[1. Open Meeting.]
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TODAY IS THURSDAY, JUNE 3RD, 2021.AND THIS IS THE BRIEFING WORKSHOP OF THE CITY OF LANDER CITY COUNCIL.
[2. Roll Call.]
MS. CRABTREE, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL COUNCIL MEMBER KATHERINE BATON COUNCIL MEMBER, JASON SHAW HERE.COUNCIL MEMBER, CHRIS CERNIK HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, BECKY ROSS HERE.
MAYOR CHRISTINE SET REQUESTS HERE.
QUORUM IS PRESENT AND THE CITY COUNCIL IS ELIGIBLE TO DO BUSINESS.
[3. Convene into Executive Session pursuant to: (1) Section 551.072 and 551.087, Texas Government Code, Deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property and deliberate proposed economic development incentives for one (1) or more business prospects that the governmental body seeks to have locate, stay, or expand in or near the territory of the governmental body and with which the governmental body is conducting development negotiations; and (2) Section 551.071, Texas Government Code, and Section 1.05, Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct to consult with legal counsel regarding Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority; and (3) Section 551.071, Texas Government Code, and Section 1.05, Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct to consult with legal counsel regarding personnel matter. Reconvene into open session to take action as deemed appropriate in the City Council's discretion regarding: (1) one (1) or more business prospects; and (2) Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority; and (3) Personnel matter]
WE'RE GOING TO CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION FIVE FIVE 1.072 AND FIVE FIVE 1.087 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TO DELIBERATE THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY AND DELIBERATE PROPOSED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES FOR ONE OR MORE BUSINESS PROSPECTS THAT THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY SEEKS TO HAVE LOCATE STAY OR EXPAND IN OR NEAR THE TERRITORY OF THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY AND WITH WHICH THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY IS CONDUCTING DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS AND SECTION FIVE 51.071 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE IN SECTION 1.05, TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING CAPITAL METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY AND SECTION FIVE FIVE 1.071 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE AND SECTION 1.05, TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING A PERSONNEL MATTER.THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION AT 7:01 PM.
THE EXECUTIVE SESSION WAS NOT COMPLETED AND WE'LL RECONVENE AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
WE ARE GOING TO ADJOURN THE BRIEFING WORKSHOP AT SEVEN OH ONE AND TAKE A 10 MINUTE RECESS
[4. Open Meeting, Invocation and Pledges of Allegiance.]
OKAY.TODAY IS THURSDAY, JUNE 3RD, 2021.
AND THIS IS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE LEANDER CITY COUNCIL, UH, PASTOR MCELWAIN FROM LANDER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, THE OLDEST CHURCH IN TOWN, WE'LL BE PROVIDING OUR INVOCATION AND PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FROM THE CODE OF HAMMURABI TO THE GLYPHS OF EGYPT, FROM THE LAWS OF MOSES AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF ISRAEL.
FROM THAT CONSTITUTION OF ANCIENT GREEK CITY STATES TO THE REPUBLIC OF ROME, THROUGH THE TRIBES AND ORDERING OF TRIBES OF WESTERN EUROPE, A GREAT CHARTER, THE MAGNA CARTA, THE US CONSTITUTION.
PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO GOVERN AND LORD GOD, HERE WE ARE.
AND LEANDER, TEXAS, AND WE ARE ABOUT GOVERNING AT THIS TIME.
I WANT TO LIFT UP BECKY ROSS T UH, CHRIS CERNAK, JASON SHAW, ANNETTE'S SPONSLER CATHERINE PENCIL AND PARKER LIKE TO LIFT UP TO YOU, RICK BEVERLY AND LORD GOD.
AND CHRISTINE SAID REQUEST WHAT GOD THAT WE MIGHT GOVERN, THAT WE MIGHT GOVERN WISELY AND FAIRLY THAT WE MIGHT DELIBERATE AND MAKE DECISIONS THAT WE HERE IN TEXAS KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE SPACE AND THAT FRIENDSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT.
I THANK YOU, LORD GOD FOR THIS APPOINTED TIME, THIS TIME TOGETHER.
THANK YOU PASTOR TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WHY TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE.
[5. Roll Call.]
MS. CRABTREE, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER KATHERINE BATTALION PARKER HERE.COUNCIL MEMBER NET SPAWN SELLER HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, JASON SHAW HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, CHRIS SONIC COUNCIL MEMBER, BECKY ROSS HERE, MAYO CHRISTINE SET OF QUESTIONS HERE.
A QUORUM IS PRESENT AND THE CITY COUNCIL IS ELIGIBLE TO DO BUSINESS.
[6. Public comments on items not listed in the agenda that are of public concern or community interest - Comments during this time are limited to a total of 15 minutes divided equally at no more than 3 minutes (6 minutes if translation is needed), and no less than 1 minute (2 minutes if translation is needed), per individual. Comments are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Forms must be submitted to the City Secretary by 6:45 p.m. Public comments on items listed in the agenda except for public hearings - Comments during this time are limited to no more than 3 minutes (6 minutes if translation is needed) per individual. Time limit will be reduced to no more than 2 minutes per individual (4 minutes if translation is needed) if there are more than 10 speakers on one item. Comments are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Forms must be submitted to the City Secretary by 6:45 p.m. Public comments on public hearing agenda items will be heard at the time each item is discussed by Council.]
ITEM NUMBER SIX IS PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.I WILL CALL ON SPEAKERS PRIOR TO THE DISCUSSION OF THE AGENDA ITEM.
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DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING INDIVIDUALS THAT SUBMITTED COMMENTS VIA THE WEBSITE WILL ONLY HAVE POSITIONS READ INTO THE RECORD.ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH THE COUNCIL AND WILL BE MADE A PART OF THE OFFICIAL RECORD.
SO FOR NON-AGENDA PUBLIC ITEM COMMENTS, I HAVE DR.
FRANK STYLES, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
40 180 HIGHWAY ONE 83, LEANDER, TEXAS.
I'M HERE BECAUSE, UH, I'M HISTORICAL COMMISSIONER AND ON OUR PAGE AND LEANDER, IT SAYS THAT WE HAVE HAD SIX POLICE CHIEFS NOW BETWEEN LET ME GET IT RIGHT.
RICK KAUFFMAN SERVED AS AN INTERIM POLICE CHIEF.
HE'S NOT MENTIONED IN ANY PLACE THERE.
AND I BELIEVE HE DESERVES A MENTION BECAUSE HE SERVED THE CITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND HE SERVED AS AN INTERIM POLICE CHIEF.
VERY, VERY, HE WENT ON TO AN OUTSTANDING CAREERS PRECINCT TWO'S CONSTABLE FOR A LONG TIME.
HE WAS WELL LOVED FOR A VERY, VERY, VERY MANY REASONS.
I REMEMBER HIS FIRST DAY ON THE JOB IS OUR INTERIM POLICE CHIEF.
I WAS BEHIND HIM ON WEST DRIVE, COMING TO WORK.
AND I NOTICED THAT HE'D STOPPED TO TALK TO SOME OF THE CHILDREN WALKING DOWN THE STREET, GOING TO THE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL.
AND SO I STOPPED FOR A MINUTE TO SEE WHAT HE WAS DOING WELL, WHAT HE WAS DOING, IT WAS RAINING AND HE WAS PICKING THEM UP.
THIS IS HIS FIRST DAY AS INTERIM POLICE CHIEF.
HE WAS PICKING THEM UP AND TAKING THEM DOWN TO SCHOOL AND DROPPING THEM OFF AND TALKING TO THEM.
THAT'S THE KIND OF POLICE OFFICER HE WAS, THAT WAS THE KIND OF POLICE CHIEF HE WAS.
AND HE DESERVES RECOGNITION FROM THE CITY OF LEANDER AFTERWARDS.
HE BECAME LIKE A SET OR CONSTABLE AND HE WAS A TREMENDOUS CONSTABLE.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR LIST OF MAYORS UP HERE, THE THIRD ONE, THERE IS RICK ZIMMERMAN.
HE WAS APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL WHEN ONE MAYOR RESIGNED AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM REFUSED TO BECOME THE ACTING MAYOR UNTIL ELECTIONS COULD BE HELD.
SO HE WAS APPOINTED AND HE SERVED AND HE SERVED ON OUR BELIEF FOR ABOUT A MONTH, MONTH AND A HALF.
IF WE CAN HONOR HIM UP, THERE IS A MIRROR.
WE CAN CERTAINLY HONOR RICK KAUFFMAN AS A POLICE CHIEF.
HE IS OUR SEVENTH ONE AND HE DID A WONDERFUL JOB.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'VE GOT TO SAY TODAY.
THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
[7. Staff Report Water update ]
ON TO ITEM SEVEN STAFF REPORTS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A WATER REPORT WITH CITY MANAGER, BEVERLY LYNN.AND I KNOW WITH ALL THIS RAIN WE'VE HAD, IT SEEMS LIKE WATER, BE THE LAST THING THAT WE'D BE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
UM, I ALMOST FEEL LIKE I'M BACK, UH, IN GALVESTON COUNTY, IT'S ACTUALLY GREEN OUT THERE.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WATER BEEN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN ON THE FRONTAL LOBES OF A LOT OF PEOPLE LATELY, UH, WE'RE GROWING AT A RAPID RATE.
SO THIS WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF A, KIND OF A RECAP ON WHERE WE'RE AT AND SOME OF THE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED, UH, GOING BACK INTO THE MIDDLE AND END OF 2020, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MUCH MORE THOROUGH DISCUSSION WOULD BE SCHEDULED FOR THE 17TH AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, AS A WORKSHOP ITEM, WE WILL ALSO LUCKILY HAVE, UH, MR. GRIMSBY ON BOARD BY THEN.
SO HE'LL FILL UP ALL OF ABOUT A WEEK UNDER HIS BELT, UH, COMING IN AND HIS SAGE ADVICE.
AND HE WAS FORMERLY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WATER AND WASTEWATER FOR THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, WHICH HAD SOME HISTORIC, UH, WATER ISSUES PRIOR TO HIS ARRIVAL AS WELL.
SO IF YOU GO BACK TO, UH, SEPTEMBER, UH, THE CITY WE HAD MOVED TO FROM STAGE THREE WATER CONSERVATION, UH, TO STAGE TWO.
AND IF YOU REMEMBER PRIOR TO THAT, WE HAD THE, UH, BOIL WATER, NOTICE THE INTERRUPTION, UH, DURING THE SUMMER THEN AS MURPHY'S LAW WOULD HAVE IT DECEMBER, UH, DECEMBER 19TH, BCR UA, WHICH IS THE LARGER PLANT, THE REGIONAL PLANT THAT WE'RE A PARTNER IN THAT RAW WATER LINE FAILED.
NOW I KNOW IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE A LINE WHAT'S ACTUALLY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE.
SO THAT PLANT WAS DOWN FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, INCLUDING ALL THE MONTHS LEADING INTO THE STORM.
SO THERE WERE DIVERS DOWN, UH, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK WORKING ON THAT REPAIR.
THERE WERE STRUCTURAL STRUCTURAL ISSUES WHEN I BELIEVE IT WAS, IT WAS BUILT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO, UM, THAT'S BEEN ONGOING FAST FORWARD TO OUR, UH, FEBRUARY 16TH AND THE WINTER STORM AND DUE TO POWER OUTAGES.
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HERE WITH PEC, UH, OUR ONLY OTHER PLANT, ACTUALLY THE ONLY PLANT WE WHOLLY ON SANDY CREEK THAT ACTUALLY HAD POWER INTERRUPTION.AND, UH, AND JARED, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
I BELIEVE IT WAS A TRANSFORMER ON ONE OF THE TWO LINES.
IT ACTUALLY HAS DUAL FEEDS AND IT WASN'T UNTIL AFTER IT WENT DOWN THAT PC, UH, REALIZED THAT ONE OF THE FEEDS WAS ACTUALLY, UH, OFF BECAUSE OF A TRANSFORMER THAT HAD BEEN THROWN.
SO I DO THAT DUE TO THAT, WE HAD MOVED TO STAGE FOUR CONSERVATION, UH, IN, IN FEBRUARY, THE END MARCH OF THIS YEAR, WE CHANGED OUR CONSERVATION PLAN, REALLY HOW IT'S, HOW IT'S STRUCTURED.
SO, UH, IT'S PHASE STAGE FOUR.
AND THE OLD PLAN IS NOW KNOWN AS STAGE THREE OR PHASE THREE CONSERVATION, UH, IN MAY EARLY MAY THE BCR, YOUR WAY RAW WATER LINE WAS ITS REPAIR WAS MORE COMPLETE.
AND SO WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL ABOUT 10 AND A HALF, A MILLION GALLONS A DAY TO THE CAPACITY COMING IN RIGHT NOW.
AND SO THAT IS, THAT PUTS US BETWEEN THE SANDY CREEK PLANT AND BCR YOU WAY RIGHT NOW, RIGHT IN THE BALLPARK OF JUST OVER 20 MILLION GALLONS A DAY, THEN LUCKILY WE'VE HAD GREAT RAIN FOURTH HIGHEST ON RECORD.
SO WE'VE HAD, I GUESS, ALMOST AS GOOD OMEN SINCE I'VE COME HERE, I BROUGHT YOU COVID, UH, THEN, UH, ICE STORM AND THEN A BUNCH OF RAIN UNDER I ARRIVED IN DECEMBER OF 19.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, THE, THE 12 IS 12 MILLION GALLONS A DAY, THAT'S THE MAXIMUM OUTPUT FOR SANDY CREEK.
AND THEN WHEN YOU GO UP, THAT'S THE 22 AND A HALF OR SO 23, THE TOTAL OUTPUT FOR BOTH PLANTS, UH, GIVEN OUR CURRENT TAKE OR OUR LET'S SAY OUR ALLOCATION FROM THE, UH, BCR UA PLANT, WHICH IS, IS 15, UH, IN, IN THE CURRENT PHASE, UH, THAT WOULD BE IF WE DON'T ACCESS ANY OF OUR PARTNERS, UH, WATER, THAT IS UNUTILIZED.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE RIGHT NOW, IT'S GOING GREAT.
WE ARE, UH, ACTUALLY THINK TODAY WE WERE SUB SUB SIX MGD AND ME NOT BEING AN ENGINEER.
UM, IT'S BEST I CAN COME UP WITH ON THAT.
SO BCR YOU A LINE WENT THROUGH SOME ADDITIONAL, ACTUALLY THERE WAS A, THERE WAS ONE REPAIR DONE FOR A LEAK, UH, THAT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO, THREE WEEKS AGO.
AND JUST TO POINT OUT THE PHASE ONE C REPAIRS HAVE BEEN ONGOING.
THEY HAVE NOT BEEN COMPLETED PHASE ONE C ACTUALLY THAT WAS WHEN THE PLANT WAS GOING TO BE TAKEN FROM 22 MGD TOTAL CAPACITY TO 32 MGD.
OUR PARTNERS ARE CEDAR PARK AND ROUND ROCK IN THE PLANT.
THAT PROJECT ACTUALLY STARTED IN JANUARY OF 2018.
SO IT HAS DRUG OUT CONSIDERABLY, UH, WERE IN CONTACT WITH BCR UI DAILY, ACTUALLY WE'RE ON THE PHONE WITH THEM JUST TODAY.
AND SO WE WILL HOPEFULLY BE GETTING UP TO OUR 15 MGD CAPACITY AS SOON AS THAT'S COMPLETE.
WE, UH, WHERE WE WENT FROM STA UH, THAT WAS, I GUESS IT WAS FRIDAY.
WE WENT FROM PHASE THREE, WATER CONSERVATION TO PHASE TWO.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO RIGHT NOW IS OUR RECOMMENDATION IS LET'S NOT GET OUT TOO FAR AHEAD OF OURSELVES.
LUCKILY WE'VE HAD SOME, SOME GOOD RAIN, SO WE'RE GOING TO STAY IN THAT HOLDING PATTERN FOR THE MOMENT.
AND WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR THE, UH, ADEQUACY OF THE PLANT'S OPERATIONS.
MAKE SURE THERE'S NO OTHER LEAKS ON THE BCR YOU WAY SIDE AND OLD FAITHFUL SANDY CREEK HOPEFULLY KEEPS RUNNING RIGHT NOW.
STAFF IS WORKING WITH THE WATER MODELER AND, UH, VARIOUS CONSULTANTS ON THE TEAM.
AS YOU, AS YOU KNOW, WE ALSO JUST COMPLETED A LONG RANGE WATER STUDY.
ALL OF THAT DATA IS BEING COMPILED ALONG WITH OUR CURRENT DEVELOPMENT.
UM, LET'S JUST SAY OUR CURRENT RAPID DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE UNDER AND WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO Y'ALL, UM, AT THIS, ON THE 17TH.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WORK PROBABLY GONNA NEED A, A GOOD SOLID HOUR TO TALK THROUGH MOST OF THAT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY IF WE HAVE ANY DETAILED, DETAILED QUESTIONS, GINA ROSS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TEAM ARE HERE TODAY, BUT WE CAN REALLY DIG IN WHEN WE GET INTO THAT, BECAUSE
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THE UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH IS OBVIOUSLY WAY OUT AHEAD OF THE MODELS THAT WERE RUN BACK IN 2015.SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE SINKED MOVING FORWARD, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, REDUNDANCY, TOTAL PLANT CAPACITY.
AND THERE'S ALSO SOME OTHER ANCILLARY AGREEMENTS THAT ARE HANGING OUT THERE WHERE WE SAW WATER TO OTHER ENTITIES.
SO YOU PUT THAT WHOLE THING INTO THE GUMBO OR THE STEW, AND THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR RESULT THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
AND SO WE HAVE A, WE BELIEVE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN WE HAVE A SERIES OF PROPOSED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO ADVANCE, UH, SOME, SOME AREAS OF POTENTIAL CONCERN, SOME THINGS THAT NEED TO BE SHIFTED OR MOVED, MAYBE NOT THIS YEAR, MAYBE NEXT YEAR.
UM, AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT IN GREAT DETAIL THAT NEXT MEETING.
THANK YOU, MR. BEVERLEY COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
[8. Board Report Active Adult Advisory Committee]
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT BOARD REPORTS.WE HAVE THE ACTIVE ADULT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AT THIS TIME.
WE'LL HEAR FROM SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER, SUPERVISOR COREY ABOUT T O N DIRECTOR CUMMINS.
YOU'RE GONNA SOUND LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF A, THERE WE GO.
UM, COREY'S IS ONE OF OUR UP AND UP AND COMING ENERGETIC, PASSIONATE, UH, RECREATION PROGRAMMERS, OUR SENIOR ADULTS SPECIALIST.
UM, HE HAILS FROM TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY.
UM, I KNEW, I KNEW WOULD MAKE ROBIN HAPPY.
SO, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY GOOD, BUT HE'S HERE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, WITH OUR, UH, SENIOR ADULTS AND THE PROGRAMMING FOR CURRENTLY, AND WHAT'S COMING UP.
SO COREY, I'M GOING TO LET YOU TAKE IT OVER.
HOW DO BAT A MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU GUYS.
UM, SO I JOINED CITY LEANDER BACK IN 2019 AND WHEN I JOINED THE ACTIVE ADULT PROGRAM WAS LARGELY TRIP BASED FOCUSED.
UM, AND WHEN I JOINED MY FIRST THING THAT I DID WAS EXPAND THAT WE ADDED RECREATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION, AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES, CLASSES, TRIPS, ALL ACROSS TEXAS, UM, AS WELL AS EXPANDING ON OUR CURRENT TRIPS.
UM, AND WE WERE MOVING AND GROWING GREAT UNTIL, AS WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED BACK IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR, WE HAD TO CUT EVERYTHING AND SHUT IT DOWN.
AND, UM, BUT OUR SENIORS STUCK WITH US, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.
WE STILL HAD SENIORS SHOWING UP DOING EXTRA EXERCISE ACTIVITY WHERE WE COULD, AND WE WERE JUST ABLE TO JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, FINALLY RESUMED TRIPS, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE A LOT SMALLER THAN WE HAD BEFORE.
UM, WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF OUR GROWTH THAT WE HAD IN THE BEGINNING COME BACK.
UM, WE'VE GROWN IN JUST MAY, ONE FIFTH OF OUR MEMBERSHIP, UH, GREW.
AND EVEN TODAY I HAD FIVE NEW MEMBERS.
SOMETIMES 70 SENIORS ARE EXCITED AND A LOT OF THEM ARE HERE IN LEANDRA AND REALLY LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROGRAMMING IN OUR OWN TOWNS.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE AND GO TO OTHER PLACES AROUND SOME, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED HERE IN MAY, UM, ACTUALLY BEFORE THAT ONLY STEPPED BACK A LITTLE BIT AND GIVE YOU GUYS, UM, SO OUR ACTIVE ADULT PROGRAMMING IS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE 55 AND OLDER IN THE LEANDER AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
ALTHOUGH RESIDENTS OF LEANDRA DO GET TO SIGN UP FOR OUR TRIPS AND ACTIVITIES EARLIER, AS WELL AS IN THE FUTURE, WHENEVER WE HAVE PAYMENTS, THEY WILL SEE A LOWER COST FOR THE PROGRAM BECAUSE WE WANT TO SUPPORT OUR CITIZENS FIRST, BUT ALSO SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE NEARBY AND WANT TO CHOOSE LEANDRA AS THE PLACE THEY WANT TO SPEND THEIR MONEY.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, WE WERE PRIMARILY A TRIP PROGRAM, BUT WE HAVE, UH, FOUR PILLARS IN OUR ACTIVE ADULT PROGRAM, WHICH IS TRIPS, EDUCATIONAL, RECREATION, AND LEISURE.
AND WE DO SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING MYSELF.
WE HAVE ALSO WORKED WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO PRESENT TO OUR ACTIVE ADULTS PROGRAM.
UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 120 MEMBERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP ON OUR ONLINE AT, IS FAR SHY, A SMALL AMOUNT FROM THE ACTIVE ADULTS AND SENIOR CITIZENS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN TOWN, AS WE ESTIMATE ABOUT 10% OF OUR POPULATION IS 55 AND OLDER.
UM, AND WE DO HOPE AS WE GROW AND, AND, UH, CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR PROGRAM, THAT MORE AND MORE THAN WE'LL CHOOSE LEANDER AS THEIR ACTIVE ADULT ACTIVITY PROGRAM IN MAY, WE SAW 158 PARTICIPANTS ACROSS ALL 16 OF OUR ACTIVITIES.
AND WE AVERAGED ABOUT 10 PEOPLE PER ACTIVITY.
WE DO STUFF LIKE AQUA AEROBICS AND OUR ROBIN BLEDSOE POOL.
UM, WE HAVE CRAFTING CLASSES TAUGHT BY JENNIFER JONES AND OTHER ARTISTS HERE IN TOWN.
UM, AND WE HAVE EDUCATIONAL CLASSES.
WE LEARNED ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE MOON.
AND LATER WENT TO A STAR PARTY AT NIGHT WHERE WE GOT TO OBSERVE THE MOON AND SOME OF THE OTHER STARS AND IT'S LESTER OBJECTS.
WE HAVE, UM, WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO EXPAND UPON OUR TRIPS.
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TO DAHLIA'S TO HAVE LUNCH.WE TOOK ABOUT 20 SENIORS OUT THERE.
UM, WE WENT OUT TO, UM, ON A HISTORICAL TOUR TOP BY CA HOW, WHERE WE GOT TO FOR TWO HOURS, TAKE A TRIP AROUND LEANDER AND SEE HOW MUCH OF LANDER HAS CHANGED AND HOW LARGE LANDER USED TO BE.
UM, WHEN, UH, WHEN, UH, WHEN YOU TAKE IN THE HISTORICAL ASPECT OF IT ALL, AND WE WENT OUT TO BALCHUNAS CANYON LANDS TO GO HIKING, UH, TOOK THE SENIORS ON AS THEY WILL PROBABLY SAY A BIT TOO STEEP OF A HIKE.
UM, BUT THEY, I ENJOYED IT WHEN WE GOT UP THERE AND, UM, THEY MADE IT ALL DOWN AND EVERYONE IS STILL GOOD.
WE HAD A PICNIC IN THE PARK AND THEY, AND THEY LOVED IT.
UH, AFTERWARDS THEY LOVED IT DURING THE HIKE.
YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, I TOOK THEM UP TO THE HEART FIRST SO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE AN EASIER PART FOR THE REST OF IT, BUT, UM, THEN YOU GET TO HEAR ABOUT IT FOR THE REST OF IT TOO.
SO, UM, WE IN MAY, WE GOT TO START WITH OUR AQUA AEROBICS.
UH, THE POOL, UM, IS A GREAT PLACE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS TO EXERCISE.
IT'S REALLY EASY ON THEIR JOINTS.
THE BUOYANCY ALLOWS THEM TO DO THINGS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED, SUCH AS SKIPPING AROUND, UM, SOMETHING THAT REALLY A LOT OF SENIORS DON'T REALLY GET TO WORK ON.
UM, BUT IN THE WATER, YOU CAN DO A LOT OF STUFF.
CAUSE IF YOU FALL, YOU JUST FLOAT.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S HARD.
PROGRAM'S GOING RIGHT NOW, BUT IN THE FUTURE, WE'RE EXPANDING IT AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND AS FAST AS WE CAN THIS MONTH, WE HAVE FOUR TRIPS WHERE WE'VE EXPANDED OUR BUS TO MAXIMUM CAPACITY.
ALTHOUGH WE DO STILL REQUIRE MASKS ON THE BUS AND WE ONLY ENCOURAGE MASKS WHENEVER WE'RE OUT AND ABOUT DURING OUR ACTIVITIES.
UM, WE'LL BE GOING OUT TO, UH, TWO 90 TO DO A WINE TASTING TOUR.
WE'RE GOING DOWN TO WIMBERLEY TO GO AND TAKE A TRIP AROUND, UM, AT THE BONSAI EXHIBIT THAT'S DOWN THERE AS WELL AS THE JACKSON HOLE.
UM, AND WE WILL BE GOING OUT TO, UM, ANOTHER HISTORICAL TOUR TO NAMELESS SCHOOL TO GO AND LEARN ABOUT THAT HISTORICAL SCHOOL HOUSE.
UM, AND, UM, BEYOND THAT, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT, UH, LATE IN JUNE OR MAYBE EARLY JULY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO START PROVIDING SILVER SNEAKER ACTIVITIES.
FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH SILVER SNEAKERS IS AN INSURANCE-BASED PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS SENIOR CITIZENS TO GET GYM MEMBERSHIPS OR ACTIVE RECREATION CLASSES FOR FREE, AS WELL AS THE CITY TO GET PAID THROUGH THOSE INSURANCE COMPANIES.
SO WE GET TO OFFER SOMETHING FOR FREE AND STILL GET TO COLLECT SOME MONEY, WHICH HELPS OUT OUR PROGRAM.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE UNITED HEALTHCARE RENEW ACTIVE PROGRAM, VERY SIMILAR TO SILVER SNEAKERS, UM, DOES THE EXACT SAME THING.
IT'S JUST UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME.
AND SO WE HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE AND OFFER FREE AND EXCITING PROGRAMMING FOR OUR SENIORS COMING UP VERY SOON.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'VE BEEN STARTING TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL, UH, DAY EVENTS.
SO, UH, UPCOMING THIS MONTH IS NATIONAL GO FISHING DAY.
WE'LL BE OUT AT LAKEWOOD TO GO FISH AND SEE IF WE CAN GET SOMETHING.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE NATIONAL SELFIE DAY, WHICH I HAVE, UM, VOLUNTOLD SOME OF OUR, UH, STAFF MEMBERS TO INVITE THE SENIOR CITIZENS TO OUR STAFF, UH, TO OUR PARKS OFFICE, TO COME TAKE A SELFIE WITH US OUTSIDE OF OUR MURAL AND OUTSIDE OF A WALL.
SO WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO GET SENIOR CITIZENS BACK TOGETHER, BACK AT, OUT, OUT OF THEIR HOUSE AND MORE SOCIALIZED AS THEY'VE DEALT WITH A LOT OF SENIOR LONELINESS THIS PAST YEAR, IT'S BEEN TOUGH ON OUR COMMUNITY AND WE JUST WANT TO DO WHAT WE CAN SAFELY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF LOCAL HEALTH MANDATES GET RELAXED IN THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND IT'S CHANGING ALMOST EVERY WEEK.
UM, BUT WE'RE DOING OUR BEST JUST TO TAKE IT EASY, TO GO SLOW, TO ENCOURAGE THE SENIOR CITIZENS, TO DO WHAT THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH TO HAVE AS MUCH OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL OF OUR EVENTS AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND WE HAVE LARGELY HAD A LOT OF OUR PROGRAMS OUTSIDE ALLOWS FOR A BETTER HOSTL DISTANCING AND JUST, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GREAT WEATHER RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT IT IS SLOWLY CHANGING.
I MEAN, THIS WEEK IS GOING TO BE FUN TO FIGURE, FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH ALL THIS RAIN AND STUFF.
SO, UM, IT'LL BE, IT'LL BE NICE.
AND, UM, WE'RE JUST REALLY EXCITED FOR THE GROWTH OF THE SENIOR CITIZENS PROGRAM OVER THIS NEXT YEAR.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO GET BACK TO WORK AT, AT ALL.
THIS SEEMS TO BE OUR FIRST NORMAL MONTH AFTER EVERYTHING.
UM, AND I HOPE THE SENIOR CITIZENS ARE EXCITED FOR IT AS I AM.
GREAT COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS? UM, SO FOR ALL OF THOSE WATCHING OR 55 AND OLDER, HOW WOULD THEY GET INVOLVED IN THE ACTIVE SENIORS PROGRAM? OF COURSE.
SO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAS AN ONLINE REGISTRATION WEBSITE.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO TELL YOU THE NAME OF IT, BUT THE EASIEST WAY IS TO GO TO OUR PARKS AND RECREATION, A WEBSITE FROM THE CITY OF LEANDER AND CLICK THE BLUE ONLINE REGISTRATION BUTTON ON THE TOP, RIGHT? THAT WOULD TAKE YOU TO OUR NEW REGISTRATION WEBSITE, WHERE THEY CAN SIGN UP FOR A MEMBERSHIP IT'S FREE.
IT'LL CONTINUE TO WORK EVEN AFTER IT EXPIRES.
UM, AND THEY CAN SIGN UP FOR ACTIVITIES THERE.
YOU CAN ALSO GO TO OUR ACTIVE ADULT WEB PAGE, WHICH IS LEANDER, TX.GOV FORWARD SLASH AAP.
I CAN SAY THAT BECAUSE I GOT MIKE TO SHORTEN IT DOWN FOR ME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[ CONSENT AGENDA: ACTION]
AGENDA.ITEM 20 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY.
THE CITY COUNCIL NOW CONSIDERED THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM NINE THREE 19 COUNCIL.
MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE A SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[00:25:01]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.[20. Approval of the Second Reading of an Ordinance granting a Residential Homestead Property Tax Exemption.]
ITEM 20 APPROVAL OF THE SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE GRANTING A RESIDENTIAL HOMESTEAD PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION, FINANCE DIRECTOR POWERS.MAYOR MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
WHEN I FOLLOW A GOOD PRESENTATION, WE'LL DO OUR BEST.
THIS IS THE SECOND READING OF THE ORDINANCE THAT W IF APPROVED WOULD ADOPT THE, UH, GENERAL RESIDENTIAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, THAT'S ALLOWED BY, BY STATE LAW, UM, SENT AT THE LAST MEETING.
AND SINCE THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS RAISED ABOUT, UH, THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS, UH, WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED, UH, AT THE LAST MEETING WAS THE, THE MINIMUM, UM, UM, OPTION THAT YOU CAN ADOPT IF YOU SO CHOOSE.
AND THEN YOU OBVIOUSLY CAN, CAN GO UP FROM THERE.
BUT FIRST I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE, WHAT THE TAX EXEMPTION IS.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO THE DETAILS THAT THE STATE STATE LAW ALLOWS, UH, CITIES AND COUNTIES TO ADOPT A RESIDENTIAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
AND WHAT THAT IS IS THAT BEST.
BY EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A $300,000 HOUSE AND THE CITY GRANTS, THE MINIMUM HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, WHICH IS BY STATE LAW IS $5,000.
THAT $5,000 COMES OFF YOUR VALUE THAT THE, UM, UH, APPRAISAL DISTRICT IS, UM, CERTIFYING.
SO WHEN THE CITY SETS THE TAX RATE, INSTEAD OF, UH, THE TAX RATE TIMES, YOUR $300,000 HOUSE, IT'S THE TAX RATE TIMES YOUR $295,000 HOUSE.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE EXEMPTION IS.
IT'S NOT THE EXEMPTION OFF YOUR TAXES, IT'S THE EXEMPTION OFF OF YOUR VALUE.
THE MINIMUM IS $5,000, BUT THEN IT'S A PERCENTAGE.
UM, THE REST OF THE WAY UNTIL THE PERCENTAGE IS GREATER THAN $5,000.
