[Special Called Budget And Fiscal Affairs]
[00:00:06]
WELCOME TO TODAY'S SPECIAL CALL BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING.
TODAY IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH.
IT IS 10 0 3 AND I AM MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN.
I CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND WOULD LIKE TO ME WELCOME ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE.
WE HAVE JOINING US IN PERSON, COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK, DISTRICT A COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN, DISTRICT C COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS, DISTRICT H, AND COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN AT LARGE POSITION FIVE AND STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL KNOX'S, OFFICE AND VICE MAYOR PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX, TATUM'S OFFICE AND COUNCIL MEMBER AT LARGE LETITIA PLUMMER'S OFFICE.
AND WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBER CHAIRMAN OF TT AYE, DAVID ROBINSON.
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE THERE ARE MEMBER, ANY MEMBERS IN THE PUBLIC WHO ARE HERE IN PERSON WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
THERE IS A SIGNUP SHEET AT THE FRONT TABLE TO MY LEFT, YOUR RIGHT, MY STAFF MEMBER WILL BE MONITORING THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS LEAD LIST COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF.
PLEASE HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL AFTER THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, MR. ANDY ICKEN, TO PRESENT THE NEW AND EXCITING BUFFALO BIO EAST AGREEMENT.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
ENJOYED THE COVERAGE LAST NIGHT ON ALL THE TV STATIONS.
UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT IT.
AND BEFORE I GET STARTED, UH, YES, I'M MAKING THE PRESENTATION, BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN DOING THIS.
UH, WE STARTED A CONVERSATION WITH THE KINDERS IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
UH, THEY CAME TO US ALONG WITH, WITH ANN OLSEN, A BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP WITH A CONCEPT.
AND I MUST SAY THE CONCEPT THAT YOU'LL HEAR ME DESCRIBE TODAY IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE CONCEPT THAT I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE DOING, WHETHER IT BE IN MEMORIAL PARK, UH, WHETHER IT BE BUFFALO BAYOU GREENWAY, WHETHER IT BE WITH A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION, WITH THE PARKS BOARD, WITH BAYOU GREENWAYS, THE CONCEPTS ARE ALL THE SAME, AND THOSE CONCEPTS ARE CITY PARKS AND LANDS WILL BE IMPROVED WITH BOTH A COMBINATION OF CITY FUNDS AND PRIVATE FUNDS.
I WILL TELL YOU THE UNDERLYING THEME OF THE DISCUSSIONS FROM DAY ONE WITH THE KINDERS WAS VERY MUCH, IF WE GET THIS PHILANTHROPY, WHICH WE PROPOSE TO DO TO COUNCIL HERE TODAY, WE WILL MAINTAIN IT AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN THE UNDERWRITING PRINCIPLE THAT RICH HAS PUT IN FRONT OF US DEAL AFTER DEAL.
AND IN EACH CASE, WE HAVE SUCCEEDED IN FINDING WAYS TO DO THAT.
UH, I'LL DESCRIBE THAT IN MORE DETAIL, BUT BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I WANNA COMMENT THAT, UH, THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE IN THE CITY THAT HAVE BEEN INTEGRALLY INVOLVED.
ANDREA TAYLOR IS HERE FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, WHO HAS DONE A GREAT DEAL.
AND, UH, BRIAN PRIMAN ON MY STAFF HAS ALSO DONE, AND BOTH OF THEM HAVE PUT HOURS AFTER HOURS TO MAKE THIS A REALITY.
IN ADDITION, YOU'LL HAVE IN THE AUDIENCE ANNE OLSON AND THE FOLKS FROM BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP.
UH, YOU SAW THE MEDIA REPORT YESTERDAY ON THE BROAD BASE OF FOLKS THAT WERE AT, UH, THE EVENT ITSELF.
COUNCIL MEMBER CI CISNEROS AND COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS WERE THERE ALSO FOR THE EVENT.
UH, I THINK IT WAS ACCURATELY REPORTED IN THE CHRONICLE YESTERDAY AND TODAY AND WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
SO FROM THERE, LET ME GO TO THE NEXT CHART.
I'LL START OFF SAYING THAT THIS AGREEMENT IS MODELED AFTER THE MEMORIAL PARK AGREEMENT.
YES, THERE ARE DIFFERENT PARTIES INVOLVED.
IT WAS THE MEMORIAL PARK CONSERVANCY THERE VERSUS BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP IN DOING THAT.
BUT THE BASIC CONCEPTS, IT IS A LONG AGREEMENT.
IT'S, UH, SOME 62 PAGES OF AN AGREEMENT AND IT IS ALSO 150 PAGES OF ATTACHMENTS.
THE PROCESS, WHEN WE WORK THROUGH THESE ELEMENTS LIKE THIS, IS A VERY DETAILED PLAN, AND YOU'LL FIND PAGE AFTER PAGE ON EXACTLY WHEN PROJECTS WILL HAPPEN, WHERE THE FUNDS COME FROM, AND WHAT THE COMMITMENTS ARE TO EXECUTE THEM CASE BY CASE.
UH, IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT BECAUSE IT IS A MAJOR CHANGE.
THE AREA I WILL DESCRIBE TO YOU IS, UH, FOUR MILES LONG FROM GUADALUPE PARK TO THE TURNING BASIN TO THE EAST OF DOWNTOWN, A SIGNIFICANT PART.
AND YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THIS IS THE MAJOR POINT I WANNA MAKE, HAVE BEEN APPROVING SOME CAPITAL PROJECTS IN THIS AREA ALREADY.
IN FACT, THERE ARE NO NEW CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR THE CIP AS PART OF THIS.
THEY'RE EITHER COMING FROM TSAS OR THEY'RE COMING FROM PHILANTHROPY OR THEY'RE COMING FROM THE COUNTY.
AND THAT'S THE DISTINCTION IN THIS DEAL THAT I'VE NOT COME FORWARD BEFORE.
THIS IS A JOINT COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY, THE COUNTY, AND BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP.
I'VE MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE TWO 30 YEAR RENEWALS
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THAT COUNCIL WILL GET TO VOTE ON AT THE END OF EACH RENEWAL AS PART OF THIS, JUST AS YOU DID IN MEMORIAL PARK AGREEMENT AT THAT TIME.AS I'VE SAID, THERE'S NO CHANGE TO THE CIP PLAN, NO CHANGE TO GENERAL FUND REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS DEAL, UH, ANY OF THE MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS AND OTHERS WILL COME FROM THE TERRA WHO HAVE PUT UP CAPITAL DOLLARS TO MAINTAIN THOSE.
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WE ARE BUILDING ON SOME REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED TO THE EAST TO THE WEST OF JENSEN, UH, THAT, UH, RELATES TO A HOUSING PROJECT AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE BANK IN THAT AREA.
UH, THERE WILL BE SOME, SOME FUTURE, UH, ALLOCATIONS.
YOU HAVE TO APPROVE THAT YOU'RE ALREADY IN THE CIP AS YOU DO WITH ANY APPROPRIATION IN A CAPITAL BUDGET ON DOING THAT.
UH, PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IS CDBG MIT MONEY.
UH, WE'LL COVER ONE STREET, WHICH I'LL MENTION IN THE END OF THAT.
IT'S ACTUALLY THE VERY FIRST ITEM ON AGENDA TOMORROW IS RENAMING A STREET.
FOLEY STREET WAS ERRONEOUSLY CALLED FRON FOLEY STREET.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE IN THE CITY ALREADY, AND WE'LL BE ASKING YOU TO RENAME THAT AS A MARONE PARKWAY AS AN ACCESS TO THAT THE CITY OWNS, WITH RESPECT TO NAMING, THE CITY OWNS 85% OF THE LAND, SO IT QUALIFIES UNDER CITY ORDINANCES TO DO THAT.
AND YOU WILL BE PASSING THE, THE TOURS BUDGETS, FORTS 18, WHICH IS THE FIFTH WARD TOURS AND TOURS 23, WHICH IS THE HARRISBURG TOURS, BOTH OF WHICH ARE INVOLVED IN THIS AND ENGAGED AND HAVE PASSED.
THE ITEMS THAT WHICH ARE SHOWING HERE.
THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ARE MAKING SIMILAR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS HERE, SIMILAR MAINTENANCE.
SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT A MAINTENANCE FUND, THE MAINTENANCE FUND COMES 50% FROM BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT HOW THAT'S CREATED.
25% FROM THE CITY, 25% FROM THE COUNTY.
AGAIN, THIS IS A FULL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY IN THIS ARRANGEMENTS.
THIS ACCELERATES THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE EAST SIDE.
AND LET ME GO TO THE NEXT CHART.
UM, YOU, I JUST TRY TO SHOW YOU SOME CHARTS AND I'LL HAVE SOME PICTURES HERE.
AND AT THE VERY END OF THE PRESENTATION, I'VE GOT SOME OF THE SKETCHES THAT WERE SHOWN IN THE MEDIA AND EVERYBODY ELSE, SO YOU GET A SENSE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
BUT THIS REC COVERS A FOUR MILE AREA FROM GUADALUPE PARK OUT TO THE TURNING BASIN.
IT HAS SEVERAL CENTERS AND CIRCLES THAT I'M GONNA GO THROUGH IN JUST A SECOND SO YOU CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT'S INVOLVED, UM, FOR DOING THIS.
THIS IS THE OVERVIEW OF THE AREA.
THE NEXT CHART, THE DOWNTOWN GATEWAY AREA, UH, IS COVERS REALLY FROM ALLEN'S LANDING TO THE EAST UNDERNEATH 59 AND WORKS ON PROJECTS IN THAT AREA.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THERE.
THE NEXT PART, THE SO-CALLED CENTRAL HUB, WHICH REALLY WAS WHERE WE HAD THE PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY, UH, AT TONY MARONE PARK ON THE SOUTH BANK OF THE RIVER, UH, SPECIFICALLY TONY MARONE PARK.
WE'LL GO FROM 20 ACRES THAT IT IS TODAY TO 40 ACRES.
WHEN THIS FINISHED, THERE'S LAND ACQUISITION IMPROVEMENTS AND ACTUALLY A MAINTENANCE FACILITY THAT THE COUNTY WILL BUILD AS PART OF DOING THIS TO HANDLE MUCH OF THE MAINTENANCE ON THIS IN THIS AREA.
