[00:00:01]
[1. CALL SESSION TO ORDER ]
RIGHT.WE'LL CALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2024 TO ORDER.
WE'LL START WITH ROLL CALL COUNCIL MEMBER THOMPSON.
COUNCIL MEMBER CLARK, WE DIDN'T HEAR YOU WAITING ON HIM.
WE DID NOT HEAR YOUR RESPONSE.
RANDALL, CAN YOU HEAR US? I'LL TRY MESSAGING IN MAYOR.
IS IT APPROPRIATE JUST TO KEEP GOING? CITY ATTORNEY AND WHEN HE CHECKS IN, HE CHECKS IN.
HOW'S, HOW DO WE DO THIS? I JUST MESSAGED HIM HERE.
JUST ANNOUNCED THAT HE'S PRESENT BUT NOT ABLE TO SPEAK.
CAN YOU HEAR US? ALRIGHT, WE'LL JUST CONTINUE WITH THE MEETING AND WHEN HE CHECKS IN AND WE HEAR HIM.
NEXT WE'LL BE LED IN VACATION BY AMAM KASIM CHARI REPRESENTING THE, AND I APOLOGIZE SIR, THE AMIA, AM I SOUND RIGHT.
I BEGAN IN THE NAME OF THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISHMAEL, AND ISAAC.
THE GOD OF MOSES, JESUS AND MUHAMMAD.
THE GOD WHO IS THE MOST GRACIOUS EVER MERCIFUL AS MAY PEACE AND BLESSINGS OF GOD ALMIGHTY BE UPON YOU ALL.
I'M HONORED AND HUMBLE TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A MEMBER OF THE EDDI MUSLIM COMMUNITY.
MUSLIMS WHO BELIEVE THE LATTER DAY MESSIAH HAS COME.
WE JOIN TOGETHER IN PRAYER BEFORE OUR CREATOR.
I WILL NOW RECITE A FEW VERSES FROM THE ISLAMIC HOLY BOOK, THE HOLY QURAN.
LORD OF ALL THE WORLDS, THE GRACIOUS, THE MERCIFUL MASTER OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.
YOU ALONE, DO WE WORSHIP AND YOU ALONE? DO WE SEEK HELP? GUIDE US ON THE RIGHT PATH, THE PATH OF THOSE ON WHOM YOU HAVE BESTOWED YOUR BLESSINGS.
THOSE OF THOSE WHO HAVE NOT GONE ASTRAY, NOR OF THOSE WHO HAVE ENCOURAGED YOUR DISPLEASURE.
OYE WHO BELIEVE, BE STEADFAST IN THE CAUSE OF GOD, BEARING WITNESS AND JUSTICE.
AND LET NOT AT PEOPLE'S HOSTILITY INCITE YOU TO ACT OTHERWISE THAN WITH JUSTICE.
BE ALWAYS JUST THAT IS NEARER TO RIGHTEOUSNESS AND FEAR.
SURELY GOD IS AWARE OF WHAT YOU DO AND CREATE NOT DISORDER IN THE EARTH AFTER IT HAS BEEN SET IN ORDER AND CALL UPON HIM GOD IN FEAR AND HOPE.
SURELY THE MERCY OF GOD IS CLOSE UNTO THOSE WHO DO GOOD.
DO NOT PUNISH US IF WE FORGET OR FALL INTO ERROR.
BURDEN US NOT WITH WHAT WE HAVE, NOT THE STRENGTH TO BEAR AND REMOVE OUR SINS AND GRANT US FORGIVENESS AND HAVE MERCY ON US.
SURELY YOU ARE OUR MASTER, OUR LORD FORGIVE US, OUR ERRORS AND OUR EXCESSES AND OUR CONDUCT AND MAKE FIRM OUR STEPS.
OH MY MASTER, MY OMNIPOTENT GOD, MY BELOVED, MY GUIDE AND MY LEADER.
OH, CREATOR OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH.
OH, YOU WHO HAVE CONTROLLED THE WINDS AND TIDES.
OH YOU WHO SEND THOUSANDS OF GUIDES AND THOUSANDS OF LEADERS FOR THE GUIDANCE OF MANKIND.
ONE WHO APPOINTED THE GREAT PROPHET, OH GRACIOUS ONE WHO CREATED THE MESSIAH FROM AMONG THE SERVANTS OF THE PROPHET, OH, CREATOR OF LIGHT AND A FACER OF SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.
OH MY DEAR GOD, SAVE MY PEOPLE FROM ALL TRIALS AND ANGUISHES PROTECT THEM FROM EVERY FORM OF DIFFICULTY.
CREATE AMONG THEM NOBLE AND INSPIRATIONAL PEOPLE.
MAY THEY BECOME ONE NATION THAT YOU SELECT AS YOUR OWN.
AND MAY THEY BECOME ONE GROUP WHICH YOU SELECT FOR YOURSELF.
MAY THEY BE PROTECTED FROM THE ONSLAUGHTS OF SATAN AND MAY ANGELS CONTINUE TO DESCEND UPON THEM.
BLESS THIS GROUP IN THE WORLD AND IN FAITH.
BLESS AMERICA AND THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE AND PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL TEXAS.
FLAG, PLEASURE ALLEGIANCE TO BE TEXAS.
ONE STATE UNDER UNDER GOD, ONE AN IVIS.
IF THE COUNCIL JOIN ME UP FRONT FOR SOME PROCLAMATIONS
[00:05:02]
MEMBERS WE'RE THE FIRST ONE IS A HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.MEMBERS OF OUR DNI THAT ARE HERE, MEMBERS OF OUR HISPANIC, WE'D LIKE TO COME UP.
[5.1. Hispanic Heritage Month - September 15-October 15, 2024 ]
A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.WHEREAS NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IS CELEBRATED NATIONWIDE FROM SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH EACH YEAR.
THIS OBSERVATION STARTED IN 1968 AS HISPANIC HERITAGE WEEK BY PRESIDENT LB JOHNSON AND WAS EXPANDED BY PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN IN 1988 TO COVER THE MONTH AT WHICH IT IS CELEBRATED TODAY.
UNDERSTANDING THAT SEPTEMBER 15TH IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT, BECAUSE IT IS THE ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE FOR LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES, COSTA RICA, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, AND NICARAGUA.
IN ADDITION, MEXICO CELEBRATES THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAY ON SEPTEMBER 16TH AND CHILE CELEBRATES THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAY ON SEPTEMBER 18TH.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HUDU LOOKS FORWARD TO HONORING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AND CELEBRATES THE RICH HERITAGE ARTS HISTORIES, FOOD, MUSIC, AND TRADITIONS OF ALL 26 AND MORE LATIN AMERICAN NATIONS, WHILE RECOGNIZING THAT THESE NATIONS ARE NOT MONOGAMOUS AND THIS MONTH CELEBRATES HONORS AND PAYS TRIBUTE TO ALL FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO HUDU, TO TEXAS AND TO OUR SOCIETY.
WHEREAS LATINOS ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DESCENDANTS FROM LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES AND MAY SPEAK A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
HISPANICS OR INDIVIDUALS THAT SPEAK SPANISH AND ARE DESCENDANTS FROM SPANISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES, INCLUDING SPAIN.
LATINX IS A GENDER NEUTRAL OR NON-BINARY TERM FOR PEOPLE OF LATIN AMERICAN DESCENT.
AND WE REC RECOGNIZE THE LATINX IDENTITY ALSO ENCOMPASSES PEOPLE IN BLACK, AFRICAN, ASIAN, INDIGENOUS, AND QUEER COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEREAS RECOGNIZING THAT HISPANICS AMOUNT TO AN ESTIMATED 11.9 MILLION RESIDENTS TOTALLING 40.2% OF THE STATE OF TEXAS POPULATION OF WHICH THOSE RESIDENTS SPEAK ENGLISH AND OR SPANISH.
UNDERSTANDING THAT HISPANICS ARE EXTREMELY ENTREPRENEURIAL AND PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN OUR ECONOMY AND WORKFORCE AND HAVE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO MAKING TEXAS PROUD.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HUDDLE RECOGNIZES THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALL HISPANIC CITY EMPLOYEES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AND BELONGING COMMISSION OF HUDU RECOGNIZES THAT HELP IS NEEDED TO INCREASE CULTURAL AWARENESS, EDUCATION, ENRICHMENT, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR RESIDENTS.
IT IS THROUGH THEIR SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT THAT OUR CITY WILL CONTINUE TO BECOME MORE CULTURALLY DIVERSE AND A WELCOMING CITY FOR EVERYONE.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HUDU IS COMMITTED TO RECOGNIZING HISPANIC LATINO, LATINX CULTURE AND HERITAGE AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CITY AND ITS STRONG INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY.
AND NOW THEREFORE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HU DUE, HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH, 2024 AS NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AND CALL ITS OBSERVANCE TO ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
DID LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? NO, NO.
ANYBODY FROM OUR COMMISSION? THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A PROCLAMATION READ ON BEHALF OF LATINOS AND HISPANICS, UH, FOR, UH, HURO AND UH, IDENTIFY THOSE DATES.
LEMME GET A QUICK PHOTO OF YOU GUYS.
[5.2. National Night Out - October 1, 2024 ]
WE HAVE ONE OTHER PROCLAMATION.IT'S A NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AND PEOPLE FROM OUR PUBLIC SAFETY CHIEF COME ON UP HERE.
THIS IS A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, WHEREAS THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TOWN WATCH NATW SPONSORS A NATIONAL COMMUNITY BUILDING CAMPAIGN ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1ST, 2024
[00:10:03]
ENTITLED NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.AND WHEREAS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF COMMUNITY BUILDING THAT PROMOTES STRONG POLICE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND NEIGHBORHOOD COMRADERY TO MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFER.
WE CARING PLACES TO LIVE AND WORK.
AND WHEREAS THE RESIDENTS OF HUDU PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN ASSISTING THE HU POLICE DEPARTMENT THROUGH JOINT COMMUNITY BUILDING EFFORTS.
AND WHEREAS THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT CAMPAIGN PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS IN HUDU TO JOIN OVER 38 MILLION NEIGHBORS ACROSS 17,000 COMMUNITIES FROM ALL 50 STATES, US TERRITORIES AND MILITARY BASES WORLDWIDE.
AND WHEREAS IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT ALL NEIGHBORS OF HUDU COME TOGETHER WITH POLICE AND WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD A SAFER, MORE CARING COMMUNITY.
AND NOW THEREFORE WE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HU DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 AS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AND ENCOURAGE ALL HUDDLE RESIDENTS TO JOIN US FOR THE EVENT.
CHIEF, I KNOW YOU GOT SOMETHING TO SAY AND SOMETHING PLANNED FOR THIS NIGHT.
WHAT YOU GOT? ALRIGHT, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PROCLAMATION AND WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE, UH, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENT, OCTOBER 1ST.
AND WE WANNA THANK OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE HU IS SAFE FOR A REASON.
WE'RE ONE OF THE SAFEST COMMUNITIES FOR A REASON.
AND ONE OF THOSE REASONS IS THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE PARTNERSHIP THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS HAVE FOR OUR COM WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR COMMUNITY HAS WITH OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
THAT LEVEL OF RESPECT THAT IS SHARED BETWEEN THE TWO IS SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T FIND EVERY PLACE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WHEN WE HAVE OUR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, IT, WHEN GO TO OUR COMMUNITIES, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A FAMILY REUNION BECAUSE THE OFFICERS KNOW OUR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY KNOW AND RESPECT OUR OFFICERS, AND THEY'RE NOT AFRAID TO CALL OUR OFFICERS WHEN THERE ARE ISSUES GOING ON.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TRULY VALUE BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN THE RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT, WHICH IS CRIME HAS BEEN DETERRED.
THERE HAVE BEEN SITUATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN OUR COMMUNITY WHERE OUR CITIZENS ARE CALLING US, THEY'RE SENDING US NOTIFICATIONS ON OUR TIPS 4 1 1 APP SAYING THAT X IS GOING ON OR Y IS GOING ON AND WE'RE GETTING THERE TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT WHO WE DO IT FOR AND THEY CARE ABOUT US ENOUGH TO CALL US.
AND SO WE'RE WANTING TO COME OUT AND CONTINUE TO CULTIVATE THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THAT PARTNERSHIP TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO MAKE HURO REMAIN THE SAFEST CITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, IF NOT THE COUNTRY.
AND I WILL SAY SOMETHING, THE CHIEF AND HIS POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE DOING SO GOOD THAT EVEN SHALL I SAY, SUSPECTED CRIMINALS COME TO YOUR POLICE STATION FOR ASSISTANCE EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE BEING CHASED BY THE POLICE THIS LAPTOP.
THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS, Y'ALL LEMME KNOW IF THEY GOT IT WORKING NOW WE HEAR YOU.
COUNCILOR CLARK, ARE YOU HERE?
[6. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS]
US UP TO CITY MANAGER COLLINS MAYOR, COUNCIL, UH, CITIZENS OF HUDDLE FOR THE RECORD, JAMES ARP, CITY MANAGER, UM, QR CODE.THIS ALLOWS YOU TO SCAN ON YOUR PHONE AND BRING UP A LINK TO ALL THE ITEMS THAT I AM ANNOUNCING TONIGHT.
UH, FIRST IS ROAD AND ROAD MAINTENANCE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF ACTIVITY GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW.
UH, GENERALLY, UH, HIGHLAND NORTH NEIGHBORHOOD IS CURRENTLY SEEING, UH, THE, THE STREET MAINTENANCE ROLL OUT, UH, WITH HOLBROOK ASPHALT COMPANY.
AND THEY'RE GONNA BE, UH, TREATING STREETS FROM SEPTEMBER 16TH THROUGH OCTOBER 1ST.
RESIDENTS OF HIGHLAND NORTH CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS ON TIMES AND, AND WHICH, UH, STREETS AND BLOCKS AND E STREET TRAFFIC CHANGES BEGAN.
UM, ON SEPTEMBER 17TH AND TRAFFIC ON E STREET E STREET WILL NOW BE STOPPING AT LIVE OAK AND HODO STREET WILL BE STOPPING AT E STREET DURING THIS SAME TIMEFRAME.
A MILLON OVERLAY TREATMENT IS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 26TH.
THIS PROCESS REMOVES THE TOP LAYER OF ASPHALT AND REPLACES IT WITH A FRESH LAYER.
THE TRAFFIC CIRCLES THAT ARE ON THAT, UH, STRETCH OF ROAD WILL ALSO BE REMOVED AT THE SAME TIME SINCE THE STOP SIGNS WILL BE GOING UP IN PLACE.
PECAN STREET, UH, MILLON OVERLAY WILL OCCUR BETWEEN WEST STREET AND FM 1660 DOWNTOWN STREET CLOSERS, CLOSURES AND TRAFFIC DETOURS WILL BE IN PLACE ON SEPTEMBER 25TH FROM 7:00 AM TO
[00:15:01]
5:00 PM WITH EXPECTED REOPENING BY 5:00 PM OF THE SAME DAY.UPCOMING EVENTS WITH COOLER WEATHER AHEAD, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL EVENTS LINED UP ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH.
HERE AT CITY HALL, THE HU POLICE DEPARTMENT IS HOSTING A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR SU SUICIDE PREVENTION.
MONTH FREE RESOURCES WILL BE AVAILABLE AND ATTENDEES ARE ENCOURAGED TO WEAR PURPLE AND TEAL CANDLES WILL BE PROVIDED.
DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE HU PD FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, HAPPENING OCTOBER 1ST.
UH, REGISTERING WITH THE PD GIVES THE PD A MAP OF WHERE THEY'RE BEING ASKED TO, UH, MAKE, UH, UH, VISITS AND THAT, UH, HELPS THEM MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN GET TO THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.
UH, COMING UP AT CITY HALL IS AN ADAPTIVE DANCE.
IT'S AN EVENING OF FUN TO OPEN TO MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND OLDER FOR FREE.
NIGHT OF DANCING FROM SE FROM SEVEN TO 9:00 PM ON OCTOBER 12TH.
THE DANCE IS OPEN TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DIVERSE PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE, OR EMOTIONAL CAPABILITIES.
FORMAL ATTIRE IS WELCOME, BUT ATTENDEES ARE ENCOURAGED TO DRESS COMFORTABLY.
WE ALSO HAVE THE FAMILY CAMP OUT.
SO THIS IS A FRIGHTFULLY FANTASTIC FAMILY ADVENTURE THIS FALL WITH A FAMILY CAMP OUT AT ADAM ORAIN PARK ON OCTOBER 18TH.
S'MORES EDUCATIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS AND DINNER AROUND THE CAMPFIRE IS PLANNED FOR YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
AND THEN HU WEEN HU WEEN IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
UH, FRITZ AT ORGAIN SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26TH WILL BE THE TRICK OR TREAT THAT WILL HAPPEN WITH VENDORS WHO ARE SETTING UP AT THE ADAM OR GAME PARK.
UM, THE, UH, UH, I'M SORRY, THE TRICK OR TREAT WITH VENDORS IS SET UP AT ADAM OR GAIN PARK FROM FIVE 30 TO 7:30 PM WITH THE SENSORY FRIENDLY TIME 30 MI 30 MINUTES PRIOR.
SO FRITZ AT ORAIN, THIS IS BEING HELD AT ADAM ORAIN BECAUSE FRITZ PARK IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED FRITZ AT ORAIN.
AND THEN PARKS AND REC IS HOSTING ITS ANNUAL HOUSE DECORATING CONTEST.
UH, THIS IS FREE AND OPEN TO ALL IN THE 7 8 6 3 4 ZIP CODE.
SO VISIT THE SITE AND SEE THE CATEGORIES THAT WE'LL BE JUDGING.
AND, UH, MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS FOR TONIGHT.
[7. PUBLIC COMMENT]
WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.THE LIGHT WILL START AT GREEN.
WHEN THERE'S 30 SECONDS LEFT, IT'LL GO TO YELLOW.
AND THEN WHEN RED, UM, POPS UP, YOUR TIME'S UP.
RICK, ARE YOU HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? IT DOESN'T SAY.
OKAY, FIRST PERSON UP IS RICK HUDSON.
UM, FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS PLUS THE CITIZENS OF HURO HAVE BEEN LETTING YOU KNOW IN VERY CLEAR TERMS WHAT THEY EXPECT YOU TO DO AS COUNSEL.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS.
NOW, OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE PRIORITIES IS ROADS.
ONE OF THE PRIORITIES IS WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND ONE OF THE PRIORITIES IS WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE JUNE 6TH, 2024 MEETING, SPECIFICALLY ITEMS 10.2 AND ITEMS 10.3 ON THOSE ITEMS. MIKE SNYDER AND EVAN PORTERFIELD VOTED NOT TO FUND WASTEWATER AND ROAD PROJECTS.
IT'S A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD.
NOW, IF OUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE NOT REPRESENTING US AND DOING WHAT WE TELL THEM TO DO, I WONDER WHY THEY'RE EVEN UP THERE.
AUGUST 15TH OR THEREABOUTS, THERE WAS A MEETING NOT IN PUBLIC WHERE THREE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL DECIDED TO SIT DOWN AGAIN, NOT IN PUBLIC, SIGN A DOCUMENT NOT IN PUBLIC, AND CHOOSE A COURSE OF ACTION THAT UNDERMINES THE GOVERNMENT OF THIS CITY.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE TAKEN ENGLISH CLASSES, BUT THE DEFINITION OF THAT BEHAVIOR IS A CABAL, NOT A DEMOCRACY, NOT A REPUBLIC.
OKAY, I THINK THAT'S IT FOR, I HAVE ONE FOR ITEM 10, 2 12, 2 AND 12 TWO.
IF I'M MISS ANYBODY THAT WANTED TO COME UP AND SPEAK IN PERSON, PLEASE LEMME KNOW.
OTHERWISE, WE DID RECEIVE ONLINE COMMENTS FROM CHRISTIAN BUCKINGHAM, MARTHA MANGU,
[00:20:02]
KATHLEEN COOK, GRETA GOLDSBY, ANOTHER ONE FROM MARTHA MAGNUM.SO WE DID RECEIVE THOSE AND THE COUNCILS HAS THOSE.
[8.1. Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Updates and Presentations. ]
HAVE ITEM EIGHT ONE, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, CIP, UPDATES AND PRESENTATIONS.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL FOR THE RECORD.
UM, JUST TO CLARIFY, NORMALLY WE DO THIS ON THE FIRST OF THE MONTH, BUT WE GOT SHIFTED AROUND EARLIER THIS SUMMER AND SO WE JUST KEPT IT ON THE SECOND MEETING OF THE MONTH.
BUT STARTING IN OCTOBER, WE'LL GET BACK ON THE REGULAR SCHEDULE.
UM, SO I'M JUST GONNA JU SO PER THE NORMAL, IF IT'S NOT A QUARTERLY, WE'LL JUST RUN THROUGH TRAFFIC.
SO, UH, LOOKING AT THE TRAFFIC PROJECTS, FM 1660 AT LIMMER.
SO WE'RE GONNA START DOING PAVING, UH, ON TUESDAY NIGHT ON THE WEST SIDE.
UM, AND THAT SHOULD BE OPENED UP TO TRAFFIC, UH, NEXT WEEK.
AND THEN IN EARLY OCTOBER, YOU'RE GONNA SEE ALL THE WORKERS SHIFTING.
WHEN WE SHIFT TRAFFIC TO THE WEST SIDE, ALL THE WORK WILL BE SHIFTING TO THE EAST SIDE.
SO, UH, EVERYTHING IS TRACKING.
WE CONFIRMED WITH THE CONTRACTOR TODAY THAT WE ARE STILL ON SCHEDULE AS SHOWN, UH, ON THE, ON THE PRESENTATION COUNTY ROAD 1 32 OVERPASS.
UH, SO 60% HAS BEEN, UH, SHARED WITH TXDOT.
AND THEN WE HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS PROJECT, UH, FOR THIS AGENDA TONIGHT, EMORY FARMS INTERSECTION.
UH, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH EVALUATING ALL THEM AND TRYING TO MAKE OUR FINAL SELECTION SO WE CAN GET THAT UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
AND THAT'S IT FOR THE TRANSPORTATION UPDATES.
MUST BE SAVING SOMETHING FOR YOU FOR LATER.
[8.2. Cottonwood Properties planning and development update from Midway.]
TWO COTTONWOOD PROPERTIES PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT UPDATE FROM MIDWAY.GOOD EVENING MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UM, MY NAME IS DAVID HIGHTOWER.
I'M A, UM, EVP WITH MIDWAY DEVELOPMENT COMPANY AND WE ARE HONORED TO BE HERE AND WE ARE HONORED TO BE TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT AND WORK ON WHAT IT WE REFER TO AS THE COTTONWOOD PROPERTY.
AND HOPEFULLY I WON'T SCREW UP THIS BECAUSE I'M NOT REALLY GOOD AT THIS TECHNICAL STUFF.
UH, QUICK AGENDA, GENERAL UPDATE, EVALUATE, PHASE AND EXPLANATION OF WHAT THAT IS, OUR DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT.
AND THEN WE WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS WE WERE ASKED TO COME MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.
VERY MUCH LIKE THE SAME PRESENTATION WE MADE TO THE EDC BOARD, UH, LAST MONTH BECAUSE OF CONCERNS REGARDING THE, UH, 1 32 79 OVERPASS PROJECT AND ITS IMPACT ON THIS PROPERTY.
UM, SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THIS FAIRLY QUICKLY 'CAUSE I THINK THERE MAY BE A LOT OF QUESTIONS RELATED TO THAT, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE ARE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR TIME.
WE HELD A KICKOFF MEETING VERY EARLY THIS YEAR, UH, WITH, WITH STAFF AND OTHER, UH, KEY CA, UH, STAKEHOLDERS IN
UH, WE ENTERED INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE EDC IN APRIL AND IMMEDIATELY KICKED OFF OUR C CIVIL FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS.
WE ENGAGED P DAWSON LOCAL ENGINEERING FIRM TO WORK WITH US ON THIS PROJECT, VERY CAPABLE FIRM.
WE ALSO BEGAN WORKING ON OUR MARKET ANALYSIS WITH RESPECT TO OFFICE, RETAIL, RESIDENTIAL PRODUCT SITES THAT MIGHT BE, UH, WITHIN THIS PROJECT.
WE ENGAGED, UH, STARTED WITH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS IN MAY.
AND IN FACT, UH, MS. ANNA DEAN'S MY, UH, PARTNER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROPERTY AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS CAME UP FOR THE SUNSET BLOCK PARTY.
HER DAUGHTERS WANT TO HAVE A HU A, UH, HIPPO FOR A PET.
AND, UH, THEY CAN'T WAIT TO COME BACK, UH, BECAUSE THEY REALLY, REALLY ENJOYED THEMSELVES UP HERE.
IT'S SUCH A NICE COMMUNITY, AND THE COMMUNITY WAS VERY RECEPTIVE.
UH, ANNA GOT A LOT OF REALLY GOOD IMPACT.
UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD TO BE OUTTA STATE, BUT ANNA GOT A LOT OF REALLY GOOD, I, UH, INFLUENCE OR IMPACT OR, UH, COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND REALLY FELT THE ENERGY AND THE VIBE.
AND SO WE'RE, I JUST KINDA HELPED TO FUEL OUR EXCITEMENT ABOUT THE PROJECT.
WE BEGAN WORKING ON THE PROGRAM NARRATIVE, WHICH WAS COMPLETED EARLIER, UH, THIS IN THE SUMMER, UH, WORKING WITH THE EDC BASED ON INPUT, NOT ONLY DURING THAT PROCESS, BUT ALSO THROUGH QUESTIONNAIRES THAT WERE SENT OUT TO KEY MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY AND BEGAN WORKING ON A MASTER PLAN THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT WHAT WE HAD HEARD.
[00:25:01]
ONE, AND I THINK OUR INCLUDES THE CITY AS WE UNDERSTAND IT.THIS HAS BECOME A SOURCE OF PRIDE IN PLACE FOR AN AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY CONNECTIVENESS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MIDWAY PRIDES ITSELF IN DOING IS DEVELOPING MIXED USE, MULTIPLE USE WALKABLE COMMUNITIES THAT ALLOW CONNECTIVITY AND PLACEMAKING FOR THE, NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO BECOME A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE ATTRACTED FROM OUTSIDE OF HOT HOTEL TO COME IN, SHOP, VISIT, RECREATE AND WHATEVER, AND LOOK POSSIBLY EVEN FIND A PLACE TO LIVE, ENCOURAGE CITIZENS TO SPEND THEIR TIME.
AGAIN, DESTINATION FOR VISITORS FROM OUTSIDE OF HATTO.
UH, BECOME A CATALYST FOR OTHER DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO WHAT WE DO BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE WHATEVER WE DO HAS A VERY STRONG POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON EVERYTHING THAT'S AROUND US.
AND, UH, THIS IS A GREAT, THIS PROPERTY IS GREATLY LOCATED FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
AND OF COURSE, WORKING WITH THE CITY TO INSTILL TRUST IN THE CITY GOVERNANCE THROUGH A SUCCESSFUL AND TIMELY IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT.
AGAIN, WE'RE IN THE EVALUATE PHASE.
WE'RE WRAPPING UP WHAT WE CALL THE EVALUATE PHASE, WHERE WE GO THROUGH SITE ANALYSIS, CIVIL DUE DILIGENCE, MARKET ANALYSIS, CONCEPT PLANNING, UH, AND THERE.
AND WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME WORKING ON VARIOUS CONCEPT IDEAS, A DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY ONCE WE'VE KIND OF STARTED NARROWING DOWN WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE IN TERMS OF CONCEPT.
AND OF COURSE THE PROJECT TIMELINE.
