[00:00:02]
THE TIME IS 2:36 PM ON THIS 11TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2021.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL OUR CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA? HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER COVEO HDA, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER PAL COUNCIL HERE.
AND, UH, WE DO HAVE A FULL QUORUM TODAY.
AS YOU KNOW, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER COVEO HDA AND COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE ARE BOTH WITH US, BUT THEY ARE REMOTE.
YOU CAN SEE THEM ON THE SCREEN.
UM, JUST A, A FEW RULES OF ENGAGEMENT TODAY.
WE'VE GOT, UH, ONE ITEM TO START US.
WE'RE GONNA APPROVE THE MINUTES.
UM, TODAY WE'RE ALSO HEARING THREE CCRS FROM OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS, IN ADDITION TO OUR PLANNING COMMISSION APPLICANTS.
THE WAY THE ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS ARE GONNA GO, IS THAT WE'RE GONNA HEAR INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS ONE AT A TIME, AS THE REST OF THE CANDIDATES ARE IN THE B ROOM WAITING FOR THEIR TURN.
SO WE'RE ONLY GONNA HAVE THE CANDIDATE WHO IS BEING ACTIVELY INTERVIEWED IN THE CHAMBER AT ONCE.
AFTER THE INTERVIEWS, WE'RE GONNA GO EXEC, UH, WE'RE GOING TO CONVENE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, HAVE A DISCUSSION, THEN WE'LL COME OUT WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FULL COUNCIL.
UM, SO I'M GONNA DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY HERE.
[Approval of Minutes ]
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND, AND CALL UP ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES OF DECEMBER 15TH.LET'S GO AHEAD AND CLEAR THAT ONE OUT.
SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS THE CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES OF DECEMBER 15TH, 2021.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR DECEMBER 15TH, 2021.
THERE'S A MOTION, THERE'S A MOTION SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM ONE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THOSE MINUTES? CLARIFICATIONS, HEARING NONE.
FOR, UH, JUST FOR EFFICIENCY PURPOSES, UM, LET ME GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ON ITEM TWO, SO OUR CANDIDATES CAN HEAR THAT DISCUSSION.
IN TERMS OF HOW THE PROCESS WILL GO, EVERY CANDIDATE IS GOING TO BE IN HERE INDIVIDUALLY.
WE'LL ASK FOR A TWO MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT FROM EACH CANDIDATE, AND THEN WE'LL GO ROUND ROBIN WITH ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL CALL UP THE, THE SUBSEQUENT, UH, CANDIDATE.
AFTER THAT, WE'LL GO IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
UH, NOT EVERYONE IS PRESENT TODAY, BUT WE WILL HEAR ALL OF THOSE CANDIDATES WHO ARE PRESENT.
WE DO HAVE A FEW CANDIDATES WHO SUBMITTED WRITTEN STATEMENTS IN LIEU OF APPEARANCE TODAY.
SO, UM, LET ME GO AHEAD AND PAUSE FOR A MINUTE AND ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ON PROCESS.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO, UM, GO AHEAD AND DISMISS OUR CANDIDATES INTO THE B ROOM TO GO AHEAD AND WAIT FOR THEIR, UH, CALL FORWARD FOR INTERVIEW.
IN THE MEANTIME, I AM GONNA ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER ITEMS THREE THROUGH FIVE, WHICH SHOULD BE RELATIVELY QUICK AS PEOPLE ARE FILTERING OUT.
THAT WAY WE CAN GET ALL THAT DONE IN THE, THE ONLY THING ON OUR AGENDA THAT ANYONE WOULD BE WAITING ON IS OUR INTERVIEW AND APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO LET ME TAKE UP ANY QUESTIONS THAT FOLKS HAVE ON PROCESS FOR OUR PLANNING COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS.
IF THERE ARE NONE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DISMISS OUR OH, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
I JUST WANNA KNOW IF WE WILL READ INTO THE RECORD THE, UH, THE LETTERS THAT WERE SENT TO THOSE WHO ARE ABSENT.
UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ, UH, THE APPLICATION, UH, THE APPLICANTS WHO HAVE SUBMITTED WRITTEN STATEMENTS, I WON'T READ THE WHOLE STATEMENT.
UH, WE HAVE THOSE IN YOUR, YOUR, UH, DOCUMENTS.
UH, AND WE HAVE ONE THAT WAS SUBMITTED TODAY THAT WILL BE SENT TO YOU SHORTLY.
UH, JAVIER TORRES HAS SUBMITTED A WRITTEN STATEMENT, BUT I'LL READ THOSE NAMES WHEN WE GET TO ITEMS ITEM NUMBER TWO, UH, TO BE PLACED INTO THE RECORD.
UM, SO AT THIS TIME, I'LL ASK OUR CANDIDATES IF THEY WILL JUST FOLLOW OUR STAFF INTO THE B ROOM.
GIVE US A FEW MOMENTS AS WE GET THROUGH ITEMS THREE THROUGH FIVE, AND THEN WE'LL START OUR INTERVIEW PROCESS.
[Consent Agenda ]
AT THIS TIME, UM, LET ME GO AHEAD AND CALL UP, UH, ITEMS THREE THROUGH FIVE, UH, FOR A PRESENTATION.I THINK WE'RE GONNA TAKE ALL OF THOSE TOGETHER.
AND THEN I'LL GIVE THE FLOOR TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER PLY TO INTRODUCE THE REQUEST.
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CONSENT ITEM NUMBER THREE IS A BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER MANNY IZE, DISTRICT EIGHT, REGARDING REQUIREMENT FOR PLACES OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION TO POST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION SIGNAGE.ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS A BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER MANNY EZ, DISTRICT EIGHT, REGARDING REQUIREMENT THAT SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES WHICH RECEIVE CITY FUNDING ENSURE INSTRUCTION ON FAMILY VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE, AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS A BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM ON A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER MANOLAS, DISTRICT EIGHT REGARDING AMPLIFYING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, FAMILY VIOLENCE, AND SEX TRAFFICKING AWARENESS THROUGH CITY AND CITY RELATED TOUCHPOINTS.
UH, SO WE'LL TAKE UP THESE ITEMS TOGETHER.
AND, UM, ERIC, DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF? ALRIGHT, DR.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, UH, JUST HAVE A QUICK PRESENTATION.
I AM, UH, UNMASKED IN ORDER FOR YOU TO HEAR ME A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEARLY.
SO, IN GENERAL, THE BACKGROUND.
IN OCTOBER OF 2021, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN PALAIS, UH, ISSUED, UH, THESE THREE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUESTS FOR DIRECTION TO THE CITY STAFF.
UM, AND THESE, THE SPECIFICS OF THE THREE CCRS ARE TO REQUIRE THAT ALL PLACES OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION DISPLAY IN BATHROOMS CLEARLY VISIBLE SIGNAGE FEATURING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEX TRAFFICKING PREVENTION RESOURCES.
THE SECOND IS TO AMPLIFY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEX TRAFFICKING, AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS, AND EXPAND AWARENESS OF AND ACCESS TO VITAL SERVICES FOR ACT BY ACTIVATING CITY, DEPARTMENT AND CITY RELATED TOUCHPOINTS FOR TRANSMISSION, INCLUDING POTENTIAL REQUIREMENTS TO DISTRIBUTE INFORMATIONAL RESOURCES REGARDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
AND THIRD, REQUIRE CERTAIN SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES PROVIDE ITS STUDENTS WITH INSTRUCTION ABOUT FAMILY VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE, AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
SO AGAIN, UH, NOT READING ALL THIS TO YOU, BUT JUST KNOW THAT SAN ANTONIO, WHEN YOU COMPARE US TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AND OTHER IN OTHER CITIES, WE'VE WITNESSED A HIGHER RATES OF THIS KIND OF ABUSE, SPECIFICALLY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE.
TOO OFTEN THESE TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS RESULT IN FORESEEABLE AND PREVENTABLE DEATHS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE BRINGING THIS TO LIGHT AND SHARING THIS WITH YOU.
IN ADDITION, THIS IS NOT MOVING FORWARD.
IN ADDITION, UM, PARTS OF, UH, THIS ANCHORS TO OUR COMPREHENSIVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION PLAN, WHICH WAS CODIFIED IN 2019.
UH, AND IN PARTICULAR WE WANTED TO ADDRESS THE PROMOTING THE ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPREHENSIVE EVIDENCE-BASED PARENTING EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF CHILD ABUSE, INCLUDING THE TRIPLE P PARENTING PROGRAM, WHICH IS ANCHORED IN OUR VIOLENCE PREVENTION SECTION.
UH, AND THAT BY WAY IS LED BY JENNY HICKSON, AND I DO WANT TO THANK HER 'CAUSE SHE'S ACCOMPANYING ME TODAY.
SECONDLY, TO DEVELOP A COMMUNITY-WIDE MEDIA CAMPAIGN ACROSS MULTIPLE MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION CHANNELS, INCLUDING LARGE EMPLOYERS TO SATURATE THE MARKET, AND THIRDLY, TO EXPAND SCHOOL-BASED PREVENTION AND, AND ENGAGEMENT OF SERVICE PROVIDERS TO REDUCE VIOLENCE THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PROVIDERS.
SO, WITH THAT, AGAIN, THESE ARE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT'S ANCHORED IN REFLECTED IN THESE THREE CCRS.
IT'S ONE TO REQUIRE THAT ALL PLACES OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION DISPLAY, UH, IN BATHROOMS, CLEARLY VISIBLE SIGNAGE FEATURING, UH, DV DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEX TRAFFICKING PREVENTION RESOURCES, ACTIONS ALREADY TAKEN BY METRO HEALTH.
SO WE'VE DISTRIBUTED 10,000 DECALS TO INTERESTED PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS.
THE DECALS ARE PROVIDED TO AREA RESTAURANTS, UH, WHEN WE CONDUCT ROUTINE INSPECTIONS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING SIGNAGE DEVELOPED WITH THE CONVENTION AND SPORTS FACILITIES.
THE, THE SECOND PART OF THE C C R, AGAIN, TO AMPLIFY OUR REACH, JUST KNOW ACTIONS TAKEN TO DATE BY METRO HEALTH.
WE DO HAVE OUR CITYWIDE LOVE IS, UH, COMMUNITY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.
WE DO HAVE INFORMATION VISIBLY AVAILABLE ON OUR, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OF THE WEBSITE, THE C C D V WEBSITE.
WE DO HAVE A 24 7 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE, AND WE DO HAVE ONGOING COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PRESENTATIONS AND PROGRAMS. AND THIRDLY, ADDRESSED BY THE C C R.
UM, UH, JUST KNOW THAT, UH, THIS CALLS TO REQUIRE CERTAIN SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES TO PROVIDE ITS STUDENTS WITH INSTRUCTION ABOUT FAMILY VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE, AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
UM, JUST KNOW THAT THIS ORDINANCE WOULD APPLY TO ALL SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, OR COLLEGES
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THAT CHOOSE TO CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.CHOOSE TO USE ANY CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FACIL FACILITIES FOR THEIR EVENTS, OR CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, CONNECTED BEYOND THE CLASSROOM PROGRAM, AND OR CHOOSE TO RECEIVE ANY FUNDING FROM THE CITY.
AND SO THERE ARE TWO COMMITTEES ANCHORED TO OUR COLLABORATIVE COMMISSION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, THAT ARE ADDRESSING ASPECTS OF THIS C C R.
IT'S A NONPROFIT COMMITTEE, UH, IN ADDRESSING SCHOOL-BASED EDUCATION, AND IT'S THE ED EDUCATION COMMITTEE, WHICH IS ADDRESSING COLLEGE EDUCATION ON DV.
SO WITH THAT, UH, WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING IS THAT, UM, THIS ISSUE, UH, IS ALREADY, UH, CODIFIED AND SUPPORTED IN OUR F Y 22 BUDGET.
UH, THERE ARE FOUR NEW POSITIONS TO SUPPORT OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.
UM, AND THESE POSITIONS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE CAPACITY TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
AND LASTLY, UH, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE REFERRAL OF THIS TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
LET ME TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS, WHO AUTHORED THE CCRS.
I, I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB SUMMARIZING EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT, UH, I I WAS ASKING FOR.
IN THESE CCRS, I CONSIDER THESE CCRS TO BE JUST COMMON SENSE, UH, ADDITIONS TO THE, UH, UH, THE, THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE ALREADY INSTITUTED AND ALL YOUR EFFORTS.
UM, AND I MAKE A MOTION TO REFER TO THIS TO CHECK.
ALRIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO FORWARD THE, UM, CCRS ONTO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY COMMITTEE FOR WORK.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER ROACH GARCIA.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILMAN PELAS.
AND SO, UM, UH, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I CALLED HIM, UH, AFTER I CAME BACK FROM A, A WORLD SERIES GAME WITH THE ASTROS.
AND SO THIS, I SAW SOMETHING IN THE BATHROOM STALLS THAT TALKED ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS BRILLIANT, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHERE ELSE CAN SOMEONE'S PRIVACY BE IMPORTANT? SO I CAME BACK AND I TALKED TO, TO THE MAYOR ABOUT IT AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN PIAS FOR, FOR WORKING ON ALL THESE THREE, AND I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE IN SUPPORT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? I THINK WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE BURDEN OF THE SURNAME THAT COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS HAS, UH, AND THE GREAT LEADERSHIP HIS MOTHER PROVIDES TO OUR COMMUNITY ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ISSUES.
SO, UH, FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE REQUEST AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE PROCESS.
SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR.
WITHOUT FURTHER DISCUSSION, UM, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR FORWARDING THESE CCRS TO THE CHECK COMMITTEE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
ALRIGHT, NOW WE'RE GONNA START OUR, UH, INTERVIEWS FOR THE AT LARGE APPOINTMENTS TO THIS CITY COUNCIL PLANNING, EXCUSE ME, THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.UM, WE HAVE OUR APPLICANTS LISTED, I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UM, ABOUT 10 WHO ARE PRESENT IN PERSON.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START CALLING FOLKS BACK IN ORDER, UH, ALPHABETICALLY.
ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE DO THAT? ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL BACK JERRY BRODERICK.
OH, MR. BRODERICK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
UH, MR. BRODERICK, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU THE FLOOR FOR A TWO MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT, THEN WE'LL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OTHER OFFICIALS FOR INVITING ME HERE TODAY.
UM, I, UM, FELT, UM, UM, OH, OKAY.
IN TERMS OF THE, THE, THE POS THE ROLE HERE, UM, I HAVE A LENGTHY CAREER OVER 40 YEARS WORKING IN ACADEMIC MEDICINE AND, AND HEALTHCARE IN GENERAL AND SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS.
AND QUITE A BIT OF THAT ROLE IN, IN ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTERS WAS, UM, PROGRAM PLANNING, FINANCIAL PLANNING, AS WELL AS FACILITIES PLANNING, BOTH IN TERMS OF INPATIENT FACILITIES, OUTPATIENT RESEARCH AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE SPACE.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF PROCESS, SOME OF THESE AREAS ARE FAIRLY FAMILIAR TO ME.
I CAME TO SAN ANTONIO AS A YOUTH, UM, FOR HEMISPHERE BACK IN 1968 AND WAS REALLY TAKEN BY THE CITY AND, AND HOW NOVEL AND UNIQUE IT WAS.
SO IN 2013 WHEN, UM, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO RELOCATE MY FAMILY AND I WERE VERY EXCITED TO MOVE TO SAN ANTONIO, AND WE'VE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.
UM, I, UH, RETIRED ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO,
[00:15:01]
AND SINCE THAT TIME I'VE MADE A COMMITMENT TO GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE WAYS WHEN I CAN MAKE A CONTRIBUTION THAT I THINK WOULD BE OF VALUE.
AND THE OTHER AREA I'VE SERVED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS ON THE, UH, COMPLAINT AND ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW BOARD OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, AND HAVE, UH, REALLY ENJOYED THE, THE, THE COMRADERY OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND, AND HOW THEY'RE SET FOR MEETING THE CHALLENGES HEAD ON, WHETHER, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE GOOD OR BAD.
UH, MR. BRODERICK, UM, I'LL JUST, I'LL START WITH A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, CITY'S A VERY DYNAMIC, UM, PLACE AND WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTION TAKING PLACE IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION PROCESS ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT IT'S GONNA BE EVEN MORE INTENSE THIS COMING YEAR WITH, UM, PROPOSED U D C AMENDMENTS, THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE, ET CETERA.
UH, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS TO PREPARE FOR THAT PROCESS? UM, I, COMMITMENTS THAT I HAVE OTHER THAN JUST TO MY FAMILY REALLY ARE ONLY THAT OF, UH, PLAYING GOLF MAYBE ONCE A WEEK AND THEN, AND THEN THE COM UH, COMPLAINT ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW BOARD.
SO, UM, TIME COMMITMENT IS NOT A PROBLEM FOR ME AND, UM, I WOULD REALLY WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND THE, THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS, UH, WE ARE UNDERGOING A PROCESS IN WHICH WE ARE, UM, TRYING TO SOLIDIFY A GROWTH MANAGEMENT POLICY THAT DEALS WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE CITY, INCLUDING THE WORK THAT WE DO THAT INTERSECTS WITH SAWS AND C P SS, OUR TWO UTILITIES.
UM, WHAT THOUGHTS DO YOU HAVE ON GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND THE PRACTICES THAT WE CAN, UH, BEST UTILIZE FOR THE CITY? YEAH, I DIDN'T TOUCH ON THAT ON THE INTEREST OF TIME WHEN, FOR MY TWO MINUTES, BUT, UM, THE ONE THING I THINK I HAVE A SENSITIVITY TO IS MANAGED GROWTH OR INTELLIGENT GROWTH THAT, THAT CAN BE ACCOMMODATED, THAT THAT DOESN'T, UM, CAUSE US TO LOSE VISION.
OUR VISION THAT WE'VE HAD OF THIS COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT BE INDIVIDUAL OR COLLECTIVELY, AND, AND, UM, AND A COLLABORATIVE FRAMEWORK LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT'S THE KIND OF ATMOSPHERE I'M USED TO WORKING IN WITH DIFFERENT ENTITIES AROUND ME, YOU KNOW, IN HEALTHCARE, WHETHER IT BE COUNTY HOSPITALS, PRIVATE HOSPITALS, MEDICAL SCHOOLS, AND THE LIKE.
