[00:00:05]
>> CLERK: GOOD AFTERNOON E WL COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL B SESSION OF APRIL THE THIRD, 2019.
>> CLERK: MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
[1. Briefing and update on the Final Draft SA Parks System Plan and Smoke/Tobacco-Free Parks. [Colleen M. Bridger, MPH, PhD, Interim Assistant City Manager; Xavier D. Urrutia, Director, Parks and Recreation]]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION AGENDA.
WE HAVE ONE ITEM FOR OUR REVIEW.
THAT'S THE BRIEFING ON THE SA PARK PLAN.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER ERIK WALSH.
>> WALSH: THE PLAN PROVIDES THE FOUNDATION THAT GUIDES FUTURE PLANNING DECISIONS THAT WILL IMPACT THE PARK SYSTEM AND RESIDENTS IN THE AREA OF GREEN SPACE, RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING.
THE DEPARTMENT, AS YOU KNOW, PROVIDES RECREATIONAL AND FITNESS PROGRAMS TO THE PUBLIC AND MAINTAINS OVER 250 PARKS AS WELL AS SWIMMING POOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS.
THE DEPARTMENT ALSO MAINTAINS MORE THAN 15,000 ACRES OF PARKLAND, INCLUDING 180 MILES OF WALKING, HIKING AND BIKING TRAILS.
THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, AS YOU'LL HERE TODAY, HELD A PRETTY ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORT OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS AND YOU'LL SEE TODAY THAT THE COMMUNITY'S INPUT MAKES IT CLEAR THAT PARKS AND OPEN SPACE ARE IMPORTANT QUALITY OF LIFE ASPECT FOR RESIDENTS.
THE -- XAVIER IS HERE ALONG WITH OUR CONSULTANTS, BETH WELLS AND LARRY CLARK WITH BENDER, WELLS AND CLARK DESIGN AS WELL AS JIMENEZ AND ASSOCIATES AND HE'LL SHARE WITH US THE ENGAGEMENT RESULTS OF THE MASTER PLAN AND HIGHLIGHT THE ITEM AS IT COMES FORWARD FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE SA PARK SYSTEM PLAN, WHICH I KNOW CAN SOUND DRY, CAN SOUND LIKE A DOCUMENT AND IN PARKS WE ALWAYS THINK OF OURSELVES AS VERY ACTION-ORIENTED, ENGAGING WITH THE PUBLIC, ENGAGING WITH YOUTH, ENGAGING WITH NATURE.
I DIDN'T WANT ANYONE TO FEEL ALONE OR NOT FEEL IN THE GREEN SPACE, SO I DID BRING SOME FRIENDS WITH US FOR THIS EVENT.
OUR NATURE AREA -- NATURAL AREA'S STAFF DESIGNED WHEN WE GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND DO EDUCATION ABOUT NATURE, AND THE DIFFERENT ANIMALS AND HABITATS THAT ARE REQUIRED IN OUR PARKS TO MAINTAIN THESE WILDLIFE FEATURES.
SO THIS TREE HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT BIRDS, A LITTLE OPOSSUMS, LITTLE SQUIRRELS, DIFFERENT THINGS.
THESE ARE ONE OF THE EVENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, WE DID AT MLK PARK BACK IN THE FALL WHERE WE BROUGHT OUT AND WE HAD LIKE 27 DIFFERENT ZIP CODES OF -- 500 PEOPLE SHOWED UP FOR THIS SATURDAY EVENT.
AGAIN, IT SPEAKS TO THE TYPE OF WORK WE DO AND HOW I FEEL THE SYSTEM PLAN REALLY REFLECTS AND IS OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLE AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THAT -- THOSE EFFORTS.
SO, AGAIN, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
BENDER, WELLS AND CLARK WERE OUR PRIMARIES ON THIS ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAD THE JIMENEZ AND ASSOCIATES AS WELL AS MIG WHO WORKED ON THIS PLAN.
OUR LAST PLAN WAS ADOPTED BACK IN 2006.
AND AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, THE PLAN REALLY LOOKS -- IT'S A GUIDE.
IT'S NOT A PRESCRIPTION, IT'S NOT GIVING US STEP 1, STEP 2, BUT IT'S A GUIDE OF LOOKING AT HOW WE EXPAND OUR GREEN SPACE, LOOKING AT HOW WE DO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN OUR PARK SYSTEM AND AS PROGRAMMING PERSPECTIVES.
LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE TALKED IN THE NATURE PROGRAMMING WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT AS ONE OF THE ITEMS AND GOALS THAT COMES OUT OF THIS SYSTEM PLAN.
SO WE DID DO A REALLY ROBUST COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
SO, AGAIN, THE PLAN REALLY REFLECTS THE PEOPLE WHO USE OUR PARKS, WHO WANT TO COME, WHO ARE ENGAGED.
AND WE DID A NUMBER OF OUTREACHES.
WE DID THINGS AVAILABLE ONLINE, WE WENT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, WE DID EVENTS.
AND SO REALLY WHAT WE DID IS WE CREATED THIS VIDEO.
ONCE WE DID ALL THESE EVENTS TO STILL ENGAGE PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNEW THEY HAD THE AVAILABILITY TO GIVE US FEEDBACK ONLINE, WE HAD EVERYTHING IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.
AND SO RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'RE GOING TO PLAY A VIDEO
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THAT WE COMPLETED.THIS WAS DONE A WHILE BACK, ONCE WE COMPLETED ALL OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, OUR COMMUNITY EVENT, AND KIND OF GIVES YOU THE BREADTH AND HOW WE TRIED TO BE INNOVATIVE IN ENGAGING THE PUBLIC IN TRYING TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PARKS SYSTEM.
>> THE SAN ANTONIO PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THE SA PARK SYSTEM PLAN.
A PLAN UPDATED EVERY 10 YEARS.
THE PLAN INCLUDES -- AUDIO] -- WHICH WILL LEVERAGE THE WORK OF -- AUDIO] -- AND RECOMMEND FUTURE FUNDING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
SAN ANTONIO IS HOME TO MORE THAN 240 CITY-OWNED PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, WITH 15,000 PLUS ACRES OF GREEN SPACE AND OVER 181 MILES OF TRAILS, THE GREAT OUTDOORS ARE VITAL TO ENSURING OUR RESIDENTS MAINTAIN A HEALTHY QUALITY OF LIFE.
AS OUR CITY CONTINUES TO GROW, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT RESIDENTS AND CITY LEADERS WORK TOGETHER AS WE LOOK INTO THE FUTURE OF WHAT WE ENVISION FOR THE EXPANSION OF CITY PARKS, TRAILS, FACILITIES, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND NEW PROGRAMMING.
THE SAN ANTONIO PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HOSTED EVENT-BASED ACTIVITIES AND A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO ENCOURAGE DIALOGUE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE DEPARTMENT WENT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND HOSTED SEVEN WORKSHOPS AND FIVE EVENTS -- THE PARKS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AT HARLANDALE PARK, A COMMUNITY CLEANUP AT MCALLISTER PARK, AND A BIKE RODEO AND NATURE TRAIL WORK AT OP SHNABEL PARK.
>> I SAW YOUR AD IN SAN ANTONIO CURRENT AND I THOUGHT, HEY, THIS IS A GREAT WAY FOR ME TO BRING MY 13-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER TO BE AT A FUNCTION WHERE ACTIVISTS TALK ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS, THEIR INTERESTS IN THE PARK SYSTEM.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE INTEREST IN ALSO, SO WE THOUGHT, HEY, THEY'RE INTERESTED IN OUR INPUT, THEY'RE HAVING AN EVENT, MIGHT AS WELL GO OUT AND SEE WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
>> TO PLAN AHEAD AND HOPEFULLY INCORPORATE THOSE FACILITIES THAT WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE AGING POPULATION, BECAUSE EXERCISE IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THAT PARTICULAR AGE GROUP.
>> AND WHAT BROUGHT ME OUT TONIGHT WAS THE FACT THAT I REALLY WANT TO SEE GROWTH, BUT FOR OUR YOUTH.
BECAUSE THIS IS ALL ABOUT THEM NOW.
>> YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE BASKETBALL COURTS AND MORE FIELDS.
AT PEARSALL, THEY HAVE TWO, BUT THEY'RE ON THE SIDE.
THEY'RE NOT LIKE REAL RECOGNIZED AROUND THERE.
IT'S JUST FAR FROM EVERYTHING ELSE.
>> SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I LIKE TO SEE IN OUR LOCAL PARKS ARE JUST MORE AMENITIES TO REALLY CATER TO ALL DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS.
I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN A BEAUTIFUL PARK DOWN SOUTH THAT WAS JUST RECENTLY BUILT, AND OUR PARK HERE AT OPSHNABEL WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.
>> OBVIOUSLY WE WANT THINGS THAT WILL BE ENGAGING, ENTERTAINING AND STIMULATING FOR KIDS.
>> IT'S WHAT I LOVE TO SEE, THE THINGS THAT ARE BEST ABOUT OUR PARKS, GROWING THEM TO THE OTHER PARKS, SO NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF TOWN YOU'RE IN, YOU KIND OF HAVE ACCESS TO THE SIMILAR KIND OF AMENITIES.
WE REALLY IN PARTICULARLY LOVE THE TRAILS, SO THE TRAIL SYSTEM GROWING THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE GIVING US MORE PLACES WE CAN RIDE BIKES AND HIKE AND WALK AND THINGS.
>> ONCE THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PHASE IS COMPLETE, THE INPUT AND DATA WILL BE COMPILED INTO A DRAFT REPORT FOR REVIEW.
THE FINAL PLAN IS EXPECTED LATE 2018.
THOUSANDS USE CITY PARKS AND PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMMING EVERY YEAR.
PARKS ARE WHERE MANY PLAY, GROW, LEARN AND CREATE MEMORIES.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A PART OF YOUR FUTURE.
>> URRUTIA: SO THE YOUR CITY, YOUR PARKS WAS A THEME THAT WE HAD THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS.
AND SO AS WE TALKED ABOUT ENGAGING THE PUBLIC AND WE LOOKED AT THE AMOUNT OF -- OF ACTIVITIES WE COULD GO TO AND GETTING THAT MESSAGE OUT, WE HAD OVER ALMOST 3,000 SURVEYS COMPLETED TO TELL US WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO SEE IN OUR PARK.
AND SO ALL THAT INFORMATION THEN WAS THEN PUT TOGETHER, SO YOU SEE KIND OF WE HAVE HEAT MAPS THAT SHOW WHERE THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY, WE HAD VAST REPRESENTATION ACROSS THE CITY.
WE HAD REPRESENTATION AGAINST ALL DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS.
AND REALLY LOOKING TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO THE CONSULTANTS, THAT THEN COMPILED
[00:10:01]
THEIR DRAFT THAT WAS THEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL IN DECEMBER OF 2018.OUT OF THAT CAME THESE FOUR GOALS, WHAT WE CALL THE FOUR RS.
THEY SPEAK TO REALLY THE GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS OF WHAT OUR PARK SYSTEM AND WHAT WE HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC WE WANT TO MOVE TOWARD.
WE WANT OUR PARKS TO BE RESPONSIVE, RESTORATIVE, RESILIENT AND WE WANT TO DO IT IN A RESOURCEFUL WAY.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE THEMES THAT KIND OF PERMEATED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE REST OF THE REPORT.
WITHIN EACH AREA THEN GIVES A NUMBER OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO REACH THAT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST HAS BEEN -- AUDIO] -- ACCESS TO A PARK WITHIN A 10-MINUTE WALK OF WHERE THEY LIVE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT NATURE PLAYING, SOME OF THE GRANTS WE'VE GOT FROM NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITY, BRINGING CHILDREN TO NATURE, AGAIN, TALK ABOUT THAT RESTORATIVE FUNCTION AND HOW WE EDUCATE OUR YOUTH ABOUT NATURE.
AND RESILIENCY IN HOW WE GO ABOUT PROVIDING DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES TO DIFFERENT PARK USERS IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE THAT COMES OUT OF THAT.
AND RESTORATIVE REALLY LOOKING AT HOW DO WE TIE IN OTHER ASPECTS OF CITY INFRASTRUCTURE.
FOR EXAMPLE, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, WHEN WE LOOK AT DOING DRAINAGE PROJECTS OR STORM WATER PROJECTS, HOW DO WE INCORPORATE THOSE AREAS SO THAT THEY ALSO HAVE EITHER A PARK COMPONENT, BUT ALSO MAYBE A CONSERVATION COMPONENT THAT LOOKS AT MAYBE CLEANSING WATER AND LOOKING AT OUR WATERWAY -- KIND OF PUT TOGETHER ALONG WITH AN URBAN AND FORESTRY ASSESSMENT THAT ALSO WAS PART OF THIS STUDY, AND THE CONSULTANTS TAME WITH THEIR DRAFT.
WE WENT BACK OUT TO THE COMMUNITY -- TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE IN DECEMBER, WE WENT BACK OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IN DECEMBER THROUGH FEBRUARY.
WE HAD A TRADITIONAL PUBLIC MEETING, WE HAD A TELETOWN HALL WITH OVER 2,400 PARTICIPANTS, 85 OF WHICH WERE IN SPANISH.
WE DID A SPANISH SIMULCAST AS PART OF THAT AS WELL.
AND OVERALL, WE HAD AN OVERALL GENERAL SUPPORT FOR THE PLAN.
THERE WERE A COUPLE THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION AND SPECIFICALLY OUR FRIENDS IN THE CONSERVATION AREA DEALING WITH REALLY NATURAL RESOURCES AND WILDLIFE HABITAT PROTECTIONS.
