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>> CLERK: GOOD AFTERNOON, WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL B SESSION OF JUNE THE SIXTH, 2018.
>> CLERK: MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON, WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION AGENDA.
WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON OUR AG JEB DA TODAY, I'LL GET US STARTED,
[1. Briefing on the City’s Sidewalk Programs and the development of a Conceptual Sidewalk Master Plan. [Peter Zanoni, Deputy City Manager; Mike Frisbie, Director, Transportation & Capital Improvements]]
CITY MANAGER SCULLEY.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
OUR FIRST ITEM IS A PRESENTATION ON OUR SIDEWALK PROGRAM.
THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS AND MIKE FRISBIE, OUR CITY ENGINEER IS HERE THIS AFTERNOON WITH SOME OF HIS COLLEAGUES FROM TRANSPORTATION AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS DEPARTMENT TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING WITH THE TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL, AND ALSO AMONG OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS AND WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT IMPROVING PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY THROUGHOUT SAN ANTONIO.
SO YOU MAY KNOW AND RECALL FROM OUR GOAL-SETTING SESSION LAST WEEK THAT STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, DRAINAGE WERE THE TOP CONTENDERS IN TERMS OF PRIORITY FOR OUR UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR 2019 BUDGET.
THIS YEAR IN THE BUDGET, WE HAVE ABOUT $6.3 MILLION IN THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS AND WE ARE FOCUSED, OF COURSE, ON THOSE AREAS THAT INCREASE SAFE MOBILITY FOR STUDENTS WALKING TO SCHOOL; ALSO FOR SENIORS AND THOSE WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
AND IN THOSE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE HAD INCIDENTS OF PEDESTRIAN DEATHS.
AND SO OUR SIDEWALK PLAN IS, AS I SAID, A WORK IN PROGRESS, AND MIC'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE STRATEGY BEHIND THE PLAN.
WE HAVE MORE THAN 5,000 MILES OF SIDEWALKS THAT WE MAINTAIN IN THE COMMUNITY, AND HE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR RESIDENTS WITH REGARD TO SIDEWALKS, WHAT THE RULES ARE WITH REGARD TO SIDEWALK REPAIR AND IMPROVEMENTS AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
YOU'LL RECALL, TOO, THAT IN THIS 2017 BOND PROGRAM WE HAVE NEARLY $50 MILLION IN SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE VOTED ON BY THE RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY, SO OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WE HAVE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASED FUNDING TO ACCOMPLISH SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS.
COUNCILMAN TREVINO, HAS A NUMBER OF IDEAS.
HE'S AT A MEETING WITH REGARD TO OUR ALAMO INTERPRETIVE PLAN THAT IS UNDERWAY, SO HE WILL BE JOINING US SHORTLY, BUT HE HAS CHAMPIONED A NUMBER OF IDEAS AND INNOVATIONS ON HOW TO BETTER CONSTRUCT AND MAINTAIN SIDEWALKS IN THE COMMUNITY, SO I KNOW HE'LL BE JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND MIKE WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT THIS AFTERNOON AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MIKE.
COUNCILMAN TREVINO, I WAS JUST MENTIONING YOUR WORK ON SIDEWALK, YOU'RE HERE AT THE RIGHT TIME, AND WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN THIS CONVERSATION THIS AFTERNOON ABOUT OUR SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS AND PLAN GOING FORWARD.
>> FRISBIE: THANK YOU, SHERYL.
WE TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOP LAST WEEK AND WE'LL GET RIGHT INTO THE PRESENTATION HERE.
WE WANT TO FOCUS IN ON THE GAPS, SIDEWALK GAPS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND THEN SEPARATELY FROM THAT, TALK ABOUT THE EXISTING SIDEWALKS.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN TCI, IT'S ALL ABOUT INNOVATION AND DEDICATION, BUILDING AND MAINTAINING THE INFRASTRUCTURE SPECIFIC TO THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S THE OUTCOME THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, AND SO TO BUILD QUALITY SIDEWALKS IN THE AREAS THAT NEED THEM THE MOST FIRST.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY.
AND IT'S ALSO -- YOU KNOW, HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH SAFETY, MOBILITY AND ALSO HEALTH, BEING ABLE TO HAVE THOSE FACILITIES OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE TO GET AROUND.
SO LEADING UP TO TODAY, WE'VE DONE EXTENSIVE WORK WITH COUNCILMAN TREVINO OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO, PART OF THAT INCLUDED A SIDEWALK SUMMIT WHERE WE BROUGHT A LOT OF EXPERTISE TOGETHER, DESIGN COMPANIES, ORGANIZATIONS OF VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, CONTRACTORS, CITY STAFF, TO REALLY BRAINSTORM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SIDEWALKS, HOW DO WE DESIGN THEM, HOW DO WE GET THEM BUILT --
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AUDIO] -- TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE RECOMMEND THIS COME ON TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR A B COUNCIL DISCUSSION.WE HAD SOME ONE-ON-ONES WITH THE REST OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS WHO WERE NOT PART OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ACTIVITY.
SO FIRST OF ALL, THE SIDEWALK GAPS, AND YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE.
YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE THE GAPS THROUGHOUT THE CITY? WE HAVE IT BY DISTRICT.
THE BARS REPRESENT GAP MILES THAT WE HAVE A TOTAL OF THAT 1800, ALMOST 1900 MILES OF GAPS IN THE SIDEWALK NETWORK, AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM, IT ALSO SHOWS THE EXISTING SIDEWALKS AND WHERE THEY'RE AT THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SO AS SHERYL SAID, OVER 5,000 MILES OF EXISTING SIDEWALKS.
NOW, OVER TIME, WE HAVE TAKEN SOME NUMBERS OUT OF THIS EQUATION, BECAUSE WE'VE IDENTIFIED OVER 450 MILES SO FAR, PRETTY MUCH ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHERE SIDEWALKS ARE NOT DESIRED.
OKAY? AND MOST OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S MORE OF A RURAL NATURE, SUBDIVISION, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T NEED THE SIDEWALKS THERE, AND SO IN TALKING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND SO FORTH, WE'VE TAKEN OVER 450 MILES OUT OF THE NETWORK THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO OUR NEED HAS COME DOWN OVER TIME.
WE'VE HAD THE CURRENT PROGRAMS SO FAR, YOU CAN SEE THE HISTORY OF THE FUNDING.
IF YOU GO BACK A NUMBER OF YEARS, IT WAS BASICALLY A BASE AMOUNT OF $5 MILLION FOR SIDEWALKS.
IT WAS RAMPED UP A LITTLE BIT IN FY '14 AND '15, AND THEN IN FY '16 AND '17, IT WAS BUMPED UP TO 15 MILLION A YEAR.
SO THIS YEAR WE HAVE A BASE AMOUNT OF THE 6.2 MILLION, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME BOND DOLLARS INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO THAT'S HOW I THINK -- AS WE LOOK FORWARD IN THE FUTURE WITH BOND PROGRAMS, IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT, WE BELIEVE, TO HAVE SOME SIDEWALK EMPHASIS IN THE BOND PROGRAMS AS WELL.
BUT ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER OF PROGRAMS, EVEN WHEN WE'RE DOING A STREET MAINTENANCE PROJECT, OR OVERLAYING A STREET, WE DO LOOK FOR THE SIDEWALKS THAT ARE DILAPIDATED AND WE WILL REPLACE SOME OF THOSE SIDEWALK PANELS WITH A STREET PROJECT AS WELL WHILE WE'RE THERE.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE NAMP PROGRAM AND CDBG FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO SIDEWALK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.
EVERY FRONTAGE OUT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
SO IN SOME CASES, WE CAN DO A PROJECT FOR ABOUT $50 A LYNN -- LINEAL FOOT SO WE CAN PUT A SIDEWALK IN FOR THAT LOW OF A COST.
YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE, EVERYTHING'S FINE, THE CURB'S OKAY, JUST OFFSET FROM THE CURB, WE JUST BASICALLY NEED TO GET THE SIDEWALK IN.
WE HAVE THOSE SCENARIOS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE HAVE AN UPPER END COST WHERE YOU MIGHT HAVE A REQUIREMENT BECAUSE OF THE GRADE OF THE LAND THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE A RETAINING WALL IN THERE.
THAT'S -- YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT -- SOMETIMES THOSE DRIVEWAYS, THE CROSS-SLOPES ARE GREATER THAN 2% WHICH IS AN ADA REQUIREMENT SO THE WHEELCHAIR DOESN'T TIP OVER, SO THOSE MIGHT NEED TO GET INTO A PROJECT, THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN GET INTO THE $90 PER LINEAL FOOT TYPE OF PROJECT.
IN OTHER PROJECTS WHERE DRIVEWAYS ARE FINE, THEY'RE IN GOOD CONDITION, WE JUST NEED TO GET THE SIDEWALK PUT IN PLACE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE WITH ALL OF YOU IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE AND SO FORTH, A LITTLE BIT LAST WEEK AS WELL, IS LOOKING AT A NEEDS-BASED PROGRAM THAT REALLY LOOKS AT PRIORITIES.
SO THIS IS A SCORING MATRIX HERE.
WE'VE CHANGED THIS BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM COUNCILMEMBERS AND THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE SPECIFICALLY, SO LOOKLING AT SCORING, WHERE DO WE PRIORITIZE THE SIDEWALK PROJECTS? NUMBER ONE, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
SO IF WE'VE HAD A PEDESTRIAN CRASH OR PEDESTRIAN FATALITY IN THAT AREA AND WE HAVE A GAP IN THE SIDEWALK NETWORK, THAT SHOULD BE A HIGH PRIORITY.
ACCESS TO SCHOOLS, OBVIOUSLY, A VERY HIGH PRIORITY.
ARTERIAL ROADWAY CONNECTIONS, SO IF WE HAVE AN ARTERIAL STREET OUT THERE WITH A SIDEWALK MISSING, THAT'S A BIG DEAL, BECAUSE A BIG PERCENTAGE OF OUR CRASHES DO HAPPEN ON THOSE ARTERIAL STREETS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE ARE SAFE.
CLINICS AND HOSPITALS, ESPECIALLY THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD CLINICS, YOU HAVE PEOPLE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS GOING TO THE CLINIC, THEY'RE WALKING OR IN A WHEELCHAIR, THEY WANT DIRECT ACCESS TO THOSE CLINICS.
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AND THEN OTHER DESTINATIONS LIKE COMMUNITY CENTERS, LIBRARIES, PARKS, IMPORTANT AS WELL.YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE THE NUMBER OF MILES OF OUR NETWORK OF GAPS THAT FIT INTO THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
SO BASED ON A SCORING OF 80 TO 100, YOU'VE GOT 3 MILES THAT FIT INTO THAT CATEGORY.
AND THEN 39 IN THE NEXT CATEGORY, AND THEN IT RAMPS UP FROM THERE.
SO OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE ALL PRIORITIES, BUT GIVEN AN EMPHASIS FOR SOME OF THOSE SPECIFIC MATRIX ITEMS THERE.
SO THIS TABLE HERE SHOWS -- HOW DOES THAT INFORMATION THEN GO -- TRANSLATE INTO EACH DISTRICT.
SO YOU CAN SEE HERE, IF WE FOCUS ON THE PRIORITY 1 CATEGORY, YOU HAVE BASICALLY A MILE SEGMENT IN DISTRICT 1 AND DISTRICT FIVE -- THERE'S A COUPLE OF THEM IN DISTRICT 5.
AND THEN IF YOU GO INTO THE PRIORITY 2, YOU'RE HITTING MOST THE DISTRICTS IN THAT ONE AND OF COURSE ALL THE DISTRICTS AND SO FORTH.
AND EVEN WE WOULD DO FURTHER ANALYSIS AS YOU GET INTO PRIORITY 4 AND 5 WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF MILEAGE THERE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, IS A SIDEWALK TRULY NEEDED THERE OR IS THAT PART OF THAT DISCUSSION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SO FORTH THAT MAYBE THAT'S NOT WHERE THEY WANT SIDEWALKS, WE WOULD HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
SO THAT SHOWS KIND OF A NEEDS-BASED APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE SIDEWALK GAPS.
AS I MENTIONED LAST WEEK IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, SO WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO DO THAT? SO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS TO FILL THE GAPS THROUGHOUT THE CITY BETWEEN NOW AND 2042, IT WOULD TAKE $18 MILLION PER YEAR, AND THEN COUPLED WITH, YOU KNOW, SUBSTANTIAL BOND PROGRAMS. AGAIN, EVERY FIVE YEARS AS WELL, SO THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD TAKE.
AND WE COULD PRIORITIZE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, LIKE I SHOWED AND GET THOSE GAPS FILLED SYSTEMATICALLY.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT, AT LEAST FOR THE GAPS PART, AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO THE EXISTING SIDEWALKS, IS TO START USING A SCORING AND PRIORITIZATION CRITERIA TO GO WITH A NEEDS-BASED APPROACH, AND THEN START USING THAT METHODOLOGY IN FY '19 AND FROM THEREON.
LET'S SWITCH NOW TO EXISTING SIDEWALKS.
SO THE EXISTING SIDEWALK NETWORK WE SHOW IN A SIMILAR BAR CHART HERE.
YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE EXISTING SIDEWALKS ARE THROUGHOUT THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
AT THE BOTTOM, AGAIN, IS WHERE THE GAPS ARE, SO JUST KIND OF REVERSED THIS SLIDE.
I KNOW COUNCILMAN PERRY LIKED THE BAR CHARTS, SO WE'RE THROWING SOME BAR CHARTS IN THERE.
>> FRISBIE: OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF MILEAGE OUT THERE.
WE KNOW THE CONDITION OF ABOUT 200 MILES OF THE SIDEWALKS.
AND THAT'S BASED ON OUR STREET WORK THAT WE'VE DONE.
WE'VE DONE -- WE'VE GATHERED DATA ON THE EXISTING CONDITION OF ABOUT 200 MILES OF SIDEWALKS, BUT WE HAVE 5,000 MILES OUT THERE, SO DURING THIS NEXT YEAR, DURING -- STARTING -- AUDIO] -- WALKS TO SEE WHERE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, TRIP HAZARD ISSUES, WHERE WE HAVE CROSS-SLOPE PROBLEMS, WHERE WE HAVE DILAPIDATED SIDEWALKS SOCAT WORKING TOWARDS FIXING THAT.
SO THE CURRENT PROGRAMS FOR EXISTING SIDEWALKS, AGAIN WHEN WE'RE DOING STREET MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, WE DO TAKE ON A LITTLE BIT OF THE CONCRETE WORK.
WE'LL GO OUT THERE AND REPLACE PANELS OF SIDEWALK THAT ARE IN BAD SHAPE, IF WE'RE OVERLAYING THE STREET.
WE'LL DO CURB RAMPS FOR ADA PURPOSES, AK SENGS -- ACCESSIBILITY PROGRAMS. OF COURSE THE BOND PROGRAM, WE HAVE A LOT OF PROJECTS IN THE BOND PROGRAM THAT ARE PUTTING SIDEWALKS IN GAPS AND ALSO REPLACING EXISTING SIDEWALKS THAT ARE IN BAD SHAPE.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE NAMP PROGRAM, CDBG PROGRAM AND THE COST-SHARING PROGRAM.
SO A COUPLE YEARS AGO, ACTUALLY THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR OF THE COST-SHARE PROGRAM, AND WE HAVE DONE -- AT THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, THERE WILL BE 103 PROJECTS THAT WERE DONE WITH THE COST-SHARE PROGRAM.
THESE ARE ALL RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS WORKING WITH HOMEOWNERS TO REPLACE CONCRETE, YOU KNOW, SIDEWALK PANELS ALONG THEIR FRONTAGE, AND IT'S BEEN IN EVERY DISTRICT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE'VE HAD ABOUT -- ACTUALLY ABOUT 40% OF THEM IN DISTRICT 1, BUT EVERY DISTRICT HAS HAD COST-SHARING PROJECTS.
SO THAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL, AND WE'D WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO
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THAT.SO I'M AN ENGINEER, BUT ON THE WEEKENDS, I LIKE TO PLAY ATTORNEY, SO I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT -- AND THEN ANDY AND HIS TEAM ARE GOING TO BACK ME UP.
BUT WE'VE BEEN EXPLORING THE CHARTER AND THE MUNICIPAL CODE AND WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT SIDEWALKS AND SO FORTH, SO THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING DISCUSSION.
BUT THE CHARTER IS OVERARCHING, AND BASICALLY GIVES THE CITY THE AUTHORITY TO CONSTRUCT AND MAINTAIN SIDEWALKS.
IT ALSO GIVES THE CITY THE AUTHORITY TO IMPOSE THAT ON OTHERS, LIKE WE DO WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PROJECTS, PRIVATE SECTOR PROJECTS, THEY COME IN, WE REQUIRE THEM TO BUILD SIDEWALKS AS WELL.
SO THAT AUTHORITY IS THERE, IT'S BROAD AND IT SIM PLE DENOTES THE -- SIMPLY DENOTES THE AUTHORITY.
SO THE LEGAL ADVICE THAT WE'VE GOTTEN IS IF YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE MUNICIPAL CODE, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT ORDINANCE 2911, WE DON'T NEED TO CHANGE THE CHARTER TO DO THAT.
NO NEED TO CHANGE THE CHARTER.
SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MUNICIPAL CODE.
SO IN SECTION 29, IT DOES ALLOW THE CITY TO DIRECT PROPERTY OWNERS TO CONSTRUCT A SIDEWALK, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
IT ALSO GIVES THE CITY THE AUTHORITY TO DIRECT THEM TO -- PROPERTY OWNERS TO MAINTAIN SIDEWALKS AS WELL AND REPLACE DILAPIDATED SIDEWALKS.
NOW, THE LEGAL ISSUE IS THAT -- YOU CAN SEE THAT THE LAST LEGAL CONSIDERATION HERE IS THAT UNLESS THERE'S AN ORDINANCE LIKE THIS ONE, TEXAS LAW DOES NOT ALLOW THE CITY TO IMPOSE ANY LIABILITY FOR DEFECTS ON PROPERTY OWNERS.
OKAY? SO WHERE THAT REALLY COMES INTO PLAY, IF YOU HAVE A BIG COMMERCIAL BUSINESS AND THEIR 18-WHEELERS ARE GOING ACROSS THE DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS ALSO THE SIDEWALK AND THEY'RE DAMAGING THAT SIDEWALK, SO THEN WE WOULD WANT TO BE DIRECTING THEM TO REPLACE THAT SIDEWALK IN THE RIGHT OF WAY OR THAT DRIVEWAY TO GET THAT READY.
SO THIS IS NOT SO MUCH, YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY OWNER OR A SINGLE FAMILY HOME ISSUE, ALTHOUGH IT CAN COME UP IF SOMEBODY HAS A BIG F350 AND -- BIG TRUCK AND THEY ARE COMING IN AND OUT OF THEIR DRIVEWAY AND THEY ARE BREAKING UP THE SIDEWALK, THEN WE WANT TO DISCUSS THAT WITH THEM AND HAVE THAT ABILITY TO DO SO.
SO WITHOUT AN ORDINANCE, IT'S JUST ALL THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY.