AND SO I THINK IN TERMS OF COLLABORATING ON, ON, ON GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE IN THE INTEREST OF ALL, AND NOT LOSING SIGHT OF WHAT IS SO DESIRABLE AND, AND, AND, UH, ACKNOWLEDGED AS PART OF SAN ANTONIO, UM, AND NOT LOSE THAT WHEN WE'RE SO BUSY WITH, UH, GROWING AND AT THE SAME TIME.
THANK YOU MR. RODERICK FOR, UM, YOUR ANSWER.
UM, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CITY'S ANNEXATION, UM, GROWTH PLANS.
WHAT PRIORITIES SHOULD THE CITY BE CONSIDERING IN FORMULATING THE CITY'S FUTURE GROWTH PLANS TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION? ANNEXATION.
CAN YOU ELABORATE JUST A LITTLE BIT? YEAH, SO WE, UM, ARE GROWING AND THERE'S PARTS OF THE CITY, UH, THAT HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO WHAT WOULD YOU THINK, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU SHOULD, CONS THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER, RIGHT? THAT YOU WOULD BRING TO US? WELL, IT SEEMS TO ME, UH, SPEAKING FROM A CITIZEN'S PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD HOPE THAT THE ANNEXATION WOULD BE TO THE ADVANTAGE OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY IT.
AND SO IF IT'S A BETTER OUTCOME FOR THEM, IT'S A REALIZING MORE VALUE BEING IN THE CITY RATHER THAN OUTSIDE THE CITY.
UM, I, I THINK THAT'S IS A WIN-WIN.
AND THEN MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION IS ALSO, UM, SOMETIMES WHEN WE MAKE CHANGES OR WE HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO, UM, TO CHANGES LIKE THE ESSAY, TOMORROW PLAN, ET CETERA, THERE'S, UH, FOLKS THAT HAVE SOME OPPOSITION.
IT'S PARTICULARLY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS OR MAYBE SOME LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WHAT PLANNING PRINCIPLES DO YOU THINK SHOULD GO INTO OUR PLANNING PURPOSES BEFORE WE MAKE THOSE AMENDMENTS? I, I THINK WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR OBJECTIVE IS REALLY ABOUT AND, AND, AND REALLY PARSE IT AND, AND, AND SEE IF THERE IS A, ANY KIND OF MIDDLE GROUND, UM, MIDDLE GROUND, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF MAKING IT GO AWAY THOUGH, IS NOT A SOUND POLICY.
I, I WORKED WITH HUNDREDS OF PHYSICIANS AT A TIME IN MY CAREER AND I'M USED TO HAVING TO SAY, NO, WE CAN'T MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
THAT JUST WON'T BE VIABLE AND COMPROMISE US.
AND SO IF THE MISSION IS, IS, UH, ADVERSELY AFFECTED, I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE A STAND.
AND ALTHOUGH WITH RESPECT, UM, LET'S SAY THAT THIS IS THE DIRECTION IT HAS TO BE TAKEN.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. BRODERICK?
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COUNCIL MEMBER? COURAGE.UH, MR. BRODER, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS JUST A RUBBER STAMP FOR DEVELOPERS.
UH, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT STATEMENT? WELL, I
UH, AND, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT IS NOT A SITUATION THAT EXISTS.
UH, IF IT IT, OR HOPEFULLY IT'S ONLY AN IMPRESSION, AND I, UH, WOULD, WOULD WORK HARD TO, TO TRY TO CORRECT THAT IMPRESSION AND, AND, UM, BY USING FACTS AND, AND INFORMATION, UM, WHETHER THAT'S, UM, ANECDOTAL STATEMENTS THAT WE HEAR, HEAR OR, OR SOMETHING THAT'S ACTUALLY IN THE PRESS.
UM, I'M, I'D, I'VE GONE DOWN THESE PATHS BEFORE, YOU KNOW, AROUND HEALTHCARE AND, AND, UH, YOU, YOU HAVE TO FACE THE, THE CHALLENGE THERE AND, AND ADDRESS IT, BUT IN AN INTELLIGENT FASHION.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE ALSO SAY THAT, WELL, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, JUST GOES BY WHATEVER THE RULES ARE, ARE.
SO IF THE RULES ARE A, B, C, OR D, UH, THEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION JUST LOOKS AT THE PAPERS AND SAY, YEAH, IT FOLLOWS THE RULES.
HOWEVER, SOMETIMES, UH, THINGS COME OUTSIDE OF THE RULES.
THERE WAS A, UH, SOMEBODY WHO WANTED TO APPEAL, UH, A DECISION THAT WAS MADE BY THE, THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UH, ABOUT, UH, CUTTING DOWN TREES ON A, ON A LOT.
AND THE SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAID, NO, WE, WE, WE SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWING THAT.
UH, BUT THE, UH, BOARD, UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION SAID, OH, YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT.
UH, ARE YOU WILLING TO USE YOUR OWN JUDGMENT RATHER THAN GROUP? THINK ON THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS THAT MIGHT COME ACROSS, UH, YOUR, YOUR TENURE? WELL, I, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD SOME OF THAT CRITICISM PREVIOUSLY, AND I WAS ACTUALLY PLEASED WHEN I WAS REVIEWING THE MATERIALS THAT WERE FORWARDED TO ME TO PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, TO SEE THAT TREES ARE ADDRESSED IN THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS, UH, DOCUMENTS ABOUT THE PRESERVATION OF THOSE.
AND SO I MYSELF HAD ALL THOUGHT ABOUT WANTING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT AND, AND WHETHER IT BE CLEAR CUTTING OR SOME OTHER TERM THAT I MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH, UM, IF, IF THIS IS PART OF OUR CHARGE AS A COMMISSION, UH, I, I WOULD EXPECT THAT, THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE, WE WOULD VIGOROUSLY ENFORCE IT AND FOLLOW THOSE, THOSE GUIDELINES THAT'RE THEY'RE MEANT AS A, FOR, FOR PURPOSE.
ANYTHING FURTHER FOR MR. BRODERICK? MR. BRODER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, I'M GONNA ASK YOU IF YOU COULD, UH, DEPART TO WHERE THE OTHER CANDIDATES ARE.
WE'RE GONNA BRING OUR NEXT CANDIDATE BACK.
OUR NEXT CANDIDATE TO COME FORWARD IS, I BELIEVE IT'S MICHAEL GARCIA FOR REAPPOINTMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR YOUR APPLICATION FOR REAPPOINTMENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
CAN I TAKE THIS ONE, UM, WITH, UH, WITHOUT ANYTHING FURTHER, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU, UH, THE FLOOR FOR A TWO MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT, THEN WE'LL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS.
UH, I CURRENTLY SERVE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND I'VE ENJOYED WORKING ON THE REVIEWS AND, UH, CASES FROM THE COMMISSION.
THE CITY IS GROWING AND WE ARE LOOKING AT PLANS FOR DEVELOPMENT, FURTHER EXPANSIONS.
I ENCOURAGE THAT THERE ARE MANY, UH, EFFORTS TO REVITALIZE THE INNER CITY AND MATURE, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF CITIZENS STEP UP AND COMMENT ON THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS COMING IN.
THEY CARE ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEY CARE WHERE THEY LIVE.
I BRING TO THE TABLE MY EDUCATION, MY TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE FOR WHICH I, I HOPE WILL HELP.
I RETIRED FROM THE AIR FORCE, UH, AS A PLANNER.
AFTER 25 YEARS, I HAVE, UH, MADE, UH, SOME OTHER, UH, INVESTMENTS WITH, UH, MY COMMUNITY IN SERVING AS A, UM, PRESIDENT OF OUR H O A.
UH, AND ALSO IN THE PAST I HAD, UH, WORKED WITH, UM, THE ORIGINAL HEMISPHERE,
[00:25:01]
UH, DESIGN TEAM.AND, UH, WHEN I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, THE DIRECTOR HIRED ME AND WE DID WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A LOT OF GOOD THINGS.
FROM THERE, I WORKED WITH URBAN RENEWAL AND, UH, RAY INDUSTRIES, THE MEXICAN AMERICAN UNITY COUNCIL, WHERE I STARTED THE, UM, THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, HOUSING SERVICES WITH, UH, INJECTION OF MONEY FROM THE FORT FOUNDATION.
AND, UM, UH, WHEN TIMES WERE BAD, I WENT INTO PRIVATE PRACTICE.
AND THEN FROM THERE I TAUGHT AT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE, BUT I REALLY ENJOYED MY CIVIC ACTIVITY AS WELL.
UM, THERE'S LOTS TO DO AND I DON'T MEAN TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME.
WELL, YOU'RE NOT A STRANGER TO THE PROCESSES OF THE CITY.
UM, BUT I DID WANT TO ASK YOU, GIVEN ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, ALONG WITH, UH, OUR PROPOSED, UH, U D C AMENDMENT TIMELINE, HOW DO YOU PREPARE TO PLAN FOR THAT? UH, IN TERMS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION WORK FOR THE, UH, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR E D C, UH, WITH THE U D C REVISIONS COMING UP.
I THINK WE HAVE SOME VERY GOOD, UH, TALENT THAT WAS, UH, APPOINTED TO SERVE ON THAT COMMITTEE, AND I THINK IT'LL BE VERY GOOD.
UH, SOMETIMES WE HAVE A LOT OF DEVELOPERS IN THE CITY THAT ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO, UH, CHANGE THINGS TO THEIR BENEFIT, BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SIDE OF THE CITIZENS WHETHER THEY WILL BENEFIT OR NOT.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE A LOT OF NEW TECHNIQUES AND, UM, I HAVE BEEN OUT TO SEE FRIENDS THAT HAVE PURCHASED HOMES PASSED, UH, WEST OF, UH, UH, OF THE CITY.
AND I AM CONCERNED THAT THE ROADS OUT THERE ARE, ARE SO NARROW, AND YET YOU'RE SERVICING FOUR OR 500 HOUSES, SO YOU DO, WE CREATE A LOT OF TRAFFIC JAMS. SO I HOPE THAT THE U D C WILL GIVE BETTER, UM, UH, DIRECTIONS, UH, TO HOW WE DEVELOP AND, AND PUT TOGETHER THE HOMES OUT THERE.
MY LAST QUESTION IS, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE CITY'S GROWTH MANAGEMENT POLICY, WHICH WILL BE COMING BEFORE COUNCIL LATER IN THE YEAR, WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES, UH, AND WHAT PRIORITIES SHOULD THE CITY CONSIDER IN TERMS OF FORMULATING ITS NEXT, UH, GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY? WELL, I THINK AS I, I DISCUSSED WITH SOME OF THE PLANNERS THAT OUR POPULATION GROWTH IS, IS BOOMING.
AND WE HAVE ACTIVITIES JUST NORTH OF THE CITY, JUST WEST OF THE CITY.
UH, WE JUST APPROVED A SITE FOR A, A FIRE STATION OUT THERE BY 1604 AND INTERSTATE 10 GOING TOWARDS HOUSTON.
AND, UH, WE JUST NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF, UH, GOING BEYOND WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE, BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT IN, IN NO TIME, THE GROWTH CATCHES UP TO US.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, CREATE, CREATE PROBLEMS. I MOVED OUT THERE TO DISTRICT EIGHT, UH, WHEN, UM, 1604 AND INTERSTATE 10 WERE MOVING RIGHT ALONG.
AND THEN WE HAD TO EXPEND, UH, 10, THEN WE HAD TO EXPEND 14, UH, 1604.
AND I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND, UH, PEOPLE DUKING IT OUT FROM ROAD RAGE.
AND, UH, I, I JUST HOPE THAT WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF, OF WIDENING OUR HIGHWAYS.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF IT IS STATE FUNDED, BUT, UM, WORKING WITH THE, THE DEVELOPERS AS WELL, THEY NEED TO, UH, LOOK AT HOW THEY DO THE INTER, INTER INNER NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC SO THAT, YOU KNOW, FIRE TRUCKS DON'T GET CAUGHT IN, UH, CUL-DE-SACS AND SO FORTH.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO TO QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
THANK YOU MR. GARCIA, FOR YOUR, UM, UH, INTEREST IN REAPPOINTMENT PROCESS.
UM, MY QUESTION HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE TO DO WITH, UM, THE COMPOSITION OF YOUR, YOUR FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND HOW DO WE ENGAGE PEOPLE? I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
THERE'S 16 APPLICANTS TODAY AND NOBODY APPLIED FROM DISTRICTS FOUR OR FIVE.
UM, HOW DO YOU REENGAGE PEOPLE AND JUST MAKE IT SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO APPLY FOR IN THE FUTURE? I KNOW YOU'VE SERVED SINCE 2013, SO, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS FOR THAT? WELL, I ALWAYS TALK TO A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHEREVER I GO, UH, THAT THEY SHOULD JOIN, THAT THEY SHOULD PARTICIPATE.
I SERVED WITH A GROUP OF RETIRED PLANNERS AND ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS.
WE ALL HAD WORKED WITH THE CITY OR MILITARY,
[00:30:01]
AND WE, WE MEET ONCE A MONTH FOR LUNCH, AND I TRY TO GET THEM TO SUBMIT APPLICATION AND THEN THEY SAY, OH NO, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING FINE.YOU KNOW, I SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE IS AN INTEREST TO THIS AND, UH, SOMETIMES, UH, THERE'S A FEAR OR SERVING, UH, IN PUBLIC POLICY POSITIONS, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY VERY IMPORTANT.
I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE A COUSIN OR NOT BECAUSE
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER PALAI.
SO I, I'M, I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT YOUR RESUME WHILE YOU'VE BEEN TALKING.
UM, AND I, I, I'VE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE, UH, AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS, IS THAT RIGHT? YES.
AND THEN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT OFFICIALS, YOU WERE THE VICE PRESIDENT OF URBAN RENEWAL.
UM, YOU WERE THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF OUR HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UH, YOU WERE A CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSING TRUST.
UH, YOU'RE A CHAIRMAN OF THE ALAMO COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS CHAIRMAN OF HOUSING COMMITTEE.
UM, YOU SURE YOU GOT ENOUGH TIME FOR THIS? IS, UH,
I ONLY HAVE THIS IF I AM APPOINTED.
I WILL ONLY HAVE THIS, THIS DUTY, UH, IF, IF, IF I CAN TAKE A MINUTE WHEN I WAS, UH, IN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND I GOT TO BE, UH, THE, THE CHAIRMAN AND THEN VICE PRESIDENT OF OUR NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, THERE WERE A LOT OF CHANGES THAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO, UM, TO THE HOUSING POLICIES, BECAUSE THE HOUSING MONEY COMES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THERE'S NO CITY OR, OR STATE MONEY THAT COMES IN.
AND A LOT OF TIMES, PEOPLE, UH, ESPECIALLY WE WERE GONNA PUT, UH, SENIOR HOUSING ON THE NORTHEAST PART OF TOWN, PEOPLE SHOWED UP TO HANG US FROM THE NEAREST TREE.
THEY, THEY DISLIKED PUBLIC HOUSING, BUT IT WAS PUBLIC HOUSING FOR SENIOR CITIZENS.
AND WE COULD NOT GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND, UH, WHY, WHY I'M SAYING THAT IS THAT THE INVOLVEMENT OF A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN BE PRO AND CAN BE CON AS AS WELL.
AND, UH, I TRAINED A LOT OF COMMISSIONERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LAW WAS, WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES WERE.
I SPENT 12 YEARS DOING THAT, AND, AND I LEFT, UH, I WENT TO WITH THE AIR FORCE, BUT I ALWAYS ENJOYED, UH, MY ACTIVITIES WITH 'EM.
BUT TODAY, I, I WILL ONLY HAVE THE HOUSING.
OH, OH, AND BY THE WAY, ARE ARE YOU STILL LIVING IN DISTRICT EIGHT? YES.
SO, SO FOR THE RECORD, UM, WHO DID YOU LIKE MORE? MY, IS COUNCILMAN THERE GREGER OR ME? WHICH, WHICH ONE?
I WORK WITH RON AND I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. GARCIA? COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
MR. GARCIA, THANK YOU FOR SERVING ON, UH, ON THE COMMISSION.
UH, BUT STILL, PEOPLE ALWAYS BELIEVE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS JUST A RUBBER STAMP FOR DEVELOPERS.
UH, WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THAT? AS SOMEONE WHO'S SERVED THERE FOR A FEW YEARS NOW? I THINK THE PROCESS, UH, SEEMS TO LEAN TO THAT BECAUSE WE GET ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS COMING FROM STAFF WHO'S ALREADY REVIEWED THE, UH, THE PRESENTATION FOR ALL THE RULES AND REGS, AND THEN GIVES US THE RECOMMENDATION OF THEY RECOMMEND APPROVAL OR THE, UH, RECOMMEND, UH, THIS, THIS, THERE'VE ONLY BEEN ABOUT TWO, THREE TIMES.
I FEEL THAT I PERSONALLY, WE, WE, UH, DID NOT AGREE WITH STAFF, AND SO WE VOTED, UH, WE WERE THREATENED, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE KEPT OUR, OUR WORD BECAUSE WE FELT IT HAD TO BE DONE THAT WAY.
SOMETIMES YOU DO FEEL YOU'RE BEING PUSHED TO, TO APPROVE, TO APPROVE, TO APPROVE.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING.
I PERSONALLY DRIVE OUT TO THE SITES AND LOOK AROUND AND SEE HOW THINGS ARE DEVELOPING, AND IF I DISAGREE, I'LL COME BACK AND I'LL DISAGREE.
WELL, I APPRECIATE HEARING THAT.
UH, DO YOU THINK THAT IT'S THE JOB OF THE COMMISSION JUST TO, UH, LOOK AT THE, THE RULES IN THE CODE AND JUST SAY, YES, IT MEETS THE RULES OF THE CODE, AND SO WE HAVE TO SAY YES? WELL, THAT'S WHAT, UM, I DO, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY RULES AND THEY SAY, WELL, IF YOU DON'T AGREE THAT YOU'LL BE IN VIOLATION, IF IN VIOLATION OF WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DRAG US TO JAIL OR WHAT? BECAUSE SOMETIMES
[00:35:01]
IT'S, TO US, IT'S NOT RIGHT.AND WE CAN LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THOSE AREAS.
I, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF ONE VERY SENIOR LADY CLOSE TO SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE THAT CAME, THEY WERE GOING TO BUILD ON TWO LOTS THAT HAD BEEN VACANT FOR 20 YEARS.