AND WHAT WE SAW WAS THAT WHILE A LOT OF THE PRACTICES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TODAY, WE MAYBE DID NOT ARTICULATE THEM OR DOCUMENT THEM SUFFICIENTLY IN THE PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE CONSIDERED.
SO WE DID MAKE ADJUSTMENTS FROM THE DRAFT PLAN TO THE FINAL PLAN THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD TO COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION NEXT WEEK, MADE SOME CHANGES WHERE WE STRENGTHEN THAT LANGUAGE.
SO AN EXAMPLE WHERE YOU SEE WHERE IT SAYS COMPATIBLE WITH RESOURCE PROTECTION, SO THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING PARKS, WE'RE NOT JUST GOING IN, ACQUIRING LAND AND SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN FIVE FIELDS AND A COMMUNITY CENTER, THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING -- AUDIO] -- LOOKING AT THE LAND THAT WE'RE -- WE HAVE.
ARE THERE SENSITIVE FEATURES? IS THERE ABILITY TO LOOK AT THIS FROM A NATURAL RESOURCE PERSPECTIVE? IS THERE HABITAT POTENTIALLY IN THAT PARCEL OF LAND THAT WE NEED TO PROTECT AND BE SENSITIVE TO? SO, AGAIN, WE ADDED LANGUAGE THAT REALLY LOOKED AT STRENGTHENING THOSE AREAS OF THE PLAN.
THE OTHER PIECE AS WELL WAS AROUND, AGAIN, THAT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE ABILITY OF REALLY LOOKING AT STORM WATER MANAGEMENT AND HOW DO WE TIE THAT IN.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IN DISTRICT 2, WE HAD THAT MENGER CREEK, WHICH WAS A BIG STORM WATER AND FLOODING PROJECT, WE WERE ABLE TO RECAPTURE SOME OF THAT LAND AND USE IT AS PUBLIC OPEN SPACE AND HAVE AREAS FOR PEOPLE TO CONGREGATE AND COME PICNIC OR A PLAYGROUND, SO, AGAIN, LOOKING AT HOW DO WE TAKE THESE MULTIPLE BUILT ENVIRONMENTS AND REALLY TRY TO BRING THEM IN AS PART OF THE PARK SYSTEM AS WELL.
SO WE WENT BACK, LIKE I MENTIONED, OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, WE DID ANOTHER ONLINE SURVEY, BOTH IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, WE WENT TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITY EVENTS, WE HAD CARDS WITH THE QR CODE THAT PEOPLE COULD THEN GET TO THE SURVEY, AND, AGAIN, WE OVERALL SUPPORT FOR THE PLAN.
SO ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE PLAN WAS THE RECOMMENDATION ABOUT -- SORRY THERE -- SMOKE/TOBACCO-FREE PARKS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT IN THE AREA OF THE RESTORATIVE TO COMMUNITY'S HEALTH WAS HOW DO PARKS IMPACT OUR YOUTH? AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, YOU HEARD THE VIDEO, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PEOPLE WERE COMING TO TALK TO US, THEY WERE REALLY TALKING ABOUT THEIR KIDS, THE FUTURE AND
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HOW PARKS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF COMMUNITY AND OF CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT, AND SO WE LOOKED AT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE OF MODELING HEALTHY BEHAVIOR AND REALLY LOOKING AT HOW DO WE NOT INCENTIVIZE THE YOUTH TO BEGIN SMOKING.ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OUT OF THE SYSTEM PLAN WAS TO LOOK AT SMOKE/TOBACCO-FREE PARKS.
WHEN WE PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE IN DECEMBER, THEY ASKED US TO LOOK AT BRINGING THAT RECOMMENDATION IN TANDEM WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE PARK SYSTEM PLAN, SO WE HAVE LOOKED AT THAT RESEARCH, WHAT WE WOULD DO.
SO TODAY, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF GREEN SPACES WHERE YOU CANNOT CURRENTLY SMOKE.
FOR EXAMPLE, PLAYGROUNDS YOU CAN'T SMOKE, AROUND BASEBALL FIELDS YOU CAN'T SMOKE, AND OUR NATURAL AREAS WHERE THERE'S HIGH RISK OF FIRES, YOU CANNOT SMOKE.
AND SO WHAT WE'D LOOK AT IS AMENDING CHAPTER 36 OF THE CODE, THAT THEN WOULD INCLUDE ALL PARKLANDS, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE PUBLIC SQUARES AND THE RIVERWALK.
SO WHAT WE -- BEFORE WE WENT FORWARD WITH OUR RECOMMENDATION, WE WENT BACK AND WE LOOKED AT DEALING WITH SOME STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.
WE WENT AND TALKED TO A NUMBER OF GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
SO SOME OF THIS WAS REALLY DRIVEN FROM THE COMMUNITY ITSELF, FROM THE SYSTEM PLAN.
WE GOT A -- A PETITION WITH OVER 400 PEOPLE IN ONE PARK SIGNED WHO ALL -- YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEERS CAME FORWARD AND SIGNED AND SAID WE WOULD LIKE OUR PARKS TO BE SMOKE/TOBACCO-FREE.
WE KNOW THE WOODLAWN HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION -- SORRY, WOOD LAND PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION HAS REALLY DONE A RESOLUTION TO ASK ABOUT WOODLAWN LAKE BEING SMOKE AND TOBACCO-FREE.
BOTH THE PARK'S FOUNDATION, THE HARDBERGER CONSERVANCY HAVE ALL PASSED RESOLUTIONS ENDORSING THE SMOKE/TOBACCO-FREE PARKS.
WE SPOKE TO THE RIVERWALK ASSOCIATION, THE MARKET SQUARE TENANTS ASSOCIATION, ALL OF THEM ARE IN FAVOR OF OUR PARKS AND SQUARES BEING SMOKE AND TOBACCO-FREE.
TODAY, WHICH WAS KIND OF REVEALING TO ME, NONE OF THE RESTAURANTS ON THE RIVER OR IN MARKET SQUARE ACTUALLY HAVE SMOKING PATIOS ANYMORE, SO P WHAT WE REALLY SEE IS A CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR AND A CHANGE IN ACCEPTANCE OF A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE THAT REALLY WE FEEL THAT IS THE TIME FOR OUR GREEN SPACES TO COMPLETELY BE SMOKE AND TOBACCO-FREE.
SO WHERE WE GO FROM HERE IS WE WOULD RECOMMEND NEXT WEEK AS PART -- OUR PARTNERS IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WOULD BRING A CHANGE COMING FORWARD TO THE SMOKING CHAPTER.
IT WOULD NOT GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL JUNE 1ST.
WE WOULD DO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, EDUCATION AROUND THIS, WE WOULD CREATE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEDIA OUTREACH.
FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS MORE OF A POSITIVE MESSAGE LIKEN JOY POOLS SMOKE-FREE, ENJOY RUNNING SMOKE-FREE.
ONE OF THE THINGS AT ONE OF OUR MEETINGS WE WERE TOLD AS PEOPLE WERE WALKING DOWN THE TRAILS THEY HATED BEING BEHIND VAPORS AS THEY'RE WALKING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE'S A LARGE PUFF OF SMOKE FROM VAPORS HITTING THEM AS THEY'RE TRYING TO EXERCISE OR RIDE A BIKE WITH A -- AUDIO] -- BEHIND THESE VAPORS ON THE TRAILS.
SO, AGAIN, WHAT WE WOULD LOOK AS ENGAGING, LETTING PEOPLE KNOW, DO PUBLIC EDUCATION AND REALLY LOOKING AT A POSITIVE MESSAGE OF THESE ARE THE THINGS TO DO IN THE PARKS THAT NOW WOULD BE SMOKE-FREE AND TOBACCO-FREE.
SO, AGAIN, WE WILL BE BRINGING THE FINAL SYSTEM PLAN FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION NEXT WEEK, ALONG WITH HEALTH DEPARTMENT BRINGING AN ITEM FORWARD TO AMEND THE SMOKING CODE THAT WOULD THEN JUST INCORPORATE ALL PARKS AS OPPOSED TO JUST DESIGNATING SPECIFIC PARKS COVERED UNDER THAT ORDINANCE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ON THE PARKS PLAN, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS A 10-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, IS THAT CORRECT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: SO THE NEXT TIME WE WOULD GET A FULL-ON REVIEW AND DRAFT OF A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN WILL BE IN 2028, '29, SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
>> URRUTIA: CORRECT, YES, SIR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WITH REGARD TO OUR BIG METRIC OF ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE IN SAN ANTONIO, HOW ARE WE DOING IN TERMS OF OUR GOAL OF HAVING EVERY RESIDENT WITHIN 10 MINUTES WALKING DISTANCE OF A PARK.
>> URRUTIA: SO WE ARE NOT VERY STRONG IN THAT ATTRIBUTE.
REALLY LOOKING AT PARK FUNDING HAS NOT BEEN TO EXPAND OUR REACH, BUT TO REALLY LOOK AT GOING BACK AND DEALING WITH EITHER DEFERRED MAINTENANCE NEEDS OR AREAS OF WHERE WE NEEDED TO ADD IMPROVEMENTS, MAYBE WE ACQUIRED LAND BUT NEVER
[00:20:04]
WENT BACK AND ADDED PLAYGROUNDS OR BASKETBALL COURTS OR BASEBALL FIELDS.SO ONE OF THE EFFORTS THAT -- ONE OF THE THINGS -- AUDIO] -- THAT'S REALLY GREAT IS AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE THINGS -- I KNOW, MAYOR, YOU CHALLENGED US ON WAS TO LOOK AT THE SCHOOL PARK SYSTEM.
HOW DO WE LOOK AT TARGETING AREAS WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE DEFICIENCIES IN GREEN SPACE ORAC SES AND PARTNERING -- OR ACCESS AND PARTNERING WITH SPECIFIC SCHOOLS OR AREAS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE BUDGET PROCESS WOULD BE HOW DO WE COME BACK AND LOOK AT OR ADJUST OR CHANGE THAT PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE IN LINE WITH THE 10-MINUTE WALK.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE SYSTEM PLAN TALKED ABOUT LOOKING AT THE TREE FUND AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE DONE WITH THAT.
AS THOSE CONVERSATIONS COME UP, WE WILL ALWAYS REFER BACK TO THE SYSTEM PLAN AS THE GUYING PRINCIPLES AND MAKING SURE WE'RE CHECKING THE BOXES OF IS IT HITTING THE GOALS, IS IT MEETING WHAT THE PUBLIC SAID, BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT HOW DO WE ADJUST OR CHANGE OUR ADD, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO I WOULD ANTICIPATE THE NEXT BOND PROGRAM, NEXT BIG CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, WOULD LOOK MORE AT NEW PARKS AND AREAS WHERE WE HAVE A DEFICIT.
AND I WILL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, MAYOR.
THIS LAST BUDGE LET, -- BUDGET, THERE WERE TWO PARKS CHAMPIONED IN DISTRICT 6 AND 7, THE RESPECTIVE COUNCILMEMBERS IN THE DISTRICTS ASKED FOR CAPITAL FUNDS TO ACQUIRE NEW PARKS.
THOSE PARKS -- WE MADE SURE THERE WAS NOT ANOTHER PARK -- MOST OF THEM WERE OVER A MILE RADIUS OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, SO, AGAIN, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE GO BACK EVALUATING A PROPERTY, EVALUATING WHETHER TO MAKE A PRIORITY, IT WOULD BE BASED ON THAT GOAL OF MEETING THE 10-MINUTE WALK.
SO LOOKING OUT IN 10 YEARS THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PARTICULAR STRATEGIC PLAN, WE'RE MOVING --
>> URRUTIA: SO WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK -- IT REALLY WOULD DEPEND ON SOME OF OUR OTHER BOND PROGRAMS AND HOW -- WHETHER WE CONTINUE WITH THE GREENWAY PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE.
>> URRUTIA: SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE GREENWAY PROGRAM -- I'M WITH YOU ON THAT.
THE GREENWAY PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE REALLY LOOKED AT BEYOND JUST DOING THEM HOW DO WE CONNECT TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND SO SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE RECENTLY REALLY LOOKS AT OUR TRAILHEADS BEING MORE THAN JUST TRAILHEADS BUT REALLY NODES INTO NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE FURTHER YOU GET INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE MORE YOU HAVE YOUR RATE OF THE 10-MINUTE WALK.
THE SAME THING WE'RE DOING IN DISTRICT 10, WE'RE WORKING TO TRY [INDISCERNIBLE] THE PARENT HOMESTEAD TO LAKE -- TO LBJ PARK, AGAIN, THE SAME THING, AS YOU'RE DOING THAT TRAIL, YOU HIT SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS THAT THAT GIVES US THE COVERAGE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
>> URRUTIA: SO I THINK BETWEEN THOSE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES, THE GREENWAY, THE SCHOOL PARK SYSTEM AND FUTURE BOND PROGRAMS WE WILL SEE A SIGNIFICANT MOVE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT, AGAIN, WILL BE THE FOCUS --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: FOR PARK ACQUISITION AND INCREASING THE GREEN SPACE WILL BE MEANT TOWARDS ADDRESSING THE ACCESS ISSUE.
WE HAVE THE DATA OF WHERE WE HAVE THOSE DEFICITS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, TOO, AS IT RELATES TO THE GREENWAY TRAIL SINCE WE'RE ALMOST COMPLETE WITH THE INITIAL RING, WE CAN NOW CREATE THE SPOKES IN THE AREAS THAT WE KNOW THERE'S ACCESS ISSUES, AND THEN THEY CAN ACCESS OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.
I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE US AS A GROUP, AS AN ORGANIZATION, TO ALSO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES IN REDEVELOPMENT TO CREATE POCKET PARKS.
