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WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL B SESSION OF MARCH 6TH, 2019.
COUNCIL MEMBER VIAGRAN WILL NOT BE HERE TODAY.
SHE HAD A PREVIOUS COMMITMENT.
>> MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
>> NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION.
WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
THE TIME IS 2:16 P.M. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER, ERIC WALSH.
[LAUGHTER] YOU'RE THE FIRST ONE, OKAY?
[1. Briefing by VIA Metropolitan Transit on the implementation of service improvements with the City's FY 2019 $10 million contribution towards annual operating costs. [Jeff Arndt, President/CEO, VIA Metropolitan Transit; Peter Zanoni, Deputy City Manager; Razi Hosseini, Interim Director, Transportation & Capital Improvements]]
THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.THIS AFTERNOON, WE'VE GOT TWO ITEMS. THE FIRST ITEM IS A BRIEFING BY VIA DONE BY JEFF ARNDT.
VIA IS A VITAL PART OF SAN ANTONIO'S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND PROVIDES MORE THAN 40 MILLION RIDES PER YEAR THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY.
TO FINANCIALLY ASSIST VIA IN PROVIDING BETTER FREQUENCY AND RELIABILITY FOR RIDERS, COUNCIL ALLOCATED $4.4 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 2018.
IN 2019, IT WAS INCREASED TO $10 MILLION AS PLANNED BY THE COUNCIL LAST YEAR.
THIS FUNDING IMPROVED SERVICE ON HIGH DEMAND ROUTES ALONG HEAVILY TRAVELED CORRIDORS.
IN MAY OF 2018, VIA HERE AT B SESSION UPDATED THE COUNCIL ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PHASE 1 AND 2 OF THEIR THREE-PHASED PLAN THAT WAS INCLUDED IN OUR FUNDING AGREEMENT, AND THIS AFTERNOON, VIA WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE THIRD AND FINAL PHASE, WHICH WAS EFFECTIVE ON JANUARY 7TH.
VIA IS A GREAT PARTNER, AND A LOT OF THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF IN CONCERT WITH TCI AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND COUNCILMAN SALDANA WILL RESULT IN TODAY'S PRESENTATION.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL INTRODUCE JEFF.
THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER WALSH.
SO, FIRST OF ALL, I'LL START THIS PRESENTATION -- THIS MORNING, I WAS AT MADLA TRANSPORT CENTER.
WE'VE DONE SOME UPGRADES, ESPECIALLY SOME GRAPHIC UPGRADES.
I WAS REFLECTING THAT IT'S BEEN JUST ABOUT THREE YEARS, I THINK, COUNCILMAN SALDANA -- IS THAT ABOUT RIGHT? THREE YEARS AGO THAT COUNCILMAN SALDANA GAVE UP HIS CAR FOR A MONTH AND RELIED ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO SEE WHAT HIS CONSTITUENTS EXPERIENCED, AND ONE THING WE LEARNED IS GOOGLE MAPS IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT.
BECAUSE HE SAID, THE BUS NEVER CAME.
WE FOUND OUT THAT GOOGLE MAPS HAD HIM AT THE WRONG LOCATION.
WE'VE GOT THAT WORKED OUT WITH GOOGLE I THINK A LOT BETTER NOW.
IN ANY CASE, HE RODE HIS BICYCLE AND PUT IT IN THE FRONT OF THE BUS.
AND WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES ON VIA, AND WHAT HE SHARED WITH ME -- AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WHAT HE SHARED WITH ME WAS, YOU KNOW, THE BUSES WERE CLEAN, REASONABLY RELIABLE.
PARTICULARLY IF YOU HAD TO MAKE A TRANSFER TO COMPLETE YOUR TRIP, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE MAKE TRANSFERS, THAT IT COULD BECOME VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF FREQUENCY IN SERVICE.
COME INTO THE MEDICAL CENTER, TRANSIT CENTER FOR -- AND THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST ONEROUS ELEMENTS OF THE VIA SYSTEM.
AND SO HE SAID, WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THAT? HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE FREQUENCY OF SERVICE? AND I SAID, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, WELL, IT JUST TAKES MONEY, RIGHT? AND SO COUNCILMAN SALDANA BECAME A CHAMPION OF GETTING VIA FUNDING SO THAT WE COULD IMPROVE THE QUALITY ALONG MANY ROUTES WITHIN OUR SYSTEM.
AND IT WAS A SEVERAL-YEAR EFFORT.
MAYOR TAYLOR CREATED A WORKING TASK FORCE, AND COUNCILMAN SALDANA AND LOPEZ WERE THE CHAIRS OF THAT.
THAT GROUP ASKED US -- THEY SAID, VIA, IF YOU HAD $10 MILLION, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH IT? AND WE PUT TOGETHER A PLAN, BROUGHT IT TO B SESSION.
EVENTUALLY CITY COUNCIL, AND IT
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WAS PASSED.AND SO, REALLY, IT WAS THE PERSEVERANCE OF COUNCILMAN SALDANA AND THE SUPPORT, OBVIOUSLY, OF THE ENTIRE GROUP THAT WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
AND I HAVE I THINK NOTHING BUT GOOD NEWS.
SO, THESE ARE JUST KIND OF THE GENERAL NUMBERS RELATED TO VIA.
I'LL POINT OUT WE HAVE 7,200 BUS STOPS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE JUST COMPLETED INSTALLING ONE.
SAN ANTONIO HAS MORE SHELTERS IN PLACE THAN THE CITY OF HOUSTON OR PITTSBURGH OR DENVER, AND ACTUALLY, THE PERSON WRITING THE ARTICLE SAID, YOU JUST NEED TO COMMIT YOURSELF TO DOING THAT FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER ELEMENT THAT WE THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND THIS IS -- YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME WHAT IS VIA, I DON'T SAY IT'S A BUS COMPANY.
I SAY, WELL, WE ARE TRANSIT, AND TRANSIT -- AND THAT HAPPENS EVERY DAY.
AS COUNCILMAN SALDANA KNOWS FROM RIDING THE BUS, MANY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE JUST TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING, TRYING TO GET TO WORK.
71% OF OUR PASSENGERS ARE USING THE SERVICE FOR WORK TRIPS, AND THEN ANOTHER 8-9% FOR SCHOOL TRIPS.
SO 80% OF THE PEOPLE ARE EITHER WORK OR SCHOOL.
VERY IMPORTANT TO THEIR LIVES.
AS A REFRESHER, THE RED ARE THE TWO PIECES OF SALES TAX WE RECEIVED.
WE RECEIVED THE ONE HALF CENT FOR THE MTA, AND WE RECEIVED ONE HALF OF THE 1/4 CENT FOR THE ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT.
AS YOU KNOW, THE OTHER PIECE OF THE ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT IS SPLIT IN TWO.
HALF GOES TO THE CITY, AND HALF GOES TO A POT OF MONEY FOR LEVERAGING PROJECTS, PRIMARILY BEXAR COUNTY AND TXDOT WORKING TOGETHER TO LEVERAGE PROJECTS.
THE KIND OF YELLOWISH AREA ARE THE FEDERAL GRANTS, AND THEY ARE LESS THAN 15%.
SO WHEN WE WERE S.A. TO D.C. AND TALKING TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THEY WERE -- WHEN I SAID VIA IS LIKE -- LOCAL FUNDS.
WHEN I SAY LOCAL, BEXAR COUNTY, SAN ANTONIO REGION, IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE A BIG PIECE OF STATE MISCELLANEOUS INCOME.
AND THEN THERE'S THE $10 MILLION COSA FUND, WHICH HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE CIRCLE.
NOW WE'RE AT 10 MILLION IN 2019.
AND AGAIN, AS A REFRESHER, THIS SHOWS HOW THE STATE FUNDING FOR THE LARGE METROS, MTAS FALLS OUT, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT FIRST OF ALL, WE GET THE ONE HALF CENT FOR THE MTA AND THE 1/8 CENT FOR THE ATD, AND THAT GENERATES ABOUT $190 MILLION A YEAR.
HOUSTON AND DALLAS EACH GET A FULL CENT, BUT THEY GET MORE -- THAT GENERATES DOUBLE WHAT WE GENERATE.
DALLAS, THEY BOTH GENERATE ABOUT 600 MILLION.
SO THREE TIMES -- THEY HAVE THREE TIMES THE FUNDING THROUGH THE SALES TAX THAT WE GET.
THEY ALSO GET HIGHER FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THE POT OF MONEY FROM WHICH WE RECEIVE FUNDING, 1/3 OF THAT IS ONLY PROVIDED TO PEOPLE -- TO AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE FIXED GUIDEWAY SERVICE, WHICH WOULD BE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT OR BUS RAPID TRANSIT AND ITS EXCLUSIVE RIGHT OF WAY.
OUR DEPUTY CEO SAID LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT HOW MUCH THAT DIFFERENCE GENERATES, AND IT'S 5 TO $6 BILLION MORE THAT DALLAS AND HOUSTON HAD TO INVEST.
AND THIS ISD THE PART WHERE WE TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE DRIVERS OF THE EXPENSIVE RUNNING TRANSIT IS HOW FAR YOU HAVE TO -- HOUSTON AND SAN ANTONIO HAVE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME SIZE SERVICE AREA.
DALLAS AND AUSTIN HAVE LESS THAN HALF.
YOU SAW HOW MUCH MONEY DALLAS HAS FOR LESS THAN HALF.
AND SO AS A RESULT OF THAT, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE WERE WELL UNDER THE FUNDING FOR MTAS AND LARGE MTAS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THIS TALKS ABOUT THE UNIT COST OF OPERATING.
AND, AGAIN, WE ARE DOING MORE WITH LESS.
WE ARE ALWAYS THE LOWEST IN COST OF OUR PEERS.
I'LL JUST TELL YOU THAT PART OF
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WHAT ELEVATED IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS IS THAT WE HAD TO TAKE EXPENSES THAT WE GENERATED FOR THE STREETCAR PROJECT AND EXPENSE THEM FROM OUR SYSTEM, SINCE WE HAD NO PROJECT, THEY COULD NO LONGER BE CAPITAL, SO THAT KIND OF UPPED OUR COST PER MILE.BUT STILL, EVEN UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, WE WERE STILL BELOW OUR PEERS.
SO THIS IS THE RESULT OF WORK THAT THE MPO DID.
AND HOW LIKELY ARE YOU TO CONSIDER RIDING A BUS ROUTE BASED UPON VARIOUS FREQUENCIES? AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IF YOU'RE INSIDE TEN MINUTES, THE RESULT WAS ABOUT 84%.
WHERE IF YOU GET DOWN TO ABOUT 30 MINUTES, YOU'RE GOING TO GET DOWN TO ABOUT 5%.
AND HOW WE TRANSLATE THAT FROM A PASSENGER'S PERSPECTIVE IS IF THE SERVICE RUNS EVERY TEN TO 12 MINUTES, WE CALL THAT THE SWEET SPOT.
THAT'S THE TIME IN WHICH YOU DON'T USE A SCHEDULE ANYMORE TO PLAN YOUR TRIP.
YOU JUST GO DOWN AND WAIT FOR THE BUS.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE AUTOMOBILES WILL EXPLORE AT LEAST UP TO 20 MINUTES.
AFTER 20 MINUTES, THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED.
30 MINUTES IS KIND OF LIKE, WELL... I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THAT SERVICE UNLESS I HAVE NO OTHER OPTION.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE SERVICE WE HAD AND WHAT THE HALF CENT SALES TAX BUYS, YOU SEE THERE'S A VERY, VERY SMALL -- THERE WAS.
SO THIS TAKES US BACK TO BEFORE THE CITY MADE ITS INVESTMENT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE GREEN AND THE BLUE AS KIND OF WHAT THE PUBLIC WOULD FIND ACCEPTABLE, THAT IS AT ABOUT 20% OF THE SYSTEM.
SO 80% OF THE SYSTEM, YOU COULD PRETTY MUCH WRITE OFF TO ANYONE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET AT.
AND SO WHAT WE CALL THE PARTNERSHIP PLAN WAS TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THREE PHASES.
THE FIRST PHASE, WE TOOK TWO CORRIDORS TO 12-MINUTE FREQUENCY.
AND THEN WE HAD A BUNCH OF CORRIDORS THAT WERE 60 MINUTES THAT WE BROUGHT TO 30 MINUTES.
SO WE DEALT WITH THOSE CORRIDORS COLLECTIVELY AT ONCE.
THE SECOND PHASE, THERE ARE THREE ADDITIONAL ROUTES, TWO ADDITIONAL CORRIDORS THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED IN MAY OF LAST YEAR, AND THE THIRD PHASE -- BRIEFLY BECAUSE WE HAVE ONLY ONE MONTH OF RIDERSHIP DATA.
SO I'M GOING TO KIND OF FOCUS ON THE FIRST TWO PHASES ON A SUSTAINED BUSINESSES.
THIS SHOWS THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE ROUTES IN THE PARTNERSHIP PLAN.
AND THIS, WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF DEMONSTRATE RIDERSHIP GROWTH ON THE ROUTES.
SO THE GREEN LINE REPRESENTS RIDERSHIP ALONG -- OF THE PHASE 1 ROUTES, AND IT'S ALWAYS YEAR OVER YEAR.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT APRIL, AND IT SAYS 12.6, THAT MEANS THAT THOSE ROUTES HAD A RIDERSHIP GROWTH OF 12.6% COMPARED TO THE PRIOR APRIL.
AND IF YOU GO ALL THE WAY, WE HAD ALMOST 31% GROWTH IN JUST THAT SET OF ROUTES.
YOU SEE THAT THEY TRACK SIMILARLY.
THE PHASE 2 ROUTES IN DECEMBER WERE UP 41%.
HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO THE REST OF OUR SYSTEM? WELL, THIS IS ACTUALLY THE COMPLETE SYSTEM.
IF YOU TAKE THOSE ROUTES AND COMBINE THEM WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE, THAT'S WHERE OUR RIDERSHIP HAS BEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE INVESTMENT IN THOSE ROUTES HAS SIGNIFICANTLY OUTDISTANCED WHATEVER WAS HAPPENING WITH THE REST OF THE SYSTEM.
IN FACT, IF I GO TO DECEMBER, THE 7% INCREASE IN DECEMBER WAS DRIVEN HEAVILY BY THE PARTNERSHIP ROUTES.
IF YOU TOOK THE PARTNERSHIP ROUTES CONTRIBUTING HEAVILY TO INCREASE IN RIDERSHIP, WE HAD AN INCREASE IN JANUARY, AND WE'VE HAD TWO CONSECUTIVE MONTHS IN A VERY LONG TIME.
AND YOU RECALL THAT IT WAS MAYBE 20%.
WE WANT TO GET THE RED OUT OVER TIME.
AND SO THAT SHOWS -- SO I'LL JUST TELL YOU THAT BEFORE YOU PROVIDED THE MONEY THAT WAS INVESTED IN THESE ROUTES, THERE WAS ONE GREEN ROUTE.
WE ONLY HAD ONE ROUTE THAT WAS IN THE SWEET SPOT.
THOSE ARE THE SWEET SPOT ROUTES.
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SERVICE THAT RUNS UP TO EVERY 20 MINUTES.THAT WOULD BE THE NETWORK THAT WE WOULD SAY COULD BE ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE WITH AUTOMOBILES.
IF YOU LOOK AT JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, AND I'VE NOT CARRIED PHASE 3 AGAIN, BUT I CAN GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS FOR PHASE 3.
SO, PHASE 1 -- RECALL PHASE 1 STARTED JANUARY THE PRIOR YEAR, RIGHT? SO YOU'RE ALREADY BUILDING ON A BASE THAT HAD GROWN.
AND PHASE 1 CONTINUED TO GROW AT ABOUT 15%.
PHASE 2 DIDN'T START UNTIL MAY, SO IT'S ALL ADDITIVE.
AND THE GROWTH IN JANUARY WAS 37%.
NOW, WHEN WE MADE THIS PARTNERSHIP, AND THE PARTNERSHIP -- YOU KNOW, WHAT VIA DID, VIA WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR BUYING THE BUSES AND THE CITY PROVIDED THE OPERATING FUNDS.
BUT WHEN WE BUILT THIS PARTNERSHIP, I DON'T THINK ANY OF US EXPECTED THAT WE WOULD SEE RIDERSHIP RESULTS THAT WERE NOT ONLY DOUBLE DIGITS, BUT, YOU KNOW, 30%, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU COMPARE IT TO WHAT A LOT OF OTHER SYSTEMS HAVE EXPERIENCED.
SO WE'LL LET THE PASSENGERS TELL YOU WHAT THEY THINK.
>> I'M AT THE BUS STATION BY 6:10.
THE BUS ARRIVES BETWEEN 6:12 AND 6:17, IF IT'S NOT LATE.
THEN I GO TO AND FROM HERE, I GET THE 6:19.
AND THEN I HAVE TO WALK TO MY DESTINATION.
THEN I CATCH EITHER THE 502 OVER HERE TO THE NORTH STAR TRANSIT CENTER.
FROM HERE, I JUST GO A COUPLE OF BLOCKS DOWN AND I'M AT THE JOB SITE.
>> I RIDE VIA BECAUSE IT'S CONVENIENT, IT'S EASY, AND THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO PAY, IT'S CHEAP.
>> MY FAMILY MEMBERS TELL ME GET A CAR.
THAT MEANS INSURANCE, GAS, TRAFFIC, CAR BREAKING DOWN, MAINTENANCE.
I JUST GET ON MY BUS, I SIT THERE.
>> I BELIEVE THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IN OUR CITY, LIKE HOW IT'S GROWING.
>> IT'S MY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION FOR EVERYTHING.
I REFUSE TO DRIVE, SO THIS IS THE EASIEST AND QUICKEST WAY TO GET AROUND TOWN.
>> IT'S BEEN PRETTY GOOD FOR ME.
I LOST MY VEHICLE AND THE BUS GETS YOU ALL AROUND THE CITY.
>> IT MEANS I'M NOT LATE TO WORK.
A LOT OF THE BUS ROUTES ARE ADDING TO --
NO HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT THE TRAFFIC.
YOU JUST SIT BACK AND RELAX AND JUST ENJOY THE RIDE HOME, OR TO WORK.
>> IT WOULD BE VERY HARD, BECAUSE I WORK 20 MILES FROM WHERE I LIVE.
SO WALKING DISTANCE, IT WOULD BE CRUSHING.
>> IF I DIDN'T HAVE VIA, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET TO WORK ON TIME.
I DON'T MIND WALKING, BUT IT WOULD MAKE LIFE A LOT MORE DIFFICULT.
>> TO CITY COUNCIL, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT IT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA, IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING EFFORT INTO MAKING THE REST OF US THAT DON'T HAVE A CAR, TO MAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION LIKE MORE AFFORDABLE AND EASIER TO GET AROUND IN.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS FOR EVERYTHING.
WITHOUT IT, I WOULDN'T BE WORKING RIGHT NOW.
>> I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE JUST PLAYED THAT AND SAT DOWN, RIGHT? SO I JUST SAY IN CLOSING, IF YOU LOOK AT THE SUM OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RIDING THE PARTNERSHIP ROUTES, A YEAR AGO, IF YOU WILL, BEFORE WE STARTED THE IMPROVEMENTS, IT CAME TO ABOUT 15,000 BOARDINGS A DAY.
NOW, THOSE ROUTES HAVE ABOUT 20,000 BOARDINGS A DAY.
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REMEMBER IS THAT THE 15,000 ARE BENEFITING BY THE INCREASED FREQUENCY AND THE COMMUNITY IS, OF COURSE, BENEFITING BY THAT GROWTH.AND SO, COUNCILMAN SALDANA, I HOPE THAT THIS EXCEEDED YOUR EXPECTATIONS.
WE WANT TO REALLY THANK YOU BECAUSE IT'S MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE TO OUR SYSTEM AND IT'S MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE TO OUR COLLECTIVE COMMUNITY.
>> NIRENBERG: WE ALMOST GOT A SLOW CLAP THERE, JEFF.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO UPDATE US.
VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS OF THE SECOND PHASE AS WELL AS THE CONTINUED RESULTS OF THE FIRST PHASE.
WE KNEW INTRINSICALLY THIS WOULD WORK.
WE TARGETED IN THE AREAS AND THE ROUTES THAT WE THOUGHT MIGHT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE, AND IT'S GRATIFYING TO SEE THAT IT ACTUALLY IS, AND HOPEFULLY WILL GIVE THE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE THAT EVERY BIT OF INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE MAKING TO IMPROVE THE RIDERSHIP, IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE, AND FREQUENCY AND RELIABILITY OF VIA IS DOLLARS WELL SPENT.
IT'S ALSO HELPING WITH TRAFFIC RELIEF AND ENSURING THAT TRANSPORTATION, IN FACT, DOES CREATE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE.
WHETHER THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY TO WORK OR TO SCHOOL OR ON THEIR WAY BACK HOME TO DO HOMEWORK WITH KIDS AND SO FORTH.