SO, UM, THAT MAY HAVE HELPED OR CONFUSED, BUT, UH, THAT'S WHERE I STARTED.
AND, UM, THE BARS ON THE, ON THE GRAPH REPRESENT, UM, UH, HOME VALUES, HYPOTHETICAL HOME VALUES STARTING AT $200,000 ALL THE WAY UP TO $950,000.
UM, IF I CAN GET THIS RIGHT, UH, THE LINES REPRESENT TWO OPTIONS IN THE, UM, FOR YOU TO CONSIDER, YOU CAN, YOU CAN GO UP TO 20%.
THE STATE LAW ALLOWS, UM, THE MINIMUM IS $5,000 OR 1% YOU CAN GO UP FROM 5,000 TO 20% OF THE VALUE.
SO WHAT WAS PROPOSED AT THE LAST MEETING WAS THE ORANGE LINE, THE 1%.
AND SO AT 1%, YOUR, YOUR APPRAISED VALUE OR YOUR, YOUR BENEFIT IS AROUND $25 UNTIL YOU GET TO A HOUSE THAT'S, UH, ABOUT $500,000.
REASON IS BECAUSE THE MINIMUM IS $5,000.
1% OF ANYTHING LESS THAN $500,000 IS LESS THAN $5,000.
SO, UM, IF, IF THE CITY WENT WITH THE 1%, EVERY HOMEOWNER WOULD GET THE SAME, UH, TAX RELIEF UP UNTIL THE HOUSE WAS WORTH 500,000 OR MORE.
AND THEN THE 1% WOULD, WOULD GRADUALLY INCREASE, UH, LIKE, SO HYPOTHETICALLY, IF THE CITY WERE TO CONSIDER ONE AND A HALF PERCENT, IT STAYS THE SAME FOR EVERYONE UP UNTIL $300,000.
SO THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MINIMUM AND THE, UH, THE ONE AND A HALF PERCENT UP UNTIL A LITTLE OVER 300,000.
AND THEN IT STARTS TO GO UP PROPORTIONATELY BY HOME HOME VALUE.
IT SHOWS YOU THE, UM, GET THIS RIGHT.
UM, AT THE 1% EXEMPTION, THE HOMEOWNER AT TODAY'S TAX RATE MIGHT SEE THE MINIMUM, WHICH IS $27 UP TO $51.
[00:30:02]
IF, IF THE HOUSE WAS VALUED AT $950,000 AT ONE AND A HALF PERCENT OPTION, YOU START IT AGAIN, THE MINIMUM $26, AND IT INCREASES TO ROUGHLY 77.UM, IT'S, WHATEVER YOUR PERCENTAGE THAT YOU ADOPT TAKES THAT TIMES, THE, UM, THE VALUE OF THE HOME, UM, THE HARDER PART OF THE DECISION, AT LEAST IF I WERE IN YOUR SHOES, THE HARDER PART IS WHICH OPTION TO CHOOSE.
AND, AND, AND, UM, SO I THOUGHT I MIGHT TRY TO DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, HOW THE BUDGETING PROCESS WORKS AND WHETHER THIS OR ANY OTHER EXEMPTION AFFECTS THE CITY'S BUDGET OR NOT.
UM, IN ONE WAY, IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE CITY'S BUDGET, BUT I'LL, I'LL HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHY THAT MAY BE TRUE.
CAUSE IT SOUNDS COUNTERINTUITIVE IF YOU'RE GRANTING A BIGGER EXEMPTION, PEOPLE PAY LESS TAXES.
WELL, IN THE BIG SCHEME OF THINGS, THE WAY THE BUDGET WORKS IS THAT WE AS STAFF AND YOU AS COUNCIL, WE WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP A BUDGET THAT ADDRESSES THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS, COMMUNITIES NEEDS AND WANTS THAT SORT OF THING THAT FLOWS INTO WHAT, UH, BECOMES THE, UH, ADOPTED BUDGET.
IT'S ONLY AFTER YOU AGREE ON THE BUDGET THAT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO SET UP PROPERTY TAX.
I MEAN, THAT'S IN STATE LAW, YOU DON'T SET THE TAX RATE AND THEN DECIDE HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE AND GO FROM THERE, YOU CREATE A BUDGET AND THEN YOU SET A TAX RATE.
SO YOU CAN FUND, UM, THAT, THAT BUDGET, HOW THE TAXES GET DISTRIBUTED AMONG YOUR, UH, YOUR BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, UM, DEPENDS ON THE NUMBER OF EXEMPTIONS YOU GRANT.
UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, UH, COUNCILS MAY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION IS, UM, WHEN, WHEN LOOKING AT EXEMPTIONS IS, YOU KNOW, ABILITY TO PAY WHO RECEIVES THE MOST BENEFITS, UM, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO IT FLOWS FROM YOUR, YOUR NEEDS AND YOUR BUDGET, AND THEN YOU GET INTO THE, THE SETTING, THE TAX RATE.
AND THIS IS THE ONLY GRAPH THAT I COULD, UM, KIND OF, UM, COME UP WITH TO, TO REPRESENT WHY IN ONE WAY, WHATEVER YOU SAID, DOESN'T POTENTIALLY DOESN'T AFFECT THE CITY BUDGET, BUT THERE'S A CAVEAT.
SO I WANT TO STAY THAT, BUT ON THE, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THIS SIDE THAT THE PYRAMID YOU THINK OF THAT THAT'S YOUR TAX BASE, UM, AND THE, THE HEIGHT OF THE PYRAMID IS YOUR TAX RATE.
SO, UH, EVERYTHING INSIDE THAT PYRAMID IS WHAT, UM, IS GENERATED THROUGH PROPERTY TAXES.
IF YOU CARVE OUT A CHUNK OF YOUR TAX BASE AND GIVEN AN EXEMPTION, WHICH WE ALREADY DO, THE CITY OF LEANDER, UM, ALREADY, UH, UH, HAS A, UH, 65 AND OLDER, OLDER, AND DISABLED PERSON'S PROPERTY TAX FREEZE.
IT ALSO HAS A TAX EXEMPTION AMOUNT FOR SENIORS AND DISABLED PERSONS, UH, STATE LAW GRANTS, OTHER, UH, PERSONS AND PROPERTIES, UH, EXEMPTION.
SO THEY'RE ALREADY EXEMPTIONS THAT COME OUT OF THE OVERALL TAX SPACE.
BUT IF YOU REMOVE ANY PORTION OF THAT, UM, FROM YOUR, YOUR OVERALL BASE, THEN WHAT THAT DOES IS
SO WHAT, UM, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE GET TO THE, UH, THE BUDGET AND THE TAX RATE SETTING PROCESS IS THAT WHEN YOU TAKE OUT ANY REVENUE THAT IS EXEMPTED, WHETHER IT BE CHURCHES OR VETERANS, UH, OR DISABLED OR SENIORS, OR, OR THIS GENERAL EXEMPTION, UH, AGRICULTURAL EXEMPTIONS, AND ANYTHING THAT GETS PULLED OUT TO GENERATE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU NEED MEANS THE TAX RATE'S GOTTA BE HIGHER.
SO WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM? WELL, THAT COMES FROM IN THIS PARTICULAR
[00:35:01]
EXEMPTION THAT COMES FROM THOSE PROPERTIES THAT ARE NOT, UM, RESIDENTIAL HOMESTEAD PROPERTY OWNERS.SO THAT MEANS YOUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, UH, AND YOUR NON-HOMESTEAD RES RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PROPERTY.
UM, SO WITH TODAY'S TAX SPACE, THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL HOMESTEADS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UH, IN OUR CURRENT TAX RATE, THE LOST REVENUE, WE ESTIMATE AROUND $400,000, LESS THAN THAT.
THAT'S ABOUT ONE HALF OF 1 CENT ON THE, ON THE TAX RATE.
SO, UM, UH, I WANTED TO PUT THAT IN KIND OF PERSPECTIVE TO HELP YOU TONIGHT.
UM, MY RECOMMENDATION IS ALWAYS TO TAKE THINGS SLOW, UM, BUT YOU CERTAINLY, UM, CAN, CAN, UH, EVALUATE ANY OF THE OPTIONS OF UP TO 20%.
THANK YOU, COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS? SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT AND CONSIDERING WHAT WILLIAMSON COUNTY HAS DONE, WHICH I'M APPLAUD THEM.
UM, AND IN CONSIDERATION OF THE CRAZY PROPERTY VALUES THAT HAVE GONE UP, UM, I KNOW FROM ZERO TO ONE IS A BIG JOB, ZERO TO ONE, BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE US GO TO 2% NOW.
UM, I, I THINK IT'S THERE, MY MISREADING, THIS, I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT I SEE IS BECAUSE OF THE, THE INCREASE IN THE VALUES, WE'RE REALLY, IT'S NOT GOING TO PUT US IN A BIND AND PROHIBIT US FROM DOING THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THE CITY, BUT IN COMBINATION WITH WHAT, THE WAY WITH WHAT WILLIAMSON COUNTY HAS DONE, THIS COULD ACTUALLY MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENCE FOR THE HOME.
I THINK IT WAS ABSOLUTELY TAKES MONEY OUT OF THE BUDGET.
WELL, YES, BUT WITH THE INCREASE, IT'S MAKING IT UP.
IF I, UNLESS I'M SURE THAT DETAILED EXPLANATION AND OUR DISCUSSION, I MISUNDERSTOOD SOMETHING.
I THINK IF WE WANT TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE, WE CAN DO THAT WHEN WE SET THE TAX RATE AND I, OF COURSE, WOULD NOT WANT TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE.
RIGHT? NO, I MEAN, INSTEAD OF GOING TO 2%, NOW, IF YOU FIND THAT WE CAN DO WITHOUT THAT EXTRA 1%, THAT'S WHERE WE CAN LOWER THE TAX RATE LATER, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SAID THAT YET.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF GOING SLOW AND THEN INCREASING LATER, ANY OTHER COMMENTS AT 2%, IT WOULD BE THEN ABOUT 800,000, CORRECT? YES.
I STRUGGLED WITH IT BEFORE, SO I'M STILL, I'M GOING TO BE THE 1% THAT WE, THAT WE APPROVED LAST TIME AND THAT WAS PROPOSED.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M IN FAVOR OF HERE.
SO AS WE'RE, I WON'T SAY ANYTHING ELSE BESIDES THAT.
SO WE KNOW WE WE'VE, WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED ONE AND THIS IS THE SECOND READING.
SO, UM, WE'LL JUST SEE WHERE IT GOES.
I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE TO AND OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, OPPOSED, MOTION FAILS.
CAN I MAKE US GOING TO MAKE A SEPARATE MOTION SINCE THAT FAILED? I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE ORIGINAL 1%, UM, AS WE APPROVE LAST MEETING, SECOND.
SO CAN WE DISCUSS SPLITTING THE DIFFERENCE AT ONE AND A HALF? I DIDN'T KNOW, TWO IN PRISON WAS GOING TO BE ON THERE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS BETWEEN ONE AND ONE.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OTHERWISE.
SO WE TRIED HI SENSEI TAX DECREASE, COMING.
[21. Conduct a Public Hearing regarding Zoning Case 21-Z-007 to amend the current zoning of LC-2-B (Local Commercial) to Minor Planned Unit Development with base zoning of LC-2-B (Local Commercial) on four (4) parcels of land approximately 9.41 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcels R031692, R463160, R511663, and R511665; and generally located at the northwest corner of the intersection of South San Gabriel Parkway and Halsey Drive, Leander, Williamson County, Texas. Discuss and consider action regarding Zoning Case 21-Z-007 as described above.]
MOVING ON TO ITEM 21, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING ZONING CASE TWO ONE Z ZERO ZERO SEVEN, TO AMEND THE CURRENT ZONING OF LC TO BE LOCAL COMMERCIAL, TO MINOR PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT WITH BASE ZONING OF ELSIE, TO BE LOCAL COMMERCIAL ON FOUR PARCELS OF LAND,[00:40:01]
APPROXIMATELY 9.41 ACRES PLUS OR MINUS IN SIZE, AS STATED ON THE POSTED AGENDA PLANNING DIRECTOR GRIFFIN.UM, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE, I'M SORRY TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF SAN GABRIEL PARKWAY AND JOSE DRIVE.
UM, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A MINOR PUD TO ALLOW FOR A TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SHELTER AND COUNSELING CENTER.
THIS REQUEST WAS REVIEWED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DURING THE APRIL 8TH MEETING.
UM, THE COMMISSION DID VOTE TO APPROVE THE ITEM WITH A FOUR TO TWO VOTE.
THE APPLICANT THEN REQUESTED TO POSTPONE THE CITY COUNCIL ACTION.
THEY POSTPONED IT TO THE STATES.
UM, WE DID HAVE NEW SIGNS THAT WERE POSTED IN NEW LETTERS, WERE MAILED TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE APPLICANT IS HERE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.
UH, MY NAME IS JIM WEIGHTLIFT AND I AM HONORED TO PRESENT ON BEHALF OF HOPE ALLIANCE TO YOU TONIGHT.
UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING.
SO WE WANTED TO BE CLEAR EXACTLY WHAT IS HOPE, HOPE ALLIANCE, ASKING THE CITY TO APPROVE.
SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS A COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER, AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT LATER.
AND IT'S GOING TO CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING USES, WHICH ALL HAPPENED TO BE CONFORMING USES UNDER THE EXISTING LLC ZONING, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES, MEDICAL CLINIC PLAYGROUND, AND A GROUP HOME CLASS TWO.
NOW ALL FIVE OF THESE USES ARE ALREADY PERMITTED UNDER LOCAL COMMERCIAL LCS ZONING.
WITH ONE EXCEPTION, THE GROUP HOME CLASS TWO LIMITS THE BEDS TO A MAXIMUM OF 15.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
IT'S THE SOLE REASON THAT WE'RE HERE ASKING FOR A PUD.
SO WHAT HOPE ALLIANCE IS HOPING TO DO, AND IT DIDN'T SHOW UP ON THE CITY SLIDES, BUT WE HAVE ALSO VOLUNTEERED TO REDUCE OUR BORDERS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND FROM HALSEY DRIVE, WE BROUGHT OUR BORDERS IN 75 FEET, SOUTH OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO PROVIDE SOME LEVEL OF COMFORT FOR SOME OF THE CONCERNS.
AND WE BROUGHT IT IN 150 FEET FROM HALSY DRIVE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE A CONTEMPLATE OF PLACE FOR FOLKS THAT, UH, NEED THE SERVICES OF HOPE ALLIANCE, WHERE THEY CAN, UH, MAKE THEIR DECISIONS REBUILD THEIR LIVES.
WE'RE PROPOSING A ONE-STORY RESIDENTIAL SCALE BUILDING, VERY SUBURBAN IN CHARACTER.
UH, WE DO WANT TO PRESERVE AS MANY OF THE TREES AS POSSIBLE, PUT PICNIC TABLES OUT THERE AND ENJOY THE NATURE THAT'S THERE.
AND I DO WANT TO SAY THAT BASED ON SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE HEARD BEFORE, I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THE SKY IS NOT FALLING.
SO THERE'S PEOPLE THAT HAVE SAID, WELL, WE'D RATHER JUST HAVE RETAIL SHOPPING.
I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT BRIEFLY.
HERE'S A COUPLE OF PICTURES THAT ARE JUST EXAMPLES I COULD FIND OF RETAIL THAT BACKS UP TO ADJACENT RESIDENTIAL.
WHAT I WANT TO SAY ABOUT THIS IS CHOOSING DOOR.
NUMBER THREE IS NOT ALWAYS THE BETTER CHOICE.
UH, THESE ARE THE USES THAT YOU GET UNDER LC, UH, ZONING, AND THE ONES IN RED ARE DRIVE-THROUGH SERVICES FOR BANKS, PHARMACIES, RESTAURANTS, AND RESTAURANTS, BY THE WAY, ARE UP TO 75% ALCOHOL COP, UH, CONSUMPTION, AND THEN RETAIL SALES.
UH, OUR HOURS OF OPERATION, UH, 5:00 AM TO 10:00 PM, FIVE 8:00 AM TILL 11 ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
BUT PEOPLE, IF THERE'S FITNESS CENTERS HAVE 24 HOUR ACCESS.
SO WHAT YOU COULD HAVE IS YOU COULD HAVE COFFEE SHOPS, PHARMACIES, RESTAURANTS, BANKS, AND THAT THE DRIVE-THROUGH WINDOWS AND LANES CAN ALL BE UP TO 75 FEET FROM ARREST.
AND SO I PUT THE YELLOW LINE ON HERE THAT SHOWS WHAT 75 FEET BACK WOULD BE.
THIS IS IF WE WENT WITH THE TRADITIONAL, UH, UH, RETAIL, UH, DESIGN ON THIS SITE, USUALLY THERE'S GOING TO BE A REAR, UH, ACCESS DRIVE.
IT'S GOING TO BE USED FOR DELIVERIES FOR TRASH AND FOR TRASH PICKUP.
AND IF IT WAS OFFICE IS INSTEAD OF RETAIL, I WANT TO POINT OUT TO THE CITY THAT, UH, THIS IS, THIS EXAMPLE IS RIGHT OUT OF YOUR CITY CODE 40 FEET FROM A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY LINE, A 50 FOOT TALL OFFICE BUILDING IS LEGAL AND COULD BE BUILT.
[00:45:01]
SO WE ARE HOPING THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER AND APPROVE THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT THAT WE ARE PROPOSING.THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
I'M GOING TO CALL, OH, WE HAVE ANOTHER, I'M SORRY.
ARE YOU PART OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
DEMEAN MAYOR MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU.
WE'RE A FIVE OH ONE C3 NON-PROFIT AGENCY WITH 39 STAFF MEMBERS, 15 BOARD MEMBERS, AND A $2.3 MILLION OPERATING BUDGET.
11 OF MY BOARD MEMBERS ARE HERE THAT CAN RAISE THEIR HANDS.
AND WE HAVE SOME OF THE STAFF MEMBERS HERE AS WELL.
UH, WE, OUR MISSION IS TO HELP THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND OR SEXUAL ASSAULT.
WE PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES CURRENTLY IN ROUND ROCK FROM TWO DIFFERENT VICTIM SERVICE CENTERS.
ONE IS A TEMPORARY LODGING CENTER THAT HAS 30 BEDS.
THE OTHER, UH, IS A COUNSELING CENTER.
UH, WE RECEIVE ANNUALLY 2,500 HOTLINE CALLS, ABOUT 500 CRISIS CHAT, UH, THROUGH OUR WEBSITE AND FROM THE TRIAGE OF THAT, WE SERVE ON A FACE-TO-FACE BASIS ABOUT A THOUSAND PEOPLE AND OF THOSE 1000 PEOPLE, 350 WIND UP, UH, IN OUR TEMPORARY LODGING FACILITY.
OUR TYPICAL, UH, PERSON THAT STAYS IN THE FACILITY IS A MOM WITH TWO OR THREE KIDS.
THEY STAY WITH US FOR 21 DAYS.
AND SADLY FOR EVERY ONE PERSON THAT WE SERVE, WE HAVE TO TURN ANOTHER PERSON AWAY TO SOME OTHER AGENCY OUTSIDE OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY, BECAUSE WE OPERATED ALMOST FULL CAPACITY ALMOST ALL THE TIME.
SO, UM, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS DECIDED THAT THERE'S TOO MANY UNMET NEEDS IN THE COUNTY.
WE NEED TO EXPAND SERVICES AND WE CAN'T DO THAT AT OUR CURRENT FACILITIES.
SO WE'RE LANDLOCKED IN ROUND ROCK.
AND FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS, WE'VE BEEN ON A SEARCH FOR A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WILL MEET ALL OF OUR NEEDS, NEEDS.
THE PROPERTY THAT JIM JUST SPOKE ABOUT IS THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY, UH, IMMEDIATELY UPON SELECTING THE SITE AND TO SHOW GOOD NEIGHBOR INTENT.
WE BEGAN REACHING OUT TO THE HOA BY PHONE IN JANUARY, AND WE HAD SEVERAL DOZEN PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS WITH THEM TO SCHEDULE TWO TOWN HALL MEETINGS WITH ALL OF THE RESIDENTS IN SAVANNAH RANCH.
UH, WE HELD THOSE TWO MEETINGS ON APRIL 5TH AND APRIL 6TH, AND THE COMBINED TOTAL OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE FROM THE, UM, SAVANNAH RANCH HOA, TOTAL 36, WHO ATTENDED BOTH MEETINGS COMBINED.
UH, SO WE WERE PRETTY SURPRISED THAT THERE WAS 182 VOTES AGAINST US IN THE P AND Z, UH, COMMISSIONER'S MEETING, UH, BECAUSE 80% OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO VOTED, NEVER EVEN ATTENDED A MEETING TO FIND OUT WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO, THE SERVICES THAT WE OFFER.
SO TO CON CLEAR ANY CONFUSION, THE FACTS ABOUT OUR PROJECT INCLUDE PLANS TO RELOCATE FROM ROUND ROCK, TO LEANDER, TO COMBINE BOTH OUR TEMPORARY HOUSING FACILITY AND OUR COUNSELING FACILITY UNDER ONE ROOF ON THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY TO BUILD A 13 TO $15 MILLION, UH, MULTI-AGENCY VICTIM SERVICE CENTER, THAT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 40,000 SQUARE FEET.
WITHIN THAT FACILITY, WE WOULD BUILD OFFICES FOR WHAT ARE CALLED CO LOCATORS, SUCH AS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES FROM THROUGHOUT WILLIAMSON COUNTY OFFICES FOR A SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAM PROGRAM, ASIAN FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES AND MENTAL HEALTH AGENCY AND ANY ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING AGENCY.
IN ADDITION, WE WOULD HAVE 24 BEDROOMS WITH FOUR BEDS IN EACH ROOM, GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR 96 PEOPLE.
AND BASED ON FUTURE POPULATION PROJECTIONS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY THAT SHOULD SERVE AS THE COUNTY'S NEEDS FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
RESEARCH PROVES WITH DISCO LOCATOR BUSINESS MODEL IS THE BEST MODEL TO GO WITH.
IT REDUCES VICTIM RECANTATIONS.
IT REDUCES LOCAL CRIME RATES REDUCES HOMICIDES AT THE SAME TIME, INCREASES COLLABORATIVE SERVICES, CLIENT SAFETY AND OFFENDER PROSECUTIONS.
OUR OWN RECORDS SHOW THAT WE CURRENTLY SERVE 175 PEOPLE FROM LEANDER ANNUALLY.
[00:50:01]
AND REMEMBER FOR EVERY ONE PERSON THAT WE SERVE, WE'RE TURNING ANOTHER PERSON AWAY.SO THAT NUMBER COULD BE DOUBLE.
AND WE CURRENTLY SPEND OUT OF OUR OWN POCKETS FROM MONEY THAT WE RAISED $153,000 A YEAR TO SERVE THOSE LEANDER RESIDENTS.
HE WRITES THAT HIS CONCERNS INCLUDE OUR PROJECTS, PROXIMITY TO THE SHARED BOUNDARIES, THE PROPERTIES GROVE OF OAK TREES, THE DESIGN, AND LOOK AT THE NEW FACILITY AND THEIR OWN PROPERTY VALUES.
SO RESPONSES TO THESE CONCERNS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING IN RECOGNITION OF POTENTIAL TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON HALSY DRIVE.
WE WILL NOT BUILD AN ACCESS DRIVEWAY TO OUR FACILITY FROM HALSY DRIVE, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S A, UH, LOGICAL OPTION FOR US TO PURSUE, WE WILL DEVELOP THE PROPERTY WITH THE LEAST POSSIBLE IMPACT ON THE GROVE OF OAK TREES AND WITH THE INTENTION TO CREATE MORE GREEN SPACE AROUND OUR BUILDING.
UH, WE'VE MOVED THE, UH, PET LINES 75 FEET FROM THE FENCE AND 150 FEET FROM HALSY DRIVE.
OUR CENTER WILL BE ONE STORY SURROUNDED WITH A ROD IRON FENCE, UH, SOFTENED WITH LANDSCAPING, AND WE'VE REQUESTED NO WAIVERS TO THE CURRENT BUILDING CODES.
OUR INTENTION IS TO BUILD A FACILITY THAT WILL LOOK AND FEEL LIKE AN UPSCALE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY AS TO PROPERTY VALUES RESIDENCES WITHIN TWO BLOCKS OF OUR EXISTING LODGING CENTER IN ROUND ROCK INCREASED IN VALUE 14 AND A HALF PERCENT FROM 2020 TO 2021 BASED ON ACTUAL HOMES SOLD.
SO THE CONCERN ABOUT REDUCED PROPERTY VALUES REALLY ISN'T THERE BECAUSE OUR TEMPORARY LODGING FACILITY ITSELF AS INCREASED 8.8% PER YEAR FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS IN A ROW, WE ARE WILLIAMSON COUNTY SOLE PROVIDER OF SERVICES DESIGNED TO BREAK THE CYCLES OF ABUSE IN WHICH VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND OR SEXUAL ASSAULT LIVE WE'VE BEEN DOING SO AS A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND ROUND ROCK FOR 37 YEARS, WE'RE HIGHLY REGULATED BY OVER 200 RULES AND THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE WE'RE AUDITED AS TO OUR ADHERENCE TO THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE WE'RE EXPERTS AT WHAT WE DO, AND SIMPLY PUT WE SAVE LIVES.
SO TO CONCLUDE OUR PRESENTATION, WE HAVE COURTNEY PETERSON, A FORMER CLIENT AND SURVIVOR.
HELLO, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS WITH CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU, RICK AND HOPE ALLIANCE FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE MY STORY.
I'M A STRONG, CONFIDENT, SUCCESSFUL WOMAN WHO IS AN AREA VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND TRAINING FOR A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY.
AND I HAVE ALSO STARTED MY OWN CAUSE-BASED COSMETIC BUSINESS CALLED SPEAK COSMETICS TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND I GIVE BACK TO, HOPEFULLY I AM BLESSED WITH A LOVING FAMILY, A HUSBAND WHO'S HERE WITH ME AND HAVE A FUTURE OF ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES AHEAD OF ME.
YOU MAY BE WONDERING WHY SOMEONE WOULD INTRODUCE THEMSELVES THIS WAY.
I AM VERY PROUD OF WHERE I AM TODAY AND A HUGE PART OF WHY ALL OF THESE THINGS TODAY IS BECAUSE HOPE LIONS AND WHAT THEY PROVIDED FOR ME, FOR ME, HOPE ALLIANCE WAS NOT JUST A BUILDING WHERE I FELT SAFE.
IT WAS WHERE I MET SHANNON, A VICTIM'S ADVOCATE LAWYER WHO WAS THE PERSON.
I FIRST FELT THAT COULD PUT WORDS INTO THE EMOTIONS THAT I WAS FEELING AND DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE.
IT WAS THE FIRST PLACE WHERE I MET AN INCREDIBLE COUNSELOR.
MICHELLE WHO MADE ME FEEL VISIBLE, SUPPORTED, UNDERSTOOD, AND OFFERED A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
WHEN IN THAT MOMENT, I DIDN'T KNOW IF MY HUSBAND HAD PUSHED MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY SO FAR AWAY THAT THEY WOULDN'T WELCOME ME BACK IN.
IT WAS THE FIRST PLACE THAT OFFERED A CLEAR VIEW OF A VERY FOGGY AND CONFUSING SPACE THAT I WAS IN.
YOU SEE, I AM A SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, A SUCCESSFUL CONFIDENT WOMAN.
AT THE TIME I MET MY EX-HUSBAND AND IN THE SHORT ONE YEAR AND 11 MONTHS THAT I WAS WITH HIM, I BECAME A SHELL OF THE PERSON THAT I ONCE WAS.
I FELL IN LOVE AND MARRIED A MAN WHO WAS NOT ONLY
[00:55:01]
SAYING HE WOULD KEEP ME SAFE, BUT HE SWORE AN OATH TO DO SO.HE WAS A WILLIAMSON COUNTY POLICE OFFICER.
AND ON APRIL 15TH, 2016, HE CHOKED ME SO HARD.
I BET THROUGH MY LIP AND PASSED OUT.
HE WAS ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT STRANGULATION, WHICH IS A THIRD DEGREE FELONY.
AND ON THE NIGHT HE WAS ARRESTED ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER, A WOMAN HANDED ME A BROCHURE ABOUT HOPE ALLIANCE.
AND WHILE I KEPT IT, I HAD NOT INTENDED ON USING IT BECAUSE AT THE TIME I WAS JUST SCARED OF MY HUSBAND LOSING HIS JOB.
I WENT BACK TO HIM SHORTLY AFTER HE POSTED BAIL.
I WAS SO CONVINCED AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS PARTLY MY FAULT AND THAT I ALSO WAS TO BLAME.
AND ON AVERAGE, IT TAKES A WOMAN'S SEVEN ATTEMPTS TO LEAVE BEFORE LEAVING FOR GOOD.
WHEN THEY LEAVE AN ABUSIVE SITUATION, WHILE THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS, WOMEN STAY MY SITUATION WHILE IT WAS UNFORTUNATELY NOT UNIQUE WAS AIRED ON THE NEWS.
AND NOW I HAD HAD TO FACE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO CARED ABOUT ME AND WANTED ME TO LIVE.
AND I COULD NOT PRETEND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN FOR THIS REASON.
I AM SO GRATEFUL BECAUSE TWO WEEKS AFTER THE ASSAULT I LEFT FOR GOOD, BUT I HAD NO IDEA HOW TO WALK ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER AND DIDN'T KNOW EVEN HOW TO BEGIN TO START TO RE REBUILD MY LIFE.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO TALK TO MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
HOPE PROVIDED THAT DELICATE BALANCE OF HELPING ME TO REMAIN PRESENT, ALLOWING ME TO START TO TRUST MYSELF AGAIN, TO GAIN CONFIDENCE AND HAVE THE HOPE INSTILLED IN ME THAT I WOULDN'T CONSTANTLY LIVE IN FEAR AND SHAME.
AND WITH THE HELP OF THE COUNSELING, THAT HOPE PROVIDED, HELPED ME BECOME THE PERSON WHO STANDS BEFORE YOU TODAY.
WHILE I MAY BE EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL ON THIS TOPIC, I HOPE YOUR PERCEPTION OF WHO AN ABUSED WOMAN IS CAN CHANGE.
SHE COULD BE A CEO, A STAY AT HOME.
SHE MAY BE WORKING TWO JOBS TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
AND SHE IS ONE IN THREE WOMEN.
SO WHEN YOU GO TO CHURCH WITH, SHE MIGHT BE SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY OR EVEN POSSIBLE, IT IS NOT SO FAR AWAY FROM YOU THAT YOU WILL NEVER FEEL THE IMPACT THE COMMUNITY, YOUR COMMUNITY AT ITS VERY CORE IS AFFECTED RIPPLED BY THE INTERACTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT THESE WOMEN HAVE DARING AND AFTERWARD, AS WELL AS HER CHILDREN THAT EITHER EXPERIENCED OR WITNESSED THIS ABUSE.
MY HOPES HERE TODAY IS THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER ALLOWING NOT JUST A STRUCTURE TO BE BUILT, BUT YOU SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP CREATE A HEALTHY, BALANCED, AND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY THAT LAND OR CAN BE PROUD OF.
THIS IS WHAT HOPE ALLIANCE PROVIDES.
UM, BUT I DO HAVE BEHALF OF HOPE ALLIANCE.
UM, I AM A MASTER'S LEVEL CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK INTERN AT HOPE ALLIANCE.
AND I WANT TO SHARE MY PERSPECTIVE ON WHO WE SERVE, HOW WE SERVE AND WHY I THINK LEANDER SHOULD CONSIDER IT AN HONOR TO HOUSE THIS MULTI-AGENCY SITE.
UH, YOU NEED TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND NOT AS THOUGH WE CAN'T HAVE YOU FILL OUT A CARD.
I DID GO ONLINE AND REGISTERED TO DO THIS.
IS THAT ALL FROM THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN, OR I'M GOING TO CALL ON SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SUBMITTED CARDS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO START WITH RENEE, SORRY.
UH, YOU'LL EAT TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
PLEASE START WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
DO I HAVE TO TOUCH ANYTHING OR AM I GOOD HERE? YOU'RE GOOD THERE.
AND A MAYOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS RENEE PATCHY, 45 MEANDERING WAY IN ROUND ROCK.
AND I'VE BEEN ON THE HOPE ALLIANCE BOARD SINCE 2009.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR CLIENTS, WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY'RE FROM, WHAT THEIR BACKGROUNDS ARE, WHY THEY ARE IN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP.
AS YOU'VE HEARD, OUR CLIENTS ARE YOU AND ME.
THEY ARE ALL GENDERS, ALL AGES, ALL INCOME LEVELS, ALL EDUCATION LEVELS.
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SOME ARE MARRIED.THEY COME FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE COUNTY, STATE, AND COUNTRY.
THEY ARE ALL RACES AND COLORS AND RELIGIONS AND POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS.