WE GET SUCH TREMENDOUS POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF POCKET PARKS, AND ESPECIALLY -- WITH RESPECT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WE USED TO HAVE THE COUNCIL FUNDED SPARK PARK PROGRAM.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT EVENTUALLY JUST FADED AWAY, BUT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY THERE, AND YOU MENTIONED IT, WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS ON CREATING ACCESS FOR KIDS TO HAVE GREEN SPACE BUT ALSO MOVING OUR OWN ACCESS METRICS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS WELL.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE OPTIONS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THROUGH ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'LL LOOK -- I ANTICIPATE THIS NEXT BUDGET THE SCHOOL PARKS PROGRAM AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY GARDEN PROGRAM.
THAT IS ANOTHER ASPECT OF REALLY TARGETING -- COMBO AND LOOKING AT HOW DO WE REDIRECT SOME OF THOSE FUNDS TO DO THOSE COMBINED EFFORTS AS OPPOSED TO JUST ISOLATED EFFORTS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THAT COUNCILMAN PELAEZ AND COURAGE WILL KNOW THIS VERY WELL, BUT THERE'S A KEY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR WELLNESS PRESERVE AREAS AND THE ACTUAL TRADITIONAL PARKS.
I WANT US TO CONTINUE TO HAVE STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE WILDERNESS PRESERVE AREAS AND THE FUNCTION THAT THEY PROVIDE FOR THE CITY AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY GOING FORWARD.
[00:25:01]
I KNOW THAT EVERYTHING IS UNDER YOUR PURVIEW, AND WE REALLY ONLY TALK ABOUT RECREATIONAL PARKS, BUT KNOW THAT EVEN IF THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE WILDERNESS SIDE OF THINGS, WE UNDERSTAND THE INTRINSIC VALUE OF THEM, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION OF MILITARY BASES AND SO FORTH, SO...>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
COUNCILMAN -- COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, XAVIER, AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR CONSULTANTS WHO HAVE HELPED SO MUCH IN GETTING ALL THIS GREAT INFORMATION.
SO I WANT TO STAY ON THIS NOTE ABOUT THE INVENTORY OF WHAT YOU GET.
SO THE SCHOOL PARKS, AND, YES, WE'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH OO LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS IN DISTRICT 3, NOT ENOUGH, BUT THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE SCHOOL PARKS.
SO I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE AS WELL, BECAUSE IT DOES MEET THAT NEED OF THE 10-MINUTE WALK FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO KNOW, WHERE DO THE -- BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN OUR AREA WE HAVE THE MISSION REACH, BUT THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF COUNTY PARKS, TOO.
SO IN -- IN, I GUESS, RELATION TO MAYBE COUNTY PARKS OR THE PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARKS THAT WE HAVE, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE MISSION REACH, I'M THINKING ABOUT CONFLUENCE PARK, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE COUNTY PARKS AND OUR SCHOOL PARKS, SO -- WAS THAT ALL TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS WELL IN THE INVENTORY IN.
>> URRUTIA: SO IN THE INVENTORY WOULD ONLY BE CITY-OWNED.
NOW, WHEN WE DO THE PERCENTAGE OF THE 10-MINUTE WALK, THAT IS DONE HOLISTICALLY, SO WHETHER IT'S A STATE PARK, CITY PARK, COUNTY PARK, BUT IT HAS TO BE A PUBLIC PARK.
>> URRUTIA: SO IF IT'S PRIVATE OR GATED.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, CHRIS PARK ON CAMP STREET THAT'S PART OF RUBY CITY, THE ART, THE LINDA PACE FOUNDATION AREA, THAT DOESN'T COUNT TOWARD BEING CONSIDERED A PUBLIC PARK.
>> VIAGRAN: BUT ISN'T IT OPEN DURING THE WEEK.
>> URRUTIA: IT IS, BUT THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LANDS, THE WAY THEY DEFINE IT --
>> URRUTIA: -- IS SPECIFICALLY TO PUBLICLY OWNED.
SO IF THERE'S PUBLIC DOLLARS TO IT, THEN THEY'LL --
WITH OUR MISSION REACH, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RIVER AUTHORITY AND CONFLUENCE PARK, THE SAME THING WITH THE RIVER FOUNDATION, ALL THOSE ARE COUNTED TOWARD THAT ACCESS POINT.
AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS -- I GUESS -- AND I -- AUDIO] -- THOSE -- AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA OF HOW WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT, SO I THINK I WANT TO ASK THE CONSULTANTS OF WHEN YOU WERE GETTING FEEDBACK WITH EVERYBODY AND THE MAYOR MENTIONED POCKET PARKS.
AND SO I'M WONDERING, WAS THE FEEDBACK -- BECAUSE SOMETIMES I GET MIXED FEEDBACK FROM MY COMMUNITIES OF POCKET PARKS THAT THEY'RE POSITIVE OR THAT THEY'RE ALSO PLACES WHERE, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS THERE'S SECURITY OR SOMETHING.
SO DID Y'ALL HEAR ANY FEEDBACK DIRECTLY WHEN IT CAME TO POCKET PARKS?
WE -- AT EVERY MEETING WE HEARD A DESIRE FOR PARKS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, EVEN SMALL PARKS, EVEN JUST LITTLE POCKET PARK GREEN SPACE AREAS.
THERE'S LITTLE REMNANTS OF DRAINAGE CHANNELS AND THINGS.
>> THEY'RE TRYING TO INCORPORATE THOSE INTO SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY COULD USE, BUT THEN WE ALSO AT EVERY SINGLE MEETING HEARD ABOUT SECURITY.
YOU KNOW, THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU FELT SAFE NO MATTER WHERE YOU WERE IN ANY OF THOSE PARKS IN THE CITY, WHETHER THAT'S A BIG PARK OR A TINY PARK OR THAT SORT OF THING.
AND I KNOW XAVIER MENTIONED IT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE IT AGAIN.
ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE SYSTEM PLAN, IN THE URBAN FORESTRY RECOMMENDATION IS TO EXPAND THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS THAT WE GET.
INSTEAD OF JUST BEING ABLE TO BUY TREES, OTHER TEXAS CITIES CAN ACTUALLY BUY PARKLAND WITH THOSE FUNDS, AND SO THAT WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY OF WHERE WE COULD BUY LITTLE SMALL PARCELS IN AREAS THAT WE'RE REALLY LACKING GREEN SPACE AND PLANTING TREES THERE SO THAT THERE IS THAT LITTLE OASIS FOR PEOPLE TO GO TO, EVEN IF IT'S JUST TREES AND BENCHES.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BEFORE AND WE HEARD THAT A LOT IN OUR MEETINGS.
>> VIAGRAN: SO I THINK THAT'S A -- I WAS -- THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE NOTES THAT I WROTE DOWN ABOUT VACANT LOTS AN PUTTING THEM TOGETHER.
ONE OF THE THINGS, IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THIS, XAVIER, WITH THE -- HOW THIS ALL ALSO TIES INTO OUR SA TOMORROW PLAN AND OUR PLANNING WITH OUR REGIONAL CENTERS, TO MAKE SURE THAT HOW THIS IS LAYERED INTO OUR SA TOMORROW PLAN, TOO? SO WHEN, SAY, BROOKS REGIONAL CENTER IS COMING UP, THAT IN THE WHOLE CONVERSATION THAT OUR PRINCIPLE AND POLICY OF HAVING THAT 10-MINUTE WALK TO A PARK IS
[00:30:01]
ALSO INCORPORATED IN THE SA TOMORROW PLAN.SO THAT ACTUALLY WAS ORIGINALLY IN THE SA TOMORROW PLAN, AND SO WE INCORPORATED THAT MAJOR COMPONENT, THAT AND THE REALLY ACCESS THAT EVERYONE -- THE SA TOMORROW PLAN TALKS ABOUT THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE.
THOSE ARE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT THEN LED INTO THE PARK SYSTEM PLAN.
AND SO AS WE LOOK AT THOSE 10-MINUTE WALKS, AND AS YOU MENTIONED, WE LOOK AT POCKET PARKS OR VACANT LOTS, AGAIN, RECOMMENDATION HERE IS WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR US TO LOOK AT UDC AMENDMENT CHANGES WHICH IS STILL ANOTHER TWO YEARS -- OR ANOTHER YEAR OFF, IS THAT WE REEVALUATE THOSE GREEN -- WE HAVE A GREEN SPACE ORDINANCE AND WE HAVE THE TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE, THAT WE LOOK AT THOSE THROUGH THE LENS OF THE SA TOMORROW PLAN AND THE SA PARKS SYSTEM PLAN.
SO, AGAIN, IT'S NOT ABOUT DOING IMMEDIATE CHANGES TODAY, BUT AS THOSE THINGS COME UP FOR RENEWAL, AS THOSE ITEMS COME UP TO BE STUDIED OR REEVALUATED, THAT THEY'RE DONE THROUGH THIS LENS.
AND WE LOOK AT THEM, ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO REACH THESE GOALS THROUGH THOSE OTHER MECHANISMS. SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PARKS BOARD, WITH THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS WE LOOK AT UDC AMENDMENTS OR CHANGES TO UDC NEXT YEAR.
AGAIN, WE WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THOSE, BECAUSE, AGAIN, IF WE CAN ADVANCE SOME OF THESE GOALS THROUGH SOME CHANGES THERE, THAT'S SOMETHING WE MIGHT BRING FORWARD AS A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.
>> VIAGRAN: SO SLET LET ME ASK YOU THIS, ERIC, IF YOU CAN TALK ME THROUGH THE PROCESS-WISE.
SO THE CITY HAS PROPERTY THAT WE OWN AND THEN SOME PEOPLE APPROACH THE CITY TO BUY THESE PROPERTIES AND WE'RE LOOKING TO SELL THEM, SAY TCI, THE DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE THERE.
DOES IT GO TO -- SO -- IN PARTICULAR, I'LL JUST TALK, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY IN DISTRICT 3, WE HAD A COUPLE OF PARCELS OF PROPERTY THAT THE CITY OWNS, WE'RE ABOUT TO SELL THEM.
BUT DOES THAT GO TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO MAYBE CHECK OFF AND SAY, HEY, WE DON'T HAVE A PARK WITHIN 10-MINUTES WALKING DISTANCE FROM HERE, MAYBE WE SHOULD KEEP A COUPLE OF PARCELS JUST IN CASE.
DOES IT GO THROUGH A PROCESS LIKE THAT.
>> WALSH: SO COUNCILWOMAN, THERE'S AN INTERNAL CANVASSING PROCESS BEFORE WE DISPOSE OF PROPERTY THAT'S SENT TO ALL DEPARTMENTS.
IT COULD BE A LOCATION FOR A FIRE STATION OR ANYTHING.
>> WALSH: AND IT GOES THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
ANY AVAILABLE PROPERTY GOES THROUGH THAT FOR DEPARTMENTS TO SIGN OFF ON AND SAY THAT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY ON TOP OF THAT AS WELL.
>> VIAGRAN: AND FINALLY, I WILL PUT IN MY PLUG FOR DOG PARKS, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO -- SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND THEN ALSO THANK YOU AND FOR ALL THE WORK OF YOUR TEAM, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE DROOP PI MANOR GETTING A PARK IN THAT AREA, AND ALSO, HOMER, I KNOW HE'S SOMEWHERE HERE, TOO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE MAINTENANCE HAPPENING -- OR THAT HAPPENED AT FATHER ROMAN CENTER.
IT HAS DONE WONDERS FOR THE KIDS THAT PLAY IN THAT GYM AND THE PARENTS WHO LIVE THERE.
IT IS SO WONDERFUL, SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
THIS CONVERSATION TIES IN REALLY WELL, I THINK, FOR THE LUNCHEON THAT WE JUST HAD FOR THE ALL-STAR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AND HOW THE PROGRAM REALLY BENEFITED SO MANY CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND AS A TEACHER FOR SO MANY YEARS, I OFTEN WONDERED WHY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS WOULD PUT A FENCE AROUND THEIR SCHOOL AND THEIR PARK AND WOULD TRY AND LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT COULD BE USED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
AND THEN WHEN I THINK ABOUT AS A CITY HOW WE WANT TO EXPAND THE KIND OF SERVICES THAT WE OFFER, AND IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF THE WILDERNESS AREAS, I THINK THEY'RE GREAT, AND I USE THEM AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE DO, BUT TO MANY PEOPLE, JUST HAVING A PLAYGROUND NEARBY OR SOME GREEN SPACE NEARBY -- AUDIO] -- AND I KNOW THAT WE DO PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS, SOMEWHAT, BUT I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE US DO A SERIOUS INVESTIGATION ABOUT CREATING A STRONGER PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND IDENTIFY SPECIFIC SCHOOLS THAT HAVE PARKS, THAT HAVE PLAYGROUNDS, THAT HAVE GREEN SPACE WHERE WE DON'T HAVE A PARK, WHERE WE CAN MAYBE MAKE A FORMAL FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO HELP SUPPORT THAT AND OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND I REALIZE THE PROBLEM FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECOMES MAINTENANCE OR IF THERE'S DAMAGE, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO THAT.