OUR CIVIL DUE DILIGENCE IS THE FIRST PHASE OF THAT, WHICH IS, UH, PRETTY MUCH EVALUATING THE PROPERTY, ITS CONDITION, WHAT'S AROUND IT, WHAT SERVES IT, HOW IT WILL BE SERVED, IS PRETTY MUCH DONE.
UH, ACCESS TO UTILITIES, WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT TIMING OF INSTALLATION OF UTILITIES, UH, MAJOR SANITARY SEWER PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING CONTEMPLATED OR ARE ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS A 250 ACRE DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S GONNA TAKE A NUMBER OF YEARS TO DEVELOP.
AND OF COURSE WE NEED TO HAVE SOME CONFIDENCE AND UNDERSTANDING, UH, THAT THE UTILITY CAPACITIES AND SUPPLY WILL BE THERE AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP.
AND OF COURSE, THE MASTER DRAINAGE STUDY CAN'T DO ANYTHING IN TEXAS WITHOUT DOING A MASTER DRAINAGE STUDY.
UH, AND THAT WE'VE DONE SOME PRELIMINARY WORK ON THAT.
ONCE WE HAVE A LAND PLAN THAT IS PRETTY MUCH, UH, WHERE WE WANT IT TO BE WORKING WITH THE CITY, THEN UH, WE CAN GO FULL BORE ON A, UH, FULL BORE DRAINAGE STUDY THAT LOOKS AT THE WHOLE PROPERTY AND HOW WE WOULD DRAIN IT.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE VERY MINDFUL OF THAT.
WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IN OUR, UH, CONCEPT OF, AND PROOF IS EVERYBODY'S EXCITED ABOUT THE PROJECT.
UH, TRAILS AND PARKS ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT IN PROJECTS THAT WE DO.
I I HAVE A PROJECT IN HOUSTON I'M DOING WITH, UH, RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE WORKING, UH, ON ABOUT A MILE, ACTUALLY ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF OF TRAILS THAT WILL BE CONNECTED TO OTHER TRAILS THAT OTHERS ARE DEVELOPING AROUND US.
UH, SO CONNECTIVITY THROUGH TRAILS AND PARKS SPEAKS TO QUALITY OF LIFE.
IT SPEAKS TO WELLNESS OF THE CITIZENS.
IT SPEAKS TO BEING ABLE TO GET TO THE PARKS ON A BICYCLE, IN A STROLLER, ON A TRICYCLE WITHOUT HAVING TO CROSS A LOT OF STREETS.
SO WE, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT HOW TO MINIMIZE THE CONFLICT BETWEEN TRAILS AND STREETS, AND OF COURSE, ADDITIONAL SPORTS FIELDS AND THINGS FOR OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES IS WE HEARD THAT LOUD AND CLEAR IN OUR EVALUATE PHASE.
WE JUST LOOKED AT THE POPULATION GROWTH, RECOGNIZING THAT HUTTO IS HASN'T, UH, WHAT SOME MIGHT CONSIDER AN EXPLOSIVE POPULATION GROWTH.
NOT, NOT, UH, NOT TO BE TOO TERRIBLY SURPRISED.
IT'S GREATLY INFLUENCED BY THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING TO THE EAST OF YOU.
BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO PART OF THE BYPRODUCT OF THE WHOLE AUSTIN AREA DEVELOPMENT OFFICE DEMAND, UH, IS PRETTY MUCH TIED RIGHT NOW TO SAMSUNG.
UM, BUT WE FEEL LIKE THERE'S GONNA BE OFFICE DEMAND, AND WE WILL INCORPORATE THAT INTO THIS PROJECT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED IN DEALING WITH INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES IS THEY MAY HAVE AN OFFER NECESSARILY WANT ON THE INDUSTRIAL CAMPUS.
UH, THE WORKERS IN AN OFFICE COMPLEX MAY BE, UH, YOU KNOW, DIFF HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS, IF YOU WILL, THAN THE INDUSTRIAL PE PEOPLE, UH, IN THEIR, ON THEIR TEAMS. UM, AND THEY WANNA BE IN AN ENVIRONMENT MORE LIKE WHAT WE'RE CON CONTEMPLATING, WHERE THERE, IT'S A WALKABLE SITUATION WHERE YOU WALK ACROSS THE STREET, WALK DOWN THE STREET TO GO TO LUNCH, NOT HAVE TO GET IN YOUR CAR AND DRIVE 15 MINUTES TO GET TO LUNCH IF YOU DON'T
[00:30:01]
WANT TO EAT THE CAFETERIA.ACTUALLY, RENTS WE FOUND DID DROP, BUT THAT'S NOT UNUSUAL.
WE'RE SEEING THAT IN A LOT OF MARKETS RIGHT NOW.
IT'S A CYCLICAL BUSINESS, DOESN'T BOTHER US, BUT IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE HAVE TO PLAN FOR AND MAKE SURE TIMING OF WHAT WE DO, UH, TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THOSE MARKET CYCLES.
THE RESIDENTS ARE SEEKING MORE RETAIL.
WE SEE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF RETAIL GOING ON RIGHT NOW, BUT WITH THE GROWTH YOU HAVE, THE RETAIL DEVELOPMENT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT TO SATISFY THE DEMAND OF YOUR CITIZENS.
UH, AND AGAIN, BACK TO THE CREATING A PLACE THAT PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF HUTTO WANT TO COME TO, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US AS WELL.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF A SIGNIFICANT, UH, DEMAND FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
WE THINK THAT THAT'S GONNA BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE DO.
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS.
UM, WE WANNA DEVELOP THIS AS A MIXED USE DESTINATION.
AND AT THE HEART OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS THIS 250 ACRES, THE WESTERN MORE, UH, PART OF THE PROPERTY WILL BE WHAT WE CONSIDER THE REAL HEART, WHERE THE REAL TRUE URBAN, WHAT WE CALL SERVING.
AND BY SERVING, IT'S A KIND OF AN URBAN FIELD, BUT IT'S IN A SUBURBAN CONTEXT, RIGHT? IT'S NOT A DOWNTOWN CONTEXT.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE LOWER SCALE, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE IN COLLEGE STATION WITH OUR CENTURY SQUARE PROJECT.
WE SEE THAT AS BEING MORE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY PAD SITE, RETAIL DEVELOPMENT, BIG BOX DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE 79 AND 1 32 FRONTAGES, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT OUT HERE IN THE CO-OP AND OTHER PLACES.
AND IT THAT GETS TO THE ISSUE OF THE ACCESS, WHICH I'LL TOUCH ON IN A MINUTE.
BUT WE THINK THAT HAVING SOME LARGE LAND SALES EARLY ON, AND PARTICULARLY WITH THE NORTHERN TRACK, WHICH IS ABOUT 86 ACRES FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO CREATING THE POPULATION BASE THAT WOULD HELP FUEL THE RETAIL DEMAND FOR THIS PROPERTY.
AND SO IT'LL DRIVE TRAFFIC, IT'LL GENERATE EARLIER CASH FLOW, WHICH WE CAN BE REINVESTED INTO THE PROPERTY.
THE CONSTRAINTS, UM, ACCESS TO UTILITIES, I FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT ABOUT WHERE THE UTILITIES ARE AND HOW TO ACCESS 'EM.
IT'S A QUESTION OF TIMING OF SOME OF THE INSTALLATION.
I KNOW THERE'S A MAJOR TRUNK SANITARY SEWER PROJECT BEING CONTEMPLATED, INCLUDING CROSSING, UH, 79.
THAT ONE IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA SERVE THIS PROPERTY.
AND THEN THERE'S A SANITARY SEWER PROJECT THAT, THAT GREEN LINE THAT YOU SEE IS A PROPOSED SANITARY SEWER EASEMENT THAT WILL SERVE PROPERTIES TO THE NORTH OF US.
AND OF COURSE, THOSE PROPERTIES, FOR THE MOST PART TO THE NORTH OF US WERE BEING DEVELOPED.
MOST OF THEM ARE SINGLE FAMILY.
AND AGAIN, POPULATION GROWTH HELPS FUEL RETAIL.
THE SCHEDULE OF THE FINAL DESIGN AND APPROVAL OF THE HIGHLY OVERPASS WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON THIS PROPERTY, WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT IS AND WHEN IT'S BEING DONE.
UH, WE CAN, WE WILL GET INTO THAT.
BUT THE EL WHAT WE IS, THE MORE WE INVESTIGATED WHAT WAS BEING DIS, UH, DESIGNED AND WHAT HAS, UH, IS, UH, YOUR CITY ENGINEER SAID, UH, 60% DESIGN HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO TXDOT FOR CONSTRUCTION.
THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON HOW THIS PROPERTY IS DEVELOPED.
THE STREETS THAT YOU SEE ON THIS PLAN, THOSE ARE PROPOSED PUBLIC STREETS.
AND BASED ON THE, OUR ANALYSIS OF THE OVERPASS PRELIMINARY, OR THE DESIGN AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, IT WILL BUR BASICALLY ELIMINATE ACCESS TO 79 AND 1 32 FROM ON 1 32 FROM MAJOR DOWN TO 79.
AND ON 79, PRETTY MUCH ALL THE WAY TO OUR FIRST ENTRANCE STREET THERE, CARROLL, WHICH IS THE EXTENSION OF CARROLL DRIVE OUT OF THE SUBDIVISION TO THE NORTH, THE ELEVATED HIGHWAY INTERSECTION WILL HINDER RETAIL DEVELOPMENT, AND IT WILL ESPECIALLY HINDER BIG BOX DEVELOPMENT.
IN FACT, WE TOOK, WE DID A SITE PLAN AND, AND TOOK IT TO SOME MAJOR, UH, BIG BOX, UM, RETAILERS THAT WE KNOW THAT THE CITY WOULD LOVE TO HAVE BASED ON INFORMATION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE CITY.
UM, AND THEY PRETTY MUCH SAID, IF THAT OVERPASS IS DONE THE WAY YOU SAID IT IS, THEN WE'RE NOT INTERESTED.
AND WE, WE DON'T EVEN WANT TO LOOK AT THE PROPERTY ON THE WEST END.
UH, WE'LL GO LOOK AT ALL OTHER MAJOR INTERSECTIONS AND ELIMINATE EVERY OTHER POSSIBILITY BEFORE WE COME BACK TO THIS ONE.
THIS LAND USE DIAGRAM KIND OF GIVES YOU A BREAKDOWN OR, UH, SHOW THE LAND USES, AGAIN, SINGLE FAMILY ON THE NORTHERN TRACK.
UH, AND, AND THIS IS BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE CAN GET OUR ACCESS TO 79 AND MAJOR, UH, BIG BOX IN RETAIL ON THE CORNER THERE.
THEN, UH, RETAIL DEVELOPMENT ALONG, UH, THE FRONTAGE ON 79.
AND THE BLUE IS REALLY THE MORE MIXED USE, HIGHER HIGHER DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, RETAILS, HOTEL, AND OTHER SIMILAR USES.
AND OF COURSE, HOW DO WE, UH, INCORPORATE SOME SPORTS FIELDS INTO THE
[00:35:01]
FLOODPLAIN AREA, VERY MUCH LIKE YOU HAVE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF COTTONWOOD CREEK AND FITZ PARK.SO BASICALLY IT'S A GROWTH OF FITZ PARK.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR EARLIER CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS.
IT'S CHANGED A LITTLE BIT SINCE THIS ONE WAS DONE, BUT AGAIN, IT SHOWS THE BIG BOX RETAIL ON THE, ON THE, UH, CORNER, STARTING OFF WITH LOWER DENSITY PAD DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE FRONTAGE THERE.
AND THEN WORKING TO MASTER PLAN WITH HIGHER DENSITY ON THE BLUE AREAS TO THE BACK.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS IMPORTANT TO SHOW THE, THE GREEN DOTTED LINES THAT'S EXTENDING TRAILS THROUGH THE PROJECT SO THAT YOU'VE GOT TRAIL OPPORTUNITIES THAT NOT ONLY COME TO THE PROJECT, THEY GO THROUGH THE PROJECT AND EVENTUALLY UP TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE NORTH.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT, UH, DOWN THE ROAD, IF YOU WILL, WHERE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS BEING DONE.
AND BY THE TIME WE GET TO THAT HIGHER DENSITY DEVELOPMENT, WHERE WE WILL BE GETTING INTO STRUCTURED PARKING, WE'LL HAVE TO START OFF WITH SURFACE PARKING.
UH, STRUCTURED PARKING IS VERY EXPENSIVE, BUT IF WE CAN DEVELOP AND GET STARTED WITH A PROJECT THAT CREATES A PLACE AND CREATES THE ACTIVITY AND CREATES DEMAND, WE WILL EVENTUALLY GET TO THAT STRUCTURED PARKING IN A LITTLE BIT HIGHER DENSITY.
THIS IS SOME, UH, PHASE ONE IMAGERY, IF YOU WILL.
AND IF THE PICTURE AT THE BOTTOM IS AN IDEA OF HOW WE WOULD DISCONNECT HIKE AND BIKE TRAILS FROM STREETS, UH, THAT WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN APPROACHED BY A NUMBER OF RE UH, RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPERS WHO HEARD ABOUT THE PROJECT AND HEARD THAT WE WERE INVOLVED IN IT.
AND, UH, TOWNHOUSE OR, OR ATTACHED SINGLE FAMILY IS A PRODUCT THAT WE THINK WOULD REALLY WORK IN THIS CITY.
IN THIS CASE, UH, IT'S MORE OF A, UH, AFFORDABLE ENTRY POINT FOR YOUNG FAMILIES TRYING TO BUY HOMES.
THEY REALLY WANNA BE NEAR PARKS.
UH, AND, AND AGAIN, THE, UM, THE IDEA OF BRINGING IN SOME, UH, ONE OR TWO HOTELS I THINK OVER TIME WILL WORK FOR, UH, FOR THE PROJECT AND WILL WORK FOR HUTA.
AGAIN, HIGHWAY OVERPASS AND THE UTILITY PROJECTS WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR TIMELINE.
MAJOR COMMITMENTS CAN'T BE FINALIZED UNTIL THE OVERPASS FI IS FINALIZED.
ACCESS TO THE SITE WOULD BE SEVERELY LIMITED BASED ON WHAT WE SAW.
SO THAT'S GONNA HAVE AN IMPACT.
AND THERE'S, UH, WE NEED REAL CLARITY ON THE DELIVERY OF THIS OFF WHAT WE WOULD CHARACTERIZE AS OFFSITE INFRASTRUCTURE TAKEAWAYS.
CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS OF POPULATIONS SUPPORT THE LOWER DENSITY SURFACE PART SURFACE PARK PROJECT.
AGAIN, OVER TIME WE WILL SEE MOVING TO A HIGHER DENSITY PROJECT THAT HAS, UH, A GARAGE OR, OR STRUCTURED PARKING.
AND EVERY TIME WE DO A PROJECT LIKE THIS, WE TRY TO THINK THROUGH THAT LONGER TERM PHASE, WHERE EVENTUALLY WE MAY REPLACE A SURFACE PARKING LOT WITH A PARKING GARAGE.
SO AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND CREATE DENSITY IN THAT SENSE OF PLACE, EARLIER PHASES AGAIN, UH, WOULD PROBABLY, UH, NEED TO OCCUR ALONG 70 NINES IS WE HAVE VISIBILITY AND ACCESS AND PEOPLE CAN SEE THE PROJECT AND START UTILIZING THE SERVICES THAT ARE THERE.
AND OF COURSE, THE LEGACY MIXED USE PORTIONS OF THE PROJECT WILL OCCUR AFTER THE, UH, INITIAL PHASES.
EARLY LAND SALES ARE IMPORTANT IN THIS PROJECT TO HELP US, UH, GENERATE, UH, MORE ACTIVITY.
WE'RE NOT GONNA DEVELOP EVERYTHING OURSELVES, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BRINGING IN THE QUALITY DEVELOPERS TO DO PIECES OF IT, WHETHER IT'S RESIDENTIAL, SINGLE FAMILY, OR MULTIFAMILY.
UM, WE LIKE TO FOCUS MORE ON THE RETAIL OFFICE AND THE HOTEL KIND OF USES, BUT UH, IT'S, IT'S 250 ACRES.
WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE TO MAKE THIS THING HAPPEN AND MAKE IT HAPPEN, RIGHT? BUT WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY OPTIMISTIC BECAUSE WE THINK THAT GIVEN OUR EXPERIENCE WITH MASTER PLANNING THESE KIND OF PROJECTS, WE CAN CREATE THE PLAN FOR THE PROJECT.
WE CAN CREATE THE THEME FOR THE PROJECT AND ESTABLISH THE GUIDELINES FOR THE PROJECT IN A WAY THAT IF WE SELL A SITE TO ANOTHER DEVELOPER, WHAT THEY'VE DEVELOPED IS GONNA BE EASILY, CLEARLY SEEN TO BE PART OF A BIGGER PROJECT AND, AND BE COMPLIMENTARY AND ACCRETIVE TO THE VALUES BEING CREATED.
I'M HAPPY TO BE JOINED BY OUR CEO MR. BRAD FRAS.
UH, AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
DAVID, YOU, UH, MENTIONED AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
UM, ANY IDEA ON THE TIMELINE FOR THOSE PHASES? UM, AND DO YOU HAVE THE, THE SUPPORT FROM THE CITY
[00:40:01]
TO ACHIEVE THOSE PHASES IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME? WE BELIEVE THEY ANSWERED.THE SECOND PART OF THAT QUESTION IS WE BELIEVE WE DO.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS EVERYBODY ELSE GOES THROUGH.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH ZONING, MASTER PLANNING, ZONING AND, AND, AND KEEPING WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF THE CITY.
AND OF COURSE THAT'S WHERE THE CITY GETS TO
AND WE HOPE TO, UH, GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS IN A VERY TIMELY AND A VERY PROPER MANNER, UH, WITHOUT ANY DELAY.
AND AS WE HAVE MORE AND MORE DISCUSSIONS IN THAT, AFTER WE GET KIND OF PAST THIS OVERPASS QUESTION WHERE WE, WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY SAY, OKAY, NOW WE KNOW WHAT THE ENVELOPE IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, THIS IS, WE CAN REALLY HONE DOWN ON A PLAN THAT WE CAN SUBMIT AND GET INTO THAT MORE FORMAL PROCESS.
SO THE PHASES, PROBABLY THE TIMELINE ON THE PHASES WOULD PROBABLY COME AFTER UNDERSTANDING THE, THE 1 32 OVERPASS? YES, SIR.
AND THEN, UM, THE, SO ONE OF THE SPOTS WHERE YOU WERE SHOWING ON THE MAP, UM, THERE'S A SCHOOL THERE, IS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION OR HAVE YOU SYNCED UP WITH THE ISD OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS WILL BE DOING IN FUTURE PHASES? UH, BECAUSE I THINK YOU HAD A MIXED USE PLAN THAT WAS, THAT WAS GONNA BACK UP TO THE SCHOOL THERE AND THEN SOME SPORTS FIELDS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS WOULD APPROACH THE ISD AS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PLANNING ON MAKING THIS MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE THINGS THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, BE APPROPRIATE TO PUT IN THE BACKYARD OF A SCHOOLHOUSE? THE, THE SCHOOL EXISTS, AS YOU KNOW.
UM, AND WHAT'S NOT READILY APPARENT IS THERE IS ACTUALLY A DRAINAGE DITCH ALONG THE EASTERN AND SOUTH SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF THAT SCHOOL SITE.
UH, WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WILL BE ENLARGED PARTLY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DRAINAGE, CLEAN IT UP, BUT IT WILL ALSO SERVE AS A BUFFER.
AND WE'LL PROBABLY END UP WITH A TRAIL UP ALONG ONE SIDE OF IT, WHICH SIDE IT IS, WILL DEPEND ON THE CONVERSATION WITH THE SCHOOL.
BUT I CAN SEE THAT ACTING AS A BUFFER AGAINST THE SCHOOL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S SOME PROTECTION AND SEPARATION.
AND OF COURSE, HOW WE SITE PLAN THAT SPECIFIC PROP USE ON THAT SPECIFIC PROPERTY.
ADJOINING WILL DEFINITELY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT SCHOOL.
THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS FOR RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, I HAD A COUPLE, CAN YOU GO BACK A COUPLE OF SLIDES WHERE YOU HAVE THE LAND USE OF THE EEG H THIS ONE? YES, SIR.
SO ONE THING I, YOU KNOW, AS COUNCIL, WE EVEN ADOPTED AND, AND, AND DIRECTED THE EDC, YOU KNOW, THAT WE WANTED SOME LAND TO BE USED FOR GOVERNMENTAL LAND.
AND I DON'T SEE THAT IN YOUR PLAN ANYWHERE AT ALL.
SO I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU CAN KIND OF SPEAK TO THAT.
'CAUSE ONE OF THING, I UNDERSTAND THAT EARLY LAND SALE GET MOMENTUM KIND OF MAKES SENSE FOR JAY TO PROBABLY BE SINGLE FAMILY TOWN HOME TRANSITION HOUSING OR SOMETHING.
BUT AGE, A LOT OF IT, I MEAN, SOMEPLACE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME TO GO SELL LAND THAT THEN WE HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND GO BUY LAND TO GO PUT A POLICE STATION AND SOME OTHER GOVERNMENTAL BUILDINGS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE IN THE CITY.
UM, SO I KIND OF, I'M CURIOUS WHERE ANY OF THAT HAS BEEN CONTEMPLATED OR CONSIDERED, BECAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T SEE IT IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE, WE ARE VERY MUCH AWARE THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
I THINK THERE'S A NEW LIBRARY THAT'S BEING CONTEMPLATED.
THERE'S A NEW, AND FORGIVE ME, I FORGET WHAT THE NEXT TERM OF IT IS, BUT IT'S, UH, HAS TO DO WITH YOUR EMERGENCY SERVICES.
SOME COMMU, YOU KNOW, COMMAND CENTER OR, OR OF SOME SORT.
UM, YES, WE'RE AWARE OF THOSE AND WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE STUDIES BEING DONE ON THOSE TO DEFINE EXACTLY WHAT THOSE WOULD BE.
I, AND AS I SAID TO THE EDC BOARD, I SAID WE'RE HAPPY TO INCORPORATE 'EM.
WE SEE THAT AS BEING PART OF THE PROJECT, BUT WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE AND HOW BIG THEY ARE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THEIR FOOTPRINT, WHAT'S THEIR SIZE, SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE ARE LOOKING AT ACCOMMODATING PARKING.
UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO MASTER PLAN 'EM IN THERE.
AND THAT WILL BE PART OF THIS NEXT DESIGN PHASE.
WE'VE ALSO HEARD THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF INTEREST IN PERHAPS A HOSPITAL IN THIS AREA, UM, THAT, THAT CAN RANGE FROM, YOU KNOW, A, A SMALL EMERGENCY CENTER TO A LARGE HOSPITAL COMPLEX CENTER.
SO, UH, IT'S, IT IS JUST A MATTER OF HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, THOSE WHO WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN DOING THAT AND FINDING A PLACE FOR IT.
AS BRAD LIKES TO SAY, WE DESIGN, WHEN WE GO INTO ONE OF THESE KIND OF PROJECTS, WE DESIGN IT AS PLUG AND PLAY.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT USE WHEN THE TIME FOR THAT USE COMES.
WE MAY NOT NEED A HOSPITAL TODAY, BUT YOU MAY NEED IT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW.
AND HOW WE DEVELOP THE PROPERTY, WE WANNA MAKE
[00:45:01]
SURE THAT WE CAN PUT IT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.UM, IF I CAN ADD SOMETHING TO THAT, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN OVERLAY OF THIS THAT INCORPORATES SOME OF THOSE USES.
UH, UH, I ASKED DAVID TO TAKE IT OUT BECAUSE IT, IN A PRESENTATION LIKE THIS, IT WAS JUST CONFUSING 'CAUSE YOU END UP WITH ABOUT TWO DOZEN COLORS.
UH, BUT WE'VE INCORPORATED THOSE IN AND ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, WE LIKE TO DO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CREATING THE FABRIC OF THIS PROJECT, UH, PERSONALLY I LIKE FIRE STATIONS WITHIN THE MEAT OF THE PROJECT.
UH, YOU GOTTA DESIGN AROUND THEM A LITTLE BIT.
BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN MY KIDS WERE GROWING UP, HUNTER'S CREEK, THEY LOVE TO GO TO THE POLICE STA THE FIRE STATION, YOU KNOW, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT A MINUTE AGO ABOUT HOW THE EMERGENCY SERVICES WORK TOGETHER AND THEY GET THE RESPECT OF THE COMMUNITY.
YOU GET THAT RESPECT BY BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF ISOLATED.
I'D LOVE TO SEE A FIRE STATION HERE.
I THINK ABOUT CARMEL, UH, DOWNTOWN, THERE'S A FIRE STATION AND THE KIDS ARE ALWAYS IN THERE TALKING TO THE FIREMEN.
YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, BEL AIR HAS ONE THAT'S RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THEIR TOWN THAT'S REALLY ACTIVE.
AND, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT INCORPORATED SOMEWHERE IN HERE.
NOT JUST PUSHED ON THE EDGE BECAUSE I THINK IT AGAIN, CREATES THAT COMMUNITY WITH THE, THE EMERGENCY WORKERS.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE LIBRARY LIBRARIES ARE CHANGING RAPIDLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT PEOPLE EXPECT FROM 'EM.
AGAIN, WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT IN THE MEAT OF THE PROJECT.
UH, THE JUSTICE CENTER, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE SOMETHING WHERE WE END UP USING A SHARED GARAGE BECAUSE GARAGES ARE EXPENSIVE.
Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE, THERE MIGHT BE A SHARED USE BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE DOING A WHOLE LOT OF JUSTICE.
I CAN'T IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, ON NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS, MAYBE SOME COURT DATES.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THEN, THEN YOU HAVE MIXED USE OPPORTUNITIES AROUND THOSE GARAGES SO YOU GET MORE UTILITIES OUTTA THOSE GARAGES AND MAKE THOSE DOLLARS, UH, BETTER SPENT.
SO, NO, IT'S A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO.
UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER USES.
YOU ASK ABOUT THE, THE PHASING.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS LIKE YOU'RE PLAYING A PARTY, YOU'RE SETTING THE TABLE, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHO'S SHOWING UP.
AND AS SOON AS WE START ANNOUNCING THIS AND START CREATING SOME MOMENTUM, WE'RE GONNA GET A LOT OF CALLS FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
AND AS DAVID SAID, WE'D LIKE TO SET UP A PLAN THAT'S MORE OF A PLUG AND PLAY.
DOES THIS WORK WELL NEXT TO THIS? AND DOES THIS WORK WELL NEXT TO THIS? AND IT REALLY GETS EXCITING WHEN THE PIECES START COMING TOGETHER.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR DIRECT QUESTION, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'D LOVE TO HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT ADJACENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND ONCE WE KNOW THE SIZE, WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY PLUG IN BEST, UM, AND THEN WORK WITH THE CITY ON THAT.
BEFORE WE GO ON, IF I MAY WAIT A MINUTE.
WHAT, FROM WHAT WE, BEFORE WE GO ON, BRAD, CAN YOU JUST SAY YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? OH, SURE.
I'M BRAD FRILLS AND I'M CEO OF MIDWAY.
UM, FROM, FROM WHAT WE JUST HEARD, YOU MAY NOT NEED A VERY BIG JUSTICE CENTER.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE GOT A GREAT POLICE FORCE,
UH, ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY IS GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT TO THAT.
AND UH, WHERE IT GOES WILL DEPEND ON HOW YOU ACCESS THIS PROPERTY FROM DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
I DID A DEAL, UH, DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN WHICH WE PLACED, UH, TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOR MAJOR, THEIR FIRST MAJOR CAMPUS OUTSIDE THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER.
