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[Transportation and Infrastructure on January 16, 2024. ]
THE TIME IS 1:03 P.M.AND I NOW CALL TO ORDER THE JANUARY 16TH, 2024 CITY OF DALLAS TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING AND WELCOME EVERYONE. THANK YOU ALL.
IT WAS VERY COLD PAST MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR WEEKEND.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED WITH OUR AGENDA.
THE FIRST ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 5TH, 2023.
TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING.
SECOND. WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
SO IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MISS MENDELSOHN, DO YOU HAVE DISCUSSION? I SEE YOU REACHING FOR YOUR NO DISCUSSION, SEEING THAT THERE'S NO DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING NO.
THAT'S THE SECOND MEETING WE HAD TO HAVE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION,? THERE'S A FIRST.
SORRY. WE NEED A FIRST AND A SECOND BEFORE WE GET TO DISCUSSION.
THERE'S A FIRST AND A SECOND. NOW, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. THE PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE TO APPROVE.
AYE. PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING NO TO NOT APPROVE.
SO WE GOT BOTH A AND B APPROVED.
WE HAVE DOCTOR ROBERT PEREZ, WE HAVE DOCTOR MAJID AL GHAFFARI AS WELL AS MICHAEL MORRIS FROM THE NCTCG, ROSA FLEMING, OUR DIRECTOR OF THE CONVENTION AND EVENT SERVICES, AS WELL AS DOCTOR GHASSAN KHANKARLI WHO ARE ALL HERE TO, GIVE US THIS, BRIEFING AND UPDATE.
I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE, COMMITTEE BEFORE WE GET STARTED.
NOTHING ABOUT THE ACTUAL CONVENTION CENTER ITSELF.
SO QUESTIONS NEED TO BE VERY TAILORED TO THE HIGH SPEED RAIL PORTION OF THIS.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S VERY CLEAR ON THAT.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL, ROBERT PEREZ ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED, THE PANEL HERE, INCLUDES, ROSA FLEMING, OUR DIRECTOR, CONVENTION AND EVENT SERVICES.
MICHAEL MORRIS, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE NCTCG.
DOCTOR KHANKARLI, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION.
SO, THIS PRESENTATION, AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION, WE'RE GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU AND DISCUSS, COORDINATION OF MAJOR DOWNTOWN INITIATIVES SURROUNDING TRANSPORTATION, AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER, THE EBJ UNION STATION, STREETCAR EXPANSION AND HIGH SPEED RAIL INITIATIVES.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT HIGH LEVEL NEXT STEPS AND THEN ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
SO THIS REALLY ACTUALLY KIND OF STARTED DURING OUR DART MEETING IN NOVEMBER.
SO AS FAR AS THE CONVENTION CENTER MASTER PLAN, INTERACTION CONVENTION AND EVENT SERVICES IS WORKING WITH INSPIRED DALLAS TO BASICALLY COORDINATE A LOT OF THE IMPROVEMENTS AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER TO INCLUDE THE HIGH SPEED RAIL, THE TEX-DOT IMPROVEMENTS ALONG I-30, AND THEN ALSO UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.
RIGHT NOW, THE EBJ STATION PROVIDES SERVICES FROM AMTRAK.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A NEW LINE TO ATLANTA THAT WAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED, DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT OR DART, RED AND BLUE LINES, AND THEN ALSO THE TRINITY RAILWAY EXPRESS. NEXT SLIDE.
SO AGAIN, CONSISTENT WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER MASTER PLAN, THE EBJ ACTUALLY PRESENTS US OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE AS A CITY OF DALLAS DOWNTOWN MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION HUB, AGAIN MENTIONING ALL OF THE SERVICES, THE RAIL SERVICES THAT WERE JUST MENTIONED, INCLUDING MULTIPLE DART BUS ROUTES.
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SO WHAT WE ENVISION THIS ACTUALLY BE IS TO BE REDEVELOPED AS A MIXED USE TRANSPORTATION HUB.TODAY, IF YOU GO TO THE EBJ, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OTHER THAN TRANSIT RELATED OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
BUT IF YOU GO LOOK AND YOU LOOK AT THE UNION STATIONS OR THE TRAIN STATIONS IN OTHER CITIES, YOU'LL FIND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS THERE TO INCLUDE HOTELS, TO INCLUDE RETAIL, TO INCLUDE BARS.
THERE'S IT REALLY IS A DESTINATION IN ITSELF IN THOSE OTHER CITIES.
AND SO IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO UNION STATION IN OTHER CITIES OR EVEN DO SOME, JUST YOU JUST LOOK AT IT ON THE WEBSITES, YOU'LL SEE A WHOLE OTHER VISION THAT WE COULD, POTENTIALLY PRODUCE HERE IN DALLAS.
NEXT SLIDE. IN ADDITION TO THE EBJ RE-IMAGINATION WE BRIEFED COUNCIL.
I THINK IT WAS A FEW MONTHS AGO ON THE STREETCAR, LOOKING AT THE CENTRAL LINK, STUDY, AND THEN POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT FUTURE, EXPANSION. SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I THINK, MR. RIDLEY, I THINK YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO FUND IT.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO IS TO USE, A PORTION OF A $750,000 EARMARK IN OUR DART EXCESS SALES TAX REVENUES, TO FUND, THAT STUDY, THE EXCESS SALES TAX REVENUES I THINK WE EARMARKED FOR, DOWNTOWN, PARKING STUDY AND OTHER INITIATIVES.
SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO USE A PORTION OF THAT TO FUND THE STUDY FOR THE STREETCAR EXPANSION STUDY.
IN ADDITION TO, THE ITEMS WE JUST DISCUSSED, I ALSO WANT TO, I GUESS, HIGHLIGHT THE HIGH SPEED RAIL INITIATIVES, THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH NCTCG ON, LOOKING AT A LAKE FROM FORT WORTH TO DALLAS AND ALSO THE DALLAS TO HOUSTON LINES. THE HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION, IS SLATED TO BE DEVELOPED, JUST SOUTH OF 30, IN THE CITY'S AREA.
NEXT SLIDE. SO AS PART OF THE HIGH SPEED RAIL DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE COD TO EVALUATE A VISION FOR A PEOPLE MOVER OR ELEVATOR WALKWAY.
NOW, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE HIGH SPEED RAIL BEING SOUTH OF 30.
THE CONVENTION CENTER AND JUST THINK ABOUT THIS HIGH SPEED RAIL SOUTH OF 30 CONVENTION CENTER STATION AND POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE LEVEE INTO WEST DALLAS.
IMAGINE, IF YOU WILL, AN ELEVATED PEOPLE MOVER OR A WALKWAY THAT WOULD CONNECT ALL OF THAT.
SO AS YOU GO FROM THE HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION SOUTH OF 30, YOU CAN HAVE AN ELEVATED WALKWAY GOING ACROSS 30 TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, TO THE EBJ STATION, AND AGAIN ACROSS THE LEVEE TO DEVELOPMENT IN WEST DALLAS.
AND, THERE'S A COUPLE PICTURES HERE OF AN EXAMPLE IN DUBAI.
THAT ACTUALLY, IT CONNECTS THE BURJ KHALIFA METRO STATION TO A MALL, ACROSS THE MAJOR ROADWAY.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS COMING OFF OF A RAIL STATION IN DUBAI CONNECTING TO A MALL.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THE VIDEO, COMPLETELY ENCASED.
I THINK MOVING FORWARD HERE, YOU'LL SEE THE SIDEWALK, THE AUTOMATED SIDEWALK.
SUDDENLY YOU FIND SIMILAR LIKE IN OUR AIRPORTS OR LOVE FIELD THE GARAGES.
SO I THINK THE VISION WITH THE ELEVATOR HIGH SPEED RAIL THAT THIS COULD BE CONSTRUCTED UNDERNEATH IT, ALONG THE ROUTE, AGAIN, CONNECTING THOSE DESTINATIONS THAT WERE MENTIONED.
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SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CUT THE VIDEO THERE.AS WE GET TO BACK TO THE PRESENTATION, I BELIEVE OUR NEXT STEPS, WE'LL CONTINUE WORKING ON COLLABORATION WITH EACH OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS WITH THE COG.
AND THEN OUR PLAN IS TO BRING THIS BRIEFING TO FULL CITY COUNCIL MARCH 6TH OF 24.
WITH THAT, WE'LL OPEN UP TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
VERY GOOD. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COLLEAGUES, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE FOLKS THAT ARE ON THE COMMITTEE AND GO IN ORDER, WHICH IS, GRACEY, ATKINS MENDELSOHN, RESENDEZ, SCHULTZ, STEWART.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE WILL, DO A ROUND FOR FOLKS THAT ARE NOT A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE.
AND THEN IF WE NEED A SECOND ROUND, WE'LL GO THAT WILL GO THE SAME ORDER.
UNTIL PEOPLE HAVE EXHAUSTED THEIR, QUESTIONS TO THE COMMITTEE.
I MEAN, TO THE, PANEL, IF WE CAN KEEP TO TEN MINUTES THIS FIRST ROUND JUST TO ASK QUESTIONS AND STUFF SO WE CAN KEEP GOING, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF THEM. THAT WAY EVERYBODY WILL HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND ALSO PLEASE, COLLEAGUES, REMEMBER WE'RE KEEPING IT JUST TO THE HIGH SPEED RAIL.
NOTHING BEYOND THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE CONVENTION CENTER.
YOU HEARD FROM STAFF. WE'RE GOING TO GET A BRIEFING ON ALL OF THOSE THINGS, LATER IN THE QUARTER.
ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH, VICE CHAIRMAN GRACEY.
HE HAS NO QUESTIONS. NEXT WE HAVE, SORRY.
MR. ATKINS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR COUNCIL-MEMBER ATKINS.
ON THE ALIGNMENT OF THE HIGH SPEED RAIL.
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE PRICEY.
STILL PRIVATE FUNDING? YES, SIR. MR. ATKINS, THE PLAN RIGHT NOW IS TO NOT HAVE ANY TRANSPORTATION FUNDING THAT COULD GO TO SOMETHING ELSE.
SO IT'S EITHER FUNDED BY WASHINGTON DC AND OR THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
AND SO WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE FUNDING NOW? WE'RE MOVING INTO ENVIRONMENTAL.
SO WE HAVE NOT STARTED THE FUNDING PHASE UNTIL WE'RE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE PHASE.
SO WE'VE BEEN PROBABLY A YEAR AND A HALF ON STUDYING PRELIMINARY OPTIONS.
ANY DAY WILL BE PERMITTED TO GO INTO ENVIRONMENTAL.
ONCE AN ENVIRONMENTAL YOU'RE THERE FOR 12 MONTHS OR LESS.
HAVE THE ROUTE BEEN DEFINED DEFINITE? THE ROUTE? YES OR NO? WE THOUGHT WE HAD THE ROUTE DEFINED.
WE'VE HAD, QUESTIONS FROM, THE CITY AND FROM DEVELOPERS AROUND DOWNTOWN TO REEXAMINE SOME OF THE ROUTES AND OPTIONS THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY ELIMINATED.
BUT YES, YOUR HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION THAT IS ENVIRONMENTALLY CLEARED TO GO TO HOUSTON, THAT AMTRAK IS MOVING AHEAD TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION ON IS, ROUGHLY 70FT ABOVE THE GROUND JUST SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 30.
AND UP TO THIS PARTICULAR POINT, WE ARE CREATING A SEAMLESS CONNECTION TO THAT PARTICULAR STATION TO GO TO ARLINGTON AND FORT WORTH. SIR, I WAS JUST GOING TO JUST ADD THAT THE CITY MANAGER DID, SEND A FORMAL REQUEST TO, MR. MORRIS LAST WEEK, TO EVALUATE AN UNDERGROUND OPTION FOR DOWNTOWN AS WELL.
OKAY. ARE WE STILL GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE EMINENT DOMAIN, OR IF WE NEED EMINENT DOMAIN, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS, AS YOU KNOW, MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU AVOID, MITIGATE OR ENHANCE.
SO I'M DOING EVERYTHING TO AVOID, MITIGATE OR ENHANCE, I THINK DEVELOPING AN INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION MODE, CONNECTING HIGH SPEED RAIL, THE CONVENTION CENTER RESORT, I MEAN, CONVENTION CENTER, HOTELS, TALL DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS, UNION STATION, POTENTIALLY YOUR SIMMONS PARK, POTENTIALLY WEST, WEST DALLAS DEVELOPMENT INTERESTS.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ALIGNMENTS EAST OF THE HYATT REGENCY, AS WELL AS ALIGNMENTS WEST OF THE HYATT REGENCY AND ANY OTHER OPTION OR QUESTION ANYONE ELSE HAS. WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO REVIEW IT.
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AND LAST QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN. IN MY DOMAIN, I KNOW IN NAVARRO COUNTY, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF DALLAS, OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF HOUSTON.WE STILL HAD ISSUES TRYING TO ACQUIRE AN ALIGNMENT.
ALIGNMENT GOING TO BE CHANGED.
WE STILL HAVE HAD ISSUES TO MAKE SURE THE ALIGNMENT IS GOING TO LINE UP.
SO, AMTRAK, AS AN AGENT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN AN ALREADY ENVIRONMENTALLY APPROVED DOCUMENT, HAS ALREADY STARTED PURCHASING RIGHT OF WAY, UNDER THE PREVIOUS TEXAS CENTRAL PARTNERS GROUP.
AND, DOCTOR PEREZ HAS US SCHEDULED TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL, TO TALK ABOUT HIGH SPEED RAIL BETWEEN DALLAS AND HOUSTON, AS WELL AS HIGH SPEED RAIL BETWEEN DALLAS AND, FORT WORTH.
BOTH OF THOSE, ROUTES HAVE JUST BEEN DESIGNATED UNDER THE FEDERAL CORRIDOR ID PROGRAM.
AND AS YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE THE ROUTE TO GET TO AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO BY HIGH SPEED RAIL.
YEAH, EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING IN THE REGION GOES THROUGH DALLAS, TO GO HIGH SPEED RAIL STATEWIDE.
AND WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT HIGH SPEED IN DALLAS FORT WORTH.
I MEAN, WHAT IS, THE PRICE? I MEAN, THAT'S A BIG PRICE JUST FROM DALLAS TO FORT WORTH, 30 MILES.
YOU KNOW, WE DID HAVE A TOLL ROAD, YOU KNOW.
YOU KNOW, MANY YEARS AGO WE PAID FOR THAT AND TO DO UNDERGROUND.
I MEAN, WHO IS PUSHING THAT? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE BENEFIT? I DON'T WANT I GUESS THAT'S ECONOMIC, THE ALIGNMENT FROM DALLAS TO FORT WORTH THROUGH ARLINGTON.
AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING UNDERGROUND IN FORT WORTH IN ORDER TO.
BUT NOT DALLAS. YOU KNOW, I'M CONFUSED.
SO THE REASON WE'RE GOING UNDERGROUND IN ARLINGTON, IN FORT WORTH IS THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO ARLINGTON BECAUSE OF THE TWO INTERCHANGES, 161 AND 360. IT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET TO DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH.
IN THE CASE OF DALLAS, THE DIRECTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO SEAMLESSLY CONNECT TO THE EXISTING HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION, WHICH IS 70FT OFF THE GROUND IN DALLAS.
SO WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO RE-EXPLORE A SUBWAY.
AND WE'RE CALCULATING WHAT THE COST OF THAT WOULD BE UNDER THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION.
OKAY, I GUESS I WAS SAID THAT.
SO, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, YOU'RE NOW PASSING 8 MILLION.
YOU'RE ON THE WAY TO 12 MILLION.
WE'RE PULLING TOGETHER INFORMATION ON HIGH SPEED RAIL SYSTEMS AROUND THE WORLD WHERE YOU DON'T WANT EVERYONE, 12 MILLION, 14 MILLION TO BE DEPENDENT ON A SINGLE DOWNTOWN DALLAS STATION TO GET ACCESS TO HIGH SPEED RAIL.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE A REGION THIS SIZE, INSTEAD OF EVERYONE HAVING TO PARK IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS TO GET ON HIGH SPEED RAIL OR TO TAKE LIGHT RAIL TO THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION, WE THINK IT MAKES MUCH GREATER SENSE.
AND I THINK SO DOES A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE.
SINCE HIGH SPEED RAIL COMPANIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD THOUGHT IT WAS BRILLIANT TO HAVE THREE STATIONS TO ACCESS HIGH SPEED RAIL FROM DALLAS, THE MIDDLE OF THE REGION, WHICH IS YOUR ACCESS TO DFW AIRPORT.
