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[1. Invocation]
THE COUNCIL IS READY TO BEGIN.WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 20, 2019.
>> MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL A SESSION AGENDA.
BEFORE WE REALLY GET STARTED, I DID WANT TO MAKE A NOTE OF THAT MUSIC THAT YOU JUST HEARD, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
EVERYBODY ENJOY THAT? LOCAL ARTISTS.
WITH THE NEW REPRESENTATIVES ON CITY COUNCIL, YOU MAY NOTICE A NEW AND FRESH LOOK TO THE INTRODUCTION VIDEO WE SAW.
AS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO BEING A MUSIC-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY, WE CONTINUE SPOTLIGHTING THE WORK OF LOCAL MUSICIANS DURING THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND ON TVSA, OUR GOVERNMENT ACCESS CHANNEL.
THE NEW INTRODUCTORY VIDEO FEATURES THE SONG SPANISH] BY LATIN GRAMMY AWARD WINNING SINGER, SONGWRITER, PRODUCER, AND SAN ANTONIO RESIDENT, ROGER VALASQUEZ.
THEY WON THE LATIN GRAMMY FOR BEST TEJANO ALBUM IN 2018 FOR ROGER VALASQUEZ AND THE TEXAS MEX FUNK.
HE HAS WORKED WITH AND APPEARED WITH MANY ARTISTS, INCLUDING RODNEY JAY, SELENA QUINTANILLA, LOS NINOS FEATURING SAN ANTONIO ACTOR JESSE BORREGO.
NOT ONLY DO WE KICKOFF EACH MEETING WITH LOCAL MUSIC IN EACH VIDEO BUT AUDIENCES WATCHING THESE MEETINGS ONLINE AND ON TVSA WILL HEAR THE LOCAL MUSIC SPOTLIGHT FEATURING MUSIC OF THEIR TALENTED NEIGHBORS BEFORE EACH MEETING AND EACH BREAK OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE THE TALENTS OF MR. VALASQUEZ IN OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT MR. VALASQUEZ'S WORK AND HOW ARTISTS CAN APPLY TO BE PART OF THE MUSIC SPOTLIGHT PROGRAM AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE WEBSITE, SANANTONIO.GOV/MUSIC.
SO WE WILL BEGIN TODAY, A GREAT DAY OF RENEWAL HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WITH AN INVOCATION, GUEST OF COUNCILMAN PERRY.
WE HAVE THIS MORNING PASTOR TROY DUNN, AND HE WAS REALLY RAISED A TEXAN WAY OUT THERE CLOSE TO PARIS, TEXAS.
CATTLE RANCHER, WORKED ON A CATTLE RANCH.
HE KIND OF DID THE SAME THINGS I DID.
HAULING HAY, DIGGING POST HOLES, ROUNDING UP CATTLE, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND JUST A GREAT WAY TO GROW UP.
BUT HAVING SAID THAT, AT A VERY EARLY AGE, YOU WERE CALLED TO GET INTO THE MINISTRY.
AND TODAY HE'S THE ASSOCIATE PASTOR AT ST. ANDREW'S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND IS CURRENTLY PURSUING ORDERNATION IN THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH HARDIN-SIMMONS AND A MASTERS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FROM UIW.
TROY IS MARRIED TO CHERYL, WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR, AND THEY HAVE TWO BOYS.
TROY'S MOTHER DONNA IS A HUGE PART OF THEIR FAMILY AND COMES WITH THEM TO ST. ANDREWS.
SO WELCOME, PASTOR DUNN THIS MORNING.
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND FOR WHAT YOU DO.
I INVITE ALL TO JOIN OUR HEARTS TOGETHER AS WE PRAY.
DEAR WISE AND COMPASSIONATE GOD, I GIVE YOU THANKS ON BEHALF OF ALL WHO GATHER HERE TODAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR THOSE THAT REPRESENT OUR MILITARY.
THANK YOU FOR THE MANY AND ABUNDANT BLESSINGS.
THANK YOU FOR LIFE ITSELF AND FOR THE MEASURE OF HEALTH WE NEED TO FULFILL OUR CALLING.
THANK YOU FOR THE ABILITY TO BE ENTRUSTED IN THE WORK THAT LIES BEFORE US AND FOR THE HONOR OF BEARING THESE APPROPRIATE RESPONSIBILITIES.
THANK YOU FOR THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE.
SCRIPTURES TELL US THAT CITIZENS OUGHT TO OBEY THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES, SINCE YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED THOSE VERY AUTHORITIES TO PROMOTE PEACE AND ORDER AND JUSTICE.
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THEREFORE, I PRAY FOR OUR MAYOR, FOR THE VARIOUS LEVELS OF CITY OFFICIALS AND, IN PARTICULAR, FOR THIS NEW ASSEMBLED COUNCIL.I AM ASKING THAT YOU WOULD GRACIOUSLY GRANT THEM WISDOM TO GOVERN AMID THE CONFLICTING ISSUES AND INTERESTS OF OUR TIMES.
FOR A SENSE OF WELFARE AND THE TRUE NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE.
FOR A KEEN THIRST FOR JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND FOR CONFIDENCE IN WHAT IS GOOD AND FITTING.
FOR THE ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER IN HARMONY, EVEN WHEN THERE IS HONEST DISAGREEMENT.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I PRAY FOR PERSONAL PEACE IN THEIR LIVES AND IN THE LIVES OF THEIR FAMILIES.
I LIFT UP THE AGENDA TODAY THAT IS SET BEFORE THEM.
PLEASE GIVE THEM ASSURANCE OF WHAT WOULD BENEFIT THOSE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN AND AROUND OUR BELOVED CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
IT IS IN YOUR MOST BLESSED SPIRIT I PRAY, AMEN.
[2. Pledge of Allegiance]
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, PASTOR DUNN.
WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES.
[3. Approval of Minutes of the City Council Regular Meetings of May 29 - 30, 2019]
OUR FIRST ITEM ON OUR BUSINESS AGENDA TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FROM MAY 15 THROUGH 16.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I HEAR A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES AND A SECOND FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF MAY 15 AND 16.
THAT'S AN APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF MAY 29 AND MAY 30.
[Additional Item]
MOTION CARRIES.WE HAVE MANY SPECIAL GUESTS IN OUR AUDIENCE TODAY AND A FEW POINTS OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
I'LL BEGIN BY WELCOMING OUR BRIGADIER GENERAL AND THE SOLDIERS PRESENT HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THE U.S. ARMY'S 244TH BIRTHDAY.
ALSO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR ARMY VETERANS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE CITY EMPLOYEES.
LET'S ALL RECOGNIZE THEIR PAST SERVICE TO THEIR COUNTRY, THEIR PRESENT SERVICE TO OUR CITY.
[APPLAUSE] SINCE OUR FOUNDING OVER 300 YEARS AGO, OUR CITY HAS BEEN A BASTIAN OF VIBRANT CIVILIAN AND MILITARY LIFE.
THAT'S WHY TODAY WE ARE THE ONLY CITY OFFICIALLY TRADEMARKED AS MILITARY CITY, USA, A MONIKER THAT WE HAVE EARNED AND WE ARE PROUD TO PROCLAIM.
SINCE THE 1870S, SOLDIERS STATIONED IN OUR CITY HAVE BEEN AT THE TIP OF THE SPEAR AND THE FOCAL POINT FOR MILITARY OPERATIONS IN TEXAS, MOST OF THE SOUTHWEST, AND IN THE LAST CENTURY AROUND THE WORLD.
GENERALS MACARTHUR, EISENHOWER, PERSHING, AND GRANT SERVED HERE.
THEN-LIEUTENANT EISENHOWER PROPOSED TO HIS WIFE AT A BUILDING STILL STANDING AT FORT SAM HOUSTON.
INSIDE THE MENGER HOTEL A FEW BLOCKS FROM HERE, TEDDY ROOSEVELT ORGANIZED THE ROUGH RIDERS, THE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY IN THE U.S. ARMY.
THE ARMY'S AIR CORPS WAS ESTABLISHED HERE AT FORT SAM HOUSTON IN 1910-1911, BRINGING ABOUT THE BIRTH OF MILITARY AVIATION.
THOUSANDS OF YOUNG AMERICAN SOLDIERS WERE TRAINED AND MOBILIZED HERE BEFORE DEPLOYING TO COMBAT IN WORLD WAR I, WORLD WAR II, KOREA, AND VIETNAM.
TODAY THE ARMY PRESENCE PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN OUR NATION'S DEFENSE.
BROOKE ARMY MEDICAL CENTER IS THE ONLY STATESIDE LEVEL ONE
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TRAUMA CARE AND BURN CENTER, SPECIALIZING IN THE CARE OF WOUNDED WARRIORS, VETERANS, AND NON-MILITARY MEMBERS OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.KNOWN AS THE ARMY BRAIN TRUST FOR THE ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT, THE ARMY TRAINS MORE THAN 25,000 STUDENTS ATTENDING 170 OFFICER NCO AND ENLISTED COURSES IN 14 MILITARY AND MEDICAL SPECIALTIES.
THESE PROFESSIONS AND THESE PROFESSIONALS DEPLOY AROUND THE GLOBE CARING FOR OUR WOUNDED, OUR ILL, AND OUR INJURED.
U.S. ARMY SOUTH RETAINS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ARMY ENGAGEMENTS, PLANNING OPERATIONS, IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA TO INCLUDE HUMANITARIAN AND PARTNER-BUILDING MISSIONS.
U.S. ARMY NORTH CONCENTRATES ON DEFENSE OF NORTH AMERICA.
COOPERATION WITH MEXICO AND CANADA, HOMELAND DEFENSE AND DISASTER RESPONSE.
OUR OWN GENERAL JEFF BUCHANAN HAS PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE DURING DISASTER RELIEF OPERATIONS ON THE MAINLAND AND IN PUERTO RICO.
THE UNITED STATES ARMY INSTALLATION MANAGEMENT COMMAND SUPPORTS UNITED STATES ARMY BY HANDLING THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF U.S. ARMY INSTALLATIONS AROUND THE GLOBE.
AND A COMPLEMENTARY ISSUE, I MIGHT NOTE, FOR US TODAY IS ITEM 24, THE CREATION OF A SAN ANTONIO MILITARY MEDICAL INNOVATION POSITION.
WE BELIEVE A FULL-TIME SAMMI DIRECTOR WILL HELP US MEET THESE TWO PRIMARY GOALS OF COMMERCIALIZATION AND FIRST AND FOREMOST THE ADVANCEMENT OF OUR LOCAL MILITARY MISSIONS, AS A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT AND A CATALYST IN OUR COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY AND HELP ACCELERATE MILITARY COMMERCIALIZATION PIPELINE OPPORTUNITIES.
WE'RE EXCITED TO CONTINUE OUR WORK WITH LOCAL LEADERS IN THE MILITARY ACADEMIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS AS WE LOOK TO STRENGTHEN OUR OWN LIFE SCIENCE ECOSYSTEM IN OUR MILITARY MEDICAL MISSIONS.
A CLOSE AND HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP HAS PREVAILED BETWEEN THE ARMY AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
IF TWO HAVE GROWN AND MATURED TOGETHER.
THE CITY HAS OFTEN BEEN CALLED THE MOTHER-IN-LAW OF THE ARMY BECAUSE SO MANY SOLDIERS, INCLUDING EISENHOWER, MET THEIR FUTURE SPOUSES HERE.
TODAY WE CONSIDER IT A PRIVILEGE TO HOST THE ARMY IN OUR CITY.
OUR CITY EMBRACES ITS SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THEY EMBRACE THEM AS FAMILY.
AND I KNOW THAT PARTNERSHIP WILL CONTINUE TO GROW FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
>> MR. MAYOR, SIR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
ON BEHALF OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL BUCHANAN, COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR DELGADO, THE MAJOR OF ARMY NORTH AND ALL THE SOLDIERS OF JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, THANK YOU.
IT IS TRULY AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE WITH YOU HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THE 244TH BIRTHDAY OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
AND AS A SOLDIER, AN OLD SOLDIER NOW, MYSELF, I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER PLACE TO RECOGNIZE THE BIRTH OF OUR ARMY AND CELEBRATE OUR BIRTHDAY THAN RIGHT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, MILITARY CITY, USA.
MR. MAYOR, SIR, AS YOU ALLUDED TO AND AS I HAVE LEARNED SINCE I HAVE BEEN STATIONED HERE IN FEBRUARY, THIS COMMUNITY'S SUPPORT FOR MEMBERS OF OUR ARMED FORCES, NOT ONLY THE ARMY, BUT ALL OF OUR ARMED FORCES, GOES BACK MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND I KNOW I CAN SPEAK FOR ALL THE SOLDIERS OUT THERE ON THE JOINT BASE, WE LOVE BEING STATIONED HERE.
SOLDIERS FIGHT TO STAY HERE, AND THAT SAYS A LOT.
THERE ARE SOME PLACES WHERE THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE CASE.
BUT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO I KNOW THEY LOVE IT.
THEY LOVE THE SUPPORT WE GET FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND THIS IS JUST A GREAT EVENT.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK IN OUR ARMY'S BIRTHDAY PREDATES THE BIRTH OF THE NATION BY A YEAR, AS WE'RE COMING UP ON THE FOURTH OF JULY HERE.
WHICH MAKES IT KIND OF UNIQUE.
AGAIN, SIR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE HOSPITALITY HERE THIS MORNING.
AND I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO CUTTING THE CAKE.
>> COUNCILWOMAN JADA ANDREWS-SULLIVAN.
>> SULLIVAN: I AM SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE THIS CELEBRATION HAPPENING ON THE FIRST DAY OF ME SITTING HERE ON COUNCIL.
AS AN ARMY VETERAN, I AM SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE REPRESENT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TRULY WHAT WE AS SOLDIERS ARE TRAINED TO DO, AND
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THAT IS PROTECT AND SERVE THOSE THAT WE ARE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY TO PUT OUR LIVES ON THE LINE AND SIGN OUR NAME AWAY TO.SO I SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNITED STATES ARMY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF US VETERANS -- WELL, SEVERAL VETERANS ON THIS DAIS UP HERE.
JUST WANTED TO, AGAIN, THANK YOU GENERAL FOR COMING ON IN.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF GOING TO THE BIRTHDAY PARTY.
AND THAT WAS A HECK OF A PARTY.
WHEN THE ARMY WANTS TO PARTY, THEY DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, I TELL YOU.
SO CONGRATULATIONS AND THIS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
THE HISTORY OF THE ARMY GOES BACK AS FAR AS THE MILITARY HISTORY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE IN WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOU AND JBSA.
IT'S AN HONOR TO HOST ALL OF YOU HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND ALL THE VETERANS THAT HAVE DECIDED TO STAY IN SAN ANTONIO AFTER THEY'VE GOTTEN OUT OF THE SERVICE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND MAY GOD BLESS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD MY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE U.S.
I WAS AIR FORCE MYSELF, BUT WE'RE ALL BROTHERS IN ARMS, HAVE BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT RELATIONSHIP THAT THE MILITARY HAS HAD WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
I THINK WE'VE WORKED HAND IN HAND ON MANY THINGS AND I KNOW THAT WE'LL CONTINUE THAT RELATIONSHIP.
AND WE HOPE THAT WHAT WE DO IN SAN ANTONIO HELPS ENHANCE THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT YOU HAVE IN THE MILITARY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK ALL OF YOUR FELLOW MEMBERS FOR THEIR SERVICE ON OUR BEHALF.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> VIAGRAN: I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE U.S. ARMY.
AND CONGRATULATE MY COLLEAGUE.
GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE ON BOARD.
AND RECOGNIZE JUST THOSE ARMY VETERANS IN MY LIFE AND MY DAD, VIETNAM VETERAN, MY UNCLES, AND MY CHIEF OF STAFF, A VETERAN OF THE U.S. ARMY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
GENERAL, TO YOU AND THE ENTIRE JOINT BASE TEAM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US THE PRIVILEGE OF CELEBRATING ON OUR FIRST DAY HERE AS THE NEW CITY COUNCIL.
AND REALLY ENJOY CELEBRATING YOUR GREAT SUCCESS.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING YOU FOR SOME CAKE BEFORE NOON.
I HAVE A FEW OTHER POINTS OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE THIS MORNING.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
KEEPING WITH THE THEME OF WOMEN, WE ARE HONORING THIS MORNING THE PASSING OF SOME INCREDIBLE MATRIARCHS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR START WITH CRUZ CORTEZ, THE MATRIARCH OF FAMILIA CORTEZ.
ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, PLEASE ACCEPT OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ON THE LOSS OF YOUR BELOVED MATRIARCH.
CRUZ WAS A LOVING DAUGHTER, LIFE PARTNER, MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER.
SHE WAS A STEADY STRENGTH OF HER FAMILY AND THE SOURCE OF ENERGY BEHIND SOME OF OUR CITY'S MOST ICONIC GATHERING PLACES FOR LOCALS AND VISITORS ALIKE.
SHE GAVE OF HER TIME AND WISDOM AND WAS GREATLY RESPECTED BY THOSE LIVES SHE TOUCHED.
HER PASSING LEAVES US GRIEVING THE LOSS OF A WOMAN WHO, TOGETHER WITH HER BELOVED HUSBAND, TOOK A RISK IN 1941 AND OPENED A THREE-TABLE RESTAURANT WHICH HAS MULTIPLIED AND GROWN TO BECOME ANCHORS OF OUR HISTORIC MARKET SQUARE.
CRUZ NURTURED GENERATIONS OF FORMIDABLE BUSINESSMEN AND WOMEN AND NURTURED OUR CITY'S UNIQUENESS.
ALTHOUGH OUR HEARTS ARE LEFT WITH A VOID, WE HOPE YOU WILL KNOW WE JOIN YOU IN CHERISHING THE MEMORIES OF HER EXTRAORDINARY LIFE AND THE DEVOTION SHE HAD FOR HER FAMILY, HER CULTURE, AND HER CITY.
HER WISDOM AND LOVE WILL REMAIN FOREVER ETCHED IN OUR MEMORY.
ON BEHALF OF CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5, ALL OF THE COUNCIL AND OUR MAYOR AND THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO, WE JOIN YOU IN YOUR SORROW AND EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST EXPRESSION OF SYMPATHY OF COMFORT TO THOSE NEAR TO HER.
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HERE TODAY.IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL, ALL THE FAMILY IS HERE.
WE KNOW NOT ALL OF THE FAMILY IS HERE, BUT WE HAVE SOME OF THE REPRESENTATIVES HERE WITH US TODAY.
AND IT IS AN HONOR FOR US TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PASSING OF YOUR MOTHER AND THE MEMORIES THAT SHE HAS AND THE LEGACY THAT CONTINUES MANY GENERATIONS TO COME.
MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION AND, PARTICULAR, COUNCILWOMAN SHIRLEY GONZALES.
THE STORY OF OUR PARENTS, PEDRO AND CRUZ CORTEZ, IS TRULY THE STORY OF THE AMERICAN DREAM.
MY FATHER, AN IMMIGRANT FROM JALISCO, CAME TO SAN ANTONIO, WORKED AS A BUTCHER AT A GROCERY STORE WHERE THE DOWNTOWN UNIVERSITY CAMPUS IS NOW.
HE MET MY MOTHER, WHO WAS WORKING AT A LITTLE RESTAURANT MAKING TORTILLAS IN A RESTAURANT CALLED BLANCA'S CAFE WHERE THE NAVARRO HOUSE IS RIGHT NOW.
AND THEY STARTED THEIR LIVES -- THEY HAD FIVE CHILDREN.
MY BROTHER, MANUEL, WHO HAS NOW PASSED.
MY BROTHER GEORGE, MY BROTHER RUBEN, AND OUR SISTER ROSALINDA.
WE FEEL VERY HONORED AND VERY BLESSED TO HAVE HAD THEM AS OUR PARENTS.
THEY HAVE BUILT A BUSINESS THAT HAS GROWN FROM THREE TABLES.
WE NOW EMPLOY OVER 600 EMPLOYEES AND 600 FAMILY MEMBERS, BECAUSE WE CONSIDER OURSELVES A FAMILY.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO OPEN A NEW RESTAURANT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION.
I THINK MY MOTHER AND MY FATHER WOULD FEEL VERY HONORED THAT THEY ARE BEING RECOGNIZED IN THIS WAY.
CRUZ CORTEZ WAS BORN JUST DOWN BY THE SAN PEDRO CREEK.
BY CASA NAVARRO, A LITTLE SHOTGUN HOUSE.
THE BEAUTY OF MY MOTHER WAS HER HUMBLENESS AND HER STRENGTH TO SUPPORT MY FATHER THAT WAS WORKING 18, 20 HOURS A DAY.
SO IT'S BEEN IN OUR SPIRIT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR MERCADO, TO TAKE CARE OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE, TO HIRE THEM, TO HELP THE EDUCATION OF THESE CHILDREN.
I BELIEVE THAT MY FATHER WOULD BE VERY PROUD.
I KNOW MY MOTHER IS VERY PROUD OF THE LEGACY THAT THEY HAVE LEFT AND THAT THEY HAVE INSTILLED IN US AND THEY HAVE TRUSTED US TO STAY AS A UNITED FAMILY.
>> AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THOUGH IT'S DIFFICULT, BUT OUR MOTHER HAS BEEN OUR SHINING STAR AND CONTINUES TO BE OUR SHINING STAR.
WE ALL GREW UP IN MARKET SQUARE.
AND MY BROTHERS HAVE MORE MEMORIES.
THAT'S WHERE WE LEARNED WHAT WE LEARNED, SO IT'S VERY CLOSE TO US.
WE STARTED IT AS A THREE-TABLE RESTAURANT, SO WE BELIEVE IN THE SMALL BUSINESS AND THE MOM AND POP BUSINESSES.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'LL CONTINUE REPRESENTING AND FIGHTING FOR MARKET SQUARE.
>> JUST TO FINISH, THAT WE WERE TRUE VENDORS.
MY BROTHERS AND I USED TO SELL BANANAS ON THE SIDEWALK OF PRODUCE ROW.
[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND IF WE COULD PLEASE GATHER UP HERE FOR A PICTURE, ALL THE FAMILY.
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[APPLAUSE]>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
I JUST WANT TO ALSO EXPRESS MY CONDOLENCES.
THE CORTEZ FAMILY HAS BEEN SUCH A STAPLE FOR OUR CITY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP, FOR YOUR COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND KNOW THAT THE LEGACY OF YOUR MOTHER WILL LIVE ON FOR MANY, MANY GENERATIONS TO COME.
AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE ADHERENCE TO BEING AS AUTHENTIC, TO BEING PART OF WHAT SAN ANTONIO IS DEFINED BY.
AND WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR OUR CITY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
AND I'LL JUST ADD MY CONDOLENCES AS WELL BUT ALSO MY GRATITUDE FOR THE ENTIRE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR THE CORTEZ FAMILY AND THE LEGACY THAT YOU HAVE BUILT HERE.
THERE IS A MT. RUSHMORE IN OUR MINDS OF THIS CITY, AND IT'S LONG AND ILLUSTRIOUS, BUT IT INCLUDES THE MEMBERS OF THE CORTEZ FAMILY.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR THIS COMMUNITY ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING OUR CITY A MUCH BETTER PLACE BECAUSE OF IT.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE MY CONDOLENCES FOR THE CORTEZ FAMILY.
AS YOU ALL WERE UP HERE, WHAT CAME TO MIND WAS THE PASSAGE FROM PROVERBS 31 AND HOW IT SAYS MANY WOMEN DO NOBLE THINGS, BUT YOUR SURPASSED THEM ALL.
CHARM IS DECEPTIVE AND BEAUTY IS FLEETING, BUT A WOMAN WHO FEARS THE LORD IS TO BE PRAISED.
HONOR HER FOR ALL THAT HER HANDS HAVE DONE AND LET HER WORKS BRING HER PRAISE AT THE CITY GATE.
SO IT'S OUR HONOR TO HONOR HER HERE AT CITY HALL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER POINTS OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TODAY.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH COUNCILMAN PERRY.
I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET BACK TO THE MILITARY SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
AND TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE -- COME ON UP, DEBBIE, AND BRING EVERYBODY UP HERE WHO'S HERE THIS MORNING THAT COULD JOIN US.
NO, THIS MORNING, AS THEY ALL COME UP HERE, IT'S GREAT TO SEE THIS GROUP OF LADIES.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT WHAT THIS GROUP OF LADIES REPRESENT? ANYBODY ON COUNCIL? NO? OKAY.
IT'S WE'RE CELEBRATING WOMEN'S VETERANS DAY.
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HONORED TO HAVE Y'ALL ATTEND TODAY AND BE A PART OF THIS CEREMONY.IT GOES RIGHT ALONG WITH THE ARMY'S BIRTHDAY AND HOW YOU HAVE ALL SERVED IN THE MILITARY.
SO GOT A FEW WORDS HERE I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND SAY.
AND THEN, DEBBIE, YOU CAN CHIME IN AS WELL.
SINCE THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, WOMEN HAVE SERVED THEIR COUNTRY HONORABLY IN A VARIETY OF MILITARY ROLES THAT INCLUDE COOKS, DRIVERS, MECHANICS, PILOTS, SOLDIERS, SAILORS, SPIES, DOCTORS, AND NURSES.
THAT'S EVER SINCE THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR WOMEN HAVE PARTICIPATED IN EVERY ONE OF THEM.
WOMEN HAVE MADE UNTOLD SACRIFICES TO INCLUDE SUFFERING THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WOUNDS OF WAR AND THOUSANDS HAVE PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE.
THIS YEAR MARKS THE 71ST YEAR ACKNOWLEDGING WOMEN IN MILITARY SERVICE.
AND AS THE OFFICIAL YEAR OF TEXAS WOMEN VETERANS, WE REALLY WANT TO RECOGNIZE Y'ALL AS BEING A PART OF THE MILITARY AND WEARING THE UNIFORM AND DEFENDING OUR COUNTRY.
NEARLY 154,000 WOMEN VETERANS CALL TEXAS HOME, TO INCLUDE A LARGE NUMBER HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND THOSE VETERANS CONTINUE TO HONORABLY SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES AS THEY SERVE THEIR COUNTRY AND SAVED.
THESE WOMEN NOW PERFORM IN POSITIONS AS LEADERS SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT HERE, ESPECIALLY IN SAN ANTONIO, MILITARY CITY, USA.
WOMEN VETERANS DAY ALLOWS US TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT FOR OUR WOMEN VETERANS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO TO INCLUDE THE CITY'S FEMALE VETERAN EMPLOYEES AS WELL, HIGHLIGHTING OUR APPRECIATION FOR THEIR STRENGTH AND SACRIFICES THAT HAVE MADE OUR NATION WHAT IT IS TODAY.
WHILE WOMEN VETERANS DAY OCCURRED ON JUNE 12TH, WE ARE HONORED TO RECOGNIZE IT TODAY.
SAN ANTONIO IS PROUD TO BE HOME OF ALL OF OUR WOMEN VETERANS.
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES US STRONG HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I AM JUST, AGAIN, HONORED TO HAVE Y'ALL HERE TODAY AND TO RECOGNIZE Y'ALL AS CITY EMPLOYEES AND VETERANS OF OUR MILITARY.
SO, WITH THAT, DEBBIE, PLEASE.
I'M DEBBIE CLARK, A FORMER U.S.