THEY ARE WIVES AND MOTHERS, HUSBANDS, AND FATHERS, EVEN GRANDPARENTS AND GREAT GRANDPARENTS.
THEY ARE YOUNG BOYS WHO HAVE A 70% CHANCE OF BECOMING ABUSERS THEMSELVES.
THEY ARE FAMILY, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, AND COWORKERS.
ONE OUT OF THREE WOMEN HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME SORT OF VIOLENCE.
SO YOU CERTAINLY KNOW SOMEONE, BUT WHY DO THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP OR, OR, UM, FROM A STRANGER THAT THEY DON'T KNOW? AND THEY'VE BEEN ASSAULTED.
MOST VICTIMS ARE TOLD THAT IT'S THEIR FAULT.
IN SOME WAY, IF YOU WERE MORE LOVING OR MORE UNDERSTANDING OR MORE CARING, I WOULDN'T HIT YOU.
OR IF YOU DIDN'T DRESS THE WAY YOU DRESS OR WALK, THE WAY YOU WALK, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ASSAULTED.
OUR CLIENTS ARE BRAINWASHED AND, UH, BY ABUSERS AND THEN COERCED BY FAMILY MEMBERS, THEY ARE TERRIFIED TO ESCAPE BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE ABUSE WILL GET WORSE.
UH, SHOW THEY STAY AND OVER 200 TEXANS ARE KILLED EVERY YEAR BECAUSE OF ABUSE.
SO HOPE ALLIANCE IS A PLACE WHERE BRAVE PEOPLE CAN GO, SO THEY CAN FIND SAFETY AND SERVICES TO HELP THEM HEAL AND BECOME STRONGER AND MORE EMPOWERED TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE, VIOLENCE, AND SAVE THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN.
SO I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH A QUOTE.
IT TAKES TIME TO HEAL A BROKEN BONE, MORE TIME TO HEAL A BROKEN HEART, AND MORE THAN TIME TO HEAL A BROKEN SPIRIT HOPE ALLIANCE DOES ALL THREE AND MORE.
THANK YOU, CHARLES PITTMAN, PLEASE REMEMBER TO STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
I LIVE AT ONE 35 ESCALATOR PARKWAY AT GEORGETOWN.
I AM CURRENTLY THE BOARD PRESIDENT OF HOPE ALLIANCE, AND I AM ALSO OWNER OF A HOUSE IN LEANDER.
I CHOSE TO VOLUNTEER AND SUPPORT HOPE ALLIANCE BECAUSE THEY NOT ONLY ENABLE VICTIMS TO BREAK THEIR CYCLE OF VIOLENCE, BUT IN DOING SO, THEY SAVE LIVES.
THIS ISSUE IS THAT IN EVERY COMMUNITY, WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT, HERE ARE SOME RECENT HOPE ALLIANCE FACTS.
AS OF APRIL, 2021 HOPE ALLIANCE SERVES 97 SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS OR SURVIVORS.
THAT IS A 76% INCREASE FROM A YEAR AGO AND A 62% INCREASE FROM 2019.
ALSO AS OF APRIL 20, 21, HOPE ALL ANSWERED 210 DOMESTIC ASSAULT SURVIVORS.
THAT IS 116% INCREASE FROM 2020 AND A 58% INCREASE FROM 2019.
THESE INCREASES ALONG WITH THE HUGE GROWTH PROJECTIONS FOR WILLIAMSON COUNTY AS WHY WE ARE HERE TONIGHT ASKING YOU TO BE PART OF OUR FUTURE AND PROVIDED THE CAPACITY WINDS ACCOUNT REQUIRES TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE TO MEET THESE NEEDS.
I AND SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS AREN'T HERE TONIGHT, NOT ON THE SHORE SUPPORT, BUT TO ASK ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT PERTAIN TO THE BOARD.
THANK YOU, ASTRO LOUGHLIN, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
I LIVE AT EIGHT OH NINE MEADOW CREEK DRIVE IN RUN ROCK.
I STARTED AS A VOLUNTEER BECAUSE I WANTED TO PUT MY TIME AND ENERGY WHERE I THOUGHT IT COULD DO SOME GOOD.
AND EVENTUALLY THEY HIRED ME BECAUSE I KEPT SHOWING UP.
AND SINCE THEN I'VE BEEN A DRIVER.
I'VE WORKED THE OVERNIGHT SHIFT AND NOW I'M THE CRISIS ADVOCATE.
I FIND THIS WORK FULFILLING AND MEANINGFUL BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A CHANCE I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR SOMEONE, EVEN IF IT'S JUST OFFERING A KIND WORD AND ENCOURAGEMENT WHEN THEY NEED IT MOST WITH THAT SAID, I WISH WE HAD NO NEED FOR AN ORGANIZATION LIKE OURS.
I CERTAINLY WISH WE COULD MAKE DO WITH THE FACILITY WE HAVE NOW.
I WISH WE HAD NO NEED FOR A 40,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING WITH NOT ONLY A SHELTER, BUT COUNSELING OFFICES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, LIAISON, SEXUAL ASSAULT, NURSE EXAMINERS, AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH AND ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING AGENCIES.
BUT THE SAD TRUTH IS THAT WE DO NEED SUCH A FACILITY SINCE WE'RE OPERATING AT FULL CAPACITY NEARLY ALL THE TIME.
AND WE HAVE AT LEAST A 12 WEEK WAIT LIST JUST FOR COUNSELING SERVICES.
EVERY TIME I HAVE TO TELL SOMEONE WE'RE FULL AND THEN I CAN ADD THEM TO THE LIST.
I CAN'T HELP, BUT WONDER IF THAT DELAY COULD MEAN ANOTHER RESULT FOR THEM MORE ABUSE OR WORSE.
EVERY TIME I GET CALLED OUT TO PROVIDE ADVOCACY FOR SOMEONE WHO'S JUST GONE THROUGH
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A SEXUAL ASSAULT.I'M CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT THIS IS PROBABLY THE WORST DAY, ONE OF THE WORST DAYS OF THEIR LIVES.
AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN SAY OR DO TO FIX THAT.
BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHY A BIGGER FACILITY FOR HOPE ALLIANCES NECESSARY.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS REGRETTABLE UNIVERSAL, AND IT CAN AFFECT ANYONE FROM ALL OF LIFE.
LIKE THE REST OF YOU ALL THEY WANT.
ALL OUR CLIENTS WANT AS A PLACE THAT FEELS SAFE, A PLACE TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN WITHOUT FEAR OR CONSTANT STRIFE, A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN LET THEIR GUARD DOWN.
MOST OF THEM DON'T HAVE THAT AT HOME, BUT MAYBE FOR A LITTLE WHILE, WE CAN GIVE ALL OF THEM A SAFE HAVEN, AND THAT MIGHT BE ENOUGH TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF ABUSE SO THEY CAN GET BACK ON THEIR FEET AND FIND THE CAPACITY, NOT JUST TO SURVIVE, BUT TO THRIVE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR SERVING 12 YEARS OLD.
EVERY FAMILY WAS NOT LIKE MINE AT 13.
I FOUND OUT THAT NOBODY IN MY HOMETOWN CARE AND THAT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM FAILED ME BY 15.
I WAS BRAINWASHED AND HOPING THAT IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
AND THE SUMMER OF MY 16TH BIRTHDAY, THEY DON'T FORCED AN ABORTION SO THAT ALL WOULDN'T BE GONE.
AND ALL THOSE TIMES THAT FAMILY THAT WAS CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY, THEN ON THE OUTSIDE, WE HAD IT ALL TOGETHER.
UM, IT TOOK ME 10 YEARS LATER AT A VERY ROUGH JOURNEY WITH A COUPLE OF MEN ALSO TO FIND HOPE OF SOUTH TEXAS IN A COUNTY.
THAT WAS NOT THE ONE I LIVED IN BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ONE WHERE WE WERE.
SO WHAT IF THERE HAD BEEN A SAFE PLACE IN MY BACKYARD WHAT IF THE LITTLE GIRL BEING INAPPROPRIATELY TOUCHED, I DIDN'T ADULT SPEAKING TRUTH.
AND WHAT IF THERE HAD BEEN A VISIBLE, SAFE PLACE IT'S IN Y'ALL'S HANDS TONIGHT? I THERE'S SO MUCH MORE, BUT WHAT I DO WANT TO SAY IS LAND OR PD PUT FAITH BACK INTO THE JUSTICE SYSTEM FOR ME, BECAUSE I SAVED MY TWO MONTH OLD BABY FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, GRANDDAUGHTER, SORRY, FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FOUR YEARS AGO, THERE'S A NEED IN THIS COMMUNITY AND IT'S REAL.
THANK YOU, MS. CAMPBELL, MELISSA NORMAN.
I'M AT 1821 CROSSROAD TRAIL HERE IN LEANDER.
THIS YEAR IS THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO MY NEW LIFE.
YES, I AM A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVOR AND I LIVE IN LEANDER BACK IN 2011.
I LIVED IN SAN MARCUS, TEXAS WITH MY TWO CHILDREN, AGES SEVEN AND 11, AND ALL THAT WOULD FIT IN MY CAR.
I FINALLY LEFT MY LIFE WITH MY FIRST HUSBAND OF 19 YEARS.
MY COURAGE FINALLY OUTWEIGHED BY FEAR.
HEY, HE'S ONLY WOMEN'S CENTER WAS PART OF HOW MY COURAGE COULD OUTWEIGH MY FEAR.
THEY HELPED ME REBUILD MY LIFE.
THEY KNEW WHAT I NEEDED BETTER THAN I DID EMOTIONALLY, EVEN BECAUSE I WAS SO EMOTIONALLY DISTRAUGHT AT THE TIME.
AND THEY WERE PIVOTAL IN MY BREAKAWAY FOR A LIFE, FROM A LIFE OF ABUSE.
THEY PROVIDED ME A WAY TO PROTECT MY CHILDREN FROM BECOMING VICTIMS. RIGHT? COUNTY WOMEN'S CENTER PROVIDED ME, BUT FOOD, CLOTHING, SAFETY, LEGAL ASSISTANCE, BOTH ME AND MY CHILDREN.
THE COUNSELING WAS UNBELIEVABLE.
AND TO BOOT, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO, BUT MY KIDS GOT CHRISTMAS PRESENTS THAT YEAR.
THE ONE THING THEY COULDN'T GIVE ME WAS SHELTER.
10 YEARS AGO, THAT FACILITY WAS A FULL CAPACITY.
THE SAME PROBLEM THAT STILL EXISTS TODAY WITH GOD ON MY SIDE AND MY
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CHURCH AT THE TIME, THEY FOUND THREE DIFFERENT FAMILIES FOR US TO STAY IN DURING THE THREE WEEKS BEFORE OUR COURT DATE.WHAT IF, WHAT IF THE SAN MARCUS NEIGHBORHOOD NEXT TO THE SHELTER HAD PROTESTED? NOT IN MY BACKYARD.
WHAT IF MY FELLOW CHURCH MEMBERS SAID NOT IN MY BACKYARD? I SAY, YES, MY BACKYARD.
IT WILL BE AN HONOR FOR THAT TO BE IN OUR BACKYARD HERE IN LEANDER.
THANK YOU, MS. ASHLEY, KAREN, ROY, YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
KAREN ROY SIX TWO ZERO FIVE HIGH SIDE DRIVE AUSTIN.
I AM A MASTER'S LEVEL CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK INTERN AT HOPE ALLIANCE.
AND I WANT TO SHARE MY PERSPECTIVE ON WHO WE SERVE, HOW WE SERVE AND WHY I THINK LANDER SHOULD BE HONORED TO HOUSE OUR MULTI-AGENCY SITE.
THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT WHY AND HOW PEOPLE END UP IN SITUATIONS WHERE THEY ARE ASSAULTED AND ABUSED WITHOUT CHALLENGING ALL OF THE MISTAKEN IDEAS PEOPLE MIGHT HOLD.
EVERY PERSON IN THIS ROOM HAS FOUND THEMSELVES IN A SITUATION THAT THEY KNEW THEY NEEDED TO CHANGE.
AND MANY PEOPLE TURN AWAY FROM THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
BY DEFINITION, THE PEOPLE WHO REACHED OUT TO US HAVE TURNED TOWARD THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
THEY WANT DESPERATELY TO AFFECT POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR OWN LIVES, TO HEAL, TO GROW, TO LEARN, TO BECOME THEIR BEST SELF, TO STAND ON THEIR OWN TWO FEET, TO CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THAT LANGUAGE IS TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM CLIENTS I'VE WORKED WITH.
WHEN I ASKED THEM, WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS? THEY ARE WILLING TO WORK HARDER THAN MOST SEEMINGLY HIGH FUNCTIONING PEOPLE.
I KNOW IN ORDER TO HEAL, GROW AND BECOME WHOLE AND TO BREAK CYCLES THAT FOR MANY OF THEM ORIGINATE IN DEVASTATING CHILDHOODS, THEY ARE NOT RESIGNING THEMSELVES TO THEIR FATES.
AND SO TO THOSE WHO HAVE OPPOSED HOPE ALLIANCES PRESENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITY WITH SLURS AGAINST OUR CLIENTS, CALLING THEM UNCLEAN OR DELINQUENT OR CRAZY.
DO YOU IMAGINE THAT THE WORK OF HEALING AND GROWTH IS UNCLEAN THAT ONLY DELINQUENTS NEED TO DO IT? DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE TO BE A CRAZY PERSON TO FIND YOURSELF IN A POSITION WHERE YOU NEED TO REBUILD YOUR LIFE? DO YOU IMAGINE THAT THE COMMITMENT TO REBUILDING AS ANYTHING LESS THAN NOBLE? BECAUSE THE PEOPLE I WORK WITH ARE NOT JUST NOT CRAZY.
THEY'RE NOT JUST NOT DELINQUENT.
I KNOW THEY ARE VALIANT IN THE FIGHT FOR THEIR HEALTH AND HAPPINESS, AND THAT IF THEIR FAMILIES IMAGINE TRYING TO RELOCATE, FIND A SAFER HOME, OBTAIN HEALTHCARE AND CHILDCARE IN A NEW COMMUNITY, APPLY FOR EMPLOYMENT OR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAN SUSTAIN YOU ALL POTENTIALLY WHILE FIGHTING LEGAL BATTLES TO KEEP YOU SAFE.
PATRICIA SANDERS, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
PATRICIA SANDERS, 10 OH EIGHT TABERNASH DRIVE.
I AM HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THIS ISSUE.
UM, I THINK BRINGING HOPE ALLIANCE THIS CLOSE TO A RESIDENTIAL AREA, NOT JUST SAVANNAH RANCH, BUT ANY RESIDENTIAL AREA IS AN EXPERIMENT THAT WILL PUT THE SHELTER AND SUBDIVISION RESIDENTS AT RISK FROM 1962 TO 1968.
MY MOTHER, BROTHER AND I COULD HAVE BENEFITED, BENEFITED FROM AN UNDISCLOSED FACILITY, SUCH AS HOPE ALLIANCE.
IN THOSE SIX YEARS, WE WERE IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH MY STEPFATHER.
COUNTLESS TIMES, WE WAITED FOR HIM TO GO TO WORK OR OUT WITH FRIENDS AND STEPPED EVERYTHING WE COULD INTO PAPER, GROCERY SACKS, AND RAN.
HE WOULD ALWAYS FIND US OR SHARE MY MOTHER.
HE HAD CHANGED AND WE'D GO BACK.
ONE OF THE SELLING POINTS, HOPE ALLIANCE MADE TO SAVANNAH RANCH.
WAS IT, THE PROPERTY WAS IN WALKING DISTANCE SCHOOLS, THE METRO STATION, AND A GROCERY STORE.
I CAN ASSURE YOU, MY MOTHER NEVER LET US KIDS OUT OF HER SIGHT AND SHE NEVER WALKED ANYWHERE.
MY STEPFATHER WAS CONSTANTLY ON THE HUNT FOR US.
HE WAS A GENIE OF PERSUASIVE MAN TO NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS WHO THOUGHT WE HAD THE PERFECT FAMILY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
HE WALKED THROUGH RESTRAINING ORDERS PAST MY GRANDFATHER AND ALWAYS HAD A GUN.
I WILL NEVER FORGET NOVEMBER 22ND, 1963.
MOST PEOPLE MY AGE REMEMBER IS IT EIGHT PRESIDENT KENNEDY WAS ASSASSINATED.
MY STEPFATHER BURST THROUGH THE DOOR, BRANDISHING A PISTOL THREATENING TO SHOOT US.
THE SIDE OF MY THREE-YEAR-OLD BROTHER, SOBBING AND COWERING UNDER A BED IS A MEMORY.
THE POLICE DID TAKE HIM AWAY, BUT HE'S BACK AT MY MOM'S TO WORK THE NEXT DAY WITH FLOWERS, TEARS AND APOLOGIES.
HOPE ALLIANCE HAS PLANNING ON MAKING THIS A MULTI-AGENCY
[01:15:01]
FACILITY.THEIR CURRENT LOCATION IS STAND ALONE.
AND FOR REASONS OF SECURITY UNDISCLOSED, THIS NEW LOCATION WILL BE BRIGHT AND SHINY AND HAS ALREADY GOTTEN WAY MORE NOTORIETY THAN SHOULD BE GIVEN TO A FACILITY THAT HOUSES ABUSED FAMILIES.
THIS FACILITY WOULD ONLY HAVE SERVED AS A CHALLENGE TO MY STEPFATHER.
HE WOULD HAVE HUNG AROUND, WAITING FOR US TO COME OUT FOR SCHOOL OR WORK PROBABLY WOULD HAVE MADE FRIENDS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WORK.
GOD ONLY KNOWS BASED ON MIKE HOPE ALLIANCE HAS STATED THEY NEVER CALLED THE POLICE AND THERE ARE NO REPORT POLICE REPORTS OF THEIR FACILITY.
WHAT THEY HAVEN'T STATED IS HOW MANY INSTANCES THEY'VE HAD THEFT BY AND LICKS AND DRUGS INSIDE THE FACILITY WHERE THEY'VE CHOSEN TO EXPEL THE PERPETRATORS WITHOUT POLICE INVOLVEMENT.
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS THAISA HOLLOWAY AND MY PHYSICAL ADDRESS, A HOME ADDRESS IS FIVE NINE FOUR COUNTY ROAD TWO TO SEVEN FLORENCE.
UM, BUT I WORK FOR HILL COUNTRY, COMMUNITY MINISTRIES RIGHT HERE IN LEANDER, TEXAS.
AND I WAS A LEANDER RESIDENT FOR 16 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN WITH HILL COUNTRY FOR ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF YEARS AND WE GET CALLS, UH, FOR FOOD RESOURCES.
UH, BUT ONE OF THE CALLS WE GET ON A VERY CONSTANT BASIS IS SHELTER.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO SEND OUR FAMILIES WHEN THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, HOMELESS KICKED OUT OF THEIR PLACES AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THIS PAST YEAR, UM, WITH COVID AND THE INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF THE STRAIN ON THE FAMILIES, FINANCIAL SITUATIONS, ON THEIR HOMES, ON THEIR JOBS AND EVERYTHING.
WE, OUR CALLS HAVE MORE THAN DOUBLED OF SHELTER.
WE PERSONALLY HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO PUT FAMILIES, SINGLE MOMS WITH KIDS FACING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN HOTELS, JUST TILL WE CAN GET THEM INTO HOPE ALLIANCE OR SOMEWHERE TO GET THEM SOMEWHERE.
A LOT OF YOU KNOW, AND I'VE BEEN ALWAYS VERY HONEST ABOUT MY PERSONAL STORY.
I CAME HERE IN 1999, BROKE BANKRUPT IN DIVORCE.
WHAT I DON'T ALWAYS PUBLIC WHO SHARES I'D LEFT A VERY TOXIC, VOLATILE AND ABUSIVE BEVERAGE TO COME HERE AND COMPLETELY START ALL OVER.
I HEARD COURTNEY SPEAK ABOUT THE ISOLATION.
DID SHE HAVE ANY FRIENDS, FAMILY? I DIDN'T HAVE THAT.
I HAD, I, MY EX-HUSBAND HAD ISOLATED ME FROM MY FAMILY.
I WAS FORTUNATE AFTER, AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS AND ALMOST A YEAR OF NOT TALKING TO MY FAMILY TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND FINALLY TELL MY MOM TO COME GET ME.
SHE PACKED UP MY TWO KIDS, MY TWO CATS AND MY DOG AND MOVED TO TEXAS.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO SEND OUR FAMILIES.
YOU KNOW, I HEAR RESIDENTS EVEN FOR US, AS WE WANT TO GROW HILL COUNTRY, COMMUNITY MINISTRIES AS A RESOURCE CENTER, WE THAT HAVE TO GO OUT AND NOT BE SEEN.
SO NOBODY IT'S NOT IN OUR BACKYARD.
THE TRUTH IS, IS PEOPLE WHO COME TO US.
IF YOU'RE IN AN ABUSIVE SITUATION, YOU'VE LOST YOUR JOB.
YOU'RE SHOWING UP WITH THE CLOTHES ON YOUR BACK AND YOU'RE STARTING ALL OVER.
YOU DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION.
I AM IN FAVOR OF HOPE ALLIANCE, COME INTO LEANDER, TEXAS.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
UH, MY NAME IS MISSY BOYCE AND I LIVE AT EIGHT FOUR EIGHT HILL ROSE, UH, DRIVE.
UM, I'M ONE OF THE HOMES THAT ARE, UH, WITHIN THE 500, UM, PROPERTY RADIUS OF THIS PROPOSED PROPERTY.
AND I AM AGAINST IT BEING BUILT AND THAT LOCATION.
I WASN'T SURE HOW I FELT ABOUT IT.
OBVIOUSLY I WANT TO BE A PART OF A COMMUNITY TO HELP ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP.
UH, WE, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND THE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, OF ALL OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
UM, I WAS TALKING TO MY MOM, SHE CAME OVER, WE WERE OUT IN OUR BACK PATIO AND WAS TELLING HER ABOUT THE FACILITY AND FROM OUR PATIO, WE CAN SEE THAT PROPERTY ON HALSY RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE PARK.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHERE IT WOULD BE.
AND, UM, I WAS TELLING MY MOM ABOUT IT AND SHE, SHE STOPPED ME AND SHE WAS REALLY UPSET.
UM, SHE WAS IN A PREVIOUS ABUSIVE MARRIAGE AND SHE HAD, UM, HER HUSBAND WAS VERY, UH, SIMILAR TO, UM, PREVIOUS SPEAKER WHO TALKED VERY STALKERISH.
YOU KNOW, SHE, HE ALWAYS FOLLOWED HER.
UH, ALWAYS KNEW WHERE SHE WAS.
EVERY TIME SHE TRIED TO LEAVE, HE WAS THERE TO FOLLOW.
HE WOULD ALWAYS CARRY A WEAPON.
UM, NO MATTER WHERE SHE WENT AND WHEN SHE HEARD THIS WAS GOING TO BE PRETTY MUCH VISIBLE
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FROM MY YARD, VISIBLE, FROM WHERE I SEND MY KIDS TO PLAY IN THE PARK.AND I'M SEEING THE LINE OF CARS SITTING THERE RIGHT ON HALSY.
I SEE THE CARS ALL THE TIME THERE FOR KIDS, FOR WHATEVER, KNOWING THAT ONCE THE FACILITY IS BUILT, NOT KNOWING IF THE CARS ARE LINED UP THERE, IS THERE SOMEBODY WATCHING FOR SOMEBODY IS THERE? I DO HAVE A FEAR OF, UM, OF KNOWING MY SECURITY, KNOWING MY FAMILY SECURITY.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WAS GIVEN DURING THIS MEETING BY HOPE ALLIANCE THAT THEY DID NOT GIVE US PREVIOUSLY AS RESIDENTS.
I WAS AT ONE OF THE MEETINGS, IT WAS ONE OF THE 36 AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE NEARLY THIS MUCH INFORMATION.
UM, BUT ONE THING THEY DIDN'T ADDRESS THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD THEM ADDRESS IS OUR FEAR OF THE VIOLENCE OR THE SECURITY AND SAFETY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU, AMANDA CHIP, CHASE.
MOVING ON, DAN, MICHAEL, PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
MADAM MAYOR MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I SPOKE AT THE PLANNING AND ZONING HEARING IN FAVOR OF THE BATTERED WOMEN'S SHELTER.
AND I DID NOT INTEND TO SPEAK ABOUT IT AGAIN, BUT, UH, I FIGURED IF I DIDN'T, I WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED IN MYSELF.
UH, MY ASSISTANCE WAS AND STILL REMAINS THAT THE SHELTER SHOULD BE BUILT.
NOW, CONCERNS WERE RAISED AND DISPROVEN DURING THE PLANNING AND ZONING HEARING.
UH, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THOUGH, WAS THAT PROPERTY VALUES MIGHT DROP 4.6%.
IF YOUR HOME WAS WITHIN 500 FEET, THAT'S APPEARS DISPROVEN BY ROUND ROCK.
I CAN'T SAY WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IN LEANDER, BUT I DO SERIOUSLY DOUBT ALL THOSE, NO VOTES.
UH, I DON'T BELIEVE THEY ALL RESIDE WITHIN 500 FEET OF THE FACILITY, NOR DO I BELIEVE THEY ALL INTEND TO SELL THEIR HOMES.
THERE WERE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND COMMENTS MADE SUCH AS I DON'T WANT THOSE KIDS AND MY SCHOOL, AND I DON'T WANT THOSE KIDS GOING TO MY PARK.
SO WERE WE TO BELIEVE THAT ONCE A WOMAN IS ASSAULTED, SHE BECOMES LESS HUMAN AND HER CHILDREN NO LONGER DESERVE AN EDUCATION NOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY WHAT PIECES ARE STILL SALVAGEABLE OF THEIR CHILDHOOD.
COULD THE SHELTER BE BUILT IN ANOTHER LOCATION MAYBE, BUT WOULD THERE NOT STILL BE PEOPLE THAT ARE AGAINST IT FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER REAL OR IMAGINED THE SHELTER PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT SERVICE THAT SADLY ISN'T NECESSARY? SO AGAIN, I ADVOCATE FOR BUILDING THE SHELTER.
IF WE DO NOT, HOW WILL HISTORY REMEMBER US? WILL IT BE AS KIND AND CARING PEOPLE WHO HAD THE STRENGTH AND THE COURAGE TO DO WHAT MUST BE DONE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF MANKIND OR WILL BE REMEMBERED AS THAT WHEN IT CAME TO HUMANITY, WE FAILED.
THANK YOU, MR. MICHAEL, TIM BARCO, PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
UH, TIM BARCEL NINE OH FIVE TAPPER NASH, UH, LEANDER, TEXAS.
I'M ONE OF THE, UH, RESIDENTS, ONE OF THE 82 RESIDENTS THAT ACTUALLY VOTED, UM, WHILE I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE SHELTER.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD FIT BEING THE FACE OF OUR DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THERE'S OTHER PLACES, UH, THROUGHOUT WILLIAMSON COUNTY, THERE'S PLACES IN LEANDER THAT IS ALSO AVAILABLE.
UM, THE SECURITY, UM, I THINK IS A BIG ISSUE.
THIS FACILITY IS GOING TO BE 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR.
NOBODY BROUGHT THAT UP IN THEIR PRESENTATION.
IF THERE WERE RESTAURANTS OR COMMERCIAL SITES THERE, THEY WOULD BE TAX PAYING, UH, BUSINESSES.
UM, THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE CLOSED BY NINE OR 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
UM, SO THAT'S MY BIG CONCERN IS THIS 24 SEVEN, UM, ENTITY.
WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, WE TALKED ABOUT TAXES.
SO IF THE SHELTER IS PERMITTED TO GO THROUGH, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE CONSUMPTION OF WATER, MORE CONSUMPTION, ELECTRICITY.
UM, IT'S GOING TO BE A BURDEN ON THE, THE, THE WHOLE VILLAGE OF LEANDER.
[01:25:01]
THANK YOU.THANK YOU, MR. PARCEL, BRENDAN ROGERS, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
YOU'LL HAVE TO, UH, MY NAME IS BRENDAN ROGERS, UH, NINE ZERO EIGHT, UH TABERNASH.
AND SAVANNAH RANCH, EXCUSE ME.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE CONSOLE OF THE, UM, I'M OPPOSED TO THIS, UH, UH, THIS, UH, FACILITY.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I, I SHOULD COMPLIMENT THE, UH, HOPE ALLIANCE FOR THEIR EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
UH, THE, UM, UH, GROWING UP IN NORTHERN IRELAND IN THE 1970S AND 1980S, I KNEW ALL ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BUT REALLY THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE TO PUT IT, UM, IS GONNA HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT, A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON OUR PROPERTY VALUES, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY SAY, IT WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT, THE TRAFFIC AND SAN GABRIEL ON WHOLESOMELY AS BAD AS IT IS, THAT'S GOING TO GET WORSE.
AND THAT I DID ATTEND THE MEETINGS, ONE OF THE POLICE STATION, AND A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS POINTS THAT WERE RAISED WERE REALLY QUESTIONABLE.
UH, THEY ARGUED THAT THE, UM, THE WATER PROXIMITY TO SCHOOLS, UH, THE, UM, PROXIMITY TO CUT METRO, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUS PEOPLE TO THOSE FACILITIES REGARDLESS OF WHERE THIS PLACE IS BUILT.
SO I THINK THE LOCATION IS WRONG.
IT'S GONNA HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND SAVANNAH RANCH.
AND, UH, SO THEREFORE I WOULD URGE TO CONSULT TO OPPOSE THE EMOTION.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU, MR. ROGERS, PAUL JOE CECE, MAYBE.
PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
I LIVE AT NINE 12 TABERNASH DRIVE HERE IN THE ANDREW, AND, UH, I WANT TO COMMIT HOPE ALLIANCE FOR WHAT THEY DO.
UM, I TOOK HER UP IN, UH, IN A FAMILY THAT, UH, MY MOTHER WAS BEATEN.
I WAS TOO, I WASN'T ALWAYS THIS LARGE.
UH, I GREW UP A SKINNY LITTLE KID AND I WATCHED MY FATHER BEAT ME, MY SISTER AND MY MOTHER.
SO I FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY GO THROUGH.
AND I, AND I HAVE COMPLIANCE FOR THAT.
HOWEVER, ON THE OTHER HAND OF THAT, UM, I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS WAS A CORRECT PLACE FOR IT.
UM, IT'S ALREADY A BUSY INTERSECTION.
NUMBER ONE, NUMBER TWO, THERE'S LITTLE LEAGUE FIELDS OVER THERE AND WE'RE TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS THERE.
AND IN COLLEGE, I VOLUNTEERED FOR A WOMEN'S SHELTER AND IN EAST TEXAS, AND IT WAS A VERY SECRETIVE PLACE.
I COULD NOT LET ANYBODY KNOW WHERE THIS WAS FOR THEIR PROTECTION.
THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT MY DAD DID.
AND I KNEW THERE WAS NOT A DAMN THING GOING TO STOP HIM IF HE FOUND OUT WHERE WE WERE.
SO I UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WORKS.
NOW, WHEN YOU ADVERTISE 96 BEDS AND YOU ADVERTISE THIS TO EVERYBODY SO THAT ALL THESE PEOPLE LIKE MY DAD CAN SHOW UP ON ANNOUNCED THAT'S WRONG IN FRONT OF A NEIGHBORHOOD AND FROM THE SCHOOL IN FRONT OF LITERALLY BLOW UP BALL FIELDS AND A PARK.
THANK YOU, MR. JOSEPH, JENNIFER HEATS, PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
I'M THE SAVANNAH RANCH, UM, HOA PRESIDENT.
AND I DID SPEAK TO HOPE ALLIANCE.
AND I WAS ACTUALLY FOR THIS PROJECT IN THE BEGINNING.
UM, I WAS ACTUALLY, I'M A CHILD OF ABUSE.
THE POLICE WERE OFTEN CALLED TO MY HOME.
UM, GROWING UP IN JOHNSON, TEXAS.
I RECOGNIZE A LOT OF THE OFFICERS THAT ARE STILL HERE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY, HOWEVER SAFETY THEY HAVE NEVER ADDRESSED THE SAFETY CONCERNS.
I ASKED THEM VIA EMAIL, HOW THEY WERE GOING TO KEEP THIS SECURE.
AND IF THEY CANNOT ANSWER ME THE HOA PRESIDENT, WHEN THEY DELAYED THE MEETING A MONTH FOR WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, HE WOULD THINK THAT ON APRIL 8TH, THEY COULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION TO ME.
IF THEY CANNOT HANDLE AN HOA FEMALE PRESIDENT, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO HANDLE AN ANGRY MALE COMING AFTER HIS WIFE? WHEN THAT WIFE GOES BACK, 16 TIMES, WHATEVER THE STATISTICS ARE, SHE MAY GO BACK.