SO I JUST WANT TO REITERATE YOUR THANKS TO OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN SALDANA, WHO REALLY LED THE EFFORT AND PERSEVERED, FRANKLY, THROUGH A COUPLE OF DISAPPOINTING DECISIONS BY THIS BODY, BUT STAYED WITH IT, AND WE FINALLY GOT IT DONE, AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK ALSO OF OUR FORMER COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN RAY LOPEZ, WHO HELPED CO-CHAIR THE AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT INITIALLY TOOK A LOOK AT THE IDEA POSED BY COUNCILMAN SALDANA ON THE ATD REVENUE.
GREAT WORK, AND LET'S HOPEFULLY SEE SOME MORE OF THIS DOWN THE ROAD.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES, COUNCILMAN TREVINO, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN AND THE MAYOR ARE WELL-STUDIEDED ON THIS ISSUE AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE AND SUPPORT, BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE FACES AND WHAT THOSE NAMES AND WHAT THOSE TESTIMONIES MEAN, WHICH IS THAT IF IN THE BEST CASES OF SCENARIO IT MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIFE.
SO I'M GRATEFUL TO KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MAKE THE CHOICE, TO MAKE A BIG INVESTMENT, AND TAKE A BET ON WHAT WE THINK IS A PRETTY SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENT, WHICH IS THAT IF YOU WERE TO INVEST IN TRANSIT, INVEST IN OUR BUS ROUTES, INCREASE FREQUENCY, THE THEORY OF CHANGE IS THAT YOU WOULD NOT ONLY IMPROVE THE PEOPLE'S LIVES WHO ARE CURRENTLY USING IT, YOU WOULD EXPAND RIDERSHIP BECAUSE YOU WERE MAKING A BUS SERVICE MORE CONVENIENT, AND I THINK THAT TAKES A BIG LEAP FOR ANYBODY, ANY COUNCIL, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A FUND OF 10 MILLION A YEAR IS NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR US TO GET EVERYONE ON THE COUNCIL IN AGREEMENT TO SAY, LET'S TEST THIS OUT.
LET'S CONSIDER THE FOLKS WHO ARE EITHER, YOU KNOW, WORKING CLASS INDIVIDUALS WHO LIKE WE'VE SEEN IN THE TESTIMONY, OR ARE GETTING UP AT 5:00 IN THE MORNING, AND IT'S FUNNY TO HEAR ONE OF THE TESTIMONIES SAY SOMETIMES WHEN I SLEEP IN, WHICH I IMAGINE IS PROBABLY 5:30 A.M. WHEN SOMEBODY LIKE THAT SLEEPS IN TO TRY TO CATCH WORK AT 7:00 A.M. OR 8:00 A.M.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT GOING FORWARD TO OUR COLLEAGUES WHO DIDN'T GET TO LISTEN TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS, MAYBE DIDN'T GET TO BE PART OF THAT DEBATE, I WANT TO MAYBE CENTER US ON WHY WE LANDED ON 10 MILLION, BECAUSE IF 10 MILLION CAN DO A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT, YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT MORE FUNDING TO HELP SUPPORT VIA, MAYBE NOT JUST THROUGH THE CITY, BUT OTHER RESOURCES COULD REALLY DO FOR THOSE PEOPLE ON THE SCREEN AND THOSE FUTURE RIDERS WHO MIGHT FALL INTO THAT SWEET SPOT WHO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, NOW THAT WE'VE BUILT A STONE OAK PARK AND RIDE, NOW THAT I KNOW THAT THERE'S A FIXED ROUTE AND ON TIME, THIS IS GOING TO BE AN OPTION FOR ME WHEN TODAY IT ISN'T.
THE WAY THAT WE LANDED ON 10 MILLION WAS WE TARGETED WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN 2002 OR 2003.
THERE WAS AN ATD ELECTION, WHICH WAS A FUND DEDICATED SPECIFICALLY TO TRANSPORTATION.
VIA WAS THE BENEFICIARY OF THAT.
YOU SAW THE SLICE OF THE PENNY, THE 1/8.
BUT SO WAS THE COUNTY AND SO WAS THE CITY.
AND MY FIRST ARGUMENT OUT OF THE GATE WAS, YOU KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS ACTUALLY JUST TRANSFER THE MONEY THAT WE'RE USING FOR THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL
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UPGRADE SYSTEM.FIND ANOTHER SOURCE FOR SIDEWALKS.
THAT TOTAL IS PROBABLY SOMETHING LIKE 15, 16 MILLION, AND ERIK, YOU'LL CORRECT ME ON THAT NUMBER, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE REVENUE THAT WE SEE COME THROUGH IN ATD.
THE REASON IT WAS PROBABLY UNSUCCESSFUL THE FIRST TIME I TRIED THAT WAS BECAUSE, HARD TO ARGUE AGAINST SIDEWALKS.
AND SO WE SAID, ALL RIGHT, LET'S NOT TAKE ALL OF ATD.
LET'S SORT OF LEAVE SOME PORTION, 5 OR 6 MILLION BACK FOR SIDEWALKS BECAUSE WE ARE COMMITTED, THAT IS A PRIORITY.
BUT LET'S AT LEAST COMMIT TO 10 MILLION.
AND SO THE SECOND QUESTION IS, VIA, LIKE YOU DESCRIBED, WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH 10 MILLION? AND AT THAT POINT, WE WERE STILL WORKING ON A HYPOTHESIS.
WE SAID WE WANTED TO BE VERY TARGETED IN OUR APPROACH, SO LET'S NOT RECREATE THE WHEEL.
LET'S DOUBLE DOWN WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE RIDERSHIP.
THE ROUTES THAT WE KNOW ARE GETTING PEOPLE TO WORK, TO SCHOOL, TO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS, TO GROCERIES.
THAT'S HOW WE LANDED AT 10 MILLION.
I TELL YOU THAT BACK STORY BECAUSE I THINK AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE FOR THOSE COLLEAGUES WHO ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE ON THE COUNCIL, THERE MIGHT BE A CHALLENGE TO WHETHER WE SHOULD PEDAL BACK OR GO IN REVERSE ON THIS COMMITMENT.
AND KNOW THAT I DID NOT HAVE -- BECAUSE GENERAL FUND COMPETES WITH EVERYTHING.
THAT'S WHY I WAS CONSIDERING ATD AS AN OPTION TO BEGIN WITH.
AT THE VERY LEAST, NOW YOU HAVE AN ARGUMENT TO SEE THAT THE 10 MILLION, WHILE IT'S NOT A CITY DEPARTMENT, AFFECTS CITY RESIDENTS IN WAYS THAT WE CAN SEE AND ARTICULATE.
I THINK IT WILL BE UP TO THIS COUNCIL GOING FORWARD TO TRY TO PROTECT THAT INVESTMENT AND EVEN EXPAND IT TO BRING OTHER PARTNERS TO THE FOLD.
W IT WAS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE VIA HAS OTHER SOURCES WHERE THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND AREAS, CAPITAL TO BUILD THEIR BUS SHELTERS, TO PURCHASE VEHICLES.
BUT JUST LIKE ANY BUSINESS, THE OPERATION DOLLARS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE A LITTLE HARDER TO COME BY.
WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY MAKING IT UP AT THE FARE BOXES WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SPENDING THEIR $2 TO RIDE THE BUS.
THAT DOESN'T MAKE UP THE BUSINESS'S BOTTOM LINE.
SO OPERATING DOLLARS ARE THE SCARCE ONES, AND WE DEDICATED THESE 10 MILLION TO THE OPERATING SIDE SO THAT IT WOULD BE PERPETUAL IN NATURE, BUT ALSO ALLOW THEM TO MAKE LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS INTO THESE ROUTES.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF THE BACK STORY, AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM HERE CAN SEE THE IMPACT.
UNDERSTAND IT IN YOUR OWN HEAD, BECAUSE I WILL SORT OF COUNT ON MY COLLEAGUES TO CARRY THIS FORWARD AS AN ISSUE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US, NOT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO SUPPORT VIA OUT OF THE KINDNESS OF OUR HEART, BUT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WHAT VIA DOES FOR OUR RESIDENTS WORKS.
MAYBE I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU HERE BEFORE I PASS IT ALONG, JEFF.
IT'S ON THE FEDERAL OPPORTUNITIES.
SO, IF IN THE FUTURE VIA DECIDES TO LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE BUS RAPID TRANSIT, WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE THE PEER BUS RAPID TRANSIT TODAY.
WOULD WE BE ABLE TO TAP INTO FEDERAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES?
>> THAT 1/3 PIECE THAT I TALKED ABOUT IN THE FORMULA FUNDS, THE 1/3 PIECE THAT WE ARE PRECLUDED FROM TODAY WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE TO US IF WE HAD A FIXED GUIDEWAY, WHETHER IT'S A BUS RAPID TRANSIT, AN EXCLUSIVE RIGHT OF WAY FOR AT LEAST HALF OF ITS DISTANCE, OR LIGHT RAIL.
>> SALDANA: I'M LOOKING INTO MY CRYSTAL BALL AND SAY THAT IN THE FUTURE IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU USED THE TERM CHOICE RIDERS OR OPTION RIDERS, BUT THESE FOLKS WHO, YOU KNOW, LIVE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE DISTRICT WHO HAVE VEHICLES, AND IF WE'RE EVER GOING TO GET THEM TO CONSIDER VIA, BECAUSE SAY THEY HAVE A VERY EASY ROUTE TO WORK, BECAUSE THEY WORK 9:00 TO 5:00, AND AFTER THEY FINISH, THEY GO RIGHT BACK TO THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN, THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN, THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN.
FOR THOSE FOLKS -- AND THE STONE OAK EXAMPLE IS AN IMPORTANT ONE, BECAUSE I THINK YOU MIGHT GET FOLKS TO BITE ON RIDING AN EXPRESS ROUTE IN AND OUT OF THAT CORRIDOR SPECIFICALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A DEDICATED LANE, A DEDICATED CORRIDOR THAT IS ON TIME, THAT IS EFFICIENT, AND AT THE SAME TIME, PASSING UP CONGESTION ON THE WAY TO AND FROM THE MEDICAL CENTER, DOWNTOWN, AND THE SAME THING FROM THE SOUTH SIDE TO THE DOWNTOWN AND THE MEDICAL CENTER, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR JOBS ARE MOVING TO THE PLACES WHERE THEY CAN, AND THAT'S SOMETIMES THE MOST HEARTBREAKING -- IF ANY OF YOU ALL GO THROUGH THE EXPERIMENT AND TALK TO BUS RIDERS, YOU'LL KNOW THAT A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL GET SOMEBODY WHO'S TRAVELING 20 MILES TO GET TO WORK OR TO GET TO SCHOOL.
AND THAT MEANS THREE OR FOUR ROUTES.
WHAT I APPRECIATED ABOUT THE VIDEO IS IT REMINDED ME THAT YOU LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE WHEN YOU'RE A BUS RIDER.
PEOPLE ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR ROUTE.
I'LL TELL THEM, YEAH, I DID THE 520 TO THE 48 TO THE 550 AND I GET IN AND OUT FROM CITY HALL TO
[00:30:01]
HOME.BUT I THINK WE'RE DOING A GREAT DEAL OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY BY INVESTING IN TRANSIT AND TRANSFORMING THOSE LIVES.
JUST TO FINISH OFF, JEFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TEAM, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE GET TO HEAR FROM THOSE RESIDENTS WHEN YOU PUT THOSE TOGETHER.
BECAUSE IT REALLY TIES IT TOGETHER FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE SEEN THIS COME IN AND OUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER FINAL COMMENTS.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS THAT ARE SERVED, PHASE 1, 2, AND 3 COMBINED WILL TOUCH PROBABLY BETWEEN ONE AND FIVE RIDERS IN THE SYSTEM.
I KNOW AT ONE POINT THERE WAS A CONCERN THAT 10 MILLION WAS A DROP IN THE BUCKET WHEN OUR BUDGET IS LIKE 230 MILLION.
WELL, IF IT WAS A DROP IN THE BUCKET, IT CREATED A BIG SPLASH, TO INFLUENCE AND IMPROVE ACTUALLY SERVICE FOR ONE IN FIVE CUSTOMERS IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO GET IN FRONT OF SOME ARGUMENTS THAT I THINK FOLKS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS HEAR WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT I HEARD FROM A RESIDENT WAS, WHY ARE WE INVESTING IN THE BUS SYSTEM, OR THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM? THERE'S NOBODY WHO RIDES IT.
I TELL THEM, WELL, GIVE ME A LITTLE QUESTION ABOUT THE SNAPSHOT OF YOUR DATA POINT.
TELL ME WHEN YOU SAW AN EMPTY BUS.
THEY SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M DRIVING IN AND OUT, I WENT TO PICK UP MY KID AROUND NOON.
I SAID, I THINK THE PROBLEM IS THAT MOST FOLKS WHO ARE RIDING THE BUS ARE BEATING YOU TO WORK.
I MEAN, THEY ARE WAKING UP AT 5:00 A.M.
THEY'VE GOT TO CATCH THE 610, THE 612 AND MAKE SURE IT'S NOT LATE.
SO I THINK THAT'S AN ARGUMENT THAT MIGHT FALL UNDER THE WEIGHT OF NUMBERS AND DATA AND STATISTICS TO SHOW THAT WE HAVE A TON OF RIDERS, AND IT SHOULD ALSO NOT SURPRISE FOLKS THAT IT'S NOT JUST BY CHOICE THAT SOME PEOPLE AVOID BUYING A VEHICLE.
SOMETIMES IT IS BY THE NATURE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCE.
THEY JUST CAN'T AFFORD A VEHICLE.
AND WE'RE DOING A GREAT DEAL FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE IN OUR CITY WHO ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO GET A STEP ABOVE, AND THEY'RE SOME OF THE HARDEST WORKING PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET.
THE GENTLEMAN WHO LINES UP AT 6:00 A.M. TO GET TO 151 BECAUSE THAT'S THE IHOP WHO HIRED HIM.
THOSE ARE THE FOLKS GRINDING DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
SO I'M REALLY LEAVING WITH A BIG SMILE ON MY FACE THINKING ABOUT THE FOLKS AND THE PEOPLE YOU PUT TOGETHER IN THAT VIDEO.
APPRECIATE THE WORK AND THE HELP ON THIS.
LOOKING FORWARD TO MY COUNCIL CONTINUING TO MAKE SURE AND MAKE THE CASE.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR CORE FUNCTIONS AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE, THE WAY THAT WE ENSURE PEOPLE ARE MOVING THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
>> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANKS, JEFF, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO I HAVE QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS, SO IF MY COLLEAGUES WILL PLEASE INDULGE ME.
AS WE ASK YOU, I HAVE A COUPLE OF PERHAPS MORE HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS.
ONE OF THEM -- SO YOU KNOW THAT FREQUENCY IMPROVES RIDERSHIP.
AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE VERY, VERY LOW PARTICIPATION IN THE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE LESS FREQUENCY.
SO WHY BOTHER WITH THOSE? WHY NOT JUST HAVE GREATER FREQUENCY ON THE MOST TRAVELED ROUTES?
TRANSIT SYSTEMS ALWAYS ARE CHALLENGED BY THE TRADEOFF OF COVERAGE AND FREQUENCY.
AND THE PROBLEM IS, JOBS -- PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN THOSE AREAS THAT LIVE MORE IN THE CORE AREA ARE TRYING TO GET TO THOSE JOBS.
YOU HEARD AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE REFER TO THE FACT THEY'RE GOING ALL THE WAY OUT THERE.
SO WE HAVE DEVELOPED WHAT WE CALL A COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS THAT LOOKS AT REALLOCATING RESOURCES, TO SOME EXTENT.
THE FACT IS THERE MAY NOT BE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THOSE ROUTES THAT OPERATE ONCE AN HOUR, BUT ONE THING I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THOSE ROUTES, THEY'RE ONLY BECAUSE THEY NEED IT.
>> GONZALES: IS IT BASED ON PUBLIC INPUT, OR IS IT BASED ON, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL PRESSURE OR -- I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE AT THE STATE OF TRANSIT LAST WEEK AND THERE WAS THIS SPREADING OF THE PEANUT BUTTER ANALOGY.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I MEAN, WHAT EXACTLY IS IT THAT GIVES YOU THAT INPUT? IS IT US THAT GIVES YOU DIRECTION, YOUR BOARD?
>> AS FAR AS WHETHER TO MAINTAIN A ROUTE?
SO THE BOARD HAS DEVELOPED SERVICE STANDARDS, HAS TO DO WITH PASSENGERS PER HOUR.
AND THERE'S A MINIMUM THRESHOLD.
AT THE POINT WHEN YOU REACH THE MINIMUM THRESHOLD, YOU START LOOKING AT SHOULD WE DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, OR SHOULD
[00:35:02]
WE PERSPECTIVELY REMOVE THAT SERVICE.SO YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE MOBILITY ON DEMAND PROJECT WHERE, IN COUNCILMAN PERRY'S AREA, WE HAVE THREE UNDERPERFORMING BUS ROUTES, BUT THEY ONLY RUN ONCE AN HOUR, AND WE'RE GOING TO REPLACE THEM OVER TIME, WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN THAT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, BUT WE'RE GOING TO REPLACE THAT OVER TIME WITH A PILOT PROJECT THAT WOULD GIVE DEMAND RESPONSE SERVICE, AND ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THAT IS THAT IF WE CARRY THE SAME NUMBER OF PASSENGERS THAT WE'RE CARRYING TODAY ON THOSE THREE BUS ROUTES, THE COST WILL BE HALF OF WHAT IT IS.
>> GONZALES: SO I GUESS MY POINT IS THAT, WOULD IT BE, IN FACT, MORE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE LIKE A CAR POOLING SERVICE, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT IS.
A CARPOOLING SERVICE VERSUS THIS NETWORK THAT BRINGS PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT PARTS.
AND I GUESS ANOTHER QUESTION -- SO I GUESS -- SO IT'S BASED ON CUSTOMER INPUT OR IT'S BASED ON STILL POLITICAL PRESSURE? I STILL DIDN'T QUITE GET THAT.
>> MOST OF WHAT LEADS TO THE FREQUENCY IS THE RIDERSHIP.
>> GONZALES: SO RIDERSHIP IS WHAT LEADS TO -- NOT SO MUCH THE FREQUENCY, BUT THAT ALLOWS YOU TO STILL DO THOSE --
>> GONZALES: BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE -- YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE HAVE BEEN ROUTES CUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING, WHERE YOU GET THAT INFORMATION.
BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A SCENARIO WHERE THESE ARE ELIMINATED.
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE DOING A PILOT, BUT I'M SURE THAT YOU COULD DO A HYPOTHETICAL, LIKE -- I DON'T KNOW IF HYPOTHETICAL IS THE RIGHT WORD, BUT EXAMPLE OF WHAT ELIMINATING THESE PROJECTS -- THESE ROUTES WOULD DO AND DOING MORE FREQUENCY ON THE MOST VALUED ROUTES.
LIKE, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT WOULD THAT DO TO YOUR SYSTEM? HAVE YOU DONE THAT BEFORE?
WHEN I TALKED BABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS, THAT'S WHAT THAT DOES.
THE COA ASSUMES THAT IF WE HAVE AN AREA OF SOME SERVICE, WE END UP WITH SOMETHING LIKE WHAT I DESCRIBED IN THIS PILOT.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN SEE OR IS THAT PRESENTED TO YOUR BOARD? LIKE, WHAT WOULD THAT PRESENTATION LOOK LIKE? OR IS THAT INTERNAL?
>> NO, I'D BE HAPPY TO COME BACK AND DO A COA ANALYSIS TO YOU ALL.
SO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
>> GONZALES: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND SO THAT AS WE'RE TRYING TO PRIORITIZE TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR CITY, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IF YOU REALLY FOCUSED ON THE CORE SERVICES AND DID SOMETHING ELSE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WERE OUTSIDE 410, FOR EXAMPLE, OR WHERE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TRANSIT IS, AND WHAT WOULD THAT DO TO THE COST.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT PRESENTED TO US AT SOME POINT.
AND THE OTHER THING I THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS YOU'RE KIND OF GOING THROUGH THAT, OR I GUESS ONE THING THAT WE KNOW IN BUSINESS, IT'S MUCH EASIER TO KEEP YOUR EXISTING CUSTOMER AND BUILD ON THAT THAN IT IS TO TRY AND ATTRACT NEW CUSTOMERS.
SO THEN WHY NOT -- DOES THAT SAME MODEL EXIST IN TRANSPORTATION?
THAT'S WHY A LOT OF OUR FARE STRUCTURE IS BASED UPON REPEAT USE.
AND WE'RE ABOUT TO INTRODUCE A SMART CARD, AND THE SMART CARD WILL GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE -- YOU KNOW, FOR EVERY TEN TRIPS YOU PAY, YOU GET A BONUS TRIP, FOR EXAMPLE.
BUT OUR MONTHLY PASS, FOR EXAMPLE, IS $38.