TO THAT, IN THIS AREA IS ALSO ONE OF THE OTHER KEY ELEMENTS OF THIS PROJECT.
PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES LINKING THE FIFTH WARD ON THE NORTH TO THE EAST END ON THE SOUTH TWO PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES.
ONE IS AT GREG STREET, WHICH IS A STREET ON THE NORTH SIDE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EAST RIVER PROJECT.
THE SECOND IS AT JTT CREEK, UH, WHICH IS FURTHER TO THE EAST, AND A PARK IS CREATED UP AT THE TOP.
PART OF THAT ALSO, THE LAST PART IS THE PART THAT WE CALL THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THEMES HERE.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GENTRIFY THE EAST END AS PART OF THIS.
WE'RE BUILDING ON THE STRUCTURE THAT IS THERE ALREADY.
UH, TURKEY, TURKEY BEND IS ACTUALLY, IT HAS A CEMENT PLANT IN IT.
UH, IT WAS A WAR WHARF AND A WAREHOUSE THAT WAS BEEN THERE FOR YEARS.
UH, BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP HAS PURCHASED IT.
WE WILL BE MODIFYING A MAJOR PIECE OF IT AS PART OF THE HISPANIC ARCHIVES PROJECT.
A CAPITAL PROJECT THAT YOU APPROVED IN $19.5 MILLION, UH, IN THE CIP AND HAS BEEN UNDER DISCUSSION AND WORK IS NOW PROCEEDING ON THAT.
AND THE EASTERN END OF THIS PROJECT, UH, WHICH THERE ARE NOT A GREAT NUMBER OF PROJECTS HERE, BUT THERE ARE SOME FALL THERE, UH, GOES ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE TURNING BASIN THAT I DESCRIBED RIGHT HERE, THIS FOUR MILE STRETCH.
UH, I THINK IF YOU WANNA PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, UH, BUFFALO BAYOU PARK, WHICH I CAME HERE TO DESCRIBE SOME SEVEN YEARS AGO, IS A THREE MILE STRETCH THAT GOES FROM DOWNTOWN TO THE WEST TO SHEPHERD.
UH, SO THIS REALLY IS A CONTINUATION.
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UH, THIS IDEA, LET ME GO TO THE NEXT CHART.UH, IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE INVENTED OVERNIGHT.
YES, THE KINDERS CAME TO US IN JANUARY AFTER MUCH CONVERSATION WITH BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP, BUT FOR OVER 20 YEARS, BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP HAS BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE EAST END.
THEY HAVE BEEN ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY IN MANY PARTS HERE.
SO WE ARE, WE'VE DESCRIBED IT AS SOMETHING THAT BEGAN AND HAS BEEN DISCUSSED FOR SOME TEAM TIME.
UH, BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPED A MASTER PLAN.
THEY ENGAGED OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THERE WERE TWO COMMUNITY GROUPS VERY MUCH INVOLVED WITH PEOPLE FROM THE NORTH, UH, THAT WERE PART OF DOING THIS.
AND PEOPLE FROM THE SOUTH, I WOULD SAY HARVEY CLEMENS, JOETTA STEVENSONS, WERE VERY MUCH INVOLVED ON THE NORTH SIDE PLANNING.
UH, JESSICA HALSEY TO GIVE YOU A NAME, WAS VERY MUCH INVOLVED FROM THE SOUTH, AND YOU COULD SEE THE LIST OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED AND ENGAGED IN THIS MASTER PLANNING PROCESS.
UH, THE PLANNING WAS STARTED IN 17.
IT WAS PUT INTO A MORE CONCRETE FORM, BRINGING EXPERTS INTO THE FIELD IN 19.
AND AT THAT TIME, AFTER THAT PLAN WAS IN PLACE, THE QUESTION WAS, HOW DO WE EXECUTE IT? WHERE DO WE FIND ALL THE FUNDING TO PUT A PROJECT LIKE THIS TOGETHER? UH, BUT I WANT TO SAY THAT PROBABLY THE PART OF THIS THAT ALL OF US WERE MOST IMPRESSED WAS THE CONTINUED ONGOING ENGAGEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY IN THIS PROJECT AND MAKING THIS A PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
TH THE, WE ARE GONNA GET AT THE SPECIFICS OF PROJECTS, AND I'LL TOUCH ON THESE.
YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU MANY DETAILS OF, OF HOW THESE PROJECTS ARE PUT TOGETHER.
BUT ON THE EASTERN END, UH, WE HAVE SOME AREAS CALLED THE DOWNTOWN TRAILS ASSOCIATION.
AND THAT STARTS OVER BY THE RAILROAD TRACKS THAT BEND BEHIND THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON THAT GO OVER THERE AND THEN MOVES EAST.
UH, THOSE TRAIL SYSTEMS ON THE NORTH AND THE SET ON THE NORTH SIDE, THEY'RE FUNDED BY, UH, SOME LAND SALES THAT WE ALREADY MADE, AND YOU ALREADY APPROVED THE SO-CALLED O HOLLA PROJECT, UH, THAT WAS DONE IS BEING DONE BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UH, THAT TRAIL IS FUNDED BY THAT ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
UH, TUR 23, UH, HAS IN FACT FUNDED AND $6.6 MILLION ARE PART OF THE TRAIL SYSTEM.
THAT GOES OVER TO TONY MARONE PARK ON DOING THIS.
UM, THE GREG STREET BRIDGE IS WHAT I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT'S SHOWN AS SEA.
IT'S A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, MUCH LIKE YOU SEE BEHIND THE HOBBY.
FOR EXAMPLE, UH, BEHIND THE HOBBY CENTER, A, A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE THAT WILL LINK NORTH AND SOUTH.
A VERY SIGNIFICANT PARTNER TO THIS AGREEMENT WAS MIDWAY AND THE EAST RIVER PROJECT.
UH, THEY ENGAGED WITH US IN THAT PROJECT.
UH, THEY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED FROM THE BEGINNING ON THE SIZES OF THE TRAILS AND HOW THE TRAILS FIT INTO THE GOLF COURSE THEY'RE BUILDING RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'LL OPEN IN A MONTH ON THE EAST RIVER PROJECT ON THAT END.
UM, THERE ARE SOME TEMPORARY TRAILS AS THEIR DEVELOPMENT PROCEEDS.
IN FACT, THEIR FIRST IMPROVEMENT.
THE MULTIFAMILY PROJECT WILL BE OPENING, UH, SHORTLY ON THE WESTERN END OF THE EAST RIVER PROJECT.
THAT'S THE OLD KBR SITE OF 162 ACRES, UH, THAT HAS MUCH DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL AND IS ACTUALLY BEING EXECUTED AS I SPEAK RIGHT HERE.
AS YOU GO FURTHER TO THE EAST, YOU'LL SEE ANOTHER BRIDGE CROSSING.
IT'S, IT'S CALLED H ON THIS I AM AM ON THIS, UH, THAT'S THE JAPE CREEK.
UH, THERE IS A PARK BEING CREATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THIS, AND JAPE CREEK WILL HAVE A BRIDGE OVER TO THE SOUTH SIDE INTO TONY MARONE PARK.
AGAIN, A WAY OF LINKING THE TWO COMMUNITIES.
I CAN GO BACK TO MY DAYS WHEN PETER BROWN WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER HERE, AND PETER BROWN TALKED ABOUT THE VARIOUS LINKAGES BETWEEN THE EAST END AND THE FIFTH WARD.
HE ACTUALLY HAD A PLANNED TROLLEY AT ONE TIME ACROSS HIRSCH TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
THIS FULFILLS ONE OF THOSE EXPECTATIONS FROM SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
THE TONY MARONE PARK LAND IS BEING ACQUIRED.
YOU'LL SEE, UH, THREE, THREE BLOCKS THERE OF WHERE LAND IS ACQUIRED.
THE COUNTY, UH, WILL BE MAINTAINING PARK M PARK PARK H TO THE LEFT OF YORK STREET, BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE THE PRESS CONFERENCE WAS YESTERDAY ON THIS EVENT.
EXPANSION OF TONY MARONE PARK IS SHOWN IN J BELOW J THERE IS THE STREET I MENTIONED THAT WE ARE CREATING, UH, TO LINK TOGETHER OVER TO LOCKWOOD, UH, THE HOUSING PROJECTS OF THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP.
YOU VOTED ON THE FIRST HOUSING PROJECT COUNCIL MEMBER ROS.
YOU WERE VERY OUTSPOKEN AT THAT, AT THAT POSITIVE SUPPORT OF THAT HOUSING PROJECT.
UH, MARONE PARKWAY WILL LINK FROM LOCKWOOD OVER TO TONY MARONE PARK
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IN YORK, UH, TO DO THAT, TO BE THAT.THERE ARE OTHER PHASES OF THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP HOUSING PROJECT.
THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS PLAN, BUT THEY'RE STILL IN THE INTERNAL PLANS OF BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP.
UH, THERE ARE OTHER ELEMENTS TO THIS PLAN THAT GO DOWN ON THE YELLOW SIDE OF THIS THAT RELATE TO THE TURK, THE TURKEY BEND PROJECT HERE.
UH, WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU SEE THERE IS, UH, THE ROAD THAT CUTS ACROSS THERE TO NAVIGATION AND LINKING THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEGOTIATIONS ARE UNDERWAY AS I SPEAK WITH, UH, GSD AND BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP TO CREATE THE HISPANIC ARCHIVES IN THIS PROJECT.
SO YOU HAVE A POTPOURRI OF PROJECTS.
ALL OF YOU, ALL THE CITY PROJECTS ITSELF WERE VOTED ON BY YOU AS THE CIP OR WERE PART OF A TOURIST PLAN TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THE LINKAGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED HERE ARE REALLY THE IMPORTANT THINGS.
UH, THIS ULTIMATELY IS 190 ACRES OF LAND.
UH, I WILL POINT OUT BUFFALO BAYOU PARK WAS 164 ACRES IN DOING THAT.
SO THERE'S GREAT COMPARABILITY TO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE WEST NOW DEALING WITH ONE OF THE TWO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, UH, TO THE EAST SIDE OF THIS TOWN.
AND THAT POINT WAS, UH, STRESSED YESTERDAY REPEATEDLY BY ALMOST EVERY SPEAKER ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE HERE AND WHAT THIS PROJECT DOES FOR EVERYBODY.
HOW YOU MEET THESE ASSETS ARE MAINTAINED.