SO THE CITY TAKES ON THE LIABILITY AND IT TAKES ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF REPAIR.
SO THERE'S REALLY FOUR OPTIONS THAT WE'VE -- THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, WANT SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU-ALL TODAY ON THIS.
YOU KNOW, ON THE MAINTENANCE ISSUE, SO OPTION NUMBER ONE, YOU KNOW, KEEP THE ORDINANCE THE WAY IT IS AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE OF SIDEWALKS AND REPAIRS.
WE STILL HAVE PROGRAMS THAT HELP WITH THAT.
IF WE -- IF WE -- YOU KNOW, WHAT WILL HAPPEN SOMETIMES AS YOU-ALL KNOW, IS A TREE ROOT WILL MAKE A SIDEWALK SECTION BUCKLE, AND THAT BECOMES AN IMMEDIATE HAZARD.
WHEN WE SEE THAT OR WHEN WE FIND OUT ABOUT THOSE, WE IMMEDIATELY GO OUT THERE WITH TRAFFIC CONTROL, TYPICALLY CONES -- WITH CITY CONCRETE FORCES WILL GO OUT THERE AND GET THAT RESOLVED.
SO HAZARDS, WE TYPICALLY JUST RESOLVE QUICKLY, BUT IT'S THE -- MORE AS THE DETERIORATED SIDEWALK ISSUES OVER TIME, THAT'S THE REAL QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
SO IF WE JUST LEAVE THE ORDINANCE THE SAME AND THE PROGRAM THE SAME, WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF DETERIORATING SIDEWALKS OUT THERE.
OPTION 2 IS WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING, AND THAT'S KEEP THE ORDINANCE IN PLACE SO THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAS SOME RESPONSIBILITY, CITY HAS RESPONSIBILITY, BUT MODIFY OUR PROGRAM.
SO ON THE ANNUAL FUNDING PROCESS, TAKE POTENTIALLY LIKE 5%, 10% OF THE SIDEWALK DOLLARS AND DESIGNATE THAT FOR REPLACEMENT OF DETERIORATED SIDEWALKS.
WE COULD SCORE THAT THE SAME WAY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT GAPS, PRIORITIZING THOSE AREAS, GO OUT THERE, THE COST-SHARE PROGRAM COULD STILL PLAY INTO THAT AS WELL, BUT AT LEAST WE WOULD HAVE A DEDICATED POT OF DOLLARS AS A CITY TO TACKLE SOME OF THOSE REPAIRS WHILE KEEPLING THE ORDINANCE IN PLACE.
THE THIRD OPTION WOULD BE TO MODIFY THE ORDINANCE, SO IT DOES NOT PERTAIN TO, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS, JUST COMMERCIAL AND OTHER USES.
BUT IN THE CASE WHERE YOU DO HAVE A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNER THAT'S DAMAGING THE SIDEWALK, THEN IT WOULD SIMPLY COME TO THE CITY WITH NO
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RESPONSIBILITY BY THE PROPERTY OWNER.AND THEN THE FOURTH ONE WOULD BE TO REPEAL THE ORDINANCE COMPLETELY, WHICH WOULD THEN PUT THE FULL RESPONSIBILITY, FULL LIABILITY ONTO THE CITY FOR REPAIRS, ANY OTHER LIABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, WHICH FROM STAFF PERSPECTIVE, THAT DOESN'T GIVE US ANY LEVERAGE, ESPECIALLY TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BIG BOX COMMERCIAL AND SO FORTH WHEN THEY'RE DAMAGING THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO IN CLOSING, LET ME JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE SUMMARY OF THAT.
BASICALLY THE -- FOR THE SIDEWALK GAPS, WE'RE RECOMMENDING GOING WITH THE SCORING AND PRIORITIZATION METHOD, A NEEDS-BASED METHODOLOGY STARTING IN FY '19 FOR THE EXISTING SIDEWALKS.
WE'RE GOING TO COMPLETE THE CONDITION ASSESSMENT, SO WE CAN KNOW THE CONDITION OF ALL 5,000 MILES BY THE END OF FY '19.
AND THEN THE SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE, WE SHOWED FOUR OPTIONS THERE.
WE RECOMMEND GOING WITH OPTION 2, WHICH WOULD KEEP THE ORDINANCE BUT MODIFY THE CURRENT PROGRAMS, SO THAT WE WOULD DESIGNATE A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF DOLLARS, 5 TO 10% OF THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM TO REPLACEMENT OF DETERIORATED SIDEWALK.
AND THEN CONTINUE DEVELOPING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR SIDEWALKS.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH COUNCILMAN TREVINO, WE'VE GOT A DOCUMENT THAT'S IN A WORKING PHASE, BUT NEEDS MORE WORK, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK THAT AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE'RE READY TO START THE DISCUSSION.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
I THINK I KNOW MORE ABOUT SIDEWALKS SINCE HE'S BEEN ON COUNCIL THAN I DID AS A HOMEOWNER AND WALKING ON THEM FOR SO MANY YEARS.
I LIKE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS IN TERMS OF PRIORITY -- PRIORITIZING THE SIDEWALK GAPS, IN TERMS OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND SO FORTH.
I WOULD BE CURIOUS IF THERE WAS ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE WEIGHTING OF THE SCORING, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY? I SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE -- I FORGET WHICH SLIDE IT WAS, SLIDE NUMBER 9, THE TWO CHARTS DON'T CORRESPOND TO ONE ANOTHER.
WE HAVE THREE GAP MILES THAT HAVE A SCORE OF 80 TO 100, SO THEY GO BEYOND JUST PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND MAYBE -- I GUESS THERE WOULD BE A PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ELEMENT TO THAT, TO ANY OF THE PRIORITY 1 AREAS.
>> FRISBIE: RIGHT, ANY SEGMENT THAT YOU WOULD TAKE OF A STREET, YOU WOULD RUN THE FULL SCORING MATRIX ON THAT AND LOOK AT THOSE GAPS TO SEE -- SO THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THAT CHART, YOU TAKES A A FIRST STEP.
>> FRISBIE: AS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ISSUE THERE, IF THERE'S BEEN A CRASH, THEN IT GIVES 30 POINTS.
IF IT'S A GAP CLOSE TO A SCHOOL WITHIN A QUARTER OF A MILE, THEN IT GETS 20 POINTS.
TRANSIT, SO YOU CAN BUILD UP TO GETTING 80 TO 100 POINTS PER SEGMENT, PER GAP SEGMENT.
I WOULD JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, IN FACT, WHEN EVERYTHING IS SCORED AND PRIORITIZED THAT WE ARE, IN FACT, GOING AFTER THE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ISSUES FIRST.
I WOULD ASSUME THAT THEY'RE BAKED INTO WHATEVER SCORES WOULD COME OUT, BUT I WOULD JUST WANT TO SPOT CHECK AND MAKE SURE WE'RE IN ALIGN WITH THE VISION ZERO PRIORITIES AND SO FORTH.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, WHEN WE DO SCORE -- CORRECT, SO IF THERE ARE SOME ON-THE-FLY CHANGES THAT THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS WOULD WANT TO MAKE, THEY STILL HAVE THAT ABILITY TO DO THAT?
IT'S REALLY A STARTING POINT THAT WE WOULD COME WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, LIKE WE DID TODAY, TO EACH DISTRICT AND TALK THROUGH THOSE, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE HEAR FROM THE COUNCILMEMBERS AND THEIR STAFF ABOUT AREAS OF EMPHASIS THAT THEY'RE HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE HEARD AS MUCH, SO IT'S GOOD TO BALANCE THAT.
AND THEN ON THE RECOMMENDATION FOR ORDINANCE CHANGE OR MODIFICATION TO THE PROGRAM, WHEN YOU SAY SET ASIDE FOR DEALING WITH THOSE ISSUES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, REPAIR ISSUES, WHAT PROPORTION OF THE BUDGET ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? AND HOW WOULD THAT WORK IN TERMS OF SELECTING THE ONES THAT WE'D PARTICIPATE IN.
>> FRISBIE: SO THE THOUGHT IS ON THAT THAT IF WE SET ASIDE LIKE -- LET'S SAY THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE BASE AMOUNT OF $5 MILLION PER YEAR, IF THAT WAS OUR ALLOCATION FOR SIDEWALKS, THEN TAKE ROUGHLY 5% OF THAT, OR 250,000 TO 500,000 FOR REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENT.
SO -- VERSUS NEW SIDEWALK AND GAPS, AND THEN THAT MONEY WOULD GO TOWARDS, AND WE WOULD PRIORITIZE THOSE REPAIRS, AND WE
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COULD DO THAT IN THE SAME WAY BASED ON THE SCORING.AND THEN GO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE.
NOW, WHERE THE COST-SHARING PROGRAM COULD STILL COME IN IS LET'S SAY YOU HAD THE SIDEWALK REPAIRS PRIORITIZED AND OUR FUNDING WOULD NOT GET TO ONE THAT A PROPERTY OWNER WANTED TO GET DONE, WE COULD STILL DO A COST-SHARE WITH THEM AND ACCELERATE THAT WORK.
YEAH, BECAUSE I THINK THAT COST-SHARE PROGRAM, AT LEAST IN ITS FIRST ITERATION, IS WORKING, RIGHT? PEOPLE ARE TAKING YOU UP ON THAT?
WE'VE HAD 103 PROJECTS THESE THREE FISCAL YEARS.
IT'S A 50/50 SPLIT UNLESS IT'S A CDBG ELIGIBLE AREA, THEN IT'S A 70% CITY, 30% PROPERTY OWNER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND HOW ARE YOU GUYS GETTING THE WORD OUT ON THAT PROGRAM, THROUGH THE HOAS AND ALL THAT?
>> FRISBIE: YEAH, INITIALLY WE DID SOME PR ON THAT, AND THROUGH THE WEBSITE, THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS AND SO FORTH.
WELL, I -- YOU KNOW, I'M -- I AGREE WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATION, YOU KNOW, AND I ALSO AGREE WITH THE PRIORITIZATION, SO GOOD WORK AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN TREVINO FOR HIS WORK WITH YOU ON THAT.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU, MIKE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING PRETTY HARD ON THIS AND WE'VE HAD MANY MEETINGS, WE'VE EVEN TRAVELED TO FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO LOOK AT THIS.
AND SO FIRST I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON THAT WORK, AND YOUR STAFF, BECAUSE THIS IS -- IT SEEMS LIKE AN ISSUE THAT'S NOT SO COMPLEX, BUT IT'S QUITE COMPLEX.
AND I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE BECAUSE IT'S REALLY ABOUT HOW OUR CITY IS MORE WELL CONNECTED, AND IT'S GOING TO HELP IN SO MANY ASPECTS.
AS THE MAYOR POINTED OUT, CERTAINLY PUBLIC SAFETY IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE WHEN IT COMES TO SIDEWALKS, GETTING PEDESTRIANS SAFELY AWAY FROM THE ROADWAY IS THE WHOLE REASON FOR BEING A SIDEWALK.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE OUR PRIORITIES RIGHT.
AND THIS CONDITION ASSESSMENT, I THINK, IS GOING TO BE TREMENDOUS FOR US.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THAT IN THERE, BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE EXISTING CONDITION IS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.
AND AS WE GO THROUGH -- AS WE'VE PRIORITIZED, FOR YEARS, FOR EXAMPLE, SAFE PATHWAYS TO SCHOOLS, BUT THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF GAPS TO THE SCHOOLS OR EXISTING SIDEWALKS THAT JUST DON'T MEET THE STANDARD FOR SAFETY.
AND SO THIS CONDITION ASSESSMENT IS GOING TO ADDRESS THAT, AND I -- I WILL TELL YOU THAT HERE TODAY, THAT IS MY PRIORITY.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TACKLING THIS IN A SMART AND EFFICIENT WAY AS WELL, SO, MIKE, JUST SIMPLY, YOU KNOW, ONE QUESTION, IS THAT WHEN IT COMES TO SIDEWALK GAPS AND EXISTING SIDEWALKS, I THINK IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE IN THE CITY WHERE THERE'S MORE GAP THAN THERE IS THE EXISTING SIDEWALK REPAIR NEED; IS THAT CORRECT?
THE EXISTING REPAIR NEED VARIES.
WE KNOW ABOUT 20 MILES PER DISTRICT WHAT THE CONDITION IS.
AND IT RANGES FROM ABOUT 6% TO 10% OF THOSE 20 MILES WERE IN NEED OF REPAIR.
IT'S HARD TO PROJECT THAT ACROSS 5,000 MILES.
>> TREVINO: SO I CAN'T STRESS THAT ENOUGH AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S THE FIRST BIG STEP HERE, AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOUR STAFF FOR REALLY TACKLING THIS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I -- WE ALL HEAR ABOUT EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND IT'S YEAR AFTER YEAR, THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE WE GET FROM OUR SPEAK UP.
BUT I JUST GOT AN E-MAIL FROM SOMEONE ABOUT A SIDEWALK AND IT'S AMAZING HOW MUCH IT COMES UP.
BUT IT'S -- I THINK WHAT IT'S ALSO SAYING ABOUT OUR CITY IS HOW MUCH IT WANTS TO BE CONNECTED, HOW MUCH IT WANTS TO HAVE THE CITY HELP THEM AND BEAR THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO BE A PARTNER IN SOLVING SOMETHING THAT, I THINK, IS OF VALUE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS.
I'LL JUST STOP THERE, BECAUSE I -- THERE'S CERTAINLY MORE WORK TO BE DONE, AS YOU STATED, BUT THIS IS A VERY GOOD START.
AND, SHERYL, THANK YOU, AGAIN, AND MIKE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, THOUGH.
[00:30:01]
WHAT IS OUR PROJECTED ANNUAL FUNDING FOR 2019 FOR SIDEWALKS FROM ALL SOURCES? YOU WORKED ALL THE WAY UP TO '18, BUT YOU DIDN'T SHOW WHAT'S PROJECTED FOR NEXT YEAR.SO WE START WITH A BASE BUDGET OF 5 MILLION, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE BOND DOLLARS, WHICH IS -- IF YOU SPLIT THE 48 MILLION THAT'S DEDICATED TO PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY, THEN THAT'S ABOUT NINE TO 10 MILLION PER YEAR IN BOND DOLLARS FOR SIDEWALKS.
AND THEN WE ALSO, IN THE BOND, AS WE DO STREETS, WE'RE GOING TO BE RECONSTRUCTING SIDEWALKS, WE'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING SIDEWALK WHERE THERE'S GAPS IN THE BOND AS WELL.
SO REALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, YOU'VE GOT ABOUT 10 IN THE BOND FOR FY '19 AND A $5 MILLION BASE IN THE BUDGET SO FAR, AND THAT WOULD BE ABOUT 15 MILLION.
>> COURAGE: AND THEN THE REST MAY COME FROM ADDITIONAL STREET WORK AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THERE WOULD BE SOME FROM STREET WORK AND POTENTIALLY NAMP IF THAT WAS DESIGNATED FOR SOME SIDEWALK WORK, YEAH.
WHAT'S THE LIFE CYCLE OF A SIDEWALK THAT WE INSTALL AS A CITY?
>> FRISBIE: IT COULD GET 30 YEARS FROM A SIDEWALK.
A LOT OF VARIABILITIES FROM IT, BUT THAT CONCRETE SHOULD BE A 30-YEAR PRODUCT.
>> FRISBIE: WE'VE TALKED IN THE PAST ABOUT CLAY SOILS AND WHAT THAT CAN DO.
BUT MOST -- MORE TIMES THAN NOT, THE DAMAGE TO A SIDEWALK IS MORE OF AN IMPACT LOAD, IT'S CONSTRUCTION, SOMETHING'S GOING ON ON THE PRIVATE SIDE THAT ACTUALLY IMPACTS AND BREAKS THE SIDEWALK.
NOW, YOU SHOWED A TABLE THAT SAID IT WOULD TAKE UNTIL 2042 TO GE AHEAD AND WORK ON EVERY SIDEWALK IN THE CITY TO TRY TO BRING THEM UP TO A CERTAIN STANDARD.
ARE WE SAYING BY 2042 EVERY SIDEWALK WOULD BE A PRIORITY 5 BY THAT TIME?
>> FRISBIE: SO THE TOP PRIORITY WOULD BE THE PRIORITY 1, AND WE'RE JUST PRIORITIZING HOW WE FILL THE GAPS.
SO TAKING CARE OF THOSE TOP PRIORITIES FIRST AND FILLING THE GAPS.
SO THIS SLIDE HAS TO DO WITH HOW DO WE FILL, YOU KNOW, THOSE 190.
WHAT WOULD IT TAKE PER YEAR FUNDING-WISE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, 2042 IS A LONG WAYS, 24 YEARS OUT, BUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY 1900 MILES OF SIDEWALKS.
AGAIN, WE THINK THAT NUMBER'S GOING TO COME DOWN OVER TIME AS WE EXPLORE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS AND FIND OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T -- BY THE NATURE OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY DON'T WANT SIDEWALKS.
AND JUST IN THIS LAST YEAR, AGAIN, WE'VE REDUCED THE NUMBER BY OVER 450 MILES, WHICH IS GOOD.
>> COURAGE: WHAT IS THE LIABILITY ISSUE THAT WE FACE, THOUGH, WHEN WE PUT IN SIDEWALKS? LET'S SAY WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A NEIGHBOR AND DO IT IN FRONT OF THEIR HOME OR WE'RE JUST FILLING IN GAPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHAT BECOMES THE CITY'S LIABILITY WHENEVER WE DO THOSE THINGS?
>> FRISBIE: WELL, I THINK THE LIABILITY ISSUE IS MORE RELATED TO A DAMAGED SIDEWALK.
SO IF YOU HAVE A BUCKLED SIDEWALK OF SOME KIND AND THEN -- AND IT ENDS UP WITH SOME KIND OF AN INCIDENT HAPPENING, THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE WOULD BE SOME RESPONSIBLE PARTIES INVOLVED AND POTENTIAL LAWSUITS AND SO FORTH, SO THAT'S MORE OF THE ISSUE.
WITH PUTTING IN A BRAND-NEW SIDEWALK, THAT'S -- I GUESS I BETTER QUIT ACTING LIKE AN ATTORNEY AND HAVE THEM --
>> COURAGE: WELL, YOU SAID YOU DO THAT ON WEEKENDS, DIDN'T YOU?
THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY LIABILITY FOR A SIDEWALK BY ORDINANCE LIES WITH THE ABUTTING HOMEOWNER.
THAT BEING SAID, IT DOESN'T COMPLETELY ABSOLVE THE CITY IN SOME SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES -- LIABILITY MATRIX WHERE IT'S PRIMARILY THE HOMEOWNER, AND IF SITUATIONS COME UP, DEPENDS -- DEPENDING WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE, WE WOULD LOOK TO THE HOMEOWNER TO DO IT.
IF THERE'S SOME ISSUES WHERE IT MAY BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE CITY WE'D WORK WITH THE HOMEOWNER IN TERMS OF THIRD-PARTY IF THERE IS COMPENSATION BEING MADE.
I NOTICED THAT WE HAD THREE POTENTIAL WAYS OF DOING IT AT THREE DIFFERENT EXPENSES.