ARMY CAPTAIN AND IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN VETERAN.
I'M A MANAGEMENT ANALYST WITH THE OFFICE OF VETERAN AFFAIRS WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
ONE OF THE THINGS COUNCILMAN PERRY, THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AND THE CITY MANAGER FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY .
IN 2017 TEXAS GOVERNOR GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT SIGNED INTO LAW SENATE BILL 805 ESTABLISHING 12 JUNE AS WOMEN'S VETERANS DAY.
IT HONORS THE HISTORY OF WOMEN IN MILITARY SERVICE BUT HIGHLIGHT THE BARRIERS THEY HAVE OVERCOME.
WOMEN'S VETERANS DAY ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE OBSTACLES THAT YET LAY AHEAD IN TRULY REACHING THIS EQUALITY.
WHILE WOMEN HAVE BEEN SERVING SINCE THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, IT WAS NOT UNTIL JUNE 12, 1948 THAT PRESIDENT TRUMAN SIGNED INTO LAW THE WOMEN'S ARMED SERVICES INTEGRATION ACT.
AND THAT TRULY RECOGNIZED THE ROLE WOMEN PLAYED IN OUR ARMED FORCES.
THAT'S 200 YEARS AFTER WOMEN FIRST BEGAN SERVICE IN DEFENSE OF OUR NATION.
IN 1976, 28 YEARS AFTER THE LAW WAS SIGNED, WOMEN WERE FINALLY AUTHORIZED TO ATTEND SERVICE ACADEMIES.
IT TOOK AN ADDITIONAL 70 YEARS AFTER THAT INTEGRATION ACT BEFORE WOMEN WERE FINALLY AUTHORIZED TO ATTEND ARMY RANGER SCHOOL.
THERE ARE STILL RESTRICTIONS THAT EXCLUDE ALL WOMEN SERVICE MEMBERS FROM FULL INTEGRATION.
REGARDING THE TRUE SACRIFICE OF WOMEN WEARING THE CLOTH OF OUR COUNTRY, 543 DIED IN WORLD WAR II.
THE NAMES OF EIGHT WOMEN ARE ON THE WALL MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
AND NEARLY 200 HAVE DIED IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.
SO TODAY WE WOULD LIKE TO HONOR ALL THE WOMEN VETERANS, BUT ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT WORK FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ACROSS THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING FINANCE, HUMAN RESOURCES, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS, AND THE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE.
AND REALLY ALMOST EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THE THOUSANDS OF WOMEN VETERANS IN OUR CITY AND OUR BROADER COMMUNITY.
WOMEN VETERANS, WE RECOGNIZE THE HISTORY YOU HAVE OVERCOME AND THE CHALLENGES AHEAD.
WE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.
[00:35:16]
AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL-DESERVED RECOGNITION.
YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU PERFORMED FOR THE MILITARY AND OUR NATION AND HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY WHO IS JOINING US HERE TODAY.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WELCOMING THE DELEGATION OF STUDENTS AND YOUNG WOMEN FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD AND THE WOMEN'S GLOBAL CONNECTION.
THEY ARE LED TODAY BY SISTER MARTHA ANN KIRK, WHO IS A PILLAR OF OUR COMMUNITY OVER AT INCARNATE WORD.
I HAVE TO SAY, THEY ARE ACTUALLY HERE TO CONGRATULATE THE MAJORITY-FEMALE COUNCIL.
SO IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, I WOULD LIKE TO ALLOW THEM A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO SPEAK.
>> WE ARE DELIGHTED TO BE HERE IN THIS CITY THAT HAS PLEDGED TO BE A CITY OF COMPASSION.
WE ALL REMEMBER THAT THIS JUNE IS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL LEGISLATORS BEING IN FAVOR OF WOMEN SUFFRAGE.
WHILE ALL OF YOU PROBABLY ENJOY BRACKENRIDGE PARK AND THINK OF GEORGE BRACKENRIDGE, I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT HIS MOTHER AND HIS SISTER WERE VERY, VERY ACTIVE IN IMPROVING OUR CITY AND OUR STATE.
ELEANOR BRACKENRIDGE RESEARCHED LAWS FOR WOMEN, AND SHE'S CALLED THE MOTHER OF WOMEN SUFFRAGE IN TEXAS.
IN 1916 SHE AND HER FRIENDS WERE GOING AROUND IN THEIR MODEL-T WITH A PENNANT VOTES FOR WOMEN, VOTES FOR WOMEN.
AND SO IT IS SO IMPORTANT IN OUR SOCIETY THAT ALL OF US, DIFFERENT GENDERS, RACES, COLORS, SOCIOECONOMIC POSITION, THAT WE CONTRIBUTE OUR GIFTS TO THE BETTERMENT OF SOCIETY.
AND THAT IN OUR CITY AND IN OUR WORLD WE REACH OUT TO THE MOST VULNERABLE, AND THAT WE ARE
[00:40:02]
VOICES FOR THE EARTH ITSELF AND FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE.SO IN HONOR OF THIS HAPPY TIME OF MORE WOMEN ON OUR CITY COUNCIL, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION.
WOMEN'S GLOBAL CONNECTION, WHICH HELPS WOMEN ALL OVER THE WORLD, HAS PURCHASED -- SO IN KENYA AND TANZANIA, A VERY POOR FAMILY WILL HAVE A HEN IN HONOR OF EACH OF OUR CITY COUNCIL WOMEN .
A LOT OF CACKLING IN AFRICA, AND WE CELEBRATE TODAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR SUCH AN IMPACTFUL GIFT AND WAY TO JUST CELEBRATE WOMEN AND WHAT IS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE WORLD AND CONNECTING SAN ANTONIO TO THAT.
AND, SISTER, I JUST HAVE TO SAY PERSONALLY, THANK YOU.
BECAUSE I KNOW IN MY LIFE NUNS AND THE RELIGIOUS HAVE BEEN SOURCES OF INSPIRATION, COURAGE, FAITH, AND STRENGTH.
AND YOU ALL LEAD BY EXAMPLE, SO WE'RE JUST FOLLOWING YOUR LEADS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
COUNCILWOMAN ADRIANA ROCHA GARCIA.
SISTER, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU SINCE MY DAYS AT INCARNATE WORD.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOUR WONDERFUL SMILING FACE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH OF YOUR GIFT TO SUPPORT A WOMEN'S BUSINESS IN AFRICA.
NOW I CAN SAY THAT WE'VE SUPPORTED A SMALL BUSINESS IN AFRICA, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I FEEL VERY PROUD OF.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR ADVOCATING FOR WOMEN AND FOR STUDENTS OF INCARNATE WORD.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA.
COUNCILWOMAN ANDREWS-SULLIVAN.
>> SULLIVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THIS IS JUST A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR TO HAVE WOMEN STAND BEFORE US IN MY ROLES AND FACETS THAT WE PLAY IN LIFE AS MOTHERS, LEADERS, EDUCATORS, DOCTORS, LAWYERS.
JUST EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AND STAND FOR AS WOMEN ALWAYS SHOWS ME THE STRENGTH OF THE WOMAN AND HOW WE CARRY THE WORLD AROUND WITH US AND ON OUR SHOULDERS.
AND SO WHAT THIS SHOWS ME IS THAT NOT ONLY CAN WE TOUCH ONE THAT IS IN FRONT OF US, BUT WE CAN TOUCH A WORLD AWAY FROM US.
AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU STAND FOR.
AND FOR BEING A VOICE FOR MANY OF US WHEN WE CANNOT SPEAK.
AND IN AFRICA I KNOW THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY AN HONOR TO THEM TO HAVE ONES THAT ARE FAR AWAY THINK OF THEM AND THEIR BUSINESSES, AND TO PROVIDE A RESOURCE FOR MANY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN ANDREWS-SULLIVAN.
>> GONZALES: AS ONE OF THE MOST SENIOR MEMBERS ON THE COUNCIL, THIS IS A FIRST.
I NEVER HAVE BEEN GIFTED A HEN ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER GROUP.
ACTUALLY, A DOZEN HENS, FOR A WOMAN'S FAMILY BUSINESS IN AFRICA.
WHAT A GREAT GIFT ON YOUR BEHALF FOR US.
AND I KNOW CHOCO MESA USED TO TELL ME THE NUNS, THE SISTERS, THEY WERE THE FIRST WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS WE CONTINUE TO HONOR WOMEN IN THE WORLD IS THROUGH THE WORK THAT THE SISTERS DO ALL OVER.
EVERY ORDER AND EVERY SISTER IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE SUCH A DEDICATION TO SERVICE IS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE SISTERS TAUGHT US.
SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THIS WONDERFUL DEDICATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS CONGRATULATORY GIFT.
I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER GIFT THAN PROMOTING INDEPENDENCE AND WOMEN'S BUSINESSES IN AFRICA.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS CITY IS ALL ABOUT IS FOSTERING THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE.
AND SO I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAD THE THOUGHT AND FORESIGHT TO DO THAT FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE HALF A WORLD AWAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CABELLO HAVRDA.
>> SANDOVAL: AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
I UNDERSTOOD YOU CAME TO GIVE US
[00:45:04]
A CONGRATULATIONS, BUT THIS WAS UNEXPECTED AND SO MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL THAN SIMPLY THE CONGRATULATIONS.AND TO THE WOMEN PARTICIPATING IN THE GLOBAL CONNECTIONS PROGRAM, WELCOME TO CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'LL JUST CLOSE BY SAYING THANK YOU, SISTERS.
YOU HELP LEAD US BROTHERS TO THE RIGHT PATH.
AND WE ARE GRATEFUL, OUR ENTIRE CITY IS GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN A HEN GIVEN AS A GIFT BEFORE, BUT I GUESS THAT TRULY IS A GIFT THAT CONTINUES TO GIVE.
AS WILL THIS COUNCIL BE FOR ALL YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING WHY I AM DRESSED THE WAY I AM DRESSED TODAY.
WE ISSUED A CHALLENGE RECENTLY.
THE COOLER DRESS, COOLER SAVINGS CHALLENGE WITH CPS.
AND I WANT TO BRIEFLY TELL YOU A QUICK STORY.
SO TRACY REESE IN MY OFFICE, WHO IS LISTENING IN RIGHT NOW, SHE'S SITTING AT HER DESK RIGHT NOW WEARING A SWEATER AND HAS A HEATER UNDER HER DESK RIGHT NOW -- WE HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED SUMMER, BY THE WAY.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS THE ENERGY REALLY SPIKES BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO COOL OUR BUILDINGS SO, SO HARD IN THESE VERY, VERY HOT MONTHS.
AND SO UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DRESS MORE APPROPRIATELY DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.
I'M ASKING BUSINESS FOLKS AND EVERYONE FROM ACROSS THE CITY TO DRESS MORE APPROPRIATELY DURING THESE HOT SUMMER MONTHS.
NOW THAT I'M DRESSED THIS WAY IN THIS ROOM, I WALKED INTO CITY HALL IN THESE CHAMBERS, AND IT IS COLD.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE WEARING A SUIT IT DOESN'T FEEL THAT WAY.
AND SO THIS IS A CHALLENGE TO HELP SORT OF BALANCE THAT DURING THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS.
CPS HAS TO DEAL WITH THE PEAK DEMAND RESPONSE, WHICH IS THE SPIKES IN ENERGY USAGE DURING THE TIME PERIOD FROM 2:00 P.M.
AND THIS COULD HELP WITH THAT.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK CPS ENERGY, PAULA GOLD-WILLIAMS, AS WELL AS OUR CITY MANAGER, ERIK WALSH, DOUG MELNICK, AND BRIAN DILLARD FOR HELPING OUT WITH THIS EFFORT.
WE HAD COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL JOIN US.
AND, AGAIN, I THINK IT'S A CHALLENGE TO ASK PEOPLE TO DRESS MORE APPROPRIATELY IN THESE HOT SUMMER MONTHS.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A REAL THING WE CAN DO TODAY THAT WOULD HELP US TO SAVE ENERGY, WILL HELP US TO CREATE A MUCH MORE HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT WITHIN ALL OUR BUILDINGS IN SAN ANTONIO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, YOU HAVE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
IS THAT FOR THE CONSENT ITEM? OH, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
AND SOME PEOPLE MAY SAY, WAIT A SECOND, YOU GUYS HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN TO TALK ABOUT THE CLOTHES THAT WE WEAR AND ALL THAT.
BUT I THINK THIS IS A WAY OF ALSO HIGHLIGHTING THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HEAT, ASIDE FROM BEING UNCOMFORTABLE, IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO KILL.
AND THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF ELDERLY FOLKS AND VULNERABLE FOLKS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WHO AREN'T JUST UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAY VERY WELL DIE FROM THIS HEAT BECAUSE OF A LACK OF AIR-CONDITIONING AND A LACK OF PROPER COOLING AND COOLING STATIONS AND ALL THAT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, MY REQUEST IS THAT EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE AND EVERYBODY WATCHING TODAY, LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER.
AND IF YOU KNOW SOMEBODY OUT THERE WHO, YOU KNOW, MIGHT NOT HAVE AN AIR-CONDITIONING OR, YOU KNOW, OR, YOU KNOW, IS ELDERLY AND HOME BOUND, TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO CHECK UP ON THEM AND ASK THEM IF YOU CAN DO SOMETHING FOR THEM.
AND INVITE THEM OVER FOR A NICE GLASS OF LEMONADE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I COMPLETELY SUPPORT COUNCILMAN TREVINO IN THIS EFFORT.
I CALL IT COOL THREADS, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IF WE CAN THINK OF SOMETHING BETTER, WE CAN USE THAT.
AND THE TRUTH IS I BEGAN THE IMPLEMENTATION YESTERDAY.
IF ANYONE RECALLS, I WORE A DRESS WITHOUT SLEEVES, IF YOU WERE HERE.
AND I FROZE MY BUTT OFF THE WHOLE TIME.
AND IT WAS A MISERABLE -- IN THAT SENSE IT WAS A MISERABLE INAUGURATION EVENT FOR ME.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO SORT OF WORK WITH OUR BUILDING SERVICES TEAM AND FIGURE SOMETHING OUT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS.
MAYBE WE PICK A DAY WHEN WE ALL DECIDE TO DO IT.
I KNOW I CAN SEE WOOL JACKETS ALL OVER THIS DAIS AND IT'S GOING TO BE MISERABLE IF WE RAISE THAT TEMPERATURE.
AND I DO REMEMBER, I TOLD THE STORY AT YOUR PRESS CONFERENCE, THAT MY FIRST DAY ON COUNCIL,
[00:50:02]
THAT ALSO HAPPENED.AND I WAS ACTUALLY WEARING A BLAZER THAT DAY.
AND IT WASN'T A PLEASANT FIRST DAY ON COUNCIL.
I WAS STANDING UP AND MY TEETH WERE CHATTERING.
BUT IF WE CAN GET AWAY FROM THAT, I WOULD LOVE TO.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN, FOR DOING THIS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
[Consent Agenda]
PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TODAY.WE ARE NOW GOING TO GET INTO OUR BUSINESS AGENDA.
WE HAVE A FULL CONSENT AGENDA TODAY.
NO ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, ALTHOUGH I DO HAVE A COUPLE PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS ALREADY.
ITEM 37 ALONG WITH ITEM 40 FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHERS? PLEASE NOTE ITEM 15 HAS BEEN PULLED AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED TODAY.
HEARING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
HOLD ON ONE SECOND, COUNCILMAN.
>> YES, I THINK COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, BEFORE I ASKED, Z-1 IS ASSOCIATED WITH 40.
SO IF WE'RE PULLING 40, WE'RE ALSO PULLING Z-1.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: FOR THE AFTERNOON AGENDA?
BECAUSE IT'S CONNECTED TO THE ANNEXATION, MAYOR, THEY ARE CONNECTED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: SO IT'S BEING PULLED FOR CONSIDERATION FOR TODAY.
IT'S OFF OF THE AGENDA FOR TODAY.
>> VIAGRAN: MAYOR, SO 40 AND Z-1.
CAN WE PULL THOSE BOTH RIGHT NOW?
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MY APOLOGIES.
WE HAVE ITEMS 26, 36, 37, 40, AND Z-1 PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
ITEM 15 WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED TODAY.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE DO HAVE CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEMS ON CONSENT.
WE'LL START WITH EDWARD MARTINEZ.
IS MR. EDWARD MARTINEZ HERE TODAY? OKAY.
>> WELL, MAYOR NIRENBERG AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER.
AND FIRST OF ALL, TO MR. TREVINO AND MR. PELAEZ, I SEE WHERE YOU WOULD WANT TO WEAR -- YOU ARE REQUESTING WE COME MORE CASUALLY DRESSED AROUND HERE.
PLEASE UNDERSTANDST THAT'S WHY E HAVE THIS GREAT INVENTION CALLED AIR-CONDITIONING.
AND ALSO, BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, SUPPOSEDLY IS A GREAT HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE.
AND WHEN YOU SIT BEHIND THAT DAIS, SUPPOSEDLY THE IDEA IS TO COMPLEMENT IT WITH A NECKTIE AND A COAT TO REFLECT THE HONOR THAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
AND TO THE NEW MEMBERS ON THE COUNCIL, MS. ANDREWS-SULLIVAN, MS. ADRIANA ROCHA GARCIA, AND MELISSA HAVRDA.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND I SAW Y'ALL AT THE VARIOUS CANDIDATE FORUMS AROUND TOWN.
THE COPS METRO FORUM AND THE STONEWALL DEMOCRATS FORUM OF THE HOMOSEXUAL COMMUNITY.
YES, AND I MUST SAY WE HAVE, WITH YOUR INSTALLATION ON THIS COUNCIL, WE NOW HAVE REACHED A MILESTONE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: JACK, KEEP IT TO THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA OR I'LL CUT YOU OFF.
>> WELL, MR. MAYOR, I'M JUST TRYING TO OFFER INTRODUCTIONS AND A WELCOME HERE, I THINK.
[SIGHING] WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?
[00:55:01]
YES, HERE WE GO.ACTUALLY 30, 31, 32, AND 34, ALL OF THEM DEAL WITH SO-CALLED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND, YEAH, MR. MAYOR, IT'S WHAT I CALL WELFARE HOUSING.
BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
YOU'RE ASKING US THE TAXPAYERS TO SUBSIDIZE HOUSING FOR SUPPOSEDLY THOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT.
YEAH, BUT I NOTICE THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THESE IS WAY OVER IN CULEBRA CREEK.
YEAH, MS. HAVRDA, THAT'S IN YOUR DISTRICT THERE.
THAT'S WAY OVER IN THE RITZY FAR WEST SIDE THERE.
GOING TO PUT PEOPLE WHO NEED SUBSIDIZED HOUSING WAY OUT ON ALAMO RANCH AREA THERE.
BUT THE ONE I'M GETTING AT IS ITEM NO. 30.
YEAH, THIS IS ONE WHERE -- PUT THAT ON THE AUDIO-VISUAL.
SHOW THEM WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
THIS GUY, WE GAVE HIM A LOAN BACK IN 2002, OVER $320,000.
HE NEVER PAID OFF THE PRINCIPAL ON IT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FINGER.
TERRY -- THAT'S EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP FOR ITEMS ON CONSENT.
ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT JOBS I BELIEVE HERE ON THIS COUNCIL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT REPRESENTATION ON OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN HAS BEEN VERY VOCAL AND VERY STRONG IN HER LEADERSHIP IN MAKING SURE TO HOLD US ALL ACCOUNTABLE IN APPOINTING THOSE FOLKS WHO AREN'T JUST LIVING IN OUR DISTRICTS BUT WHO ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN THOSE AREAS THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, BE RELEVANT TO THE BOARDS TO WHICH WE APPOINT.
COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, YOU'VE ALSO BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT REPRESENTATION AND THAT DIVERSITY ON THESE BOARDS.
TODAY YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ON ITEM 23 THAT A WHOLE HANDFUL OF DISTRICT 8 APPOINTMENTS ARE UP.
I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S SUPPORT IN HELPING ME WELCOME THOSE FOLKS EITHER FOR REAPPOINTMENTS OR NEW APPOINTMENTS.
YOU KNOW, FOR OUR HOUSING TRUST, I'VE DECIDED TO APPOINT ONE OF MY FRIENDS AND ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS AND A THOUGHT LEADER, YOU KNOW, FOR ALL OF SAN ANTONIO.
A PERSON BY THE NAME OF FRANKIE GONZALES-WOLFE.
JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THE KIND OF EXPERIENCE AND KIND OF EXPERTISE THAT WE DO HAVE ON THESE BOARDS, FRANKIE IS AN EXPERT IN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, DATA ANALYSIS, PROCESS IMPROVEMENT, CORPORATE AND LEGAL COMPLIANCE.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, SHE'S GOT A HUGE FRONTAL LOBE.
AND SO I APPRECIATE HER WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.
ADDITIONALLY, ON OUR SAN ANTONIO HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD, I HAVE BROUGHT IN A YOUNG MAN NAMED BEAU ANDERSON WHO IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE SMARTEST HUMAN BEINGS AND KINDEST HUMAN BEINGS I HAVE EVER MET AND CONTINUES TO IMPRESS ME WITH HIS WISDOM AND HIS ABILITY TO BE CEREBRAL AND SOLVE PROBLEMS. AND I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF HIM.
AND ONE OF THESE DAYS, WATCH OUT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, HE JUST MAY BE OUR CITY MANAGER OR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND SO, AGAIN, I WANT TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT -- AND PARTICULARLY FOR OUR NEW COUNCILWOMEN.
I AND COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN I THINK ARE GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING ON MAKING SURE WE GET THE BEST OF THE BEST OF THE BEST.
AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO TELL SOME OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS NO, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY WANT TO SERVE ON A BOARD.
I THINK MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED FOLKS WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS BUT ALSO KNOW WHAT THE HECK THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO THANK YOU, MAYOR FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
THANK YOU, FRANKIE, FOR BEING HERE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE APPOINTEES THAT DISTRICT 3 IS MOVING FORWARD, THE REAPPOINTMENT OF JOY MCGEE AND VANESSA MARTINEZ.
THEY ARE VERY STRONG APPOINTMENTS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMITTEES.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT NO. 24, OUR SAN ANTONIO MILITARY MEDICAL INNOVATION .
THIS IS IMPORTANT AND STRATEGIC FOR OUR CITY BECAUSE THESE MILITARY MEDICAL MISSIONS CONTRIBUTE AN ESTIMATED
[01:00:04]
$4.6 BILLION IN ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.AND IN 2017, THE SAN ANTONIO CITY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT FORMED A MILITARY LIFE SCIENCE RESEARCH WORKING GROUP TO FOCUS ON HOW THE COMMUNITY COULD HELP OUR MILITARY MEET THEIR MEDICAL MISSION REQUIREMENTS, BUT ALSO LEVERAGING MILITARY MEDICAL RESEARCH FOR COMMERCIALIZATION OPPORTUNITIES.
WE HAD SO MANY MISSED OPPORTUNITIES, AND THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO FILL THAT GAP AND CONNECT THAT GAP.
I WANT TO THANK DR. EVANS AND HER COLLEAGUE, MS. NAN, THEY PRESENTED THEIR FINDINGS AND THEY DID SO MUCH WORK ON THIS, AND I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS.
BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY MUCH A GAME CHANGER FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE MILITARY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA ALL ITEMS SAVE FOR 26, 36, 37, AND 40, Z-1.
[26. Ordinance approving an amendment to the agreement with the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center to continue to provide whole blood to the San Antonio Fire Department to administer to patients in emergency situations extending the term through September 30, 2022 with options to extend for two additional annual renewals, for an estimated annual amount of $100,000.00 funded from the FY 2019 General Fund Budget with additional funding for future fiscal years subject to future City Council appropriations. [Maria Villagómez, Deputy City Manager; Charles N. Hood, Fire Chief]]
MOTION CARRIES.>> ITEM 26 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT WITH THE SOUTH TEXAS BLOOD AND TISSUE CENTER TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE WHOLE BLOOD TO SAN ANTONIO FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ADMINISTER TO PATIENTS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS EXTENDING THE TERM THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 WITH OPTIONS TO EXTEND FOR TWO ADDITIONAL ANNUAL RENEWALS, FOR AN ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF $100,000 FUNDED FROM THE FISCAL YEAR 2019 GENERAL FUND BUDGET WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR FUTURE FISCAL YEARS, SUBJECT TO CITY COUNCIL APPROPRIATIONS.
>> PELAEZ: CHIEF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
IT COMES AS A SURPRISE I WAS GOING TO PULL THIS.
I REALLY DON'T WANT A PRESENTATION.
I THINK ALL OF US UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.
WHAT I WANTED TO DO, HOWEVER, WAS ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM, NOT JUST PEOPLE ON THIS DAIS, TO REALLY INVESTIGATE AND LOOK INTO HOW IMPORTANT AN ASSET THIS COMMUNITY HAS IN THE SOUTH TEXAS BLOOD AND TISSUE CENTER.
TO ME, THE FACT THAT THEY'RE PILOTING THIS WHOLE BLOOD, TYPE O PROGRAM WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IS AMAZING, CHIEF.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THIS ON.
YOU KNOW, OUR ABILITY TO SAVE LIVES IS EVEN MORE ENHANCED BECAUSE OF YOUR WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH THEM.
THAT PARTNERSHIP IS GOING TO PAY OFF DIVIDENDS.
AND I THINK OTHER CITIES OVER TIME ARE GOING TO BENCHMARK AND REALLY TRY TO ACHIEVE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE.
AND SO I CONGRATULATE YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR TAKING THIS ON.
ADDITIONALLY, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, THE BLOOD AND TISSUE CENTER HAVE BETWEEN 750 AND 780 EMPLOYEES, MANY, MANY OF THEM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND OUR SOUTH TEXAS BLOOD AND TISSUE CENTER SERVICES THE ENTIRE NATION.
SO A LOT OF THE BLOOD THAT PEOPLE GIVE HERE GOES ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES TO SAVE LIVES.
CHIEF, THIS IS WHERE I'M GOING TO NEED YOUR HELP AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS' HELP.
PEOPLE OFTEN TIME WILL GIVE BLOOD AT TIMES OF DISASTERS AND NOT GIVE BLOOD AGAIN UNTIL THE NEXT DISASTER.
WHILE THAT'S CERTAINLY APPRECIATED, THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
WE HAVE BEEN MEETING, AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW, CHIEF, BLOOD DOESN'T LAST THAT LONG ON THE SHELF.
SO WHEN WE GIVE MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF BLOOD, I'M SURE THERE'S A DIFFERENT WAY OF SAYING THAT, BUT WHEN WE GIVE MILLIONS OF PINTS, OR WHATEVER IT IS, THEY DON'T LAST THAT LONG.
AND WE NEED TO BE VERY CONSCIOUS ABOUT GIVING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO ONE OF THE COMMITMENTS YOU'VE GOT, CHIEF, FROM MY OFFICE, IS WE'RE GOING TO BE PUSHING REALLY HARD OVER THESE NEXT TWO YEARS TO REMIND FOLKS THAT GIVING AT TIMES WHEN THERE'S NO DISASTER PENDING IS THE RIGHT TIME TO GIVE.
I'M LAYING DOWN THE CHALLENGE TO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL.
ROLLING UP OUR SLEEVES AND BEING BROTHERS IN ARMS, IF YOU WILL, TO BE PUNNY, IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
SO, CHIEF, REALLY, NO PRESENTATION.
