* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:02] ALL RIGHT, I THINK WE HAVE OUR QUORUM. SO, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. TIME IS 1:32 PM ON MARCH 24TH, 2023. WE'LL CALL OUR CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER. ARE WE BROADCASTING? WE'RE GOOD. OKAY. ALRIGHT. SO OUR OR, UH, MEETING IS NOW IN ORDER. MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLE COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA? HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CAB HDA. COUNCIL MEMBER VELI HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE PRESENT. MAYOR NIERENBERG. HERE. MAYOR, WE HAVE A QUORUM. ALRIGHT, UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY. THE FIRST ITEM [Approval of Minutes  ] ON OUR AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 15TH, 2023 IN YOUR PACKET. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THOSE. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION, A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THOSE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES. ANY DISCUSSION? CLARIFICATION? OKAY. HEARING NONE. UM, THERE IS A MOTION. A SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER KEO VARDA IS PRESENT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL GO ON TO THE ITEM OF THE DAY, WHICH IS, UH, WELL, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CLERK TO READ THE CAPTION. ITEM TWO. ITEM NUMBER TWO [Briefing and Possible Action on  ] IS THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST BY COUNCIL MEMBER MANNY PALAIS, DISTRICT EIGHT, REGARDING A SILK ROAD CULTURAL CORRIDOR. ALRIGHT, UH, IS THERE A PRESENTATION? GREAT. UH, CRYSTAL WILL PROVIDE A PRESENTATION AND WE'LL GET INTO THE DISCUSSION. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE. UH, PLEASURE TO BE HERE, ESPECIALLY TO TALK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS PROGRAM AND ALSO SOME PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN EXISTENCE THAT I THINK WILL REALLY HELP MOVE THE NEEDLE WHEN IT TALKS TO ABOUT CREATING A CORRIDOR PROGRAM, UH, FOR THE WACH ROAD AREA. SO, I'D JUST LIKE TO GO RIGHT INTO THE PRESENTATION AND MY NAME'S CRYSTAL JONES, THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE. SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT. OKAY. SO TODAY I'M GONNA PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW ON THE BACKGROUND OF THE C C R THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY COUNCILMAN PALIS, UH, EXISTING OPPORTUNITIES AND TOOLS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW FOR CORRIDORS, AND THEN ALSO MOVING INTO STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS, UH, REQUEST. SO ON SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2023, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PALAZ SUBMITS THE, UH, COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST FOR A CULTURAL CORRIDOR PROGRAM AND PILOT FOR WBA ROAD. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY BETWEEN FREDERICKSBURG ROAD AND NORTHWEST MILITARY HIGHWAY, AND, UH, PROPOSE AS THE SILK ROAD CULTURAL CORRIDOR, UH, FOR A NAME. AND IT WAS SUPPORTED BY DISTRICTS 1, 4, 6, AND NINE. SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, AND NEXT STEPS IS WHAT PROGRAMS EXIST CURRENTLY FOR CORRIDORS? UH, BOTH, UH, LOCALLY AND ON THE STATE LEVEL? SO, I'D LIKE TO TALK TODAY ABOUT THE STATE LEVEL WHERE WE HAVE THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS. THEY RUN A CULTURAL DISTRICT PROGRAM, AND THEY ALSO HAVE PROJECT GRANTS FOR THOSE CULTURAL DISTRICTS THAT HELP SUPPORT BUSINESSES AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AREA. AND THEN I'D ALSO, UH, LIKE TO JUST BRIEFLY DISCUSS, AND, AND I DO HAVE, UH, MY COLLEAGUE WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HERE, BRENDA HICKS SORENSON, UH, ABOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S MAIN STREET CORRIDOR PILOT PROGRAM, UH, WHICH IS, UH, HAS LAUNCHED RIGHT NOW. SO THE STATE'S TECH, STATE OF TEXAS CULTURAL DISTRICTS. SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CULTURAL DISTRICTS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HARNESSING ARTS AND CULTURAL RESOURCES TO DRIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION. VISITATION TO THE AREA IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CULTURAL