IT'S NOT JUST AN ARLINGTON STATION THAT IS THE STATION TO DFW AIRPORT AND THEN FORT WORTH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. ATKINS. COUNCIL MEMBER.
MENDELSOHN. YOU'RE ON VIRTUAL.
I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR THE HIGH SPEED RAIL.
WHAT IS THE SPEED YOU'RE EXPECTING FROM DALLAS TO ARLINGTON AND FROM ARLINGTON TO FORT WORTH? I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT WE HAVE SKIP STOP OPERATION IN ARLINGTON, SO NOT EVERY HIGH SPEED TRAIN HAS TO STOP IN ARLINGTON.
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SO THERE'LL BE DIFFERENT SPEEDS DEPENDING IF THE TRAIN STOPS IN ARLINGTON OR NOT.AND ALSO DEPENDS ON WHAT OUR FINAL ALIGNMENT IS.
SO, WE ARE BEING VERY SENSITIVE TO NEIGHBORHOODS AT LOOP 12.
WE'RE BEING VERY SENSITIVE IN WEST DALLAS.
WE'RE BEING VERY SENSITIVE IN DOWNTOWN.
SO TO AVOID, MITIGATE OR ENHANCE, WE'RE STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE OF HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE DISPLACEMENTS AND SOME TRADE OFFS WITH REGARD TO SPEED.
BUT IT'S NOT THE SPEED TO ARLINGTON OR THE SPEED TO FORT WORTH.
IT'S THE SEAMLESS CONNECTION TO THE DALLAS STATION THAT HAS TO BE REVIEWED FOR THE ABILITY TO GO EXCESS 200 MILES AN HOUR TO HOUSTON, TO, AUSTIN, TO SAN ANTONIO TO TO LAREDO.
IT'S NOT HEY, WE GOT TO WAKE UP AND CONNECT DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH TO DOWNTOWN DALLAS AT A HIGH SPEED.
IT'S HOW DO WE CREATE A SEAMLESS CONNECTION IN DALLAS IN ORDER TO GET A REGION OF TEN, 12, 14 MILLION PEOPLE, IN THE HIGH SPEED RAIL MODE TO THOSE OTHER COMMUNITIES IN TEXAS.
SO IN ALL YOUR DOCUMENTS, YOU DON'T HAVE WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT A TOP SPEED TO BE.
I HAVE THEM, I DON'T HAVE THEM WITH ME.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO, GO BACK TO THE OFFICE TODAY AND SEND THEM TO THE COMMITTEE.
AND SO YOU SAID YOUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THE SEAMLESS CONNECTION.
THE ONE SEAT CONNECTION, I THINK YOU CALL IT, FROM FORT WORTH TO HOUSTON.
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, BUT FOR THE ONE SEAT CONNECTION ISSUE, WOULD THE TRE THAT CURRENTLY CONNECTS FORT WORTH AND DALLAS, WOULD THAT SUFFICE IF THERE HAD BEEN A WAY TO MAKE THAT ONE SEAT? WELL, THE TRE IS AN AWFULLY SLOW TRANSPORTATION MODE.
IT'S SOMETHING LIKE 63 TO 65 MINUTES TO TAKE THE TREE FROM DALLAS TO, FORT WORTH.
SO WHEN YOU ADD ALL THAT UP VERSUS YOU SIT FOR TWO MINUTES AT A DWELL TIME ON YOUR HIGH SPEED RAIL TRIP, AND YOU EITHER CAN SIT IN YOUR SEAT NICELY AND GO BE DELAYED TWO MINUTES AND HAVE THOSE HIGH SPEEDS TO, ARLINGTON AND FORT WORTH.
OR YOU CAN GET IN YOUR ELEVATOR, GO TEN FLIGHTS, GO QUARTER OF A MILE, NAVIGATE ONTO A TRE TRAIN, TAKE 65 MINUTES.
WE EARLY, EARLY DISMISSED SOME YEARS AGO.
AND WE'VE HAD WE'VE HAD COMPANIES AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD INTERESTED IN BUILDING DALLAS TO FORT WORTH AT NO EXPENSE TO THE PUBLIC SECTOR. AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH AMTRAK THAT THEY MAY WISH TO BUILD DALLAS TO FORT WORTH AND HAVE IT UP AND RUNNING WHILE THEY BUILD DALLAS TO HOUSTON SO THEY CAN SHOWCASE THE SERVICE TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.
THANK YOU. OKAY, SO MY QUESTION WAS REALLY JUST ABOUT THE SPEED.
IF WE COULD GET THAT INFORMATION, THAT'D BE GREAT.
I'LL GET IT FOR YOU BY THE END OF THE DAY.
THANK YOU. THERE'S AT LEAST FOUR REFERENCES IN THIS PRESENTATION ABOUT THE STREETCAR.
AND, ROBERT, YOU TALKED ABOUT FUNDING THE STUDY THROUGH DART EXCESS SALES TAX.
BUT THE QUESTION THAT MULTIPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ASKED ABOUT THE STREETCAR IS, HOW WOULD WE PAY FOR THE ONGOING OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE? WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY ABLE TO PAY FOR THE I MEAN, WE'RE PAYING IT OUT OF GENERAL FUND, $1 MILLION FOR THE EXISTING STREETCAR.
AND SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR EVEN MORE OF THAT? HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK? COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN.
APOLOGIES FOR NOT HIGHLIGHTING THAT.
GREAT. I GUESS GREATER DETAIL, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF THE STUDY, MA'AM.
THAT'LL BE PART OF THE STUDY TO INCLUDE A GOVERNANCE AND HOW TO FUND THE O&M FOR THAT.
AND HOW MUCH DID YOU SAY THE STUDY WAS GOING TO COST? SO, I IMAGINE IT WILL BE SOMEWHERE AROUND 500,000 OR SO.
AND ARE YOU CERTAIN THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH VOTES ON COUNCIL THAT ARE WANTING TO PURSUE THIS? THAT'S WHY I HAVE RECOMMENDED THERE, MA'AM.
SO WE'LL BRING IT TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
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BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THE ORDINANCE IS ACTUALLY WRITTEN IN A MANNER THAT ALLOWS US THE FLEXIBILITY TO MOVE THOSE FUNDS, WITHIN THAT EARMARK.IT DOES LOOK LIKE AN AIRPORT, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT FITS WITH WHAT'S HAPPENED IN DALLAS.
WE USED TO HAVE AN INCREDIBLE SERIES OF TUNNELS AND SKY BRIDGES TO GET ALL OVER.
AND I GUESS PREVIOUS LEADERSHIP DECIDED THIS WAS A BAD IDEA AND PEOPLE NEEDED TO BE OUT ON THE STREET TO DEVELOP ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND MAKE IT LIVELY DOWNTOWN, BUT WOULDN'T THIS BE TAKING PEOPLE OFF THE STREET RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, WHICH, YOU KNOW, LOOK, EVERYONE KNOWS I DIDN'T VOTE FOR IT.
WE'RE GOING TO SPEND BILLIONS.
I WANT IT TO BE A SUCCESS IF IT'S GOING FORWARD.
BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE PEOPLE OFF THE STREET, ISN'T THAT THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE STRATEGY HAS BEEN FOR DALLAS? SO KEEP IN MIND, COUNCIL MEMBER THAT THIS BRIDGE WOULD ACTUALLY GO OVER I-30, TO CONNECT THE HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, WITHOUT FOLKS HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, IF FOLKS WERE ON THE IF SOMEBODY WAS ON A HIGH SPEED RAIL, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY, TO WALK DIRECTLY TO THE CONVENTION CENTER OR WALK DIRECTLY TO THE EBJ.
THIS IS JUST A IT'S A POTENTIALLY ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE FOR OUR MOBILITY.
BUT TO CONNECT ALL OF THOSE, DESTINATIONS THAT WERE MENTIONED.
OKAY. AND I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
SO YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS SKYBRIDGE ACTUALLY GOING ACROSS THE LEVEE.
I THINK YOU SAID THAT A COUPLE TIMES.
ARE YOU SAYING THIS WOULD ALSO GO IN THAT SAME AREA OR DID I MISUNDERSTAND? SO THIS IS MICHAEL MORRIS.
I DIDN'T, INTRODUCE MYSELF EARLIER.
FROM THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
IF, IN FACT, YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD AN ELEVATED TRAIN, GOING INTO THE SEVENTH STORY OF THE CURRENT FEDERALLY APPROVED, HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION IN DALLAS, WHAT DR.
PEREZ IS SAYING IS THE LOBBY OF THE HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION IS ABOUT AT THE FIFTH FLOOR.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD AN ELEVATED TRAIN, YOU COULD BASICALLY CONNECT THE HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, IF YOU WISHED, TO A CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL, TO THE HYATT REGENCY IF YOU WISHED.
NOW YOU COULD STOP THE AIR CONDITIONED SPACE AT THAT PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME.
THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS STAFF IS HAVING, NOT ME.
IF IN FACT, THE HIGH SPEED RAIL THEN CONTINUES, INTO WEST DALLAS AND EVENTUALLY ONTO I-30.
THERE'S CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE OCCURRING THAT YOU COULD HAVE AN OUTDOOR PORTION OF THAT, LET'S CALL IT SKYWAY, THAT ACTUALLY COULD LOOK OVER, CONNECT TO THE OUTLOOKS ON BOTH SIDES AND ACTUALLY CREATE A VANTAGE POINT ABOVE THE PARK.
THAT'S UP TO OTHERS TO DECIDE.
BUT IF IN FACT, YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD HIGH SPEED RAIL, TO ARLINGTON AND FORT WORTH AND YOU CREATE THE SEAMLESS CONNECTION AT THE DALLAS STATION. THIS IS AN OPTION FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.
YOU COULD HAVE IT WITH OR WITHOUT THIS PARTICULAR OPTION.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT HIGH SPEED RAIL ELEVATED EAST OF THE HYATT REGENCY, WEST OF THE HYATT REGENCY, EAST OF THE HYATT REGENCY IS PART OF A PART OF THIS PARTICULAR PRESENTATION AS AN AIR CONDITIONED, SEAMLESS PEDESTRIAN WAY CONNECTING THOSE THOSE CITY OF DALLAS ASSETS THAT ARE IN VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY OR WHAT WAS REQUESTED IS TO RELOOK AT THE SUBWAY TUNNEL.
OKAY. WELL, JUST AS A REQUEST, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
THIS IS, DIFFICULT TO ENVISION.
[00:30:01]
WE HAVE ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWNS IN THE WORLD, AND I DON'T SEE WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.SO IF THERE'S SOME WAY TO GET SCHEMATICS OF, EVERYTHING FROM BELOW 30 TO, BACK OVER TO 30, RIGHT.
SO THAT GOING THROUGH DOWNTOWN, THE CONVENTION CENTER, EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON BACK OVER.
THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR ME.
WE ARE PUTTING THOSE, TOGETHER, AS PART OF THE REGULAR PROCESS UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE.
WE'RE ALL TRYING TO DESCRIBE THIS.
AND INSTEAD OF CREATING A COMPUTER SIMULATION, ONE EXISTED ALREADY IN THE WORLD.
SO WE JUST HAPPEN TO SHOW VIDEO FROM THE ONE THAT EXISTED.
RIGHT. BUT I'M SAYING FOR UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR DOWNTOWN AS WELL.
I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR, AND THAT INFORMATION IS BEING PUT TOGETHER.
VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE, COUNCILMEMBER RESENDEZ, HE'S VIRTUALLY ATTENDING.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
I WAS WONDERING, IS IT ACCURATE THAT, FRA AND TXDOT, DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS FINANCIALLY INFEASIBLE IN 2017? WE'VE HAD A LONG CONVERSATION WITH THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION WITH REGARD TO THEIR PARTICULAR INTEREST, WITH THEIR RECENT APPROVAL IN THE CORRIDOR IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM.
I THINK THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION IS TAKING THIS NOW SERIOUSLY.
AND WITH HIGH SPEED RAIL BETWEEN DALLAS, SORRY, FORT WORTH AND DALLAS.
AND THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION RECENTLY APPROVING DALLAS TO HOUSTON.
SO, YES, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INTEREST TO DATE.
AS YOU ACCURATELY PORTRAY, YOU FIRST GO THROUGH THE PLANNING PHASE TO GET CONSENSUS.
THEN YOU GO THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PHASE, WHICH IS THE PHASE WE'RE IN.
IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL PHASE, YOU PUT YOUR MONEY TOGETHER FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
AND UP UNTIL THE RECENT QUESTIONS IN THE LAST FOUR WEEKS, WE'VE HAD STRONG CONSENSUS WITH REGARD TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF, HIGH SPEED RAIL FROM FORT WORTH TO DALLAS AND FROM DALLAS TO FORT WORTH, FROM DALLAS TO HOUSTON.
OKAY. AND WHAT ABOUT, OPERATING COSTS? DO WE KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE? OPERATING COST? YES, SIR. YEAH, THAT WOULD BE PAID FOR BY THE IMPLEMENTING, AGENT THAT BUILDS THE SERVICE.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR CREATES THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND THEN JUST TO BE CLEAR, MY QUESTIONS ARE SPECIFIC TO DALLAS BETWEEN DALLAS AND FORT WORTH.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M REFERRING TO.
AMTRAK HAS THE BALL BETWEEN AMTRAK AND THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT.
HAVE THE BALL BETWEEN DALLAS AND HOUSTON.
WE NOW WILL BE PUT THROUGH OUR PACES, THROUGH THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM AND, THROUGH YET TO BEGIN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE CORRIDOR, WHICH WERE ANXIOUS TO MOVE INTO THAT WOULD BE SAME DALLAS STATION THAT'S ENVIRONMENTALLY CLEARED.
TWO ADDITIONAL STATIONS, ONE IN ARLINGTON AND ONE IN FORT WORTH.
OKAY. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NEXT, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ.
SO, TO BE CLEAR, ARE THE ACTUAL STATIONS HAVE YET TO BE DETERMINED, RIGHT? THE ONE STATION IN DALLAS HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL BETWEEN DALLAS AND HOUSTON.
DIRECTION TO DATE HAS ALWAYS BEEN GO TO THAT ALREADY APPROVED STATION.
THE TWO STATIONS HAVE YET TO BEEN SELECTED.
THAT ENVIRONMENTAL HASN'T BEGUN.
THE ONE IN ARLINGTON AND THE ONE IN FORT WORTH.
[00:35:02]
IT'S DONE THE EBJ AND THAT THE RTC IS WORKING ON IS IT A DONE IS THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SAYING WILL BE THE ONE FROM WE'RE GOING INTO THE SAME STATION, THE SAME DALLAS STATION, UNLESS SOME REASON WE'RE IN A SUBWAY OR SOME OTHER PART OF DOWNTOWN TRANSFERRING TO THAT PARTICULAR STATION. BUT IF WE'RE BUILDING HIGH SPEED RAIL EAST OF THE HYATT REGENCY, WHAT DR.PEREZ IS LAYING OUT TODAY, YOU COULD EXTEND THE LOBBY OF THE HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION, IF YOU WISHED.
UNDERNEATH THE RAILROAD TRACK, YOU COULD GO TO THE CONVENTION CENTER.
YOU COULD GO TO A CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL.
SO IT'S ALL ONE STATION IN THEORY, YES, VERY LARGE, LIKE IN EUROPE.
AND THEN. COULD YOU EXPLAIN, PERHAPS ROSA, TELL ME WHAT? HOW YOU SEE THE ADVANTAGE.
AND I KNOW THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER, BUT THE ADVANTAGE TO THE, CONVENTION CENTER OF THE HIGH SPEED RAIL BOTH TO ARLINGTON AND FORT WORTH, HOUSTON. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR LONG BEFORE I WAS ELECTED.
I'VE BEEN EXCITED ABOUT THE HOUSTON.
AND LET ME JUST ADD, ONE THING THAT'S VERY EXCITING ABOUT IT IS THAT I REMEMBER THEM SAYING IT WAS AT A GREATER DALLAS PLANNING COUNCIL MR. RIDLEY EVENT THAT THEY WERE PRESENTING THAT EXPLAINED THAT THE REASON THAT DALLAS WAS ORIGINALLY CHOSEN DALLAS HOUSTON, IS BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY TWO CITIES IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES THAT ARE ACTUALLY BARBELL, EVEN WHERE YOU COULD HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF TRAFFIC GOING BOTH DIRECTIONS.