AND SHE SAID, MY HUSBAND AND I HAD MOVED INTO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, AND OUR HOUSE IS STILL THERE, BUT THIS PERSON IS GONNA BUILD THEM, IS GONNA BE REAL MODERN AND, AND IT DOESN'T, UH, COMPLY WITH THE STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE THAT WE HAVE.
AND, AND, UH, THE DEVELOPER WAS THERE.
HE SAYS, WELL, WE'RE GONNA BUILD IT.
ANYWAY, SHE TURNED AROUND AND SHE WENT LIKE THAT TO THE DEVELOPER, AND, AND SHE SAID SOMETHING IN SPANISH, BUT I CAN'T REPEAT, BUT, UH, SHE WAS VERY CONCERNED WITH WHERE SHE LIVED AND HER NEIGHBORS.
AND SO WHEN YOU GET INTO THE INNER CITY, YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT REALLY HAVE THEIR HEART SET IN, IN TO CONTINUE TO LIVE THE TILL THEY DIE.
I MEAN, IT'S, UH, A FACT OF LIFE.
UH, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT GROWTH FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UH, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT DEVELOPMENT, SHOULD THAT DEVELOPMENT BE GOING, UH, INNER CITY, LIKE INSIDE LOOP FOUR 10, SHOULD IT BE GOING JUST WITHIN THE CITY INSIDE, LET'S SAY 1604? OR SHOULD IT BE ANYWHERE DEVELOPERS WANT TO GO? WELL, IT SEEMS THAT, UH, WE ALWAYS PLAN WHERE THE EXPANSION SHOULD GO, BUT THE DEVELOPERS ALWAYS LOOK AT THE MARKET, LOOK AT WHERE THEY'RE GONNA MAKE A BETTER BUCK, AND THEN THEY, THEY BUY AND SELL IN, IN THOSE AREAS.
ONE OLD OLD EXAMPLE THAT I HAD WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL WHERE CENTRAL, UH, CHRISTIAN CHURCH IS HERE DOWNTOWN AND ALL THE WAY DOWN SOUTH TO WHERE, UH, WOLF AND MARKS USED TO BE.
UH, THE PLAN WAS TO MAKE THAT A PROMINENT TRAFFIC ON EITHER SIDE, AND, UH, IT WOULD BE A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
UNFORTUNATELY, A BANK A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER BUILT THEIR BUILDING THERE AND IT DESTROYED WHAT THE PLAN WAS.
SO PLANNERS CAN, AS THEY SAY, DREAM AND, AND, AND, AND DESIGN, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE BIG BUCKS ARE GONNA MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
I HOPE YOU MAINTAIN YOUR INDEPENDENCE ON THAT BOARD.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BER COURAGE.
ANYTHING FURTHER FOR MR. GARCIA? ALL RIGHT, MR. GARCIA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE YOU BACK TO THE, TO THE WAITING ROOM, AND WE'LL BRING BACK OUR NEXT CANDIDATE.
AND OUR NEXT CANDIDATE IN PERSON IS PATTY GIBBONS.
MS. GIBBONS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND YOU'LL HAVE THE FLOOR FOR TWO MINUTES FOR AN OPENING STATEMENT THAT WE'LL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS.
COUNCILMAN MAYOR, MY NAME IS PATTY GIBBONS.
I RESIDE IN CITY COUNCIL D NINE AT 1 1 6 1 8 SANDMAN NEAR THE AIRPORT IN 2 81 NORTH.
I RECENTLY SERVED AS A ZONING COMMISSIONER FOR D NINE FROM 2017 TO 2021.
I WAS APPOINTED BY COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I'VE ALSO SERVED UNDER COUNCILMAN CRIER ON THE 2017 BOND COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST.
AND I WAS APPOINTED WHILE I WAS ON ZONING TO THE P TAC.
CURRENTLY, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER HARMONY HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
DEAR TO MY HEART, I AM THE PRESIDENT-ELECT FOR THE D NINE ALLIANCE, AND I SERVE ON THE COUNTY'S SMALL WOMEN MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.
I'VE BEEN MARRIED 43 YEARS, MY HUSBAND GARY GIBBONS.
WE HAVE SIX ADULT CHILDREN AND SEVEN GRANDCHILDREN.
IN MY BUSINESS LIFE, I'M THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF GIBBONS SURVEYING AND MAPPING.
WE ARE A LAND SURVEYING COMPANY.
WE RECENTLY HAVE DOWNSIZED OUR BUSINESS TO PREPARE FOR RETIREMENT.
WE BEGAN OUR BUSINESS IN 1991.
OVER 30 YEARS, WE'VE WORKED ON ALL FORMS OF DEVELOPMENT, UH, WEATHER, RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL STREETS, DRAINAGE DEVELOPMENT.
WE WORKED ON PROJECTS SUCH AS THE BRISCOE MUSEUM, SAWS, PIPELINES, AND MULTIPLE SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENT IN LAND SURVEYING.
WE USUALLY ARE THE FIRST CONTRACTORS ON THE SITE.
WE'RE THE MIDDLE CONTRACTORS ON THE SITE, AND WE'RE OFTEN THE LAST.
[00:40:01]
WE'RE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT BOUNDARIES ON ALL FRONTS ARE WELL ALIGNED.I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE ALL SORTS OF MAPS FROM TOPOGRAPHICAL TO GRADING TO FEMA, AS WELL AS THE CITY U D C CODES FOR DEVELOPMENT.
I'M WELL QUALIFIED TO SPEAK ON PROJECTS THAT WOULD COME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND I'M HONORED TO BE CONSIDERED TODAY.
THIS CITY IS UNDERGOING A PROCESS TO COME UP WITH A GROWTH MANAGEMENT POLICY, A STRATEGY TO HELP GUIDE ALL THE DIFFERENT PROCESSES FROM PLANNING AND ZONING TO, UH, WHAT HAPPENS AT SAWS AND OUR C P S, UH, UTILITIES.
UH, IN TERMS OF THAT PROCESS, WHAT ARE, WHAT PRIORITIES SHOULD THE CITY CONSIDER AS IT FORMULATES ITS NEW GROWTH STRATEGY? ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE SA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN? WELL, IT'S GUIDED BY ALL ELEMENTS OF PLANS IN THE CITY, BUT, BUT WE'RE UNDERGOING A, A GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY TO COME UP WITH A UNIFIED POLICY FOR ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PROCESSES.
WELL, I'M GONNA, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, FIRST AND FOREMOST, TO GET THAT INPUT FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE COMMUNITY, WHICH I THINK YOU DO A GOOD JOB OF HOLDING THOSE TOWN HALLS AND GETTING INPUT.
UM, CERTAINLY THE CITY'S GONNA GROW THAT IS EXPECTED.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THAT VERY WELL, AND I THINK THAT'S A MESSAGE THAT MAYBE NEEDS TO GET OUT THERE A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
UM, WE ARE ALREADY A LARGE CITY.
UM, I THINK, UH, PEOPLE ARE ALREADY STARTING TO MOVE TO TEXAS THAT'S ALREADY BEEN OUT THERE IN THE NEWS.
SO WE'RE GONNA GROW, AND THAT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS GONNA GUIDE US.
UH, I THINK IT WAS DEVELOPED BACK IN 2016.
SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD GUIDE FOR US TO CONTINUE FORWARD, NOT ONLY AS A CITY COUNCIL AND A MAYOR, AND THOSE WHO ARE GONNA BE BEFORE US, BUT AS DEVELOPERS AS THOSE OF US IN ENGINEERING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AS WELL.
THANK YOU MS. GIBBONS, FOR YOUR INTEREST.
UM, MY FIRST QUESTION HAS TO DO A LITTLE BIT WITH THE GROWTH.
AND YOU JUST MENTIONED THIS, AND SPECIFICALLY I AM TALKING ABOUT, UM, ANNEXATION MM-HMM.
AND SO WHAT PRIORITIES DO YOU THINK THE CITY SHOULD CONSIDER IN FORMULATING ITS GROWTH STRATEGY AND IN PARTICULAR REGARD TO ANNEXATION? WELL, UH, ANNEXATION, IT IS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE JUST ON ZONING.
IT'S GONNA BE ALWAYS BE THAT PRICKLY CONVERSATION WITH PEOPLE.
YOU'RE DEALING WITH INDIVIDUALS LAND, AND THEY, YOU'RE ANNEXING SOMETHING THAT'S OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, THAT SOMEONE IS LIVING IN A COUNTY LIMITS.
SO YOU HAVE THAT TO DEAL WITH, BUT WE'RE, WE ARE GONNA GROW, AND THAT IS FACT.
AND THAT'S, I THINK, VERY EXCITING AND I'M GLAD TO BE A PART OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE GONNA EXPERIENCE.
SO ANNEXATION IS WHAT THE BIG BOYS DO, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION HAS TO DO SPECIFICALLY WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND IT'S, UH, REGARDING COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES AND HOW WE GET FOLKS ENGAGED, UM, AND THE GUIDELINES THAT, UH, WHATEVER WHAT YOU THINK SHOULD GUIDE US BEFORE WE MAKE THESE AMENDMENTS.
I REPRESENT DISTRICT FOUR, AND TODAY THERE IS NO ONE WHO APPLIED TO THIS, UH, COMMITTEE OR COMMISSION, UH, FROM DISTRICT FOUR OR FIVE.
WE ARE ALWAYS UNDERREPRESENTED.
AND SO HOW DO YOU GET FEEDBACK BACK FROM MY CONSTITUENTS WHO HAVE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, UM, AND WHO DON'T NECESSARILY, UM, PARTICIPATE IN THE PLANNING PROCESS BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT? YEAH.
I, I, FROM PERSPECTIVE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, YOU, I'VE ALWAYS HAD THE MINDSET THAT YOU DEVELOP LEADERS, YOU'RE ALWAYS WHATEVER I KNOW SOMEONE ELSE NEEDS TO KNOW BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE ALWAYS DEVELOPING, PUTTING MORE INTO THAT, THAT PIPE OF LEADERSHIP.
SO I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF HOW YOU, AS A COUNCILWOMAN, MAYBE YOU HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS, UH, ORGANIZATION OR COMMITTEE THAT REACHES OUT TO THE SMALL BUSINESSES, BRINGS THEM IN ON MORE OF A SMALLER SCALE TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE PLANNING PROCESS.
I ACTUALLY THINK IT'S PRETTY EXCITING LAND AND PLANNING.
UH, OF COURSE, I'VE BEEN IN IT FOR 30 YEARS.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S A REAL PERSONAL OUTREACH.
WE, WE FIND AND STRUGGLE WITH THAT AS ASSOCIATION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT WE HAVE SUCCESSES WHEN WE GO OUT THERE ONE-ON-ONE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER PALATE.
SOMETIMES THIS, UM, THIS WORK REQUIRES FOLKS TO GO OUT IN PERSON TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'M SORRY, I'M, UH, SOMETIMES THE, THE WORK REQUIRES, UM, THE, UH, THE BOARD MEMBER TO GO OUT TO THE SITE JUST TO KIND OF PUT EYEBALLS ON IT MM-HMM.
WHAT IS THE STANDARD, UM, BY WHICH, YOU KNOW, THE RIGHT BOARD MEMBER WOULD, UM, APPLY IN, IN DETERMINING WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO GO AND WHEN IS THE NOT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU NEED TO GO AND WHEN YOU DON'T NEED TO GO IN ORDER TO SEE THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION.
WELL, IF IT'S GONNA BE A CONTROVERSIAL PROJECT, THOSE ARE ONES THAT I THINK YOU WANNA GO AND GET A, A SIGHT LOOK AT IT.
UH, I'M KIND OF A NERDY PERSON ON LAND AND I LIKE TO LOOK AT ALL THE PROJECTS.
[00:45:01]
THAT A LOT ON ZONING, UM, BECAUSE ON ZONING, YOU CAN LOOK IT UP ON GOOGLE AND YOU CAN DO AN, UH, EYE BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE MAP AS WELL.BUT I TELL YOU, WHEN YOU GO OUT ON THE SITE, YOU APPRECIATE YOUR CITY SO MUCH MORE AND THE PEOPLE AS WELL, AND YOU GET A BETTER SENSE OF THE COMMUNITY, MAYBE JUST EVEN AROUND THAT PROJECT.
SO THE MORE HANDS-ON, I LIKE TO DO, I DO.
UM, BUT I'M KIND OF USED TO DOING THAT, SO IT'S IN MY NATURE.
COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. GIBBONS.
THANK YOU, PATTY, FOR APPLYING FOR THIS.
UH, YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE COUNCIL PEOPLE HERE QUITE A BIT, THAT PEOPLE JUST BELIEVE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS JUST A RUBBER STAMP FOR THE DEVELOPERS.
UH, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT STATE? UH, I DON'T SEE HOW THAT'S POSSIBLE BECAUSE EVERY LAND IS AS UNIQUE AS A PERSON WHO HOLDS IT.
SO WE CAN'T BE RUBBER STAMPING LAND OR PROJECTS ON LAND OR PEOPLE AND THEIR, UH, CONNECTION TO LAND.
IT IS A, IT IS AN INTERVIEW, IT IS A DISCUSSION.
IT IS A REVIEW OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHATEVER HISTORY THAT LAND MIGHT HAVE.
SO I, I KNOW THAT PEOPLE TEND TO SAY THAT.
UM, BUT I, I DON'T, I DON'T NECESSARILY LOOK AT THAT.
I DON'T HEAR THAT VERY OFTEN AS WELL, BUT I GUESS MAYBE I EDUCATE 'EM A LITTLE BIT.
UH, SOME SAY THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IT JUST NEEDS TO FOLLOW THE RULES AND LOOK AT THE CODE AND DECIDE IS IT WITHIN THE CODE.
UM, BUT OFTENTIMES THE COMMISSIONS, UH, ASK TO GO AHEAD AND GRANT WAIVERS TO THE CODE OR THE TREE ORDINANCE, FOR EXAMPLE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? IT, IT'S GONNA COME UP, IT DOES COME UP ON, AGAIN, YOU HA YOU'RE DEALING WITH INDIVIDUAL TRACKS OF LAND THAT JUST HAVE PECULIARITIES.
WE'VE SEEN THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, AND YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS ATTACHED TO THAT LAND THAT ARE GONNA HAVE PECULIARITIES.
UM, WE WOULD GET MAYBE LAND INTO OUR OFFICE THAT, UM, SOME LADY IN HER EIGHTIES OWNS, AND SHE WANTS TO DIVIDE IT, UM, TO GIVE IT OUT TO HER CHILDREN NOW.
AND THE RULES ARE A LITTLE BIT, UM, NOW A LITTLE DIFFICULT THAN WHEN SHE FIRST BOUGHT THE LAND.
SO THOSE ARE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THOSE INDIVIDUAL CASES OUT THERE THAT DON'T FIT NECESSARILY THE CODE ITSELF, BUT I THINK IN GENERAL, THE CODE DOES A GOOD JOB OF MEETING THE CRITERIA AND THE NEEDS OF THE CITY ITSELF.
UM, WHAT DO YOU THINK, UH, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT SHOULD GO IN OUR CITY? SHOULD WE BE, UH, SEEING MORE OF AN INNER CITY KIND OF INSIDE LOOP FOUR 10 OR JUST ANYWHERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, KIND OF AT LEAST INSIDE 1604? OR DO YOU THINK, UH, ANYWHERE DEVELOPERS WANT TO GO? UM, I, I THINK THAT'S THE SA UM, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES A GOOD JOB OF ADDRESSING THAT.
UH, I BELIEVE THEY'VE GOT IT KIND OF QUADRANT OFF THE ENTIRE CITY, UH, AROUND MY HOUSE.
WE'RE LOOKING, UH, AT SOME OF THE INDUSTRIALS GOING TO C THREE, SHOULD THAT CHANGE, UM, HAS THE NATURE OF BUSINESSES THAT COME IN, HAVE MORE NEED FOR C THREE LESS OF INDUSTRIAL, AND THEN IF YOU GO OVER TO OTHER SIDES OF TOWN, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE PECULIARITIES TO THE NEEDS AND THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED.
SO TO SAY, SHOULD WE ALL BE INNER CITY? SHOULD WE ALL BE ANY TYPE OF A CITY? I THINK THAT THE PLAN ADDRESSES THAT ALREADY BY QUADRANT, WHAT I CALL A QUADRANT OFF EACH SECTION OF THE CITY AND MOVE ACCORDINGLY AS IT HAS.
AND IT'S DONE A GOOD JOB OF THAT.
I LIKE SOME OF THE PLANNING THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING.
THE, THERE'S SOME NICE PLANNING DOWN IN THE PEARL AND THIS, UH, ST, UH, ST.
MARY'S STREET AREA THAT'S BEEN REAL NICE AND GROWING NICELY, AND PEOPLE SEEM TO BE ATTRACTED TO THAT.
SO I THINK THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.
COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE ANY FURTHER FOR MS. GIBBONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. GIBBONS.
WE'LL TAKE YOU BACK TO THE, TO THE WAITING ROOM AND WE'LL BRING UP OUR NEXT CANDIDATE.
UM, OUR NEXT CANDIDATE, UH, FOR INTERVIEW TODAY IS MARK KATRA.
WELCOME MR. KATRA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR APPLICATION TODAY.
UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU THE FLOOR FOR A TWO MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT THAT WE'LL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I'M A TWO TIME, UH, RESIDENT OF, OF SAN ANTONIO.
I WAS HERE FOR 10 YEARS UNTIL FROM 2003 TO 2013, AND THEN CAME BACK IN
[00:50:01]
2018.I CURRENTLY AM A SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AT BROADWAY BANK.
I WORK CONTRACTS FOR THE ENTERPRISE IN CHARGE OF, UH, ALL 33RD PARTY CONTRACTS AND LOGISTICS FOR BROADWAY BANK.
UH, THE BANK SUPPORTS MY EFFORTS IN TERMS OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO TO DOING SO.
UM, MY BACKGROUND CAREER, I'VE ALSO U WORKED FOR U S A A C S A A IS A, THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR AAA, AND I'M A RETIRED MILITARY ARMY OFFICER, AND I SERVED 22 YEARS GLOBALLY AND I WORKED CONTRACTS, ARMS NEGOTIATIONS AND THE LIKE FOR THE MILITARY.