IT'S ABOUT THE LEAST EXPENSIVE MONTHLY PASS IN THE UNITED STATES AMONG ANY KIND OF MAJOR CITIES, AND THAT REALLY ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO GET THE MONTHLY PASS AT 38 RATHER THAN SPEND 2.75 EVERY DAY AND TO MAKE MORE TRIPS.
GET A DAY PASS TO START, A WEEKLY PASS, AND THEN A MONTHLY PASS, BECAUSE THOSE PASSES ARE LIKE PREPAY.
AND SO EXTRA TRIPS, YOU DON'T THINK IN TERMS OF WELL, I DON'T HAVE THE FARE FOR THAT NEXT TRIP, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT THE FARE FOR ALL THE TRIPS YOU NEED.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS WE DO IN THE SYSTEM TO SUPPORT MAINTAINING THE RIDERSHIP WE HAVE.
AND WHEN DO YOU EXPECT TO ROLL THAT OUT?
>> THE SMART CARD? LATER THIS YEAR.
SO ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE -- FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE BEAUTIFUL SHELTERS, BUS SHELTERS IN THE DISTRICT.
I DON'T KNOW, I'VE SEEN THEM ALL OVER MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE CITYWIDE, BUT I KNOW THAT ALONG C ZARZAMORA, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF ARTISTIC DESIGN.
I WAS CONTACTED BY EMAIL FROM SOMEBODY THAT WAS TRAVELING THAT
[00:40:01]
SAID THEY SAW THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BUS SHELTERS.THAT ONE'S NOT NEW, BUT IT WAS PART OF AN ART PROJECT.
>> THE ZARZAMORA CORE RIDOR IS PRIMEAUX CORRIDOR.
THE ONE THAT'S OPEN ON ZARZAMORA AND THE ONE THAT WILL OPEN LATER THIS SUMMER ON SOUTHEAST MILITARY.
SO ART AND TRANSIT WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THAT PROJECT.
>> GONZALES: SO THOSE -- THEY'RE VERY BEAUTIFUL.
AND I GUESS ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE -- AND I HAD MENTIONED THIS ON THE DAIS THE OTHER DAY WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SCOOTER ISSUE.
ONE THING I'VE LEARNED, VERY EARLY ON, I WAS OPPOSED TO UBER, AND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL REMEMBER THIS.
PART OF IT WAS BECAUSE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT.
I WOULD THINK, WELL, WHAT'S SO INNOVATIVE ABOUT GIVING SOMEBODY A RIDE? I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN GIVING PEOPLE RIDES FOR A LONG TIME.
AND THEN I WAS ALSO THINKING, BUT IT'S DANGEROUS AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET IN A CAR WITH A STRANGER.
BUT WHAT I DO UNDERSTAND NOW IS THAT THESE THINGS ARE NOT IN ISOLATION.
I MEAN, PART OF THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN THAT WE'RE DOING, THE CONNECT S.A. THAT WE'RE DOING, S.A. TOMORROW, THE EQUITY BUDGET, THEY'RE ALL RELATED.
BUT WE OFTEN THINK INDEPENDENTLY AND SEPARATELY.
AND SO THE PURPOSE OF THE BUS IS NOT TO BE DRIVING BUSES AROUND.
IT'S TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO SERVICES.
THE PURPOSE OF UBER IS NOT TO PROMOTE SMALL BUSINESSES OR PEOPLE TO BE DRIVING AROUND.
IT'S TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO SERVICES, WHETHER IT'S SCHOOL OR FAMILY OR WORK OR WHATEVER.
AND I SEE THAT THE SCOOTERS AND THE MULTI-USE ALSO IN THE SAME WAY.
THEY'RE USED TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO SERVICES.
SO, WHY ARE WE NOT -- IT SEEMS LIKE VIA STILL IS SORT OF OPERATING IN ISOLATION.
TO THE FACT THAT WE ARE TRYING TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO SERVICES.
SO WHY NOT CREATE AN APP OR WHATEVER THAT CAN USE ALL OF THOSE MODES TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO REALLY WHERE THEY'RE GOING? SO I KNOW THAT VIA HAS AN APP, I HAVE IT.
BUT ALL IT DOES IS CONNECT THE ROUTES.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY CONNECT PEOPLE TO --
>> ACTUALLY, THERE ARE BUTTONS THAT WILL CONNECT YOU TO THE BIKE SHARES.
>> I THINK THAT THERE'S A BUTTON THAT WILL CONNECT YOU.
BUT LET ME BROADEN THAT RESPONSE.
>> GONZALES: SO I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND MY QUESTION AND WHY I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THESE -- ALL OF THESE THINGS MUCH MORE BROADLY THAN, YOU KNOW, JUST VIA IN ISOLATION.
AND EVEN OUR SIDEWALK NETWORK AND HOW DOES THAT CONNECT AND OUR MOBILITY, MICROMOBILITY, AND HOW DOES THAT CONNECT.
NOT JUST TO THE MORE LOGICAL PLACES LIKE THE MED CENTER, BUT LIKE YOUR HOME.
I MEAN, WHY CAN'T YOU CONNECT HOME TO HOME? RATHER HOME TO WORK OR HOME TO DESTINATION, AND HAVE VIA BE A PART OF THAT.
>> I'LL JUST TELL YOU THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSIT INDUSTRY IS FOCUSED ON A UNIVERSAL APP.
THE SECOND THING IS THERE ARE CHALLENGES TO THAT.
FOR EXAMPLE, HOW MANY DIFFERENT SCOOTER COMPANIES HAVE OPENED OVER THE LAST YEAR.
AND THEY EACH HAVE TO BE WILLING TO SHARE.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT UBER AND LYFT GENERALLY WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IF THE OTHER ONE IS ALREADY.
SO WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO BUILDS OUR APPS, AND THEY SAID, WELL, ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES IS IF WE INCLUDE LYFT ON THE APP, UBER WON'T PARTICIPATE, AND WE CAN'T FORCE THEM TO.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE PARTNER WITH UBER AND LYFT, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR FIESTA.
IT WAS ALWAYS A CONCERN TO ME THAT PEOPLE WHO DID PARK AND RIDE, SOME OF THEM MAY NOT REALLY BE IN A GOOD SHAPE TO DRIVE THE CAR OFF WHEN THEY GET OFF OUR BUS.
SO WE HAD A PARTNERSHIP WITH UBER THAT PROVIDED THAT LAST MILE CONNECTION.
WE HAVE A PROJECT RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE CALLING MOBILITY HUBS.
WE'VE ASKED THE BIKES AND THE SCOOTERS AND THE UBERS AND THE LYFTS, ANYBODY ELSE TO TALK TO US AT CERTAIN LOCATIONS WITHIN THE SERVICE AREA WHERE IT MAKES SENSE, WHERE WE HAVE THE INTEGRATION, LIKE FIVE POINT OR CENTRAL PLAZA.
WE'VE ASKED THEM TO COME TO US AND SAY WHAT COULD WE DO TO HELP PARTNER BETTER, INCLUDING INTEGRATING OUR FARE.
SO MAYBE A $45 MONTHLY PASS BUYS YOU UNLIMITED USE OF METRO AND UNLIMITED USE OF THE BIKES.
SO WE ARE DEFINITELY WORKING AT THAT, AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT CONNECT S.A. IS ESPOUSING, AND WE ARE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING.
>> GONZALES: WELL, I HOPE THAT THAT BECOMES PART OF -- I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF CONNECT S.A. OR EXACTLY WHERE WE PUT THAT IN THERE, THAT IT'S A
[00:45:03]
TECHNOLOGY FOR TRANSPORTATION, NOT JUST SEPARATE UBER, SEPARATE TRANSIT OR BEST SYSTEM, SEPARATE -- WALKABILITY.AND I'M SAYING THE WALKABILITY COMPONENT, BECAUSE WE ALSO NEED TO IMPROVE OUR SIDEWALK NETWORKS.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT A LOT.
BUT EVERY BUS RIDE IS GOING TO REQUIRE THAT FIRST AND LAST MILE.
IS THERE THAT WHOLE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT EVERY SINGLE STEP OF THE WAY.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE I WAS RECENTLY TRAVELING, AND I WAS -- I WAS ABLE TO USE MULTIPLE FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION TO ARRIVE AT MY DESTINATION, SO IT STARTED FROM MY HOTEL, WITH AN UBER RIDE, TO THE TRANSIT STATION, WHICH THEN TOOK A BUS INTO THE CORE OF THE CITY, WHICH THEN I USED A SCOOTER AND A BICYCLE SHARED TO GET TO THE NEXT DESTINATION, AND THEN I WALKED A LOT.
AND SO GRANTED, THAT WAS LEISURE, SO I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHERE I MIGHT LIKE TO GO.
I WASN'T PRESSED, AND I WAS ALSO BY MYSELF.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY CHILDREN WITH ME.
BUT IT SEEMED TO ME LIKE WE'RE JUST NOT -- WE ARE JUST NOT QUITE GETTING IT RIGHT.
I DON'T MEAN WE IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT WE AS A SOCIETY ARE NOT GETTING IT RIGHT.
WE'RE STILL MAKING IT VERY COMPLICATED FOR THE INDIVIDUAL TO GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
YET EACH INDIVIDUAL THING HAS ITS OWN TECHNOLOGY.
SO, I WANTED TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE IT'S BEEN ON MY MIND A LOT AS WE'RE TRYING TO EVOLVE OUR CITY IN A WAY THAT CONNECTS PEOPLE TO SERVICES, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
SO, NOT ABOUT WHAT -- I MEAN, THE FORUM OF THE TRANSPORTATION IS IMPORTANT AS WELL, BUT PRIMARILY CONNECTING PEOPLE TO SERVICES.
AND SO MY LAST QUESTION, OR I GUESS MY LAST COMMENT, IS THAT IN MY -- ALSO IN MY STUDIES, I MENTIONED THIS IN OUR TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEETING LAST WEEK, WAS THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, THE TWO PRIMARY THINGS THAT WILL GET PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CARS AND USING TRANSIT ARE FREQUENCY OF SERVICE AND THE COST OF PARKING.
AND SO I KNOW THAT YOU ALL DON'T DO COST OF PARKING, BUT I WANTED TO TELL THAT TO MY COLLEAGUES, BECAUSE WE IN SAN ANTONIO AND IN EVERY CITY -- ALMOST EVERY CITY IN THE COUNTRY, NOT JUST US, HEAVILY SUBSIDIZE PARKING.
AND AS A RESULT, PEOPLE WILL DRIVE EVERYWHERE BECAUSE IT'S THE EASIEST THING.
AND SO UNTIL WE RECOGNIZE AS A CITY THAT SUBSIDIZING PARKING IS COSTING US A LOT OF OTHER PROBLEMS, THEN WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THE SAME OLD THING.
SO I HOPE THAT WE TAKE THOSE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, THAT WE NEED TO REALLY CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT SUBSIDIZING PARKING IS THE BEST THING FOR OUR CITY.
AND THAT FREQUENCY OF SERVICE SHOULD BE A PRIORITY ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE.
SO, IN MY VERY LIMITED EXPERIENCE, WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING THESE VERY LONG DISTANCES ANYWAY.
NOT ONLY ARE THEY ANY WAY IT TAKES TOO LONG TO GET FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER, BUT AS A SYSTEM, WE SHOULD BE REALLY CONCENTRATING OUR EFFORTS INTO THE AREAS WHERE THERE'S ALREADY THE MOST -- WHERE THERE'S ALREADY THE MOST SERVICES.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS, AND, OF COURSE, FUNDING IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.
AND SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE FUNDING IS THE LEAST OF THE PROBLEMS. IF WE FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE PRIORITY, WE CAN WORK ON FUNDING.
BUT WHEN WE DON'T HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE NETWORK IS, THEN WE TEND TO NOT FUND THINGS APPROPRIATELY.
SO, I HOPE THAT WE'LL HAVE THIS CONVERSATION FURTHER IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WORK FOR VIA.
>> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN GONZALES.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US I THINK A GOOD OVERVIEW OF THE EFFECT THAT THE COUNCIL HAS HAD ON PUTTING SOME OF OUR GENERAL FUND MONEY INTO SUPPORTING VIA.
AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE GETTING POSITIVE RESULTS OUT OF THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO HOPEFULLY CONTINUE THAT PROCESS AS A
[00:50:03]
COUNCIL.ONE THING THAT I HOPE TO HEAR FROM SOON IS WHAT ARE YOUR MORE EXPANSIVE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
I KNOW THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING THESE THINGS.
YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING AT OUR SAN ANTONIO GROWTH PLANS AND LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN INCORPORATE THOSE THINGS INTO TRANSPORTATION.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CONNECT S.A. OVERVIEW AND EVERYTHING.
SHOULD WE BE EXPECTING TO HEAR SOMETHING ABOUT A MORE DETAILED PLAN FOR TRANSPORTATION WITH VIA AS A PARTNER IN THE FUTURE SOMETIME SOON?
>> WE CALL THAT VIA RE-IMAGINED.
AND IF THAT GUY DOES HIS JOB, YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT IT.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, WE NEED TO DO MORE ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, AND I THINK VIA IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THAT.
AS A LITTLE ASIDE, HOW'S OUR NEW PARK AND RIDE SITUATION, THE STATION OUT ON 281?
>> ON 281? WE CONTINUE TO SEE SOME GROWTH OUT OF THERE, BUT I STILL BELIEVE THAT WITH THAT CONSTRUCTION IN THAT AREA, IT KIND OF DISCOURAGES PEOPLE FROM FIGHTING THEIR WAY THROUGH WHAT LOOKS LIKE -- I HAVEN'T BEEN OUT THERE FOR A LONG TIME, AND IT WAS LIKE -- KIND OF ALMOST LIKE A BATTLE ZONE TO SOME DEGREE BECAUSE IT'S SO WIDE AND SO MUCH CONSTRUCTION.
WHEN THAT CONSTRUCTION CLEARS, OF COURSE, WE'LL ALSO HAVE THE FLYOVER INTO THE INITIAL HOV TREATMENT IN 281.
I THINK THAT'S WHEN WE'LL REALLY START SEEING A RESPONSE.
AND YOU AND I TALKED FOR A FEW MINUTES ABOUT ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL STOPS ON THAT NORTH-SOUTH RUN AT THE AIRPORT.
SO, WHAT ARE YOU ENVISIONING FOR THAT? BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE NORTH SIDE WHO FLY QUITE OFTEN AND I'VE BEEN ASKED, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A WAY TO USE YOUR FACILITY TO PARK AND GET A RIDE TO THE AIRPORT AND AVOID HAVING TO PARK DOWN THERE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS PEOPLE WHO ARE PRIMARILY GOING INTO DOWNTOWN AND DIVERTING THEM, BECAUSE NOTHING WILL DISCOURAGE YOU FROM CONTINUING THAT ON YOUR COMMUTE DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY.
WE ALL KNOW LIKE WHEN YOU TAKE AN AIRPORT SHUTTLE AND IT STOPS AT FIVE HOTELS.
WELL, THAT'S FINE IF YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO DO THAT ON A VACATION OR A BUSINESS TRIP, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO TRAVEL THAT DAY DAY AFTER DAY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT AN INDEPENDENT ROUTE WHICH WOULD, IN FACT, CONNECT THE NORTH SIDE.
THAT INVESTMENT WE HAVE TO THE AIRPORT AREA, AND THAT IS PART OF THE COA PROCESS.
SO WE'LL BE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THAT?
>> COURAGE: WERE YOU THINKING A YEAR, TWO, THREE DOWN THE LINE FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS?
>> THE INITIAL -- OR THE CURRENT PLAN IS AT LEAST SOME OF THE COA COULD GO IN AS EARLY AS NEXT JANUARY.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, AND I WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILMAN SALDANA FOR REALLY SHOWING SOME LEADERSHIP ON THAT.
I THINK YOU REALLY HIT A HOME RUN ON THIS EFFORT.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S TRULY IMPACTING A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT VIDEO TO SHOW US HERE TODAY.
NOT EVERYBODY GETS TO SAY THANK YOU AND TO REFLECT THAT IN THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE GETTING TO UTILIZE, BUT I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING YOUR FUTURE EFFORTS, AND I CAN SAY THAT OUR FIELD OFFICE CERTAINLY APPRECIATES THE NEW BUS SHELTER THAT WE HAVE THERE, AND PEOPLE HAVE USED IT TO COME VISIT OUR FIELD OFFICE FREQUENTLY.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED TO YOU EARLY ON ABOUT WAS MAKING SURE THAT WE PROVIDED A NICE BUS SHELTER THERE AND REAL CONNECTIVITY TO OUR FIELD OFFICE, AND IT'S PROVEN TO WORK REALLY, REALLY WELL.
>> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
WHERE YOU HAVE THE RIDERSHIP GROWTH ON THE PARTNERSHIP ROUTES.
I THINK YOU GOT A SERIES OF THREE DIFFERENT SLIDES THERE CULMINATING INTO A FINAL ONE.
>> OH, YEAH, I KNOW WHICH ONE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
>> YOU WANT ME TO SHOW ALL THREE PROBABLY, RIGHT?
YOU KNOW, JUST FOR MY SAKE, THE PERCENTAGES REALLY AREN'T TELLING ME ANYTHING.
OKAY, MAYBE ON A GRAND SCALE, BUT WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW IS HOW MANY RIDERS, THE ACTUAL NUMBERS.
I THINK THAT'S MORE IMPACTFUL THAN SAYING WE HAD A 3% GROWTH
[00:55:01]
OR 20% GROWTH OVER IN AUGUST.DOES THAT MEAN 100 RIDERS TO 105 RIDERS, THAT KIND OF THING? I THINK IF YOU PUT THE ACTUAL NUMBERS ON THERE, IT'S MORE IMPACTFUL TO SHOW HOW MANY PEOPLE IT'S IMPACTING.
THE PERCENTAGES REALLY DON'T TELL ME ANYTHING.
AND SO AS I SAID AT THE VERY END, THERE WERE ABOUT 15,000 TRIPS AND NOW IT'S ABOUT 20,000 TRIPS.
>> PERRY: I'D LOVE TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS UP THERE VERSUS THE PERCENTAGES.
THE OTHER THING IS, YOUR STAFF CAME OVER THE OTHER DAY AND HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT IT, BUT THIS A PARTICULAR RETURN ON INVESTMENT, RIGHT? I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE ADDED FOR THE COUNCIL HERE, WHAT'S THE TOTAL COST PER RIDER IN SAN ANTONIO? WHAT IS OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT PER RIDER? IS IT $5? IS IT $100? IS IT $1,000 PER RIDER? AND BENCHMARK THAT AGAINST THE OTHER CITIES WHERE THEY MUST -- AND I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT --
AND I WOULD LOVE TO SHOW THAT TO YOU.
>> PERRY: AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT ALSO.
YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH ARE WE SPENDING PER RIDER OUT THERE FOR THIS BUS SERVICE.
AND THEN THE LAST THING I MENTIONED TO THEM ALSO ABOUT THESE HEAVY BIG BUSES GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE ANY FUTURE PLANS.
I KNOW WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT POSSIBLY BATTERY OPERATED VEHICLES, BUT HOW ABOUT LET'S GET SOME SMALLER BUSES OUT THERE, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT IMPACTS ON THESE LARGE, BIG, BULKY BUSES TRAVELING THIS MUCH ON OUR HIGHWAYS HERE, AND THE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR, NOT ONLY ON THE BUSES THEMSELVES, BUT ON THE ROADS ALSO.
AND APPRECIATE ALL THESE CONCRETE HARD STANDS Y'ALL HAVE PUT OUT THERE ON THE BUS STOPS THEMSELVES.
BUT YOU LOOK AROUND OUR STREETS HERE, YOU'LL SEE THE REAL IMPACT OF THOSE BUSES TRAVELING DOWN THE STREETS.
AND WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE -- IS THAT SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT STRATEGICALLY DOWN THE ROAD ON MAYBE BACKING OFF ON THE ACTUAL BUS SIZE.
AND I KNOW THERE'S TRADEOFFS LIKE, WELL, THE SMALLER BUSES COST JUST AS MUCH AS THE BIG BUS, THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT THERE'S OTHER IMPACTS THAT GO ALONG WITH THOSE HEAVY, BIG BUSES.
SO WE'D REALLY LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT IN THE FUTURE ALSO.
>> SO WE ARE ABOUT TO GO IN THE STREET WITH AN ELECTRIC BUS PROCUREMENT, WHICH ARE SOMEWHAT SMALLER BUSES.
IN GENERAL, THE REASON THE INDUSTRY DOESN'T TEND TO GO THAT WAY IS BECAUSE YOU BUY THE FLEET FOR THE PEAK, IF YOU WILL, AND IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO SAY I'M GOING TO HAVE TWO VEHICLES FOR THAT ROUTE.
THIS SET OF VEHICLES WE'RE GOING TO RUN IN THE PEAK AND IN THIS SET WE'RE GOING TO RUN ON THE MIDDAY AND THE WEEKEND, BECAUSE YOU'VE ESSENTIALLY BOUGHT TWO VEHICLES FOR EACH TIME.