THOSE AREAS WITHIN THE EAST RIVER PROJECT WILL BE MAINTAINED BY THEM EXCEPT FOR THOSE THAT ARE PART OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE BUILT HERE.
THE MAINTENANCE FUND ITSELF WILL DO IT AS WE USE MAINTENANCE TO MAINTAIN CAPITAL ASSETS THAT ARE BUILT.
SUMMARIZING ON OVERALL, UH, THERE'S $310 MILLION IN TOTAL.
IF I ADD UP ALL THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND PIECES TO DO THIS.
UH, FOR THE 10 YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN, THERE'S A, THE KINDER DONATION OF A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
UH, THE ONE DISTINCTION THAT HAS BEEN MADE THIS TIME THAT WAS NOT MADE IN PREVIOUS 13.5 OF THAT IS BEING SET UP FOR A MAINTENANCE ENDOWMENT.
AND THAT IN EFFECT, PAYS FOR THE 50% MAINTENANCE FOR BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP.
THEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY COME FORWARD WITH THEIR QUARTER OF THE MAINTENANCE TO DO THAT THROUGH ARTUR THAT MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, THE DISTINCTION HERE BETWEEN PARK PROJECTS AND NOT PARK NON-PAR PROJECTS IS MADE.
UH, THINGS OF THE NON-PAR PROJECTS WOULD BE LIKE THE ARCHIVES.
LOCKWOOD IS ALREADY IN THE CIP AS A MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, UH, THAT PUBLIC WORKS BROUGHT TO YOU AND THAT'S BEING DONE.
AND OF COURSE, LOCKWOOD ALSO IS PART OF THE BRT SYSTEM THAT METRO IS BRINGING FORWARD.
SO LET ME SUMMARIZE WHAT I'VE SAID HERE.
UH, WE ARE RESTORING, WE'RE IMPROVING, WE'RE EXPANDING PARKLAND.
TONY MARONE PARK ON THE SOUTH JAPE CREEK ON THE NORTH.
THERE ARE BIKE TRAILS ALL ALONG, UH, THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH HERE TO COLLECT TO LOCKWOOD DRIVE, TAKING OUR SYSTEM FROM THE EAST AT LOCKWOOD ALL THE WAY TO THE WEST TO SHEPHERD.
AS THIS CUTS THROUGH THE NEW BRIDGES THAT SPAN, THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES SPAN THE BAYOU TO DO THIS, THERE IS A NEW CENTRAL MAINTENANCE FACILITY, UH, AT TONY MARONE PARK RIGHT TO THE WEST OF YORK.
TO DO THAT, UH, THERE ARE PUBLIC STREETS, MARONE PARKWAY THAT DO THIS.
THERE IS, AS COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THE 80 UNIT MULTI-FAMILY PROJECT THAT IS RIGHT OFF OF LOCKWOOD, UH, DOING THAT.
AND THAT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AS I SPEAK RIGHT NOW, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FACILITY AT TURKEY BEND WITH THE HISPANIC HISTORIC RESEARCH CENTER.
AND THEN THE INDUSTRIAL SPACE AT TURKEY BEND IS INTENDED TO BE A TRANSFORMATIONAL, VIBRANT, UH, PUBLIC SPACE.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE SUMMARY OF THE PARK PROJECTS, THE COUNTY'S PUTTING UP $23 MILLION, 10, ABOUT $10 MILLION FROM, UH, RODNEY ELLIS, THE REMAINDER FROM COUNTS.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA, UH, WHO WERE VERY ALSO SPOKE YESTERDAY'S SESSION TO DO THAT.
UH, THE CITY'S PROJECTS HERE RELATE TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, UH, WHETHER THEY BE FOR, UH, THE, UH, GREENWAY AREAS ALONG THE BAYOU OR OTHER PARK RELATED PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF, ALONG THAT OTHER CAPITAL PROJECTS ON NON-PAR PROJECTS, 46 MILLION.
A LOT OF THAT RELATES TO THE, THE ARCHIVES IS 19.5 OF IT.
UH, THE REST OF IT IS LARGELY THE LOCKWOOD RECONSTRUCTION.
THE NEXT CHART SHOWS IN DETAIL EACH OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM THE DOWNTOWN GATEWAY TO THE SOUTH BANK TRAIL, WHICH COMES FROM TERRA 23,
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THE GREG STREET BRIDGE, THE EAST RIVER TRAILS, MARONE PARKWAY, UH, ALL OF THOSE, WE'VE GOT DETAILS.WE'VE GOT YEARS OF WHEN THEY WILL BE CONSTRUCTED.
THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES, FOR EXAMPLE, WILL BE DONE IN 2027, BUT THERE IS A SEQUENCE AND, AND I MUST SAY, WHILE THE PROCESS WAS LONG AND THE PROCESS WAS DETAILED AND ENGAGING, IT ALSO FORCED UPON ALL OF US A RECOGNITION OF HOW YOU EXECUTE PROJECTS THIS BIG AND THIS VARIED IN SCOPE, THIS VARIED IN GEOGRAPHY.
SO THE PROCESS ITSELF REALLY PUT A DISCIPLINE ON ALL OF US AT OUR PARTS OF THIS AGREEMENT TO MAKE SURE WE HAD SOMETHING THAT WE BELIEVE CAN BE DONE, DONE IN THE TIMEFRAME THAT WE HAVE TO DO, DO IT, AND EXECUTE IT IN A WAY THAT MEETS THIS.
I WILL SAY THE MWBE FOR THE DOLLARS HERE WILL BE FOLLOW THE SAME PRINCIPLES THAT WE HAD IN MEMORIAL PARK.
IE THEY, THE AGREEMENT WILL MEET THE, SATISFY THE OVERALL EXPENDITURE MEETING THE CITY'S MWBE GOALS.
IT'S A COMMITMENT OF BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP.
LEMME TALK ABOUT MAINTENANCE, UH, THE EAST RIVER TRAILS AND THE GREG STREET TRAILS THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH EAST RIVER MIDWAY.
THAT'LL BE A SEPARATE AGREEMENT.
WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU WITH THAT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT'S BEEN AGREED TO BY MIDWAY, UH, ARRAY.
THEY WERE VERY MUCH ENGAGED IN YESTERDAY'S PRESS CONFERENCE AND THEY HAVE BEEN ENGAGED WITH US FROM THE BEGINNING, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS IN OTHER AREAS.
AND IF YOU READ THE DETAILS OF THE AGREEMENT, THE FIRST AREA ON TOP HERE IS ACTUALLY CALLED THE EXCLUDED AREAS.
IN THE AGREEMENT ITSELF, IT IS THE EAST RIVER PROJECT, BUT IT'LL BE MAINTAINED BY THEM.
AND WE, WE WILL HAVE, AND WE HAVE DOCUMENTATION FROM MIDWAY THAT THEY WILL MAINTAIN THOSE, THE OTHER AREAS, UH, BBP WILL HAVE THAT, THAT IS THE OTHER ITEM ON COUNCIL.
THERE ARE THREE ITEMS ON COUNCIL TOMORROW ON THIS AGREEMENT.
FIRST WAS THE RENAMING OF, OF FOLEY STREET TO MARONE PARKWAY.
SECOND IS THIS AGREEMENT I AM DESCRIBING RIGHT NOW.
THE THIRD, UH, WHEN WE TAKE CITY PARKLAND AND THE CITY IS OWNING ALL OF THESE PROPERTIES.
LET ME BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
WE HAVE TO DELEGATE TO BBP, THE RIGHT TO MAINTAIN IT.
AND THAT'S THE THIRD ITEM THAT'S IN THERE.
YOU'LL, IT'S CHAPTER 26 AND CHAPTER 32 THAT YOU WILL, THAT YOU, WE ARE DELEGATING THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITIES FROM THE PARK DEPARTMENT TO BBP TO MAINTAIN THIS USING THIS FUND THAT I'M DESCRIBING RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S, WE'VE DONE THAT IN OTHER AGREEMENTS.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, UH, IN ORDER TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.
UH, TURNS 18 AND 23, AS I SAY, WILL BE VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THAT TOO.
SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, UH, AS WE SPEAK THIS ITEM IS BEFORE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
UH, WE EXPECT THAT TO BE PASSED, UH, BY 1130 TODAY.
AND IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN SUPPORTED BY ALL FOLKS ON THAT.
UH, WE KNOW OF NO ISSUES THAT ARE EMERGING ON THAT.
UH, BEFORE YOU, YOU CONSIDER THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS THE ITEMS ITSELF.
WE'LL HAVE A REPORT FOR YOU ON IF ANYTHING EMERGED AT, AT COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT WHEN WE FIRST BEGAN THIS PROCESS, AND I BEGAN THE NEGOTIATION WITH THE TEAM HERE, UH, WE HAD RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE COMPLEXITY OF THE COUNTY AND THE CITY AND BBP AND THE DONORS ON THAT.
THAT DIDN'T TURN OUT TO BE THE CASE.
THE COUNTY WAS EXTREMELY COOPERATIVE.
THEY WERE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE PLANNING THAT COME ON, AND WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN HERE.
UH, SO FRANKLY, IT WAS ENHANCED, NOT REALLY GREATLY COME.
YES, THERE WERE A LOT OF ITERATIONS AND YES, WE, UH, WE SPENT, UH, A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME WITH OUR LAWYERS ON THEIR SIDE, OUR SIDE AND THE COUNTY SIDE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
BUT I'M COMFORTABLE THAT WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS SOMETHING THAT'S AN EXECUTABLE PLAN WITH COMMITMENTS THAT WE ALL CAN DO ON THIS.
UM, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU WITH THE TOURS.
18 AND THIRD, 23 BUDGETS AS WE ARE WITH ALL THE BUDGETS.
IT'S NOT ON THIS WEEK'S AGENDA.
IT'LL BE ON TWO WEEKS, I BELIEVE IS OUR SCHEDULE FOR THOSE TWO TO DO THAT.
WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU WITH THE EAST RIVER AGREEMENT TO MAINTAIN THE TRAILS WITHIN THE SY WITHIN THE SYSTEMS. AND THERE ARE CERTAIN CIP AND OTHER APPROPRIATIONS YOU TRADITIONALLY MAKE AS THOSE PROJECTS REAL REACH THEIR POINT OF DOING THINGS.