DISTRICTS AT THE STATE LEVEL. AND THE APPLICATION PROCESS, JUST SO THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE, IS THAT IT'S NONPROFITS ARE ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS FOR THESE PROGRAMS. AND THERE'S A TWO-STEP PROCESS FOR APPLYING FOR A CULTURAL DISTRICT DESIGNATION AT THE STATE LEVEL. THE FIRST IS YOU PROVIDE A LETTER OF INTENT, WHICH IS DUE JANUARY 31ST OF EACH YEAR. AND IT'S JUST A GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT ARE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CORRIDOR, WHAT IS THE PROPOSED NAME, WHO IS THE LEAD NONPROFIT, WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND? AND THEN ALSO JUST WHAT'S A GENERAL KIND OF ASSET LIST. WHAT ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE THERE? WHAT RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, ANYTHING TO SUPPORT VISITATION TO THE AREA. THE FULL APPLICATION, WHICH INCLUDES LETTERS OF SUPPORT BY THE COMMUNITY, MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS A CULTURAL DISTRICT DESIGNATION IS DUE JUNE 15TH OF EVERY YEAR. AND THE NOTIFICATIONS TO NONPROFITS WHO ARE RECEIVING CULTURAL DISTRICTS DESIGNATIONS, THAT'S DONE IN SEPTEMBER OF EACH YEAR. AND THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS ARE ALWAYS DETERMINED BY, DO YOU HAVE AN, A NONPROFIT WHO CAN REALLY LEAD, OR A BOARD WHO CAN REALLY LEAD THIS CULTURAL DISTRICT INTO THE FUTURE? HAVING A FIVE YEAR PLAN TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE FESTIVALS WE'RE GOING TO PUT TOGETHER, WHAT ARE THE FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT, NOT JUST FROM THE TEXAS UH, LEVEL, WHAT ARE THE GEOGRAPHIC [00:05:01] BOUNDARIES? ALSO, BRANDING IS IMPORTANT AT THE STATE LEVEL. AND THEN THE CURRENT ASSETS IN THE AREA SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS DISTRICT IS A FOCUS ON ARTS ASSETS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CULTURAL DISTRICTS THAT ARE DESIGNATED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, THERE'S ALWAYS THOSE ANCHOR ARTS ASSETS LIKE THEATERS OR, UM, YOU KNOW, MUSIC VENUES OR ART GALLERIES. WE CURRENTLY, UH, THE LOCAL LEVEL HAVE FOUR STATE DESIGNATED CULTURAL DISTRICTS. THESE ARE KING WILLIAM. IT WAS DESIGNATED IN 2011. AND THE MANAGING ORGANIZATION IS THE KING WILLIAM NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. WE ALSO HAVE ZNO CULTURAL, WHICH WAS DESIGNATED IN 2014. AND THE MANAGING ORGANIZATION IS CENTRO SAN ANTONIO. WE HAVE THE OLD SPANISH TRAIL CULTURAL CORRIDOR THAT'S ALONG FREDERICKSBURG ROAD, UM, BETWEEN I 10 AND, UM, UH, FORTON, UH, AND IT'S 2018. AND CENTRAL CULTURAL ATLAN IS THE MANAGING ORGANIZATION OF THAT DISTRICT. AND THEN THE MOST RECENT CULTURAL DISTRICT THAT WE HAVE THAT CAME ONLINE WAS DESIGNATED IN 2021. THE MANAGING ORGANIZATION IS, SAY C AND IT'S ON THE WEST SIDE, IT'S THE ELSO. SO, UM, THAT'S THE MOST RECENT ONE. NOW, WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT GETTING A STATE DESIGNATION IS THAT OPENS UP FUNDING SOURCES FOR A CULTURAL DISTRICT. ANY ORGANIZATION WITHIN THOSE BOUNDARIES AND ARE PART OF THAT DISTRICT IS THEN ABLE TO APPLY FOR PROJECT GRANTS WITH THE COMMISSION ON THE ARTS. SO ONCE YOU'RE DESIGNATED, YOU CAN HAVE AN ANCHOR ORGANIZATION AND YOU CAN DO, UH, APPLY FOR A MATCHING GRANT OF UP TO 50% OF A PROJECT'S BUDGET, ANYWHERE BETWEEN $3,000 AND $250,000. THIS COULD BE BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS, IT COULD BE PUBLIC ART, IT COULD BE TO, UH, PROGRAMMING FOR A FESTIVAL OR AN EVENT. UH, IT'S REALLY THOSE SHORT-TERM PROJECTS THAT ARE LOOKING AT BEING DONE WITHIN A YEAR THAT HAS A SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL TOURISM IMPACT. AGAIN, TOURISM IS REALLY THE FOCUS TO GET PEOPLE IN THIS AREA AND SEEING THE BEST OF WHAT THIS DISTRICT HAS TO OFFER. IT ALSO INCLUDES SIGNAGE AND WAY FIND FINDING PROMOTION OF THE DISTRICT THROUGH WEBSITE AND MARKETING MATERIALS. AND THEN IT ALSO PROVIDES ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT FOR MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS. 