BUT, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE'S NOT OPPORTUNITIES, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT THE OUTLYING AREAS OF SMALLER BUSES, ACTUALLY MOD TO SOME EXTENT.
IT'S GOING TO REPLACE LARGE BUSES WITH VANS.
>> PERRY: IT'S A BALANCING ACT.
BUT I'D LIKE TO EXPLORE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND DEEPER IN THE FUTURE FOR VIA.
>> PERRY: OTHER THAN THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, JEFF.
NUMBER ONE, I THINK YOU NEED MORE MONEY.
I THINK THIS PROVES THAT YOU'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WERE GIVEN TO YOU.
TO COUNCILMAN SALDANA'S POINT, THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL VOTED ON THIS, BUT THIS ENTIRE COUNCIL, JUST TO FOLLOW UP WITH HIM, REAFFIRMED THAT IN THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE AS WELL.
SO ALL OF US HAVE ALREADY PUT OUR VOTE ON SUPPORTING THIS GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THE NEXT COUNCIL DOES THE SAME.
I THINK YOU'VE SHOWN WHAT IS RARE IN GOVERNMENT NOWADAYS, WHICH IS GIVEN THE CASH, I MEAN, CLEAR AND DIRECT RESULTS THAT SHOWED A DIRECT EFFECT IN PEOPLE'S LIVES, IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT YOU GET TO SEE THE MONEY GO TO THE LOCATION, THEN SOMETHING TRANSFORM OR CHANGE, AND THEN LITERALLY PEOPLE AT THE END OF IT SAYING GOOD THINGS.
SO YOU KIND OF HIT EVERYTHING REAL KEY.
I THINK YOU'VE DONE FANTASTIC WORK WITH IT.
IF I'M WRITING A MAJOR TRANSPORTATION AND OUR ABILITY TO EXPAND THAT TO EVERY PORTION OF THIS CITY AND WE SHOULD BE GUNNING FOR -- YOU KNOW WHAT I WANT TO KNOW? WHAT'S IT GOING TO COST TO GET THAT SYSTEM UNDER 15 MINUTES.
YOU NEED TO THINK BIGGER AND PUSHING FOR MORE CASH.
WE HAVE THE MONEY TO ALLOCATE TO TRANSPORTATION, AND VIA IS A CORE SERVICE TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DELIVERING ON THAT FOR YOU.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE VOTES IN THE FUTURE.
YOU DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TO PUT THE THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE AT THE END, WHAT THEY SAID TO CITY COUNCIL, BUT THAT'S LIKE A MAJOR DEAL CLOSURE.
[01:00:02]
REALLY LET'S TALK ABOUT, IF YOU COULD, WE SHOULD COME BACK AND SAY WHAT'S MORE? DON'T COME IN HERE JUST ASKING FOR THE TEN.IF I GO DO THE JOB I'M ASKING FOR MORE AND I'M HOPING TO LAND SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO IT.
LET'S TALK ABOUT PUSHING MORE ROUTES FORWARD AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE TO GET YOUR SYSTEM WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
THERE ARE OTHER AVENUES OF FINANCING BEYOND OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS THAT WE NEED TO REALLOCATE AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN PUT THAT TOWARDS THIS PIECE.
IT'S A WORKFORCE JOB CREATION PIECE, WAGES AND HOMES, IT'S HOUSING AND ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT CONTINUES TO BE RECOGNIZED AND WE FIND YOU MORE MONEY AT THE END OF THE DAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BROCKHOUSE.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, JEFF, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND FOR COMING BACK TO US WITH THE NUMBERS THAT ARE REALLY COMPELLING AND WITH THE STORIES AND THE DEAL CLOSER.
AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA, FOR ORIGINATING ALL OF THIS BY TAKING THE BUS.
I ACTUALLY LIVE ON A STREET WHERE WE HAVE HOURLY SERVICE, AND I KNOW EXACTLY HOW HARD -- YOU HAVE THE BEST OF INTENTIONS BUT YOU MISS IT A COUPLE OF TIMES AND YOU'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO TRY ANYMORE.
AND I THINK YOU ALWAYS MAKE A COMPELLING CASE WHEN YOU DESCRIBE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE A LOWER, YOU KNOW, IT'S A HALF CENT TAX COMPARED TO A FULL CENT, AND THEN WE'RE DEALING WITH A LOWER TAX BASE TO BEGIN WITH, SO THAT EFFECT IS REALLY MULTIPLIED.
AND THE LACK OF FIXED GUIDEWAY FUNDING AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THE PRIMO ROUTE WAS BEING DEVELOPED, DID YOU CONSIDER -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE HERE YET.
SO I GUESS WHY ISN'T IT A FIXED GUIDEWAY SYSTEM ON FREDERICKSBURG? OR A DEDICATED RIGHT OF WAY ON PARTS OF FREDERICKSBURG.
>> I WAS NOT HERE AT THAT TIME, AND THERE MAY BE PEOPLE WHO CAN ANSWER THAT, BUT I CAN'T.
SO ONE THING THAT -- OH, BY THE WAY, COUNCILMAN SALDANA CHAIRS THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE FOR COUNCIL, AND ONE OF OUR RECENT TOPICS OF DISCUSSION WAS APPLYING FOR CMAC FUNDING FROM THE MPO, AND ONE OF THE ELIGIBLE FUNDING CATEGORIES IS MORE FREQUENT TRANSIT SERVICE.
SO I BELIEVE YOU'LL BE APPLYING FOR THAT?
>> AND WE ARE WORKING WITH CITY STAFF.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME IS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DOLLAR COST PER HOUR OF OUR SERVICE.
I KNOW WE HAVE LESS MONEY TO WORK WITH.
I THINK IT'S -- SORRY, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT IS COMPARED TO THE OTHER TRANSIT SYSTEMS.
>> THE SALES TAX, THE $188 MILLION?
OH, I MAY HAVE MISINTERPRETED THIS.
HOW MUCH IT COSTS US TO RUN AN HOUR OF SERVICE VERSUS HOW MUCH IT COSTS --
>> SANDOVAL: OTHER AGENCIES TO RUN AN HOUR OF SERVICE.
AND OPERATING EXPENSE PER REVENUE HOUR.
SO WE'RE BELOW THE OTHER ONES, ALWAYS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT OUR CUSTOMERS AREN'T GETTING THAT OTHERS ARE GETTING FOR THAT.
>> WHAT I WOULD SAY IS -- THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS THE CUSTOMERS ARE NOT GETTING ANYTHING.
I MEAN, ASIDE FROM OBVIOUSLY THE TOTAL DOLLARS INFLUENCE FREQUENCY.
ASIDE FROM THAT, WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THE STAFF IS NOT GETTING SLEEP.
WE HAVE A VERY FLAT ORGANIZATION.
>> SANDOVAL: THAT SOUNDS DANGEROUS FOR BUS OPERATORS.
>> YEAH, BUT THEY DON'T LET ME DRIVE A BUS.
WE DO HAVE A VERY FLAT ORGANIZATION, AND THE EXAMPLE I'LL GIVE YOU IS THAT HOUSTON METRO, THEIR BOARD CHALLENGED THE STAFF TO BENCHMARK THEIR STAFFING LEVELS.
YOU KNOW, I USED TO WORK THERE, SO I GOT A CALL FROM PEOPLE WHO KNEW ME, SENT ME THE CHARTS.
I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT VIA WAS NOT PART OF THEIR BENCHMARK.
ANY DISCUSSIONS REGARDING LATE-NIGHT SERVICE?
THAT'S, AGAIN -- SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING THIS COA HERE BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE REINVESTMENT, WHEN YOU REMOVE SOME OF THOSE OTHER SERVICES OR YOU REPLACE THEM WITH SOMETHING THAT COSTS LESS, THAT'S PART OF THE REINVESTMENT.
MORE WEEKEND SERVICE, LATER NIGHT SERVICE, MORE FREQUENT SERVICE.
NOW, YOU'LL GET THE BIGGEST BANG, WITHOUT DOUBT, THE MORE SERVICE IN THE MAIN TIME OF THE
[01:05:02]
DAY.THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE BIG BANG.
I'LL TELL YOU, HOUSTON, WHEN THEY DID A COA, THE BIGGEST RESULT THEY GOT WAS ON WEEKENDS BECAUSE THEY DOUBLED THEIR WEEKEND SERVICE.
>> SANDOVAL: AND THOSE WERE PEOPLE RIDING TO WORK, DO YOU IMAGINE? OR PEOPLE --
>> PROBABLY A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING.
>> SANDOVAL: THAT'S TREMENDOUS.
SO LAST QUESTION TO WRAP IT UP IS PART OF YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE RESOURCE TEAM FOR CONNECT SA.
SO CAN YOU JUST PROVIDE THAT LINK FOR ME.
FROM WHAT WE SAW, HOW ARE WE GOING TO IMPROVE THAT IF CONNECT SA COMES THROUGH? IS THAT GOING TO HELP WITH ADDITIONAL FREQUENCY OR IS IT JUST THE ROUTES?
>> SO CONNECT SA, AS IT IS TODAY, AND THEY ARE AN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION.
WE SIMPLY HAVE BEEN PROVIDING SUPPORT, IF YOU WILL, AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION.
HAVE PUT FORWARD A BLUEPRINT FOR HOW THE -- AND ACTUALLY, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES, IT REALLY FITS YOUR MODEL, WHICH IS RATHER THAN HERE'S HIGHWAYS, HERE'S MICROMOBILITY, WHICH COULD BE THE SCOOTERS OR THE BIKES, AND HERE'S TRANSIT, IT TRIES TO BRING THEM TOGETHER AS A SYSTEM.
SO ONE OF THE ELEMENTS OF CONNECT SA IS TO DEVELOP AN APP THAT WOULD GO ACROSS ALL MODES FROM A TRIP PLANNING AND A SERVICE PURCHASING PERSPECTIVE.
AND JUST I WANTED TO COMMENT A LITTLE BIT ON THE COUNCILWOMAN'S QUESTION REGARDING HAVING STRONGER SERVICE IN THE CORE, OR ELIMINATING SERVICE OUTSIDE OF THE CORE.
AND I THINK IT'S GREAT TO HAVE STRONGER SERVICE IN THE CORE.
YOU CAN RUN A LOT MORE EFFICIENTLY THERE THAN YOU CAN OUT IN THE SUBURBS.
NONETHELESS, I MEAN, A LOT OF OUR CITY, YOU KNOW, FOR GOOD OR FOR BAD, RIGHT, AS A RESULT OF LOTS OF ANNEXATIONS, IS OUTSIDE OF FIRE 410 TODAY.
AND SO OUR MANY EMPLOYMENT CENTERS TODAY.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW THAT WOULD WORK OUT IN THE LONG RUN IF WE CAN'T CONNECT THE EMPLOYMENT CENTERS TO WHERE PEOPLE LIVE.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A COA, WHAT IS THAT?
>> COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS, WHICH TAKES A LOOK AT IF YOU SAID THAT TRYING TO DRIVE FREQUENCY IS YOUR PRIMARY GOAL AND YET YOU WANT TO WORK AT AT LEAST MAINTAINING REASONABLE COVERAGE OR OPTIONS, HOW COULD YOU PUT THAT TOGETHER.
AND SO I WILL TELL YOU, I WAS THINKING ABOUT COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES' QUESTION ABOUT, WELL, THESE ROUTES ARE OUT THERE, IS IT BECAUSE OF POLITICAL PRESSURE OR? I WILL TELL YOU IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A COA THAT'S WHERE YOU WILL START -- IF WE IMPLEMENT A COA THAT SAYS WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS ROUTE AWAY IN ORDER TO PUT THIS, THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL START HEARING THE RESPONSES.
AND, AGAIN, I'LL GO TO HOUSTON, WHO DID A BIG COA.
THEY PUT FORWARD A PLAN AND THE LAST MINUTE THEY PUT $13 MILLION WORTH OF SERVICE BACK ON THE STREET BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC CONCERN.
SO THAT WILL BE THE TRADE-OFF.
>> SANDOVAL: YEAH, BECAUSE EVEN WHEN YOU NEED TO CUT ROUTES IN PLACES THAT ARE ALREADY SATURATED WITH BUS SERVICE, PEOPLE WILL FIND AN ALTERNATIVE, WHETHER IT'S THREE BLOCKS THAT WAY OR THREE BLOCKS THAT WAY.
BUT WHEN YOU ELIMINATE A WHOLE SWATH AND THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE, IT'S EITHER A CAB OR FINDING A NEW JOB, REALLY, OR BUYING A CAR WHICH EATS INTO OUR INCOME.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JEFF, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I THINK YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.
AGAIN, WE ARE THE MOST CHALLENGED TRANSIT SYSTEM IN THE STATE IN ANY OF THE METRO AREAS.
AND I KNOW EVERY TIME YOU COME TALK TO US WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO MORE.
WHEN YOU TELL US, I HAVE LESS.
AND WE ALWAYS TELL YOU TO DO MORE, AND YOU DO IT SO GRACIOUSLY.
I WOULD SAY WE HAVE GREAT HOPES FOR OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM WITH YOU AT THE HELM AND WITH THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE FROM HERE, FROM CITY COUNCIL.
BUT I HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT -- WELL, I SAID THE STAFF DOESN'T SLEEP, I HAVE A WONDERFUL STAFF.
AND IT'S ALL OF THAT STAFF PULLING TOGETHER THAT GETS IT DONE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
JUST A FOLLOW UP THAT I WANTED TO ASK.
I KNOW PETER OR ERIK, THIS IS, I THINK, ONE OF THOSE ISSUES THAT WOULD BE WORTH A FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION IF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
SINCE I KNOW THERE ARE SOME FOLKS IN THE ROOM HERE, LIKE BRIAN DILLARD, THE NEXT CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER.
IT HELPS TO GET PEOPLE IN THE ROOM TO SAY WHAT IMAGINATION CAN PUT TOGETHER IF WE WERE TO
[01:10:02]
CONSIDER THE WINDFALL OF SUPPORT.THE EXERCISE IS IMPORTANT, I THINK IS THE POINT I'M MAKING, ABOUT WONDERING AND DREAMING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU HAD EXTRA RESOURCES AND EXTRA INVESTMENT TO MAKE.
THE COA IS SOMETHING WE'RE CURIOUS ABOUT, BUT I THINK THE COA, WHICH IS USUALLY AN EFFICIENCY TOOL, IT WOULD BE -- I'M EAGER TO KNOW WHAT YOU COULD DO PAST THE COA INTO THE FUTURE, IF THAT MEANS WEEKEND SERVICE, 24-HOUR SERVICE, DOUBLING DOWN INTO THE SOME OF THE CORRIDORS OR DEDICATED ROUTES.
I THINK I'D REALLY LIKE OUR INNOVATION OFFICE TO HELP US THINK ABOUT THAT LONG TERM, NOT JUST WITHIN ONE BUDGET CYCLE.
I'LL ASK THAT OF PETER, IF HE'S HERE.
AND ERIK IF WE CAN GET IT ON THE AGENDA.
AND, FINALLY, THE OTHER PIECE -- I MADE A MISTAKE IN SAYING THAT THIS WAS -- THIS COUNCIL, IN PARTICULAR THE FOLKS AROUND THE TABLE TODAY ARE PROBABLY THE FOLKS WHO HAVE REAFFIRMED THIS MORE THAN MOST IN EACH ONE OF OUR BUDGET CYCLES.
AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO SAY WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE GET TO HAVE THIS PRESENTATION, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE YOU PUNCHED YES INTO SUPPORTING VIA, AND WE HOPE THAT FUTURE COUNCILS WILL DO THE SAME.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
>> THAT WAS A GOOD FIRST ONE, RIGHT?
[2. Briefing on the San Antonio Urban Lighting Master Plan [Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager; John Jacks, Director, Center City Development & Operations]]
HAVE BEEN BETTER.MAYOR, COUNCIL, THE SECOND ITEM IS A PRESENTATION FROM A CONSULTANT, COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE CONTRACT WITH THEM LAST YEAR FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SAN ANTONIO URBAN LIGHTING MASTER PLAN.
TOTAL COST OF THE PLAN WAS HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
THE CITY PAID FOR HALF OF THAT AND CPS CONTRIBUTED THE OTHER HALF.
THE MASTER PLAN IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE WITH THE UPGRADE OR REPLACEMENT OF LIGHTING SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.
THE CONSULTANTS HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH PARKS, TCI, ARTS AND CULTURAL SINCE LAST YEAR, RESULTING IN APPROPRIATE LIGHTING STANDARDS THAT THEY'LL BE SHARING WITH YOU FOR OUR DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS, PARKS, AND PUBLIC ARTS PROJECTS.
JOHN JACKS IS GOING TO START US OFF AND WILL CLOSE US UP AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
>> BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE SOME IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.
FIRST OF ALL, OUR CONSULTANTS, DEAN AWEDDERSON AND RANDY BURRKET ARE HERE TODAY.
RANDY WILL GIVE THE PRESENTATION AND HE'LL KIND OF DIVE INTO THE DETAILS OF THE PLAN.
ERIK ALSO MENTIONED THAT HAD CPS DID PAY FOR HALF OF THE STUDY.
CPS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDER AND IS PART OF OUR TEAM.
REALLY WE'RE THE CHAMPIONS FOR DOWNTOWN AND IT'S REALLY MY JOB TO CHEER ON THESE TEAM MEMBERS.
THEY IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN THROUGH THEIR VARIOUS PROJECTS.
SO THERE'S MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THIS AND THAT WILL HELP IMPLEMENT THE PLAN.
AND THEY'RE ALL REPRESENTED HERE TODAY.
DEBBIE IS HERE WITH ARTS AND CULTURE.
AND, FINALLY, BRIAN DILLARD FROM INNOVATION IS ALSO PART OF THIS, BECAUSE DOWNTOWN IS AN INNOVATION ZONE.
SO, AGAIN, IT'S OUR JOB AT CCDO TO CHEER THEM ON AS THEY IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THIS PLAN AND THE VARIOUS PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE AS THEY GO FORWARD.
SO I'LL DIVE INTO THIS REAL QUICK, KIND OF GO OVER HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
REALLY, THIS STARTED WITH A CPS STREET LIGHT REPLACEMENT THAT WAS REALLY CITYWIDE.
IT WAS UPGRADING THE LIGHTS TO LED.
AND WE WERE ASKED TO PUT THAT PROJECT ON HOLD, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA SO WE COULD HIRE A CONSULTANT AND DO A STUDY TO REALLY LOOK AT DOWNTOWN AND LOOK AT WHAT WAS APPROPRIATE FROM NOT ONLY A LIGHTING LEVEL, BUT ALSO THE COLOR OF THE LIGHTS.
SO ON FEBRUARY 8, 2018 YOU ALL APPROVED A CONTRACT WITH ALDERSON AND ASSOCIATES.
THAT ALSO INCLUDED RANDY BURKETT, WHO IS A LIGHTING CONSULTANT.
AGAIN, CPS AND THE CITY SPLIT THE COST FOR THIS PROJECT.
THE LIGHTING STUDY INCLUDED NOT JUST A STUDY BUT ALSO MOCK UPS OF BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN.
BECAUSE WE WANTED TO LOOK AT NOT
[01:15:04]
ONLY LIGHTING AS IT IS IMPLEMENTED THROUGH STREET LIGHTS AND PEDESTRIAN LIGHTS, BUT ALSO HOW LIGHTING PLAYS A ROLE ON THE BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN.SO THEY STUDIED EXISTING CONDITIONS IN THIS STUDY AREA, WHICH WAS LARGELY MADE UP OF THE DOWNTOWN PLUS THE KING WILLIAM AND LAVACA NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEY ALSO IMPLEMENTED TEMPORARY LIGHTING ON THREE BUILDINGS TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT OF THE QUALITY OF LIGHTING.
THE MASTER PLAN EFFORT HAS RESULTED IN THE GUIDELINES FOR LIGHTING.
THESE GUIDELINES INFORMED DOWNTOWN STREETS PROJECTS, LIGHTING PROJECTS, LIGHTING OF ART INSTALLATIONS, AND LIGHTING FOR URBAN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO RANDY, WHO IS GOING TO KIND OF GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THE PLAN AND GO OVER SOME OF THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF IT.
MAYOR, HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, FRIENDS AND GUESTS, NICE TO SEE YOU ALL.
AS JOHN POINTED OUT, FOR THE PAST 12 MONTHS OUR TEAM, LED BY ALDERSON ASSOCIATES, HAS SPEARHEADED A MASTER PLAN LIGHTING STUDY FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE SPECIFICS TODAY, BUT MY HOPE IS IN THE NEXT 20 MINUTES TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, SOME OF THE RESULTS, AND WHERE WE FEEL WE HAVE ARRIVED AT THIS POINT.
THE PROJECT BEGAN, AS I MENTIONED, IN FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE MASTER PLANS IN OTHER CITIES AND WORKED WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES IN SOLVING LIGHTING PROBLEMS. I HAVE TO COMMEND SAN ANTONIO FOR DECIDING TO CRAFT A MASTER PLAN FOR LIGHTING.