AND I'LL NEVER FORGET I WAS MEETING WITH THE CEO AND HE SAID, ACCESS AND VISIBILITY IS CRITICAL BECAUSE WHEN, WHEN MAMA IS RUSHING TO THE HOSPITAL, 'CAUSE JOHNNY'S IN THE BACKSEAT WITH THE MARBLE STUCK DOWN HIS THROAT, YOU KNOW, SHE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW TO GET IN AND HOW TO GET TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
AND SO, 'CAUSE SHE'S IN PANIC, RIGHT.
SO THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.
WE WANT TO INCORPORATE THE USE, BUT HOW, HOW WE DO IT AND HOW IT RELATES AND HOW YOU ACCESS THIS PROPERTY IS VERY IMPORTANT FROM THAT ASPECT.
I GUESS, UH, SPEAKING TO, I SEE A QUESTION COMING UP.
TO ACCESS POINTS RIGHT HERE WHERE THE ARROWS ARE, IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT'S FUTURE, UM, ACCESS POINTS, THE MAIN ONES WE SEE THOSE, WE SEE THOSE AS THE PUBLIC STREET ACCESS.
AND THEN, OKAY, SO BEING ON 79 HERE, UM, IF YOU'RE HEADING EAST, YOU'D HAVE TO PUT A TURN A, A TURN LANE OR A SIGNAL TO GET INTO THE PROPERTY, CORRECT? CORRECT.
YOU, YOU HAVE ACCESS RIGHT INTO THE CO-OP HERE WITH A LEFT PROTECTED LEFT TURN.
LEFT TURN LANE, NOT NECESSARILY A SIGNAL.
SO HOW THAT WORKS, AND OF COURSE THAT'S BEING ON 79, THAT'S GONNA BE A FUNCTION OF TEXTTO AND SIGNAL SPACING AND ACCESS SPACING AND HOW WE, WHAT WE DO WITH RESPECT TO ANY OTHER DRIVEWAYS ALONG THERE, OF COURSE IS GONNA BE TO SUBJECT TO CITY AND TEXTILE APPROVAL.
AND THIS, THIS ONE RIGHT HERE ON THE OTHER ONE, THE SECOND ONE TO THE RIGHT, THAT'S GONNA BE LIKE A NEW ROAD.
'CAUSE I KNOW THIS IS CARROLL DRIVE RIGHT HERE ON THE LEFT.
AND THEN THAT WOULD TECHNICALLY BE A NEW ROAD.
THAT WOULD GO THROUGH THE PROPERTY.
THEN I GUESS FOCUSING BACK ON THE 1 32 A BRIDGE THAT IS CURRENTLY AT 60%, SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT.
UM, HOW IT LOOKS AND HOW IT GOES OVER 79 AND WHERE IT ENDS UP, DOWN ON THE GROUND.
[00:50:01]
ENTRANCE? YES.ENTRANCE? IS THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING? I GUESS CAN YOU TALK ME THROUGH I GUESS THE COMPLICATIONS SURROUNDING THAT? WELL, I, YOU KNOW, THAT ENTRANCE FROM, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND OF THAT OVERPASS DESIGN AS IT IS TODAY, AND, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT CRITICIZING THE OVERPASS DESIGN, DON'T GET ME WRONG.
AND I REALIZE WE'RE KIND OF COMING IN HERE THROWING A MONKEY WRENCH IN THE PLAN KIND OF AT THE LATE IN THE GAME.
BUT WE WERE ASKED, WHAT DOES IT DO TO THIS PROPERTY? AND WE'RE GONNA TELL YOU, YOU ASK US OUR OPINION ON SOMETHING
IT'S IN ALL OVER THE STATE WHERE IF BASICALLY IT'S AN ELEVATED SEPARATED INTERCHANGE, RIGHT RAMPS, YOU, YOU GO, IF YOU'RE GOING EASTBOUND ON 79 AND YOU WANNA GO NORTH ON 1 32, YOU GO UP AND OFF RAMP BASICALLY TO AN INTERSECTION WITH A LIGHT TURN LEFT, GO TO THE LIGHT THAT'S INTERSECTS THE OTHER RAMP.
AND THEN YOU GO DOWN TOWARDS THE NORTH ON 1 32.
SO YOU'RE GONNA END UP WITH, UH, BIG RETAINING WALLS WHERE THOSE RAMPS ARE UNTIL YOU GET REAL CLOSE TO THE INTERSECTION.
THEN THEY SWITCH TO COLUMNS FOR SITE DISTANCE AND SAFETY.
AS I UNDERSTAND, THE DOWN RAMP ON THE WESTBOUND 79 WILL GO PAST WHAT IT, YOU SEE A LITTLE DRIVEWAY RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PROPERTY.
THAT'S AN EXISTING DRIVEWAY THAT, UH, THE LONG TIME AGO.
IT'S BEEN THERE A LONG TIME OBVIOUSLY.
MM-HMM
AND BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD, UH, WITH, WITH THE ENGINEERS WHO WERE WORKING ON IT, THAT'S HOW WE LOCATED THE E THE STREET, UH, CARROLL AS YOU SEE IT HERE.
BUT THAT'S WHERE IT'S GONNA BE UNDER THE CURRENT 60% DESIGN.
YOU'LL HAVE A RAMP ON THE OTHER SIDE, BUT YOU GOT A RAILROAD THERE, NOBODY'S GONNA CARE ABOUT THAT.
BUT YOU WON'T SEE ANY OF THOSE RE THAT RETAIL ALONG THERE, MUCH LESS BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT FROM 1 32 TO THAT STREET BECAUSE OF THOSE, THOSE RAMPS.
I'VE GOT A PICTURE, I, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T INCLUDE IT IN HERE.
I TOOK A PICTURE OF ONE OF THESE KIND OF RAMPS.
IT'S ON I 10 IN HOUSTON LOOKING ACROSS THE FREEWAY.
TOOK A PICTURE OF THIS DOWN RAMP AND THE ONLY THING YOU CAN SEE IS THE TOP OF A 24 STORY OFFICE BUILDING BEHIND IT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING ON THE GROUND LEVEL ACROSS, YOU KNOW, IF I MAY THE, UM, I WANNA APPLAUD Y'ALL FOR GETTING CONTROL OF THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S A BIG ENOUGH AREA THAT YOU CAN HAVE A DISTRICT AND YOU CAN CREATE SOMETHING, AN IMAGE FOR HUDA.
IF Y'ALL WOULDN'T HAD CONTROL OF THIS, THIS THING WOULD'VE BEEN PICKED OFF.
AND IT LOOKED, IT LOOKED, IT JUST LOOKED LIKE THE REST OF 79.
AND SO I APPLAUD Y'ALL FOR GETTING CONTROL OF IT.
WHAT, WHAT DAVE'S REFERRING TO HERE IN OUR PROJECT IN COLLEGE STATION, HE MENTIONED, UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH COLLEGE STATION, BUT WE'RE, WE DID A PROJECT AT CENTURY SQUARE AND WE'RE ONE BLOCK OFF OF TEXAS AND UNIVERSITY.
AND TEXAS AND UNIVERSITY IS, IF IT'S NOT, THE TEXAS IS OLD HIGHWAY SIX RIGHT THROUGH THE CITY AND, AND THEN UNIVERSITY DRIVE.
AND IT IS, I'VE HEARD IT'S THE NUMBER ONE HIGHEST TRAFFIC COUNT INTERSECTION IN THE STATE.
IF IT'S NOT THE NUMBER ONE, IT'S PROBABLY IN THE TOP 10.
AND WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT LAND INCORPORATED INTO OUR DEVELOPMENT.
AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT AT SOME POINT IN TIME AT THAT INTERSECTION, I'M TALKING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CARS A DAY, UH, AT SOME POINT IN TIME THEY WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO DO A GRADE SEPARATION THERE.
AND THAT CORNER PROPERTY WAS EITHER GONNA END UP FEELING LIKE IT'S 20 FEET IN THE AIR OR FEEL LIKE IT'S 20 FEET IN THE GROUND 'CAUSE THE OVERPASS GONNA BE GOING THIS WAY.
OR IF IT GOES UNDER IT'S GONNA GO THIS WAY AND YOU LOSE UP THAT FIRST QUARTER MILE COMING BACK OUT OF THAT AREA.
AND SO WE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO PURPOSE IN BUYING THIS BECAUSE IF WE DEVELOP IT, THE VALUES ARE GONNA GET DISRUPTED LONG TERM.
AND THE RETAILERS, IF WE PUT 'EM THERE, THEIR SALES ARE GONNA GO AND THE SALES TAX IS GONNA GO AWAY.
AND I FEEL THE SAME THING ABOUT THIS INTERSECTION.
YOU'RE LIGHT YEARS AWAY FROM HAVING THAT KIND OF TRAFFIC AT THAT INTERSECTION THAT THEY DO AT COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY.
BUT IT, IT'S GONNA HAPPEN AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
BUT LET IT ADDRESS IT AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
BECAUSE THE OTHER BENEFIT THAT Y'ALL HAVE FROM THIS BY TAKING CONTROL OF THIS IS THE SALES TAX THAT YOU'RE GONNA CREATE ON THIS PROPERTY IS GONNA BE HUGE.
THE PROPERTY TAX THAT YOU'RE GONNA CREATE ON THIS PROPERTY IS GONNA BE HUGE AND THOSE ARE PERPETUAL FOR Y'ALL.
THE HOTEL TAX IS GONNA BE HUGE OVER TIME AND WE DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT DISRUPTS THOSE REOCCURRING REVENUE STREAMS FOR THE CITY.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHY Y'ALL BOUGHT THIS, I WOULD ASSUME IN THE FIRST PLACE TO GET TO CREATE THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND IN OUR OPINION, YOU'RE GONNA
[00:55:01]
MISS A LOT OF THAT BECAUSE IT REALLY DESTROYS THE VALUE OF THAT INTERSECTION.AND, AND THAT'S JUST ON THIS SIDE.
IF YOU GO BACK TO THE EAST, YOU'RE HURTING THAT CORNER OF THE EAST TOO.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE A TAX PRODUCER FOR YOU AS WELL.
IF WE DO THIS RIGHT, IT'S NOT WITHIN OUR PURVIEW, BUT IT IS THERE.
UH, YOU KNOW, A POINT TO NOTE COLLEGE STATION, I TOLD JANE THIS THE OTHER DAY.
THE CITY TOLD ME THAT, UH, CENTURY SQUARE, OUR PROJECT THAT'S LITERALLY 27 ACRES IS THE LARGEST TAX PRODUCER IN COLLEGE STATION.
SALES TAX, SALES TAX, HOT TAX TOO.
THE, UH, BUT WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AND IT, SO IT'S MEANINGFUL.
SO, UH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO PRODUCE HERE.
WE WANNA CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT PEOPLE WANNA INVEST IN, THAT THEY'LL SPEND THEIR MONEY THAT Y'ALL GET YOUR PIECE OF, THAT Y'ALL CAN GO DO OTHER THINGS THAT IMPROVE THE CITY.
AND, AND IN OUR TRUE BELIEF TO PROFESSIONAL BELIEF, HAVING DONE THIS NUMEROUS TIMES, I WOULD LET THAT BE A GREAT INTERSECTION, BUT AVOID THE OVERPASS AT THIS TIME AND PUT IT IN 30 YEARS FROM NOW WHEN IT'S ACTUALLY NEEDED OR 25 YEARS FROM NOW WHEN IT'S ACTUALLY NEEDED IN MY OPINION.
SO WE HAVE AN ITEM LATER ON THE AGENDA NEAR THE END OF THE MEETING.
WOULDN'T IT BE MORE PRUDENT OR BENEFICIAL FOR US TO MOVE THAT UP NOW SO WE CAN HAVE THIS AS A COHESIVE DISCUSSION? I, I DO HAVE IT AND I I DO HAVE IT TO BE PULLED UP.
BUT I THINK YOU CAN DO, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, DODI, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE BRIDGE AND FACTS WITHOUT NECESSARILY CALLING THE ITEM, RIGHT? YEAH.
BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DETAIL UNDER 14 ONE THAT, I MEAN, I'D LIKE TO, AND THERE WERE PROPOSALS AND, YOU KNOW, OPTIONS THAT WE WERE BEING ASKED TO KIND OF AT LEAST GIVE DIRECTION ON OR GIVE AN INDICATION.
SO YEAH, IT'S, IT'S A MAJOR DECISION ON Y'ALL'S PART THAT WILL AFFECT THIS PROPERTY, FIRSTLY, IN MY OPINION.
UM, AND UH, IT'S, IT'S NOT AN INEXPENSIVE PROPOSITION TO PUT IT IN
AND, AND, AND MY GUESS IS THERE'S IN THE HIERARCHY AND NEEDS IN THE CITY, THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER PLACES Y'ALL CAN USE THIS MONEY TODAY BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA BE A WHILE BEFORE THAT INTERSECTION GETS UP TO THE DEMAND THAT YOU NEED FOR THAT KIND OF INTERSECTION.
I MEAN, JUST DRIVE DOWN THE OTHER INTERCHANGE ON 79, THEY WORK PERFECTLY FINE AND THEY DON'T HAVE THESE OVERSIZED INTERSECTIONS.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT MIGHT, I I'M NOT IN HUDDLE DAILY, SO I DON'T WANNA MAKE THIS SOUND LIKE I COME INTO WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A LOT OF DEMAND GOING ON ON THAT SIDE OF THE ROAD NOW BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE GOING THERE IN AND OUT THAT THAT'S A, THAT'S GONNA BE RELATIVELY SHORT-LIVED AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THAT KIND OF DEMAND ON THAT INFRASTRUCTURE LONG TERM.
'CAUSE WHEN THAT PLAN OPENS, THEY'RE NOT GONNA EMPLOY AS MANY PEOPLE AS ARE EMPLOYED OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO YOU'RE GONNA SEE A RELIEF FROM THAT AT SOME POINT.
SO I DON'T WANT Y'ALL TO MAKE A DECISION BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE SEEING TODAY.
'CAUSE THAT'S NOT GONNA BE, IN MY OPINION, HOW IT IS FOR THE NEXT, ONCE THAT PLANT GETS FINISHED.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION SITES JUST HAVE MORE DEMAND ON 'EM THAN THE ACTUAL, UM, USE OF THE SITE SOMETIMES.
SO COULD WE, COULD YOU WALK US THROUGH YOUR DESIGN? I MEAN, IN ITEM 14.1 IT SAYS THAT YOU HAVE DEVELOPED AN, AN ALTERNATE DESIGN.
CAN, COULD YOU WALK US THROUGH THAT? DO YOU HAVE PICTURES OF IT? DO YOU HAVE COST ESTIMATES? I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU HAVE? ALL, ALL I HAVE IS A SCHEMATIC DESIGN THAT I, THAT I SKETCHED UP AND SENT TO PAP DAWSON.
I SAID, WOULD YOU MAKE THIS LOOK MORE PROFESSIONAL? BECAUSE, UH, IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BASICALLY A SCHEMATIC, BUT IT'S SIMPLY, I DON'T HAVE IT IN MY PRESENTATION.
UM, DO WE HAVE IT? WE COULD PULL IT UP.
DOES SOMEBODY HAVE IT? SO, UM, CAN WE, I GO AHEAD.
THERE, THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS TOPIC, ABOUT THE BRIDGE TOPIC AT THE ED AT THE LAST CDC MEETING.
THERE'S OTHER STUFF BEYOND WHAT THEY PROPOSED.
SO I THINK JUST TO GET THE WHOLE VIEW OF ALL THAT, WE CAN JUST SAVE THAT FOR THAT ITEM.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA CALL IT RIGHT AFTER THIS ANYWAY.
RIGHT? I THINK, I THINK WE'LL BE SERVED BY JUST WAITING.
I THOUGHT WE WERE DOING IT ALL TOGETHER.
I THOUGHT THE MAYOR SAID WE WERE, WELL, WE CAN DISCUSS ANYTHING ABOUT THE BRIDGE THAT THEY HAVE, BUT I THINK THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE RELATING TO THAT INTERSECTION THAT CITY STAFF HAS.
SO YOU GUYS CAN VOTE, VOTE DIFFERENTLY.
BUT WHAT I FEEL LIKE THEIR JOB'S TO DO IS TO TALK ABOUT THEIR VISION, THE HURDLES, THE OPPORTUNITIES, THE ROADBLOCKS THEY'RE SEEING, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT AND, AND APPRECIATE THEIR TIME.
AND THEN WHEN WE GO TALK ABOUT THE BRIDGE, WE'RE GONNA REMEMBER WHAT THEY SAID AND THEN WE'RE EITHER GONNA GIVE IT CREDIT, DISCOUNT IT SOME, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH THE BRIDGE.
BUT I THINK IF WE START MIXING IN BRIDGE, WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK ABOUT THIS? UM, ONE OF THE EMAILS, AND WE'VE MET, AND YOU GUYS KNOW, I, I TRY NOT TO BE SO BLUNT AND FORWARD, BUT IT JUST COMES OUT THAT WAY.
ONE OF THE COMMENTS I SAID WAS, IS, I APPRECIATE YOUR GUYS' INPUT, BUT YOU'RE NOT UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE LAND.
AND SO I HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT WHEN, WHEN I MAKE DECISIONS PERSONALLY ON THINGS IS BECAUSE, WELL, I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF,
[01:00:01]
UH, EXPERIENCE.UM, WE'RE NOT QUITE MARRIED YET, RIGHT? WE'RE STILL COURTING EACH OTHER ON THIS.
AND WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT OF IT'S UNDER CONTRACT AND NOW WE'VE GOT TIMELINES AND WE'VE GOT PLANS TO CLOSE LAND, I THINK THAT HELPS A LOT.
BUT THAT'S WHY I KIND OF WANTED TO KEEP YOUR GUYS' PRESENTATION PERSONALLY IS SEPARATE FROM A BRIDGE BECAUSE WE START MELDING INTO TWO.
AND DON'T GET US WRONG, THE, UH, BUT LEMME CORRECT ONE THING.
WE ARE INVESTING WITH YOU DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS IN VALUATION.
SO WE HAVE HARD DOLLARS IN THIS PROJECT THAT WE'RE SPENDING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING IT RIGHT.
SO WE ARE INVESTED NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE OWN THE LAND, BUT IN AN EFFORT TO GET THERE.
AND THE OTHER THING I WANNA MAKE CLEAR IS THAT WHATEVER Y'ALL DECIDE ABOUT THE OVERPASS, WE CAN WORK WITHIN THOSE CONSTRAINTS.
IT'S JUST GONNA BE A FAR DIFFERENT PROJECT THAT WE DEVELOPED THAN WHAT WE PRESENTED BECAUSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE HOPEFUL TO DO JUST DISAPPEAR.
AND SO, UH, BUT WE WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH WHATEVER, IF THAT OVERPASS WAS THERE TODAY AND YOU ASK US TO DEVELOP THIS PROPERTY, WE'D HAVE AN INTEREST IN DEVELOP THE PROPERTY.
IT WOULD JUST BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
AND WE, WE JUST HATE TO FORECLOSE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO AVOID THAT CONFLICT.
UH, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO DEVELOP WITH WHAT OTHER CONDITIONS EXIST.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE THE CONDITIONS THE BEST THEY CAN BE FOR THE PROJECT LONG TERM.
I GUESS ANOTHER ANOTHER THING, UM, FOR ME, LIKE I, I TRUST YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AND THE THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO WITH THIS, THIS PROPERTY AND JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST HIGH LEVEL WHAT YOU HAVE RIGHT HERE.
UM, IT'S, IT'S GREAT, RIGHT? BUT I GUESS ON ONE OF YOUR SLIDES YOU DID HAVE LIKE A BULLET POINT OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE PUBLIC TO TRUST IN THIS DEVELOPMENT.
RIGHT? AND UNFORTUNATELY IN HUDA, WE, WE DO HAVE BIG CHALLENGES WITH, UM, TRUST OF OUR CITY AND TRUST OF OUR CITY COUNCIL.
UM, SO THAT'S A BIG HURDLE GOING INTO THIS PROJECT.
UH, IT'S LIKE IT ADDS ANOTHER LAYER.
I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE LIKE THE PROFESSIONAL, YOU'RE LIKE, LET US JUST GO IN AND DO OUR JOB.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE A, A, A DYNAMIC IN HURO THAT KIND OF CAN, YOU KNOW, UH, ADD SOME, LIKE TAINT IT A LITTLE BIT IN MAYBE A NEGATIVE LIGHT.
AND SO I, I THINK THAT Y'ALL COULD EARN THE TRUST OF, OF THE RESIDENTS OF HUDU THAT WE, THAT Y'ALL ARE GOING TO GET SOME, UH, GOOD, YOU KNOW, RETAILERS OFFICE, YOU KNOW, SPACE HOLDERS, UM, SOME GREAT PRODUCTS, UH, FOR THE MULTIFAMILY OR RESIDENTIAL.
I, I DO LIKE MYSELF, I DO TRUST IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION.
UM, BUT IT'S JUST, IT'S AN EXTRA HURDLE WE HAVE TO GO OVER WHENEVER WE KIND OF ADD THE BRIDGE INTO THAT AS WELL.
IT'S LIKE, IT'S BEEN AN ONGOING PROJECT AND NOW WE'RE AT 60% TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GO BACK, UM, TO GO BACK AND KIND OF RESTART TO ACCOMMODATE Y'ALL.
THAT WOULD BE THE IDEAL WORLD.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME TRUST FROM THE RESIDENTS ON, ON, ON WHAT'S COMING TO THE PROPERTY.
AND THIS ULTIMATELY DELAYS IT.
AND, AND I'M HAPPY THAT YOU SAID THAT IF WE DO, YOU KNOW, STAY THE COURSE THAT YOU CAN WORK AROUND IT, THE PROPERTY WON'T BE AS, YOU KNOW, GREAT AS WHAT YOU ENVISIONED IT OR HAVE AN IDEA FOR.
IT WILL, IT'LL BE WATERED DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, SO THOSE ARE, THAT'S JUST KIND OF WHERE I'M AT WITH, WITH IT.
BUT I MEAN, I THINK THAT WHAT Y'ALL HAVE THE VISION AND KIND OF PLOTTING IT OUT HIGH LEVEL, I THINK IT'S GREAT.
BUT, UM, JUST, I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE THAT, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S A FEW THINGS TUGGING, YOU KNOW, BACK AND FORTH AND PLAYING HERE THAT KIND OF MAKE YOUR JOB D DIFFICULT.
AND THAT'S, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT FULLY, YOU KNOW, IN THE MARKETS THAT WE'VE OPERATED, WE'VE BUILT THE GOODWILL OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN WE SUGGEST THINGS, THEY KIND OF JUST SAY, OKAY, WE, WE'VE SEEN 'EM DO THIS 15 TIMES, SO WE TRUST WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.
BUT IT'S AN OBSTACLE WE GO THROUGH EVERY TIME BECAUSE THERE ARE NEW PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T DEVELOPED THAT TRUST WITH, BUT WHAT, AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY OUR VISION THAT WE'RE JUST SAYING HERE.
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH CHANEY AND HER TEAM COURSE.
WHAT IS Y'ALL'S VISION FOR THE PROPERTY? AND Y'ALL TOLD US WHAT YOUR VISION WAS, AND THEN WE ADAPTED A PLAN TO CREATE THAT DIVISION THAT WE AGREE WITH.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE CAN HIT YOUR VISION IF THAT OVERPASSES THERE.
THE VISION THAT WAS LAID OUT TO US BEFORE WE EVER STARTED PLANNING.
AND, AND THE, AND I KNOW THIS IS A FACT BECAUSE THERE'S A RETAILER WE WENT AND TALKED TO AND, AND JUST SO YOU KNOW HOW RETAILERS WORK, THE PEOPLE YOU WANT, REVENUE IS REVENUE.
IF THEY GET THAT REVENUE AND HU OR IF THEY GET IN ALASKA, THEY DON'T CARE.
IT'S ALL REVENUE GOES TO THEIR BOTTOM LINE.
SO THEY'RE GONNA GO TO THE SPOT THAT GIVES THEM THE REVENUE THAT MAKES SENSE AND THEY LIKE TO GET MARKET SHARING AREAS, BUT THEY'RE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE REVENUE GENERATION.
AND THERE'S A GROUP THAT WE TALKED TO THAT I THINK WOULD BE PERFECT FOR THIS PROPERTY.
[01:05:01]
IF THAT INTERSECTION BECOMES ELEVATED, WE DON'T WANT TO GO WEST BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ANOTHER INTERSECTION IN FOUR-WAY INTERSECTION.SO WE'RE GONNA GO EXPLORE EVERY OTHER FOUR-WAY INTERSECTION IN THAT MARKET BEFORE WE COME BACK HERE, IF WE COME BACK HERE.
AND THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID WHERE THERE'S PEOPLE THAT Y'ALL WANT, THAT THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO TO ATTRACT THEM BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND WE DON'T HAVE THE ACCESS THAT THEY NEED TO CREATE THE REVENUE THAT THEY NEED TO ON THEIR INVESTMENT.
AND THAT'S JUST THE BOTTOM LINE OF IT.
WE, WE, WE FULLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID AND, AND THE, THE TRUST ISSUE.
WE BECAME AWARE OF THAT DAY ONE IN, IN FIRST CONVERSATIONS.
WE UNDERSTAND, UH, AND WE RESPECT THAT.
AND THE LAST THING IN THE WORLD WE WANT TO DO IS CREATE A SITUATION THAT EXACERBATES A PROBLEM LIKE THAT.
AND AS BRAD SAYS, IF THE, IF THE OVERPASS IS, IF YOU DECIDE TO BUILD THAT OVERPASS, THAT'S FINE.
WE'LL WORK WITH IT, WE'LL WORK WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT.
BUT AS I MENTIONED TO THE EDC LAST TIME WE WERE VISITING, WE'RE KIND OF AT A POINT AN IMPASSE, WELL NOT AN IMPASSE, BUT WE'RE KIND OF ON HOLD UNTIL WE SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT TO WORK WITH, RIGHT.
BECAUSE IF THE OVERPASS IS THERE, WE GO ONE DIRECTION.
IF IT'S NOT WE GO THIS DIRECTION, WE CAN GO EITHER DIRECTION.
IT'S JUST, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THAT.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO BE IN YOUR SHOES, I HA I KNOW THAT THIS IS GONNA BE VERY TOUGH.
UH, BUT Y'ALL NEED TO MAKE THROUGH THE BEST DECISION FOR THE CITY OF HATO.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT, BUT WE WERE ASKED TO COME AND GIVE OUR OPINION AND OUR THOUGHTS ON HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT THIS PROPERTY.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD, THANK, APPRECIATE IT.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS 'CAUSE AS A DEVELOPER, WE'VE GONE DOWN ROADS BEFORE AND SPENT A LOT OF MONEY AND THEN GOTTEN NEW INFORMATION AND WE'VE ABANDONED DOLLARS THAT WE'VE SPENT AND THEY'RE SUNK.
BUT IN THE END, UM, IT WAS A WISE DECISION 'CAUSE WE WOULD'VE SPENT MORE DOLLARS CHASING THOSE DOLLARS.
AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU EVALUATE, IT'S A CONSTANT EVALUATION, UH, AND YOU JUST HAVE NEW INFORMATION THAT YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE WHEN YOU AGREED TO GO FORWARD ON THE 60% IS ALL I'M SAYING.
AND I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T GET OVERLY CONCERNED AS A, I'M NOT A TAXPAYER IN THIS CITY, BUT I APPRECIATE WHEN OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS REEVALUATE THINGS AND UNDERSTAND AND NOT JUST 'CAUSE THEY MADE A DECISION AT ONE DAY.
THEY DON'T USE THAT AND CONTINUE DOWN THAT PATH IF IT'S NOT THE RIGHT DECISION.