SO IT'S NOT AT A DISADVANTAGE TO EITHER CITY TO HAVE THAT.
SO THAT ADVANTAGE I TOTALLY GET EVEN FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN OVERALL YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THIS? SURE. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
ROSA FLEMING DIRECTOR OF CONVENTION AND EVENT SERVICES.
SO ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF THE HIGH SPEED RAIL AND A STOP AT THE CONVENTION CENTER VIA PEOPLE MOVER IS THAT RATHER THAN GOING DIRECTLY TO A HOTEL AND PERHAPS JUST STAYING IN THEIR ROOM, IT NATURALLY PULLS PEOPLE INTO THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT WILL DOWN A FLOOR OR TWO, THEY'LL GO ON TO THE PLAZA THAT WE'RE CREATING, AND\ IT'LL SPUR SOME OF THAT WALKABILITY THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
WHAT WE SEE AND WHAT ALL OF THE SURVEYS SHOW US, IS THAT PEOPLE COMING INTO DALLAS, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY'RE COMING FROM ARLINGTON, FORT WORTH, OR THEY'RE FLYING IN FROM A HOTEL. A VISITOR HERE THAT'S COMING TO A CONFERENCE WILL GO AND STOP AT THEIR HOTEL FIRST, AND MORE THAN LIKELY, STAY THERE RIGHT UNTIL THE CONFERENCE ACTUALLY STARTS A STOP AT THE HOTEL.
I MEAN, A STOP AT THE CONVENTION CENTER ACTUALLY GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE, GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT, HAVE SOMETHING TO EAT, WALK AROUND THE PLAZA, AND THEN PERHAPS GO ON TO THEIR HOTEL.
SO THERE'S ADVANTAGES TO GETTING THEM TO LOOKING AT THE CITY FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
AND IT'S WORKED IN OTHER PLACES WHERE TRANSPORTATION ACTUALLY GOES THROUGH A CONVENTION CENTER.
GOT IT. SO IT'S ADDITIVE TO IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
SO WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT WALKABILITY AND THE PLAZA AND THE DESIGN AND ALL OF THAT.
SO I HAVE A TWO PRONGED QUESTION WHO ARE THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS, AS YOU MENTIONED IN THE LAST SLIDE, THAT WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS. WHO DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS? AND THEN THE SECOND SIDE OF THAT IS, HOW ARE WE ENGAGING THE URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN FOLKS FOR ALL OF THIS VISIONARY, AMAZING THINGS THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING? COUNCILMEMBER I WOULD, THE TERM COMES TO MIND, MARKET SEGMENTATION.
I WOULD PUT IN THERE AS WELL, UNMANNED AIRCRAFT.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR FUTURE IN THE DOWNTOWN HELIPORT THAT YOU POSSESS AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, IMAGINE 30 YEARS FROM NOW HOW MANY PEOPLE IN UNMANNED AIRCRAFT WILL COME DIRECTLY TO THE CONVENTION CENTER SLASH HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION.
SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TO GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE FIVE ITEMS ONE BY ONE.
I'M COMING IN BY GREYHOUND BUS.
I NOW HAVE A NEW AMTRAK LINE COMING FROM ATLANTA.
IT'S COMING INTO THE UNION STATION.
WHAT DO I WISH TO DO? I WISH TO GET TO SOMEWHERE IN MY DESTINATION OFFICE.
GO VISIT MY FAMILY OR FRIENDS FROM THAT PARTICULAR MANEUVER.
AND THEN YOU DO THAT WITH EVERY SINGLE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.
YOU DO THAT WITH THE YOUR STREETCAR.
THEY'RE NOT SPENDING THE NIGHT.
THEY'RE GOING TO A ONE DAY CONVENTION CENTER VERSUS A MULTI DAY CONVENTION CENTER ACTIVITY.
[00:40:05]
SO THERE'S PROBABLY 14 TO 16 MARKET SEGMENTATIONS IN THIS VISION.YOU SEE TODAY THIS VISION IS VERY NEW.
IT'S ONLY BEEN AROUND SINCE THE CITY OF DALLAS SELECTED UNION STATION AS THE HUB.
BUT I THINK FOR EACH OF THESE MARKET SEGMENTATIONS WE GET A WALK THROUGH.
WHAT'S THE ADVANTAGE OF AMTRAK AT GRADE AMTRAK SERVICE COMING INTO UNION STATION WITH A SEAMLESS CONNECTION TO AMTRAK HIGH SPEED RAIL SERVICE? WHAT IS THE CONNECTION OF HIGH SPEED RAIL SERVICE TO CONVENTION CENTER? WHAT IS THE ADVANTAGE OF STREETCAR TO, LIGHT RAIL OR REGIONAL RAIL? THOSE ARE ALL THE MARKET SEGMENTATIONS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE TO GO THROUGH AND DETERMINE WHICH OF THESE CONNECTIONS IS REALLY CRITICAL, AS PART OF THE PATH FORWARD. THANK YOU.
AND I ALSO HOPE THAT WE WILL INCLUDE URBAN PLANNERS AND DESIGNERS WHO ARE REALLY LOOKING AT THE, YOU KNOW, THE WALKABILITY AND THE LIVABILITY OF THIS, NOT JUST THE CONNECTIVITY OF IT.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY ESSENTIAL PART THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IN THE WHEN YOU COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR BRIEFING, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE, THE PLANNING PART OF THIS, AS PART OF THAT.
AND IF I COULD, MR. CHAIRMAN, SUPPORTING YOUR POINT, IF YOU GO INTO UNION STATION, HOW DO I DO THAT THROUGH THIS MODE? HOW DO I DO IT AT THE STREET LEVEL, AS MISS MENDELSOHN INDICATED, RIGHT WHEN I SAY THE STREET LEVEL AND THE REAL WORLD, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AM I CROSSING THE STREET FOUR TIMES? AND WHERE'S LAMAR? AND I WALK UNDER THE CONVENTION CENTER AND I GET OVER TO THE HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION.
AND I THINK THAT, SORRY, I JUST HAVE TWO MORE QUICK ONES.
AND THAT IS I THINK THAT GIVEN THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON OUR STREET AND THE LACK OF SHADE AND THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE OUR STREETS UNINHABITABLE IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS, WE NEED TO REEXAMINE OUR TUNNELS DOWNTOWN AND ALL THE OPTIONS THAT WILL KEEP US OFF THE STREET.
IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO INVEST IN THE KIND OF SHADE THAT WE NEED TO IN ORDER TO MAKE OUR STREETS ACTUALLY WALKABLE IN THE NEXT TEN, 20 YEARS, IT'S ALREADY GETTING, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN HERE IN AUGUST. WE KNOW A TWO QUICK THINGS.
I'M NOT CALLING THE QUESTION ON THAT.
I'M JUST ASKING, WHAT DECISIONS WILL YOU BE ASKING OF US TO BE MAKING AS A COUNCIL? SO WHAT I ENVISION, MA'AM, AFTER MICHAEL AND HIS TEAM DO THE EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL SUBWAY FOR THE HIGH SPEED RAIL.
WE WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME GUIDANCE FROM COUNCIL, AS, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT, FOR, EITHER AN ELEVATED OR, OR TUNNELED, OPTION FOR THE HIGH SPEED RAIL, VERY SIMILAR TO OUR, I-35 I-345, RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT.
AS WE TRY TO ENTER ENVIRONMENTAL.
WE CAN ONLY GO INTO ENVIRONMENTAL WITH ONE, ONE ALIGNMENT.
SO WE'RE 90 DAYS AWAY FROM THAT DECISION.
SO IF WE ARE GOING TO NEED THAT DECISION THEN WE'RE GOING TO NEED I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR AGAIN FROM SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR STREETS ARE GOING TO BE LIKE AND THE IMPACT ON OUR CITY, NOT JUST THE ECONOMIC VALUE AND THE TRANSPORTATION, BECAUSE THOSE ARE FANTASTIC.
NEXT WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART, AND THEN WE WILL HIT GO TO THE NON COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AND I SEE MR. WEST MR. RIDLEY. OH THERE HE IS.
I SEE HIM NOW. SO IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS I WILL CALL ON Y'ALL AFTER COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART.
COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. MORRIS. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE.
SO, AS I LISTENED TO ALL OF THIS AND AND I'M GETTING SOME INITIAL EXPOSURE.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT NEW, BUT IT'S EXCITING, OBVIOUSLY, TO THINK OF DALLAS AS THIS HUB.
AND WE ALL HAVE SOME RESERVATIONS AND CONCERNS, BUT JUST THAT GENERAL IDEA THAT PEOPLE WILL THAT HIGH SPEED RAIL WILL BE HERE AND WILL BE, WILL MAKE DALLAS A HUB, AND ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN DALLAS, IN A WAY IT PROBABLY HASN'T BEEN FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
BUT MY QUESTION ALWAYS IS, AND, IS WHAT ARE OUR STAKEHOLDERS SAYING? SO YOU MENTIONED THE HYATT REGENCY A COUPLE OF TIMES.
AND THIS WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THEM, I'M ASSUMING.
[00:45:01]
UNTIL MAYBE THE SUMMER TIME.WE SEEM TO HAVE EVERYONE IN THE REGION ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
I'M NOT TRYING TO PICK ON THEM.
BUT THE HUNT DEVELOPMENT, REAL ESTATE PEOPLE ARE SAYING, HEY, MAYBE WE DON'T WANT THIS ON OUR PARTICULAR PROPERTY, OR MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE IN A TUNNEL. OR CAN YOU LOOK HERE AND I SAID, THERE'S NOT ANY BAD OPTIONS YOU CAN COME UP WITH.
WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO LOOK AT ALL THE OPTIONS YOU CAN COME UP WITH.
SO THEY'VE GIVEN US A SERIES OF OPTIONS.
A CITY OF DALLAS HAS GIVEN US A SERIES OF OPTIONS.
WE'RE EXPLORING ANY OPTION ANYONE WILL GIVE US, AND THEN WE'LL PREPARE OVER THE NEXT 30 DAYS.
SO THERE'S VERY FEW OF US IN THE COUNTRY THAT ARE IN THIS BOAT THAT LEADS TO IMPLEMENTATION FUNDS FROM FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION. I THINK IT'S MORE THAN FAIR FOR ANYONE TO ASK ANY QUESTION THEY WISH TO ASK.
THESE ARE REALLY COMPLICATED QUESTIONS.
I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY INTERESTING HOW THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS THIS VERY UNIQUE HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION ALREADY APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UNION STATION, EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON UNION STATION, SUCH A HISTORICAL JEWEL THAT CURRENTLY IS WAY UNDER UTILIZED IN MY MIND.
AND WHILE I AM STILL IN PUBLIC SERVICE, I'VE COMMITTED TO MAKE SURE THAT'S FIXED BEFORE WE LEAVE.
ROSES VISION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT INCLUDES A VISION FOR UNION STATION.
NOW YOU HAVE NOW A FUNDED CONVENTION CENTER THAT IS A IN THE SHADOW, LITERALLY, BETWEEN THOSE TWO PARTICULAR, LOCATIONS, A STREETCAR THAT THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL GOT FUNDED, A CITY COUNCIL THAT, HAS A LOT OF INTEREST IN THAT PARTICULAR, STREETCAR. IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU'RE BLESSED WITH THESE 5 OR 6 OR UNMANNED AIRCRAFT WITH A HELIPORT THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS IN A DOWNTOWN LIKE YOU HAVE, IF, IN FACT, YOU CAN DEVELOP CONSENSUS AROUND THOSE ASSETS AND DO IT IN A WAY THAT MAXIMIZES THE URBAN DESIGN, PLANNING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ALL THE OTHER ELEMENTS TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT DRIVEN BY JUST TRANSPORTATION INTEREST.
YOU'RE ON THE HEELS OF SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK EXISTS IN THE UNITED STATES.
PEREZ, WANTED TO BRING THAT IN FRONT OF YOU SO YOU COULD SEE THOSE ELEMENTS.
WE COULD UNDERSTAND THOSE QUESTIONS.
BUT THIS IS AN INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY THAT NO ONE ELSE WOULD BE ABLE TO.
CAN YOU IMAGINE THE DEBATE? WE HAVE TO NOW WAIT TILL FEBRUARY IF WE'RE GOING TO GET THE FINAL GAME FOR THE FIFA WORLD CUP IN 26, COULD YOU IMAGINE IF WE HAD THIS ALREADY UP AND RUNNING? THERE PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE A DEBATE ON WHERE THE FIFA WORLD CUP GAME WOULD BE.
SO YOU CAN'T BEGIN TO, QUANTIFY THE MAXIMUM IMPACT THIS MAY HAVE.
THIS MAY BE A GAME CHANGER FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, IN MY OPINION.
YES. AND WE'RE DOING A SIMILAR, INITIATIVE IN WEST DALLAS, LOOKING AT WHAT DEVELOPERS INTERESTS ARE.
AND ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY LAND BANK AND DO OTHER PARTICULAR THINGS? WE'VE SAT DOWN WITH MAJID AND EXPLORED VERY INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT WEST DALLAS MAY BE INTERESTED IN.
SO ALL OF THOSE PARTICULAR ELEMENTS ARE ALL IN MOTION AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME.
WELL, IT DOES SOUND VERY EXCITING.
I DO THINK WE NEED SOME VISUAL AIDS.
I THINK WE'RE ALL STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT TO TO PUT THE PIECES OF IT TOGETHER.
BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[00:50:06]
THEY ARE VERY MUCH IN THE MIX.THEY ARE HAVING LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS.
BECAUSE I'M ORIGINALLY THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING, A MISCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN MYSELF AND FROM THE COG TO MYSELF TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING A STATION IN WEST DALLAS, WHICH WE ARE NOT.
BUT WE FOUND A WAY TO GET THAT CONNECTIVITY TO HAPPEN.
JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.
FOLKS IN WEST DALLAS ARE A-OKAY.
YES. THEY DID ALSO ASK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR A TUNNEL.
BUT THEY'RE NOT OUT TO, SAY, TUNNEL OR NOTHING.
THEY'RE VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THE HIGH SPEED RAIL BECAUSE THEY SEE THE ECONOMIC VALUE, BUT ALSO THE CONNECTIVITY AND ACROSS THE RIVER, FOR THEM, THAT CAN HAPPEN ON BOTH SIDES OF, OF THIS.
BUT JUST WANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
AND THANK YOU TO THE COG AND TO STAFF FOR, DOING A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY GREAT OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THROUGH ME, BUT THROUGH YOUR OWN SELVES, CONNECTING WITH THOSE FOLKS. SO WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR TWO NON-MEMBERS, AND I'M GOING TO GO IN ORDER.
AND MISTER RIDLEY, MISTER WEST, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU CHAIRMAN, AND I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A HOT ISSUE LATELY.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE MISTER MORRIS BEING HERE.
I'M GOING TO TAILOR MY QUESTIONS.
I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH THE UNION STATION.
I KNOW MISS FLEMING KNOWS I LOVE DENVER'S UNION STATION.
WOULD LOVE TO SEE US DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THE STREETCAR, THE CONNECTOR BRIDGE.
THE MORE MOBILITY OPTIONS, THE BETTER.
NO ISSUES WITH THE SPEED OF THE TRAIN.
AND I LOVE THE IDEA OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT COMING TO DFW.
MY SOLE ISSUE, WHICH IS PROBABLY NOT A SURPRISE TO ANYONE WHO SAT THROUGH I-345 WITH ME, IS THE LOSS OF ANY CONTIGUOUS LAND IN DOWNTOWN. I DON'T CARE, THE CITY SHOULDN'T CARE REALLY, IF IT'S CONSOLIDATED, IF IT'S JOHN OR JANE DOE, IF IT'S CITY OF DALLAS LAND, WHEN WE LOSE OPEN SPACE IN THE CITY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING, CORPORATE CAMPUS RELOCATIONS, FOR A TRANSPORTATION ITEM, WHETHER IT'S A NEW HIGHWAY OR EVEN A TRAIN, WHICH I SUPPORT.
I THINK WE'VE GOT TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
AND I SHARE THE CONCERN OF CHAIRWOMAN STEWART THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN ANY SCHEMATICS OF HOW THE TRAIN'S GOING TO COME IN AND IF THEY'RE EXISTING, MAYBE THAT'S MY FAULT, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM.