AND I RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS ALWAYS STRAPPED FOR
[00:35:01]
MONEY, TOO, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO BUILD PARKS AND PUT EQUIPMENT IN IT OURSELVES, IT SEEMS TO ME WE COULD SAVE MONEY OR NOT SPEND ANY MORE MONEY IF WE CAN GUARANTEE THE MAINTAINER -- MAINTENANCE OF SOME OF THOSE SCHOOLS AND SOME OF THOSE AREAS -- EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS.SO IF THIS STUDY REALLY ANALYZED THAT AND SAID, LOOK, THERE'S NOTHING HERE, BUT THERE ARE THREE SCHOOLS IN THIS AREA AND TWO OF THEM HAVE GREAT FACILITIES, LET'S -- AUDIO] -- THAT WILL HELP WITH THE MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT OF THESE AS LONG AS THEY REMAIN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US EXAMINE HOW WE MIGHT EXPAND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE IS MORE THAN FIVE OR 10 MINUTES AWAY FROM A PARK OR A PLAYGROUND WHERE KIDS CAN GO AND PLAY AND THE PARENTS CAN GO ALONG WITH THEM AND EVERYBODY FEELS SAFE AND PROTECTED.
I KNOW MOST OF THESE SCHOOLS ARE OPEN, SO THEY'RE VERY VISIBLE FROM THE PUBLIC, SO THEY ARE RELATIVELY SAFE AREAS.
MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE SHADE, MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TREES, MAYBE THAT WOULD BE AN EXTRA FACILITY THAT THE CITY COULD INVEST IN TO MAKE THEM A LITTLE MORE INVITING TO THE PUBLIC, BUT I'D SURE LIKE TO SEE US LOOK AT THAT, THAT MAY BE PART OF A FUTURE BOND EFFORT, JUST TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF THESE PLACES FOR EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT I COMMEND THE WORK YOU'RE DOING, WE LOVE THE PARKS.
EVERYBODY LOVES THE PARKS, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE US BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE OF THAT KIND OF RECORRECTATION L FACILITY AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> PELAEZ: EXPHA VER, GOOD JOB.
THERE'S NOT A PARK IN SAN ANTONIO THAT I'VE GOTTEN TO WALK THROUGH WHERE I'M NOT IMPRESSED.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW PARK IN DISTRICT 7, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL -- I'M SURE EQUALLY EXCITED, BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO VISITING THAT NEW PARK.
MY REQUEST IS KIND OF OUT OF THE ORDINARY, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I SEE -- I WAS GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT THE NEXT TIME I SAW YOU, SO I FIGURED I MIGHT AS WELL GIVE IT TO YOU NOW.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WAY STATIONS FOR POLLINATORS AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR PARKS ARE RELEVANT IN THAT REGARD, RIGHT? I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF -- I'M SEEING THAT AUSTIN HAS REALLY MOVED FORWARD IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS IN PARTNERING UP WITH POLLINATOR ADVOCACY GROUPS BUT ALSO BEEKEEPERS AND ALL THAT STUFF BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE TO THE FOOD SUPPLY, RIGHT? 80% OF OUR FOOD DEPENDS UPON, YOU KNOW, POLLINATORS.
AND I DO THINK THAT THERE'S AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION TO BE HAD -- OUR PARKS PROVIDE TREECENTRIC OASIS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT FORGETTING ABOUT THAT GOING FORWARD.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT COST- -- YOU KNOW, IMPACTFUL, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY CHECKING THAT BOX OFF AND SAYING, HEY, ARE WE ALSO INCLUDING POLLINATORS, RIGHT?
>> URRUTIA: WE'LL DEFINITELY INCLUDE THAT IN THE FINAL REPORT.
IT IS IN ONE OF THE AREAS THEY WERE POINTING OUT.
>> PELAEZ: IT'S IN THERE, IT'S IN THERE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY I SHOW UP.
>> URRUTIA: BUT SAN ANTONIO IS KNOWN -- WE ARE ONE OF THE CHAMPION CITIES FOR THE MONARCH PLEDGE.
>> URRUTIA: SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON IS LOOK AS HOW DO WE INCORPORATE -- AGAIN, WHAT I FEEL A GREAT THING ABOUT THE SYSTEM PLAN IS IT REALLY GIVES US THE GUIDES WHERE INSTEAD OF DOING THINGS ISOLATED AND NOT DOING THEM STRATEGICALLY, IT REALLY HELPS US FOCUS AND DO THINGS STRATEGICALLY.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT A PROPERTY, WE LOOK AT THE NATURAL RESOURCES, IS THIS AN AREA WHERE WE SEE A LOT OF POLLINATION GOING ON? DO WE SEE, AGAIN, THE NATIONAL -- THE NATURAL HABITAT THAT'S THERE, WE DON'T WANT TO GET RID OF THAT. IT'S NOT A DICTATE TO COME IN AND PLOW EVERYTHING DOWN, WE'RE GOING TO PUT FIVE SOCCER FIELDS.
IT'S ABOUT DOING THINGS SMART AND DELIBERATELY AND MAKING SURE WE'RE ALWAYS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT BOTH THE NATURAL SIDE OF IT AND ALSO THE HUMAN SIDE OF IT.
AND SO -- YOU KNOW, CLEARLY WE ALL KNOW THAT MOUNTAIN LAURELS ASIDE FROM SMELLING FANTASTIC ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BEE ATTRACT FORS, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S ON YOUR MIND, AND IT CLEARLY IS.
IN DISTRICT 8 AND IN DISTRICT 9 TO SOME DEGREE, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN FAMILIES AND PEOPLE FROM, YOU KNOW, ARAB COUNTRIES.
I'VE BEEN APPROACHED BY THESE GROUPS, I THINK A LOT OF THEM
[00:40:01]
ARE AVID CRICKET PLAYER.THEY'RE DOCTORS AND FRIENDS OF YOURS AND MINE FROM THE DIFFERENT INDUSTRY GROUPS, THEY'RE ASKING ME TO ASK YOU TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A CRICKET PITCH IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO A LOT OF THESE FAMILIES ARE TRAVELING UP TO NEW BRAUNFELS BECAUSE THERE'S A LEGIT CRICKET PITCH UP THERE.
SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT PARK BECOMES MORE RELEVANT TO THIS HUGE AND GROWING POPULATION, IF WE CAN INCLUDE SOMETHING THAT THEY LOVE TO DO, RIGHT? AND SO I IMAGINE THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO DUAL PURPOSE SOME FIELDS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE FOR THAT PURPOSE, AND SO JUST ON YOUR LIST OF THINGS TO LOOK AT.
>> URRUTIA: WE'LL REACH OUT TO THEM.
I THINK WE HAD SOME INITIAL CONVERSATIONS.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THROUGH WHOM, BECAUSE I KNOW I THINK THEY PLAY AT MCALLISTER PARK SOMETIMES.
THEY HAD REQUESTED ABOUT A PAVILION AND WE LET THEM KNOW IN THE BOND PROGRAM THERE IS A PAVILION THAT'S BEING ADDED IN THE AREA WHERE THEY PLAY TODAY, BUT MAYBE WE CAN REACH OUT TO SEE IF MAYBE THEY CAN FIND SOMEWHERE TO CALL HOME.
HUGE INCREASES IN DIFFERENT SPORTS, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOCCER TODAY FROM WHAT IT WAS, BUT WHEN WE THINK OF LIKE LACROSSE, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE A LOT OF GROUPS PLAYING LACROSSE NOW, RUGBY IS STILL STRONG AND ACTUALLY GROWING TO A DEGREE, SO, AGAIN, LOOKING AT THOSE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.
ONE OF THE BEAUTIES I FEEL ABOUT OUR PARK SYSTEM IS THE VARIETY AND THE OPPORTUNITY -- DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES, WHETHER IT'S ORGANIZED SPORTS, SINGLE-PLAY SPORTS, LIFELONG SPORTS, AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT THAT CONTINUUM, BOTH FROM YOUNG TO ADULTHOOD TO THE ELDERLY, TO MAKE SURE TRYING TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE STAY ACTIVE.
SO WE'LL REACH OUT TO THEM AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO TRY TO ASSIST.
>> PELAEZ: AND, YOU KNOW, THIRD, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES ISN'T THE ONLY CYCLIST ON THIS COUNCIL.
I DO A LOT OF MOUNTAIN BIKING.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THE LINEAR CREEKWAYS ARE FOR ME AND MY KIDS ARE DOING THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON THE NORTH SIDE, SOME CONVERSATION BETWEEN YOU AND I ABOUT PUMP TRACK SKILLS, YOU KNOW, PARK OR SKILLS TRACK AS WELL, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US SORT OF LEAN IN THERE.
WE GOT TO SEE A LOT OF THAT DISPLAYED AT NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES AND THERE'S SOME REALLY NEAT AND INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS OUT THERE THAT WE CAN INVEST IN.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, XAVIER FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOU GAVE IT TO US AT OUR COMMITTEE MEETING, SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
>> URRUTIA: HAD TO HOLD SOMETHING BACK.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN, THE -- YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT RESILIENCE OF THE WILDLIFE AS WELL IS VERY IMPORTANT, SO I SUPPORT THAT.
I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT SOMEONE MENTIONED THE ABILITY TO PURCHASE SMALL PARCELS.
IS THAT FEASIBLE OR HOW DOES THAT WORK.
>> URRUTIA: SO CURRENTLY, IT IS NOT.
I MEAN, WELL -- I SHOULDN'T SAY FEASIBLE.
CURRENTLY THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS IN THE UDC DEALING WITH TREE PRESERVATION IS -- GIVES UP OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE TO MITIGATE ON SITE OR THEY CAN PAY A FEE IN LIEU OF, BASICALLY IS WHAT IT IS, AND RIGHT NOW THOSE FEES BY COUNCIL ORDINANCE ARE RESTRICTED TO CERTAIN ACTIVITIES.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'D LOOK AT IS THE UDC IS REVIEWED ON A FIVE-YEAR CYCLE, IS WE'RE COMING UP FOR THAT NEXT RENEWAL, SO THE PLAN LOOKS AT SAYING LOOK AT SOME OF THESE REQUIREMENTS IN THE UDC AND SEE HOW DO WE MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, DO WE LOOK -- THE "IN LIEU OF" AND YOUS THAT TO PURCHASE -- USE THAT TO PURCHASE PARCELS OR EMPTY LOTS AND GO IN THERE AND ENFORCE THEM.
ESPECIALLY AREAS WHERE WE HAVE MAYBE A DEFICIENCY IN CANOPY, AREAS THAT WE KNOW -- YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WORKING WITH COUNCILMAN TREVINO ABOUT THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT IN AREAS WHERE WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A LARGE CANOPY AND IT IMPACTS NOT ONLY A HOMEOWNER'S ABILITY TO PAY THEIR UTILITY BILL, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THE RESILIENCY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, AGAIN, HOW WOULD IT -- IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD TARGET AREAS ESPECIALLY THAT ARE DEVELOPED OUT.
AND THAT'S THE OTHER BEAUTY OF THE SCHOOL PARK PROGRAM THAT COUNCILMAN COURAGE IS TALKING ABOUT, WE HAVE AREAS OF THE CITY THAT ARE DEVELOPED OUT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIND 200 ACRES TO PUT A NEW PARK.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GO IN -- ESPECIALLY WITH THE GOAL OF THE 10-MINUTE WALK, TO FIND SMALL PARCELS THAT LOOK AT HOW DO WE INCREASE TREE CANOPY, INCREASE CONSERVATION EFFORTS, HOW DO WE DO MULTIPLE GOALS WITH ONE PARCEL, AND WHAT'S RECOMMENDED IS TO LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE FUNDING MECHANISMS TO ALLOW US TO DO SOME OF THAT.
SO YOU'LL BE EXPLORING THAT IN THE 2020 UPDATE.
>> SANDOVAL: AND THEN, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE IN TERMS OF TOBACCO-FREE PARKS.
YOU EXPLAINED IT TO ME, THERE ARE A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS YOU HAD TO GET BUY-IN FROM.
THANK YOU, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WHEN WE ADOPT THE PLAN, IS THAT
[00:45:02]
WHEN WE'LL ADOPT THE ORDINANCE, OR WILL THAT BE A SEPARATE PROCESS.>> URRUTIA: IT WILL BE A SEPARATE.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL TAKE AN ITEM THAT ACTUALLY AMENDS THE CODE BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION THAT'S IN THE PARK SYSTEM PLAN, AND THEN IT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE JUNE 1.
WE THOUGHT THAT WOULD GIVE US SUFFICIENT TIME TO DO OUR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH AS WELL AS WE THOUGHT A GOOD THEME WITH KIDS BEING OUT OF SCHOOL, TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY THEIR PARKS SMOKE AND TOBACCO-FREE PARKS WOULD BE A GOOD THEM WE CAN RESONATE THROUGHOUT THE BHOAL -- WHOLE SUMMER.
>> SANDOVAL: WHEN WILL WE TAKE ACTION ON THIS ITEM -- AUDIO] OF COURSE I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK YOU AND THE WHOLE TEAM FOR THE NEW PARK THAT WE DO HAVE IN DISTRICT 7.
IT'S 3 ACRES, IT WAS -- I GUESS.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE PHOTOS, PLEASE SEE THEM.
MY TEAM DID A GREAT JOB WITH THOSE.
IT WAS SOMEONE'S HOUSE, I GUESS, WITH A VERY BIG YARD, AND THE HOUSE IS NOT IN GOOD CONDITION NOW, BUT THE YARD IS BEAUTIFUL, THE WILDFLOWERS WERE BLOOMING THE DAY THAT WE CUT THE RIBBON.
>> URRUTIA: AND THANK YOU TO YOU, BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT THAT PROJECT TO US.
AND, AGAIN, SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE DO NOT HAVE A PARK WITHIN ALMOST A MILE RADIUS OF THAT AREA, AND OS BANDERA WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW IS A VERY BUSY, LARGE TXDOT ROAD, AND SO, AGAIN, LOOKING AT IN THE MIDDLE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, A PARCEL OF PROPERTY THAT WASN'T BEING USED, WAS VACANT, AND THEN TAKING THAT OVER TO BE A PARK AND HAVE A HUGE IMPACT IN THAT COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, GREAT TURNOUT ON SATURDAY MORNING, JUST FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
PEOPLE WALKING AND COMING TO SEE THEIR NEW FUTURE PARK.
