26TH, 2023.
[02:00:13]
WE GOT THAT.I'VE SEEN THE PEOPLE ONE MORE.
SO, UM, TELL US WHERE YOU'RE PLAYING.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE PLAYING AT, UM, FAR OUT LOUD FEBRUARY 10TH BIRTHDAY.
AND WE'RE PLAYING THAT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST OF CENTRAL MACHINE WORKS.
LET'S, LET'S, LET'S SUPPORT THEM AND, AND, AND SAY THANKS FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE HERE TODAY.
I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
[2:00 PM - Zoning and Neighborhood Plan Amendments (Public Hearings and Possible Action) ]
THIS IS FOR OUR TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN RELATED TO ZONING AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENTS, UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS, AND POSSIBLE ACTION.WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM IN JUST A MOMENT FROM, UH, SPEAKERS ON THE CAP SPEAKERS.
BUT BEFORE WE DO, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE STAFF TO COME UP AND PLEASE READ INTO THE RECORD THE PULLED AND OR POSTPONED ITEMS SO THAT ANY SPEAKERS THAT ARE REGISTERED, REGISTERED FOR A POSTPONED ITEM CAN BE MADE.
SO YOU'LL KNOW THAT, UH, WE'RE YOU WILL, WE'RE MOVING THAT OFF.
AND YOUR TIME IF YOU ARE SPEAKING ON A POSTPONED ITEM, WILL ONLY BE TO SPEAK ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.
THANK YOU MAYOR JOY HARDEN WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
SO AS YOU STATED, I WILL BE READING THE POSTPONED
[02:05:01]
ITEMS. UM, ITEMS NUMBER 63 AND 64 RELATED SPRINGDALE COMMERCIAL.AND THERE'S A STAFF POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MARCH 23RD COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 66 IS 1 2 1 21 NORTH IH 35 AND THERE'S A APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR FEBRUARY 9TH COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 67 500 VFW ROAD APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR FEBRUARY 9TH COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 68, UH, BURLESON AND BEN WHITE.
THERE'S A STAFF POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MARCH 9TH COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 71 IS, UH, BRODY RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AMENDMENT POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER TO YOUR FEBRUARY 9TH COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, THE RELATED REZONING OF BRODY IS ITEM NUMBER 72.
AND AGAIN, POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER TO YOUR FEBRUARY 9TH MEETING.
AND THE LAST POST-ONE ITEM ON THIS AGENDA IS ITEM 77, AND THAT'S THE WESTGATE TOWER REZONING.
AND THERE'S A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE TO YOUR FEBRUARY 9TH COUNCIL MEETING.
SO ALL THESE ITEMS ARE CONSENT POSTPONED MINS, AND, UM, IF SOMEONE IS SIGNED IN TO SPEAK TO THOSE, THEY WOULD JUST BE SPEAKING TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT LIKE YOU STATED.
MEMBERS, UH, WITH REGARD TO ITEMS 71 AND 72, THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER REQUEST TO BE POSTPONED, YOU'LL RECALL THAT THERE WAS A CORRESPONDING ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 62, UH, THAT WAS POSTPONED EARLIER IN THE DAY, UH, WHEN WE WERE, WHEN I, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA, AND I JUST WANTED TO CALL THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
AND FOR THE RECORD, UH, IS IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO POSTPONEMENT OF THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN READ, INCLUDING THE DATES, CERTAIN HEARING NONE.
THE POSTPONES ARE, UH, GRANTED, I THINK, DOES ANYBODY WANT TO SPEAK TO THE POSTPONEMENTS? ALL RIGHT, GOOD DEAL.
I WONDER SURE IF IT WAS NOW OR LATER, BUT CLEARLY IT'S NOW.
UM, I JUST WANT TO, TO TALK REAL QUICKLY ABOUT THE BRODY OAKS PUD KIND OF WHY I'M LOOKING TO, TO POSTPONE IT FOR TWO WEEKS.
UH, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH THINGS OF THIS SCALE, DEVELOPMENTS OF THIS SCALE THAT WE ALWAYS WANT TO GET IT RIGHT, BUT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHERE IT'S LOCATED IN SUCH AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA, I WANT TO BE DOUBLY SURE.