'CAUSE THERE IS A HEAVY LIFT WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGING THESE CULTURAL DISTRICTS. SO THE NEXT EXISTING PROGRAM THAT I'D JUST BRIEFLY LIKE TO DISCUSS, AND AGAIN, BRENDA'S HERE TO PROVIDE EVEN MORE BACKGROUND, IT'S MANAGED BY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DE UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. AND IT'S WITH ARPA FUNDING. AND THIS IS A MAIN STREET CORRIDOR PROGRAM, AND IT'S A PILOT WHERE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WILL WORK WITH TWO AREAS ON PILOT PROGRAMS AS A PART OF A MAIN STREET CORRIDOR, UH, PROGRAM. AND SO MAIN STREET AMERICA PROGRAMMING AND TRAININGS WILL BE OFFERED, UH, WITH THIS PROGRAM, AND IT'LL PROVIDE UP TO $425,000 IN OPERATIONAL SUPPORT, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION FUNDING TO MANAGE THIS PILOT DISTRICT. AND AGAIN, APPLICANTS MUST BE IN THAT NON-PROFIT, THOSE 5 0 1 C THREES, C FOUR C SIX S, OR COMMIT TO BECOMING ONE. AGAIN, THIS IS ALSO A PROGRAM THAT YOU REALLY NEED TO SHOW THAT YOU HAVE SOME LEADERSHIP BEHIND THE, THE CORRIDOR. AND THEN IT HAS TO BE THE ORGANIZATION HAS TO BE BASED OR HAVE A SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT IS ALSO TRUE. I DID FORGET TO MENTION, UM, THAT THE ORGANIZATION FOR A CULTURAL DISTRICT HAS TO BE WITHIN THAT DISTRICT, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF MEASURABLE COMMUNITY OUTCOMES AND PROVEN ABILITY TO BEING ST STAKEHOLDERS. AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OF PULLING TOGETHER SO MANY OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS TO CREATE CONTACT LISTS FOR EVERYONE THAT WE KNOW THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AND THEY'VE BEEN SENDING THE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS MAIN STREET CORRIDOR PROGRAM PILOT TO MANY ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING IN THIS, UH, PROPOSED CORRIDOR AREA. IT'S OPEN NOW AND THE APPLICATIONS CLOSED MAY 1ST. SO I WANTED TO JUST, AGAIN, PRI PROVIDE A BRIEF BACKGROUND ON SOME OF THOSE EXISTING PROGRAMS, UH, THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE WHEN IT COMES TO LOOKING AT THE WBO ROAD AREA AND, UH, TOOLS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE OUR DEPARTMENT, THE CITY OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S, DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE, WE HAVE WORKED WITH EACH ONE OF THOSE CULTURAL DISTRICTS, UH, THAT ARE DESIGNATED AT THE STATE LEVEL WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING RESOURCES, LIKE EVEN SIGNUP SHEETS FOR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, HOW YOU GET THE WORD OUT, WHERE ARE, WHERE ARE THE PLACES THAT YOU CAN PROMOTE THESE MEETINGS? AND WE ALSO HAVE AN ENTIRE TOOLKIT THAT HELPS YOU PULL TOGETHER. HERE ARE THE BOUNDARIES, HERE ARE THE WAYS THAT YOU CAN, UH, SUCCESSFULLY APPLY FOR A CULTURAL DISTRICT. UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, A GRANT, A SMALL GRANT OF $2,500 THAT WILL HELP YOU CREATE AN APPLICATION FOR THE STATE LEVEL. SO THOSE ARE SOME TOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN EXISTENCE WITH OUR DEPARTMENT TO HELP PEOPLE GET THESE CORRIDORS ONLINE. OF COURSE, THERE'S MANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CORRIDOR [00:10:01] AREAS. VISIT SAN ANTONIO IS A HUGE PROMOTION PARTNER WITH US, AND I KNOW THIS PARTICULAR AREA HAS SO MANY CULINARY ASSETS THAT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE'D WANNA LOOP IN VISIT SAN ANTONIO WHEN IT COMES TO PLANNING AND MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE THIS AREA IS BEGGING FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND, AND DINE. AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK, UH, WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO DEVELOP A PLAN AND A TIMELINE TO TAKE IT TO THE CHECK COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN PRO PROVIDE AN OUTLINE OF HOW WE'RE GONNA WORK TOGETHER WITH THE W BLOCK ROAD PARTNERS AND, AND, UM, AND ASSETS THERE IN THE AREA TO COME UP WITH A PLAN OF HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH EITHER ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS OR GETTING THEM TO THAT POINT WHERE WE CAN HAVE THEM IN A CULTURAL CORRIDOR PROGRAM OR A MAIN STREET PROGRAM. AND SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TODAY AS A STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE THIS, TO CHECK, TO TALK ABOUT A PLAN AND A TIMELINE FOR WORKING WITH THIS PARTICULAR AREA, UH, TO REALLY HELP BUSINESSES AND DRIVE TOURISM TO THE DISTRICT. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH CRYSTAL FOR THE PRESENTATION. THIS WAS A, UM, C C R FILED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PELA. SO COUNCIL MEMBER PEZ, IF YOU'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, INTRODUCE, EVERYBODY ALREADY KNOWS, RIGHT? WE'RE MAYOR. I DON'T DUNNO IF, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE YOU'VE BEEN THERE, BUT, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF ASIANS UP AND DOWN THAT STREET, UH, . UM, WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THAT STREET TOO RIGHT, IS, UM, THAT ON THE EAST SIDE, UH, ON THE CORNER OF NORTHWEST MILITARY AND MILIT AND, UM, UH, AND WACH, RIGHT? NOT ONLY, UM, IS ONE OF MY MORE IMPORTANT CONSTITUENTS, UH, LIVING OUT THERE, BUT UH, ALSO WE HAVE THE JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER, RIGHT? THE JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER, UM, YOU KNOW, REPRESENTS, UM, THE CULTURE AND THE TRADITIONS OF YET ANOTHER REGION THAT WAS TOUCHED BY THE SILK ROAD, RIGHT? UM, AND AS, AS YOU DRIVE DOWN, UH, WACH, AND BEFORE YOU GET TO I 10, YOU'LL COME ACROSS A LUTHERAN CHURCH THAT HAS EMBRACED THE FAMILIES OF, UH, UH, THAT HAIL FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT REGIONS, UM, AND PARTICULARLY THE REFUGEE FAMILIES. AND THEY'VE CREATED ONE OF THE MOST ASTONISHING COMMUNITY GARDENS. AND THIS HAS JUST HAPPENED ORGANICALLY, RIGHT? UM, AND I INVITE ALL OF YOU TO GO OUT THERE, UH, AND SEE IT, IT IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SITES, UM, THAT THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN HAS TO OFFER CROSSING THE STREET, ACTUALLY. AND AS YOU APPROACH EVEN CLOSER TO, TO I 10, YOU'LL START TO SEE, UH, BANGLADESHI MARKETS, AFRICAN MARKETS, RIGHT? UM, THE INDIAN RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE STREET, UH, ACROSS THE HIGHWAY. UM, THEN YOU COME ACROSS, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT COLLECTION OF RESTAURANTS AND CAFES AND THAT MARKET, UH, THAT THE DIRI FAMILY OWNS, UM, AND THAT WE ALL KNOW IS THE, THE LOCATION OF, OF PASHA. AND YOU KEEP ON DRIVING AND YOU'RE GONNA BUMP INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND COME ACROSS JAPANESE RESTAURANTS, CHINESE RESTAURANTS, MORE INDIAN RESTAURANTS, PAKISTANI RESTAURANTS, UM, AND YOU CAN DRIVE THROUGH THE MEDICAL CENTER AND YOU'LL FIND AFRICAN RESTAURANTS AFTER THAT. AND SO THIS HAS BECOME THE DESTINATION OF CHOICE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO EAT FANTASTIC FOODS, UH, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WERE, UH, UH, THAT ARE PREPARED FOR PEOPLE, UM, WHO HAVE THAT HISTORICAL TRADITION OF, OF THE SILK ROAD CULTURES, BUT ALSO, UM, IT'S A DESTINATION WHERE PEOPLE HAVE CHOSEN TO LIVE, RIGHT? AND, UH, WORK AND PLAY. THE DREAM HERE FOR ME AND FOR THE FAMILIES, UM, WHO I REPRESENT IN DISTRICT EIGHT IS THAT EVENTUALLY ONE DAY THIS'LL BECOME A CORRIDOR WITH ITS OWN FIESTA EVENT, RIGHT? UH, WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO NOT JUST SAY THAT'S A SPECIAL PLACE, UH, RECOGNIZED WITH SOME SIGNAGE AND SOME WAY FINDING, BUT ALSO THAT WILL PEPPER THROUGHOUT THEIR, UH, SOME PUBLIC ART, RIGHT? UM, THAT WILL FIND WAYS TO CELEBRATE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WITH THESE, UH, DIFF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. AND SO THIS IS THE FIRST STEP. I, I APPRECIATE THAT WE GOT, UM, NO PUSHBACK, AND IT WAS VERY EASY TO GET SIGNATURES ON THE C C R. UM, MAYOR, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU PUT THIS ON, ON THE AGENDA. AND I, I THINK TO DO THIS JUSTICE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT, WHICH IS WHY I INVITED APAR TO, UH, TO TODAY'S MEETING. AND APARNA, WOULD YOU MIND JOINING US HERE BECAUSE YOU PAID FOR PARKING, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR MONEY'S WORTH UHHUH, UH, AND THAT YOU GET TO SAY SOMETHING AT THE PODIUM. UM, BUT SHARE WITH US, YOU KNOW, WHAT, OR ACTUALLY JUST UNPACK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT I TALKED ABOUT AND WHAT, WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN HERE. SURE. GOOD AFTERNOON, UM, COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND BY THE WAY, I PAID UBER. I DIDN'T PARK . IT WAS MUCH EASIER TO BE HERE IN TIME FROM OFFICE. SO MY NAME IS APARNA BORA, AND I'M PRESIDENT OF ASIAN AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF SAN ANTONIO. I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ASIAN