OFTENTIMES LIGHTING BECOMES A PATCHWORK QUILT OF GOOD AND BAD LIGHTING THROUGH DOWNTOWN OR A CITY CORE.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE CASE HERE BECAUSE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DO A MASTER PLAN.
THIS IS THE ONLY THING I'M GOING TO READ OFF THE SCREEN TODAY.
URBAN LIGHTING MASTER PLAN, DEFINE THE ROLE OF ILLUMINATION IN SUPPORTING, SUSTAINING, AND NURTURING THE NIGHTTIME URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
NOW, THAT SOUNDS RATHER LOFTY, AND OFTENTIMES IT'S REDUCED TO SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS NUMBERS, HOW MUCH LIGHT DO I HAVE? HOW MANY FOOT-CANDLES? WHAT'S THE COLOR OF MY LIGHT AND SO ON? BUT AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, OR MAYBE DON'T REALLY REALIZE OR CONSCIOUSLY THINK ABOUT, IS THAT LIGHTING IS FAR MORE THAN HOW MUCH LIGHT.
IN FACT, OFTENTIMES HOW MUCH LIGHT CAN BE A MISLEADING INDICATOR OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE GOOD LIGHTING.
AND YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT IN THE COMING MOMENTS.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN IN FRONT OF YOU THE BASIC BOUNDARY LINE OF THE STUDY AREA FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND I WON'T GO THROUGH THAT IN DETAIL, AS YOU SAW IT LAST YEAR WHEN YOU APPROVED THIS.
AND THIS WAS WHERE WE SET OUT TO DO OUR WORK.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF KEY EVENTS LEADING TO TODAY.
WE MENTIONED WE WERE HIRED BACK IN FEBRUARY.
THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS START TO GATHER OPINION AND STAKEHOLDER INPUT.
AND THAT PROCESS WAS ACTUALLY ONGOING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
MUCH OF IT TOOK PLACE UP FRONT BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO KNOW CERTAIN THINGS FROM STAKEHOLDERS, BE THEY A SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CITY OR AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE STREET WHO USES THIS AREA.
WHAT LIGHTING MEANT TO THEM AND WHAT ELEMENTS OF LIGHTING WERE IMPORTANT TO THEM AS STAKEHOLDERS.
IN FACT, WE HAD THREE PUBLIC OUTREACHES DURING THIS PROCESS.
AND EACH ONE WAS, I THINK, PRETTY WELL ATTENDED, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.
IT'S HARD TO GET PEOPLE OUT FOR THESE KINDS OF THINGS IN THE EVENINGS AFTER A HARD DAY OF WORK.
BUT WE HAD PRETTY GOOD ATTENDANCE AND REALLY GOOD INPUT FROM EVERYONE, AS I MENTIONED, STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CITY, CPS, AND SO FORTH.
BUT WE ALSO HAD INDIVIDUALS, INTERESTED PARTIES IN THE PRESS AND ELSEWHERE.
IN FACT, WE HAD PEOPLE WHO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT LIGHTING.
THEY REALLY CAME TO BE EDUCATED.
WE HAD ONE SESSION WHERE WE DID, NEAR THE END OF THE PROJECT, WHERE WE ACTUALLY MOCKED UP LIGHTING ON BUILDINGS TO DEMONSTRATE POWER AND THE BENEFITS OF LIGHTING THE HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE OF SAN ANTONIO.
ONE LAST THING, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T REACH AS MANY PEOPLE FACE-TO-FACE, WE DID AN ONLINE SURVEY.
WE HAD OVER 400 PEOPLE ANSWER THAT SURVEY.
AND I WON'T SHOW YOU THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS TODAY.
YOU'LL SEE THEM IN THE FINAL REPORT.
BUT THE THING THAT REALLY IN THIS PROCESS WAS [INDISCERNIBLE]
[01:20:07]
AS MANY AS THREE-FOURTHS OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK, OR USE DOWNTOWN AS A RESOURCE FOR ENTERTAINMENT, RECREATION, AND SO FORTH.THREE QUARTERS OF THEM FELT THAT LIGHTING PLAYED SOME ROLE IN THEIR DECISION MAKING, WHETHER IT WAS A POSITIVE DECISION OR A NEGATIVE.
I DON'T WANT TO GO THERE BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE'S ENOUGH LIGHT.
AND I THOUGHT THOSE WERE REALLY STRONG CORNERSTONES FOR WHAT WE WERE ABOUT TO DO.
SO LET ME JUST GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH RATHER RAPIDLY, BUT WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE FOR QUESTIONS HERE IN A FEW MINUTES.
GENERALLY SPEAKING THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION NOT ONLY TO GATHER FROM INDIVIDUALS, BUT WE CONDUCTED ABOUT FOUR MINUTES OF INFIELD SURVEY WORK, MOSTLY DONE BY MY COLLEAGUES, TEAM, ALDERSON ASSOCIATES.
THAT INCLUDED MEASUREMENTS BUT IT ALSO WAS OBSERVATIONAL.
WHAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT IS THERE? AT NIGHT IS THERE A LOT OF GLARE COMING FROM A LUMINARY? IS IT NON-UNIFORM LIGHT? DO PEOPLE AVOID CERTAIN AREAS BECAUSE OF A CERTAIN TYPE OF LIGHT? ALL OF THESE SORTS OF ANECDOTAL THINGS WERE IMPORTANT TO AS, AS WERE MEASUREMENTS.
AND OTHER THINGS ABOUT THE UNIQUE QUALITY OF LIGHT IN THE DOWNTOWN.
THERE REALLY WERE FOUR MAJOR COMPONENTS.
YOU CAN SEE THEM ON THE SCREEN.
STREETSCAPES, WHICH WE TALK ABOUT LIGHT FOR PEDESTRIANS AND VEHICLES AND BICYCLES AND SO FORTH.
BUT WE ALSO LOOK VERY CLOSELY AT CITY PARKS AS PART OF OUR ORIGINAL CHARGE.
AND WE ALSO FOUND ISSUES ABOUT CIVIC ART, PUBLIC ART, IF YOU WILL, BUILDING FACADES AND OTHER STRUCTURES IN DOWNTOWN WERE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
WE DID NOT WANT TO BE MYOPIC IN THE WAY WE LOOKED AT THIS PROJECT.
I SHOW SLIDES LIKE THIS TO CITIES, AND I THINK THIS PARTICULAR ONE WE OFTEN LOOK AT A STREET SCENE, LIKE YOU SEE HERE.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LIGHTING, OFTEN VERY QUICKLY THAT CONVERSATION IS REDUCED TO HOW MUCH LIGHT DO I HAVE ON THE STREET? HOW MUCH LIGHT DO I HAVE ON THE SIDEWALK? THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO NOPE.
WELL, THAT'S ONLY 15% OF WHAT THE HUMAN EYE SEES .
WE HAVE TO CONTROL TO THE DEGREE POSSIBLE WHAT GOES ON AROUND US, IN ORDER TO MAKE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
THE PERCEPTION OF SAFETY AND SECURITY.
THESE ARE ALL ELEMENTS IMPACTED BY THE QUALITY OF LIGHT, NOT JUST HOW MUCH LIGHT, WHERE IT IS.
ONE OF THE -- I KNOW THAT PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED ANY OF THESE SESSIONS KNOW I DRILL THIS INTO THOSE WHO WERE IN ATTENDANCE.
AND THAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING GLARE.
GLARE IS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ADVENT OF LEDS, WHICH ARE FRANKLY THE MOST EFFICIENT LIGHT SOURCE EVER CREATED ON EARTH THAT CAN BE USED FOR BENEFIT.
BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE SO POWERFUL AND STRONG, YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL IN HOW THEY'RE USED.
EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM HAS EXPERIENCED GLARE IN SOME WAY, WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT OR WHETHER YOU RECOGNIZE IT AS THAT WORD, WE ALL HAVE SEEN IT.
YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, RURAL HIGHWAY.
YOU'RE DRIVING AND YOUR HEADLIGHTS ARE ON.
THE LANE IN FRONT OF YOU IS BEAUTIFULLY LIGHTED.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE BETTER.
IN FACT, YOU'RE SQUINTING BECAUSE THEY'RE SO BRIGHT.
GLARE IS DEBILITATING TO THE VISUAL SYSTEM AND MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE.
NOT ONLY THAT, THE PERCEPTION WITH GLARE IN YOUR LINE OF SIGHT AND IN VISION, GLARE MAKES IT NOT ONLY MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE, BUT IT ALSO MAKES YOU UNSURE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS.
SO I MENTIONED THE FOUR COMPONENTS.
STREETSCAPES -- AGAIN, I WON'T GO THROUGH THESE THINGS BULLET BY BULLET.
BUT WE DID A LOT OF RESEARCH IN SURVEYING THE CITY.
WE SELECTED 30 DIFFERENT BLOCKS THAT WERE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STREETS IN GENERAL THROUGHOUT THIS SCOPE AREA.
WE FOUND MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
SOME WERE ADEQUATE, SOME WEREN'T.
WE NOTED DEFICIENCIES AS WE DID THIS.
ALSO STRENGTHS, BUT WE WERE REALLY INTERESTED IN WHAT WASN'T WORKING TOO AS WE WERE DEVELOPING THIS.
WE ESTABLISHED CRITERIA AS WE STARTED TO LEARN FROM WHAT IS IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE COMPARED IT TO DESIGN PRACTICE, THE KIND OF PRACTICE THAT WE DO AS PROFESSIONALS AND HOW CITIES ARE STARTING TO USE LIGHTING FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THEIR DOWNTOWNS.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO CONSTRUCT, AS I MENTIONED, A SET OF CRITERIA TO FOLLOW.
AND WE DON'T HAVE NUMBERS HERE, BUT JUST IN GENERAL YOU CAN SEE THE CATEGORIES.
BUT ALSO WE ESTABLISHED THAT THERE WERE THREE OR FOUR MAJOR ELEMENTS THAT WERE IMPORTANT TO
[01:25:01]
THE PLANNING OF LIGHTING DOWNTOWN IN THE SCOPE AREA.AND WE FELT THAT THERE WERE PROBABLY A HIERARCHY RELATIONSHIP OF POLES.
IF SOMEBODY IS IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE THEM.
THOSE ARE TECHNICAL SIDES OF LIGHTING.
A PEDESTRIAN DOES HAVE VERY DIFFERENT NEEDS .
THEY WANT TO SEE WHO'S WALKING TOWARD THEM.
THEY WANT TO SEE WHO THEY'RE WITH.
THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHERE THEY STEP OFF THE CURB.
THOSE ARE, AGAIN, FUNCTIONAL THINGS, BUT THEY ARE PSYCHOLOGICAL THINGS AND OTHER QUALITATIVE ASPECTS INVOLVED.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, LIGHT POLE TOPOGRAPHY.
THERE SHOULD BE PEDESTRIAN-SCALE POLES.
THINK OF HOUSTON STREET WHERE THE SCALE IS MUCH LOWER AND IT'S MUCH MORE RELATABLE BY PEDESTRIANS AND PEOPLE USING SIDEWALKS.
AND IT MAKES IT FEEL MORE OF A COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT.
AND THEN FINALLY WE FELT THAT MID-HEIGHT POLES ALSO SERVED A PURPOSE ON SOME OF YOUR STREETS.
AND YOU STARTED TO DO SOME OF THAT ALREADY, TO VARIOUS DEGREES OF SUCCESS.
ANOTHER THING WITH LED SOURCES ARE SUCH THAT WE CAN CREATE ALMOST ANY LIGHT COLOR WE WANT.
AND WE KNOW THAT IN THE EARLY DAYS OF LEDS THE COOL COLOR TEMPERATURES, THEY'RE HIGHER NUMBERS.
BUT THE COOLER SOURCES WERE MORE EFFICIENT AND DID PRODUCE MORE LIGHT.
TODAY NOW THAT THE IMPROVEMENTS IN LEDS, YOU CAN HAVE GOOD, WARM INVITING COLOR, ESPECIALLY IN RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES, WITHOUT SACRIFICING EFFICIENCY AND INTENSITY.
SO THE QUANTITATIVE CAN BE MET, WHICH IS WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT AS BEING ONE ASPECT.
BUT THE QUALITY OF THE LIGHT, COLOR RENDERING, WHAT DOES YOUR FLESH TONE LOOK LIKE? CAN YOU TELL WHERE YOUR CAR IS PARKED BY ITS COLOR IMMEDIATELY? THE VISUAL CUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE DOWNTOWN ENVIRONMENT, WHETHER YOU'RE LIVING THERE, WORKING THERE, OR PERHAPS OUT IN AN EVENING FOR A RESTAURANT OR AN EVENT.
AS WE SORTED THROUGH ALL THE STREET TYPES WITHIN THE SCOPE ZONE, WE NOTED THAT WE COULD DIVIDE THEM INTO BASICALLY FOUR MAJOR COMPONENTS WITH SOME VARIANCE WITHIN THAT.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, THE THREE TERMS ARE MINOR STREETS, SECONDARY STREETS, AND WHAT WE CALL THROUGH-WAYS.
LET ME DESCRIBE THESE VERY BRIEFLY.
A MINOR STREET IS ONE THAT IS PRINCIPALLY IS A DESTINATION.
OFTENTIMES IT'S RESIDENTIAL OR IT'S A SMALL COMMERCIAL STREET WITH RETAIL AND SO FORTH.
THESE ARE AREAS THAT PEOPLE COME TO DWELL OR, IN SOME CASES, LIVE.
THESE MINOR STREETS TYPICALLY DON'T NEED AS MUCH LIGHT BECAUSE TRAFFIC IS MUCH SLOWER, IT'S LESS FREQUENT.
THERE ARE FEWER CONFLICT AREAS WHERE SOMEONE MIGHT GET HIT BY A CAR.
FUNCTIONALLY SPEAKING, THE INTENSITY DOESN'T NEED TO BE AS HIGH.
NOW, COMPARE THAT WITH THE UPPER END, WHICH WE CALL A THROUGHWAY.
THAT'S PRINCIPALLY FOR VEHICLES.
CARS ARE WHIZZING BY, THERE MAY BE PEDESTRIANS.
BUT THE THROUGHWAYS ARE FOR DRIVERS MAKING DECISIONS IN THE VISUAL FIELD.
I SEE SOMETHING IN THE STREET.
OR I'M LOOKING FOR A STREET SIGN.
THEY'RE MAKING DECISIONS RAPIDLY AND THEY'RE GOING AT A HIGHER -- SO THIS IS A FUNCTIONAL ASPECT OF LIGHT.
AND THAT'S HOW WE WERE ABLE TO DEFINE THESE IN TERMS OF ACTIVITY.
IN ADDITION TO THE DEVELOPING THE HIERARCHY OF POLES AND STREET TYPES, WHAT COLOR IS APPROPRIATE FOR EACH AREA, MUCH OF THE FUTURE IS SAN ANTONIO LIES IN OTHER USES FOR LIGHT POLES.
AS A LIGHTING PROFESSIONAL I HAVE TO ADMIT I'M SOMEWHAT RELUCTANT TO THINK THAT ALL THESE LIGHT POLES ARE NOW GOING TO BECOME DIGITAL CENTERS FOR OUR CITY.
AN INNOVATION TEAM IS HERE TODAY SITTING IN ON THIS PRESENTATION.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM, BUT ALSO WITH CPS AND BSD, BECAUSE SOME OF THE EARLY STRUCTURE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF SMART CITIES IS ALREADY BEING ESTABLISHED IN CITIES AROUND THE WORLD.
EVEN HERE IN SAN ANTONIO THERE'S A DIGITAL MESH NETWORK IN MUCH OF WHAT HAS BEEN LAID OUT AS AN STRUCTURE COMPONENT BY CPS AND THEIR POLE DEPLOYMENTS.
BESD IS ABLE TO DIM CERTAIN PEDESTRIAN POLES IN THE DOWNTOWN.
NOW THAT'S SPECIFICALLY FOR LIGHTING CONTROL.
BUT YOUR OFFICE OF INNOVATION AND OTHER CITIES ARE STARTING TO USE LIGHT POLES FOR CENSORING, AIR QUALITY, TEMPERATURES, NOISE.
IN OUR CITY WHERE I LIVE, WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS HELPING WITH GUNSHOT DETECTION.
THAT'S AN ACOUSTICAL SENSOR USED
[01:30:03]
ON A SERIES OF POLES AND TRIANGULATING LOCATIONS.THE POLE INFRASTRUCTURE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND IT WILL CONTINUALLY EVOLVE, MUST NOW TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT OF A FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT OF MASTER PLANNING.
THAT MAY MEAN AT THIS MOMENT PUTTING A POLE OUT ON YOUR STREET.
IT MAY MEAN IT'S AN EMPTY CONDUIT THAT HAS TO GO IN TODAY.
WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING IN THREE YEARS, FIVE YEARS, TEN YEARS, MAYBE A YEAR FROM NOW.
WE DID WORK CLOSELY WITH THE INNOVATION TEAM IN THE USE CASES THEY ARE GOING TO BE PILOTING WITHIN THE CITY.
SO THERE'S A MESHING NOW OF THE TECHNOLOGY OF LIGHTING AND THE TECHNOLOGY OF SMART CITIES AND INNOVATION THAT'S TAKING PLACE THERE.
WHILE DOING THIS, WE NOTICED THAT THE WAY YOUR DOWNTOWN IS USED, THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT REALLY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES.
THAT IN MOST CITIES WE THINK OF AS BEING BACK WATERS TO THE DOWNTOWNS.
AND YOU SEE A COUPLE OF THEM ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW.
PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO -- AND WE'VE NOTICED THIS, IN A SENSE, AS AN OUTSIDER REVIEWING YOUR CITY, HOW PEOPLE CUT THROUGH ALLEYWAYS.
IN THE EVENING THEY'RE GOING TO A RESTAURANT, PERHAPS TO MEET A FRIEND AT ANOTHER ESTABLISHMENT, THEY'LL CUT THROUGH AN ALLEY.
THOSE AREAS CAN BE OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS, LET'S FACE IT, MANY URBAN AREAS, ALLEYWAYS NO ONE WANTS TO GO IN.
SOMEONE COULD BE WAITING AND HIDING FOR ME.
THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE CASE.
THEY CAN BE USED IN A MUCH MORE PROGRESSIVE MANNER AND A WAY TO MAKE IT ACTUALLY AN ASSET, AS OPPOSED TO A NEGATIVE FOR THE DOWNTOWN.
AND WE SEE THIS BEING DONE NOW.
WE SPOKE TO FOLKS AT THE UNIVERSITY TEXAS SAN ANTONIO AND OTHER PLACES, ON BROADWAY, ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THOSE UNDERPASSES, WHERE UNDERPASSES ARE UNDERUTILIZED.
THEY CAN BECOME, NOT DESTINATIONS, PER SE, BUT WE CAN REALLY SOFTEN WHAT I SHOWED YOU THERE IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, WHAT LOOKS VERY INSTITUTIONAL, ALMOST PRISONYARD LIKE AT THE UNIVERSITY.
WHY CAN'T THEY BE TURNED INTO SOMETHING MORE INTERESTING? IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EVERY UNDERPASS IN THE CITY, BUT RIGHT NOW THIS PARTICULAR AREA OF THE CITY, THE DOWNTOWN, IS SURROUNDED BY THESE UNDERPASSES.
AND IN SOME CASES, ALMOST THIS IMPENETRABLE FEEL TO THEM.
WE HOPE SOME OF THAT CAN BE ALLEVIATED.
NOW, THESE LAST FEW SLIDES ARE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS AFTER STREETSCAPES.
THERE WERE 17 WITHIN THIS AREA.
AND WE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE SAME THINGS.
WE IDENTIFIED DEFICIENCIES, HOW PROBLEMS COULD BE SOLVED, AND SO FORTH.
WE COME UP WITHIN EACH SECTION OF THE MASTER PLAN, RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE RECOMMEND WAYS OF APPROACHING LIGHTING DESIGN IN PARKS.
YOU HAVE SOME PARKS IN THE CITY ZONE THAT ARE ACTUALLY WELL LIGHTED, AND OTHERS THAT HAVE PERHAPS NOT ENOUGH LIGHT, AND OTHERS THAT HAVE TOO MUCH LIGHT THAT ARE GLARING AND OFF PUTTING ALMOST, BECAUSE THEY JUST LOOK UNINVITING.
AND SO THIS SAME SORT OF STRATEGY WAS APPLIED TO THE PUBLIC ART AND CITY ART.
WE WORKED ACTUALLY CLOSELY WITH THE TEAM IN THE CITY LOOKING AT ART, TALKING ABOUT HOW IT'S LIGHTED NOW.
WE FOUND A LOT OF REALLY IMPRESSIVE PIECES THAT DISAPPEARED DURING THE EVENING.