AND SO, UH, I, I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF FEELINGS AND OPINIONS ABOUT THIS PROJECT, AND I JUST WANT TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND, AND I HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO GO AND, AND MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO, TO KNOCK ON SOME DOORS IN THE, IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND HEAR WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE THINKING.
UM, BUT I JUST REALLY WANT TO, TO DIVE DEEPLY INTO THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, BOTH TO BARTON CREEK, THE GREEN BELT, UM, AND BEING OVER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE.
JUST WANT TO LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY.
THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACTS OF THIS, UM, AND THE MOBILITY IMPACTS, HOW IT, IT, UH, RELATES TO PROJECT CONNECT AND OTHER THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
SO JUST, UH, A LITTLE EXTRA TIME TO MAKE SURE IT'S EXACTLY HOW WE WE WANT IT TO BE.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MEMBERS.
UM, I, I GOT THE MOTION AND A VOTE BEFORE WE ASK FOR PEOPLE TO COME UP AND TALK.
AND SO, UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SPEAK ON THE POSTPONEMENT, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
UH, IF SO, IF WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME UP AND SPEAK ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT AND WE WANT TO CHANGE OUR MIND ON ONE OF THESE ITEMS, I'LL AT THAT TIME ACCEPT A MOTION TO RECONSIDER.
UH, BUT UNTIL THAT TIME, I'LL, I'LL HOLD OFF ON THAT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL US WHO WANTS TO TALK? YES.
MAYOR, THE FIRST SPEAKER IS SPEAKING REMOTELY ON ITEM 74, CYNTHIA JOHNSON.
HELLO, THIS IS CYNTHIA JOHNSON AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE SOUTH BOGGY CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE C 14 DASH 2021 DASH 1 23 REZONING CASE.
AND I HAVE BEEN, UH, MEETING WITH SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS, AND WE HAVE SOME, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT.
OUR NUMBER ONE CONCERN IS THE DEVELOPMENT IS RIGHT ON TOP OF THE SOUTH BOGGY CREEK RECHARGE ZONE.
AND, UH, I LIVE ON THE CREEK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF DITMAR.
IT'S ONE OF THE ONLY GREEN SPACES LEFT IN THIS PART OF AUSTIN.
AND WE WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
[02:10:02]
AND ALSO THE IMPACT ON FLOODING OF OUR HOUSES BECAUSE, UH, SOME OF THE HOUSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE LAST TWO BIG FLOODS, UH, WHICH I THINK WAS 2006, 13, AND THEN 2016, UH, THAT WAS THE ONION CREEK FLOOD SOUTH BOGIE CREEK CAME UP TO THE BACK OF OUR HOUSES, AND THAT'S PRETTY CLOSE.AND SO WITH THIS HUGE DEVELOPMENT GOING IN, WE ARE REALLY AFRAID OF THAT, UH, FLOODING IMPACT.
AND WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT FLOODING ABATEMENT AS WELL AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD, UH, LOSS OF, UH, SO MUCH GREEN SPACE AND WILDLIFE, UH, HERE IN THIS AREA OF SOUTH AUSTIN, WHICH HAS BEEN RAPIDLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO, UH, WE ALSO HAVE ONE OF THE LARGEST SHOPPING CENTERS IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
SO WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF CHOICES WITH, UH, COMMERCIAL, UH, ENTERPRISES AND BUSINESSES.
I, I'M, I'M SORRY, BUT YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
MAYOR, THAT'S ALL THE REMOTE SPEAKERS I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
SO I'M GONNA SWITCH OVER TO IN-PERSON.
CAN I, CAN I ASK YOU TO, TO NOT DO THAT RIGHT NOW? CAN, CAN WE WAIT ONE SECOND, BUT I'D LIKE TO DO, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS IS THE WAY IT'S BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, BUT I'D LIKE TO ASK MS. HARDEN TO COME BACK UP AND GO THROUGH THE KENT CONSENT ITEMS SO THAT I CAN OPEN A HEAR PUBLIC HEARINGS ON ALL OF THOSE CONSENT ITEMS. AND THEY WOULD THEN, THE TESTIMONY WOULD THEN BE PART OF THAT SO THAT WE'LL HAVE A CLEAN OPENING AND A CLEAN CLOSING OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
SO, MAYOR, DID YOU WANT ME TO READ ALL THE ITEMS INTO THE RECORD OR I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO PUT THE CONSENT AGENDA IN PLAY.