SO AS A TAXPAYER, I APPRECIATE VALUATION, SO I WOULDN'T BEAT YOURSELF UP OF IT IF YOU MAKE A DECISION TO GO A DIFFERENT WAY.
'CAUSE I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A JUSTIFIABLE DECISION.
BUT I DON'T LIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW WHAT, SPEAKING AS A TAXPAYER, ALL WE WANT IS GOOD GOVERNANCE AND GOOD STEWARDSHIP.
THAT'S WHAT WE WANT AS TAXPAYERS.
AND I THINK AS LONG AS Y'ALL PROVIDE THAT, PEOPLE SHOULD BE RESPECTFUL OF IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YEAH, I, I HAVE SEVERAL
SO ON THE TOPIC OF CITY FACILITIES, WHAT YOU GUYS REALLY NEED IS A FOOTPRINT AND A PARKING REQUIREMENT FOR THOSE, WHAT WE EXPECT THOSE TO BE.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE ARE GONNA BE MAYBE TWO YEARS OUT, MIGHT BE FIVE YEARS OUT, MIGHT BE 10 YEARS OUT BEFORE WE BUILD A FACILITY.
SO YOU JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT YOU CAN PLUG AND PLAY IN THE DIFFERENT PLACES AS YOU START PUTTING THAT PUZZLE TOGETHER.
SO I MEAN, SO WE, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE SITE REQUIREMENT IS.
WE DON'T NEED A, WE DON'T NEED A FOOTPRINT IF YOU JUST SAID I NEED TWO ACRES RIGHT.
THAT'S WHAT I MEANT WAS A SIZE, SIZE AND SOME IDEA OF WHAT THE UTILITY REQUIREMENT IS.
BECAUSE IT MAY MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN EIGHT INCH WATER LINE AND A 10 INCH WATER LINE.
WELL, SO MY POINT IS ACTUALLY THE OPPOSITE.
THAT WE DON'T NEED A FULL STUDY OF WHAT OUR FULL REQUIREMENT IS.
WE NEED, WE CAN LOOK AROUND AT COMMUNITIES AND SAY, YEAH, WE THINK IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE ABOUT THIS SIZE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S GONNA CHANGE.
BECAUSE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WE DO A STUDY WHEN WE'RE CLOSE TO BEING READY TO BUILD SO THAT WE GET THE REQUIREMENTS RIGHT.
IF WE THEN DON'T BUILD FOR FIVE YEARS, WE HAVE TO GO DO A STUDY AGAIN.
AND SO I DON'T WANNA DO A STUDY JUST FOR YOU.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED.
I DON'T EVEN THINK YOU NEED, AND YOU KNOW THAT THOSE ANSWERS ARE GONNA CHANGE OVER TIME ANYWAY.
THERE'S SOME FLEXIBILITY, RIGHT.
OBVIOUSLY AS IT BUILDS OUT, IT, IT GETS HARDER AND HARDER TO FIT THINGS IN.
BUT YEAH, I THINK WHAT I WOULD SAY, I WOULDN'T EVEN DO A STUDY.
I WOULD JUST WRITE DOWN THE USE RIGHT.
AND LOOK AT THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND OTHER PEOPLE DOING THAT SAME USE.
AND IF IT'S THREE TO FIVE ACRES, PUT IT DOWN.
'CAUSE YOU CAN MORPH OVER THAT.
MM-HMM
THE OTHER ONE CAN FLEX NEXT TO YOU OR IT CAN SHRINK NEXT TO YOU.
SO I JUST DON'T WANT US AS A CITY TO GO SPEND A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN VARIOUS STUDIES.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ASKING WHEN THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU NEED.
SO IT'S MORE OR LESS A USE AND A, AND IF YOU JUST TELL US THE USE, WE CAN FIGURE OUT THE GENERAL SIZE.
I MEAN HONESTLY WE CAN, WE CAN GENERALLY DO THAT.
'CAUSE WE CAN GO TO PLACES THAT IT'S BEEN DONE AND ASK Y'ALL'S GROUP, IS THIS SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU'RE THINKING? AND YOU SAY YES.
AND WE SAY, OKAY HERE, LET'S JUST, AND THEN ON THE, THE TRUST TOPIC, I THINK LAYING OUT THE TIMELINE OF YOU THINK THE BUILD OUT'S 12 TO 15 YEARS.
I, I KNOW AT THE EDC YOU SAID TAKE DOWN
[01:10:01]
PROBABLY 20 TO 30 ACRES A YEAR IS, IS PROBABLY A GOOD, GOOD TARGET, GOOD GOAL FOR THAT.IT'S NOT GONNA JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN BUILD OUT IN THREE YEARS.
I THINK HAVING UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS IN THE PUBLIC IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT INJURES TRUST.
SO I THINK THAT'S ONE GOOD THING.
AND THEN THE OTHER IS ON THE RETAILERS, LIKE WE DON'T NEED TO BE SPECULATING ABOUT RETAILERS.
WE WANT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GOT SOMEBODY HERE TO CONTRACT AND IT CAN BE ANNOUNCED.
OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT DOES US MUCH GOOD TO SPECULATE BECAUSE THEN THINGS FALL THROUGH.
AND PART OF THAT IS BASED ON, I MEAN THE REASON YOU WANT SINGLE FAMILY OR OR RESIDENTIAL IN HERE EARLY IS BECAUSE WE NEED TO DRIVE THE FOOT TRAFFIC AND THE LOCAL TRAFFIC UP TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT THE RETAILERS THAT WE WANT TO ATTRACT.
'CAUSE WHERE WE SIT RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE COMING IN ON SPECULATION OF WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE.
THEY'RE HAPPIER TO COME IN WHEN THEY SEE MORE REALITY ON THE GROUND RIGHT NEXT TO THEIR DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY CAN COMMIT TO.
IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT? THAT IS A FAIR STATEMENT.
BUT IT'S ALSO 250 ACRES IS A LOT OF LAND.
IF YOU DEVELOP, IF YOU DEVELOP IT WITH DENSITY MUCH AND, AND THIS CITY'S GONNA CHANGE, IT'S CHANGED A LOT IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.
IT'S GONNA CHANGE A LOT MORE IN THE NEXT 20.
AND YOU DON'T WANT TO UNDER DEVELOP A SITE BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS BACK TO THAT SITE FOR PROBABLY ANOTHER 50 YEARS BEFORE THAT USE WEARS OUT.
YOU TEAR IT DOWN AND YOU DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
SO WE LIKE TO GO SOMETIMES A LITTLE SLOWER PACE SO THAT THE, THE, THE MARKET DEMANDS CAN CATCH UP WITH THE DEVELOPMENT SO THAT YOU GET THE DENSITY THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THAT SITE.
SO THAT STAYS RELEVANT FOR A LONGER PIECE OF TIME.
AND THE ONE THING I'D JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT, 'CAUSE I KNOW THIS IS, YOU PROBABLY HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS, YOU KNOW, MUELLER AIRPORT WHEN IT WAS YEAH IT WAS 3, 500, 600 ACRES.
YOU NOTICE HOW MUCH RESIDENTIAL THEY PUT IN THERE AT A MORE DENSE CON CONGREGATION.
SO THAT, 'CAUSE IT WOULD'VE TAKEN THEM 50 YEARS TO BUILD OUT THAT AS A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
SO THEY BROUGHT IN RESIDENTIAL THAT CREATED A DENSITY THAT ALLOWED THEM TO DO USES ON THAT PROPERTY THAT NEIGHBORHOODS WANTED AND WHAT THE AREA WANTED.
AND IT'S, IT'S JUST RIGHT UP THE ROAD AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S, IT'S A HIGH QUALITY RESIDENTIAL PIECE THAT OFFERS SOMETHING THAT THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T.
AND I'M NOT SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY APPETITE FOR THAT HIGH DENSITY IS QUITE THERE.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU NEED TO, THE CLOSER YOU GET IN THAT DIRECTION, THE EASIER IT IS TO ACHIEVE SOME OF THE OTHER GOALS.
SO IT IS FINDING WHAT THAT BALANCE IS FOR, FOR YOU GUYS FOR OUR COMMUNITY WORKING TOGETHER ON THAT THAT'S NOT AND THE DENSITY.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE DENSITY WAS DRIVEN THERE BY LAND VALUES.
MM-HMM
SO THAT ALMOST FORCED YOU TO A HIGHER DENSITY LEVEL THAN WHAT WE WOULD THINK IS APPROPRIATE.
I WAS JUST MAINLY TALKING ABOUT THE RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT AS A USE THAT DRIVES, PUTS MORE VALUE ON THE BALANCE.
ANY OTHER, I ALWAYS GO TOWARDS THE END, GET EVERYBODY OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT IT USUALLY STARTS ROUND TWO.
ALL RIGHT GUYS, I THINK YOU GOT COURAGE COMING HERE AND TELLING US WHAT SOME DON'T WANT TO HEAR.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BRIDGE THING PERSONALLY.
UM, WE KILLED IT A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
I THINK THE TRUST ISSUE, EVERYBODY'S GOT A DIFFERENT VERSION WITH THE TRUST.
I THINK THE TRUST ISSUE FOR MYSELF THAT I HAVE AND, AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE I KNOW IS THAT FREQUENTLY WE'RE TELLING PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT IF YOU DO IT OUR WAY IT'LL BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND WE SAY, WELL WE'RE PROFESSIONALS AND, AND WE'RE GOOD AT LIKE HOW A BRIDGE SHOULD LOOK.
BUT WE DON'T, NOBODY THAT I'VE MET INSIDE THIS BUILDING UNDERSTANDS HOW A BIG BOX RETAILER, HOW THEY THINK, WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MAYBE WE DON'T NEED MONUMENT SIGNS ANYMORE.
AND I'VE SAID, WELL I, YOU'D BE SHOCKED.
LIKE SIGNAGE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
MAYBE IT'S PSYCHOLOGICAL AND YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, GEOLOCATE IT, BUT WE HAVE REALLY, REALLY RESTRICTIVE SIGNS.
AND SO IF YOU PUT AN OVERPASS AND YOU HAVE SIX FOOT TALL MONUMENT SIGNS, THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF PEOPLE PUSH BACK ON THAT.
WE HAVE SO MANY REQUIREMENTS THAT WE PUT ON A LOT OF THESE COMPANIES, I THINK YOU GUYS ALLUDED TO IT THAT WELL, THEY CAN GO TO THE EDGE OF ROUND ROCK AND CAPTURE THE SAME PEOPLE.
THEY CAN GO JUST WHAT, A QUARTER MILE TO THE EAST AND THEY'RE ON EDGE OF TAYLOR AND TAYLOR WOULD PROBABLY BE JUST THRILLED TO HAVE A 300 ACRE DEVELOPMENT OF SALES TAX THAT, YOU KNOW, OVER 20 YEARS.
SO, UM, I KNOW EVERYBODY WANTS TO HEAR IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHO PUSHES A BRIDGE.
I KNOW THE FIRM THAT WE HAD, IT WAS BEFORE OUR CURRENT CITY ENGINEER AND THEY WERE PLAYING CITY ENGINEER AND DESIGNER.
AND SO OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD WANT NOTHING MORE THAN A GIANT, YOU KNOW, 5 MILLION UH, DOLLAR DESIGN BRIDGE BECAUSE I THINK THAT HELPS 'EM.
BUT SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE TRUST GOES.
I THINK THE MORE THAT WE SAY YOUR DEVELOPERS, HERE'S THE ACREAGE, GO DO IT.
WHAT I WAS TRYING TO ALLUDE TO ABOUT THE MONEY IS, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE GOT SOME MONEY PUT IN, BUT AS I'VE TOLD THE CITY MANAGER, WHAT I WANT IS INSTEAD OF ME LAYING AWAKE AT NIGHT WITH THE CITY OR THE EDC
[01:15:01]
SPENDING $3,000 A DAY ON CARRY COSTS, I WANT YOU GUYS TO BE LAYING AWAKE AT NIGHT, BEATING ON DOORS, POUNDING PAVEMENT GOING, MAN, WE WE GOTTA GET IT.HOW DO WE GET THIS GUY TO COME? NOT THAT YOU GUYS AREN'T DOING THAT, BUT AS YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, IMPORTANCE TO YOU WHEN IT'S LIKE, OKAY, MY RETURN IS GOING DOWN IF I DON'T GET SOMETHING DONE VERSUS WORKING WITH US.
AND IT HAS BEEN I THINK LIKE 10 MONTHS.
AND SO I'M THINKING WE OUGHT TO BE GETTING PRETTY CLOSE.
I'M GLAD THE MO U'S COMING UP FOR EXPIRATION.
'CAUSE TO ME IT'S TIME TO PUTTER, GET OFF THE GREEN.
WE NEED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH WHAT YOU NEED.
IF WE'RE NOT GONNA PROVIDE YOU WITH WHAT YOU NEED TO DO YOUR DEVELOPMENT AND BE SUCCESSFUL, THEN I THINK WE AS A CITY NEED TO REEVALUATE.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT GOES BACK INTO THE TRUST 'CAUSE NOT BEEN A MONTH AGO, MAYBE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 42 INCH WASTEWATER LINE AND KIND OF THE UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S REALLY NOT PUSHING YOUR GUYS' TIMELINE.
AND IN MY MIND, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS YOU HAVE WASTEWATER.
AND TO ME IT'S, IT, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME IT WOULD BE PUSHING IT SOMEWHAT BECAUSE YOU GUYS AREN'T GONNA GET REAL SERIOUS AND SPEND MONEY UNTIL WE GET REAL SERIOUS.
AND IF WE CAN'T GIVE YOU A TIMELINE WHEN IT'S OPERATIONAL, WHEN CAN YOU GIVE US A TIMELINE WHEN YOU'RE GONNA LAND A BIG BOX? 'CAUSE YOU CAN'T TELL THE TENANT WHEN IT'S GONNA BE DONE.
AND SO RIGHT NOW EVERYTHING'S CONCEPTUAL AND I KNOW THOSE GUYS AND THEY TYPICALLY ARE LIKE, WHEN YOU GET SOME CONCRETE ANSWERS, WHEN IT'S DESIGNED, WHEN IT'S FUNDED, GIVE US A CALL AND IF WE'RE NOT ALREADY FIGURED THINGS OUT.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK SOME OF THE TRUST GOES IS WE'RE BEING TOLD, TRUST US, THIS ISN'T AN ISSUE.
AND THEN TWO YEARS LATER AND WE'VE ALMOST LAND ALMOST TWO YEARS AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A PLAN ON THE WASTEWATER LINE OTHER THAN WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT FROM ANOTHER DEVELOPER AND START IT OVER.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETIMES THE TRUST.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, AND I'M NOT REALLY ASKING YOU GUYS QUESTIONS 'CAUSE YOU ALREADY CAME UP AND SAID, HEY, THIS DEAL MAY NOT WORK IF YOU GUYS DON'T CHANGE THE BRIDGE.
SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO DIG A HOLE BASE ON ME ASKING QUESTIONS, BUT JUST GIVEN GENERAL THOUGHTS THAT I BROUGHT UP BEFORE, UM, I THINK ACCESS IS IMPORTANT TO UTILITIES.
I THINK ACCESS TO THE ROAD IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
I I CAN'T, IT, IT JUST AMAZES ME HOW MANY TIMES, NOT JUST HOW TO GOVERNMENT IN GENERAL TELLS PEOPLE THAT, WELL THIS ACCESS WILL WORK, TRUST US.
BUT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SKIN IN THE GAME.
BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE ON THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT IS THEIR JOB IS TO MAKE PEOPLE GET IN AND OUT SAFELY.
AND DEVELOPERS ARE LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, IF THIS PARTICULAR USER WANTS THE ACCESS 100 FEET OFF THE INTERSECTION, MAYBE WE TRY TO DO THAT.
SO I KNOW THERE'S A MIDDLE GROUND.
UM, BUT I THINK RESTRICTING ACCESS ALONG 79, I DON'T THINK WE WANT THE PROJECT YOU'RE GONNA BRING WITH THE BRIDGE, WHICH IS PROBABLY GONNA BE ALL MULTIFAMILY, 200 ACRES OF MULTIFAMILY.
BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE, I DON'T KNOW OF A SINGLE PERSON THAT WOULD COME HERE DEVELOP.
AND, AND I WOULD SAY THIS, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO TOLD ME, WELL IT WORKS DOWN AT UH, STONEHILL, IT WORKS OVER AT 45 AND 35.
AND I THINK THE BIGGEST THING THAT PEOPLE MISS IS THAT 79 IS NOT, I 35, 79 IS NOT ONE 30 AND EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AT DRIVE TIMES.
AND SO YOU'RE ALREADY OFF THE BEATEN PATH OFF ONE 30.
AND SO YOU'RE REALLY CATERING TO PREDOMINANTLY WHAT HUDU AND TAYLOR PEOPLE.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE AN OVERPASS BLOCKING VISIBILITY, BLOCKING ACCESS, YOU START TAKING AWAY SO MUCH OF YOUR PEOPLE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY SEE IT TO WHERE ONE 30 HAS A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE A DAY SAY, LOOKING AT STONE HILL, WE'RE GONNA HAVE LIKE 40,000 PEOPLE.
RIGHT? AND SO I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT.
IT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE COMING UP ON US TO MAKE A DECISION BECAUSE THEN YOU GUYS, IF WE SAY WE'RE GONNA BUILD A BRIDGE, YOU GUYS MAY SAY, WELL, I MEAN IT, WE'RE NOT GONNA BUILD WHAT YOU WANT.
DO YOU WANT US TO CONTINUE? WE MAY SAY NO AND AT LEAST YOU GUYS KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT JUST KEEP WASTING TIME.
WE'RE AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, WHERE I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THIS MIDDLE GROUND, UM, UTILITIES, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING AT STONEHILL IS, IS BASICALLY A SCARCITY GAME.
THERE'S, THERE'S NOT SCARCITY OUT HERE.
AND THEN, AND THEN ONCE YOU GET IT GOING 20 YEARS AGO, THE FIRST GUY THAT LANDED, THAT'S RISK.
NOW YOU GO AND SAY, I HAVE AN OUT PARCEL.
WELL YEAH, YOU HAVE 15 PEOPLE WANNA BACKFILL IT BECAUSE NOW, NOW ALL THE PEOPLE ARE GOING THERE, THAT RISK IS GONE.
WE HAVE TO CREATE OUR WHOLE OTHER MAGNET OVER HERE AND EPICENTER FOR PEOPLE TO COME.
AND WHY WOULD THEY, YOU KNOW, WHY WOULD THEY DRIVE FROM ROUND ROCK COME UP ONE 30 EXIT AND COME OVER THERE? NO, IT'S, IT'S AND UH, ALL THAT, UM, ALL FACTORS INTO THEIR DECISION.
SO THE LAST THING I'D SAY IS IF WE CHOOSE NOT TO BUILD A BRIDGE AND REDESIGN IT, I PERSONALLY DON'T SEE A DELAY IN THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T EVEN KNOW.
WE'RE PROBABLY TWO YEARS AWAY FROM WASTEWATER SERVICE.
AND SO WE DON'T EVEN KNOW A TIMELINE.
LAST I HEARD WHEN THAT'S GONNA BE UP AND RUNNING.
AND SO TO ME WE HAVE TIME TO LOOK AT THIS AND GO, THIS IS A GREAT IDEA IN THE FUTURE, UM, WE'RE 60% THERE.
WE CAN, THEY WANT, THEY CAN FINISH IT UP.
SO WE HAVE IT PLANNED FOR 20 YEARS FROM NOW OR WE CAN DO WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE A WHILE BACK AND JUST CUT OUR LOSSES AND STOP GOING DOWN THAT
[01:20:01]
UH, IT'S KIND OF A BOON DOG.'CAUSE YOU GUYS MAY NOT NOTICE ONCE YOU BUILD THE BRIDGE, WE'VE GOT LIKE $60 MILLION IN ROADS WE GOTTA BUILD TO IT 'CAUSE IT'S JUST A BRIDGE.
AND SO WE STILL HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND SO I DON'T KNOW, WE, WE, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GONNA GO ON THAT.
BUYING A HOUSE, YOU NEED TO BUY A RUG
THEN YOU NEED TO BUY ART, THEN YOU NEED TO BUY.
SO ANYWAY, I, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE BRINGING.
UM, I IF YOU GUYS STICK WITH IT, I HOPE YOU DO.
I HOPE WE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET YOU UNDER CONTRACT, START GETTING SOME MOMENTUM, GET YOU SOME CONCRETE ANSWERS.
AND THAT I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS ALWAYS FEEL EMPOWERED TO TELL US NOT WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR BUT WHAT WE NEED TO HEAR AND THEN NOT, NOT FEEL THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THAT.
THAT YOU ARE THE PROFESSIONALS IN DEVELOPMENT.
YOU OTHER PEOPLE WHO MEET WITH THE ACTUAL DEVELOPERS THAT WE CRAVED, WE CRAVED TO HAVE THESE TENANTS COME, BUT WE SAY WE KNOW WHAT THEY WANT.
BUT A LOT OF DECISIONS WE MAKE, LIKE LATER ON TONIGHT WE'RE POPPING IN, UH, IMPACT FEES REALLY HIGH AND TO ME THE FIRST THING THAT DOES IS MAKE A RETAILER GO ONE MILE AWAY.
I CAN SAVE, YOU KNOW, $400,000 GOING A MILE AWAY.
AND SO I THINK ALL THESE THINGS WE HAVE TO START LOOKING AT BECAUSE I THINK WE KEEP MAKING DECISIONS THAT ARE MAKING PEOPLE GO, CAN I GO TO, WELL NOT VILLE, CAN I GO TO GEORGETOWN? CAN I GO TO ROUND ROCK? UM, AND SO I THINK ALL THESE DECISIONS WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT WHAT DO WE REALLY WANT? AND MAYBE WE WANT A BEDROOM COMMUNITY WITHOUT BIG BOX AND RETAIL FOR OUR PEOPLE.
UM, IF WE WANT THAT BUILD A BRIDGE, YOU KNOW.
WELL IF I CAN ADD ONE THING THAT YOU SAID WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT 20 YEARS, YOU COULD DESIGN THIS INTERSECTION AND WE'D BE PERFECTLY HAPPY IF YOU DESIGNED IT FOR TODAY.
THAT LEFT SPACE FOR YOUR OVERPASS IN THE FUTURE.
AND WHEN IT COMES ALONG YOU DO IT.
UH, BECAUSE INTERSECTION IS AT GREAT, THE OVERPASS IS GONNA GO OVER AND IT'S NOT GONNA HAVE THE SAME KIND OF EFFECT ON IT.
YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE THE SAME ACCESS YOU GOING WEST.
YOU JUST COME TO THE INTERSECTION AND TAKE A, I MEAN GOING NORTH YOU JUST COME TO THE INTERSECTION AND TAKE A TURN.
YOU CAN DESIGN THIS FOR TODAY AND FOR NEXT YEAR.
I MEAN IT'S UH, THERE, IT'S NOT AN EITHER OR.
IT'S JUST OUR OPINION IS DO WHAT YOU NEED TO FOR TODAY IN THE NEXT 15, 20 YEARS AND 20 YEARS.
LET YOUR PREDECESSORS OR YOUR PEOPLE THAT TAKE Y'ALL'S PLACE MAKE THE DECISION IF THEY WANT THE BRIDGE AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
'CAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF TIME BETWEEN THE TWO IN MY OPINION.
WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT DAVE? YES.
I BET YOU HAVE ANOTHER USE FOR IT.
AND BRAD, DID YOU SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THAT? IF THE, IF THE DESIGN THAT IS BEING CONSIDERED IS TO BE PUT OFF FOR 20 YEARS, DOES THE BIG BOX THEN BECOME SATISFIED WITH THE 20 YEAR TIMEFRAME OR IS THAT STILL ENOUGH TO SAY, LIKE YOU GUYS WERE SAYING IN COLLEGE STATION, HEY WE KNOW SOMEDAY IT'S GONNA BE GRADE SEPARATED SO WE'RE NOT GONNA INVEST IN THAT PROPERTY.
COLLEGE STATION IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE INTERSECTIONS THERE AND THEY'RE, THEY, THE BUILDINGS ARE ALREADY SO THEY HAVE LIMITED ROOM TO DO IT.
SO THEY'RE EITHER GONNA GO UNDER WITH IT OR THEY'RE GONNA GO OVER WITH IT.
AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A GREAT AT GRADE CHAIN TURN AS WELL IF IT HAPPENS.
UH, WHAT I'M SAYING HERE IS I'D CREATE THE INTERSECTION AT GRADE AND THEN LET YOUR NORTH, YOUR EAST WEST OR YOUR NORTH SOUTH, EITHER ONE, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
AND IN THIS CASE IT'D BE NORTH, NORTH, SOUTH.
'CAUSE YOU GOT THE TRAIN TRACKS.
BUT IT CAN, THAT CAN SERVE THE PEOPLE GOING SOUTH.
THEY CAN SERVE THE PEOPLE GOING NORTH OR YOU COME UP TO GRADE AND TAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT.
SO YOU'RE NOT BUILDING HUGE RETAINING WALLS.
YOU'RE BUILDING THE STRUCTURE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD INSTEAD OF TAKING THE WHOLE ROAD UP.
AND, AND THAT'S SATISFACTORY TO THE BIG BOX CLIENTS THAT YOU WOULD BE LOOKING AT.
'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT DISRUPTING THE INTERSECTION.
ALRIGHT GUYS, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ARE YOU STICKING AROUND FOR THE NEXT ITEM 14 ONE? WE CAN, WE CAN IF YOU'D LIKE US TO.
ALRIGHT, SO IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS, I'D LIKE TO GO, UM, 14 ONE THEN TEN TWO, THEN 12 TWO, WHICH WOULD BE NEXT.
WE DO THE BRIDGE, THEN WE WOULD GO TO, UM, THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ITEM FOLLOWED BY THE WASTEWATER IMPACT FEES.
I THINK THAT KNOCKS OUT ALL OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ALRIGHT, HERE, NO OBJECTIONS IN, WE'LL GO TO ITEM
[14.1. Discuss and consider action regarding the overpass design at CR 132 and Highway 79. (Cheney Gamboa/Matt Rector) ]
14 ONE, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER ACTION REGARDING THE OVERPASS DESIGN AT CR 1 32 AND HIGHWAY 79.GOOD EVENING AGAIN, MAYOR COUNSEL.
OKAY, UH, SO WE'VE ALREADY TALKED A LOT ABOUT THIS, BUT JUST TO KIND OF RECAP THE BACKGROUND ON THIS PROJECT, UH, TO REMIND EVERYONE IN CASE THEY WEREN'T AWARE OF IT, THE CR 1 32 AT US 79,
[01:25:01]
UH, CONNECTION IS BASICALLY A CONNECTION OF A NEW NORTH SOUTH ARTERIAL THAT WAS A, ORIGINALLY A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN, UH, WILLIAMSON COUNTY TDOT AND THE CITY OF HUDU TO BE A REGIONAL PROJECT.UM, IT WAS BACK IN 20 17, 20 18, THERE WERE, UH, SOME PASS THROUGH FUNDS SET ASIDE THROUGH TDO AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY TO HELP PAY FOR THIS.
IT WAS GONNA BE A JOINT REGIONAL EFFORT.
UH, IT WAS ANTICIPATED TO PROVIDE RELIEF FROM FS 1660 AS IT GOES THROUGH TOWN.
UH, IT WAS, UH, ANTICIPATED TO ELIMINATE THE ACT GRADE CROSSING, UH, US 79 AND UPRR.
UH, WE WERE GONNA, IT WAS GONNA IMPROVE SAFETY TO 1 32 AND 79.
UH, SOME OF YOU MAY BE AWARE THERE HAVE BEEN, UM, SEVERAL FATALITIES IN THE PAST COUPLE YEARS THERE.