BUT I DIDN'T SEE WHERE THOSE SIDEWALKS BEING PROPOSED REALLY ARE GOING TO HELP PROVIDE AS MUCH MOBILITY AS I THINK WE MIGHT NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT ABOUT MAKING SIDEWALKS BIGGER SO THAT THEY'RE MORE WALKABLE, OR SO THAT PEOPLE CAN RIDE BICYCLES ON THOSE SIDEWALKS, OR PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS HAVE EASIER ACCESS ON THAT SIDEWALK.
OR SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE WALKING IN BOTH DIRECTIONS ON THAT SAME PIECE OF SIDEWALK, THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO WALK ON THE GRASS OR OUT IN THE STREET.
[00:35:01]
FOR EXAMPLE, THE 50-DOLLAR PER LINEAR FOOT PROBABLY WOULD BARELY LET SOMEBODY IN A WHEELCHAIR GET BY VERY EASILY, AND IF SOMEBODY ELSE WAS WALKING THE OTHER WAY, SOMEBODY'S GOING TO HAVE TO GET OFF THE SIDEWALK.SO WHAT IS THE COST TO MAKING THEM BIGGER, 6-FOOT OR 8-FOOT SO THERE'S MORE MOBILITY OPPORTUNITIES ON THOSE WALKWAYS?
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT SLIDE 8, SO THAT 50-DOLLAR LINEAR FOOT, ALL OF THESE HERE ARE SHOWN AT 4-FOOT OR 5-FOOT SIDEWALKS.
SO IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA WHEN IT'S OFFSET FROM THE CURB, IT'S A FOUR-FOOT SIDEWALK.
YOU KNOW, THE MINIMUM ADA REQUIREMENT IS 3 FEET, WHICH WE DON'T WANT TO GO -- OBVIOUSLY THAT'S VERY NARROW.
BUT 4 FEET WHEN IT'S OFFSET FROU A CURB, 5 FEET IF IT'S AGAINST A CURB.
AND THEN WHEN YOU GET INTO MORE OF AN ARTERIAL STREET OR COLLECTOR STREET, YOU'RE GOING UP TO 6-FOOT MINIMUM.
AND A LOT OF TIMES NOW WE'RE DOING THE 10-FOOT HIKE AND BIKE PATHS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PART OF THE PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO, YEAH, IT'S DEFINITELY AN INCREMENTAL COST TO GO HIGHER.
THE WAY WE'VE CALCULATED THE GAPS IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE TYPE OF STREET BASED ON A UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.
SO IF THE GAP'S IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, IT'S THE 4-FOOT SIDEWALK.
IF IT'S AN ON ARTERIAL STREET, IT'S A 6-FOOT SIDEWALK.
THAT'S HOW WE'VE DONE THE PROJECTION.
>> COURAGE: I'D LIKE TO MAKE THEM MORE ACCOMMODATING FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO USE THOSE SIDEWALKS.
SO ANYWAY... THANK YOU, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN TREVINO FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ONE AND HOLDING YOUR SIDEWALK SUMMIT.
I MUST ADMIT I WAS VERY JEALOUS WHEN I RODE BY THE CHURCH AND I SAW SIGNS AND I HADN'T BEEN INVITED.
I TRIED NOT TO RUN OVER YOUR PEOPLE WHEN THEY WERE CROSSING THE STREET FROM THE PARKING LOT.
MIKE AND YOUR TEAM, THANK YOU TO PUTTING TOGETHER A METHODICAL APPROACH TO FUNDING SIDEWALKS.
I THINK RESIDENTS, EVEN BOARD MEMBERS WE GET FRUSTRATED WHEN IT'S LIKE PATCHWORK QUILTS HAPPENING AND THE SQUEAKIEST WHEELS GETS THE WORK AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT -- AUDIO] -- THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF WAYS TO DO THIS RIGHT, SO I'LL GIVE YOU MY THOUGHTS ON OTHER WAYS.
I'M CURIOUS HOW THIS FUNDING AND PRIORITIZATION APPROACH WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE WHEN SIDEWALKS INTERACT WITH DRAINAGE CHALLENGES? SO I'LL GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD A STREET IN OUR DISTRICT SLATED FOR SIDEWALKS, IT HAD MET SOME OF THESE CRITERIA, HAD BEEN ON THE LIST FOR A LONG TIME, AND WHEN WE GOT TO IT -- AT LEAST ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S LIST FOR A LONG TIME, MAYBE NOT YOURS -- THEY REALIZED IT WAS GOING TO MAKE THE DRAINAGE CONSIDERABLY WORSE IN THE AREA IF SIDEWALKS WERE INSTALLED.
>> SANDOVAL: SO THE PRIORITIZATION THAT YOU'VE DONE, HAS THAT BJ TAKEN IN -- BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WOULD DO LATER ON IN THE PROCESS.
>> FRISBIE: THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP.
IF YOU TAKE THAT SCORING CRITERIA AND ADDRESS IT TO A PARTICULAR FRONTAGE OR STREET, THEN SOME OF THE ISSUES ARE GOING TO COME TO LIGHT.
IT MAY BE A PRIORITY 1 BUT WHEN WE TAKE THE NEXT STEP AND START LOOKING AT THE DESIGN, THEN IT -- IF IT GETS VERY PRICEY BECAUSE OF DRAINAGE STRUCTURES AND DIFFERENT THINGS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE OR GOING TO HAVE TO EVALUATE.
LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BRAUN ROAD, BRAUN ROAD NEEDS SIDEWALKS BUT IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE, AND NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING DONE OUTSIDE OF JUST THE REGULAR SIDEWALK PROGRAM, BECAUSE IT WOULD TAKE TOO MUCH OF THE DOLLARS.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A BOND PROGRAM AND THE ANNUAL PROGRAM TO DECIDE WHERE'S THE BEST PLACE FOR THESE SIDEWALK PROJECTS.
THAT WAS THE OTHER ONE I WAS GOING TO BRING UP.
A LOT OF DEMAND FOR SIDEWALKS ON BRAUN ROAD AND I HOPE WE'RE ABLE TO AT LEAST GET A LITTLE BIT OF A START ON THERE.
IT IS A MAJOR CONNECTION TO BANDERA ROAD AND OPEE SHNABEL.
MY OTHER QUESTION IS WHERE DO WE SEE TXDOT ROADS? BANDERA RUNS THROUGH DISTRICT 7 AND HAVE HAD SOME FATALITIES ON THAT, TRAGIC EVENTS, SO IS THAT RANKED IN HERE OR IS THAT REALLY CONSIDERED TO BE TXDOT'S ISSUE?
WE CAN RANK IT AND THEN WE CAN GO TO TXDOT.
WE CAN RUN IT THROUGH THIS SCORING MATRIX AND THEN WE CAN TALK TO TXDOT ABOUT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS A PRIORITY
[00:40:02]
1 PROJECT.IT'S YOUR JURISDICTION, HOW DO WE GET THIS FUNDED, TXDOT, IF IT'S COLLECTIVELY OR ON THEM TO DO IT, HOW DO WE WORK TO GET IT DONE.
BUT THIS WILL HELP US BUILD THE CASE FOR THE NEED, AND THAT IT'S A TOP PRIORITY NEED.
>> SANDOVAL: SO IS IT IN HERE ALREADY? ARE TXDOT ROADS IN HERE OR NO?
>> SANDOVAL: WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO GET THE BREAKDOWN OF WHERE THESE ROADS ARE, THEONES THAT HAVE BEEN PRIORITIZED SO -- AS WELL AS THE TXDOT ROADS AND WHERE THEY WOULD LAND IN THIS? COULD YOU PROVIDE THAT?
>> FRISBIE: WE'LL LOOK AT HOW TO DO THAT WITH TXDOT ROADS, BUT WE DO HAVE THE BACKUP FOR THE CITY STREETS AND THE CATEGORIES, SO WE CAN PROVIDE THAT.
AND I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE REGARDING THE WIDTH OF THE SIDEWALK, IF THAT CAN BE ACCOMMODATED AS WELL.
I CALL THESE SINGLE FILE SIDEWALKS, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY HARD TO WALK SIDE BY SIDE WITH SOMEONE, IT REALLY TAKES AWAY THE DESIRE TO -- YOU KNOW, TO GO FOR A WALK WITH SOMEONE IF YOU HAVE TO WALK BEHIND THEM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GO AHEAD, SHERYL.
>> SCULLEY: JUST SINCE YOU'RE MENTIONING THE WIDTH OF THE SIDEWALK, COUNCILMAN COURAGE ASKED THE QUESTION HOW MUCH MORE DOES IT COST TO WIDEN, SO JUST RULE OF THUMB HERE.
WE LOOK AT THE 50-DOLLAR PER LINEAR FOOT ALTERNATIVE, EVERY FOOT YOU WIDEN IT IS ABOUT $10 MORE PER LINEAR FOOT.
SO THEN IT BECOMES $60 IF YOU WIDEN THAT 4-FOOT TO A FIVE.
SO ABOUT 10 -- ON THE $90 PER LINEAR FOOT, IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT, CLOSER TO $20 A FOOT, JUST TO KEEP IN MIND.
SO THAT MEANS IF WE HAVE A LIMITED BUDGET, WE CAN HAVE WIDER SIDEWALKS IF THAT'S THE POLICY DIRECTION, BUT THEN WE HAVE FEWER LINEAR MILES OF THE SIDEWALK REPAIR.
>> SANDOVAL: GOOD TRADEOFF, YES, ABSOLUTELY.
>> SCULLEY: 10 TO $20 DEPENDING UPON WHICH OF THOSE ALTERNATIVES PER LINEAR FOOT TO WIDEN IT.
AND THEN ONE LAST QUESTION REGARDING, YOU SAID 6-FOOT SIDEWALKS ON MAJOR ARTERIAL ROADS, AND DOES THAT ACCOUNT FOR POSSIBLY A BUFFER TO -- WITH THE ACTUAL STREET ITSELF? SO WHAT I FIND IS PEOPLE CAN BE EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE -- I AM UNCOMFORTABLE WALKING ON A SIDEWALK NEXT TO A ROAD WHERE TRAFFIC IS COMING BY, YOU KNOW, OVER 30 MILES PER HOUR.
IT'S EXTREMELY INTIMIDATING AND IT PROBABLY MAKES MY BLOOD PRESSURE GO UP WHEN I HAVE TO DO THAT, SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SAFER IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES?
SO TWO THINGS: ONE IS THE OFFICIAL -- YOU KNOW, THE UDC IS THAT COMES AROUND, WE'RE EXPLORING THAT RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW ART REINHARDT AND OUR TEAM OF TRAFFIC ENGINEERS ARE LOOKING BECAUSE WE WANT TO HAVE AS MUCH BUFFER AND SAFETY IN THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE AS WELL, SO THAT'S -- THAT'S PART OF THAT DISCUSSION AS WE MOVE FORWARD IS WHAT'S THE APPROPRIATE WIDTH OR BUFFER, BUT WITH CITY PROJECTS, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT THAT TO SEE WHAT -- YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO GO WITH THE MINIMUM, SO IF WE'VE GOT IF RIGHT OF WAY SPACE, IF WE'VE GOT ROOM, WHATEVER WE CAN DO THERE TO IMPROVE, IF WE CAN GET SOME BUFFER TO MAKE THE SIDEWALK A LITTLE BIT WIDER, WE DO THAT.
YOU CAN SEE THAT ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS WE'VE DONE WHERE THERE'S A LITTLE STRIP OF A COUPLE FEET OF MAYBE OF A STAMPED DECORATIVE CONCRETE, AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE SIDEWALK.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE THAT JUST TO CREATE A LITTLE MORE SPACE, A LITTLE MORE BUFFER WHEN WE HAVE THE ROOM.
>> SANDOVAL: WELL, THANK YOU, MIKE.
I THINK THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT INITIATIVE, AND I THINK WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING QUALITY SO THAT WE DON'T JUST -- I KNOW WE CAN GET FURTHER WITH THE SMALLER SIDEWALK, BUT WE ALSO WANT PEOPLE TO USE THEM, RIGHT? IT WOULD BE A WASTE IF THEY DIDN'T, SO -- AND I REALLY THINK THIS SPEAKS TO THE -- AUDIO] -- SYSTEM FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A CAR.
I THINK WE REALLY OPEN UP OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TO ALL OF OUR POPULATION AND THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
SO I'M ENTIRELY SUPPORTIVE OF THE APPROAMP.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
I WANT TO FOLLOW-UP WITH WHAT COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL WAS TALKING ABOUT ON TXDOT STREETS AND GETTING THAT INFORMATION AND HOW DOES THAT FIT INTO OUR PRIORITIZATION OF THE CRITERIA HERE.
AND ALSO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PRIORITIZATION CRITERIA, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED CLINICS AND HOSPITALS, AND I KNOW THAT THESE ARE THE POINTS THAT HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED, BUT I'M ALSO WONDERING WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY, BECAUSE I KNOW DISTRICT 3 HAS ONE HOSPITAL, AND DISTRICT 2 HAS NO HOSPITALS, SO I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE
[00:45:01]
ALSO HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF SIDEWALK GAPS IN THE COMMUNITY, TOO.SO EVEN WITH THE AMOUNT OF CLINICS THAT WE HAVE AND IS THIS DOCTOR'S OFFICES? BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT -- WHAT IS THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR? THAT WE'RE SHORTED OUT ON THIS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE HERE.
>> VIAGRAN: BUT WE STILL HAVE THE NEED.
WELL, DEFINITELY THE -- THIS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE GEARED TOWARD THE CLINICS AND THE DOCTOR'S OFFICES.
TYPICALLY HOSPITALS HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, IF THEY DON'T, WE WANT TO PRIORITIZE THAT, BUT USUALLY THEY DO IF THEY'RE A MAJOR HOSPITAL.
BUT THIS POINT ALLOCATION IS GOING TO GO FOR BOTH, SO IF THERE'S A DOCTOR'S OFFICE, IF THERE'S A CLINIC AND THERE'S A GAP IN THE SIDEWALK, THEN THEY WOULD GET THOSE 10 POINTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
>> VIAGRAN: AND HOW DO Y'ALL PRIORITIZE THOSE AREAS WHERE DRAINAGE KIND OF PROHIBITS US EVEN PUTTING SIDEWALKS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OR IN THE AREAS?
>> FRISBIE: SO THIS SYSTEM PRIORITIZES THE SIDEWALK TO SAY, OKAY, THIS IS A TOP PRIORITY SIDEWALK.
NOW, THEN WE LOOK AT HOW DO WE PUT IT IN.
IS THERE SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT'S PHYSICALLY PROHIBITING IT FROM GOING IN AND HOW DO WE WORK THAT THROUGH THE DESIGN TO GET IT DONE? BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, THE SIDEWALK NEEDS TO GET THERE, IT'S A QUESTION OF COST AND DESIGN AND SO FORTH.
SO WHEN WE HAVE THOSE, THEN WE NEED TO -- LIKE I WAS MENTIONING BEFORE, IF IT'S VERY COSTLY TO GET A SIDEWALK IN THERE, SOME TYPE OF DEDICATED PEDESTRIAN SPACE, WE NEED TO BUILD IT INTO A GREATER PROJECT THAT WE'LL WANT TO LOOK TO DO THAT, IF IT'S CLEARLY A PRIORITY SIDEWALK PROJECT.
>> VIAGRAN: BECAUSE I THINK WHEN LOOKING AT OUR AREA, WE LOOK AT W. W. WHITE, WE LOOK AT PRESA AND ROOSEVELT, ALL STILL STATE AREAS THAT HAVE REALLY LARGE GAPS, SO THE COORDINATION IS -- I THINK, IS GOING TO BE KEY.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO -- I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE DOES THAT STAND WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW ARE YOU-ALL DOING THAT EVEN WITH THE TEXAS TURNBACK WHEN WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS WHEN WE'RE DOING -- WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AND TRYING TO -- SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AND WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO PUT A SIDEWALK, BUT THEN THE NEIGHBOR SAID NO BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO HURT WITH DRAINAGE IN MY FRONT YARD BECAUSE THEN THE WATER'S NOT GOING TO BE GETTING OUT OF THEIR FRONT YARD AND GO INTO THE STREET, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY IT'S WORKED.
SO HOW DO Y'ALL TAKE ALL THOSE NUANCES, PIECES IN THERE?
>> FRISBIE: THAT'S PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS.
SO WHEN WE PUT IN A SIDEWALK, WE NEED TO DESIGN IT SO THAT IT'S NOT CREATING A NEGATIVE IMPACT, AND SO THAT IS PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS.
MY MAIN CONCERN WITH THIS, AND I THINK I -- I LIKE THE PRIORITIZATION HERE, AND THAT IT INCLUDES CLINICS, BUT MY CONCERN IS, I THINK WE STILL HAVE A GAP BECAUSE THERE ARE STILL PARTS OF THE CITY THAT DO NOT HAVE ALL OF THESE AMENITIES THAT OTHERS DO.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STILL DO CLOSE THAT GAP, IF YOU WILL, TO USE THAT WORD OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT WE STILL HAVE THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF SIDEWALK GAPS IN THE CITY, AT LEAST DISTRICT 3 DOES.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS TAKEN CARE OF AND TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND NOT SHORTED, THAT WE'RE NOT SHORT-CHANGED WITH THIS REPRIORITIZATION.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I MADE THAT CLEAR HERE.
>> VIAGRAN: AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE EXISTING SIDEWALKS, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD REPEAL THE ORDINANCE, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO EITHER MODIFY THE PROGRAM AND DEFINITELY LOOK AT OUR COST-SHARING PROGRAMS OF THE SIDEWALKS, BECAUSE A LOT OF MY RESIDENTS HAVE TAKEN THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE COST-SHARING, AND WHY THEY LIKE TO DO IT IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO WAIT ON THE CITY -- SIDEWALK THAN WAITING ON THE CITY.
AND THEN ALSO I THINK ON ANOTHER MATCH, HOW WE CAN CONCURRENTLY WORK ON OUR SIDEWALK PROJECTS AND OUR INP PROJECTS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE BETTER COORDINATED, TOO.
BECAUSE A LOT OF THE -- MOVING FORWARD PROJECTS OR PUSHING BACK PROJECTS IS BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO COORDINATE SIDEWALK AND STREET IMPROVEMENTS ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
SO IF WE CAN WORK ON THAT, I'D REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE ON THE -- LET ME SEE IF I GOT THIS RIGHT.
WE'RE -- FOR THE GAP VERSUS REPAIR, OR EXISTING SIDEWALKS,
[00:50:01]
YOU HAVE THE SUMMARY HERE.WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMPLETING THE SIDEWALK CONDITION ASSESSMENT FIRST BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT CHANGING OUR POLICY, OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT CHANGING POLICY FIRST BEFORE WE'VE COMPLETED THE SURVEY?
>> FRISBIE: WELL, WE'RE PROPOSING THAT WE START ADDRESSING THOSE DILAPIDATED SIDEWALKS OUT THERE WITH FISCAL YEAR '19 COMING UP.
