ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
I would definitely have your laptop at the meeting to show Diana's map outlining the Polo Fields area that will have to be excavated for the underground parking garage and how much space the amphitheater will consume on the great lawn. I would print this satellite map with the data in white boxes and leave it with the Mayor and staff.
Please also give the Mayor my handout with photos of parking garages comparable to the size of the ones they are proposing for Zilker.
Underground parking garages are IMPERVIOUS COVER and they are PERMANENT! This would not be an ecological uplift of the Polo Field! It would destroy root systems and require removal of large trees.
I’m working on getting statements from two scientists, Dr. Laurie Dries and Dr. David Johns (Watershed Protection) about the endangered species critical habitat and danger to geological area and the aquifer near Barton Springs. Hopefully they will respond before your meeting.
ACCESSIBILITY AND EQUITY
This link below is particularly important if Mayor Watson says ”We need parking garages to make Zilker accessible to ALL people in Austin, particularly lower income, who live far away, for DEI.”
Diana’s maps show how using existing external parking garages close to Zilker, and a robust shuttle system on PEAK USE DAYS will provide access to the park for everyone, WITHOUT BUILDING PARKING GARAGES, and without people having to ride a bus the entire distance.
Please also remind the Mayor about the Dougherty Arts Center underground parking garage cost estimate of $64,000 per parking space! 1000 x 64,000 = $64 Million
According to the TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND, EQUITY is defined as “Distribution of parks and park space between neighborhoods by race and income”
Austin scored only 40 points for “EQUITY” in the 2023 Parkscore. https://www.tpl.
Austin should be spending more of these millions of dollars on more parks throughout the City, instead of putting SO MUCH MONEY into these construction projects in Zilker. That’s not equitable!
PUBLIC INPUT
We can’t emphasize enough how many citizens are opposed to this plan. We saw it during the Parks Board meeting with speakers. We counted emails to our Board from hundreds of people opposed, and the only emails from people in support came from the Zilker non-profits, members of their families, and architects who might want to bid on the projects if they are approved. What does that say??
Additionally, 85% of the people who responded to the ZPVP Survey when the draft plan was first released said they say see potential challenges for using the “new or updated spaces” https://publicinput.
The RESULTS of the survey are hidden from the public and were not categorized to show just how many people were opposed to the parking garages, moving the theater, reducing Barton Springs to two lanes, and destroying the small parking areas and Lou Neff Road that give greater access to areas of the park. PLEASE show the Mayor and his staff this page https://publicinput.com/
Scroll down to the public comments on Please share additional comments about the draft Zilker Park Vision Plan for the planning team to consider.
I cannot believe the planning team just ignored these comments as if the public users of Zilker Park don’t matter.
NON PROFITS
The non-profits have failed in Zilker Park. The little train that everyone loves was put in the hands of Austin Parks Foundation, with a donation of over 400K to get the train running again. They failed. It’s still not running. Now all the tracks are gone. I seriously doubt APF will have the train running this year.
The Barton Springs Conservancy got millions donated from the Moody Foundation to restore the bathhouse, including restrooms. How many years has that taken and still has not happened??
Members of the future "unified non-profit” which will clearly be Zilker 351, who are SO supportive of the ZPVP, have serious conflicts of interest and just went before the Ethics Review Commission for refusing to recuse themselves from voting on the plan.
And although anyone who mentions ACL / C3 / Live Nation is called a “conspiracy theorist” it is clear that they have an interest in the future of Zilker Park. Their signature event is held in Zilker every year. Zilker is ACL’s BRAND and Austin Parks Foundation owns ACL, according to a an audit on their own website. There is no doubt that the large amount of money generated by contributions to Austin Parks Foundation by ACL is a motivator for the ZPVP.
OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS
CM Ryan Alter recently stated this: https://mailchi.mp/
Park Administration – The Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) should remain in control of Zilker Park. We will not sell or otherwise limit the City’s ongoing stewardship of the park. Should our Parks and Recreation Department recommend and the Council decide it is in the best interest of the park and the public for the City to partner with non-profits for park improvements – something that has been incredibly successful in Pease Park and the Hike and Bike Trail – such a partnership should strictly adhere to PARD’s requirements, including robust oversight, transparency, and PARD’s ability to preserve control over the park.
Parking garages – My office has been exploring all options to locate new garages outside the park and/or connect existing parking structures to the park with effective transportation.
Barton Springs Road – I have deep concerns about reducing Barton Springs Road from four lanes to two. The reality of our transportation needs for this area would be hamstrung by this proposal.
We believe that there are other Council Members who fell the same way after listening to their constituents. I would hope that Mayor Pro Tem Paige Ellis would be strongly concerned with issues that impact her district. Please let Mayor Watson know that we plan to meet with the other CMs as well.