AND MY WIFE IS A RETIRED NURSE.
SHE WAS THE C CHIEF NURSING OFFICER FOR CHRISTUS SANTA ROSA HOSPITAL, AND I HAVE TWO GROWN BOYS AND THAT'S, THAT'S ME.
UH, MR. KASRA AND FOR YOUR SERVICE, UH, TO OUR COUNTRY AS WELL.
UH, I CAN'T SAY IT'S NOT UNLIKE ARMS NEGOTIATIONS
UM, IN TERMS OF HOW WE GROW AS A CITY, THIS IS GOING TO INVOLVE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROCESSES FROM ZONING AND PLANNING TO HOW WE GROW OUR UTILITIES.
UM, WITH REGARD TO THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT PLAN, UH, WHAT PRIORITIES DO YOU THINK THE CITY SHOULD BE CONSIDERING? WELL, I THINK THE SMART GROWTH IN PARTICULAR IN LOOKING AT THE CITY AND MAKING SURE THAT THE GROWTH, UH, DOESN'T OUTSTRETCH THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND I THINK THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE, UH, LOOKED AT TOGETHER AND ESSENTIALLY MANAGED TOGETHER AS THEY, AS YOU WOULD LOOK ESSENTIALLY ALL THE WAY AROUND THE CITY.
AND, AND ONE ASPECT OF THAT THAT'S UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW IS AN UPDATE TO OUR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.
UM, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO PREPARE FOR THAT AS THE CODE GETS UPDATED? UH, WITH REGARD TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION WORK? WELL, I WAS ON PLANNING AND ZONING FOR SHANO PARK A FEW YEARS AGO, AND WE, AS, AS THE, THE COMMISSION AT THE TIME TOOK THE U D C COMPLETELY AND UPDATED SHANO PARK BASED ON SAN ANTONIO'S U D C AT THE TIME.
SO I'VE BEEN THROUGH IT FROM END TO END, UH, BACK, UH, ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.
AND SO, UH, IT'S A VERY GOOD DOCUMENT AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, CAN BE APPLIED E E EVENLY AND EQUALLY, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH TO ALL THINGS THAT, THAT I'VE SEEN.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO TO QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. KESTRA? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
MR. CAMPS HERE FOR OFFERING YOURSELF.
UH, PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS JUST A RUBBER STAMP FOR DEVELOPERS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT STATEMENT? I'VE SEEN COMMISSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I'VE SEEN OR EXPERIENCED IN MY KNOWLEDGE, AT LEAST FOR SAN ANTONIO, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT'S WHAT THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN, UH, CHARTERED TO GO DO FOR THE CITY.
IT'S AN ADVISORY ROLE CLEARLY FOR THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT IT IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS BEING ASKED AND WHAT THE IMPACTS WILL BE.
YOU, UH, JUST SAID THAT YOU HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF WORKING ON U D C AND SOME SAY THAT THE, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION SHOULD JUST FOLLOW THE RULES, WHATEVER THE CODE SAYS, BUT OFTENTIMES THERE ARE CASES THAT COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION THAT ARE ASKING FOR WAIVERS TO THE CODE OR WAIVERS TO THE TREE ORDINANCE.
UH, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT DEALING WITH THOSE ISSUES? WELL, THE U D C, LIKE MANY LARGE, UH, DOCUMENTS OR, OR THE, LIKE, ARE WRITTEN FOR A GENERIC, UH, AND TRYING TO COVER THE BEST, MOST OF THE BASES THAT THEY CAN, IT WILL NOT COVER ALL.
AND SO THERE WILL NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE CHANGES OR THINGS THAT WOULD BE CUSTOMIZED AND MANAGED SPECIFICALLY TO THAT OF, OF WHAT SAN SAN ANTONIO REQUIRES.
WHERE DO YOU THINK THE OVERALL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF SAN ANTONIO SHOULD GO? SHOULD IT BE MORE INNER CITY LIKE INSIDE LOOP FOUR 10? SHOULD THAT BE, UH, JUST WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, LET'S SAY INSIDE 1604? OR DO YOU THINK, UH, THE GROCERY SHOULD BE ANYWHERE DEVELOPERS WANT TO GO? WELL, I THINK THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO HELP SHAPE WHAT IT NEEDS, AND I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL, ALONG WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, IS THE BEST REPRESENTATIVE OF, UH, BODIES OF WHAT THE PEOPLE WOULD WANT.
UH, THE DEVELOPERS CLEARLY HAVE
[00:55:01]
AND WILL HAVE THEIR OWN IDEAS, BUT IT SHOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE CITY HAS ELECTED WITH THE STRATEGY AND WHAT THE, THE MASTER PLAN LOOKS LIKE.COUNCIL MEMBER BAZ, THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING.
UH, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT TODAY.
UH, JUST, I I WANT TO REASSURE, UH, OR I, I NEED REASSURANCE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THIS JOB ISN'T JUST THE OCCASIONAL MEETING AT, UH, YOU KNOW, AT THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES OFFICE OR WHEREVER IT IS THAT THEY HAVE IT, BUT THAT YOU WILL BE CALLED UPON FROM TIME TO TIME TO GO OUT TO THESE SITES AND, UH, YOU KNOW, PUT EYES AND BOOTS ON AND BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, UH, ACCURATELY ASSESS THE ISSUES IN FRONT OF YOU.
YOU'RE WILLING TO DO THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
NOW I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, LEARNING AS MUCH AS I CAN ABOUT THE, THE VARIOUS PROJECTS AND THE LIKE.
AND LIKE I SAID, I'VE SERVED ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION BEFORE AND WE HAD A LOT OF NIGHTS AT ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S HOUSES LOOKING AT THINGS, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS BEING ASKED TO THE CITY.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO, UH, ATE
COUNCIL MEMBER PALAI, ANYTHING FURTHER FOR MR. KESTRA? MR. KESTRA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
WE'LL GO AHEAD TIME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE YOU BACK TO THE WAITING ROOM AND WE'LL BRING UP OUR NEXT CANDIDATE.
ALRIGHT, OUR NEXT CANDIDATE FOR INTERVIEW IS BRIAN LOPEZ.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR APPLICATION.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU, UH, THE FLOOR FOR A TWO MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT THAT WE'LL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS.
UH, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF AND GUESTS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON.
FIRST, LET ME START BY SAYING THAT I'M INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ORDERLY, RESPONSIBLE, AND INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND ITS INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT I CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THIS IMPORTANT PROCESS.
MY FAMILY AND I GREW UP HERE AND LIVE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
WHILE I GREW UP ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF TOWN, I ATTENDED CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL DOWNTOWN, AND MY FAMILY ALSO HAS DEEP ROOTS ON THE HISTORIC WEST SIDE.
AFTER ATTENDING UNDERGRADUATE AND LAW SCHOOL IN AUSTIN, I RETURNED TO SAN ANTONIO AND I'VE LIVED AND WORKED IN THE CENTER CITY AREA AND CURRENTLY LIVE IN THE TOBIN HILL RIVER NORTH AREA IN DISTRICT ONE.
AS AN ATTORNEY WHO'S PRACTICED REAL ESTATE LAW FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS, I REGULARLY WORK WITH HOMEOWNERS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND BUILDERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE MANNER IN WHICH LAND IS UTILIZED AND HOW INFRASTRUCTURE IS DEPLOYED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
THROUGHOUT THIS WORK AND THE WITH OTHERS, I'VE DEVELOPED AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CRITICAL NATURE OF LAND PLANNING, LAND USE, AND THE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE WITH REGARD TO COMMUNITY COHESION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THE OVERALL HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR CITIZENS.
THE MANNER IN WHICH A COMMUNITY TREATS ITS LAND AND OTHER IMPORTANT RESOURCES CAN HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ITS RESIDENTS AND THE TRAJECTORY AND GROWTH OF ITS ECONOMIC SUCCESS.
I'M INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS IN ORDER TO SUPPORT AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT MY FAMILY AND I CALL HOME.
AS WE CONTINUE TO ADD NEW RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, WE WILL CONTINUE TO, WE WILL BE REQUIRED TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF CREATING
[01:00:01]
A BROAD RANGE OF HOUSING OPTIONS, MEETING MOBILITY DEMANDS, AND ENSURING THAT OUR GROWTH BOTH RESPECTS OUR HISTORY AND HERITAGE ARE PREPARING US FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FUTURE.SOUND AND RESPONSIBLE LAND PLANNING IS A CRUCIAL ELEMENT TO MEET THESE CHALLENGES.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, YOU MAY KNOW THAT THE CITY IS UNDERGOING A PROCESS TO DEVELOP A UNIFIED GROWTH STRATEGY, A GROWTH MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT WILL HELP INFORM PROCESSES FROM ZONING TO PLANNING TO, TO HOW WE DEAL WITH, UM, AGREEMENTS AT THE UTILITIES.
UH, WITH REGARD TO GROWTH IN THE CITY, WHAT ARE YOUR, WHAT PRIORITIES DO YOU THINK THE CITY SHOULD BE CONSIDERING IN FORMULATING A GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY? AS WE LOOK FOR, AS WE LOOK TOWARDS THE FUTURE, WE REALLY HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT RESOURCES WE HAVE AND WHAT GOALS WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
UM, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I I WOULD LOOK AT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GROWTH IS MAXIMIZE OUR, OUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, WE LOOK AT GROWTH PATTERNS OVER THE LAST 30 OR 40 YEARS HERE IN TOWN, AND OFTENTIMES WE RAN INTO CHALLENGES BY EXTENDING TO AREAS THAT WERE BEYOND WHERE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE EXISTED.
SO MAXIMIZING WHAT WE HAVE TODAY SEEMS TO BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR ME.
UM, ALONG WITH THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH, UM, AS OF LATE.
IT'S THE IDEA OF RESPECTING THE CHARACTER AND GOALS OF OUR, OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THAT PROCESS IS A, IS A DAILY CHALLENGE.
UM, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A CHALLENGE WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT, BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND AND WE'RE LISTENING TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND LISTENING TO THEIR CHALLENGES AND, AND, AND TALKING ABOUT LAND USE IN A WAY THAT WE SEE IT THROUGH THE EYES OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE.
UM, I THINK THE THIRD COMPONENT OF THAT IS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DEVELOPMENT, WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH THE EYES OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OFTENTIMES DOING IT AND, AND AS A, EITHER AS A BOARD OR AS A COMMUNITY, AS A, AS A CITY GOVERNMENT, REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS ARE OF DEVELOPMENT AND BEING ABLE TO ANTICIPATE AND PREDICT HOW THOSE ACT WITHIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE, AND THE, AND THE FORMS THAT WE HAVE.
SO I THINK THAT'S HOW I WOULD ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES.
WE'LL MOVE TO QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
THANK YOU, UM, MR. LOPEZ FOR YOUR APPLICATION TODAY.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS ABOUT THE CITY'S ANNEXATION AND GROWTH PLANS, AND SPECIFICALLY I'M WONDERING WHAT PRIORITIES YOU THINK THAT THE CITY SHOULD CONSIDER AS WE MAKE OUR FUTURE GROWTH PLANS? WELL, I, I DO THINK THAT AS WE LOOK FOR OUR, WE HAVE TO LOOK AGAIN AT WHAT RESOURCES WE HAVE AVAILABLE NOW, WHAT OUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE IS, WHERE OUR EXISTING, UM, ASSETS ARE, AND TALK ABOUT GROWTH AGAIN IN THE WAY THAT, THAT IT AFFECTS THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AMONGST THAT GROWTH.
UM, YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT, I LIVED DOWNTOWN AND HAVE LIVED DOWNTOWN FOR SEVERAL YEARS WHILE NORTH OF DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND I LOVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I LOVE THE NEW PEOPLE COMING IN, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE FOREVER.
BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT A, THAT A CITY OF OUR SIZE AND WITH OUR, WITH OUR FUTURE AND OUR PRESENT, UH, IT HAS TO BE A MIX OF GROWTH.
IT HAS TO BE ABOUT UTILIZING OUR DOWNTOWN RESOURCE, UTILIZING OUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE THE CORE.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GROWTH, I THINK IT'S REALLY ABOUT MAXIMIZING THE ASSETS AND INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE WHILE, WHILE PAYING ATTENTION TO HOW THAT AFFECTS THE REAL PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE.
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER.
MY NEXT QUESTION IS, UM, AS WE GO OUT AND, UH, GENERATE CHANGES TO PLANS AND AMENDMENTS, UM, WE SOMETIMES ALSO GENERATE OPPOSITION FROM NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND MAYBE SOME LOCAL BUSINESSES.
AND SO WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PLAN, OR WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS FAR AS COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES OR COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES THAT SHOULD GUIDE US BEFORE WE MAKE OUR AMENDMENTS? YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, UM, THE, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR, FOR ANYBODY INVOLVED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO DO IS TO LISTEN.
UH, BUT NOT JUST LISTEN, BUT ASK QUESTIONS.
AND I THINK AS, AND THOSE ARE OFTEN THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS, UH, IS TO GO OUT AND STAND IN FRONT OF A GROUP AND, AND REALLY TAKE THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, WHAT THEIR CHALLENGES ARE, WHAT THEIR WANTS ARE, AND THEN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THEIR NARRATIVE TO UNDERSTAND THE STORY THEY'RE TRYING TO TELL, AND HOW YOU INTEGRATE THAT.
NOW, AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S EASY TO SAY, UH, BUT IT REALLY IS ABOUT COMMITTING THE TIME TO DO IT.
UM, AND SO I THINK AS WE GO AND, AND PEOPLE MAKE PLANS FOR DEVELOPMENT, PEOPLE MAKE PLANS FOR, FOR, FOR CHANGES TO, TO HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, TO NEW NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT, IS THAT PEOPLE ARE THERE TO, TO, TO MAKE A POINT ABOUT HOW IT AFFECTS THEM, BUT THEY'RE ALSO THERE TO LISTEN TOO.
AND SO OUR ABILITY TO TELL, TO TELL AN IMPORTANT, RATIONAL, REASONABLE STORY ABOUT WHAT THE PLANS ARE, I THINK IS CRITICAL.
I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN MAKE PROGRESS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER BLAZE, UM, FOR ANDY SEGOVIA.
[01:05:01]
DO YOU, UH, CAN YOU RECITE THE, UH, RULE AGAINST PERPETUITIES? NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.UM, HEY, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, I I, I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU'RE A BUSY GUY WITH A VERY BUSY LAW PRACTICE.
UM, YOU'RE A KNOWN QUANTITY TO ME, AND SO THANK THANKS FOR VOLUNTEERING.
UM, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT IN ORDER TO DO THIS WORK, TWO THINGS ARE GONNA HAPPEN.
ONE, POTENTIAL CLIENTS MAY COME BEFORE, UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, RIGHT.
WHICH WOULD, YOU KNOW, BLOCK YOU FROM, UH, BECAUSE OF OBVIOUSLY CONFLICT RULES, UM, RIGHT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT, AND THEN, SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE WALKING INTO HERE.
UM, AND, UH, YOUR PARTNERS ARE OKAY WITH YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, PUTTING YOURSELF IN A POSITION WHERE THE LAW FIRM WON'T BE ABLE TO REPRESENT THOSE FOLKS.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL SAY THIS, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR MANY YEARS IN THE BEGINNING OF MY PRACTICE, I WORKED FOR SOME BIGGER LAW FIRMS. YEAH.
UM, AND, AND HAD, UH, WELL AT THE TIME, BOSSES AND PARTNERS WITH, UM, WITH A, A VERY, VERY BROAD RANGE OF CLIENTS.
AND THAT WOULD FRANKLY BE A CHALLENGE.
UM, AS OF LATE, I'VE JOINED UP WITH AN OLD FRIEND OF MINE.
IT'S A TWO MAN SHOP, AND WE SEE EYE TO EYE, AND WE BOTH LOVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE STILL WITH C J M A I.
THAT IS, C J M IS A VERY SMALL LAW FIRM.
AND THEN, UH, THAT, THAT ACTUALLY MAKES ME FEEL BETTER.
AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS YOU UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT YOU WILL BE CALLED UPON FROM TIME TO TIME TO ACTUALLY GO OUT INTO THE FIELD AND LOOK AT THESE PROPERTIES.
YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT TOO, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW, AND I, AGAIN, I'VE BEEN A DIRT LAWYER FOR 20 YEARS NOW.
AND, AND, UH, AND I THINK WHEN I WAS A YOUNG ONE WHO WAS, YOU KNOW, CONCERNED ABOUT CAPTURING EVERY, YOU KNOW, EIGHT, EIGHT MINUTE INTERVAL, UH, UM, ON A TIME SHEET, UH, IT SEEMED LIKE YOU COULD UNDERSTAND DIRT AND YOU COULD UNDERSTAND PROJECTS BY WITH GOOGLE EARTH.
BUT AS I'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS, I REALIZED THAT REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THE, THE BUILDER, THE DEVELOPER, THE HOMEOWNER, LAYING EYES ON IT, MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
AND, AND SO THE COMMITMENT TO THAT IS KIND OF, THAT'S FRANKLY, WHEN MY CLIENTS SAY WE'RE LOOKING AT A PIECE OF PROPERTY, THEY TELL ME THE ADDRESS, LET GO CHECK IT OUT.
WELL, LISTEN, THANKS FOR VOLUNTEERING AND THANKS FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, COMING AND TALKING TO US TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS FURTHER FROM MR. LOPEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
MR. LOPEZ, THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD AND OFFERING YOURSELF FOR THIS POSITION.
UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT IN YOUR PRIOR LEGAL EXPERIENCE, YOU'VE REPRESENTED BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS.
YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
UH, WITH THAT IN MIND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS JUST A RUBBER STAMP FOR DEVELOPERS.
UH, YOU IF YOU WERE TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THAT COMMITTEE.
AND WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT STATEMENT? WELL, I, WELL, I, MY MY VIEW ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S COMMISSION'S ROLE, UM, IS IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY THROUGH THIS COMMISSION, UH, TO HELP DEVELOPERS MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, YOU KNOW, MY VIEW IS THIS, IS THIS, IT'S A DISCUSSION, IT'S AN INTERACTION.
I UNDERSTAND, UH, THAT THE U D C AND THE, AND THE STATUTES DO REQUIRE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE, UH, THINGS, YOU KNOW, NEED TO BE APPROVED AS A MATTER OF LAW.
BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT, I THINK THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE CRITICAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR HELPING DEVELOPERS UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS COMMUNITY WANTS AND NEEDS.
AND, AND THAT'S A DISCUSSION THAT I, THAT I WOULD, I'VE TOLD MY CLIENTS TO TAKE THAT OPPOR, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
YOU KNOW, THIS, THESE, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT WE BUILD HERE AREN'T BUILT IN A VACUUM.
THEY'RE LITERALLY BUILT FOR PEOPLE TO OCCUPY THEM.
AND SO, A DEVELOPER OR BUILDER WHO CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS AND HOW THEY'RE GONNA UTILIZE THAT RESOURCE, I THINK THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO BUILD.
THAT'S WHAT MY CLIENTS BELIEVE ALSO.
UH, SOME SAY THAT, UH, THE ROLE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS JUST TO FOLLOW WHATEVER THE RULES ARE OR WHAT, WHATEVER'S IN THE CODE, AND THEY JUST LOOK AT THAT AND THEY SAY, OKAY, THIS PLAN MEETS ALL THE CODE OR ALL RULES.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHEN, UH, DIFFERENT THINGS ARE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COMMISSION, UH, THAT ARE REQUIRING OR ASKING FOR WAIVERS TO THE CODE OR WAIVERS TOWARD TREE ORDINANCE.
UH, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE COMMITTEE OR YOUR FLEXIBILITY WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS? YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY SET OF RULES, UM, REGARDLESS OF HOW WELL THOUGHT OUT, WELL CONCEIVED WILL RUN INTO, UH, THE REALITIES OF, OF THE INTRICACIES OF A PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCE.
UM, AND, AND THOSE THINGS, UH, IT'S, IT'S VITAL FOR US TO CONTINUE TO PROGRESS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT A RULE, UNDERSTAND ITS VALUE, BUT UNDERSTAND THAT A CIRCUMSTANCE REQUIRES A DIFFERENT RESULT.
UM, AND, AND THAT, AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S INCREDIBLE THAT, THAT'S THE TYPE OF WORK THAT THE HARD WORK NEEDS TO GET DONE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT THOSE CASES ARE REALLY WHERE, WHERE LISTENING AND UNDERSTANDING BECOME
[01:10:01]
CRITICAL.UM, BECAUSE AT THAT POINT, YOU'RE WEIGHING THE BROADER QUESTIONS, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE? WHAT WAS THIS RULE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? WHAT ARE THESE DEVELOPERS, WHAT ARE THESE HOMEOWNERS? WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? UM, AND SO THE, THE, THE, THE ABILITY FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO OPERATE TO FILL THOSE GAPS, THAT, AGAIN, THE MOST WELL THOUGHT OUT, U D C, THE MOST WELL THOUGHT OUT STATUTE CAN'T ANTICIPATE.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT'S THE HARD WORK OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
AND THAT'S, AND, AND, AND THAT'S, I I WELCOME THOSE CHALLENGES.
AND THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING THAT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT VOLUNTEER WORK SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
UH, YOU SAID YOU LIVE, I THINK, WITHIN THE INNER PART OF THE CITY.
WHERE DO YOU THINK THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY SHOULD BE GOING? DO YOU THINK A LOT MORE SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED ON INNER CITY, LET'S SAY INSIDE LOOP FOUR 10 FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, OR JUST INSIDE THE CITY, UH, LET'S SAY WITHIN LOOP 1604? OR DO YOU THINK DEVELOPMENTS SHOULD GO ANYWHERE? DEVELOPERS WANT TO GO? WELL, WELL, THE, THE, THE, THE POWER OF, OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND U D C AND GROWTH PLANS IS THAT WE CAN ENCOURAGE AND INCENTIVIZE AND, AND EXPRESS OUR BROAD WILL ABOUT HOW OUR COMMUNITY GROWS AND MORPHS AND, AND CHANGES.
MY VIEW IS THAT WE'RE IN AN AREA, YOU KNOW, AN AMAZING TIME IN SAN ANTONIO WHEN IT COMES TO GROWTH, WHEN IT COMES TO OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE THERE'S THIS, THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, IN MY LIFETIME, I FEEL LIKE A, A A REAL ENTHUSIASM FOR REDEVELOPMENT IN THE URBAN CORE.
AND, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, THERE'S PEOPLE COMING AND SAYING, I WANNA LIVE DOWNTOWN.
I WANNA LIVE IN THE OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS.
I WANNA BE PART OF A, A HIGHER DENSITY COMMUNITY.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO WOULD LOVE THE SUBURBAN LIFESTYLE.
AND I THINK A COMMUNITY AS VIBRANT AS OURS, WITH AS MANY REGIONAL AND NATIONAL RESOURCES, LOOKING AT OURS, AT OUR, AT OUR COMMUNITY AS AN OPPORTUNITY, I THINK WE CAN SERVICE BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.
AND I THINK THE CITY IN OUR, IN THE OPERATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN FIND WAYS TO ENCOURAGE REASONABLE RESPONSIBLE GROWTH, BOTH IN THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS INSIDE THE LOOPS.
I USED TO SAY FOUR 10 WAS A LOOP, BUT INSIDE 1604, AND ALONG THE PERIPHERY, KNOWING THAT WE HAVE, WE, WE CREATE SPECIAL CHALLENGES WITH ALL THOSE THINGS.
WE, YOU KNOW, SEWER CHALLENGES IN THE OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS, HIGHWAY, CHALLENGES IN THE EXTERIOR PORTIONS.
BUT AGAIN, THOSE ARE, THOSE COMPETE, NOT COMPETE AS COMPLIMENTING CHALLENGES THAT CAN BE WORKED TOGETHER.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I THINK, I THINK DEVELOPMENT IN BOTH HOUSING OPTIONS AND LIVING OPTIONS IN BOTH CIRCUMSTANCES ARE THE WAY MODERN CITIES CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND SO WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THOSE.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? MR. LOPEZ? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I'LL GO AHEAD, TAKE YOU BACK TO THE WAITING ROOM.
WE'LL BRING UP OUR NEXT CANDIDATE FOR INTERVIEW, AND THAT PERSON IS KEVIN.
MR. LOVE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR APPLICATION.
UM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU THE FLOOR FOR A TWO MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT.
THEY'LL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS.
SO MY, YOU ALREADY KNOW MY NAME, KEVIN, LOVE TO, MY ADDRESS IS 2 0 0 7 ENCINO CLIFF.
UM, TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND, I'VE BEEN HERE, I THINK MY MOTHER MOVED ME OUT HERE WHEN I WAS IN FOURTH GRADE FROM SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.
UM, SO I'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.
I THINK I HAD A TWO YEAR STINT AWAY, BASICALLY.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THIS HAS BEEN HOME.
UM, A LITTLE BIT OF MY BACKGROUND.
I'M A, A CIVIL ENGINEER HERE IN TOWN.
UH, I WENT TO COLLEGE AT U T S A, SO I'VE PRETTY MUCH DONE EVERYTHING HERE.
UM, I, AFTER COLLEGE, WELL, I GOT MY DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING, AND SO I STARTED WORKING IN LAND DEVELOPMENT.
UH, CAME TO WORK FOR THE CITY FOR ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS, UM, USED TO ACTUALLY WORK FOR ROD.
SO, UM, WAY BACK IN THE DAY, 2000 TO 2003.
UM, I PRIMARILY, MY TIME HAS BEEN SERVED AS A CONSULTANT, UM, IN LAND DEVELOPMENT, COMMERCIAL LAND DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I'VE, UM, DONE, I TYPICALLY DO SHOPPING CENTERS, RETAIL OFFICE, UM, CHURCHES, UH, PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING, ANY KIND OF TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU COULD THINK OF.
UM, BACK IN 2012, I STARTED MY OWN COMPANY, UM, I'M SORRY, NOT 12, BUT OH NINE, UM, SINCE THEN, UM, THAT'S BEEN ABOUT, I GUESS ABOUT 13 YEARS NOW.
SO I'VE GOT A SMALL FIRM IN TOWN AND HAVE ABOUT 15, 16 PEOPLE EMPLOYED.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, E EVERY DAY WE DEAL WITH THE U D C.
[01:15:01]
I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE REALLY QUALIFIED FOLKS TO SERVE ON OUR PLANNING COMMISSION THAT UNDERSTAND, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, THE RULES, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, LAND USE CHANGES.UM, UH, I'VE ALSO, UH, WELL, BACK IN MY EXPERIENCE, I'VE ALSO WORKED FOR A DEVELOPER FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
SO, SO MY EXPERIENCE IS PRETTY WELL-ROUNDED.
AND, AND I'M HERE TO OFFER MY TIME IF, IF, IF I CAN HELP.
UM, IF YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE ME.
UH, RIGHT NOW THE CITY IS ENGAGED IN A PROCESS TO COME UP WITH A GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY.
IT'LL COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL LATER THIS YEAR.
UM, OBVIOUSLY INCLUDES A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROCESSES FROM ZONING AND PLANNING TO UTILITY AGREEMENTS.
UM, WHAT CONSIDERATIONS TO THE CITY BE TAKING, UH, WITH REGARD TO ASSEMBLING ITS GROWTH MANAGEMENT POLICY? WELL, WE'RE EXPERIENCING A SUPER, SUPER HIGH VOLUME OF GROWTH RIGHT NOW.
I'VE, I'VE, I THINK ALL OF US HAVE NOT BEEN THIS BUSY IN MANY, MANY YEARS.
EVEN THE OH 6, 0 8 AS, AS FAR AS WHAT'S IMPORTANT, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
I MEAN, WE, YOU KNOW, WATER, SEWER, DRAINAGE, UM, NOW ME NOT BEING A PLANNER, OBVIOUSLY, UH, PLANNERS, UM, AND NEIGHBORHOODS, A CITY, A CONSORTIUM OF FOLKS WOULD GET TOGETHER AND DETERMINE WHAT AREAS, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE INDUSTRIAL, RESIDENTIAL, UH, MIXED USE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT OUR, OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR DRAINAGE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE FROM, YOU KNOW, WATER, SEWER, AND STREETS, TRANSPORTATION IS, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UH, WE'VE, YOU KNOW, IN THESE GROWTH SPURTS THAT WE'VE HAD, IT'S, IT'S VERY CRITICAL.
UM, BUT I, I THINK THOSE ARE THE MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DEFINITELY GOTTA BE LOOKING AT.
WE'LL GO TO COMMITTEE QUESTIONS.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHE GARCIA.
THANK YOU, MR. LOVE, FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THE COMMISSION.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION PLAYS AN IMPORTANT PART IN, UM, OUR CITY'S ANNEXATION AND GROWTH PLANS.
AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE OUR PRIORITIES AS A CITY FOCUS ON, ON MORE GROWTH? WELL, ON THE MORE GROWTH, I, I, I SEE US GROWING.
I, I, WELL BACK IN THE EAGLE FORD, I'VE WORKED IN, YOU KNOW, DOWN IN THE EAGLE FORD BACK WHEN THEY WERE GOING THROUGH THE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH THAT THEY HAD.
UM, AND TO SEE THESE SMALL CITIES HAVE TO GROW FROM, AND NOT HAVING THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND I, I MEAN, STAFF EVEN LIKE, IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD EXAMPLE, I WOULD SAY, OF WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH NOW.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE, UH, TO SERVE, THAT WE HAVE TO GROW AS A CITY.
WE, WE'LL, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE OFTEN HEARD IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S THE DEATH OF A CITY TO NOT CONTINUE TO GROW.
AND, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS KEY.
AND THAT'S, UH, AT LEAST FROM MY STANDPOINT, BUT WE HAVE TO, AND WE HAVE TO, TO, TO MANAGE IT IN SOME WAY SO THAT IT WORKS FOR EVERYONE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE HARD PART.
ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, SOMETIMES AS WE MAKE, UM, AMENDMENTS TO SOME OF OUR PLANS, LIKE THE ESSAY TOMORROW PLAN, FOR INSTANCE, WE MIGHT GET SOME OPPOSITION FROM NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS OR MAYBE FROM SOME LOCAL BUSINESSES.
UM, WHAT PLANNING OR COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD, UH, HAVE GUIDE US BEFORE WE MAKE THESE AMENDMENTS? WELL, EVERYBODY'S GOTTA BE HEARD.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, AND WE ALL NEED A SAY, YOU KNOW, STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND WORK OUT, UH, DIFFERENCES.
UH, SOMETIMES IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY, BUT WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO, AND WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GONNA MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY, BUT WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO, TO, TO, TO HEAR FROM THE STAKEHOLDERS, EVERYONE INVOLVED.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, I THINK.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, ANYTHING FURTHER FOR MR. LOVE? COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING YOUR NAME IN.
I NOTICED FROM YOUR RESUME THAT YOU'VE SERVED ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION PREVIOUSLY, WAS IT THE SAN ANTONIO PLANNING COMMISSION? UH, YES.
[01:20:01]
SIR.I NOTICED YOU ON JUST A SINGLE TERM, BUT YOU ALSO SERVED ON THE PTAC.
SO COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE THERE, WHAT IT WAS LIKE, WHAT YOU THINK YOU'D LIKE TO DO A SECOND TIME AROUND? WELL, MY, MY FIRST, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS NEW.
THERE WAS A PLANNING COMPONENT THAT WAS NEW.
UM, I THINK IT TAKES, I THINK IT TAKES A PERSON, ESPECIALLY NOT BEING IN THIS, UH, IN THIS FIELD QUITE A WHILE, TO GET THEIR BEARINGS AND, YOU KNOW, AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT, WHERE DIFFERENT PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM, AND TO UNDERSTAND THE BIGGER PICTURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THIS TIME I WOULDN'T HAVE THAT SIX MONTH LAPSE.
UM, BUT I, I, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'M HERE BECAUSE, UH, WHEN SOMEONE COMES WITH A VARIANCE, THEY, UH, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE UNDERSTANDING OF, YOU KNOW, THE DETAILS, SOME OF THE DETAILS, SOME OF THE, ESPECIALLY THE BIGGER PICTURE, IT'S, IT'S REALLY HARD TO VOTE INTELLIGENTLY ON THAT ITEM.
UM, THAT A PERSON, YOU KNOW, THE VARIANCE THAT A PERSON MAY HAVE.
UM, I, I KNOW WE HAVE U D C REVISIONS COMING UP, HAVING WORKED AT THE CITY, UM, A LONG TIME AGO, YOU KNOW, I'VE ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY GOT TO CONTRIBUTE IN THAT AS STAFF, UH, OR HAD PREPARED A COUPLE OF TABLES FOR OUR NEW U D C ONCE WE HAD, UM, YOU KNOW, STARTED ON THAT PROCESS, UH, BACK IN 2000 TO 2000, WELL, I GUESS ONE, TWO.
UM, SO I'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, SOME EX DEFINITELY SOME EXPERIENCE AND, AND, AND WRITING CODES TRYING TO SET OR TRYING TO WRITE A SET OF RULES, UH, THAT ARE VERY CLEAR, WHICH IS, AND, AND, AND DON'T CREATE ANY GRAY AREA.
AND THERE'S, MIND YOU, A A MILLION DIFFERENT SITUATIONS AND SCENARIOS.
IT'S HARD TO COVER EVERYTHING, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A CHALLENGE OF WRITING A REAL RULE BOOK, AND THAT'S THE FUNCTION THAT OUR PLANNING COMMISSION SERVES.
BUT I GUESS TO GET BACK TO YOUR QUESTION, I, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD DO ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY.
I JUST FEEL LIKE I COULD BE A LOT MORE HELP SOONER.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, UH, WORKING WITH BUILDERS, DEVELOPERS, CONTRACTORS, YOU, YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT IN YOUR PAST.
UH, SO IF YOU BECOME A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS JUST A RUBBER STAMP FOR DEVELOPERS AS, AS SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN ON THE OUTSIDE AND THE INSIDE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT STATEMENT? WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT TO A DEGREE, THERE IS SOME TRUTH TO IT IN THE SENSE THAT, AND, AND, AND, AND RUBBER STAMPS NOT A, NOT A GOOD WORD, BUT IT'S, IT'S A, UH, WE HAVE A SET OF RULES, UH, RULES THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DEVELOP ORDERLY BY.
AND SO IF FOLKS WITH LAND COME IN WITH THESE PROJECTS AND THEY MEET THIS, THE, YOU KNOW, THEY MEET THESE RULES, THEN THEY MEET THE, THE CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL.
UM, I THINK WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, OR I THINK WHERE IT'S, THE PLANNING COMMISSION BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT.
AND, AND IT'S, IS ONE OF ITS OTHER RULES IS NOT NECESSARILY APPROVING ITEMS JUST ON CONSENT AGENDA.
BUT, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEONE DOES HAVE A VARIANCE, WHEN THERE IS A PLAN CHANGE, UH, WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE RIGHT NOW U D C, UH, RULE CHANGES, UH, BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THOSE AND THEN HAVE INPUT, AND IT'S, AND SO DEVELOPMENT MOVES ALONG OUR PLANNING COM COMMISSION FACILITATES IT.
AND, AND, AND FROM THE RUBBER STAMP REFERRAL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THINGS MOVE ALONG THAT, THAT ARE MEETING THE CODE, THE SYSTEM IS WORKING.
IT'S, UH, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WHEN IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, WE BECOME VERY IMPORTANT WHEN FOLKS MAY DISAGREE WITH STAFF, STAFF, UM, YOU KNOW, MAY, YOU KNOW, EVERY PIECE OF LAND IS DIFFERENT.
UM, AND, AND, AND SPECIFICALLY SPEAKING TO VARIANCES, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY, VERY HARD TO WRITE A SET OF RULES THAT COVERS EVERYTHING.
SO WE HAVE TO, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING AND VOTING ON, YOU KNOW, UH, THE VARIANCE, YOU KNOW, THE RULES, NOT ALWAYS BEING ABLE TO BE CLEAR
[01:25:01]
AND CONCISE FOR EACH PROJECT.THERE, THERE, THERE MAY BE A PROJECT WHERE YOU HAVE NOT ENOUGH SPACE, AND, BUT IT'S A, IT'S, THERE'S A NEED FOR THE, THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS A NEED FOR THIS.