ALLIANCE, WHICH CONSTITUTES MORE THAN 30 ORGANIZATIONS FROM ASIAN ORIGIN TO EXPRESS OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR COUNCILMEN. MANY ELAS EFFORTS TO DESIGNATE A STRETCH OF WORDS BACK ROAD AS A SILK ROAD CULTURAL CORRIDOR. MEMBERS OF A CULTURAL GROUP IMMIGRATED OR HAVE ANCESTORS WHO IMMIGRATED FROM COUNTRIES LIKE INDIA, PAKISTAN, CHINA, BANGLADESH, [00:15:01] PHILIPPINES, IRAN, AFGHANISTAN, VIETNAM, ET CETERA, A COUNTRY, UH, A REGION, UH, UH, UM, UH, AND COUNTRIES THAT HAVE TIES TO THE HISTORIC SILK ROAD TRADE ROUTE. WE NOW CALL SAN ANTONIO HOME, AND WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO BUILD A PLACE FOR OURSELVES HERE. OUR CULTURALLY ORIENTED BUSINESSES, ARTS AND ACTIVITIES HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO AND BUILT UPON THE CITY'S MULTICULTURAL IDENTITY. WE BELIEVE THAT DESIGNATING THE STRETCH OF ROAD AS THE SILK ROAD CULTURAL CORRIDOR WILL HONOR THE HARDWORKING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND BRING ATTENTION TO THE POSITIVE IMPACT OUR CULTURAL ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESSES HAVE HAD ON THE AREA. WE HOPE IT'LL ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASE SUPPORT FOR OUR CULTURAL GROUP AND THE IMPORTANT ROLE OUR COMMUNITY PLAYS IN THE AREA. CITY COUNCIL SHOULD VOTE TO APPROVE THIS EFFORT. SINCERELY, I THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO, I, I ASK, UH, FOR, UH, THIS COMMITTEE TO, UH, ADOPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, AND I MOVE FOR, FOR APPROVAL. ALL RIGHT. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS TO MOVE THE ITEM, UH, FOR DEVELOPMENT INTO THE CHECK COMMITTEE. UH, SO LET'S GET INTO DISCUSSION NOW. COUNCILMEMBER CABAL HALBERDA. THANK YOU, MAYOR . THANK YOU, MAYOR. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. APARNA. UH, I, I THANK, UH, COUNCILMAN ELAS FOR, FOR BRINGING THIS TO US. I'M PROUD TO HAVE, UH, SUPPORTED THIS BY SIGNING THE C C R AND, UM, FEEL VERY, VERY STRONGLY IN, IN, IN, IN WHAT HE SAID TODAY, IN HIS WORDS, AND, AND EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS. I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, SOME ABOUT THIS, BUT ALSO JUST FOR FUTURE CULTURAL CORRIDORS MAYBE. UM, BUT, UH, ONE IS, UM, IF I UNDERSTOOD THE, THE, THE PRESENTATION CORRECTLY, WE HAVE TO GET THIS THROUGH CHECK, ASSUMING IT PASSES TODAY, AND THEN TO COUNSEL BEFORE AN, UM, A DEADLINE OF JUNE 15TH. IS THAT RIGHT? I THINK IT'S THE, OKAY. OH, . THANK YOU. UM, YEAH, SO IF, IF WE WANT TO PURSUE THE STATE DESIGNATION, OKAY, IT'S ACTUALLY JANUARY 31ST, A LETTER OF INTENT TO APPLY OKAY. NEEDS TO BE DONE. THAT CAN BE, THAT CAN BE DONE WITHOUT A COUNCIL ACTION. UM, ANY, ANY CORRIDOR WHO HAS COMMUNITY SUPPORT, WHO WANTS TO LOOK AT HAVING A CULTURAL DISTRICT, UH, THEY CAN LOOK AT THE STATE'S APPLICATION. WE'RE HERE TO HELP. WE HAVE AN ENTIRE TOOLKIT TO HELP PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROCESS. UM, THE MOST RECENT WEST SIDE DISTRICT DID, DID THAT WITH US. OKAY. AND SO ANYONE CAN, SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE COUNCIL ACTION, THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT INTENT TO APPLY BY JANUARY 31ST. OKAY. I, I GUESS I ASSUME THAT WE DID THAT ALREADY WITH THE C C R, BUT THAT'S NOT A, DOESN'T COUNT AS A LETTER OF INTENT. SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT NEXT JANUARY. OH, YEAH, THE LETTER OF INTENT, IT'S, IT, IT'S JUST LIKE AN APPLICATION, A PIECE OF AN APPLICATION. I SEE. OKAY. AND THEN I THINK ON SLIDE EIGHT, YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, THERE WAS A RPA FUNDING. THE, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME HOW THE, THE, THE CORRELATION WITH THE ARPA FUNDING? OH, YES. SO CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE SMALL BUSINESS 30.95 MILLION FOR, UM, THE, OR I SHOULD SAY ARPA FUNDING OF 30.95 MILLION FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS PORTFOLIO WITHIN THE, THAT THERE WAS A PLACEMAKING UMBRELLA, SO TO SPEAK. OH, OKAY. AND THEN THIS TWO CORRIDOR PILOT PROGRAM HAD $1 MILLION OF THOSE ARPA DOLLARS ALLOCATED TO IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE MY TAKEAWAYS WE'RE NOT LIKE IN A REALLY BIG HURRY. WE, I WANNA GET THIS DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE DON'T HAVE TO GET IT DONE BEFORE. UM, WE