WHAT I HAVE SEEN ARE DOZENS, MAYBE HUNDREDS OF SCHEMATICS OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH LAND, WILL BE CUT OUT FROM THE ELEVATED OPTION SO THAT WE CAN WEIGH THAT IN OUR MINDS. SO THOSE ARE MY REQUESTS.
YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE USED SOME TERMS UP HERE THAT THIS DIRECTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO GO THIS WAY.
AND WE THOUGHT WE HAD THE ROUTE MORE DEFINED.
WAS IT IS THIS COUNCIL JUST GETTING UP TO SPEED? WHERE WAS THIS DECISION PREVIOUSLY MADE TO DO THE ELEVATED STATION.
SO THE ELEVATED STATION IN ITS CURRENT LOCATION IS PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL THAT GOES FROM DOWNTOWN DALLAS TO HOUSTON.
THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR OFFICE.
THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL'S ONLY INTEREST WAS, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO STOP THE STATION IN HOUSTON, NOWHERE CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN. THE ONLY THING MY MEMORY HAS IS SEVEN YEARS AGO.
OH, WE'LL STOP THE STATION AND WAXAHACHIE OR SOMEWHERE LIKE THAT.
AND WE SAID NO, IF WE'RE GOING TO BUILD HIGH SPEED RAIL, YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE IT TO DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FORCE A TRANSFER IN THE SUBURBS SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN HOUSTON.
SO THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL'S POSITION IS FOR HIGH SPEED RAIL TO HOUSTON.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET IN AND AROUND DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS WHAT TAKES YOU TO THE CURRENT LOCATION.
[00:55:05]
YOUR STAFF AND OUR STAFF HAVE TESTIFIED A DOZEN TIMES DURING THE FEDERAL PROCESS OF GETTING THE SAFETY PERMITS, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITS.COMMENTS. WITH REGARD TO THE APPELLATE COURT.
WHEN WE ADVANCED, THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT WAS TO GO FORT WORTH TO DALLAS BEFORE DALLAS TO IN THE EARLY 80S WAS TO GO FORT WORTH, DALLAS, HOUSTON.
SO HOW MUCH DO YOU WISH TO MARKET THE TECHNOLOGY? BECAUSE YOU'RE BUILDING BETWEEN DALLAS TO HOUSTON, YOU'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING THAT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE PEOPLE CAN SEE IT, WHERE IT'S ONLY 30 MILES AND IT CAN BE UP AND RUNNING.
THE DECISION WAS MADE BY TEXAS CENTRAL PARTNERS NOT TO INCLUDE THE FORT WORTH TO DALLAS SECTION.
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FORT WORTH TO DALLAS, IN FACT, DR.
PEREZ, RIGHTLY SHOWS YOU ON THE PRESENTATION ON PAGE EIGHT, THERE'S LOTS OF DOWNTOWN STATIONS.
SO WE ENGAGE THE WHOLE REGION.
WELL, WHERE SHOULD OUR DOWNTOWN STATION BE? WHAT'S THE BENEFIT OF CO-LOCATING WITH THE CURRENT HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION? SO YOU DON'T BRING HIGH SPEED RAIL INTO A STATION, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO TRANSFER FROM THAT STATION TO THE OTHER STATION.
SO WE WOULD DO A LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHERE THOSE STATIONS SHOULD BE.
WE'VE STUDIED UNDERGROUND STATIONS PREVIOUSLY AND IN THAT PROCESS.
I BELIEVE THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE CERTAINLY KNOW THE RTC.
HEY, WHY WOULD YOU BUILD A SECOND HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION IN DALLAS AND FORCE A TRANSFER BETWEEN THAT STATION AND THAT STATION, EITHER IN SPACE OR IN FLOORS 17 FLOORS? SO THE DECISION WAS MADE.
I'LL GO FIND IT FIVE YEARS AGO.
THE PHRASE ONE SEAT RIDE WAS COINED THAT THE INTEREST WAS NOT TO FORCE A TRANSFER, TO TWO HIGH SPEED RAIL SYSTEMS. DON'T RECREATE THE MISTAKE THAT WAS MADE AT LOVE FIELD, BUT MAKE SURE THERE'S A SEAMLESS CONNECTION AT THE HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION.
THAT WAS GIVEN TO US BY THE APPROVAL OF THE DALLAS TO TO HOUSTON HIGH SPEED RAIL.
SO OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, LOTS OF MEETINGS HAVE OCCURRED.
ONE SEAT RIDE DON'T FORCE A TRANSFER.
YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE A TON OF RIDERS.
I SUSPECT WHEN YOU SEE THE AMOUNT OF RIDERSHIP WE LOSE BY GOING TO GET YOUR LUGGAGE, WAITING FOR AN ELEVATOR, TRAVELING 17 FLOORS, GETTING ON YOUR TRAIN, RELOADING YOUR LUGGAGE, THE LOSS OF RIDERSHIP IN THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION, I THINK, WILL REAFFIRM THE THE DECISION OF THREE YEARS AGO THAT THE BEST SOLUTION IS TO CREATE A SEAMLESS CONNECTION, AND YOU JUST SIT ON YOUR TRAIN FOR TWO MINUTES AND KEEP GOING. BUT WE'RE REEXAMINING THAT AS REQUESTED.
SO WE DIDN'T SET THE DALLAS HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION.
THAT WAS SET BY SOME CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE HIGH SPEED RAIL FOLKS IN DALLAS.
I GET IT, AND I APPRECIATE THE DETAILED RESPONSE.
AND YOU ARE THE MESSENGER ON THIS.
AND SO I GUESS MY QUESTION FOR STAFF WOULD BE AS A FOLLOW UP, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT OF WHERE THERE IS GOING TO THERE'S NO OPTION.
IT SOUNDS LIKE, AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO GO WITH CHAIRWOMA SCHULTZ'S COMMENTS ABOUT HAVING AN URBAN PLANNER KIND OF, YOU KNOW, DOUBLE DOWN ON THAT AND SAY THAT THERE'S NO OPTION WHERE WE DON'T LOSE VALUABLE REAL ESTATE IN DOWNTOWN FOR THIS.
SO I'M KIND OF JUST WINGING IT HERE.
BUT, FOR ME, THIS IS A THAT GOES BACK TO THE REAL ESTATE LOSS AND I'M GOING TO KEEP ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS AND HOPEFULLY IT CLEARS THINGS UP WHEN I SEE SOME SCHEMATICS.
THANK YOU. CHAIR. MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I COULD JUST ADD GO AHEAD.
[01:00:09]
BUILDING A CERTAIN SPACE OF BUILDING SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU DID IN THE 80S AND 90S, AND YOU HAVE PARKING LOTS AND OTHER THINGS IN BETWEEN.AND I AM NOT A PERSON THAT HAS SEEN A LOT OF HIGH SPEED RAIL IN PERSON, UNFORTUNATELY.
BUT IF YOU'VE SEEN HIGH SPEED RAIL IN THE REAL WORLD, I THINK A FAIR QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT ADDITIONAL DENSITY IS GAINED BY HAVING A HIGH SPEED RAIL STATION? BECAUSE I THINK THE ANSWER IS YOU ACTUALLY GET MORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, GREATER USE OF LAND, TALLER BUILDINGS THAN YOU WOULD OTHERWISE.
AND I THINK THAT URBAN QUESTION SHOULD BE ASKED OF YOUR STAFF.
SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE IF WE DON'T HAVE HIGH SPEED RAIL, WHAT DO WE GET? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE YOU'VE SEEN.
AND THE QUESTION IS, IF WE DO GET HIGH SPEED RAIL, WHAT IS THE DENSITY OF DEVELOPMENT? AND I THINK IT'S FAR GREATER, WHICH LENDS ITSELF TO THE TYPE OF MODE OF TRANSPORTATION CONNECTING THESE DENSITIES THROUGH THIS LINEAR, ACCELERATED SIDEWALK THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY.
THANK YOU. AND, STAFF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I KEEP HEARING THIS.
I THINK WE HAVE A COMMON THEME.
AND THEN WE HAVE ONE FROM HOUSTON, FROM DALLAS TO HOUSTON AND BACK.
AND BECAUSE THIS IS LIKE A 20 PLUS YEAR HISTORY THAT MANY OF US HERE MAY HAVE JUST MOVED TO THE CITY OR MAY HAVE NOT REALLY BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THOSE, VERY QUIET CONVERSATIONS, BUT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN WRAP THEIR HEAD AROUND WHERE ALL OF THIS CAME, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE THE ONES AT THE TABLE BEING SET, TOLD YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE A DECISION. SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SEE THAT HISTORY.
BUT IT DOES NEED TO BE TWO SEPARATE BECAUSE ONE, THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE LINES IS WHAT I GOT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT WE'RE HOPING TO, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, IS HOPING TO HAVE US BE ONE SEAMLESS LINE, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT, LINES.
SO IS THAT MAKE SENSE TO EVERYBODY? OKAY, OKAY. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT MUDDYING UP ANY WATERS.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY, YOU NOW HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
MR. MORRIS. I WANT TO FOCUS MY QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ON THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH HIGH SPEED RAIL LINE.
IT MAY SEEM ON THE SURFACE THAT THIS IS A GREAT COUNTERPART.
TO THE DALLAS HOUSTON LINK, BUT I WANT TO EXAMINE THAT.
WHAT STUDY, IF ANY, HAS BEEN DONE TO COMPARE THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF A HIGH SPEED CONNECTION, BETWEEN DALLAS AND FORT WORTH IN TERMS OF INCREASED RIDERSHIP OVER THE TRE AND THE ANTICIPATED HIGH COST OF BUILDING A HIGH SPEED RAIL CORRIDOR, PARTICULARLY ONE THAT DEPENDS UPON, SECTIONS THAT ARE, SUBWAYS.
SO WE WILL PULL THE WORK THAT WE DID FIVE YEARS AGO.
LAST TIME, WE LOOKED AT THE RIDERSHIP THAT GAVE US THE IMPETUS TO GO INTO THIS PARTICULAR PHASE, WHICH IS WHAT WE PRESENTED TO THE INTERNATIONAL FORUM OF HIGH SPEED RAIL PROVIDERS THAT CAME TO OUR COUNTRY TO SEE IT.
WE CITED THAT RIDERSHIP, THESE OTHER, COUNTRIES WOULD SAY, YES, WE THINK THAT'S A SIMILAR NUMBER.
I CAN GET THE SPEED DATA FASTER THAN THAT RIDERSHIP NUMBER.
GREAT. AND BY THE WAY, I'M NOT TRYING TO DODGE THE QUESTION.
ALL THAT WORK IS DONE OFFICIALLY IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS THAT WE HAVE WE HAVE NOT YET ENTERED.
SO OKAY, SO THAT WOULD BE A PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL.
A RELATED QUESTION, IF THERE IS ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATION FOR THAT HIGH SPEED LINK TO FORT WORTH, WHAT IMPACT WOULD THAT HAVE ON THE TREE LINE? WOULD THAT JUST GO AWAY OR WOULD THAT.
NO, WE'VE ALREADY ANSWERED THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION.
IT SEEMS COUNTERINTUITIVE ON THE SURFACE.
IT HAS VERY LITTLE IMPACT ON THE TRE TRAIN, BECAUSE VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE TAKING THE TRE END STATION TO END STATION, THE TRE HAS A WHOLE BUNCH OF INTERMEDIATE STOPS.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GETTING ON AND OFF AND NOT TRAVELING 30 MILES.
[01:05:05]
AND THEN IF YOU EXPLORE THAT, WHY IS THAT? SO IF IT TAKES 65 MINUTES TO TRAVEL 30 MILES, YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T TRAVEL THE 30 MILES EITHER.SO OUR HIGH SPEED RAIL, BECAUSE IT IS OTHER THAN POTENTIAL STOP IN ARLINGTON, THERE'S REALLY THERE TO FEED DFW AIRPORT.
THERE ARE NO INTERMEDIATE STOPS, SO EVERYONE THAT NEEDS AN INTERMEDIATE STOP, STAYS ON THE TRE.
I WILL INCLUDE THAT IN THE RIDERSHIP ANALYSIS THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY DONE.
OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. MORRIS. THANK YOU SIR.
THANK YOU. AND AT THIS TIME I'M JUST GOING TO SEE AROUND.
I KNOW THAT MISS MENDELSOHN HAS MORE QUESTIONS, SO SHE'LL BE FIRST, BUT IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE IN THE CHAMBER THAT NEEDS A ROUND TWO? AND IF YOU AFTER HEARING HER QUESTIONS, IF YOU NEED ONE, JUST LET ME KNOW.
AND OF COURSE WE'LL CALL ON YOU.
BUT AS OF THIS TIME, RIGHT NOW, MISS MENDELSOHN IS THE ONLY ONE.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN, YOU NOW HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU. I'VE GOT THREE QUICK ONES.
THE FIRST IS. I KNOW, MICHAEL, YOU'D LOVE TO HAVE THIS IN PLACE FOR THE FIFA GAME.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A REALISTIC TIME FRAME, BUT MY QUESTION IS.
I'M AT THIS POINT THINKING IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN MY LIFETIME.
IS IT URGENT FOR US TO CONSIDER DALLAS TO FORT WORTH WHEN WE DON'T KNOW IF DALLAS OR HOUSTON IS EVER GOING TO HAPPEN? WELL, YOU'LL BE HEARING DIRECTLY FROM AMTRAK SOON.
WE'RE COMING BACK TO GIVE A FULL PRESENTATION TO THE DALLAS COUNCIL.
OUR STAFF MET WITH AMTRAK IN WASHINGTON DC AT THE TRB MEETINGS.
THEY'RE GOING FULL SPEED AHEAD WITH IMPLEMENTATION FROM DOWNTOWN DALLAS TO HOUSTON.
THEY'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE INDEPENDENT UTILITY, MEANING WE COULD OPERATE WITHOUT DALLAS TO HOUSTON, BUT IT SEEMS VERY UNLIKELY. WE WOULD WANT TO BUILD HIGH SPEED RAIL BETWEEN DALLAS AND HOUSTON.
I MEAN, DALLAS AND FORT WORTH.
IF WE DID NOT HAVE A LEG THAT CONNECTED US TO ALL THE OTHER TEXAS CITIES.
BUT OUR ENVIRONMENTAL DOES HAVE INDEPENDENT UTILITY.
BUT I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
THANK YOU. THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS ABOUT THE CLIMATE AMENDMENT.
SO THIS PREDATES EVERYONE AT THIS MEETING EXCEPT FOR MAYBE CHAIRMAN ATKINS.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE CLIMATE AMENDMENT WAS OR IS FROM THE RTC? THE CLIMATE AMENDMENT? YEAH. SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AN AMENDMENT.
COUNCILMAN KLEIMAN CORRECTLY SAID IN THE ARLINGTON CITY OF ARLINGTON, AGREES THAT, AND OUR STAFF INSISTS THAT YOU DO NOT GET A CITATION IF YOU EITHER DO NOT JOIN A TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY OR PARTICIPATE AS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION.
MEMBER IN ARLINGTON IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF THAT.
ARLINGTON WOULD HAVE TO, SIT DOWN WITH DART TOURNEY METRO.
IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE A STATION IN ARLINGTON.
IF THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN, I HAVE A COMPLICATED QUESTION.
BECAUSE OF SOUTHWEST AIRLINES AND DFW AIRPORT, I HAVE TO PROVIDE EQUAL ACCESS TO EACH AIRPORT.
I HAVE A COMPLICATED QUESTION ON HOW I'M GETTING TO, DFW AIRPORT BECAUSE IT'S VIA ARLINGTON.
BUT ARLINGTON WOULD NOT GET A STATION, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE STUDYING HIGH SPEED RAIL WITH OR WITHOUT AN ARLINGTON STATION, IN CASE ARLINGTON WISHES NOT TO PARTICIPATE WITH THE TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
I DON'T THINK IT'S AN AMENDMENT, BY KLEIMAN.
I THINK HE MADE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION.
WELL, KLEIMAN'S POSITION HAS BEEN IS VERY CLEAR.
I CAN GO BACK EXACTLY WHAT WAS DONE.
THERE IS NO STATION IN ARLINGTON.
IF ARLINGTON WISHES TO NOT HAVE SOME RELATIONSHIP WITH A TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
[01:10:05]
OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE I GOT THIS NUMBER.
AND LIKE CHAIRMAN ATKINS, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS COST.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY STUDIES, WHETHER THAT'S BY DART, WHETHER THAT'S BY TRINITY METRO, MAYBE THAT'S THE COG THAT HAVE LOOKED AT DOUBLE TRACKING TRE THAT HAVE LOOKED AT FASTER TRAINS.