BY SETTING ASIDE WHATEVER THE BUDGET ALLOCATION IS FOR SIDEWALKS, POTENTIALLY 5% OF THAT TO GO TO REPLACEMENT AND REPAIR WORK.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF NEEDS OUT THERE, SO WHILE WE'RE COLLECTING THE DATA THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE CAN ALSO BE ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE PRIORITY SIDEWALKS OUT THERE.
>> PERRY: YEAH, I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT BEING CONSISTENT AND HOW WE'RE ADVERTISING THIS.
AND, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORS THIS NEXT YEAR VERSUS NEIGHBORS FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND CHANGING POLICIES, THAT KIND OF THING.
I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT STARTING SOMETHING WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THE FULL SURVEY IS.
AND COMPLETING THE SURVEY BEFORE WE VENTURE OFF INTO DOING SOMETHING WITH IT.
>> FRISBIE: IT WOULD PUT OFF THE -- ANY DESIGNATED DOLLARS FOR REPAIRS BY A COUPLE YEARS, THOUGH.
>> PERRY: TO ME, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TAKING A BITE OF AT THIS POINT.
YOU KNOW, IS IT GOING TO REALLY MAKE THAT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE OR NOT? SO I -- YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERN.
LET'S KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FIRST BEFORE WE CHANGE OUR POLICIES.
>> PERRY: THE OTHER THING IS, WHAT DO OTHER CITIES DO AS FAR AS FILLING IN THE GAPS AND THEN WHAT IS THEIR POLICY TOWARDS EXISTING SIDEWALKS?
>> FRISBIE: YEAH, THE CITY'S WE'VE SURVEYED AND I KNOW THE CITY OF AUSTIN DID A SURVEY AS WELL.
ABOUT HALF OF THEM PUT THE ONUS ON THE PROPERTY OWNER AND ABOUT HALF OF THEM DON'T.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT BOTH OUT THERE.
AND THEN AS FAR AS FILLING THE GAPS, THEY'RE LOOKING AT, LIKE WE DO, USUALLY MULTIPLE PROGRAMS TO TRY TO FILL THE GAPS AS THEY GO WITH PROJECTS.
AND THEN ON -- THEN SLIDE -- I GUESS SLIDE 7, ARE WE OUT OF 2007 BOND MONEY? ARE WE EXHAUSTED WITH 2007.
2012, YOU'RE SHOWING ANOTHER $6 MILLION FOR THIS YEAR.
ARE WE OUT OF 2012 BOND MONEY? IS.
>> FRISBIE: SO THERE'S THREE PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION PROJECTS OVER HERE, COMMERCE UNDER 35; NUEVA -- OR I GUESS IT'S CHAVEZ AND THEN DE LA ROSA OVER HERE, BUENA VISTA.
THERE'S THREE CORRIDORS WE'RE ENHANCING THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE BETWEEN UTSA AND HERE AND DOWNTOWN, AND SO THOSE PROJECTS ARE ABOUT TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT GOT HUNG UP EARLY ON BY U.S. STREETCAR CONFLICT AND SO FORTH, SO THEY'VE TAKEN LONGER.
BUT THEY'RE -- BASICALLY THEY'RE SIDEWALK ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS, WIDER SIDEWALKS, NEW SIDEWALKS TO CONNECT UNDERNEATH 35.
>> PERRY: AND THEN THAT WILL CLEAR THE DECK FOR 2012 BOND MONEY.
>> PERRY: AND THEN 2018 BOND MONEY, YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT $10 MILLION A YEAR OVER FOUR YEARS?
>> FRISBIE: WELL, IT WILL GO HIGHER.
THIS IS JUST -- FOR THE FIVE-YEAR BOND PROGRAM BASED ON OUR SPENDING PLAN, THE -- IN FY '18, WE'VE GOT THAT 10 MILLION IN THERE FOR THE SIDEWALK MONEY THAT'S ROLLING OUT THIS YEAR.
AND THEN EACH YEAR IT RAMPS UP A LITTLE BIT MORE AS WE GET MORE PROJECTS DESIGNED AND UNDERWAY.
BUT ON AVERAGE, IT'S ABOUT 10 PER YEAR, BECAUSE IT'S --
SO -- FUNDING, IS THAT THE INP WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE 8 MILLION PER YEAR.
>> PERRY: I THOUGHT YOU WERE SAYING IT WAS 5 MILLION PER YEAR.
>> FRISBIE: WELL THE ATD, THE ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT FUNDING IS PART OF THE INP PROGRAM AND THAT'S 5 MILLION THAT'S BEEN DESIGNATED TO SIDEWALKS IN THE PAST, RIGHT.
AND WHERE IS THE EXTRA 3 MILLION COMING FROM.
>> FRISBIE: OH, BACK IN FY '14.
>> PERRY: YEAH, '14, '15, YOU HAVE 8 MILLION VERSUS 5 MILLION.
>> SCULLEY: WE DID MORE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET IN THOSE PREVIOUS YEARS, AND WE ROLLED IT BACK TO FIVE IN OUR ANNUAL BUDGET BECAUSE WE PUT 50 MILLION --
[00:55:01]
ALMOST 50, 48 MILLION IN THE BOND PROGRAM.SO NET, WE'RE DOING TWICE AS MUCH, LESS OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, MORE THROUGH THE BOND PROGRAM FOR SIDEWALKS.
WE'RE NOT DOING EIGHT THIS YEAR OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
>> SCULLEY: SO IT'S TWICE AS MUCH, WHEN YOU COMBINE THE BOND PROGRAM WITH THE ANNUAL BUDGET, BECAUSE WE HAVE 10 NOW PER YEAR IN THE BOND PROGRAM AND THEN FIVE OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND FOR '15 AS OPPOSED TO EIGHT, ALMOST TWICE AS MUCH.
AGAIN, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE SURVEY COMPLETED BEFORE WE JUMP OFF INTO CHANGING POLICY AND THAT KIND OF THING.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMAN PERI.
SHERYL OR MIKE, I DON'T KNOW TO WHOM -- WHO WOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THIS, BUT FIRST OF ALL, GOOD JOB.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT WORK AND COUNCILMAN TREVINO, WELL PLAYED, SIR.
YOU GOT ALL OF US TALKING ABOUT SIDEWALKS AND ALL OF US WANT TO GET BEHIND THIS, AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WHEN YOU FIRST BROUGHT IT UP TO ME, I WAS LIKE REALLY, A WHOLE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR SIDEWALKS? I WAS LIKE, THEY'RE JUST SIDEWALKS, DUDE.
I'M SURE STAFF CAN FIGURE OUT WHERE TO PUT THEM AND I NEVER REALIZED HOW MUCH WORK WOULD NEED TO BE PUT INTO IT AND HOW COMPLEX AN ISSUE IT IS UNTIL YOU SAT ME DOWN AND EXPLAINED IT TO ME.
REALLY HAPPY WE'RE DOING THIS.
AS FAR AS COMMUNICATION IS WHERE I'M THINKING, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW IS AN IMPORTANT ONE, AND I KNOW IT WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR PEOPLE TO STREAM AND WATCH, BUT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS HAVE VERY, VERY SMALL BANDWIDTH FOR A LOT OF DETAILS, SO HOW IS IT THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS -- ASSUMING THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, AND BY THE WAY, I'M ON RECORD FOR SUPPORTING OPTION 2, BUT ASSUMING WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, RIGHT, WHEN WE ROLL THIS OUT, THERE HAVE TO BE SOME KIND OF PUBLIC TELLING OF THE STORY, RIGHT? AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.
BECAUSE IF WE JUST SIMPLY SAY, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO BE INSTALLING SIDEWALKS, I THINK WE'RE LEAVING OUT AN IMPORTANT -- AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH SAN ANTONIO, RIGHT? AND SO I WAS READING -- AND I FOUND OUT SOMETHING PRETTY INTERESTING, THAT THE AARP HAS BEEN REALLY WORKING ON SORT OF LOOKING AT CITIES LIVABILITY WITH AN EMPHASIS ON AGE, USING AN AGE LENS, AND THAT AGE LENS, THEY'VE BEEEN LOOKING AT NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, DO SENIORS HAVE AN EASER TIME TRAVERSING THEIR CITY BECAUSE OF SIDEWALKS, BUT THEY'VE LOOKED AT SIDEWALKS FROM EVERY SINGLE ANGLE, AND I WAS SURPRISED AT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE DETAILS THAT THEY SHARED.
AND ONE OF THOSE WAS THAT IN A SCENARIO WHERE TWO NEARLY IDENTICAL HOMES WERE ON THE MARKET FOR SALE, THAT THE HOME WITH A SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF IT AND A TREE WILL SELL FOR MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS MORE THAN A HOME WITHOUT A SIDEWALK OR A TREE IN FRONT OF IT.
AND THAT'S -- I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THAT, TO MY CONSTITUENTS, THEY'D LEAN IN AND SAY REALLY, WHY? LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT, RIGHT? I THINK MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WHY SIDEWALKS ARE IMPORTANT, RIGHT? AND SO I'M SITTING HERE AND I'M LISTENING TO THIS CONVERSATION AND IT OCCURS TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, MY MOM'S GOT BABY PHOTOS OF MY BROTHER AND SISTER AND I AND SHE TAUGHT US HOW TO WALK ON A SIDEWALK.
AND I LEARNED HOW TO RIDE MY BIKE ON MY SIDEWALK AND I WALKED MY VERY, VERY FIRST DOG EVER ON A SIDEWALK, RIGHT? AND I USED TO WALK TO FRIEND'S HOMES AFTER SCHOOL ON SIDEWALKS AND I GOT TO HOLD THE HAND OF A GIRL, THE VERY FIRST TIME EVER, ON A SIDEWALK.
>> FRISBIE: WAS THAT SIDE BY SIDE OR --
>> PELAEZ: YES, IT WAS A 6-FOOTER.
>> FRISBIE: 6-FOOTER, OKAY, YEAH.
>> PELAEZ: SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MEMORIES I'VE GOT, RIGHT, LIKE HAVING IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS WITH MY DAD, FOR EXAMPLE, I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, HAVING -- REMEMBER MY VERY FIRST PARADE EVER, I WAS SITTING ON A SIDEWALK AND RONALD REAGAN PASSED BY AND HE WAVED AT ME.
HE ALSO WAVED AT A THOUSAND PEOPLE STANDING BEHIND ME, BUT THOSE ARE MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES.
BUT FOR THE SIDEWALK, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.
AND SO -- AND FOR ALL OF US, I THINK THAT ALL OF US WOULD AGREE HERE, YOU KNOW, THAT -- FOR ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS I'VE EVER HAD WITH CONSTITUENTS HAPPENED ON SIDEWALKS IN FRONT OF THEIR HOMES.
SO SIDEWALKS ARE MORE THAN JUST PLACES WHERE WE NEED TO -- IT'S MORE THAN A NETWORK AND THEY'RE MORE THAN JUST MISSING CEMENT IN OUR AREAS, YOU KNOW, WHERE CEMENT NEEDS TO BE POURED.
[01:00:01]
THESE ARE THE FRONT STEPS OF COMMUNITY.SO BACK TO MY POINT ABOUT THE NARRATIVE, THIS IS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN WE'VE GOT 5,000 MILES OF NETWORK, WE'RE GOING TO FILL 1,000 MILES OF IT WITH THE GAP AND YOU'RE WELCOME, RIGHT? I MEAN, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT COMMUNITY AND ALL THAT GOES INTO CREATING ONE.
AND SO I HOPE THAT THAT'S NOT LOST.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M GOING TO URGE YOU TO DO IS REMEMBER THAT WHILE THESE NUMBERS AND DATA AND COSTS AND CRITERIA ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, SO IS SORT OF REMINDING PEOPLE WHY IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING THIS.
AND SO THOSE ARE MY ONLY QUESTIONS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
[2. Briefing on proposed Innovation Zones to serve as proving ground for smart city technology and smart city transportation technology. [Maria Villagomez, Assistant City Manager; Jose De La Cruz, Chief Innovation Officer]]
MAYOR AND COUNSEL, THE SECOND -- COUNCIL THE SECOND PRESENTATION THIS AFTERNOON IS TO DISCUSS THE INNOVATION ZONES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON TO SUPPORT OUR CONCEPT OF WORKING TOGETHER ON SMART CITY TECHNOLOGY.
AND JOSE DE LA CRUZ, OUR CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER IS GOING TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW THAT IN 2017, WE LAUNCHED OUR SMART CITY PROGRAM, AND WE HAVE SOME OF OUR PARTNERS HERE THIS AFTERNOON, TOO.
SO LET ME JUST MENTION THAT SOME OF THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR SMART CITY TEAM ARE HERE THIS AFTERNOON FROM CPS ENERGY, FELICIA ETHRIDGE AND JONATHAN TIJERINA.
FROM VIA STEVE YOUNG IS HERE AND ALSO FROM BROOK CITY BASE, WELL REPRESENTED BY LIA GOMEZ, OUR CEO AT BROOKS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND TWO BOARD MEMBERS, STEVE GOLDBERG AND JIM CAMPBELL ARE HERE.
ALSO STAFF MEMBERS FROM BROOKS, CONNIE AND SE LEASE.
WE THINK OUR PARTNERS FOR ATTENDING THIS AFTERNOON AND WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS ON OUR SMART CITY TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY.
WE HAVE TRIED TO PICK THREE AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY TO PILOT SOME TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS THAT WE BELIEVE THEN CAN BE USED THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
HE HAS COORDINATED THIS EFFORT AND THEN WE WOULD LIKE TO GET POLICY DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL ON WHETHER OR NOT TO PROCEED WITH THE DIRECTION WE'VE WORKED ON WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU, SHERYL FOR THAT INTRODUCTION AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS CONCEPT OF INNOVATION ZONES WITH YOU TODAY AND THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING IS PART OF THE SMART CITY PROGRAM.
I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT AN INNOVATION ZONE IS AND HOW IT'S BEEN APPLIED IN OTHER CITIES.
WE'LL DISCUSS THE BACKGROUND OF THE SMART CITY PROGRAM AS WELL AS KIND OF THE NEXT STEPS IN TERMS OF HOW WE INTEND TO PROCEED WITH OUR SMART SA INNOVATION ZONES.
BY WAY OF A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A SET OF PARTNERS AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED ON THIS START SA PROGRAM.
AND FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR US IT STARTS WITH THE VISION.
THE VISION OF WHAT WE WANTED THIS PROGRAM TO BE.
AND SO THE CITY MANAGER, ALONG WITH SEVERAL CITY EXECUTIVES LAST YEAR, HAD A WORKSHOP AND WE WORKED ON CRAFTING THIS VISION, SO AS WE LOOKED INTO THE FUTURE AND WHAT WE WANTED SAN ANTONIO TO BE, WE HAD A DRIVING, GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF WHAT THAT WAS.
SO THE STATEMENT THAT WE CAME UP WITH WAS TO BE A CONNECTED, INCLUSIVE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO REALLY THE THREE KEY WORD THIS THAT VISION STATEMENT IS CONNECTED, INCLUSIVE AND RESILIENT.
CONNECTED FROM THE SENSE THAT WE WANT OUR RESIDENTS TO BE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET, ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN THIS DIGITAL AGE, FOR EVERYTHING FROM JOB APPLICATIONS TO APPLYING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS ONLINE TO EVEN LAUNCHING A ABOUT BUSINESS.
YOU HAVE TO BE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET.
WE WANT OUR TECHNOLOGY TO BE INCLUSIVE.
IF WE'RE PUSHING OUT TECHNOLOGY, WE WANT THAT TO BE INCLUSIVE OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY SO REGARDLESS OF ECONOMIC STATUS OR LANGUAGE BARRIERS OR DISABILITY BARRIERS, WE WANT YOU TO PARTICIPATE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE PUSH OUT AND ALSO BEING RESILIENT.
IN THE EVENT OF A CATASTROPHE, IN THE EVENT WE HAVE SHOCKS THAT AFFECT HOW OUR RESIDENTS MOVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WE WANT TO BOUNCE BACK TO THAT.
IT'S ESSENTIAL TO HOW WE APPROACHED THAT PROGRAM.
TO ACHIEVE THAT VISION, PARTNERSHIPS ARE KEY.
IT'S NOT ABOUT ONE CITY DIPLOMAT.
IT'S NOT ABOUT ONE ORGANIZATION IT'S ABOUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITIEE COMING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THIS VISION.
AND FOR THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A CONSORTIUM OF GROUPS AS PART OF THE SMART SA PROGRAM.
AND SO IT'S NOT JUST A CITY, IT'S ALSO CPS ENERGY, WHO IS REPRESENTED HERE TODAY, SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM, VIA AND SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY REALLY MAKE UP THE MAIN
[01:05:01]
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PART OF THIS SMART SA PROGRAM, AND EVERY OTHER MONTH, TCEOS COME TOGETHE AND DISCUSS STRATEGY AND DISCUSS PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING UP AND HOW WE CAN OBTAIN SYNERGIES FROM WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN FLIGHT AND WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO PURSUE AS WELL.AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM, WE COALESCED AROUND SEVERAL FOCUS AREAS, AND THOSE FOCUS AREAS ARE MOBILITY, ACCESS TO SERVICES, THE ENVIRONMENT AND UTILITIES, INCLUDING ENERGY AND WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND DATA.
WITHOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND DATA SMART CITY CONCEPT GOES NOWHERE.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE DATA WE CAN OBTAIN FROM THIS TO MAKE BETTER DATA INFORMED DECISIONS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT THERE'S TWO OTHER GROUPS I WANT TO MENTION.
FIRST IS THE COLLABORATION TEAM.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IN ADDITION TO THE CEOS AND STAFF THAT COME TOGETHER THE CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICERS COME TOGETHER ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
AND SO IN PREPARATION FOR BRIEFING THE CEOS, WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON STRATEGY AND WE WORK ON HOW CAN WE SHARE DATA AND HOW CAN WE SHARE NETWORK ASSETS TOGETHER.
AND THEN WE HAVE THIS GROUP CALLED THE ADVISORY GROUP AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE UNIVERSITIES, THE RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS AND PRIVATE SECTOR PLAY IN THAT SPACE, BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS A SMART CITY AND WE'RE GOING TO LEAD WITH THE COMMUNITY AT THE HEART OF THIS, WE REALLY HAVE TO KNOW HOW WE CAN UTILIZE EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IN A GOOD WAY TO BENEFIT EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO, THEY ARE SO ESSENTIAL TO WHAT WE'RE DOING AS PART OF OUR PROGRAM.
AS PART OF OUR CURRENT EFFORTS, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A FEW THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON IN ADDITION TO THE INNOVATION ZONES.
ONE IS DATA SHARING AGREEMENT.
CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERS FROM EACH OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE WORKING ON AN AGREEMENT TO SHARE DATA ACROSS THE ORGANIZATIONS.
THERE'S SO MUCH WE CAN GLEAN IF WE SHARE INFORMATION ACROSS THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, HOW WE CAN BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE IN TERMS OF EACH OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, BECAUSE WHEN A RESIDENT CALLS FOR THEIR WATER SERVICE OR ENERGY SERVICE OR TO HAVE THEIR GARBAGE PICKED UP.
THEY DON'T REALLY CARE THE ORGANIZATION THEY ARE CALLING.