UM, SO YOUR, UM, YOUR ZONING AGENDA BEGINS WITH ITEM NUMBER 63, WHICH IS C 1 14 20 22 0 0 70.
AND AS NOTED, UM, THIS IS BEING OFFERED FOR A STAFF POSTPONEMENT TO YOUR MARCH 23RD COUNCIL MEETING, ITEM 64 C 14 20 22 0 0 15.
UM, AGAIN, THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED, UH, BY A STAFF HOST MOMENT TO YOUR MARCH 23RD COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 65 IS NPA 20 22 0 0 1, 0 0.03.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT AS FIRST READING ONLY.
ITEM 66 IS C 1 14 20 20 0 1 4 3.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED AS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TO YOUR FEBRUARY, FEBRUARY 9TH COUNCIL MEETING.
THIS ITEM BEING OFFERED AS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT TO YOUR FEBRUARY 9TH COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 68 IS NPA 20 22 0 0 2 1 0.02.
THIS IS A STAFF POSTPONEMENT TO YOUR MARCH 9TH COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 69 IS NPA 20 22 0 0 2 9 0.01.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
FIRST READING ONLY, ITEM SEVEN.
UH, THE RELATED, UM, REON CASE IS ITEM 70, C1 14 20 22 0 0 94.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON FIRST READING.
ITEM 71 IS C ONE 14 R 81 0 33 R CA.
AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTAR POSTPONEMENT TO YOUR FEBRUARY 9TH COUNCIL MEETING, THE RELATED REZONING, UH, C 8 1 14 20 21 0 0 99, UH, POSTPONEMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARIA RYAN AL ALTER TO YOUR FEBRUARY 9TH MEETING, ITEM 73, SCENE 1 14 20 22 0 1 53.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
UM, ITEM 74 IS AN ITEM THAT'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS, WHICH IS C 1 14, 20, 20, 21, 0 1, 23.
I CAN READ THE MOTION OR I CAN COME BACK AND DO THAT.
UM, WHAT IS YOUR PREFERENCE, MAYOR, PLEASE GO THROUGH AND THEN COME BACK AND WE'LL, OKAY.
WE'LL CALL SPECIAL ATTENTION TO ITEM 74.
ITEM 75 IS C 1 4 20 22 0 1 35.
THIS IS ITEM OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM 76, CUN 14, 20 22 0 1 37.
THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
[02:15:01]
ITEM 77 C 14 H 20 22 0 73.THIS ITEM'S BEING OFFERED FOR, UM, POSTPONEMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE TO YOUR FEBRUARY 9TH MEETING.
ITEM 78 2 1 14 20 22 0 2 1 11.
THIS, IT IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM 80 IS NPA 20 21 0 0 1, 0 0.01.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
AND LASTLY, ITEM 81 IS 2 14 20 21 0 1 9 1.
THIS ITEM IS BEING OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
I KNOW THAT Y'ALL NEED TO STILL HEAR FROM SPEAKERS.
SO ANY ITEM THAT I HAVE OFFERED FROM CONSENT, OF COURSE, ANY COUNCIL MEMBER KNOWS THAT THEY CAN PULL THAT ITEM AFTER THEY HEAR FROM THE SPEAKERS, RIGHT.
AND, AND WE'RE GONNA DO THAT BASED UPON THE SUGGESTION I HAD THIS MORNING AFTER WE'VE HAD, UH, ANY TESTIMONY.
I WILL THEN ASK IF ANYBODY HAS SOMETHING THEY WANT TO PULL, BUT I WANT TO GO BACK TO, UH, 74 MEMBERS.
74, UH, BY YOU HEARD EVERY ITEM IS, IS OFFERED ON CONSENT.