SO I THINK, AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD THROUGH THE SYSTEM PLAN, THAT'S WHAT'S REFLECTEDDED HERE, AND I KNOW A LOT OF THE WORK THAT ALL THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL IS MOVING US IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS YOUR GOAL, THE 10-MINUTE WALK UNTIL I DID ASK YOU ABOUT THIS PARCEL OF LAND, AND I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO TELL ME NO, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY COUNCILWOMAN, BUT YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUR STRATEGY.
GREAT PRESENTATION AND THANKS FOR COMING BY THE OTHER DAY.
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN LOOKING IN THE OUT YEARS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
HAVE Y'ALL EVER LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW -- AND I KNOW THESE ARE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, BUT EVEN IN A STRATEGIC PLAN, YOU CAN DEVELOP COSTS FOR THESE STRATEGIC PLANS IN THE OUT YEAR PROGRAMS. HAVE Y'ALL LOOKED AT ANY OF THAT YET ABOUT OUT YEAR COSTS ON PARKS AND TO IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN.
SO I WENT BACK AND VERIFIED, SO THE LISTING THAT IS PART OF THE PLAN IS A LIST OF PARK TYPE OF DEVELOPMENTS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
SO WE ARE MAKING THAT LANGUAGE CHANGE TO MAKE SURE IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT THESE ARE POTENTIAL TYPE OF PARK IMPROVEMENTS, POTENTIAL TYPE OF PROJECTS BASED ON WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
AND THEY JUST SPEAK TO THE DIFFERENT GOALS THAT THEY REACH, BUT IT DOES NOT GIVE US ANY SPECIFIC NUMBERS OR DIRECTIONS TO ADD X NUMBER OF THIS OR TO RETROFIT FIVE COMMUNITY CENTERS WITH THAT.
IT REALLY IS -- REALLY IS LIKE A MENU OF AS WE LOOK AT EITHER RENOVATIONS, WE LOOK AT ACQUISITIONS, WE LOOK AT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT -- HOW THOSE FIT IN REACHING SOME OF THESE FOUR GOALS.
WELL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT IN YOUR OVERALL STRATEGIC PLAN.
WHAT ARE -- WHAT KIND OF COSTS ARE WE LOOKING AT IN THE FUTURE? AND EVEN YOUR GOAL TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A POCKET PARK OR WHATEVER WITHIN 10 MINUTES WALKING.
SO WHEN WE GET TO THE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS OR PROJECTS, YES.
SO IF I -- FOR EXAMPLE, AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS AND PRESENTED TO YOU A REVISED SCHOOL PARKS PROGRAM, WE DEFINITELY WOULD SAY THIS IS THE IMPLICATIONS FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE IN THE SYSTEM PLAN.
BUT IF IT -- WE WOULD NEED -- WE WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT FOR EVERY SINGLE PROJECT AS WE COME FORWARD.
SO AS WE COME FORWARD, MY -- MY GOAL WOULD BE AS WE COME FORWARD WITH EITHER CAPITAL PROJECTS, RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THAT THAT -- WE WOULD GO THROUGH THE SYSTEM PLAN, WHICH NEEDS TO TIE BACK TO THE SYSTEM PLAN, AND THAT COST IMPLICATION WOULD BE IN THERE AT THAT TIME.
>> PERRY: THAT'S PROJECT-SPECIFIC.
>> PERRY: WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS LIKE -- TAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, TCI, WE KNOW HOW MANY MILES OF ROAD WE HAVE.
WE KNOW WHERE THE GAPS ARE, WE KNOW WHAT THE IMPROVEMENTS -- AND I FORGET HOW MANY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO FILL THOSE GAPS, TO FILL THAT REQUIREMENT OUT IN THE FUTURE.
I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR ON THE PARKS, WHAT OUR FUTURE REQUIREMENTS ARE, HOW MUCH IS THAT GOING TO COST?
[00:50:01]
HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO -- YOU KNOW, YOUR YEARLY MAINTENANCE COST.HOW MUCH IT IS UP TO UPGRADE THE PARKS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFIED TO FIT THAT STRATEGIC GOAL? AN UMBRELLA, WHAT -- WHAT IS UNDERNEATH THAT UMBRELLA? WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT AS A -- AS A TOTAL PACKAGE TO BE REFLECTED IN THE OUT YEARS ON WHAT PRIORITY DO -- ARE WE GOING TO PUT ON THIS.
AND WE KNOW WHAT THE TOTAL PACKAGE IS.
SO I -- I WOULD -- I'D REALLY LIKE TO MOVE TOWARDS THAT.
WE CAN LOOK AT -- WHAT WE'LL LOOK AT IS MAYBE A BASELINE BASED ON HOW OUR CURRENT PRACTICES ARE.
>> URRUTIA: AND THEN MOVE FORWARD.
AGAIN, SOME OF THAT -- IN THE POCKET PARKS, WHETHER WE DO POCKET PARKS OR LARGER --
>> URRUTIA: DIFFERENT COSTS, BUT WE COULD DO A BASELINE THAT WOULD HELP SET UP -- AT LEAST HAVE SOME ORDER OF MAGNITUDE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, SO WE'LL WORK ON THAT.
>> PERRY: ON SLIDE NUMBER SEVEN, THE OUTREACH BY THE NUMBERS.
THE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND THE INTERNAL OUTREACH, YOU HAVE NUMBERS ON THERE.
IS THAT WHAT WAS GOING OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND OUT TO THE INTERNAL CUSTOMERS?
SO THE OUTREACH, THE PUBLIC WAS -- BASICALLY, THE EASIER WAY, THE INTERNAL WAS BASICALLY WE INTERVIEWED CITY STAFF, PARK STAFF, SOME STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT WE CONSIDERED MORE OF OUR INTERNAL FOLKS, CONSERVANCY GROUPS.
OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH PIECE WAS THE PUBLIC.
>> URRUTIA: THOSE ARE THOSE NUMBERS.
>> PERRY: I'M JUST TRYING TO QUANTIFY THAT, BECAUSE WHEN A -- IS IT HERE, YOU SAID WE HAD HOW MANY INPUTS, A LITTLE OVER 2,000 -- OR UNDER 3,000.
>> URRUTIA: SO THAT WAS THE SECOND PIECE.
SO WE DID TWO PIECES, ONE WAS THE COMMUNITY SURVEY IN THE BEGINNING THAT WAS TO DEVELOP THE PLAN, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE MAY BE WOULD BE -- THE ONE WE DID AFTER THE DRAFT CHANGES, WHICH IS ON SLIDE 14.
>> PERRY: I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS AND I'M SAYING, WOW, MAN, THAT'S A BIG -- AUDIO]
>> URRUTIA: SO THE INPUT WAS IN THE FRONT PIECE, RIGHT.
AND THAT'S KIND OF THE NATURE OF THE GAME, ACTUALLY, TO GET -- I MEAN, THIS IS REALLY A ROBUST NUMBER OF RESPONSES WE GOT, EVEN IN THE SURVEY.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE DID OUR LAST NATURE EVENT AT MLK PARK, WE HAD 500 PARTICIPANTS, ABOUT 300 OF THOSE WERE ADULTS, ONLY ABOUT HALF OF THEM ACTUALLY EVEN FILLED OUT A SURVEY TO LET US KNOW WHERE THEY LIVE, HOW THEY HEARD ABOUT THE EVENT.
SO SOME OF IT IS WE -- WE WENT TO EVENTS WHERE PEOPLE DIDN'T THINK THEY WERE GOING TO A PARK SYSTEM PLAN EVENT, THEY WERE GOING EITHER TO SEE A MOVIE, GOING TO BIKE RODEO, WE TRIED TO ENGAGE THEM, BUT SOME OF THEM WON'T ENGAGE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO GIVE FEEDBACK.
JUST HAD A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS HERE.
>> PERRY: ON THIS SMOKING BAN.
I COULDN'T -- WHO CAME UP WITH THAT IDEA, LET'S BAN SMOKING IN THE PARKS?
>> URRUTIA: SO OUT OF THE SYSTEM PLAN, WHAT WE GOT FROM SOME OF THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, LIKE I SAID -- SO IT INITIATED WITH A PETITION THAT WAS SIGNED AND SUBMITTED TO BE PART OF THE PARKS SYSTEM PLAN.
AND THEN AS WE ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS, WHAT CAME UP WAS THE THEME OF PEOPLE EITHER DIDN'T REALIZE THAT PARKS WEREN'T ALREADY SMOKE/TOBACCO-FREE PARKS, SOME WERE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THAT YOU COULD, AND THEN, AGAIN, LOOKING AT MODELING FOR YOUTH, MODELING HEALTHY LIFESTYLES -- AUDIO] -- PARK IN GREEN SPACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE OUTDOORS RECREATIONAL CREATING OR BEING ACTIVE, EXERCISING AND THEN BEING EXPOSED TO SECOND-HAND SMOKE.
>> PERRY: SO IT WAS A SINGLE PETITION.
>> URRUTIA: PETITION, DIFFERENT COMMUNITY, SURVEY, WHICH THEY TALKED ABOUT NO SMOKING IN PARKS.
AND THAT GERMINATED INTO ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THE PLAN.
>> PERRY: YOU DIDN'T GET ANY NEGATIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT THAT.
WE WENT ON TPR -- IT'S TPR, BUT WE WENT -- IN JANUARY WE TALKED ABOUT IT.
IT WAS MENTIONED IN BOTH THE [INDISCERNIBLE] AND EXPRESS-NEWS ABOUT THIS RECOMMENDATION.
IT KIND OF GOT A LOT OF LIGHT WHEN THE DRAFT PLAN FIRST CAME OUT, THE MEDIA PICKED IT UP, BUT WE -- UN82, EVERY GROUP THAT WE'VE -- YOU KNOW, EVERY GROUP THAT WE'VE TALKED TO HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE.
THE CLOSEST HAS BEEN THE LA VIE'
[00:55:06]
TA ASSOCIATION SAID THEY DIDN'T REALLY CARE.BUT THE REST HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF NOT HAVING SMOKING IN OUR NATURAL AREAS, IN THE WILDERNESS, AND I THINK IT'S BOTH FROM A HEALTH PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK THERE'S THE FIRE RISK PERSPECTIVE AS WELL, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO SMOKE TEND TO JUST DROP THEIR CIGARETTE BUTTS AND THE CHANCES OF FIRE, WHICH LUCKILY TO DATE WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY BUT WE'VE HAD FIRES IN OUR WILDLIFE PARK, THIS STARTED THROUGH CARS WHO HAVE DRIVEN ON GRASS, THEY CAN BE DANGEROUS.
THEY GO QUICKLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE IN THE DRY SEASON.
SO WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANYONE RESPOND NEGATIVELY TO THE RECOMMENDATION.
LET ME JUST ASK, HOW MANY OTHER CITIES HAVE SMOKING BANS IN THEIR PARKS.
>> URRUTIA: SO 52 CITIES IN TEXAS CURRENTLY DO, AND OVER 1,500 DO ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE -- I KNOW INSIDE BUILDINGS THERE ARE, OUTSIDE BUILDINGS THERE ARE SMOKE AREAS.
HAVE Y'ALL THOWBT -- THOWBT -- THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
>> URRUTIA: IT WILL ALLOW DESIGNATED TEMPORARY SMOKING AREAS FOR CERTAIN EVENTS.
WE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WE OPERATE SUNKEN GARDENS THEATER, WE HAVE CONFERENCES THAT MAY BE THERE FOR EXTENDED AREAS THAT WE COULD DESIGNATE A SMALL AREA ON A TEMPORARY BASIS A SMOKING AREA, SO IT DOES ALLOW US THAT ATTITUDE BUT IT WOULD BE ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS THAT WE SEE APPROPRIATE.
>> PERRY: JUST THIS MORNING, WHAT'S WITH THIS PLAN, I ENJOY WALKING IN THE PARK, WALK MY DOG, SIT DOWN AND SMOKE A CIGAR.
AM I GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT ANYMORE? I SAID, NO, PROBABLY NOT.
AGAIN, YOU SAY TEMPORARY SMOKING AREA.
IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT PROVIDING SOME AREA IN A PARK TO -- SO THAT -- AND HERE'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, LIKE IT OR NOT -- I'VE NEVER BEEN A SMOKER, BUT LIKE IT OR NOT, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT STILL SMOKE.
AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE TAXPAYERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
THEY ARE PAYING TAXES TO SUPPORT THESE PARKS.
AND NOW WE'RE TELLING THEM, YOU CAN'T GO INTO THIS PARK AND SMOKE A CIGARETTE OR CIGAR OR EVEN TAKE A DIP OF SCOAL -- SKOAL OR SNUFF FOR WHATEVER PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUE WITH THAT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TELLING THEM WHAT THEY CAN AND CAN'T DO WITHIN A PARK THAT THEY'RE PAYING TAXES FOR OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS.
SO THAT'S -- THAT'S WHERE I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS.
>> DR. BRIDGER: AND FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, WE KNOW THAT TOBACCO IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AND ILLNESS, PREVENTABLE DEATH AND ILLNESS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT CIGARETTE BUTTS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL TRASH IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN MANY OF OUR PARKS, AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT YOUNG CHILDREN PLAY IN PARKS AND THEY CAN INADVERTENTLY PICK UP A CIGARETTE BUTT AND PUT IT INTO THEIR MOUTH AND ACTUALLY CAN RESULT IN TOBACCO POISONING, SO FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE I ALSO -- I KNOW WE MET THE OTHER DAY, WE REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MOVE.