AND THERE ARE SOME REAL ESTATE, UH, JRC TYPE REACTIONS THAT, UH, SOME EASEMENTS AND THINGS THAT RELATE TO THE TRAILS HAPPENING THAT WE HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU TO TALK ABOUT.
UM, 36 $7 MILLION IS RA RAISED TO DATE? UH, BUT BBP FUNDRAISING WILL CONTINUE FOR THE PROJECT AND THEY STILL HAVE A, A, AN AMBITIOUS TARGET OF $46 MILLION TO RAISE THAT THEY'RE COMMITTED TO DO.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
IF YOU REMEMBER BUFFALO BAYOU PARK, UM, THAT STARTED WITH A $25 MILLION COMMITMENT FROM THE KINDERS.
THEY RAISED ANOTHER $35 MILLION TO MAKE THAT PROJECT HAPPEN.
WE THINK THESE ARE ALL ACHIEVABLE THINGS
[00:25:01]
AND FOLLOW A PATTERN.THE LAST PAGE ON THIS CHART IS THE, UH, A RECAP OF WHAT I HAVE BEEN GOING OVER THE $310 MILLION, A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, UH, KINDER GIFT ON THIS, WHAT THE PARK PROJECTS ARE, WHAT THE TRAIL PROJECTS, HOW THE MAINTENANCE DOLLARS ALL FIT TOGETHER, NO CHANGE.
AGAIN, I'LL REPEAT TO THE CIP, YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED NO CHANGE TO GENERAL FUND DOLLARS THAT ARE IN THE OPERATING BUDGET NOW OR IN THE FUTURE AND MAKING SIMILAR CONTRIBUTIONS.
WHAT I'VE GOT AFTER THAT IS SOME MORE, JUST GIVE YOU SOME PICTURES, UH, THAT THE MAYOR ASKED ME TO, TO TRY TO SHOW HERE WHAT THE RENDERINGS LOOK LIKE.
UH, THE WAY BUFFALO BAYOU, THE DOWNTOWN TRAIL SITU SITUATION THAT GOES IN ON THIS FIRST CHART, THE PROJECT LIMITS ARE SHOWN THERE AS A PERPENDICULAR LINE ACROSS THE BAYOU THERE, UH, JUST TO THE WEST OF JENSEN IS WHERE THIS PROJECT ACTUALLY BEGINS.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE EXHIBITS THAT WERE SHOWN YESTERDAY IN DOING IT.
SOME OF THE TRAIL SYSTEMS THAT FIT IN THERE.
NEXT TRAIL SYSTEMS THAT LOOK VERY MUCH LIKE OTHER TRAIL SYSTEMS WE'VE BUILT IN THE CITY.
AND, AND REALLY, I MUST POINT OUT THAT THIS IS NOT A SECOND CLASS PROJECT.
THIS IS A PROJECT THAT WOULD FIT ANYWHERE IN THE CITY.
AND, UH, BECAUSE IT'S IN AN UNDEVELOPED AREA OF THE EAST END DOESN'T MEAN WE WOULD HAVE LOWER THE QUALITY OF ANYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING HERE ON THE NORTH OR THE SOUTH OF THE BAYOU.
THE INTENT HERE IS THIS IS A PEOPLE'S PATH HERE, UH, EAST RIVER ITSELF.
ON PHASE ONE, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE INVESTMENT THAT THEY'VE ALREADY BEGUN.
UH, THEY HAVE AMBITIOUS PLANS FOR THAT PROJECT.
THE 162 ACRE EAST RIVER PROJECT, WHICH HAS A NUMBER OF, UH, VARIOUS PROJECTS IN PLACE.
THEIR FIRST MULTI-FAMILY IS COMING OUT OF THE GROUND RIGHT NOW AND SHOULD OPEN, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE TRAIL ALONG THAT AREA THERE.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER MORE INTENSE DEVELOPMENTS EXPECTED.
TONY MARONE PARK IS THE NEXT CHART THAT WE'VE SHOWN HERE AT THE CONCEPT DRAWINGS.
AGAIN, IT'LL BECOME 40 ACRES VERSUS THE 20 ACRES.
IT IS TODAY BECOME A MAJOR DESTINATION POINT FOR THE EAST END.
ANOTHER ONE, UH, DEALING WITH SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS AND SOME OF THESE PARK IMPROVEMENTS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE PLANNING HERE.
A BOAT LAUNCH AT THE BAYOU BEND IS ANOTHER PART OF THE PROJECT ITSELF.
THE BAYOU TRAIL GOING THROUGH TONY MARONE PARK.
THERE IS A BARBECUE PAVILION AS PART OF THE IMPROVEMENTS AT TONY MARONE PARK.
AGAIN, INITIATED BY THE COMMUNITY ON THE NORTH SIDE, JAFFE CREEK, UH, THESE MAJOR PARK ELEMENT THAT'S UP THERE ON THE NORTH SIDE, UH, GENERALLY TO THE EAST OF THE AREA I JUST SHOWED.
AND THEN THERE'S A LOCKWOOD GREEN SPACE, AND OF COURSE THAT IS WHERE THE MULTIFAMILY PROJECT THAT WE HAD RIGHT THERE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BAYOU, RIGHT AT LOCKWOOD.
AND THEN THE NAVIGATION GREENWAY AREA HERE, UH, THAT IS JUST, JUST NEAR WHERE THE ARCHIVES WILL BE.
HERE IS THE PICTURE OF TURKEY BEND.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE WATER WORK AREA, THE WATER AREA THAT BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP IS PROJECTING THERE.
AND IN THE NEXT CHART ON THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL THAT GOES THERE.
SO IN THE END, SOMEONE CAN GO FROM THAT AREA ALL THE WAY THROUGH DOWNTOWN, UH, RIGHT OUT TO SHEPHERD IN DOING THAT.
I THINK THIS CREATES AN INTEGRATED PARK SYSTEM FROM THE EAST TO THE WEST, AND ONE THAT WE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF AS A CITY.
THAT IS, THAT IS UNIQUE IN MANY WAYS.
YOU KNOW, WE SAID, ONE OF THE WORDS THE MAYOR SAID YESTERDAY WAS, UH, THE BAYOU SYSTEM IS A GEM FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING ON THAT, WHETHER IT'S PART OF THE MEMORIAL PARK WORK OR IT'S BAYOU GREENWAYS.
WE HAVE CREATED AN ENHANCED SYSTEM HERE OF PARK RELATED LINEAR PARKS AND ENHANCED PARKS IN THE AREA THAT, UH, IS SECOND TO NONE WHEN YOU COMPARE IT WITH ANY OTHER CITY IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO I'VE BEEN PROUD TO WORK ON THESE AND PROUD TO BRING THIS FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL TOMORROW FOR CONSIDERATION.
UH, BEFORE YOU PRESENTATION, WE WERE JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS TARSHA JACKSON AND COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IN QUEUE IS YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND MAINTENANCE ARE NOT SYNONYMOUS TERMS, RIGHT? SO I THINK THE DELEGATION OF THE MAINTENANCE ASPECT TO THE BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP MAKES A LOT OF SENSE, BUT WE HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE 7 MILLION.
WHERE DOES THAT 7 MILLION ON AN ANNUAL BASIS COME FROM? IT COMES FROM THE T FROM THE TOURISTS.
THE TOURISTS WILL, THE TERRAS ARE PUTTING CAPITAL PROJECTS
[00:30:01]
UP.SO I MEAN, THIS IS A 10 YEAR PROJECT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S $35,000 IN THE FIRST YEAR.
BUT WE BELIEVE IT'S INTEGRAL TO THE VALUE OF THOSE TERRAS THAT ARE GONNA DO THAT, UH, TO MAINTAIN THAT.
AND WE BELIEVE IT'S A VERY INTEGRAL PART OF THE PROJECT ITSELF.
AND, UM, ANDY, BY THE LOOKS OF IT, UH, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU SAID THIS ISN'T BY ANY MEANS SECOND CLASS, UH, TO THE COUNTRY.
UH, IT'S EXTRAORDINARY WHAT YOUR TEAM LEGAL, UH, BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP, OUR T HAVE COME TOGETHER AND OF COURSE THE KINDERS, UH, FOR THEIR CONTINUED GENEROSITY.
UH, I THINK IT JUST SPEAKS TO WHAT HOUSTON IS ABOUT AND WHAT HOUSTON'S COMMITTED TO.
UM, I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE CONNECTIVITY, RIGHT? WE, WE ARE EXPANDING THAT CONNECTIVITY THAT IS FOR NOT JUST THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, UM, THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING HERE, BUT FOR ALL OF HOUSTON TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE ALL OF OUR PATHS ALONG THE BAYOU THAT ALREADY EXIST AS WELL.
DOES THIS IN ANY WAY IMPACT, UM, PROPOSED FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECTS THAT ARE CONTINUING TO BE IN THE WORKS? I SAY, YOU KNOW, NORTH CANAL IS TEETERING A LITTLE BIT RIGHT NOW, BUT DOES THAT HAVE ANY IMPACT? UM, T DOT UH, YOU KNOW, NOT SO MUCH INNER KATY, WHICH IS INFLUX, BUT WHETHER I 45 AND THAT CAN CONSTRUCTION, ARE THERE, IS THIS PLAN FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO WHERE WHATEVER COMES FROM OTHER ENTITIES THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL, WE CAN ADAPT TO? THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.
LET ME, LET ME TRY TO ANSWER THAT.
UH, IN PART, THIS PLAN IS BUILT ON SOME OF THE MITIGATION STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN, FOR EXAMPLE, CLAYTON HOMES, WHICH IS, WILL BE TAKEN AND NOT FUNCTIONAL RIGHT NOW.
TWO OF THE REPLACEMENT FACILITIES ARE RIGHT IN THIS PLAN.
THE OJALA PROJECT JUST TO THE WEST OF JENSEN AND THE 800 CENTRAL THAT YOU ACTUALLY, WE SENT SOME MONEY TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THAT WILL FIT RIGHT BETWEEN MARONE PARK AND THE TRAIL SYSTEM.
THE, UH, MARONE PARKWAY IS BUILT ON MITIGATION FUNDS THAT, UH, WILL ALLOW TO BE SURE THAT WE HAVE EXITS AND WHATEVER FROM, UH, THIS AREA.
NONE OF THIS IS IN THE FLOODPLAIN IN WHERE THERE'S RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES HERE.
SO I THINK IT BUILDS ON THE WORK WE HAVE DONE THERE IN THE PAST.