SO WE HELPED DEVELOP STANDARDS FOR THAT AND HOW THOSE TECHNIQUES COULD BE DEPLOYED.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS HERE, AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF GOOD EXAMPLES OF ART BELONGING TO THE CITY THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THIS SCOPE AREA THAT WE STUDIED, BUT WORTHY OF SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR HOW IT CAN BE DONE.
AND THEN, FINALLY, YOU HEARD MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT BUILDING FACADES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR TEAM GOT MOST EXCITED ABOUT -- I LIVE IN ST. LOUIS.
WE HAVE THE GATEWAY ARCH, PARTICULAR ICONS THAT WE ALL GROW ACCUSTOMED TO.
I COME TO SAN ANTONIO AND I JUST LOVE IT HERE.
THE HISTORY, BUT THE HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE IS FABULOUS.
WE HAD A GOOD TIME DOING MOCK UPS AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE BUILDINGS COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THAT STREET SCENE THAT I SHOWED YOU EARLIER THAT IS VERY MUCH A PART OF THE EXISTENCE OF YOUR STREETSCAPE AND WHAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCE ON THOSE STREETS.
AND, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE HERE WE STARTED TO DEVELOP BASIC CONCEPTS.
YOU CAN'T USE ONE TECHNIQUE FOR LIGHTING ALL BUILDINGS.
SO WE'RE SHOWING EXAMPLES, BASIC TECHNIQUES THAT CAN BE USED.
THIS IS A JUMPING OFF POINT FOR PROFESSIONALS TO USE, AS NEW BUILDINGS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN
[01:35:01]
THIS CASE.CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO LIGHTING THESE BUILDINGS AND MAKING THEM PART OF YOUR DOWNTOWN AT NIGHT.
MANY OF THESE BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS JUST FADE INTO THE BACKGROUND.
AND THEY CANNOT ONLY LOOK BEAUTIFUL, BUT THEY ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PERCEPTION OF SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THESE DOWNTOWN SETTINGS.
AND, HERE AGAIN, THESE COUPLE OF SLIDES ARE ACTUALLY BUILDINGS -- TWO OF THEM ARE BUILDINGS THE CITY OWNS.
THERE IS NO LIGHTING ON THEM NOW.
WE HAD EQUIPMENT SENT IN BY MANUFACTURERS AROUND THE WORLD, AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND WE USED THESE, WORKED WITH A CONTRACTOR AND HAD THEM INSTALL THEM TO SHOW HOW SOME OF THE BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURE CAN BE SHOWN OFF AND BECOME PART OF THE NIGHTTIME SCENE.
WE ALSO USED THE SAVOY, WHICH IS A PRIVATE BUILDING, BUT SHOWING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SOME DAY, HOPEFULLY, CAN GENERATE AND ENCOURAGE OWNERS OF BUILDINGS TO DO THE SAME THING.
SORT OF JOIN INTO THE UPGRADE OF THE NIGHTTIME ENVIRONMENT.
AND THEN FINALLY, THIS LAST SLIDE IS OFTENTIMES IT MEMAY NOT BE PRACTICAL TO DO FULL-SCALE MOM -- MOCK UPS.
THIS IS A BUILDING WE CHOSE AT RANDOM, THE HISTORIC BUILDING, THE RAND BUILDING AUDIO] AS YOU FACE THE SCREEN.
ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE IS THE BUILDING, AS YOU SEE IT DURING THE DAY.
AND ON THE RIGHT IS A RENDERING IT'S ONE DONE IN OUR OFFICE USING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF LIGHTING EQUIPMENT, HOW TO USE LIGHT TO FLATTER A FACADE AND SEE IT AS A CONTRIBUTETOR TO THE NIGHTTIME SCENE.
THESE ARE ALL COMPONENTS TO THIS OVERALL MASTER PLAN THAT MAKE IT A REALLY, I THINK, A REALLY EXCITING WAY TO FRAME YOUR DOWNTOWN AND YOUR STREETSCAPE AS YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE DECISIONS.
I THINK WHAT I WANT TO DO AT THIS POINT IS BRING JOHN BACK UP.
THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN A VERY SHORT TIME.
BUT I HOPE YOU GET A FLAVOR FOR WHAT SORT OF THE ENTHUSIASM, I THINK, THAT THIS WHOLE TEAM, NOT JUST US, BUT THE CITY AND THE PUBLIC BROUGHT TO THIS IDEA OF USING LIGHT AS SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST A FUNCTIONAL DEVICE IN DOWNTOWN.
BUT TO RAISE THE QUALITY OF LIGHT AT NIGHT THROUGH LIGHT.
>> SO I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT NOW ABOUT HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN -- THANK YOU, RANDY, FOR GOING THROUGH THE DETAILS FOR ME.
SO WE PLAN TO BRING THIS ITEM TO YOU ALL THE FIRST MEETING IN APRIL.
IT WILL BE IN THE FORM OF A RESOLUTION ASKING YOU TO ACCEPT THE PLAN, FORMALLY, AT AN A SESSION.
THE PLAN WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN NUMEROUS WAYS.
PRIMARILY BE INCORPORATED INTO FUTURE BOND PROJECTS.
IT WILL INFORM US HOW FUTURE LIGHTING DESIGNS FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, SIGNIFICANT ROAD PROJECTS, ART PROJECTS, IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR PARKS AS WELL.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THOUGH, THAT EVEN THOUGH THE SCOPE OF THIS AREA WAS DOWNTOWN, WHAT WE LEARNED THROUGH THE STUDY IT CAN ALSO BE USED IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY THAT HAVE A SIMILAR DEVELOPMENT PATTERN.
SO IF WE HAVE AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN, SAY IN THE DECO DISTRICT WHERE YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS, YOU HAVE DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO DOWNTOWN, WE CAN USE THIS PLAN IN THOSE AREAS AS WELL.
AGAIN, FOR BOND PROJECTS OR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
PROBABLY THE FIRST THING THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IS THE DOWNTOWN STREET LIGHT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT THAT WAS PUT ON HOLD.
CPS WILL COMPLETE THAT PROJECT USING THIS STUDY AS A GUIDELINE AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM IT.
AND THEN FINALLY WE'LL CONSIDER THE STUDY'S FINDINGS SAY FOR PUBLIC ART PLAN.
SO WITH THAT, IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCILMAN TREVINO, WHO HAD THE RECOGNITION THAT WE NEEDED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR DOWNTOWN.
PRIOR TO THAT, WE WERE REALLY DOING PROJECTS ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS INDIVIDUALLY WITHOUT REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW TO INCORPORATE LIGHT IN A MEANINGFUL WAY FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO, FOR THAT.
SO, I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE HERE AS WELL AS RANDY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
[01:40:05]
BEFORE WE EVEN GOT TO THIS POINT WE HAD LUNCHEONS.WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF LIGHTING AS A WHOLE.
AND I FIRST JUST WANT TO SIMPLY THANK PAULA GOLD-WILLIAMS AND CPS AND HER STAFF FOR WORKING ON THIS, BECAUSE THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THEM HELPING TO SPLIT THE COST OF THIS PROJECT.
WHILE IT'S DOWNTOWN, KING WILLIAM, AND LAVACA, IT WAS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT COST AND WE WANTED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT A GOOD PLAN IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED WHEN IT COMES TO THE WAY WE'RE ROLLING OUT LIGHTING IN OUR CITY.
I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT WE HAD SOME LIGHTING EXPERTS LOCALLY, AS WELL.
LIKE BILL FITSGIVENS, SOMEBODY WHO IS AN ARTIST AND RECOGNIZED FOR HIS WORK THROUGHOUT OTHER CITIES, BUT SPECIFICALLY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND HOW THAT HAS INFLUENCED A LOT OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE REQUESTING AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE CLOSER TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE ART CLOSER TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL.
AND, OF COURSE, DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE FOR HELPING TO ASSIST IN MANY WAYS TO HELP ADDRESS SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.
ANOTHER THING -- RANDY, IF YOU HAVE A SECOND, CAN I HAVE YOU COME UP HERE? RANDY, I JUST WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE PROJECTS YOU'VE WORKED ON.
YOU DID SOME WORK ON THE GATEWAY ARCH, MLK MEMORIAL IN D.C.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THOSE -- THOSE ARE VERY ICONIC PIECES, BUT HOW DO THEY RELATE TO THE OVERALL WORK THAT YOU DO AS A LIGHTING CONSULTANT? AND WHY DOES IT MATTER TO SOMEBODY WHO SIMPLY LIVES IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT REALLY JUST WANTS BETTER LIGHTING IN THEIR CITY?
>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
WE HAVE WORKED ON THE PROJECTS YOU MENTIONED.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, DR. KING'S MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON, GATEWAY ARCH.
WE'VE DONE WORK THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, ACTUALLY.
BUT QUITE A DIFFERENT SET OF PROJECT TYPES.
A MEMORIAL TO A FAMOUS INDIVIDUAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM A HOTEL IN THE BAHAMAS, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM AN ARCH IN ST.
BUT THERE ARE COMMONALITIES AND THAT IS IN THE PROJECT.
IN THE CASE OF DR. KING, I WAS TOLD AFTERWARDS -- I ALWAYS CARRY THIS WITH ME -- THAT AS WE WERE WALKING OUT TO THE SITE ON THE FINAL PUNCH LIST WITH THE OWNER, MARTIN LUTHER KING FOUNDATION, I LAGGED BEHIND SLIGHTLY.
AND THE CONTRACTOR CAME UP TO ME AND SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY A GREAT PROJECT.
I WAS GOING TO BRING MY FAMILY HERE AT NIGHT.
BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE BEEN THERE, IT'S A VERY LARGE MEMORIAL, BUT AT NIGHT IT BECOMES VERY INTIMATE, BUT YET SAFE.
AND THE INTIMACY IS THE WAY IT'S BEEN LIGHTED AND IT'S MUCH MORE PERSONAL.
PEOPLE APPROACH THE WALL AND TOUCH IT.
LIGHT IS CHANGING THE WAY THEY ENGAGE, IN THAT CASE, WITH A MEMORIAL.
AND THAT'S TRUE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
DO I WANT TO GO OUT AND WALK MY DOG? DO I FEEL SAFE IN DOING THAT? OR CAN I SEE WHERE I'M GOING? OR DO I FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHERE I LIVE? LGHTING CAN PLAY A ROLE IN THAT AT NIGHT.
LIGHTING CONTRIBUTES TO ALL THOSE THINGS IN DIFFERENT WAYS BUT YET WITH COMMON TECHNIQUES.
IN THE CASE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY, IT IS IMPORTANT.
WE NEED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LIGHT TO SEE THINGS.
ONCE WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF IT, YOU CAN ALL SEE YOUR NOTE PADS NOW IF YOU'RE TAKING NOTES.
BUT IF WE DID CERTAIN THINGS WITH THE LIGHTING TODAY, I COULD MAYBE PUT MANY OF YOU TO SLEEP JUST BY THE WAY THE CONTRAST RATIOS AND THE SOFTNESS OF THE LIGHT AND THE COLOR TEMPERATURE.
MAYBE YOU WERE SLEEPING ANYHOW WHEN I WAS TALKING, BUT THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT.
THESE PROJECTS ALL USE LIGHTING IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
IN A CITY, I HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE SURVEY WE DID ONLINE WHEN WE HAD ABOUT 450 -- THERE WERE LIV? AND IF SO, TAKE THIS SURVEY.
DO YOU WORK IN DOWNTOWN? IF YOU DID, TAKE THIS SURVEY.
OR, DO YOU USE THE DOWNTOWN FOR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES? TAKE THIS SURVEY.
AND WE FOUND IN EVERY ONE OF THESE WE ASKED QUESTIONS, NOT ABOUT HOW MUCH LIGHT.
WE ASKED ABOUT LIGHTING IN YOUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
AND MOST PEOPLE NEVER THINK ABOUT THAT.
SOMEBODY SAYS, I'M NEVER GOING
[01:45:01]
THERE.IT JUST LOOKS LIKE A PRISONYARD OUT THERE.
THOSE ARE COMMENTS MORE DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE QUALITY OF LIGHT, NOT HOW MUCH.
WE CAN'T MISTAKE QUANTITATIVE ASPECTS FOR QUALITY.
THAT'S WHY IT ALL COMES TOGETHER.
IN FACT, SPEAKING OF THAT SURFING, -- SURVEY, YOU MENTIOND TO ME, WHT WAS THE NUMBER ONE REASON MOST PEOPLE WHO WORK DOWNTOWN LEAVE -- OR DON'T STAY DOWNTOWN? YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT WAS PART OF THE SURVEY.
>> WELL, WITH RESPECT TO THE LIGHTING, THE QUESTION REALLY WAS DOES LIGHTING PLAY A ROLE IN YOUR DECISION TO STAY DOWNTOWN AFTER WORK IN THE EVENINGS? AND WE EXPECTED TO GET A SMALL PERCENTAGE, FRANKLY.
BUT WE HAD 75% OF THE RESPONDENTS SAY LIGHTING MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
WHEN THEY WERE TOLD, DID YOU EVER THINK ABOUT? OH, NOW THAT YOU SAY THAT.
BECAUSE WE DID A FEW FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO TOOK THESE SURVEYS.
I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT WHEN I DID.
THAT REALLY IS A BIG PART OF WHY I DON'T GO HERE OR WHY I'M GOING HOME TONIGHT.
BECAUSE OF THE ROLE THE LIGHT PLAYS, THEIR PERCEPTION OF LIGHTING WAS WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT.
THEY DON'T RUN AROUND WITH FOOT CANDLE METERS.
THAT WAS PRINCIPALLY WHAT WE TEASED OUT OF THAT SURVEY.
>> TREVINO: I WANT TO THANK SAPD, BECAUSE THEY WERE VERY MUCH INVOLVED.
TELL US HOW YOU WORKED WITH SAPD.
THEY WERE AT A LOT OF THESE EVENTS.
AND WHAT DO THEY THINK ABOUT --
>> THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
WHEN YOU WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, POLICE OFFICERS, THEY HAVE -- CERTAINLY HAVE A SET OF CRITERIA DIFFERENT THAN THE REST OF US.
THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE THINGS HAPPENING, PERHAPS INCONSISTENCIES THAT MIGHT MEAN SOMETHING IS GOING ON THAT ISN'T RIGHT.
AND SOMETIMES THAT WORKS COUNTER TO GOOD LIGHTING.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, SOMEBODY IS SHINING A LIGHT.
WHAT GOES THERE? CERTAINLY, THAT'S NOT A COMFORTABLE LIGHT.
YOU CAN'T LIGHT YOUR ENVIRONMENTS AS IF THEY ARE ALL FLOOD LAMPS.
WE WORKED WITH THEM TO TALK ABOUT UNIFORMITY OF LIGHT.
THE MORE SPORADIC OR DISPROPORTIONATE OR HIGH CONTRAST THE LIGHT IS THE MORE DIFFICULT IT IS TO SEE SOMEBODY IN A SHADOW, BECAUSE YOUR EYES ARE ADAPTING TO A BRIGHTER AREA.
THE POLICE OFFICERS WERE VERY GRACIOUS TO GIVE US THEIR TIME.
WE ACTUALLY WALKED WITH SEVERAL OF THEM, DEAN'S TEAM.
THEY HAD A POLICE OFFICER ASSIGNED TO GO OUT AND HELP WHEN WE WERE SURVEYING PARKS.
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR? WHAT'S GOOD LIGHTING TO YOU? THEY WOULD SAY, I DON'T LIKE THAT.
THEY WERE TELLING US THAT'S NEGATIVE.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT, WHICH YOU'LL SEE A BIT IN THE REPORT, IS THAT IF THEY'RE PASSING A PARK AND THEY WANT MORE LIGHT AFTER HOURS, WE MAY HAVE CONTROLS THROUGH CENTRALIZED DIGITAL CONTROL, CURFEW CONTROLS LATE AT NIGHT.
AND THEY SEE SOMETHING, THEY'RE NOT SURE IT'S RIGHT THEY CAN, THROUGH AN ADDRESS ON THEIR PHONE, BRING UP LIGHT LEVELS IMMEDIATELY.
SO TRYING TO WORK PROACTIVELY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, WITH SECURITY IN ORDER TO ALLOW THEM TO TAKE MEASURES THAT ARE NECESSARY.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, GIVE THEM ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE FREE OF GLARE, GOOD QUALITY SO THEY CAN SEE DEEPER INTO THESE AREAS.
BECAUSE OFTENTIMES PEOPLE HIDE IN THE SHADOWS.
YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HOPE WE ADOPT APRIL 4TH AS A RESOLUTION.
BECAUSE THIS IS, AGAIN, ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW A GOOD PLAN CAN HELP IMPROVE THE CITY IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
AS YOU POINTED OUT, I THINK ONE OF THE ISSUES WE HAVE, SPECIFICALLY IN DOWNTOWN, IS THE ACTIVATION AFTER A CERTAIN HOUR, IT JUST DROPS OFF.
AND THERE'S MANY OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE PROVEN THAT THERE IS MUCH MORE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AFTER WORK HOURS TO REALLY ENJOY A GREAT DOWNTOWN.
ESPECIALLY A DOWNTOWN LIKE SAN ANTONIO THAT, IN MANY CASES, CERTAIN PERIODS OF THE DAY IT'S JUST REALLY HOT.
BUT AT NIGHT CAN BE VERY, VERY ENJOYABLE AND WELL-LIT AND CAN TRULY FEEL BETTER AND PROVIDE A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO WANT TO BE.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM, DEAN.
YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED, THIS
[01:50:06]
ACTUALLY STARTED, I WANT TO SAY I THINK IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO.BECAUSE WE WERE ROLLING OUT A LOT OF THE LED LIGHTS.
AND SO WE'VE LEARNED THAT A LOT OF THOSE LED LIGHTS ARE NOT THE KIND OF LIGHTS THAT I THINK ARE GOING TO SERVE US TOO WELL.
AND SO I THINK THIS PLAN IS DEMONSTRATING A GOOD ROLL OUT OR A GOOD WAY FORWARD.
AND POTENTIALLY THIS FRAMEWORK CAN HELP OUT IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AND OTHER DISTRICTS POTENTIALLY AS WELL.
THE FUNDAMENTALS, THE ESSENCE OF THIS CAN TRANSFER VERY WELL TO MOST OF YOUR OUTLYING AREAS THAT I VISITED.
THE FUNDAMENTALS ARE THE SAME.
>> SALDANA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
YOU KNOW, THE LAST SENTENCE THAT YOU JUST EXPRESSED, ALONG WITH THE COUNCILMAN, IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO EXPLORE SOME MORE.
I WILL SAY I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THIS EARLIER AND I'VE LOOKED AT IT AND LISTENED TO YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'M VERY IMPRESSED ABOUT LIGHTING UP DOWNTOWN.
I THINK THAT REALLY ADDS TO THE VIABILITY OF OUR DOWNTOWN.
IT ADDS TO, I THINK, EVERYBODY'S EXPERIENCE.
I'M IMPRESSED BY WELL-LIT BUILDINGS THAT HAVE GREAT ARCHITECTURE.
I KNOW WHEN I DRIVE BY AT NIGHT AND I SEE CERTAIN BUILDINGS LIT UP DOWNTOWN, IT'S IMPRESSIVE.
IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD ABOUT MY COMMUNITY.
BUT WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THIS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN? AND YOU SAID IT DOES IMPLY, BUT ARE WE LOOKING AT, THROUGH THIS PROCESS, SETTING UP GUIDELINES FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT? ARE WE GOING TO MAKE CHANGES IN OUR DEVELOPMENT CODES THAT ARE GOING TO REQUIRE CERTAIN TYPE OF LIGHTING IN NEW RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, ALONG NEW TRANSIT SYSTEMS THAT ARE BUILT? YOU KNOW, ARE WE GOING TO BE IMPROVING OR SAYING WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT INTO THE NEAR WEST SIDE AND IMPROVE LIGHTING OVER THERE AND CHANGE THAT LIGHTING TO MATCH THIS? OR THE EAST SIDE? OR ARE WE GOING TO BE DOING IT UP AROUND 1604 AND THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE NORTH.
ARE WE GOING TO BE SAYING THERE ARE CERTAIN STANDARDS OF LIGHTING NOW THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED OR IMPROVED OVER TIME? OR ARE WE JUST TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING FOR DOWNTOWN? SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT AND WHAT THE OVERALL EXPENSE MIGHT BE, AS WELL AS THE CONCEPT.
>> I'LL GIVE A LIGHTING COMMENT FIRST, BUT I SEE JOHN GETTING UP.
HE PROBABLY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT CODES AND SOME OF THE IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES.
AS I MENTIONED, THERE'S AN UNDERPINNING OF FUNDAMENTALS OF GOOD-QUALITY LIGHT THAT YOU'LL SEE THROUGHOUT THE FINAL MASTER PLAN.
THOSE ELEMENTS DO APPLY TO THE KINDS OF COMMUNITIES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SOMETIMES ALMOST THE EXACT SAME WAY.
OTHER TIMES, SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY.
FOR EXAMPLE, VIA WAS HERE EARLIER.
