- CITY OF AUSTIN. TEXAS MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS Special Meeting August 01, 1977 7:00 Ρ.Μ. Reagan High School The meeting was called to order with Mayor McClellan presiding. Roll Call: Present: Mayor McClellan, Mayor Pro Tem Snell, Councilmembers Cooke, Goodman, Mullen Absent: Councilmembers Himmelblau, Trevino This was the third of the Council's public hearings on the CIP to discuss the funding of $572,000,000.00 for the next five-year period. She said tonight's meeting was primarily for northeast Austin, but anyone could speak on any subject in any area. For purposes of definition, she pointed out that northeast Austin is described as: The area bounded by the City limit lineeon the north, Martin Luther King Boulevard on the south, I.H. 35 on the west, and the City limit line on the east. She asked the City Manager, Mr. Dan Davidson, to present a brief presentation on matters that would be of particular interest to this part of the community, and then, she said, they would proceed to hear from speakers. MR. DAVIDSON said the City's Capital Budget Officer, Mr. Jorge Carrasco, would make a brief presentation and outline the areas of interest as indicated in the report distributed to the City Council. Mr. Carrasco said he wanted to call their attention to two items in the report on the Parks and Recreation Capital Program. One, he said, is the cost breakdown for each oftthe Parks and Recreation projects; the second, being a list of athletic fields that are recommended for upgrading and lighting. Both of these items of information were requested by the Council at an earlier hearing August 1, 1977 =CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS he commented. Mr. Carrasco said the staff has prepared a list of capital projects that effect the northeast area of the City, and in addition they have prepared listings of other projects effecting other areas of the City that will be considered by the Council at subsequent public hearings. Mr. Carrasco explained that different areas have different amounts in terms of proposed capital improvements. One of the reasons value is likely to differ is that all of the projects have been proposed on the basis of need, thus making imbalances of the dollar amount inevitable. In addition, the number of people being served in each area has not been taken into account, because boundaries are arbitrary. In south Austin, there are a number of large, expensive projects, particularly in the utility area that may inflate some of the costs of the improvements in each of the subject areas. In the south Austin area there are the Onion Creek interceptor and the Onion Creek wastewater treatment plant. Another explanation for discrepancies in the cost of improvements is that the figures do not account for any past improvements that will not be reflected in the next five years of the CIP program. area: Mr. Carrasco continued with the following facts concerning the northeast Total Amount of Improvements proposed for Five Years: $33.4 million dollars, which includes: $20.5 million in utility improvements $ 2.9 million in paving costs $ 58,000 for one EMS station $ 954,000 for two fire stations $ 382,000 for one public healthhcenterr $ 548,000 for one branch library $ 7.9 million for parks and recreation improvements DOT LOVETT, representing the Capital Area Tennis Association, Austin Women's Tennis Association, and the Austin Tennis League, spoke before the Council. She said the associations she represents understand that there are provisions for 8 tennis courts in the Pleasant Valley area. Ms. Lovett said the associations wanted to offer a substitute proposal to better facilitate the tennis community, particularly the junior development. It is: 1. Four additional lighted courts at Airport Boulevard during 1978-79, and four more during 1980-81, plus backboards and additional parking for the area. 2. Four lighted courts constructed somewhere in south Austin. 3. Re-surface Caswell Courts and improve lighting. JEFF CASE, University of Texas student, expressed his approval that CIP hearings are being held in the neighborhood. He wondered if there was some way the hearings could be more widely publicized, and their importance stressed. The Mayor commented they have been plugging the hearings at every opportunity, and feels that more people are attending. Mr. Case praised the City for their planning of the St. John's area. However, he stated Atkinson Road had been repaved and the last 100 feet of it is paved over the water table, thus causing the ground to bubble up through the road. He said he has complained but there CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS August 1, 1977 seems to be no way to get the situation corrected easily because it is a CIP project. He questioned the wisdom of replacing the Windsor Village Library, while at the same time deleting some of the library hours. He also expressed concern regarding St. John's neighborhood playground improvements. It has a large, locked fence and there is no access to the playgound most of the day. He felt it should be left unlocked. Mayor McClellan asked Mr. Robinson, Director of Parks and Recreation, about the playground. He said the playground was adjacent to the school and programs are held there on a limited basis. He said a new playgound is proposed in the Buttermilk Creek area without any fences around it. WINNELL ELLER, representing Women's Tennis Association, endorsed what Dot Lovett has said about the tennis courts. DALE ROGERS, northeast area resident, stated that Sppingdale Road is like a roller coaster. He felt it is very dangerous and urges the proposed CIP improvements be acted on as soon as possible. Another concern of his is the spread of representation on the Planning Commission. He feels there is too much concentration in some areas. JOAN BARTZ, neighborhood resident, concurred with the City Manager's proposal that projects recommended by voters in last bond election should be the ones to have the money spent on them. She endorsed the tennis courts at LBJ. She felt the planned improvements for 290 and Northeast Drive planned for 1980-81, should be completed sooner, as it is a dangerous area. She said the residents would like a four lane road, plus a bicycle path and sidewalk, protected left turn at Loyola and Manor, and a traffic light at Loyola. Ms. Bartz said they did need a new library in Windsor Village. She urged proposed EMS units, even though none are scheduled for her area. She asked that the Jorden Park recreation building be enlarged. MARY ALICE BROWN, President, University Hills Homeowners Association, spoke for the widening and paving project of Springdale Road, the right of way on U. S. 290, larger Windsor Branch Library, development of northeast district park, improvements to Bartholomew Park, and lighting of the tennis courts at LBJ High School. She said she does not support the widening of Cameron Road to six lanes, nor the building of a pro tennis shop at LBJ High School. PAUL WELSCH, President, Pecan Springs Integrated Neighborhood Association, spoke in support of Mary Alice Brown's statements. NADINE WHATLEY, resident of the area, askıda for park facilities which will attract the young people. She urged the building of a gymnasium in northeast Austin to accommodate the 5,000 teenagers, and also asked that pocket parks be developed, plus lighting of the LBJ tennis courts, the new library in Windsor Village, and also that the Springdale-Manor Road "mess" be cleared up. NANCY SITES, representing her husband and herself, stated they are in support of Springdale Road improvements, a lower grade at Loyola and Manor Road, the development of the northeast park, 4 lanes on Cameron Road rather than 6, and the northeast library. CITY OF AUSTIN. TEXAS August 1, 1977 MARY CARTWRIGHT appeared before the Council and asked if any funds have City been earmarked for a hike and bike trail along the old MKT railroad bed. Manager Davidson told her no money has been set aside for that project, and there has never been a Council decision to pursue the acquisition of the rightof-way. She asked if a hike and bike trail will be developed at any time in the future. Mr. Robinson stated that one of the proposed trails will be along Walnut Creek. Mayor Pro Tem Snell stated someone had asked him about an olympic sized swimming pool in northeast Austin. He said he would support one and wondered why no one had addressed the issue. He also noted that the situation of Manor and Springdale Roads was becoming more hazardous because of the trees. Manager Davidson said he would have the visibility at that intersection checked immediately. City WINSTON KRIEGER, a resident in the area, stated he was never able to find the books he was looking for at the Windsor Park library. He said he can see no reason for a six-lane roadway on Cameron Road, but requests Springdale Road be enlarged to four lanes. Councilmember Goodman asked Mr. Ternus if there is a good reason for six lanes on Cameron Road. Mr. Ternus replied that primarily it is the only north-south facility planned east of IH 35 and in planning it was decided a roadway should be built which would be able to carry the traffic of the future. ATTEST: ADJOURNMENT The Council meeting adjournedaat 8:30 p.m. Grace Monive City Clerk APPROVE Mayor