YOU'RE JUST SITTING THERE NODDING, AND YOU LOOK GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING MY PROP FOR THIS TALK.
BUT CHIEF IS THERE ANYTHING WE NEED TO DO AS FAR AS THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE TO GIVE SOME MORE OOMPH TO THIS INITIATIVE?
>> COUNCILMAN, I AM SO HAPPY TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU TALKING ABOUT THIS.
TO THE NEW COUNCIL, I WANT TO WELCOME YOU GUYS.
I'M SURE I'M GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH YOU, ESPECIALLY ON OUR ORIENTATIONS OF WHAT WE DO.
WE JUST HAD THE MILITARY IN HERE SO BETWEEN WORLD WAR II, KOREA
[01:05:01]
WAR, AND THE VIETNAM WAR, THERE WERE A MILLION UNITS OF BLOOD THAT WERE GIVEN.BUT FOR SOME REASON BLOOD WAS NEVER GIVEN IN THE STREETS OF OUR AMERICAN CITIES.
SO WE HAVE A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, STRAC, BLOOD AND TISSUE CENTER, AND OUR DEPARTMENT THAT WE'RE DOING TRANLATIONAL PREHOSPITAL CARE.
IF YOU ARE SHOT IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IF YOU GET RUN OVER A CAR, IF YOU HAVE A TRAUMATIC INJURY, WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE YOU BLOOD IMMEDIATELY.
WE HAVE THREE OR FOUR CASES WHERE THESE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE NEVER SURVIVED WITHOUT BLOOD.
I WAS A PARAMEDIC FOR 17 YEARS AND I FLEW FOR EIGHT.
THOSE ARE SALT BASICALLY FOR MARGARITAS.
BLOOD IS WHAT'S GOING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE.
AND SO FOR YEARS WE WERE UNABLE TO SAVE THESE PEOPLE THAT HAD TRAUMATIC INJURIES.
BY US BEING ABLE TO GIVE BLOOD AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE, WE SAVE LIVES.
WE HAVE AN ALGORITHM IN OUR DISPATCH CENTER.
IF WE RESPOND TO A TRAUMATIC-TYPE INJURY, WE ARE GOING TO SEND BLOOD.
WE HAVE SEVEN UNITS THAT TRANSPORT BLOOD IN OUR CITY WITH THE COOLERS, WITH THE HEATERS TO WHERE WE CAN GET TO YOU AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE AND GIVE BLOOD.
LAST WEEK I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS, SO IT'S FRESH IN MY HEAD, TO THE METRO CHIEF'S CONFERENCE.
WE HAD EIGHT DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, INCLUDING HONG KONG'S FIRE CHIEF, LONDON'S FIRE CHIEF, THE FIRE CHIEF OF SERVICES IN SPAIN THAT WERE THERE.
AND THE CHIEFS OF NEW YORK CITY, FDNJ, LOS ANGELES, THEY ALL TOOK THIS INFORMATION BACK AND CHALLENGED THEIR MEDICAL DIRECTORS TO UNDERSTAND WHY THEY CAN'T HAVE BLOOD.
SO WE ARE THE LARGEST METRO DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTRY THAT ARE USING BLOOD.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE COMING UP HERE THIS MORNING BECAUSE WE HAVE GIVEN 110 PINTS OF BLOOD THIS YEAR, SINCE OCTOBER.
WE HAD NO IDEA THAT IT'S WORKING AS WELL AS IT IS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND PRESENT AMAZING NUMBERS.
AND NEXT YEAR I FULLY -- I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE NATIONAL EMS AWARD IN THE NATION NEXT YEAR.
WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE NUMBERS.
SO THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN ALL HELP US WITH IS WE NEED YOU TO DONATE BLOOD.
WE NEED TO CREATE PROGRAMS IN THIS CITY TO WHERE WE DONATE BLOOD.
IF YOU LOOK AT SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, WE DID NOT HAVE BLOOD IN SUTHERLAND SPRINGS.
WE COULD HAVE LOADED UP BLOOD ON A PALLETTE AND WENT TO SUTHERLAND SPRINGS AND TOOK OUR PERSONNEL OUT THERE AND PROVIDED POINT OF INJURY TREATMENT AND PROBABLY SAVED SOME OF THOSE 26 PEOPLE THAT DID NOT SURVIVE.
YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE COALITION, PROUD OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BE PROUD TO BE A PART OF THAT.
WE'LL BE GLAD TO TALK ABOUT THIS AT ANY POINT IN TIME , BUT THIS IS LIFE CHANGING.
IT'S ONE OF THE BEST PROJECTS I HAVE EVER BEEN INVOLVED WITH AS A PARAMEDIC OR FIRE CHIEF.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING ME UP TO TALK ABOUT IT FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES.
>> PELAEZ: MAYOR, I THINK EVERYBODY HERE WILL AGREE THAT OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT, AT THE VERY, VERY MOST BASIC LEVEL, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT FEWER PEOPLE DIE ON OUR WATCH.
AND I THINK THIS IS ONE WAY OF ACCOMPLISHING THAT.
AND NOW THAT GAME OF THRONES IS OVER AND THERE'S NO NBA FINALS AND THIS ELECTION CYCLE IS OVER, ALL OF YOU HAVE EXTRA TIME ON YOUR HANDS.
IT REALLY DOESN'T TAKE LONG TO ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVE.
MARIA VILLAGOMEZ, HEADS UP, I'M GOING TO BE ASKING THAT WE MAKE THIS PROGRAM MORE AND MORE ROBUST AS THE YEARS PASS.
>> IF I MIGHT ADD, WE HAVE SOME OF OUR PERSONNEL THAT ARE DONATING BLOOD.
IF YOU DONATE BLOOD ON A THURSDAY, THAT SAME BLOOD COULD BE ON ONE OF OUR UNITS ON A MONDAY.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BLOOD THAT WE ARE GIVING, WE ARE GIVING RED BLOOD CELLS AND PLASMA COMBINED.
IF YOU'RE PREGNANT, IF YOU'RE A CHILD, WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU BLOOD.
AND SO, AGAIN, I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING ABOUT THIS IN THE FUTURE.
COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS UP.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU CHIEF FOR ALL YOU DO AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I WANTED TO ALSO MENTION THAT I THINK THERE'S IMPORTANT MEASURES LIKE STOP THE BLEED THAT WAS JUST TAKEN UP AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT I HAVE ALREADY BROUGHT UP TO SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES.
I WILL BE DRAFTING SOME LANGUAGE VERY, VERY SOON AND WILL BE ASKING FOR SUPPORT FROM SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TRAINED IN STOP THE BLEED, AT LEAST AT THE COUNCIL AIDE LEVEL.
WE ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY EVERY DAY AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE TRAINED.
IT TAKES 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR AND IT COULD SAVE MANY, MANY LIVES IN THE FUTURE.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON YOUR SUPPORT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ON THAT.
YOU WARM MY HEART BY SAYING THAT.
[01:10:01]
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR BUILDINGS HERE, AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, ANY HOTEL, WE HAVE STOP THE BLEED KITS THAT WE HAVE INSTALLED.WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A STOP THE BLEED KIT, JUST LIKE THEY HAVE AN AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR.
IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A MASS CASUALTY IN SAN ANTONIO, WE ARE GOING TO AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
OUR CIVILIANS ARE GOING TO BE THE FIRST RESPONDERS, SO STOP THE BLEED PROGRAMS ARE CRITICAL.
SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MA'AM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 26.
I JUST WANTED TO CONCUR WITH WHAT MY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN SAYING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS.
I TALKED TO OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBER ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR STAFF AND OUR CITY EMPLOYEES IF THEY LEARN HOW TO BE INVOLVED IN STOPPING THE BLEEDING OF SOMEBODY WHO'S INJURED.
SO I HOPE THAT THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT WE START INITIATING FOR ALL OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.
AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU AND METRO HEALTH CAN WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP FOR US.
AND I WANT TO CONCUR THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS.
AND I'M GLAD THAT THE COUNCILMAN BROUGHT IT FORWARD.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
WE JUST STARTED THIS WHOLE BLOOD PROGRAM THIS LAST YEAR.
AND I WENT TO IT WAS ACTUALLY RUN BY THE MILITARY AND HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY OUR HEALTH SYSTEM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT PROGRAM IS TO GET THAT BLOOD OUT TO THE SCENE.
AND I THINK WE'RE ALSO CARRYING IT IN SOME OF OUR EMS UNITS AND THE HELICOPTER FLIGHTS AND THAT TO GET THAT WHOLE BLOOD OUT THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
BUT NOT EVERYBODY CAN -- IT'S CERTAIN BLOOD TYPES, RIGHT, THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO DONATE THAT WHOLE BLOOD?
>> YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DONATE -- ANYONE CAN DONATE.
BUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR IS O.
IF YOU GET A AND B AND THE ANTIGEN AND PLUS AND NEGATIVE.
I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO PARAMEDIC ON YOU, BUT O IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO USE.
>> PERRY: THAT'S THE IMPORTANT ONE, WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET AT.
BUT WHEN YOU GET TO THE HOSPITAL, CHANCES ARE THEY ARE GOING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR BLOOD TYPE IS AND GIVE YOU THAT BLOOD TYPE.
SO IF A PERSON GOES INTO A TRAUMA CENTER FOR EVERY FIVE MINUTES THEY DON'T GET BLOOD THEIR MORTALITY DECREASES 5%.
TO GO BACK TO OUR UNITS, WE HAVE BLOOD ON BOTH OF OUR MEDICAL SPECIAL OPERATIONS, AMBULANCE, WHO DEAL WITH THE SAPD OR SHERIFFS TO GO OUT ON SWAT RUNS.
ALL OF OUR MEDICAL OFFICERS, WHICH ARE FIVE OF THOSE UNITS, HAVE THE COOLERS AND HAVE THE BLOOD.
THE BLOOD STAYS IN OUR UNITS FOR 14 DAYS.
AFTER THAT 14-DAY PERIOD OF TIME, WE TAKE THAT BLOOD BACK TO THE BLOOD AND TISSUE CENTER.
THEY WILL ROTATE THAT INTO THEIR STOCK, AND THEN WE GET MORE BLOOD.
THE RELATIONSHIP IS SO GOOD THAT WE CAN WALK IN THERE AT 4:00 IN THE MORNING ON A SUNDAY AND GET AS MUCH BLOOD AS WE NEED TO.
SO WE HAVE ACCESS TO BLOOD 365 DAYS A YEAR.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHIEF.
AND BACK TO COUNCILMAN PELAEZ'S COMMENTS ABOUT HOPING THE REST OF THE STAFF -- MAYBE WE OUGHT TO HAVE ONE OF THESE COMPETITIONS AS TO WHO GIVES THE MOST BLOOD FROM THEIR STAFFS HERE ON THE DAIS.
I CAN TELL YOU Y'ALL ARE ALREADY AT A DISADVANTAGE.
I HAVE AN EMPLOYEE, STEVE PETERSON, WHO HAS ALREADY GIVEN 40 GALLONS OF BLOOD ACROSS HIS SPAN OF GIVING.
SO Y'ALL ARE ALREADY AT A DISADVANTAGE IF WE DO THIS.
BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE KIND OF A HEALTHY COMPETITION HERE FOR US.
WITH THAT, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO POINT SOMETHING OUT.
AND THIS IS SO CRITICAL OF HOW YOUR DEPARTMENT PLAYS SUCH A ROLE IN MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE SAVED EVERY SINGLE DAY.
YOU'RE DEALING WITH SOME OF THE MOST BASIC CONCERNS.
AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT YOU'RE WEARING A WHITE SHIRT WITH SHORT SLEEVES.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE --
[01:15:02]
IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, AS COUNCILMAN PELAEZ HAS MENTIONED, YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DEALING WITH HEAT-RELATED ISSUES.AND IT IS OUR FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE DEALING WITH THINGS LIKE THOSE THAT ARE -- THEY MAY BE BLEEDING TO DEATH.
THOSE THAT MAY BE SUFFERING FROM HEAT EXHAUSTION.
AND I THINK YOU GUYS DO IT RIGHT.
I HAVE BEEN POINTING THAT OUT FOR YEARS THAT THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS ARE SETTING THE EXAMPLE FOR US.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS, SIR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
THANK YOU, CHIEF, TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 26.
[36. Ordinance approving a Memorandum of Understanding between the Natural Resources Defense Council and the City of San Antonio in support of the American Cities Climate Challenge. [Roderick J. Sanchez, Assistant City Manager; Douglas Melnick, Chief Sustainability Officer, Office of Sustainability]]
MOTION CARRIES.>> ITEM 36 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN CITIES CLIMATE CHALLENGE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH A PRESENTATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ACTUALLY, BEFORE THAT, I'M SORRY.
WE DO HAVE TWO ITEMS -- OR TWO CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
>> GOOD MORNING AND I WISH I HAD TIME TO TALK ABOUT BLOOD BANKING IN MY FORMER CAREER AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS.
BUT BUILDING COOLING AND COMMISSIONS, IT'S JUST ALL KINDS OF GREAT STUFF TO TALK ABOUT.
BUT I WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
MY NAME IS DR. TERRY BURNS, RETIRED PHYSICIAN PATHOLOGIST AND CHAIR OF THE ALAMO SHARE CLUB, OUR NATION'S LARGEST, OLDEST, AND MOST EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION.
WITH ALMOST 3,000 MEMBERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE, AS PART OF THE CLIMATE ACTION COALITION, HAVE DOZENS OF LOCAL SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GROUPS HAVE SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS TO DEVELOP A STRONG ADAPTATION PLAN BASED ON SCIENCE, PRACTICAL STRATEGIES, AND FOUNDED IN EQUITY.
WE CHOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS EFFORT.
AND A RECENT OPINION PIECES IN LAST SUNDAY'S EXPRESS NEWS, IT WAS POINTED OUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENTALISTS TO COLLABORATE FOR, QUOTE, A FUTURE WHERE ALL CITIZENS, ALL LEADERS EMBODY AN ETHOS WHERE CONSERVATION IS SIMPLY A PART OF EVERY DECISION AND ACTION, UNQUOTE.
THIS IS WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU, OUR CITY LEADERS, AND FROM OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
I URGE YOU TO MAINTAIN THE EQUITY LENS THIS YEAR AND TO PASS A STRONG CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
AND RIGHT NOW TO APPROVE ACCEPTANCE OF THE BLOOMBERG GRANT MONEY, AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 36.
WE REALLY CAN DELAY NO LONGER IN TAKING CLIMATE ACTION.
THIS MORNING'S PAPER MENTIONS THE NEED FOR 74% REDUCTION OF CARBON EMISSIONS FROM OUR ELECTRICITY SECTOR BY 2030.
AND SO THAT MEANS OUR CPS HAS TO SHUT DOWN ITS COAL AND NATURAL GAS PLANTS BY THEN.
AS A PHYSICIAN, I APPRECIATE THAT.
AS PARENTS WHO HAVE CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA, AND I HAVE RELATIVES IN THAT CATEGORY, IT'S UNHEALTHY.
WE HAVE NON-ATTAINMENT IN OZONE AND WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT QUICKLY OR WE'LL GO INTO MODERATE NON ATTAINMENT, WHICH WILL BE A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE TO DEAL WITH, AS WILL OUR CLIMATE CHANGE .
PLEASE ACT NOW, IMPROVE OUR TRANSPORTATION CONNECT SA.
WHAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD ON CLIMATE AND OUR TRANSPORTATION WE'LL BE HERE WITH YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, DR. BURNS.
AND I THINK, DOUG, ARE YOU READY FOR A PRESENTATION?
>> THE CHIEF HAD IT UP HERE, SO I'M GOING TO BRING IT DOWN.
I'LL BE PROVIDING A PRESENTATION ON THIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL.
[01:20:02]
BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES ANNOUNCED A CHALLENGE CALLED THE AMERICAN CITIES CLIMATE CHALLENGE.THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS REALLY WAS TO HELP ACCELERATE CITIES IN TAKING ACTION AROUND CLIMATE SOLUTIONS.
IT WAS OPEN TO THE 100 LARGEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY BY POPULATION.
IT'S BROKEN DOWN INTO VARIOUS FOCAL AREAS, REDUCING BUILDING ENERGY USE, INCREASING RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ELECTRIFYING VEHICLES.
BUT AT THE HEART OF IT, WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT THESE CLIMATE STRATEGIES, IT'S ABOUT GOOD JOBS, CLEANER AIR, PUBLIC HEALTH, MOBILITY OPTIONS.
AND I HAVE A SLIDE THAT GETS INTO MORE OF THE DETAILS AS FAR AS WHAT STRATEGIES WE'RE WORKING ON.
BUT CLIMATE IS AN UMBRELLA FOR THIS BUT IT REALLY IS ABOUT PRACTICAL STRATEGIES THAT ARE GOING TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND, AS YOU'LL SEE, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON, BEFORE WE EVEN STARTED ANY OF THE WORK AROUND SA CLIMATE READY.
IT SUPPORTS THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED BACK IN 2017 BY CITY COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT.
SO WE ARE ONE OF 25 CITIES NATIONALLY.
THEY ARE BIG CITIES, SMALL CITIES, RED STATES, BLUE STATES, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW.
YOU'LL SEE THE BIG ONES THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THESE ISSUES FOR QUITE SOMETIME SUCH AS LOS ANGELES, PORTLAND, BUT SOME OTHER SMALLER CITIES SUCH AS ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA OR PITTSBURGH, CINCINNATI, INDIANAPOLIS.
SO IT'S A GREAT COHORT OF CITIES THAT WE'RE A PART OF.
AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US TO WORK TOGETHER ON SIMILAR STRATEGIES TO BASICALLY LEARN FROM EACH OTHER IN HOW BEST TO IMPLEMENT THESE STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO WHAT DO WE GET FROM THIS? BASICALLY IT'S A PROGRAM THAT RUNS THROUGH 2020, AT THE END OF 2020.
THERE IS NO MONEY COMING DIRECTLY TO THE CITY.
IT'S UP TO $2.5 MILLION OF DIRECT AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT.
SOME OF THE KEY THINGS THAT ARE A PART OF THE AWARD, TO NATURAL RESOURCE DEFENSE EMPLOYEES WOULD BE HOUSED WITHIN THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.
ONE WOULD BE WORKING ON BUILDING RELATED STRATEGIES AND THE OTHER WOULD BE WORKING ON TRANSPORTATION-RELATED STRATEGIES.
WITH THAT COMES LOTS OF OTHER CONSULTANTS WITH DIFFERENT AREAS OF EXPERTISE WHO WILL BE HELPING US WITH POLICY EVALUATION, BEST PRACTICE RESEARCH, DATA ACQUISITION ANALYSIS, ECONOMIC ANALYSIS ASSISTANCE.
SO ANY OF THESE POLICIES OR STRATEGIES WE DEVELOP, WHAT ARE THE FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR THOSE, BOTH POSITIVE AND IN TERMS OF POTENTIAL COST.
AND NOT JUST PHONE CALLS, BUT ACTUALLY GETTING DIFFERENT STAFF MEMBERS TOGETHER TO TALK.
I THINK THE OTHER THING I'M REALLY MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS BEING ABLE TO LEARN FROM THESE OTHER CITIES, NOT JUST THEIR STAFF, BUT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN THOSE CITIES.
IF THEY'VE GONE THROUGH PROCESSES AROUND THESE STRATEGIES, GETTING THOSE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY LEADERS FROM THOSE COMMUNITIES TALKING TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY TO LEARN WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT WORKING, TO HELP INFORM OUR PROCESS GOING FORWARD.
ASSISTANCE WITH CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH.
POLLING AND COMMUNICATIONS, HELPING OUR LEADERS REALLY UNDERSTAND THE PROS AND CONS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
IF WE COME UP WITH POLICIES AND PROGRAMS, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF MOVING THOSE FORWARD.
SO THIS IS JUST A LIST OF SOME OF THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE.
YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE SOME OF THESE, OTHERS YOU MIGHT NOT.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE BASICALLY IS AN INTERNATIONAL LEADER IN RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY.
WE HAVE THE AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ENERGY EFFICIENCY ECONOMY, EXPERTS IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CITY TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS, THE ELECTRIFICATION COALITION SPECIALIZES IN VEHICLE SO THERE'S LOTS OF EXPERTISE TO HELP US TAP INTO, AS WE EVALUATE DIFFERENT POLICIES AND PROGRAMS TO DETERMINE WHAT WOULD WORK BEST FOR SAN ANTONIO.
SO THERE'S A LOT THAT'S ON THE PLATE.
WHILE WE DO LOOK AT THIS DECEMBER 2020 TARGET DATE, MANY
[01:25:01]
OF THESE ARE GOING TO SPAN BEYOND THAT.I THINK PARTICULARLY WHEN WE START LOOKING AT THE BOTTOM TWO ROUNDS, YOU KNOW, IMPROVING PUBLIC TRANSIT OR CONNECT SA, THOSE ARE BIG OBJECTIVES THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR.
BUT OTHER THINGS, SUCH AS DETERMINING HOW DO WE START INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF RENEWABLES FOR THE CITY, ONSITE OR REPURCHASING RENEWABLE ENERGY, PROGRAMS BASED IN PRIVATE MARKET FINANCING FOR BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRY TO IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THEIR BUILDING, SUCH AS PROPERTY ASSESS CLEAN ENERGY, IS SOMETHING THAT IS POTENTIALLY FEASIBLE.
SOLAR READINESS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEING LOOKED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES NOW.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE'RE ALREADY DOING.
I HAVE ANOTHER SLIDE, I CAN TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT TALKING ABOUT ELECTRIC VEHICLES, AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND BENCHMARKING FOR SPECIFIC BUILDINGS AND TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, IF NOT LONGER.
SO THE OTHER KEY THING I REALLY WANTED TO POICHBLT OUT, AS I MENTIONED IN THE BEGINNING, WHILE CLIMATE IS THIS UMBRELLA, AS A PART OF THIS PROGRAM IN AUDIO] STRATEGIES WE'LL BE WORKING ON HAVE BEEN IN EXISTING CITY PLANS.
SO I WENT THROUGH THE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL AUGUST OF 2016, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, ON THE BUILDING STRATEGY SIDE, THERE ARE STRATEGIES AROUND RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, AS WELL AS CRITICAL FACILITIES.
IT DOES MENTION THE NEED TO LOOK AT PROPERTY ASSESS CLEAN ENERGY, AND BENCHMARKING AND DISCLOSURE PROGRAMS. ON THE TRANSPORTATION SIDE, WE DID FOCUS ON VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION FOR THE FLEET, CITY FLEET AS WELL AS CITYWIDE EV INFRASTRUCTURE.
TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT AND REALLY LOOKING AT MOBILITY, HIGH-SPEED MOBILITY OPTIONS AROUND THE CITY.
SO WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY CREATING NEW POLICIES OR PRIORITIES AS A PART OF THIS PROGRAM, IT'S REINFORCING THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED PREVIOUSLY.
SO THIS IS, I THINK, PROBABLY THE MOST, I THINK IMPORTANT SLIDE FOR ME IS, WE'RE ALREADY DOING THIS WORK.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THESE SPECIFIC STRATEGIES, EVEN BEFORE THE CHALLENGE WAS ANNOUNCED.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH BEXAR COUNTY FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS ON PROPERTY ASSESS CLEAN ENERGY, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH A DIVERSE GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS ON EV AND SOLAR REQUIREMENTS.
TRANSPORTATION AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS HAS BEEN WORKING ON TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS WORKING WITH THE MPO AND VIA.
WE HAVE CURRENTLY BEEN WORKING WITH BS ON EVALUATING OUR CITY FLEET FOR POTENTIAL ELECTRIFICATION, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH CPS ON WHAT DOES THE NEXT STAGE OF CITYWIDE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE LOOK LIKE.
LOOKING AT RENEWABLES, OPPORTUNITIES FOR CITY FACILITIES, VIA CONTINUES TO LOOK AT TRANSIT.
SO THE OPPORTUNITY IS THAT THE WORK'S GOING ON.
THIS BRINGS ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP WITH THAT.
I THINK THE KEY IS ANY OF THESE STRATEGIES THAT MOVE FORWARD WILL NEED TO COME TO COUNCIL.
ONE BASED UPON STAKEHOLDER INPUT AND CONSENSUS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FROM ALL SIDES OF THE COMMUNITY, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON WHATEVER COMES UP THAT WORKS FROM AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT THE FISCAL IMPLICATIONS, WHETHER IT'S COSTS RESIDENTS OR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT WOULD BE NEEDED ON THE CITY SIDE TO ADMINISTER ANY NEW POLICY OR PROGRAM.
ALL THAT WILL HAVE TO BE FLUSHED OUT PRIOR TO BRINGING SOMETHING TO COUNCIL.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ALL UNDERSTAND JUST THOSE RESOURCES THAT HELP US TO HELP ACCELERATE THOSE EVALUATIONS.
SO WHAT IS IN THE MOU? YOU KNOW, BASICALLY NRDC COMMITS TO PROVIDING TO STAFF PEOPLE, AGAIN, THAT WILL BE HOUSED IN THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, SHARING BEST PRACTICES, PROVIDING CONSULTANT SERVICES, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKING.
ON THE CITY SIDE, AND THIS IS REALLY CRITICAL, WE'RE COMMITTING TO PURR SUITS TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
[01:30:02]
PROGRAM.WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO IT ALL.
BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE CAN WITHIN THE TIME THAT WE HAVE.
AGAIN, AT THIS POINT, IT'S A YEAR AND A HALF, SO I THINK GOING INTO IT WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S A LOT, BUT I THINK EVEN IF WE DON'T GET TO IT ALL BY THE END OF 2020, WE'LL BE IN A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL THOSE THUINGS WE DON'T GET TO, AS OPPOSED TO NOT HAVING THIS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
WE ALSO COMMIT TO, AGAIN, DEVELOPING THIS PLAN, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS, AND UPDATING IT AS NEEDED.
AND FOR THESE TWO ADVISERS THAT WILL BE SITUATED IN MY OFFICE, WE SIMPLY NEED TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A WORK SPACE.
INTERNET ACCESS, USE FOR PRINTER, COPIER, SCANNER, FAX MACHINE, AND IF THEY NEED ANY CITY INFORMATION TO HELP DO THEIR JOB, WE'LL MAKE SURE THEY HAVE IT.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST CARTE BLANCHE WITH EVERYTHING.
THEY'LL BE COMING WITH THEIR OWN PHONES, THEIR OWN LAPTOPS.
EQUITY ON MAY 23RD, SOME REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS CAME UP.
SO WE UPDATED THE MOU LANGUAGE.
IN PARTICULAR, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE CLARIFYING THIS WASN'T JUST ABOUT A CLIMATE PLAN.
SO WE INCLUDED LANGUAGE CLARIFYING THAT THE -- THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS THOSE EFFORTS THAT THE CITY HAS IDENTIFIED PREVIOUSLY.
WE ALSO CLARIFIED THAT THERE'S SOME DIFFERENTIATION PARTICULARLY AROUND SOME DATES IN THE APPLICATION.
WE IDENTIFIED WHEN WE WERE HOPING TO HAVE THE SA CLIMATE READY PLAN COMPLETED.