THEY ARE REALLY CALLING TO REALLY HAVE A SERVICE PERFORMED AND WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE FUTURE. SECONDLY, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE INVENTORYING OUR PROJECTS.
THERE'S SO MUCH SYNERGIES THAT CAN BE GAINED FROM COLLABORATING ON PROJECTS AND POSSIBLE EFFICIENCIES, EVEN FROM A FUNDING PERSPECTIVE.
AND TODAY WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE INNOVATION ZONES AND ONE LAST THING I WANT TO MENTION, IS THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO ENGAGE OUR CUSTOMERS BETTER, TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IDEA OF SMART CITY CAN WORK FOR THEM AND IMPROVE THEIR LIVES.
SO, AS WE GET INTO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT INNOVATION ZONES, I WANT TO PROVIDE YOU, REALLY QUICKLY, WITH A DEFINITION AND A FEW EXAMPLES FROM SOME OTHER CITIES.
SO, A VERY BRIEF DEFINITION OF WHAT AN INNOVATION ZONE IS IN THE CONTEXT OF A SMART CITY PROGRAM IS REALLY TO PROOFING GROUND, TO ALLOW CITIES TO TEST EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IN A REAL WORLD SETTING.
WE'VE SEEN THIS ARE IN OTHER CITIES.
BEFORE THEY MAKE THE HEFTY INVESTMENT OF ANY TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY OR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEY REALLY TEST PILOT IT OUT IN A DEFINED AREA SO THEY CAN SEE HOW IT PERFORMS IN THAT REAL WORLD ENVIRONMENT.
FOR US HERE AT THE CITY, IT'S REALLY TO ADVANCE OUR SMART SA PILOT PROJECTS.
AS WE LOOK INTO THE FUTURE FIVE, TEN YEARS DOWN THE ROAD WE'RE MAKING INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW TO DO THAT IS SO IMPORTANT AND STRATEGIC.
WE ALSO WANT TO SUPPORT OUR SA TOMORROW REGIONAL PLANS SO THE THREE AREAS WE'LL TALK TO YOU TODAY ARE ALL PART OF THAT COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING EFFORT AND EMBRACING NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IT AND GAIN THOSE IMMEDIATE INSIGHT THAT IS WE CAN PIVOT, ITERATE AND MOVE FORWARD AS WE NEED TO.
SO, LET ME GIVE YOU A FEW EXAMPLES OF HOW OTHER CITIES HAVE ARRIVED THIS.
THE CITY OF DALLAS WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION CALLED THE DALLAS INNOVATION ALLIANCE.
AND THEY SELECTED THE WEST END DISTRICT, WHICH IS NEAR THEIR CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT DOWNTOWN AS THEIR INNOVATION ZONE.
FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS THE WEST END DID NOT HAVE A LOT OF INVESTMENT.
IT'S CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH A RENAISSANCE.
A LOT OF STARTUP ORGANIZATIONS ARE MOVING TO THE WEST END.
IT'S BECOME A REALLY THRIVING PLACE OF LIVE, WORK AND PLAY OPTIONS AND THEY'VE TAKEN THEIR PILOTS IN TWO DISTINCT PHASES.
THE FIRST IS PHASE ONE WAS LAUNCHING SMART LIGHTING, SOME DIGITAL KIOSKS AS WELL AS PUBLIC WI-FI AND LAUNCHED ENVIRONMENTAL CHECK AIR QUALITY, NOISE POLLUTION AS WELL.
PHASE TWO GOT UNDER WAY A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
THEY ADDED SMART PARKING, WATER MANAGEMENT FOR WATER CONSERVATION PURPOSES AND LOOKING AT PUBLIC WI-FI AND HOW THAT CAN BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN DALLAS.
[01:10:01]
SO THEY'LL TAKE THE NEXT YEAR TO PILOT THESE PROJECTS.THEY'LL LEARN FROM WHAT THEY'VE IMPLEMENTED, AND THEN THEY'LL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND IT THE CITY MANAGER ON WHERE AND HOW TO SCALE THESE PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE CITY OF DENVER, AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH PENA STATION.
PENA STATION IS CALLED PENA STATION NEXT.
IT'S A MIXED USE AREA, OFFERS A VARIETY OF FAMILY OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSING, COMMERCIAL OFFICES, RETAIL, HOTEL AND HOSPITALITY USES.
AND THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH PANASONIC TO OUTFIT THIS AREA WITH SOLAR POWERED MICRO GRID TECHNOLOGY AND LOOKING AT AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES TO HELP PEOPLE GET AROUND WHAT IS CALLED PENA STATION NEXT.
THEY HAVE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN EVERY MAJOR CITY, SO THEY ARE LOOKING HOW TO LEVERAGE THAT TECHNOLOGY IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
CITY OF LAS VEGAS IS ANOTHER ONE.
THEY'VE GOT A CORRIDOR THAT IS RIGHT OUTSIDE THE STRIP.
THEY ARE PILOTING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AS WELL AND LOOKING AT CONNECTED CORRIDORS.
THEIR MAIN GOAL HOW DO THEY MOVE 42 MILLION VISITORS THAT COME TO LAS VEGAS EVERY SINGLE YEAR IN A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AND SAFE WAY.
THEY RECENTLY GOT THEIR INNOVATION DISTRICT LAUNCHED AS WELL AND THE CITY IS WORKING THROUGH THAT AND FINALLY KANSAS CITY.
KANSAS CITY PUT THEIR SMART CITY CORRIDOR ALONG THE THREE MILE STREETCAR ROUTE.
STAPLES OF THESE INNOVATION ZONES TO FIND OUT HOW TO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
A COUPLE DAYS AGO THEY RELEASEDED THE RP TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM OUTSIDE OF THE INNOVATION ZONE, SO THEY ARE LOOKING MORE THAN JUST THE THREE AREAS BUT LOOKING AT YOU THE WHATTER MANAGEMENT.
AUTOMATED METERING TECHNOLOGY AND HOW THAT HELPS THEM CONSERVE WATER IN THE FUTURE.
SO, AS WE'VE STARTED TO DEVELOP THIS CONCEPT OF INVASION ZONE, IT REALLY STARTED FOR US BACK IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, STARTED DOING RESEARCH AROUND THESE INNOVATION ZONES NOT ONLY IN THE UNITED STATES BUT AROUND THE WORLD, STARTED REALLY TALKING WITH OTHER CITIES AND LEARNING SOME OF THE LESSONS THAT THEY'VE LEARNED AS PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS.
AND THEN WE BRIEFED THE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE IN FEBRUARY AND APRIL ON THIS TOPIC.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE THREE AREAS THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT.
BROOKS, THE MEDICAL CENTER AND DOWNTOWN WITH STAKEHOLDERS IN THOSE AREAS.
LEO AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC ALONG WITH THE MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION AND ALLIANCE.
AS WELL AS CENTRO DOWNTOWN AND GEEKDOM TO GIVE US INPUT ON THIS PROCESS AND BROUGHT THAT FORWARD TO THE SMART SA EXECUTIVES AND GATHERED THEIR FEEDBACK ALL LEADING UP TO TODAY IN THE "B" SESSION.
SO, AS WE'VE LEARNED FROM OTHER CITIES, THERE WAS SOME CONSIDERATION THAT THEY TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THAT REALLY WERE COMMON AMONG A LOT OF THOSE AREAS.
NUMBER ONE BEING THE AVAILABILITY OF FIBER.
BEING ABLE TO CONNECT TO FIBER IF NEEDED, IN CASE YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING WITH HIGH BANDWIDTH, VIDEO STREAMING WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION.
IN THE CASE OF KANSAS CITY THAT WAS A IMPORTANT ASPECT THAT CAME OUT OF SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THESE OTHER CITIES.
WORK, LIVE, PLAY OPTIONS AS WELL.
REALLY SEEN HOW THIS TECHNOLOGY PERFORMS IN ALMOST A MINI CITY ENVIRONMENT.
IF YOU HAVE RESIDENTIAL LIVING, COMMERCIAL OFFICE SPACE, PARKS, HOSPITALS, THAT WAS KEY AND IMPORTANT AS WELL.
RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT WAS ALSO A KEY CONSIDERATION FOR SOME OF THESE CITIES.
AND THEN BEING ABLE TO ATTRACT INNOVATIVE COMPANIES TO THESE SPACES.
SO, FOR SOME OF THESE CITIES IT'S AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
LURING START-UPS AND COMPANIES INTO THE CITY TO PILOT THEIR TECHNOLOGY IN THESE ZONES AND NOT OPEN DO THAT BUT ALSO RELOCATE THEIR BUSINESSES THERE, AND SO THE CASE OF BARCELONA, THEY'VE USED IT AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EXAMPLE.
AND THEN HAVING A DEFINED GRID.
SO, A CITY AS LARGE AS SAN ANTONIO IS SO LARGE, EVEN IF WE SHRUNK IT DOWN TO A REGIONAL CENTER AS PART OF OUR SA TOMORROW IS A PRETTY BIG FOOTPRINT.
IN THE CASE OF DALLAS, IT WAS A COUPLE CITY BLOCKS IN THE CASE OF KANSAS CITY, THREE MILES ALONG THE STREETCAR ROUTE.
REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE FINE GRID IS AND HOW IT CAN BENEFIT YOU FROM THIS INNOVATION ZONE.
SO, THERE WERE THREE AREAS THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD TODAY.
THE FIRST IS BROOKS ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE.
AND SO JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BROOKS.
IT'S 1300 ACRE COMMUNITY WITH LIVE, LEARN, WORK AND PLAY OPTIONS.
NEARLY 40 BUSINESSES AT BROOKS AND AS WE TALKED WITH LEO AND
[01:15:02]
HIS TEAM, THERE WAS SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE FOUND AROUND TRANSPORTING PEOPLE AND GOODS NOT ONLY AROUND THE CAMPUS BUT RIGHT OUTSIDE THERE'S A BUSY CORRIDOR OF SOUTHEAST MILITARY, NEW BRAUNFELS AS WELL RIGHT OUTSIDE.FLOODING AND DRAINAGE WAS ALSO A KEY CONSIDERATION AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS ACROSS THE CITY AS WELL SO WE CAN REALLY LEARN AND GAIN GREAT INSIGHTS FROM THAT AND PUBLIC WI-FI AND DIGITAL DIVIDE ISSUES IN SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AT BROOKS.
SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE 1300 ACRES ABOUT ABOUT THE SURROUNDING AREAS AS WELL AS HOW WE CAN BRING THEM INTO BENEFITTING FROM THIS INNOVATION ZONE.
SO, AS WE, FROM THE CITY, WERE WORKING WITH THE BROOKS TEAM, WHAT WE FOUND WAS INTRIGUING WAS THAT THIS IS REALLY A MINI CITY CONCEPT.
IF WE WERE TO SHRINK SAN ANTONIO DOWN THAT THESE 1300 ACRES, WHAT WE WOULD FIND THERE'S HOSPITALS, THERE'S HOTELS, THERE'S RESIDENTIAL LIVING.
THERE'S COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
THERE'S FUTURE RETAIL AND RESTAURANT PLANNING AS WELL AND THERE'S A TOWN CENTER THAT THEY ARE PLANNING.
SO AS WE PILOT THIS TECHNOLOGY WE CAN REALLY GAIN BENEFIT TO LEARN HOW IT INTERACTS IN ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS AS WELL.
THE INGRACE WITH THE MASTER PLAN WOULD ALSO BE KEY AND WE DISCUSSED THAT AND BUILDING ON OUR SATRIP PROJECT, THAT'S A PROJECT THAT WAS LAUNCHED IN 2017 PIE TCI.
AND ART REINHART AND HIS TEAM ARE LEADING THAT PROJECT TO LOOK AT TRAFFIC CONCESSION ALONG SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHEAST MILITARY.
BEING BUILT ON THAT PROJECT AREA.
ANOTHER THING THAT'S INTRIGUING TO US, IT'S A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT.
IF WE'RE LOOKING AT UNPROVEN TECHNOLOGY IN THE CASE OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES.
IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO IN A VERY CONTROLLED SETTING AND WE CAN LEARN FROM IT BEFORE PUSHING IT OUT TO A MAR CONGESTED AREA OF THE CITY.
SO, NEXT UP IS THE MEDICAL CENTER AND OF COURSE THE MEDICAL CENTER IS A BUSY PLACE, MAJOR KLUFT IROF HEALTH CARE FACILITIES.
ALSO SUPPORTS OTHER INDUSTRIES LIKE TECHNOLOGY, HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATION.
AND WHEN WE TALKED WITH THE MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION AND ALLIANCE, WHAT WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT WAS THE MAJOR TRAFFIC CONGESTION ISSUES OUT THERE.
IT'S PROBABLY NO SURPRISE TO ANYBODY.
THE STAT THAT I HEARD AND THEY SHOWED TO US, WHICH WAS ASTOUNDING, 250,000 VEHICLES THAT GO IN AND OUT OF THE MEDICAL CENTER ALMOST EVERY DAY.
THINK ABOUT THE STRESS THAT PUTS ON CITY STREETS.
SO THERE'S THINGS WE CAN LEARN THERE FROM A TRAFFIC CONGESTION STANDPOINT.
PARKING WAS SOMETHING THEY BROUGHT UP AS WELL AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
HOW DO WE MAKE IT A MUCH MORE PEDESTRIAN-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT.
ONCE AGAIN THEY HAVE A MASTER PLAN THAT THEY'VE WORKED THROUGH AS MART OF THE FOUNDATION AND THE ALLIANCE, AND SO WE CAN INTEGRATE WITH THAT.
IT IMPACTS A LARGE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, AND SO REALLY LOOKING AT HOW THE TECHNOLOGY PERFORMS UNDER THAT STRESS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A VARIETY OF LARGE EMPLOYERS IN THE AREA THAT WE COULD WORK WITH AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
DOWNTOWN BEING THE HISTORIC AND CULTURAL CENTER OF THE CITY, THERE'S A LOT OF DIVERSE INDUSTRIES LIKE TOURISM, FINANCE, GOVERNMENT, THAT EXIST DOWNTOWN.
WE MET WITH CENTRO, MET WITH GEEKDOM, TALKED TO THEM ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THEY ARE EXPERIENCING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
LIGHTING WAS ONE OF THEM AND WE'RE WORKING ON THE DOWNTOWN MASTER LIGHTING PLAN.
PARKING, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AS WELL.
SOME OF THESE AREAS OVERLAP IN TERMS OF CHALLENGES WE'VE BEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY IN SOME OF THESE AREAS.
IN TERMS OF DOWNTOWN, WE CAN INTEGRATE WITH THE ACTIVATE HOUSTON PLAN WHICH CALLS FOR INNOVATION ZONE.
DOWNTOWN MASTER LIGHTING PLAN WHICH WE'RE WORKING WITH WITH CPS ENERGY.
DOWNTOWN TECH DISTRICT START-UPS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE CAN FIND HOW ENTREPRENEURS STAY WITH US IN THIS PLACE AND WORK AND PLAY OPTIONS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AS ELWELL.
SO, BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, WE HAVE TO PROCURE THE ENVIRONMENT.
WE HAVE TO PROCURE A PLATFORM WHICH WE ANALYZE ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE'LL GATHER AND WE HAVE TO PROCURE SOME INFRASRUCTURE AS WELL.
WORKING WITH OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT HERE, AND WORKING WITH OTHER CITIES AND LEARNING HOW THEY'VE GONE ABOUT THIS, A COUPLE KEY STEPS WE COULD LIKE TO TAKE BEFORE A FULL ROLL OUT OR ISSUING AN RHCHP.
FIRST AND FOREMOST GOING OUT AND LEARNING FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR WHAT TECHNOLOGY IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS WE BRING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO WHAT WE CALL A SUMMIT.
WE'RE WORKING WITH CPS ENERGY ON CREATING A SUMMIT WHERE WE LIST THOSE CHALLENGES, HAVE A MUCH MORE INDEPTH DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CHALLENGES AND FIND OUT WHAT
[01:20:02]
TECHNOLOGY EXISTS TO SOLVE THOSE CHALLENGES IN A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT WAY.WE WOULD THEN GO THROUGH AND DEVELOP A COMPETITIVE SEALED PROPOSAL.
SORT LIST THE RESPONSES BASED ON THEIR RESPONSES AND REALLY HAVE THEM COMPETE FOR THE BUSINESS BEFORE REQUESTING A BEST AND FINAL OFFER AFTER WE COMPLETE THE PILOTS AND GOING THROUGH AND MAKING A FINAL SELECTION AND THEN ROLL IT OUT TO AREAS OF TOWN.
SO, IN TERMS OF OUR NEXT STEPS, TE FIRST THING THAT WE'LL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IS BEFORE WE EVEN GET TO THE VENDOR SUMMIT, WHAT WE WANT TO DO OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS IS GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND ENGAGE RESIDENTS, ENGAGE CUSTOMERS AND TALK TO THEM MORE ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE.
AS WE TALKED WITH OUR KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN THOSE THREE AREAS.
THESE ARE THE CHALLENGES THAT FELL OUT BUT THE COMMUNITY CAN EXPERIENCE SOMETHING WAY DIFFERENT AND WE WANT TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT BEFORE WE PUT OUT ANY TYPE OF PROCUREMENT AND SECONDLY AS I MENTIONED THE VENDOR SUMMIT WE LOOK TO TENTATIVELY HAVE THAT IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.
THE DEVELOP RFCSP AND LOOK AT RELESSING THAT AT THE TURN OF THE YEAR AND LOOK AT PROPOSALS IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.
THE WAY TO MOVE THE SMART CITY PROGRAM FORWARD FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ENTIRE CITY AND LEARN WHAT TYPE OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IS OUT THERE THAT WE CAN BENEFIT FROM, SO, WITH THAT, THAT IS MY PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, JOSE FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO, I HAVE TO ADMIT, I'M STILL A LITTLE FUZZY ON ALL OF THIS IN TERMS OF THE DEFINITION OF WHAT AN INNOVATION ZONE IS, BUT I WANT TO GO TO SLIDE 4, WHICH IS THE SMART CITY VISION I LOOK AT THAT AND IT DOESN'T TELL ME A WHOLE LOT.
WHEN I THINK OF SMART CITY, I THINK LESS ABOUT THE ACTUAL DEVICE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DATA AS I DO ABOUT HOW WE'RE ACTUALLY UTILIZING THE DATA AND YOUR WORD CONNECTED IS REALLY IMPORTANT THERE.
HOW ARE WE -- HOW ARE WE COLLECTING IT.
HOW ARE WE PROTECTING IT? IT'S REALLY THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THE DATA GIVES US TO ENHANCE PEOPLE'S QUALITY OF LIFE AND I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO THAT.
I'M STILL A LITTLE FUZZY IN TERMS OF WHAT THE INNOVATION ZONE LOOKS LIKE.
WALK ME THROUGH EXACTLY WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING WITH THE INNOVATION ZONES THEMSELVES.
IN THE ZONE ITSELF, I MEAN, AS FAR AS THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED.
WHAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO DO IS, LET'S TAKE FOR EXAMPLE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE THAT'S IN SAN ANTONIO.
WE CAN'T RUN FIBER TO THE HOME AND SELL IT TO THE CONSUMER BECAUSE OF THE STATE LAW THAT EXISTS TODAY.