UH, THE CITY EVEN MAY WANT THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF CERTAIN EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES, IT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE MAY NEED TO APPROVE THAT VARI, WE SHOULD MAYBE APPROVE THAT VARIANCE.
I HOPEFULLY ASK YOUR, ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
WELL, YOU, YOU DO, AND I THINK YOU GIVE ME MORE INSIGHT BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN ON THE INSIDE AND YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THESE KINDS OF THINGS BEFORE.
UM, AND I GUESS IT JUST BRINGS TO MIND, UH, ANOTHER QUESTION, AND THAT IS, DO YOU PERCEIVE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WORKS FOR THE CITY, WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY, ALL WORKS FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE ALL HERE BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE.
AND I MEAN, THAT, I BELIEVE THAT'S OUR MAIN FUNCTION.
AND SO, UM, I THINK PART, YOU KNOW, PART OF OUR RULES AND OUR PLANNING COMMISSION IS JUST IN, IN THE, IN THE CITY IS TO, TO BE ORDERLY, TO, YOU KNOW, IT WORKS FOR EVERYONE.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO, AS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER, YOU HAVE TO BE INDEPENDENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, IN ANY GOOD, IN ANY GOOD FAITH, YOU CAN'T SIT THERE AND, AND BE SO PRO DEVELOPER.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE CITY, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, OR, OR THE CITIZENS.
THE CITIZENS, UH, OF A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD MAY NOT WANT A PROJECT, BUT YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE FOLKS OWN THIS LAND.
THEY'RE DEVELOPING WITHIN THE ZONING AND, UH, ORDINANCE AND, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO DO THAT.
THAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES THAT, AND IT GOES BACK TO NOT BEING ABLE TO KEEP EVERYBODY HAPPY, BUT, BUT WE HAVE TO BE INDEPENDENT AND OBJECTIVE.
ANYTHING FURTHER, MR. LOVE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
WE'LL TAKE YOU BACK TO THE WAITING ROOM, AND WE'LL BRING UP OUR NEXT CANDIDATE FOR INTERVIEW.
UM, AND THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS CAMMIES MILAM ANNAMARIE MILAM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR APPLICATION TODAY.
UM, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU YOUR TWO MINUTES, UH, FOR AN OPENING STATEMENT THAT WE'LL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS.
CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? OH, I'M MIKED, SO OF COURSE YOU CAN.
CAMIS MILAM, AND IT'S, UH, A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
AND THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY APPLICATION TO THE PLANNING COUNCIL.
UH, FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO SO FAR, I THINK I'M A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT OF A, UH, OF A BACKGROUND THAN MANY OF THE FOLKS THAT YOU'VE HEARD.
I HAVE WORKED IN SAN ANTONIO FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
UH, I ORIGINALLY CAME FROM THE VALLEY.
AND AT THAT POINT IN TIME, SAN ANTONIO WAS LIKE THE EMERALD CITY TO ME.
IT WAS A PLACE THAT WE CAME TO SEE FABULOUS THINGS AND UNDERSTAND HISTORY A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO WHEN I, WHEN I FINISHED MY MEDICAL SCHOOL AND TRAINING IN GALVESTON, THIS IS WHERE I WANTED TO BE.
IT WAS STILL THE EMERALD CITY, I THINK IT STILL IS.
UH, IT'S A, IT'S A FABULOUS, FABULOUS PLACE.
UH, AND I WANTED TO BE A PART OF THAT.
UM, MY PRACTICE HERE HAS BEEN ALMOST ENTIRELY IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
I WAS THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER FOR THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES.
AFTER TRAINING AS A, AND WORKING AS A STAFF PSYCHIATRIST THERE.
I WAS VERY INVOLVED WITH THE PLANNING FOR SERVICES TO BE OFFERED IN THE HAVEN FOR HOPE, UH, AND TO CREATE THE CLINICS, SOME OF THE CLINICS AND, AND CONNECTIONS THAT WERE THERE.
I THINK THE CONNECTIONS ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
THERE WAS NO ONE ORGANIZATION THAT WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE, DO THE BE ALL AND END ALL.
UH, I'VE ALSO SPENT TIME WORKING AT THE, UH, UH, THE UT HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER, UH, AS THEIR CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY, A WHILE TWO, UH, RECENTLY I TOOK A LITTLE HIATUS AND SPENT FOUR YEARS NORTH OF SEATTLE, AND I'M SO, SO GRATEFUL TO BE BACK AND TO SEE MY OAK TREES, MY LIVE OAKS, AND ET CETERA.
SO WHAT I THINK THAT, GIVEN THAT BACKGROUND THAT I CAN BRING TO SAN ANTONIO AND TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IS A KNOWLEDGE OF HOW SYSTEMS WORK.
[01:30:01]
THE, THE TIME AT, UH, UH, THAT I'VE SPENT IN SAN ANTONIO, I'VE HAD SOME EXPERIENCE WITH PLANNING AND WITH THE U D C, AND THAT'S BEEN ON THE OTHER END OF IT.UH, I BOUGHT A HOME IN MANKEY PARK AND WAS INVOLVED WITH THE, UH, THE N C D WORK THERE THAT WENT ON A FEW YEARS AGO.
UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START THE QUESTIONS.
UM, AND YOU ALLUDED TO THIS A BIT.
UH, WE ARE UNDERGOING, UH, SOME BIG DISCUSSIONS RIGHT NOW WITH REGARD TO HOW THE CITY GROWS AND WHAT RULES WE USE AS WE DEVELOP.
UH, WE HAVE A MASSIVE, UH, REVISION OF OUR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE UNDERWAY, AS WELL AS, UH, A GROWTH MANAGEMENT POLICY PLANNING, UH, TO ULTIMATELY COME BEFORE COUNCIL, UH, BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
UH, WITH RESPECT TO THOSE TWO PROCESSES, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO PREPARE FOR THOSE AS WELL AS, WHAT, UH, PRIORITIES DO YOU THINK THE CITY SHOULD BE CONSIDERING AS IT LAYS OUT ITS GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY? WELL, THE CITY LIVES IN A PECULIAR PLACE, DIFFERENT THAN MANY AMERICAN CITIES.
WE'RE ENTIRELY DEPENDENT ON AN AQUIFER, WHICH I THINK HAS TO ENTER INTO ANY PLANNING, UH, THAT WE DO.
THE CARRIZO SPRINGS AQUIFER, NOTWITHSTANDING.
WE REALLY MAY END UP BEING LIMITED BY CLIMATE CHANGE.
UH, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING REALLY INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER, AND THAT, GIVEN, I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND, DO WE WANT TO BE LIKE MANY OTHER CITIES AND GROW OUTWARD? CAN WE SUSTAIN THAT? UH, CAN WE, OR ARE WE BETTER OFF TO, TO CONTAIN OURSELVES IN A SMALLER AREA? I WOULD HATE TO SEE SAN ANTONIO FALL A VICTIM TO THE URBAN SPRAWL THAT SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES SAN ANTONIO SUCH A WONDERFUL CITY IS ACCESSIBILITY.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE THAT IN ORDER TO PREPARE MYSELF.
UM, I'VE BEEN ON THE WEBSITE A LOT RECENTLY.
I DO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT URBAN PLANNING, MOSTLY FROM FAMILY MEMBERS WHO'VE BEEN INVOLVED.
SO I HAVE LOTS OF RESOURCES AND BRAINS TO PICK, AND I'M NO STRANGER TO STUDYING.
WE'RE NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBER ROSO GARCIA.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, UM, IN SETTING UP, UH, THE MEDICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES AT, AT HAVEN FOR HOPE.
AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AT THE CLUBHOUSE.
I KNOW THAT I WAS AN EVERETT, UM, WASHINGTON CLUBHOUSE, BUT STILL, UM, AND I, I'D HOPE THAT MAYBE WE COULD GET TOO INVOLVED WITH OUR LOCAL CLUBHOUSE, BY THE WAY, WE HAVEN'T BEEN INVOLVED WITH THEM JUST YET.
UM, MY QUESTION IN PARTICULAR IS, UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S GROWTH IN SAN ANTONIO, AND THAT THIS COMMISSION PLAYS A, UM, A A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE.
UM, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT THE CITY SHOULD BE CONSIDERING AS THEIR PRIORITIES AS WE PLAN FOR GROWTH? AND SPECIFICALLY IN REGARD TO ANNEXATION? THAT'S AN INTERESTING ONE.
UM, ANNEXATION, I THINK IS ALWAYS A TOUGH SITUATION.
I KNOW WE'VE, OUR, OUR E T G E TJS HAS ANNEX VARIOUS AREAS IN THE PAST, AND, AND BEING THE, YOU KNOW, LARGEST PLAYER IN THE ENTIRE BEXAR COUNTY, WITH ONLY SMALL AREAS AROUND, THERE'S A SENSE IN WHICH IT SEEMS ALMOST INEVITABLE THAT WE WOULD GROW TOWARDS MORE ANNEXATION.
UH, I THINK ONE HAS TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO THE FOLKS WHO LIVE IN THOSE AREAS.
UH, IF THEY'RE RELATIVELY UNDERDEVELOPED AREAS IN THE PLANNING FOR ANNEXATION IS REALLY MORE ABOUT DEVELOPMENT.
THEN AGAIN, THAT KIND OF GOES BACK TO THE THINGS THAT I SAID EARLIER ABOUT WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION AND SEE, ARE WE REALLY, YOU KNOW, DO WE WANNA HAVE URBAN SPRAWL? HOW WOULD WE THINK ABOUT THAT? UM, DO WE NEED TO CONSIDER THAT? MAYBE WE HAVE SMALLER POCKET AREAS? UH, BUT REALLY THE ACCESSIBILITY, THE ABILITY TO GET BACK AND FORTH, UM, HAVING A CENTER FOR RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN EITHER AN EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION, AN ANNEXED AREA, OR, UM, A DEVELOPMENT, UH, IS, IS CRUCIAL.
UM, I COULDN'T IMAGINE WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE WHY THERE WAS THIS HUGE INTERSECTION BEING BUILT AT, AT, UH, HENER ROAD AND LOCKHILL SELMA.
I MEAN, WHAT THE HAY, IT WAS WAY OUT IN THE BOONIES,
UM, I GUESS THERE'S NO FIXED ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
I THINK EACH CASE HAS TO BE TAKEN ON ITS OWN MERITS AND ITS OWN DISCUSSION.
AND MY NEXT QUESTION IS, UH, WE KNOW THAT AS WE MAKE AMENDMENTS TO DIFFERENT PLANS, LIKE TAKE, TAKE FOR INSTANCE, THE ESSAY TOMORROW PLAN, THERE'S GOING TO BE OPPOSITION FROM MAYBE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS OR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
AND SO HOW DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD GO ABOUT,
[01:35:01]
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PRINCIPLES THAT YOU THINK, UH, WE SHOULD BE USING TO GUIDE US IN THE WORK BEFORE WE, UM, TAKE UP THE AMENDMENTS? I SUSPECT THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID THE SAME THING THAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY, BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT LISTENING, HEARING, NOT JUST PUTTING ON THE SEMBLANCE OF HEARING, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THAT AS WELL.UM, I PARTICIPATED IN THE, UH, THE TIER ONE, UH, CONVERSATIONS, AND I WAS INCREDIBLY PLEASED AT THE LISTENING THAT I THINK WENT ON.
AND I KNOW MR. MAYOR, YOU CAME AND SPOKE TO AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE ORGAN, UH, ONE OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT I WAS AT.
AND, AND I THINK THAT WE ALL FELT HEARD.
SO I THINK IF PEOPLE FEEL HEARD, UH, FEEL THAT THEIR CONCERNS HAVE BEEN LISTENED TO AND ARE ADDRESSED, THAT IT MAKES IT MUCH EASIER THAT IF THEY'RE NOT AGREED WITH TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND I THINK IT'S NOT ABOUT ACHIEVING CONSENSUS, IT'S ABOUT SHARING A VISION, SEEING THAT VISION, AND HELPING OTHER PEOPLE TO SEE THAT AND TO UNDERSTAND IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER PAEZ.
UM, YOUR, YOUR RESUME IS SPECTACULAR.
UH, AND, UH, IT'S CLEAR THAT YOU GOT REALLY GOOD GRADES IN HIGH SCHOOL,
I, I, UM, I, I GOTTA TELL YOU THOUGH, IT JUMPED OUT AT ME THAT YOUR VOLUNTEERING FOR THIS, UH, COMMISSION, DESPITE THERE NOT BEING ANY EVIDENT INVOLVEMENT, UM, OR AT LEAST THAT I SAW IN WRITING, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY DO HERE, RIGHT? LIKE PLAN AMENDMENTS AND APPLICATIONS, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, LAND USE, ALL THAT STUFF THAT COMES HERE, WHY THIS AND WHY NOT? SOME OF OUR OTHER COMMITTEES, WELL, ACTUALLY, I WAS A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED TO GET THE CALL TO COME TODAY,
'CAUSE I THOUGHT THAT PEOPLE MIGHT ACTUALLY SAY, WELL, SHE'S NOTHING TO OFFER HERE.
UM, AND I THINK, AS I MENTIONED, REALLY, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HOW SYSTEMS WORK MM-HMM.
I DON'T HAVE ANY PARTICULAR UNDERSTANDING OF, I MEAN, I, I KNOW THE U D C INSOFAR AS IT CONCERNED ME TO FIND OUT ABOUT WHY THAT LIGHT WAS SHINING IN MY BACK WINDOW OR BEING INVOLVED WITH THE, UH, ND N C D.
SO I HAVE IT FROM THE CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE, IF YOU WILL.
AND THEN YOU ADD TO THAT, MY, MY WORK IN UNDERSTANDING SYSTEMS AND, AND KNOWING IT.
AND I THINK THAT CAN BE A BENEFIT.
SO THAT'S WHY THIS COMMISSION, I'M REALLY INVESTED IN SEEING SAN ANTONIO CONTINUE TO BE THAT EMERALD CITY THAT I LOVE.
WELL, I'M DELIGHTED YOU VOLUNTEERED.
THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND TALKING TO US TODAY, DOCTOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR DR.
MILAM, UH, FOR APPLYING FOR THIS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, UH, ALL OF US CAN USE A LITTLE PROFESSIONAL ADVICE NOW AND THEN ON, UH, WORKING WITH OUR COWORKERS AND WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND I THINK YOU COULD PROBABLY BRING SOME OF THAT TO THE TABLE, UH, ON THIS COMMISSION.
SO, UH, THANKS FOR OFFERING YOURSELF.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS JUST A RUBBER STAMP FOR THE DEVELOPERS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT STATEMENT? WELL, I, IN, IN THE LITTLE BIT THAT I'VE WORKED WITH, WHICH HAS MAINLY BEEN THROUGH THE ZONING COMMITTEE, I, I'VE NOT FOUND THAT TO BE TRUE.
I, I DON'T, I MEAN, I'M ONE OF THE PEOPLE, AND I DON'T THINK THAT, SO, UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE DO, AND I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IN ANY GOVERNMENT OR IN ANY ORGANIZATION, THAT THE LAYERS AT THE TOP ARE CONSIDERED TO BE, UH, I MEAN, EVEN IN MY OWN ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS ONLY A THOUSAND PEOPLE, IT'S, IT'S, THE LAYERS AT THE TOP ARE CONSIDERED TO BE NOT UNDERSTANDING OF PEOPLE, NOT UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMMON INTERESTS, AND TO BE WALKING TO THEIR OWN DRUMMER, AS IT WERE.
UH, SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ONE ALWAYS HAS TO BE AWARE OF AND TO UNDERSTAND.
AND, AND AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S REALLY ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THOSE SYSTEMS, UNDERSTANDING HOW PEOPLE WERE BEING OUT THERE TALKING AND HELPING PEOPLE FEEL HEARD, UH, THAT I THINK THAT WE MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE.
UM, I DON'T FEEL THAT WAY BECAUSE WHEN I WENT TO A ZONING COMMISSION AND PREPARED, PRESENTED SOMETHING THAT I CARED ABOUT, UH, I FELT HEARD, UM, DIDN'T NECESSARILY GO MY WAY, BUT I FELT HEARD
SO I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AGAIN, TO HELP PEOPLE SEE THAT VISION ABOUT WHAT DO WE WANT SAN ANTONIO TO BE 50 YEARS FROM NOW? MOST OF US THINK ABOUT HOW DO, HOW ARE WE GONNA GET TO WORK TOMORROW? HOW ARE WE GONNA FEED OUR KIDS? HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THE DAILY ACTIVITIES OF LIVING?
[01:40:01]
UH, AND SO TO ME, THAT COMMISSION'S RESPONSIBILITY IS TO CREATE AND TO HOLD THAT VISION FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.DO YOU THINK THAT, UH, AS A CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, YOUR TIME WILL ENABLE YOU TO COMPLETE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES HERE? THAT'S, THAT'S NEXT QUESTION.
I'M RETIRING
AND THAT WAS ANOTHER REASON WHY I THOUGHT THAT THIS MIGHT BE A REALLY GOOD WAY TO USE MY TALENTS, UH, USE THAT, UH, EXPERTISE THAT I'VE DEVELOPED OVER THE LAST 35 YEARS, AND TO CONTINUE IN THAT PUBLIC HEALTH SENSE THAT I HAVE.
UH, IF PEOPLE AREN'T WELL, THEN, THEN THE CITY'S NOT GOING TO BE WELL.
AND THE THINGS THAT MAKE PEOPLE WELL ARE WHAT THEY CAN ACCESS IN THEIR DAILY LIFE, AND THAT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MEDICAL CARE.
SO THOSE, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I THINK I WOULD BRING THAT POSSIBLY NOBODY ELSE CAN.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, YOUR BEING HERE TODAY, MS. MILAM.
MILAM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
WE'LL TAKE YOU BACK TO THE WAITING ROOM.
UH, WE'LL BRING UP OUR NEXT CANDIDATE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE CONSIDERATION.
ALRIGHT, OUR NEXT CANDIDATE FOR INTERVIEW IS MANNY RENA.
HELLO, MR. REYNA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, YOU'LL HAVE THE FLOOR FOR A TWO MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT THAT WILL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED THIS HERE.
I'VE LIVED HERE MY ENTIRE LIFE.
AND, UM, I WAS ACTUALLY JUST RECENTLY SEPARATED FROM THE MILITARY.