SO WORKING WITH OUR COUNCIL AS WELL AS THEIR COUNCIL, ADDED LANGUAGE CLARIFYING THAT IF THERE'S ANY DIVERGENCE BETWEEN THE APPLICATION AND THE MOU, THE MOU BASICALLY PREVAILS.
AND THEN THERE WAS DISCUSSION AROUND COMMUNICATION, WHICH WAS A VERY GOOD POINT, WHERE IT WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN ANY COMMUNICATION FROM THE CITY NEEDED TO BE REVIEWED BY NRDC.
SO WE HAD THE LANGUAGE REALLY CLARIFYING THAT'S MORE ON THE CITY LEAD, WHICH IS THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER AND ANY FORMAL COMMUNICATION.
BUT IT DOES NOT APPLY TO OTHER CITY OFFICIALS.
IF THERE IS ANY SORT OF PLANS RELEASED FROM A CITY OFFICIAL, WE HAVE COMMITTED TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, LETTING THEM KNOW.
BUT IT DOESN'T IN ANY WAY RESTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM MAKING ANY SORT OF STATEMENTS AROUND THE PROGRAM.
SO FINALLY, STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE, AND THE MOU WITH NRDC TO MEET THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION IN THE AMERICAN CITY'S CLIMATE CHALLENGE.
AND WITH THAT, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I KNOW THIS WAS A LONG TIME IN THE MAKING, SO THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH US AS WE VETTED THROUGH SOME OF THE CONCERNS WITH THE MOU.
SO TWO YEARS AGO TODAY WHEN WE -- APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO TODAY WHEN THE NEW COUNCIL CAME IN IN 2017, ONE OF THE ACTIONS WE TOOK WAS APPROVAL OF THE SUPPORT OF THE PARIS CLIMATE ACCORD.
AT THAT TIME I DON'T BELIEVE WE WERE EXACTLY CERTAIN WHAT WE WERE COMMITTING OURSELVES TO.
WE JUST KNEW IN SPIRIT, WE SUPPORTED THE IDEA OF PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY FROM THE HARMS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND TRYING TO AVOID THOSE, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
SO WHAT COMES BEFORE US TODAY IS AN ACTIONABLE WAY TO MAKE GOOD ON THE RESOLUTION.
AND IT HAPPENS TO BE FREE, AND IT COMES WITH $2 MILLION IN SERVICES.
SO, OF COURSE, I WILL SUPPORT THE ACTION ON THE FLOOR.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
THIS GRANT THAT WE PURSUED THROUGH THE INITIATIVE OF THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, I SUPPORTED THE GRANT APPLICATION, SUBMITTED A LETTER OF SUPPORT MYSELF, AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'LL BE PURSUING, SOME OF THE ONES THAT DOUG MENTIONED, THEY'RE NOT JUST ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, BUT THEY ALSO COME WITH SO MANY OTHER BENEFITS.
AND IF THEY DIDN'T, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE FORWARD ON THEM.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS POLICIES THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH.
THEY WILL ALSO HELP US IN REDUCING AIR POLLUTION, WHICH IS, OF COURSE, A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
THEY WILL HELP US WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AS YOU MENTIONED.
THEY WILL HELP US WITH COST SAVINGS.
AND MOBILITY OPTIONS, BEING ABLE TO MOVE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEY ALSO WILL SERVE AS ECONOMIC ACCELERATORS.
IF WE ARE -- IF WE ARE LINED UP
[01:35:02]
FOR GREEN INVESTMENT IN SAN ANTONIO, WHICH I BELIEVE THIS GRANT WILL HELP US DO, THAT MAKES US MORE COMPETITIVE AS A COMMUNITY FOR MANY OF THESE OTHER NONPROFITS OR COMPANIES TO COME INVEST IN SAN ANTONIO.I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF OTHER ROEASONS WHY I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
IN TERMS OF AIR QUALITY, THERE WAS A REPORT THAT CAME OUT JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THAT NOTED THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE OF 15% -- A 15% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DAYS WHEN WE HAVE UNHEALTHY AIR QUALITY ACROSS THE U.S.
EVERYBODY HERE PROBABLY KNOWS SOMEONE WITH ASTHMA.
MAYBE SOMEONE WITH EMPHYSEMA, OR COPD.
AND YOU KNOW THAT THAT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS.
I THINK ANY COUNCIL MEMBER ON THIS DAIS KNOWS THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS LOVE THEIR PARKS AND LOVES THEIR OUTDOORS, AND THAT'S A DAY THAT THEY CAN'T USE THOSE.
IT MAY BE A DAY THAT A CHILD CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL AND CONTINUE IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY.
AND IF THEY CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL, IT'S A DAY THE PARENT HAS TO STAY HOME FROM WORK.
AND I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE'RE TALKING NOT JUST ABOUT CLIMATE ACTION, BUT ADAPTATION AS WELL.
YESTERDAY THE DEPARTMENT OF METRO HEALTH ISSUED A HEAT ADVISORY, AND THAT HAPPENS WHEN WE'RE ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE TEMPERATURES ABOVE 103.
HEAT IS THE NUMBER ONE WEATHER RELATED CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO THAT'S HIGHER THAN TORNADOES, HURRICANES, FLOODS, EVERYTHING ELSE COMBINED.
AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR SAN ANTONIO? AS OUR PREDECESSORS WOULD SAY, SAN ANTONIO IS A CITY ON THE RISE.
THAT MEANS A LOT OF BOOMS AND CRANES DOWNTOWN, A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION.
WE'VE JUST GROWN OUR STREET MAINTENANCE BUDGET BY -- WE'VE ALMOST DOUBLED IT, RIGHT? ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE NEED TO WORK OUTSIDE.
SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN IF WE HAVE MORE AND MORE HEAT ADVISORIES, AND WE'RE NOT PREPARED FOR THEM.
WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE ANY POLICIES THAT PROTECT WORKERS.
WE DO RELY ON COMPANIES TO DO THAT.
BUT IT MEANS THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO WORK AS HARD, AS MANY DAYS, SO THEY MAY HAVE TO REDUCE THEIR DAYS.
AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE SERVICES THAT WE CAN DELIVER IN TERMS OF IMPROVING OUR ROADWAYS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND I THINK THIS GRANT WILL HELP US, AND THIS WORK THAT THE OFFICE OF SUSTAIN YABILITY WILL HELP US WITH THAT.
AND TO BELABOR THE POINT A LITTLE BIT MORE, JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE HAD A STORM THAT HIT DISTRICTS 1, 5 AND 7 VERY HARD.
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE HAD TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY.
AND SOME OF THEM FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS AT A TIME.
IT WAS HOT DAYS WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
SO THEY, A, DIDN'T HAVE A REFRIGERATOR RUNNING, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A/C, AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THEY WOULD GET BACK ON THE GRID.
CLIMATE ADAPTATION IS SOMETHING ELSE WE CALL RESILIENCY, IN AUDIO] SO WE DON'T HAVE DEATHS IN OUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE WHEN A STORM LIKE THAT OCCURS.
I COULD NOT BE MORE SUPPORTIVE OF ACCEPTING THE GRANT.
I REALLY WANT TO THANK THIS STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK IT TOOK TO GET HERE, AS WELL AS THE MAYOR, YOUR STAFF WAS VERY INVOLVED IN ENSURING THAT THE GRANT WORKED FOR THE INITIATIVES THAT WERE CURRENTLY ALREADY UNDER WAY IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO IT'S GOING TO GIVE US THAT BOOST.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO APPROVE THE ITEM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 36.
I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WILL WORK WITH US IN LINE WITH SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS WE'VE UNDERTAKEN.
CAN YOU TELL ME, HOW DOES THIS INTEGRATE WITH, OR SUPPLEMENT OUR DRAFT CLIMATE ACTION, AND ADAPTATION PLAN?
>> SO, AS I MENTIONED, THESE STRATEGIES ARE CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS.
MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN IN PROGRESS FOR SOME TIME.
AND I THINK ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE EITHER FOUND WITHIN -- DIRECTLY WITHIN THE CLIMATE PLAN, OR ARE SUPPORTED BY THE CLIMATE PLAN.
I THINK THE INTENT IS TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE REFINEMENT OF THE CLIMATE PLAN.
[01:40:02]
WE BASICALLY SPENT THE PAST MONTH AND A HALF, TWO MONTHS MEETING WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS, PARTICULARLY FROM BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY, HEARING WHAT THEIR CONCERNS AND WHAT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WERE.WE PROVIDED SOME EDITS TO OUR CONSULTANT, GOT A DRAFT BACK, GOING TO DO A LITTLE MORE BACK-AND-FORTH.
I THINK THE HOPE IS TO GET THAT PUBLICLY RELEASED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN START GETTING THAT PICKED BACK UP AND MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY'S AWARE OF WHAT THESE UPDATES ARE.
BUT I THINK THE INTENT IS TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE STRATEGIES AS WAS MENTIONED, THAT THERE'S SO MANY OTHER BENEFITS OF THEM, THAT'S WHILE THEY ARE TIED TO CLIMATE AND THEY ARE TIED TO THE CLIMATE PLAN, THAT WE SHOULD BE PURSUING THEM IN AND OF THEMSELVES BECAUSE OF ALL THOSE OTHER BENEFITS.
>> COURAGE: YOU MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE A CONSULTANT THAT WORKED ON THE CAP FOR US.
COMING IN, WILL THEY BE COLLABORATING?
>> THE CONSULTANT THAT HELPED US WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CLIMATE PLAN IS ACTUALLY UNDER CONTRACT WITH CPS ENERGY.
THEIR CONTRACT'S WINDING DOWN, BASED UPON ONCE THEY DELIVER WHATEVER THE FINAL DRAFT IS, WHEREAS THESE SPECIFIC STRATEGIES REALLY START SHIFTING MORE IN TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION SIDE.
BASICALLY SAYING THESE ARE THE STRATEGIES THAT WE SHOULD BE WORKING ON, BUT WHAT ARE THE BEST PRACTICES, STARTING TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS AROUND SPECIFIC STRATEGIES TO GET INPUT FROM ENVIRONMENTALISTS, RESIDENTS, BUSINESS, INDUSTRY, TO START CRAFTING WHAT THE SPECIFICS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
WHEREAS THE CONSULTANTS WHO WORKED WITH THE CLIMATE PLAN WERE IN THE LARGER FRAMEWORK.
>> COURAGE: WELL, WILL THESE NEW CONTRACTORS, RESEARCHERS I THINK I WOULD CALL THEM, WILL THEY AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRESENTATION OF THE UPDATE FOR CAP?
NO, I THINK WE ARE -- I THINK WHERE WE ARE WITH THE DRAFT PLAN IS MOSTLY REFINING BASED UPON COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CIRCLE BACK WITH THE STEERING COMMITTEE, THE TECHNICAL WORKING GROUPS WHO HELPED FORMULATE THIS PLAN, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY AND ALL OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
I THINK WHERE THE RESEARCHERS AND THESE CLIMATE CHALLENGE CONTRACTORS WILL BE HELPING ON, WILL BE ON MORE OF THE SPECIFIC STRATEGIES THAT WE HAVE SHOWN, BUT NOT GETTING INVOLVED IN THE SORT OF BROADER CLIMATE POLICY DISCUSSION.
>> COURAGE: WELL, THEN COULD THEIR WORK HELP US UNDERSTAND AND CALCULATE THE STEPS OR DETAILS TO CARRY OUT, 40-PLUS CAP STRATEGIES?
WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON THESE EIGHT.
BUT I THINK WHAT'S THE REAL POSITIVE OPPORTUNITY HERE IS HELPING US TO GET MORE DETAIL FOR WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AS FAR AS WHAT POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTATION SCENARIOS LOOK LIKE.
THERE'S ASSISTANCE HELPING TO ORGANIZE WORKING WITH DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS.
AND I THINK REALLY CRITICALLY HELPING US UNDERSTAND SOME OF THOSE ECONOMICS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH ONE, SO WE CAN INFORM THE COMMUNITY, KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND COUNCIL WITH WHAT THOSE FISCAL IMPLICATIONS ARE.
>> COURAGE: SO THEY COULD PUT HARD NUMBERS ON SOME OF OUR CAP STRATEGIES? BECAUSE THEY LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT WOULD COST THE CITY, BUT ALSO WHAT IT MIGHT COST PEOPLE'S INDIVIDUAL ECONOMIES.
AND I THINK THEY CAN GET US PART OF THE WAY WITH SOME OF THE INITIAL ANALYSIS.
BUT I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IF IT'S GOING TO GET US FAR ENOUGH WHERE WE NEED IT TO BE.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF BEST PRACTICE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS THAT'S BEEN DONE NATIONALLY AROUND VARIOUS -- THE COST BENEFITS OF RENEWABLES, THE COST BENEFITS OF VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION.
I THINK WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE IS IT GETS RIGHT DOWN TO THE GRANULAR DETAIL FOR US, SO WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY SAYING, AT A STATEWIDE LEVEL, HERE'S THE COST.
I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND, BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR SAN ANTONIO.
WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS TO FIGURE OUT, TO GET US TO THE POINT WHERE WE'LL BE CONFIDENT COMING BACK TO THE COUNCIL WITH, HERE'S THE NUMBERS.
IT WILL BE A GOOD STEP TO HELP US UNDERSTANDING WHAT THOSE POTENTIAL ECONOMIC RANGES ARE.
>> COURAGE: AND YOU KNOW, PART OF THE CAP AND PART OF ANY CLIMATE ACTION IS REALLY NOT JUST TODAY, BUT IT'S TOMORROW, IT'S NEXT YEAR, IT'S FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, IT'S LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE KIND OF INNOVATIVELY THAT MAY HELP US MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
DO YOU THINK THEY'LL BE LOOKING
[01:45:02]
AT SOME OF THAT AS WELL, OR JUST LOOKING AT TODAY?>> I THINK IT'S -- PARTICULARLY WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION, IT'S A LOT ABOUT LOOKING AT WHAT THOSE MARKET TRENDS ARE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE HOPING TO WORK WITH THEM ON IS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN IDENTIFY THE NUMBER OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN SAN ANTONIO TODAY.
BUT TALKING TO INDUSTRY EXPERTS, BOTH NOT JUST NATIONAL EXPERTS, BUT EVEN CIRCLING BACK WITH SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE WHO HAVE LOCAL EXPERTISE IN THIS.
THAT CAN HELP GUIDE DECISION-MAKING AROUND, WELL, HOW MUCH CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE DO WE NEED.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, IT'S ABOUT WHAT'S A REALISTIC NUMBER IN THE EFFECTS FIVE YEARS, IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
IT'S NOT BUILDING OUT TO THAT TOP AMOUNT, BUT IS THERE AN APPROPRIATE MIDDLE GROUND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PREPARED FOR ANY INCREASE.
>> COURAGE: WILL THEY BE LOOKING AT ELECTRICAL GENERATION, POTENTIAL FUTURE, MORE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, REPLACING COAL, THINGS LIKE THAT?
>> THEY -- THE SPECIFIC STRATEGY AROUND RENEWABLES THAT'S IN THE PROGRAM IS FOCUSED MORE ON MUNICIPAL COSA GENERATION.
SO IT'S LOOKING AT -- THE GOAL IS HOW DO WE GET THE CITY ORGANIZATION TOWARDS THE POINT WHERE WE ARE PRODUCING OR PROCURING GREEN ENERGY FOR ALL OF OUR OPERATIONS.
AND THAT'S GOING TO -- ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO ASK THEM IS TO HELP US, ONE, DO SOME INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF ALL OF OUR ROOFTOPS AS WELL AS OUR LAND HOLDINGS AND HOPEFULLY PACKAGE THAT IN A WAY WHERE WE CAN START MAPPING OUT WHAT DOES A YEAR-OUT STRATEGY LOOK LIKE.
I THINK THE KEY TO THAT WILL BE, AGAIN, THE ECONOMICS.
YOU KNOW, ALL THE -- IT NEEDS TO PENCIL OUT WHERE IT'S GOING TO MAKE ECONOMIC SENSE FOR THE CITY ORGANIZATION TO INVEST IN THE RENEWABLES.
BUT THEY'LL HELP US START CRAFTING THAT POLICY.
>> COURAGE: I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONED SOUTHWEST RESEARCH.
AND I HOPE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO WORK WITH CPS AND S.A.W.S. AND VIA AND SOUTHWEST, AND THEIR STAFFS TOGETHER TO KIND OF FORMULATE SOME GOALS AND SOME OUTCOMES.
I THINK ONE OF THE REAL IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE'VE MADE CLEAR WITH THEM IS, IT'S ONE THING FOR THEM TO COME WITH THEIR BEST PRACTICES, AND THEIR RESEARCH, BUT THEY SHOULDN'T BE COMING WITH THEIR ASSUMPTIONS AS FAR AS WHAT THE LOCAL PROGRAM POLICY SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
IT NEEDS TO BASICALLY BUILD UPON WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING HERE AS A CITY.
AND SO THEY HAVE BEEN DOING SOME PRELIMINARY -- HAVING SOME PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS WITH SOME OF THOSE INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS.
AND WE BASICALLY WANT TO BUILD UPON THE WORK THAT THOSE INSTITUTIONS HAVE BEEN DOING ALREADY, AND NOT SUPERSEDE OR NEATE THAT WORK.
I THINK THAT MORE RESEARCH SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE TIME.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT CAN BE A LITTLE COMPLICATED.
SO FOR THE AVERAGE CONSTITUENT TO UNDERSTAND.
LET ME JUST ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AMERICAN CITY'S CLIMATE CHALLENGE.
BASICALLY IT WAS ANNOUNCED IN JUNE OF 2018, SO BASICALLY A NOTIFICATION WENT TO THE MAYORS OF THE TOP 100 CITIES THAT WERE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.
IT WAS A PRETTY RIGOROUS PROCESS.
WE DID AN INITIAL APPLICATION.
FROM THAT APPLICATION, WE WERE SELECTED FOR A SECOND ROUND.
AND THEN THAT SECOND ROUND INCLUDED A SITE VISIT THAT OCCURRED IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.
FOLLOWING THAT SITE VISIT IN WHICH THEY HAD MET WITH CPS AND VIA AND OTHER ENTITIES TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING AROUND BUILDINGS, ENERGY AND TRANSPORTATION, THERE WAS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT SECOND APPLICATION THAT WE NEEDED TO COMPLETE.
AND THEN WE OFFICIALLY FOUND OUT, AND THE SELECTION WAS ANNOUNCED JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU FOR THAT LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
DO YOU KNOW IF ANY OF THESE CITIES HAVE FACILITY-OWNED FACILITIES?
>> ORLANDO HAS A MUNICIPAL-OWNED
[01:50:02]
FACILITY, LOS ANGELES, AUSTIN, SEATTLE.I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE OTHERS.
>> GONZALES: I WONDER -- AND IN THEIR MUNICIPAL-OWNED FACILITIES, DO A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THEIR GROSS EARNINGS GO TO THE CITY? IS THAT TYPICAL OF THAT MODEL, LIKE WE HAVE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, THAT 30% COMES TO --
>> SO I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT.
I THINK EVEN -- I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MUNICIPAL-OWNED UTILITIES, THEY'RE NOT ALL THE SAME.
I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, FOR INSTANCE, LOS ANGELES, SEATTLE AND AUSTIN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY ARE SORT OF AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
SO WITHIN THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, THEY REPORT TO EITHER THE MAYOR, MANAGER AND COUNCIL.
WHEREAS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, WHILE THEY ARE MUNICIPALLY OWNED, THEY VERY MUCH -- CPS VERY MUCH FUNCTIONS INDEPENDENTLY, WHERE THERE ISN'T DAY-TO-DAY OVERSIGHT ON OPERATIONS BY THE CITY ORGANIZATION.
SO I'M NOT SURE IT'S SOMETHING I CAN LOOK INTO.
>> GONZALES: I'M JUST ASKING THAT QUESTION, BECAUSE WE ARE REALLY -- I MEAN, WE'RE A 30% DEPENDENT ON CPS ENERGY FOR OUR BUDGET.
AND SO THAT MIGHT LOOK DIFFERENT IN HOW WE PLAN OUT --
WHEN WE START LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE DEMAND REDUCTION, IMPROVING EFFICIENCY IN BUILDINGS, WHEN WE START LOOKING AT REDUCING, WE WANT TO START REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT WE'RE CONSUMING, YEAH, THERE'S FISCAL IMPLICATIONS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UTILITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE REALLY BEEN LOOKING AT VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO BUILD THEIR ECONOMIC BASE BY SELLING MORE ELECTRICITY, AS MORE AND MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES COME ON THE ROAD.
>> GONZALES: SO MIGHT IT BE LIKE, SIMPLY THAT, A TRANSFER, SO WE'RE REDUCING CONSUMPTION IN OUR BUILDINGS, BUT WE'RE STILL DOING IT ON THE -- I GUESS WHAT DOES THAT DO -- THESE ARE THE COMPLICATED, I GUESS, THAT WILL NEED AN ANSWER.
>> THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT OF FISCAL ANALYSIS BEFORE WE MAKE ANY BIG POLICY DECISIONS.
>> RIGHT NOW, WE HAVEN'T MADE THAT BIG SHIFT YET.
I THINK THERE'S TIME TO EV EVALUATE, WHAT ARE THE FISCAL IMPLICATIONS TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ORGANIZATION IN TERMS OF DIFFERENT ENERGY REDUCTIONUC SCENARIOS, AND THEN HOW WOULD WE MAKE UP THAT GAP, AND DOES A MARKET TRANSITION TO ELECTRIFICATION, ARE THERE OTHER FINANCING MODELS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
I THINK THOSE ARE KEY DISCUSSIONS WE NEED TO HAVE.
>> GONZALES: I DON'T SEE ANY MENTION HERE OF CPS ENERGY.
I TRIED TO LISTEN TO THE PRESENTATION BUT ALSO LOOK AT SOME OF THE DATA, OR, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT -- DID THIS GO TO COMMITTEE, BY THE WAY?
>> WE DID PRESENT IT TO COMMITTEE.
>> GONZALES: MAYBE SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS GOT ANSWERED.
>> ANY STRATEGY -- WE'VE ALREADY BEEN SORT OF PRELIMINARILY BRIEFING CPS ENERGY ON LOT OF THESE ISSUES, THAT DIRECTLY RELATE TO THEM, BECAUSE WE NEED THEIR CRITICAL INPOUT.
I DON'T SEE THEM LISTED ANYWHERE IN THE PRESENTATION, SO I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD A VERY CRITICAL COMPONENT OF HOW WE PROCEED.
AND I GUESS JUST, YEAH, I AM VERY EXCITED.
BUT ON A LIGHTER NOTE, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY A MAN ON COUNCIL THAT BROUGHT UP FASHION.
AND WHAT WE SHOULD ALL BE WEARING, AND NOT THE WOMEN, AS MIGHT BE STEREOTYPICALLY MENTIONED.
WOMEN HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR A LONG TIME THAT IT'S TOO COLD IN HERE.
AND YOU CAN TELL AS WE'RE SHIVERING UP HERE, WEARING BLANKETS ON THE DAIS, THAT IT'S TOO COLD IN HERE.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE SOME OF THOSE CHANGES HAPPENING, NOT JUST IN THIS BUILDING, BUT IN BUILDINGS ALL OVER THE CITY.
AND IN RESTAURANTS AND OTHER PLACES, TOO, EVERYWHERE WE GO, IT'S TOO COLD.
BUT THAT DOES HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR BUDGET, ON OUR CITY BUDGET, BECAUSE AS WE START TO MAKE THOSE SHIFTS, I DON'T -- I THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING, EVEN IF YOU -- PERHAPS THAT ANALYSIS COULD BE DONE.
IF WE REDUCE THE TEMPERATURE, OR RATHER INCREASE THE TEMPERATURE IN EVERY BUILDING BY 3 DEGREES, WHAT IS THE IMPACT TO OUR CITY BUDGET? THOSE ARE THE KIND OF QUESTIONS THAT I STILL FEEL LIKE I NEED ANSWERED AS WE PROCEED WITH THIS CLIMATE.
THERE'S NO DOUBT, I MEAN, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE A SHIFT, THAT WE HAVE CHANGES -- I BELIEVE I'VE PERSONALLY DONE IT
[01:55:02]
10 YEARS AGO.I MOVED WITHIN TWO BLOCKS OF MY BUSINESS, SO I WOULDN'T BE TRAVELING BY CAR ANYMORE.
I MOVED TO A HOUSE THAT WAS THREE TIMES SMALLER THAN MY PREVIOUS HOME, BECAUSE IT ALSO DID OCCUR TO ME THAT IT WAS VERY WASTEFUL TO HAVE THIS LARGE HOUSE THAT WAS MOSTLY VACANT.
OF COURSE, AT THAT TIME I HAD NO CHILDREN AND I WAS SINGLE.
BUT LIFE HAS A WAY OF CHANGING BEFORE OUR EYES.
BUT IT'S STILL A MUCH SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER FOOTPRINT, AND MOST DAYS I DON'T DRIVE AT ALL.
I CAN GET AROUND WITHOUT USING A VEHICLE MOST DAYS.
SO I JUST THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT, AS WE MAKE THESE SHIFTS, HOW IT WOULD BE.
AND PERHAPS THAT'S SOME OF THE ANALYSIS THAT THEY CAN DO, IS WHAT DOES THAT INCREASE IN THE TEMPERATURE OF OUR BUILDINGS HAVE ON OUR CITY BUDGET.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION TWO THINGS.
AND I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO QUARREL WHATSOEVER.
IN THE SAME WAY I DON'T HAVE A QUARREL WITH, YOU KNOW, MY DOCTOR WHEN HE TELLS ME, YOU KNOW, THAT MY SHOULDER HURTS FOR, YOU KNOW, A REASON, AND THE SAME WAY I DON'T HAVE A QUARREL WITH MY MECHANIC WHEN HE TELLS ME THAT AFTER 30 YEARS OF FIXING CARS, HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY CAR.
I WILL TELL YOU, HOWEVER, AND I'LL POINT OUT TO EVERYBODY THAT ONE WAY THAT I FEED MY CHILDREN, WHO, BY THE WAY, HAVE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO EATING, SO, YOU KNOW, I WORK REALLY HARD AT IT, IS BY FOCUSING OUR ATTENTION IN OUR LAW FIRM ON STORMS. WE MAKE A LOT OF MONEY AT OUR LAW FIRM AND WE PAY A BIG TEAM TO REALLY HELP PEOPLE RECOVER, AND BUSINESSES RECOVER FROM HAILSTORMS, WIND STORMS. WE DO IT IN COLORADO, HERE IN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA.
THE REASON I'M BRINGING THIS UP IS BECAUSE BUSINESS IS BETTER EVERY SINGLE YEAR, BECAUSE THESE MEGA STORMS ARE THE NEW NORMAL.
AND INSURANCE COMPANIES KNOW IT.
IN FACT, THEY ALL BEEF UP THEIR STORM RESPONSE TEAMS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, AND YOU TALK TO INSURANCE ACTUARIES AND THEY'LL TELL YOU THE SCIENCE IS REAL.
AND WE KNOW IT'S REAL, BECAUSE WE PAY OUT A LOT OF MONEY MORE AND MORE EACH YEAR BECAUSE OF THESE MEGA STORMS. AND I -- DOUG, I GET IT.
THAT'S WHY YOU'VE GOT MY SUPPORT.