BUT WHAT WE COULD DO IS LOOK AT HOW CAN WE PUSH PUBLIC WI-FI IN A MORE CREATIVE WAY.
EITHER THROUGH HANGING A LIGHT OFF A STREET LIGHT, MAKING IT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PERSON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD TEST PILOT IN THE ZONE AND SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE COULD CONNECT TO IT AND SEE, IS THAT SOMETHING PEOPLE WOULD USE AS THEY ARE MOVING ABOUT THROUGHOUT THEIR DAY.
THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY USE THE ZONE TO PILOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BENEFIT A NEIGHBORHOOD, SAY, IN DISTRICT 5 WHERE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IS ONE OF THE HEAVIEST.
WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT THINGS LIKE FLOODING.
IF AN AREA OF TOWN EXPERIENCES A GREAT AMOUNT OF FLOODING, COULD WE PUT SENSORS IN THE GROUND TO DETERMINE WHEN THE WATER REACHES A CERTAIN LEVEL AND COULD THAT SENSOR NOTIFY EITHER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IF SOMEBODY HAS CROSSED A BARRIER SO WE'RE MORE PROACTIVE HOW WE DO HIGH WATER RESCUES, FOR EXAMPLE.
THERE'S VARIOUS THINGS WE COULD DO AS PART OF THESE INNOVATION ZONES THAT IN THE END WOULD REALLY BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY.
>> GET A LITTLE TECH SUPPORT AT THE SAME TIME.
>> SO, JOSE'S BEEN GREAT AT ORGANIZING THE CUSTOMER FACING CHALLENGE, WHICH I THINK HE'S TALKED ABOUT.
BUT SPECIFICALLY, TO YOUR QUESTION, MAYOR, THINK OF OUR SOLUTIONS IN THREE LAYERS.
THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, THE VENDOR SOLUTION, WHICH COULD BE A STREET LIGHT, AND THEN THE PLATFORM OR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS REQUIRED TO OPERATE.
SO A LOT OF OUR CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, HOW WOULD WE LIKE THE CUSTOMER TO INTERACT BECAUSE THIS SOLUTION MAKES THEIR LIFE BETTER AND THEN WHAT IS THE VERTICAL SOLUTION, TECHNOLOGY THAT SILTS ON A STREET LIGHT.
PARKING METER OPERATES LIKE "X." YOUR BASIC QUESTION, IN THE PLATFORM, WE THINK ABOUT THE DATA, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS THE FIBER OR THE NETWORK ITSELF, AND THEN HOW IT IS SHARED INSIDE OF A COMMON PLATFORM.
SO, THAT LOWER LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY IS A PLACE WHERE WE
[01:25:03]
CAN TEST THE INFRASTRUCTURE AS -- IN THESE DIFFERENT ZONES.SO, THAT MAY BE A PARKING METER THAT RUNS ACROSS A WIRELESS MESH THAT HAS TO RUN BACK TO A CPS FACILITY, BUT ALL OF US SHARE OUR DATA TO THAT CONCEPT AS WE GO FORWARD.
SO, THAT HELPS US TEST THE BACK AS WELL AS THE FRONT FACING THE CUSTOMER.
AND I MEAN, A LOT OF THIS WILL DEPEND ON HOW THESE PROPOSALS COME BACK.
ONE OF THE GREAT UNTAPPED POTENTIALS IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE CITY, THOUGH, IS STILL THE FIBER UNDER GROUND AND OVERHEAD THAT CPS HAD BEGUN LAYING 20 YEARS AGO.
IS THAT PART OF THE CALCULOUS FOR THE INNOVATION ZONE SELECTIONS HE AND HOW ARE YOU PLANNING TO LEVERAGE THAT IN I THINK AS WE TAP INTO THAT QUOTE, UNQUOTE DARK FIBER WE CAN REALLY SET OURSELVES APART FOR A CITY THAT'S READY FOR A SMART CITY PROGRAM.
>> MY CPS FRIENDS ARE OVER THERE AS WELL.
THAT'S THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING WITH THE WHOLE CITY.
INNOVATION ZONES ARE AREAS WE CAN TEST ON THAT INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST.
AND THE SPEED OR AGILITY PART OF THIS IS WE WOULDN'T WANT TO GO TO A ZONE WHERE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE DOESN'T EXIST BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE TO LAY THAT OUT FIRST BEFORE YOU COULD EVER TEST THE SOLUTION, BUT AS A ZONE HAS THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, WE BUILD ON IT QUICKLY, TEST THE SOLUTION AND THEN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT NETWORK ACROSS THE CITY AS WE DO ROLL OUTS WOULD BE THE INTENT.
ON THAT NOTE, I WOULD ALSO URGE US, MAYBE NOT IN THIS ROUND, BUT AS WE MOVE ALONG AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS, THAT WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH JOINT BASED SAN ANTONIO AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH US TO LEVERAGE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AVAILABLE TO US, AND THEY ARE INNOVATING EVERY DAY, AND HAVE MADE THAT A STRATEGIC PRIORITY.
>> IF I MAY, I KNOW RENE IS OVER THERE AS WELL.
WE'VE BEN HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS CYBER CITY USA AS WELL SO THAT IS ONGOING.
I GUESS THE LAST COMMENT I WOULD MAKE, QUESTION, MAYBE, IS AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE INNOVATION ZONES, I WOULD THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AS A CITY? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EQUITY BEING ONE OF THEM.
WHAT IS UNDER THE HOOD OF EQUITY.
WE KNOW WE HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGE THERE.
WE'VE GOT OPPORTUNITY TO DEAL WITH DIGITAL INCLUSION ISSUES THAT ARE BUILDING SCHOOL, THAT ARE BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THOSE AREAS.
HOW CAN WE LEVERAGE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH AN ISSUE LIKE THAT.
VISION ZERO IS A HUGE PRIORITY.
I SEE THAT OPPORTUNITY IN EVERY ONE OF THESE INNOVATION ZONES PARTICULARLY IN THE MEDICAL CENTER.
SO I WOULD TAKE A LOOK WHAT ARE OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AS A CITY AND TRY TO ADDRESS THE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THAT LENS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO THIS PRESENTATION YESTERDAY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A REALLY GOOD PRESENTATION.
I THINK THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF TRYING TO DEVELOP US AS A SMART CITY AND INTEGRATE SO MUCH OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES AND THINKING FORWARD OF THE SERVICES WE WANT TO PROVIDE ARE REALLY CRITICAL FOR US AS WE GO FORWARD AS A CITY.
BUT I THINK THIS PARTICULAR PLAN IS SHORT-SIDED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF IT IS LOOKING AT INITIATING THIS IN THREE AREAS THAT ARE ALREADY VERY HIGHLY DEVELOPED.
AND IT HAS A LOT OF KINDS OF INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE, IF YOU PUT THIS IN, IT'S BOUND TO SUCCEED.
I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT DIGITAL DIVIDE THAT WE KNOW EXISTS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
HOW CAN ALL OF THIS WORK IN ANOTHER AREA IF WE'RE NOT TRYING IT OUT? IF WE'RE GOING TO TRY THREE DIFFERENT AREAS, LET'S MAKE ONE OF THEM MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF PARTS OF THE CITY THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO INTEGRATE INTO THAT DIGITAL WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN.
WHY CAN'T WE HAVE ONE OF THESE TEST FACILITIES NEAR ST. MARY'S IN WOOD LAWN LAKE AREA WHERE YOU HAVE A PARK, YOU HAVE A COLLEGE, YOU HAVE NAMEDS.
YOU'VE GOT SMALL BUSINESSES OR MAYBE OVER BY OUR LADY OF THE LAKE.
WHERE YOU'VE GOT A LIBRARY AND YOU'VE GOT A COLLEGE AND YOU GOT NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE TODAY WHO COULD REALLY SHOW US HOW WOULD THIS WORK IF THIS WAS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, RATHER THAN THESE HIGHLY STRUCTURED, HIGHLY DEVELOPED NEIGHBORHOODS, WHERE IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE PRETTY EASY TO TEST IT OUT TO SEE HOW EVERYTHING WORKS.
WHAT MY FEAR IS, WE'RE GOING TO SAY HEY THIS WORKS GREAT IN THESE THREE AREAS.
LET'S EXPAND IT AROUND THESE AREAS OR IT NEVER GETS TO OR
[01:30:02]
TAKING 20 YEARS TO GET APPLIED TO THOSE AREAS THAT COULD USE THE GREATEST, BECAUSE THEY ARE SO UNDERDEVELOPED.I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US REALLY CONSIDER SETTING UP A THIRD SITE, OR MAYBE A FOURTH SITE IN ONE OF THOSE LESS DEVELOPED AREAS WHERE WE COULD REALLY SEE HOW WOULD THIS WORK IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE OUR CONSTITUENTS LIVE INSTEAD OF THESE HIGHLY STRUCTURED, HIGHLY DEVELOPED AREAS THAT WE'VE CHOSEN.
OTHERWISE, I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE GOING IN THIS DIRECTION.
>> JUST A QUICK COMMENT ON THAT.
AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH MUCH OF ANYTHING THAT YOU SAID.
THE ZONE, WE OBVIOUSLY WANT IT FOR A TESTING GROUND BUT THEN THERE'S THE SECOND PIECE WHICH IS WHERE DO WE ROLL IT OUT TO NEXT.
PART OF THE ANALYSIS WILL GO TO WHERE IS THE MOST NEED OF THE COMMUNITY AND WHERE CAN WE BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY MOST NEXT.
I WANT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WELL.
AS WE GO THROUGH THIS ANALYSIS WE'LL BRING ALL OF THAT BACK TO OUR COUNCIL IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WHERE TO GO TO NEXT BUT THAT IS PART OF THE EQUATION AS WELL.
I DON'T WANT TO DISCOUNT THAT.
WE NEED A PLACE TO TEST AS WELL.
LOOKING FOR AVAILABLE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS A KEY COMPONENT FOR US TO RECOMMEND THESE THREE AREAS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN COURAGE.
>> SALDANA: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING WHICH IS THE OVERARCHING THEME.
BUILDING THIS IN THE 21ST CENTURY, KNOWING THERE'S A NUMBER OF VENDORS OFFERING THE BEST SOLUTION FOR YOUR INSERT PROBLEM.
WHETHER THAT'S LIGHTING IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT DOESN'T HAVE MUCH DIGITAL DIVIDE.
IT REMINDS ME -- I WENT TO SCHOOL IN SILICON VALLEY AND THERE WAS A SAYING THAT YOU SHOULD FAIL OFTEN, FAIL FAST.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT FOR THE APPLICATION, NOT TRYING TO BE INNOVATIVE IN THE CITY'S CONTEXT, WHEN YOU FAIL ONCE, EVERYBODY'S GOING TO TELL BUT IT AND YOU'RE NOT FAILING WITH PRIVATE DONOR'S MONEY OR F PHILANTHROPIST OR VC AS DOLLARS.
YOU'RE USING TAX PAYERS DOLLARS.
HOW CAN YOU DO IT WHILE DOING IT WITH TAX DOLLARS AND TRYING TO BE CUTTING EDGE FOR A CITY TRYING TO SOLVE BIG PROBLEMS. I THINK THE WAY YOU DO THAT, YOU DON'T DO IT ALL AT ONCE.
IF THAT'S A PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY OR A VENDOR OFFERING A SOLUTION TO SOMETHING LIKE A DRAINAGE PROBLEM, OR NAME YOUR ISSUE, I THINK WHAT YOU DO, YOU TRY TO TEST IT OUT AND PILOT THAT EXPERIENCE AND SEE IF IT CAN WORK, AND SO I LIKE WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT NOW.
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND LOOK THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I -- I WAS PUTTING MY HANDS AROUND THE CONCEPT OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
JOSE, YOU POINTED TO DALLAS, AND THIS BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER CONCEPT WHICH IS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO LEARN FROM THEIR OWN MISTAKES BUT ALSO GOOD TO LEARN FROM OTHER PEOPLE'S MISTAKES AND DALLAS, YOU TOLD ME HAD AN EXAMPLELY THEY WERE DOING INNOVATION ZONES BUT THEY DIDN'T DO WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING WHICH IS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR VENDORS OR BIG COMPANIES WHO WANT TO JOIN IN.
THEY DECIDED TO HITCH THEIR WAGON WITH AT&T.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT EXPERIENCE AND WHY WE'RE NOT DOING THAT.
HEY, LOOK, THIS IS THE COMPANY WE WANT TO GO WITH, LET'S BE INNOVATIVE.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT FROM OUR APPROACH THAT WE LEARNED FROM THE DALLAS EXPERIENCE.
>> IN TALKING WITH DALLAS, AT&T WAS THEIR PRIMARY PARTNER AND THEY BROUGHT A WHOLE SUITE OF PARTNERS WITH THEM TO MAKE THE WEST END A REALITY.
THE ISSUE IS YOU'RE LOCKED INTO THAT ONE ORGANIZATION.
AND OUR APPROACH, WE FEEL CREATES COMPETITION TO THEN GET THE BEST SOLUTION.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO LOCK IN WITH JUST ONE ENTITY AND BE LOCKED THAT THAT SOLUTION, BUT REALLY WANTED TO SEE WHAT IS THE GAMITY OF SOLUTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
DALLAS, FOR EXAMPLE, IS ACTUALLY STARTING TO GO THAT WAY WHEN THINKING ABOUT FULL SCALE IMPLEMENTATION.
FOR THE PILOTING PIECE THEY SOURCED TO THIS NON-PROFIT, AT&T.
WHEN THINKING OF FULL WIDE IMPLEMENTATION, THEY'LL PUT IT OUT FOR PROCUREMENT.
THEY'VE LEARNED FROM THAT AND WE'VE LEARNED FROM THAT AS WELL.
WE TEEL THIS IS THE BEST RECOMMENDATION TO MAKE.
>> SALDANA: WE HAVE AN OPENED ENDED QUESTION TO THE RFPC.
THESE ARE THE INNOVATION ZONES, WHAT PROPOSALS DO YOU HAVE FOR US TO SELECT AND YOU'RE GOING TO TALK TO STAKEHOLDERS AND HAVE THEM SUBMIT.
SO BASED ON THE CHALLENGES WE IDENTIFIED ALREADY.
WE WILL DEFINE CHALLENGE STATEMENTS TO PUT INTO THE RCSP TO SEE HOW THEY GET CREATE IDDIVE TO SOLVE SOME CHALLENGES.
[01:35:01]
MOVING FORWARD AND ASKING FOR PROPOSALS FOR FOLKS THAT WANT TO GET INNOVATIVE.WE DON'T WANT TO FAIL OFTEN BUT WHILE WE WANT TO FAIL FAST AND LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES FOLKS IN THE PUBLIC DON'T GIVE US A LOT OF WIGGLE ROOM TO DO THAT.
SOME OF THESE THINGS LEAD TO INNOVATION.
THIS IS THE WAY AND APPROACH TO DO THAT.
LET ME RESPECT COUNCILMAN COURAGE'S POINT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A GOOD ONE.
WE HAVE TO DISTINGUISH TO WHAT THIS IS OR WHAT I WOULD HOPE IT WOULD BE.
WHILE NONE OF MY SELECTED AREAS ARE IN MY DISTRICT.
IT BEGS THE QUESTION, CAN WE BE INNOVATIVE IN AREAS THAT ARE DIFFERENT.
IF I ASKED YOU TO BE INNOVATIVE ON REDUCING CRIME OR RECIDIVISM IN AREAS WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE SPECIFIC FOLKS WHO GO BACK TO THE SAME COMMUNITIES AND JUMP BACK INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
I DON'T WANT TO TURN THIS INTO SWISS ARMY KNIFE OF SOLUTIONS.
IT INNOVATION ZONES MAYAY BE TH MEDICINE TO THAT THICKNESS IF YOU WERE TO PUT IT THAT WAY.
THINK OF THE INNOVATION ZONE, GO FORWARD.
I WANT YOU TO TEMPERATURE WHETHER YOUR DEPARTMENT, THE INNOVATION DEPARTMENT CAN HELP US THINK THROUGH HOW TO SOLVE BIG PROBLEMS IN 78482 WHICH HAS THE TYPE OF ISSUE THAT COULD USE A LITTLE INNOVATION.
JUST TO SORT OF USE AN EXAMPLE FROM THE PAST AS I'M WRAPPING UP.
WE HAVED A DIFFERENT APPROACH WHERE WE JUST -- COUNCIL MEMBER HAD AN IDEA.
WE SORT OF DONE THIS IN OTHER ASPECTS.
TO DRIVE HOME THE POINT THAT THERE ARE VENDORS ALL OVER THE CITY.
IF YOU CAN GO TO A CONVENTION AT ANY POINT IN ANY CITY THAT HAS GRAFFITI ABATEMENT SOLUTIONS, CRIME SOLUTIONS, THERE'S A NUMBER OF PRODUCTS OUT THERE THAT FOLKS ARE TRYING TO OFFER AS THE SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEMS. BUT THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE, WHICH WE TRIED IT OUT.
WE ROLLED IT AND IT DIDN'T REALLY GIVE US THE KIND OF EXPERIENCE AND I THINK THERE'S A POLICE CHIEF ROLLING AROUND HERE.
YOU DIDN'T HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND I THINK WE WANT TO TRY TO GO AT A PILOT'S PACE WITH REGARD TO SOME OF THESE NEW STRATEGIES.
I THINK THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING HERE.
LET'S GET TO COUNCIL MAC COURAGE'S AND I SECOND THAT WHAT DO WE DO IN OTHER AREAS BECAUSE WE HAVE AREAS THAT LOOK LIKE 78482 OR ZIP CODES THAT NEED HELP.
MORE AREAS THAT LOOK LIKE THAT OR PERHAPS AREAS THANK LOOK LIKE BROOKS OR PORT SAN ANTONIO, YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT PORT SAN ANTONIO THAT MIGHT BE A PLACE THAT HAS A DIFFERENT FLAVOR AND TOUCH IN TERMS OF BROOK.
IN TERMS OF MAYBE LIVE WORK PLAY NOT BEING THERE.
MAYBE YOU CAN'T PILOT DRIVERLESS CARS OR SHUTTLES THERE BUT YOU COULD AT BROOKS.
SO THE SECOND REQUEST IS THE QUESTION OF THE PORT SAN ANTONIO.
BUT I THINK YOU'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH FOLKS DOWN THERE, THE LEADERSHIP?
>> WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT WITH THE PORT ABOUT THIS CONCEPT.
THEY ARE STILL SOME THINGS I THINK THEY WANT TO GET DONE.
SO WE WILL RECONVENE THAT CONVERSATION AT A LATER TIME.
>> I KNOW THEY'VE GOT NEW LEADERSHIP AND GOING THROUGH THEIR OWN STRATEGIC VISION OF WHAT THEIR NEXT THREE YEARS OF LIFE WILL LOOK LIKE.
TOP OF MIND FOR US IS NOT ONLY IMPLEMENTING THIS INNOVATION ZONE BUT OTHER WAYS TO BE INNOVATIVE IN OTHER AREAS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT TIME TO THANK YOU FOR CREATING THE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE.