NUMBER 74 HAS A PROPOSED AMENDMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
SO IT ASKS THAT YOU LAY OUT THE AM UH, THE AMENDMENT.
THE WAY, THE WAY I INTEND TO DEAL WITH THAT IS IF, IF IT'S STILL PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, I WILL READ IT AS ITEM NUMBER, NOT ITEM NUMBER 74, PASSING AS AMENDED SO THAT WE'LL HAVE A RECORD ON THAT.
UM, SO IT IS AMEND PART TWO D AS FOLLOWS, AND AS THE END OF PART TWO D, THE SENTENCE EXCLUDING THE 72 FEET AT THE SOUTHERN PROPERTY LINE WHERE PEACEFUL HILL LANE IS IN WHERE PEACEFUL HILL LANE WILL INTERSECT WITH A FUTURE RIGHT OF WAY EXTENSION OF FAROS DRIVE WESTWARD, AND THEN AMEND PART TWO F AS FOLLOWS, STRIKING THE BEGINNING AND ADDING A BUILDING OR STRUCTURE ON TRACK ONE.
IN LOCATED IN HEIGHT LIMIT AREA ONE MAY NOT EXCEED THE HEIGHT LIMIT SHOWN ON EXHIBIT D.
TRACK ONE HEIGHT LIMIT, EXHIBIT A BUILDING OR STRUCTURE ON TRACK ONE AND LOCATED IN A HEIGHT LIMIT AREA TWO MAY NOT EXCEED THE HEIGHT SHOWN IN EXHIBIT D.
TRACK ONE HEIGHT LIMIT EXHIBIT.
AND THEN UH, THREE, ADD A NEW SECTION ONE TO PART TWO TO RITA FOLLOWS, ALL COMMERCIAL USES ARE PROHIBITED USES WITHIN 70 FEET OF THE WESTERN PROPERTY LINE ON TRACK ONE.
AND THEN LASTLY, EXHIBIT D SHALL BE A MINUTE TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL HEIGHT LIMIT AREA AND TO DEPICT HEIGHT LIMIT AREA ONE AND HEIGHT LIMIT AREA TWO.
AND WITH THAT, UM, AND AFTER YOUR VOTE, THIS IS STILL OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS WITH THAT AMOUNT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? QUESTIONS OF STAFF? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I I, I'LL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ZONING CONSENT AGENDA AS IT WAS OFFERED BY STAFF.
AND NOW, IF YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE, UH, CALL FOLKS THAT WANT TO TESTIFY.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IS HEATHER HUBS ON ITEM 65.
REVISING AND APPROVING THE HOLLY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN COULD BE AN EXTREMELY IMPACTFUL STEP IN SOLVING THE EVER SO PREVALENT HOUSING CRISIS IN AUSTIN.
HELLO, I AM HEATHER HUBS AND I'M A 16 YEAR OLD PHYSICS STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
I BEGAN MY EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY THIS SPRING SEMESTER AND FROM ONLY BEING IN AUSTIN FOR LESS THAN A MONTH, I HAVE ALREADY DIRECTLY SEEN THE EFFECTS OF GENTRIFICATION IN SINGLE FAMILY ZONING.
THROUGH VOLUNTEERING, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH AND INTERACT WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION IN THE CITY.
WHILE DOING THIS, I DISCOVERED THAT SOME, IF NOT MOST OF THE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ARE EMPLOYED, OR A STUDENT WHO CAN SIMPLY NOT AFFORD HOUSING.
A PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL I SPOKE WITH LIVED OUT OF THEIR CAR WITH THEIR PET BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY COULD NOT AFFORD AUSTIN RENT.
IF WE ALREADY BEGIN TO SEE THE IMPACTS OF DISPLACEMENT AND GENTRIFICATION WITHOUT CHANGE, THE EFFECTS WILL ONLY WORSEN IF TIMES IF ITEMS SUCH AS 65 DO NOT GET APPROVED IN THE FUTURE, AUSTIN WILL BE FULLY UNAFFORDABLE AND PEOPLE WILL BE DISPLACED TO AREAS SUCH AS SAN MARCOS AND KYLE, TEXAS, WHERE THE RENT IS, IS NEARLY HALF OF THE PRICE OF THE RENT IN AUSTIN.