WE ARE TRYING TO CONTINUE TO CREATE THAT CULTURE OF HEALTH IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THIS IS JUST ONE MORE STEP TOWARDS ENSURING THAT WE CREATE AND PROVIDE THE ABSOLUTELY SAFEST AND HEALTHIEST PLACES FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND FOR OUR FAMILIES.
SO CERTAINLY WANT TO -- I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY IN THIS DECISION.
>> PERRY: AND I DO CONSIDER HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY ALL THE TIME, EXCEPT I'M LOOKING AT THIS AS A -- YOU KNOW, TOBACCO IS A PART OF OUR SOCIETY.
YES, WE'RE -- IN FACT, I JUST HEARD WHERE TOBACCO, THERE WAS A DECREASE IN OVERALL USE AGAIN THIS LAST YEAR, WHICH IS GREAT.
BUT, AGAIN, WE'RE DEALING WITH TAXPAYER MONEY HERE ON SUPPORTING OUR PARKS AND TO JUST CARTE BLANCH SAY, HEY, YOU CAN'T SMOKE IN OUR PARKS, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO STILL PAY THOSE TAXES TO SUPPORT THAT PARK.
[01:00:01]
DECISION, AGAIN, FOR AN ADULT THAT CHOOSES TO SMOKE THAT THEY CAN'T DO IT IN OUR PARK SYSTEM.AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, TOBACCO USE IS ON THE DECLINE, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT IT'S STILL OUT THERE BEING USED AND PEOPLE WANT THAT LIBERTY TO MAKE THAT CHOICE ON WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AS FAR AS THEIR LIFESTYLE.
IT'S A GREAT DOCUMENT TO LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE WITH OUR PARKS.
BUT I'M STILL STRUGGLING SAYING, HEY, SORRY, CLOSE THE DOOR, PAY YOUR TAXES, BUT YOU CAN'T USE IT IF YOU WANT TO SMOKE.
SO I JUST WANT TO SUMMARIZE BY SAYING, I WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE COSTS WHERE WE CAN CAN LOOK AT THE COSTS AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND THEN I HEARD A LITTLE WHILE AGO THAT THIS STRATEGIC PLAN IS A 10-YEAR PLAN.
AND THAT WE WON'T REVISIT THIS PLAN UNTIL WHEN?
>> USUALLY THEY GO FOR A 10-YEAR CYCLE.
EVERY 10 YEARS PARK SYSTEMS GO BACK OUT AND --
>> AND I SUBMIT TO YOU, A STRATEGIC PLAN IS A PLAN.
BUT THAT CERTAINLY DOESN'T PROHIBIT YOU FROM GOING BACK AND REVIEWING THAT PLAN.
EVEN ON A YEARLY BASIS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ON TRACK.
I DON'T WANT THIS TO SOUND LIKE SLAM THE DOOR SHUT, THIS IS IT, WE'RE NOT EVER GOING TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN UNTIL --
>> OH, NO -- WE'LL DEFINITELY BE --
>> LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT, IF WE SEE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE CHANGES, AND MOVE FORWARD IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION IF WE NEED TO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
AND I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THE TOBACCO BAN.
SO DO A LOT OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.
IN FACT, QUICK PROBLEMATIC ON SO MANY LAYERS.
THEY'RE STEWARDS ON THEIR OWN TIME TO HELP KEEP PARKS CLEAN AND SAFE FOR EVERYONE.
I ALSO WANT TO MAKE A QUICK SHOUT-OUT TO THE SPRINGS PARK.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST VISITING WITH SOME SENIORS ACROSS THE WAY THERE, SO I WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR ONE OF THE STRATEGIES HERE, THE SUSTAINABILITY, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL ABILITIES ON WHEELS, FOOT AND BIKE.
I JUST WANT TO PUT IT ON YOUR RADAR.
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE DOING A LOT ABOUT IT, BUT ESPECIALLY ONE OF OUR OLDEST PARKS, WE DO HAVE A LARGE SENIOR POPULATION.
THEY'RE ALWAYS -- THEY JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE HOW MUCH THEY LOVE THE PARK, HOW MUCH THEY UTILIZE THE PARK, AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE AMEN ITIES INCLUD A LOT OF OUR SENIORS, SENIOR POPULATION.
I THINK THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE AS WE'RE ALL HEADED THERE.
AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT TREES.
ANOTHER SHOUT-OUT TO OUR D-1 PARKS AND REC COMMISSIONER, ERIC SANDON.
HE IS SOMEBODY WHO JUST GETS SO ENTHUSED ABOUT WORKING WITH YOU GUYS AND TALKING ABOUT TREES.
HE BROUGHT UP TO ME THE -- US TALKING ABOUT TREE CANOPY AND HOW WE BROADCAST ].
YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE CAN DO MORE CANOPY.
I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, WHAT'S PART -- WHAT PART OF THE PLAN IS ADDRESSING THAT? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S OTHER CITIES THAT DO SO MUCH MORE IN TERMS OF TREE CANOPY THAN SAN ANTONIO.
ARE WE SETTING OUR SIGHTS, OUR ASPIRATIONAL GOES TO BE DOING LIKE MILLIONS OF TREES, VERSUS THOUSANDS OF TREES?
>> IT IS DEFINITELY IN THE PLAN UNDER RESTORATIVE OBJECTIVE 2.2, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT TREE CENTRIC OASIS.
NOT ONLY OF THE CITY BUT THE PARK SYSTEM.
ONE OF THE THINGS LIKE WE MENTIONED HERE WAS ABOUT LOOKING AT POTENTIAL CHANGES IN THE
[01:05:01]
FUTURE TO THE UDC REGARDING THE TREE MITIGATION FUND AND THE USE OF THOSE.SO AGAIN, AS I THINK THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE WAS, WE'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF REFORESTATION EFFORTS WITHIN OUR URBAN FOREST.
YOU KNOW, WE GO BY PARKS, WE SEE LOTS OF NEW TREES, WE WORK WITH THE GOLF COURSES WHICH ARE HUNDREDS OF ACRES, TO BE ABLE TO PLANT NEW TREES THERE.
WE'VE KIND OF TAPPED OUT OUR EXISTING INVENTORY OF PROPERTIES, AND WE HAVE THEN MOVED ON TO PRIVATE PROPERTIES.
WE'VE HAD THE EFFORT IN THE LOS PALMAS AREA BROADCAST ].
WOOD LAWN AREAS IN CANVASSING THEM AND SAY, CAN WE COME TO YOUR PROPERTY, PLANT A TREE, WE'LL GET IT ALL DONE.
OUR TREE GIVEAWAYS STILL ARE HUGE.
I MET LAST SATURDAY WITH A COUNCILMAN ON WEST QUILL.
GONE IN FIVE MINUTES, ALL THE TREES.
SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT LOOKING AT HOW WE, AS WE DEVELOP NEW PARCELS BROADCAST ].
AND WE'VE TARGETED AREAS, NOT ONLY WHERE WE'RE PARK DEFICIENT, BUT ALSO CANOPY DEFICIENT.
THAT IS THE CRITICAL PIECE, BEING MORE DELIBERATE ON OUR WE -- AND MORE STRATEGIC ON HOW WE MAKE OUR EFFORT.
PART OF THAT IS JUST TO GET THE COMMUNITY MORE INTERESTED, GET THEM MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT TREE, HOW IMPORTANT TREE CANOPY IS, FROM RUNOFF, TO TEMPERATURE, TO SOIL CONSERVATION, ALL THOSE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS, PEOPLE HAVE LEARNED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, NOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE SEE OUR TREE GIVEAWAYS WITH LINES OF PEOPLE WAITING TO GO.
SAME THING WITH URBAN FOREST -- I MEAN URBAN GARDENS, URBAN ORCHARDS, ALL THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO WORK WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS.
HOW DO WE CREATE URBAN TYPE OF FARMS, WHERE WE HAVE NUT AND FRUIT TREES IN AREAS OF THE CITY WHERE MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.
AGAIN, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF EFFORTS WE'RE LOOKING AT IN EXPANDING NOT ONLY THE CANOPY, ACCESS TO PARKS, BUT ALSO FOOD SECURITY.
AGAIN, LOOKING AT A MULTIPLE RANGE OF THINGS THAT WILL STRENGTHEN NEIGHBORHOODS, AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY BUILD OUR SYSTEM UP.
I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB CONNECTING A LOT OF THE DOTS.
YOU MENTIONED, FOR EXAMPLE, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
YOU KNOW, HATS OFF TO BROADCAST ].
IT'S REALLY COMING ALONG VERY NICELY.
>> TREVINO: I THINK THOSE KINDS OF PROJECTS THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THAT KIND OF CONNECTION.
ESPECIALLY LIKE DISTRICT 1, WHERE WE'RE PRETTY MUCH BUILT OUT.
IT'S HARD FOR US TO FIND NEW GREEN SPACES.
SO WHEN WE HAD THIS DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, THEY CAME TOGETHER AND SAID THEY WANTED THIS BROADCAST ].
A WALKING TRAIL, A PLACE THAT'S WELL LIT.
AND IT'S REALLY LOOKING QUITE AMAZING.
I HOPE WE CAN SHOWCASE THIS TO THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL BROADCAST ].
TAKING THE KINDS OF THINGS WE HAVE TO DO IN THE FUTURE LIKE DRAINAGE PROJECTS, BUT OVERLAP WITH A LOT OF YOUR WORK.
>> LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, IT'S CRITICAL, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO GROW OUR SYSTEM IN A VERY SMART AND RESOURCEFUL WAY.
BECAUSE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROPERTY ARE SO FAR AND FEW IN BETWEEN.
AND ESPECIALLY IN DEVELOPED NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE HOUSE AFTER HOUSE AFTER HOUSE, SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE WE'RE GOING TO DO IN DISTRICT 1, WHERE WE HAD THIS DRAINAGE ISSUE, THE PUBLIC COUNCIL CAME BEHIND IT, BUT THEN TO BE ABLE TO THEN GIVE THAT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND ACTUALLY ADD NATURE TO PART OF THAT, THAT'S WHAT ALL THIS PLAN TALKS ABOUT.
AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FORWARD AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, EVEN WITH THE BOND PROGRAM.
WHEN WE LOOK AT DRAINAGE PROJECTS, PARKS, WE'LL BE AT THE TABLE WITH THEM.
HOW DOES THIS TIE INTO OUR PLAN.
HOW DO WE REALLY DO THE SYNERGIES OF NOT ONLY LOOKING AT FLOOD CONTROL, AND STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, BUT LOOK AT INFRASTRUCTURE, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, CONSERVATION, TREE CANOPY, ALL THOSE FACTORS, IT HAS TO BE ALL COMBINED.
>> TREVINO: ONE LAST QUESTION, XAVIER.
SPEAKING OF LAYERING ON ALL THESE, WHICH REALLY HAS SHOWN TO BE QUITE WONDERFUL.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED IS NOW THAT THE DRAINAGE PROJECT HAS SHOWN TO BE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DEMONSTRATION OF HOW
[01:10:02]
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS CAN OVERLAP, I'M HEARING MORE AND MORE ABOUT, CAN WE INCLUDE SOME PUBLIC ART.ARE AND THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES, ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK AT SORT OF NON-TRADITIONAL ELEMENTS THAT COULD BE UTILIZED TO HELP EXPRESS SOMETHING THAT MIGHT JUST BE SOLELY FOR AN ENGINEERING PURPOSE, BUT SERVE TO BEAUTIFY THE PROJECT OR, YOU KNOW, GIVE A VOICE TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT COMMUNITY.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, IN YOUR WORK WITH PUBLIC ART.
>> IN PUBLIC ART, IT'S A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
YOUR OFFICE, BEFORE YOU GO INTO YOUR OFFICES, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NOTICE THE PUBLIC ART.
A MAJORITY OF THAT, I WAS THERE THE OTHER DAY, AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE IN PARKS.
IT SPEAKS TO, AGAIN, WHEN WE LOOK AT AREAS THAT ARE PUBLIC LANDS, PLACES WHERE WE BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, NEIGHBORHOODS TOGETHER, WE WANT TO HAVE PUBLIC ART.
THEY WANT TO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS IN WORKING WITH THE -- WITH DEBBIE IS REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT TIES IN, AND REALLY LOOKING AT HOW DO WE CREATE THESE GATEWAYS THAT ARE REALLY BRINGING NEIGHBORHOODS TOGETHER.
HOW DO WE CREATE GATEWAYS THAT GIVE AN IDENTITY TO AN AREA.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCC SUCCESSFUL BROADCAST ].
AND SOME OF THE OTHER ONES WE'VE DONE AT PITMAN SULLIVAN PARK.
THOSE ARE GATEWAYS TO NEIGHBORHOODS, GATEWAYS TO CULTURAL AREAS, AND HISTORY OF THE CITY.
AND SO I'LL BRING UP BARBARA AND WORK WITH HER TO CHAMPION FOR THAT.
IT IS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF APPROACH, AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE MIRROR AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
IT NEEDS TO BE PERFECT, IT NEEDS TO BE RIGHT ON, SPOT-ON FROM THE GET-GO, SO THAT THE COMMUNITY TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT, USE IT.
BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE EVER WANT TO CREATE IS A PARKS DIRECTOR, IS A PARK THAT NO ONE GOES TO.
BECAUSE THERE'S NO REASON FOR IT THEN.