UM, IT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED AS PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS WITH T NOT TO ADD MORE SIGNALS AND CONGESTION TO US.
SO THE DESIGN WAS STARTED ON IT IN 2019.
UM, THE DESIGN WAS STOPPED IN 2020.
UM, AND THAT WAS ABOUT $830,000.
THE DESIGN WAS STARTED UP AGAIN IN 2023.
WE SPENT ABOUT 691,000 TO DATE.
UH, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THERE WE'RE ABOUT 60% INTO THE DESIGN COORDINATING WITH TXDOT.
UH, THIS IS LOOKING AT, SO CR 1 32 IS BASICALLY GOING LEFT TO RIGHT IN THIS PICTURE.
SO NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THIS PICTURE, WHICH HAS USS 79 GOING LEFT OR RIGHT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, TXDOT HAS INDICATED IS THAT THEY ARE ANTICIPATING THEIR ULTIMATE CROSS SECTION OF USS 79 TO BE SIX LANES DIVIDED THE NORTH SOUTH ARTERIAL PER THE COUNTY'S PLAN.
UM, THE CITY'S PLAN AND TDOT'S PLAN IS TO DO A SIX LANE NORTH SOUTH ROADWAY.
AND SO YOU HAVE BASICALLY TWO SIX LANE ROADS CROSSING EACH OTHER, PLUS YOU HAVE THE RAILROAD IN THERE COMPLICATING THINGS.
UM, SO AS WE, AS WE WORK THROUGH THE DESIGN ON THIS PROCESS, AND IF YOU HAVE DETAILED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DESIGN, WE DO HAVE WADE BITTEN HERE FROM GARVER TO ANSWER DETAILED DESIGN QUESTIONS.
UM, AS WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THIS, AS YOU JUST HEARD, UH, MIDWAY HAS SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVES.
AND SO, UH, WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KIND OF TAKE A BREATH FOR A MOMENT AND BRING IT BACK TO CITY COUNCIL AND LET LET YOU GUYS DECIDE KIND OF WHICH DIRECTION YOU WANT TO GO.
UM, ONE THING TO NOTE IS WE WERE JUST INFORMED, UH, RECENTLY, I THINK LAST WEEK OR THE WEEK BEFORE, TDOT IS ACTUALLY WORKING ON A PROJECT NOW TO INSTALL A TEMPORARY TRAFFIC SIGNAL THERE.
AND WHEN I SAY TEMPORARY, THEY'RE NOT DOING MASSED ARMS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
IT'S THE, THE TENSION CABLES WITH A HANGING SIGNAL AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING A TEMPORARY SIGNAL TO TRY TO IMPROVE SAFETY WHILE WE COME UP WITH OUR SOLUTION.
THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.
UM, AND SO LOOKING THROUGH ALL THIS STUFF, UM, I'VE PUT THESE SAME OPTIONS IN YOUR PACKET.
AND SO HERE ARE THE OPTIONS AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, THE WAY I SEE THEM.
UM, WE COULD STAY THE COURSE AS WE'VE JUST TALKED ABOUT AND GO AHEAD AND CONSTRUCT, UH, THE OVERPASS AS I SHOWED IT VERY BRIEFLY THERE.
AND WHAT WAS BASICALLY DISCUSSED BACK IN THE WORKSHOP THAT WE HAD IN LIKE AUGUST OF LAST YEAR.
UM, WE COULD CHANGE COURSE AND TRY TO WORK WITH TXDOT AND UPRR TO ADOPT THE ALTERNATIVE DESIGN THAT WE JUST HAD UP ON THE SCREEN FOR YOU.
THAT WAS DONE BY P DAWSON WORKING WITH MIDWAY.
UH, WE COULD CHANGE COURSE, UM, FYI DO NOT MEAN THE PUN HERE,
I JUST REAL, IT JUST CLICKED FOR ME.
UM, I'M A LITTLE SLOW ON THE UPTAKE, BUT I'LL GET THERE, CHANGE COURSE AND NOT DO THE OVERPASS OR SORRY, JUST DO AN OVERPASS.
SO JUST NO CONNECTION BETWEEN 1 32 AND 79 ANYMORE.
JUST 70 NINES FLYING EAST WEST UNDERNEATH ONE 30 TWOS GOING NORTH, SOUTH OVER.
THERE'S NO ON OFF RAMPS, THERE'S NO TURN LANES, THERE'S NO CONNECTION THERE ANYMORE.
UM, WE COULD JUST POSTPONE THE PROJECT AND WAIT.
UM, WE COULD CHANGE COURSE AND TRY TO WORK WITH TDOT AND UPRR TO INSTALL A PERMANENT SIGNAL ON US 79.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID MENTION WHEN I ME MENTIONED THE TEMPORARY SIGNAL IS THAT IT IS ONLY A SIGNAL.
THERE IS NO WORK TO IMPROVE THE INTERSECTION TO FIX ANYTHING WITH THE RAILROAD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S LITERALLY JUST A SIGNAL ON 79 AND 1 32.
SO WE COULD WORK WITH TEXDOT AND UPRR TO DO A PERMANENT SIGNAL THAT NOT ONLY
[01:30:01]
IMPROVES SAFETY, BUT EXPANDS THE CR 1 32 AND FIXES THAT WHOLE INTERSECTION.AND THOSE ARE THE, I THOUGHT THERE WAS A SIXTH OPTION, BUT MAYBE I'M MISREMEMBERING.
SO THOSE ARE THE OPTIONS AS I SEE THEM.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THE, THE MIDWAY TEAM HERE.
CHANEY AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS TOGETHER.
SO, UH, WE'RE ALL HERE TO TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
SO WHAT IS OPTION TWO? YOU SAID IT WAS UP ON THE SCREEN.
I'D LIKE SOMEBODY TO KIND OF WALK US THROUGH WHAT THAT IS.
DOES IT INCLUDE A, A BRIDGE? DOES IT NOT, DOES IT, I MEAN, LIKE WHAT? I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT THAT NUMBER TWO IS.
YEAH, CAN YOU, I MEAN ALL OF THEM, BUT START WITH NUMBER TWO FOR ME.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE THROUGH THE ONLINE.
CAN YOU ZOOM IN MORE INTO THE INTERSECTION THERE PLEASE? SO WE CAN KIND OF TALK THROUGH IT A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE MORE.
UM, AND SO IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO SEE WITH THE AERIAL BACKGROUND, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE RED LINES THERE.
UM, AND I'LL JUST SAY MIDWAY FOLK AND GARVER, LET ME KNOW IF I RUN OFF THE ROAD HERE.
UM, ANOTHER PUN,
JUST TRYING TO SEE IF YOU'RE AWAKE.
UH, SO THE RED LINES WOULD BE YOUR ACTUAL BRIDGE OVER 79.
SO THAT'S YOUR LANES NORTH AND SOUTH FOR THE 1 32.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE JUST OUTSIDE OF THOSE RED LINES WHERE THEY HAVE LIKE THE TURN LANES.
SO EFFECTIVELY YOU WOULD BE WIDENING THAT AREA.
YOU WOULD HAVE THE TURN LANES TO WHERE IF YOU'RE NORTHBOUND ON 1 32, YOU COULD TURN RIGHT ONTO 79.
UM, OR UH, IF YOU'RE HEADING EASTBOUND ON 79, YOU CAN TURN RIGHT AND GO DOWN ON 1 32.
SO I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT TURNS, BUT YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE ALL THERE.
UM, BUT THIS LEAVES THE AT GRADE CROSSING OVER THE RAILROAD IN PLACE, IT ACTUALLY WOULD EXPAND THE AT GRADE CROSSING.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST A TWO-LANE COUNTRY ROAD, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND SO IT WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE IT SIGNIFICANTLY WIDER THAN WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW.
WHAT'S THE COST ESTIMATE ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS? UH, I DON'T HAVE HAVE, HAVE YOU GUYS, WE, WE HAVEN'T TRIED TO COST IT.
WELL I WOULD IMAGINE IT'S LESS THAN THE CURRENT PLAN, BUT IT'S ALSO PROBABLY 21 YEARS REMOVED.
'CAUSE YOU DO THAT GRADE TODAY AND YOU COME BACK AND DO THE OVERPASS WHEN IT'S TIMELY.
SO YOUR PLAN WOULD BE A, A PHASED APPROACH WHERE YOU DO THE ACT GRADE IMPROVEMENTS AND THEN IF AND WHEN YOU NEED A A, A BRIDGE, THEN YOU PUT IT IN LATER, YOU BASICALLY CREATE THE OPTIONALITY FOR A BRIDGE IN THE FUTURE.
IF THERE'S AN ACTUAL NEED FOR BEDTIME, WOULD YOU MICROPHONE CREATE INFRASTRUCTURE TODAY? OH, SO FOR THE FUTURE THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE MAYBE EVEN A MORE LIKE A RAISED ABOVE THE NORTH SOUTH, POSSIBLY LIKE MORE OF A FLYOVER ABOVE THE NORTH SOUTH.
SO, SO THE NORTH SOUTH, THAT WOULD BE ELEVATED, RIGHT? IS THAT CORRECT? WELL IF, LET'S TRY TO ENVISION, IF YOU'RE COMING UP 1 32 FROM THE SOUTH, YEAH.
YOU'VE GOT THE OPTION OF GOING AND, AND THE BRIDGE IS IN THE MIDDLE.
SO YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF GOING LEFT LANE OVER THE BRIDGE AND IT COULD BE THE LEFT TWO LANES AND I YOU NEED SIX LANES, BUT YOU'RE AT, YOU'RE AT GRADE ON THAT TURNING LEFT.
YOU GO, YOU GO OVER OR YOU TAKE THE RIGHT TWO LANES AND YOU COME UP TO THE INTERSECTION.
THERE'S A SIGNALIZE INTERSECTION, YOU'VE GOT A DEDICATED RIGHT TURN LANE GOING TO THE WEST.
YOU'VE GOT LEFT TURN LIGHTS AND YOU ACTUALLY HAVE LEFT TURN, UH, NORTH AND SOUTH YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE LEFT TURN, UH, AISLE JUST UNDER THE BRIDGE FOR A LEFT TURN GOING EAST OR UH, GOING WEST.
IF YOU'RE NORTHBOUND EAST, IF YOU'RE SOUTHBOUND, YOU HAVE THREE FLOW RIGHT LANES.
AND THE BEAUTY OF IT, I THINK, AGAIN,
SO YOU'VE GOT THAT FRONTAGE ROAD, YOU'VE GOT THE ACCESS, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ACCESS RIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION.
TXDOT DOESN'T LET YOU DO THAT ANYWHERE, BUT YOU'VE GOT ACCESS A LOT CLOSER THAN YOU WOULD WITH THE OTHER DESIGN.
AS I UNDERSTAND THE OTHER DESIGN.
YOU CAN, DESI, AS BRAD SAID, YOU CAN DO THIS INTERSECTION, LEAVE ROOM FOR THE BRIDGE, KNOWING THE OVERPASS, KNOWING WHAT YOU WILL NEED IN THE FUTURE AND COME BACK AND BUILD IT IN THE FUTURE.
AND, AND, AND I LIKE IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND FROM THE STANDPOINT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, IT'S THE SADDEST THING IN THE WORLD TO SEE IS A AMBULANCE OR A FIRETRUCK SITTING BEHIND A TRAIN.
MM-HMM,
[01:35:01]
FLOW FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES AND YET STILL HAVE THAT ACCESS WITH THE AT GRADE INTERSECTION.BUT I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A WHILE AND I CAN TELL YOU IT'S A SIGNIFICANT LESSON.
WHAT WAS BEING CONTEMPLATED IN MY OPINION.
TO ME, THIS'S NO DIFFERENT THAN A W GRIMES IN 79 OR RIGHT NOW.
THEY, THEY CROSSED THE RAILROAD TRACK.
YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW IT, BUT IT'S UH, IT'S UH, I THINK IT'S A SIX LANE NORTH SOUTH THAT'S INTERSECTING A SIX LANE ON 79.
SO IF IT'S THE ONE I'M THINKING OF.
AND IN THE FUTURE, AND THEY HAVEN'T STARTED MOVING UTILITIES YET AND GETTING RIGHT AWAY, BUT 79 WILL FLY OVER THE INTERSECTION.
THIS IS JUST INSTEAD OF 79 FLYING OVER, THIS IS GONNA BE 1 32 FLYING OVER IN THE FUTURE.
BUT IT'LL HAVE FRONTAGE ROADS A LITTLE BIT MORE ROBUST.
UM, BUT EVERYBODY'S ACCESS IS STAYING THE EXACT SAME ALL THE WAY DOWN.
AND YOU HAVE AN ESTABLISHED, AS I SEE IT, YOU HAVE AN ESTABLISHED COMMERCIAL, UH, NODE OF BUSINESSES WITH A ESTABLISHED FOLLOWING AND THEN YOU COME AND DO THIS AND NOW THEY'RE DOING A TEXAS U-TURN AS OPPOSED TO GOING TO A LIGHT, TAKING A LEFT AND THEN DOING A U-TURN.
IT'S ALMOST OPERATES BETTER 'CAUSE IT'S FREE FLOWING.
BUT TO ME THIS IS, IT'S LIKE WHEN I FORGOT WHO I TALKED WITH YOU GUYS ONCE.
I SAID YOU SEE THIS IN DALLAS ALL THE TIME, SIX LANE HITTING SIX LANE.
I FEEL LIKE FOR SOME REASON IT'S EITHER TDOT DRIVEN OR OUTSIDE ENGINEER DRIVEN THAT ONCE YOU GET TO THE EAST SIDE OF HU WE CAN'T TOUCH THE SPEED LIMITS.
WE CAN'T PUT ANY ACCESS POINTS IN EVERYTHING HAS THEIR FREE FLOW.
BUT I'M LIKE FROM HUDU WEST OF 35, EVERYBODY'S GOT VIABLE ACCESS.
EVERYBODY HAS VIABLE DEVELOPABLE PROPERTY.
BUT IN HUDU FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE'RE BEING TOLD FROM THIS POINT GOING EAST 65 MILES AN HOUR, THAT'S GONNA AFFECT RETAIL SHOPPING TOO.
AND SO TO ME IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE BEING PUT AT A DISADVANTAGE AND WE NEED TO KIND OF FIGHT BACK A LITTLE BIT AND GO, THIS WORKS EVERYWHERE ELSE IN TEXAS.
WHY DO WE HAVE TO KEEP A ROW 65 MILES AN HOUR WHEN WE GOT, YOU KNOW, THREE, 4,000 PEOPLE A YEAR MOVING ON TOP OF THIS LONG TERM THAT'S, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE RETAIL.
THAT'S ONE REASON WE LIMITED OUR ACCESS TO THE SITES TO TWO INTERSECTIONS.
BECAUSE IF PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING OUT THERE AT 65 MILES AN HOUR, YOU WANT TO LIMIT HOW PEOPLE ARE PULLING OUT AN END THROUGH MM-HMM.
SO WE'RE FINE WITH, WITH THE SORRY ABOUT THAT.
MY ONE, MY ONE QUESTION ON THIS THOUGH, AND THIS IS A GOOD SOLUTION, BUT I I I HAVE TWO PROBLEMS. ONE, DO WE KNOW IF UNION SPECIFICALLY LET US DO AT GRADE ACROSS THEIR RAILROAD TRACK, DO WE KNOW IF TEXTILE IS GONNA ALLOW A CONTROLLED PERMANENT INTERSECTION? BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THIS IS REQUIRING.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS, YOU'VE GOT A TON OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE SOUTH OF HU RIGHT NOW THAT ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S GONNA BE ALL THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS COMING DOWN TO THE SOUTH IS GOING TO GO NORTH THERE AND THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA GO ALL THE WAY TO CHANDLER ROAD TO GET OUT TO THE TOLL ROAD.
THEY'RE GONNA WANNA MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN TO COME IN 79 TO GET BACK TO ONE 30.
'CAUSE THIS THING ISN'T RIGHT NOW GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SOUTHEAST LOOP.
SO LONG TERM I'M LIKE, ARE RES CURATING A WORSE TRAFFIC INTERSECTION? NO, NOT FOR THE NORTHBOUND PEOPLE.
'CAUSE THEY COULD BE GOING SOUTHBOUND ELEVATED OVER IT, BUT UNTIL THAT GETS BUILT, UM, YEAH, MAYBE, MAYBE YOU CAN'T SEE IT QUITE AS WELL ON THAT SCREEN.
BUT AT THIS INTERSECTION YOU CAN TURN EVERY WAY.
IF YOU'RE GOING NORTH, YOU CAN TAKE A LEFT HAND.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SOUTH COMING NORTH ARE GONNA WANT TO TURN LEFT.
I I I SEE HOW FAR ALREADY CHRIS KELLY BACKS UP AND THAT ONE'S A FOUR LANE WITH TWO DEDICATED LE I'M JUST SAYING, DO WE KNOW THAT YOU NEED THAT? UNION PACIFIC WOULD EVEN LET US DO THAT AND SET IN TDOT LET US TO A CONTROLLED INTERSECTION OVER 79 A HIGHWAY.
IF THE ANSWER IS NO, THIS IS AN ACADEMIC DISCUSSION IS MY QUESTION, WHAT'S OUR, WHAT'S YOUR FIELD THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY GET THAT APPROVAL? SO COUNCIL MEMBER CLARK, I, I CANNOT SPEAK TO TXDOT 'CAUSE THEY HAVEN'T RESPONDED BACK TO ME YET.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT I SENT THIS SCHEMATIC TO BENESH, WHICH IS THE CONSULTANT FOR UPRR AND THEY, THEIR INITIAL RESPONSE, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS HIGH LEVEL CONVERSATION SO I'M NOT DIGGING INTO THE WEEDS OF ANYTHING YET.
THEIR INITIAL RESPONSE WAS THIS WAS A NON-STARTER UNLESS THE CITY WAS WILLING TO CLOSE THREE GATED INTERSECTIONS.
SO TO DO THIS, WE WOULD HAVE TO CLOSE THREE OTHERS SOMEWHERE.
'CAUSE WE DON'T, NOT ALL WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? ALL OF OUR RAILROAD CROSSINGS ARE GATED SO WE CAN'T JUST CLOSE ANYMORE.
WE'D HAVE TO CLOSE CHRIS KELLY.
I DON'T EVEN THINK WE HAVE THREE.
[01:40:01]
KELLY, WE HAVE JIM CAGE, WE HAVE 1660 SOUTH, WE HAVE THIS 1, 1 32 AND THEN WE HAVE ONE THAT I BELIEVE IS FURTHER TOWARD, FURTHER OUT ON THE MEGA SITE.SO WE HAVE FOUR, WELL EVERY TIME I IN, IN MY DAY JOB, EVERY TIME I CALL SOMEONE FOR SOMETHING, THE FIRST THING THEY SAY IS NO, BECAUSE THE EASIEST THING IN THE WORLD IS TO SAY NO.
AND THE EASIEST THING IN THE WORLD IS TO SAY WE'LL BUILD A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR BRIDGE AND WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
AND AND TO ME THOSE ARE EASY ANSWERS.
DO I THINK THAT UP IS GONNA JUST SAY, WELL HECK YEAH.
HOW MANY LANES DO YOU GUYS WANT? BY ALL MEANS NO, NOT AT ALL.
BUT I THINK IT'S IT, WE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN DOING IT.
AND AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY ON MATT THAT'S ON PREVIOUS STUFF, BUT I THINK THE ANSWER FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IS ALWAYS YOU JUST THROW A LOT OF MONEY AT IT BECAUSE LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT RETURNS.
WE JUST THROW MONEY AT IT AND EVENTUALLY IT FIGURES IT'S OUT, IT'S WAY OUT.
BUT WELL HERE WE CAN DO THAT BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A DEVELOPMENT.
UM, WELL WHAT I'D ADD TO THAT IS AN UN GATED INTERSECTION IS FAR MORE, MORE RISK FOR UP THAN A GATED INTERSECTION.
AND IF YOU'RE ASKING SOMEBODY TO CLOSE A UNGATE, I'D RATHER TAKE OUT THREE UN GATED BECAUSE SOMEBODY CAN JUST WALK OUT ON THERE.
HAR CAN GET STUCK ON THERE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T SEE THE TRAIN COMING.
THAT IS FAR MORE DANGEROUS THAN A GATED INTERSECTION.
SO JUST THAT COMMENT JUST TELLS ME THAT'S A FLIPPANT COMMENT IN MY OPINION.
WE'VE DONE, WE'VE CHANGED OUT INTERSECTIONS I'VE HAD TO DO, IF THEY WENT TO THREE THAT'S NEW.
I HAD TO CHANGE OUT TWO TO GET ONE BEFORE AND UH, IT TAKES TIME.
I'VE NEVER GONE TO A CITY WITH AN IDEA AND THEN GO, WELL SURE, YEAH, HERE'S HOW YOU DO IT.
IT'S ALWAYS A NO AND YOU GO, OKAY, WELL DON'T TELL ME NO.
HOW DO WE WORK THROUGH THIS? WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS? OKAY, HOW DO WE ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS? WE NEED A CERTAIN INTERSECTION, DESIGN A CERTAIN WAY WITH CERTAIN GATES AND CERTAIN SAFETY MEASURES TO ME.
WE NEED TO KNOW ALL THAT AND THEN WE CAN SAY, YEAH, THAT'S TOO MUCH.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW AN AT GRADE INTERSECTION COMES ANYWHERE CLOSE TO $88 MILLION.
I MEAN IT'S A HELL OF A LOT LESS ENGINEERING, WHICH THE CITY MANAGER HAS TOLD US THAT ENGINEERS MAKE A PERCENTAGE OF THE PROJECT COSTS.
SO THAT ALWAYS MAKES ME FEEL THEY OVER-ENGINEER.
BECAUSE IF THAT'S TRUE, THEN THE MORE ENGINEERING YOU DO OF THE PROJECT, THEN THE MORE MONEY YOU MAKE.
AND I'M LOOKING AT IT FROM HOW DO WE MAKE IT WORK THE BEST CALLED ENGINEERING ETHICS.
PLEASE DO NOT DISPERSE A DISPARAGE EVERYONE WHO'S A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING LICENSE CERTIFIED IN THE BOARD STATE OF TEXAS.
YEAH, IT'S UPS OR I MEAN RAILROAD SERVICE.
IT'S THIS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET ANYTHING DONE WITH THEM.
I'LL GIVE A STORY IN HOUSTON, A GUY NAMED, UM, ARCHIE DUNHAM WAS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT UP, HE HAD 1200 ACRES.
HE WAS TRYING TO DEVELOP AND TRY TO GET TWO INTERSECTIONS.
HE WAS ON THE BOARD DIRECTOR'S UP, HE SUED THEM TO GET THE INTERSECTIONS.
THIS IS A BOARD MEMBER OF THE RAILROAD THAT HE WAS TRYING TO GET IT THROUGH AND IT TOOK A LAWSUIT TO GET 'EM DONE.
I MEAN IT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OBSTINATE THE BEST.
THAT KIND OF, KIND OF, BUT WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO, IN MY OPINION, IS THEY WANT STACKING LANES.
SO IF THEY CAN TAKE OUT INTERSECTIONS, THEY CAN STACK TRAINS THERE AND SEND 'EM THERE ALL DAY LONG BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT AFFECTING IN AN INTERSECTION.
AND SO THEY'RE DOING WHATEVER THEY CAN TO GET LONG STRETCHES AND YOU CAN'T BLAME IT.
IT MAKES THEIR BUSINESS MORE EFFICIENT.
BUT, AND A COUNCIL MEMBER HAS ME IN A, IN A PICKLE HERE BECAUSE IF I AGREE WITH THE BRIDGE ON DISCOUNTING DISPARAGING P DAWSON FOR THEIR IDEA, AND IF I LIKE THE P DAWSON, WELL THEN I'M DISPARAGING THE OTHER GROUP.
'CAUSE BOTH ENGINEERS CAN'T BE RIGHT ON THE ONLY WAY TO DO THIS IN A COMPLETE AND AND AND IN DEFENSE OF P DAWSON, DAVID, THIS IS MY
AND, AND WHILE AND WHILE MY, AND WHILE MY LICENSE IS IS UH, HAS BEEN, UH, WHAT I WAS SAYING, WHAT I WAS SAYING WAS ENGINEERS ARE GONNA DEVELOP AND DESIGN TO WHAT WAS ASKED OF THEM.
YOU CAN MAKE CHANGE MAINSTREAM.
BUT YOU WERE SAYING THAT THEY JUST OVERDESIGNED JUST BECAUSE THEY WANT MORE MONEY.
AND I SAID THAT'S AN ENGINEERING ETHICS VIOLATION AND DON'T SAY THAT KIND OF STUFF.
THAT'S ALL I WAS TRYING TO SAY, MIKE.
YEAH, THEY'LL, THEY'LL, THEY'LL ABSOLUTELY DESIGN WHAT YOU ASKED FROM DESIGN.
I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
I GUESS, YEAH, A QUESTION FOR, FOR WADE, UM, UM, I GUESS IN, YOU KNOW, TALKING WITH TXDOT, 'CAUSE YOU ARE PROBABLY ONE OF THE MAIN CONTACTS ALONG WITH UH, MATT WITH COMMUNICATING WITH THEM AND BACK AND FORTH.
I GUESS WHAT, WHAT PERCEPTION WOULD THIS, YOU KNOW, WHAT CHALLENGES WOULD THE CITY BE GOING UNDERGOING WITH TXDOT AND THAT RELATIONSHIP? BECAUSE WE'VE HAD VERY STRAINED RELATIONSHIPS ON OTHER INTERSECTIONS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND, AND SO I THINK I JUST, I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THAT THIS IS JUST GONNA BE ANOTHER BLACK MARK AGAINST THE CITY OF HUDA WITH TXDOT IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE, WHICH 79 IS THEIR ROAD.
SO I KNOW THAT'S A HARD PROBABLY
[01:45:01]
QUESTION TO ANSWER 'CAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE GONNA ANSWER.BUT I GUESS CAN YOU SPEAK TO, I GUESS YOUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH TXDOT ON THE 1 32 OVERPASS AND, AND HOW, HOW IT'S BEEN GOING, I GUESS THE KICKBACK BACK AND FORTH AND WELL OPTIONS OF CHANGING.
YEAH, SO WADE BENTON WITH GARVER.
UM, SO MAYBE TO STEP BACK A MINUTE FOR FROM THE DIRECT QUESTION YOU ASKED, UM, YOU KNOW, MATT MENTIONED THE GENESIS OF THE PROJECT REALLY WAS THIS IDEA THAT TO TO CREATE A NEW FM 1660, A NEW NORTH SOUTH ROUTE FROM CHANDLER DOWN TO 1660 DOWN IN BRUSHY CREEK, UM, TO TAKE SOME OF THE TRUCK TRAFFIC AND DIRECT TRAFFIC OUT AT OLD TOWN.
UM, AND THAT WAS IN 2010 I THINK IS WHEN THAT STARTED WITH THE COUNTY.
UM, OUR INVOLVEMENT ON THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN USING, UTILIZING OR ALIGN WITH THAT ASSUMPTION, WHICH IS THIS 1 32 IS NOT GOING TO BE A CITY ROAD.
ULTIMATELY IT WOULD BE A TXDOT FACILITY.
AND, AND AS SUCH, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD NEED TO COORDINATE WITH TXDOT, UM, AND DESIGN IT TO MEET TXDOT CRITERIA IN ADDITION TO CITY CRITERIA.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY IS, THIS IS A REGIONAL PROJECT.
OKAY, IT'S A, IT'S, UM, RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE ONE, UM, ELEVATED CROSSING OVER 79 AND AND THE RAILROAD AND THAT'S AT ONE 30, UM, EXA COUNTY OR BUILDING ONE AT 3 30, 3 49.