DISPLACEMENT OF INDIVIDUALS ARE ALSO AFFECTED BY HIGHER TRANSPORTATION COSTS IN A LOWER QUALITY OF LIFE.
SINGLE FAMILY ZONING AND HIGHER HOUSING COSTS OFTEN LEAD TO RAPID DECLINES IN DIVERSITY OF CITIES.
I BRING THIS TO THE COUNCIL TODAY IN HOPES THAT THE VALUE AND WELLBEING OF AUSTIN CITIZENS WILL BE CONSIDERED.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO BRING THE AGE OF THE LAND USE CODE INTO CONSIDERATION.
THE LAND USE CODE WAS WRITTEN IN 1984, MAKING THE CODE ALMOST THREE TIMES MY AGE.
I BELIEVE THAT THE LAND USE CODE SHOULD BE SERIOUSLY REVISED TO CONFORM TO TODAY'S HOUSING NEEDS AND ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS IN
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AUSTIN AND SURROUNDING AREAS.WITH THE APPROVAL AND REVISION OF THE 22 YEAR OLD HOLLYWOOD NEIGHBOR HOLLY NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, WE WOULD STEER IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OF SOLVING OUR HOUSING CRISIS.
HOW OLD? YOU SAY YOU WERE THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US AND, AND PROVIDING YOUR TESTIMONY.
I, I'LL JUST ECHO YOUR SENTIMENT.
AND, AND IT'S INTERESTING TO ME THAT AFTER A MONTH IN AUSTIN, YOU'RE ALREADY, UH, PRESENTING FOR US AT THE PODIUM.
SOMETHING TELLS ME WE'RE GONNA SEE A LOT OF YOU, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
I'M VERY HONOR OF YOU HERE AND A VERY PASSION.
I'VE BEEN A, UH, MEMBER OF THE PEACEFUL HILL PRESERVATION SOCIETY SINCE I MOVED TO PEACEFUL HILL, WHICH WAS NINE YEARS AGO.
UM, WE OBJECT TO, UH, CONSENT ON THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
UM, THERE IS AN OUTSTANDING PRC, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN NEGOTIATED WITH, UH, ANYBODY ON PEACEFUL HILL LANE, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE TIME TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE QUITE CONTENTIOUS ISSUES.
SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THIS BE READ APPROVED ON FIRST READING, BUT HELD OFF ON FINAL APPROVAL UNTIL SECOND AND THIRD READING TO GIVE US A COUPLE OF WEEKS, WHICH WOULD BE THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING TO WORK OUT THESE ISSUES.
THERE'S JUST TOO MANY LOOSE ENDS HERE TO DO THIS ALL IN ONE CONSENT.
SO THERE'S A, UH, COUPLE OF OUTSTANDING ISSUES.
ONE IS A TREATMENT OF THE, UH, NATURAL VEGETATIVE BUFFER.
THERE'S A DISAGREEMENT ABOUT THAT.
THERE'S ALSO, UH, UNADDRESSED AT THIS POINT, UH, CONSTRUCTION ISSUES SUCH AS CONSTRUCTION TIME, LOCATION OF CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES, PARKING OF CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES, PATHS OF CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES.
THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT NEED TO BE NAILED DOWN BEFORE WE HAVE A FINAL READING.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO, UH, HOLD OFF ON THAT.
I THINK THAT THE ONLY WAY THE, UH, APPLICANT WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO, UH, MEET US HALFWAY ON SOME OF THESE THINGS IS IF THEY HAVE ANOTHER TWO WEEKS TO THINK ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU, YOU VERY MUCH, AND I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND BEING HERE.
MARGARET VALI, ITEM 74, LET'S SEE, GO.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM.
UM, MY NAME IS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS MARGARET VALI AND I LIVE ON PEACEFUL HILL LANE.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEACEFUL HILL PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION ON THIS CASE NUMBER C 14 20 21 DASH 1 23.
UM, MY NEIGHBORS AND I CALL THIS PROJECT THE FORTY THREE FORTY THREE ACRE PEACEFUL HILL LANE, PEACEFUL HILL BIRD, HILL LANE SOUTH CONGRESS PROJECT.
I, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND I'D LIKE TO THANK MY NEIGHBORS, JOHN STOKES, RENEE PETTYJOHN, SAM BARROWS, MIA IBARRA, AND THE MANY OTHERS WHO'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THIS PROJECT FOR 18 MONTHS.
UH, HOWEVER, OVER THE LAST 48 HOURS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES AND HER STAFF TO WORK OUT, UH, RESOLUTION AND CLARITY ON SOME REMAINING OUTSTANDING ITEMS. UH, JOHN STK HAS MENTIONED ONE OF THEM, A PRIVATE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, UH, THAT ADDRESSES A 30 FOOT VEGETATE UNDISTURBED VEGETATIVE BUFFER ALONG THE WESTERN PROPERTY LINE PROPERTY LINE OF TRACK ONE.
UM, A PRC HAS NOT BEEN PRESENTED TO US, HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION THAT'S A HALF A MILE AWAY FROM THE PROPERTY WHO'S NOT ENGAGED WITH US.
IT'S, WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE PRC HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO A DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION DOES NOT, UH, BUFFER THE PROJECT TRACK.
IT'S NOT ALONG PEACEFUL HILL, IT'S NOT ALONG SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE.
SO IT'S KIND OF A CURIOSITY TO US WHY THE APPLICANT AGENT HAS NOT, UH, COME TO US WITH THE PRC.
UM, SO THAT'S AN OUTSTANDING ITEM THAT WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET RESOLVED.
I KNOW THE COUNCIL MEMBER JUST READ INTO THE RECORD A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT WE DISCUSSED, BUT I'M UNCLEAR ON ONE OF THEM, WHICH WAS
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CORRECTION OF THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE.DO YOU WANNA ADDRESS THAT? THAT WAS FAST
IT, IT ALWAYS FEELS THAT WAY, DOESN'T IT? IT DOES.
AND, AND THANK YOU MAGGIE, FOR, FOR TESTIFYING.
I'LL ASKIA WITH MY TEAM TO COME DOWN REAL QUICK SO SHE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU ON THOSE CHANGES.
UH, WELCOME BACK, MAYOR WATSON AND TO THE NEW MAYORS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THAT WAS WAS ALL THE IN PERSON WE HAVE, BUT WE DO HAVE ONE MORE REMOTE CALLER THAT JUST CALLED IN.
ALL RIGHT, THAT IS THEIA JOSEPH FOR ITEM 69 AND 70.
THANK YOU MAYOR COUNSEL, I'M ZNO JOSEPH.
MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELAYED TO COMMENTS THAT ARE IN HEATHER CHAPIN'S STAFF REPORT.
I'M SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO COMMENTS BY A 20 YEAR RESIDENT, ROB HALVERSON, WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC IN THE AREA AND THE FATALITIES.
SO HE'S CONCERNED ABOUT THE INABILITY OF PEDESTRIANS TO CROSS CAMERON ROAD SAFELY.
AND I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT EARLIER TODAY YOU ACTUALLY DISCUSSED THE CAPITOL METRO BOARD APPOINTMENT.
AND THERE RESPECTFULLY, I JUST WANNA REFER, I THINK THIS IS, UH, RELEVANT, THAT THE SENATE BILL 1 2 63 SPONSORED BY YOU IN THE 81ST UH, SESSION, SPECIFIED THAT TWO MEMBERS WOULD BE APPOINTED BY CITY OF AUSTIN.
ONLY ONE OF THOSE MEMBERS MUST BE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, AND THE OTHER PERSON COULD BE A CITIZEN, SOMEONE WHO'S A TRANSIT DEPENDENT WRITER.
SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECALL THAT VOTE AND ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO GIVE INPUT ON THAT APPOINTMENT.
AND THE REASON IT'S RELEVANT TO THIS PARTICULAR CASE IS BECAUSE ACCORDING TO MR. HALVERSON, HE MENTIONS THE ACCIDENTS, INJURIES, AND FATALITIES OVER THE YEARS.