>> TREVINO: THE PROJECT IS NOT EVEN OVER, AND PEOPLE ARE ALREADY SKIPPING OVER SOME OF THE BARRIERS TO GO AHEAD AND START WALKING ON THE --
>> TREVINO: I'M NOT SAYING I'M ONE OF THOSE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILWOMAN GONZALEZ.
>> GONZALES: I MISSED YOUR PRESENTATION, XAVIER, BUT I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO PUBLICLY THANK YOU FOR HOW BEAUTIFUL ALL OF OUR PARKS LOOK.
AND SO I CALLED XAVIER YESTERDAY TO TELL HIM THAT I HAD TAKEN A SPECIAL GUEST AROUND OUR PARKS, TRYING TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR PARTICULAR PROJECTS.
AND MY HOPE WAS THAT I COULD SHOW HOW SAD AND, YOU KNOW -- [LAUGHTER] -- JUST NOT MAINTAINED EVERYTHING WAS AND WHY WE NEEDED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR OUR PARKS, AND EVERYTHING LOOKED SO NICE.
AND THERE WERE PEOPLE IN THE PARKS.
AND EVERYTHING WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL.
SO I THOUGHT -- I CALLED XAVIER TO TELL HIM THAT I THOUGHT HIS BOSSES MIGHT LIKE TO HEAR THAT, TOO, ERIC.
I SHOULD HAVE CALLED YOU TO TELL YOU HOW BEAUTIFUL EVERYTHING IS BECAUSE OF XAVIER AND ALL THE WORKS.
I KNOW YOU USE OUR PARKS, YOU RUN IN THE PARKS AND RIDE IN THE PARKS, AND YOU SEE THE GENTLEMEN AND LADIES WHO WORK IN THE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY'RE COMMITTED TO THE WORK THEY DO AND THEY TAKE PRIDE IN THAT.
LET THEM KNOW IT'S NOT GONE UNNOTICED.
ARE THE JAPANESE TEA GARDENS ALSO SAN ANTONIO?
THE JAPANESE TEA GARDENS ARE MAINTAINED AND CLEANED BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARKS FOUNDATION, AND THEY MANAGE THE TEA ROOM.
THE TEA ROOM, AND SOME OF THE SPECIAL EVENTS THAT ARE THERE.
BUT IT'S OUR STAFF, OR THE GARDENERS AT THE TEA GARDEN.
>> GONZALES: I HAPPENED TO COME UPON IT YESTERDAY, AND I THINK I HAD NOT BEEN THERE -- I COULD NOT RECALL HAVING BEEN THERE BEFORE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS MENTIONED AT ALL IN YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT IT WAS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
>> GONZALES: I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS -- I HOPE THAT, IF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE JAPANESE TEA GARDENS, YOU SHOULD GO, BECAUSE IT WAS SO SPECTACULAR.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
THIS MORNING I WAS OUT AT KENNEDY PARK INSTALLING A KABOOM, A PLAYGROUND WITH THE HELP OF LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS.
WE HAD CARMAX VOL UNTOURS, USAA, THE CITY DEPARTMENTS WERE THERE, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
[01:15:01]
ASSOCIATION.IN FACT, AT 2:00, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN READY.
>> GONZALES: UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T KNOW -- DID THEY FINISH?
KABOOM ARE A STICKLER ON THEIR TIMETABLES.
IF THEY'RE NOT DONE EARLIER, THEY'LL BE DONE WHEN THEY SAY THEY'RE DONE.
I MEANT TO MENTION THAT EARLIER AS WELL, I FIGURED YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN AT THE EVENT THIS MORNING.
THE GREAT PARTNERSHIP, THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE PARTNERSHIPS, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH KABOOM FOR OVER 10 YEARS, BRINGING PLAYGROUNDS TO PARKS AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T HAVE THEM.
THEY REALLY ENERGIZE, THEY GO OUT TO THE KIDS, ASK THEM WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE, ENGAGE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN THEY HAVE CORPORATE SPONSORS AND CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS LIKE WITH CARMAX WHO BRINGS VOLUNTEERS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT.
AND WE'RE GLAD YOU WERE ABLE TO GET OUT THERE THIS MORNING.
>> GONZALES: I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, XAVIER, FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR OUR BEAUTIFUL PARKS.
>> GONZALES: OF COURSE, I DON'T WANT THE HOPEFUL DONOR TO GET DISMAYED THAT WE DON'T REALLY NEED IT, WE REALLY DO.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL SOUND -- WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK THAT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: XAVIER AND
[Executive Session]
THE TEAM, GREAT JOB.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: APPRECIATE THE UPDATE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I THINK THAT IS THE ONLY ITEM ON OUR OPEN AGENDA TODAY.
THE TIME IS 3:30 P.M. ON THIS 3RD DAY OF APRIL BROADCAST ].
WE'LL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO SECTION 55.071 AND ISSUES RELATED TO THE INVESTIGATIONS REFERENCED IN THE CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED FROM THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, IN CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY, AND SETTLEMENT OFFER IN A LAWSUIT STYLED ROSEANNE ROCHA VERSUS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE
[Ceremonial Recognitions]
GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.WELCOME TO OUR CEREMONIAL AGENDA.
I THINK WE'VE GOT MOST OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE.
WE HAVE THREE ITEMS TODAY FOR OUR CEREMONIAL AGENDA, AND THIS IS BEING BROADCAST SO EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT WE'RE CELEBRATING, BECAUSE THEY WON'T SOON FORGET THAT FIESTA SAN ANTONIO WILL BE HELD APRIL 18TH THROUGH THE 28TH THIS YEAR, 2019.
THE ANNUAL EVENT TAKES PLACE EVERY APRIL TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF THE HEROES OF THE ALAMO AND BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO.
THE SUCCESS OF FIESTA IS DEPENDENT ON THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF THE FIESTA SAN ANTONIO COMMISSION, WHICH ORGANIZES THE TEXAS-SIZED FESTIVAL OF OVER 100 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, WITH MORE THAN 75,000 VOLUNTEERS, TO ACCOMMODATE NEARLY 3.5 MILLION PARTYGOERS.
VIVA FIESTA! ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL I WOULD LIKE TO READ A PROCLAMATION NOW.
WRAAS FIESTA 12340E7B, ONE OF THE NATION'S PREMIER FESTIVALS TAKE PLACE APRIL 28TH THROUGH THE 28TH, AND CELEBRATES SAN ANTONIO'S RICH AND DIVERSE CULTURE, WHEREAS THE TEXAS SIZED EXTRAVAGANZA WITH THE COMMISSION PLANS THE THOUSANDS OF ACTIVITIES AT 100 LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WITH OVER 75,000 VOLUNTEERS AND THE GENEROSITY OF CORPORATE PARTNERS TO MAKE FIESTA SAN ANTONIO SUCCESSFUL, WHEREAS WHAT BEGAN IN 1891 AS A ONE PARADE EVENT HAS GROWN TO A TEN-DAY CELEBRATION FEATURING MUSIC, FOOD, CARNIVALS, SPORTS, PAGEANT RI AND EXHIBITS, SEVERAL PARADES, AND ATTRACTS NEARLY 3.5 PARTY PARTYGOERS TO THE ALAMO CITY.
WHEREAS THE FUN-FILLED MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL GENERATES AN IMPACT FOR ALAMO CITY, AND PROVIDES A SAFE, EDUCATIONAL CELEBRATION OF THE DIVERSE HERITAGE AND SPIRIT OF SAN ANTONIO FOR ITS RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO ENJOY, NOW THEREFORE, I RON NIRENBERG, IN RECOGNITION THEREOF, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 18TH THROUGH THE 28TH, 2019, TO BE SAN ANTONIO'S OFFICIAL FIESTA SEASON.
>> FIESTA SAN ANTONIO COMMISSION, I'M JEANNE TRAVIS REPRESENTING BYRON LE FLEUR.
WE WANT TO THANK YOU FIRST OF ALL AND MOST OF ALL FOR THE
[01:20:02]
COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO WITH US, WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR US, AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO ON BEHALF OF THE 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE THAT WE ASSUME AND PREDICT ATTEND FIESTA.
I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THIS SASH TO YOU, SO YOU'RE PROPERLY DRESSED DURING FIESTA.
>> AS YOU CAN ALL SEE, WE BROUGHT OUR FIESTA FAMILY WITH US.
FLANKING ME ARE PART OF OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
WITH ME ARE OUR TWO KINGS, KING ANTONIO AND EL REY FEO.
THEY WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS TO YOU NOW.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR NIRENBERG AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO FEW A PEOPLE TRAVELING WITH ME TODAY IF POSSIBLE.
I'VE GOT LANGORIA, AND BRETT CONGER.
YOU MAY WONDER WHY WE'RE GIVING YOU A COPY OF A CHILDREN'S BOOK, BUT THE BOOK BRAVE RESONATES WITH ALL AGES.
BEING BRAVE IS ABOUT BEING A LEADER AND NEVER GIVING UP.
A BRAVE STUDENT ANSWERS THE CALL AND SPEAKS THE TRUTH.
WE WANT TO CHALLENGE ALL STUDENTS TO BE BRAVE, AND STRIVE TO BE THE BEST THEY CAN BE.
THE CAVALIERS IN SAN ANTONIO ARE SPREADING THE BE BRAVE MESSAGE AND LEAVE A COPY OF THE BOOK FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIES AT OVER 60 CHILDREN'S SCHOOLS DURING FIESTA.
ON BEHALF OF THE TEXAS CAVALIERS, THANK YOU FOR MAKING SAN ANTONIO A PLACE WHERE CHILDREN CAN BE BRAVE AND GO AFTER THEIR DREAMS. I'D LIKE TO READ A LETTER FROM OUR CHARITABLE FOUNDATION IF POSSIBLE.
THE TEXAS CAVALIERS FOUNDATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1989.
WITH THE MISSION TO ENCOURAGE, FOSTER, SUPPORT, AND CONDUCT ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS WHICH WILL BENEFIT CHILDREN.
SINCE INCEPTION, THE TEXAS CAVALIERS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION CONTRIBUTED TO OVER 120 CHILDREN'S CHARITIES ACROSS SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY.
WITH TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS EXCEEDING $8 MILLION.
THIS YEAR I'M HONORED TO DISTRIBUTE OVER $1.2 MILLION TO 67 DIFFERENT CHILDREN'S CHARITIES, INCLUDING, IT'S A LONG LIST SO I APOLOGIZE, ACHIEVEMENT CENTER FOR EDUCATION, ANY BABY CAN, ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF SAN ANTONIO, AUGUST HEART, AUTISM COMMUNITY NETWORK, BARRINGTON NEIGHBORS, BELIEVE IT FOUNDATION, BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF SOUTH TEXAS, BLESSED SACRAMENTO ACADEMY, BOY SCOTS ALAMO AREA, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF SAN ANTONIO, BOYSVILLE, BRIGHTON CENTER, CHILD ADVOCATE SAN ANTONIO, CHILDREN'S ASSOCIATION FOR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL, CHILDREN'S BEREAVEMENT CENTER, CHILD SAFE, CHRISTIAN ASSISTANCE MINISTRY, CITY KID ADVENTURES, COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOL, DOWN SYNDROME ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH TEXAS, FAMILY SERVICES ASSOCIATION OF SAN ANTONIO, GIRL SCOUTS OF THE SOUTHWEST TEXAS, GIRLS INCORPORATED SAN ANTONIO, GIRLS START, GOOD SAMARITAN COMMUNITY SERVICES, GUADALUPE COMMUNITY CENTER, GUS OWENS STEVENS FOUNDATION, HEALY MURPHY CENTER, JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES OF SAN ANTONIO, KINETIC KIDS, LIFE'S LITTLE MIRACLES, MCNAY ART MUSEUM, MISSION ROAD DEVELOPMENT CENTER, MORGAN'S WONDER LAND, WHO WILL RECEIVE OVER $800,000
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FROM US ALONE, MUSICAL BRIDGES AROUND THE WORLD, OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY OF SAN ANTONIO BROADCAST ].PROJECT MEND, ROY MOSS YOUTH ALTERNATIVES, SAN ANTONIO LIFE ACADEMY, SAN ANTONIO EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP, SAN ANTONIO METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES, SAN ANTONIO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, SETON HOME, SNACK PACK FOR KIDS, SOUTHWEST SCHOOL OF ART, SPINA BIFIDA TEXAS, ST. JUDE'S, ST. P.J.'S CHILDREN'S HOMES, SUNSHINE SCHOOL FOR DEAF CHILDREN, TEAM ABILITY, TEXAS BURNS SURVIVOR SOCIETY, TEXAS DIAPER BANK, THE 100 CLUB OF SAN ANTONIO, THE CHILDREN'S SHELTER, THE ECUMENICAL CENTER, UT HEALTH, PEDIATRIC DENTAL CLINIC, WOOD LAWN THEATER, YMCA OF GREATER SAN ANTONIO, YOUTH ORCHESTRAS OF SAN ANTONIO, AND ZAPATO INC.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW HERE TODAY, THE TEXAS CAVALIERS SELECTED TEN WINNERS AND TEN RUNNERSUP ACROSS BEXAR COUNTY, AND WE'LL CONTRIBUTE APPROXIMATELY $46,000 TO THE SCHOOL ART PROGRAMS. BEING ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN FIESTA FOR MANY YEARS, THE TEXAS CAVALIERS RECOGNITION THE COMMITMENT BY OUR CITY LEADERS.
WITHOUT THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO WOULD NOT ENJOY OUR ANNUAL SPRING CELEBRATION.