UM, I LOVE THIS PROJECT AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I LITERALLY LIKE THE BEST ABOUT IT IS THAT, THAT, UM, SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME TOGETHER TO TAKE THE LONG VIEW AND TO REALLY, UM, HAVE A VISION THAT EVEN OVER, UM, MULTIPLE ADMINISTRATIONS IN THE PAST AND THEN TO COME THAT THERE IS A PATH FORWARD THAT EVERYONE IS, IS REALLY ALIGNING BEHIND TO, TO SEE HAPPEN.
AND, AND ONE THING THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD A, A WHOLE LOT ABOUT, BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS, THIS IS, UM, THIS IS WILL BECOME A REAL INTEGRAL PART OF HOUSTON'S IDENTITY.
WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOUSTON, THEY WILL TALK ABOUT THIS AMAZING, UM, SPINE THROUGH OUR CITY.
AND, AND, AND THAT LED ME TO A QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW LONG THAT IS.
HOW MANY MILES IS THAT FROM SHEPHERD TO THE TURNING BASIN? SO IT'S PROBABLY EIGHT MILES.
UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY WHO'S, WHO'S, UM, SO, UM, DEEP INTO THIS AND IT'S MADE IT HAPPEN, ANDY, YOU YOU REALLY HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, UM, A A SHEPHERD TO THIS PROJECT, BUT, BUT SO MANY OTHERS HAVE TOO.
AND, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT THE, THE, UM, ALL THE BUY-IN FROM EV FROM AT EVERY LEVEL, AT EVERY LEVEL AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE KINDERS WHO ARE ABLE TO WRITE A A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS CHECK AND TO ALL THE COMMUNITY PEOPLE WHO HAVE SHOWN UP, IT'S BEEN, THAT HAS BEEN REALLY SUPER IMPRESSIVE TO ME TO SEE HOW WELL ATTENDED THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS HAVE BEEN.
HOW, HOW IT'S NOT A A A ONE SHOT THING.
THEY ARE, THERE ARE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO BE ENGAGED AND TO GO AND TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TREMENDOUS REPRESENTATION, MULTI-GENERATIONAL, MULTI-ETHNIC PEOPLE REALLY COME OUT TO THOSE AND, AND ARE VERY ENGAGED IN PARTICIPATING.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK AS YOU TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT LIKE THAT, THAT'S KEY.
AND, AND, UM, I KNOW THAT WILL CONTINUE.
I, I WILL ADD, AND I DID MAKE THE POINT HERE, THIS IS NOT ABOUT GENTRIFICATION OF EITHER THE NORTH OR THE SOUTH SIDE.
AND IN FACT, WHAT WE HAVE DONE, AND I'LL JUST COMMENT ON THE SECOND WARD, WORK ON TXRX.
WE'RE USING EXISTING WAREHOUSES AND THESE FACILITIES RECOGNIZE THE CHARACTER AND THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THESE COMMUNITIES AND BUILDING FROM THAT FABRIC IS WHAT THIS DOES.
AND JUST ONE OTHER QUICK POINT IS THAT THAT INPUT THAT HAS BEEN COLLECTED FROM ALL THOSE PEOPLE IS REALLY REFLECTED IN THIS DESIGN AND IN THE PLAN THAT'S RIGHT.
[00:35:01]
ALCORN.AND, AND GOSH, THANK YOU TO THE KINDER FOUNDATION.
I MEAN, HONESTLY, IT'S SO EXCITING TO SEE THESE PROJECTS, MEMORIAL PARK, BUFFALO BODY PARK, ALL THIS KICKOFF BECAUSE OF THE GENEROSITY OF THEM.
UM, ON THE AGREEMENT PROJECTS, JAY, THE TONY MORAN PARK EXPANSION, EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
ARE WE DO, ARE WE JOINTLY BUYING THAT WITH THE COUNTY? WHO ARE WE BUYING UP FRONT? I MEAN, LIKE WHO OWNS THAT LAND THAT IT'S, THE DOLLARS WILL COME? WELL, WE, IT'S ALREADY 19.8 ACRES IS WHAT TONY MAR BARK IS.
BUT THE ADDITIONAL 20 THAT'S, BUT BASICALLY ON THE WEST SIDE OF YORK AND THERE'S ALSO SOME EXTENSION ON THE OTHER SIDE, UH, WE ARE NOT SPENDING ANY CITY DOLLARS THAT THOSE DOLLARS WILL COME OUT OF THE KINDER DONATION TO DO THAT.
ACTUALLY, OF THE $87 MILLION, THAT NON MAINTENANCE DOLLARS FROM THAT OVER 45 IS, UH, MAR TONY MARONE PARK.
OKAY, SO THAT'S STRAIGHT FROM THE KINDER FOUNDATION, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, THE HISPANIC ARCHIVES, I KNOW, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN TRACKING THE HERALDING OF WISE'S AND I KNOW THAT'S A TOTALLY SEPARATE PROJECT IS, BUT THAT DOESN'T FACTOR IN TO ANY OF ANY NO, IT, WE WE'RE ADDING IT TO, TO, TO ACHIEVE, OF COURSE THE 310 TOTAL.
SO THE 19.5 IS PART OF THAT, BUT THAT'S A PROJECT THE CITY WILL MANAGE.
WE WILL HAVE A CONTRACT WITH BBP WHERE WE BUILD WITHIN THEIR FACILITY, THE ARCHIVES.
THEY WILL BE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS OUTSIDE THE ARCHIVES ITSELF FOR THE WATERFRONT AND SOME OF THE WALKABLE AREAS THAT WILL BE ADJACENT TO WHERE THE ARCHIVES ARE.
BUT THAT'S A TOTALLY SEPARATE PROJECT, THE A-L-M-A-A-H-H THING.
UM, ON THE, UH, MAYOR PER TEM ASKED MY QUESTIONS ABOUT MAINTENANCE COMING, ALL COMING FROM THE TURS, IS THE WHARF PLAZA, THE WAREHOUSE THAT'S THERE.
UH, I REMEMBER GOING TO THAT GREAT EVENT WHEN Y'ALL ROLLED OUT THE, THE, UM, THE MASTER PLAN.
WHAT, WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR THAT? THAT THAT IS TO CREATE A WATERFRONT AREA.
SOME OF THE PICTURES I SHOWED OF THAT, UH, RECREATED RIGHT.
BUT THE ACTUAL BUILDING WAREHOUSE, WILL THAT JUST STAY, STAY A WAREHOUSE? YES.
WE'RE GONNA BUILD WITHIN THAT.
I HAVE A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
UH, THANK YOU ANDY, FOR GREAT PRESENTATION.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME THANK ONCE AGAIN RICH AND NC KINDER, UH, FOR THEIR, UH, UH, WONDERFUL DONATION, UH, CONTRIBUTION TO, UH, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
UH, AND ALSO THANK YOU TO ANNE OLSON AND TO THE BOARD OF BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP FOR EVERYTHING Y'ALL HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO TO BEAUTIFY OUR CITY.
UM, THIS IS EXCITING IN REGARDS TO, AGAIN, AND THANK YOU TO BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP REGARDING THE JOE CAMPO TORES PLAZA.
IT WAS MENTIONED YESTERDAY BY COMMISSIONER GARCIA, UH, AND NOW WITH THE EXTENSION OF THE TRAILS GOING EAST, UH, THE JOE CAMPOS TORRES TRAIL.
UH, THAT, THAT, THAT'S EXCITING NEWS.
UM, IN REGARDS TO YOUR PRESENTATION, ANDY, UH, YOU, YOU SHOWED TRAILS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BAYOU, CORRECT? THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT.
UH, IS THAT FROM GUADALUPE ALL THE WAY TO WA UH, FROM GUADALUPE ALL THE WAY TO ALGO PARK? YES.
AND THEN, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE CHURCH FIFTH WARD, SORRY, SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER, IT'S ONLY TO LOCKWOOD, RIGHT? THIS, I'M SORRY? IT'S ONLY TO LOCKWOOD GOING TO THE EAST, BOTH SIDES OF THE TRAILS OR, NO, JUST, JUST THIS PROJECT IS JUST FOCUSING UP TO LOCKWOOD RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT ANSWERS THE NEXT QUESTION I WAS GOING TO ASK.
'CAUSE YESTERDAY IT WAS MENTIONED LOCKWOOD, BUT TODAY YOU WERE MENTIONING ALL THE WAY TO THE TERMINAL.
NO, JUST THAT THERE'S SOME WORK THAT'S ADDITIONALLY WET EAST OF LOCKWOOD, BUT THE TRAILS THEMSELVES DON'T GO EAST OF LOCKWOOD.
JUST TO, JUST TO LOCKWOOD THAT.
UH, AND THEN GOING IN REGARDS TO, YOU MENTIONED THE COUNTY IS BUILDING A MAINTENANCE FACILITY.
THAT, THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE ALL OUR CARS WERE PARKED YESTERDAY.
THAT'S WHERE THE COUNTY IS GONNA BUILD THEM.
THE COUNTY IS PRO IS PRODUCING FUNDS AND IT'LL BE BUILT BY BVP.
AND, AND, AND SO THEREFORE THE COUNTY WILL BE MAINTAINING THE TRAIL SINCE THEY MAINTAIN NO, B-P-B-B-P WILL BE THE OPERATOR TO MAINTAIN.
THAT'S THE THIRD ITEM ON COUNCIL AGENDA THAT, THAT, THAT IN FACT WILL BE MAINTAINED.
AND, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW ALSO IN REGARDS TO THE BOAT OR THAT B OKAY.
CAN YOU PUT ME BACK IN THE QUEUE? PLEASE? GO AHEAD.
IN REGARDS TO THE BOAT THAT BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP HAS, IT GOES AND CLEANS UP THE BAYOU.
IS THAT, WILL THAT BE AT THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY? OKAY, GREAT.
IF YOU COULD PUT ME BACK ON THE QUEUE, PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
AND, UH, SO EXCITING FOR, FOR SO MANY DIFFERENT REASONS.
I'M, I'M EXCITED, UH, FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND EVERYONE THEY REPRESENT.
AND OF COURSE, THAT'S THE NORTH SIDE WITH TARSHA JACKSON AND CARLOS CISNEROS AND ROBERT GALLEGOS, ALL THAT.