UH, THIS WOULD BE THE OTHER ONE.
UM, AND SO FROM A MOBILITY STANDPOINT, I MEAN THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT LINK TO ALL THAT.
THE COUNTY IS WORKING ON A SEGMENT FROM LIMMER UP TO CHANDLER AND THEN FROM, UH, JUST SOUTH OF UH, 79 HERE DOWN TO 1660, UH, WORKING WITH THE CITY TO TRY TO DEDICATE OR IDENTIFY AND WORK WITH DEVELOPERS TO, TO GET THAT RIGHT AWAY.
SO IT'D BE A, IT'D BE A SIX LANE ARTERIAL SECTION THAT WAS MENTIONED.
UH, AND THEY'RE DESIGNING THAT SEGMENT, THOSE SEGMENTS AS WELL, UM, TO MEET TEX CRITERIA.
SO OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH TEX ON 79 SPECIFICALLY, UH, THEIR BIG CONCERN IS TRAFFIC ON 79 OBVIOUSLY, UM, AND SIGNAL SPACING.
SO THROUGH HU RIGHT NOW YOU'VE GOT A, WHAT, FOUR SIGNALS AND THEY'RE ALL PRETTY FAIRLY CLOSELY SPACED.
ALL THOSE SIGNALS HAVE SIGNAL PREEMPTION TIED TO THE RAILROAD.
SO A TRAIN COMES THROUGH AND THE SIGNALS GET DISRUPTED ON ANY NORTH SOUTH TRAFFIC.
REALLY THAT IS CHRIS KELLY AND I GUESS, UM, 1660 SOUTH AND JIM CAGE INTERSECTIONS.
UM, SO THE TRAIN DOES HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE SIGNAL TIMING AND TRAFFIC FLOW ON 79.
THIS IS A VERY HEAVY SEGMENT OF UP LINE, UH, HEAVILY TRAVELED.
SO TXDOT, WHEN WE WERE TALKING TO THEM EARLY ON, UM, BASICALLY THEY SAID, HEY, UM, IF YOU HAVE AN INTERSECTION HERE AT AT 1 32, WHETHER IT'S ELEVATED OR AT GRADE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA GET MAYBE ONE MORE BETWEEN THERE AND 1660 TO GET THAT SPACING.
UM, AND SO THAT'S KIND OF BEEN WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING UNDER IN TERMS OF ANY DESIGN ANALYSIS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THEY'VE GOT A CORRIDOR STUDY THAT THEY'RE, UH, ABOUT TO INITIATE FOR 79.
DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GONNA SHOW, BUT THAT, UM, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THEY'VE INDICATED, AT LEAST AT THIS POINT, THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S GONNA BE A SIX LANE SECTION.
UM, DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THAT'S GONNA PLAY OUT.
PROBABLY BE SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, WEST OF ONE 30 IN ROUND ROCK.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR UH, DESIGN AND ANALYSIS HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON SAFETY TRAFFIC NUMBERS, NOT ONLY ON 79 BUT 1 32.
AND HOW DO WE BEST ACCOMMODATE THOSE? SO, SO I GUESS MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION FOR MATT AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT'S TOTALLY FINE.
I GUESS IN RELATION TO EAST WILCO HIGHWAY, IS THAT THE CORRECT NAME? OKAY, SO WITH THAT BEING, HOW DOES THAT CONNECT TO 1660 TO THEN MOVE PEOPLE FROM 1660 TO 1 32? I'M JUST THINKING OF MO MOVEMENT AND HOW THAT AS LIKE A REGIONAL LOOK.
LIKE, I KIND OF KNOW WHERE 33 49 IS OVER ON THE EAST, BUT I GUESS I GUESS WHAT, WHAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THIS PROJECT AND THE PROJECT AND THE EAST WILCO
[01:50:01]
HIGHWAY BEING COMPLETED? THE SECOND, SECOND PHASE, SO PHASE TWO, THIS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HU ARTERIAL THE COUNTY? YEAH, YEAH.THE ARTERIAL THAT WOULD GET PEOPLE ON 1 32 TO GET THEM MO KEEP 'EM MOVING TO SAY CHANDLER.
SO COUNTY ROAD 1 32, UH, HU ARTERIAL, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, UH, THAT WOULD GO DOWN AND IT WOULD TIE IN DIRECTLY TO 1660 SOUTH MM-HMM.
SO THAT IN THEORY WHEN IT'S ALL DONE, PEOPLE COMING WESTBOUND ON 1660 SOUTH COULD TAKE THIS AND GO ALL THE WAY UP TO CHANDLER ROAD.
AND THEN THEY COULD CONTINUE WESTBOUND ON CHANDLER.
PEOPLE AT EASTBOUND ON CHANDLER COULD DO THE SAME THING AND GO SOUTHBOUND ON THIS AND THEN GO CONTINUE EASTBOUND ONTO 1660 SOUTH.
UM, THE INTERSECTION WITH THIS ROAD, THE EAST WILCO HIGHWAY IN 1660 HAS BEEN AN ONGOING CONVERSATION BETWEEN US AND THE COUNTY AND MULTIPLE DEVELOPERS THAT ARE TRYING TO LOOK AT HOW THEY DO THINGS IN THAT AREA.
AND, UH, I, I NEED TO GET BACK TO YOU 'CAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY IF THIS ROAD ACTUALLY CONNECTS TO EAST WILCO HYATT.
I THINK IT JUST CONNECTS TO 1660 WITH, UH, OVERPASS WITH A BRIDGE BASICALLY KEEPING THE TWO DISCONNECTED TO SEPARATE.
BUT I, I CAN VERIFY THAT I'VE GOT THE PLANS IN MY COMPUTER AND I CAN VERIFY IT AND GET BACK TO YOU.
UM, IF I CAN OFFER ONE OTHER CLARIFICATION, 'CAUSE IT'S BEEN MENTIONED HERE TWICE TONIGHT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS ALL NECESSARY INFORMATION.
UM, WADE MENTIONED HOW MANY SIGNALS WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND I THINK, UM, THE, THE MIDWAY GUYS AND, AND THEY, THEY DON'T KNOW THIS, I'M NOT DISPARAGING ANYBODY.
UH, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE INTERSECTION OF CO-OP HERE AT 79 AND HOW THAT'S NOT SIGNALED.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT IS GOING TO BE SIGNALED.
UM, THAT WAS PART OF THE AGREEMENT WHEN WE INSTALLED ALL THAT WITH TXDOT.
WE HAVE TO SEND PERIODIC UPDATES ON THE TRANSPORTATION NUMBERS TO TXDOT BECAUSE ONCE WE HAVE THE TRAFFIC FLOW THAT WARRANTS IT, TDOT'S GOING TO REQUIRE THAT THE DEVELOPER OF THE CO-OP GO PUT THOSE SIGNALS UP.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN WADE SAID THERE WAS A NUMBER OF SIGNALS, WE'RE GONNA ADD ONE.
AND THEN I, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE MIDWAY GUYS EVEN KNEW THAT THERE WAS ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE'S THERE.
WE JUST GOTTA GO PUT THE LIGHTS UP.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE AS WE'RE DEBATING ALL THIS, THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION.
SO MATT, AT ONE 30, AT 1 32 IN THE INTERIM, THERE WILL BE A, A SIGNAL THERE.
AND I BELIEVE FROM TI BELIEVE TEXTILE IS TELLING US THAT IN, THEY'RE TARGETING JANUARY OF 26 TO HAVE THAT UP.
AND IT'S JUST GONNA BE, LIKE I SAID, ON, ON TENSION CABLES.
SO THEY'RE NOT PUTTING MASKED ARMS AND PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS AND ALL THE TYPICAL STUFF THAT YOU WOULD SEE IN ONE OF OUR TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
IT'S JUST GONNA BE POLES, TENSION WIRES, THE LIGHTS HANGING.
AND ARE THEY SERVICE, CAN YOU SAY JANUARY OF 26, MATT? I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE TIMELINE.
ISN'T THAT WHAT WE'RE BEING TOLD? YEAH, JANUARY OF 26.
AND 'CAUSE WITH OUR, WE COULD CUSTOMER THOMPSON STILL, STILL, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, AS A FLOOR, UM, ARE THEY SERVICING THOSE OR ARE WE TASKED WITH SERVICING THAT SIGNAL? YEAH, THEY WILL.
IT'S ON SYSTEM AND THEY'RE PUTTING IT UP.
THEY WILL BE UNDER THEM TO MAINTAIN IT AND OPERATE IT AND ALL THAT KINDA STUFF.
SO THE OBJECTION THAT UPR HAS IS JUST EXPANDING THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT OBJECTING TO, UM, TDOT'S PLAN TO PUT A PERMANENT LIGHT IN THERE BY JANUARY OF 26TH.
THEIR OBJECTION IS MAKING IT WIDER, EXPANDING IT KIND OF, IS THAT WHAT THE OBJECTION IS? UM, SO I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT UPRR IS AWARE THAT TEXTILE IS PUTTING A SIGNAL 'CAUSE IT'S NOT IMPACTING UPRR MM-HMM.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, WHEN I SENT THIS TO UPRR, IT WAS A VERY HIGH LEVEL, HERE'S A SCHEMATIC IDEA.
WHAT'S THE GENERAL THOUGHT? SO WE HAVEN'T HAD IN DEPTH, AND I, I SHARED IT WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
I SAID, JUST SO YOU GUYS KNOW, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO UPRR, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO TEXTILE.
I HAVEN'T GOT FEEDBACK FROM TEXTILE.
HERE'S THE FIRST GLANCE WHAT THEY SAID, MAYOR IS CORRECT.
TYPICALLY THAT CONSULTING FIRM IS GONNA SAY NO, NO MATTER WHAT YOU ASK FOR.
AND I THINK THE MIDWAY GUYS ARE GONNA AGREE WITH ME.
LIKE THAT'S, THAT'S THEIR RESPONSE.
SO THEN WE GO BACK TO THEM AND SAY, OKAY, LET'S TALK THIS THROUGH.
AND, BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN.
WE HAVE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THE DESIGN, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR FULL QUESTION.
[01:55:01]
THE IDEA OF US WIDENING AN AT GRADE CROSSING THAT IS ALREADY SOMEWHAT PROBLEMATIC WITHOUT GIVING UP SOMETHING IN RETURN WHERE WE LAND ON HOW MANY GATED CROSSINGS AND HOW WE DO ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.BUT THEIR INITIAL PASS BASED ON ME SENDING THEM THIS PDF WAS NOPE.
NOT UNLESS YOU'RE GIVING US THREE GATED CROSSINGS IN RETURN FOR IT.
DO YOU THINK THAT COULD CHANGE LIKE LEADERSHIP? I, I THINK THERE'S SOME NEGOTIATION THAT WE CAN DO WITH THEM.
I THINK WE HAVE TO SELL OUR CASE AND COME UP WITH GOOD IDEAS AND, AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME TRADE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S LIKE, OH, WE'RE GONNA GIVE UP THIS ONE OR THESE TWO RATHER THAN YOU, YOU GIVING US THREE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE SAY WE GIVE UP THIS ONE, YOU GIVE US THAT ONE, AND THEN WE LAND ON SOMETHING IN THE IN BETWEEN.
THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS THAT WE CAN NEGOTIATE IT, BUT THIS IS JUST ONE ENGINEER TALKING TO ANOTHER ENGINEER.
THIS IS NOT HIGHER LEVEL PEOPLE GETTING INVOLVED YET.
UM, CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVEN'T ALREADY COMMITTED RIGHT NOW THAT WE WILL CLOSE THAT ONE ON THE BANK SIDE? BECAUSE THAT WAS SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, MATT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE SO WE DON'T LOSE LEVERAGE.
I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY DOCUMENTS THAT WE HAVE COMMITTED TO CLOSING ANY OF OUR CROSSINGS WITH UPRR.
I BELIEVE CHA UH, YEAH, CHANEY AMBO, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UH, WE'VE LOOKED INTO THAT ISSUE EXTENSIVELY BECAUSE, UM, THE PROPOSAL TO CLOSE THE RAILROAD CROSSINGS ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OWNED LAND AT THE MEGASITE WAS CONSIDERED.
THERE WERE NEVER ANY FORMAL DOCUMENTS BROUGHT FORTH TO AUTHORIZE THE CLOTHING CLOSINGS.
SO THOSE HAVE NOT TAKEN PLACE.
SO THOSE ARE STILL OPEN TECHNICALLY.
I GUESS CAN WE TALK WITH THE ISD ON LIKE WITH THE NINTH GRADE CENTER BEING BUILT OUT? 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS TRAVEL, YOU KNOW, SOUTH TO GET TO THE HIGH SCHOOL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
THEY TYPICALLY PROBABLY USE GYM CAGE.
OR THAT INTERSECTION WITH THAT RAILROAD CROSSING.
SO I GUESS CAN, CAN WE TALK WITH THEM I GUESS, ON FUTURE ZONING? OBVIOUSLY THEY PROBABLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE, I THINK A A CLOSURE.
BUT I THINK THAT'S ONLY ONE THAT WOULD BE VIABLE.
BUT WE'D HAVE TO GET MORE INFORMATION FROM THE ISD, UM, AND THAT, THOSE ARE JUST MY KIND OF PRELIMINARY THOUGHTS ON POSSIBILITIES.
AND ASHLEY AND I HAVE A RECURRING MEETING WITH THE, UH, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS TEAM.
WE CAN BRING IT UP AND SEE WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS ARE.
SO IS THE ACTION TO GIVE IS THE ACTION TO CONSIDER THIS PLAN? THE, THE ASK OF CITY COUNCIL.
AND I'M GONNA ASK ON BEHALF OF CHENEY AND MYSELF AND THE MIDWAY GUYS AND THE GARVER GUYS TO GIVE US SOME KIND OF GUIDANCE ON WHAT COUNCIL'S PREFERENCE IS ON WHICH DIRECTION WE DO WE NEED TO PAUSE WHAT GARVER ISS DOING AND VET OUT FURTHER THE PAP DAWSON STUFF.
DO WE PAUSE EVERYTHING AND JUST LET SEE WHAT TEXTILES GONNA DO AND WAIT, DO, I MEAN REALLY WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FEEL OUT COUNSEL AND GET SOME KIND OF CLARITY ON WHAT YOUR PREFERENCE IS ON WHICH DIRECTION WE GO FROM HERE.
I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT, UH, DAVID'S PLAN KIND OF THE SPECS FOR ALL OF THAT AND WHAT, I MEAN, I KNOW, I KNOW DAVID, YOU SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS JUST KIND OF SOMETHING THAT YOU HAD DRAFTED UP.
BUT I MEAN, I'D BE INTERESTED TO HAVE MATT LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL AND KIND OF GET A COST ESTIMATE.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? YOU KNOW, FUTURISTIC, UM, YOU KNOW, TIMEFRAME FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, ALL THE NUANCES THAT WENT INTO, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR DRAFT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
I I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST WHERE I STAND.
I, I GUESS I'M JUST VOICING THAT, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, I MEAN, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT AND UH, I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE EDC HAD CONSIDERED IN OUR MEETING AS WELL.
AND SO I THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK I VOICED IT THERE IN THE MEETING THAT
[02:00:01]
I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT.I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT KIND OF MOCKED OUT, SPECKED OUT, UM, AND GET ALL THE NUANCES FOR THAT AND, UH, UH, SEE THAT BROUGHT BACK.
SO IS THAT A MOTION? I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THINK? WELL, MY THOUGHT IS, I, I MEAN, I'D KIND OF LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE SPENDING LIKE OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS IF WE JUST ALLOW THE CURRENT DESIGN TO KEEP PROGRESSING, UM, WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO STOP THAT UNTIL WE ACTUALLY HAVE ANOTHER PLAN.
AND I MEAN, THAT, THAT DELAYS THE WHOLE THING.
I THINK THERE'S POTENTIALLY A WINDOW WHERE THAT DESIGN KEEPS WORKING, BUT YOU GO AND YOU TALK TO THE RAILROAD AND YOU TRY TO NEGOTIATE AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN COME UP WITH AS FAR AS SOMETHING THAT'S CLOSER TO THE MIDWAY PROPOSAL AND, AND THEN HAVE SOMETHING WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE A VIABLE DECISION POINT OF, WE DO HAVE AN OPTION TO, TO MAKE A DEAL ON THE, WITH THE RAILROAD AND SWITCH TO A PROJECT THAT IS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLE TO GET APPROVED VERSUS ONE THAT WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET IT APPROVED TODAY.
UM, UH, THERE'S NOT A GREAT ANSWER.
THERE'S, THERE'S REALLY NOT A GREAT ANSWER HERE TODAY, BUT WE NEED TO GET TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN MAKE A GOOD DECISION AND IT'S GONNA TAKE MONTHS TO GET THERE.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE A, A, YOU KNOW, TWO WEEK THING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS I DON'T WANT TO PAUSE, BUT I ALSO KIND OF WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE SPENDING AND WHAT OUR RUN RATE IS ON THAT AND, AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IF WE PAUSE TODAY AND PICK UP AGAIN IN SIX MONTHS VERSUS WE LET IT GO FOR SIX MONTHS AND THEN WE PAUSE AND HOW MUCH DID WE RUN UP IN THAT MEANTIME? SO THAT ANSWER I'D KIND OF LIKE TO KNOW BEFORE WE GO TOO FAR.
YEAH, I CAN, I CAN, UH, WORK WITH GARVER AND LOOK AT WHAT THEIR PROJECTIONS IS OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS OR WHATEVER ON THEIR CONTRACT AND COME BACK WITH YOU, GET THE, GET THAT BACK TO YOU AND LET YOU KNOW KIND OF WHAT, WHAT WE WOULD SPEND OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THEN I'M, I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH, WITH, UH, DAVID AND, AND HIS TEAM AND, AND THE PAP DAWSON TEAM TO SEE IF THEY CAN GIVE ME A LITTLE, LITTLE DEEPER VIEW OF THE SCHEMATIC SO THAT I CAN SHARE IT WITH THE BENESH TEAM AT UPRR AND START HAVING THOSE MORE IN DEPTH CONVERSATIONS.
YEAH, BECAUSE I, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT THIS PROJECT IS, WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY CHEAPER EVEN WITH, EVEN IF WE BUILT THE OVERPASS, IT'D BE SIGNIFICANTLY CHEAPER, BUT HOW MUCH WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.
BUT ALSO IT HAS THE OPTION OF WHEN YOU BUILD THE OVERPASS, WHICH IS, IS A DIFFERENT PART OF IT.
BUT YEAH, I, I, I THINK WE NEED A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION BEFORE WE COMMIT TO A DIRECTION, BUT I'D LIKE TO TRY TO KEEP THAT OPTION OPEN AND TRY TO FIND A WAY TO SEE HOW VIABLE THAT PATH IS.
AND, AND LET ME SAY, YOU KNOW, TO BE CLEAR FOR THE RECORD, I'M NOT HERE DRUMMING BUSINESS FOR P DAWSON
I DON'T OWN ANY PART OF PEYTON DAWSON
THIS WAS, THIS WAS MY DESIGN CONCEPT.
I ONLY ASKED THEM TO PUT IT IN A MORE OF A PROFESSIONAL BECAUSE I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY DONE DESIGN ENGINEERING FOR 44 YEARS.
AND SO IT WAS JUST AN IDEA THAT WE THOUGHT BETTER SERVE THE ADJOINING PROPERTY.
WELL, I THINK SOMEONE, THERE'S GOTTA BE A DIRECTION THAT'S GOTTA BE GIVEN OUT BECAUSE OTHERWISE, IF WE LEAVE HERE WITH NO ACTION, THEN I WOULD IMAGINE STAFF CONTINUES ON THE WAY.
THESE GUYS DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
THEIR MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING'S OVER IN LIKE THREE WEEKS AND $3,000 A DAY, $200,000 A MONTH IS SPENT WHILE WE FIGURE OUT WHAT WE DO.
SO, I MEAN, TO ME, YEAH, FOR ME, THIS IS A REALLY HARD DECISION.
BUT I, WITH, I AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THORNTON ON KIND OF STAYING THE COURSE WITH OUR, UH, WITH THE WORK GARVER IS DOING AND DESIGNING WHERE WE'RE AT.
UM, UM, I, I DO FORESEE SERIOUS CHALLENGES WITH UPRR AND THEN ALSO TECH DOT.
UM, I'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, FOR YOU TO HAVE MORE IN DEPTH CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM TO KIND OF POKE AND SEE IF YOU CAN PICK AND SEE IF YOU CAN GET THEM TO, TO MAYBE BUDGE ON SOME THINGS.
BUT I DO THINK THAT, UM, OR I SUSPECT THAT, UH, UPRR WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO, TO DEAL WITH IN THIS SCENARIO, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, TO THE PROJECT AS WELL, JUST BEING REALISTIC.
UM, SO, UM, I GUESS I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO, FOR, UH, GARVER TO CONTINUE WITH ENGINEER OR WITH DESIGN AND TO DIRECT STAFF, UM, UH, MATT AND CHENEY TO CONNECT WITH UPRR AND TECH PARTNERS AND THE
[02:05:01]
COUNTY IF NEEDED, UM, ON POTENTIAL CHANGES AND TO OBVIOUSLY LOOP IN, UM, THE DEVELOPER IN ANY CONVERSATIONS AS NEEDED SO THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING.QUESTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER KOLAR TO CONTINUE BRIDGE AS PLANNED.
COUNCILMAN KOHLER, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO INVESTIGATE THE PROPOSAL BY MIDWAY ON THEIR, JUST TO GET THE SPECS ON WHAT, WHAT IT WOULD COST, WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE? WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO ADD THAT TO YOUR MOTION? I MEAN, I THINK ANY INFORMATION IS ANY AND ALL INFORMATION IS WORTHWHILE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE A COST TO THE CITY OR TO THE DEVELOP.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE, I GUESS WHOSE ARENA THAT MAY BE.
WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL INCLUDE THAT IN OUR WORKUP ON OUR DUE DILIGENCE BECAUSE IT, IT'S OKAY.
YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD ACCEPT IT THEN IF, THANK YOU, DEAN.
SO THE MOTION IS TO CONTINUE THE BRIDGES PLAN, HAVE STUFF, HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH UP, AND COME UP WITH COSTS ON MIDWAY DESIGN, IS THAT RIGHT? CONVERSATION WITH UP, UM, TDOT AND THE COUNTY.
IF THE COUNTY IF NEEDED, LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND ADD THE COUNTY.
SO WE'RE ESSENTIALLY SAYING DO ONE AND THEN INVESTIGATE TWO THE WHAT'S UP ON THE SCREEN.
IS THAT KIND OF WHAT WHAT IT IS? STAY THE COURSE.
AND I DO, I, I DO APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, T DOT WILLING TO PUT THE TEMPORARY, UM, LIGHT UP.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA BE JANUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE RESIDENTS THERE IN THE SOUTH ARE GONNA GET SOME SAFETY TO GET TO SCHOOL AND WORK AND LIFE.
BUT I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE GREAT FOR THOSE RESIDENTS.
AND THANK YOU TO, THANK YOU MATT, FOR INVESTIGATING THAT AND FOR ANY OTHER PARTNERS THAT WERE ABLE TO COME IN ON THAT.
I KNOW THAT'S GONNA BE A BIG RELIEF TO THE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S TAKING THEIR KIDS TO LIKE FARLEY OR GOING TO HU ELEMENTARY OR ANY OTHER TRAVELS THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GOING ACROSS 79.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
'CAUSE I KNOW WE'VE HAD FATALITIES THERE AND YOU KNOW, YOU JUST HEAR A NUMBER OF STORIES, UM, CROSSING 79 RIGHT THERE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FIGURING OUT AN ALTERNATIVE.
UM, IN THE MEANTIME, WHILE WE FIGURED THIS SITUATION OUT, COUNCILMAN CLARK, I THINK YOU HAD SOMETHING TO ADD.
WELL, LAUREN, HAS IT BEEN SECONDED YET? YES.
SO A COUPLE OF THINGS GOING THROUGH AND GOING DOWN TWO PATHS REALLY IS NOT MAKING A DECISION.
UM, SO I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH THAT.
UM, I WOULD SAY IF WE CAN, WE'RE AT 60% DESIGN, SO HOLDING OFF AND NOT STAYING ANOTHER $300,000 TO WHAT SELL WAS LIKE FROM THIS, I'VE SEEN FROM THE PROPOSAL TO WHERE WE WOULD STILL HAVE ACCESS.
UM, IT'S LIKE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.
WE GET DEDICATED TWO LANES GOING NORTH, SOUTH, UNINTERRUPTED ACROSS THE RAILROAD TRACK, AND YOU GET FULL ACCESS ON 79 AND THE ABILITY TO BE RETAIL IF THAT CAN BE AGREED TO, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'D EVEN CONTINUE DESIGNING AND WASTE ANOTHER $300,000 WE'D THROW AWAY.
UM, SO IN THAT CASE I WOULD SAY, HEY, WE'RE AT 60% AND PUT IT ON HOLD TILL WE GET AN ANSWER.
AND, AND IF WE'RE ABLE TO GO FORWARD, AND THAT'S $300,000 THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND TOWARDS THE DESIGN OF THE NEW PROPOSAL.
IF, IF TEX STOCK AND UPRR CAN DO IT, IF NOT, WE'RE ALREADY AT 6% DESIGN.
THE ONLY TIME WE LOST IS THE ABILITY TO GO TO THIS.
BUT AS MIDWAY'S ALREADY SAID, WE CONTINUE WITH WANT, THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA PULL OUT AND WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THAT BIG BOX RETAIL AND EVERYTHING GOING THERE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHY WE SPEND $300,000 MORE.
YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR THROWS OUT A NUMBER OF 200,000 A MONTH.
IT'S 90,000 A MONTH, NOT 200,000.
UM, BUT STILL YOU COULD, IT IS $300,000 TO GO DOWN TO DESIGN.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S PROBABLY NOT THE DESIGN WE WANT TO HAVE.
SO WHY, WHY DOUBLE DOWN ON A PAD DESIGN WHEN WE, IF WE CAN GET THIS OTHER ONE WOULD BE BETTER.
SO I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE STOP AT 60% AND THEN IF GARBER TOOK OUR CONTRACT AND HE MAYBE, MAYBE, UM, UH, MATT COULD TALK ABOUT IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE DO GET THE APPROVAL FROM TEXT UPRR, YOU KNOW, WE SAY, HEY GAR, WE'RE GONNA STOP AT 6%.
AND THEN IF WE GET THIS WORKED OUT AND WE'RE JUST GONNA CONTINUE YOUR CONTRACT, AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE TO DO A NEW AGREEMENT, BUT WE'LL HAVE THAT 300,000 YOU ALREADY PROMISED WAS 900,
[02:10:01]
WELL 300,000 OF IT'LL GO TOWARDS THE SOON DESIGN AND WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO COME UP WITH EXTRA MONEY.'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA BE MORE THAN 300,000 TO DESIGN.
AND IF THEY GO, HEY, IF T DOT SAYS NO AND UPRR SAYS NO, THEN IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE GOTTA CONTINUE WITH THE STAYING THE COURSE.
WELL THEN WE ARE 300,000 ALREADY ALLOCATED TO GO FORWARD WITH THE DESIGN AS IS AT 60%.
WE JUST PICK IT UP AND AT THAT POINT, WAY'S NOT GONNA AGREE TO WITH THE BIG BOX THING AND THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA MOVE ON OR WHOEVER.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF.
BUT IT'S ALSO NOT BEING MENTIONED IS, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE OTHER PROPERTIES, YOU KNOW, HOLISTICALLY WHEN THE MAYOR THROWS UP NUMBERS ABOUT WHAT'S BEING PAID ON PARTICULAR LAND, THAT'S REALLY NOT WHAT THE COUNCILS TALK ABOUT.