I KNOW I MADE A BIG DEAL ABOUT SOME OF THE LANGUAGE IN THE CONTRACT, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TAKE MY LAWYER HAT OFF SOMETIMES.
BUT I'M GLAD YOU TOOK THAT SERIOUSLY.
AND I'VE LOOKED AT THE DOCUMENT AND I'VE LOOKED AT THE BRIEFING SUPPORT DOCUMENTS, AND I'M WITH YOU ON THIS ONE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN PELAEZ.
>> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
I HAVE A QUESTION ON SLIDE 6 OF 12.
I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND, AND IT MIGHT BE BECAUSE I'M NEW, BUT WHEN THERE'S AS TER ISKS ON THE SLIDE, WHERE CAN I GET THAT INFORMATION? BECAUSE I CAN'T FIND IT.
>> GARCIA: YEAH, ON THE KEY INDICATORS, YOU HAVE TWO BULLET POINTS, BUILDINGS COVERED BY POLICY, AND PROJECTED ENERGY DHD STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGED.
MY SPECIFIC QUESTION IS ON STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGED.
>> GARCIA: I THINK IT'S 6 OF 12.
>> SLIDE 6? SLIDE 6 OF 12, STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGED.
>> GARCIA: I MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT ONE, SO I'M SORRY IF I DO.
BUT THE QUESTION ON THAT IS, HOW ARE WE ENGAGING OUR STAKEHOLDERS SPECIFICALLY, AND I'M LOOKING AT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S MANY CORPORATIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY HELPED WITH SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS.
WE HAVE CORPORATIONS AT THE GLOBAL LEVEL, AND LEVIS USES RECYCLED BOTTLES, AND COCA-COLA AS WELL.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE HOW WE'RE, I GUESS, COMMITTING TO ENGAGING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
>> I THINK THE KEY WITH BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IS UNDERSTANDING HOW THEY WANT TO BE ENGAGED.
AND I THINK WE -- PARTICULARLY AROUND THE CURRENT CLIMATE PROCESS I THINK HAVE LEARNED A LOT.
SO BASICALLY, THE METHOD -- WE INITIALLY STARTED JUST MEETING WITH CHAMBERS, YOU KNOW, MEETING WITH ALL THE CHAMBERS, AND
[02:00:02]
ENLISTING THEIR SUPPORT TO HELP GET THE WORD OUT.I THINK THE KEY OF LATE HAS BEEN REALLY JUST ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS.
AND JUST FINDING OUT WHO THE POINT OF CONTACT IS, AND JUST HAVING THOSE FRANK CONVERSATIONS.
THERE ARE ALSO OTHER FORMAL GROUPS, COALITIONS OF BUSINESSES, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING ON THEIR EXISTING AGENDAS.
I THINK THE KEY IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT ONGOING COMMUNICATION, AND I THINK REALLY MORE IMPORTANTLY RESPECTING WHAT YOU HEAR AND THEN SHOWING THAT YOU'VE HEARD AND MADE ADJUSTMENTS.
AND IT'S NOT JUST SIMPLY MEETING, LISTENING, AND NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
PARTICULARLY WITH ALL THIS WORK, AND ALL THESE STRATEGIES, THERE'S A WIDE RANGE OF WHERE WE CAN LAND ON THESE.
IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE DIFFERENT SECTORS AND STAKEHOLDERS UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYONE'S NOT GETTING WHAT THEY WANT, BUT WHERE IS THAT COMMON GROUND, WHERE IS THAT -- WHERE CAN WE LAND TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S MOVING US FORWARD THE BEST WE CAN AT THIS POINT.
SO I THINK THE KEY WITH THE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IS JUST REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING A LOT OF EFFORT TO REACH OUT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD ASK YOU ALL IS, AS YOU HEAR -- YOU MAKE YOUR COMPLAINTS -- IF YOU HEAR, PLEASE LET US KNOW OR DIRECT THEM TO US.
BECAUSE THE KEY TO ANY POLICY IS GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WORK THROUGH THOSE ISSUES, AND JUST DON'T LET SOMETHING FESTER.
IF WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, WE CAN'T TRY TO MITIGATE IT.
>> GARCIA: THE ONLY REASON I WAS ASKING IS IF WE BRING IN AN OUTSIDE PERSON WHO IS GOING TO BE THERE, THEY WON'T KNOW NECESSARILY OUR COMMUNITY, THEY WON'T KNOW THE IMPACT THAT OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS ON OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, ON JUST OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AS A WHOLE.
WE ARE VERY RESPONSIBLE SOCIALABLY, RESPONSIBLE CORPORATIONS THAT I THINK WOULD BE WILLING TO BE ENGAGED AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
IT'S GOING TO BE KEY TO MOVING THIS FORWARD, THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ON BOARD, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ANY OF THESE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS HERE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THE INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT CAME OUT ON THIS, THAT WE GOT THIS BLOOMBERG WOW, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
THAT'S PRETTY COOL THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME MONEY HERE TO THE CITY, AND HELP US DEVELOP THESE PLANS.
WELL, DIDN'T QUITE WORK OUT THAT WAY.
WE'RE GETTING A FEW CONSULTANTS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T SUPPORT THE PARIS CLIMATE ACCORD BECAUSE IT CAME UP VERY, VERY QUICKLY AFTER WE WERE -- WHEN WE CAME INTO OFFICE.
AND THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAME UP ONCE DURING MY CAMPAIGN.
GUESS WHAT? IT STILL DIDN'T COME UP THIS CAMPAIGN EITHER, THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE.
SO I WANTED THAT OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND COMMUNICATE WITH MY NEIGHBORS IN DISTRICT 10.
AND I'VE DONE THAT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
BUT THIS ISN'T ON THE RADAR FOR PEOPLE'S CONCERN IN MY DISTRICT.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT TAXES, SAFETY AND SECURITY AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY SPENT A BUNCH OF MONEY ON THIS PLAN, ALONG WITH CLEANING UP OUR AIR.
WE'RE DOING THINGS WITH UTSA, TEXAS A&M, ACOG HAS PUT A BUNCH OF EFFORT INTO THIS, AS WELL AS THE CITY HERE.
AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT BRINGING IN AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE TO HELP US COMPLETE THIS PLAN.
TO ME, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF SAYING, OH, GREAT, COME ON IN AND HELP US, WE CAN'T DO IT ON OUR OWN.
I THINK WE CAN DO THIS ON OUR OWN.
YEAH, SOME ISSUES WITH THAT DRAFT, STILL WORKING ON THAT, BUT I DON'T SEE THE NEED TO BRING IN FOLKS FROM OUTSIDE OUR AREA, OUTSIDE OUR COMMUNITY TO COME IN HERE AND HELP US THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
[02:05:01]
THINK, IT SAID THESE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE ALREADY DOING.AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID.
SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT BRINGING ON THESE CONSULTANTS.
WHETHER THEY'RE FREE OR NOT, THEY CAN INFLUENCE A CITY, AND THEY COULD INFLUENCE THIS WHOLE REGION BY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY BRING INTO OUR REGION THAT IS NOT SAN ANTONIO, OR NOT BEXAR COUNTY, OR NOT WITHIN THE ACOG REGION.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT IN THIS MOU, IT TALKS ABOUT, IT MAY HAVE A FISCAL IMPACT THAT WILL REQUIRE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL.
AND WHAT THOSE FISCAL IMPACTS ARE GOING TO BE.
>> PERRY: YOU WANT TO TAKE A BET ON WHETHER WE'LL HAVE FISCAL IMPACTS OR NOT? I'LL TAKE THAT BET.
IT WILL HAVE FISCAL IMPACTS FROM WHAT THEY BRING IN FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IN SAN ANTONIO, AND WHAT OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO FORK OVER, WHAT OUR CITIZENS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, LIVE WITH ON THIS THING.
I'LL TAKE THAT BET ANY DAY, THAT THEY'LL COME UP WITH ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WAS NOT ON OUR RADAR, OR NOT ON OUR SCOPE TO IMPLEMENT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND AGAIN, I JUST FEEL THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ACOG HAS BEEN A PART OF, OUR UNIVERSITIES, OUR CITY STAFF, OUR CITY STAFF HAS GROWN TO ACCOMMODATE THIS.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD BE DOING THIS ON OUR OWN, AND NOT BRINGING IN OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS FROM, YOU KNOW, THEIR AGENDAS, WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO PUT FORWARD THROUGH THIS OVERALL PLAN.
SO WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I DIDN'T SUPPORT THE PARIS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, AND I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS AS WELL.
SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE THOSE COMMENTS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, DOUG.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
COUNCILWOMAN ANDREWS-SULLIVAN.
>> ANDREWS-SULLIVAN: THANK YOU.
WE STILL HAVE A VERY LARGE OUTSTANDING DEBT.
DOES THIS ADDRESS HOW WE WILL BE ABLE TO PAY THAT DEBT OFF?
>> BASICALLY WHAT THIS -- THIS DOESN'T GET INTO THAT LONG-TERM ENERGY FUTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
CURRENTLY CPS IS DOING THAT ANALYSIS.
I THINK THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW.
WHEN WE STARTED WORKING ON THE CLIMATE PLAN, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP RIGHT AWAY FROM MANY CONSTITUENTS.
THE REQUEST TO SHUT THOSE PLANTS DOWN EARLY, AND CPS RESPONDED.
AND THAT'S GOING TO HAVE AN IMPLICATION.
SO THEY'RE ON THEIR OWN, DOING THEIR OWN FISCAL ANALYSIS TO SAY, IF WE RETIRE THESE PLANTS EARLY, LOOK AT THE DEBT THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS, AS WELL AS THE COST TO REPLACE THE ENERGY, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL WITH THESE ARE THE FISCAL IMPLICATIONS.
BUT IT'S SEPARATE FROM THIS PROCESS.
AND MY NEXT QUESTION IS, HAVE WE WORKED WITH SUNKEN GARDENS TO START LOOKING AT A GREEN IMPLEMENTATION TO PUT IN OXYGENATED TREES, OR GREENERY.
>> ANDREWS-SULLIVAN: I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO, THAT'S KIND OF IN A MINIMUM OF STARTING SOMETHING NOW AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH RESEARCH.
I LOOKED AT THE DIFFERENT COMPANIES, AND I WASN'T TOO SPECIFIC ON ANY OF THEM, IF THEY ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE LAND THAT WE HAVE TO CREATE COMMUNITY BASED OXYGENATED SYSTEMS THAT CAN HELP WITH THE CLIMATE ZONE AS WE ARE IN IT NOW.
I KNOW WE'RE NOT IN ATTAINMENT.
>> IN TERMS OF HELPING CLEAN AIR AND STORE CARBON ON THAT SIDE, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT -- IT'S NOT IN THIS CHALLENGE, BUT THAT HAS BEEN A STRATEGY THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE CLIMATE PLAN.
AND THERE ARE SOME STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE VERY INTERESTED IN NOT JUST THE BENEFIT OF NATURAL SYSTEMS CURRENTLY, BUT HOW DO WE INCREASE THOSE.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF INTERESTING RESEARCH THAT UTSA HAS BEEN DOING, LOOKING AT THE VALUE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLANT MATERIAL, AS FAR AS WHAT WORKS BEST.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A KEY PART OF ANY STRATEGY AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF TREES AND OTHER NATURAL
[02:10:02]
LANDSCAPES.>> ANDREWS-SULLIVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN ANDREWS-SULLIVAN.
I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM TODAY.
THIS IS VERY EXCITING TO GET THIS KIND OF AWARD.
I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES WE RUN INTO WHEN IT COMES TO OUR PROGRAMS, IS THE STAFFING.
SO TO GET PEOPLE TO COME IN AND SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS, I THINK IS CRITICAL.
SPEAK TO US SOME MORE ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT FOR CITY OFFICIALS.
THAT'S THE PART I'M REALLY MOST INTERESTED IN.
>> SO, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY'LL BE PLANNING ON PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES, TO REALLY TRAIN CITY LEADERS, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, EVEN COUNCIL MEMBERS ON BEST PRACTICES AROUND MANY OF THESE STRATEGIES.
WHETHER IT IS THROUGH SPECIAL SEMINARS, OR -- THEY'VE BEEN VERY OPEN WITH CONVENINGS, BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO DISCUSS THESE ISSUES.
SO I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I NEED TO CHECK WITH THEM, WOULD THAT INCLUDE CITY OFFICIALS.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE REALLY BENEFICIAL IS TO GET CITY LEADERS FROM ALL OF THESE CITIES TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT SOME VERY SPECIFIC ISSUES.
SO I'LL HAVE TO DOUBLE-CHECK ON WHAT THAT SPECIFIC MEASURE IS, AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE OPPORTUNITY IS.
YEAH, I SEE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY THERE, ESPECIALLY AS WE -- AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE'RE ALREADY DOING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND HOW DO THOSE DOVETAIL INTO MORE OPPORTUNITIES, OR BETTER OPPORTUNITIES, WHAT ELSE CAN WE LEARN AS CITY OFFICIALS TO HELP PUSH BETTER POLICIES FORWARD.
AND MAYBE ALSO TO HELP ALIGN WITH OTHER RESOURCES WITHIN OUR OWN CITY.
>> I WOULD ALSO ADD, I THINK THERE'S A LOT THAT OTHER CITIES CAN LEARN FROM YOU ALL AND THE WORK THAT SAN ANTONIO IS DOING.
I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY A TWO-WAY STREET.
IT'S NOT JUST WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM OTHER CITIES.
>> TREVINO: WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS, DOUG.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
>> SANDOVAL: I WANT TO THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR BRINGING UP SUCH VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT WE DO NEED TO CONSIDER AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT DIRECTLY IN THIS ITEM, THE FACT THAT OUR FINANCING DOES DEPEND ON UTILITY USE, THERE ARE MODELS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES WHERE THAT'S NOT THE CASE, RIGHT? WHERE YOU DON'T NECESSARILY EARN MORE -- OR HAVE TO PAY MORE -- I'M SORRY, I'M NOT SAYING THAT PROPERLY -- WHERE YOU'RE NOT INCENTIVIZED TO BURN MORE ENERGY SO THAT YOU BRING IN MORE REVENUE TO THE MUNICIPAL UTILITY.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE WORTH EXPLORING.
MAYBE OUTSIDE OF THIS CONTEXT.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD DEFINITELY PURSUE THAT.
AND IN TERMS OF BRINGING IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY DO BETTER.
AND I AM SO GLAD, COUNCILWOMAN, THAT YOU ARE HERE NOW, BECAUSE YOU ARE A GREAT LINK TO THAT COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK I WOULD TURN TO YOU, AND ASK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH THAT.
AND IN TERMS OF WHAT -- I THINK COUNCILMAN PERRY BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT, THAT IT'S NOT ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT WE HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE CONSTITUENTS, LIKE YOU NEED TO, YOU KNOW, SAVE THE PLANET OR DO SOMETHING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT MUCH MORE IMMEDIATE NEEDS.
AND THERE IS A LINK, RIGHT? WHEN THEY SAY, MY BILLS ARE TOO HIGH, OR, I HAVE HEALTH PROBLEMS, AND THAT COULD BE RELATED TO POLLUTION, OR I WISH I COULD TAKE THE BUS, BUT I CAN'T BECAUSE IT'S NOT CONVENIENT ENOUGH.
OR, I LOST MY POWER FOR THREE DAYS BECAUSE OF THIS STORM, AND OUR GRID RIGHT NOW ISN'T MORE RESILIENT.
AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE BEING ADDRESSED THROUGH WHAT YOU DO.
SO I GUESS I BEG TO DIFFER THAT THERE IS A CONNECTION.
AND DEFINITELY A BENEFIT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYONE, FOR THEIR COMMENTS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
I WOULD JUST ADD TO THAT THAT IT IS IN THE PROCESS OF CONNECTING ALL THE DOTS, WHETHER IT'S HOUSING OR TRANSPORTATION OR CPS ENERGY GRID, THAT SAN ANTONIO'S BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A LEADER IN CLIMATE.
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF HARD WORK OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS PERHAPS IN RECOGNIZING THAT THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING, AND THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS THAT WE INFLUENCE IN OUR GOVERNMENT, IN OUR CITY, THAT HAVE A GREAT IMPACT ON THAT.
SO THIS IS ONE ITERATION OF GREAT LEADERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAS LED US TO THE
[02:15:01]
POINT TWO YEARS AGO WHERE WE HAD FAITH THAT NOT ONLY DO WE BELIEVE AND RECOGNIZE THE SCIENCE OF CLIMATE CAN'T BE DISPUTED, BUT THAT WE ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.AND I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL MOMENT FOR SAN ANTONIO TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THAT.
WE ARE A LEADER, NOT JUST IN THE STATE, BUT ALSO THE COUNTRY, AND PERHAPS EVEN THE WORLD WHEN IT COMES TO CLIMATE.
SO THE NEXT STEP FOR US IS DECIDING WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT, AND THAT'S WHERE THE CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLAN COMES INTO PLAY.
THERE'S BEEN GREAT DEBATE ABOUT IT.
WE WANT TO HAVE A CLIMATE ADAPTATION STRATEGY THAT COMMITS OURSELVES, NOT JUST FOR THIS COUNCIL, BUT FUTURE COUNCILS.
SO WE'RE TAKING GREAT CARE TO ESTABLISH A FRAMEWORK THAT INCLUDES EVERYONE'S VOICES AT THE TABLE, BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS A STAKE IN IT, EVERYONE WILL BE IMPACTED AND HAS A ROLE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OVER THE NEXT 30-PLUS YEARS.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE RATIFICATION OF THE CAP.
BUT ALSO IN UNDERSTANDING, IN DEALING WITH THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED.
THE CHIEF CONCERN AMONG THEM HAS BEEN, LET'S NOT GO INTO THIS BLINDLY.
LET'S MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS, POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE, OF EACH DECISION THAT WE WOULD MAKE OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS.
AND SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE ARGUING FOR MORE CLARITY ON THE DECISIONS, AND A BETTER PROCESS FOR WHICH WE'LL MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, WE WANT PUBLIC INPUT, WE WANT DATA AND RESEARCH, WE WANT ECONOMIC AND FISCAL IMPACT ANALYSES.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
WHEN THE AMERICAN CITY'S CLIMATE CHALLENGE AWARD WAS ANNOUNCED, WE KNEW WE WERE GETTING AN INFUSION OF EXPERTISE LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY TO HELP CREATE CLARITY AROUND THOSE DECISIONS.
SO A YES VOTE IS IN SUPPORT OF ALL THAT DIALOGUE THAT ALL THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THE CITY, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE STAFF, MY COLLEAGUES, IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN, AND THIS WILL MAKE US A MORE -- A SMARTER AND MORE READY CITY WHEN IT COMES TO DEALING WITH THE CHANGES OF THE CLIMATE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS, DOUG, AND TO OUR ENTIRE CITY ORGANIZATION ON THIS.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 36.
[37. Ordinance approving the creation of a Community Crosswalk Program. [Roderick Sanchez, Assistant City Manager; Razi Hosseini, Interim Director, Transportation & Capital Improvements]]
MOTION CARRIES.>> ITEM NUMBER 37 IS AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE CREATION OF A COMMUNITY CROSSWALK PROGRAM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
BEFORE WE GET THE PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO PLAY A QUICK VIDEO ON THE SCREEN, IF WE COULD.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS ENTITLED THE CREATION OF A COMMUNITY CROSSWALK PROGRAM, AND AT THE HEART OF THIS WAS WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME -- AROUND THIS TIME, WAS TO ESTABLISH THE FIRST-EVER ARTISTIC CROSSWALK FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, KNOWN AS THE PRIDE THEME CROSSWALK, WHICH WAS THE ENTIRE INTERSECTION.
THAT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL VIDEO DEMONSTRATING THE IMPACT OF THIS PLACE.
AND AGAIN, IT WAS ADOPTED LAST YEAR.
AND WAS A SUCCESSFUL INITIAL PILOT PROGRAM.
AND I WANT TO GIVE ART THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE GO AHEAD AND DO HIS PRESENTATION.
BUT I FIRST WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT WITH THIS PROJECT, AND THAT'S THAT ONLY PRIVATE DOLLARS WERE SPENT FOR THE ARTISTIC PORTION OF THE CROSSWALK, AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT EVERYBODY TO PAY ATTENTION TO AS PART OF THE PRESENTATION.
THIS IS ABOUT HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE MORE COMMUNITY CROSSWALKS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, AND WHAT THIS PILOT PROGRAM HELPED ACHIEVE AND HOW THE PRIDE CROSSWALK HELPED TRAIL BLAZE US FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO AS THE COUNCILMAN MENTIONED, WE'RE HERE TODAY WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE A COMMUNITY CROSSWALK PROGRAM.
[02:20:01]
YEARS AGO, ACTUALLY, THROUGH COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST, BY COUNCILMAN TREVINO, TO INSTALL RAINBOW THEMED CROSSWALK AT THE INTERSECTION OF NORTH MAIN AND EVERGREEN JUST NORTH OF DOWNTOWN.DURING THE AUGUST 2017 GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, TCR RECEIVED DIRECTION TO GO FORWARD WITH THE INSTALLATION, AND A PILOT PROGRAM TO STUDY HOW THE CROSSWALK FARED.
SIMULTANEOUSLY, THAT STARTED A PROCESS TO RAISE THE PRIVATE FUNDING THAT THE COUNCILMAN JUST MENTIONED.
SO ABOUT THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE ACTUALLY WERE HERE AT COUNCIL WITH A DONATION AGREEMENT TO ACCEPT THE PRIVATELY RAISED FUNDS.
OVERALL, THE CROSSWALK ITSELF THAT WAS SHOWN IN THE PICTURE WAS AROUND $30,000.
NOW, THE COUNCILMAN MENTIONED THE PRIVATE FUNDING.
APPROXIMATELY $20,000 WAS RAISED PRIVATELY.
THE CROSSWALKS THAT WERE THERE WERE IN DISREPAIR AND IN NEED TO BE REPLACED.
THE CITY PUT FORWARD THE STANDARD COST FOR A CROSSWALK BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO MARK THE STANDARD CROSSINGS ANYWAY.
SO ALL OF THE ARTISTIC ENHANCEMENTS WERE PRIVATELY FUNDED DOLLARS.
AFTER THE INSTALLATION, THE END OF JUNE LAST YEAR, IT INITIATED OUR SIX-MONTH PILOT PROGRAM, TO REALLY STUDY THE EFFECTS OF THE CROSSWALK, INTERACTION, THINGS LIKE THAT.
TCI DEVELOPED FIVE DIFFERENT METRICS, LOOKING AT THE CROSSWALK, PEDESTRIAN BEHAVIOR, MONITORING HOW IS THE SITE BEING VISITED, ANY INTERACTIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT, COMMUNITY RESPONSE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER AVENUES.
ALSO, VANDALISM, WE WERE CONCERNED THERE COULD BE VANDALISM OR ANY OTHER ITEMS TOWARDS THE CROSSWALK.
LASTLY, THE MAINTENANCE REQUESTS, WE WERE CLEAR UP-FRONT THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE PRIVATELY MAINTAINED AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
OBVIOUSLY THE ENGINEERING COMPONENT, THE CRASH REVIEWS.
I'LL HAVE DATA TO PRESENT ON ALL THESE.
WE DID HAVE A TRAFFIC MONITORING CAMERA AS PART OF OUR NORMAL BUSINESS OUT THERE, SO WE WERE ABLE TO SEE HOW THE CROSSWALK WAS OPERATING.
AND WE DID NOTE SEVERAL OCCURRENCES OF PICTURE TAKING.
OF COURSE, WE'RE ENGINEERS, SO WE HAVE TO SHOW A GRAPH.
SO THIS GRAPH SHOWS THE FIRST 30 DAYS OF BEHAVIOR.
WHAT WE'VE NOTICED IS INITIALLY THE FIRST WEEK AND A HALF, THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST, A LOT OF PICTURE TAKING, SELF-PHOTOGRAPHS, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY DIED DOWN DURING THE FIRST 30 DAYS.
WE AS PART OF THE PILOT CHECKED IN AT 90 AND 180 DAYS AND NOTED NO UNSAFE BEHAVIORS AS A RESULT OF THE CROSSWALK.
THERE WAS A LOT OF POSITIVE THINGS POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
A LOT OF FOLKS FELT VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE CROSSWALK.
THERE WERE SOME NEGATIVE THINGS AS WELL.
BUT OVERALL, IT WAS A GREAT RESPONSE.
TCI ALSO PRESENTED, OR ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL ABOUT THE CROSSWALK.
THERE WAS NO VANDALISM RECORDED DURING THE PROCESS.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UP-FRONT TCI WAS CLEAR THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE CROSSWALK.
WE DID, HOWEVER DO OUR NORMAL EVENT CLEANING.
SHORTLY THROUGH THE CROSSWALK, A PRIVATE GROUP KNOWN AS THE GUARDIANS OF THE CROSSWALK WAS FORMED TO HELP PROVIDE MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES.
LASTLY, THROUGH OUR SYSTEM, WE WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY FORMAL REQUESTS FOR MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES OF THAT CROSSWALK.
AS FAR AS THE CRASH DATA REVIEW, JUST TO REORIENT YOURSELF, MAIN AND EVERGREEN.
OVER THE YEARS, IT'S A RELATIVELY LOW CRASH INTERSECTION AVERAGING TWO TO THREE CRASHES PER YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE THE LAST FOUR YEARS OF HISTORY NOTED.
BUT SPECIFICALLY, IN 2018, BEFORE THE CROSSWALK WAS INSTALLED, THERE WERE TWO CRASHES THAT OCCURRED AT THAT INTERSECTION.
THEY WERE BOTH VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE CRASHES.
AFTER THE CROSSWALK WAS INSTALLED, THERE WERE ALSO TWO VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE CRASHES, AS WELL A VEHICLE AND PEDESTRIAN CRASH.
NONE OF THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES WAS THE CROSSWALK NOTED AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
SO WE SAW NO INCREASED CRASH OCCURRENCES AS A RESULT OF THE CROSSWALK.
THE PROGRAM GUIDELINES THAT WE'VE PRESENTED TO OUR TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE REALLY ARE MADE UP OF THREE MAIN FACTORS FOCUSING ON THE LOCATION OF THE CROSSWALK, DESIGN MATERIALS AND FUNDING.
AGAIN, THIS IS FOR FUTURE OF THE PROGRAM.
IT WILL BE A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PROCESS WITH A SPONSOR.
THE SPONSOR WILL HAVE SOME TYPE OF CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY, EITHER A PROPERTY OWNER ALONG THAT ROADWAY, OR AN AREA BUSINESS, OR ORGANIZATION.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT SPONSOR WILL BE TO RAISE THE MONEY TO BOTH INSTALL O THEY WILL IDENTIFY A POINT OF CONTACT THAT THE CITY WILL WORK WITH TO MAKE THE PROJECT HAPPEN.
AND THEN LASTLY, SINCE IT IS A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PROCESS, AS PART OF THE PROGRAM THEY WILL PROVIDE THAT COMMUNITY CONSENSUS THROUGH A TWO-THIRDS SIGNATURE PROCESS, VERY SIMILAR TO HOW WE DO OUR TRAFFIC-CALMING PROGRAM .
