We believe that you can vote-to-approve the ZPVP with confidence after you make a few essential amendments to the Plan. Our minimum recommendations are:
• Remove the parking garage on the existing Polo Field (it should be restored to be a natural surface as per City Council recommendations to PARD and the Zilker Park Collective recommendations 1/7/22),
• Remove the plan to narrow Barton Springs Road (it creates congestion which makes visiting the park less attractive, as per www.
• Remove the 5,000 seat amphitheater on the Great Lawn (it encourages "free" entertainment on the spill-areas of the Great Lawn, resulting in trash and wear-and-tear on the lawn),
• Remove the Welcome Center (destroys surface parking lots for the historic Pecan Grove WPA picnic grounds and the Childrens' Playscape; preservation of those lots was recommended by the Zilker Park Collective 1/7/22),
• Remove the Unified Non-Profit (which is just a way to make large private donors invisible to the public).
• Preserve the two surface lots adjacent to the playscape, the boat rental, the spillway and the historic Pecan Grove WPA picnic grounds. This was recommended by the Zilker Park Collective on 1/7/22 and ignored by the ZPVP.
• Continue to encourage a future of Austin transportation where citizens are incentivized to NOT drive their cars. This is a stated goal of the Austin Transportation Department.
Amendments we propose:
1
THE POLO FIELD SHALL BE RETURNED TO A NATURAL SURFACE IN THE NEAR-TERM, WITH FULL ECOLOGICAL STABILITY AND ROOT SYSTEMS TO BENEFIT NEW PLANTINGS AND ADJACENT MATURE TREES.
2
THE BUTLER LANDFILL GRAVEL LOT SHALL BE RETURNED TO A NATURAL SURFACE AT A FUTURE DATE WHEN IT IS NO LONGER NEEDED FOR STRATEGIC STAGING FOR LARGE-SCALE EVENTS IN ZILKER PARK.
3
ALSO, THE BUTLER LANDFILL GRAVEL LOT SHALL BE RENOVATED IN THE NEAR-TERM IN A MANNER THAT EMPLOYS BEST-PRACTICES OF GREEN PARKING LOT TECHNIQUES, MAINTAINING THE LOT AS A SURFACE SUITABLE FOR PARKING CARS ON A DAILY BASIS.
4
NO PARKING GARAGES SHALL BE CONSTRUCTED ON EXISTING ZILKER PARK LAND, EITHER ON EXISTING PERVIOUS OR IMPERVIOUS COVER.
5
PRESERVE LOU NEFF ROAD AND ANDREW ZILKER ROAD AS A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO ALLOW CONVENIENT ACCESS FOR RENTED BIKES AND SCOOTERS TO PARK THEIR VEHICLES NEAR THE PERIMETER RECREATIONAL AREAS OF ZILKER PARK.
6
PRESERVE LOU NEFF ROAD, ANDREW ZILKER ROAD AND BARTON SPRINGS ROAD IN THEIR CURRENT CONFIGURATIONS TO ENSURE SAFETY FOR EMS ACCESS.
7
REMOVE THE “LAND BRIDGE” DUE TO EXPENSE, POTENTIAL ECOLOGICAL DAMAGE (WITH ADDED CEMENT AND LARGER FOOTING), AND THE LAND BRIDGE’S REQUIRED ONGOING MAINTENANCE; AND REPLACE “LAND BRIDGE” WITH “EXPLORE MULTIPLE ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR INCREASING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY FROM ALL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.”
8
PRESERVE LOU NEFF ROAD AS A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO OFF-LOAD PRIVATELY-OWNED BIKES, RENTED BIKES AND RENTED SCOOTERS FROM THE BUTLER HIKE & BIKE TRAIL TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ON THE TRAIL IN THE PERIMENTER OF ZILKER PARK.