THAT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S BUDGET.
UM, THEY HAVE OTHER LAND DEALS THAT ARE PAYING THEM MONEY THAT COVERS THE INTEREST CARRYING COST OF THAT LOAN.
SO YOU THROW OUT A NUMBER, BUT THEN YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT HOW THEY ALSO HAVE A DEAL ON THE OTHER THAT'S COVERING THAT COST UNTIL THEY MAKE ANOTHER LAND SALE ON A DIFFERENT PIECE OF PROPERTY.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE EDC IN EVERYTHING THEY OWN, IN HOLISTIC NUMBER IN THEIR TOTAL DEBT SERVICE.
AND JUST THROWING OUT ONE PIECE OF NUMBER TO RUSH SOMETHING ISN'T REALLY EVEN DOING SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC AND EXPLAINING, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THE FINANCES OF THE EDC.
UM, BUT I KEEP HEARING IT AND THE WRONG NUMBERS, LIKE 200,000 MEANS 90.
UM, AND THEY HAVE ANOTHER PROJECT THAT'S PAYING BASICALLY THE CARRYING COSTS.
SO RIGHT NOW EDC IS FUNDED ON THAT, AND IF THEY GET THAT LAND SALE, THEN THEY'LL BE ABLE TO PAY OFF THAT LOAN.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SELL THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY, THEY JUST HAVE TO SELL A PIECE OF PROPERTY.
SO THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER LAND THEY'VE GOT THE, THE MEGA SITE LAND THAT THEY COULD SELL AND PAY OFF THIS LOAN.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TIE IT TO THIS PROPERTY HAS TO SELL TO THE MEN, MAKE MONEY ON IT.
UM, SO ANYWAYS, I, THAT'S WHAT I'M KIND OF THINKING.
SO I DEFINITELY BE VOTING NO ON THIS PROPOSAL.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WAS THERE AN AMENDMENT YOU WERE GONNA MAKE TO THE MOTION? I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE, I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION THAT WE CHANGE THE COURSE AND, AND THEN MATT FIGURES OUT IF, IF WE HAVE TO USE GOLF HARBOR FOR THAT CHANGE COURSE NUMBER SO WE DON'T THEN BREACH A CONTRACT WITH THEM, THEN WE KIND OF WORK WITH HIM ON THAT.
OR WE CAN PUT IT ON HOLD AND NOT WASTE THAT $300,000 AND WE COULD USE IT FOR THE BETTER DESIGN.
SO WHAT'S YOUR AMENDMENT FOR THE MOTION? WHAT'S YOUR MOTION HERE TO AMEND THAT? WE SUSPEND, WE POSTPONE, UH, WE SUSPEND THE GOING FURTHER THAN THE 60% DESIGN AND WE REALLOCATE THE FEASIBILITY FOR OPTION TWO.
SO MOTION TO SUSPEND THE GARVER PROJECT AND TO WORK WITH TEXT OUT AND UPR TO ADOPT AN ALTERNATIVE DESIGN DONE BY MIDWAY.
SO I'LL SECOND THAT SO WE CAN DISCUSS, I MEAN, THAT'S PART OF WHY I BROUGHT UP WHAT THE EXPENSE IS.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE YOU GET THAT.
IF IT'S 300,000 THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
IT'S 640% TO DATE, IT'S 984,000 FOR THE PROJECT, FOR THE DESIGN OF THE BRIDGE.
SO THAT'S ABOUT $300,000 MORE.
SO, BUT I THINK THEY, THEY'VE DONE WORK, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE PAID THEM FOR ALL THE WORK.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE PAUSED.
THAT WAS WHY I WANTED TO, TO CHECK THAT NUMBER.
I DIDN'T NOTICE THAT WAS IN THERE.
UM, THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD CHUNK OF MONEY TO BE SPENDING, BUT THERE IS THE, THE BALANCE OF SPENDING THE MONEY VERSUS THE DELAY IF YOU END UP GOING BACK TO IT.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO CONSIDER WHAT THAT COSTS AS FAR AS THE EXPENSE TO THE EDC, I MEAN, I, I DON'T, I ALSO DON'T BANK ON LAND SALES BECAUSE, UM, UNTIL THEY CLOSE, THEY'RE NOT CLOSED.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THAT DRIVEN BY A LARGE COMPANY NEXT DOOR THAT IS NOT ON TRACK WITH ANY OF THE TIMELINES THAT THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, BEEN EXPECTED TO BE ON, THEN THOSE LANDFILLS MAY DELAY AS WELL.
SO, UM, THAT'S A HARD THING TO BANK ON UNTIL THE MONEY'S COLLECTED.
SO, OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT? YEAH, FOR ME, UM, I DON'T SEE ANY POINT IN CONTINUING WITH OPTION ONE.
I MEAN, FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD AND, AND FROM WHAT I'M FEELING HERE, IF WE CONTINUE DOWN THE PATH OF THE, THE CURRENT DESIGN, IT'S GONNA REALLY HUGELY NEGATIVE, NEGATIVELY AFFECT THAT LAND, THE LAND VALUE WHO WE CAN GET THERE.
UM, TO ME, DEVELOPING THE COTTONWOOD PROPERTIES RIGHT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN STICKING WITH THE DESIGN THAT WE'VE, THAT WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF STARTED DOWN THE PATH OF, I THINK THAT IT IS SUNK COST.
IT'S A LOT OF MONEY WE'VE SPENT ON THAT, ON THAT BRIDGE SO FAR.
BUT IF WE CAN GET TO A BETTER DESIGN THAT MAKES THE LAND WORK BETTER AND THAT IT'S OVERALL CHEAPER ANYWAY, THEN WE JUST HAVE TO IGNORE THE, THE MONEY THAT WE'VE SPENT AND NOT LET THAT FOR ME KIND OF CLOUD MY JUDGMENT AND GO DOWN.
AND I WOULD RATHER KIND OF PUT OUR RESOURCES ON WORKING WITH UPRR TRYING TO MAKE THIS WORK, GETTING IT FIGURED OUT.
BECAUSE EVEN IF THIS DOESN'T WORK OUT, I STILL DON'T SEE MYSELF VOTING FOR THIS, THIS BRIDGE GOING FORWARD BECAUSE OF WHAT IT'S GONNA DO TO
[02:15:01]
THE LAND BECAUSE OF WHAT IT'S GONNA DO TO THE, TO THE POTENTIAL OF WHAT THE COTTONWOOD PROPERTIES COULD BE.AND SO IF YOU KNOW, OPTION TWO DOESN'T WORK OUT, THEN MAYBE WE GO TO OPTION THREE OR YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT FOR ME, THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.
I I, I THINK THE COTTONWOOD PROPERTIES, TO ME, IT'S TOO IMPORTANT TO MAKE IT, MAKE SURE IT'S DONE RIGHT AND THEN WE JUST NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST PLAN IS FOR THIS INTERSECTION TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL.
MR. MAYOR, CAN I WITHDRAW MY, MY SECOND ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION? I HONESTLY DUNNO HOW THAT WORKS.
WE'RE AN AMENDMENT WITH A SECOND.
WE CAN'T WITHDRAW THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
CAN WE
HE WAS, I WAS THE SECOND ON, ON THE ORIGINAL.
SO I AGREE WITH THE AMENDMENT.
UM, AND YEAH, MY MATH IS WRONG, 3000 TIMES, 30, 90,000.
UM, BUT FOR ME, THE IMPORTANCE OF COTTONWOOD DEVELOPING IS THAT EVERY DOLLAR SPENT IN CARRY COSTS IS A DOLLAR NOT SPENT ON INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE EDC IS BY LAW ABLE TO SPEND.
AND SO I DON'T CARE IF THEY HAVE A HUNDRED LAND DEALS TO PROVIDE INCOME TO PAY FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A DAY OR A MONTH OR WHATEVER, AND MONEY NOT BEING SPENT, MONEY SPENT NOT BENEFITING THE TAXPAYER IS MONEY NOT SPENT WELL? AND THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE SOME, AND THERE'S SOME KIND OF CARRY COSTS AND DEAL THINGS, BUT WE'RE WAITING AND WAITING AND WAITING AND, UM, TO ME THAT LAND IS MORE IMPORTANT, NOT JUST FROM, TO GET IT OFF THE BOOKS AT EDC, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FROM A SERVICES STANDPOINT.
WE NEED A GROCERY STORE ON THE NORTH END OF TOWN.
IF YOU DON'T DO IT HERE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU DO IT.
YOU'RE ALMOST IN TAYLOR AT THIS POINT.
AND THERE'S SERVICES THAT NEED TO BE PROVIDED.
THERE'S SALES TAX THAT CAN BE PROVIDED.
AND SO THE BENEFITS, AND I'M WITH THE MAYOR PRO TEM, I HAVEN'T BEEN A PROPONENT OF THE BRIDGE SINCE I GOT ON COUNCIL IN 2019.
AND SO I DON'T SEE MYSELF VOTING FOR IT EVER.
AND THE COUNCIL MAY CONTINUE TO GO DOWN THAT WAY, AND I DON'T THINK THESE GUYS WILL DROP IT AS COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, CLARK SUGGESTED, I THINK THEY'RE JUST NOT GONNA BUILD BIG BOX RETAIL AND THEY'RE GONNA COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT WE'RE ALL GONNA SAY WE DON'T LIKE, BUT WE'RE NOT THE PROFESSIONALS IN DEVELOPMENT.
AND IF THEY COME BACK AND SAY IT'S GONNA BE A 240 ACRE MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEAL, UM, THAT'S WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU BUILD AN OVERPASS LIKE THAT.
BUT, UM, YEAH, SO I'M COMPLETELY OKAY.
UM, POSTPONING, I DO THINK IT, IT'S SAD WE SPENT THAT MONEY, BUT ALSO IT'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND, 90,000 SOME MONTHS, $93,000 A MONTH, UM, THAT'S BEING SPENT ON A PLAN THAT WE'RE GONNA GET DONE AND THEN THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO.
AND SO THAT POINT, YOU SPENT 500 IN BULLET, BUT YOU MAY HAVE SAVED MILLIONS.
UM, BUT SO I KNOW IT'S TOUGH TO SWITCH COURSE, BUT I THINK SOMEONE SAID, UH, SOMETIMES GOVERNMENT'S GOTTA REEVALUATE WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND THE LAST THING I'D SAY IS I'M NOT KNOCKING WEIGHT AT GARVER FOR DESIGNING A SAFE BRIDGE.
OKAY? IF YOU TASK SOMEONE, BUILD A BRIDGE FOR SAFETY, THEY'RE GONNA BUILD A BRIDGE FOR SAFETY.
IF YOU TASK THESE GUYS WITH, HEY, BUILD A BRIDGE THAT HELPS YOUR PROPERTY, IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BRIDGE.
AND THEY'RE BOTH RIGHT FOR WHAT THEY SERVED.
WHAT I'M CRITICIZING EVERYBODY FOR IS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE COMBINE THE SAFETY OF THINGS AND A DEVELOPER IN THE CONVERSATION SO THAT THE NEXT TIME WE DESIGN, DECIDE TO DESIGN A MILLION DOLLAR BRIDGE, WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE VIABILITY OF THE LAND ONCE IT'S DONE ALONG WITH THE SAFETY.
'CAUSE IF YOU JUST GO SAFETY, TXDOT DOESN'T WANT ANY ACCESS POINTS ON 79 AND THE RAILROAD WANTS TO CLOSE DOWN EVERY ENTRANCE, WELL OBVIOUSLY THAT DOESN'T WORK.
SO WE HAVE TO BE WORKING TOGETHER, WHICH I DON'T THINK WE DID IN THE PAST.
WE JUST SAID, GO DESIGN US A BRIDGE AND OUT COMES A BRIDGE THAT IS THE MOST SAFE THING YOU CAN BUILD, I WOULD SAY.
BUT FROM A VIABILITY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TEXTILE LEAVING TELL YOU, THEY'RE NOT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THE ARGUMENTS AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THE BACK AND FORTH, IS BECAUSE WE NEED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SAFETY.
AND THESE GUYS ONLY WANT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TXDOT ONLY WANTS SAFETY.
AND SO OUR JOB'S TO KIND OF FORCE EVERYBODY TO TALK.
SO ANYWAY, YEAH, I GUESS FOR ME, UH, I ABSOLUTELY WANT TO MAXIMIZE, MAXIMIZE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COTTONWOOD PROPERTY.
UM, I I, I DO FEEL LIKE I LIKE HAVING OPTIONS, UM, AND SOME OTHER, UH, OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO CHANGE AND ALL THE INFORMATION THAT'S COMING.
BUT I FEEL WE DO HAVE, THE CITY DOES HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES.
UM, AND THAT WILL ONLY DELAY THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE COTTONWOOD PROPERTY EVEN MORE UNFORTUNATELY.
THIS IS JUST HOW, HOW I FORESEE THIS GOING ON JUST WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CURRENT DESIGN
[02:20:01]
UPRR AND TDOT, THEY ARE, UH, EVERYBODY HAS A SEAT AT THE TABLE AT THE CURRENT CHANGING COURSE TO, UH, POTENTIALLY CHANGE IT.UH, WE MAY HAVE TWO PLAYERS THAT DON'T HAVE A SEAT AT AT THE, IT'LL, IT'LL JUST BE THE CITY OF HU AND THE TAXPAYERS OF HU THAT, THAT WILL DO THAT.
UM, UM, I MEAN I KNOW THAT THE CITY'S GONNA HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL ON THIS, YOU KNOW, INITIALLY, BUT I JUST, THERE, I FEEL LIKE STOPPING SOMETHING THAT ALREADY IS MOVING FORWARD WITH, UH, PLAYERS AT THE TABLE, UH, FOR A BRIGHT SHINY PENNY THAT WE ALL WANT, UM, IS GOING TO DELAY IT EVEN D DELAY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PROPERTY OF THE COTTONWOOD PROPERTY.
I WON'T BE VOTING IN FAVOR OF THIS AMENDMENT.
ALRIGHT, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.
AND THIS IS TO POSTPONE THE PROJECT NUMBER FOUR AND TO DO NUMBER TWO, CHANGE COURSE AND TRY TO WORK WITH TDOT AND UPRR TO ADOPT ALTERNATIVE DESIGN DONE BY MIDWAY MAYOR SNYDER.
MOTION PASSES FIVE ONE OF THE AMENDMENTS.
NOW THE OVERALL ITEM IS THE EXACT SAME THING.
WE HAVE TO VOTE TWICE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
YOU VOTE AGAINST THE MOTION AS AMENDED BY YOUR AMENDMENT.
SO NOW THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS NUMBER FOUR, POSTPONE THE PROJECT.
TRY TO WORK WITH TXDOT AND UPRR TO ADOPT ALTERNATIVE DESIGN DONE BY MIDWAY.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? SO WE'RE VOTING ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION? NO, THE ORIGINAL MOTION IS NOW THE AMENDED MOTION IS, OKAY.
YEAH, I WOULD JUST SAY THIS COUNCILOR CALLER BRINGS UP SOME GOOD POINTS.
TWO PEOPLE WON'T BE AT THE TABLE, BUT I WOULD JUST SAY THIS, WHEN YOU COME TO THE TABLE AND YOU'RE TALKING, THIS IS HOW I RUN STUFF.
IF, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO GET ME TO DO STUFF AND SPEND MY MONEY, I'D LIKE YOU TO SPEND SOME OF YOUR MONEY TOO.
OTHERWISE, YOUR INPUT KINDA LIKE WHAT I SAID WITH THOSE GUYS, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOUR OPINION.
I WANT YOU GUYS TO BE UNDER CONTRACT.
WELL, IT'S GREAT FOR PEOPLE TO TELL US HOW TO BUILD A BRIDGE, BUT THEY'RE NOT PUTTING ANY MONEY INTO IT.
THEY'RE JUST TELLING US HOW TO SPEND OUR MONEY.
AND I THINK ONE OF COMMENTS IS, IT'S JUST GONNA BE THE ENGINEERS AND THE TAXPAYER AT THE TABLE.
AND GOD WILLING, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR, IS THE TAXPAYERS ARE PUT AHEAD OF OTHER PEOPLE.
AND IF TEXDOT WANTS TO COME IN AND SPEND A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ON A BRIDGE, THEN BY ALL MEANS THESE GUYS MAY BE BUILDING APARTMENTS THERE.
BUT SINCE WE'RE SPENDING THE MONEY, THEN I THINK OUR TAXPAYERS OUGHT TO COME FIRST.
AND MAYBE THE COUNTY CAN PONY UP SOME MONEY AND THEY CAN COME IN AND WE CAN SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'LL TAKE THAT INTO ADVICE, UM, ADVISEMENT.
BUT WITHOUT THAT IT'S JUST PEOPLE TALKING AND TELLING US HOW TO SPEND OUR MONEY AND DO THINGS.
AND IN OTHER CITIES, TDO SPENDS MONEY IN OTHER CITIES.
THE COUNTY SPEND SUBSTANTIAL MONEY IN OTHER CITIES.
AND I HAVE YET TO SEE THAT IN FIVE YEARS, SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT IN OUR CITY, UM, UNLESS ELECTED BY THE VOTERS TO DO IT ON A BOND PACKAGE.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, I KNOW THAT RUBS PEOPLE THE WRONG WAY.
BUT YEAH, TO, TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THE POINTS THAT THE MAYOR HAS, HAS MADE, UM, WITH THE COUNTY, WE CAN APPROACH THEM.
WE CAN ASK THEM TO PUT, PUT THIS PROJECT AS A POTENTIAL BOND PROJECT, UM, WITH COST PARTICIPATION.
UM, I'M PRETTY SURE NO ONE ON THE CITY COUNCIL OR IN THE CITY, CITY STAFF HAS APPROACHED THE COUNTY, UH, IN THAT, UM, IN, IN THAT LIGHT ALSO, UH, AS FAR AS TECH DOT STATE DOLLARS GO, I, I BELIEVE, I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY MANAGER CAN TALK TO THIS, BUT MAYBE SOME CAMPO MONEY OR, UH, SOME KIND OF ASSISTANCE.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT GOING TO PAY, UH, A HUNDRED PERCENT OR EVEN 75% OR MAYBE NOT EVEN 60% OF THE COST.
BUT IT IS A COST PARTICIPATION WITH OTHER PLAYERS, UM, UH, FOR, FOR THE PROJECT.
SO THEN SOLELY THIS, THIS, IF WE SWITCH GEARS AND WE'RE, WE'RE CHANGING OUR DESIGN, IF WE SWITCH GEARS, THEN IT WILL BE A HUNDRED PERCENT ON THE HU TAXPAYERS.
I SEE YOU GOING BACK AND FORTH.
THE LAST BOND PACKAGE THAT THE COUNTY VOTERS VOTED FOR AND PASSED, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME HOW MANY PROJECTS YOU PRESENTED TO THE COUNTY, BUT HOW MANY DID THEY ACCEPT AND PUT ON THE MEASURE THAT WILLIAMSON COUNTY APPROVED? THAT'S FOR HUDA.
UH, WE SUBMITTED THREE ROAD PROJECTS AND I BELIEVE ONE PART PROJECT AND IT PASSED THE FIRST PASS OF THE REVIEWS,
[02:25:01]
BUT IT DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE FINAL PACKAGE.SO NONE OF OUR PROJECTS MADE IT TO THE ROAD BOND PACKAGE.
BUT YOU DID SUBMIT THREE ROAD AND ONE PARK, CORRECT.
AND THIS, THIS ARTERIAL WAS ONE OF THE ROAD HOT PACKAGES THAT WE SUBMITTED AND, AND I PRESENTED ON IT WHEN THEY HAD THEIR, UH, PRESENTATIONS OVER IN THE, UH, OVER IN TAYLOR.
I WAS THERE REPRESENTING THE CITY.
I REMEMBER HE WENT THAT'S, YEAH, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T GET DONE ON THE FIRST TRY.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING JUST, JUST FOR, SINCE WE'RE CLARIFYING, UH, I HAVE WORKED WITH THE COUNTY 'CAUSE WE JUST, THE COUNTY JUST SUBMITTED THE UPDATES TO THE STATE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, THE, WHAT IS IT? RE THE STIP.
UM, AND SO THAT'S THE 2050 VERSION OF THE STEP.
AND UM, WHEN THE COUNTY SUBMITTED, I ASKED THEM TO SEND ME ALL THE STUFF THAT THEY WERE SUBMITTING AND I DID GET THEM TO UPDATE THEIR SUBMITTAL.
UM, WE DIDN'T GET IT IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS IN TIME FOR, FOR US TO BE PARTNERS WITH THEM, BUT THEY DID SUBMIT THE HU ARTERIAL TO THE STATE TRANSPORTATION PLAN AND I GOT THEM TO UPDATE IT SO THAT IT IS NOT JUST A TRAFFIC CONGESTION PROJECT, IT IS ALSO A SAFETY PROJECT.
AND SO THAT ACTUALLY IMPROVES OUR RUNNING, SO TO SPEAK, OF THE BEING ABLE TO POTENTIALLY GET STATE FUNDING.
WILL IT BE BUILT BY THE TIME WE GET FUNDING POTENTIALLY, UH,
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO HOW THEY CAMPO SELECTS THE PROJECTS AND SENDS OUT THEIR FUNDS.
MAYOR FOR, BUT THE ONE THING THAT HASN'T BEEN TALKED ABOUT IS YOU DON'T HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH CONSTRUCTING IT.
THERE'S NOTHING OBLIGATING THAT.
SO YOU COULD WAIT UNTIL YOUR OPPORTUNITY COMES AROUND.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO FORWARD AND SPEND THE MONEY.
JUST EVENTUALLY THESE GUYS STILL NEED ACCESS OFF 1 32.
YEAH, I JUST, SO, I MEAN, YEAH.
I MEAN, WHEN I, WHEN I WORKED FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WE DID THAT A LOT WHERE WE WOULD DESIGN A PROJECT AND THEN PUT IT UP ON THE SHELF.
AND THEN WHEN CONGRESS CUT A BIG CHUNK OF MONEY, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN ALL OF OUR WORK GOT DONE AND WE STARTED OVER WITH DESIGNING A BUNCH OF THINGS AND PUTTING IT ON THE SHELF AND WAITING FOR CONGRESS TO CUT US A BIG CHUNK OF MONEY.
LIKE IF, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER BACK WHEN, UM, WE HAD THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY PACKAGES UNDER, UH, PRESIDENT BUSH AND OBAMA, WE WERE BUSY 'CAUSE WE WERE BUILDING EVERYTHING THAT WE, THAT WE HAD WANTED TO BUILD FOR YEARS AND THEN STARTED REDESIGNING THINGS SO THAT WHEN FUTURE CHUNKS OF MONEY CAME FORWARD.
SO WE COULD DO THAT AS WELL TO THE CITY MANAGER'S POINT WHERE WE DESIGN IT AND THEN WE JUST WAIT UNTIL, YEAH, SOME FUNDING COMES AVAILABLE.
SO I GUESS GOING BACK TO NUMBER, UH, FIVE RIGHT HERE, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THE CORD, KEEPING EVERYTHING ACCURATE, NO BRIDGE, NO, NO NOTHING.
BUT IF WE HAVE SOMETHING PERMANENT THAT INCREASES SAFETY AND, UH, MOBILITY FOR RESIDENTS KIND OF MOVING BACK AND FORTH A ACROSS 79, JUST KIND OF KEEPING IT SIMPLE, PLAIN JANE AND HAVING THAT DESIGN SO THAT IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, UH, THE DEVELOPERS OF COTTONWOOD COULD KIND OF KEEP GOING.
OBVIOUSLY YOU, YOU'D HAVE YOUR TWO NEW ACCESS POINTS.
UM, AND THEN, UH, IT WOULD JUST BE HOW, HOW IT IS CURRENTLY JUST EVERYTHING ON, ON THE GROUND.
BUT WE WOULD HAVE THIS OVERPASS DESIGN ALREADY AND SAY IN FIVE YEARS OR SEVEN YEARS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET THE COUNTY ON BOARD.
WE CAN HAVE THE STATE BEING LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A BOOMING PART OF, OF, YOU KNOW, EAST WILLIAMSON COUNTY, UM, BAM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A DESIGN AND WE'VE ALREADY GOT IT.
I MEAN, IT MAY HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, TWEAKED.
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WORKS IN THE ENGINEERING WORLD, BUT TWEAKED A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE DEVELOPMENT GOING ON ALREADY ON THE PRO UH, PROPERTY, BUT YOU KNOW, FROM THERE AT LEAST WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A 60, YOU KNOW, 60, 75 OR EVEN 90% I GUESS.
'CAUSE YOU GET TO 90%, RIGHT? SO WE'VE GOT THE 90%.
AND SO IT MIGHT EVEN BE WORTHWHILE TO DO THAT JUST TO KEEP EVERYTHING FLAT ON THE, ON THE GROUND.
BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT NUMBER TWO DOES, BECAUSE NUMBER TWO DOES THAT.
NUMBER TWO DOES THAT BECAUSE WE CAN DESIGN THE OVERPASS, BUT WE HAVE THE GRADE, THE GRADE LEVEL SETTING AND WE CAN BUILD ALL OF THE AT GRADE STUFF AND THEN NOT BUILD THE OVERPASS AND THEN TRY TO LINE UP ALL OF OUR, ALL OF OUR POTENTIAL FUNDING PARTNERS TO GET THAT BUILT A FEW YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WHEN FUNDING IS AVAILABLE AND WHEN DEMAND IS THERE TO, TO MAKE THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TACKLE AT THAT POINT.
CAN, CAN WE CALL THE VOTE? 'CAUSE WE HAVE THE AMENDMENT TO MAKE THE FALL AND FALL MOTION AND NOW WE'RE TRYING TO ARGUE TO CHANGE IT AGAIN.
SO CAN WE CALL THE VOTE? I DID NOT PROPOSE
[02:30:01]
ANY CHANGES.UH, COUNCILOR CLARK, IT'S, IT'S TOUGH BEING ON TEAMS, BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE HAVING IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER TO SPEAK ON THE MOTION.
UM, SO I THINK IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE HAD YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
COUNCILOR THORNTON, I DON'T KNOW IF COUNCILOR THOMPSON WANTS TO SPEAK AND I DON'T KNOW.
YOU HAVEN'T SPOKEN YET, HAVE YOU? I DON'T NEED TO.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? I'M OKAY, THANK YOU.
CAN YOU REPEAT THE MOTION THOUGH, MR. MAYOR? IT'S TO, UH, POST NUMBER FOUR, POSTPONE THE PROJECT, AND NUMBER TWO, CHANGE COURSE AND TRY TO WORK WITH TEX OUT AND UPRR TO ADOPT THE ALTERNATIVE DESIGN DONE BY MIDWAY.
ALRIGHT, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE COUNCIL MEMBER THORNTON AYE.
LOST TRACK WAS THAT SIX? MOTION PASSES.
[10.2. Consideration and possible action relating to requirements for persons residing in the Exterritorial Jurisdiction or non-US Citizens, (Resident or Non-Resident Aliens) or foreign nationals to serve on some boards and/or commissions if allowed by law. (Mayor Pro Tern Gordon).]
BRINGS US UP TO ITEM 10.TWO CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONS RESIDING IN EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION ARE NON-US CITIZENS, RESIDENT OR NON-RESIDENT ALIENS OR FOREIGN NATIONALS TO SERVE ON SOME BOARDS AND OR COMMISSIONS IF ALLOWED BY LAW.
AND WE HAVE A CITIZEN COMMENT ON THIS.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT THAT PEOPLE BE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN ORDER ORDER TO SERVE IN BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
I'M SURE YOU CAN ALL PUT YOUR HEADS TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH OTHER WAYS TO VERIFY RESIDENCY.