I THINK MOST OF THEM HAVE GONE, BUT WE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THEIR BUS SHELTERS AND MAKING SURE THAT IT WASN'T GLAREY AS WELL.
PEOPLE WHO STAND THERE SAY I'M GOING TO RIDE THE BUS BECAUSE I CAN SEE.
SO THOSE FUNDAMENTALS TRANSLATE WELL OUTSIDE OF THIS DISTRICT, ABSOLUTELY.
AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY ARE JUST A SLAM DUNK EXACT SAME LIGHT FIXTURE, BUT IT'S A PERFORMANCE, WHAT IT CREATES, AND THE TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT IT CREATES, THE SPACING OF THE POLES.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS CAN BE FINE TUNED FOR OTHER ENVIRONMENTS.
BUT YOU MENTIONED THE DOWNTOWN.
YOU DON'T HAVE THROUGHOUT YOUR ENTIRE CITY.
SO THAT COMPONENT TAKES ON, PERHAPS, A DIFFERENT MASK.
FOR EXAMPLE, STORE FRONTS AND MID-RISE AND LOW-RIE BUILDINGS FOR PEDESTRIAN SCALE.
HOW YOU MAKE THOSE FEEL MORE INVITING AND FOR PEOPLE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT USING EVEN A STANDARD FOR SHOPKEEPERS TO SAY AFTER YOU CLOSE, THE FIRST FIVE FEET OF YOUR WINDOW, WE'D LIKE YOU TO KEEP THAT ON IN THE EVENINGS UNTIL 2:00, 3:00 IN THE MORNING WHERE IT CAN SHUT OFF AUTOMATICALLY.
THERE'S A LOT OF IN THE WEEDS THERE THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, BUT FROM A PRACTITIONER STANDPOINT, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LAYING OUT IN THIS DISTRICT DO TRANSLATE VERY WELL, IF NOT WHOLLY, INTO OTHER TYPES OF APPLICATIONS.
>> COURAGE: OUT OF WHAT'S GOING TO COME OUT OF YOUR OVERALL RECOMMENDATIONS OR THE GUIDELINES, DO YOU HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DISTHETANCER A MAIN THOROUGHFARE THAT NOW WE WILL SAY LET'S START USING THESE IN THE FUTURE AS WE DEVELOP OR CHANGE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS OR THINGS LIKE THAT?
THE FUNCTIONAL HOW MUCH LIGHT.
AND IF YOU'RE IN A BEDROOM COMMUNITY, THAT IS A DIFFERENT LIGHT LEVEL THAN HOUSTON STREET.
AND ALL OF THOSE ARE LAID OUT IN DETAIL, ALONG WITH UNIFORMITY OF LIGHT.
THE SPACINGS RELATE TO THE TYPE OF LUMINARY USED, BUT GUIDELINES ARE GIVEN FOR THAT.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES, OH, I DON'T WANT LIGHT.
I WON'T BE ABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT.
THAT'S TRUE, IF IT'S POORLY DONE.
AND IT'S EASY TO DO IT POORLY.
[01:55:01]
BUT IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND YOU DISCIPLINE THOSE FACETS OF LIGHTING THAT ARE OFFENSIVE, THEN YOU'LL BE FINE.>> COURAGE: YEAH, I THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND HAVING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LIGHT FOR TRAVELING ON THE ROADS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
ARE SOME OF WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DEVELOPING HERE EQUATABLE TO BE USED FOR THOSE PURPOSES?
>> COURAGE: WHAT ABOUT THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE? HOW WILL THAT AFFECT IT IN THE FUTURE?
>> COUNCILMAN, THIS IS PRIMARILY FOR PUBLIC PROJECTS, SO TCI IS MAYBE CONSTRUCTING OR RECONSTRUCTING A NEW STREET, SO IT WOULD BE STREET LIGHTS, PRIMARILY.
AT THIS POINT I DON'T SEE ANY CHANGES TO THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE SPECIFICALLY FOR LIGHTING.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE, AND I THINK THAT WOULD REQUIRE A WHOLE OTHER STAKEHOLDER EFFORT TO LOOK AT TO SEE ARE WE GOING TO GO IN AND CHANGE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS AS IT PERTAINS TO LIGHTING.
BUT THIS WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON HOW DO WE DO THE STREETSCAPES, PARKS, ART PROJECTS THAT ARE REALLY CITY PROJECTS, NOT REALLY A PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE COULDN'T LOOK AT THAT IN THE FUTURE TO SAY SHOULD WE HAVE A SEPARATE STANDARD FOR LIGHTING MAYBE IN OUR MORE RURAL, SUBURBAN AREAS.
I THINK WHAT WE WILL DO AS WE GO FORWARD AS FAR AS IMPLEMENTATION, PROBABLY THE BEST EXAMPLE WOULD BE A BOND PROJECT WHERE WE'RE RECONSTRUCTING A STREET.
AND WE'LL LOOK AT THAT AREA AND SAY DOES THAT AREA KIND OF FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY AS AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT? URBAN ENVIRONMENT MEANING THERE'S A HIGH PEDESTRIAN COUNT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WALKING UP AND DOWN THIS CORRIDOR.
AND SO WE MAY APPLY THE PEDESTRIAN LIGHTS TO THAT AREA.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS AS WE LOOK AT EACH ONE OF THESE WHETHER OR NOT WE COULD APPLY THESE RECOMMENDATIONS OR NOT.
OR DO WE NEED TO DEVELOP A DIFFERENT PLAN ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS FOR THAT AREA IF IT DOESN'T FALL INTO THIS ONE.
>> COURAGE: IT ALMOST SEEMS TO ME THEN, BASED ON WHAT I'M HEARING, THIS IS ALMOST A PLAN TO GLAMORIZE DOWNTOWN SOME MORE.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHO IS GOING TO PAY FOR IT? IS IT GOING TO BE EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY? WILL THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY DOWNTOWN BE PARTNERS IN THIS EFFORT? ARE WE GOING TO JUST PASS A BOND THAT THE WHOLE PAYS FOR BUT, YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPERS DOWNTOWN, THE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN, THE PEOPLE WHO COME AND VISIT DOWNTOWN ARE GOING TO GET THE GREATEST RETURN ON.
SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WITH THIS WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR IT, WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST.
>> COUNCILMAN, THIS PLAN IS REALLY TO HELP INFORM ALL OF OUR PROJECTS CITYWIDE.
THERE ARE GUIDELINES ABOUT HOW PARKS SHOULD BE LIT.
WE HAVE PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO AS THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS BEING DONE TO CITY PARKS, THIS GUIDE WILL SERVE AS A FRAMEWORK FOR THE CONSULTANT WORKING ON THOSE PARKS.
AND WE ALWAYS HAVE FUNDING IN OUR PROJECTS FOR LIGHTING.
AND SO IT'S NOT AN ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT'S NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN.
THEY WOULD HAVE HAD TO LIGHT THAT PROJECT ALREADY.
SO THIS IS JUST A GUIDE ON THE TYPES OF LIGHTING THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO USE FOR THESE PROJECTS.
BUT IT CAN BE APPLIED CITYWIDE THROUGH DOWNTOWN PARKS, IF THERE ARE URBAN STREETS.
BUT IT'S TO INFORM THE ENTIRE CITY THAT WE USE DOWNTOWN AS THE TEST.
BECAUSE DOWNTOWN HAS PRETTY MUCH ALL THOSE TYPES OF DIFFERENT STREETS, PARKS, AND THAT TYPE OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO IT WAS A GREAT WAY FOR US TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN APPLY THIS CITYWIDE.
AND THE BOND PROGRAM AND OTHER CAPITAL FUNDING SOURCES WILL HELP IMPLEMENT IT.
BUT IT'S NOT ADDITIONAL FUNDING WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT IT.
>> COURAGE: I THINK THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PARKS IN THE CONFINES OF THIS SPACE, THOUGH, AND THE PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
MOST OF WHICH WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE A LOT OF LIGHTING OUT THERE.
LIKE HARDBERGER PARK OR MCALLISTER PARK OR SOME OF THE OTHER PARKS, YEAH YOU WANT TO HAVE LIGHTED PATHS BUT YOU AREN'T NECESSARILY LOOKING FOR THE KIND OF LIGHT THAT I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE PARKS WHERE YOU'RE LIGHTING ART FEATURES OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO I THINK THERE'S A BIT OF A DIFFERENCE.
I JUST GET CONCERNED THAT WE'RE REALLY, LIKE I SAID, IN MY OPINION, LOOKING TO SHOW OFF DOWNTOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A LIGHTING ENTERPRISE THAT'S GOING TO IMPROVE LIGHTING IN THE WHOLE CITY.
>> AND THE LIGHTING WOULD BE SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IN A DOWNTOWN PARK AND A SUBURBAN PARK.
>> SALDANA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
KIND OF ON THE SAME LINE OF QUESTIONING THAT COUNCILMAN COURAGE WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT.
[02:00:04]
HAVE WE GOTTEN JBSA INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT?>> NO, THEY WEREN'T INCLUDED BECAUSE THE STUDY AREA WAS REALLY FOR DOWNTOWN.
OBVIOUSLY THE BASES HAVE A LIGHTING ZONE AROUND THEM AS FAR AS DARK SKIES ARE CONCERNED.
THAT WOULD ALWAYS PREVAIL, I THINK, IF THERE WAS A PROJECT IN THAT AREA.
MUCH OF WHAT'S IN THIS PLAN ALSO INCORPORATES THAT IDEA THAT RANDY'S TALKING ABOUT, GLARE.
WE'RE BEING SMART ABOUT HOW WE DO LIGHTING.
BUT JBSA WAS NOT A STAKEHOLDER.
>> PERRY: WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE THEM.
>> PERRY: AND WHERE HAS THIS BEEN? I SEE THE DATE ON THIS AS THE 21ST OF DECEMBER '18.
WHERE'S THIS BEEN SINCE THEN? THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M SEEING THIS PLAN.
SO IN FEBRUARY OF 2018 COUNCIL APPROVED THE PROJECT FUNDING TO HIRE THE CONSULTANT TO DO THE PLAN.
FOR THE PAST YEAR THEY HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH STAKEHOLDERS, DEVELOPING THE PLAN, KIND OF BACK AND FORTH DISCUSSING WITH US.
BUT IT'S DATED DECEMBER OF '18.
SO IT'S BEEN COMPLETED SINCE DECEMBER?
>> ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL PLAN ITSELF?
>> THAT'S THE MOST CURRENT VERSION.
I GUESS I'M SAYING WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT TO COUNCIL HERE THIS NEXT MONTH.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M LOOKING AT IT.
>> THIS IS THE FIRST STEP AFTER WE HAVE DONE THE STAKEHOLDER PROCESS.
WE'RE TAKING FEEDBACK AND WE CAN TAKE MORE FEEDBACK FROM THIS MEETING AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK IN INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS.
AND THEN WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL TO ACCEPT IT.
BUT IT DID NOT GO TO A TYPICAL COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME OUT OF COUNCIL DISCUSSION REGARDING LIGHTING.
AND WE WANTED TO BRING IT BACK TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR COMMENTS.
AND WE'LL COME BACK IN INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS, IF NECESSARY, TO TALK ABOUT THOSE CHANGES.
>> PERRY: YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT.
AGAIN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND THIS PLAN, GO THROUGH IT, REVIEW IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO HAVE THAT DONE IN TIME FOR IT TO COME TO COUNCIL.
SO JUST, YOU KNOW, I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN IT AS SOON AS THE THING WAS IN DRAFT FORM, TO GIVE ME MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT.
BUT A COUPLE OF OTHER CONCERNS HERE.
YOU SAID IT COULD BE APPLIED TO AN ORDINANCE IN THE FUTURE.
YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF STUFF, LET'S BE CAREFUL WITH THAT BECAUSE IF WE'RE EVEN CONTEMPLATING THAT IN THE FUTURE, WE NEED TO GET BUSINESSES AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY INVOLVED NOW.
>> PERRY: AND LET THEM TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND HAVE A HACK ON IT AND CUT IT.
BECAUSE THIS IS ANOTHER AREA THAT WE COULD BE INCREASING COSTS FOR CONSTRUCTION BASED ON WHAT WE'RE REQUIRING IN AN ORDINANCE OR WHATEVER ON THIS THING.
SO IF WE'RE EVEN THINKING ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE, LET'S GET THEIR BUY-IN NOW BEFORE WE TAKE THAT NEXT STEP.
AND FOLLOWING ON COUNCILMAN COURAGE, WE'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, PATHWAYS AND ROADS, WHICH IS FINE, DOWNTOWN.
BUT WE'VE GOT AN AWFUL LOT OF FACADES, FACILITIES IN THIS REPORT.
BUT YOU'RE SAYING IT REALLY DOESN'T APPLY TO BUILDINGS, ONLY CITY FACILITIES.
YOU KNOW, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE'RE SHOWING A LOT OF PRIVATE FACILITIES ON HERE WITH LIGHTING SCHEMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
ARE WE THEN SAYING, OKAY, THESE BUSINESSES NEED TO COMPLY IN THE FUTURE WITH THESE FACADE LIGHTING SCHEMES AND THAT KIND OF THING IN ADDITION TO FACILITIES? AND, AGAIN, I'M LOOKING AT THIS REPORT AND THERE'S NOT A SINGLE DOLLAR ESTIMATED IN THIS PLAN FOR STREET LIGHTING AUDIO] YOU KNOW WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL COSTS ON THIS? SO SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE -- THERE NEEDS TO BE A PARAMETER PUT AROUND THIS ON WHAT ARE THE EXPECTED COSTS ON THIS IN THIS PLAN FOR WHETHER IT'S JUST DOWNTOWN, TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING IT CITYWIDE OR WHATEVER.
YOU TALKED ABOUT PUTTING IT IN A BOND.
WELL, WHAT'S THE SCOPE? WHAT'S THE COST? WHAT'S THE ESTIMATES?
AS FAR AS THE FACADES ARE CONCERNED, THIS PLAN REALLY JUST
[02:05:01]
ASKS MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO LIGHT A BUILDING THERE ARE CERTAIN CATEGORIES OR THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT.SO THE PLAN, WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING ANY CHANGES TO OUR REGULATIONS AS IT PERTAINS TO HOW BUILDINGS ARE LIT.
I THINK WHAT IT DOES IS IT KIND OF SETS THE STAGE FOR IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A WHOLE SEPARATE PROCESS FOR THAT.
WE NEED TO GET THE STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED, THE PRIVATE DEVELOPERS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT, IF ANY, WHAT REGULATIONS WOULD BE APPROPRIATE OR NOT APPROPRIATE.
SO IT'S NOT RECOMMENDING ANY REGULATIONS.
THERE ARE NOT ANY REGULATIONS IN THIS PLAN AS IT RELATES TO BUILDINGS.
IT'S JUST SHOWING WHAT COULD BE DONE TO A BUILDING IF YOU USE PROPER LIGHTING.
DOWNTOWN IS ALREADY MOSTLY IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, SO IT'S PART OF THAT REVIEW PROCESS.
THEY ARE LOOKING AT LIGHTING OF BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY BEING CONCERNED AS PART OF THAT REVIEW PROCESS IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AS IT RELATES TO COST, RAZI IS HERE.
THEY HAVE LOOKED AT WHAT THIS WOULD MEAN IF YOU WERE TO ADD THESE RECOMMENDATIONS INTO A BOND PROJECT.
I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE ALREADY DOING A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED.
YOU CAN SEE THAT ON THE MAIN AND SOLEDAD PROJECT RECENTLY THAT WAS COMPLETED.
THEY'RE ALREADY DOING A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED IN THIS PLAN.
I DON'T KNOW IF, RAZI, YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS TOO.
>> AS JOHN MENTIONED, WE ARE ALREADY DOING LIGHTING IN OUR BOND PROJECTS AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A SEPARATE CATEGORY IN THE BOND PROGRAM FOR LIGHTING.
IT'S GOING TO BE IF YOU HAVE A PARKS PROJECT IN THE BOND PROGRAM, THIS GUIDE WILL BE THE GUIDE FOR THEM TO DO THE LIGHTING.
JUST LIKE WE DO OUR PUBLIC ART.
IT'S NOT ITEMIZED IN THE BOND PROGRAM, THE LIGHTING ISN'T.
BUT WHEN WE GO AND DO A PUBLIC ART PROJECT WE REFER TO THE GUIDE HOW WE LIGHT THAT PROJECT.
JOHN USED THE EXAMPLE OF MAIN AND SOLEDAD.
THIS WILL HELP SPEAK TO THE TYPE OF LIGHTING AND THE UNIFORMITY WE NEED.
IT'S STUFF THAT WE ALREADY NEED TO DO, BUT IT'S MAKING SURE THAT IT'S UNIFORM ACROSS THE ENTIRE DOWNTOWN AND OTHER PUBLIC PROJECTS.
WE ALSO DO HAVE BUILDING FACADES IN HERE, BUT WE DO A LOT OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES, SENIOR CENTERS.
AND SO WE REFER TO THIS GUIDE AS WE LIGHT THOSE FACILITIES AS WELL.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN INDIVIDUAL LINE ITEM IN THE BOND PROGRAM, IT'S GOING TO BE A GUIDE FOR WHEN WE DO BOND PROJECTS AND THEY'RE BEING DESIGNED, THIS WILL BE A GUIDE THEY CAN REFER TO TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE INCORPORATING THE CORRECT LIGHTING IN THAT PROJECT.
AGAIN, IT'S WHERE IT SLIPS INTO A POTENTIAL ORDINANCE THAT MIGHT GET OTHER BUSINESSES AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES INVOLVED IN THIS.
AND IF THAT'S EVEN A REMOTE POSSIBILITY, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO ENGAGE THEM NOW TO GET THEIR COMMENTS ON THIS THING BEFORE WE GET PAST, YOU KNOW, HERE'S THE PLAN.
AND THEN IT NATURALLY EVOLVES INTO AN ORDINANCE WITHOUT GETTING THEIR INPUTS INTO THE PLAN.
RIGHT AT THIS TIME WE'RE NOT TAKING THIS FORWARD TO DO ANY ORDINANCES REGARDING THE LIGHTING.
SO WE MENTIONED -- HE TALKED ABOUT WORKING WITH BUSINESSES TO MAKE SURE THE LIGHTS ARE ON IN THE EVENING WHEN THEY CLOSE DOWN.
I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT OUTSIDE OF DOING AN ORDINANCE AND IT'S WORKING STREET TO STREET OR THROUGH OUR VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE.
MAKING SURE THAT THOSE FACADES ARE LIT IF NOBODY IS IN THEM.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T GO THROUGH A PROCESS.
WE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS AND WORK WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
BUT THIS GUIDE TODAY, WHEN WE GO TO COUNCIL FOR COUNCIL TO ACCEPT IT, IT'S TO BE A GUIDE FOR OUR PUBLIC PROJECTS.
AND THERE ISN'T A DOLLAR AMOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH IT BECAUSE IT WILL BE ABSORBED IN EACH OF THOSE BOND PROJECTS.
>> PERRY: LET'S BE VERY CLEAR IN THIS PLAN, JUST PERUSING THROUGH IT IT DOES NOT SAY THAT.
LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE VERY, VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
>> BROCKHOUSE: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I JUST GOT A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
WE HAVE THIS GUY -- WHAT'S YOUR FIRST NAME?
>> RANDY, WE HAVE THIS GENTLEMAN, ONE OF OUR DIRECTORS, AND HE COMES AND SPEAKS ABOUT STORM WATER.
HE LOSE STORM WATER AND YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH STORM WATER WHEN HE TALKS.
HE TAKES PAINT DRYING AND TURNS IT INTO A LOVE FEST.
I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
IN FACT I FEEL SO INADEQUATE RIGHT NOW.
I HAVE TO GO HOME AND BUY SOME FLOWERS FOR MY WIFE.
I NEED TO LOOK AT MY WIFE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT LIGHTING.
YOU HAVE OPENED MY EYES TO A TON
[02:10:02]
OF INFORMATION.I WANT TO TELL YOU YOUR PASSION FOR WHAT YOU DO SHINES THROUGH, AND I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
I'LL JUST PIGGYBACK ON A COUPLE OF POINTS THAT MY COLLEAGUES MADE, WHICH WAS COST MATTERS AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING ISN'T ONEROUS IN REGULATION AND THAT IT'S COST-EFFECTIVE FOR ALL OF US.
BUT I DO PUT A CAVEAT IN THAT THAT I THINK WHAT I WOULD SAY INSTEAD OF WORRYING TOO MUCH ABOUT WHAT DOWNTOWN, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, I GET THE DOWNTOWN NEED FOR THE LIGHTING.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THE DISTRICTS GET TO THIS TYPE OF THING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
I DON'T MEAN TO TAKE AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN DISTRICT 6, BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT OUR LIGHTING CONCERNS ARE JUST AS GREAT, MORE FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK IF YOU WALK INTO CUERO PARK ON OLD HIGHWAY 90 OND WEST SIDE AND BATHROOM IS NOT LIT, THEY DON'T GO IN.