SOME OF THE OTHER KEY ELEMENTS IS IN ORDER FOR A CROSSWALK TO
[02:25:02]
BE ELIGIBLE, IT MUST BE AN EXISTING CROSSWALK AT A CONTROLLED INTERSECTION.AND WHAT WE MEAN BY THAT IS SOMETHING WITH AN ALL-WAY STOP CONTROL OR A TRAFFIC SMALL CONTROL.
IF IT IS MID BLOCK IT WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE IN A LOCATION WHERE WE HAVE A DEDICATED PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AT THAT LOCATION.
WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE PAVEMENT BE IN GOOD CONDITION.
WE WOULD HATE FOR AN ENTITY TO RAISE THE FUNDING TO PUT SOMETHING DOWN AND THEN THE MARKINGS BREAK UP AS A RESULT OF POOR PAVEMENT CONDITION.
LASTLY, WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING SCHOOL ZONES AS ELIGIBLE LOCATIONS.
AND THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE HAVE SEEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DONE THAT.
WE WANT THE FOCUS AT THOSE LOCATIONS SIMPLY TO BE ON THE CHILDREN TRYING TO CROSS THE STREET AND THE VEHICLES WATCHING OUT FOR THE CHILDREN.
AND THEN, FINALLY, THE DESIGN ITSELF WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE STANDARD CROSSWALK.
SO AS YOU SEE HERE ON THE PICTURE, WE HAVE OUR LADDER-STYLE CROSSWALKS WITH THE WHITE MARKINGS SO THE DESIGN ENHANCEMENTS COULD BE BETWEEN THOSE.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A PICTURE FROM A LARGER CROSSING.
OR IT COULD LIKE THE RAINBOW-THEME CROSSWALK WHERE WE HAVE THE PERPENDICULAR WHITE LINES AND THE COLOR SCHEME IN BETWEEN THOSE.
NO WORDS OR IMAGES OR ANY MESSAGING THAT CAN COMMUNICATE WITH THE ROADWAY USER OR CONFLICT WITH ANY TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES WILL BE ALLOWED.
AND THEN, LASTLY, NO MESSAGING THAT'S INCONSISTENT WITH THE VALUES SET FORTH BY COUNCIL WILL BE ALLOWED AS PART OF THAT PROGRAM.
THE FISCAL IMPACT, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT WILL BE SOLELY PRIVATELY FUNDED FOR THE INSTALLATION AND THE MAINTENANCE.
HOWEVER, IF THE CITY DOES HAVE A SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PROJECT THAT WILL GO TO INSTALL MARKINGS AT THAT LOCATION SIMILAR TO THE RAINBOW-THEMED CROSSWALK, WE WILL PUT FORWARD THAT NORMAL COST.
SO THERE COULD BE A COST SHARE IN THOSE SCENARIOS.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
FIRST I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS AND HELPING TO PRODUCE THIS DATA THAT DEMONSTRATES THAT NOT ONLY WAS THIS AN INCREDIBLE PLACEMAKING OPPORTUNITY, BUT THE DATA SHOWS IT DID NOT IMPACT TRAFFIC SIGNIFICANTLY AND SO CAN HELP TO CREATE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.
I WANT TO THANK RAZI AND SANDY AS WELL.
AND ALL THE FOLKS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EFFORT.
THIS WAS AN EFFORT LAST YEAR, A FUND-RAISING EFFORT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD HOPED TO GET TO AND LUCKILY WE GOT TO THAT POINT.
IT WAS AN ENTIRE INTERSECTION.
WHEN IT FIRST STARTED IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE JUST ONE CROSSWALK, BUT WE DID THE ENTIRE INTERSECTION.
YOU CAN SEE THERE WAS A LOT OF PRIDE IN THE COMMUNITY.
CERTAINLY WE GOT TO SEE A LOT OF SELFIES AND PICTURES DEMONSTRATING THE -- HOW THE COMMUNITY REALLY APPRECIATED THIS WORK.
IT IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF MATERIAL.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, ART, EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THIS MATERIAL IS AND WHY IT COST WHAT IT COST.
AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH WE DID PAY FOR IT PRIVATELY, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE CROSSWALK WAS MADE.
THE TYPE OF MATERIAL, AT THIS LOCATION AS WELL AS IN FUTURE LOCATIONS, IS A PREFORMED THERMOPLASTIC PAVEMENT MARKING.
IT IS OUR STANDARD MARKING MATERIAL WE USE ACROSS THE CITY.
THERE'S ALSO PAINT THAT COULD BE USED BUT IT DOESN'T HOLD UP AS LONG.
FOR THE COMMUNITY OF THE CROSSWALK IT WILL BE THE PREFORMED THERMOPLASTIC.
>> TREVINO: IT HELPS WITH CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE.
>> TREVINO: I WANT TO THANK THE GUARDIANS OF THE CROSSWALK FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK.
THEY GO OUT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO HELP SCRUB THAT CROSSWALK AND CLEAN IT.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE PARADE THAT'S COMING UP SO THAT THE INTERSECTION IS CLEANED UP IN A SPECTACULAR FASHION.
AGAIN, ART, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.
I JUST WANTED TO PULL THIS ITEM TO EXPRESS TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, THESE GREAT THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HELP WITH PLACEMAKING, THAT HELP COMMUNICATING OUR VALUES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO THANK MY STAFF FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK IN HELPING TO GET THIS DONE.
WE CREATED A FIESTA MEDAL THAT WE SOLD INDIVIDUALLY AND RAISED -- I WANT TO SAY CLOSE TO $12,000 TOWARDS THE EFFORT.
AND ALL THE GREAT PEOPLE THAT HELPED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS.
CHRIS AND OTHERS, INCLUDING PRIDE SAN ANTONIO TO HELP ESTABLISH THIS.
WITH THAT, I MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 37.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 37.
ART, AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOVE MOST IS
[02:30:04]
PREFORMED THERMOPLASTIC PAVEMENT MARKINGS.BUT I DO THINK THAT ONE OF OUR JOBS IS, AMONG OTHERS THINGS, YOU KNOW, MOVING INITIATIVES FORWARD AND MAKING THE CITY BETTER.
AND, YOU KNOW, HELPING FOLKS BE SAFE, LIKE ADDING CROSSWALKS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE DO.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE INTERNET THERE'S A LOT OF SAN ANTONIANS OUT THERE WHO DO ENGAGE IN ECHO CHAMBER RUMOR MILL, RUMOR SPREADING.
SO WHAT I WANT TO DO IS JUST KIND OF WALK THROUGH SOME HYPOTHETICALS HERE.
IF MY CHURCH IN DISTRICT 8 WERE TO GET TOGETHER AND RAISE A LOT OF MONEY TO PAINT A CROSSWALK IN FRONT OF THEIR BUILDING AND PAINT IT IN WHATEVER COLORS AND WHATEVER THEMES THEY WANTED TO, THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS THEM TO DO THAT.
>> AS LONG AS IT MEETS THE GUIDELINES THAT WE SET FORTH.
SO IT WOULD EITHER NEED TO BE AT AN INTERSECTION THAT HAS AN ALWAYS STOP OR A SIGNAL OR IF IT'S MID BLOCK AT A DEDICATED PEDESTRIAN CROSSING.
AS WELL AS HAVE THE PROPER SIGNATURES FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS OR BUSINESS OWNERS ALONG THE ROADWAY.
>> PELAEZ: AND IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE USO WANTED TO PUT A CROSSWALK IN FRONT OF THEIR BUILDING, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATING VETERANS OR, YOU KNOW, THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY WANTED TO DO THE SAME, CELEBRATING THE SAN ANTONIO'S HISTORY IN A PARTICULAR AREA.
OR IF COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN WANTED TO CELEBRATE, YOU KNOW, BROOKS CITY BASE IN SOME WAY, SHE COULD DO THAT DOWN THERE AS WELL, SO AS LONG AS THEY MEET THOSE THEMES.
SO LONG AS THEY MEET THOSE STANDARDS.
>> PELAEZ: WHEN YOU GO TO THE INTERNET YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF FOLKS CLUTCHING THEIR PEARLS AND, YOU KNOW, FURIOUS THAT THE ONLY THING THAT THIS ALLOWS AND WHAT WE'VE DONE, YOU KNOW, IS PANDER TO ONE PARTICULAR GROUP AND DISALLOWED OTHER VIEWPOINTS.
FROM WHAT I'M HEARING AND YOU WALKING ME THROUGH THESE HYPOTHETICALS, ANYBODY WHOSE GOT THE MONEY AND WANTS TO PICK A CROSSWALK, CAN PICK A CROSSWALK AND SPREAD THEIR MESSAGE.
IF SHIRLEY GONZALES AND I WANT TO PAINT A CROSSWALK PURPLE IN HONOR OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MONTH IN OCTOBER, WE COULD DO THAT, RIGHT?
>> THE MESSAGE ITSELF HAS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE VALUES THAT COUNCIL SET FORTH.
SO AS LONG AS IT MEETS THOSE GUIDELINES.
>> PELAEZ: SO, LONG THOSE LINES, THE HYPOTHETICAL I'VE GOT NOW FOR OUR ATTORNEYS IN THE ROOM, INCLUDING ANDY SEGOVIA AND ED AND LIZ IF THEY'RE HERE IS LET'S ASSUME FOR A SECOND THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR LOCAL GROUPS, WHO I FIND TO BE DISTASTEFUL.
SO LET'S SAY THE KKK SHOWS UP WITH $30,000 AND THEY WANT TO PAINT A CROSSWALK.
ANDY, HOW DOES -- OR ED, HOW DOES THAT NOT RESULT IN VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION IF WE ALL SAY, WHOA, WAIT A SECOND, WE'RE NOT COOL WITH THAT.
>> TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN, WE DID DEVELOP THE PROGRAM OR THE GUIDELINES SO THAT VIEWPOINTS NEED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE COUNCIL HAS DIRECTED STAFF IN TERMS OF WHAT ISSUES, POLICIES YOU WANT TO FURTHER.
AND WE HAVE A SPECIFIC REFERENCE IN THERE TO OUR NDO.
SO, TO ME, THE EXAMPLE YOU JUST GAVE WOULD BE COMPLETELY INCONSISTENT WITH OUR NDO AND THEREFORE WOULD BE THE BASIS OF DENIAL.
>> PELAEZ: I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS LEAD YOU INTO AN ANSWER THAT I KNOW THE ANSWER TO, SO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS AS WELL.
THERE'S SUPREME COURT LAW OUT THERE SAYING THAT WE GET TO PICK AND CHOOSE CERTAIN THEMES THAT ALIGN WITH THE VALUES SET BY THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
SO SPECIFICALLY I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
RECENTLY THE KKK WANTED TO MAKE SURE OR FORCE THE STATE OF TEXAS TO INCLUDE A LICENSE PLATE THEME.
AND THE SUPREME COURT CAME DOWN AND SAID NO.
THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WE DO.
AND SO, ANDY, AM I BEING -- AM I CORRECT WHEN I ASSERT THAT DOING THIS IN THE WAY THAT ART HAS PRESENTED IT TO US ON DENYING CERTAIN PEOPLE BASED ON, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN VIEWPOINTS THAT AREN'T ALIGNED WITH THE VIEWPOINTS OR THE VALUES THAT WE HAVE ENSHRINED WITH OUR POLICIES THAT THAT WOULD NOT VIOLATE SUPREME COURT LAW OR ANY EXISTING STATE OR FEDERAL LAW.
>> THAT IS CORRECT, COUNCILMAN THAT'S CALLED GOVERNMENT SPEECH, WHICH ESSENTIALLY MEANS ENTITIES LIKE THE CITY AND THE CITY COUNCIL CAN DETERMINE, AGAIN, BASED ON CONSTITUTIONAL PARAMETERS WHAT LICENSE PLATES THEY WANT, WHAT THINGS THEY WANT IN THEIR PARKS AND WHAT THINGS THEY WANT ON THEIR CROSSWALKS.
[02:35:04]
>> PELAEZ: JUST TO MAKE SURE WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE I GET PAID BY THE WORD.
ANY GROUP, ANY CHURCH, ANY SCHOOL, ANY NEIGHBORHOOD, ANY PERSON WHO SHOWS UP WITH THE MONEY AND WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM CAN, YOU KNOW, COORDINATE WITH ART'S DEPARTMENT AND SPONSOR A CROSSWALK OF THEIR CHOICE.
AND THIS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT APPLIES TO RAINBOW CROSSWALKS FOR OUR LGBTQ COMMUNITY.
AS LONG AS IT MEETS WHAT WE DISCUSSED.
>> PELAEZ: SO WHEN WE DO SEE PEOPLE SPREADING RUMORS LIKE THAT ON FACEBOOK AND ON TWITTER SAYING, OH MY GOSH.
THIS IS JUST TO BENEFIT ONE GROUP AND NOT THE OTHERS, THAT'S NOT TRUE, RIGHT?
>> PELAEZ: AND LAST TIME I CHECKED, ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING THAT'S NOT TRUE IS A LIE.
SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO IS I TRY TO DISPEL LIES AND DISPEL MYTHS, AND I APPRECIATE HELPING ME AFFIRM ANYONE WHO ASSERTS OTHERWISE IS MISINFORMED OR TRYING TO MISINFORM PEOPLE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
ART, WHAT IS THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF A CROSSWALK IN THE CITY?
>> SO TYPICALLY THAT TYPE OF PAVEMENT MARKING MATERIAL LASTS ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
>> COURAGE: SO WHAT WOULD BE THE PROCESS SHOULD THAT BE SO WORN THAT IT'S INEFFECTIVE AS A CROSSWALK?
>> SO WHAT WE WOULD DO IF WE NOTICE IT STARTS TO DEGRADE, WE REACH OUT TO THAT POINT OF CONTACT.
IF THEY'RE UNABLE TO RAISE THE MONEY TO RE-ESTABLISH IT, WE WOULD PUT BACK A SIDEWALK.
>> COURAGE: HOW DO WE REPLACE AN ARTISTIC SIDEWALK IF THE CITY NEEDS TO TEAR IT UP BECAUSE WE'RE DOING ROAD WORK.
>> WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND REPLACE TO EXISTING CONDITIONS.
>> COURAGE: SO IN THAT CASE THE CITY MIGHT ABSORB THE COST FOR RECREATING A COLOR SCHEME OR SOMETHING BECAUSE WE WENT IN AND TORE IT UP.
>> THERE COULD BE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
NOW, ALSO AS PART OF OUR GUIDELINES, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR FIVE-YEAR STREET MAINTENANCE PLAN.
AS PART OF GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR THOSE POTENTIAL CONFLICTS AND WORKING WITH THE SPONSOR TO MAYBE RESCHEDULE OR PICK A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
NOW WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT COLOR SCHEMES AND DESIGN.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A DESIGN.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COLOR SCHEMES, STRAIGHT LINES ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
COLORS, OBJECTIVES BUT NOTHING THAT CONFLICTS WITH TRAFFIC CONTROL GUIDANCE.
>> WE WOULDN'T WANT AN OCTAGON OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO CONFLICT WITH A MESSAGE FOR AUDIO]
>> COURAGE: BUT IF THE MEXICAN CONSULATE WANTED TO PUT A COLOR SCHEME AT THEIR CROSSWALK, THEY COULD PUT IN THE COLORS OF THE MEXICAN FLAG AND THE COLOR THEME.
AS LONG AS IT MEETS THE GUIDELINES.
>> COURAGE: OR IF HERMAN SONS WANTED TO USE THE COLORS OF GERMANY, THAT'S OKAY TOO, RIGHT?
I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT ROAD CONSTRUCTION COMES UP ALL THE TIME.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE IMPRESSED UPON ANYONE WHO ENTERS INTO THIS KIND OF AN ARRANGEMENT WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO PUT UP 3,000, 5,000, $20,000.
AND THEN FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, 18 MONTHS LATER ROAD WORK HAS CHANGED THAT.
SO I HOPE THAT WE'LL INTEGRATE THAT INTO OUR PROGRAM SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES SOMETIMES OF ROAD WORK.
AND I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> GARCIA: YES, THANK YOU, ART.
I JUST WANTED TO START OFF BY SAYING I THINK THIS IS A NEAT IDEA AND I WANT TO START OFF BY GOING ON THE RECORD APOLOGIZING TO MY STUDENTS AT OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY, BECAUSE THEY PICKED THIS IDEA SPECIFICALLY FOR WHATABURGER TO DO ORANGE AND WHITE CROSSWALKS IN FRONT OF ALL OF THEIR RESTAURANTS.
I SAID THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.
THE CITY WOULD NEVER ALLOW IT.
I HAVE TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT FOR BEING SO INNOVATIVE WITH THAT.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PROPOSE SOMETHING.
ON PAGE THREE OR FOUR UNDER YOUR ISSUES, YOU HAVE THE DESIGNATED SCHOOL CROSSWALKS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE COMMUNITY CROSSWALK PROGRAM.
I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER ALSO DESIGNATED CROSSWALKS AROUND CHURCHES, PARKS,
[02:40:01]
COMMUNITY CENTERS, LIBRARIES, SENIOR CENTERS POSSIBLY NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM.ONLY BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY MIGHT ALSO CAUSE DISTRACTION IN PLACES WHERE CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY MIGHT BE MORE EXPOSED.
BECAUSE THEY ATTEND THERE REGULARLY.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF ALL OF THOSE, BUT JUST FOR SOME CONSIDERATION TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT I WOULD PROBABLY JUST BE CAUTIOUS OF EXTENDING BEYOND SCHOOLS WE ALSO HAVE ELDERLY THAT VISIT OUR SENIOR CENTERS THAT RIDE THE BUS, ET CETERA.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOU ALL CONSIDER THAT.
AND THEN SECONDLY, IS THERE GOING TO BE A CAP OF SOME SORT ON HOW MANY PEOPLE COULD PUT UP CROSSWALKS PER SQUARE FOOTAGE? I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND MAYBE SOMETHING THAT I MISSED IN HERE.
>> A CAP ON HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUNDING?
OR HOW MANY CROSSWALKS WE ALLOW PER AREA, PER COUNCIL DISTRICT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WOULD BE A CAP, BUT I'M JUST -- MY NEXT QUESTION WOULD ALSO BE WOULD THE RESPONSIBILITY ONLY FALL ON CITY STAFF APPROVE BASED ON THE GUIDELINES OR WOULD THERE BE A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THIS?
>> SO TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, THERE'S NO CAP, PER SE, IN THIS.
WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH -- OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO GET THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
THAT IN INSELF-MAY TAKE WORK TO GET THE SIGNATURES.
WE'LL ASK FOR A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE COUNCIL OFFICE, BUT THERE'S NO CAP ON THE NUMBER.
SECONDLY, IF IT MEETS THE GUIDELINES, OUR TEAM AT TCI WILL BE REVIEWING THAT.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING QUESTIONABLE WE'LL BE CONSULTING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILWOMAN, OUR CITY ATTORNEYS WANTED TO WEIGH?
>> ART ALREADY SAID IT, WE HAVE IN THE CRITERIA THAT THE DISTRICT, IF IT'S WITHIN YOUR DISTRICT, YOU HAVE TO SUPPORT IT, COUNCILWOMAN.
SO WHILE THAT'S NOT A CAP, IT DOES HELP IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE WE MANAGE APPROPRIATELY WHAT'S IN YOUR DISTRICT.
THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA.
I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUE BRINGING THAT UP.
BECAUSE I AM CURIOUS TO KNOW IF IN THE DISCUSSION YOU ALL HAD THE QUESTION OF WHAT IFS, MANY PEOPLE WANTING TO PUT UP CROSSWALKS OR THESE ARTISTIC-THEMED CROSSWALKS IN A WHOLE AREA OF A NEIGHBORHOOD OR A WHOLE AREA OF A CORRIDOR.
IF ENGINEERING AND SAFETY, PUBLIC SAFETY-WISE THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING FROM YOU? THAT IF MAYBE ONE CORRIDOR, SAY ON MILITARY -- COMMERCIAL AVENUE, WANTS TO PUT SOMETHING ON A CROSSWALK ON EVERY CROSSWALK IN THE AREA AND THEY ALL HAVE APPROVAL AND THEY HAVE THE MONEY.
PUBLIC SAFETY-WISE, ENGINEERING-WISE, THAT WOULD BE OKAY?
>> AGAIN, JUST TO REITERATE THE SPECIFIC LOCATIONS WOULD BE AT FULL TRAFFIC SIGNALS OR STOP SIGNS OR DEDICATED MID BLOCK.
AS AN EXAMPLE FOR THE RAINBOW THEME, THE TOTAL AMOUNT WAS OVER $30,000.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT.
SO I THINK THAT IN ITSELF WILL METER HOW MANY WE SEE A YEAR.
THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS TO RAISE.
SO A CAP, AND IT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE COUNCIL OFFICE IN WHICH THE CROSSWALK WANTS TO GO THROUGH.
>> I CAN WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I HEARD WHAT HAPPENED HERE ON THIS.
BUT I AM JUST CONCERNED IF WE HAVE AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF CROSSWALK REQUESTS COMING INTO OUR AREA AND HOW THAT WILL -- HOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MANAGE THAT IN THE FUTURE.
SO I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE ON OUR RADAR IF WE DO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS COMING INTO THE FUTURE WE NEED TO LOOK AT A PROCESS OF HOW WE SHOULD MANAGE IT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF POSSIBILITIES.
ART, YOUR PRESENTATION HAS A PHOTOGRAPH OF SOME UNIQUE-LOOKING CROSSWALKS.
THEY LOOK LIKE THREE DIMENSIONAL, ALMOST.
CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT -- CAN WE GO TO THE SLIDE, PLEASE? THAT ONE.
CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT WHY A COMMUNITY WOULD DEVELOP SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
>> SO THIS IS AN ACTUAL EXAMPLE FROM LOS ANGELES.
IT'S NOT INTENDED TO BE A THREE DIMENSIONAL.
I GUESS ON THE SCREEN IT MAY LOOK THAT WAY.
I'M NOT SURE WHY THOSE COLORS WERE CHOSEN BUT THIS IS TO SHOW
[02:45:01]
HOW THE DESIGN WOULD BE INTEGRATED INTO OUR STANDARD WHITE MARKINGS .I ASKED YOU A QUESTION I KIND OF KNOW THE ANSWER TO.
WE DIDN'T PRACTICE IN ADVANCE.
SO I GUESS THERE'S A MOVEMENT IN THE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY WORLD THAT BRIGHTER COLOR CROSSWALKS HELP WITH PEDESTRIAN SAFETY BECAUSE THEY BRING ATTENTION TO THE CROSSWALK, BOTH FOR THE DRIVER AND THE PEDESTRIAN.
SO I KNOW THAT WHEN WE ORIGINALLY STARTED THIS PROGRAM IT WAS ON MAIN STREET AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RAINBOWS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH PRIDE.
AND SO IT CREATES A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND SPACE THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE OUR URBAN AREAS VIBRANT.
BUT IF THIS HAS THE ADDED BENEFIT OF SAFETY, I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN CONSIDER EXPANDING THIS TO SOME OF THE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES.
THOSE ARE PRIMARILY ALONG ROADS THAT ARE NOT MANAGED BY THE CITY BUT BY OUR STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
SO IS THAT A DISCUSSION THAT YOU'VE HAD AT ALL WITH ANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES IN THAT DEPARTMENT?
>> SO JUST TO GET BACK TO YOUR MAIN POINT ABOUT THE BRIGHTER COLORS.
AS AN EXAMPLE, THAT'S WHY WE'VE GONE TO USING GREEN MARKINGS FOR OUR BIKE LANES TO REALLY BRING OUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT TYPE OF COLORING.
WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED THE USE OF THIS WITH TXDOT ON THEIR CORRIDORS.
BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE'LL BE VISITING.
AND, AGAIN, IT'S MAINLY FOCUSED AT THE INTERSECTIONS OR A DEDICATED MID-BLOCK CROSSING.
WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF THOSE IN THE AREA YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT HAVE THAT HIGHER CONCENTRATION OF PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES.
>> SANDOVAL: YES, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US CONSIDER SOMETHING CREATIVE LIKE THIS TO HELP MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR PEDESTRIANS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, SIR.
I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAM AS WELL.
I JUST HAVE A QUICK CLARIFYING QUESTION.
YOU NOTED IN THE RAINBOW CROSSWALK THAT THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY INCREASE IN EITHER PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS OR CAR WRECKS.
ANY VEHICLE ACCIDENTS, MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS.
IF THERE HAPPENS TO BE A CROSSWALK THAT'S IMPLEMENTED, FULLY-FUNDED BY THE COMMUNITY AND APPROVED AND IT'S IN FOR THE TWO YEARS OR THREE YEARS BEFORE IT STARTS TO WEAR OUT AND THEY REAPPLY.
IS THERE A STUDY DONE TO SEE THAT THAT'S THE CASE ON THAT PARTICULAR CROSSWALK? MAYBE IN AN AREA WHERE IT DOES INCREASE, YOU KNOW, EITHER BECAUSE OF THE COLOR SCHEME OR BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, TAKING PICTURES, FOR WHATEVER REASON.
IF THERE IS AN INCREASE IN MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS OR PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS, IS THERE A MECHANISM TO DENY THAT RENEWAL?
>> CERTAINLY AS PART OF OUR NORMAL BUSINESS WHEN THERE'S SEVERE CRASHES OR FATALITIES, OUR TEAM LOOKS AT THOSE TO UNDERSTAND WHY THEY OCCURRED JUST TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE OR MAYBE IT'S A LIGHTING THING.
AS PART OF OUR NORMAL BUSINESS WE DO THAT.
WITH THE COMMUNITY CROSSWALK WE WOULD HAVE THAT SAME APPROACH.
AND IF WE WERE TO DETERMINE, ALONG WITH SAPD, ON A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR AS A CAUSE OF THAT, WE WOULD CERTAINLY DISCUSS WITH THE SPONSOR ABOUT PICKING A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN HAVRDA.
COUNCILWOMAN ANDREWS-SULLIVAN.
>> SULLIVAN: I AM SO LIKING HOW WE CAN START INCORPORATING MORE OF OUR COMMUNITY IN THE WAY WE LOOK.
MY QUESTION IS IF THERE IS A CERTAIN FORM OF PAINT, IS IT GOING TO BE -- SAY THAT A GROUP WANTS TO USE A KIND OF REFLECTIVE KIND OF PAINT JUST TO ILLUMINATE THAT CROSSWALK, WOULD THAT INCREASE THE PRICE OF WHAT THEY'LL BE REQUIRED TO PUT DOWN IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT CROSSWALK ACTUALLY ILLUMINATED TO WHERE IT'S MORE LIGHTING TO KIND OF ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE ACCIDENTS THAT OCCUR THERE? WHAT WOULD BE THAT COST DIFFERENCE?
>> SO -- I'LL SAY PREFORM THERMOPLASTIC ONE MORE TIME FOR COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, BUT IN THE GUIDELINES THERE'S SPECIFIC CRITERIA.
THERE'S A SPECIFICATION THAT OUTLINES THE TYPE OF MATERIAL.
AND IT HAS THE NECESSARY SKID RESISTANCE SO PEOPLE DON'T SLIP WHEN WALKING.
AND THE REQUIRED REFLECTIVITY.
THERE'S A CERTAIN SPECIFICATION THAT THEY'LL ADHERE TO.
>> SULLIVAN: SO THAT'S ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE COST.