SHE MAY TELL HIM WHERE THAT FACILITY IS, AND IF SHE LEAVES AGAIN, HE MAY GO LOOKING FOR, AND IF HE'LL KILL HIS WIFE OR TRY TO KILL HIS WIFE, WHY WOULDN'T HE TRY TO KILL ONE OF THE CITIZENS OF OUR COMMUNITY? SO I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST A SHELTER.
I HAVE SOMETHING AGAINST HOPE ALLIANCE AND THEIR LACK OF BEING TRANSPARENT WITH THEIR SECURITY.
YOU DO NOT JUST NEED SECURITY EIGHT OF 24 HOURS A DAY, AND THEY HAVE NEVER ANSWERED THIS ONCE.
SO IF THEY CAN'T KEEP THOSE VICTIMS SAFE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE SAFE? THAT IS
[01:30:01]
MY BIGGEST ISSUE.AND THAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST ISSUE ALL ALONG.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE BIGGEST POINT.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING, BUT THAT STILL HAS NOT BEEN ANSWERED.
AND IT WAS SENT TO THE PRESIDENT.
AND I WONDER WHY THAT WASN'T ANSWERED.
WE BRING UP ALL THE WARM FUZZIES, BUT NONE OF THE REAL TALK I VOLUNTEER AT SHELTERS.
WOMEN'S SHELTERS, AND THEY'RE NOT DISCLOSED.
WHY WILL THIS ONE BE PUBLIC? AND HOW WILL WE BE KEPT SAFE? THANK YOU, MS. MELISSA WALSH, PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
UM, I DON'T ONLY LIVE IN LEANDER.
I OWN A BUSINESS HERE IN LEANDER.
I AM ALSO A SURVIVOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HAVE LEFT CALIFORNIA TO FIND SAFETY.
UM, I ALSO WENT TO SCHOOL AND HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN SOCIOLOGY.
UM, BUT I AM AGAINST HOPE ALLIANCE ASKING FOR REZONING.
UM, AND FRONT OF SAVANNAH RANCH.
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BEEN ZONED FOR A REASON.
THEY SHOULD BE NEAR A NURSING HOME, A MEDICAL FACILITY, SOMETHING OF THE SAME CALIBER.
AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR A CHANGE.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
IT'S NOT ABOUT WHETHER THEY ARE A GOOD BUSINESS OR IF THEY DO GOOD FOR THIS WORLD OR WHETHER WE NEED THEM.
YES, BUT THERE ARE OTHER LOCATIONS HERE IN LEANDER THAT THEY CAN GO TO.
UM, THEY DID NOT MENTION AT THE PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING, BUT THEY MENTIONED TO US, CAUSE I WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL 36 THAT THE CHILDREN ARE LABELED OR DEEMED HOMELESS.
AND THEREFORE OUR COUNT OF HOMELESS PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF LEANDER GOES UP.
THEY ALSO, UM, MENTION AND CONTINUE TO MENTION THAT THE, UM, THAT THEY HAVE ZERO OCCURRENCES OF, UM, OF POLICE VIOLENCE OR ANY OF THAT.
AND THAT'S TRUE, BUT BECAUSE THAT IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN SHELTERED, NOBODY KNOWS WHERE THEY ARE.
THE PRESIDENT EVEN MENTIONED, OR THE CEO MENTIONED THAT HE CAN'T GIVE OUT THE ADDRESS FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR CLIENTELE.
YET THIS IS GOING TO HAVE A SIGN IT'S ALREADY BEEN ANNOUNCED.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, SO THAT CHANGES THEIR STATS.
THAT'S APPLES AND ORANGES, NOT APPLES AND APPLES.
UM, I HAD TO LEAVE A STATE TO GET AWAY.
UM, IF MY EX KNEW WHERE I WAS, I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD BE SAFE OR MY NEIGHBORS.
THANK YOU, MS. WALSH RANDOLPH.
ALLEN IS RANDOLPH ALLEN HERE ON THE PHONE? YES.
YOU CAN COME UP TOGETHER OR SEPARATE.
PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAMES AND ADDRESS.
AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES, UH, RANDALL, UM, SHERRY AND ALLEN, AND RIGHT.
UH, WE LIVE AT ONE OH FOUR HAIL ROSE DRIVE.
AND THANK YOU FOR, UM, LISTENING TO US, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, WE WANTED TO SAY, UM, WE WE'RE, OUR HOME IS RIGHT SMACK AT THE VERY BACK OF, UH, WHERE THE, UH, PROPOSED BUILDING WILL BE.
UH, WE WANT TO TIP OUR HATS OFF TO THE HOPE ALLIANCE AND TO EVERYONE WE TRULY UNDERSTAND THERE IS A NEED.
UM, AND LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER MEMBERS, UM, WHILE WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS A NEED, WE HAVE TO OPPOSE THIS.
UM, WE THINK THERE ARE DEFINITELY OTHER LOCATIONS WITHIN THE LEANDER LIMITS THAT WOULD BE MORE SUITABLE FOR THIS TYPE OF ESTABLISHMENT.
UM, FOR ALL OF THE REASONS THAT MY FELLOW, OUR FELLOW NEIGHBORS MENTIONED.
UM, I KNOW A LOT OF THE, UM, HOPE ALLIANCE MEMBERS TALKED ABOUT, UM, RECEIVING CRASH, UM, COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT, UM, NAMED CALLING AND SAFETY AND PROPERTY TAXES.
UM, YES, ALL OF THAT IS IMPORTANT.
UM, HOWEVER, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS LIKE WHAT WAS JUST PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.
WE'RE GOING FROM AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE WERE SECLUDED AND THERE WAS, THERE WERE NOT KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC TO NOW INTO AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY'RE KNOWN TO EVERYONE AND THEY CAN BE EASILY FOUND.
[01:35:01]
LEVEL OF HEIGHTENED SECURITY AND AWARENESS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.AND WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, IT'S NO LONGER A PRIVATE, IT IS NO LONGER SECURED.
YOU'LL NOW PUT TWO FRACTIONS OF INDIVIDUALS AT RISK, WHICH SHOULD BE THE MEMBERS THAT ARE SEEKING SHELTER.
IN ADDITION TO THOSE THAT ARE WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT IS A VERY VIBRANT AND TRIVE IN NEIGHBORHOOD AS EVERYONE KNOWS.
UM, BUT IT IS NOT THE RIGHT PLACE FOR THIS PARTICULAR BUSINESS, THIS PARTICULAR SHELTER, IT'S TEMPORARY SHELTER.
HOWEVER, THAT IS REVOLVING 24 HOURS.
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME SINCE THERE'S TWO OF YOU, DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK AS WELL? OKAY.
YOU'VE ALREADY GIVEN YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
YOU CAN JUST SPEAK IF YOU'D LIKE, HI, MY NAME IS RANDOLPH FELON AND, UM, OKAY.
UH, I OPPOSE THIS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS WHERE I SEE A LOT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND, UH, MY HATS OFF THE HOPE ALLIANCE FOR THAT CAUSE.
UH, MY ONLY PROBLEM IS WHERE IT'S LOCATED.
IF PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE, SORRY, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION.
IF, IF THERE WAS ANOTHER LOCATION TO WHERE THIS FACILITY COULD BE BUILT, WHERE IT WOULD NOT BE DISCLOSED IT FOR EVERYONE, WHAT DAY TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT VERSUS PUTTING IT IN AN OPEN AREA, A NICE BIG OPEN AREA, RIGHT BEHIND OF RESIDENCE AREA.
I HAVE NO WAY TO SECURE ANYONE THAT CAN JUMP STRAIGHT OVER THE FENCE, PISSED OFF AT A SPOUSE.
AND WE HAVE KIDS OVER IN THAT AREA.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A BIG DOG TO STOP THEM.
SO WHICH MEANS IT'D BECOME, IT BECOMES A PROBLEM.
SO I'M JUST SAYING, UH, THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE IN THE VICINITY.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA CHANGE.
IT'S GONNA CHANGE THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE WAY PEOPLE LOOK AT WHERE WE LIVE.
WHERE, WHERE, WHERE, UM, WHERE THE CENTER IS FOR, UH, FOR, FOR BATTERED PEOPLE.
AND I WAS DOING THE CAUSE IS THEY'RE REFLECT NEGATIVE WHERE IT'S LOCATED.
THANK YOU, MR. MRS. COURTNEY PETERSON.
SHANDY NICHOLS, SHANDY NICHOLS HERE ON THE PHONE.
YOU DON'T WANT TO SPEAK, I GOTCHA AT YOU FOR THIS ONE, THEN JEFF WINKLEMAN.
PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
UH, I CAME, YOU KNOW, I STARTED, I STARTED THIS REALLY SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH MORE THAN WHICH SIDE I'M ON.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, I'M GONNA HAVE A NEIGHBOR.
SO, AND I'M PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL WHO THAT NEIGHBOR IS.
SO IN THE THOUGHT PROCESS OF THAT, I WAS THINKING, OKAY, WELL LET'S NOT HEAR JUST THE SUGAR COATED STORIES AND ALL THE STUFF ABOUT HOW GREAT THIS IS GOING TO BE FOR EVERYONE.
CAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS A SECOND SIDE.
AND THAT SECOND SIDE ENDED UP SHOWING UP WITH THINGS LIKE HOME VALUES, LIKE THINGS LIKE
[01:40:01]
SAFETY.UM, AND IT, IT BOILS DOWN TO IT BOILED DOWN IN MY HEAD IS FIRST QUESTION IS WHY DO THEY HAVE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WITHIN 500 FEET OF, UH, WHERE THEY'RE, WHERE THEY WANT TO CHANGE THE ZONING? WHY WOULD THEY HAVE TO DO THAT? AND EVERYONE BECAUSE OF HOME VALUE AND NUMBER TWO FOR SAFETY, A NUMBER THREE FOR LOOKS.
THAT'S WHY THEY WOULD HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE WITHIN NO I'M WRONG.
TOTALLY WRONG, BUT WE'LL GET TO THAT.
I'LL I'LL JUST STICK TO ZONING.
IT WAS ZONED FOR REASON IN THE FIRST PLACE.
WHY NOT JUST HAVE PEOPLE ALL RIGHT.
IN MY HEAD, WE WANT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALL ENJOY AS A COMMUNITY, WHETHER THAT'S A COFFEE SHOP OR A RESTAURANT.
I SAW, I SAW ALL OF THESE THINGS ON THE LIST.
UM, UH, SO MUCH MORE SO, UH, YEAH.
OH, UH, THEY HAVE A SUPER AWESOME, UH, RECORD AS FAR AS THE POLICE GO.
UH, BUT AFTER TALKING TO THE PRESIDENT, UH, ON AVERAGE, THEY KICK OUT SIX PEOPLE PER YEAR.
UH, OTHER FACILITY FOR THINGS LIKE DRUG USE AND, UH, VIOLENCE AND OTHER SMALL LITTLE STUFF.
WAS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE IN PERSON THAT WANTED TO SPEAK THAT DID NOT SPEAK SO FAR? OKAY.
UM, PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL NEED YOU TO FILL OUT A CARD WITH THE CITY SECRETARY.
CARL NORMAN, 1821 CROSS DRAW TRAIL.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AND I PUT MY GLASSES ON SO I CAN READ, I FIND IT BOTH DISAPPOINTING AND CONCERNING THAT THERE'S RESISTANCE BY SOME LEANDER CITIZENS TO HAVE THIS FACILITY LOCATED IN OUR CITY.
I'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO RESEARCH THE HOPE ALLIANCE ORGANIZATION AND WHAT THEY DO AND HOW THIS PROPOSED FACILITY WILL BE A STATE-OF-THE-ART MULTI-AGENCY OPERATION THAT WILL RENDER MORE EFFECTIVE AND COMPASSIONATE, ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE SUFFERED INCREDIBLE TRAUMA, HAVING SHELTER, COUNSELING, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS IN ONE FACILITY FOR VICTIMS IS A MODEL THAT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT THIS COMMUNITY SHOULD AND WOULD BE EAGER TO SUPPORT THE NOT IN MY BACKYARD SYNDROME.
WE SEE BEING PLAYED OUT HERE HAS SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY SPREADING DISINFORMATION IN AN ATTEMPT TO CAUSE FEAR AND FURTHER INTOLERANCE.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO DETAILS OF WHAT THIS ORGANIZATION DOES CAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD THAT, UH, WHO THEY SERVE AND OTHER DETAILS.
CAUSE I I'M, I'M CONFIDENT THAT THEIR, THEIR BRIEFING HAS ALREADY BEEN REGISTERED WITH ALL OF YOU.
HAVING HAD PEOPLE IN MY PERSONAL LIFE SUFFER FROM THIS KIND OF TRAUMA.
IT HAS MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR THOSE PEOPLE, THAT FACILITIES AND SERVICES SUCH AS THOSE PROVIDED BY HOPE ALLIANCE.
THERE SHOULD BE NO STIGMA OR INTOLERANCE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ORGANIZATION OR THE FACILITY AND THE SERVICES THAT THEY ARE PROPOSING.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND TRAUMA ASSOCIATED WITH IT ARE REAL AND EXIST IN OUR COMMUNITY.
EVEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE PEOPLE ACTIVELY ATTEMPTING TO STOP THIS FACILITY FROM BEING BUILT.
PERSONALLY, I WOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM HAVING THIS FACILITY IN MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE AND VALUE THAT IS PROVIDED TO SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I URGE YOU TO APPROVE THIS ZONING REQUEST.
WHO ELSE? COME ON UP, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES AND I THINK WE ALREADY HAD YOUR NAME, RIGHT.
UM, MY NAME IS SHANDY NICHOLS AND I LIVE AT 25 OH TWO RADIAL AVENUE, AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND I CAME HERE TO SUPPORT MY FRIEND, COURTNEY, WHO THROUGH HER OWN WORK, AFTER HOPE ALLIANCE INSPIRED ME TO GET HELP AFTER I WAS RAPED AT SEVEN YEARS OLD AT MY GRANDPARENTS' HOUSE AND A NEIGHBORHOOD MUCH LIKE THE ONE THAT IS NEXT TO THIS FACILITY.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DIDN'T REALLY HEAR MENTIONED IS, OR THAT I DID HEAR MENTIONED WAS HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC ABUSE ON BOTH SIDES AND ALL THOSE PEOPLE LIVE IN HOUSES, IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO WHETHER THE MAN IS GOING TO THE FACILITY, HE COULD ACTUALLY BE YOUR NEIGHBOR ALREADY.
SO IT'S NOT THE BUILDING THAT MATTERS.
[01:45:01]
IT'S THE PEOPLE AROUND THAT MATTER.I OWN A BUSINESS THAT HIRES REHABILITATED HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS.
I PERSONALLY KNOW THESE WOMEN ON THE OTHER SIDE, IT'S BEEN MY HONOR TO HIRE THESE WOMEN TO GIVE THEM SECOND CHANCES.
I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER STOOD UP SO TALL THAN I HAVE IN THIS ROOM TODAY.
I NEVER BELIEVED THAT I WAS WORTHY OF THIS WHATEVER SIDE YOU'RE ON THIS VIOLENCE NEEDS TO END REGARDLESS.
AND IF THIS CAN HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN, I HIGHLY HIGHLY SUGGEST THAT WE GIVE IT ROOM TO GROW AND THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU, MS. NICHOLS, MR. DANK, PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
I'M THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY HERE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY.
I ALSO HAPPENED TO BE A BOARD MEMBER FOR THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER AND HOPE ALLIANCE.
UM, I WANT TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
UH, BUT FIRST I WANT TO JUST ADDRESS THE COMMENTS THAT I CAME TO SAY, WHICH IS WHEN I BECAME DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN JANUARY OF 2017, EVERYONE WAS WORKING INDIVIDUALLY TO HELP SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
BUT WE ARE UNDER-SERVING OUR COMMUNITY WHEN WE DO IT INDIVIDUALLY.
AND WHAT I WAS TOLD BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WAS THE MODEL THAT WORKS AS THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER.
THAT'S A VERY PUBLIC BUILDING.
AND THAT'S THE MODEL THAT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ASKED ME TO HELP CREATE.
I JOINED THE BOARD FOR HOPE ALLIANCE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND THIS IS A PROJECT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME.
A MULTI-AGENCY CENTER IS NOT JUST A SHELTER.
A MULTI-AGENCY CENTER IS A PLACE THAT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM CAN WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS TO REALLY TRULY BRING JUSTICE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IF ANYONE THINKS THAT WE'RE, WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR CLIENTS, THAT IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD WE CREATE A FACILITY THAT PUTS THEM IN HARM? THAT'S JUST SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
SECONDLY, MY JOB IS PUBLIC SAFETY TOGETHER WITH CHIEF MINTON AND THE 35 OTHER POLICE AGENCIES THAT SUBMIT CASES WITH MY OFFICE.
THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO IS CREATE HARM IN A COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY ONE LIKE LEANDER AND MAYOR.
YOU HAD SAID THAT, UH, IN ONE OF YOUR INTERVIEWS, RIGHT AFTER YOU WERE ELECTED, YOU SAID YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB IS REALLY THE PEOPLE HERE IN LEANDER.
THEY'RE KIND, THEY GREET YOU ON THE STREET.
AND I THINK YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN GOOD NEIGHBORS IN ROUND ROCK FOR DECADES.
WE WILL BE AMAZING NEIGHBORS AND LEANDER AND WE'LL BE HERE.
THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW TIMES THAT A GOVERNMENTAL TYPE AGENCY WILL BE HERE IN LEANDER, NOT GEORGETOWN, NOT WHERE YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS TO DRIVE IN TO GEORGETOWN TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR NEEDS.
WE'LL BE RIGHT HERE AT MY OFFICE.
LAW ENFORCEMENT, LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WAS THERE ANYBODY ELSE PRESENT THAT WISH TO SPEAK? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY ON THE PHONE? OH, WAS THERE ANYBODY ON THE PHONE THAT WE SHOULD JUST SPEAK? OKAY.
THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE HAD, UH, WANTED THEIR POSITION.
SO THESE ARE THE FOURS, VIRGINIA.
JEN, AMANDA DUDLEY, CHESNEY HARRIS, JANET VETO, VAL FRANCOISE, MICHAEL BEVINS, M D P H D.
ANTHONY LEVI LOUGHLIN, ALICIA JONES, MICKEY AVERY, CHELSEA DRN, ROLANDA SMART.
WENDY LEON, ELLEN PAYNE, KAYDEN MADISON KERWICK DEBRA D. DELANEY.
YOUR MILA COLE, DANIELLE SULLIVAN.
LINDA FORD, TIMOTHY SERGEANT CASEY GRIFFIN, STEPHANIE PITTMAN, WAYNE BULLOCK.
JAMIE CLARK, HARRIET MURRAY PITTMAN.
[01:50:02]
APRIL MORLEY, DAVID BELLAGIO, GERALD BENJAMIN, WALTER, MICHAEL ALEXANDER TWILA, POLLARD, KENDALL, WHOLE KEMP.VANESSA GUTIERREZ, SAM ELI, ELLA CLEARY.
PHILLIP BUY-IN CATHERINE BAKER, SUSAN BROWN.
BRITTANY CONTRARAS LESLIE CRUNKY HILTON.
MELISSA FORTE, CARLY ROY, MATT BROWN.
HEATHER SOLOMON, ANDREW BRANDT.
HEATHER IS-IT'S DENISE PRIOR DEAN XIRRUS JOHN D PITMAN, SENIOR CATHERINE, A BENJAMIN.
JAMIE FELICIA, JENNIFER GARBS DONALD GARBS TAMMY BOND.
KRISTEN CONAN HALEY THOMPSON, HUNTER THOMPSON, JENNIFER HEALEY, JAMIE TURNER, ANDREA DONNER.
CHRISTINE SLENDERMAN, WENDY RIPLEY.
DIANA BRIMMER, AMY ROBINSON, SHELBY MEIER.
LISA CALC, JULIE MACFARLANE, JENNIFER FLOYD.
ELIZABETH B DOS, GERALD L. OLIVER, SUSAN LISAK ANGELA DELAROSA, SANDRA SIGMAN, SERGEANT MATT CAMERA CURRIC, DALE DUDLEY, KATHY VESEY.
LAURA CHARLESWORTH LYDIA PIERCE, JUDITH STONE.
RICHARD R. PALMER, STEPHEN FISHER, ASHLEY FISHER, BEN FISHER, ISABELLA FISHER, JOE DILL JER, LISA SIMMONS, CORRINE KELEMAN SHERLYN HUB MICHELINA, KIM PAISANO, LISA CANTRELL.
ISABEL VILLAREAL, SHAY LAMB, AARON VANDER, LEAST DONNA GAIL BRODEN.
MICHAEL LEE, KIM
DONNA MILLER, DONNA BROWN, WENDY DEBRIS, SUSAN BETHANY YOUNG SAY URI.
ADIANA SASSON, FON WHITE, SHAWN BARBER KELLY, MARCO, CHRISTINA WELLS, STEPHEN WELLS, SHELLEY WELLS, ASHLEY HEALEY, BRIAN HEALEY, DANIEL NATARA CHRISTINE ALLEN.
ZARINA MORE PFEIFFER MEREDITH HARRIS, DANIELLE DONNER AND ZENDA HAYDN.
THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE WANTED THEIR SIDE READ IN AS AGAINST CLIFTON GRANT RIAA PARKS, BRIAN, SIMILAR LAUREN, SIMILAR EMILY HALL GRANT, MICHAEL BOYCE, JANET EL BONFIGLIO, EDINA CARDENAS AND STEPHANIE GOODSON.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO THE ACTION ITEM REGARDING ZONING CASE 21 Z ZERO ZERO SEVEN AS DESCRIBED ABOVE COUNSEL.
SO FIRST I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SHARED THEIR STORIES OR THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, I'M GONNA TRY TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE WITH YOU, UM, FOR THE, FOR THE GENTLEMAN ABOUT THE 500 FEET, THAT'S OUR LAW THAT THEY HAVE TO NOTIFY EVERYONE WITHIN 500 FEET.
IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SAFETY OR PROPERTY VALUES.
UM, CAN, CAN YOU COME UP? CAN, CAN YOU, YEAH, CAN I, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION REAL QUICK? I MIGHT, YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER IT, BUT, UM, UM, I KNOW THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT IT, UM, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT IF YOU CAN DISCUSS IT BECAUSE IT IS THE SECURITY OF THE FACILITY AND YOU MIGHT NOT WANT ALL OF YOUR SECURITY PROCEDURES, UM, IN PUBLIC.
SO IF YOU CAN'T DISCUSS THAT, UM, THAT'S FINE.
BUT, UM, IF YOU, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU COULD DISCUSS TO, TO EASE SOME FOLKS MINDSET WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
SO, UM, BOARD MEMBERS, UH, SEAN, DICK KIND OF SAID IT, WHY WOULD WE BUILD A FACILITY THAT IS INSECURE,
[01:55:01]
UM, UH, ACHIEVEMENT AND WOULD TELL YOU THAT AS SOON AS WE TELL YOU WHAT OUR SECURITY MEASURES ARE, WE'RE NOT SECURE ANYMORE.SO I'VE MENTIONED IN MY PRESENTATION, THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE REQUIRES US TO HAVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT CONSIDER INTRUDERS ASSAULT, BOMB, THREATS, THREATENING PHONE CALLS, POWER OUTAGES, EVACUATIONS, NATURAL DISASTERS, AND TECHNOLOGY SAFETY AND DATA SECURITY.
WE WILL HAVE SECURITY ON ALL OF THOSE MEASURES.
SO, UM, SO I KNOW THAT WE WOULD PREFER TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS ON HOW IT'S GOING TO BE SECURE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT OBVIOUSLY FOR THE SAFETY OF, OF, UM, THE SURVIVORS THAT CAN'T HAPPEN, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I SPOKE WITH HIM ABOUT THE SECURITY, UM, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS SATISFACTORY, BUT THAT'S JUST ME.
UM, NEXT, I WOULD JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE HOME VALUES, UM, PROPERTY VALUES THAT PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT.
I RESEARCHED EXTENSIVELY AFTER LISTENING TO THE ENTIRE PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING, UM, WHETHER OR NOT IT DID DECREASE PROPERTY VALUES.
AND I COULDN'T FIND ONE PIECE OF EVIDENCE.
I FOUND LOTS OF EVIDENCE REGARDING HOMELESS SHELTERS, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS.
I COULD FIND NOT ONE PIECE OF RESEARCH THAT SAID, UM, A FACILITY OF THIS TYPE REDUCES PROPERTY VALUES IN ANY WAY.
UM, I ASKED FOR HELP TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE COULD HELP ME FIND THAT IT, I COULD NOT FIND IT.
UM, JUST WITHIN LEANDER SINCE JANUARY OF 2019, TILL MARCH OF 2021, THERE WERE 79 SEXUAL OFFENSES AND THERE WERE 626 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENTS IN OUR CITY ALONE.
THAT'S ONE CITY AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY IS MADE UP OF 11 CITIES PLUS PARTS OF MULTIPLE OTHER CITIES THAT FALL WITHIN THE COUNTY.
AND, AND, AND THAT 626 IS, IS JUST OUR CITY.
UM, THEY PROBABLY DID NOT WANT TO DISCLOSE THE LOCATION OF THIS FACILITY, BUT IN ORDER TO HAVE THIS ZONING CHANGE, THEY HAD TO, UM, AND I'M SURE THAT THEY HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, PROCESSES IN PLACE ONCE THEY MOVE FORWARD.
UM, THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT WHETHER OR NOT ANY OF THE SPEAKERS OR PEOPLE, UM, THAT CAME UP TO SPEAK THEIR CONCERNS, EVERY ONE OF THEM WAS TOUCHED BY DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, WHETHER THEY WERE FOR THIS ITEM OR AGAINST THIS ITEM, THAT IS HOW WIDESPREAD THIS PROBLEM IS.
SO MINE IS, MINE'S GOING TO BE FOR ROBIN, UM, MAYBE HELP, HELP TO HELP TO CLEAR SOMETHING UP AND ALL.
AND, AND, UH, AND ALSO ONE QUESTION WHEN WE TALKED YESTERDAY, UM, YOU HADN'T THAT WE HADN'T BEEN IN THE CITY CITY STAFF HAD NOT BEEN IN RECEIPT OF ANY OF THE CHANGES THAT WERE TALKED ABOUT THAT WE JUST SAW ON THE SCREEN.
SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW, DO WE EVEN HAVE THAT STUFF HAS, HAVE YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT LOOKED OVER THOSE? SO WE DON'T HAVE, UM, THE FIELD NOTES THAT GO WITH THE CHANGES TO THE BOUNDARIES.
UM, ONE OF OUR CONCERNS WAS, UM, THEY ARE PULLING IT 75 FEET, UM, WITH THE, THE PUD.
UM, BUT THAT DOESN'T LIMIT OTHER THINGS LIKE PARKING LOTS OR OTHER TYPES OF IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT AREA.
SO MY CAN MAKE, MIGHT MAKE MORE SENSE JUST TO INCLUDE A SETBACK IN THE PET ITSELF.
CAUSE THEN ASSURES WHERE THE BUILDING AND THE PARKING WOULD GO.
IS THAT LANGUAGE THAT COULD BE CLEARED UP IF THIS WAS SOMETHING? ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE ADDED AND I THINK WE WOULD MEET THE SAME INTENT.
UM, IT JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR TO EVERYONE WHAT WAS BEING APPROVED.
THERE'S ONE OTHER THING TOO, THAT CAME UP AND WAS, UM, I BELIEVE DR.
BROWN IS, UM, THAT YOU BROUGHT UP, WHICH WAS, UM, UM, OR SOMEBODY HAD, I'M SORRY, IT'S BEEN AWHILE.
THOSE THANK YOU, EVERYBODY WHO, WHO SPOKE ON BOTH SIDES OF EVERYTHING.
AND I HOPE EVERYBODY CAN APPRECIATE ONE ANOTHER AND RESPECT ONE ANOTHER FOR WHATEVER YOUR POSITION WAS.
UM, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT NOT HAVING ANY ACCESS ON HALL, SORRY, ON HALLS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS ALREADY TALKED ABOUT? OKAY, THAT'S WHAT I W I LOOKED AT YOU AND I MEAN, I'M, I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THIS AS FAR AS LIKE A
[02:00:01]
LOGISTICS DEAL HERE TOO.UM, IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE? SO THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO WEIGH IN ON.
UM, SAN GABRIEL IS AN ARTERIAL ROADWAY, SO THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE LIMITED TO ONE DRIVEWAY.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T NEED TO, FOR SOME REASON.
UM, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT BEFORE WE APPROVE IT.
SO THAT'S, I JUST WANT TO GO, IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD, IF THAT'S WHAT COUNCIL DECIDES, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING IT THE BEST, BEST WAY POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COVERED AS A CITY AND THAT WHATEVER WE'RE GOING TO WHATEVER'S PROPOSED AND WHATEVER IS DRAWN UP AND WHATEVER WE'RE VOTING ON IS ACTUALLY REALISTIC.
SO THAT, THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN HERE.
UM, OTHER THAN UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS, UM, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED.
SO COULD THAT BE CORRECTED BY THE SECOND READING? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE, THE 75 FEET AND THE 150 FEET DID THAT CHANGE, I THINK YOU'RE KIND OF THE SAME THING, THE HALSY ENTRANCE, BUT THEN THE 75 FOOT OFF OF THE SHE'S TALKING ABOUT FROM THE BACK PROPERTY OWNERS, LIKE WHERE Y'ALL LIVE.
AND SHE SAID IT'S 75 FEET FROM IS WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING 75 FEET.
INSTEAD OF LIKE, IF A COMMERCIAL BUILDING WAS BUILT THERE, I THINK IT'S 40 FEET OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE SOMETHING COULD BE.
SO THAT THAT'S SOMETHING, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE.
AND THEN THE 150 FEET FROM HALSY WAS, WAS IT ORIGINALLY CLOSER AND THAT CHANGE OR THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AS OPPOSED TO, IF IT WAS COMMERCIAL ORIGINAL REQUESTS, DIDN'T INCLUDE PULLING BACK THE BOUNDARIES OF THE PUD.
UM, SO WHAT I WAS GETTING AS IF WE, WE COULD ACHIEVE THAT THROUGH SETBACKS AND THAT'D BE A BETTER METHOD, IT'S EASIER TO.
UM, SO ANNETTE DID A FANTASTIC JOB OF EXPLAINING EVERYTHING.
SO HOW DOES A FACILITY LIKE THIS GET BUILT WITHOUT DISCLOSING THE NOTE, THE LOCATION THEY WOULD HAVE TO ALREADY BE AS WELL? SURE.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH THIS USE IS IT'S NOT A USE THAT'S LISTED IN OUR ORDINANCE TODAY WHEN WE EVALUATED IT, WE SAW IT AS A USE THAT WOULD FIT IN A GENERAL COMMERCIAL CATEGORY.
SO OUR ORDINANCE DOES HAVE A PROVISION THAT LETS US MAKE THAT TYPE OF INTERPRETATION, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS CLOSE TO, UH, A NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AND LOCAL COMMERCIAL MEANT FOR A SMALLER, LESS INTENSE DEVELOPMENT STAFF, WASN'T COMFORTABLE PUTTING IT IN THAT CATEGORY.
SO THAT'S WHY WE SUGGESTED THE MINOR PUTT.
AND, AND I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THIS.
I'M NOT SURE WHO DOES THE IDEAL LOCATION REGARDLESS OF COST WOULD BE WHERE I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT.
SO DOES ANYBODY WANT THE ANSWER TO THAT? OKAY.
ANYTHING ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER? UM, WELL, THE APPLICANT MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER PART OF THAT QUESTION AS FAR AS THE LOCATION, UH, WHY THIS LOCATION, WHY NOT ANOTHER LIKE LOCATION, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU CAN DISCUSS THAT IN ANY WAY.
SO WE HAVE A PANEL OF LANDON BUILDING EXPERTS.
WHO'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
WE'VE LOOKED AT 11 DIFFERENT PIECES OF PROPERTY, SOME WITH BUILDINGS THAT COULD BE, UH, REMODELED SOME WITHOUT, UH, BUILDINGS AND RAW LAND.
THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY AFFORDS US THE BEST COMBINATION OF LOCATION AND PRICE.
THE, UH, OWNER OF THE PROPERTY HAS DONATED INTENT.
HE'S OFFERED, HE'S ACCEPTED OUR OFFER FOR A VERY GOOD PRICE, UH, FOR US.
AND, UH, THAT, UH, IN THAT PRICE IS INCLUDED IN THE 13 TO $15 MILLION PROJECT THAT WE PLAN ON, UH, BUILDING ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ROSS, JUST TO CLARIFY TOO, ON THE ZONING PIECE OF IT IS THE OTHER REASON FOR THIS POD IS BECAUSE OF THE, THE NUMBER OF BEDS AND INCREASING THEM.
UM, OTHERWISE IT COULD JUST BE BUILT, CORRECT.
SO THE APPLICANT MADE REFERENCE TO THE GROUP HOME USE IN OUR ZONING ORDINANCE, UM, THAT IS MEANT FOR, UH, USING, UH, AN ACTUAL HOME, UM, TO HOUSE PEOPLE.