THEY STAND FOR BOTH SIDES OF THE BAYOU.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL
[00:40:01]
THAT THE PARTNERSHIP HAS REALLY TRIED TO BRIDGE AND CREATE CONNECTIVITY ACROSS THE NEIGHBORHOODS.AND YOU'RE RIGHT TO CALL UP, UM, THE SPIRIT OF PETER BROWN IN THIS.
I FEEL IT VERY TANGIBLY TODAY.
AND IT, IT IS WONDERFUL FOR THE DISTRICTS, FOR THE EAST END, GENERALLY SPEAKING, BUT IT'S, IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL THING FOR HOUSTON.
SECOND, EVERYTHING THAT ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID HERE TODAY, UM, I
SO IT, IT REMINDED ME, IRONICALLY, OF THE GREATER ILLS AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IN THE EAST END, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS AT YORK STREET AS, AS YOU DESCRIBED, ANDY, THE WAY THAT SPLITS TONY MARONE PARK.
THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GONNA BE SU SUCH A DESTINATION.
AND IT REMINDED ME OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE, NOT JUST IN THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN, UH, BUT ACROSS OUR CITY AND THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE HOW EVERYONE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TOGETHER.
UH, I KNOW ANN, UH, YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN AT THIS FOR SO LONG AND, UH, BEFORE THERE WAS THE WEST SIDE BETWEEN SABINE AND SHEPHERD, UH, THERE WAS A VISION.
AND, UH, I THINK THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BUFFALO BIO PARTNERSHIP DESERVES AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF RESPECT AND, UH, APPLAUD IT FOR STICKING TO IT AND BRINGING EVERYONE TOGETHER.
AND THIS IS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN.
UM, NOT TO MENTION THE CREATIVE FINANCING THAT'S GOING ON.
SO I, I'D LOVE TO GET TO A QUESTION, BUT I, I DON'T THINK I HAVE, I DON'T THINK I HAVE ONE.
UM, AND FOR ALL OF US, WHETHER WE REPRESENT INFRASTRUCTURE, QUALITY OF LIFE, EDUCATION, PARKS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I COULD GO ON, BUT THE BELL RANG.
AND, UH, LIKE YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON, WE WERE ALSO HELD UP BY A TRAIN.
IN MY COMMENT TO JESSICA VIMA, MY CHIEF OF STAFF WAS, I FEEL ROBERT GALLEGOS PAIN
SO WITH THAT, I SAW A PARTICLE OF LAND.
IT SAID UP U I'M, I'M ASSUMING THAT'S UNION PACIFIC.
THEY HAD HAD, WHAT IS THAT? THERE WAS SOME OLD TRACK, THERE'S SOME OLD TRACKS IN THERE THAT ACTUALLY BBP HAS PURCHASED SOME OF THE LAND ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
UH, AND IN FACT, THE, THE TRACKS RIGHT SOUTH OF THE, UH, PARKING LOT, ROBERT WOULDN'T KNOW THIS, AND SO WOULD CARLA.
THERE'S TREES GROWING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF SOME OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS OUT THERE.
SO IN SOME WAYS, THIS IS A RESTORATION ACTIVITY.
I USE THAT WORD IN THE PRESERVATION.
UH, MUCH OF THIS IS LAY FALLOW FOR YEARS, AND THE OPPORTUNITY IS JUST THERE FOR BBP AND ALL OF US TO GRAB A HOLD OF AND MAKE SOMETHING ELSE OUT OF IT.
SO I'M ASSUMING THOSE TRACKS GO AWAY, OR WHY WOULDN'T WE BUILD LIKE A MINI TRAIN FOR KIDS THAT TAKE 'EM FROM ONE END TO ANOTHER? YOU WANNA COMMENT? UM, YEAH.
IT, IT'S THE ACTUAL ROAD THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CREATE FOR ALL ASPECTS OF ONE MULTIMODAL TRAIL ON ONE SIDE FOR BIKES AND PEDESTRIANS AS WELL.
SO IT'LL BE A COMPLETE STREET.
UM, BUT YEP, YOU COULD COME FORWARD AND JUST HELP THIS, THIS, WE HAVE AN AUDIENCE THAT WILL BE WATCHING THIS ON HTV.
SO I, FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT DON'T KNOW, THIS IS IAN ROSENBERG, WHO HAS DONE MUCH OF THE PLANNING WORK ALONG WITH GUY OF THIS ACTIVITY.
UH, SO THE REASON, UH, THE UNION PACIFIC RIGHT OF WAY WAS ACQUIRED FROM NORTH YORK TO LOCKWOOD WAS TO CREATE THIS STREET, UH, WHICH WILL BE CALLED MARONE PARKWAY.
IT GIVES ABOUT A THOUSAND FEET OF NEW PARK FRONTAGE TO A STREET THAT REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A FRONT DOOR.
UM, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS ABOUT THIS STREET IS THERE'S INAPPROPRIATE TRUCK TRAFFIC THROUGH THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WERE NOT BUILT TO HANDLE THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO THE IDEA IS TO THESE LARGE INDUSTRIAL TRACKS, HOWEVER THEY NEED TO GO, THEY HAVE AN ALTERNATE WAY TO GET THERE.
UM, WE HAVE PHOTOS OF TRUCKS STUCK IN DITCHES, SO IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, FIRE TRUCKS, AMBULANCES CAN'T GET TO THEM.
UM, AND ALL OF THESE, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BEEN CUT OFF THROUGH FENCES IN THIS UNSAFE TRACK.
SO WE'LL ACQUIRE THAT, CREATE THIS ROADWAY, THAT BRIDGE THAT LINKS THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
UM, AND IF WE WANNA RUN SOME RUBBER WHEEL TRAINS DOWN THE, THE TRAILS, WE CAN DO THAT ALL DAY LONG TOO.
THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
AND WE'LL GO TO SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS BEFORE WE DO THAT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMANS ON DECK, UH, SHE MENTIONED THE WORD CONNECTIVITY AND I HARKEN BACK TO OUR FRIEND MARVIN ODOM, WHO WOULD CALL THIS A MOSAIC.
'CAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT MEMORIAL PARK AS IT MOSAICS INTO THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, YOU KNOW, EVERY CITY HAS ICONIC STRUCTURES, PARKS, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
YOU CAN POINT TO EVERY CITY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES
[00:45:01]
AND SERVING ON THE HOUSTON FIRST BOARD WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ROBINSON AND GALLEGOS, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WHAT IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S ICONIC, ICONIC STRUCTURE? WHAT IS OUR ICONIC FACILITY? AND I THINK THIS BECOMES IT IN COLLABORATION WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH MEMORIAL PARK.SO KUDOS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, ANDY, AND, AND SPECIFICALLY KUDOS TO THE KINDER FAMILY.
NANCY AND RICH HAVE BEEN OVERLY GENEROUS TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND WHENEVER THEY'RE INVOLVED IN SOMETHING, IT USUALLY WORKS TO PERFECTION.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER ABEY CAME IN.
THANK YOU CHAIR, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
WHAT CAME TO MIND WAS ACTUALLY IN DC ROCK CREEK PARKWAY AND POTOMAC PARKWAY.
UM, REALLY QUICKLY, UH, ANDY, JUST TO GO BACK, I UNDERSTAND THE PHENOMENAL, UM, IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE GONNA BRING ADDITIONAL FLOOD MITIGATION TO THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
I'M JUST FLAGGING, WE MAY NOT HAVE AN, AN ANSWER NOW ON KEEPING US APPRAISED, IS THIS HAS TO RESPOND TO TDOT'S PLANS AND OTHER PROJECTS THAT MAY BE IN THE WORK ALONG THESE CORRIDORS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS, YOU ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP THE CLEANING, UH, BOATS.
I KNOW, UH, THE PARTNERSHIP JUST GOT A NEW ONE.
I STILL WANNA COME CHECK IT OUT.
BUT, UH, WILL THIS AFFORD, WITH THE MAINTENANCE PLAN, A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH OUR TRAILS AND KEEPING THAT MAINTENANCE UP, BUT I'M ASSUMING THAT SOME DOLLARS WILL BE ALLOCATED FOR THE ACTUAL WATER CLEANING BY YOU, IMPROVEMENTS, ET CETERA, RELATED TO WATER HEALTH AS WELL.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO HOPEFULLY GET MORE BOATS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THAT PROGRAM IS FUNDED IS, UH, THROUGH THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
AND THE PORT OF HOUSTON, IT'S ALMOST A $500,000 A YEAR, UH, PROGRAM FOR US.
SO THAT'S TOTALLY FUNDED, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE A NICE FACILITY FOR THAT OPERATION.
SO, AND LET ME JUST COMMENT ON FLOODING IN THE AREA.
AND THIS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE EAST RIVER PROJECT, THAT IS A PART OF THE BAYOU SYSTEM, THAT THERE IS A WHOLE LOT OF FREEBOARD, IF YOU WILL, FOR THE BAYOU, EVEN IN THE WORST OF FLOODS.
UH, THE ANSWER IS THERE'S ENOUGH ROOM THERE WHERE THE BAYOU GOES OUT TO THE BAYOU, THAT THAT LAND IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE SAME KIND OF FLOODING.
UM, SO JUST TO WRAP UP AND I, I KNOW YOU JUST MADE A COMMENT CHAIR, WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE JUST TO INTRODUCE ALL OF OUR, UM, MEMBERS OF THE PARTNERSHIP? AND IF YOU COULD REPEAT YOUR STATEMENT AT THE MIC JUST SO THE PUBLIC LISTENING CAN HEAR, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WAS RECOGNIZED.
AND IF YOU CAN INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR STAFF.
UM, I'M ANN OLSON AND I'M PRESIDENT OF BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP.
AND WHAT I WAS SAYING IS THAT WE HAVE A FIVE DAY A WEEK WATER CLEANUP PROGRAM.
WE HAVE FIVE GUYS, THAT'S ALL THEY DO EVERY DAY.
AND IT IS FUNDED BY THE PORT OF HOUSTON AND, UM, THE HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
AND SO THIS MAINTENANCE FACILITY THAT WE'RE BUILDING WILL HOUSE THAT OPERATION AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PARK MAINTENANCE OPERATION.
SINCE WE HAVE ANNA, MAY I DO ONE FOLLOW UP? GO AHEAD.