SO AS THE APPLICANT IS WORKING WITH POTENTIAL CONTRACTORS TO DEVELOP THEIR COST, THEY WILL BASE THAT COST ON THE SPECIFICATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
IF WE CAN ADD IN THOSE GUIDELINES, SOME SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR THE AREAS.
[02:50:01]
LIKE LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, SENIOR CENTERS, CHURCHES, AND PARKS I THINK THAT MY COLLEAGUES WOULD PROBABLY BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT AS THEY'RE CONSIDERING.AND THEY WOULD STILL HAVE AN INCREASE IINN FLEXIBILITY.
AGAIN, I'M JUST TRYING TO BE MINDFUL OF OUR CHILDREN AND SENIORS.
>> JUST AS A SPECIAL CONSIDERATION AS IT'S COMING FORWARD?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA.
I DID HAVE TWO THINGS I WOULD LIKE US ALSO TO CONSIDER IMPLICATIONS OF.
AND I KNOW WHEN I READ THE LANGUAGE IN THE PROGRAM, I BELIEVE LOGOS WOULD BE PROHIBITED, RIGHT?
>> LOGOS THAT HAVE WORDS, DETAILED WORDS, INTENDED TO MESSAGE WITH THE DRIVER WOULD BE PROHIBITED.
I MEAN, WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS NOT MANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WOULD CHOOSE TO RAISE $20,000 TO PUT IT ON THE PAVEMENT JUST TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
BUT I COULD SEE BUSINESSES WANTING TO DO THAT.
AND THE LAST THING I WOULD WANT TO DO IS BASICALLY PAVE THE WAY FOR OUR STREETS TO BE ADVERTISEMENTS.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT.
AND SO IF I'M READING IT CORRECTLY, I DON'T THINK IT WILL HAPPEN.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S VERY TASTEFUL IF PERHAPS A BUSINESS WANTS TO USE THEIR COLOR SCHEME, I CAN SEE THE ORANGE AND WHITE WOULD FIT VERY TASTEFULLY.
BUT THIS ISN'T MEANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE GRAND PRIX ADVERTISEMENTS ALL OVER OUR STREETS.
AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN THE WAY THIS IS WRITTEN.
THE EXAMPLE WITH WHATABURGER, ORANGE AND WHITE WOULD BE ALLOWED BUT DETAILED WORDS THAT SAY "WHATABURGER" WOULD NOT.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, WE DO HAVE AN OFF-PREMISE SIGN ORDINANCE.
YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF GETS INTO COMMERCIAL ADVERTISEMENT, SO THAT WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN THIS CASE.
BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE INTERPRETED AS -- WELL, I'M COMFORTABLE AND I GUESS WE'LL TEST THAT THEORY OUT BUT I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN.
THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS YOU MENTION MID-BLOCK CROSSINGS, ART.
TO ME, YOU KNOW, THE RAINBOW CROSSWALK IS PRETTY NEAT.
I MEAN, IT'S BECOME A DESTINATION ALMOST FOR FOLKS TO COME AND TAKE PICTURES AND ALL THAT.
MID-BLOCK CROSSINGS, BY THEIR VERY NATURE, ARE ALREADY DANGEROUS.
I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO MAKE THOSE CROSSINGS DESTINATIONS WHEN WE'RE ALREADY CONFUSING SOME MOTOR VEHICLES IN THE USE OF THEM.
SO I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER THAT.
PERHAPS IT'S A SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.
YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE -- GO AHEAD.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO CLARIFY.
AS AN EXAMPLE, YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE ONE BY THE DOSEUM.
IT HAS THE PEDESTRIAN REFUGE ISLAND AND FLASHING LIGHTS.
THAT'S THE ONLY TYPE OF CROSSING WE WOULD ALLOW.
IF IT WAS JUST A CROSSWALK WITH NO SORT OF PROTECTION, THEN IT WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED.
BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I THINK ALSO PEDESTRIANS AND MOTOR VEHICLES ARE STILL HAVING TO GET USED TO FACT THAT THEY ARE STOPPING KIND OF MID-WAY THROUGH TWO INTERSECTIONS.
BUT AS LONG AS WE'RE MINDFUL OF THAT, I'LL BE COMFORTABLE.
>> GARCIA: I'M SO SORRY, MAYOR.
I'M STILL GETTING THE HANG OF THIS.
THANK YOU, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE PROPOSED COMMUNITY CROSSWALK GUIDELINES TO ADD CONSIDERATION FOR AREAS INCLUDING LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, SENIOR CENTERS, CHURCHES, AND PARKS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: IS THAT A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT?
>> GARCIA: THAT'S A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: IS THAT ACCEPTED?
>> TREVINO: ONE QUICK CLARIFICATION ON THAT, CONSIDERATION MEANS NOT RESTRICTING BUT RATHER JUST HAVING TCI REPORT TO THE CITY ABOUT THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THOSE AREAS.
>> THE WAY I UNDERSTOOD IT, THAT'S EXACTLY THE WAY IT READS, COUNCILMAN.
IT'S CONSIDERATION, NOT A PROHIBITION.
YES, THERE WILL BE INFORMATION GATHERED ON THAT.
AND, AGAIN, I WOULD EMPHASIZE THAT IT STILL REQUIRES SUPPORT FROM THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCILMAN.
>> TREVINO: I'M GLAD YOU POINTED THAT OUT.
THERE'S A LOT OF LAYERS HERE AND WE'LL NOTE THAT GETTING THE CROSSWALK IN -- THE PRIDE CROSSWALK IN IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS NOT VERY EASY.
IT WENT THROUGH A LOT OF SCRUTINY AS WELL.
AND SO I'LL ACCEPT THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AND, AGAIN, JUST EMPHASIZE THAT TCI WILL BE MAKING A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS, REGARDLESS WHETHER IT'S AN ARTISTIC CROSSWALK OR A CROSSWALK ANYWHERE YOU WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND A DANGEROUS
[02:55:01]
SCENARIO FOR ANY CROSSWALK IN THE ENTIRE CITY.>> TREVINO: AGAIN, THIS IS WHY I LIKE AN ENGINEER NAMED ART ON OUR CITY STAFF.
AND I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
>> SANDOVAL: MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 37 AS AMENDED.
[Items 40 & Z-1]
PLEASE VOTE.>> ITEM NO. 40 IS AN ORDINANCE EXTENDING THE CITY LIMITS BY FULL PURPOSE ANNEXATION OF A 150.26-ACRE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 4526 SOUTH LOOP 1604, WHICH IS CONTIGUOUS TO THE CITY LIMITS OF SAN ANTONIO AND LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY'S EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION IN SOUTHEAST BEXAR COUNTY AS REQUESTED BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INCORPORATED NEAR CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 3.
ITEM Z-1 IS THE ORDINANCE ASSIGNING ZONING FOR PROPERTY LOCATED OCL, OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS, TO I-2 HEAVY INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT ON LOT 4, CB4136B LOCATED AT 4526 SOUTH LOOP 1604 EAST.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
I BELIEVE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ALLOW ANYONE TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS AT THIS TIME.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE DO HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON 40 AND Z-1.
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF MAPS HERE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THEY CAN PUT THEM UP.
MY NAME IS VINCENT AND I AM A MEMBER OF COPS METRO ALLIANCE.
I WAS FORTUNATE TO MEET A FEW OF Y'ALL DURING A COUPLE OF SESSIONS THAT WE DID.
I'M NOT HERE REPRESENTING THEM.
I OWN PROPERTY ACROSS FROM HALLIBURTON AND I VOTED AGAINST IT JUST SO I COULD COME UP HERE AND AT LEAST VENT A LITTLE BIT.
WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET WATER LINES OUT THERE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET SINCE 1993, FOR 26 YEARS BEFORE SAWS WAS THERE.
WE WERE ANNEXED AND WERE PROMISED FROM THE CITY POLICE, FIRE, TRASH, ALL THE SERVICES THAT Y'ALL HAVE, INCLUDING WATER AND SEWAGE.
WELL, THE WATER'S THERE BUT IT NEVER GOT EXTENDED.
WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET IT EXTENDED FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG.
AND HALLIBURTON CAME IN AND OF COURSE WE GOT ANNEXATION.
THEY GOT THE WATER BUT THEY JUMPED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY.
WHAT YOU SEE IN YELLOW, THE WATER STOPS RIGHT AT 37 AND JUMPS ACROSS AND GOES INTO HALLIBURTON.
SO THERE'S 14 OF US, ALL THOSE LOTS, THE YELLOW ONE, IS MY PROPERTY.
AND ALL THOSE LOTS, THERE'S 14 PEOPLE.
IT AVERAGES TWO TO THREE-ACRE LOTS.
I AM PAYING $1112 A MONTH ON TAX.
MY PROPERTY WAS VALUED AT $86,000 A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
THIS YEAR ALONE IT WENT UP $22,000.
I DIDN'T CATCH IT TO DISPUTE IT.
IN 2012 I BECAME DISABLED SO I ONLY GET $1430 A MONTH.
MOST OF US THAT LIVE THERE, WE WERE WANTING TO PUT A BUSINESS FOR A COMMERCIAL, WHICH IS NOW ZONED FOR THAT.
BUT WE CAN'T AFFORD TO BUILD BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE WATER.
IF WE WANT IT, THERE'S A NEW HIGHWAY GOING IN RIGHT NOW, A FOUR-LANE HIGHWAY, THAT'S IN PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
SAWS IS PUTTING IN THE NEW WATER LINES.
AND, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT GETTING -- THEY'RE REPLACING THE OLD ONES FROM BEXAR MET AND PUTTING IN NEW LINES.
BUT WE'RE STILL NOT GETTING THE WATER.
WHEN WE GOT ANNEXED WE WERE PROMISED THE WATER BUT THE CITY SAID, NO.
WE PROMISED TO MAINTAIN THE SYSTEMS. WELL, YOU CAN'T MAINTAIN SOMETHING THAT'S NEVER BEEN THERE.
SO HERE I AM PAYING $11,000 A YEAR AND I STILL DON'T HAVE WATER.
WHEN I COME TO THE CITY THEY SAY YOU SHOULD SELL IT.
THERE'S A COMPOST PLACE BEHIND US.
I'M GLAD YOU GUYS BROUGHT UP ALL THESE ISSUES OF AIR QUALITY AND Y'ALL WANT TO GO OUT FOR A JOG, THE WAY MS. SANDOVAL SAID, AND BREATHE FRESH AIR.
[03:00:01]
BRING ANY BUSINESSES BECAUSE OF THAT COMPANY.90% OF BRUSH PICK UP GOES TO THAT FACILITY.
AND 90% OF YOUR RESTAURANTS' GREASE GOES TO THAT FACILITY ALSO.
WHEN YOU COME OUTSIDE YOU GET THAT BAD SMELL OF SEWAGE THAT THESE GUYS ARE GETTING, ALONG WITH THE GREASE TRAP.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. HERGIN FOR COMING OUT HERE AND ALSO FOR BEING IN CONTACT WITH MY STAFF AND WORKING ON ITEMS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF HALLIBURTON AS WELL.
KENNY AND BRANDON, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US THIS ENTIRE MORNING.
I'M GOING TO MOTION TO CONTINUE ITEM 40 AND Z-1 TO AUGUST 8.
AND I WOULD -- AND IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ANNEXING IN AND THE ZONING OF HOW IT'S GOING TO BE ANNEXED IN.
AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY AMENABLE TO HAVING THIS CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH BRINGING THIS ALL TOGETHER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR CONTINUANCE OF ITEMS 40 AND Z-1.
[Items 3 & 26]
MOTION CARRIES.VERY QUICKLY NOW, BECAUSE OF SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION OF RECONSIDERATION OF BOTH ITEMS 3 AND ITEMS 26, BOTH WHICH WERE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
DUE TO SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, THEY WERE NOT BROADCAST, SO WE DO NEED TO TAKE THOSE TWO ITEMS UP AGAIN.
SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF ITEMS 3 AND ITEMS 26.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR RECONSIDERATION OF ITEMS 3 AND 26.
A YES VOTE WILL ALLOW US TO VOTE ON THOSE TWO ITEMS AGAIN.
NOW I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF ITEMS 3 AND 26.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
APPROVAL OF ITEMS NO. 3 AND ITEM 26.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: TAKE THEM SEPARATELY?
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
COUNCILMAN, CAN YOU REPHRASE YOUR MOTION TO JUST ITEM 3? THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 3.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NO. 26.
[42. City Manager's Report]
WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL LUNCHEON.ERIK, DO WE HAVE A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT?
>> WALSH: JUST REAL QUICK, MAYOR.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TWO PIECES OF GOOD NEWS.
I THINK DAVE MCCARRY IS STILL HERE.
DAVID AND THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN FORMALLY CERTIFIED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION KNOWN AS ISO.
ISO, MANY OF YOU KNOW, HELPS WITH EVALUATING OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF COVERAGE.
WHAT'S SIGNIFICANT HERE IS THAT OUR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT RECOGNIZED FOR ITS SAFETY RECORD.
WE ARE THE FIRST SOLID WASTE ORGANIZATION ANYWHERE THAT HAS EIVED THIS DESIGNATION.
AND I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE AND LET THE COUNCIL KNOW, BUT CONGRATULATE DAVID AND DEBRA FROM RISK MANAGEMENT, WHO HAVE WORKED CLOSELY TO REALLY SET A SAFE STANDARD IN SOLID WASTE.
BEFORE WE AUTOMATED TRASH COLLECTION, SOLID WASTE COLLECTION, WE HAD AN INJURY A DAY BECAUSE WE HAD EMPLOYEES ON THE BACK OF TRUCKS.
AND SO THROUGH THE INVESTMENT AND THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF DAVID MCCAREY AND HIS TEAM WE HAVE SET A NEW STANDARD.
I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE DAVID ON THAT.
[APPLAUSE] AND THEN FINALLY, MAYOR, AND I CHECKED TO MAKE SURE I WASN'T GOING TO JINX IT, BUT I'M GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY.
THIS WEEKEND WE HAVE A TEAM GOING UP TO DENVER TO PRESENT ON THE ALL AMERICA CITY AWARDS.
THERE HAVE BEEN 20 CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN INVITED TO PRESENT.
[03:05:03]
WE HAVE WON IT THREE YEARS IN A ROW AND WE'RE SENDING A HIGH-POWERED GROUP UP THERE THIS WEEKEND.AN GIBBS FROM THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, ANN HELMKE, THE CITY'S LIAISON, CARLOS, HUGO FROM THE HIV ALLIANCE.
THE HEALTH JUSTICE YOUTH COUNCIL, AND ALL LED BY DR. BRIDGER.
THEY WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING THE SAN ANTONIO'S EFFORT TO PROMOTE EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND CREATING REAL CHANGE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND HIGHLIGHTED AND FOCUSING ON WE'RE ELIMINATING DISPARITIES IN SOME OF OUR MOST MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
I WANTED TO WISH THAT TEAM GOOD LUCK.
WE WON IT THREE YEARS IN A ROW AND I FULLY ANTICIPATE WITH A GROUP LIKE THAT WE'LL DO SO NEXT WEEKEND.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD LUCK, TEAM.
I'M GOING TO CALL AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE'LL DO OUR LUNCHEON AND RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PRIOR TO OUR 2:00 P.M. ZONING MEETING.
SO ACTUALLY WE HAVE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
>> PELAEZ: DAVE, WHERE DID HE GO? I KNOW THAT COUNCILMAN SALDANA ALWAYS TOOK PLEASURE IN TALKING TRASH TO YOU AND COMING UP WITH ALL SORTS OF CUTE NAMES FOR YOU.
I'M A MUCH MORE SERIOUS INDIVIDUAL.
I'LL REALLY JUST LIMIT IT TO THE BARON OF BASURA.
I GOT TO TELL YOU I AM REALLY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND I THINK YOU GUYS ARE UNSUNG HEROES.
AND, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE TAKE FOR GRANTED WHAT YOU DO AND HAVE NO IDEA IF ALL OF YOUR GUYS JUST DECIDED TO CALL IN SICK ONE DAY THIS WOULD BE A DISASTER.
SO TO THE TEAM GOING TO DENVER, ONE, DON'T SCREW IT UP, OKAY? AND, TWO, I JUST OPENED AN OFFICE IN DENVER SO IF YOU GUYS NEED TO BORROW A COPY MACHINE OR STAPLERS TO GET READY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, LET ME KNOW.
>> SANDOVAL: I ALSO WANTED TO CONGRATULATE MR. MCCAREY AND THE WORK OF ALL OF HIS TEAM.
YOU'RE REALLY JUST A ROLE MODEL.
I'M BIG INTO SAFETY AS WELL, ALTHOUGH MY STAFF MAY NOT MENTION THAT.
BUT I REALLY ADMIRE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND THANK YOU ALSO FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DID DURING THE POWER OUTAGE OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
YOU GUYS WERE JUST THERE ALL THE TIME.
THEY WORKED THROUGH THE NIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS, BUT THEY WENT TO JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL.
THERE WERE ABOUT 30 JEEPS LINED UP DOWN THE STREET READY TO GO.
IT WAS COMMAND CENTRAL THERE AND I WAS JUST REALLY IMPRESSED WITH ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DID.
SO THIS SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE THAT YOU'VE EARNED THIS DESIGNATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
DAVID, I JUST WANTED TO TIP MY HAT YOU KNOW, IT WILL BE GOOD TO SEE THE RESULTS OF THAT PROGRAM, TO SEE WHERE WE'RE AT, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
AND I HOPE THAT THE METRICS WILL BEAR OUT THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING THAT.
AND WHAT A COOL MACHINE Y'ALL HAVE SET UP THERE.
IF ANYBODY GETS A CHANCE, GO OPERATE THAT MACHINE.
YOU ACTUALLY DRIVE IN THIS TRUCK WITH THE 3-D SCREEN AND ALL THAT.
AND IT'S REALLY A NEAT OPERATION TO GO IN THERE AND CHECK IT OUT AND SEE IF YOU CAN DRIVE A TRASH TRUCK AROUND TOWN.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DAVID, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
DAVID, YOU NEVER CEASE TO IMPRESS THIS COMMUNITY AND YOU REPRESENT US SO VERY WELL EVERYWHERE YOU GO.
TWO YEARS AGO WAS HURRICANE HARVEY AND THIS YEAR IT'S OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR SETTING A GREAT STANDARD FOR US.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I'VE GOT TWO OTHER THINGS REALLY QUICKLY BEFORE WE BREAK.
THE FIRST IS WE ARE VERY SAD TO LOSE A GREAT MEMBER OF OUR TEAM HERE AT CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE SHE'S DECIDED TO GO TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN A DIFFERENT CITY.
THAT LETICIA SAENZ AND IT'S HER LAST DAY TODAY.
LET'S GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR HER GREAT WORK.
[APPLAUSE] LETICIA, YOU ARE MUCH LOVED BY THIS FAMILY AND WE'RE LOOKING
[03:10:01]
FORWARD BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT DALLAS WON'T BE THAT LONG BEFORE YOU COME BACK.IT WASN'T JUST THE ARMY'S BIRTHDAY TODAY BUT IN A COUPLE OF DAYS IT WILL ALSO BE OUR COLLEAGUE'S BIRTHDAY, COUNCILWOMAN REBECCA VIAGRAN IS TURNING A DIFFERENT AGE ON THE 25TH.
[LAUGHTER] SO LET'S SING HER A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
IF EVERYONE CAN CONVENE INTO THE B ROOM, WE'LL HAVE A SPECIAL
[Executive Session]
LUNCHEON FOR THE NEW COUNCIL AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AFTER THAT.THE TIME IS 12:29 P.M. ON THIS THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2019.
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL MEET IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.087 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.072, REAL PROPERTY.
AND LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO COLLECTIVE
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL ZONING AGENDA.
CITY COUNCIL RECONVENED FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION AND NO ACTION
[Zoning Consent Agenda]
WAS TAKEN.I'M GOING TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES FOR ANY ITEMS FROM WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT ZONING AGENDA.
I HAVE ITEMS 44, 45, AND Z-12 FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YEAH, Z-12 IS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
ANY OTHERS BESIDES 44, 45, Z-12? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, I'M SPENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA, SAVE FOR 44, 45, Z-12.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE BALANCE OF THE CONSENT ZONING AGENDA.
I DO HAVE CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR ITEMS REMAINING ON CONSENT.
LET'S ROLL THE TRANSLATION VIDEO AS JACK COMES UP.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GO AHEAD, JACK.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS CITY COUNCIL.
I'M GLAD THAT YOU DID PULL 44, 45 FOR CONSIDERATION, INSTEAD OF JUST LETTING THEM SAIL RIGHT ON THROUGH.
YOU AND OTHERS CAMPAIGNED ON TRANSPARENCY, AND THAT -- WELL, NOT LETTING ANY SPECIAL INTERESTS GET AHEAD OF ANYBODY ELSE AROUND HERE.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT, BECAUSE THESE ARE, 44 AND 45 ARE SOME SIGNS, SIGN COMPANIES THAT WISH TO HAVE SOME SPECIAL PRIVILEGES.
SPECIAL PRIVILEGES GIVEN TO THEM FOR THEIR SIGNS.
THEY WANT TO -- SEE, THEY'VE BEEN IN VIOLATION, APPARENTLY THEY'VE BEEN IN VIOLATION FOR SOME TIME.
THE SIGNS HAVE BEEN HIGHER THAN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
NOW IT'S COME TIME FOR SOME MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS AND SO FORTH.
THEY'RE TAKING THEM DOWN AND THEY WANT TO GET THEM BACK UP TO THE SAME HEIGHT AGAIN.
WELL, I'M SORRY, BUT THEORETICALLY, I MEAN, THEORETICALLY WE STILL HAVE SOME RULES AROUND HERE THAT SAYS NO, YOU CANNOT NEARLY 50% HIGHER, 50% HIGHER THAN THE RULES ALLOW FOR.
[03:15:05]
ANDREWS-SULLIVAN, YOU SHOULD PRESENT THE CASE THAT THIS THING SHOULD BE DENIED.I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR THAT.
ITEM 46, MR. TREVINO, IN YOUR AREA, YES, REGARDING ALCOHOL BEING SOLD PRETTY CLOSE TO THE BEACON HILL ELEMENTARY.
ALCOHOL BEING SOLD WITHIN 300 FEET FROM WHERE SCHOOL KIDS ARE GOING TO PLAY.
I ALSO THINK YOU SHOULD PULL THAT FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, SIR, AND PROVE TO ALL OF US THAT YOU REALLY DO YOU SAY YOU HAVE.
WHAT ELSE DO WE HAVE ON THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA HERE? WELL, ONCE AGAIN, MR. TREVINO, IN YOUR DISTRICT, Z-4, YEAH, SOMEONE WANTS TO SHOVE, SHOEHORN FOUR UNITS INTO ONE LOT.
WHERE ARE OUR KIDS GOING TO PLAY, IN THEIR BACKYARD, ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE A BACKYARD TO PLAY IN.
IS THERE GOING TO BE ENOUGH ROOM FOR PARKING.
YES, I THINK YOU SHOULD PULL THAT ONE, SIR.
ALSO, WELL, ONCE AGAIN, MISS ANDREWS-SULLIVAN, Z-8, THE GOVERNMENT HILL ALLIANCE PROPOSES THIS ONE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FINGER.
AND I SUPPORT ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR, AS IF THEY'RE BEING SUPPORTED BY OUR NEW ILLUSTRIOUS COUNCILWOMAN FROM DISTRICT 2.
AND WHATEVER DECISION YOU MAKE ON THOSE ITEMS, YOU'LL BE SUPPORTED BY ME.
MR. MAYOR, I HAD A LONG CONVERSATION WITH YOU A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
I RESPECT YOU FOR WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THESE, AND THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU MADE TO ENSURING THAT OUR COMMUNITY FOR ONCE IS GOING TO RECEIVE WHAT IT SHOULD RECEIVE FROM THE CITY.
NOW, I KNOW I ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES, BUT MR. MAYOR, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
OF THE TOP SIX PEOPLE IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, NOT A SINGLE ONE IS BLACK.
OF THE TOP 15 PEOPLE IN THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MR. MEYER, YOU NEED TO KEEP IT JERMAINE TO THE AGENDA, SIR.
IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, YOU JUST CONFIRMED --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MR. MEYER, YOU'VE GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE ITEMS ON ZONING IN ORDER TO KEEP YOUR TIME.
>> OKAY, ON THE ZONING, WE MUST MAKE ZONING DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE BY, AND ARE REFLECTIVE OF CITY MANAGEMENT.
WE DON'T HAVE A REFLECTIVE CITY MANAGEMENT.
FOR YOU AS MAYOR, AND FOR YOU AS THE CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE OF THIS ILLUSTRIOUS CITY, TO SIT ON TOP OF ADMINISTRATION THAT DOES NOT HIRE BLACK PEOPLE --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MR. MEYER --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: YOU'VE GOT TO TALK ABOUT ITEM 46 OR Z-3, OR I'LL CUT YOU OFF, SIR.
>> THE CITY COUNCILWOMAN WANTS TO DO, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT HER.
AND THERE'S SOME ITEMS THERE THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANNEXATION.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ANNEX MORE BLACK PEOPLE AND REFUSE TO SERVE THEM? REFUSE TO FORCE YOUR CITY MANAGER, AND YOUR CITY ATTORNEY, AND YOUR POLICE CHIEF TO HAVE PARITY.
AND ONE MORE THING AND I'LL SIT DOWN, MAYOR.
YOU ALL SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THESE WHITE LOBBYISTS AND WHITE SUBCONTRACTORS.
NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM HAS A BLACK EMPLOYEE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MEYER.
>> AND I WANT THE CITY MAYOR TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
I WANT THE CITY MANAGER TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT, MR. MEYER, YOU HAVE TO YIELD THE FLOOR NOW, SIR.
MR. KILLEN, ROB KILLEN ON ITEM P-1 AND Z-14.
>> -- RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ROB KILLEN?
[03:20:08]
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WELCOME TO OUR NEW COUNCIL WOMEN.
THE ITEM I'M SPEAKING ON IS P-1, Z-14, ZONING CASE IN DISTRICT 10.
I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO COUNCILMAN AND HIS STAFF.
THEY HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROJECTS ACCESS ON DESTALL ROAD.
WE HAVE AGREED TO LIMIT THE ACCESS ON STALL ROAD FOR RESIDENTS ONLY AND ACCELERATION/DECELERATION RANGE.
I WANTED TO GET THAT ON THE RECORD AND AGAIN SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. KILLEN.
I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A ZONING ITEM THAT'S ON CONSENT.
DIDN'T WANT TO ACTUALLY PULL IT.
AND I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM BECAUSE IT'S NOT YOUR TYPICAL ZONING CASE.
THIS ZONING CASE IS A STEP TO POTENTIALLY REVOLUTIONIZING THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY AND CHANGE THE WAY WE COMMUTE AS WE KNOW IT.
SAN ANTONIO'S HISTORY IS CHOCK-FULL OF VISIONARIES THAT HAVE DESIGNED AND TESTED NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT HAVE IMPROVED LIVES IN THE WORLD, IN THE FIELDS OF AVIATION, SPACE TECHNOLOGY, MEDICAL, BIO SCIENCE, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
TODAY WE INCLUDE COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SCOOTERS.