SO IT'S A SMALLER SCALE KIND OF FAMILY ENVIRONMENT.
THIS WAS A A HUNDRED BED FACILITY, SO IT TAKES IT OUT OF THAT CATEGORY.
I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT THAT'S WHY, THAT, WHY THAT, THAT'S WHY THE MINOR PUD VERSUS THE ACTUAL ZONING CHANGE TO THE G, CORRECT? CORRECT.
UM, THERE WAS ONE OTHER LOOSE END I HAD HERE.
SOMEONE MENTIONED THAT THE HOMELESS COUNT GOES UP.
CHIEF, DO YOU HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT? DOES THAT, IS THAT TRUE? YEAH.
[02:05:01]
TOGETHER.SO IN ONE OF THE, UH, TOWN HALL MEETINGS, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE CHILDREN THAT COME WITH THEIR MOMS TO OUR FACILITY AND WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM AND WHERE DID THEY GO TO SCHOOL BY LAW? WHEN A CHILD GOES INTO A FACILITY, IT'S A STATE LAW THEY'RE CONSIDERED HOMELESS SO THAT THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT PROVIDES EDUCATION FOR THEM.
THAT'S THE TECHNICALITY IT'S BEEN BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION.
SO CHIEF, DOES THAT AFFECT US IN ANY WAY OR WHATEVER CITY IT MAY BE LOCATED IN AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT? WE DON'T TRACK HOW AMOUNT OF HOMELESS THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW WE ARE NOTIFIED OF HOMELESS IF THERE'S SOMEONE HOMELESS IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT THERE'S NO STATS THAT WE KEEP THAT WOULD LET US KNOW CURRENTLY WHAT WE HAVE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY KEEPS THAT OR THE COUNTY KEEPS THAT, BUT WE DON'T.
I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.
UM, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT KEEPS TRACK OF THAT WITH STUDENTS.
AND IT'S NOT JUST IF THEY'RE IN A FACILITY, BUT ALSO IF THEY'RE TEMPORARILY STAYING ANYWHERE, IF THAT'S WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS OR WHATEVER, THEY GET THAT SAME DESIGNATION, THOSE AS WELL AS, UM, I JUST HAD ONE COMMENT.
AND I THINK, UM, WE HEARD THIS A LOT IN THE STORIES ON BOTH SIDES TONIGHT, THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP, THE MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE STARTS LONG BEFORE THE PHYSICAL ABUSE AND TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO GET OUT OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS.
UM, I'VE KNOWN A HANDFUL OF WOMEN IN MY TIME HERE IN LEANDER MOMS, WHERE OUR KIDS WENT TO SCHOOL TOGETHER.
THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE LOOKING TO GET OUT AND ASK ME IF I KNEW WHERE THEY COULD GO.
AND WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT THE ONLY FACILITIES WERE AROUND 35, IT WAS TOO OVERWHELMING FOR THEM.
ONE OF THEM FINALLY GOT OUT, BUT ANOTHER ONE I PASSED BY HER HOUSE EVERY DAY.
AND SHE WENT BACK WITH HER THREE KIDS AND HER ABUSER DID WHAT ABUSERS DO AND MOVED HER AWAY BECAUSE SHE HAD TOO MUCH SUPPORT HERE.
AND I PRAY FOR HER EVERY DAY THAT SHE GETS OUT BECAUSE SHE'S GOT TO GET OUT TO STAY SAFE, HER AND HER CHILDREN.
I THINK THAT THIS FACILITY IS SO NEEDED HERE IN LANDER, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE THAT CAN'T GET OUT, AND THIS IS GOING TO SAVE LIVES OF OUR WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND SOME MEN TOO.
SO ACTUALLY CAN, CAN I JUMP BACK AT, BECAUSE RICK AM I CORRECT? 16% OF THEIR SURVIVORS THAT, THAT ARE AT THEIR FACILITY ARE MEN NOT BOYS MEN ON THAT.
THIS IS WHY WE SEE SUCH A HIGH BED COUNT HERE TOO, IS BECAUSE THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE LEAVING WITH THEIR CHILDREN.
AND SO IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED FAMILIES, IT'S A HUNDRED BEDS, INCLUDING THE CHILDREN THAT NEED TO GET OUT OF THAT SITUATION AS WELL.
CAN I MAKE A MOTION? OH, DID YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT? AND JUST TO REITERATE IF, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME HERE, BUT, UM, THE 96 BEDS IS SO THAT IT, IT WILL GROW THE ANTICIPATION IS THAT THAT WILL NOT FILL IMMEDIATELY, BUT THAT AS THE CITY GROWS, THAT WE HAVE FOR THEM TO, TO GROW WITH IT, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FAMILIES ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
OH, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER PERSON? WELL, I, I WAS JUST, I MEAN, THE, THESE ARE NOT EASY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED ONCE AS SOMEONE THAT WE LOVE IT WHEN THE APPLICANT MEETS WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD OR WHATEVER, AND THEY COME TO A CONCLUSION AND THEY BRING IT TO US AND EVERYTHING'S WORKED OUT EVERYBODY'S HAPPY AND THEY THEY'VE GOT IT WORKED OUT IN THAT WAY WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO BE THE BAD GUYS OR THE GOOD GUYS, UM, NOW UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A MEETING.
AND I THINK THERE, THERE WERE SOME CHANGES AFTER.
UM, AND I'M JUST, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHERE WE STAND ON THE POSSIBILITY OF, UM, HOW REALISTIC IS IT TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING WITH THE APPLICANT AND THE NEIGHBORS TO, TO GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN ANY CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE, BECAUSE CLEARLY THERE IS A NEED.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT AN IF, BUT, BUT WHERE IT'S ALL LOCATION, UM, AND NOT HAVING THE
[02:10:01]
ANSWER TO WHAT THE IDEAL LOCATION IS.UM, THIS IS THE LOCATION THAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
SO I WOULD LOVE FOR EVERYONE TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW FEASIBLE THAT IS.
UM, BUT I WOULD ENTERTAIN A POSTPONEMENT IF THAT IS REASONABLE TO DO SO.
UM, WE, THEY CLEARLY WE NEED TH THIS IS A, THIS IS A NEED FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHAT THE RESIDENTS KIND OF WANT, AND THEY CAN'T DO THAT.
BUT SOME OF THE OTHER ISSUES, I THINK THE THINGS THAT CAME UP WERE SOME OF THE SETBACKS THINGS THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, I BELIEVE.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO GET CLEARED UP WITH PLANNING AND WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, RIGHT BY SECOND READING.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE SETBACKS AND THEN, UM, CONCURRING WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT THE, UM, NO ACCESS FROM HOSEY DRIVE WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE FOR THE SECOND READING.
I'LL SECOND THAT I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER ROSS.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OPPOSED? OKAY.
WE'RE GOING TO BE IN RECESS FOR FIVE MINUTES.
COUNCIL IS RECONVENING AT 9:32 PM.
[22. Conduct a Public Hearing regarding Zoning Case 21-Z-002 to amend the current zoning of SFU-2-B (Single-Family Urban), LC-2-B (Local Commercial), and GC-3-C (General Commercial) to create the Leander Collective Planned Unit Development (PUD) with base zoning of SFT-2-A (Single-Family Townhouse); and Subdivision Case 21-CP-002 to adopt the Leander Collective Concept Plan on four (4) parcels of land approximately 13.5 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcels R036237, R036221, R036220, and R036219; and generally located west of US 183 and north of Sonny Drive, Leander, Williamson County, Texas. Discuss and consider action regarding Zoning Case 21-Z-002 as described above.]
ITEM NUMBER 20 TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING ZONING CASE 21 Z OH TWO TWO, TO AMEND THE CURRENT ZONING OF SFU TO BE SINGLE FAMILY, URBAN LLC, TO BE LOCAL COMMERCIAL AND GCC GENERAL COMMERCIAL TO CREATE THE LAND OR COLLECTIVE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT WITH BASE ZONING OF SFT TO A SINGLE FAMILY TOWNHOUSE AND SUBDIVISION CASE 21, CP ZERO ZERO TWO, TO ADOPT THE LAND OR COLLECTIVE CONCEPT PLAN ON FOUR PARCELS OF LAND, APPROXIMATELY 13.5 ACRES PLUS OR MINUS IN SIZE AS STATED ON THE POSTED AGENDA.AND WE ARE ALL SURPRISED TO SEE PLANNING DIRECTOR GRIFFIN AGAIN.
SO THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED TO THE WEST OF ONE 83 EAST OF SOUTHWEST DRIVE.
AND I'M TO THE NORTH OF SUNNY DRIVE.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT TO CREATE A SINGLE FAMILY TOWNHOUSE, UH, PROJECT.
UM, THE DEVELOPER ACTUALLY, UM, HAS THE PROPERTY TO THE EAST AS WELL, THAT ZONE COMMERCIALLY.
SO THAT PIECE IS GONNA REMAIN, UM, COMMERCIAL AND THE PROPERTY TO THE WEST.
I THINK PART OF THE CONCERN IS HAVING THAT MUCH COMMERCIAL.
SO DEEP ON A LOT OF THIS, IS THERE A CONCEPT PLAN? THERE IS A ROAD THAT GOES THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE PROJECT.
THEY CURRENTLY HAVE APPROVED CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR THAT ROADWAY.
UM, THEY, THEY DID START THE PROCESS WITH COMMERCIAL AND NOW THEY'VE MADE THE CHANGE.
UM, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DID REVIEW THE REQUEST DURING THE MAY 13TH MEETING, AND THEY UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.
THEY DID HAVE A CONDITION CAUSE THEY HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE EXTENSION OF COMMERCE STREET.
SO THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SEE THE TOWNHOUSE PROJECT FINISHED BEFORE THE STREET CONNECTED TO ONE 83 BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE'S ENOUGH ACCESS, UM, FOR THE HOMEOWNERS.
UM, I DID SPEAK TO THE, THE AGENTS ABOUT THE REQUEST AND WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THEM BEING AGREEABLE TO A REQUIREMENT THAT NO MORE THAN 30 HOMES GET A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY BEFORE THE, THE ROADWAY WAS COMPLETED AND THAT THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH OUR FIRE CODE REQUIREMENTS.
SO I FELT LIKE THAT WOULD WORK.
UM, I I'LL BE AVAILABLE AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ANY QUESTIONS AND THE APPLICANT DOES NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION, BUT HE IS ON THE PHONE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM.
SINCE THERE IS NO PRESENTATION, IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? OKAY.
SINCE THERE'S NONE, UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING, OH, I HAD OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FIRST.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? AND THERE'S NONE STILL.
SO PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
UH, WE WILL MOVE INTO THE ACTION ITEM REGARDING ZONING CASE 21 Z ZERO 22 AS DESCRIBED ABOVE COUNSEL.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, IF NOBODY ASKS QUESTIONS, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UM, WITH THE CONDITION THAT NO MORE THAN 30, UM, CEO'S COULD BE ISSUED BEFORE THE ROADWAY IS, IS COMPLETED A SECOND.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[23. Conduct a Public Hearing regarding Zoning Case 21-Z-010 to amend the current zoning of SFU-2-B (Single-Family Urban) to SFT-2-B (Single-Family Townhouse) and GC-2-C (General Commercial) on two (2) parcels of land approximately 14.037 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcels R031386 and R031387; and generally located south of Hero Way West and east of Bagdad Road, Leander, Williamson County, Texas. Discuss and consider action regarding Zoning Case 21-Z-010 as described above.]
ON TO ITEM 23, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING ZONING CASE 21 Z ZERO ONE ZERO TO[02:15:01]
AMEND THE CURRENT ZONING OF SFU TO BE SINGLE-FAMILY URBAN TO SFT TO BE SINGLE FAMILY TOWNHOUSE AND GC, TO SEE GENERAL COMMERCIAL ON TWO PARCELS OF LAND, APPROXIMATELY 14.037 ACRES PLUS OR MINUS IN SIZE, AS STATED ON THE POSTED AGENDA PLANNING DIRECTOR GRIFFIN.SO THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED TO THE SOUTH OF HERE AWAY AND TO THE EAST OF BAGHDAD.
UM, THE CEMETERY IS LOCATED, UM, DIRECTLY TO THE WEST OF THE PROPERTY.
AND, UM, IT'S, UH, THERE'S A DOLLAR GENERAL NEXT TO IT.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE IT'S LOCATED.
UM, THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING GENERAL COMMERCIAL GC.
UM, THIS REQUEST WAS REVIEWED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DURING THE MAY 27TH MEETING.
AND THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THE GC TO SEE DISTRICT ALONG HERE, AWAY.
AND THEN THEY REQUESTED THAT THE REMAINDER OF THE PROPERTY WAS REZONED TO COTTAGE HOUSING.
SO
AND, UM, THE APPLICANT IS HERE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION AND HE'S ALSO THE, UM, PAPER EXHIBIT THAT DARRA PASSED AROUND.
THE APPLICANT MAY COME FORWARD.
UH, THIS 14 ACRE TRACK, UH, CURRENTLY JONAH SINGLE FAMILY, RESIDENTIAL, AND THE FRONT OF THE ALONG THE WAY WE ARE PROPOSING THE COMMERCIAL.
AND IT'S SO DEEP ON THE TRACK.
SO IN THE BACK WE HAD A, UH, PROPOSING THE SINGLE FAMILY TOWNHOUSES AND WE PROVIDED THE ELEVATIONS HOW IT LOOKS, SO, UH, PROVIDE, UH, UH, MA MEDIUM RANGE OF HOUSING.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ANYBODY ON THE PHONE? OH, THAT'S OKAY.
UH, SINCE THERE ARE NONE, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WE WILL NOW MOVE FORWARD INTO ACTION REGARDING ZONING CASE 21 ZERO 22, AS DESCRIBED ABOVE COUNSEL.
I HAVE SOMETHING IF NOBODY ELSE DOES.
UM, SO THE RE SO THE, THE, THE MOTION OR THE SUGGESTION FROM PLANNING AND ZONING, THAT IT GOES TO COTTAGE HOUSING, OPPOSED TO THE TOWNHOMES, RIGHT.
WOULD REQUIRE ONE IS WHAT HAS APPLICANT EVEN DISCUSS THAT? ANYTHING WITH PLANNING STAFF ON, IF THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE, OR IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD BE AGREEABLE.
SO, UM, I I'LL LET THAT APPLICANT ANSWER IF THEY WERE AGREEABLE OR NOT, BUT IT WAS NOT PART OF THE INITIAL PROPOSAL.
AND IT IS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE.
TOWNHOUSE ALLOWS THE ATTACHED PRODUCT AND INDIVIDUALLY PLOTTED LOTS.
UM, IT HAS A DENSITY OF 10 UNITS PER ACRE VERSUS A COTTAGE HOUSING.
YOU HAVE MULTIPLE UNITS ON ONE LOT AND, UM, THEY LOOK MORE LIKE A LARGER SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
AND IT HAD AN EIGHT UNIT PER ACRE DENSITY.
SO I GUESS JUST ABOUT, WOULD BE THE QUESTION JUST FOR THE APPLICANT IS IF THAT'S A SUGGESTION THAT THE PLANNING IS AND CAME UP WITH HAD YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND, OR YOUR FAMILY, HAVE YOU DISCUSSED THAT AT ALL AS FAR AS YOUR DEVELOPMENT? YES, SIR.
WE DISCUSSED, BUT THE THING IS, UH, THE USAGE OF THE SEAT, UM, TOWNHOUSES GIVE MORE FLEXIBILITY TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE DENSITY WISE IS THE SAME, BUT IT GIVES THEM MORE FLEXIBILITY TO OWN A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS LIKE MORE THE CARTER'S HOMES USE MORE THAN LIKE, UH, APARTMENTS LOOK.
SO EVEN THOUGH THE APARTMENTS OR SORRY, EVEN THOUGH COTTAGE HOUSE WOULD NOT ALLOW ATTACHED.
SO I, I THINK THE, THE ISSUE IS, UM, THEY WANT TO DO ATTACHED PRODUCT AND COTTAGE HOUSING WOULD NOT ALLOW THE ATTACHED PRODUCT, SO THEY'D HAVE TO REDESIGN THEIR PRODUCT.
HOW MANY UNITS WOULD THIS BE? SO THIS DISTRICT WOULD ALLOW 10 UNITS PER ACRE.
SO I DON'T KNOW THE MATH, WHEN THEY TAKE OUT ROADWAY, HOW MUCH IS JUST THAT PART? THAT'S NOT COMMERCIAL.
DO YOU KNOW THE ACREAGE FOR THE RESIDENTIAL? AND HE SAID, SO ROUGHLY 50, 55 UNITS, WHAT THAT MEANS, I'M SORRY, WHAT WOULD IT BE FOR COTTAGE HOUSING EIGHT PER ACRE, OR, OKAY, THANK YOU.
[02:20:01]
CONVERSATIONS AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING MINI AND THE, UM, THE OPPOSITION THAT DID SPEAK ABOUT THAT, WHICH WAS THE, UM, THE CEMETERY ASSOCIATION ALSO WAS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DENSITY IN THE, UM, VANDALISM AND, UM, JUST PEOPLE WALKING IN AND OUT OF THE CEMETERY.AND SO THAT WAS PART OF THIS GESTION WAS TO LOWER THE DENSITY THERE.
UM, BUT FELT THAT IT WAS, UM, MADE SENSE TO PUT, UM, RESIDENTIAL ON THE BACK.
CAUSE IT IS SO FAR, IT'S SUCH A DEEP LOT THAT, THAT IT WOULD BE OKAY BACK THERE, BUT TRYING TO REDUCE IT, BUT WOULDN'T TOWNHOUSES WOULD REDUCE IT MORE THAN COTTAGE HOUSING COTTAGES, EIGHT PER ACRE.
SO WHAT'S OUR, LIKE, I'M NOT AS, I'M NOT AS CONCERNED WITH ACTUALLY, I'M NOT AS CONCERNED WITH THE PRODUCT TYPE, BUT I AM WITH WHAT THE DENSITY IS, IS A, IS OUR BIGGEST ISSUE HERE.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE PROBABLY TRYING TO COME UP WITH WAS IT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHETHER IT'S THIS PITCHER VERSUS, YOU KNOW, TWO OR THREE SMALLER ONES THAT ARE NOT ATTACHED THAT ARE CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER, IT'S MORE THE DENSITY THAT I THINK IS THE CONCERN HERE.
I MEAN, WE CAN GO WITH LIKE A NINE, NINE BREAKER.
HE'S SAYING THAT THERE WOULD BE OKAY WITH NINE PER ACRE.
WELL, THE OTHER SUGGESTION WAS EIGHT AND I GOT TO KNOW HOW THIS ALL WORKS.
SO, SO WHAT WE COULD LOOK AT IS, UM, ADDING A CONDITION TO THE ORDINANCE SAYING THAT THEY'D BE LIMITED TO NINE UNITS PER ACRE WITH THE SINGLE FAMILY TOWNHOUSE USE COMPONENT.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE NON SECOND.
IT'S A MOTION AND A SECOND, IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[24. Conduct a Public Hearing and consider action regarding Zoning Case 21-Z-011 to amend the current zoning of Interim SFR-1-B (Single-Family Rural) and Interim SFS-2-B (Single-Family Suburban) to GC-3-C (General Commercial) on one (1) parcel of land approximately 2.838 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcel R031225; and more commonly known as 10984 E. Crystal Falls Parkway, Leander, Williamson County, Texas. Discuss and consider action regarding Zoning Case 21-Z-011 as described above.]
FOUR, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ACTION REGARDING ZONING CASE 21 Z ZERO ONE.ONE TO AMEND THE CURRENT ZONING OF INTERIM SFR, ONE B SINGLE FAMILY, RURAL AND INTERIM SFS TO BE SINGLE FAMILY SUBURBAN TO GC THREE C GENERAL COMMERCIAL ON ONE PARCEL OF LAND, APPROXIMATELY 2.8, THREE EIGHT ACRES PLUS OR MINUS IN SIZE AS STATED ON THE PROPOSED AGENDA PLANNING DIRECTOR GRIFFIN.
SO THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT ONE ZERO NINE EIGHT, FOUR EAST CRYSTAL FALLS PARKWAY.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO CHANGE THE ZONING TO
I THINK IT'S THE EASIEST CASE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
UM, THE PLANNING AND ZONING, NO, I JUST MESSED IT UP.
UM, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION REVIEWED THE REQUEST AT THE MAY 13TH MEETING AND UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.
UM, THE APPLICANT DOES NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION, BUT THEY ARE HERE.
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? OKAY.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THE ACTION ITEM REGARDING ZONING CASE 21 ZERO ONE, ONE AS DESCRIBED ABOVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL SECOND MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION HEARD A BREATH WAS AT YOU.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES, UNANIMOUSLY ITEM
[25. Conduct a Public Hearing and consider action regarding Zoning Case 21-TOD-Z-012 to amend the current zoning of CS (Civic Space) to T5 (Urban Center Zone) within the PUD/TOD (Planned Unit Development/Transit Oriented Development) on one (1) parcel of land approximately 0.26 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcel R036103; and more commonly known as 104 N. Brushy Street, Leander, Williamson County, Texas. Discuss and consider action regarding Zoning Case 21-TOD-Z-012 as described above.]
25 CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ACTION REGARDING ZONING CASE 21 T O D Z ZERO ONE TWO TO AMEND THE CURRENT ZONING OF C S CIVIC SPACE, TWO T FIVE URBAN CENTERS ZONE WITH THE PUD T O D THAT'S PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT ON ONE PARCEL OF LAND, APPROXIMATELY 0.2, SIX ACRES PLUS OR MINUS IN SIZE, AS STATED ON THE POSTED AGENDA PLANNING DIRECTOR GRIFFIN.SO THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT ONE OH FOUR.
NORTH BRUSHY IS CURRENTLY ZONED FOR CIVIC SPACE, AND WE ARE PROPOSING TO CHANGE THE ZONING TO THE
UM, THIS CHANGE WOULD ALLOW FOR THE BUILDING TO BE USED AS A BREW PUB AND A RESTAURANT.
THE PLANNING ZONING COMMISSION DID REVIEW THIS REQUEST DURING THE MAY 13TH MEETING AND THEY UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.
I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING IN CAMERON GOODWIN IS ALSO HERE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANT HIM TO KIND OF GIVE YOU SET EXPECTATIONS.
[02:25:01]
I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.UH, THIS, THE REASON THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS KIND OF LEADING THIS WITH, UH, UH, HELP WITH PLANNING, UM, THE DAVIS HOUSE IS LOCATED HERE ON THIS PARCEL.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO CREATIVELY FIND FUNDING TO HELP SAVE THIS HOUSE IS ONE OF THE OLDEST HOMES IN LEANDER.
IT HAS A LOT OF HISTORY, UM, COMING WITH THAT IS ALSO A HIGH PRICE TAG OF FIXING THE HOME.
SO WE'VE LOOKED THINGS LIKE P PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, FINDING A PRIVATE BUSINESS TO COME IN HERE, PUT THE MONEY FORWARD TO FIX UP THE HOUSE, UH, AND MEET THE CONDITIONS THAT THE CITY SETS OUT, SUCH AS PRESERVING THE HISTORY AND HONORING THE CHARACTER OF THE AREA.
SO I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US JUST TO, UM, HAVE THIS REZONE, TO GIVE US THE FLEXIBILITY, TO BRING IN A PUBLIC, UH, PRIVATE PARTNER, TO WORK WITH US ON THIS.
SO THIS WOULD GIVE US THE FLEXIBILITY INSTEAD OF HAVING A CIVIC SPACE WHERE THAT COULDN'T HAPPEN, THIS WOULD LET A PRIVATE BUSINESS COME IN AND USE THOSE PRIVATE DOLLARS TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY AND ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS WE CAN'T DO THAT YET? OH, SO IS THAT THE END OF YOUR PRESENTATION? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE? THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO THE ACTION ITEM REGARDING ZONING CASE 21 T O D Z ZERO ONE TWO AS DESCRIBED ABOVE COUNCIL MOTION TO APPROVE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE'RE THE CITY OF LEANDER IS THE APPLICANT CORRECT? BUT NO NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH WAS COMPLETED.
CAUSE THE, CAUSE THE PLANNING ANALYSIS SAYS IT'S STILL PENDING.
THAT WAS AT THE TIME THEY WENT TO P AND Z.
WE DID HAVE IT AT THE MEETING.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? SURE.
WE WILL VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[26. Conduct a Public Hearing regarding Zoning Case 20-Z-025 to amend the current zoning of SFU/MH-2-B (Single-Family Urban/Manufactured Home) to create the 406 Hazelwood Planned Unit Development (PUD) with base zoning of CH-2-A (Cottage Housing) on one (1) parcel of land approximately 2.764 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcel R036565; and more commonly known as 406 Hazelwood Drive, Leander, Williamson County, Texas. Discuss and consider action regarding Zoning Case 20-Z-025 as described above.]
ALL RIGHT.ITEM 26 CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING ZONING CASE 20 ZERO TWO FIVE TO AMEND THE CURRENT ZONING OF SFU, M H TO BE SINGLE FAMILY, URBAN MANUFACTURED HOME TO CREATE THE FOUR OH SIX HAZELWOOD PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT WITH BASE ZONING OF C H TWO, A COTTAGE HOUSING ON ONE PARCEL OF LAND, APPROXIMATELY 2.764 ACRES PLUS OR MINUS IN SIZE, AS STATED ON THE POSTED AGENDA.
IT'S PLENTY DIRECTOR GRIFFIN, BUT THIS IS A, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT FOUR OH SIX HAZELWOOD.
UM, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO REZONE THE PROPERTY TO ALLOW FOR A COTTAGE HOUSING, UM, DEVELOPMENT, UH, UP ON THE SCREEN, I HAVE THEIR CONCEPTUAL SITE LAYOUT PLAN WITH COTTAGE HOUSING.
THEY'RE ABLE TO DO MULTIPLE UNITS ON ONE LOT.
SO THEY'D HAVE PRIVATE DRIVES PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE DIFFERENT UNITS.
UM, THERE WAS A PREVIOUS CASE ON THIS SITE.
UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS 2019 WHERE THEY'RE PROPOSING A DOG TRAINING THAT DIDN'T GET APPROVED.
I BELIEVE HE'S ALSO WORKED WITH THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS A GOOD THING.
UM, THIS PROJECT WOULD ALLOW FOR UP TO 19 DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY UNITS AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING DID REVIEW THE QUESTS DURING THE MAY 13TH MEETING.
AND THEY UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED IT WITH THE CONDITION THAT THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT IS UPDATED TO REQUIRE THE SIDEWALKS TO BE FOUR FEET WIDE, BUT TO ALLOW THEM TO BE ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS LIKE CRUSHED GRANITE INSTEAD OF CONCRETE, UM, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THE APPLICANT IS HERE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.
THE APPLICANT MAY COME FORWARD.
UH, MY NAME IS MARK FRIESEN WITH CRAFT AND RESIDENTIAL CRAFTSMAN HOMES, UH, REPRESENTING THE LANDOWNERS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE.
UM, WHERE DO WE GO HERE? IS THIS THE SLIDESHOW PRESENTATION? UH, SO 19 UNITS, UM, EACH ONE OF THE PAD SITES, UH, IS BASICALLY MEASURES 38 BY 38.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO GET TWO DIFFERENT, UH, UNIT TYPES, TWO DIFFERENT UNITS STYLES, UH, IN TERMS OF FLOOR PLANS.
UM, UH, ONE OF THOSE UNITS HAS A WRAPAROUND FRONT PORCH.
WE TRIED TO MAKE THEM, UH, AS, AS DIFFERENTIATED AS POSSIBLE.
UM, WE HAVEN'T QUITE PICKED THE COLORS OF THE ELEVATIONS, BUT WE'VE WORKED WITH THE ARCHITECT TO AT LEAST GIVE US SOME COLOR RENDERINGS FOR YOU GUYS TO SEE TONIGHT.
UM, THE, UH, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNITS WILL ALL TAKE PLACE AND BASICALLY ONE SHOT WE'LL BUILD ALL THE STREETS AND BUILD ALL THE HOUSES AT ONE TIME.
UM, SO WHAT DO I PUSH TO GO FORWARD HERE? UH, THIS IS ONE
[02:30:01]
OF THE, HOW DID THAT ONE GET IN THERE? SORRY.SO I GRABBED ONE OF THE WRONG ELEVATIONS.
UH, NO, THIS IS THE RIGHT ELEVATION.
SO THE UNITS WILL BE A HUNDRED PERCENT MASONRY, UH, SOME PORTION ROCK WITH, UH, THE REST STUCCO FRONT AND BACK.
WE'VE GOT, UH, UM, DECORATIVE GARAGE DOORS THAT ARE SPLIT ON BOTH.
I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS, UH, FOR HAVING FRONT FACING GARAGES FOR THIS TYPE OF ELEVATION AND THESE SIZE HOMES, UM, ELEVATION NUMBER TWO, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, UH, ELEVATION WITH A DIFFERENT FLOOR PLAN, AGAIN, ALL A HUNDRED PERCENT MASONRY WITH A LITTLE BIT OF METAL ROOF ON THE FRONT.
AND THEN OUR THIRD ELEVATION THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
UH, THIS UNIT WOULD END UP BEING ABOUT 2,150 SQUARE FEET MASTER UP, UM, COVERED PATIOS ON THE BACKSIDE TWO CAR GARAGE.
THIS ALSO HAS, WE HAD SOME REQUESTS FROM A COUPLE OF BUYERS THAT THEY WANTED A BATHROOM AND A BEDROOM DOWNSTAIRS.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE FRONT DINING ROOM AND THE POWDER ROOM AND STUFF IS, HAS BEEN REARRANGED INTO A BEDROOM AND BATHROOM TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THE BUYERS.
UM, THIS PARTICULAR ELEVATION AND FOR PLAN HAS A WRAPAROUND FRONT PORCH.
UM, THAT'LL GIVE, UH, UH, SOME, SOME, AGAIN, SOME DIFFERENCE IN ELEVATIONS, UH, UH, ON THE STREETSCAPE.
UM, THIS ONE ALSO HAS A BEDROOM AND BATHROOM COMBINATION OPTION DOWN ON THE SECOND ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
AND THEN WE HAVE A SECOND FLOOR.
WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT OPTIONS MASTER SUITE OVER THE, OVER THE GARAGE WITH TWO BEDROOMS AND A LOFT UPSTAIRS.
SO THEY'RE BASICALLY THREE BEDROOM, TWO AND A HALF BATH WITH A LOFT UPSTAIRS.
UM, MOST EVERYBODY'S PRETTY MUCH GONE WITH THIS OPTION THAT THE ELEVATION DOESN'T REALLY MATTER, WHICH OPTION TO GO WITH FOR THE SECOND FLOOR.
AND THEN OUR SECOND FLOOR OPTION WITH THE MASTER BEDROOM IN THE BACK, STILL MAINTAINING THE LOFT AND THE THREE BEDROOM, TWO AND A HALF BATH WITH A LAUNDRY ROOM UP.
UM, THAT'S ABOUT ALL I GOT, UH, IN TERMS OF THE PROJECT.
THAT'LL GO PRETTY FAST AND, UH, WE HOPE WE GET APPROVAL FROM YOU GUYS FOR IT.
ANY QUESTIONS? WE CAN'T DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
WHAT'S THAT WE CAN'T DO QUESTIONS.
OH, YOU CAN DO QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
WE DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER WHO SUBMITTED A CARD.
JENNY ATKINSON, PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND, OH, SORRY.
PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
GINNY ED CONSENTED, FOUR OR FIVE HAZELWOOD.
WE'RE ALMOST DIRECTLY NOT ACROSS THE WHOLE PROPERTY THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING, BUT ONE END OF IT.
WE, MY HUSBAND AND I, WE'RE NOT OPPOSED TO THEIR HOUSING PROJECT.
UH, OUR MAIN CONCERNS IS TRAFFIC BECAUSE IF EVERY ONE OF THOSE COTTAGES HAS A TWO CAR GARAGE, THAT'S A MINIMUM OF 19 CARS UP TO A POSSIBLE 38 PLUS CARS A DAY GOING IN AND OUT.
NO, TELL HIM HOW MANY TIMES HAZELWOOD IS NOT MUCH WIDER THAN THIS PIECE OF PAPER HAS NO SHOULDERS.
I SEE HIS FACT TODAY ON OUR WAY HERE, WE TOOK OUR TRASH OUT TO THESE OF THE STREET.
I'M STANDING AT THE END OF OUR DRIVE.
TWO TRUCKS GO BY ME THAT DID NOT MOVE OVER.
DID THEY OBEYED THE 30 MILE PER HOUR SPEED LIMIT? NOPE.
BREACHED STREETS, YOUR WIDTH BEEN RAINING ALL DAY.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT MUCH TRAFFIC ADDED TO THE OTHER SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE BEING BUILT AROUND US AND BACK OF BUS, IT'S REALLY IMPACTING HORIZON PARK AND HAZELWOOD.