I SERVED WITH AN INFANTRY UNIT, AND I ALSO WORKED IN THE HOSPITAL NEAR LA DURING THE HEIGHT OF COVID.
AND THEN I CAME BACK HERE TO A, A VERY, VERY DIFFERENT CITY.
UM, REALLY MY GOAL WITH BEING ON THIS COMMISSION IS TO JUST HELP GIVE BACK TO THE CITY.
I'M GONNA BE HONEST, WHEN I WAS FIRST HERE, LIVING HERE, GROWING UP, I WASN'T A FAN OF THE CITY.
WHEN I WENT OUT TO THE DESERT AND I STUCK OUT THERE FOR MONTHS ON END, IT MADE ME REALLY REALIZE HOW, HOW GOOD I HAD IT HERE.
UM, SO ONCE I GOT BACK, I WAS BROUGHT ON BY A PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND CONSULTING FIRM AS A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE.
I GOT MY BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM TEXAS STATE.
I'M IN PROCESS OF GETTING MY M B A AND I ALSO RECEIVED MY P M P.
I WAS ABLE TO CONVINCE THAT COMPANY TO REINVEST IN THE CITY AND HIRE PEOPLE OUT OF THE CITY BECAUSE THEY SAW MY PASSION FOR HOW MUCH I LOVE SAN ANTONIO.
SO REALLY, I'M LOOKING TO BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CITY FOR GROWTH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO HELP OUR CITIZENS AND CANADIAN MEMBERS.
UM, MR. REYNA, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AS WELL.
UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START THE QUESTIONS.
AND, AND THAT IS TO, UH, SAY THAT WE WE'RE, UH, ENGAGED IN SOME BIG PICTURE PLANNING ACTIVITIES FOR THE CITY.
ONE OF THEM IS TO REVISE OUR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE, THE RULES OF DEVELOPMENT HERE IN THE CITY.
WE'RE ALSO UNDERGOING A BIG CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, ABOUT HOW WE PLAN GROWTH, HOW WE MANAGE OUR GROWTH GOING FORWARD.
THAT'S GONNA COME TO THE COUNCIL TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR.
UH, WITH RESPECT TO BOTH OF THOSE THINGS, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO PREPARE, UH, WITH RES WITH REGARD TO YOUR PLANNING COMMISSION ACTIVITIES, UH, AND ALSO WHAT PRIORITIES SHOULD THE CITY CONSIDER AS IT FORMULATES A GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR THE FUTURE? RIGHT.
SO I THINK A BIG THING IS TO BE ACTIVE IN THE FIELD AND PLUGGED INTO THE CITY, TALKING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, HAVING THEIR VOICES HEARD.
WHEN I FIRST GOT BACK HERE, I GOT PLUGGED INTO GEEKDOM AND I SPOKE TO CHARLES AND MR. WESTON, AND THEY TOLD ME ABOUT THE PLANS THAT THEY HAVE FOR THE CITY WORKING WITH ALL, AND HOW THEIR VISION IS TO HAVE THE CITY GROW AND THRIVE AND PROSPER.
SO I THINK A BIG THING WOULD BE TO BE PLUGGED INTO THE CITY, BE LISTENING TO THOSE PEOPLE.
AND TO YOUR POINT, I MEAN, SAN ANTONIO'S GETTING SO BIG NOW.
I SAW THAT ZILLOW LISTED US AS THE FOURTH LARGEST HOUSING MARKET, UM, AND WE KNOCKED AUSTIN OUT OF THE TOP
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M, I'M VERY PROUD OF, AND I TELL EVERYBODY THAT.
BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA COME DOWN TO, LIKE I SAID, BEING IN THE FIELD, TALKING TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, TALKING TO DEVELOPERS, BEING PLUGGED INTO THE, THE GEEK
[01:45:01]
COMMUNITY AS WELL.AND OVERALL, JUST HAVING A GOOD FOUNDATION OF LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE THE SAME VISION OVERALL FOR THE CITY.
WE'LL GO TO THE COMMITTEE QUESTIONS NOW.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
AND, UM, THANK YOU MR. REYNA, FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO APPLY FOR THIS.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS IN REGARD TO AMENDMENTS, UM, UH, AND SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE GO OUT AND WE MAKE RE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AMENDMENTS, FOR INSTANCE, TO THE ESSAY TOMORROW PLAN, IT CAN GENERATE SOME OPPOSITION FROM NEIGHBORHOODS OR MAYBE SOME SMALL BUSINESSES OR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WHAT PLANNING OR COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE, UM, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION OR SHOULD BE GUIDING THESE AMENDMENTS? RIGHT.
SO, UM, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MY, MY MOM WAS ACTUALLY A COUNSELOR ON THE SOUTH SIDE FOR LIKE, HER ENTIRE CAREER.
AND WHEN I WAS YOUNG, SHE WOULD TAKE ME OVER THERE TO SEE HOW THE HOUSES WERE, HOW THEY LIVED, UM, AND THEN COMING BACK TO SAN ANTONIO AFTER GETTING OUTTA THE MILITARY, I'VE SEEN HOW MUCH THE SOUTH SIDE HAS GROWN AND DEVELOPED.
AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE ALL FOR CITY DEVELOPMENT.
BUT I THINK TO, TO GET TO THE POINT OF ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, IT'S GONNA BE NOT SO MUCH ABOUT PLEASING EVERYBODY, BUT FOR THE OVERALL GREATER GOOD OF THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT OF AMENDING THOSE PLANS AND JUST GETTING US TO THE VISION THAT, THAT WE ALL WANT, YOU KNOW, OF SAN ANTONIO BEING THAT FOREFRONT.
UM, I'VE BEEN TO SAN FRANCISCO, I'VE BEEN TO LA, I'VE BEEN TO CHICAGO, I'VE BEEN TO ALL THESE BIG CITIES.
I, THEY DON'T HAVE THE CHARACTER OF SAN ANTONIO DOES.
AND IT'S, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK THAT ANY OTHER CITY CAN REPLICATE.
AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT DIFFERENTIATES US FROM THAT.
AND I THINK IF WE STAY AND STEER THAT PATH, UM, THE PEOPLE, OBVIOUSLY NOT EVERYBODY WILL BE HAPPY, BUT I THINK AT THE SAME TIME, THEY'LL BE PROUD OF, OF THE CITY TO BE PROUD TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK IT'LL ATTRACT MORE JOB SEEKERS AND MORE TALENT.
AND MY NEXT QUESTION IS, IN REGARD TO THE ROLE THAT THIS COMMISSION PLAYS, UM, FOR ANNEXATION AND GROWTH PLANS, UH, WHAT PRIORITIES DO YOU THINK THE CITY SHOULD CONSIDER AS WE FORMULATE THE CITY'S, UH, GROWTH STRATEGY? YEAH, SO I'M A LITTLE BIT AWARE OF SOME THINGS THAT'S GOING ON WITHIN THE CITY.
I KNOW, UM, THERE'S A NEW U T S A SCHOOL BEING BUILT DOWNTOWN WITH CYBERSECURITY.
THAT'S, UM, SOMETHING THAT CHARLES WAS TELLING ME ABOUT.
SO I THINK OVERALL, WHAT WE SHOULD REALLY BE CONCERNED WITH IS ATTRACTING TOP TALENT HERE, UM, HELPING CULTIVATE BUSINESS OWNERS, AND ALSO OVERALL, US BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, BE THAT HUB OF PEOPLE WANTING TO COME HERE.
A PROBLEM I'VE SEEN IS A LOT OF, A LOT OF TALENT HAS, HAS COME UP HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND THEN THEY LEAVE TO LIKE DALLAS OR AUSTIN OR HOUSTON.
AND, UM, THAT SHOULDN'T BE THE CASE HERE BECAUSE PEOPLE, PEOPLE WILL THRIVE A LOT BETTER HERE.
UM, SO WHAT I WOULD THINK WOULD BE ANOTHER THING TO ANSWER THAT IS AS FAR AS LIKE FOCUSING ON HOUSING, FOCUSING ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, BUT IT'S A LOT EASIER THAN DONE WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT DISRUPTIONS, BUT IT CAN BE DONE WITH PROPER PLANNING, WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE, WITH THE RIGHT, UM, NETWORK.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, DR. GARCIA? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER PALAI.
HAVE HAVE YOU WATCHED, UH, ANY OF THESE MEETINGS? UH, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I THINK, I THINK WE TELEVISED THESE, RIGHT? UH, YEAH.
UM, HAVE YOU EVER WATCHED THE MEETINGS FOR ONE FOR THIS, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION? SO I'VE SEEN ONE MEETING BEFORE.
YEAH, IT WAS WHEN I WAS GETTING READY TO COME BACK TO SAN ANTONIO
UM, AND THEN WHEN I GOT BACK HERE AND I GOT PLUGGED INTO ALL THESE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, I WAS LIKE, WOW, YOU KNOW, LIKE I WAS, I WAS BLIND TO EVERYTHING THAT'S, THAT'S GOING ON HERE.
UM, SO, SO, SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS WHY THIS COMMITTEE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT OPENINGS FOR OTHERS.
WHY IS THIS ONE THE ONE THAT USE YOUR ALREADY ON? SO I ACTUALLY, FOR MY M B A, I TOOK A CLASS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND I GOT REALLY FASCINATED WITH IT BECAUSE, UM, THE PREMISE OF THE CLASS WAS JUST READING A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT BOOKS AND IT WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW TO BASICALLY CULTIVATE YOUR CITY, HOW TO GROW IT, HOW TO MAKE IT THRIVE, HOW TO MAKE IT NOURISH.
AND I'M FASCINATED WITH THAT BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, THERE'S SO MUCH TALENT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND I'M ALL FOR HELPING THE CITY BE THE BEST CITY THAT IT CAN BE.
AND I THINK THAT THE FIRST STEP IN THAT IS, YOU KNOW, CULTIVATING THE TALENT HERE, CULTIVATING THE SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, NURTURING THE, THE STARTUP HUBS THROUGH DEEP DUMP.
SO DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? IT DOES.
FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. REYNA.
THANK YOU, MR. RENA, FOR YOUR MILITARY SERVICE TO THIS COUNTRY, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND, AND NOW YOUR WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP AND SAY YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO SERVE, UH,
[01:50:01]
A LIFE IN SERVICE TO YOUR, YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS, IS VERY WORTHY OF YOU.UM, FROM LOOKING AT THIS AS A, AN EVERYDAY CITIZEN, YOU KNOW, WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS JUST A RUBBER STAMP FOR DEVELOPERS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT STATEMENT? SO, SO I THINK FOR THOSE PEOPLE, THE KEY TO CHANGING THEIR MINDS ON THAT WOULD BE PEOPLE IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION ACTUALLY GETTING OUT AND TALKING TO THOSE PEOPLE AND HAVING THEIR VOICES BE HEARD AND SAYING, HEY, LIKE, I'M HERE WITH MY BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
I'M NOT JUST, I'M AVAILABLE SOMEWHERE.
I I'M NOT DOING THIS FOR MY OWN SELF-INTEREST.
IT'S MORE SO TO TRY TO HELP THE COMMUNITY OVERALL.
SO I WANT TO BE YOUR ADVOCATE AND BE THE PERSON THAT HEARS YOUR VOICE, AND THEN TAKE WHAT I HEAR AND BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSION.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE CITY AND HOW YOU'VE REALLY RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF IT AFTER SERVING OVERSEAS.
WHERE DO YOU THINK THE GROWTH AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO SHOULD GO? DO YOU THINK THERE SHOULD BE MORE INNER CITY DEVELOPMENT INSIDE LOOP FOUR 10, OR SHOULD THE GROWTH BE, YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE IN THE CITY, WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY INSIDE LOOP 1604 AND A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE? OR DO YOU THINK, UH, DEVELOPERS, BUILDERS SHOULD GO ANYWHERE THEY WANT TO GO TO BUILD? SO I ACTUALLY HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MY OLD, UM, COMMANDING OFFICER, AND HE WAS FROM CHICAGO, AND HE TOLD ME THAT HE'S BEEN HERE TO SAN ANTONIO BEFORE.
AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HERE AND CHICAGO IS CHICAGO GROWS UP AND SAN ANTONIO GROWS OUT.
UM, BUT TO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I REALLY THINK THAT OVERALL SAN ANTONIO, UM, I THINK THE FOCUS SHOULD BE ONE IN THE INNER CITY AND TWO, UM, ON THE, ON THE AREAS THAT AREN'T URBANIZED AS WELL.
AND THE REASON WHY I BRING THAT UP IS BECAUSE I WAS WALKING AROUND DOWNTOWN LIKE AN HOUR BEFORE I GOT HERE, AND I WAS LOOKING AROUND AT EVERYTHING.
THERE'S SO MANY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS GOING AROUND.
UM, THERE'S SO MANY OP THERE'S SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY HERE DOWNTOWN.
AND I THINK WITH THE, THE ADDED, UM, U T S A CAMPUS THAT'S BEING BROUGHT HERE, I THINK IT'S GONNA ATTRACT A LOT OF TOP TALENT.
I THINK IT'S GONNA ATTRACT A LOT OF BUSINESSES.
UM, BUT TO THAT POINT, I'VE ALSO HAD FRIENDS THAT HAVE LIVED HERE, UM, MY WHOLE LIFE AND THEY'VE TOLD ME LIKE, HEY, I WANNA MOVE DOWNTOWN.
LIKE, IT'S, IT'S GETTING BEAUTIFUL THERE.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
UM, IF NOT, I CAN ELABORATE MORE FOR YOU.
WELL, NO, I THINK YOU WERE, YOU WERE SAYING A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT, INNER CITY, UH, AND, AND YOU'VE ANSWERED MY QUESTION WELL ENOUGH, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. REYNA? MR. REYNA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, UH, AND APPLICATION.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE YOU BACK TO THE WAITING ROOM NOW AND WE'LL BRING IT UP IN OUR NEXT CANDIDATE.
WHAT'S THAT? UM, NOT ON ME, SIR, BUT I CAN FIND YOU ON LINKEDIN.
OUR NEXT CANDIDATE, UH, FOR INTERVIEW IS BRITTANY SCHINDLER.
MS. SCHINDLER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
UM, YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND HAVE THE FLOOR FOR TEAM THAT WILL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR CONSIDERING MY APPLICATION FOR PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, MY NAME IS BRITTANY SCHINDLER.
I AM A CENTRAL TEXAS NATIVE, BORN IN SAN ANTONIO, AND RAISED IN WIMBERLEY.
UH, AFTER ATTENDING A BUSINESS SCHOOL AT TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY, I SPENT MOST OF MY PROFESSIONAL INITIAL PROFESSIONAL CAREER IN AUSTIN, UM, BEFORE MAKING MY WAY BACK TO SAN ANTONIO AROUND THREE YEARS AGO.
UM, I CURRENTLY RESIDE IN DISTRICT NINE, UM, AS A RENTER WITHIN THE STONE OAK NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I AM EMPLOYED BY MERIT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE, WHICH IS A LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FIRM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AS A DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR WITH MERIT, I AM DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE DUE DILIGENCE TITLE AND ENTITLEMENT PROCESS.
UM, THIS INCLUDES ITEMS SUCH AS PLA REVIEW, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, VARIANCES, ZONING, ET CETERA.
UM, WHILE I AM CONFIDENT IN MY TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN THESE AREAS, I AM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW IN MY UNDERSTANDING OF HOW DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, UM, REALLY SHAPE DEVELOPMENT.
AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS, UM, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, I AM CURRENTLY A RUNNER AND I AM IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING DOWN PERMANENT ROOTS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, SO I HAVE A VERY PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL PASSION ABOUT THE GROWTH OF SAN ANTONIO.
I AM LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE IN A WAY THAT, UM, SUPPORTS
[01:55:01]
RESPONSIBLE GROWTH, UM, KEEPING IN MIND SUSTAINABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS.UM, I THINK THAT IT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT, UM, NOT HOW, UM, DEVELOPMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS NOT ONLY AFFECT OUR DISTRICT, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT THE ENTIRE E T J AS A WHOLE.
AS I'M SURE MOST OF YOU ARE AWARE, TEXAS IS A TOP DESTINATION FOR TODAY'S YOUNG PROFESSIONALS LIKE MYSELF, UM, WITH SAN ANTONIO QUICKLY RISING IN THE RANKS AS IT IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING CITIES IN THE NATION.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, IMPERATIVE NOW MORE THAN EVER THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT HUMAN INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THAT TYPE OF GROWTH.
AND I FEEL LIKE WITH THE, AND I FEEL LIKE WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, I COULD, UM, LEVERAGE MY SKILLS TO PROVIDE VALUE, UM, FOR THE FUTURE GROWTH OF SAN ANTONIO.
UH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START THE QUESTIONS.
UM, AND YOU ALLUDED THIS WITH SEVERAL, UM, COMMENTS YOU JUST MADE WITH RESPECT TO RESPONSIBLE GROWTH AND COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING.
THE CITY'S UNDERGOING SOME, UH, PRETTY SIGNIFICANT CONVERSATIONS, UH, FOR THE FUTURE.
ONE OF THEM IS A REVISION OF OUR UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE, WHICH IS THE RULES OF DEVELOPMENT.
AND THE OTHER IS A GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY THAT WILL BE COMING BEFORE THE COUNCIL, UM, BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
WE WILL INVOLVE ALL ASPECTS OF PLANNING AND ZONING AND, AND, UH, OUR UTILITY GROWTH, ET CETERA.
UM, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO PREPARE FOR THOSE TWO, UH, SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS? AND ALSO, UM, WHAT PRIORITIES DO YOU HAVE FOR THE CITY TO CONSIDER, UH, IN ITS GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY? UM, I THINK, UH, PERSONALLY IT WOULD, TAKING THE APPROPRIATE TIME AND DUE DILIGENCE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT I AM, UM, THOROUGHLY PREPARED.
BUT FROM A CITY STANDPOINT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, UH, FIRST ASSESS WHERE WE'RE CURRENTLY AT AND THEN WHAT ARE OUR GOALS AND DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT, UM, RESOURCES IN PLACE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.
I THINK A WISE USE OF RESOURCES IS MOST IMPORTANT.
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK A WELL-COORDINATED, UM, PLAN IS IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO, UM, AND THAT TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION NOT ONLY, UM, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S PERSPECTIVE, BUT UM, LANDOWNERS AND EVEN NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS.