AND HE ALSO MENTIONS, IF YOU'LL LOOK AT HIS OCTOBER 28TH, UH, 2022, UH, GMAIL, IN THE BACKUP MATERIALS, THAT THERE HAVE BEEN CRASHES IN HIS YARD AS WELL.
AND SO I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT AREA IS UNSAFE, AND I HAVE ADVOCATED RELENTLESSLY TO TRY TO GET THE 8 0 1 SOUTHBOUND CHINATOWN STOP CLOSED.
DOTTI WATKINS HAS BEEN DEAF TO WHAT I'VE SAID.
TONE DEAF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL HAS BEEN TONED DEAF.
AND SO I WOULD ASK YOU, UH, NOT TO TAKE MY WORD FOR THE DANGERS IN THIS AREA, BUT TO ACTUALLY DO A LITTLE ROAD TRIP YOURSELF, PARK YOUR CARS, TAKE A WALK ON CAMERON ROAD.
I WAS ACTUALLY ON CAMERON ROAD CROSSING WITH THE LADY AND HER SON.
SHE WAS USING HER WALKER AND HE WAS LOOKING AT THE COUNTDOWN AND SAID, MOM, COME ON, LET'S GO.
AND SO I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S DANGEROUS.
I WOULD ALSO ASK, UM, THE STAFF TO BE TRANSPARENT.
I KNOW THAT THREE OF THE 23 UNITS WILL BE 60% AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
WHAT, WHAT WILL THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME BE FOR THE REST? I WILL JUST POINT TO YOU, UM, THE ST.
JOHN'S PROPERTY IS ABOUT ONE MILE AWAY, AND THAT'S 520 50.
THAT'S JOSEPH CONCRETE JUNGLE.
YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED THIS TIME.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS WE HAVE FOR ZONING.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE SPEAKERS.
UM, MEMBERS, UH, IS THERE THERE ANY OBJECTION TO CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEMS LISTED ON THE ZONING CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING NONE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE CLOSED ON THE ZONING CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, MEMBERS, IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO PULL AN ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING NONE, THE, THE ITEMS WILL STAY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA MEMBERS, DO WE HAVE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SHOW AN ABSTENTION OR A RECUSAL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WHO WISH TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? AGAIN, THE CHAIR HEARS NONE.
UH, SO THE CHARITY INTENDS TO TAKE UP THE, THIS CONSENT AGENDA BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
UM, AND THAT WILL INCLUDE, THAT WILL NOT INCLUDE ANY RECUSALS OR ABSTENTIONS OR NO VOTES.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO ADOPTING THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING NONE.
THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED WITH NO, UH, NO VOTES.
MAYOR, CAN I, YES, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA GO TO NEXT IS ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SOME VERY BRIEF REMARKS? THANK YOU.
UM, FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR RESIDENTS FROM DISTRICT TWO WHO TESTIFIED TODAY, BOTH IN PERSON AND OVER THE PHONE.
I KNOW THAT THIS PARTICULAR ZONING CASE HAS BEEN, UM, IN THE WORKS FOR 18 MONTHS AND HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION AMONGST OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO I JUST WANNA APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S TIME THAT THEY'VE VOLUNTEERED, UH, TO BE PART OF THIS PROCESS, TO HAVE A SAY, UM, IN THE CHANGES COMING TO THE AREA.
SO I JUST WANNA SHARE MY GRATITUDE WITH THEM.
AND THEN ALSO FOR THE RECORD, I DID WANNA READ IN, UM, SOME DIRECTION THAT THE EXTENSION OF FOREMOST DRIVE AND THE INTERSECTION
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OF FOREMOST DRIVE IN PEACEFUL HILL LANE WILL COMPLY WITH THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA, MANUAL DESIGN CRITERIA, AND WILL APPLY BEST PRACTICES FOR SPEED MITIGATION AND INTERSECTION SAFETY.ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ALL RIGHT.
MEMBERS, THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
UM, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL BE ADJOURN ADJOURNED.
IF THERE IS OBJECTION, FEEL FREE TO STAY.
UH, WITH THAT WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
FEELING LIKE SOMEONE YEAH, YOU CHANGED MY MAKEUP.
I AIN'T THE SAME SAD CLOWN YOU SAME.