SOMETHING'S GOTTA BE DONE GUYS.
SHOULDER IS HARD FOR TWO VEHICLES TO PASS EACH OTHER.
AT THE SAME TIME, SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO COME TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD TO LET THE OTHER CAR PASS.
THAT'S ONE OF OUR MAJOR CONCERNS.
OUR SECOND ONE IS MY FRONT PORCH IS GOING TO FACE THIS PROJECT.
I DON'T ESPECIALLY WANT TO LOOK AT A SIX FOOT MASONRY WALL.
I DIDN'T COME TO THIS AREA TO RETIRE.
THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT A ROCK WALL.
[02:35:01]
THINGS CHANGE.I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT, EXCEPT CAN WE DO LIKE OVERLOOK A STATES? DID THEY HAVE THE MASONARY PILLARS? WHAT THE ROD ON RAILS, THEY'VE GOT THE LANDSCAPING.
IT GIVES THE HOMEOWNER PRIVACY.
IT GIVES US SOMETHING ELSE TO LOOK AT BESIDES THE BRICK WALL.
AND, UH, BUT AS FAR AS THE HOUSING ITSELF, OUR, OUR MAJOR CONCERN IS REALLY THE TRAFFIC.
I MEAN, MY DRIVEWAY'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT FAR FROM THERE ONE ENTRANCE IN, AND IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO GET OUT ON HAZELWOOD NOW, AS IT IS, AND WALKING ACROSS THE STREET, MY MAILBOX, I'M TAKING MY LIFE IN MY HANDS.
EVERY TIME I DO IT, BECAUSE NOBODY GOES UP AND DOWN THAT STREET, THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS RIGHT DOWN AT THE END, AND IT AMAZES ME THAT PEOPLE STILL GO 45, 55 MILES AN HOUR.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
WAS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WE'LL MOVE INTO THE ACTION ITEM REGARDING ZONING CASE 20 ZERO, TWO FIVE AS DESCRIBED ABOVE.
I JUST HAD A CLARIFICATION FOR ROBIN.
UM, THE APPLICANT MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE, UH, AN ORDINANCE FOR FRONT FACING GARAGES OR TWO CAR GARAGES THAT THEY HAVE TO BE SPLIT.
IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.
I THOUGHT HE SAID DECORATIVE DOOR.
IT HAD TO BE SPLIT IT DECORATIVE.
BUT SINCE YOU'RE HERE, UM, SINCE THIS IS A PRIVATE DRIVE AND NOT A PUBLIC STREET, WHAT, WHAT IS THEIR PARKING REQUIREMENT FOR THE, THE UNITS LIKE? SO THEY HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE COTTAGE HOUSING PARKING REQUIREMENTS, SO IT WOULDN'T BE RIGID.
SO HOW MANY DO YOU KNOW? I CAN LOOK IT UP? UM, THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE TWO IN THE DRIVEWAY.
LET ME JUST GET THE ORDINANCE RULES.
MY WORRY IS THAT, UM, THERE'S PEOPLE GONNA PARK ON THE STREET AND IT'S ONLY A 20 FOOT WIDE STREET.
AND AS SOON AS YOU HAVE ANYONE PARK ON EITHER SIDE OF THAT STREET, NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH WE'LL FIRE, BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH A POLICE, BE ABLE TO, WILL EMS BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH IF YOU HAVE A CAR PARKED ON A 20 FOOT STREET AND THEN IF NOT, CAN IT BE NO PARKING ON THE STREET? IF IT'S A PRIVATE DRIVE? I DON'T THINK WE WOULD.
SO WITH THE, UM, THE COTTAGE HOUSING DISTRICT, IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN THREE BEDROOMS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWO GARAGE SPACES AND TWO, UH, DRIVEWAY SPACES.
IF YOU HAVE THREE OR FEWER, YOU HAVE TO HAVE ONE GARAGE SPACE AND THEN TWO DRIVEWAY SPACES.
IF THEY DESIGN THE DRIVE TO WHERE IT'S MEETING THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR FIRE LANES, THEY WON'T BE ALLOWED TO HAVE PARKING ON THAT STREET.
AND IT MIGHT BE AN INSTANCE WHERE THEY DO A LITTLE POD OF PARKING, BECAUSE YOU WANT TO, YOU WANT TO PLAN FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE VISITORS.
UM, THIS IS JUST A CONCEPTUAL DRAWING, SO HE COULD ADD SOMETHING IF IT BECAME AN ISSUE.
I MEAN THAT MINIMUM OF PARKING HANDLES THE AMOUNT OF CARS FOR EACH UNIT, YOU KNOW, TWO OR THREE CARS THAT ARE GOING TO BE THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT HOUSE.
WHERE ARE THOSE PEOPLE GOING TO PARK? UNDERSTANDABLE.
SO IN THE ORDINANCE, AS I UNDERSTOOD IT, THAT WE COULD SIGN THE ROAD FOR NO PARKING ON THE STREETS AND THEN THE DEVELOPMENT, MATH, THE ORDINANCE FOR PARKING, BY HAVING TWO SPACES IN THE DRIVEWAY AND TWO SPACES IN THE GARAGE.
SO MY FIRST QUESTION WOULD BE, WOULD YOU BE AMENABLE TO PUTTING IT INTO THE PUB THAT THAT STREET IS GOING TO BE NO PARKING ON EITHER SIDE? ABSOLUTELY.
SO SECOND WE WERE AS A UNIT FOR THE BIRTHDAY PARTY, UH, WE COULD PROBABLY PUT A PARKING SPOT OR TWO, UH, IN THE, UH, PARKLAND DEDICATION AREA WHERE THE OAK TREES THAT WE HAVE TO TURN, CAN THEY DO THAT OF IT'S THE PARKLAND DEDICATION AREA THAT WOULD, UM, PROBABLY TAKE AWAY FROM THEIR PARKLAND CREDIT.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE PROTECTING THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE OF THE TREE.
I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS STILL JUST A PICTURE, SO HE HASN'T LIKE SCALED IT, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE OTHER, YEAH.
CAN, CANNOT MAKE DECISIONS ON BIRTHDAY PARTIES.
I'M JUST SAYING THOUGH, HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING THAT HAVE THIS HOUSING THAT HAVE THESE, WE COULD SIGN IT IN THE, ON THE STREET THAT THERE'S NO BIRTHDAY PARTIES, NO APARTMENT, RIGHT.
[02:40:01]
THERE'S GOING TO BE NO AGING NEIGHBORHOOD.I WAS JUST LISTENING TO THE OTHER PLANNING AND ZONING CASE WHERE PEOPLE WERE PARKING ON THE STREET WHERE THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO THE BACK OF THEIR OWN HOUSE WHERE THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO.
PEOPLE DO THE WRONG THING ALL THE TIME.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SIT UP HERE AND I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT THERE'S TWO, TWO IN THE GARAGE, TWO IN THE DRIVEWAY.
IT'S THE SAME THING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WHEN THEY HAD PARTIES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY BOTH SIDE OF THE STREET.
IT'S JUST WHAT IT'S JUST, IF YOU WANT TO LIVE IN A CITY, THIS IS WHAT IT IS.
HOW MANY HOMES CAN BE THERE NOW? WHAT IS THE WITH, WITHOUT THE CHANGE? SO IT'S, UM, IT'S OWN SINGLE FAMILY URBAN.
SO THAT REQUIRES A 60 FOOT WIDE LOT.
IT'S LIKE A, PROBABLY DO MAYBE THREE TO MEET THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE REQUIREMENT.
IF YOU, IF YOU ADDED A REQUIREMENT IN THE PUD THAT THEY HAD TO HAVE SO MUCH GUESTS PARKING, WE'VE HAD IT WHERE PEOPLE DO LIKE A PERCENTAGE, YOU MIGHT, YOU MIGHT LOSE A UNIT.
UM, BUT IT'S A CASE WHERE HE WOULD HAVE TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE PROJECT, UH, THAT, OR WE COULD LOOK AT A LOT IN DEPTH REDUCTION.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK EVERYBODY WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WAS THE DEPTH OF THE DRIVEWAY.
UM, I'VE GOT A FULL SIZED TRUCK, SO I NEED ABOUT AT LEAST 20 FEET BEFORE I HANG INTO THE STREET.
SO RIGHT NOW I THINK WE'RE AT 23 FEET, SIX, SO WE'VE GOT ENOUGH ROOM.
UM, AND I THINK THE BACKYARDS, IF I CAN REMEMBER LIKE 19 OR 18 FEET, SO WE COULD PUSH THE UNITS BACK ON ONE SIDE A LITTLE BIT, WIDEN UP THE STREET A LITTLE IF WE HAD TO, BUT YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S ROOM FOR TWO, TWO GARAGES AND TWO IN THE DRIVEWAY, RIGHT? CORRECT.
WE WERE GOING TO BE PRETTY RESTRICTIVE ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT INSIDE THE GARAGE YOU HAD TO HAVE AT ALL TIMES ENOUGH FOR HIM TO PULL TWO CARS INTO THE CRUTCH.
RIGHT, ROBIN, ONE QUICK QUESTION TOO.
UM, WITH, UH, SIDEWALKS, IT COULD BE USED AT A DIFFERENT MATERIALS THAT, CAUSE THERE AREN'T ANY SIDEWALKS THAT ARE RIGHT NOW.
SO THIS WAS MEANT TO BE INTERIOR TO THE PROJECTS.
AND I THINK THEY HAD MADE IT A THREE-FOOT SIDEWALK AND THE COMMISSION WAS CONCERNED THAT WASN'T REALLY WIDE ENOUGH, UM, TO HELP.
SO LIKE IF WE MADE IT FOUR FEET, THEN IT'S LIKE A NORMAL SIZED SIDEWALK.
AND THE COMPROMISE WAS TO DO AN ALTERNATIVE MATERIAL, MAKE IT STILL DO CONCRETE, BUT IT WAS CRUSHED.
GRANITE WAS AN OPTION IN CASE THAT WE HAD A COST SAVINGS OR SOMETHING, I WOULDN'T DO IT IF I WAS TAKING CARE OF THE PLACE BECAUSE OF THE MAINTENANCE ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT SO WE AGREED TO IT BECAUSE IT'S PRIVATE AND THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT.
AND THESE ARE ALL ABOUT, THIS IS COTTAGE.
SO THIS IS LIKE ONE, IT'S A CONDO WHERE IT'S LIKE, IT'S ALL IN ONE BIG PERSON, RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET AWAY WITH, SORRY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET AWAY WITH THAT.
IF SOMEBODY DOES THE SECOND, I BELIEVE IT.
BUT LIKE THERE'S NO DINING SPACE PERIOD EXCEPT FOR THE KITCHEN, KITCHEN, KITCHEN COUNTER, BASICALLY ON WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU CONVERT THAT WHEN YOU CONVERT THE A TO THE BEDROOM OR JUST SAID, FORGET IT.
BUT THEY'RE TRYING TO STACK AS MANY PEOPLE AS THEY CAN INTO THE HOME.
WHICH, WHICH LEADS TO THE, THE DENSITY OF PARKING QUESTION, RIGHT? SORRY.
I UNDERSTAND THE, THE, EVEN THE, UM, ACCESSIBILITY.
FOR THE BUYERS, THERE ARE TWO RESIDENTS ONE'S ELDERLY AND WANTED TO KEEP A BEDROOM DOWNSTAIRS.
AND SO YOU COULD ACTUALLY, UM, THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY AN ISLAND THAT ISLAND CAN GO AWAY AND THAT'S PLENTY OF SPACE TO DO A COUNTRY KITCHEN WHERE YOU CAN PUT A DINING ROOM TABLE.
SO IT'S LIKE AN EAT-IN KITCHEN.
SAME WITH THE OTHER FLOOR PLAN THAT ISLAND CAN BE EXPANDED A LITTLE BIT.
I MEAN, IS IT, IS ANYBODY ELSE HUNG UP ON THE PARKING ARE STILL HUNG UP ON THE PARKING THING OR WERE YOU, UH, IN REGARD TO THE CRUSH BAN AT TRAIL, WE THOUGHT ABOUT, WE COULD KIND OF MEANDER IT THROUGH THE FRONT YARD AND USE SOME LANDSCAPE MATERIALS TO KIND OF CREATE, UH, UH, A MORE OF A SCENIC PATH INSTEAD OF JUST A FAKE SHOT.
IT'S A SMALL, IT'S ONLY THINK TO THE PARK IN ONE DIRECTION.
I THINK IT'S 385 FEET IN THE LONGEST, RIGHT? THE LONGEST RUN.
[02:45:04]
ARE YOU AT ALL OPEN TO WORKING WITH STAFF TO TRY TO FIND OUT HOW TO FIT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN PARKING IN THERE? SOMEHOW WE COULDN'T, LIKE I SAID, EVEN ON THE SOUTH SIDE, UM, WE COULD PUSH THE UNITS BACK JUST A LITTLE AND BARRE PARKING SPACES, UH, PARALLEL ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND MAYBE DIP LIKE TWO OR THREE OF THEM HERE AND THERE.UH, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO ON ONE SIDE BECAUSE THE SIDEWALKS ON THE OTHER SIDE, YOU COULD CUT ONE LOT AND JUST MAKE IT A GUEST PARKING.
I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR, BUT THAT'S WHERE I, RIGHT.
THAT COULD BE POSSIBLE TO DO LIKE THE CENTER UNIT OR SOMETHING.
I MEAN, THEY CAN'T HAVE ANYTHING IN THEIR GARAGE.
IN REALITY THOUGH, EVERYBODY'S RIGHT.
LIKE NOBODY NOBODY'S GONNA USE THOSE.
UH, MOST PEOPLE, SORRY, NOT NOBODY.
MOST PEOPLE WILL NOT PARK IN THE GARAGE.
AND ESPECIALLY WITH THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE AND EVERYTHING, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE GARAGE TO GET A TRUCK.
AND I BELIEVE THAT I'M JUST SAYING STORAGE VERSUS YEAH.
USUALLY SOMEBODY HAS TO HAVE LIKE NINE FEET BY EIGHT FEET GRADUATE OR SO YOU CAN GET TRUCK IN IT.
I HAVE SEEN, I HAVE SEEN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THAT BEFORE THOUGH, WHERE THE HOA HAS A REQUIREMENT THAT CARS HAVE TO BE OFF THE STREET AND EITHER IN THE GARAGE OR IN THE DRIVEWAY AND YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY, LIKE, YOU CAN'T HAVE A THIRD CAR THAT'S ON THE STREET.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE ROOM IN YOUR GARAGE.
IF YOU HAVE A THIRD AND IT'S WORKED OUT, I WOULDN'T PERSONALLY LOOK LIKE THAT.
TWO CARS IN THE GARAGE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO STORE ANYTHING, IT NEEDS TO BE SITE OR IN ONE OF YOUR CLOSET, WHATEVER.
SO I'M NOT SUPER HUNG UP ON THE PARKING LOT.
BUT I DO THINK THAT, UM, THERE SHOULD BE A SUMMER RETREAT ITEM TO ENSURE THAT OUR RULES ARE, ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING ENOUGH PARKING BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE TRAILS AT LEANDER, THERE'S NOTHING, THERE'S NOWHERE TO PARK THERE AND IT'S, IT'S INADEQUATE.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE THAT ADDRESS.
I THINK THAT'S ON THE BAGHDAD NEXT TO THE, UH, FUNERAL IT'S FIRE TURNAROUND.
THAT'S I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT, BUT THAT'S A FIRE LANE.
SO I COULDN'T REALLY BE UP HERE SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO PARK IN THE, YEAH.
MY QUESTION ABOUT THAT WHEN WE HAD, UH, WHEN WE TALKED TO STAFF, WAS THAT, THAT WAS BASICALLY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S REQUIREMENT WAS THEY HAD TO BE ABLE TO TURN IN THEIR, OKAY, I'M SORRY.
WE CAN ALLOW COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
I'M SORRY, IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, I'M NOT MAKING EMOTIONAL ON THIS ONE.
UM, IF, IF WE'RE GONNA, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE OKAY WITH THE PARKING CAUSE I'M GOING TO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE PARKING.
UM, I LIKED THE IDEA THAT THIS IS WHAT I LIKE TO HEAR.
THIS IS WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS.
YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A, SOMEBODY ELSE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING HERE.
AND WE SAID NO, A COUPLE YEARS AGO BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING.
AND REALLY A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORS CAME OUT AND SPOKE AGAINST THE THING TOO, AS FAR AS THE NUISANCE AND ALL THAT, UM, UH, LANDOWNERS SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY, NO MATTER WHO THAT LANDOWNER IS TO TRY TO DEVELOP THEIR PROPERTY.
HOWEVER, THEY SEE FIT, UM, WITHIN THE RULES OF, UH, OF OUR CITY.
AND SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT SIZE OF A PROPERTY, A FAIRLY DENSE THING TO HAVE SOME SMALLER LOTS AND EVERYTHING THERE TOO.
UM, IF THERE IS A WAY FOR YOU TO, UM, I JUST, I HAVE A BIGGER CONCERN WITH THE PARKING THEN THAN MAYBE MOST UP HERE TO JUST ALSO WHAT, WHAT IF WE, WHAT IF WE POSTPONE UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING SO THAT THEY COULD WORK WITH STAFF.
AND I MEAN, OTHERWISE I'M JUST GOING TO MOTION TO DIE.
AND IF WE WANT TO THEM A CHANCE TO WORK IT OUT WITH STAFF, LET'S ASK MS. GRIFFIN, IF SHE HAS ANY IDEAS ABOUT THE EASIEST WAY TO HANDLE IT.
I THINK A POSTPONEMENT MEANS WE HAVE TO RE NOTIFY YOU HELD THE PUBLIC HEARING, SO YOU COULD POSTPONE THE ACTION TO THE NEXT MEETING.
SO THAT WOULD BE YOUR FIRST READING AT THE NEXT MEETING.
WE DON'T NEED TO DO A RE NOTIFICATION.
SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE UNTIL THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING A SECOND IS THE APPLICANT AMENABLE TO THAT? OKAY.
I MEAN, THAT WAY IT'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO WORK IT OUT WITH THE CITY, OTHERWISE, WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT, IS THERE ANY OTHER CONCERN BESIDES THE PARKING SITUATION? IS THERE ANY OTHER CONCERN THAT HE SHOULD BE TALKING TO STAFF ABOUT JUST TO MAKE SURE.
SO YOU HAVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED NOW.
SO WE DON'T WANT, NOBODY WANTS, I DON'T LIKE POSTPONING EITHER, BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS THE BEST CHANCE AND THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO HAVE A QUICK BOOK.
[02:50:01]
SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S IT.NO OTHER CONCERNS, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION AND SOMEBODY SECONDED, RIGHT? WAS THAT YOU? OKAY, SO WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[27. Conduct a Public Hearing regarding Zoning Case 20-Z-037 to amend Phase 2 of the Valley Vista East Planned Unit Development (PUD) with the base zoning of SFL-2-A (Single-Family Limited), Subdivision Case 20-CP-013 to adopt the Valley Vista East Phase 2 Concept Plan, and Subdivision Case 20-PP-027 to adopt the Valley Vista East Phase 2 Preliminary Plat on one (1) parcel of land approximately 35.54 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcel R021710; and generally located south of Gabriels Horn Road and east of Ronald W. Reagan Boulevard, Leander, Williamson County, Texas. Discuss and consider action regarding Zoning Case 20-Z-037, 20-CP-013, and 20-PP-027 as described above.]
ITEM 27 CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING ZONING CASE 20 ZERO THREE SEVEN TO AMEND PHASE TWO OF THE VALLEY VISTA EAST PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT WITH THE BASE ZONING OF SFL TO A SINGLE FAMILY LIMITED SUBDIVISION CASE 20 CPA, ZERO ONE THREE TO ADOPT THE VALLEY VISTA EAST PHASE TWO CONCEPT PLAN AND SUBDIVISION CASE 20 PP OH TWO SEVEN TO ADOPT THE VALLEY VISTA EAST PHASE TWO PRELIMINARY PLAT ON ONE PARCEL OF LAND, APPROXIMATELY 35.54 ACRES PLUS OR MINUS IN SIZE, AS STATED ON THE POSTED AGENDA PLANNING DIRECTOR, GRIFFIN.THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE VALLEY VISTA EAST PHASE TWO PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THIS ALSO INCLUDES AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONCEPT PLAN AND THE PRELIMINARY PLAT, THIS REQUEST DOES REDUCE THE OVERALL DENSITY OF THE PROJECT.
THE ORIGINAL PROJECT INCLUDED THE ENTIRE, UM, AREA WITH POLKA DOTS UP ON THE SCREEN.
AND IT WAS A TOTAL OF 250 UNITS FOR THE WHOLE PROJECT.
UM, THEIR PHASE IS ONLY GOING TO HAVE 97 UNITS.
THEY ALSO REMOVED THE ALLEY REQUIREMENTS AND THE STREET TREE REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE PART OF PHASE ONE.
UM, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION REVIEWED THIS REQUEST DURING THE MAY 27TH MEETING.
THEY DID POSTPONE ACTION DURING THAT MEETING TO ALLOW THE DEVELOPER TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE THERE ARE QUITE A FEW CONCERNS FOR PEOPLE THAT LIVED IN PHASE ONE AND DIDN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
UM, THE APPLICANT DID MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND THEY PROPOSED AN UPDATED PUD.
UM, THE CHANGES INCLUDED ENHANCED IN TREATMENTS FOR THE ALLEYS THAT WOULD NOT CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT.
SO THERE WERE A COUPLE OF CASES WHERE THE ALLEY EXTENDED TO PHASE ONE AND IT COULD HAVE GONE THROUGH TO PHASE TWO, BUT THERE WERE SOME TOPOGRAPHY ISSUES.
SO THEY AGREED TO, UM, HAVE SOMETHING MORE DECORATIVE AT THE END OF THE ROAD.
UM, THEY ALSO COMMITTED TO NOT CHANGE THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS FOR PHASE ONE PHASE ONE DOES HAVE A SET COVENANTS TODAY, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, CHANGES TO THE COVENANTS THAT MIGHT IMPACT ACCESSORY DWELLING.
SO THEY OPTED NOT TO MAKE ANY CHANGES THAT AFFECTED THE OTHER PHASE.
UM, THEY DID AGREED TO PROVIDE SEPARATE SUBDIVISION SIGNAGE FOR VALLEY VISTA EAST.
UM, RIGHT NOW THERE'S A SHARED SIGN THAT REFERENCES BLUFF VIEW AND VALLEY VISTA'S.
THIS WOULD BE A SECONDARY SIGN OFF OF GABRIEL'S HORN THAT SHOWS YOU HOW TO GET TO VALLEY VISTA EAST SPECIFICALLY.
AND THEN, UM, THEY'RE ALSO PROVIDING SIDEWALKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREETS.
SO THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL HAD SIDEWALKS ON ONE SIDE OF THE PRIVATE STREETS.
UM, THESE CHANGES ARE IN YOUR PACKET AS PART OF THE RED LINE AND, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD SEEMED HAPPY.
THEY ACTUALLY SHOWED UP TO THE MEETING AND SUPPORT.
SO IT WAS KIND OF NICE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF MEETING.
UM, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE APPLICANT IS HERE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.
UM, ONE, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO BE TOO REDUNDANT WITH ROBIN'S PRESENTATION.
I, I, I DO WANT TO THANK STAFF AND ROBIN'S TEAM FOR, UH, BEING INCREDIBLY ACCOMMODATING.
WE HAD, UH, TWO TOWN HALL MEETINGS OR OPEN HOUSES, UH, WITH THE NEIGHBORING HOMEOWNERS IN PHASE ONE, BETWEEN THE FIRST, UH, PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION ON THE 13TH OF MAY.
AND THE SECOND ONE, UH, WE WENT TO, UH, ON MAY 27TH AND, UH, ROBIN'S TEAM WAS SUPER HELPFUL RIGHT UP UNTIL THE 27TH ON MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE ADDRESSING ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS IN THE PUD.
AND I THINK WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB AND THAT SHOWED UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, SUPPORT WE GOT, UM, HERE ON THIS FIRST SLIDE, UH, ONLY THING, UH, WANTED TO, UH, KIND OF REITERATE AS, UH, SOME OF THE CONCERNS WE GOT FROM PHASE ONE WERE RELATED TO TRAFFIC, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CONNECTION OFF OF RONALD REAGAN ON A WIND RIVER TRAIL, WHICH IS THE SMALLER STREET THAT COMES STRAIGHT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY US DOING 97 UNITS INSTEAD OF 174 UNITS HELPS TO ADDRESS THAT CONCERN.
UM, AND THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT ON THIS SLIDE.
UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND GO, UH, OVER, UH, THE CHANGES.
UM, I THINK ROBIN DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF, OF COVERING ALL OF THESE.
THE ONLY ONE THAT SHE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT WAS WE AGREED TO ACTUALLY BUILD AN ADDITIONAL SIDEWALK IN PHASE TWO TO CONNECT, UH, UH, AN ALLEYWAY DEAD END DOWN TO WIND RIVER TRAIL, WHICH IS A MAIN THOROUGHFARE.
[02:55:01]
HERE, UH, RIGHT HERE.UM, SO THAT, THAT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE IN OUR PROJECT, UH, AS PART OF PHASE TWO.
AND WHEN WE AGREED TO PROVIDE THAT SIDEWALK, UH, BASICALLY ALONG ONE, THE ONE SINGLE FAMILY UNIT WE HAVE ON THIS SIDE OF THE OPEN SPACE THERE, THAT, THAT THE ALLEYWAYS ARE, ARE COMING INTO, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONNECT THAT SIDEWALK DOWN TO, UH, DOWN TO WIND RIVER TRAIL, TO PROVIDE CONNECTIVITY FOR THE HOMEOWNERS, IS THAT THE BACKUP TO THAT ALLEYWAY, UM, AND, UH, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION AND, UH, I'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY THAT SUBMITTED ANY CARDS.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM AND ANYBODY ON THE PHONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK, HEARING NONE, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO THE ACTION ITEM REGARDING ZONING CASE 20 ZERO THREE SEVEN SUBDIVISION CASE 20 CP ZERO ONE THREE AND SUBDIVISION CASE 20 PP.
OH TWO SEVEN AS DESCRIBED ABOVE COUNSEL.
NO, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE, UM, WITH THE RED LINE CHANGES THAT WERE INCLUDED IN OUR PACKET.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[28. Discuss and consider action on the Second Reading of an Ordinance regarding Zoning Case 21-TOD-Z-008 to amend the current zoning of PUD (Planned Unit Development/Transit Oriented District) to create the QuikTrip Minor PUD (Planned Unit Development) with the base zoning of GC-3-A (General Commercial) on one (1) parcel of land approximately 2.636 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcel R594281; and generally located at the northwest corner of Hero Way and 183A Toll Road, Leander, Williamson County, Texas. ]
AGENDA ITEM 28, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION ON THE SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE REGARDING ZONING CASE 21 T O D Z ZERO ZERO EIGHT.TO AMEND THE CURRENT ZONING OF PUD PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT TRANSIT-ORIENTED DISTRICT TO CREATE THE QUICK TRIP, MINOR PUD PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT WITH THE BASE ZONING OF GC THREE, A GENERAL COMMERCIAL ON ONE PARCEL OF LAND, APPROXIMATELY 2.636 ACRES PLUS OR MINUS IN SIZE AS STATED ON THE POSTED AGENDA PLANNING DIRECTOR GRIFFIN.
SO THIS IS THE SECOND READING OF THE ORDINANCE AND I'M AVAILABLE IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
[29. Discuss and consider action on the Second Reading of an Ordinance regarding Zoning Case 21-Z-004 to amend the current zoning of SFU/MH-2-B (Single-Family Urban/Manufactured Home) to CH-2-B (Cottage Housing) on one (1) parcel of land approximately 1.45 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcel R035604; and more commonly known as 1000 Bonita Verde Drive, Leander, Williamson County, Texas. ]
ITEM 29 DISCUSSING CONSIDER ACTION ON THE SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE REGARDING ZONING CASE 21 Z ZERO ZERO FOUR.TO AMEND THE CURRENT ZONING OF SFU, M H TO BE SINGLE FAMILY, URBAN MANUFACTURED HOME TO C H TWO B COTTAGE HOUSING ON ONE PARCEL OF LAND, APPROXIMATELY 1.45 ACRES PLUS OR MINUS IN SIZE, AS STATED ON THE POSTED AGENDA PLANNING DIRECTOR GRIFFIN.
THIS IS THE SECOND READING OF THE ZONING REQUEST.
UM, THE CONSENT AGENDA DID INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY THAT HAS THE FOOT FENCE AND LIMITS THE, UM, WINDOW OPENINGS ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
AND, UM, I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
NOBODY HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
SECOND, YOU HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[30. Discuss and consider action on the Second Reading of an Ordinance regarding Zoning Case 20-Z-022 to amend the current Enclave at Stewart Crossing PUD (Planned Unit Development) with the base zoning of SFT-2-A (Single-Family Townhouse), Subdivision Case 20-CP-005 to adopt the Enclave at Stewart Crossing Concept Plan, and Subdivision Case 20-PP-019 to adopt the Enclave at Stewart Crossing Preliminary Plat on one (1) parcel of land approximately 20.691 acres ± in size, more particularly described by Williamson Central Appraisal District Parcel R031251; and generally located at the southwest corner of the intersection of East Woodview Drive and Raider Way, Leander, Williamson County, Texas.]
30, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION ON THE SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE REGARDING ZONING CASE 20 ZERO TWO TWO TO AMEND THE CURRENT ENCLAVE AT STEWART CROSSING PUD PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT WITH THE BASE ZONING OF SFT TO A SINGLE FAMILY TOWNHOUSE SUBDIVISION CASE 20 CP ZERO ZERO FIVE TO ADOPT THE ENCLAVE AT STEWART CROSSING CONCEPT PLAN AND SUBDIVISION CASE 20 P P ZERO ONE NINE TO ADOPT THE ENCLAVE AT STEWART CROSSING PRELIMINARY PLAT ON ONE PARCEL OF LAND, APPROXIMATELY 20.691 ACRES PLUS OR MINUS IN SIZE AS STATED ON THE POSTED AGENDA PLANNING DIRECTOR.THIS IS THE SECOND READING AND I'M HERE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THANK YOU.
NOBODY HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
COUNCIL MOTION TO APPROVE OR RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER PANTALEON PARKER ON THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE NEXT SECONDS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
CONGRATULATIONS, MS. GRIFFIN, YOU GET TO SIT DOWN ITEM 31,
[31. Discuss and consider action on the Employee Health Benefits Contracts for Medical/RX, Dental, Voluntary Vision, Basic and Voluntary Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Short and Long Term Disability, Cancer and Accident, Employee Assistance Program, Flexible Spending Account, and Health Savings Account for the 2021-2022 Plan Year; authorize the City Manager to execute any and all necessary documents; and providing an effective date.]
DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION ON THE EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFITS CONTRACT FOR MEDICAL PRESCRIPTION DENTAL, VOLUNTARY VISION BASIC AND VOLUNTARY LIFE AND ACCIDENTAL DEATH AND DISMEMBERMENT SHORT AND LONG-TERM DISABILITY CANCER AND ACCIDENT EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT AND HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT FOR THE 2021 TO 2022 PLAN YEAR AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE DATE.OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR, CINDY
UM, TONIGHT I'M HERE TO DISCUSS OUR EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFITS AND CONSIDER ACTION FOR OUR 20 2122
[03:00:01]
PLAN YEAR.IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, WE RELEASED, UM, OUR RFP FOR OUR BENEFITS, AND I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN BRIEFLY SOME OF OUR CONSIDERATIONS OBJECTIVES AND OUR FINAL SELECTIONS.
SO WE PLACED A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON, UH, BENEFITS BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, STATISTICS INDICATE THAT 92% OF EMPLOYEES, UH, CONSIDER EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AS ONE OF THEIR HIGHEST MARKS MARKERS OF JOB SATISFACTION.
ALONG WITH COMPETITIVE SALARIES, A COMPETITIVE BENEFIT PACKAGE ALSO SUPPORTS ATTRACTING QUALITY TALENT, AND RETAINING OUR EMPLOYEES, HR REVISITS, OUR BENEFITS PROGRAM YEARLY TO ENSURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE EQUIPPED WITH VALUE ADDED AND SUSTAINABLE COVERAGE.
WE HAD FIVE OBJECTIVES WHEN WE WERE ASSESSING THE COMPONENTS OF OUR BEDS AND THEY INCLUDED ONE PREMIUMS, UH, ESPECIALLY MEDICAL.
WE WERE STRIVING TO KEEP OUR MEDICAL PREMIUMS FLAT ALSO TO BUNDLING OF PRODUCTS FOR COST SAVINGS, THREE PRESERVING OUR CURRENT PRODUCT PLANS, AS WELL AS TRYING TO SEEK ENHANCE PRODUCT VALUES.