I MEAN, I KNOW THERE'S TRAINS THAT CAN GO 100 MILES AN HOUR OVER THERE.
SO HAS THERE BEEN SOME ANALYSIS OF THAT AND WHAT IT WOULD COST.
12 BILLION IS NOT THE CORRECT NUMBER.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THAT CAME FROM.
THAT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT IT COSTS TO BUILD HIGH SPEED RAIL BETWEEN DALLAS AND AND, FORT WORTH.
AND YES, 4 OR 5 YEARS AGO, WE SPENT A YEAR OF OUR LIFE LOOKING AT THE TRE AS THE WAY TO MAKE THIS PARTICULAR CONNECTION AND FOR LOTS OF REASONS, INCLUDING THE LACK OF SPEED, THE LACK OF SUPPORT, THE LACK OF PUBLIC INTEREST, THE DANGER OF HIGHER SPEED TRAINS GOING THROUGH AT GRADE CROSSINGS, THE LACK OF SUPPORT FOR ELEVATED HIGH SPEED TRAINS IN THE SAME RIGHT OF WAY.
THE TRE QUARTER WAS REJECTED, AND IT SENT US ON A PATH OF LOOKING AT 48 ALIGNMENTS.
WE LOOKED AT OTHER TECHNOLOGIES, [INAUDIBLE], HIGH SPEED RAIL, HYPERLOOP, SLOWER TRAINS, AND THE CONCLUSION WAS HIGH SPEED RAIL.
HOPEFULLY THE SAME TECHNOLOGY THAT GOES TO HOUSTON.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE TRAINS.
AND THE ALIGNMENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY.
I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO MAKE THOSE REPORTS AVAILABLE TO YOU IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THEM.
THE REPORT I'M INTERESTED IN IS NOT ABOUT THE EVALUATION OF THE ALIGNMENTS.
IT'S THE REPORT THAT EVALUATES DOUBLE TRACKING TRE AND PUTTING A FASTER TRAIN ON THERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. IF YOU CAN GET THAT TO ME.
IT LOOKS LIKE NOBODY ELSE HAS ANY, SECOND ROUNDS.
ANYTHING THAT I THINK THAT THE HISTORY IS THE REALLY BIG IMPORTANT THING.
BUT THEN AS WE GET CLOSER, IS THESE DIFFERENT REPORTS THAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT.
MICHAEL, BECAUSE IT IS HE IS VERY ACCURATE.
AND SO EVERYBODY'S BEEN SENT THE EMAILS TO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE COG NOT THROUGH THE CITY OF DALLAS. AND THEN, IF WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT OUR STAFF IS GIVING US THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO KNOW AS FAR AS WHAT'S BEEN THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE ARE READY TO BE GIVEN TO US SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS AND KNOWS THAT THE REASON WE'RE HAVING TODAY WAS BECAUSE, ALL OF A SUDDEN, SOME REQUESTS WERE MADE TO INVESTIGATE AND LOOK AT, A TUNNEL INSTEAD OF, WHAT WAS ON THE TABLE TO BEGIN WITH.
AND SO WE THOUGHT IT WAS BEST TO GIVE YOU ALL SOME INFORMATION.
NOW, THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IN MARCH.
IT STILL HAPPENING IN MARCH, BUT IT WILL BE FULL COUNCIL AT THAT POINT.
BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP LAST MONTH BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE BRING SOMETHING TO YOU ALL SO THAT YOU ALL, AS COMMITTEE MEMBERS, CAN HELP MASSAGE THIS OUT, WORK IT OUT, GIVE YOUR INPUT, ASK YOUR QUESTIONS.
AND I'M GOING TO STOP BECAUSE MR. ATKINS HAS A COMMENT.
I THINK IT'S THE FEBRUARY THE 5TH.
SO JUST LET EVERYBODY BE AWARE.
FEBRUARY THE 5TH BEFORE THE FULL COUNCIL.
SO IF HE HAS ANY MORE QUESTIONS, JUST CHECK WITH ME.
[01:15:05]
TODAY. SO THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN, FOR, ADDING THAT IN.AND THEN I DO WANT TO SAY ONE OTHER COMMENT IS THAT HIGH SPEED RAIL WAS PROBABLY A PIPE DREAM 20 YEARS AGO, SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT WOULD ONLY HAPPEN LIKE IT WAS A DISNEYLAND FANTASY.
THIS LITTLE EIGHT YEAR OLD THAT THOUGHT HE WAS GETTING MONORAIL BACK THEN.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT, IF IT WASN'T FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN AND SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG, HIGH SPEED RAIL WOULDN'T EVEN BE SOMETHING WE'RE THINKING OF RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING FROM THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACT.
AND, THE HISTORY OF DALLAS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE AND KNOW IS THAT WE WERE FOUNDED BECAUSE OF A RAIL LINE BEING MOVED TO THE CITY OF DALLAS, INSTEAD OF THAT STATION BEING, 40, 60, 70 MILES EAST OF US.
WE WOULD NOT BE THE CITY OF DALLAS IF IT WASN'T FOR THAT.
AND, WE DO JUST GOT TO GET IT RIGHT.
AND, ALSO, I BELIEVE THAT THE I'M NOT SURE WHICH IF IT WAS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR WHICH GOVERNMENT APPROVED, TO START LOOKING AT A DALLAS TO ATLANTA LINE.
AND SO HIGH SPEED RAIL IS STARTING TO PICK UP ACROSS THE NATION.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THIS IS EXACTLY RIGHT OR PERFECT.
ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT THIS IS REALLY EXCITING THAT WE GET TO BE THE CENTER OF, PROBABLY WHERE HIGH SPEED RAIL FOR THE COUNTRY IS REALLY GOING TO LAUNCH IF WE DECIDE TO GO FOR IT OR NOT.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY COOL TO BE HERE FOR US AS A CITY TO REALLY GET TO LOOK AT THIS AND REALLY STUDY IT, AND WE'VE GOT TO GET IT RIGHT, BECAUSE IF WE'RE THE FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO BE THE LEADERS, FOR THE ENTIRE NATION ON THIS HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND I LOVE THAT ASPECT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE THE BIG D.
AND, WHAT STARTS HERE REALLY DOES TRANSFORM OUR NATION ON MANY DIFFERENT FRONTS.
AND SO FOR THAT, LET'S GET IT RIGHT.
AND THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS AT THE COG.
MICHAEL, YOU'VE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, GIVEN US THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY ABOUT A PROJECT.
NOT ALWAYS THE ANSWERS I WANT TO HEAR SOMETIMES, BUT YOU GIVE US THE ANSWERS.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THESE STUDIES THAT ARE COMING TO FRUITION.
AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE BROUGHT UP SOME REALLY DIFFICULT QUESTIONS AND SOME DIFFICULT, THINGS TO LOOK AT, BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT BRAIN THAT SEES THINGS VERY DIFFERENTLY.
SO I APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE AS WELL.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO STAFF AND MICHAEL COMING BACK IN MARCH AND GIVING US MORE.
BUT IF WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING BEFOREHAND, PLEASE LET US KNOW SO THAT WE CAN, MAKE SURE THAT EITHER IT'S THIS COMMITTEE OR IF THERE'S CERTAIN MEMBERS, I DO KNOW THAT SOME FOLKS HAVE NOW REQUESTED A WALKING TOUR FROM WHERE WOULD, YOU KNOW, FROM LBJ STATION TO WHERE THE STATION WOULD BE IN THE CEDARS JUST TO KIND OF FEEL LIKE. SO WE CAN KIND OF FEEL WHAT THAT WOULD FEEL LIKE.
I KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IF IT'S A TUNNEL, IT'S GOING TO FEEL DIFFERENTLY.
BUT IF WE CAN KIND OF SEE THAT WALKING WISE, OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE MOVERS, THINGS LIKE THAT MIGHT BE IN THERE, BUT JUST SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF GET A BETTER CONCEPT I AM GRATEFUL TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO BROUGHT UP A SCHEMATIC BECAUSE SOMETIMES, NOT ALL OF US HAVE A BRAIN THAT CAN VISUALIZE SOMETHING WITHOUT SEEING IT DRAWN OR A SKETCH OR SOMETHING.
FUNDING OBVIOUSLY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE WE CANNOT AFFORD THIS ON OUR OWN.
AND SO WE GOT TO MAKE SURE HOPEFULLY IT'S AS I LOVE THAT MR. KLINE IS STILL BEING BROUGHT UP IN THESE MEETINGS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE OLD CLIMATE SAYING OF OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY, EVEN THOUGH IT IS STILL OUR TAX MONEY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS ANOTHER ENTITY'S TAX MONEY THAT WE GET BACK IN THE CITY.
SO, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT EVERYTHING.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE CONVERSATIONS ON THIS.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO MR. MORRIS FOR BEING HERE AS WELL AS OUR CITY STAFF.
AND PATRICK CARRENO, THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION, WILL BE PRESENTING.
AND YOU CAN ASK SOME MORE QUESTIONS HERE, AND THEN WE WILL END WITH OUR, THIRD PRESENTATION.
SO, PATRICK, YOU NOW HAVE THE FLOOR.
[01:20:03]
CHAIRMAN. PATRICK MORENO, DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION.DIRECTOR. WE'RE HERE TODAY TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE TERMINAL AIR MASTER PLAN.
WE'RE GOING TO GO BRIEFLY THROUGH THE BACKGROUND AND HISTORY AGAIN.
OPPORTUNITIES, TRENDS AND, CURRENT ACTIVITIES, OUTREACH AND NEXT STEPS.
WE'VE HAD CERTAIN ELEMENTS THAT HAVE COME UP SINCE THEN, PARTICULARLY IN THE PASSENGER LEVELS.
AND WE'LL ALSO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE FROM LANDSIDE TO AIRSIDE.
AND ALSO TO DIFFERENT WAYS THAT PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING NOW.
AGAIN, JUST THIS IS A HIGH LEVEL AREA OF OPPORTUNITIES.
THE PINK AREA IS, SUPPORT FACILITIES AND GENERAL AVIATION.
AND WHAT WE CAN CALL THE, TERMINAL LAND SIDE IS IN THE GREEN AREA.
SO AVIATION TRENDS AND INFLUENCES A LOT HAS CHANGED.
PRE-PANDEMIC, WE LOOKED AT THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
THERE IS A TREND TOWARDS LESS PASSENGER VEHICLE, TRAVEL.
THE WAY THAT YOUR PROCESS, THE WAY THAT YOU GO TO THE AIRPORT, PANDEMIC THAT CHANGED AGAIN.
PEOPLE ARE TAKING LONGER TRIPS.
THEY'RE USING THE PARKING LOTS MORE.
AND THERE'S JUST A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING THINGS.
THERE'S LESS BUSINESS TRAVEL, MORE OF A BLEND OF VACATION TRAVEL AND BUSINESS TRAVEL.
SO WE TAKE A DIFFERENT LOOK AT HOW WE USE LANDSIDE IN THE TERMINAL FACILITY.
BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE THOSE NEW EVOLUTIONS AND TECHNOLOGY AND THE WAY PASSENGERS ARE MOVING, INTO CONSIDERATION, ALONG WITH THE INCREASE IN PASSENGER TRAFFIC THAT WE'VE HAD, OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS OR SO.
WE FINISHED OUR INVENTORY OF EXISTING CONDITIONS.
WE HAVE SUBMITTED OUR AVIATION ACTIVITY FORECAST, WHICH I'LL GO OVER BRIEFLY, AND ALSO OUR EARLY ACTION ITEMS. WE'LL TALK ABOUT.
AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THE NEXT STEPS WILL BE DEMAND AND CAPACITY.
AND ALSO LOOKING AT SOME OF THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVES.
AS I, WENT OVER BRIEFLY, WE'VE GONE OVER THE FORECAST.
THIS IS OUR IN PLANE PASSENGER FORECAST.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE TREND THAT WE'VE SEEN JUST IN THE LAST FEW YEARS GOING UP THE WE'VE EXCEEDED THE TERMINAL CAPACITY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE KEY AREAS WHY WE'VE STARTED THIS TERMINAL AREA MASTER PLAN.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE FUTURE FORECAST TENDS TO LEVEL OFF WITH THE CAP ON THE CURRENT GATES.
SO EARLY. ACTION ITEMS. WE HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS THAT WE KNOW ARE CHALLENGES.
PARKING AND RIDESHARE FACILITIES.
IS IS ONE CONSOLIDATED RENTAL CAR FACILITY, WHICH IS WHERE WE MOVE THE RENTAL CARS LONG TERM.
THIS IS A SCHEDULE OF PLANNED ACTIVITIES, FROM NOW TO THE END OF THE MASTER PLAN.
WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF OUTREACH THAT'S PLANNED.
FIRST IS OUR STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP.
THIS GROUP IS INTERNAL EXTERNAL PARTNERS, AIRPORT STAKEHOLDERS, COMMUNITY, [INAUDIBLE], A LOT OF FAA, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE ON THIS GROUP THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF THE ADVISORY GROUP, AND THEY'LL BE KICKING OFF, LIKE I SAID, THIS MONTH, WE'LL START PUBLIC WORKSHOPS HOPEFULLY IN THE SPRING.
AND AS WE MOVE THROUGH THAT, WE'LL RETURN TO THE COMMITTEE AND TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR BRIEFINGS.
[01:25:04]
AIRPORT. AND ANOTHER, UPDATE TO THIS COMMITTEE PROJECTING IN JUNE AND A FULL CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING IN 2025.I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
WE'RE GOING TO GO BACKWARDS FROM WHAT WE DID ON THE LAST ITEM.
SO WE'LL START WITH, COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART IF.
NO QUESTIONS. COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ.
I'M GOING TO GO WITH THAT'S A NO QUESTIONS.
AND THEN, COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN, YOU WERE VIRTUAL AND YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
SO PLEASE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AT THIS TIME.
ONE IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO ENSURE A SEAMLESS CONNECTION WITH DART TO THE AIRPORT.
WE'RE HAVE TXDOT, COG, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ALL INVOLVED IN THIS.
AND THAT'S A KEY ELEMENT TO THIS.
DEPENDING ON WE MAY HAVE A NEED INSIDE THE AIRPORT FOR MOVING PASSENGERS.
AND WE WANT THAT TO BE OBVIOUSLY SEAMLESS TO TO OUTSIDE.
ALL THAT WILL BE PUT ON THE TABLE.
AND THEN WE'LL HOPE TO BRING THOSE CONCEPTS FORWARD TO THIS COMMITTEE WHEN WE HAVE THOSE.
AND THEN I'M JUST GOING TO REPEAT SOMETHING I THINK I HAVE ALREADY SAID TO YOU BEFORE, WHICH I THINK THE CONNECTION TO GET TO RIDE SHARE FROM INSIDE THE TERMINAL TO THE PARKING GARAGE, IT'S TOO FAR AND IT'S TOO DIFFICULT.
IT'S TOO MANY DIFFERENT STEPS.
AND I HOPE YOU WILL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE SOME KIND OF IMPROVEMENT IN THAT.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THAT'S A KEY ELEMENT OF THIS AS WELL.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IS A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE WILL BE LOOKING CLOSELY AT IN THIS MASTER PLAN.
WELL. THANK YOU. I THINK THOSE TWO ITEMS WOULD REALLY TRANSFORM HOW, LOVE FIELD IS USED, HOW MUCH PARKING IS USED, HOW MUCH TRAFFIC IS THERE. AND I JUST THINK THEY'RE PROBABLY TO ME, THEY'RE THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT WAYS YOU CAN IMPROVE THE AIRPORT, OF WHICH WE THINK IT'S A FABULOUS AIRPORT.
SO ANYHOW, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND THEN NEXT WE HAVE, MR. ATKINS COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS.
NEXT WE HAVE, VICE CHAIR GRACEY.
NOW, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU.
YOU ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
THANK YOU. AND WE JUST ALL REALLY APPRECIATE HOW YOU'RE APPROACHING THIS.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
AND I DON'T SEE ANY NON-COMMITTEE MEMBERS HERE.
AND I'LL JUST CLOSE OFF WITH THANK YOU.
I TOLD EVERYBODY THIS WOULD BE QUICK AND SHORT AND FAST.
BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR TEAM WORKING ON THIS AND GETTING THIS, DONE.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIMELINE.
OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE HEARD FROM, YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUE, DEFINITELY THE RIDE SHARE ISSUE.
AND I KNOW Y'ALL ARE WORKING ON IT.
AND I KNOW THAT WAS THIS MOVE WAS PART OF A PLAN TO GET US THERE.
BUT, AS WE GET MOVING MORE TOWARDS THAT END GOAL, AS WE KEEP PEOPLE ABREAST OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I THINK THAT AS MUCH FLYING AS I DID TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, LAST YEAR, I REALLY GOT TO EXPERIENCE A LOT OF, I PURPOSELY USED RIDE SHARE ON MANY OCCASIONS JUST SO THAT I COULD REALLY FEEL WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE A, CUSTOMER OF THE AIRPORT.
EVEN THOUGH I'M DIFFERENTLY ABLED THAN A LOT OF FOLKS.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, I STILL WANTED TO SEE WHAT IT FELT LIKE IN A DIFFERENT CAPACITY THAN ON DAY ONE.
AND IT WAS VERY INTERESTING THE DIFFERENT WAYS THEY DO THEM.
AND I THINK PATRICK WAS PROBABLY OVER ME SENDING HIM, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE VIDEOS OF, YOU KNOW, GUST AND DIRT WINDS AND LAS VEGAS, YOU KNOW, GETTING KNOCKING ME THROUGH A TUNNEL THAT WAS EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS, TO ATLANTA BEING JUST STUCK OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ELEMENTS AS WELL AS IN LOS ANGELES, HAVING TO RIDE A BUS AND GO REALLY FAR. I MEAN, EVERYBODY HAS A DIFFERENT CONCEPT ON HOW TO DO THIS.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU, REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS AND WANTING TO GET IT RIGHT.
[01:30:05]
I SHOULD I COULDN'T ASK IT IN THE OTHER ONE, BUT DEFINITELY WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.I STILL WANT TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT.
IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO GET SOME KIND OF A PEOPLE MOVER OR SOMETHING INTO THIS PLAN THAT CONNECTS TO ONE OF THE DART STATIONS, THAT'S CLOSE BY, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST. I WANT TO SAY, GRIPES THAT I HEAR FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO GET OFF OF DART.
THAT'S JUST THAT SEAMLESS, EASY TO USE GET THERE.
SO I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE LOOKING AT SOME THINGS, THAT MIGHT BE EASIER AND MUCH MORE COST EFFICIENT.
THAT WOULD GET PEOPLE TO THE TERMINAL FASTER.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE RENTAL CAR, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH IT, YOU KNOW, DO WE WANT TO CONSOLIDATE, DO WE NOT? AND THAT WILL ALL BE TOLD IN THIS, MASTER PLAN AS WE CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD.
I KNOW I SAID IT LAST TIME, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN.
YOU HAVE JUST BEEN SO A BREATH OF FRESH AIR TO WORK WITH AND I FEEL IT AND SEE IT AT THE AIRPORT.
AND YOUR NAME CONSTANTLY COMES UP THAT, HOW THEY LOVE WORKING WITH YOU OR THAT YOU'VE TOLD THEM ALREADY OR, YOU KNOW, YOU GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED AS EMPLOYED STAFF, REGARDLESS OF THEIR, YOU KNOW, OUR STAFF OR IF THEY ARE, THIRD PARTY STAFF.
I JUST LOVE HEARING THE EXCITEMENT OF THAT AND JUST LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE LOVE FIELD, BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE AT HOW MANY YEARS NOW? HOW OLD IS THE SINCE WE REMODELED? WE'RE GOING ON TEN YEARS.
BUT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE OUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES, THAT AND THAT WE CONTINUE GAINING ALL THESE DIFFERENT AWARDS FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN DALLAS AT LOVE FIELD. SO THANK YOU AGAIN, PATRICK.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS WITH THAT.
WE HAVE JOHN O'CONNOR, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT PARK RECREATION, ALONG WITH SARAH STANDIFER, THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DALLAS WATER UTILITIES, WHO WILL BE BRIEFING US AND THEN WE'LL OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS.
COLLEAGUES. SO YOU ALL KNOW I ASKED FOR THIS TO BE BRIEFED BEFORE US.
NOT FOR ANYTHING NEGATIVE OR ANYTHING BAD, JUST BECAUSE, AS I STARTED LOOKING AT IT, A LOT OF QUESTIONS CAME UP ABOUT, FUNDING AND THE BOND AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC AND OTHER FOLKS.
AND IT IS A DIFFERENT ONE BECAUSE IT'S A TWO PRONGED.
YOU HAVE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND DALLAS WATER UTILITY, WORKING ON THIS PROJECT WITH US.
YOU HAVE A 2017 BOND, A POTENTIAL 2024 BOND AND OTHER FUNDING.
AND, I BELIEVE WHEN THIS WAS ON PUTTING PUT ON THE 2017 BOND, THERE ARE ONLY TWO OF US ON THE COUNCIL LEFT THAT ACTUALLY VOTED TO ADD THIS ITEM FROM THERE ON TO THAT BOND, AND THAT'S MYSELF AND MR. ATKINS. AND SO I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY KIND OF BE CAUGHT UP, BROUGHT TO SPEED AND NOT JUST A MEMO, BUT IN A THIS IS WHAT THIS PROJECT REALLY IS AND WHAT IT'S ABOUT. AND SO, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS BRIEFING.
SO, JUST, I JUST WANTED TO CATCH EVERYBODY UP AND MAKE SURE THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS ALSO CAUGHT UP, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE WATER COMMONS PROJECT, SINCE THAT 2017 MEETING, THAT THE BOND FUNDING GOT THROWN IN LITERALLY ON THE LAST DAY 10S BEFORE WE WERE ABOUT TO VOTE ON IT WITH AN AMENDMENT. SO WITH THAT SAID, THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
I'M RYAN O'CONNOR, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DALLAS PARKS AND RECREATION, JOINED BY SARAH STANDIFER, BECAUSE THIS IS VERY MUCH A JOINT PROJECT, AS YOU JUST MENTIONED, BETWEEN OUR TWO DEPARTMENTS. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MELANIE FERGUSON.
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN AND COMMITTEE, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH YOU THIS MORNING.
AS WAS SAID, I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS.
I'M HERE WITH MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENTHUSIAST WHO, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN WORKING WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THE STATE ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FOR A GOOD LONG TIME.
WE'D LIKE TO START WITH A VIDEO.
CAN WE TEE THAT UP? IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MAKE THAT WORK, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOU SEE THAT OR GET THAT SENT LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
SO AGAIN, THE PURPOSE OF TODAY IS JUST TO BRIEFLY GO OVER THE WATER COMMONS PROJECT.
[01:35:05]
NEXT SLIDE.YOU JUST GIVE HER A SECOND. SHE'S WORKING ON IT.
THAT'S WATCHING. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING A SMALL TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY GETTING THE VIDEO TO PLAY.
ALL RIGHT. WE'VE MADE THE DECISION THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO NOT SEE THE VIDEO RIGHT NOW, AND WE WILL SEND IT OUT TO ALL COMMITTEE MEMBERS, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S ON THE AVAILABLE ON THE LINK FOR THE ACTUAL AGENDA.
SO THE GENERAL PUBLIC STILL HAS ACCESS TO IT.
SO WE'LL JUST MOVE ON AND SAVE THOSE FEW MINUTES AND MOVE FORWARD.
YES. SO THIS IS A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THE DALLAS WETLANDS FOUNDATION, WHICH WAS CREATED TO OVERSEE THIS PROJECT OF THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS, WHICH IS A NATURAL PARK JUST SOUTH OF HERE, IN BETWEEN RIVERFRONT AND BATHUM JEAN BOULEVARD AND SOUTH OF CADIZ. AS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, WE HAVE TWO PARTNERS, TWO DANCE PARTNERS WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS ZEITGEIST, WHICH IS BOTH A DALLAS PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND A DALLAS WATER UTILITIES.
NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS THE LOCATION.
YOU CAN SEE THE PROJECT AREA JUST TO THE EAST OF THE RIVER ARE THESE TWO GREEN, AREAS, WHICH ARE THE TWO PONDS THAT THE DALLAS WETLANDS FOUNDATION IS FOCUSING ON WITH THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS.
AND THIS IS APPROXIMATELY 17 TOTAL COMMON ACRES.
THAT'S THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, WHICH INCLUDES THE SUMPS THAT ARE THERE AND ADJACENT LAND.
NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS THE EXISTING PORTION OF THE ABLE PUMP SYSTEM THAT IS A PART OF THIS PROJECT.
NEXT SLIDE. THIS PROJECT WILL ALWAYS BE MAINTAINING FLOOD PREVENTION AND THEN CREATING A NATURAL PARK THAT ENHANCES WATER QUALITY THROUGH FILTRATION.
NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS HOW IT WORKS.
THE WATERSHED COMING OFF OF DOWNTOWN AND OFF OF THE CEDARS COMES INTO WHAT WE CALL THE SOUTH POND.
THAT'S HOW WE'RE ABLE TO POLISH THE WATER.
THIS IS MY COLLEAGUE'S FAVORITE SLIDE, AND I'M GOING TO HAND IT TO HIM TO ILLUMINATE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE LIST OF PLANTS.
AND EACH OF THESE PLANTS IS A WORKHORSE.
REMEMBER, WE'RE BUILDING CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS IN AN URBAN CORE.
AND LET ME REMIND EVERYONE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET YOUR BRAKES FIXED.
WELL, WHAT'S HAPPENED IS YOUR BRAKE LININGS HAVE WORN AWAY IN TINY PIECES.
AND WHAT DOES THAT GO ON THE STREETS WHEN YOU GET YOUR TIRES REPLACED? WHAT'S HAPPENED? THE TIRES HAVE BEEN WORN AWAY.
WHERE DOES THAT GO? GOES ON TO THE STREETS.
WHEN SOMEONE THROWS A BOTTLE OUT THE WINDOW OF THEIR CAR, IT GETS WASHED INTO THE STORM SYSTEMS. SO AS A RESULT, EVERYTHING GOES ON THROUGH THE STREETS.
PETROLEUM DISTILLS. EVERYTHING ELSE ENDS UP ON OUR WATER SYSTEMS. WHAT WE ARE DOING IS BUILDING A NATURE BASED SOLUTION TO FILTER THAT WATER BEFORE WE PUT IT BACK INTO THE TRINITY RIVER.
[01:40:05]
AND THAT'S THE NATURE BASED PART OF THIS.THEY'RE WASTING THAT CHEMICALLY GRAY WASTE THROUGH CONCRETE AND FILTRATION SYSTEMS. BUT THIS IS PLANT BASED FILTRATION.
SO WE'RE CREATING A PUBLIC PARK THAT ALSO IS A WORKING WETLANDS.
IF YOU GO OUT TO JOHN BUNKER SANDS WETLANDS IN SEAGOVILLE, YOU CAN SEE THIS ON A VERY LARGE SCALE.
THIS IS A MICROCOSM OF THEIR MACROCOSM THAT WE'RE FILTERING THE WATER IN VERY SPECIFIC WAYS WITH WORKHORSE PLANTS THAT WE USE TO FILTER THINGS THAT COME FROM OUR STREETS, IN ORDER TO FILTER THE WATER FOR IT TO GO BACK INTO THE TRINITY RIVER SYSTEM.
SO THIS IS A PARK THAT IS A LIVING CLASSROOM.
AND OBVIOUSLY, WE COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT THE CITY'S HELP AND THE ABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS A SAFE FLOOD AREA AND STORMWATER AREA, BUT ALSO CREATING A NATURAL PARK. NEXT SLIDE.
I ALSO WANT TO DEFER TO DAVID FOR A MOMENT, BECAUSE HE IS A LONGTIME EDUCATOR AND MANY THINGS.
SO I'VE SAID IT HERE BEFORE IN THIS ROOM THAT, YOU KNOW, AS DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS FROM HERE TO THE RED RIVER, EVERY FARM AND RANCH THAT TURNS INTO A NEW DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE OUR POPULATION IS GROWING ALSO IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO WATER AND, REMEDIATION AND FLOOD CONTROL IN NEW AND BETTER WAYS.
THE AVERAGE CITIZEN NEVER SEES THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF WATER.
YOU TURN ON YOUR TAP, CLEAN WATER COMES OUT, YOU TURN THE TAP OFF.
YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT IT AGAIN.
ALL OF US THAT HAVE ONE OF THESE, WE CARRY WITH US ALL THE TIME ON OUR PHONES.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIND PLACES HERE IN THE ORIGINAL BEND OF THE TRINITY RIVER.
AND BY DOING THAT, WE GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WATER.
WHEN THEY COME TO THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
WE ALSO CAN BRING SCHOOL CHILDREN THERE SO THEY CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT WATER.
AND OF COURSE, AS WE HAVE A MORE INFORMED POPULACE THAT HELPS US IN ALL OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE DOING THIS IN SUCH A WAY PEOPLE CAN BE CLOSE TO THE WATER.
YOU KNOW, THE TRINITY RIVER NOW RUNS BETWEEN LEVEES.
AS WE KNOW, IT'S HARD TO GET TO.
WE'RE MAKING THIS SUCH THAT PEOPLE CAN BE CLOSE TO THE ORIGINAL BASE OF THE TRINITY, LEARN, BE IN A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH WHILE THEY'RE THERE, AND DO IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT ALL THE THINGS COME FROM ONE PLACE AN URBAN PARK, WHAT WE CALL THE PARK, PLUS EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY.
AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND LEARN, AND ALSO AS A CHANCE TO CONVENE PEOPLE TO BRING ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUSINESS LEADERS, THOUGHT LEADERS, SCHOOLCHILDREN, TOGETHER WITH ENGINEERS IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT URBAN WATER.
WHEN WE FIRST GOT OUR GRANT, OUR INITIAL GRANT CAME FROM COBB $350,000 TO THE ENGINEERING STUDY FOR THIS COG SAID TO US, WE HOPE YOU REALIZE SOMEDAY PEOPLE ARE UNCOMFORTABLE ALL OVER THE WORLD WILL STUDY THIS BECAUSE EVERY CITY IN THE WORLD IS GOING TO FACE WATER ISSUES.
70% OF THE EARTH IS COVERED WITH WATER.
3% OF THAT WATER IS FRESH WATER, 3%.
NOW WE HAVE 8 BILLION PEOPLE ON THE PLANET, ONLY 3% FRESH WATER.
SO WHAT WE DO WITH OUR WATER IN URBAN SETTINGS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
SO EVEN BEFORE WE'VE MOVED AN INCH OF DIRT, WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED SEVERAL AWARDS, INCLUDING THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS EXCELLENCE AWARDS AND TEXAS THE METROPOLIS MAGAZINE, WHICH IS AN ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN MAGAZINE INNOVATION CATEGORY FOR BEST UNBUILT PROJECT IN THE PLANET POSITIVE AWARDS, AND THE GREATER DALLAS PLANNING COUNCIL'S DREAM PROJECT AWARD HONORABLE HONORABLE MENTION, WHICH REALLY MEANS WE GOT SECOND PRIZE OUT OF 13.
NEXT SLIDE. AGAIN, RECENT PRESS.
I WON'T GO INTO THIS, BUT YOU'RE WELCOME TO PERUSE THIS MORE ON THE WEBSITE OR HERE.
[01:45:07]
THIS INCLUDES THE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS OF 7.5 MILLION THAT WAS AWARDED IN THE 2017 PARK PROPOSITION OF THE BOND ELECTION, WITH MATCHING FUNDS FROM THE FOUNDATION.REQUIRES CITY AND ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
CONSTRUCTION IS TO BE BID AND AWARDED BY THE CITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DALLAS WETLANDS FOUNDATION, AND SUBSEQUENTLY CONSIDERED ASSIGNMENT TO DALLAS WETLANDS FOUNDATION FOR MANAGEMENT, WITH OVERSIGHT BY THE CITY.
JUST FOR CLARITY, THIS REQUIRES AN O&M OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT, WHICH WILL BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION, BUT WE ARE GETTING THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT DONE FIRST BEFORE THAT IS ADDRESSED, AND THEN THE DALLAS WETLANDS FOUNDATION IS ANTICIPATED TO PERFORM THE O&M FOR ENHANCEMENTS AND THE CITY TO IMPROVE TO PERFORM ALL FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT O&M.