WE WOULD HIKE TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO FIESTA AND TO MAKE SAN ANTONIO'S FIESTA A CONTINUED SUCCESS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'D LIKE TO READ A PROCLAMATION FOR KING ANTONIO, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, SINCE 1927, THE TEXAS CAVALIERS HAVE HONORED THE MEMORY OF OUR ALAMO HEROES KEEPING ALIVE THE SPIRIT OF TEXAS HISTORY, AND THE PART SAN ANTONIO PLAYED IN THAT HISTORY, WHEREAS TO RECEIVE THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSES, THE TEXAS CAVALIERS CREATED KING ANTONIO TO DELIVER POSITIVE HEALTHY MESSAGES TO LOCAL SCHOOL CHILDREN, REINFORCING THE VALUES OF EDUCATION AND SELF-RESPECT, AND WHEREAS ROGER C. HILL III HAS BEEN CHOSEN AS THIS YEAR'S KING ANTONIO THE XCVIITH, WILL REPRESENT THE CAVALIERS AND GREET ALL ROYAL SUBJECTS AT CEREMONIAL PARTIES AND DISTRIBUTE CHAR TAL FUNDS DURING FIESTA 2019, AND WHEREAS KING ANTONIO WILL REIGN OVER THE TEXAS CAVALIERS RIVER PARADE ON MONDAY, APRIL 22ND, 2019, AND PROVIDE MERRIMENT AND BIRTH BIRTH ALONG THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER.
I RON NIRENBERG MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DO HEREBY PROCLAIM ROGER C. HILL HILL III AS KING ANTONIO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'LL HAVE OUR -- THE WHOLE COUNCIL COME DOWN AFTER WE RECOGNIZE REY FEO TO TAKE A BIG GROUP PICTURE AS WELL.
ON BEHALF OF THE REY FEO SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATION, AND MYSELF, IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL TODAY, AND THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME DOWN HERE TO TALK TO YOU FOR A LITTLE BIT.
AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU MY MEMBERS OF MY COURT AND MY PRIME MINISTER,
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MR. KEN SLAUT, LORENA LINDA, AND MINISTERS, IF THEY WOULD JUST STAND.GENTLEMEN? [APPLAUSE] AND MY WIFE JENNIFER GABRIEL BARBERO.
THE ORGANIZATION RAISES MONEY FOR THOSE IN NEED, TO GET THROUGH COLLEGE.
AND WE GIVE THEM SCHOLARSHIPS EVERY YEAR.
WE HAVE GIVEN ROUGHLY OVER $7 MILLION SINCE 1987 TO THOSE WHO ARE -- NEED ECONOMIC AID TO GET THROUGH COLLEGE.
WE'VE VISITED 50 OR 60 SCHOOLS.
MY MESSAGE TO THOSE SCHOOLS, AND CHILDREN, WE ACTUALLY WENT TO NOT ONLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THIS YEAR, BUT WE ALSO WENT TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS.
I ACTUALLY WANTED TO TARGET HIGH SCHOOLS BECAUSE I FELT THEY WERE THE ONES JUST READY TO GO ON TO COLLEGE, AND TO GIVE THEM MY LITTLE PIECE OF ADVICE ON HOW TO SUCCEED IN COLLEGE.
BUT OUR MESSAGE WAS BASICALLY THREE THINGS.
ONE, IS TO BE -- TO HELP EACH OTHER MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
I GAVE THEM A STORY ABOUT BEING FISHERMEN AMONG MEN.
AND I TOLD THEM THAT THE IDEA WAS TO GO OUT AND HELP THOSE IN NEED.
WE'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE BAD DAYS, TO GO OUT AND HELP EACH OTHER.
AND WHEN YOU MOST NEED THAT HELP.
THE SECOND THING IS, I TOLD THEM I HAVE A LOT OF STUFF IN THIS LIFE, BUT I FOUND OUT IT'S NOT THE AMOUNT OF STUFF THAT I HAD IN THIS LIFE, BUT WHAT I DO WITH THAT STUFF IN LIFE, TO HELP OTHERS.
AND THE THIRD THING I TOLD THEM TO TRY TO HELP THEM OUT, NOT JUST TO TRY TO GET THROUGH IN THIS LIFE, BUT TO ACTUALLY HAVE AN IMPACT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE WITH THE GIFT THEY WERE GIVEN.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, FROM THE GABRIEL FAMILY, AND MYSELF, FOR INVITING ME HERE TODAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WHEREAS THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS, COUNCIL NUMBER 2, ESTABLISHED THE EL REY FEO FOUNDATION TO RAISE FUNDS AND PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED AREA YOUTH, AND WHEREAS THE LEGEND DATES BACK TO THE MEDIEVAL TIMES IN SPAIN, WHEN THE COMMON FOLK SELECTED BROADCAST ].
AND WHEREAS THIS CELEBRATION ULTIMATELY TRAVELED TO THE NEW WORLD, AND MEMBERS OF THE LULAC COUNCIL NUMBER 2 SELECTED ITS OBSERVANCE FOR DESERVING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS TO OBTAIN A COLLEGE EDUCATION, REGARDLESS OF RACE, COLOR OR RELIGION, WHEREAS SALVADOR BARBEROII, WILL REPRESENT THE LULAC COUNCIL NUMBER 2 DURING THE 2019 FIESTA ACTIVITIES, AND WHEREAS DURING HIS REIGN, HE WILL VISIT NURSING HOMES, HOSPITALS, ORPHANAGES AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND SERVE AS A GOODWILL AMBASSADOR FOR THE CITY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
NOW, THEREFORE, I RON NIRENBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THAT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO RECOGNIZES SALVATORE BORBERO III FOR A MOST SUCCESSFUL REIGN.
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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: CAN WE GET EVERYBODY?
[01:41:08]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE DO HAVE COMMENT, BECAUSE WE WANT TO SAY VIVA FIESTA AS MANY TIMES AS POSSIBLE THIS EVENING.
COUNCILMAN PERRY HAS BEEN WAITING FOR A FEW MONTHS TO DO THIS.
WE HAVE SOME COUNCIL COMMENTS STARTING WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
I THINK ALL OF US IN THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND THE HARD WORK, THE DETERMINATION, THE COMMITMENT YOU'VE MADE TO YOUR COMMUNITY, TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO MAKE FIESTA ONE OF THE PREMIER EVENTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND IT REALLY BECOMES A PREMIER EVENT IN THE LIVES OF ALL OF US WHO ARE HERE.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMITMENT, AND THAT DETERMINATION.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ENJOY THIS, AND ALL OF US WILL, TOO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN PERRY?
I THINK LAST TIME I SAID, I'M EXCITED, AND I'M STILL EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
THERE'S SO MUCH WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS KIND OF WORK IS FUN.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
HAVING FUN, RAISING MONEY FOR CHARITIES, AND SCHOOLS AND ALL -- YOU KNOW, IT ALL PLAYS TOGETHER.
IT'S ALL ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM.
AND THIS IS ONE WAY TO BRING THIS CITY TOGETHER, TO MOVE FORWARD, AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE REST OF THIS YEAR.
I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, I CAN'T WAIT TO GET OUT THERE AND SHOW YOU THIS MEDAL.
YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT A BUNCH OF NICE MEDALS UP HERE ALREADY, BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE THE MOST COVETED MEDAL HERE IN TOWN HERE.
SO I'M GOING TO -- YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT ONE, I'LL COME DOWN THERE AND HAND THESE THINGS OUT.
BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
YES, ALL RIGHT, THERE'S ONE, RIGHT THERE.
ALL RIGHT, THERE'S ANOTHER, THERE'S ANOTHER, ALL RIGHT! YES! I WILL COME ON DOWN THERE AND GET SOME OF THESE MEDALS OUT.
AS YOU CAN TELL, I'M EXCITED ABOUT FIESTA, AND I'M REARING TO GO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
>> TREVINO: I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU.
TRUTHFULLY, IT'S A LOT OF WORK, AND YOU GUYS REALLY PUT IN SO MUCH WORK INTO THIS.
IT'S NOT JUST THE DAYS OF FIESTA, BUT ALL THAT COMES JUST BEFORE THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
IT REALLY MEANS A LOT TO OUR CITY.
IT'S ONE OF THE TRADITIONS ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY AND IT'S RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND YOU GUYS UPHOLD IT IN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL WAY.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT IT'S A COLLABORATIVE GESTURE, IT'S AMAZING TO SEE REY FEO AND KING ANTONIO COMING TOGETHER TO DO WHAT YOU DO.
WE'LL SUPPORT YOU IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, YOUR DILIGENCE, AMY, JEANNE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LEADING THIS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS THAT PUT IN SO MUCH TIME, LOVE, EFFORT AND DEDICATION.
THANK YOU TO OUR KING ANTONIO, TO REY FEO FOR KEEPING THE TRADITIONS ALIVE AND TELLING THE STORIES OF OUR PEOPLES.
TO LORRAINEA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND REPRESENTATION TO OUR MISS FIESTA.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A GREAT REPRESENTATION.
AND TO THE CHARRO QUEEN AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CHARRO
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DAYS IN DISTRICT 3.THIS IS A TIME WE CAN FORGET EVERYTHING ELSE AND COME TOGETHER AS A CITY AND DO SAN ANTONIO SO WELL AND WHAT SETS US APART.
SO WE HAVE TO PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
AND AT THE FIESTA KICKOFF, THAT YOU ALL HAD, THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO HYDRATE, AND WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU AGAIN, FIESTA UPON US.
IT FEELS LIKE A CONSTANT STREAM OF EVENTS, 300 AND ONGOING.
I'M ESPECIALLY EXCITED ABOUT MISS FIESTA VICTORIA A DISTRICT 5 RESIDENT.
VICTORIA, WILL YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A MISS FIESTA.
I WANT TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU.
>> LIKE COUNCILMAN GONZALES SAID, I GREW UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE MY ENTIRE LIFE IN DISTRICT 5.
I WENT TO TRAVIS EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL WHERE I GRADUATED VALEDICTORIAN IN 2015 WITH AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE ALSO.
I WENT TO RIO GRANDE VALLEY WHERE I RECEIVED A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY, AND IN MAY I'LL BE GOING TO SOUTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER.
AND IN BETWEEN THAT TIME, I WAS BLESSED ENOUGH TO BE MISS FIESTA SAN ANTONIO.
IT WAS BASED ON MY COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT, AND THE CONCEPT IS CALLED THE BOOST BOX.
SO THE BOOST BOX IS A CARE PACKAGE, BROADCAST ].
MADE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS OF SAN ANTONIO, REALLY GREAT ORGANIZATION.
INSIDE THIS BOX ARE PRODUCTS LIKE TOOTHBRUSHES, TOOTHPASTE, SUNSCREEN, SHAMPOO, CONDITIONER.
WE'RE PROVIDING THEM TO STUDENTS IN NEED TO GIVE THEM A BOOST OF SELF-CONFIDENCE AND TEACH THEM ABOUT HEALTHY HABITS TO ENCOURAGE ATTENDANCE IN SCHOOL AND BOOST THEIR OVERALL SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR STORY.
AND I THOUGHT YOU WERE LIKE 15.
I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT -- YEAH, MUCH YOUNGER LADY.
WELL, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT FOR OUR KIDS.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR STORY.
>> SALDANA: THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR IN SAN ANTONIO, AND FOR FOLKS WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH FIESTA, IT'S THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE WHAT MAKES SAN ANTONIO UNIQUE.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK KING ANTONIO, REY FEO AND THE FIESTA COMMISSION FOR PULLING OFF, OF COURSE, THE EVENT, BUT PULLING OFF THE CAUSE BEHIND THE EVENT.
I KNOW YOU LISTED OUT ALL OF THE NONPROFITS WHO ARE GOING TO BE BENEFICIARIES THIS YEAR.
AND REY FEO RAISES SO MUCH MONEY FOR KIDS.
I'M A REY FEO RECIPIENT OF A SCHOLARSHIP AND TOOK THAT -- [APPLAUSE]
>> I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT WHEN I WAS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT.
I THINK EVEN BACK THEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE IDEA OF COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY, AND COMMITMENT TO SERVICE.
AND SO I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU ALL LIVE IT THROUGH, WHETHER YOU'RE WEARING A BLUE UNIFORM OR WHITE UNIFORM OR A SASH WITH THE FIESTA COMMISSION.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT SUCH A SPECIAL EVENT.
>> AND A FINAL THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSION, TO THE CAVALIERS, AND TO LULAC FOR ALL YOU DO.
THIS IS A GREAT TIME IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO EVERY YEAR, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO COORDINATE THE NONPROFITS.
THE GREAT PART ABOUT THIS IS WE CAN PARTY NONSTOP FOR TEN DAYS, AND NOT HAVE A SHRED OF GUILT BECAUSE WE KNOW ALL OF THAT PARTYING IS GOING TO VERY GOOD CAUSES.
IT'S NOT EASY TO WORK WITH SO MANY PMOS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE FIESTA HAPPEN, BUT THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT FOR ME, AND FOR OUR COMMUNITIES THAT WE GET TO BENEFIT SUCH A WIDE ARRAY OF GREAT ORGANIZATIONS.
ROGER, LOOKING FORWARD TO JOINING YOU IN SOME GREAT EVENTS AND SEEING YOU OUT AT THE SCHOOLS.
REY FEO, SALVATORE, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
THE FIESTA EVENT IS WHERE I GET TO SEE OUR GOOD FRIEND JOHN, A TRUE SON OF SAN ANTONIO, SO OFTEN WE SEE HIM ON THE FIESTA TRAIL.
SO THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING JOHN TO CONTINUE TO TELL THE STORY OF FIESTA AND SAN ANTONIO.
ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CITY WHO IS GOING TO GET TO ENJOY SO MANY GREAT EVENTS, VIVA SAN ANTONIO!
[APPLAUSE]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.