IN THE SPIRIT OF HONORING TODAY'S PROCLAMATION, I ASK, WE OPEN OUR HEARTS AND MIND ENOUGH TO EMBRACE ALL HOW RESIDENTS WHO WISH TO SERVE OUR CITY.
I, MYSELF, DID NOT BECOME ELIGIBLE TO SERVE UNTIL 2016 WHEN I, UH, AND I PURCHASED MY HOME HERE IN 2007.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE NOT TO INCLUDE PERMANENT RESIDENTS, SO KNOW THAT THESE NUMBERS WOULD BE EVEN LARGER.
AND THAT'S B WITH, THAT'S WITH A B, B FOR BRAVOS STATE AND LOCAL TAXES, 5 MILLION HEALTHCARE WORKERS.
UM, ANY SEN UH, WORKERS IN OTHER ESSENTIAL INDUSTRIES.
OUR LABOR FORCE IS MADE UP BY 10%.
SELF-EMPLOYED UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS.
UM, THEY CONTRIBUTE TO CONSUMER SPENDING TAX CONTRIBUTIONS OF APPROXIMATELY $27 BILLION WITH BS AND BRAVO 12 BILLION, ALSO WITH A BS AND BRAVO SOCIAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTIONS, CONTRIBUTIONS TO AGRICULTURE AS 24% OF FARM WORKERS ARE UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS, CONSTRUCTION, PUBLIC SERVICES, AND MORE UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE AND PERMANENT RESIDENTS CONTRIBUTE AND LIVE IN HURO.
REMEMBER THAT BEING KIND AND INCLUSIVE IS FREE AND A GOOD THING.
BELIEVE THIS IS YOUR ITEM, OR MAYOR PERAM GORDON.
YEAH, SO I HAD ASKED, UH, SO THIS KIND OF CAME UP, UM, UH, PROBABLY A FEW MONTHS AGO BACK WHEN WE WERE CONSIDERING CHANGING THE NAME OF THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COMMISSION TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING.
UM, AND IT REALLY GOT ME THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DOES EVERYONE FEEL, YOU KNOW, A A SENSE OF BELONGING WITHIN THE CITY? UM, I HAVE A GROWING NUMBER OF FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES WHO, UM, ARE NOT CURRENTLY US CITIZENS.
MANY OF THEM ARE WORKING ON THEIR CITIZENSHIP.
MANY OF THEM ARE, YOU KNOW, WORKING TOWARDS THAT, SOME AREN'T.
UM, SOME, I'VE GOT ONE FRIEND WHO'S BEEN HERE TWO DECADES AND, YOU KNOW, WHO IS A GREEN CARD HOLDER AND, AND WORKS, UM, IN TEXAS AND HAS LIVED HERE MANY, MANY YEARS.
UM, I'VE GOT OTHER FRIENDS WHO ARE VERY, YOU KNOW, RECENT KIND OF TRANSPLANTS FROM OTHER AREAS OF THE WORLD.
UM, I'VE KNOWN, UH, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A BIG INFLUX OF, UH, INDIVIDUALS IN SUPPORT OF SAMSUNG AND THEIR SUPPLIERS.
AND SO A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, ASIAN PEOPLE COMING HERE.
AND SO IT JUST GOT ME THINKING, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INCLUSIVE AND ALLOW THEM TO BE ABLE TO SERVE IN ADDITIONAL WAYS THAN THEY CAN SERVE NOW? UM, I HAD, UH, I APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T GET ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT I WANTED IN THE PACKET, BUT, UH, OUR CITY ATTORNEY DID SEND A MEMO OUT TO THE COUNCIL, WHICH, UM, WAS INTENDED TO BE IN THE PACKET.
AND THEN I POSTED SOME KIND OF CLARIFICATIONS ON OUR MESSAGE BOARD.
I KNOW THE MAYOR SAW IT AT LEAST.
AND SO JUST MY THOUGHTS WERE, YOU KNOW, WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE? I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA, MAYBE IT IS A GOOD IDEA.
BUT I JUST GOT THINKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME WAYS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BROADEN, UM, OUR HORIZONS A LITTLE BIT? THE FIRST, UH, BOARD THAT I REALLY THOUGHT OF WAS THE, THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING, UM, COMMISSION.
I THOUGHT THAT'S A GREAT WAY FOR, FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS TO
[02:35:01]
BRING IN A LOT OF, UM, MAYBE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES, ESPECIALLY COMING FROM OTHER COUNTRIES VERY RECENTLY.UM, I THOUGHT THAT KIND OF MADE SENSE.
AS I LOOKED AT SOME OF THE OTHER BOARDS, I THOUGHT, WELL, YOU KNOW, THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY.
SOME OF THEM HAVE PURCHASED HOMES, SOME OF THEM HAVE, YOU KNOW, ARE RENTERS.
UM, ALL OF THEM ARE PAYING, UM, SALES TAX FOR SURE.
UM, THEY'RE PARTICIPATING IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE USING OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY.
UM, AND, UH, COULD WE BENEFIT FROM HAVING SOME OF THEIR INPUT? AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE GENESIS OF IT CAME FROM.
AND THAT'S KINDA WHAT I WAS THINKING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT UP AS A, AS AN IDEA TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AMONG THE COUNCIL TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IDEAS THAT YOU HAD, UM, CONCERNS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS WERE.
UM, IN THE MEMO THAT CAME FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE MAIN KIND OF CLASSIFICATION THAT I WAS REALLY KIND OF LOOKING FOR WAS WHAT'S, UH, TERMED AS RESIDENT ALIEN, WHICH IS SOMEBODY WHO EITHER, UH, HAS A GREEN CARD OR PASSES WHAT'S CALLED THE SUBSTANTIAL PRESENCE TEST, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY'VE LIVED IN THE UNITED STATES AT LEAST 31 DAYS DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY KIND OF MEET SOME RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS.
AND SO ANYWAY, JUST WANTED TO, THAT WAS KIND OF THE BACKGROUND OF IT AND WANTED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT EVERYONE'S THOUGHTS WERE.
SO WE'LL EITHER ENTERTAIN A MOTION OR WE CAN, UM, ONE, THE MOTION COULD BE TO SUSPEND THE RULES, RIGHT? 'CAUSE WE EITHER HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION WE CAN'T DISCUSS UNLESS WE, UNLESS THEY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE OWNER OF THE ITEM.
SO WE QUESTIONS OR FOR THE MAYOR PRO TEM OR MOTION, CAN YOU GO OVER THE, UM, I, I UNDERSTAND THE FIRST, UM, I GUESS SET OF CRITERIA WITH THE GREEN CARD HOLDER.
CAN YOU GO OVER, I'M TRYING TO FIND THE, UM, THE MEMO, BUT THE SECOND SET OF CRITERIA? YES.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS CALLED, UM, A RESIDENT ALIEN IS DEFINED, UM, IN THE IRS TAX CODE AS A PERSON WHO MEETS EITHER THE GREEN CARD TEST OR THE SUBSTANTIAL PRESENCE TEST.
AND SO THE GREEN CARD TEST IS A PERSON WHO, UM, HAS A, IS A LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT WITHIN THE US ACCORDING TO US, UH, IMMIGRATION LAWS, UM, THEIR STATUS HASN'T BEEN REVOKED.
UM, THEY BASICALLY QUALIFY TO HOLD A GREEN CARD.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS, UM, A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE US ON AT LEAST EITHER 31 DAYS DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR AND 183 DAYS DURING THE THREE YEAR PERIOD.
THAT INCLUDES THE CURRENT YEAR AND THE TWO IMMEDIATELY PROCEEDING.
SO 31 DAYS DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR, CURRENT CALENDAR YEAR, AND 183 DAYS TOTAL FOR THREE YEARS.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, THIS MAY BE IN THE MEMO, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER GORDON, WHAT DOES THE CHARTER SAY ABOUT THIS? OR DOES IT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? UH, SO THE CURRENT, I THINK, I DON'T THINK IT'S IN THE CHARTER, DOTTIE, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S IN OUR ORDINANCE WHERE IT SAYS THAT IN ORDER TO SERVE ON A BORDER OR COMMISSION, YOU NEED TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, AND THEN THAT ALSO BROUGHT UP KIND OF AN ANCILLARY, UNINTENDED, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ALSO ANCILLARY THING TO WHERE WE DO ALLOW SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE IN THE ETJ TO SERVE ON SOME BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
AND SO THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A CONFLICT IN SOME OF OUR WORDING WHERE IT SAYS YOU NEED TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER IN THE CITY, BUT THEY'RE NOT REGISTERED VOTERS IN THE CITY.
'CAUSE THEY LIVE IN THE ETJ, BUT WE ALLOW THEM TO SERVE LIKE ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION ON THE, UH, THE LIBRARY BOARD OR THE TWO THAT I'M AWARE OF.
AND, UH, I THINK WE DID THE DI OR DEIB IS, IS THE, IS THE THIRD ONE WHERE I, I THINK THAT WOULD REQUIRE SOME CLEANUP, JUST SOME CLARIFICATION OF THE, UH, OF THE WORDING.
AND THE CHARTER DOES ALLOW YOU TO ESTABLISH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BY ORDINANCE.
BUT THEN YOU LOOK TO STATE LAW, LIKE I GAVE AN EXAMPLE OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAS SPECIFIC MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT, UM, ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT YOU'VE CREATED TO SEE IF THERE'S A STATE LAW THAT SAYS WHAT THE MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS ARE.
SO ARE YOU LOOKING TO, IS YOUR GOAL TO HAVE A MOTION TO BRING BACK AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD MAKE CHANGES BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF US TO MAKE CHANGES.
I MEAN, POSSIBLY IF, IF, IF THERE IS, YOU KNOW, A, A DISCUSSION OPEN ENOUGH TO WHERE THERE'S ENOUGH MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WHO ARE AT LEAST OPEN TO THE IDEA, WELL, I GUESS THERE'S, THERE'S JUST NOT A FINAL ACTION TONIGHT BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE TO BE AN ORDINANCE CHANGE, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND I, YEAH, MY INTENTION WAS NEVER TO HAVE A, EVEN A FINAL ACTION, BUT MORE TO JUST HAVE A DISCUSSION TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT'S EVERYONE'S THOUGHTS? I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF AND LEGAL TO COME BACK WITH RECOMMENDATIONS
[02:40:01]
THAT CAN BE PRESENTED AT A FUTURE WORKSHOP AGENDA, UM, TO DISCUSS WHICH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WOULD BE REQUIRED OR EXEMPTED BASED ON STATE LAW.AND TO FURTHER SPECIFY, JUST LIKE WE DON'T ALLOW MORE THAN TWO EJ MEMBERS ON OUR BOARD, WE WOULD SAY ETJ SLASH NON-CITIZEN MAX TWO.
SO THAT WAY RESIDENTS ARE STILL THE MAJORITY OF OUR BOARD.
UM, BUT TO COME BACK AT, AT A WORKSHOP.
MOTION BY COUNCIL MAYOR CLARK.
I THINK THAT'S, I THINK IT GIVES US MORE DISCUSSION AND THEN A WORKSHOP WOULD GIVE US MORE ABILITY TO KIND OF FREELY TALK ABOUT IDEAS AND THOUGHTS, I GUESS.
UM, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S FINE BECAUSE I, I MEAN, I HAVE THOUGHTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE APPROPRIATENESS ON CERTAIN BOARDS VERSUS OTHERS.
UM, I THINK IT'S, IT'S AN EASIER CASE ON SOME, AND THEN ON OTHERS THERE ARE AT LEAST THINGS THAT WE SHOULD DISCUSS ABOUT CONCERNS.
UM, AND THEN ALSO HOW YOU NAVIGATE THOSE LIMITS.
'CAUSE IS IT GONNA BE A TOTAL NUMBER OF ETJ PLUS RESIDENT ALIENS HAS TO BE UNDER A CERTAIN NUMBER OR HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU WORD THAT TO MAKE THAT, UM, FIT.
OTHERWISE, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, WHAT THE INTENT OF EVERYBODY'S THOUGHTS ARE THERE.
SO FIGURING OUT WHAT WE WOULD WANT THOSE ORDINANCE CHANGES TO BE.
I GUESS A WORKSHOP IS, I, WHEN HE SAID WORKSHOP AT FIRST, I THOUGHT MAYBE THAT'S OVERKILL, BUT THEN AGAIN, THERE MIGHT BE ENOUGH TO DISCUSS HERE THAT, THAT IT WARRANTS A, YOU KNOW, A GOOD HALF HOUR DISCUSSION ON IT TO COME TO SOME CONSENSUS ON WHAT NOR NOTES CHANGE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
YEAH, I LIKE THE, I LIKE THE WORKSHOP, UM, IDEA.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'LL GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO SUSS OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE SOME, JUST A, A FEW RESERVATIONS, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING CITIZENS, UM, AT THE MOMENT DOESN'T MEAN THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS, UH, HAS THAT PRIVILEGE AT THE MOMENT.
AND SO, UM, I, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD LIMIT IT, BUT, UM, I DO THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME, SOME, YOU KNOW, PARAMETERS.
SO I THINK THAT THE WORKSHOP WOULD HELP US OUT TO KIND OF SUSS THAT OUT.
YEAH, I GUESS, UM, FOR ME, DEFINITELY HAVING LEGAL'S INPUT INTO WHAT IS ALLOWED BY, UH, I GUESS IN DOING THIS, UM, ALLOWED, WHETHER IT'S IN STATUTE OR NOT, UM, THAT WOULD BE A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR ME THEN TO MAKE, I GUESS NEXT STEPS OR MAKE FUTURE DECISIONS.
SO I THINK FIRST STEP WOULD BE JUST GETTING LEGAL TO RESEARCHES MORE BECAUSE LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER THOMPSON, I DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME CONCERNS OR RESERVATIONS OR I DON'T, I DON'T REALLY EVEN KNOW, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, JUST GENERAL CONCERNS.
SO, BUT IF THAT, THAT CAN BE CLARIFIED BY LEGAL, THEN MAYBE THAT CAN CLEAR SOME THINGS UP.
THE PART THAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT, ABOUT THE MOTION IS TO HAVE STAFF COME BACK WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.
TO ME THAT IS A POLICY DECISION.
THAT IS, WE NEED TO COME UP WITH WHAT WE WANNA DO.
NOW WE CAN SAY BASED ON A LEGAL OPINION OF WHAT YOU CAN DO, BUT TO HAVE THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF GET TOGETHER AND GO, I DON'T KNOW.
DO YOU THINK THIS IS A GOOD BOARD TO DO THIS? I DON'T KNOW.
AND SO I THINK THEY NEED TO STAY OUT OF THAT PART BECAUSE IT'S UP TO, IT'S GONNA BE UP TO US TO DECIDE DO WE WANT, DO WE WANT IT? I AGREE WITH YOU, MAYOR.
I, I ADMIT I I'LL TAKE THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
I, WHEN I ADMIT STAFF, I MEANT LEGAL STAFF, NOT, NOT CITY STAFF.
'CAUSE IT'S OUR PURVIEW OF CREATE BOARDS AND COMMISSION THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CITY STAFF.
SO, SORRY FOR THE MISCOMMUNICATION REPORTS.
THAT, THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING WAS IT WAS GONNA BE LEGAL.
NOW, THE ONLY THING I'D SAY ON THIS IS, SO I TALKED TO, I TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT, UM, I REALLY THOUGHT WOULD HAVE AN OPPOSITE OPINION OF ME.
AND, UH, I PERSONALLY DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE A GREEN CARD BECAUSE I THINK THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A PROCESS.
AND I THINK THAT WHILE THEY'RE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE INTRICACIES OF, UM, YOU KNOW, BECOMING A CITIZEN, BUT I UNDERSTAND THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A PROCESS.
THEY MAY BE WORKING ON BECOMING A CITIZEN AND THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THAT.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS SOMEONE HAD GAVE TO ME WAS, ESPECIALLY IN TEXAS, IS THE, THEY DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GONNA COME UP AND SAY, HEY, I'M NOT HERE LEGALLY, BUT I'M
I HAVE SUBSTANTIAL PRESENCE BECAUSE WE'RE IN AN ENVIRONMENT IN TEXAS WHERE THAT'S GONNA BE LOOKED AT BY CERTAIN PEOPLE A CERTAIN WAY.
AND SO THEY THINK THAT WHILE IT MAY BE AN EMPTY ABILITY FOR SOMEONE TO COME UP, THEIR QUESTION WAS HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY SAY, I DON'T HAVE STATUS TO BE HERE AS SOME PEOPLE THINK I
[02:45:01]
SHOULD, BUT I STILL WANNA SERVE ON A BOARD AND COMMISSION.SO THEN THAT GOT ME TO LOOK ABOUT BEING A RESIDENT OF THE CITY.
AND, UM, AND THEN THE VOTER, REGISTERED VOTER.
AND I THINK THE ONLY REASON A REGISTERED VOTER IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF AN ORDINANCE IS BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO PROVE BY LAW THAT YOU ARE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THAT YOU LIVE IN A CITY BECAUSE ANY OTHER MECHANISM, THERE'S NO WAY TO PROVIDE PROOF.
NOW YOU COULD LIE ON YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION, AND THEN THERE'S CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR THAT.
BUT ANYTHING ELSE, IF YOU DO A UTILITY BILL, THIS IS JUST THE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT FOR THE WORK SESSION.
IF, IF YOU SAY, WELL, A UTILITY BILL CAN ESTABLISH RESIDENCE, UM, WELL THEN YOU MAY HAVE BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE LIKE, WELL, I'M THE RESIDENT BECAUSE I HAVE A UTILITY BILL.
OR YOU SAY, WELL, I JUST NEED A LEASE.
WELL, THEN HOW DO YOU VERIFY THE LEASE IS AN ACTUAL LEASE.
AND IT'S NOT SOMEONE FROM GEORGETOWN THAT WANTS TO BE ON A BORDER COMMISSION.
AND SO I THINK WE REALLY GOTTA THINK HOW WE'RE GONNA, HOW, HOW DO WE VET THIS? 'CAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANT IS THE CITY SECRETARY TO SPEND ALL OF OUR TIME GOING THROUGH TRYING TO IDENTIFY, IS THIS PERSON REALLY HERE? AND WE ALREADY ARGUE ENOUGH ON THE COUNCIL ABOUT WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE LIVING IN THE CITY.
IF WE START OPENING UP THIS WIDE THING, I'M AFRAID THAT YOU JUST HAVE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE, THEREBY THAT'S GONNA QUESTION DO YOU REALLY LIVE IN A CITY? AND THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY, IF WE DO THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US MORE DO IT AS I UNDERSTAND THE ETJ ISSUE.
BUT I THINK WE OUGHT TO HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL ORDINANCE PER BOARD LIKE WE DID WITH DNI ORIGINALLY, UM, LIKE WE'VE DONE WITH THE EDC INDIVIDUAL ORDINANCES THAT THEN WE CAN SAY IN THAT WAY, WHO IN ETJ OR WHATEVER CAN SERVE AND, AND THEN WHO CAN'T.
UM, BECAUSE I DO UNDERSTAND THERE IS A CONFLICT.
UM, BUT I, I'M NOT, I'M NOT NECESSARILY IN FAVOR OF THE, EVERYBODY IN ETJ BEING ABLE TO SERVE ON OUR BOARD.
'CAUSE WE HAVE 40,000 PEOPLE AND I THINK WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO GET THEM MORE INVOLVED.
LIKE I SAID, I'M OKAY HAVING A WORK SESSION.
UM, 'CAUSE THERE'S, THIS IS A DETAILED THING HERE, BUT, ALL RIGHT.
HEARING NONE, PLEASE CALL TO VOTE.
THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM 12 TWO,
[12.2. Consideration and possible action on Ordinance No. O-2024-061 adopting the amendments to the Water and Wastewater Impact Fees, and amending the Code of Ordinances. (Matt Rector)]
CONSIDERATION POSSIBLE ACTION ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH 0 6 1, ADOPTING THE AMENDMENTS TO THE WATER AND WASTEWATER IMPACT FEES AND AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.AND ON THAT, WE HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT.
FIRST WE HAVE DAVID GLENN, THANKS FOR STICKING AROUND.
I, ALLERGIES ARE KILLING ME, BUT MY NAME IS DAVID GLENN.
UH, I'M THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR STICKING AROUND AND HEARING ME OUT.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK, UH, AGAINST THE PROPOSED 40% INCREASE IN THE WATER WASTEWATER IMPACT FEES, UM, WHICH AMOUNTS TO $8,000, UH, INCREASE ON A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE.
WE, OF COURSE, UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT CONSTRUCTION IS EXPENSIVE, BUT WE JUST FEEL THIS INCREASE IS TOO BIG TOO QUICKLY, AND WE'RE CONCERNED THE IMPACT IT MIGHT HAVE ON THE MARKET.
I'VE GOT SOME NUMBERS FOR YOU I WANTED TO GO OVER.
UM, OVERALL, THE, THE MARKET IN CENTRAL TEXAS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS IS DOWN 38%.
I'M SURE WE'VE ALL SEEN THAT IN 2024.
WE ARE SEEING A SLIGHT UPTICK IN SOME MARKETS.
BUT ACROSS THE 35 MARKETS IN THE REGION, HUDA IS ACTUALLY DOWN 33%.
AND THAT IS THE SECOND BIGGEST DECREASE BEHIND NORTHEAST AUSTIN IN JUST ABOVE PFLUGERVILLE.
SO, UH, HUDU IN PARTICULAR IS ALREADY SEEING, UM, FEWER STARTS THAN, THAN MOST CITIES IN THE REGION.
UM, TO SHARE SOME PERSPECTIVE ABOUT THE COST, I WAS, I'VE BEEN VISITING WITH MY DEVELOPERS AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ALTERNATIVES.
UM, WHAT WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE DEVELOPERS DO IS ACTUALLY CREATE THEIR OWN PACKAGE PLANTS.
AND THEY CAN DO THAT FOR ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE COST OF WHAT, UM, IS BEING PROPOSED TONIGHT.
SO ROUGHLY 7,000, $8,000 PER HOME.
UM, I ALSO ASKED THE BUILDERS WHAT THEY WOULD DO IF THIS INCREASE WERE TO GO THROUGH AS PROPOSED.
AND, UM, THE QUOTE I GOT WAS, WE WILL ADJUST OUR PRICES, CLOSE OUT THE PROJECT, AND THEN MOVE ON FROM HURO.
I KNOW THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION EARLIER ABOUT, UM, CONCERN ABOUT WHAT THIS MIGHT DO TO THE, TO THE HOUSING MARKET.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME OF THOSE PERSPECTIVES.
UM, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE, THE DECREASE IN, UM, THE WATER FEE.
HOWEVER, BY OUR ESTIMATES ABOUT HALF THE CITIZENS RESIDENTS HERE ARE ON JONAH WATER.
SO MANY FOLKS WON'T EVEN REALLY
[02:50:01]
BENEFIT FROM, FROM THAT PARTICULAR DECREASE.UM, I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE REIMBURSEMENTS.
I KNOW WHEN Y'ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT IMPACT FEES EARLIER, THAT THERE WAS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GIVING BACK MONEY TO THE DEVELOPERS IN THE EVENT THAT, UM, THERE'S AN OVERCHARGE OR SURPLUS.
UH, FROM MY EXPERIENCE AND FROM A MEMBER'S EXPERIENCE, TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS CITIES HOLD ON AND WAIT TILL THAT 10TH YEAR BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY GIVE THAT MONEY BACK.
AND I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY INSTANCE WHERE THERE'S ACTUALLY BEEN A CHECK CUT AND GIVEN BACK TO THE DEVELOPER FOR OVER COLLECTING.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE CITY COUNCIL TO EASE INTO THESE, UM, EASE INTO THESE FEES AS OPPOSED TO, UM, INCREASING 'EM SO, UH, SO DRAMATICALLY YEAR OVER YEAR.
UM, SO HUDU IS SEEING A, A, A STEEP DROP OFF IN PERMITS.
UH, WE NEED ROOFTOPS TO PAY FOR THIS INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, I KNOW THAT'S A DIFFICULT NEEDLE TO THREAD.
I'M, I'M GLAD I'M NOT IN YOUR SEAT.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO SAY THAT WE ARE HAPPY TO PAY OUR SHARE AND WE DO CONSIDER OURSELVES MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, WE DO BELIEVE IN THIS INSTANCE IT'S TOO HIGH.
SO OUR ASK WOULD BE TO CONSIDER MAYBE ADOPTING AT 70% OR 75% OF THE RATE FOR THE WASTEWATER FEE AND, UM, AND REALLY NOT GO ALL THE WAY TO THE MAX RECOGNIZING THAT THERE'S A NEED TO DO THAT IN THE FUTURE.
THAT YOU'LL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR DAVID? SO I HAD A QUESTION.
SO, UM, YOU SAID SOME OF THE DEVELOPERS SAID THEY WOULD JUST KIND OF CLOSE OUT WHAT THEY'VE GOT AND THEN MOVE ON FROM HURO.
IS THERE A CHANCE, AND YOU HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT PACKAGE PLANS, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO WOULD THERE BE ALSO A KIND OF A CHANCE THAT THEY WOULDN'T MOVE ON FROM HURO, BUT THEY WOULD STILL DEVELOP IN, THEY THEY JUST DEVELOP IN THE COUNTY? CORRECT.
AND THEY WOULDN'T, THEY'D CHOOSE NOT TO ANNEX 'CAUSE THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO THE FEE.
SO WE'D STILL GET THE SAME HOMES.
SO THE HOMES WOULD STILL BE BUILT.
WE WOULDN'T GET ANY OF THE PROPERTY TAX AND WE WOULDN'T GET ANY OF THE FEES AND WE MIGHT GET A PACKAGE PLANT.
IT SIMILAR TO WHAT THE, THE DISCUSSION I HAD EARLIER.
THE GENTLEMAN MENTIONED THAT YOU COULD JUST GO A MILE OUTSIDE OF TAYLOR AND DO THE DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENTLY AND MAYBE MORE AFFORDABLY.
UM, THE 75%, WHERE DID YOU COME UP WITH THAT PERCENTAGE? HONESTLY, WE TRIED TO FIND A NUMBER THAT WE COULD BRING FORWARD TO Y'ALL THAT WASN'T SAYING THAT, DIDN'T SAY, DON'T DO IT AT ALL.
AND, AND THAT'S INTENTIONAL, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE, THE, THE NEED, RIGHT? AND EVERY CITY DOES HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS, DIFFERENT CIPS, BUT, UM, 75% IS WITH THE NUMBER WE ALL DECIDED ON, THAT WOULD BE WORKABLE.
SO THE 75%, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU SPOKE WITH, UH, CITY STAFF ABOUT AND KIND OF VETTED THAT THROUGH AND WHAT IS THAT? YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE FEEDBACK FROM CITY STAFF WITH THAT PERCENTAGE? WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO VISIT WITH CITI ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR, UM, PROPOSAL.
WE DID MEET WITH MATT EARLIER THIS WEEK AND KIND OF WENT OVER SOME OF THE DETAILS OF THE PLAN AND BROUGHT SOME OF MY DEVELOPERS TO THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS THE 79%, UM, TYPICALLY WHEN THESE FEES ARE ADOPTED, WE GET, THERE'S A, THERE'S A LONGER PERIOD BETWEEN THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING AND THE FINAL ADOPTION.
USUALLY THEY GO THE FULL 30 DAYS, BUT WITH THE TWO WEEK TURNAROUND THAT WE'VE SEEN, IT'S BEEN, UH, WE'VE HAD TO WORK QUICK.
SO THEN MATT, DID YOU HAVE ANY, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD FROM YOUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM ABOUT THE 75%, UH, RECOMMENDATION? UM, SO THIS IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST I'M HEARING ABOUT THE 75% RECOMMENDATION.