WE HAVE BEEN METHODICAL FROM THE INSPIRATION THAT HAPPENED IN 2013 TO THE CREATION OF THE FOUNDATION IN 2017, WHEN WE KNEW THAT THIS WAS A VIABLE OPPORTUNITY, GIVEN THE GRANT THAT TOLD US THAT IT WOULD BE IN THE CITY'S AGREEMENT TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP.
SO WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF THE PERMITTING AND DETAILED DESIGN.
WE ANTICIPATE HAVING THAT WITHIN.
AND THE REQUESTED 4 MILLION AS A MATCHING PROJECT IS IN THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM ON THE PARKS SIDE.
WE HOPE TO HAVE A LOVELY VALENTINE THAT DAY WITH THAT BEING PASSED COMPLETE DESIGN AND PERMITTING.
AFTER AFTER THAT AND THEN BEGIN CONSTRUCTION.
AND THAT COMPLETES OUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND WE'LL JUST GO IN THE ORDER WE DID ON THE FIRST ONE.
IT'LL BE GRACEY TO NOW MR. ATKINS. MENDELSOHN.
STEWART. SO, WITH THAT VICE CHAIR.
FIRST OF ALL, I'VE SAID THIS TO YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY, BUT I'LL SAY IT PUBLICLY AS WELL.
THE NERD AND THE SCIENCE GEEK IN ME THINKS THIS IS SUPER AWESOME.
AND THE IDEA OF USING PLANTS TO FILTER YOUR WATER IS JUST A CONCEPT THAT I THINK IS REALLY COOL.
AND I HOPE SOME OF THE OTHER KIDS FIND THIS JUST AS EXCITING AS I DO.
IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING, AND I'M SURE MY COLLEAGUES WILL HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, BUT CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN? YOU SAID THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT WAS 45 MILLION, AND THERE ARE SOME 7.5 MILLION 2017 BOND FUNDS TO, THAT ARE INCLUDED FROM THE 2017 BOND FUNDS.
CAN YOU JUST TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE THE REST OF THAT MONEY COMES FROM? SURE. SO AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH OUR PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS AS WELL AS CORPORATIONS WHO ARE VERY INTERESTED IN WATER, AS WELL AS OTHER PUBLIC FUNDING.
THAT INCLUDES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO WE'RE EXPLORING ALL OF THAT, BUT WE'RE, AGAIN, BEING VERY METHODICAL AND DOING ALL OF OUR DUE DILIGENCE RELATED TO THE AGREEMENTS AND THE PERMITTING BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH SOME OF THOSE ACTUAL BIGGER ASKS.
MR. ATKINS, YOU NOW HAVE THE FLOOR.
NO QUESTIONS FOR MR. ATKINS. COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN IS VIRTUAL.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR NOW, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, THE DOLLARS, AND I APPRECIATE, COUNCILMEMBER GRACEY ASKING ABOUT THIS.
SO THE TOTAL PROJECTS $45 MILLION, AND YOU'RE ASKING 7.5 MILLION FROM THE CITY, IS THAT RIGHT?
[01:50:07]
NO. WELL, SEVEN AND A HALF HAS ALREADY BEEN GRANTED BY THE 2017 BOND PROGRAM WITH A MATCH FROM THE FOUNDATION.WE'RE ASKING NOW IN THE UPCOMING BOND PROGRAM FOR 4 MILLION, WHICH ALSO HAS A MATCH TO IT.
THE FIRST PHASE IS A $15 MILLION PROJECT.
OR IT'S THE FIRST PHASE IS A $15 MILLION PHASE, AND THEN THE SECOND PHASE IS THE ADDITIONAL 45.
YES. SO YOU HAVE ALL THOSE OTHER DOLLARS IN THE BANK? YES. WE ARE PREPARED TO IMPLEMENT PHASE ONE.
BUT IS THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE FUNDRAISING COMMITMENTS OR BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE DOLLARS IN THE BANK? WE HAVE FUNDRAISING COMMITMENTS.
BUT OUR PARTNERSHIP, IT IS THERE.
YES. OKAY, WELL, I HOPE THAT WE'LL BE THE VERY LAST DOLLAR SPENT, BECAUSE WE, THE CITY COUNCIL.
NOT WHILE I'VE BEEN ON IT, BUT HAS HAD THIS HAPPENED BEFORE.
WHERE? NONPROFITS ARE SUPPOSED TO RAISE CERTAIN MONEY, AND THEY DON'T HAVE IT SITTING IN THE BANK.
YEAH. AND SO I'M CONCERNED IF THAT HAPPENS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE DOLLARS PUT IN AND THE PROJECT'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE, AND THEN HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO PHASE TWO? ARE YOU GOING TO FUND THAT? BUT THROUGH THE PHILANTHROPIC, CORPORATE AND PUBLIC DOLLARS.
WE'RE. WHAT'S THE PUBLIC PART OF THAT? AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THERE ARE MANY BUCKETS OF MONEY RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND WATER THAT WE FIT.
THE THAT THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS FITS THE CATEGORY OF AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS, IMPACT COMMUNITIES, THAT HAVE NOT SEEN THIS KIND OF PARK SPACE BEFORE.
BUT IT'S NOT MUNICIPAL DOLLARS.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YES. NOT MUNICIPAL DOLLARS.
OKAY. THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
YEAH. SORRY. AND THEN. YEAH, I ONLY HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, WHICH IS CAN YOU TELL ME HOW THIS CONNECTS IN WITH THE TRINITY PARK CONSERVATORY CONSERVANCY? SURE. IT DOESN'T.
EXCEPT FOR THAT WE'RE BOTH ADJACENT TO THE TRINITY RIVER.
WE. BUT IS THERE AN AREA WHERE YOU DO TOUCH OR.
YOU DON'T EVER TOUCH? WE DON'T TOUCH. EXCEPT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE WATER KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES.
BUT, I THINK IN SPIRIT, YOU KNOW, THE 23RD IN SPIRIT, WE ARE, HAVE SOME SIMILARITIES.
I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THE 2013 CONNECTED CITIES COMPETITION CAME OUT OF THE TRINITY PARK CONSERVANCY'S PRIOR, NAME, THE TRINITY TRUST AND THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND SO THE INSPIRATION FOR LOOKING AT HOW WE CONNECT THE PONDS OR THE SUMPS, AS THEY'RE CALLED BY MY COLLEAGUE HERE NEXT TO ME, SARAH AND DW, THE IDEA THAT WE COULD BEGIN TO CLEAN THE SUMPS AND MAKE A PUBLIC AREA CAME OUT OF A CONNECTED CITIES COMPETITION THAT THE CONSERVANCY'S PREDECESSOR, CREATED.
SO I THINK THERE'S A SPIRIT OF HOW DO WE DO NATURE BETTER IN OUR CITY? HOW DO WE PAY ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A RIVER? IN THOSE WAYS WE'RE ALIGNED.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S A TOTALLY SEPARATE PROJECT.
OKAY, WELL, I LOVE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I MEAN, I LOVE WHAT YOU'RE DOING SO MUCH I CAN'T STAND MYSELF.
SO, I AGREE, THOUGH, CALL IT PONDS, NOT SUMPS.
IS THERE ANY CONCERNS YOU HAVE AT THIS PART OF THE TRINITY ABOUT FLOODING AND HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT THE ELEMENTS OF THE PARK? MS. MENDELSOHN, IF I MIGHT RESPOND, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE FROM THE BEGINNING IS LOOK AT EXTREMES, BECAUSE THAT'S OUR FUTURE.
SO WE HAVE TAKEN THAT INTO EFFECT REGARDING THE KIND OF PLANTS WILL BE USING AND HOW WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT WATER THROUGH THE WETLANDS BACK INTO THE TRINITY IF NECESSARY, IF WE'RE INUNDATED.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE CONSIDERED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
[01:55:03]
SO WE'VE PLANNED FOR THOSE EXTREMES FROM THE BEGINNING, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO BECAUSE OF THE FUTURE WE'RE ALL GOING TO EXPERIENCE.MISS SCHULTZ, EARLIER ON, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE TRANSIT AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO ON OUR STREETS AND HAVE MORE SHADE, OR HAVE WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THOSE ISSUES, THAT SAME KIND OF THING WE'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH THE WETLANDS HERE.
IN SOME WAYS, WHAT COUNCILMEMBER GRACEY SAID ABOUT BEING, YOU KNOW, A COOL SCIENCE PROJECT.
IN ESSENCE, THIS IS IN MANY WAYS A SCIENCE CLASSROOM.
AND THERE ARE SOME EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS WE HAVE WHO ARE CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO BE ABLE TO GET GET BUSY WITH URBAN WATER LAB, TO BE ABLE TO BEGIN TO STUDY URBAN THE WATER THROUGH THIS LAB. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTION VERY MUCH, IF I MIGHT ADD.
ALSO, I MEAN, AS I MENTIONED AT THE VERY BEGINNING, THIS IS FIRST AND FOREMOST A FLOOD PROJECT.
SO IT IS THE FIRST AND PRIMARY CONSIDERATION.
SO THERE MAY BE TIMES WHEN THE, YOU KNOW, THE WATER LEVEL GOES UP AND SOME OF THE PLANTS ARE IMPACTED AND WE, THE FOUNDATION WILL TAKE ON, YOU KNOW, THE REMEDIATION OF MAKING SURE IT STILL CONTINUES TO LOOK BEAUTIFUL AND IS A BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC PARK.
OKAY, WELL, SORRY THIS IS NOT OKAY.
WELL, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL HAVE A REAL HEART TO HEART WITH.
TRINITY PARK CONSERVANCY, BECAUSE I'D LOVE TO SEE THIS, IDEA CONTINUE TO EXPAND, AND I HOPE THAT PEROT MUSEUM ALSO WILL JUMP IN, BECAUSE THIS IS THE KIND OF EDUCATION THAT OUR KIDS NEED AS WELL AS ADULTS.
NEXT WE HAVE, COUNCILMEMBER RESENDEZ.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I DID WANT TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT AS WELL.
COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR NOW.
I DO. THANK YOU. I ALSO LOVE THIS PROJECT.
I THINK THAT IT'S GOT NOT ONLY YOUR OWN MISSION IN IT.
I THINK IT'S GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO INSPIRE THE ENTIRE TRINITY, CORRIDOR TO SEE THINGS IN NEW WAYS.
MY QUESTION ACTUALLY IS FOR DIRECTOR STANDIFER.
COULD YOU JUST SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THE MANAGING THE O&M OF THE FLOOD RISK, PLEASE? SO THIS IS SARAH STANDIFER DALLAS WATER UTILITIES.
AS WE'VE ALL TALKED, YOU KNOW, THIS STARTED 7 OR 8 YEARS AGO AT THIS POINT WITH THE INITIAL STUDIES TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE DO OUR O&M, AS WE'VE MADE INVESTMENTS IN PUMP STATIONS AND MEET OUR BOTH FEMA AND CORPS REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO BOTH SEAMLESSLY.
THE O&M PIECE TO THIS, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED IT TO DATE, WHEN WE MOVED TO THE NEXT PHASE, WHICH WILL DO THE DESIGN MANAGEMENT CONTRACT, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO THAT, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT THE FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT IS MET AND OBLIGATED AND THINK OF THEM AS THE FINISHING ELEMENTS, SORT OF LIKE OUR LOWER AND UPPER CHAINS OF WETLANDS AND WETLANDS. RIGHT? SO THE MORE AMENITIZED FEATURES, THE HIGHER END AQUATIC PLANTING WILL BE HANDED OVER.
SO IF THERE IS DAMAGE WHEN WE DO NEED TO TURN ON A PUMP STATION BECAUSE THE PUMP STATIONS WILL COME ON IF THERE IS ANY DAMAGE, THEY'LL COME IN BEHIND TO DO THAT, BUT WE'LL GET IN BIG BLOCKAGES AND NORMAL THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO.
ONE IS, SO WILL THAT JUST BE PART OF YOUR ONGOING BUDGET OR WILL WE NEED ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL RESOURCES? SO THE WAY IT CURRENTLY IS, IT IS WITHIN OUR BUDGET.
SO WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ADDITIONAL CITY COSTS AS A RESULT OF THIS PROJECT.
IT WILL BE THOSE EXTRA PIECES WILL BE OVER IN OUR PARTNERS HAND.
GREAT. AND THEN LASTLY ARE WE ARE YOU WORKING IN COLLABORATION AT ALL WITH THE OTHER? WHAT? SANDER? I FORGOT WHAT IT'S CALLED.
WE CONSIDER OURSELVES LIKE THE LITTLE SISTER OF THEIR GREAT WORK.
WE DON'T HAVE A FORMAL AGREEMENT, BUT WE'VE BEEN A BIG FAN.
WE VISITED THERE EARLY ON IN OUR PROCESS.
WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE EXTRAORDINARY CURRICULUM AND VISITORS.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THEM.
BUT AGAIN, NO FORMAL AGREEMENT.
WE WE DO HAVE, JOHN DEFILIPPO, WHO WAS FORMERLY THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
[02:00:02]
HE SERVES ON OUR ADVISORY BOARD.PERFECT. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT COLLABORATION.
I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO A DEEP COLLABORATION WITH THE DISD, WITH ALL THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE GOING TO BE DOWNTOWN, WHO COULD, IN THEORY, WALK TO WALK TO THIS OUTDOOR CLASSROOM. YES.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'D LIKE TO RESPOND ONCE MORE, IF I MIGHT, REAL QUICKLY.
SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THIS AS AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM AS AN URBAN LAB IS VERY EXCITING TO ME.
SO WE MIGHT HAVE AROUND ONE TABLE STUDENTS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, THOUGHT LEADERS, BUSINESS LEADERS, PHILANTHROPISTS, WATER SCIENTISTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. SO WE REALLY SEE OURSELVES AS CONVENERS OF WATER ISSUES FOR OUR WATERSHED AND FOR OTHER WATERSHEDS.
I THINK THAT'S, THE MOST IMPORTANT AND CENTRAL THINGS THAT WE DO IS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, I WRITE ABOUT WATER.
I LIVE IN THE WATER WORLD, ALL OF THEM.
AND THIS IS MY LANE. BUT THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE THINK WE CAN BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO REALLY DEAL WITH WATER IN FUTURE WAYS, AND TO LOOK AT IT AND LOOK AT THOSE ISSUES IN WAYS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND PUT DALLAS IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION.
WE'VE KNOWN THAT FROM THE BEGINNING OF OUR GREEN PATH FORWARD MANY YEARS AGO, AND ALL THE GREEN ORDINANCES WE BROUGHT FORWARD IS WE KNOW DALLAS LOVES TO BE IN THAT LEADERSHIP POSITION. WE THINK THIS WILL PUT US THERE IN WATER ISSUES INTERNATIONALLY.
VERY GOOD. JUST MAKING SURE YOU'RE DONE.
NO, I HEARD YOU, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE.
NEXT WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBER STUART, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR NOW.
OKAY. I THINK EVERYTHING THAT WAS IN MY HEAD TO ASK HAS BEEN ASKED.
THIS IS A COOL SCIENCE PROJECT.
YES. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER WE WERE ADDING TO YOUR BUDGET, DIRECTOR STANDIFER.
BUT I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THIS IS THAT WE HAVE FOUND A WAY.
I MEAN, PLANTS ARE GOING TO CLEAN WATER.
THEY ARE CLEANING WATER OUT ON HIGHWAY 75 AT THE LARGER WETLANDS PROJECT.
I DRIVE BY THAT FREQUENTLY, AND I LOVE SEEING THE TRINITY RIVER AND ALL THIS WATER.
AND I KNOW IT'S ALL VERY SCIENTIFIC.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S JUST KIND OF FLOWING, BUT IT'S GOING THROUGH THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLANTS SO THAT IT EVENTUALLY WHEN AS IT GOES FURTHER SOUTH ON THE TRINITY, IT'S MUCH CLEANER THAN WHEN IT FIRST ENTERED.
SO, I WANT US TO HOLD ON TO THAT THOUGHT AND I'M THRILLED THAT WE'RE A LEADER IN PUTTING THAT FORWARD AND IN TEACHING THAT TO OUR CHILDREN, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE HOPE IS FOR OUR FUTURE AND CLEANING UP OUR ENVIRONMENT OVERALL, BUT ESPECIALLY WATER.
SO I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AS WELL.
SO THE FIRST QUESTION IS ABOUT THE NATIVE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY IMPORTANT AND I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S ON THE RECORD IS, WHAT'S BEEN YOUR, COMMUNICATION WITH THE NATIVE COMMUNITY? HOW HAVE Y'ALL KEPT THEM INFORMED OF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IN THIS AREA? AND THEN ALSO, AND I MENTIONED TO YOU THIS TO YOU A WHILE BACK, BUT, NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT THE NAME [INAUDIBLE] IS INCORRECT, IT'S [INAUDIBLE].