UH, WE'LL GO TO COMMITTEE QUESTIONS NOW.
UH, AND WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
THANK YOU MISSION, LORD, SO MUCH FOR APPLYING, UM, FOR THIS, UM, COMMISSION.
MY QUESTION IS SPECIFICALLY IN REGARD TO THE CITY'S ANNEXATION AND GROWTH PLANS.
AND SO THIS COMMISSION PLAYS A, A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THIS.
AND SO WHAT PRIORITIES DO YOU THINK THE CITY SHOULD CONSIDER, UM, IN FORMULATING THE CITY'S GROWTH STRATEGY? UM, I THINK THAT IT'S OVERALL MOST IMPORTANT TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, UM, UH, ADDITIONAL PERSPECTIVES, UM, FROM THE, UH, LOCAL RESIDENTS.
AND LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, LANDOWNERS, UM, NOT ONLY JUST, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES, WE NEED TO CONSIDER OUR RESOURCES AND, UM, OVERALL INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, CONSTRAINTS.
MY NEXT QUESTION IS SPECIFICALLY IN REGARD TO THE, UM, AMENDMENTS THAT COME UP AND SOMETIMES IT GENERATES OPPOSITION.
UM, SPECIFICALLY IN REGARD MAYBE TO SA TOMORROW PLAN.
UH, THINK ABOUT WHAT PLANNING OR COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES SHOULD GUIDE THE AMENDMENTS BEFORE THEY THEY COME TO COUNCIL.
UM, I THINK THAT I, I FEEL AS THOUGH I, I MIGHT BE, UM, REPEATING MYSELF IN A SENSE, BUT I THINK IN ORDER TO, UM, WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT IS TAKING A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH, AND THAT DOES INVOLVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, AND FEEDBACK AND, UM, REALLY TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, UM, IN REGARDS TO, UM, UH, MAKING ANY KIND OF CHANGES TO DEVELOPMENT CODE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA, COUNCIL MEMBER PALAI.
CAN YOU EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT IT IS YOU DO DAY TO DAY, UH, AT, AT YOUR JOB? AND, UM, AND DO YOU DO ANY WORK IN FRONT OF THIS COMMISSION? UH, SO I HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DIRECTLY, UM, TYPICALLY WE WOULD ENGAGE, UM, OR EITHER IT WOULD BE A CONSULTANT SUCH AS A CIVIL ENGINEER OR A LAND USE ATTORNEY.
UM, IN THAT REGARD, I HAVEN'T PERSONALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE, BUT I DO A LOT OF THINGS ON THE DAY-TO-DAY.
BUT, UM, I KIND OF HIT ON THAT IN MY OPENING STATEMENT.
THE MAIN ITEMS THAT I FOCUS ON, UM, AND I INTEND TO KIND OF, UM, SPECIALIZE IN IS THE DUE DILIGENCE TITLE AND ENTITLEMENT PROCESS.
ESSENTIALLY, I TAKE A, UM, PROJECT FROM ACQUISITION ALL THE WAY THROUGH FINISHED CONSTRUCTION.
[02:00:01]
MANAGING THE ENTITLEMENT PROCESS CURRENTLY, BUT I'M ALSO MANAGING EVERYTHING THROUGH DESIGN, UM, IN REGARDS TO, UM, INTERACTION WITH OUR DESIGN CONSULTANTS, ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, UM, GENERAL CONTRACTORS, ET CETERA.AND, UH, BEFORE YOU GOT TO SAN ANTONIO, YOU WERE DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR? UH, ACTUALLY, NO.
UM, SO PREVIOUS TO NOW, I WAS, UM, IN ACCOUNTING, WHICH PROVIDED ME WITH A GOOD FOUNDATION OKAY.
IN REGARDS TO FINANCE AND ECONOMICS.
HOWEVER, IT WAS DEFINITELY NOT A FIT FOR ME.
SO I FOUND, I THINK I FOUND THAT FIT NOW, SO WONDERFUL.
COUNCIL MEMBER PIAS MORE QUESTIONS FOR MS. SCHINDLER.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE PROBABLY COME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PLANNING COMMISSIONS DO.
YOU'VE PROBABLY LOOKED AT THIS ONE.
UH, WE AS COUNSEL OFTEN HEAR PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS JUST A RUBBER STAMP FOR DEVELOPERS BEING IN THAT BUSINESS YOURSELF SOMEWHAT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT STATEMENT? I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS, UM, NECESSARILY INCORRECT.
UM, HOWEVER, UM, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS WE ARE OBVIOUSLY GOVERNED BY, UM, CERTAIN CODES AND REGULATIONS.
UH, TO AN EXTENT OUR HANDS ARE TIED.
UM, HOW, UM, I DO THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT, UH, ALL ITEMS ARE OPEN TO DISCUSSION AND, UM, TO ENSURE WHAT IS BEST FOR THE OVERALL COMMUNITY.
UH, YOU HEARD THE MAYOR, UH, TALK ABOUT GROWTH AT THE BEGINNING, AND I KNOW YOU ADDRESSED IT SOMEWHAT, BUT WHERE DO YOU THINK GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT SHOULD GO IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO? AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, DO YOU THINK WE NEED MORE INNER CITY DEVELOPMENT WITHIN LOOP FOUR 10, OR SHOULD THERE BE, UH, DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE CITY EVEN, UH, UP TO ABOUT LUKE 1604? OR DO YOU THINK THAT, UH, DEVELOPERS, BUILDERS SHOULD GO ANYWHERE AND EXPECT THE CITY TO SUPPORT THEM, UH, EVEN ANYWHERE OUT IN THE COUNTY.
I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT WE SHOULD, UM, THAT DEVELOPMENT SHOULD GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT ANY KIND OF, UH, SAY SO, OR, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, PARAMETERS.
HOWEVER, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ENCOURAGE GROWTH, BOTH INNER CITY AND OUT, UM, IN ORDER TO KEEP UP WITH THE NEEDS, THE CONSTANTLY CHANGING NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, ANYTHING FURTHER? ALL RIGHT, MS. SCHINDLER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, WE'LL TAKE YOU BACK TO THE WAITING ROOM.
WE'LL BRING UP OUR FINAL APPLICANT FOR IN-PERSON INTERVIEW.
UM, AND OUR FINAL APPLICANT FOR INTERVIEW TODAY IS ALEXANDRIA TATUM.
MS. TATUM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND APPLICATION.
UM, YOU ARE A FINAL APPLICANT FOR INTERVIEW, SO, UH, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR AN OPENING STATEMENT AND THEN WE'LL GO AROUND WITH QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO HEAR FROM ME TODAY.
I CURRENTLY LIVE NEAR THE MEDICAL CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD AND CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN.
I JOINED FORESIGHT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AS AN INVESTMENT SALES AGENT IN 2019, AND I WAS QUICKLY PROMOTED TO THE HEAD OF RESEARCH.
I ACT ALSO AS THE COORDINATOR OF OUR NATIONAL COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE TRAINING PROGRAM.
IT'S AN EIGHT WEEK PROGRAM DESIGNED TO RECRUIT NEW AND DIVERSE TALENT IN OUR INDUSTRY, AND I WAS HONORED TO BE THE TOP INVESTMENT SALES AGENT AT OUR FIRM LAST YEAR.
I'M HEAVILY INVOLVED IN NETWORKING AND WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS IN SEVERAL PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS URBAN LAND INSTITUTE AND THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE WOMEN NETWORK.
I PUBLISHED A QUARTERLY REPORT FOCUSED ON COMPARING THE SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN
[02:05:01]
RETAIL MARKETS, AND IT'S AIMED TO EDUCATE INVESTORS AND DEVELOPERS ON THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE LOCAL RETAIL, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET.I BELIEVE THAT MY RESEARCH QUALIFIES ME TO BETTER SERVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS AS A RESIDENT OF THE CITY.
I WANT TO SEE RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT THAT REFLECTS THE DESIRES OF RESIDENTS, WHILE ALSO KEEPING IN MIND THE NEEDS OF DEVELOPERS AND REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS.
AS A REAL ESTATE AGENT, I HAVE BUILT MY CAREER ON THE CONCEPT OF FIDUCIARY DUTY, AND SHOULD I BE CONSIDERED FOR THE OPEN POSITION ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, I WOULD EXTEND THAT SAME RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
I UNDERSTAND THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE BEEN HARD ON OUR CITY, AND THERE'S AN EMPHASIS ON ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY MORE THIS YEAR, HAVING ALL STAKEHOLDERS INPUT ON THE UPCOMING CHANGES TO THE MUNICIPAL CODE WILL RESULT IN BETTER REVISIONS, AND I'M READY TO PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNITY TO PROTECT THE VISION AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF SAN ANTONIANS BY REVIEWING PROPOSED PROJECTS IN OUR CITY.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND USE MY KNOWLEDGE TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO.
UH, MS. TATUM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START OUR QUESTIONS.
UM, AND I'LL START WITH, UM, WE HAVE A MAJOR GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY PROCESS UNDERWAY, AND THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT PLAN WILL COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, AND IT'LL EVOLVE ALL ASPECTS OF OUR GROWTH FROM ZONING AND PLANNING LAND DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS TO HOW WE INTERACT WITH OUR UTILITIES.
UH, WITH RESPECT TO HOW THE CITY FORMULATES A GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY, WHAT PRIORITIES DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING? I THINK GROWTH MANAGEMENT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AS PEOPLE KEEP MOVING HERE.
AND I FEEL LIKE THIS SURGE IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
SAN ANTONIO HAS A HIGH RATE OF RETAINMENT.
THE COMMUNITY IS JUST SO FRIENDLY.
THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES HERE, AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO KEEP MOVING HERE.
IT'S ONE OF THE, UH, HIGHEST RATES OF GROWTH IN TEXAS AND, AND PROBABLY IN THE COUNTRY AS WELL.
UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE, UH, TAKE CARE OF THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONTINUE TO EXPAND THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S A NECESSITY TO EXPAND THE INFRASTRUCTURE OUTSIDE OF WHERE IT CURRENTLY IS.
UM, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN MOVING OUT TO THE WEST SIDE WITH THOSE TWO LANE ROADS AND THERE'S, THERE'S PLANS TO EXPAND THE ROADS, UH, TO, TO LARGER, YOU KNOW, FIVE LANE PROJECTS.
AND WE HAVE TO BE ALMOST AHEAD OF THE GROWTH BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THOSE BRAND NEW PROJECTS TO BECOME ALMOST OBSOLETE AS SOON AS THEY'RE COMPLETED.
WE'LL, UH, MOVE TO COMMITTEE QUESTIONS.
WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INTEREST IN IN THE COMMISSION.
WHAT, UH, DO YOU THINK THE PRIORITIES THE CITY SHOULD BE CONSIDERING IN FORMULATING THE CITY'S GROWTH STRATEGY? UH, LIKE I SAID, I THINK THAT THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, UM, IN MOVING THOSE THOSE ROADS OUT FURTHER INTO, UM, OUTSIDE OF 1604.
UM, I THINK PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WILL BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO HELP EASE SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS.
AND OF COURSE, UM, WHAT WE'RE SEEING AS PEOPLE MOVE HERE IS HOME PRICES SURGING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY AS THERE'S A LOT OF NEWER FAMILIES MOVING INTO SOME OF THOSE OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEY'RE COMING IN AND THEY'RE REMODELING THE HOMES AND, UH, MAKING THEM NICER.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING PUSHED OUT OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THAT'S A HUGE CONCERN.
AND MY NEXT QUESTION IS JUST, UM, IN, IN REGARDS TO NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS.
SO FOR INSTANCE, THE ESSAY TOMORROW PLAN, SOMETIMES OUR AMENDMENTS CAN GENERATE SOME OPPOSITION FROM THE NEIGHBORS OR MAYBE FROM SOME, UM, LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WHAT PLANNING OR COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES DO YOU THINK SHOULD GUIDE THESE AMENDMENTS? I THINK EDUCATION SHOULD BE THE BIGGEST, UH, GUIDANCE TO THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES.
GOING OUT AND TALKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW, REALLY HEARING THE COMMUNITY ASKING QUESTIONS AND NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, TAKING THEIR THEIR ANSWERS INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND BEING OPEN TO TAKING THOSE BACK TO THE REVISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING AND, AND BEING, BEING OPEN TO MAKING THOSE CHANGES, UH, THAT ARE CONSIDERED BY THE COMMUNITY.
UH, FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. TATUM.
UH, YOU HAD REACHED OUT TO ME EARLIER AND WE NEVER REALLY HAD A CHANCE TO TALK, BUT I THINK I HAD, UH, MENTIONED TO YOU BEFORE THAT I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCES IN WORKING WITH BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS AND IN THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY.
[02:10:01]
MEMBER OF THIS BOARD? UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I HEAR, WE HEAR AS COUNCIL MEMBERS IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS JUST A RUBBER STAMP OF THE DEVELOPERS.IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT, CONSIDERING YOUR OWN BACKGROUND? MM-HMM.
EVERY, EVERY PIECE OF LAND IS UNIQUE AND EVERY PROJECT IS DIFFERENT, AND THERE ARE ARE SUGGESTIONS THAT WE CAN MAKE TO, UH, BETTER SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS.
OF COURSE, THERE'S GOING TO BE PROJECTS WHERE THE DEVELOPERS AND RESIDENTS ARE IN COMPLETE OPPOSITION AND THEY MAY BE WITHIN CODE, AND THE PROJECT MIGHT SEEM LIKE IT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH, BUT IT'S NOT IN THE BEST, UM, IN THE BEST LIGHT FOR THE RESIDENTS.
AND I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT YOU THOUGHT THAT THE CITY SHOULD CONTINUE EXPANDING.
YOU, YOU MENTIONED, UH, A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT OUT IN THE NORTHWEST AREA, UM, BUT THE CITY DOESN'T, UH, GO OUT INTO THAT NORTHWEST AREA, SO HOW DOES, HOW DO WE CONTAIN GROWTH OUTSIDE THE CITY, UH, THAT, UM, THE CITY EVENTUALLY WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR, BUT WE DON'T GET ANY TAXES FROM THAT KIND OF GROWTH? YES, SIR.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE SAN ANTONIO IS THINKING ABOUT ANNEXATION IN THAT AREA AND EVENTUALLY THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO HAPPEN.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE GO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS FOR A LOT OF, UM, TAX PURPOSES AND, AND THEY PREFER TO LIVE IN THE COUNTY LIMITS, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF BENEFITS TO BEING IN THE CITY LIMITS, INCLUDING POLICE AND FIRE IN THE UTILITY LINES.
AND OVERALL, IT'S, IT'S MORE OF A BENEFIT TO THOSE CITIZENS TO LIVE WITHIN CITY LIMITS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. TATUM? MS. TATUM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR YOUR TIME.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE YOU BACK TO THE WAITING ROOM.
UH, CITY COUNCIL IS GOING TO CONVENE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEN WE'LL COME OUT WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, AND ALSO BEFORE WE DO THAT THOUGH, UM, WE, UH, I AM GOING TO READ INTO THE RECORD, UH, THE FOLLOWING APPLICANTS WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO APPEAR, BUT DID SUBMIT WRITTEN STATEMENTS, WHICH YOU HAVE IN YOUR BACKUP DOCUMENTS.
UH, WE HAD LISA LINDY, SCOTT PRICE, CHRISSY RIVAS, HERB SALINAS, AND WE ALSO RECEIVED THIS MORNING A STATEMENT FROM JAVIER FLORE, UH, TORRES.
UM, THOSE CANDIDATES, UM, APPLIED AND ALSO SUBMITTED WRITTEN STATEMENTS.
AT THIS TIME, UH, WE'RE GOING TO BREAK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS, UM, UNDER THAT AUTHORITY, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CITY CO COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE IS MEETING TO GO OVER APPLICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENTS TO THE SAN ANTONIO PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, THERE ARE FOUR AT LARGE POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR APPOINTMENT AND WE HAVE 16 APPLICANTS.
UH, SO WE'VE JUST COMPLETED OUR REVIEW AND THE TIME IS NOW 4:50 PM ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 11TH, 2020, 2022.
[Executive Session ]
GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE IS RECESSING A NEW EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE SAN ANTONIO PLANNING COMMISSION AT, AT LARGE MEMBERS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.074 PERSONNEL MATTERS AND DISCUSS RELATED LEGAL ISSUES PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.AND I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO RECESS INTO THE B ROOM.
UH, SO IN THE MEANTIME, IF THE CANDIDATES WANTED TO FILTER BACK INTO THE CHAMBERS, WE'LL COME BACK WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE THROUGH, WE'RE GREAT.
TIME IS NOW 5:13 PM ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 11TH, 2022.
THE CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE WILL NOW RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION.
NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN DURING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, AND SO LET ME, UH, JUST OPEN UP BY SAYING, UH, THAT WE HAD 16 APPLICANTS FOR FOUR POSITIONS.
UH, ALL OF THE APPLICANTS WERE VERY IMPRESSIVE WITH THEIR STATEMENTS AND WITH THEIR RESUMES, AND SO THIS ISN'T EVER AN
[02:15:01]
EASY DECISION, ESPECIALLY SO WITH THIS, UH, PARTICULAR APPOINTMENT SLOT.SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO ARE NOT APPOINTED OR RECOMMENDED FOR APPOINTMENT TODAY, UH, TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE APPOINTMENT EITHER TO THIS COMMISSION OR OTHER, UM, OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE WE WERE ALL VERY IMPRESSED, UH, WITH THEIR APPLICATIONS.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR RECOMMENDATION AT THE FIRST AVAILABLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ACT ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
MAYOR, I MOVE THAT THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO SERVE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS AT LARGE MEMBERS FOR THE REMAINDER OF AN EXPIRED TERMS OF OFFICE TO EXPIRE OCTOBER 6TH, 2023.
THE INDIVIDUALS ARE MICHAEL GARCIA, BRIAN LOPEZ, BRITTANY SCHINDLER, AND DR.
AND, UH, THAT WE MOVE THIS FOR FULL COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ON JANUARY 27TH, 2022.
ALL RIGHT, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR RECOMMENDATION OF THE, UM, APPLICANT'S AS STATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA.
UH, THAT IS EVERYTHING ON OUR AGENDA TODAY.
IT'S TIME IS 5:15 PM AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.