THIS IS BORN FROM THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE BEEN HAVING THERE.
THE PROBLEM WITH SMART CITY IS THAT EVERYBODY THINKS THEY KNOW WHAT IT IS, SORT OF LIKE NEW URBANISM.
EVERYBODY THOUGHT THEY KNEW WHAT NEW URBANISM IS.
EVERYBODY IS AN EXPERT IN TRAFFIC AND EVERYBODY IS AN EXPERT IN DIGITAL.
THE PROBLEM IS IT NOW MEANS EVERYTHING.
IT MEANS EVERYTHING AND IT REALLY DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING.
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO IS MOVE TO SLIDE 8 IF WE CAN DO THAT.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE INNOVATION ZONES, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WE GET ON THE SAME PAGE WHICH IS PAGE 8 TO MAKE SURE WE ALL UNDER WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
RIGHT? WE'VE CHOSEN DISCRETE GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY WORK THERE, WHERE ELSE TO APPLY THEM.
IF I SAY TO MY CONSTITUENTS IN THE MEDICAL CENTER, I'D LIKE TO TEST OUT SOLUTIONS FOR DIGITAL DIVIDE AND BE LIKE WHY, WE DON'T CARE.
THERE'S NO DIGITAL DIVIDE IN THE MEDICAL CENTER.
NUMBER ONE PROBLEM IS TRAFFIC.
[01:40:01]
AND WE WANT GRAFFITI ABATEMENT SOLUTIONS.WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT INNOVATION ZONES WE THOUGHT THE BEST PLACE TO FIGURE OUT WAYS OUT OF THE PAIN THAT TRAFFIC CAUSES BY WAY OF TECH, RIGHT, SOLUTIONS ARE PROBABLY BEST THERE, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE DIVISION WENTS THERE, THE HOSPITALS ARE SAYING, LOOK, THIS IS A THREAT TO OUR RESILIENCY, AND IT'S A THREAT TO ALL OF SAN ANTONIO'S RESILIENCY AND IF YOU CAN'T GET AMBULANCES IN AND OUT OF THEIR MEDICAL CENTER, YOU'VE GOT A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM.
IF YOU CAN'T GET PATIENTS IN AND OUT OF OUR MEDICAL CENTER IN A TIMELY MANNER OR EMPLOYEES IN A TIMELY MANNER DOING TRAUMA ONE WORK AT THE MEDICAL CENTER, YOU HAVE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM.
TAKE YOUR WIFE AND TAKE YOUR WAY FINDING AND ALL OF THAT OTHER STUFF SOMEWHERE ELSE.
WHEN I SERVED AT THE -- AND LEO AND I FIRST STARTED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT IS BROOKS GOING TO BE.
WHAT WAS THE PLAN AND WHAT IS THE NEW PLAN GOING FORWARD, SMART CITIES IS SOMETHING WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT YEARS AGO.
YOU HAD A LOT LESS WHITE HAIR ON YOUR HEAD, LEO BUT SMART CITY IS SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED A LOT AND THE REASON WE TALKED ABOUT.
I THINK THERE WAS REALIZATION ON OUR BOARD AND THE FOLKS AT BROOKS THAT BROOKS IS A LIVING LABORATORY FOR INNOVATION OF A CERTAIN KIND.
WHAT YOU GUYS WERE DOING OUT THERE IS INNOVATING NEW WAYS TO CREATE COMMUNITY AND CREATE SORT OF MINI TOWN CENTERS, RIGHT, AND YOU'VE DONE THAT, AND ON TOP OF THAT.
IT MADE PERFECT SENSE ALL OF THE WAY BACK THEN BECAUSE YOU'RE SITTING ON THIS BIG HUGE PIPELINE OF DATA BAND WITDTH, SPINAL CORD, IF YOU WILL ON WHICH YOU CAN BUILD A LOT OF THIS STUFF AND SPINAL CORD WHICH DOESN'T EXIST IN OTHER PLACES.
SO IN DOWNTOWN A PARTICULAR HAS A LIGHTING PROBLEM THAT REQUIRES SOLVING.
SO IT MADE SENSE TO OUR INNOVATION AND TECH COMMITTEE TO REALLY PICK AND TALK ABOUT THESE FLEE AREAS, BECAUSE EACH ONE OF THESE THREE AREAS WAS FACING UNIQUE PROBLEMS THAT IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIND THE SOLUTIONS IN THESE AREA, THEN WE CAN PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH ONES WORK BEST TO APPLY EVERYWHERE ELSE.
THE THING ABOUT PROVING GROUNDS AND OUR FRIENDS AT TOYOTA WILL TELL YOU, PROVING GROUNDS ARE PLACES YOU HAVE TO FAIL TO DETERMINE WHAT IS A SUCCESS.
MY GOAL HERE, AND I TOLD YOU THIS, TOO.
I WANT TO TRY OUT AS MANY OF THESE DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES AND REALLY CROSS OFF A LOT OF THESE FAILURES SO THAT WE CAN THEN ALLOW TO BUBBLE UP THE SOLUTIONS, RIGHT? AND WHEN I -- AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO AT BIG ORGANIZATIONS AND THAT'S WHAT BIG R&D ORGANIZATIONS DO.
BUT TO COUNCILMAN COURAGE'S POINT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE DIGITAL DIVIDE IS ALSO ADDRESSED, I'M SAD THAT YOU DIDN'T -- YOU WEREN'T THERE TO BENEFIT FROM A REALLY GREAT PRESENTATION WE HAD THE OTHER DAY BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENING AND SOMEBODY IS TACKLING THAT WHICH IS WHY YOU'RE NOT SEEING THIS HERE.
THAT IS SAHA IS TACKLING MESH NETWORKS AT ITS PROPERTIES, RIGHT? BRINGING WI-FI AND ACCESSIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO CLOSE THAT DIVIDE AND THEY ARE DOING IT.
AND IT'S PERFECT TO HAPPEN THERE BECAUSE THAT IS A DISCRETE, ENCLOSED LIVING LABORATORY WHERE THEY CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T.
SO, TO YOUR POINT, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IS IGNORING THAT ONE NEED, RIGHT, FOR OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS TO HAVE THAT.
AND SO, I WOULD BE UPSET IF ALL WE WERE DOING WAS DOING SMART CITY AND DOING, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC AND LIGHTING TO THE EXCLUSION OF DIGITAL DIVIDE AND I MAKE A COMMITMENT TO YOU, AND THAT IS YOU AND I HAD A LONG CONVERSATION THIS MORNING.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON FOR MANY YEARS TO COME, BECAUSE IT IS A CRIME THAT THERE'S PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO WI-FI, OR A COMPUTER AND WE EXPECT THEM TO THRIVE AND SUCCEED IN 2018 AND 2019.
THE THING I WANT TO SAY, I'VE BEEN APPROACHED BY OUR FRIENDS AT THE PART.
OUR FRIENDS AT RANDY HARIG'S PROPERTY, RIGHT? WHY CAN'T WE BE INNOVATION ZONE.
AND THE MESSAGE I TELL THEM, YOU'RE NOT BEING EXCLUDED.
YOU'LL BE A DIRECT BENEFICIARY OF WHAT WORKS AND ALSO YOU'LL BE SAVED FROM WHAT DOES WORK WHEN WE FIGURE THAT OUT AND PUT THAT LIST TOGETHER.
THE PORT IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF AN AREA THAT HAS ITS OWN DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT REQUIRE SOLUTIONS BUT THEY ARE INNOVATING JUST FINE.
THAT'S THE INNOVATION CENTER FOR CYBER SECURITY AND NOBODY ELSE IS DOING IT LIKE THEY ARE DOING IT.
SO, WE CAN'T DO ENERGY BUT WE CAN DO A FEW THINGS AND DO THEM WELL BUT ONLY IF WE GOT A PLAN AND IF WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE SPECIFIC AREAS.
I WILL TELL YOU ONE LAST THING
[01:45:01]
AND THIS IS MY CHALLENGE TO YOU.INNOVATION IS ONLY POSSIBLE IF YOU'RE BOLD, RIGHT? AND IF WE'RE TO BE TESTING EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IN THESE PROVING GROUNDS, I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE AND YOU HEARD IT FROM HIGH COMMITTEE LOUD AND CLEAR, DON'T BE AFRAID TO FAIL.
I MEAN, DON'T BE A FAILURE, RIGHT? BUT DON'T BE AFRAID TO FAIL ON SOME OF THESE EFFORTS BECAUSE WE'LL NEVER FIND OUT WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T UNLESS HE SOMETIMES FAIL AND IT'S OKAY.
THAT'S WHAT R&D IS AND THAT'S HOW SKUNK WORKS AND HOW DARPA WORKS.
THAT IS THEY COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT WORK.
THAT'S HOW SOME OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD DO IT.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FIRST.
THE FIRST POINT OF CLARIFICATION IS TO BE CLARE THAT WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING TODAY IS NOT WHAT WE VOTED ON OUT OF THE INNOVATION COMMITTEE.
BECAUSE YOU GAVE US TWO RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OUT OF THE INNOVATION COMMITTEE AND IT WAS BROOKS AND IT WAS ALSO THE MEDICAL CENTER.
WE TALKED ABOUT WE WERE GOING TO -- YOU ALL WERE GOING TO DISCUSS IT.
SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS ALSO BROUGHT UP AT INNOVATION COMMITTEE WAS LOOKING AT UTSA DOWNTOWN CAMPUS BECAUSE IT'S ON THE WEST SIDE OF 35.
IT HAS THE VIA CENTRO AREA THERE AND THEY ARE GOING THROUGH A LOT OF NEW THINGS IN THAT AREA.
SO, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, DID YOU ALL CHANGE CRITERIA IN BRINGING IT BACK TO THIS RECOMMENDATION TODAY, OR WHAT HAPPENED?
>> WE DIDN'T CHANGE ANY OF THE CRITERIA.
THE REASON FOR THE CHANGE TODAY, THERE ARE ALREADY THINGS HAPPENING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA IN TERMS OF LIGHTING AND AS WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR PARTNERS LIKE CPS.
SMART LIGHTING FIGURES INTO THAT PLAN.
IN ADDITION HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE THEY ARE LOOKING AT A SMART PARKING PILOT IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS THAT WOULD FIGURE INTO THESE KIND OF SOLUTIONS WE WANT TO PILOT.
IT WASN'T THAT THE CRITERIA WAS CHANGED BUT MUCH MORE SO THAT WE COULD LEVERAGE WHAT WAS ALREADY INTENDED TO DO WHICH WAS THE LIGHTING AND SOME PARKING ITEMS GOING ON.
SO WE WEREN'T DUPLICATING EFFORTS.
>> VIAGRAN: SO THAT WAS NOT YOUR RECOMMENDATION AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING?
THAT CAME AFTER CONVERSATIONS AFTER THE COMMITTEE MET AND WE RAMPED UP CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN LIGHTING PLAN AND STARTED TO DEVELOP USE CASES.
>> VIAGRAN: I THINK AS A MATTER OF TRANSPARENCY AND PROCESS, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO PRESENT TO US AT A "B" SESSION THAT YOU NOT SHARE THESE NEW RECOMMEND DAGSS TO US THE DAY, THE WEEK OF, OR THREE DAYS BEFORE A WIN SESSION ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT SIT ON THE Q COMMITTEE, JUST AS PROCESS AND TRANSPARENCY.
>> VIAGRAN: AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
I'M GLAD THAT'S ON THERE FOR INNOVATION ZONE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT PROOFING GROUND AND DEFINITION OF PROOFING GROUND, ONE OF THE THE CALS THEY GIVE YOU IS MILITARY INSTALLATION OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY GREAT TO LOOK AT BROOKS' CITY BASE -- I'M SORRY, JUST BROOKS, AS THE PROVING GROUND AND ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT BROOKS AND TO COUNCILMAN COURAGE'S POINT, BROOKS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY ZONE AND TWO AREAS, TWO OF THE ZIP CODES SURROUNDING THE AREA ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY ZONES THAT HAVE -- THAT ARE IN THE POVERTY LEVEL, SO WITH THE PROVING GROUND THAT IS HAPPENING THERE.
WHAT CAN THAT BUILD TO HELP BUILD UP AND IMPACT THAT AREA SURROUNDING THE AREA.
SO I THINK IT CAN BE STRATEGIC IN THIS AREA.
ONE OF THE REASONS I ALSO WANTED TO BRING UP UTSA DOWNTOWN CAMPUS IS BECAUSE THAT ALSO IS AN OPPORTUNITY ZONE WITH TWO OTHER OPPORTUNITY ZONES SURROUNDING IT AS WELL.
AND WHY IT'S ALSO INTERESTING, IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE BIG COMPANIES, THE UNIVERSITY, VIA, AND OTHERS RIGHT THERE THAT COULD BE HELPFUL IN LEVERAGING AN EASIER STAKEHOLDERS TO TALK TO, OR NOT AS MANY, IF YOU WILL, JUST A SMALLER GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS MOVING FORWARD.
ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS LOOKING AT -- YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WANTED TO ENGAGE THE RESIDENTS BETTER, OR ENGAGE THE RESIDENTS.
>> SO, AFTER WE GET THE APPROVAL
[01:50:01]
TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS CONCEPT, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH CPS ENERGY WAYS TO ENGAGE NOT ONLY THEIR CUSTOMERS BUT OUR RESIDENTS IN EACH OF THESE AREAS SO THAT WE CAN GATHER INPUT.SO COULD BE A VARIETY OF WAYS IN TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
PLAN TO DO A SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH AS WELL.
REALLY STARTED GATHERING FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF THESE INNOVATION ZONES AND WHAT WE INTEND TO PURSUE THERE.
>> VIAGRAN: SO WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THESE AREAS BECAUSE OF A DIGITAL DIVIDE OR NEED FOR DIGITAL INCLUSION.
SO YOU HAVE TO DO THE OUTREACH.
IT'S NOT SOCIAL MEDIA BUT MORE IN OUR AREA, WITH THE RESIDENTS AND WITH MAILINGS, TOO, I THINK THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
I KNOW IN THE SA TOMORROW PLAN IN THE BROOKS REGIONAL CENTER, THEY SEPTEMBER OUT SO MANY NOTICES TO RESIDENTS, AND THEY GOT A GREAT TURNOUT OF RESIDENTS TO COME BECAUSE OF THE MAILINGS THAT THEY DID OUT TO THE RESIDENTS.
CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME A LITTLE BETTER, PLEASE, ON THE -- THE PROCUREMENT STRATEGY AND THE PRIVATE VENDORS.
SO, TALK TO ME ABOUT WHO THESE PRIVATE VENDORS ARE GOING TO BE AND GIVE ME EXAMPLES, PLEASE.
SO, THE PRIVATE VENDORS REALLY COULD BE A VARIETY.
IT COULD BE LARGE CORPORATIONS LIKE AT&T AND VERIZON AND CISCO THAT HAVE SMART CITY COMPONENTS TO THEIR BUSINESSES.
>> VIAGRAN: SUCH AS? GIVE ME THOSE EXAMPLES.
>> AT&T PROVIDES CONNECTIVITY AND A SUITE OF SERVICES ALONG WITH OTHER COMPANIES SUCH AS HARDWARE, WI-FI ROUTERS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
IT'S WHAT THEY ARE DOING IN DALLAS.
VERIZON HAS SMART TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE KIND OF CONNECTIVITY THEY PROVIDE.
WE PLAN TO ENGAGE NOT ONLY LARGE BUT ENTREPRENEURS, START-UPS TO SEE IF THERE'S A WAY THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THESE INNOVATION ZONES.
>> VIAGRAN: SO TAKE ME TO THE END OF THIS.
>> VIAGRAN: CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT.
YOU'RE GOING TO REACH OUT, SEND MAILINGS, HAVE TOWN HALLS AND ASK THEM WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR AND IF YOU'RE HITTING IT ON THE RIGHT SPOT FOR THE AREAS, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE VENDOR SUMMIT TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE CAN PROVIDE, THESE PRIVATE VENDORS CAN PROVIDE AND THE RFCSP IS GOING TO WHAT?
>> SO, THAT WILL BE THE OFFICIAL PROCUREMENT DOCUMENT THAT WE PUT OUT TO PROCURE THE SENSORS, THE DEVICES, THE NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE AND INCLUDING THE PLATFORM AS WELL SO THERE'S A SOFTWARE PLATFORM THAT WE'LL NEED TO AGGREGATE ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE GATHER AS WELL AS DO ANALYTICS ON THE DATA WE RECEIVE BACK.
>> VIAGRAN: HOW MUCH IS THIS? WHAT IS THIS COSTING US?
>> IN A SUB SUBSEQUENT BRIEFING WE PLAN TO DO AS WE GET DOWN THE ROAD TO THE RFCSP.
RIGHT NOW THE PRICING COULD BE VARIABLE.
PART OF VENDORS SUMMIT IS FIGURING OUT.
>> VIAGRAN: BUT WE HAD TO HAVE THIS JUDGE ETED SOMEWHERE IN OUR BUDGET.
CRAIG, LOOKS LIKE YOU WANT TO --
>> THE BALLPARK, WE'RE TALKING $25,000 A PILOT AS AN EXAMPLE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IS, WE'RE NOT PROCURING THE SOLUTIONS FOR THE CITY.
>> WE'RE GOING TO PROCURE SOME PILOTS OF A FEW OF THESE CHALLENGES AND PROVE THEM IN THE ZONES
>> IF YOU THINK OF THOSE AS 25 TO $50,000 INDIVIDUAL PROCUREMENTS, BUT THEY ARE WITH A PRIME OR MULTIPLE PRIMES.
WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
SO WHAT WE'RE REALLY RELYING ON IS A VENDOR SUMMIT OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH THE VENDORS WHAT THE CUSTOMERS ARE SAYING THEIR PROBLEMS ARE AND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, TO SHARE WHAT WE HAVE FROM THE AGENCIES ABOUT THE CHALLENGES AND LET THEM SHARE WITH US, WHAT THEY THINK IS THE BEST WAY FOR THEM TO ENGAGE WITH US TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS. THERE ARE REALLY THREE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS I PERCEIVE.
ONE IS AT&T OR THAT TYPE SHOWS UP WITH A PRIME WITH A SUITE OF SOLUTIONS.
ANOTHER IS A VENDOR SUCH AS A CONSULTING FIRM.
DELOITTE OR SOMEBODY SAID THEY WILL BE WILLING TO BE A PRIME AND THEY WILL BRING IN MULTIPLE VENDORS TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION AS WE GO FORWARD.
>> WHAT WE MAY FIND, A LOT OF SMALL INDIVIDUAL VENDORS COME TOGETHER AND WORK ON A COMMON PLATFORM AND THEY LIKE TO BE THERE.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WILL PLAY OUT UNTIL WE GO TO THE SUMMIT OPPORTUNITY.
467 WHEN YOU RELEASE THE RFCSP AND TO COMES BACK TO THE COMMITTEE, WHAT ARE THE PLANS, WHAT ARE THE STRATEGIES, WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT COME COME BACK?
>> THAT'S IN THE JANUARY TIME LINE.
OUR INTENT IS TO COME BACK AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT BEFORE THE JOAN TIME LINE.
[01:55:02]
>> VIAGRAN: FOR EACH INNOVATION ZONES.