WE DON'T HAVE THE FACADES AND THOSE TYPES OF BUILDINGS THAT REALLY REQUIRE THAT.
WHILE I APPRECIATE THE TOTALLY FOCUS ON THE DOWNTOWN, MY ONLY ASK WOULD BE THAT WE MOVE THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO AT LEAST START THAT PLANNING FOR OUTLYING DISTRICTS.
I MEAN, IF I COULD HAVE A LIGHTING ASSESSMENT -- I THINK COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES WAS AHEAD OF THIS A WHILE AGO AS WELL WHEN SHE CALLED FOR A LIGHTING ASSESSMENT IN DISTRICT 5 WHEN SHE RECOGNIZED THE SAME CONCERNS, I'M SURE EVERY DISTRICT HAS, WHICH IS THE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS IN PARKS, GREENWAYS, AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS WE'RE BUILDING AND DOING THAT KEEP PEOPLE AWAY FROM FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEIR FAMILIES TO HAVE FUN AND ENJOY THE COMMUNITY.
SO MY ASK WOULD BE, NUMBER ONE, COST.
I JUST WANT TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
NOT TO BE, YOU TO BE, YOU KNOW, UNSUPPORTIVE OR NOT SUPPORTIVE OF, COUNCILMAN TREVINO, THE DOWNTOWN LIGHTING PLAN, BUT I WANT TO SEE HOW THIS LOOKS LIKE FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
THIS IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY AND WHILE I'M IN JEST ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU TALK ABOUT LIGHTING, I'M LISTENING AND NOT KNOWING THINGS THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE OTHERWISE REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT.
ESPECIALLY LIKE THE 15%, THE LIGHTING ON THE STREET THING.
THAT'S AN INTERESTING NUMBER AND I THINK ABOUT MY RESIDENCE AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY LIVE IN AND A LIGHT IN THE CORNER IS A GAME-CHANGING THING IN A CUL-DE-SAC AND HOW SOMEONE'S DOING SOMETHING THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING IN THERE IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVEN'T SEEN LIGHTS, STREETS, AND SIDEWALKS IN A WHILE.
SOMETIMES WE JUST CHANGE THE WATTAGE ON THE BULB AND IT'S A GAME-CHANGING ITEM FOR A RESIDENT ON A STREET.
SO THANK YOU TO CPS ENERGY AND TO WHAT YOU DO ON THE PLAN, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO ME MORE INTO THE COST, WHO IS GOING TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF THAT COST, AND THE WAY WE MAKE IT AT LEAST FAIR IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, I THINK IS GET TO THE OUTLYING DISTRICTS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
LET'S HAVE THAT SAME CONVERSATION PER DISTRICT SO THAT WE'RE ALSO A PART OF THAT GOING FORWARD.
IF WE COULD MAKE IT TO THAT, THE BETTER IT IS TO EARN MY SUPPORT FOR IT, AS LONG AS WE'RE ALL INCLUDED IN IT AND WE GET THAT SAME CHANCE.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU, JOHN?
IT MAY BE THE MATTER OF CHANGING OUT THE WATTAGE.
THE COST ISN'T ANY MORE, IT'S MAKING SURE IT'S APPROPRIATE.
WHAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM THE STUDY IS, HOW DO WE ADDRESS RESIDENTIAL AREAS, HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE STREET LIGHTS, WHAT'S THE CORRECT INTENSITY OF THE LIGHT, WHAT'S THE CORRECT COLOR TEMPERATURE.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE IPG CORPORATE CITYWISE.
>> BROCKHOUSE: I WAS GLANCING AT THE PLAN, AND IT IS A LOT TO TURN AROUND AND VOTE ON IN APRIL.
AGAIN, I DON'T REPRESENT THAT DISTRICT.
WE TALK ABOUT OWNING A PIECE OF DOWNTOWN, BUT THAT'S REALLY ONE PART OF IT.
I'M JUST CONCERNED THINKING, WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO IN DISTRICT 6.
LIKE HOW DO I GET BETTER SAFETY AND CONTROL FOR RESIDENTS, THAT'S PROBABLY PARAMOUNT FOR ME.
AND FOR COUNCILMAN TREVINO, HE'S GOT A GAME PLAN WORKING ON HIS, AND WE CAN EARN THAT SUPPORT ALL DAY LONG, BUT PUSHING AND THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU'RE HELPING OUTSIDE THAT LOOP, AND IN DIFFERENT AREAS THAT DON'T LOOK LIKE THAT.
>> BROCKHOUSE: I HAVE GREAT CONCERNS FOR PARKS AND RECREATION.
I HOPE THAT GETS A LOT CLOSER WITH YOU GUYS.
I'M LEARNING A LOT ABOUT LIGHTING AND PARKS THAT I DIDN'T HEAR, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T PUTTING THE RIGHT LIGHTING IN A COUPLE OF BOND PROJECTS.
AND I HEARD A LOT ABOUT IT, AS WE'RE GOING OUT TO THE COMMUNITIES.
SO DON'T FORGET THE PARKS PIECE ON SOME OUTLYING PIECES IN THE DISTRICT.
I THINK COUNCILMAN SAID IT MATTERS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND KNOCKING IT OUT OF THE PARK.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN TREVINO?
I AGREE WITH YOU GUYS, BY THE WAY.
I THINK -- I HATE TO SAY THIS, YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE GOT A BRIEFING.
I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS PRESENTATION.
WE WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS.
[02:15:01]
FEEL.THE HOPE IS THAT WE REALLY, WE'RE TRYING TO DEMONSTRATE THAT A GOOD PLAN IS GOOD EVERYWHERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO LOCALIZE IT HERE, BECAUSE I JUST -- I COULDN'T GET THIS PLAN FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
SO I'M APOLOGIZING FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
BOTTOM LINE IS, WE AGREE, AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS.
WE WORKED REALLY HARD JUST TO FIND THE MONEY TO DO IT IN THIS AREA.
SO, HOPE YOU GET THE BRIEFING.
I THINK YOU'RE SAYING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS, BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO HAVE THIS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
NOT HAVING THOUGHTFUL DESIGN WHEN IT COMES TO THE WAY WE'RE BUILDING OUT OUR CITY IS NOT THE WAY WE SHOULD BE BUILDING OUT THIS CITY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
WHEN COUNCIL TREVINO FIRST BROUGHT THIS TO ME, THE FIRST WEEK OF SITTING ON THE CITY COUNCIL, I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY I SHOULD CARE.
I WAS DISMISSIVE AT FIRST BECAUSE FOR A MINUTE THERE I THOUGHT THIS WAS ANOTHER TREVINO ARCHITECT PROJECT.
THEN I STARTED LEANING IN AND LISTENING MORE AND LISTENING MORE, AND THEN I REALIZED THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT.
THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF PLANNING, YOU KNOW, FOR WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WORK, PLAY, RIGHT? AND THEN I STARTED LOOKING UP OTHER LIGHTING PLANS.
AND I EVEN PULLED UP PLANS FROM EUROPE, AND FROM OTHER CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
EVEN TEHRAN AND IRAN HAD A PRETTY COOL PLAN.
AND I RECOMMEND YOU GUYS GO LOOK AT IT, IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY INTERESTING.
I SAID, IF TEHRAN'S GOT A PLAN, MAYBE WE OUGHT TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT A PORLAN IS A SMT THING.
I LOOKED AT IT, I REALLY DIG IT.
AND WHEN YOU PRESENTED IT TO US WAY A LONG TIME AGO, MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THAT MEETING IS WE WERE USING THIS AS APPROVING GROUND ALMOST FOR DOWNTOWN SO THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR A MASTER PLAN FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
RIGHT? AND THAT WHAT WE WERE DOING HERE WAS TRYING TO GLEAN LESSONS FOR YOUR TEAM, AND FOR LORI, AND FOR EVERYBODY ELSE ON CITY STAFF, IN ORDER FOR US TO DEVELOP INTERNALLY OUR PLAN FROM LESSONS LEARNED, RIGHT? THE SECOND THING I'LL POINT OUT IS THAT THIS COUNCIL WAS BROUGHT AT OR AROUND THE SAME TIME THE IDEA THAT THERE WOULD BE THREE INNOVATION ZONES AROUND SAN ANTONIO.
ONE OF THEM WAS GOING TO BE DOWNTOWN, WHICH IT IS, AND THE OTHER WAS A MEDICAL CENTER IN BROOKS.
WHAT WAS PITCHED TO CITY COUNCIL BACK THEN IS, AS ONE OF THE INNOVATION ZONES WHERE WE ARE USING THIS ES ZONES FOR PROVING GROUNDS FOR NEW SOLUTIONS AND TESTING OUT NEW THINGS FOR TESTING OUT NEW BOUNDARIES, THIS WAS THE FIRST THING WE WERE GOING TO TEST OUT DOWNTOWN.
AND YOU'VE DELIVERED ON THAT, RIGHT? I'M REALLY HUNGRY TO SEE WHAT LESSONS YOU ALL LEARN AND WHAT PLAN YOU CAN BRING LATER AND SAY, THIS IS THE MEDICAL CENTER UTSA PLAN SHALL, THE 1604 INTERCHANGE PLAN, I WANT TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
I DO WANT THE CLERK TO NOTICE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE MINUTES FOR THE NEXT MEETING REFLECT OF ALL THESE LUNCHEONS THAT MR. TREVINO WAS INVITED TO, I WASN'T INVITED TO A SINGLE ONE.
>> IT WAS BEFORE YOU WERE ON COUNCIL.
>> PELAEZ: ARE WE GOING TO BE USING WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED FROM THIS TO LIGHT HISTORIC CITY HALL AND THE FROST BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET?
WE WILL BE IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS PLAN IN CITY HALL, AND LOOKING AT HOW TO IMPLEMENT THEM WHEN WE START THE FROST CONSTRUCTION.
THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE'VE DONE THIS PLAN, SO WE CAN USE IT AS A REFERENCE AS WE CONSTRUCT, OR IMPROVE ON CITY-OWNED FACILITIES.
REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED.
I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE CALLED THIS THE LIGHTING MASTER PLAN, AND NOT THE URBAN LIGHTING PLAN.
BECAUSE THIS PLAN IS TO INFORM HOW WE LIGHT THE ENTIRE CITY.
BUT YOU'RE CORRECT IN SAYING WE USE DOWNTOWN AS APPROVING GROUND, BECAUSE DOWNTOWN HAS, YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIAN STREETS, IT HAS PARKS, IT HAS ALL -- IT HAS BUILDINGS.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE FOCUS A LOT OF OUR STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH TO COME UP WITH THESE
[02:20:02]
GUIDELINES.BUT THIS IS A PLAN FOR ALL OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO AS WE GO FORWARD AND DO A PARK IN DISTRICT 8, THIS IS THE PLAN WE'RE GOING TO REFER TO AS WE DESIGN THAT PARK.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ADDITIONAL FUNDING, BECAUSE YOU STILL NEED TO LIGHT THAT PARK.
AND SO IT JUST HAS THE APPROPRIATE TYPES OF LIGHTING THAT WE WANT TO SEE IN OUR PARKS.
THE SAME AS WE DO STREET AND ROADWAYS.
REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT IS IN THE DOWNTOWN OR IN DISTRICT 10, IT'S GOING TO BE USED AS A REFERENCE ON HOW WE INCORPORATE AND APPROPRIATELY LIGHT OUR PUBLIC ROADWAYS.
BUT DOWNTOWN WAS THE PROVING GROUND.
THIS PLAN WAS $500,000 TO DO, WHICH CPS PAID FOR HALF OF IT.
BUT IT WAS A GREAT WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP A PLAN THAT CAN APPLY CITYWIDE, BECAUSE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO HAS.
>> PELAEZ: LORI, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH LEADERSHIP FROM PHILLIPS LIGHTING.
THEY'RE IN SAN ANTONIO TODAY FOR A SMART CITY CONFERENCE.
THEY TOOK TIME OFF TO COME TO MY OFFICE.
AND I BELIEVE THEY VISITED YOUR OFFICE, TOO, MAYOR.
REALLY FASCINATING CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THEY ARE AWARE OF OUR LIGHTING NEEDS, AND OUR PLANS AND ALL THAT.
AND THE POSSIBILITIES FOR LIGHT ISN'T JUST, YOU KNOW, THE PARTICLE THAT IS LIGHT SHINING ON A SPECIFIC PLACE.
BUT IT'S ALSO THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT COMES WITH THAT LIGHTING.
SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT POLE GIRTH, AND HOW THICK THOSE POLES HAD TO BE IN ORDER TO FIT 5G TECHNOLOGY.
AND THEN ONE DAY 6G TECHNOLOGY SO YOU DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT HANGING OUTSIDE THE POLES, BUT INSIDE THE POLES.
THEY'RE BEING THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THAT, TOO.
THEY'RE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW LIGHTING KRAS PLACE, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT A MEDICAL CENTER WITH REALLY INTERESTING BUILDINGS, OR INTERESTING STREETS, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE GREAT MEDICAL CENTERS AROUND THE NATION, THEY ALSO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A VERY DISTINCTIVE LIGHTING FEEL TO THEM.
AND WHERE YOU KNOW YOU'VE JUST CROSSED INTO ANOTHER MEDICAL CENTER.
AND THEN LASTLY, THEY EVEN TOLD ME STORIES THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DIFFERENT POLICE DEPARTMENTS, THEIR S.W.A.T.
TEAMS, ON -- BECAUSE IT USED TO BE THAT S.W.A.T. SHOWS UP AND SHOOTS OUTRIGHT, RIGHT? AND THEN THEY RAID A HOME AND THE NEXT DAY CPS ENERGY, WE HAVE TO GO IN AND SAY, WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO OUR LIGHTS, RIGHT? NOW THEY'RE DEVELOPING AND WORKING WITH POLICE DEPARTMENTS SO POLICE DEPARTMENTS CAN SHUT DOWN CERTAIN BLOCKS TO PERMIT THEM TO DO THOSE RAIDS AND THEN LEAVE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS THAT -- IT JUST BLEW MY MIND.
BUT THE POLE GIRTH ONE WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE.
ANYWAY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF MAYBE YOU AND I CAN SIT DOWN WITH THE PHILLIPS LIGHTING PEOPLE.
THEY DO HAVE INTERESTING CONCEPTS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
>> HALL: I, TOO, LIKE THE PLAN.
I LIKE THE CONCEPT THAT YOU'RE SAYING, IT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE CITYWIDE MASTER PLAN, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
BUT I'LL SAY LIGHTING ADDS SO MUCH TO EVERYTHING.
AND PARTICULARLY -- I WAS HERE DURING THAT TIME, OR I THINK THAT THE LIGHTING UNDER THE BRIDGES AND THAT KIND OF THING CAME IN AFTER I WAS ON COUNCIL.
BUT THE THINGS -- THE ART WORK WE CAN DO WITH LIGHTING DOES SO MUCH TO OUR CITY.
BUT I DO THINK LIGHTING DOWNTOWN IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM LIGHTING THE MEDICAL CENTER, FOR EXAMPLE, IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM LIGHTING OTHER AREAS.
BUT IF WE CAN TAKE BITS AND PIECES OF THIS AND APPLY IT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, SO THAT IF THERE'S NEIGHBORHOOD LIGHTING THAT CAN BE APPLIED THROUGHOUT LARGER NEIGHBORHOODS, OR PARK LIGHTING THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO LARGER AREAS, I THINK FOR ME THE PLAN WORKS.
BUT I DO THINK DOWNTOWN ITSELF AND SOME OF THE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS ARE GOING TO BE A LOT DIFFERENT THAN OTHER COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY.
GENERALLY I LIKE THE PLAN, I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE LIGHTING ON THE CONCEPTS PRESENTED HERE TODAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HALL.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND ALSO I WANTED TO THANK OUR COLLEAGUE COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE OF ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES COMING IN WITH THIS SPECIFIC AREA OF EXPERTISE IN HELPING OUR ENTIRE ORGANIZATION PUSH US A LITTLE BIT AND THINK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY AND MOVE US ALL FORWARD.
I'VE COME TO REALIZE THAT LIGHTING IS NOT JUST AN ADDED FUNCTION TO A FACILITY, OR TO A DESIGN, BUT IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST CRITICAL ELEMENT.
SO BEARING THAT IN MIND, AS WE BROADCAST ].
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, BUT ALSO BROADCAST ].
WE'RE UTILIZING EVERY OPPORTUNITY AS WE ADD INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE SURE IT'S PART OF THE SMART CITY CAPABILITIES.
[02:25:02]
THING.THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO, AND THE STAFF, AND LORI AND JOHN FOR PUTTING ALL THIS TOGETHER.
WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
BUT BEFORE I BREAK US FOR THAT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.
TODAY IS THE BIRTHDAY OF OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
AND WE WILL HAVE EXECUTIVE SESSION CAKE IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ROOM FOR OUR EXECUTIVE CITY ATTORNEY.
BUT WE'LL STOP THE SESSION BY SINGING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ANDY.
[Executive Session]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: CANNOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THAT.
THE TIME IS 4:41 P.M. ON THIS 6TH DAY OF MARCH, 2019.
TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT OF THE CITY COUNCIL WILL RECESS TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURNT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT COAT 551.087, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE OR LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY SECTION 551.072 REAL PROPERTY, LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PURSUANT TO CODE SECTION 551-071, LITIGATION MATTERS INVOLVING THE CITY PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED 551-071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY, AND DELIBERATE THE PERSONNEL, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURES AND LEGAL ISSUES PURSUANT TO SECTION 5511.071.
AND 551.089, SECURITY DEVICES AND AUDITS, AND
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
THE TIME IS 6:03 P.M. ON THIS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019.
CITY COUNCIL HAS RECONVENED FROM ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[3. First public hearing of a proposed annexation as requested by the property owners, LGI Homes-Texas LLC, of a 45.739 acre property, located at 10925 Green Road, which is contiguous to the City limits of San Antonio and located within the City of San Antonio’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) in eastern Bexar County. [Peter Zanoni, Deputy City Manager; Bridgett White, Director, Planning]]
TAKEN.WE ARE GOING TO OPEN OUR PUBLIC HEARING NOW.
I'LL BEGIN BY ASKING OUR CLERK TO READ THE CAPTION.
ITEM NO. 3 IS THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING OF A PROPOSED ANNEXATION AS REQUESTED BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS, LGI HOMES TEXAS, LLC, OF A 45.739-ACRE PROPERTY, LOCATED AT 10925 GREEN ROAD, WHICH IS CONTIGUOUS TO THE CITY LIMITS OF SAN ANTONIO AND LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY'S EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION IN EASTERN BEXAR COUNTY.
>> EXCUSE ME, THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION AS REQUESTED BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS, LGI HOMES TEXAS, LLC, OF A 45.739-ACRE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 10925 GREEN ROAD, WHICH IS CONTIGUOUS TO THE CITY LIMITS OF SAN ANTONIO AND LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION, IN EASTERN BEXAR COUNTY, IS HEREBY OPENED.
ANYONE WHO WANTS TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS MAY DO SO.
HOWEVER, COMMENTS MUST BE LIMITED TO MATTERS ABOUT THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION.
IF THE SPEAKER STARTS DISCUSSING ANY OTHER SUBJECT OR TOPIC HE OR SHE WILL BE INTERRUPTED AND ASKED TO LEAVE THE PODIUM.
WE'LL BEGIN NOW AND I'LL CALL THE CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING IN ORDER OF SIGN-UP.
AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH ANTONIO DIAZ.
ANTONIO DIAZ? DIANNA URRIEG AS? ARTMAN BLAND? MR. BLAND WILL BE FOLLOWED BY MARK PEREZ.
>> SO THIS IS PERTAINING TO ANNEXATION?
>> THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION FOR 10925 GREEN ROAD.
>> OH, JUST ONE -- OH, WELL, I'M NOT AGAINST ANY PART OF THE ANNEXATION IF THE CITY IS DOING IT.
BUT CAN I SAY WHAT I WANT TO SAY RIGHT QUICK?
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: IF IT PERTAINS TO THE ANNEXATION OF 10925, GO RIGHT AHEAD, MR. BLAND.
IF NOT, THEN YOU CAN WAIT FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING AFTERWARDS ON OTHER MATTERS.
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.
I'M NOT AGAINST ANNEXATION, BUT OKAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THAT'S FINE.
YOU'RE SIGNED UP ON THE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD SECTION AS WELL, MR. BLAND.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[02:30:01]
FROM THOSE CITIZENS WISHING TO BE HEARD ON THE PROPOSED ANYTHINGATION, THIS PUBLIC[6:00 PM (may be heard after this time) - Citizens to be Heard]
HEARING -- ANNEXATION, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS HEREBY CLOSED.WE'LL PROCEED NOW WITH OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITIZENS TO BE HEARD, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
I'LL BEGIN BY CALLING THE FIRST NAME.
I'LL ALSO CALL THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE, IF YOU CAN BE PREPARED TO COME FORWARD TO THE PODIUM.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.