JUST HAVE TO GET A LETTER OF INTENT, BUT BY JANUARY. OKAY. YES. FOR, FOR THE STATE'S DESIGNATION. CORRECT. GOT IT. AND, AND REALLY THE PLAN IS TO COME TO CHECK, TO SAY, OKAY, HERE'S ALL THE PIECES TO THE PUZZLE. HERE'S THE VISIT SAN ANTONIO PIECE. UM, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CULINARY AS ASSETS. OUR WORLD HERITAGE OFFICE HAS THEIR CHEF AMBASSADOR PROGRAM OPEN RIGHT NOW. MAYBE THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHEFS IN THE AREA TO APPLY. THERE'S MANY PIECES OF THE PUZZLE TO PULLING TOGETHER THE, A COHESIVE KIND OF MARKETING, UM, BECAUSE REALLY THAT'S WHAT THESE PROGRAMS ARE. OF COURSE, THERE'S FUNDING BEHIND THEM, BUT IT'S ALSO MARKETING THAT WE ARE THIS DISTRICT AND THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD COME HERE. AND THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT PIECES OF THE PIE THAT CAN COME TOGETHER. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANNA TALK ABOUT IS WHAT DO THOSE PIECES LOOK LIKE SO WE CAN SHOW, SHOW YOU WHAT THE PIE, UH, LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD. SO, YEAH. AND THESE PROGRAMS ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE, OR? WELL, THE, THE CULTURAL DISTRICT PROGRAM AT THE STATE LEVEL IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE EVERY YEAR, THAT JANUARY 31ST DEADLINE. OKAY. ALRIGHTY. THANK YOU, CRYSTAL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KUBE HDA FURTHER DISCUSSION. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. YEAH, I'M, I'M JUST, UH, HAPPY TO SEE THIS MOVING FORWARD. YOU KNOW, IN MY VIEW, IT'S REMARKABLE THE GROWTH OF THE ASIAN COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BECOME IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTORS TO THE EVERYDAY LIVES OF [00:20:01] THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MANY PLACES AROUND THE CITY THROUGH A LOT OF THE BUSINESS ENTERPRISES THEY HAVE. AND SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S GOOD TO RECOGNIZE THEIR VALUE THROUGH, UH, THIS PARTICULAR CULTURAL CORRIDOR. SO I'M DEFINITELY IN SUPPORTIVE IT, I HOPE IT MOVES FORWARD QUICKLY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COURAGE. COUNCIL MEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I WANTED TO START BY THANKING, UH, COUNCILMAN ELIAS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. UM, CRYSTAL, JUST A, A QUICK QUESTION, JUST SO THAT I UNDERSTAND. SO I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE PILOT CORRIDORS FROM MAIN STREET AMERICA. WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THEM AT ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THIS SINCE THE C C R HADN'T COME OVER, SO THE TWO PILOT CORRIDORS. SO POTENTIALLY THIS COULD BE ONE OF THEM AND THERE'S STILL AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANOTHER ONE. IS THAT WHAT IT WOULD BE? OR, OR, I'M SORRY. MAYBE IT, IT, IT WAS A QUESTION FOR YOU. THAT'S OKAY. GO AHEAD. THAT'S OKAY. UH, CRYSTAL AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS SO MUCH, SHE PROBABLY COULD ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS. UM, YES. SO WITH THE TWO QUARTER PILOT PROGRAM, AS SHE MENTIONED, THE APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN NOW. WE'VE BEEN DOING INFORMATION SESSIONS AND SO FORTH, REACHING OUT TO POTENTIAL PARTNERS, AGAIN, THE, THE APPLICANTS NEED TO BE SOME KIND OF MANAGING ORGANIZATION OR COMMIT TO BE ONE. AND, UH, THE APPLICATIONS CLOSED MAY 1ST, WE ANTICIPATE THEN A REVIEW PROCESS AND BRINGING FORWARD THE TWO QUARTER RECOMMENDATION TO E W D C IN JUNE. AND, UH, SO IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT THIS COULD VER BE ONE OF THOSE CORRIDORS. AND IF IT ISN'T, WE, SO ONE OF THE REASONS WE PARTNERED WITH MAIN STREET AMERICA IS TO REALLY FOCUS ON, LIKE CRYSTAL SAID, ON THE CULTURAL SIDE OF THINGS, ON THE BUSINESS COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR SIDE, TO REALLY FOCUS ON THAT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. OKAY. WE ARE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD TO BE ONE OF THOSE COORDINATING COMMUNITIES UNDER THE MAIN STREET AMERICA. IN A DREAM SITUATION, SOMEDAY WE WOULD HAVE 20 CORRIDORS THAT WE WOULD BE WORKING ON. SO OUR MAIN STREET AMERICA CONTRACT INCLUDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THOSE TWO CHOSEN QUARTERS, BUT ALSO EXPANDED TO