THIS ZONING CHANGE WILL ALLOW AND PERMIT A TESTING TRACK FOR TRAIN, AN AUTONOMOUS SUSPENDED VEHICLE THAT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY UNIQUE FORMS OF MAGNETIC LEVITATION AND PROPULSION.
I KNOW IT SOUNDS LIKE SCIENCE FICTION, BUT THE TECHNOLOGY HAS ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED.
SKY TRAIN CHOSE SAN ANTONIO, AND PARTICULARLY D-9 FOR THIS UNIQUE TESTING TRACK, BECAUSE WE ARE HOME TO ONE OF THE WORLD'S BEST MACHINE SHOPS.
DND MACHINERY OWNED AND OPERATED BY DAVID AND DELORES MARTINEZ.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SHOW YOU A VISUAL OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT A QUICK VIDEO DEVELOPED BY SKY TRAIN OF WHAT THE FUTURE COULD HOLD FOR COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION.
JUST TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES.
>> THE CITY, IT'S WHERE WE LIVE, LOVE AND CREATE.
YET, AS LIFE MOVES FASTER AND FASTER, WE MOVE SLOWER AND SLOWER.
TRAFFIC IS JUST GETTING WORSE, AND DRIVERLESS CARS WON'T SAVE US, BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE DRIVER, IT'S THE CAR.
IT'S BEEN A CENTURY AND IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON.
SKY TRAIN IS THE FIRST PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT'S AS PERSONAL AS A CAR.
IT WILL UNCLOG OUR CITIES AND TRANSFORM OUR LIVES.
WITH SKRI TRAIN, THERE'S NO SCHEDULE.
ITS PREDICTABLE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE KNOWS WHEN YOU NEED YOUR RIDE.
STATIONS ARE SO NARROW, THEY CAN FIT OVER SIDEWALKS, SO THEY'RE ALWAYS JUST A SHORT WALK AWAY.
SKY TRANSREVOLUTIONARY TECHNOLOGY ENABLES YOU TO FLY ON A CUSHION OF AIR.
TRAVELING IS SO QUIET AND SMOOTH THAT YOU CAN COMFORTABLY WORK, OR SIMPLY RELAX.
SKY PODS DON'T NEED TO PICK UP OR DROP OFF OTHER PASSENGERS, SO THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO STOPS ON THE WAY TO YOUR DESTINATION.
IN THE CITY, SKY PODS CAN FLY OVER BUSY STREETS AT 50 MILES AN HOUR, AND SPEED UP TO 200 MILES AN HOUR BETWEEN CITIES.
WITH SOME STATIONS GOING DIRECTLY INTO OFFICE BUILDINGS, A TWO-HOUR COMMUTE CAN BE REDUCED TO 20 MINUTES.
SKY TRANS' LOW COST AND CONSTRUCTION ALLOWS FOR MANY MORE LINES THAN CONVENTIONAL TRANSPORT SYSTEMS WHICH IN TURN ALLOWS FOR GREATER CAPACITY.
PER MILE, SKY TRAN IS ONE-TENTH THE COST OF LIGHT RAIL AND 100TH THE COST OF A SUBWAY.
WITH ITS SPEED AND HIGH CAPACITY, SKY TRAN CAN BRING AN END TO TRAFFIC.
NEXT STEP WILL BE SOMETHING WE'VE NEVER EVEN DREAMED OF, TRANSFORMING STREETS INTO PARKS, CAFES AND MARKETS.
[03:25:04]
WITHOUT CARS, WE CAN BREATHE, CREATE AND WANDER.AFTER A HUNDRED YEARS, IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE.
>> COURAGE: AND LET ME JUST ADD, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, THAT THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN TRIED IN DEVELOPMENT IN ISRAEL, AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THIS COMPANY.
AND THRILLED THAT THEY HAVE CHOSEN SAN ANTONIO AND DISTRICT 9.
IT'S MY HOPE THEY'LL SEE THIS CITY AS A PLACE FOR EXPANSION.
AND WE'LL PLAY A ROLE IN THE FUTURE TRANSPORTATION, AND IT ALL BEGINS WITH THE APPROVAL OF THIS ZONING.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK JIM MCINTYRE, VP OF SYSTEMS ENGINEERING FROM SKY TRAN TRAVELING FROM IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> MAYOR, IF I MAY, I NEED TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
WE HAVE, FOR THE RECORD, WE HAVE ITEM Z-4, Z-6 AND Z-15, THOSE WERE EXPEDITED CASES.
I JUST WANT TO STATE FOR THE COMMISSION ZONING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL AND WE HAVE FORWARDED THE MINUTES TO THE COUNCIL OFFICE AND THEY WILL BE SUBMITTED AS PART OF THE RECORD.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: EXCELLENT.
THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT ZONING AGENDA, ALL ITEMS SAVE FOR Z-12, 44 AND 45.
[Items 44 & 45]
MOTION CARRIES.>> ITEM 44 IS AN APPEAL OF THE DECISION OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT TO DENY A 28-FOOT VARIANCE FROM THE MAXIMUM 60-FOOT-TALL SIGN HEIGHT RESTRICTION TO ALLOW FOR A SINGLE TENANT, TO BE 88 FEET TALL LOCATED AT 5075 RIGSBY AVENUE.
>> COUNCILMAN ANDREWS-SULLIVAN.
>> ANDREWS-SULLIVAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
IN MY DISTRICT, A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE THE ISSUE OF TREES.
AND SO WHERE THIS IS LOCATED, THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE HEIGHT OF THE SIGN FROM WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT.
AND FOR ME, ACTUALLY, I WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPLICANT APPEAL, AND GRANT THE SIGN HEIGHT VARIANCE.
IT'S JUST WITH WHAT ABURGER, AND WITH THAT LOCATION WE NEED THE HEIGHT TO BE A LITTLE HIGHER THAN EXPECTED.
AND SO I WOULD ASK FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO FOLLOW MY LEAD, AND GET THIS APPROVED.
WE HAVE TWO CITIZENS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
THE FIRST ONE IS KATHLEEN, IF YOU COULD PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY UP.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, AND CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN TODAY.
AND I'M COMING BEFORE YOU AS KATHLEEN TRENCHARD AT 105 NORTH JOSEPHINE TOKEN DRIVE.
AND I'M REPRESENTING SCENIC SAN ANTONIO TODAY.
WE ARE A COALITION OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SAN ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY, THE LOCAL SOCIETY OF AIA, AND WE ARE IN OPPOSITION TO THE APPLICANT'S APPEAL.
OF THE DECISION OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT TO DENY A 28-FOOT VARIANCE FROM THE MAXIMUM 60-FOOT-TALL SIGN HEIGHT RESTRICTION TO ALLOW A SINGLE TENANT BILLBOARD TO BE 88 FEET TALL LOCATED AT 5075 RIGSBY.
AND JUST TO MAKE IT A LITTLE SHORTER, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND ALSO ADDRESS CASE 45.
THAT WOULD BE AT RITAMAN ROAD.
ONCE AGAIN, REPRESENTING SCENIC SAN ANTONIO, WE ARE IN OPPOSITION TO THIS APPEAL OF DECISION OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
IN THIS CASE, TO DENY A 30-FOOT VARIANCE FROM THE MAXIMUM 60-FOOT-TALL SIGN RESTRICTION, TO ALLOW A SINGLE TENANT BILLBOARD TO BE 90 FEET TALL LOCATED AT 4635 RIDAMAN ROAD.
SO IN BOTH CASES, AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A TREND, BUT THIS IS A PRECEDENT-SETTING TREND.
[03:30:01]
IN BOTH CASES AT THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, WE LEARNED THAT THE APPLICANT SIGN WAS ALREADY 88 FEET, AND THE REASON THEY HAD TO ASK FOR THE VARIANCE, AS YOU JUST HEARD FROM MIKE SHANNON, WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE TAKING IT DOWN FOR REPAIR.BY THE RULES OF CHAPTER 28, THEY LOST THEIR NONCONFORMING STATUS, AND WHEN THE BILLBOARD WENT BACK UP, IT WOULD HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE EARLIER 60-FOOT HEIGHT RULE.
IN BOTH CASES THE APPLICANT "APPEAL FOR VARIANCE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE ADVANTAGE, AS MANY OTHER BILLBOARDS IN THE SAME AREA HAVE ALSO BEEN BUILT HIGHER THAN BEFORE THE 60-FOOT CAP.
SO HOWEVER THE APPLICANT FAILED TO CONVINCE THE SUPER MAJORITY OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT SECTION 28.5, 3 C, SHALL I READ THE TWO SIGN RULES? THERE ARE ONLY TWO.
BUT THE MAIN ONE IS NUMBER 2, WHICH IS A DENIAL OF THE VARIANCE WOULD PROBABLY CAUSE A CESSATION OF LEGITIMATE LNG-STANDING ACT OF COMMERCIAL USE OF THE PROPERTY.
BUT THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT WENT OVER SEVERAL MAPS IN SEVERAL CASES OF THE AREA SHOWING THE HEIGHTS OF -- OOPS -- I'M COMBINING SO I SHOULD HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME, YES? THANK YOU.
BUT THE APPLICANT'S AGENT HAD NOT BEEN INSTRUCTED TO PREPARE ANY ECONOMIC ANALYSIS TO PROVIDE PROOF OF THE SECOND POINT.
SO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT WENT OVER SEVERAL MAPS, AND THEY STILL DENIED.
SO TO CONCLUDE, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THIS CITY CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THE SAN ANTONIO SPEAK UP YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO US IS BRINGING TO LIGHT PUBLIC OPINION THAT HAS NOT BEEN AVAILABLE TO YOU IN MANY YEARS.
AND IN ITS FIRST SURVEY CONDUCTED THIS YEAR, IN APRIL, OF ABOUT 900 RESPONSES RECEIVED BY THE CITY, HERE ARE THE RESPONSES TO THE QUESTION.
THE QUESTION WAS, THERE ARE CURRENTLY ABOUT 1,200 BILLBOARDS IN SAN ANTONIO.
DO YOU THINK THIS AMOUNT IS TOO M MANY? NOT SURE? JUST ENOUGH? OR TOO LITTLE? JUST TO CUT IT SHORT, 73% OF THE RESPONDENTS SAID IT WAS TOO MANY.
AND ONLY 5% OF RESPONDENTS SAID TOO LITTLE.
SO PLEASE DON'T ASSUME THAT SAN ANTONIANS DON'T CARE ABOUT THE APPEARANCE OF THEIR CITY.
AND THANK YOU, TIER 1, FOR BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO OUR ATTENTION, AND THANK YOU, CITY COUNCIL, FOR YOUR ATTENTION, AND YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY.
COLLEEN WAGSTACK? MISS WAGSTACK IS SPEAKING ON TWO DIFFERENT ITEMS.
>> BOTH THOSE ITEMS ARE ALSO ON THE WHAT THE ABURGER SIGNAGE.
WHALT ABURGER IS TRULY A TEXAS TREASURE DEEP IN THE HEARTS OF MANY SAN ANTONIANS.
THEY'VE EARNED THEIR LOYALTY BY SERVING TASTY QUALITY FOOD AS WELL AS SERVING AS AN OUTSTANDING CORPORATE CITIZEN.
THEREIN LIES THEIR TRUE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.
NEVERTHELESS, I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU TO DENY THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST TO MAINTAIN THEIR SIGN HEIGHT, THAT IS IN EXCESS OF THE HEIGHT ALLOWED BY THE CURRENT SIGN ORDINANCE.
I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR DENIAL AND THE DECISION MADE BY THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT FOR DENIAL SHOULD BE UPHELD.
ALTHOUGH SIGNAGE IS NOT IN MY AREA OF TOWN, I'M FAMILIAR WITH BOTH LOCATIONS, AND I KNOW THAT YOUR DECISION TODAY WILL AFFECT FUTURE DECISIONS ON SIGNAGE IN OUR CITY.
IN ORDER TO NOT PUT AN UNDUE FINANCIAL BURDEN ON-PIECES, THE CURRENT ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN TO ALLOW EXISTING SIGNAGE TO BE MAINTAINED AT A HEIGHT IN EXCESS OF THE NEW HEIGHT H RESTRICTION.
WHAT-A-BRGER HAS BEEN IN ITS RIGHT TO MAINTAIN THE SIGN HEIGHT AT THIS TIME.
THE ORDINANCE WAS ALSO SPECIFIC AS TO WHEN EXISTING SIGNAGE WOULD HAVE TO BE BROUGHT INTO COMPLIANCE.
ADDITIONALLY, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT SHARP LINES DRAWN BY ORDINANCES CAN SOMETIMES HAVE AN UNJUST EFFECT ON INDIVIDUAL CASES.
THE ORDINANCE INCLUDED SPECIFICS AS TO WHEN ALLOWANCES COULD BE MADE BY THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS.
THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS ESTABLISHED THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN THIS CASE DID NOT MEET THE CRITERIA TO ALLOW A VARIANCE.
[03:35:01]
DENIAL OF THIS VARIANCE WILL NOT PROHIBIT REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SIGNAGE ON THE SITE.NOR WILL IT COST A CESSATION OF COMMERCIAL USE OF THE PROPERTY.
THE APPLICANT HAS DECIDED THAT THE FAST-FOOD INDUSTRY IS VERY COMPETITIVE.
FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WHAT-A-BURGER HAS ENJOYED A COMPETITIVE BENEFIT OVER OTHER SIMILARLY LOCATED FAST FOOD FRANCHISES.
WHICH WERE ESTABLISHED AFTER ENACTMENT OF THE SIGN ORDINANCE.
REQUIRING COMPLIANCE WITH THE CURRENT SIGN ORDINANCE DOES NOT PUT WHAT-A-BURGER AT A DISADVANTAGE, BUT RATHER ELIMINATES THE ADVANTAGE THAT WHAT-A-BURGER HAS BENEFITED FROM OVER THE YEARS.
THE GRANTING VARIANCE SHOULD DMOT AFFECT ONE BUSINESS AT THE EXPENSE OF ANOTHER.
SOME ISSUES HAVE SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT TO THE CITY, THAT THEY SHOULD BE ADDRESSED THROUGH POSSIBLE REVISIONS TO THE ORDINANCE VIA THE NORMAL PROCESS AND NOT BE VARIANCES.
GRANTING OF THIS VARIANCE WILL SUBSTANTIALLY CONFLICT WITH THE SIGN ORDINANCE AND WILL PERPETUATE THE COMPETITIVE BENEFIT THAT SOME BUSINESSES HAVE ENJOYED OVER OTHER BUSINESSES WHICH WERE ESTABLISHED AFTER THE ENACTMENT OF THE CURRENT ORDINANCE.
IN ADDITION, GRANTING OF THIS VARIANCE MAY CREATE A WAVE OF NEW CASES, BY SIMILARLY AFFECTED BUSINESSES, AND ULTIMATELY BY BUSINESSES WHO HAVE ESTABLISHED AFTER THE CURRENT SIGN ORDINANCE WAS ENACTED BUT WHO DESIRE TO HAVE THE INCREASED HEIGHT.
I ASK THAT YOU DENY THIS VARIANCE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT BASED ON WHAT I'VE HEARD, THAT WE SHOULD NOT OVERRIDE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS MADE BY THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, OR THE ZONING COMMITTEE.
I THINK THAT WE DID DEVELOP A SIGN ORDINANCE THAT HAD LIMITATIONS.
WE GRANDFATHERED THOSE THAT WERE IN PREEXISTENCE, BUT THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT SHOULD THEY NEED TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO THOSE SIGNAGE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW ORDINANCE.
I CAN'T SEE THAT WE SHOULD OFFER A PARTICULAR COMPANY THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET AN ADVANTAGE, OR TO, YOU KNOW, GET A CHANGE IN THE ORDINANCE TO SUIT THEIR NEEDS.
AND I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO GO AHEAD AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE, AND NOT APPROVE THOSE VARIANCES.
SO THAT'S WHERE I STAND ON THAT.
>> ROCHA GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
I WAS REMINDED THAT THE APPLICANT HAS NOT BEEN AFFORDED A CHANCE TO SPEAK, SO WE WILL TAKE UP YOUR COMMENTS NOW.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING WHAT-A-BURGER, THE APPLICANT IN THIS CASE.
FIRST I WANT TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT WERE ALREADY STATED.
FOR ONE, WE'RE NOT IN VIOLATION.
WE'RE HIGHER THAN THE CURRENT SIGN ORDINANCE BUT WE ARE A NONCONFORMING SIGN.
THIS IS NOT A BILLBOARD WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THIS IS 130 SQUARE FEET OF THE SMALL "W" THAT IS THE WHAT-A-BURGER SYMBOL.
I HAVE A FEW SLIDES I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE YOU THROUGH.
THIS IS SHOWING THE SITE OF THE RIGSBY, ITEM NUMBER 44.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S WITHIN 395 FEET OF LOOP 410.
UNDER THE CODE, THIS IS AN EXPRESSWAY SIGN, SO IT SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE AN EXPRESSWAY SIGN.
THIS IS THE SIGN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AGAIN, THIS IS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE.
WE'RE KEEPING IT AT THE SAME HEIGHT.
WE'RE SIMPLY CONDUCTING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, JUST ONE PIECE OF THAT POLE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
AS SOON AS YOU BRING THAT CABINET DOWN, THE ORDINANCE SAYS YOU HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW REGULATIONS.
IN ANY OTHER NONCONFORMING CONSTRUCTION IN THE CITY, YOU'RE ALOUD TO KEEP THAT MAINTENANCE GOING.
THIS IS THE ONLY SITUATION WHERE THE SIGN CODE HAS DEVIATED FROM WHAT TYPICAL NONCONFORMING.
WHEN YOU HAVE THIS KIND OF REGULATION, WHERE AS SOON AS YOU TOUCH ANYTHING, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COMPLY WITH NEW REGULATIONS, IT ACTUALLY DISCOURAGES PEOPLE FROM MAINTAINING CURRENT SIGNS.
HERE WE ARE, JUST TRYING TO REPLACE A PIECE OF THE POLE, KEEP THE SIGN WHERE IT'S BEEN FOR 17 YEARS, IN THIS CASE, 20 YEARS IN THE SECOND CASE.
THIS IS A PICTURE SHOWING WHERE THE SIGN IS NOW FROM LOOP 410, AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT GETS LOWER.
YOU CAN SEE THE SIGNS AROUND IT ARE SIMILAR SIZE.
WHEN IT GETS LOWERED, WE ARE GOING TO LOSE BUSINESS.
[03:40:04]
THIS IS THE RIDAMAN ROAD SIGN, AN EXPRESSWAY SIGN.HERE WE'RE REPLACING A PIECE OF THE POLE, SIMPLY THE BASE OF THE POLE.
EVERYTHING ELSE REMAINS AS IT IS.
IT'S THE SAME CABINET AND WE WANT TO KEEP THE SAME HEIGHT.
THIS IS A PICTURE FROM LOOP 410 GOING NORTH.
YOU CAN SEE THE MCDONALD'S, THE JACK-IN-THE-BOX, THE BEST WESTERN INN.
ALL OF THOSE SIGNS ARE APPROPRIATE HEIGHT.
THE SECOND WE LOWER IT YOU CANNOT SEE IT FROM LOOP 410.
THEY WILL LOSE BUSINESS IF YOU DON'T GET THAT VISUAL.
AND MANY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT SAID THE SAME THING.
EVERY PERSON THAT SPOKE SAID THE SAME THING.
YES, YOU COULD LOSE BUSINESS BECAUSE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THAT VISUAL THERE.
SO, AGAIN, LEGAL NON-CONFORMING SIGN.
WE JUST WANT TO KEEP IT AS IT IS AND SIMPLY MAINTAIN IT.
COUNCILWOMAN JADA ANDREWS-SULLIVAN.
>> SULLIVAN: THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY QUESTION.
BEFORE WE GOT TO THE DISCREPANCY OF THE HEIGHT, WAS IT WITHIN THE LEGAL REALM OF THE HEIGHT VARIANCE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO.
AND THEN ALSO EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING TO BE REPLACED.
IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN THAT, AND YOU DID THAT.
AS FAR AS ARE YOU -- WAS IT GRANDFATHERED IN BEFORE YOU DECIDED TO HAVE THE MAINTENANCE?
IT IS GRANDFATHERED AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW.
>> SULLIVAN: AND WOULD BOTH OF THE FREEWAYS, HAVING THE SIGN AT THE HEIGHT THAT IT IS AT THIS TIME, WOULD ALLOW FOR DRIVERS THAT ARE TRAVELING THAT DON'T KNOW THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO VERY WELL TO SEE THE SIGNAGE WITHOUT IT BEING A HINDRANCE?
>> THAT'S EXACTLY WHY IT WAS BUILT AT THAT HEIGHT TO START WITH.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN, FOR PULLING THIS FOR DISCUSSION.
MR. MCKNIGHT, YOU SAID WHEN IT COMES TO ANY OTHER SIGN THAT NEEDS TO UNDERGO MAINTENANCE, THEY'RE NOT SUBJECT TO THE SAME LEVEL OF SCRUTINY.
>> ANY OTHER NON-CONFORMING STRUCTURE.
SO NOT SIGNS BUT ANY BUILDING OR ANY OTHER STRUCTURE IN SAN ANTONIO OTHER THAN SIGNS IN AUDIO] AND YOU WANT TO PERFORM ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, YOU CAN CHANGE THOSE THINGS OUT, UP TO 50% OF THE VALUE OF THAT PROPERTY.
SO THIS IS A VERY, VERY DIFFERENT STANDARD THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH.
WHEN WE'RE TOUCHING ONE PIECE OF THE POLE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW STANDARDS, ANY NON-CONFORMING STRUCTURE YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
>> SANDOVAL: I GUESS THIS IS FOR STAFF.
THAT'S OUT ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN? CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE RATIONALE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THAT?
SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M MIKE SHANNON, FOR THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU.
SO, YEAH, SO OUR SIGN CODE, WHICH IS PART ZONING AND PART STRUCTURAL STANDARDS FOR SIGNS, BOTH NEW AND EXISTING.
THE IDEA OF NON-CONFORMING RIGHTS OR LEGAL NON-CONFORMING IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FOR A STRUCTURE.
SO A STRUCTURE, A HOUSE OR BUILDING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, IS TYPICALLY ALLOWED TO NOT ONLY BE MAINTAINED, BUT YOU'RE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN IT STRUCTURALLY.
WE HAVE A PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE AND OUR BUILDING CODE RULES THAT SAY YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT STRUCTURALLY AND YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR NON-CONFORMING.
YOU JUST CAN'T EXPAND THE USE, GENERALLY.
THE SIGNS SAY YOU ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN IT BUT ONCE YOU GET TO A CERTAIN LEVEL -- AND THIS IS KIND OF WHERE THE GRAYNESS OF OUR SIGN CODE IS, BUT STRUCTURAL REPAIRS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE TO DO A STRUCTURAL REPAIR, YOU HAVE TO DO IT BUT YOU MAY LOSE YOUR NON-CONFORMING COMING DOWN.
CERTAINLY AS A CODE OFFICIAL, I WANT EVERYTHING SAFE.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY CAN AGREE ON THAT.
BUT THE IDEA WAS AT A CERTAIN LEVEL OF MAINTENANCE OR REPAIR IT WOULD BRING NON-CONFORMING SIGNS DOWN TO AN ESTABLISHED HEIGHT.
THOSE ARE THE TWO DIFFERENCES.
THOSE WERE ESTABLISHED IN THE '80S FOR THE SIGNS.
AND I WOULD THINK MAYBE 2001 FOR THE OTHER STRUCTURAL STUFF FOR BUILDINGS.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MR. SHANNON.
SO KATHLEEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING OUT TODAY.
KATHLEEN IS ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS AND EXTREMELY ACTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO BEAUTIFYING SAN ANTONIO.
AND I KNOW THAT BILLBOARDS OR SIGNS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO WHAT YOU FEEL CONVEYS A BEAUTIFUL CHARACTER IN THE CITY.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE TO DO THAT.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND THE BOARD OF
[03:45:01]
ADJUSTMENT DID DENY THE APPEAL.MY APPOINTEE VOTED WITH THE MAJORITY.
HOWEVER, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE COUNCILWOMAN WANTS TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS GO AHEAD AND DEFER TO YOU, COUNCILWOMAN, BECAUSE I DO FEEL WE HAVE AN APPEALS PROCESS FOR A REASON, TO ALLOW, YOU KNOW, THIS TYPE OF DISCUSSION.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW THE AREA BETTER THAN I DO AND IN TERMS OF WHAT CHARACTER YOU WANT THAT AREA TO REFLECT, I WILL DEFER TO YOUR JUDGMENT ON THAT.
SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING YOUR MOTION.
BUT I DO WANT TO THANK THOSE OF YOU WHO CAME TO SPEAK.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO APPROVE THE VARIANCE FOR ITEMS 44 AND 45.
>> DID YOU READ BOTH INTO THE RECORD?
>> I CAN READ THE CAPTION FOR 45.
I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS FOR BOTH, BUT I'M BEING TOLD THAT IS WHAT THE WISH IS OF THE COUNCILWOMAN.
AND SO ITEM 45 IS AN APPEAL OF THE DECISION OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT TO DENY A 35-FOOT VARIANCE FROM THE MAXIMUM 60-FOOT TALL SIGN HEIGHT RESTRICTION TO ALLOW FOR A SINGLE-TENANT SIGN TO BE 95 FEET TALL, LOCATED AT 4635 RITTIMAN ROAD.
SO TOGETHER WE WILL ADDRESS 44 AND 45.
NOTE THAT WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR FOR NOW BOTH 44 AND 45.
THAT MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE VARIANCE.
>> SULLIVAN: SO THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE APPLICANT APPEAL AND GRANT THE SIGN HEIGHT VARIANCE FOR 44 AND 45.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: MOTION CARRIES.
[Z-12. ZONING CASE # Z2018334 (Council District 7): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from “R-6” Residential Single-Family District, “R-20” Residential Single-Family District, and “RE” Residential Estate District to “MF-18” Limited Density Multi-Family District on 3.413 acres out of NCB 14653, located at 5917 Whitby Road. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval.]
ITEM Z-12.>> ITEM Z-12 FROM R-6 R-20 TO MF-18 LOCATED AT 5917 WHITBY ROAD.
STAFF AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMEND APPROVAL AND THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CONTINUANCE TO AUGUST 22.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
>> SANDOVAL: I MOVE TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM UNTIL AUGUST 22, 2019.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CONTINUE.
BEFORE WE CONCLUDE THE MEETING, THERE'S A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE BY COUNCILMAN ROBERTO TREVINO.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
AT THIS MOMENT I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO CHRISSY QUATRO.
CHRISSY, YOU'VE DONE AN AMAZING JOB.
CHRISSY'S GOING TO BE LEAVING US.
THIS IS HER LAST ZONING MEETING.
SHE'S GOING OFF TO UPENN TO GET HER PH.D. IN CITY PLANNING.
SHE HAS DONE GREAT WORK WITH REGARDS TO ZONING AND LAND USE.
WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOU, AND KNOW THAT YOU HAVE MADE A VERY, VERY BIG IMPACT, POSITIVE IMPACT, NOT JUST TO DISTRICT 1, BUT THE ENTIRE CITY.
>> MAYOR PRO TEM: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
GOOD LUCK, CHRISSY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.