UM, AND THANK YOU, FIRST OFF, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND EVERYTHING THAT THE PARTNERSHIP IS DOING, DO YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW THAT THE RESOURCES THAT YOU ALL HAVE AS IT RELATES TO WATER CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE IS SUFFICIENT? UM, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR MORE, WHAT ARE WE SEEING ALONG THE BAYOU? YEAH, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE MONEY
UM, AND THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF THE KINDERS AND A BOARD MEMBER, WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD THAT.
WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING INTO PATENTING IT BECAUSE WE GET SO MANY REQUESTS FROM OTHER CITIES.
UM, BUT YES, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE FUNDING FOR THAT ONE AGENCY THAT IS STILL ON OUR LIST.
WE REALLY WANNA GO TO T STOP BECAUSE A LOT OF THE TRASH THAT FLOWS INTO THE BAYOU COMES FROM THE STREETS AND THE HIGHWAYS.
THAT IS AN ABBY CAYMAN CITY OF HOUSTON BUDGET.
CHAIR ON THE, THERE'S A LOT OF EXHIBITS HERE, BUT I DID NOTICE THE ONE ABOUT PARKING.
ANDY, IF YOU COULD KIND OF WALK ME THROUGH THIS.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S PRETTY DETAILED ON WHAT, HOW MANY SPACES WE'RE GONNA NEED DURING PEAK DEMAND.
IT'S 40 PAGE 44 IN THE, BRIAN, YOU WANT BACK UP AND IT TALKS ABOUT RATES.
SO I'M ASSUMING WE'RE GONNA BE CHARGING SOME FOR PARKING OR NO, NO, NO.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE CHARGING NO.
[00:50:01]
AT THE DETAILED AGREEMENT COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHILE THERE IS THE ABILITY FOR SOMEBODY TO INSTALL METERS, ANY CHARGING FOR PARKING HAS TO COME BACK TO THIS COUNCIL.THAT'S SOMETHING WE PUT IN OKAY.
DURING DISCUSSIONS, KNOWING THE SENSITIVITY OF MEMORIAL PARK AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND THEN ON THE FUTURE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATIONS, THE EAST RIVER MIDWAY SLASH HARRIS COUNTY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NUMBER 23 RELATED ITEMS. CAN YOU GIMME SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT THOSE WOULD BE? THAT'S AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT THEY WILL AGREE TO, AGAIN, TAKE THE PROPERTY AND MAINTAIN THE TRAIL SYSTEM AND MAINTAIN IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY WILL MAINTAIN THEM.
HARRIS, IT TURNS OUT THERE'S TWO 20 THREES THAT ARE A LITTLE CONFUSING.
HARRIS 23 IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
HCI DJ IS THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT WITHIN THE EAST RIVER AREA, SO THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT SINCE MIDWAY IS A PRIVATE PARTY.
HCID IS A GOVERNMENT BODY, SO WE HAVE TO DO IT AS AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
AND, AND AGAIN, ANNE, THANK YOU FOR BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP AND ALL Y'ALL DOING CLEANING UP THE BAYOU.
UM, I, I KNOW, AND, AND I KNOW, AND I UNDERSTAND IT COSTS MONEY IN REGARDS TO THESE BOATS, UH, BUT HOPEFULLY FUNDING CAN BE FOUND FOR A SMALL FLEET
UH, DUE TO THE FACT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE HOUSTON BOTANIC GARDEN THERE, YOU KNOW, AT BRA AT, UH, SIMS, UH, WE HAVE GUS WORTHHAM AT BRAISE BAYOU, UH, AND, UH, THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL GREEN SPACES, BUT AFTER A HEAVY RAIN, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU SEE TRASH JUST FLOATING DOWN THE BAYOU.
UH, SO THAT, THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE OF COURSE, ADDRESSED.
AND I KNOW Y'ALL ARE DOING EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL CAN AND, UH, HOPEFULLY MONEY'S GONNA BE FOUND FOR A SMALL LITTLE FLEET, UH, TO, TO, TO, UH, TAKE CARE OF THOSE ISSUES.
UM, ANDY, JUST TO BE CLEAR ONCE AGAIN IN REGARDS TO THE 15 AND 15 TO 20 ACRES THAT THE PORT OF HOUSTON IS LOOKING AT, GIVING THE CITY, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE SIGNING THAT SOON, RIGHT? UH, THEY'RE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF BUFFALO BAYOU FROM HEATH PARK.
BUT WE ARE, AS YOU HAVE CALLED ME FRAME MANY TIMES ON THAT IS GETTING WORKED AND IT IS IN, IN PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN GOING BACK TO THE HISPANIC ARCHIVE CENTER, UH, APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS AND, AND EXPLAINING ALL THIS SINCE THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, UH, HAS NOT BROUGHT THIS TO MY ATTENTION, UH, I MET WITH THEM IN APRIL OF 2021, UH, AND THEY WERE VERY HESITANT TO EVEN GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION.
UH, SO I'M ASKING THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY TO GIVE ME A CALL AND MEET WITH ME AND GIVE ME SOME INFORMATION AND UPDATES IN REGARDING THE HISPANIC ARCHIVE CENTER.
AFTER, AFTER YOU AND I TALKED YESTERDAY, I FOLLOWED UP ON THAT CONVERSATION.
UH, YOUR POINT ON LET'S GET GAIN SOME PUBLICITY FOR THIS WONDERFUL EVENT.
RIGHT NOW, THE ANSWER IS THAT'S BEING WORKED RIGHT NOW AFTER YOU AND I TALKED YESTERDAY.
I, IT'S, IT'S SAD THAT HAD TO COME TO A YEAR AND A HALF TO FINALLY THEM TO, UH, GET SOME ATTENTION IN REGARDS TO REACHING OUT.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR PHONE CALL.
UM, IN REGARDS TO THE HISPANIC ARCHIVE RESEARCH CENTER, THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, IT'S GONNA BE AN ANCHOR TO THE, UH, HISPANIC CULTURAL ARTS CENTER THAT ALMA IS RAISING MONIES FOR.
OKAY, PUT ME BACK IN THE QUEUE.
THERE'S NO ONE ELSE IN QUEUE, SO FINISH.
UH, YEAH, SO THAT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
UH, SO THE, UH, HISPANIC ARCHIVE RESEARCH CENTER WILL BE AN ANCHOR TO THE HISPANIC CULTURE ART CENTER THAT ALMA AND GERALDINA WISE AND, AND THE BOARD IS RAISING MONIES FOR.
UM, BUT I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.
IN REGARDS TO PROTECTING THE HISTORY OF THE EAST END, UH, AS YOU KNOW, IT, IT WAS AN INDUSTRIAL, IT'S WHAT MADE HOUSTON, UH, UH, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THESE OLD BUILDINGS ARE GONNA BE REFURBISHED AND REUSED.
UH, I ALSO WANT TO THANK FRANCISCO TIRO WITH THE DISTRICT ID CONTAMINATION UNIT LITTER CLEANUP.
HE GETS VOLUNTEERS TO GO OUT TO BUFFALO BAYOU, WHICH I DID ONE SATURDAY, AND IT WAS VERY SAD TO SEE THE AMOUNT OF TRASH ALONG THE BANKS OF BUFFALO BAYOU THERE AT THE PORT OF HOUSTON.
AND I KNOW, I KNOW THE, UH, BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP HAS GONE OUT THERE AND DONE CLEANING AND, AND, AND OTHERS.
UH, BUT MY GOSH, IT'S JUST AFTER A HEAVY RAIN.
YOU JUST GOT ALL THIS STUFF COMING IN, UH, AND WE, WE, WE PUT A LOT OF TRASH IN BAGS, OUR BIG OLD, YOU KNOW, UH, 50 POUND, I GUESS, UH, GARBAGE BAGS.
UH, AND WE JUST DID A DENT, UH, OF, OF WHAT'S OUT THERE.
UH, SO IT'S VERY SAD ON THAT END.
UM, LIKE I BRIEFLY MENTIONED TO YOU YESTERDAY, ANDY, UH, LAST WEEK I WENT TO, UH, OUTFIT BIBLICAL PRESS AND TOURED OUT THE BIBLICAL PRESS, UH, DR.
NICOLAS, UH, THAT'S THE LARGEST HISPANIC ARCHIVES IN, IN THE NATION.
UH, AND AGAIN, IF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY WOULD REACH OUT TO ME YEP.
HOPEFULLY THERE COULD BE A PARTNERSHIP, UH, WITHOUT THE BIBLICAL PRESS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CULTURAL WARS, UH, I ASKED DR.
CANELO IF THAT'S IMPACTING IN REGARDS
[00:55:01]
TO HISPANIC BOOKS TO HISPANIC CHILDREN, AND HE SAID, YES, IN REGARDS TO ISDS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BEING TOLD WHAT BOOKS CAN BE PLACED AT THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES.SO I'M HOPING THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A LIBRARY, UH, WHERE AT THE BIBLICAL PRESS CAN PLACE THEIR BOOKS IN THAT LIBRARY.
AND THE STATE CAN'T TELL US WHAT WE CAN READ AND WHAT WE CAN'T READ.
SO AGAIN, IF THE PUB, IF THE, IF THE HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY WOULD REACH OUT TO ME, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS.
I BELIEVE YOU, THAT I BELIEVE THAT'S IN THE PROCESS OF HAPPENING NOW.
COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON.
UM, ANDY, FOR THE PRESENTATION, UM, I'M LOOKING AT WHAT LOCKWOOD SOUTH HOUSING, AND THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, IT'S SAYING THAT THE HOUSING IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE 10 YEAR PLAN.
SO HOW IS WOULD THE DEVELOPER AND, UM, THIS PROJECT ACTUALLY MATERIALIZED? WELL, IT'S IN PROCESS.
THIS, THIS PROJECT RECEIVED $15 MILLION OF TAX CREDIT DOLLARS AND 9.6 FOR, THERE'S ALMOST 14 AND 9% TAX CREDIT, 9.95 OF DR.
THAT'S IN THE AGREEMENT THAT, THAT IS IN THE, AND THAT IS PART OF THIS AGREEMENT.
I MEAN, YEAH, WE'RE BREAKING GROUND ON THAT DEVELOPMENT MID-OCTOBER.