WHEN POSSIBLE FOR MINIMIZING ENGINEER, EXCUSE ME, MINIMIZING EMPLOYEE DIS DISRUPTIONS BY, UH, CHOOSING THE DIFFERENT CARRIERS.
SO WE STILL WANTED EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR SAME DOCTORS OR SAME DENTISTS, UH, AND BE ABLE TO TAKE THEIR CURRENT PRESCRIPTIONS.
AND FIFTH, WE WANTED TO RATE GUARANTEES FOR FUTURE YEARS.
SO NOW SOMETHING POSITIVE IS I WANT TO SWITCH TO, UH, UH, SAVINGS, UH, FROM AN ANNUAL PERSPECTIVE AS A RESULT OF OUR BEST AND FINAL OFFERS RECEIVED ON MEDICAL AND DENTAL.
UH, WE RECEIVED SOME REALLY REMARKABLE SAVINGS FROM BLUE CROSS OVER OUR CURRENT AND PROVIDER FOR MEDICAL.
WE RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY $146,000 IN SAVINGS WITH GOING WITH BLUE CROSS FOR DENTAL.
UH, WE RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY $4,500 IN SAVINGS.
OH, AGAIN, GOING WITH BLUE CROSS.
SO SAY THE LEAST HR WAS DOING THEIR HAPPY DANCE BECAUSE YOU'RE GETTING SOME SAVINGS.
SO THAT BRINGS ME TO COST SAY SHARING BENEFIT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE EMPLOYEE, WE REALLY RECEIVED SOME AWESOME RATE SAVINGS ON MEDICAL AND DENTAL, UH, IN THIS CURRENT JOB MARKET, IT'S ALL THAT MORE IMPORTANT TO ATTRACT QUALITY TALENT AND RETAIN THEM.
I'VE BENEFICIAL APPROACH WOULD BE BY GIVING BACK TO OUR EMPLOYEES IN A FORM OF PROVIDING ADDITIONAL COST SAVINGS, COST SHARING, EXCUSE ME, WITH THE SAVINGS THAT I JUST DESCRIBED BY PROVIDING ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY SIDE FOR MEDICAL AND DENTAL, THIS WOULD ENHANCE OUR OVERALL BENEFIT PACKAGE CONSIDERABLY AND SHOW GOODWILL TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
THE COST TO MOVE TO A 60 40 SPLIT FOR MEDICAL AND DENTAL IS ONLY $22,779.
SO IN SUMMARY, I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS CITY COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER, TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH EACH OF THE PROVIDERS, COVERAGES COSTS AND RATE GUARANTEES AS OUTLINED HERE IN AND SELECT BETWEEN OPTION ONE OR OPTION TWO OPTION.
ONE IS STAFF TO RESPECT THE LEADER, EXCUSE ME, UH, PROVIDES PROPOSES A MEDICAL AND DENTAL, UH, SIDE COVERAGE SAVINGS FOR UP TO THE 60, 40 SPLIT, UH, WETS EMPLOYEE CITY AND EMPLOYEE RESPECTIVELY.
AND THAT WOULD STILL COST $22,779.
SO IN TOTAL COSTS FOR THE 60% MEDICAL AND DENTAL AND THE, UH, REMAINING BENEFITS THAT COST IS 3 MILLION, $292,250, OR OPTION TWO IS THE CITY WOULD CALL IT THE TOTAL COST TO THE CITY IS 50 50 SPLIT FOR MEDICAL AND DENTAL.
AND ALONG WITH THE REMAINING BENEFITS COSTS 3 MILLION, $267,471.
SO IF COUNSEL IS AGREEABLE TO THE 60 40 SPLIT, THAT ONE NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE MOTION.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU, MS. HACKNEY COUNCIL I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR THE 60 40 SPLIT.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US TWO OPTIONS? WOULDN'T BE FAIR.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
[03:05:01]
ALL RIGHT.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PASSIVE UNANIMOUSLY.
[32. Discuss and consider action on the City of Leander's voting position on the Transportation Policy Board of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.]
ITEM 32.DISCUSSING CONSIDER ACTION ON THE CITY OF LANDERS VOTING POSITION ON THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY BOARD OF THE CAPITOL AREA, METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, UM, COUNCIL.
THIS IS TYPICALLY SOMETHING THAT IS DONE BY OTHER CITIES, MAYORS.
IT WAS PREVIOUSLY DONE BY OUR MAYOR.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.
HE DID IT ORIGINALLY, AND THEN IT WENT TO, UH, COUNCILMAN MCCANNON.
DIDN'T YOU DIDN'T YOU NOMINATE YOURSELF FOR ANOTHER POSITION LEVEL LAST MEETING? I JUST, I JUST, I NEED TO FILL IN FOR A TERSE MEETING.
NO, I HAVEN'T MET IN LIKE A YEAR.
I KNOW YOU HAVE KEPT COG AS WELL.
I'M GIVING UP AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I APPRECIATE THAT.
SO WE HAD VOTES FROM EVERYBODY EXCEPT COUNCIL MEMBER PANTALEON PARKER, WHICH WAY YOU VOTED? NO.
[33. Discuss and consider action on the selection of Mayor Pro Tem for 2021-2022.]
ITEM NUMBER 33, DISCUSSING CONSIDER ACTION ON THE SELECTION OF MAYOR PRO TEM FOR 2021 TO 2022.UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY I BELIEVE, WANTS TO SPEAK TO THIS PRETEND.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
IF THIS ITEM IS TO CONTINUE TO BE TAKEN OUT AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, SHOW US ITEM, DO YOU WANT TO, OKAY.
UM, MS. SIGNS, WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD DO ON THIS ITEM? THE HISTORY OF THIS POSITION IS THAT IT'S TAKEN UP AFTER THE, THE RUNOFF ELECTION HAS CONCLUDED.
THE RUNOFF ELECTION IS A CONTINUATION OF THE, THE GENERAL ELECTION.
AND THE CHARTER PROVIDES THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM SELECTION IS MADE AFTER THE GENERAL ELECTION.
SO AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE RUNOFF WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE TIME FOR THE MAYOR PRO TEM ITEM TO BE TAKEN UP CHARTER, NOT HAVING THE WORD OR IN THERE, OR IN THE IMMEDIATE LEGACY OR IN THE MEDIA VACANCY OF THE, AND I SUPPOSE THERE'D BE A, SHORT-TERM BIG SHORT-TERM FILLING OF THE VACANCY.
YOU'VE GOT TWO THINGS HAPPENING AT ONCE.
YOU'VE GOT A VACANCY IN THE PLACE OF THE MAYOR PRO TEM, BUT YOU'VE GOT A GENERAL ELECTION THAT IS NOT CONCLUDED YET.
SO YOU'RE INTERPRETING THIS TO MEAN THAT THE, THE RUNOFF IS AN EXTENSION OF THE GENERAL ELECTION.
SO IN A SENSE, THE GENERAL ELECTION HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED, CORRECT? CORRECT.
YOU A VACANCY COULD ARISE IN OTHER, FOR OTHER REASONS AS WELL DURING THE YEAR IN THAT POSITION, IN WHICH CASE IT SHOULD BE FILLED AFTER A VACANCY ARISES AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING.
WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER SIGNED UP FOR THIS.
I WANT TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE RATIONALE BEHIND WHY THIS WAS PUT ON THE AGENDA, MR. SHAW.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO HERE, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE ANY SENSE.
I'VE READ SECTION 4.02 OF THE CITY HOME RULE CHARTER.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM VACANCY IS FILLED AFTER EACH QUOTE GENERAL ELECTION UNQUOTE, BUT AS THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS JUST SAID, THE RUNOFF IS PART OF THAT GENERAL ELECTION.
I THINK IT'S MEANINGLESS TO APPOINT A MAYOR PRO TEM PREMATURELY BEFORE THE RESULTS OF THIS FULL ELECTION ARE KNOWN AND CERTIFIED.
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE? IS THIS A POWER PLAY? I MEAN, IF YOU
[03:10:01]
LOOK AT WHAT THE ROLE OF THE MAYOR PRO TEM IS, IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE ANY SENSE WHY YOU'RE DOING THIS.CERTAINLY THE MOST LOGICAL AND REASONABLE APPROACH WOULD BE FOR YOU TO TABLE.
THIS DECISION IS WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND DECIDE WHEN YOU HAVE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT NOT ONLY CAN BE CONSIDERED TO BE THE MAYOR PRO TEM, BUT ALSO THEY GET TO VOTE ON WHO IS GOING TO BE THE MAYOR PRO TEM.
THAT'S GOING TO SERVE FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF THEIR TERM.
I REALLY THINK THAT THE MAYOR MADE THE RIGHT CALL HERE.
YOU SHOULD TABLE THIS, AND THIS WAS SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN THE AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[34. Discuss and consider action on repealing Ordinance No. 19-064-00, Section 2 in its entirety and replacing with previous communication rules adopted under Ordinance No. 02-036-00.]
ITEM NUMBER 34, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION ON REPEALING ORDINANCE NUMBER 19 ZERO SIX FOUR ZERO ZERO.SECTION TWO IN ITS ENTIRETY OR REPLACING WITH PREVIOUS COMMUNICATION ROLES ADOPTED UNDER ORDINANCE ZERO TWO ZERO THREE SIX ZERO ZERO.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH ONE AMENDMENT.
AND THAT IS, UM, WE WILL ADD THE ONLINE SOME MIDDLE PROCESS AND PUT THE CUTOFF ONLY FOR OMAN, SOME MIDDLES TO NOON ON WEDNESDAY PRIOR TO THE COUNCIL SLASH PZ MEETINGS.
THIS HELPS STAFF ORGANIZE INTO OUR, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON IT, THERE'S NO MOTION YET.
UM, WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
AGAIN, I'M GOING TO QUOTE TWO POLITICIANS, PRESIDENT OBAMA AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SHAW ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
NOTHING DROVE ME MORE INCENSE TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS LAST ELECTION THAN THE FACT THAT MANY OF YOU SITTING ON THIS DIOCESE RESTRICTED MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS BY LIMITING PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE EXPERIENCED IT TONIGHT WITH A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE AGENDA ITEM, FOR THE HOPE ALLIANCE.
YOU HEARD THIS BUZZER GO OFF OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THAT'S BECAUSE YOU LIMITED OUR TO TALK TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES.
THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE RESTRICTED OUR RIGHT TO SPEAK.
AND NOW THE ELECTION CONSEQUENCES.
NOW YOU'RE GOING TO PULL IT, BUT YOU VOTED TO RESTRICT MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS PREVIOUSLY.
AREN'T YOU? YEAH, DEFINITELY PUT THIS BACK THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.
AND THE FACT THAT YOU DIDN'T DEAL WITH THIS BEFORE UNDER THE PREVIOUS MAYORS TERM SPEAKS VOLUMES.
MAYOR, CAN YOU ASK HIM TO PLEASE? LET'S JUST GET TO INSIGHT SOMETHING.
SEAN CONLEY HAS ALSO SIGNED UP GOOD EVENING.
UM, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I ACTUALLY, UH, REMEMBER WHEN THIS WAS PUT INTO PLAY.
UM, WHAT WAS IT TWO, THREE YEARS AGO.
AND I REMEMBER MR. NORMAN'S IMPASSIONED SPEECH AND IT STUCK WITH ME OVER THE YEARS.
UM, I WANNA, UH, SUPPORT THIS.
UM, I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE ARE GOING BACK AND REVISITING THIS ISSUE AND TRYING TO, UM, CORRECT A WRONG.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENT? SO, OH YEAH, I I'M JUST GONNA, I'M TRYING TO GO BACK AND REMEMBER MYSELF, UM, THAT NIGHT THAT WE MADE THE CHANGES.
THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND I, I HAVEN'T FELT SO RESTRICTING COMMENTS.
[03:15:01]
OKAY.WE WANT TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE THAT THAT IS IMPORTANT.
UH, SOME OF THE BEST THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE HAVE BEEN FROM OUR CITIZENS.
I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT HERE TO SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS WE WANT TO HEAR FROM, FROM PEOPLE.
UM, WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS, UM, A PLATFORM FOR ACTIVISM, FOR SOMETHING THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE OFFER OR WHAT WE CAN CAN DO.
UH, WE'VE SEEN OTHER TOWNS WHERE THEY HAVE MEETINGS OVER SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE PURVIEW OVER.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO FIND THE HAPPY GROUND IN THE MIDDLE.
I THOUGHT WE FOUND IT OUT AND I, AND SOMEBODY CORRECT THE, THE LIMITED COMMENTS THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR DURING COVID MOSTLY WAS, UM, WAS THAT NOT BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE ALLOWED IN OR WAS THAT SOMETHING THAT I COMPLETELY GLOSSED OVER IN OUR ORDINANCE? CAN SOMEBODY EXPLAIN THAT? DOES THE NO COMMENTS WAS NOT IN THIS ORDINANCE? OKAY.
SO, SO WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACHIEVE BY GOING BACK TO SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE IN 2003? I THINK WE'RE RESTORING IT BACK TO WHAT WAS REALLY WORKING IN MY OPINION AND, UM, AND STANDARDIZING IT WITH REALLY WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING AROUND US.
UM, YEAH, I THINK IT WORKED TO A CERTAIN POINT, UM, UNTIL WE HAD AN A, AND I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO GO OVER THE COMMENTS BECAUSE IT, IT WILL ACCOMPLISH NOTHING, BUT SOME OF THE, THE COMMENTS THAT WERE BROUGHT HERE TO US, THAT, LIKE I SAID, HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH CITY BUSINESS.
SO THAT'S, THAT IS MY CONCERN THAT, UH, I HAVE NO PROBLEM GOING BACK TO THAT, NONE, ZERO WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WHEN THIS BECOMES A PLATFORM FOR SOMEONE TO JUST COME IN AND HAVE A DISPLAY OF, OF EMOTION OR, OR WHATEVER, THEN IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN VOTE ON.
UM, YOU KNOW, COME IN AND TELL US HOW YOU HATE YOUR HOA.
SO WE REALLY DON'T WANT TWO HOURS OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THEIR HOA.
AND I THINK RON AGREES WITH ME.
SO, SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A, SOME SORT OF A PROTECTION MECHANISM TO AVOID THAT TYPE OF SITUATION IS, IS ALL I'M SAYING, UH, GOING BACK TO WHERE IT WAS THAT I WORKED FOR FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, IT SEEMED TO NOT WORK FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, WHICH IS WHY IT WAS CHANGED.
SO, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO DISCUSS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THIS AND CAN BE, YOU KNOW, HERE'S THE THING.
THERE ARE PEOPLE IN LEANDER AND HAVE BEEN WORKING IN LEANDER FOR QUITE SOME TIME, TRYING TO DIVIDE AND CAUSE DISCORD.
YOU GET ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEY JUST WANT TO DIVIDE PEOPLE.
THIS ISSUE IS DIVIDING PEOPLE.
AND THEREFORE I SAY ELIMINATE IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE EMANATION AWAY FROM THOSE THAT DON'T CARE, BUT ABOUT ANYBODY BUT THEMSELVES.
AND I PROBABLY JUST MADE YOUTUBE AGAIN.
CAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU TO BORE FACEBOOK, BUT I'M TELLING YOU EVERY SINGLE THING IN THIS CITY, THAT DIVIDE HAS TO BE TAKEN AWAY.
I UNDERSTOOD WHY NOBODY'S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT.
I KNOW BECAUSE WE HIT EMAILS AND WE RESPOND AND WE GO TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND EVERYBODY THAT'S WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL GIFTS TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL.
NOW THERE'S A DIFFERENCE WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO GET ON CAMERA FOR FIVE MINUTES BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY'RE SPECIAL.
AND IF THEY WANT TO BE UP HERE, THEN THEY SHOULD GO SEE DARREN NICKED ELECTION CYCLE PAY THE 50 BUCKS AND ONE, AND COME SIT UP HERE.
OTHER THAN THAT, A SIMPLE THANK YOU WITH SUFFICE, CATHERINE, THIS IS A DIVIDING ISSUE.
WE'RE SHORT TERM, WE'RE ALL SHORT TERM UP HERE AND THE CITY HAS TO FUNCTION AND THERE'S TWO.
WELL ACTUALLY THERE'S ONLY A FEW PEOPLE THAT KEEP DESTROYING OR TRYING TO DESTROY THE CITY AND TRY TO PIT LEANDER RESIDENTS, NEIGHBORS AGAINST EACH OTHER.
AND MY POINT IS, LET'S TAKE AWAY ALL THAT DARKNESS AND THEY DON'T HAVE IT AND THEY'LL GO TO SOMETHING ELSE.
SO I, I WOULD, UM, ENTERTAIN SOME OF THE, THE LANGUAGE AND I'M, AND I'M SORRY, I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIND IT HERE.
THAT WAS IN THE, THE CHANGE WHERE, UM, WAS IT THE SIGN SIGNAGE?
[03:20:01]
WHERE IF WE HAVE SOMEONE WITH A SIGN, IT GOES IN THE BACK.I MEAN, THAT TAKES AWAY OBVIOUS THINGS THAT I DON'T NEED TO MENTION.
UM, THE COMMENTS ABSOLUTELY BRING THEM BACK, BUT LET'S FIND SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE WHERE WE ELIMINATE THAT PLATFORM FOR ACTIVISM AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T VOTE ON.
CAN WE WORK ON THIS, SONYA? I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO COME UP HERE AND SAY WHATEVER HECK THEY WANT TO SAY.
WELL, AGAIN, I AGREE WITH THAT.
UM, I JUST WANT TO HAVE SOME SOMETHING IN PLACE TO ELIMINATE THE, THE SIGNAGE.
UM, I MEAN, IT JUST BECOMES, IT'S JUST A PLAYGROUND FOR SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO GET ON THE CAMERA AND, AND WHERE THEY DON'T EVEN LIVE HERE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WE DO DOESN'T AFFECT THEM.
SO THAT'S WHAT I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE STAY.
SO IF WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BRING THE COMMENTS.
YOU WERE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AS LONG AS EVERYBODY ELSE'S OKAY.
AND MY OWN ONE, THAT'S THE BIG THING I WANT IS THE OMAN FOR STAFF THAT HELPS STAFF OUT.
IS THERE ANY, ANYTHING ELSE THAT ANYONE SAW IN THE, THE CHANGE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE STAY? UM, CAUSE AGAIN, I'M JUST KIND OF GLANCING OVER IT RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN AGREE TO THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
CAN WE HAVE IT WELL NEXT, GO AHEAD.
I JUST, I HAVE AN ITEM TO ADD.
UM, WE HAVE THE OPEN MEETINGS, ACT RULES ARE REVISED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE SOLD UNDER A STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION.
THAT'S GONNA, THAT'LL GO AWAY FAIRLY SOON.
I ANTICIPATE FOR THE CITIZENS FOR THE COMMENT PERIOD, IT'S THREE MINUTES.
WE NEED TO MAKE IT DOUBLE FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED TO SPEAK THROUGH A TRANSLATOR.
SO THAT WAS NOT IN THE ORIGINAL FROM 2003.
IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? CORRECT.
YES, WE SHOULD DO THAT FOR SURE.
I DON'T, I AGREE WITH THAT AS WELL.
JUST SO EVERYONE'S AWARE, WE ARE ADDING THE ONLINE SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS WOULD BE WEDNESDAY AT NOON, THE WEDNESDAY PRIOR TO THE COUNCIL MEETING, WE'RE ADDING SIX MINUTES FOR THOSE WHO NEEDED A TRANSLATOR.
AND IF YOU HAVE A SIGN, YOU SIT IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM.
AND JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, IT WILL ALLOW FOR CARDS TO BE TAKEN UP UNTIL THE START OF THE MEETING.
AND THIS IS FOR ITEMS, NOT ON THE AGENDA FOR ANYTHING FOR ITEMS ON OR OFF THE AGENDA.
WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND ALL IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[35. Discuss and consider possible future actions regarding City of Leander membership in the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the evaluation of related needs, costs and support.]
ITEM 35, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER POSSIBLE FUTURE ACTIONS REGARDING CITY OF LAND OR MEMBERSHIP IN THE CAPITAL METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, EVALUATION OF RELATED NEEDS COSTS AND SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBERS.I WANT TO MAKE SURE, JUST START OFF BY SAYING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE THROWN OUT HERE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE ONLY BEEN ON COUNCIL FOR TWO YEARS AND SOMETHING THAT WE, WE TALKED ABOUT BACK THEN, AND I REALLY JUST WANT THIS CONVERSATION TO BE OUT HERE, UM, RATHER THAN ANYWHERE ELSE, BECAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S REALLY, THIS IS A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT, THAT I THINK IS NECESSARY FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND HERE.
UM, UM, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO, UM, ASK STAFF ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED BETWEEN US AND CAP METRO IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, WHEN WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GIVE TIME TO SEE IF SOMETHING CAN BE WORKED OUT, IT SEEMS LIKE NOTHING HAS REALLY GONE ON THERE.
SO, UH, ULTIMATELY, UM, THE GOAL HERE IS TO ALLOW THE CITIZENS OF LEANDER TO CHOOSE FOR THEMSELVES AND NOT FOR US TO CHOOSE THOSE THINGS.
SO I'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD CONSTRUCTIVELY, UM, IN THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TIME, UM, TO GATHER THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT'S NEEDED, UM, TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE CITIZENS OF LANDER THE CHOICE.
THIS IS A DECISION THAT WAS MADE FIRST IN 1985, RIGHT? 40 SOMETHING PEOPLE DECIDED, YES, WE HAVE A MUCH BIGGER CITY.
[03:25:01]
IT SEEMS THE MORE TIME THAT'S GOING ON.UM, THE LESS AND LESS, UM, OUT OF REALITY, OUR AGREEMENT, OUR, OUR, OUR PARTICIPATION WITH THIS, UH, ENTITY IS.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT A LOT WOULD AGREE THAT I DON'T THINK THAT WE COULD SUSTAIN, UM, GOING FORWARD LIKE THIS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE OPENED THIS UP AND WE TALK ABOUT IT OUT HERE.
UM, RATHER THAN THIS IS SOME CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT LEGALITY, AND THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE, TO PROTECT THE CITY.
THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE, UM, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
UM, BUT THIS IS NOT A CONVERSATION THAT I THINK, UM, IS NECESSARILY HAS TO BE HAPPENING BEHIND THERE.
THIS IS GOING TO YOU AND ANYBODY ELSE OUT THERE AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, HOW WE MOVE FORWARD HERE, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WHERE SIX, SEVEN OR ALMOST SEVEN PEOPLE SOON ENOUGH, WE'LL BE DECIDING, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT GOES ON WITH THIS, WITH, WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP HERE.
SO, UM, THIS IS AN OPEN DISCUSSION.
I THINK WE SHOULD BE ASKING QUESTIONS OF OUR STAFF, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT I'VE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH, WITH, UH, WITH TRANSPORTATION IN GENERAL.
AND, UM, AND, UH, I WANT TO GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS HERE TOO.
UM, JUST SO WE CAN CONSTRUCTIVELY BE MOVING FORWARD.
AND IT'S NOT THAT THAT NEVER SHOULD BE SAID THAT THIS IS JUST SOME HASTY THING.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS THING.
PEOPLE HAVE OPPOSED THIS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
MOST OTHER CITIES AROUND US HAVE PULLED OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT HERE BECAUSE THEY KNEW BEFOREHAND THIS WAS GOING TO BE VERY HARD TO ACCOMPLISH THE THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO BUILD THE CITY AND TO SUPPORT THE CITY AND GROW THE CITY.
AND WE HAVE A UNIQUE RESOURCE HERE.
I HOPE THAT WE HAVE A WAY TO KEEP, KEEP A PARTNERSHIP.
UM, I HOPE THERE'S A WAY TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER IN SOME WAY, BUT, UM, IT'S MY DUTY AS SOMEBODY HERE WHO IS FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CITY, FOR THE CITY'S RESOURCES TO, TO AT LEAST ALLOW YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE TO VOTE ON THIS, UM, TO SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ALSO WOULD LIKE TO, TO PARTICIPATE IN.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO START WITH THAT.
UM, SO THAT IT'S NOT, I'M NOT, I JUST WANT TO GET THAT CLEAR.
WE DO HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, SEAN CONLEY, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
GOOD EVENING, SHAWN CONLEY SIX 17 CHOPRA ROAD.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, UM, I WANT TO START WITH, UM, KIND OF DISAPPOINTED IN WHICH THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THIS EVOLVED MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE NOT REELECTED TOOK PLACE IN THE MEETING IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO BRING THIS ON, UH, AS PART OF A DISCUSSION.
AND THAT TO ME SEEMS A BIT DISAPPOINTING.
I HAVE STRONGER WORDS, BUT I'M GOING TO STICK WITH THAT BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T THE ONES WHO WERE ELECTED DULY ABOUT THE POPULATION OF THIS CITY TO REPRESENT THEM AND THEIR OPINIONS AND THEIR VIEWS AND WHAT THEY WANT.
SO JUST AS MUCH AS YOU BACKPEDAL, YOU BACKED UP ON, UM, AND TABLED EMOTIONAL, AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM, BECAUSE THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE STILL NOT DULY ELECTED.
TO ME, THAT SAME LOGIC SORT OF SHOULD HAVE APPLIED AND SHOULD STILL APPLY BEFORE GOING FORWARD WITH ANY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.
WHY DIDN'T THIS HAPPEN IN THE PREVIOUS TWO OR THREE YEARS? YES.
THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
UM, MR. ZERNIKE, UM, THERE WERE SOME DISCUSSIONS ON THAT, BUT IT NEVER GOT MOVED FORWARD.
WHY WASN'T THIS MORE OF A CAMPAIGN ISSUE? WHY WAS IT MINUTES BEFORE PEOPLE WERE LEAVING OFFICES THAT WAS DONE? IT WASN'T BROUGHT UP BEFORE THE CAMPAIGN AND MR. SHAW, PROBABLY.
IT'S PROBABLY ANOTHER ISSUE THAT IS RISA FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
SO LET'S PUT THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO LOOK AND SAY, ALL CAPITAL.
NO, THEY GIVE US MORE THAN A TRAIN.
THEY GIVE US BUSES, THEY GIVE US THE PICKUP SERVICE, WHICH BY THE WAY, I COULD NOT HAVE MADE IT THROUGH THIS LAST SCHOOL YEAR.
HAD MY CHILDREN NOT BEEN ABLE TO USE THAT SERVICE CAT METRO WILL NOT ONLY BE PROVIDING BUS AND TRAIN SERVICE TO AND IN AND OUT OF THE CITY AS THE CITY GROWS, IT WILL, AND IT SHOULD PROVIDE INCREASED SERVICE INSIDE THE CITY TO THE MULTIPLE SENIOR, UH, OR, UH, SENIOR LIVING CENTERS TO, UH, PEOPLE SUCH AS MYSELF WHO HAVE DISABILITIES AND TO OTHERS TO GET TO THOSE ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE CITY.
THAT WILL ALSO COME AS THE POPULATION GROWS.
LET'S REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE CHOICES.
MY JOB OPPORTUNITIES ARE LIMITED WHERE I CAN GO AND WHAT I CAN DO ARE LIMITED AS LONG AS I HAVE TRANSPORTATION.
AND WHEN I DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION, I CAN'T GET TO THAT JOB.
OR I CAN'T EVEN LOOK, I CAN EVEN LOOK TO GET TO A JOB AT DELL OR SOME OF THE MAJOR EMPLOYER CENTERS, BECAUSE THERE IS NO TRANSPORTATION THERE.
PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND, AS YOU GET IN YOUR CAR
[03:30:01]
TONIGHT AND THE NEXT SIX, SEVEN DAYS, 30 DAYS OF THE MONTH, AND REMEMBER, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, PUT YOUR KEYS DOWN FOR A WEEK, GIVE IT A SHOT, SEE HOW PRODUCTIVE YOU ARE AT IT.I DON'T, I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND SO EVIL.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BACK OUT IN SIX MONTHS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT DOES THOSE NUMBERS COST? WHAT IS IT GOING TO COST TO REPLACE THE SERVICE? IF WE WANT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION, LET'S DISCUSS IT WITH ALL THE FACTS.
CALL NORMAN, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
I HAVEN'T DONE THAT IN THE LAST FEW ONES.
CARL NORMAN, 1821 CROSS DRAW TRAIL IN THE ENTER.
I'M GOING TO ECHO WHAT SEAN HAS SAID THAT, UH, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HOW THIS WAS DONE.
THE LAST MEETING YOU HAD AN OUTGOING MAYOR AND AN OUTGOING COUNCIL MEMBER WHO VOTED ON SOMETHING THAT IS LONG REACHING AND BROAD-BASED FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
I AGREE WITH MR. CERNAK, THAT THIS REQUIRES DUE DILIGENCE.
A LOT OF STUDY, A LOT OF FACTS.
THERE WAS NO REASON TO DO THIS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, THE WAY IT WAS DONE.
CERTAINLY NOT THE LEGACY OF TRANS PARENTS THAT WE WANT OUR CITY TO HAVE AS FOR THE ISSUE ITSELF.
THERE'S PLENTY OF, THERE'S GOING TO BE PLENTY OF TIME FOR US TO DEBATE THIS.
WHETHER, WHETHER CAP METRO IS A GOOD DEAL, A BAD DEAL, WHETHER THEY'RE GETTING TOO MUCH OF OUR MONEY, OR IF WE'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH SERVICE, THOSE ARE ALL VALID CONCERNS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THEM, UH, IN GENERAL, I SUPPORT CAP METRO, UH, AS A SERVICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BUT I ALSO DON'T LIKE THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURED AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS AND WHEN THE AMOUNT OF SERVICE WE'RE GETTING.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT'S FOR ANOTHER DEBATE, IMPORTANT FACTORS LIKE THE COST TO EXIT CAP METRO, WHICH IS A MONUMENTAL EQUATION TO FIGURE OUT THAT I'VE HEARD NUMBERS GOING IN WHERE FROM 9.3 MILLION TO $39 MILLION.
I, IF YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT, YOU'LL, YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE IN MATHEMATICS, BECAUSE I READ THE, THE LEGISLATURE'S, UH, UH, APPROACH ON THIS.
AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT AND THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWN, UH, PIECES TO THE ALGORITHM.
BUT OTHER FACTORS LIKE AT POSSIBLE TRANSIT STUDY, UM, THE EXPECTATIONS OF CURRENT AND POTENTIAL BUSINESSES, THE IMPACT THAT SUCH A DECISION WILL HAVE ON THOSE, DEPENDING ON THE SERVICES.
AND IF IT'S LOST, WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES, THE COST BENEFITS, UH, OF PROVIDING, UH, POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVES.
ARE WE READY TO HAVE A LEANDER MUNICIPAL SERVICE, OUR OWN BUS SERVICE? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE RIGHT ANSWER, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED.
OUR NEW MAYOR HAS NOT EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH THE CAP METRO REPRESENTATIVES TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE OPTIONS.
SO ANY KIND OF A VOTE TOWARDS PUTTING THIS ON THE BALLOT AT THIS TIME IS PREMATURE AT BEST.
ALL OF THIS SHOULD BE GIVEN THE PROPER TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
THERE'S NO HURRY ON THIS BECAUSE IF THE BALLOT MEASURE IS GOING TO BE ON NOVEMBER, YOU HAVE UNTIL AUGUST IN ORDER TO DECIDE THIS.
SO TAKE YOUR TIME AND DO THIS, RIGHT.
NOT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AS MR.
AND THEN ONE PERSON WANTED THEIR POSITION READ INTO THE RECORD.
CHRISTINE ALLEN IS AGAINST THIS COUNSEL.
SO I WANT TO, UM, MAYBE I CAN GET CLARIFICATION ON THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE.
IT'S IN A FOLDER SOMEWHERE IN MY OFFICE AT HOME, BUT IF I RECALL ORIGINALLY THE, OF THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE SALES TAX WAS, WAS REALLY HALF OF WHAT IT IS NOW, INSTEAD OF 50% OF OUR PORTION, IT WAS 25%.
AM I CORRECT? PAGE? DO YOU KNOW? OKAY, SO THAT, AND I, I'M NOT SAYING IT IS, SO I DON'T WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD AS FACT, BUT THAT IS WHAT I RECALL.
MAYBE THE TRANSPORTATION CODE CHANGED IN THE NINETIES, OR MAYBE THAT WAS THE ELECTION IN 2000 OR WHENEVER THAT WAS.
UM, AND I, AND I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT IF WE WERE PAYING INTO CAP METRO, HALF OF WHAT WE ARE, IT, WE WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE, IT WOULDN'T BE A DISCUSSION.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT WOULD BE A NON-ISSUE, BUT, BUT WE'RE NOT.
AND, UM, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY CAN ARGUE THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING THE VALUE THAT WE'RE PAYING.