>> SO OUR INTENT IS NOT DECLARE LIGHTING IN THIS ZONE, IT WOULD BE WE HAVE NINE CATEGORIES OF CHALLENGES.
AND THEY COME BACK AND SAY WE THINK WE WOULD LIKE TO SOLVE THIS CHALLENGE IN THIS ZONE THIS WHY AND WE'LL WORK THROUGH THAT AS WE GO THROUGH IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ON THE RECORD, I HAD A GREAT MEETING WITH SOME SIXTH GRADERS.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT VOTING AND HAVING THEM -- HAVING TO VOTE, THAT THEY HAVE TO VOTE FOR THINGS THAT THEY CARE ABOUT.
THEY KIND OF CARED ABOUT PARKS.
I DID NOT MENTION SIDEWALKS AT ALL.
BUT WHAT I DID ASK THEM IS HOW MANY OF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE MORE PUBLIC WI-FI.
ALL OF THE SIXTH GRADERS RAISED THEIR HAND AND WERE EXCITED.
AND I TOLD THEM YOU HAVE TO VOTE.
IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THESE KIND OF THINGS.
SO, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT EVEN THE SIXTH GRADERS ARE ALL ENGAGED WANTING TO KNOW ABOUT FREE AND PUBLIC WHY TIE IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR OF SAN ANTONIO AND THEY WANT THAT ACCESS.
AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THE INNOVATION ZONE FOR THE MEDICAL CENTER ABSOLUTELY.
I'M ADVOCATING FOR BROOKS BECAUSE IT IS -- HAS BEEN FOR OVER 50 YEARS A PROVING GROUND, SO WHITE NOT CONTINUE THAT LEGACY OF BEING A PROVING GROUND.
WHY NOT ADVOCATE WHEN USING THE DEFINITION OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT WE LOOK AT THE WEST SIDE OF 35 AND USING UTSA AS PART OF THAT CONCEPT.
>> MAYOR NIR ENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
WE DID HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS, AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I TALKED ABOUT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE PROVING OR TESTING OF DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES AND, CRAIG, WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT IT, BUT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING THIS.
RIGHT? AND THEYER PROVING DIFFERENT SCENARIOS FOR DIFFERENT PROBLEMS THAT THEY WANT TO SEE ABOUT CORRECTING.
>> PERRY: WHAT'S WRONG WITH LETTING THEM USE THEIR RESOURCES TO TEST OUT SOMETHING THAT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE AND US FIELD IT AND NOT GO THROUGH THE EXPENSE AND TIME AND MONEY AND PROBLEMS OF PROOFING OUT TECHNOLOGY FOR THAT.
>> I THINK AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH AND TALKED TO OTHER CITIES.
ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED, EACH CITY IS VERY UNIQUE IN ITS APPROACH AND HOW RESIDENTS FEEL ABOUT CERTAIN TECHNOLOGY AND HOW THEY USE IT.
SO, JUST TO SAY THAT ONE PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY WORKS IN KANSAS CITY, FOR EXAMPLE, DIDN'T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN IT WOULD WORK IN SAN ANTONIO, SO I THINK FOR US, BEFORE WE LOOK AT, IS THIS SOMETHING WE WANT AS PART OF OUR PORTFOLIO IN THE FUTURE.
WE NEED TO TEST IT IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TO SEE HOW OUR RESIDENTS RESPOND TO IT.
I THINK THAT'S A WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR AS WE MOVE FORWARD BUT WE DEFINITELY HAVE LEARNED LESSONS FROM SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES AND EVEN IN TALKING WITH SOME PRIVATE SECTOR VENDORS ABOUT HOW THIS TECHNOLOGY HAS PERFORMED AND WHAT WE INTEND TO DO WITH IT, SO --
BUT YOU'RE STILL DEALING WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
>> PERRY: AND WAS TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SUCCESSES AND YOU HAVE FAILURES, AND I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT USING TAX DOLLARS TO FAIL AT SOMETHING, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, TO PROVE SOMETHING.
AND I JUST GOT A BASIC ISSUE WITH THAT.
WE HAVE -- I MEAN, WE GOT NEIGHBORHOODS OUT HERE THAT ARE NEEDING STREETS.
WE GOT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT NEED SIDEWALKS, HUNDREDS OF MILES OF DEFICITS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT DIFFERENT ISSUES HERE AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH FIELDING INNOVATION THROUGH THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY, BUT WHEN THE CITY TAKES ON INNOVATION AND DIFFERENT PROCESSES, IT COSTS THE TAX PAYER DOLLARS.
AND ARE THEY GOING TO WANT THAT AHEAD OF -- AS MY COLLEAGUE WAS SAYING, CONNECTIVITY VERSUS A STREET? I WOULD SAY THAT MY NEIGHBORS ARE GOING TO SAY THEY WANT STREETS.
AND SO I JUST GOT A DISCONNECT ON PROVING OUT AND USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO MAKE THAT LEAP AND GO INTO TESTING THINGS OUT TO SEE FE F THEY WORK IN SAN ANTONIO OR NOT.
[02:00:01]
I'D RATHER SEE SOMETHING THAT WORKS IN OTHER PLACES AND CAN BE ADAPTED HERE FOR SAN ANTONIO AT A MUCH CHEAPER COST.IF WE EVEN DO THAT COMPARED TO WHAT OUR CORE SERVICES ARE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
>> SO, ONE THING, COUNCILMAN, ALL OF THESE DON'T HAVE TO RESULT IN ADDITIONAL COSTS.
ONE THING WE DO GET OUT OF PROVING THINGS OUT IS HOW DOES IT WORK ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE HERE TODAY? SO, DATA SHARED BETWEEN AGENCIES, DIFFERENT TYPES OF FIBER IN THE GROUND.
CONDUIT IN THE GROUND, AERIAL FIND FIBER, WIRELESS MESHES A LOT OF BACKBONE THAT MAKES THINGS WORK ARE SPECIAL -- NOT SPECIAL BUT THEY WORK IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO THE SOLUTION ITSELF, HOW DO YOU PAY FOR PARKING, MAY BE A PROVEN TECHNOLOGY BUT THE WAY IT'S IMPLEMENTED HERE OR HOW IT'S IMPLEMENTED OR THE COST TO IMPLEMENT IT, WE PROVE OUT HERE AS WELL.
I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT PART, THE PROVING PART.
THE OTHER THING IT ALLOWS US TO SET STANDARDS.
IF WE'RE ALREADY GOING TO SPEND $1 MILLION ON STREET LIGHTS MAYBE WE REPURPOSE TO SPEND THEM ON A DIFFERENT STREET LIGHT OR DIFFERENT STANDARD OR ARCHITECTURE.
IT MAY NOT BE AN ADDITIONAL COST MAY SET THE STANDARDS THAT WE USE AS WE GO FORWARD.
THE LAST, I'M GOING TO STRETCH, WE NEED TO GET TO THE SUMMIT AND HAVE THE CONVERSATION, ARE BUSINESS MODELS PROVIDERS CAN BRING TO US ABOUT COST SHARING.
EVERYBODY IS GOING TO WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS SO SOMEBODY CAN MAKE REVENUE OUT OF IT AT THE SAME TIME.
HOW DOES THAT GET REPURPOSED INTO THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
WE WANT TO ASK THE VENDORS WHAT THEIR MODELS COULD BE FOR THAT AS WELL.
YOU KNOW WHAT MY CONCERNS ARE, AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY KEEPS TALKING ABOUT THIS CONNECTIVITY THING.
DON'T WE HAVE COMPANIES GOING AROUND INSTALLING CABLE ALL OVER THIS CITY? I MEAN, GOOGLE HUTS, AT&T, ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF? ISN'T THAT CONNECTIVITY BEING PROVIDED NOW AND IN THE FUTURE?
>> WE DO, AND IT'S BEEN MORE THAN IT HAS IN THE PAST BUT IT'S NOT IN EVERY AREA OF TOWN, AND WE CAN SEE THAT FROM SOME OF THE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA FROM THE FCC.
ANOTHER THING IS THE AFFORDABILITY COMPONENT IN WHAT PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD IN TERMS OF INTERNET SERVICE, AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS TO THE DIGITAL INCLUSION PIECE.
LITERACY IS A THIRD COMPONENT TO IT.
SO, WHILE ISP, INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE ROLLING OUT STUFF THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SOME NEIGHBORS OF STILL VERY MUCH NOT CONNECTED OR UP TO SPEED.
>> PERRY: YOU SAID THEY ARE NOT BEING CONNECTED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED.
YOU MEAN HOW LONG IT'S TAKING TO BE INSTALLED?
>> NO, THE INTERNET SERVICE THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THEM.
>> PERRY: YOU KNOW, FOLKS NEED TO ENGAGE WITH THOSE COMPANIES TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE DIFFERENTLY.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN -- WELL, THAT RIGHT NOW AND I'M SURE THERE WILL BE MORE DISCUSSIONS THERE IN THE FUTURE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU COUNCILMAN PERRY.
SHERYL, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING?
>> SCULLEY: JUST ADD, AS WE TALK TO INTERNET PROVIDERS AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO GO INTO AREAS THAT NEED IT MOST, THAT DIDN'T HAVE SERVICE, THEY CHOSE INSTEAD TO GO INTO AREAS WHERE THEY COULD -- THEY HAD MORE MARKET AND WHERE THEY COULD MAKE MONEY, TO BE QUITE CANDID.
THAT'S WHERE THEY CHOSE TO GO.
SO, CONSIDERING WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE WITH REGARD TO THE GOAL OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, JUST ASKING THEM TO DO IT, I DON'T EXPECT THEY WILL JUST GO DO THAT ON THEIR OWN.
>> PERRY: ARE YOU SAYING THEY WON'T EVER GO INTO ALL OF THESE AREAS.
>> I'M NOT SAYING THEY WOULD NEVER GO INTO THOSE AREAS BUT THERE'S NOT A PLAN TO GO INTO THOSE AREAS.
>> PERRY: YOU EXPECT COMPANIES TO GO INTO AREAS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE MONEY.
I DON'T RECALL HEARING THEM SAY THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE REACHING INTO ALL AREAS OF SAN ANTONIO.
>> SCULLEY: WE HAVE NOT HEARD THEM SAY THEY WILL BE REACHING INTO ALL AREAS WITH HIGH SPEED INTERNET.
>> GONZALES: SINCE YOU'VE ADDED
[02:05:05]
THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR TO JUST EXTEND IT ONE BLOCK OUT AND INCLUDE THE DOWNTOWN UTSA CAMPUS AND MULTI MODAL IS VERY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE HERE REGARDING OPPORTUNITIES AROUND PARKING, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, LIGHTING AND TRANSIT.IT'S A -- PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT HOUSTON KIND OF TERMINATES THERE AT THE MULTI MODAL -- I'M TRYING TO ENVISION IN MY MIND IF IT TERMINATES THERE THE END OF HOUSTON STREET.
THAT'S WHAT WE USE TO COME INTO TOWN, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN OBVIOUS CONNECTION.
SO INCLUDE THAT AS YOU'RE CONSIDERING THE DOWNTOWN PILOT.
>>> THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
>> GONZALES I GET THE SAME THING.
ALL YOU ARE GOING TO DO IS GIVE ME MORE STREETS.
WHEN WE DO SIT DOWN AND EXPLAIN TO THEM, IF WE WERE TO BUILD OUT MORE STREETS FOR YOU, IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA EXCEPT IN ONE MORE YEAR YOU'LL INDUCE TRAFFIC AND THAT EXTRA LANE WILL GET FILLED UP AND YOU'LL BE BACK HERE SCREAMING AND YELLING AT ME FOR MORE STREETS, RIGHT? AND WHAT WE DO TELL THEM IS NOT JUST POURING CEMENT AND PLAYING ASPHALT THAT YOU ALSO PULL FROM THE TECHNOLOGY LEVER THAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND SOLUTIONS THAT WE NEVER REALLY TRIED.
SO, WHEN I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THERE IS NO MORE ROOM TO BUILD STREETS BECAUSE THERE'S NO MORE RIGHT-OF-WAY IN CERTAIN AREAS, WHAT HAS PROVEN TO HELP IN OTHER AREAS, OR THESE -- IS LIKE MACHINES RUNNING.
AND WHILE -- AND THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF THOSE SYSTEMS, RIGHT? AND OUR CHALLENGE WHICH WOULD YOU PICK AND WHICH WOULD YOU PICK FOR OUR MEDICAL CENTER THAT MIGHT NOT WORK FOR OTHERS OR OTHER CITIES.
THAT'S WHERE THESE GEOGRAPHIC LABORATORIES COME INTO PLACE.
AND THEY GET IT AND SAY, LOOK, RIGHT NOW YOUR STREET LIGHTS ARE SET ON EGG TIMERS AND THOSE EGG TIMERS DON'T ADAPT TO A SPURS GAME GETTING OUT.
THEY DON'T ADAPT TO TRAFFIC JAMS CAUSED BY AN 18-WHEELER AT THE I-35 INTERCHANGE.
THEY DON'T ADAPT TO UTSA SCHEDULES AND SUMMER SCHOOL SCHEDULES THEY ARE ON EGG TIMERS.
THAT'S NOT A SMART WAY TO RUN IT WHEREAS SOME SYSTEMS THAT WE COULD TEST OUT ARE LEARNING REALTIME AND BASED ON HOW THE SWARM OF PEOPLE MOVE AROUND SAN ANTONIO, AND THAT OFTENTIMES IS MUCH CHEAPER THAN POURING MORE CONCRETE AND LAYING MORE ASPHALT.
WHEN I EXPLAIN THAT TO MY CITIZENS, YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE.
YOU'RE REALLY SETTING THESE THINGS ON EGG TIMERS? YEAH, WE REALLY ARE.
I WOULD RATHER TRY THAT THAN YOU POURING A BRAND-NEW HIGHWAY FOR ME.
AND I FEEL THAT, RIGHT? AGAIN IT'S PART OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE TALKING ABOUT WHAT IT IS WE'RE SOLVING FOR.
RIGHT? I WILL TELL YOU ADDRESSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE COMMENTS, WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR DECADES NOW FOR A LOT OF THESE PRIVATE COMPANIES TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, BROADBAND ACCESS TO SOME OF OUR MORE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WAIT -- HAVE AN INTEREST, NO MONEY TO BE MADE TO PROVIDE THE POOREST OF THE POOR ACCESS TO INFORMATION.
AND THERE'S A REASON THEY'RE THE POOREST OF THE POOR AND ONE OF THE REASONS, THEY ARE NOT ACCESSING BROADBAND AND THEY DON'T ACCESS THE INFORMATION YOU AND I TAKE FOR GRANTED, SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO WAIT, I GUESS.
I'M NOT SURE CONTINUING TO WAIT AND LETTING SOMEBODY ELSE FIGURE IT OUT FOR US IS A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION TO ANY PROBLEM, BUT ALONG THOSE LINES, I'LL TELL YOU, SAHA FIGURED IT OUT.
SAHA HAS ALREADY GOT A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY POOR PEOPLE WORKING AND LIVING IN THEIR FACILITIES AND THEY REALIZE THE ONLY WAY FOR THEM TO FIND A JOB IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE IS TORE THEM TO HAVE ACCESS TO WI-FI.
THE ONLY WAY FOR KIDS TO DO HOME WORK AT SCHOOL THESE DAYS IS TO HAVE ACCESS TO WI-FI.
THE ONLY WAY TO STAY IN CONTACT WITH LOVED ONES IS NO LONGER BY POSTAL SERVICE BUT TO HAVE ACCESS TO WI-FI AND THE FOR PROFIT MODEL.
THERE'S THINGS CITIES DO THAT PRIVATE COMPANIES DON'T.
THERE'S NO PRIVATE COMPANIES OUT THERE POLICING NEIGHBORHOODS SO THEY CAN MAKE A BUCK.
WE OFFER WATER SERVICE TO PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT.
WE OFFER SIDEWALKS FOR EXAMPLE.
I THINK THE GENERAL CONSENSUS AROUND THE WORLD IS THAT INTERNET HAS NOW BECOME A
[02:10:01]
UTILITY IN MANY WAYS, AND THAT WITHOUT IT, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO THRIVE.AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE THIS IS BORN FROM AND THERE'S LOTS OF HONEY TO BE MADE FROM YOU AND ME, AND BECAUSE WE CAN BUY ALL OF THE SERVICES WE WANT.
WE CAN GET VERY, VERY BROADBAND SO WE CAN DO THINGS LIKE WATCH NETFLIX AND BINGE WATCH OUT OF THAT.
BUT THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE MOST BASIC OF INFORMATION.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SOLVING FOR.
THIS IS A CONVERSATION I HAVE EVERY DAY WITH MY CONSTITUENTS.
THEY SAY OKAY, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SOLVING FOR.
>>> THANK YOU COUNCILMAN PELAEZ.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE BRINGING OUT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT.
YOU SAID YOURSELF THERE'S SOLUTIONS AND WE DON'T NEED TO GO TO TEST OR PROVING GROUND TO TEST THOSE SYSTEMS. THEY'RE OUT THERE TODAY.
THE INTERNET HAS BEEN OUT THERE TODAY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING DECADES BUT IT'S COMING AND IT HAS BEEN COMING.
I MEAN, THEY ARE OUT THERE INSTALLING AS WE SPEAK.
AGAIN, IT'S THIS TESTING AND PROVING THAT I HAVE THE ISSUE WITH ABOUT SPENDINGND TAX DOLLA ON SOMETHING THAT'S COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE OUT THERE.
COME ON AND TALK OVER TO DISTRICT 10.
EXPLAIN THAT TO US, INNOVATION.
>> BUILDINGS ARE NOT CONNECTED.
WE CAN WALK OVER THERE RIGHT NOW AND YOU SEE THERE'S NO SERVICE.
SO, IT IS -- AND EVEN A SMALL BUSINESS LIKE MINE HAS TO VERY V REDUNDANT SERVICE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT BROAD WANT SO WE HAVE TO HAVE TABLE OR WHATEVER AT&T OFFERS.
IT'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND THE PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE.
SO THERE'S CERTAINLY NOT A -- AN AFFORDABILITY PROGRAM AVAILABLE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU.
AND TO UNITED STATES SCORE THE POINT, THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IS NOT JUST ABOUT DIGITAL INCLUSION.
DIGITAL ACCESS CORRELATES TO SOCIOECONOMIC SEGREGATION TO POVERTY, TO LACK OF EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES TO HIGHER CRIME RATES.
THESE THINGS ARE ALL CORRELATED AND THERE ARE PORTIONS OF THIS THAT WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND SO LOOK FORWARD TO THE OUTCOME OF THE REQUEST FOR
[Executive Session]
PROPOSALS.THE TIME IS NOW 4:25 P.M. ON THIS 6TH DAY OF JUNE 2018.
PURSUANT TO AT AUTHORITY GRANTED THE BY CHAPTER 551 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CAN TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT THE COUNCIL WILL RECESS TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THE PURCHASE LEASE EXCHANGE OR VALUE OF PROPERTY PURSUANT TO CODE 551072 REAL PROPERTY AND SETTLEMENT OFFER AND LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY BY CHANDRA.
PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.