AND WHO'S THE DEVELOPER ON THE PROJECT AND WHAT'S THE AFFORDABILITY? UM, PERIOD? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
UH, PHASE ONE IS A FAMILY UNIT, UH, PROJECT ONE THROUGH THREE, THREE BEDROOMS. MM-HMM
UH, 72 OF THE 80 UNITS ARE AFFORDABLE RANGING FROM 30% A MI TO 80% A MI, WITH THE AVERAGE A MI BEING, UH, 60% WHEN, WHEN YOU AVERAGE 'EM ALL TOGETHER.
UM, PHASE TWO, WHICH IS NOT IN THE PLAN, UM, BECAUSE THE GLO PULLED BACK THE MONEY FROM THE CITY, THAT LAND IS STILL UNDER CONTRACT FOR A SENIOR PROJECT, AND WE HOPE TO DO THAT.
AND PHASE THREE IS IN DISCUSSION WITH, UH, THE CITY'S MAYOR, THE CITY'S AFFORDABLE HOME DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, HHD HP, FORGIVE ME FOR NOT GETTING IT RIGHT.
UM, WHERE, UH, THE TS IS THE, THE MARRIAGE PROGRAM.
WITH THAT, WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY LAND TRUST TO DELIVER 76 AFFORDABLE, UM, 76 UNITS OF DEVELOPMENT WITH, UH, 40 OF THOSE BEING AFFORDABLE TO 80% A MI OR LOWER.
AND, UH, UM, I THINK THAT'S IT.
WHAT, WHAT'S THE NATURE OF THAT? OH, MULTIFAMILY OR SINGLE FAMILY.
THAT'LL BE SINGLE FAMILY TO OWN.
SINGLE FAMILY, THE UNIQUE NATURE ABOUT THAT WORKING WITH THE LAND TRUST IS THOSE 40 HOMES WILL BE PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE.
THEY DO NOT HAVE THE FIVE YEAR RESTRICTION.
UM, WE DON'T WANT TO BUILD HOUSING, UM, THAT, THAT TRANSITIONS OUT.
SO WE, OUR GOAL WAS TO MAKE IT PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE.
UM, PHASE ONE FUNDING SPECIFICALLY IS 9.95 MILLION FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON, DR 17, UM, A LITTLE OVER 13, ALMOST 14 MILLION OF 9% TAX CREDITS.
UM, THERE'S A 1.3 MILLION, UM, UH, T-D-H-C-A LOAN THAT'S PACKED INTO THAT.
UM, AS WELL AS BUFFALO BUYER PARTNERSHIP, UH, IS PUTTING ANOTHER 2.5 MILLION IN PHILANTHROPY INTO THAT PROJECT, UM, DUE TO THE COST ESCALATION WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN RIGHT NOW.
SO LET ME MAKE A POINT, UH, LEMME YEAH.
UH, WE DID NOT PUT OTHER PLANS IN THIS AGREEMENT.
THE 310 DOESN'T INCLUDE PHASE TWO OR PHASE THREE.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE OTHER IDEAS THAT WILL EMERGE HERE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A VELASCO SOLID WASTE SITE IN THAT, IN THIS PLAN TOO, THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE WORKING ON A CONTINUING BASIS.
WE ESTABLISHES A PLATFORM FOR OTHER PROJECTS IN OTHER AREAS.
UH, SO THE OTHER PRO TWO PROJECTS THAT BBP WANTS TO DO, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH THEM ON THIS.
WHAT WE WANTED IN THIS AGREEMENT, THINGS THAT WE COULD TOUCH, WE HAD CAPABILITY TO FUND AND PROCEED.
UH, I'M SURE LONGER TERM THERE'S GONNA BE MORE AND THERE'S GONNA BE FURTHER ENHANCEMENTS TO DEAL WITH THIS, BUT THE FACT THAT BBP CAME TO US WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT IS ONE THAT WE WANTED TO RUN WITH QUICKLY.
I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S ONE OTHER MINOR.
YOU ASKED WHO THE DEVELOPER IS.
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN BUFFALO BAY PARTNERSHIP AND A NATIONAL DEVELOPER NAMED SHOR.
BUT BUFFALO BAYOU SERVES AS A GP.
SO WE HAVE FULL DESIGN CONTROL OVERSIGHT AND ALL OF THAT.
SO THIS PLAN IS ABOUT WORKING INTO THE ENTIRE BUFFALO BAY EAST MASTER PLAN.
SERVING THE PLAN AS A WHOLE, NOT A SINGLE SELF, YOU KNOW, UH, DIRECTED SINGLE PROJECT THAT DOESN'T CONSIDER THE EXTERIOR ELEMENTS.
SO WE CONTROL, AND WE HAVE USED SHAW OVER IN THE GULF AREA AS ANOTHER, AS A DEVELOPER.
THERE'S ACCOMPLISHED NATIONALLY IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
SO WOULD IT BE OPEN TO, I GUESS, LIKE RIGHT.
[01:00:01]
BE ABLE TO JUST COME AND DEVELOP? ARE YOU GUYS NO, NO.WE'RE GONNA CONTROL, NO, WE'RE GONNA CONTROL THIS.
AND I'M ASSUMING THIS WAS PART OF THE DR.
WE WERE ABLE TO RESCUE BACK THAT'S CORRECT.
FROM THE GLO FIRST, FIRST PHASE WAS THAT NOW WE, WE'VE GOT A STRUGGLE NOW FOR SECOND AND THIRD PHASES YEAH.
AND ACTIVITY WE HAVE TO PROCEED ON.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
AND THE, ON KIND OF A RELATED ISSUE TO WHAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON IS PURSUING ON THE MULTIFAMILY SIDE, JUST, YOU KNOW, WITH SOME OF THE IMAGES THAT WE'VE SEEN AT TURKEY BEND, SOME OF THE INDUSTRIAL CHIC, THE BEAUTIFUL STUFF THAT'S GONNA BE RECLAIMED FROM WHAT'S RUSTING AND ALONGSIDE THE BAYOU NOW, UM, WHAT IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT, IT WILL BE OUR INVOLVEMENT OR THE TURS WITH, UM, PRIVATE ENTERPRISE AND HOW IS THAT PURELY MARKET DRIVEN AND ARE WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUILDING IT SO THEY WILL COME ESSENTIALLY.
AND I GUESS, UM, YOU KNOW, WONDERING ABOUT SOME OF THAT OPERATIONAL MONEY THAT WE'RE SETTING ASIDE, IT WILL CONTINUE TO BEAUTIFY THE AREA, BUT, UH, IS THE OVERALL PLAN TO STIMULATE THE PRIVATE ENTERPRISE THAT CAN COME? IT, IT, IT'S ALL THE ABOVE.
OF COURSE, WE DID A COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT WITH EAST RIVER FOR THE WHOLE 162 ACRES.
THEY'RE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS.
AND IF WE FIND OTHER PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT, WE WANT TO INCLUDE THEM IN THIS PROCESS.
UH, YES, WE WANT TO SET SOME STANDARDS OF APPEARANCE AND FUNCTIONALITY TO DO THAT, BUT THAT WAS, THAT CERTAINLY HAS NOT BEEN A PROBLEM WITH EAST RIVER AND MIDWAY.
AND I IMAGINE WITH OTHERS COME TO US, WE WOULD WANT TO TALK TO THEM.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, ANDY IN REGARDS TO THE, UH, 19.5 THAT WAS COMMITTED IN THE 20 21, 20 25 CIP, ALL THAT WILL BE GOING INTO THE HISPANIC ARCHIVES FOR THE RENOVATION OF THE BUILDING.
AND WE, WE NEED TO DO MORE WORK.
I'VE BEEN PART OF SOME OF THOSE.
I'VE BEEN PART OF THOSE NEGOTIATIONS.
WE WILL COME TO, UH, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THAT AREA TO DESCRIBE THE PROJECT FROM THERE.
I THINK THAT IT CONCLUDES THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE COMING FROM THE COUNCIL AND STAFF, UH, TODAY.
AND SO WE'LL PROCEED TO THE PUBLIC SPEAKER SEGMENT OF TODAY'S AGENDA.
AND WITH THAT, WE HAVE ONE, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKER WHO SIGNED UP.
DOUG, IF YOU'LL APPROACH THE PODIUM.
UM, WE HAVE THREE MINUTES, TWO MINUTES, TWO MINUTES FOR YOUR QUESTION OR COMMENT.
UH, I KNOW THIS ISN'T THE REGULAR BFA MEETING AND I DISCOVERED THAT WHEN I TRIED TO FIND THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR TWO DAYS.
THEN I WENT BACK TO THE INVITATION AND REALIZED WHAT THIS WAS ALL ABOUT.
BUT I WANTED TO COME ANYWAY, BECAUSE I WAS AT A MEETING ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHERE THIS PROJECT WAS PRESENTED, AND I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH WHAT I SAW THAT I ASKED THE PERSON RUNNING THE MEETING.
IF WE COULD PLEASE EXTEND THE NORMAL STOP TIME TO HEAR THE REST OF IT.
IT'S A GREAT PROJECT AND I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW I FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT IT.
AND THE THING THAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT IT, IT, THE TERM UNDERSERVED HAS BEEN MENTIONED MANY TIMES TODAY.
AND THAT CERTAINLY IS THE CASE WITH THIS PROJECT.
AND IT ALSO, COMING FROM DISTRICT F, WHICH WE REFERRED TO AS THE FORGOTTEN DISTRICT FOR SO MANY YEARS, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDERSERVED BECAUSE WITHIN TWO MONTHS WE ARE GOING TO OPEN A HUGE NEW COMMUNITY CENTER THAT IS GONNA BE THE PRIDE OF CERTAINLY DISTRICT F.
AND I THINK PROBABLY, UH, THE PRIDE OF THIS CITY.
AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
AND I'D SEE NO REASON WHY THIS PROJECT WON'T BE APPROVED.
BUT, UH, SINCE I NORMALLY COME TO BFA MEETINGS, I THOUGHT IT WOULD COME.
'CAUSE I FELT SO GREAT ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. SMITH.
AND IN FEAR NOT, WE WILL, UH, BE BACK HERE BEFORE YOU WITH THE, UH, THE MOER, UH, JUST IN A COUPLE OF DAYS WITH, YEAH.
SO WITH YOUR COMMENTS, I THINK THAT DOES CONCLUDE, UH, TODAY'S, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC AND HEARING AND SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL OR THE PUBLIC.
I'D JUST LIKE TO NOTE THAT OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE WILL MEET ON OCTOBER 4TH, UH, 2022.
AND SO WITH THAT, AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.