UM, I THINK IT IS NECESSARY TO SAY OUT LOUD IN FRONT OF EVERYONE THAT I DON'T THINK ANY ONE OF US UP HERE, I'M ONLY GONNA SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT ALSO FOR YOURSELF, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS TO TAKE AWAY SERVICE.
WE DON'T WANT TO PAY WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR IT.
SO IF WE CAN COME UP WITH A, AN ALTERNATIVE THAT IS A LOT LESS, IT MAKES NO SENSE NOT TO, IF, IF, UH, YOU KNOW, MY HUSBAND
[03:35:01]
SAYS I WANT TO BUY A NEW TRUCK.OKAY, WELL, YOU CAN'T HAVE A NEW TRUCK THIS YEAR.
YOU, YOU CAN BUY AN, YOU CAN PAY FOR A NEW TRUCK THIS YEAR, BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE IT AND YOU CAN PAY FOR A NEW TRUCK NEXT YEAR, BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE IT.
BUT THE YEAR AFTER THAT, YOU CAN GET ONE FOR HALF PRICE.
AND THEN EVERY YEAR AFTER THAT, YOU CAN GET A NEW ONE FOR HALF PRICE.
THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD DEAL FOR ME, MAYBE NOT AT HIS AGE, BUT, BUT FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD DEAL.
IS THERE A FINE TO PAY? UM, I PAID FOR A COSTCO MEMBERSHIP FOR TWO YEARS.
I HAVEN'T BOUGHT A DANG THING.
THAT'S A PRETTY EXPENSIVE MEMBERSHIP.
UM, SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I JUST, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GO ON THE RECORD OF SAYING WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANYTHING AWAY WITHOUT OFFERING A REPLACEMENT.
AND IN THE ORDINANCE, UM, THE PERCEPTION VERSUS REALITY HAS NOT BEEN CLEAR WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
UM, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE, WE CAN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT TOO MUCH, BUT THERE IS THAT PERCEPTION THAT WE JUST WANT TO TAKE IT AWAY AND NOT, NOT OFFER ANYTHING.
UH, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST.
WE'VE NEVER, WE'VE NEVER GOTTEN AN EXACT AMOUNT.
UM, AND WHEN DO WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT? WE NEED TO COME UP WITH AN ALTERNATIVE THAT IS PRESENTED AT THE SAME TIME, I GUESS, AT THE SAME TIME, UM, WHERE WE'RE JUST GETTING, WE'RE GETTING MORE FOR LESS.
I DO ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT UNTIL WHEN, WHEN WE FIRST HAD THIS CONVERSATION, UM, JUST UNDER, MAYBE JUST OVER, UNDER YEARS AGO.
UM, SINCE THEN WE DID GET, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NAME OF THAT SERVICE IS, THE LITTLE BUS THAT GOES TO YOUR HOUSE.
THE PICKUP, WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT.
SO YOU HAD TO HAVE TRANSPORTATION OR SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, HAD TO HAVE TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO THE TRAIN STATION TO GO ANYWHERE.
SO NOW WE HAVE THAT, AND THAT IS IMPROVEMENT.
SO JUST FROM THE DISCUSSIONS, THE SERVICE IMPROVED AND WE DIDN'T PAY ANYMORE THE SERVICE IMPROVED.
UM, SO THERE'S, I, I THINK THAT IF WE JUST KEEP THESE CONVERSATIONS GOING, THEY CAN GO UP, WHAT ARE YOU, ARE YOU TIMING ME? 5.5, 5.5 MILLION? WE CAN.
I WAS TRYING TO DO THE SIGN LANGUAGE, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO I, ONE THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CLEAR UP RIGHT NOW IS THAT THE INTENTION OF BRINGING THIS FORWARD TONIGHT AND MY INTENTION WAS, WAS NOT NECESSARILY TO PUT THAT TO A VOTE TONIGHT, AS FAR AS US DOING THOSE THINGS.
I WANT TO DISPEL THAT RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT WAS NEVER ONE OF THE INTENTIONS, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW.
UM, I TOO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE A RUNOFF THAT'S GOING TO BE UP, UM, UH, ON SATURDAY AND WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT WHO'S GOING TO BE HERE AND VERY SOON, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THIS COUNCIL TO TAKE THOSE THINGS ON.
UM, IN, IN, IN THE, IN THE ACTION THAT WAS TAKEN IN THE LAST EXECUTIVE SESSION TO, IT WAS LIKE, IT WAS TOO BASIC.
IT SPURRED THIS ON AND IT, REGARDLESS OF THE WAY THAT ANYBODY LOOKS AT IT, IT STILL ALLOWED US TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION TODAY TOO.
SO, UM, I'M ACTUALLY HAPPY FOR IT.
UM, AND DESPITE WHERE EVERYBODY THINKS THAT SHOULD HAVE GONE DOWN A DIFFERENT WAY, I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT MAY HAVE GONE ON WHEN WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER STUFF GOING ON, WE HAVE A NEW COUNCIL.
THERE'S A REALLY GOOD CHANCE OF THIS GETS BURIED FOR ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO, AND WE DON'T DISCUSS IT.
SO, UM, FOR YOU, REGARDLESS OF THE WAY IT HAPPENED AND EVERYTHING I'M HAPPY THAT IT HAPPENED BECAUSE IT'S ALLOWING US TO DO THIS THING.
SO NOBODY'S TRYING TO DECEIVE ANYBODY.
EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO BE TRANSPARENT.
UM, WE'RE NOT, I'M, I'M NOT, I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE TAKE ACTION TONIGHT.
WHAT I AM SUGGESTING THAT WE DO IS MAYBE WORK WITH STAFF TO GIVE CLEAR DIRECTION ON A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE CAN USE, OR A COUPLE PIECES OF INFORMATION.
THAT'LL BE USEFUL THAT WE CAN GATHER HERE IN THE, IN THE, IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHILE THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE COMING ON BOARD.
SO THEN WE CAN BE PRESENTED WITH SOME FACTS HERE TO SAY, HEY, THESE ARE THE REAL THINGS.
AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY FOR US.
SOME OF US HAVE DONE OUR RESEARCH.
I THINK THAT, UH, YOU, THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THE CITIZENS OF LANDER ARE GOING TO NEED TO SEE SOME DATA TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN PROVE, PROVIDE THE DATA THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE THERE.
AND SO THEN YOU CAN MAKE YOUR DECISION.
UM, IF WE HAVE THAT, AND IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S REASONABLE, UM, THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AT THAT TIME.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE IF WE WANT THIS TO BE ON A, UH, ON A NOVEMBER BALLOT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE BY THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST.
SO BASICALLY THE END OF JULY, BECAUSE THAT'S OUR SECOND MEETING IN JULY, SO THAT'S A MONTH AND A HALF FROM NOW, AND THERE IS SOME INFORMATION THAT CAN BE GATHERED THERE.
SO I WOULD RATHER ASK, LIKE, THERE'S SPECIFIC THINGS MAYBE WE CAN ASK AS STAFF.
I WOULDN'T EVEN, I'M EVEN ALSO LIKE ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I WOULD ASK, LIKE ASK, UM, UH, MR. GOODMAN, EVEN TO SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT TOO, BUT, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF THESE THINGS THAT SAY, HEY, WE WERE LOSING ALL, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE ALL THIS BUSINESS.
IF, IF CAT METRO IS NOT HERE, WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT.
WE'RE LOSING A LOT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE WE PAY ALL THAT MONEY AND WE CAN'T COMPETE WITH OUR CITIES NEXT TO US BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO THOSE THINGS.
SO THERE, THERE, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT BACK AND
[03:40:01]
FORTH HERE, RIGHT.SO LET'S GET IT ALL OUT THERE.
AND THEN, UM, LET'S MOVE FORWARD IN THE APPROPRIATE WAY.
UM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE USING THIS TIME.
I DON'T WANT TO GO ON ALL NIGHT EITHER, BUT I GUESS MAKE A PUBLIC DECLARATION THAT WE WANT TO GET INFORMATION.
WE WANT TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION.
I JUST, I JUST WANT TO, UM, UH, ADD TO THAT.
UM, DON'T, THERE'S SO MUCH MISINFORMATION AND RUMORS FLYING ABOUT CAP METRO, THAT UNLESS YOU SEE IT IN WRITING FROM, UH, FROM AN ACCREDITED AUTHORITY WHO HAS THAT AUTHORITY, DON'T, DON'T TAKE THAT AS A FACT SAYING, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD 90 MILLION AND, YOU KNOW, 5 MILLION BECAUSE NOBODY HAS SEEN IT IN PAPER.
THAT'S JUST SOMEONE SAY, SOMEONE TOLD ME IT WAS THIS AMOUNT.
WELL, UNLESS THEY CAN PROVE IT.
THAT'S NOT THE AMOUNT BECAUSE WE DON'T EVEN KNOW THE AMOUNT.
OUR STAFF DOESN'T KNOW THE AMOUNT, THE AMOUNT IS CAP METRO.
SO JUST AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THERE'S GONNA BE PAINS.
THERE'S GOING TO BE PAIN POINTS.
THERE'S GONNA BE STICKING POINTS FOR PEOPLE HERE AND THERE.
PLEASE JUST MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING YOUR INFORMATION FROM, FROM THE MOST ACCREDITED FACT-BASED PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN, AND THEN MAKE YOUR BEST DECISION IF IT IS ON THE BALLOT, ON WHETHER YOU, WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO STAY IN CAP, METRO JUST, YOU KNOW, GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT WHEN IT COMES TO DATA.
SO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE GARBAGE THAT YOU'RE TAKING IN IS, IS, IS, IS CREDIBLE BEFORE YOU, YOU KNOW, POST SOMETHING ON FACEBOOK OR TELL A FRIEND ABOUT IT, BECAUSE THE MORE INFORMATION THAT'S OUT THERE, THE HARDER IT'S GONNA BE FOR OUR CITIZENS TO, TO VOTE FOR WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR CITY.
SO YOU'RE SAYING USE FIRSTHAND GARBAGE, NOT RECYCLED GARBAGE, FIRSTHAND.
SO I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, I GUESS MIKE PUT THIS SLIDE UP HERE.
SO IT WAS 1% OF THE LOCAL SALES TAX.
SO JUST SO WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.
HOW DOES THAT WORK? HOW DOES THAT MATH, WHERE THAT'S NOT KATHERINE MATH, WHERE
WE CAN TALK TO SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS, BUT THE, BUT THE 1% IS OKAY, IS 1% OF SALES AND USE TAX.
SO THE ALLOTMENT THAT LANDER CURRENTLY RECEIVES AND HAS RECEIVED SINCE 1985 IS EQUAL TO THE ALLOTMENT THAT CAPITAL METRO ALSO RECEIVES.
SO THAT IS THE OTHER 1% TO MAKE A TOTAL.
WHEN YOU COUNT THE 6.25, THAT GOES TO THE STATE OF 8.2, 5% SALES AND USE TAX, WHICH IS 50% OF WHAT WE, UH, OTHER CITIES THAT ARE NOT CAPITAL METRO MEMBERS HAVE KEN CAPTURE PERCENT, RIGHT.
AND 1% IS HOW MUCH OF A PERCENT OF 2%, IF YOU HAVE HER SAY MR. BEVERLEY, BUT REAL QUICKLY, JUST, AND THE REASON I PUT IT UP HERE, I WANTED TO CONFIRM A QUESTION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KANTIAN PARKER HAD.
THIS IS, UM, UH, THE ACTUAL NOTICE IN THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY SUN NEWSPAPER FROM, UH, THIS WAS PROBABLY LATE 1984, MAYBE DECEMBER, 1984.
UH, IF NOT SOONER, UH, IT WAS THE ORIGINAL NOTICE FOR THE ELECTION, UH, FOR ALL OF THE, UM, PROPOSED MEMBER CITIES FOR CAPITAL METRO.
I DID PULL THAT FROM THE SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY MICROFILM, UH, ALONG WITH A FEW OTHER THINGS, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE, UM, TAPPING INTO THE CORRECT AND TRUE RECORD OF THE ORIGINAL VOTE.
UH, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO PULL SOME OTHER INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE VOTE IN 2002, STAY IN CAPITAL METRO AND A FEW OTHER THINGS, BUT JUST SOME OF THE BASIC INFORMATION, IF THERE WAS DECISIONS OR OTHER, UH, ELECTIONS MADE IN BETWEEN THAT TIME, I'M NOT AWARE OF THEM, BUT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN OTHER VERY INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED.
AND WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK TO PULL SOME OF THAT IMPORTANT INFORMATION AS WELL.
THE APPROXIMATE POPULATION IN 1995 WAS 3000 SOMETHING AND THERE WAS
SO WOULD IT BE HELPFUL AT MR. BEVAN? WOULD IT BE HELPFUL IF LIKE, IF WE WERE ASKING FOR STAFF'S ASSISTANCE ON GATHERING DATA, WOULD IT BE HELPFUL IF WE LISTED A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT AND MAYBE ASK YOU QUESTIONS, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH, UH, TRANSPORTATION IN GENERAL, UM, OF, OF THINGS THAT WOULD BE RELEVANT, UM, TO HELP US MAKE A DECISION OF WHETHER WE SHOULD ALLOW THE CITIZENS TO VOTE ON THOSE THINGS, AND THAT WOULD ALSO HELP THE CITIZENS, UM, AS FAR AS US PUTTING OUT, YOU KNOW, PUTTING OUT THAT DATA TO THEM,
[03:45:01]
DO YOU WANT, DO YOU REALLY WANT ME TO TALK? I DO.UH, AND SO, AND SO DO YOU WANT US TO BE VERY SPECIFIC AND ASKING YOU SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.
UM, UM, SO LIKE, I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW, UM, AND I GUESS AFTER THE, AFTER WE HAD THAT LIST OF THINGS, MAYBE A BALLPARK ON ABOUT HOW LONG YOU THINK YOU WOULD TAKE TO COME UP WITH THOSE THINGS, BUT, UM, THINGS THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT AS, YOU KNOW, WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PRICE PER PRICE PER RIDER RIDER IS WHAT WE'RE OF WHAT WE'RE SUBSIDIZING, UM, THE ACTUAL RIDERSHIP NUMBERS.
AND WHAT'S GONE ON MAYBE THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UH, NOT, I THINK IT WOULD BE COMPLETELY UNFAIR TO ANYBODY IF WE JUST SAID ONLY THIS LAST YEAR OF COVID WHEN ALMOST NOBODY READ THAT, THAT WOULDN'T BE IT, BUT I'M EVEN GOING BACK A COUPLE OF YEARS TO, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE IT'S, IT'S EVEN FAR LESS THAN IT WAS EVEN IN 2018, 2019 RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, W WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE THAT'S ONE FORM OF TRANSPORTATION.
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH, UH, UH, SIR, I FORGOT YOUR NAME, SIR.
UM, AS FAR AS THERE'S MULTIPLE SERVICE HERE, THE ACTUALLY MOST CITIES, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THE TRAIN STATION HERE, IT'S ACTUALLY THE MOST, IT'S THE MOST EXPENSIVE PORTION OF THE, OF THE, OF THEIR AGREEMENT WITH US.
AND THEY ACTUALLY SAY THEY LOSE MONEY BECAUSE THEY SEND IT UP HERE SO MUCH.
WE DON'T HAVE, I MEAN, THEY'RE SAYING THEY COST THEM MORE THAN WE'RE ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTING THERE.
A LOT OF OTHER, UM, A LOT OF OTHER CITIES CONTRACT THAT SERVICE OUT, UH, FOR BUS SERVICE TOO.
AND, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'D WANT TO LOOK AT IS WHAT, WHAT THAT WOULD COST US TO, TO CONTRACT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING THROUGH, THROUGH THEM NECESSARILY UNTIL SOMETHING WE GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
UM, CAN I, YEAH, JUST SAY JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS, THAT'S KIND OF SET THE CONTEXT AND, YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS SAY, WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO PUT THE TRANSIT HAT HAT BACK ON OR A DIFFERENT HAT, BUT LET ME DO THAT FOR A SECOND.
SO FIRST, WHEN I, WHEN I ACTUALLY ACCEPT THE GELS INVITATION TO COME UP HERE AND I SAY UP, BECAUSE IT'S NORTH, NOT SOUTH, OTHERWISE I'D BE IN THE WATER.
UM, THE COMMUTER RAIL PACE WAS ONE OF THE REASONS, UM, THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, HAVE SPENT TIME ON THE TRANSIT SIDE OF, OF RUN BOTH COMMUTER BUS AND COMMUTER RAIL STUDIES BEFORE, UM, INFILL DEVELOPMENT, UH, RELATED PROJECTS RELATED TO TRANSIT, UH, LIVABLE COMMUNITIES, INITIATIVE TYPE PROJECTS, UM, EVEN HAVE MANAGED PROJECTS OUT IN AS FAR OUT IN WEST TEXAS.
I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT FURTHER THAN US NOW, UH, BUT SOME OF THE LARGE COUNTIES AND THE LARGEST COUNTIES IN THAT HAVE VERY DISPERSED POPULATION.
SO A DEMAND RESPONSE TYPE SERVICES FOR MOBILITY IMPAIRED AND ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS, THOSE TYPES OF SERVICES.
SO, UM, IT'S, IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN NEAR AND DEAR TO ME, WITHIN THE, I GUESS, 27 PLUS YEARS NOW, INCLUDING WORKING DURING GRAD SCHOOL, UM, I WAS ACM FOR, UM, ALSO OVER TRANSPORTATION FUNCTION AS TRANSIT DIRECTOR, ALSO IN GALVESTON.
AND I THINK PUTTING THE OTHER HAT ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAT, HAVING DONE THAT TOO, AND THEN THE CITY MANAGEMENT HAT, UH, THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE THERE'S REALLY EVERYBODY'S RIGHT, AND EVERYBODY'S HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE ON THIS.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, THERE'S A, THERE'S KIND OF A CONTEXT AND ALSO WHERE WE ARE, WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO A, YOU DON'T WANT TO LEAVE ANYBODY FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS BY THE SAME TOKEN, YOU LOOKING AT MAXIMIZING THAT RELATIONSHIP AND MAXIMIZING NOT JUST THE SERVICE, BUT ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT COME WITH IT, BECAUSE IN MOST CASES WHERE YOU HAVE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, PART OF IT IS QUITE FRANKLY, IS AN ECONOMIC BENEFIT.
THAT'S HOW A LOT OF ENTITIES EVEN GOT INTO, LET'S SAY LIGHT RAIL, UH, IN MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
AND IN MANY TRANSIT STUDIES, YOU'LL SEE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL, UM, THE MOST SUCCESSFUL ENVIRONMENTS WHERE LET'S SAY A FIXED ASSET, LIKE LIGHT RAIL WORKS.
THE BEST IS WHERE YOU ACTUALLY HAD A DENSITY UP AND DOWN THE ENTIRE LINE, AND YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE ACTIVITY CENTER.
SO IN THIS CASE, THE PERFECT SCENARIO IS IF YOU ACTUALLY HAVE DEVELOPMENTAL UP AND DOWN THE LINE WITH ACTIVITY CENTERS, INCLUDING EMPLOYMENT CENTERS, UH, ENTERTAINMENT, ALL OF THE ABOVE UP AND DOWN THAT LINE.
NOW, IN OUR CASE, NOW WE ARE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING.
SO OUR, SOME THINGS COULD HAPPEN VERY SOON, BUT IN TERMS OF THE WHOLE CONTEXT YES, IN A PERFECT WORLD, YOU WOULD HAVE BI-DIRECTIONAL DEMAND AND YOU'D HAVE PEOPLE GOING BOTH DIRECTIONS ON THAT TRAIN.
IF YOU STEP BACK FROM REALLY TO A TRADITIONAL, TAKE THE EMOTION OUT OF IT AND KIND OF THE
[03:50:01]
GLITZY PART OF IT, WHICH I, MYSELF AM A VICTIM OF.SO I LIKE COMMUTER TRAINS, PARTICULARLY.
UM, YOU STEP BACK AND YOU SAY, OKAY, WHAT'S THIS IS THIS MODE AT THE MOMENT IT CAME IN, LET'S SAY 10 YEARS AGO, WAS THAT THE RIGHT TIME? IF YOU STEP BACK, IT WAS PROBABLY, YOU PROBABLY COULD HAVE RUN 10, 15, 10 YEARS, PROBABLY 15, 20 YEARS WITH COMMUTER BUS.
UH, THERE'S A REASON YOU'RE ALSO OPERATING COMMUTER BUS BECAUSE YOU HAVE DISPERSED, UH, WORKPLACE AND ACTIVITY CENTERS TO SERVE.
SO WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS? YOU KNOW, ONE, WE WANT TO SEE NORTH LINE AND THE TOD OBVIOUSLY SUCCEED.
UM, WE DO WANT TO GET PRIMARY JOBS HERE BECAUSE LONG-TERM ONCE THE MASSIVE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT SLOWS AND THERE'S A LOT OF FEES THAT AREN'T GOING TO BE COMING IN.
I GUESS, 50% MORE SALES TAX OR HOWEVER YOU WANT TO.
UM, SO THAT'S AN ISSUE AS WELL NOW FOR THE LAST, UH, FOR THE LAST, I GUESS NOW 19 MONTHS, AND THEN YOU'VE BEEN HERE, HOW LONG? OH, OKAY.
YEAH, YOU WERE UNDER YOUR AFTERNOON JUST IN TIME FOR COVID.
SO, UM, WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH CAPITAL METRO WE'VE STAYED IN, IN THAT DIALOGUE.
UM, WE WERE JUST SUCCESSFUL ON TWO OTHER LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES, UH, THAT WILL NOT HURT THE TOD AND WILL ACTUALLY ENHANCE IT.
AND ONE WAS ON THE HOTEL MOTEL SIDE, UH, THAT LEGISLATION AND AN ALSO A MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT OVERLAYING NORTHLINE ITSELF.
SO THAT HAS BEEN OUR FOCUS AS HAS BEEN, UH, THE OLD TOWN AND THE POTENTIAL CONNECTIVITY THAT TRANSIT BRINGS TO IT.
SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE HAVE LOOKED AT IS WHAT, UH, HOUSTON METRO HAS DONE.
THEY HAVE APPROXIMATELY 11, UM, SMALL CITIES THAT AT SOME POINT AFTER THEIR INITIAL MEMBERSHIP SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY AREN'T A TRANSIT CITY IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE, OR AT LEAST AT THAT TIME, THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
SO I'M NOT SURE, UH, WORKED WITH THEM EVENTUALLY.
THEY DID, UH, GO BACK AND TWEAK, UH, THE LEGISLATION AND VOTED ON IT.
BUT THEY'VE VOLUNTARILY WORKED FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS AND REBATED, APPROXIMATELY 25% PER YEAR THAT COULD BE USED FOR CAPITAL AND, UH, FOR MOBILITY IN THOSE CITIES.
AND THEN THEY, THEY CODIFIED IT.
SO THAT'S ONE POTENTIAL OPTION.
UM, BUT WITH THAT OPTION, HADN'T YOU GUYS DISCUSS THAT IN THE LINE, WE HAVE DISCUSSED IT.
AND ACTUALLY WE HAD DRAFTED, UM, SOME KIND OF, IT WAS DRAFT LEGISLATION HAVING WORKED ON THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS TYPE SIDE, UH, FOR TRANSIT ENTITIES IN THE PAST, ON THE CONSULTING SIDE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I SAID, HEY, LET'S CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.
SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AN RFQ FOR WHAT, WHAT YOU WOULD CALL YOUR PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES, THE OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD BE FEDERALLY ELIGIBLE, YOU KNOW, COULD YOU USE THAT AS PART OF YOUR PROGRAM, MOVING FORWARD TO CAPTURE SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS AND TERMS OF TAKING THE BIGGER, AND I DON'T, I KNOW I'M TAKING THE LONG ROAD ON A FAST TRAIN.
UM, BUT THE TRUTH OF MATTER IS YES.
BEFORE AUGUST, IF, IF I JUST PUT THE CONSULTING HAT ON FROM THE DECADE OF DOING THAT, AND THEN, AND THEN ALSO HAVING RUN TRANSIT, I CAN TELL YOU THAT YES, WE WOULD NEED TO DO A FULL ANALYSIS OF, OKAY, WHAT WE HAVE, IF WE TRANSITIONED WHAT WE COULD CONTRACT FOR, UM, WHAT THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE WILLING TO CONTRACT FOR ON THE CAP METRO SIDE, UH, COULD WE HAVE ENHANCED SERVICES? WHAT THOSE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT COST PER RIDER WOULD BE? I MEAN, I CAN TELL YOU THIS IT'S, THERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, LET'S SAY, IF YOU DID HAVE FIXED ROUTE BUS INTERNAL TO THE CITY, THAT THEN BRINGS ANOTHER COST, THEN YOU HAVE THAT TIMEFRAME AGAIN, SIX TO NINE.
SO SIX, IF YOU DID THE MORE COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS YOU'D BE PROBABLY LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME YOU DO YOUR RFQ CONSULTANT SELECTION, GOD KNOWS IF I WEAR ONE MORE HAT, I THINK I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.
I THINK WE WOULD NEED CONSULTANTS TO DO IT.
MY BALLPARK WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, YOU'D PROBABLY BUDGET SOMETHING LIKE 150 GRAND.
YOU PROBABLY WOULD HAVE AT LEAST NINE MONTHS TIMEFRAME, ISH, INCLUDING PUBLIC MEETINGS.
AND YOU PROBABLY WOULD, WOULD PROBABLY SPEND A CORE SIX MONTHS, AT LEAST ON YOUR ACTUAL STUDY, SIX TO
[03:55:01]
SEVEN MONTHS, AT LEAST SO CRADLE TO GRAVE, LET'S CALL IT NINE OR 10 MONTHS.THAT BEING SAID, THERE'S OTHER DATA THAT IS OUT THERE.
IF IT'S DECISION MAKING OR, OR EVEN OPENING FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH CAPITAL METRO, YOU'VE GOT THE NATIONAL TRANSIT DATABASE, WHICH HAS READILY AVAILABLE.
THAT IS, THAT IS THEIR OFFICIAL DATA THAT GETS FILED FOR GRANT PURPOSES AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
IT'S WHAT GETS AUDITED AND THE TRIENNIAL REVIEWS WITH FTA.
SO YOU HAVE SOME BASIS FOR COSTS.
I WOULDN'T USE COVID AS YOUR, I MEAN, THAT'S ONE YEAR OF PLUS OF NOT SO FUN.
UM, SO THERE IS DATA THAT'S OUT THERE.
WE ARE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THEM AND HAVE BEEN, UH, WE, WE STAND READY TO GO, WHATEVER DIRECTION COUNCIL WANTS US TO GO IN TERMS OF, OF CONTINUING TO WORK, UH, PULLING DATA.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK PAIGE HAS ALSO LOOKED AT OTHER OPTIONS ON, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT, THAT LEGAL PIECE, YOU KNOW, IF Y'ALL DID EXTRA CA LOOK AT EXTRICATING, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE IN TIMELINE, THE COST? HOW WOULD YOU OVERLAP SERVICES TO START UP SERVICES AND HAVING STOOD UP NEW SERVICES BASED ON PLANS? THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER ANIMAL.
I MEAN, THERE'S, YOU HAVE YOUR LEGAL, TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS WITH FTA.
YOU'VE GOT ADA PARATRANSIT, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.
IT ALL HAS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
SO I, OH IT SHOULDN'T JUMP IN.
I THINK WHAT CHRIS IS ASKING FOR IS TO GIVE STAFF SOME DIRECTION SUCH AS REVIEWING EXISTING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TRANSIT OPTIONS IN THE AREA AND COMPARING THE CAP, METRO SERVICES AMONG OTHER AUSTIN AREAS.
LIKE WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN PULL WITHOUT DOING IT, TRANSIT STUDY ALL THE BETTER ON THE, ON THE FLIP SIDE, I WILL SAY THIS TOO.
I WILL SAY THIS THERE'S TWO THINGS I WOULD WANT TO MENTION AS, UM, A RADIAL SUBURBAN CITY.
THERE, THERE IS A REASON, AT LEAST FROM, IF I TAKE THE TRANSIT OFF AND LOOK AT THE MUNICIPAL SIDE THAT THE OTHER CITIES HAVE A, FOR B CORPS AND AREN'T FULL MEMBERS AND ARE CONTRACTING FOR SOME LEVEL OF SERVICE.
SO I DEFINITELY SEE BOTH SIDES AND IN A PERFECT WORLD, YOU BALANCE THAT WHAT WOULD BE GREAT IS TO MAINTAIN THE TRAIN SERVICE IS TO ALSO HAVE A, FOR B CORPS AND ALSO MAXIMIZE THAT RELATIONSHIP SOMEHOW SOME WAY.
IS IT REALISTIC TO, AND I'VE HEARD THIS FOR 20 YEARS BUST THE CAP SALES TAX CAP, PROBABLY AIN'T GOING TO HAPPEN.
NO QUIT MAKING FUN OF ME BEING FROM THE HOUSTON AREA BY SAYING THAT.
SO THE, YES, I THINK THERE IS A PATH FORWARD, UM, WOULD LOVE TO MAKE ALL OF THE ABOVE HAPPEN.
I THINK IT WOULD ALSO BE, I THINK IT WOULD BE FRUITFUL TO HAVE EVEN CAP METRO TO COME HERE AND US TALK THROUGH IT, EVEN IN AN EXTENDED WORKSHOP AS WE'RE PULLING THESE NUMBERS AND GOING THROUGH THAT.
SO DO YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO MOVE STUFF FORWARD WITH? UM, YES.
AND, AND, AND WITH THAT, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO COMPARE SOME OTHER METRICS WHILE WE'RE DOING IT IN TERMS OF STAFFING OF THOSE CITIES, IN TERMS OF THOSE, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT SHOW, OKAY, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE.
THESE ARE THE COMPARABLES ON, YOU KNOW, APPLES TO APPLES, WHAT SERVICES THEY OFFER, WHAT WE OFFER POPULATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, STAFFING, TRANSPORTATION.
CAN YOU GO WITH THAT COUNCIL MEMBER? ANYTHING ELSE? ANYBODY.
SO THE DIRECTION YOU NEED, IT'S ALL HERE.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM MEETING AGAIN.
[36. Reconvene back into Executive Session pursuant to: (1) Section 551.072 and 551.087, Texas Government Code, Deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property and deliberate proposed economic development incentives for one (1) or more business prospects that the governmental body seeks to have locate, stay, or expand in or near the territory of the governmental body and with which the governmental body is conducting development negotiations; and (2) Section 551.071, Texas Government Code, and Section 1.05, Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct to consult with legal counsel regarding Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority; and (3) Section 551.071, Texas Government Code, and Section 1.05, Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct to consult with legal counsel regarding personnel matter Reconvene into open session to take action as deemed appropriate in the City Council's discretion regarding: (1) one (1) or more business prospects; and (2) Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority; and (3) Personnel matter]
RECONVENE BACK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO ONE SECTION FIVE, FIVE, 1.072155 1.087 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE DELIBERATE, THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY AND DELIBERATE PROPOSED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES FOR ONE OR MORE BUSINESS PROSPECTS THAT THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY SEEKS TO HAVE LOCATE STAY OR EXPAND IN OR NEAR THE TERRITORY OF THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY.AND WITH WHICH THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY IS CONDUCTING DEVELOPMENTAL NEGOTIATIONS TO SECTION FIVE, FIVE, 1.071 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE IN SECTION 1.05, TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING CAPITAL METROPOLITAN, TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY AND THREE SECTION FIVE 51.071 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE IN SECTION 1.05, TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING A PERSONNEL
[04:00:01]
MATTER.CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECONVENE INTO ITS OPEN SESSION AT 12:04 AM TO TAKE ACTION AS DEEMED APPROPRIATE IN THE CITY COUNCIL'S DISCRETION REGARDING ONE OR MORE BUSINESS PROSPECTS, COUNCIL MEMBER SPAWN SELLER.
DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? SO AUTHORIZE THE AMENDMENT TO THIRSTY CHICKEN, THREE 80 AGREEMENTS, CITY ATTORNEY, AND CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE, EXECUTE AS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY TO CAPITOL METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, COUNCIL MEMBER SPAWN CELLAR.
DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? NO ACTION.
SPONSLER DO YOU HAVE EMOTION? NO ACTION.
[37. Council Member Closing Statements.]
OKAY.COUNCIL MEMBER CLOSING COMMENTS.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE OLD TOWN FESTIVAL IS SATURDAY.
IT'S FROM 11 TO 11 RAIN OR SHINE.
SO HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL OUT THERE.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT OR GOOD MORNING BESIDES THE OLD TOWN STREET FESTIVAL.
UM, IF YOU DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO LISTEN TO THE ACTIVE ADULT SPIEL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, CHECK IT OUT AND CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE AND ALL THE FUN STUFF THEY'RE DOING.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T VOTED, TAKE CARE OF THAT ON YOUR WAY TO THE OLD TOWN STREET FESTIVAL, EVERYBODY SAID ALL THE GOOD THINGS.
IT'S A MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT GO HOME AND WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 12:05 AM.