INCLUDE OTHERS WHO ARE INTERESTED SO THAT MAYBE THEY'RE READY FOR THE NEXT ROUND, UM, STILL CAN STILL TAKE THE INFORMATION AND REALLY START TO IMPLEMENT IT. AND AS CRYSTAL MENTIONED, THERE'S A VARIETY OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE, UM, THAT WE ARE REALLY WORKING ON. HOW DO WE COORDINATE THOSE EFFORTS, IT, UM, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE THAT MAY NOT BE CHOSEN IN THAT TWO QUARTER PILOT. SURE. AND I GUESS THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING BECAUSE LIKE, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE, LIKE IF THIS, THIS WENT THROUGH A C C R PROCESS, UM, IF WE'RE MOVING IT FORWARD TO CHECK, UM, I, I KNEW THAT MY COLLEAGUES ON ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, LIKE SOME OF 'EM ALREADY HAVE IDEAS FOR CORRIDORS, SO IT'S GONNA BE VERY COMPETITIVE, IS WHAT I'M SAYING. SO LIKE, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WITH THE, I GUESS THAT THERE'S ENOUGH MONEY, RIGHT, FOR ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT DESIGNATIONS? LIKE ARE WE THINKING ABOUT THAT? LIKE IF THE MAIN STREET AMERICA PROGRAMMING GOES WELL WITH THE PILOT, WILL WE CONSIDER ADDING ADDITIONAL, UM, AND, AND, AND WHO'S OVER OVERSEEING THAT WORK? LIKE HOW MANY, UM, CULTURAL DISTRICTS WOULD WE WANT TO HAVE POTENTIALLY? LIKE WHO, WHO GETS TO DETERMINE THAT? I CAN SPEAK TO THE, THE, THE MAIN STREET, UH, COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR PILOT PROGRAM. UH, OUR REPORTING COMMITTEE IS TO ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. SO WE HAVE THIS SET UP TO RUN THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 2025, AGAIN, TO ALIGN WITH THE ARPA FUNDING. UH, BUT WE ANTICIPATE ONGOING, WE HAVE BENCHMARKS AND METRICS SET, UH, SET UP ALONG THE WAY, AND WE'LL BE BRIEFING E W D C, UH, SO THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY BE BRINGING FORWARD OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION AND POTENTIALLY GENERAL FUND DOLLARS AND SO FORTH. OKAY. GOOD. WELL, SO AS LONG AS WE'RE CONSIDERING GENERAL FUND DOLLARS ALSO, UM, AGAIN, I THINK THAT THIS, THIS HAS KIND OF GOTTEN SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, FOCUS AND ADDITIONAL EFFORT. SO I'D HATE FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN AT E W D C OR SOMEWHERE ELSE AND FOR IT NOT TO BE, UM, ADVANCED. AND THAT'S, THAT'S MY MAIN CONCERN. SO, SIR, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. GREAT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ROZI GARCIA, I, I'VE HEARD, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER APPLI TALK ABOUT THIS IDEA FOR QUITE A WHILE. SO IT'S, IT'S GREAT TO FINALLY SEE IT AS A, AS A C C R THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON. I'M OBVIOUSLY VERY SUPPORTIVE OF IT. UM, I HAVE A, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS JUST, UH, RELATED TO THE CULTURAL CORRIDOR DESIGNATION. UM, CHRIS, I UNDERSTAND THE STATE'S PROGRAM AND THE LETTER OF INTENT AND ALL THAT, BUT WE, WE ARE ALSO OPERATING ON TRACK THAT REGARDLESS OF STATE DESIGNATION, WE'RE SEEKING TO CREATE A LOCAL DESIGNATION. IS THAT RIGHT? UM, WE, SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING, UH, AT THAT CURRENTLY. UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT I WANNA TAKE TO, THAT'S WHAT WE WANNA TAKE TO CHECK IS A PLAN FOR THAT. SO HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THE STATE LEVEL, THEY HAVE THE CITY'S BACKING? CURRENTLY THEY GET A LETTER FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE SAYING THEY WENT THROUGH THIS APPLICATION PROCESS, WE SAY THAT [00:25:01] THIS IS, UH, THEY HAVE OUR SUPPORT, BUT THERE IS NO OFFICIAL STATE OR CITY DESIGNATION BEHIND THAT. AND WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS TAKE THAT TO CHECK, TO SAY, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IF WE WERE TO ADD THAT KIND OF DESIGNATION, BUT THEN KNOWING THAT IF THE DESIGNATION AT THE STATE LEVEL DOESN'T COME, UH, WE DO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR OUR CITY PROGRAM. 'CAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE END GOAL IS TO GET THAT BUCKET OF FUNDING FROM THE STATE. AND SO THAT SHOULD BE REALLY WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING FOR CORRIDORS IS TO WORKING THEM FOR THAT STATE LEVEL MARKETING AND DOLLARS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL, AT THAT STATE LEVEL. SO I AGREE THAT IS A GOAL. UM, BUT THE WAY I READ THE C C R IS THAT THE OTHER, THE, THE GOAL WRAPPED AROUND THAT OTHER GOAL IS TO DESIGNATE THE CORRIDOR AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. OKAY. UM, SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT MY EXPECTATION WILL BE IN TERMS OF THE DISCUSSION AT CHECK, IS THAT HOW DO WE MAKE THIS DESIGNATION IF ONLY SYMBOLICALLY, WE HOPE IT'S NOT ONLY SYMBOLIC, BUT UM, YOU KNOW, IF IT CAN BE PART OF THE STATE DESIGNATION AS WELL, THAT, THAT OBVIOUSLY WOULD BE, UM, ADDITIONAL BENEFIT. OKAY. GREAT. UM, COUNCILMAN REPLIES, YOU WANNA WEIGH IN ON THAT? YEAH. YEAH. AND TO PUT IT LESS ARTFULLY, UM, THE, FOR ME, THE NUMBER ONE GOAL IS TO CELEBRATE THIS COMMUNITY. MM-HMM. , RIGHT? UM, WHETHER WE GET FEDERAL OR STATE FUNDING OR NOT. UM, WHAT, WHAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS CLEARLY ARTICULATED IS THAT THEY'RE HUNGRY TO BE RECOGNIZED, YOU KNOW, IN THE SAME WAY THAT A LOT OF OTHER, YOU KNOW, GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES ARE RECOGNIZED AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S THEIR TURN. THANK YOU. YEAH, THAT WAS MORE ARTFULLY THAN I SAID IT. I AGREE WITH THAT. UM, SO MY, MY OTHER QUESTION, UM, CRYSTAL, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE THE BEST PERSON TO ANSWER THIS OR WHOEVER, BUT, UH, IN TERMS OF THE BOUNDS OF OUR CULTURAL CORRIDOR, EITHER DESIGNATED BY THE STATE OR, OR LOCALLY, ARE WE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE FRONTAGE PROPERTIES OF WBA? OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT SORT OF AN AREA AROUND THE WBA CORRIDOR? WHEN IT COMES TO CULTURAL DISTRICTS, IT'S REALLY UP TO THE ORGANIZING COMMUNITY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE BOUNDARIES. I WILL SAY IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A STATE LEVEL OR THE TYPICAL DESIGNATIONS, THEY REALLY ARE LOOKING AT WALKABILITY BECAUSE IF YOU'RE HAVING VISITORS COME, MAYBE THERE'S A PLACE FOR THEM TO PARK OR RIDE AND THEN THEY CAN WALK THE AREA. TYPICAL AREAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH THESE FOUR ALREADY EXISTING CULTURAL DISTRICTS, WE'RE LOOKING AT MAYBE LIKE A THREE MILE AREA MAX. THEY'RE USUALLY ABOUT A MILE TWO MILES. UM, SO, BUT IT WOULD BE REALLY UP TO, UM, THE COMMUNITY ON WHERE THEY SEE IT AND IT COULD GO INTO, YOU KNOW, PARKS OR, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT SORT OF WHEN YOU'RE IN THE, WE MADE THIS CHANGE, UM, SOME YEARS AGO, BUT WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MAIN CAMPUS, U T S A AREA OR DOWNTOWN U T S A AREA, THE, THE SIGNS CHANGE, STREET SIGNS HAVE THE U T SS A LOGO, SO THAT SORT OF THING, DESIGNATION OF AN AREA AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE FRONTAGE. AND THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT IS, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER P WAS TALKING ABOUT THE PLACES THAT PEOPLE CONGREGATE TO EXPERIENCE THE ASIAN AMERICAN CULTURE IN THIS AREA AND INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, PLACES, UH, TO EAT RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY BUSINESSES. YOU KNOW, THE OTHER PLACES THAT PEOPLE CONGREGATE IN THAT MANNER ARE PLACES OF WORSHIP, WHICH ARE, UH, IN ABUNDANCE ALONG THAT CORRIDOR. I'VE OFTEN SAID THAT IF YOU STAND AT THE CORNER OF BABCOCK AND HUEBNER ROAD AND CAST A ONE MILE RADIUS AROUND YOURSELF, YOU CAN PROBABLY CAPTURE ALMOST EVERY DENOMINATION THAT'S PRACTICED IN THE WORLD. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE CAPTURING A WIDE ENOUGH NET IN THAT ZONE AROUND THE SILK ROAD, UH, SO THAT PEOPLE WHO CAN REALLY EXPERIENCE THE, THE FLAVOR OF OUR DIFFERENT ASIAN, UH, NORTH AFRICAN MEDITERRANEAN CULTURES WOULD BE, UM, MY SENSE OF THE VISION, UM, THAT'S TRYING TO BE IMPLEMENTED HERE. SO IT'S A GREAT IDEA. I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT. OBVIOUSLY I DO LIVE IN THERE THAT AREA FOR, IN FULL DISCLOSURE. SO, UM, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE EFFORT. SO WITH THAT, UH, THERE IS A MOTION TO SECOND TO MOVE THIS FORWARD TO CHECK WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. I THINK THAT'S IT. TIME IS 2:01 PM ON THE 24TH DAY OF MARCH, 2023. AND WE A ADJOURNED. THANKS EVERYBODY. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.