IF WE'RE HOW ARE WE ABLE TO UPDATE THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF AND, FIXED.
PULL UP THE MIC TOWARDS YOU OR SOMETHING BECAUSE.
YEAH. COLD WEATHER'S HARD ON THE VOICE.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN ISSUES WITHIN THE NATIVE COMMUNITY, INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY, ABOUT THAT NAME.
SO WE'RE BACK TO WADE TO ALLOW THEM TO WORK THAT OUT.
AND SO WE DO PLAN TO INTERACT WITH THEM.
WE KNOW PEOPLE WERE LIVING THERE 3000 YEARS AGO, 3000 YEARS AGO.
THIS IS A PLACE WHERE THE KIOWA AND THE COMANCHE USED TO WATER THEIR HORSES.
SO AS A RESULT, THAT'LL BE SOMETHING WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO DO OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
I'VE HAD CONTACTS WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY FOR SOME TIME, SO WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THEM ON AN ONGOING BASIS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE INVOLVED, AND THAT I'VE ALREADY HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLKS AT CLYDE VALENTINE WITH BRYAN, LANI AND OTHERS ABOUT HOW WE PLAN TO INTERACT WITH THEM AND ALONG THE RIVER, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE AN ACTIVE PART OF THIS.
[02:05:08]
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION, BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO WORK ON.BUT YOU WILL BEGIN TO SEE US HAVE MORE AND MORE ENGAGEMENT AS WE GET FURTHER ALONG.
AND BECAUSE IT IS A NATURAL PART, WE'RE NOT DECIDING WHERE, YOU KNOW, A BEAUTIFUL PLAYGROUND IS GOING TO GO THAT WE ARE JUST DOING IT ONE STEP AT A TIME. SO IT IS ALSO PART OF THE FUTURE PLANNING.
EXCELLENT. VERY GOOD. AND THEN, THE NEXT THING I WANT TO DO IS I'M GOING TO READ, SOMETHING FROM 2017, WHICH WAS THE VISION THAT COUNCIL VOTED ON TO PUT THIS ON THE 2017 BOND.
AND IT SAYS THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING OF THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE A SENSITIVE PUBLIC SPACE CONNECTING EXISTING TRAILS AND NEW PATHS LEADING FROM ONE POND AND MEADOW TO ANOTHER. OUTSIDE THE LEVEES, A PUBLIC AMPHITHEATER, DOG PARK AND LAWNS WILL CONJOIN WETLAND BOARDWALKS AND EXTENSIVE NATURAL TEXAS TREE AND LANDSCAPE FEATURES.
THE WATER GARDENS WILL SERVE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS AS A UTILITY FOR WATER MOVEMENT AND MITIGATION, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING A PLACE OF RESPITE NEAR DOWNTOWN.
SO MY QUESTION IS WHAT'S NO LONGER IN THAT PLAN THAT WAS SOLD TO US IN 2017, THAT WE'RE HERE NOW IN 2024? WHAT'S NO LONGER IN THERE? THERE'S NO DOG PARK.
NO DOG PARK. WHAT ABOUT THE AMPHITHEATER? BECAUSE I'M ALSO BEING TOLD THE AMPHITHEATER NO LONGER EXISTS.
NOT PRESENTLY. AGAIN, WE'RE DOING DUE DILIGENCE ON WHAT'S WHAT WE'RE CAPABLE OF DOING.
AND WE WERE STILL VISIONING ALSO AT THAT TIME.
I THINK WE'RE TRENDING TOWARDS WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE A NATURAL PARK ADJACENT TO OUR CENTRAL CITY CORE? WE HAVE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE PARK, DOWNTOWN PARK AND DOWNTOWN ADJACENT LANDSCAPE, THAT I THINK WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT IS THE UNIQUE NATURE OF WHAT THIS PARK CAN BE, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHTING OUR NEIGHBORS AROUND US.
RIGHT. BUT THAT'S EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
WE HAD TWO YEARS OF PANDEMIC AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS JUST GOT MORE EXPENSIVE.
IT IS WHAT IT IS. AND THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO TO HOLD BACK ON THAT.
SO MY QUESTION IS, TO START OFF WITH IS WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT TO US.
AND OF THIS ONE, IT WAS A $7.5 MILLION MATCH.
OF THAT MATCH, WAS THAT A CASH MATCH OR WAS THAT MATCH SOME OTHER WAY? YEAH. THIS IS, IT'S IN THE DEVELOPER OR IT'S IN THE TERM SHEET.
IT'S IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
BUT LIKE THERE'S A VARIETY OF WAYS IN WHICH THAT MATCH WILL MANIFEST.
$2 MILLION HAS BEEN PUT INTO THE PROJECT ALREADY PRIOR TO ANY CITY MONEY.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION.
IT'S A COMBINATION COMBO PACK.
I'D LIKE THAT IN THE FIRST, I WOULD SAY IN THE 2017 BOND MATCH, THAT IS LIKELY TO BE ALL KIND OF CASH IN-KIND FROM THE 2017. OKAY.
I'D LIKE A LIST BY AND THAT SHOWS WHATEVER THAT $7.5 MILLION MATCHES FROM THE 2017 BOND.
IF WE CAN SEND THAT TO ALL COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
BECAUSE I'M BEING TOLD THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY LAND, MATCHES.
SO I WANT TO KNOW WHAT EXACTLY WAS THE MATCHES FOR THAT 7.5 MILLION? BECAUSE CASH IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN, LAND THAT MAY HAVE BEEN PURCHASED FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR, BUT NOW WORTH SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT AMOUNT BACK THEN THAN IT IS NOW. SO IF WE CAN GET THAT ACCOUNTING OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE NEED THAT WE CAN SEE THAT LIST, I'D APPRECIATE THAT.
AND THEN THE NEXT THING IS THAT I HAVE IS SO NOW YOU'RE BACK ASKING FOR MORE MONEY IN THE 2024 BOND.
SO WHEN THIS WAS SOLD TO US IN 2017, WAS THIS PROJECT INDICATIVE SAYING, OH, IN 2024, WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK WITH OUR HANDOUT FOR MORE MONEY, FROM THE TAXPAYER FOR THE BOND, OR WAS THIS 7.5 MILLION SUPPOSED TO BE IT?
[02:10:01]
HOW DID Y'ALL, DECIDE THAT 2024, YOU NEEDED MORE MONEY AND WHY? SURE. YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.I APPRECIATE THAT. CHAIRMAN MORENO, CHAIRMAN NARVAEZ.
IN 2017, WE ANTICIPATED PHASE ONE.
WE HAD BEGUN TO THINK ABOUT A PHASE TWO, AND AS WE WENT THROUGH 2017 THROUGH TO THIS CURRENT TIME, WE BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT TO DO THE LEVEL OF WATER FILTRATION WE WANT TO DO, WE REALLY NEED THAT PHASE TWO TO COME ALONG IN FUTURE YEARS.
SO AS A RESULT, AS WE LOOKED AT THE INCREASED COST, BECAUSE THINGS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE NOW THAN THEY WERE, AND ALSO BECAUSE PHASE TWO IS GOING TO BE A CONSTRUCTED WETLAND WITH THIS SERIES OF CELLS, THE REAL WORKHORSE PIECE OF THIS THAT'S GOING TO DRIVE THAT COST UP.
SO THE COST DID ELEVATE AND ESCALATE IN THE INTERVENING YEARS.
AS WE LOOKED AT PHASE TWO AND WHAT THAT WAS GOING TO ENTAIL, TO GO TO PHASE TWO AND TO HAVE EVERYTHING WE'D WANT TO DO TO CREATE THE KIND OF OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS WE HAVE, KIND OF SCIENCE PROJECT WE WANT TO DO, THE LEVEL OF WATER FILTRATION WE WANT TO DO.
WE'VE LEARNED SO MUCH MORE ABOUT IT SINCE THEN.
SO THERE WAS THE PHASE ONE CONSIDERATION THEN.
AND AS WE'VE GONE TO LOOK AT PHASE TWO, WE REALLY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH WITH ALL OF THESE THINGS.
WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO NEED MORE FUNDING.
VERY GOOD. AND THOSE ARE ALL FAIR RESPONSES.
AND NOW YOU'RE YOU'RE AT THE TROUGH ASKING FOR MORE ALONG WITH EVERYBODY ELSE IN OUR CITY.
RIGHT. SO WHAT HAPPENS IF THE 2024 BOND, THAT IS MONEY BEING ASKED FOR THROUGH DW DOESN'T MAKE THE CUT.
LET'S SAY IT DOESN'T MAKE THE CUT ENOUGH.
I'D RATHER THESE DOLLARS GO TO OTHER PROJECTS.
I MEAN, YOU NEVER KNOW. ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN.
IS THERE A PLAN FOR YOU ALL? IN THE EVENT THAT IT DOESN'T MAKE THE CUT? AND WHAT IS THAT PLAN? I'D LIKE TO RESPOND TO THIS ONE.
AS YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED IN A LOT OF PROJECTS OVER THE YEARS.
YOU KNOW, I CAME TO DALLAS IN 1976.
I STARTED WORKING ON THESE KIND OF PROJECTS.
I HAVE NEVER AT ANY MOMENT HAD ANY DOUBT WE'D BE ABLE TO RAISE THE MONEY WE NEED.
IT'S ALSO BASED UPON HOW IMPORTANT WATER IS TODAY AS AN ISSUE ON A PLANETARY BASIS.
IN THE VIDEO, YOU'LL SEE A MAN NAMED JIM LEAVITT WHO WORKS WITH LINCOLN INSTITUTE OF LAND.
I'M GOING TO SPEED UP BECAUSE I WANT TO GET TO THE PLAN, BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE BEEN SOLD ON THIS.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING, THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING COME OUT OF IT YET.
THAT'S THE OPINION OF JIM LEONARD.
AS A RESULT, WITH THE SUPPORT WE HAVE FROM VAN JONES, JASMINE CROCKETT, HEAD OF THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD IN AUSTIN, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RAISE THIS MONEY THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF THE EPA, WHICH WE HAVE, TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD, WHICH WE HAVE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, WHICH WE HAVE OUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES, NOT JUST THE MCCRACKEN, BUT OTHERS IN THE AREA, AS WELL AS THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY AND THE CORPORATE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WATER IS THE KEY ISSUE IN THE FUTURE.
WE'RE READY TO GO. WE'VE ALREADY HAD MEETINGS WITH CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS WHO ARE ASKING US TO APPLY, AND WE'RE SAYING, LET US GET THESE PERMITS DONE, LET'S GET THIS AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY DONE.
WE'RE GOING OUT TO GO TALK TO THESE PEOPLE WHO'VE ALREADY ASKED US TO APPLY FOR MONEY.
YOU GOT TO BUILD FROM THE GROUND UP, GOT SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE STATE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND FOLKS IN THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY.
SO THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT DONE, WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO WE HAVE ALL THOSE BOXES OF MONEY TO CHOOSE FROM.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE MET WITH THE EPA MULTIPLE TIMES.
EXCELLENT. I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
AND, IF YOU DON'T MIND ALSO SENDING A, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOU'RE ASKING FOR IN 24 BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING READY TO HOPEFULLY FINALIZE ALL THIS STUFF COMING SOON IF YOU GET, THE FULL FUNDING, 25%, 50%, 25%, 10%, NOTHING.
[02:15:02]
WHAT THAT DOES TO YOU WITH EXACTLY WHAT THAT DOES.AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S I'M NOT TRYING FOR THAT.
I'M ONLY ASKING BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE TO MAKE A LOT OF TOUGH DECISIONS.
YES. AND I REALLY DO LIKE THIS PROJECT A LOT.
IT'S LIKE THERE'S USUALLY SOMETHING THERE.
IT MAY BE NOTHING, AND WE'D BE ABLE TO JUST PICK IT UP AND TOSS IT IN THE TRASH AND IT'S DONE.
OR IT'S LIKE THERE'S A REALLY BIG SOMETHING THERE.
I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S A BIG SOMETHING THERE.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW, WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON WITH THIS PROJECT? AND BECAUSE IT IS A LOT OF TAXPAYER FUNDING.
SO, IF Y'ALL CAN GET THAT FOR ME, I'D GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND, AND THEN ALSO FROM OUR END, WHAT THE FUNDING IS FROM D.W.
SO IF WE CAN MAKE SURE WE GET THAT AS WELL, SO THAT OUR COMMITTEE CAN MAKE A SOUND JUDGMENT WHEN WE GO TO VOTE ON THIS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL LIKE AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL WANT.
BUT I WANT TO KNOW THAT I'M PUTTING MY VOTE ON BEHALF OF DISTRICT SIX, TO SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY GOING TO BENEFIT THE CITY AND NOT, DRAIN OUR RESOURCES AND OUR FUNDING FOR WHAT? WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PROJECT, BUT MAYBE HASN'T BEEN THOROUGHLY VETTED AS FAR AS THE FINANCES GO.
SO THAT'S THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
THAT'S THIS IS WHY WE NEEDED TO HAVE THIS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
THE WATER UTILITIES HAVE WORKED WITH US DILIGENTLY ON THIS PROJECT.
I WANT TO THANK THEM. THEY'VE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS TO WORK WITH.
VERY GOOD. THANK YOU, VERY GOOD.
THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL BEEN NOTED.
WE APPRECIATE IT. NEXT ITEM UP.
I KNOW WE'RE WAY BEYOND TIME, SO I'M TRYING TO GET US OUT OF HERE.
LET ITEM F, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON ITEM F? COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN.
ITEM G, THE INTER-AGENCY TRANSPORTATION REPORT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON ITEM G? COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. MY ONLY QUESTION IS FOR ITEM O.
SAY IT AGAIN. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE REST OF THE MEETING EXCEPT FOR ITEM O.
OKAY. VERY GOOD. AND YOUR PUPPY CAME IN.
AND MAYBE YOUR PUPPY HAS QUESTIONS.
SO, LETTER H, EVERYBODY LETTER H.
Y'ALL, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, ONE OF YOU DO, AND WE TRY TO GET IT ON AS FAST AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
NEXT WE HAVE LETTERS, UPCOMING AGENDA ITEMS I THROUGH.
AND COLLEAGUES, IF Y'ALL WANT TO LOOK THROUGH I THROUGH.
OH I MEAN AND SEE IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU.
I'M WONDERING IF, GUS MIGHT BE AVAILABLE.
HE IS ON HIS WAY UP TO THE, DESK.
IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND ASK IT SO HE CAN BE READY.
SO MY QUESTION IS ON THE STREET LIGHTS.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.
ARE YOU ASKING, ONCOR TO CONVERT THE NON-WORKING STREET LIGHTS TO CITY OWNED STREET LIGHTS, OR ARE YOU ASKING FOR THE STREET LIGHTS TO CONVERT TO LED? NO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
THE INTENT OF THE AGREEMENT HERE IS THAT WHEN ON ONCOR OWNED STREET LIGHTS, WHEN THEY GO OUT, THEY START CONVERTING THEM INTO LED.
SO THAT BASICALLY EVENTUALLY THE WHOLE CITY WILL BE, LED, ON THE ONCOR STREET LIGHTS.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE A STREET AND YOU HAVE A STRING OF STREET LIGHTS AND ONLY ONE GOES OUT, CAN YOU MAKE JUST THAT ONE LED OR DOES THE WHOLE THE WHOLE CIRCUIT HAVE TO BECOME LED? AT THIS POINT, THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN AND THE WAY ONCOR IS DOING THEIR, MAINTENANCE IS THAT WHEN THAT ONE PARTICULAR LIGHT GOES OUT, THEN THEY GO AHEAD AND REPLACE IT WITH LED.
AND THEN YOU'VE PREVIOUSLY BRIEFED US ABOUT THE COST OF CONVERTING FROM THE INCANDESCENT TO THE LED OR I DON'T MAYBE WE DON'T EVEN HAVE INCANDESCENT, WHATEVER IT IS, THE YELLOWISH LIGHT. SO WE HAVE NOW, I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN REMIND US WHAT THAT COST IS.
[02:20:01]
I KNOW YOU SAID THAT IT WOULD IT WOULD BE SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE MEMO, BUT I.YEAH, I DON'T HAVE IT HERE WITH ME.
I CAN HAVE I'M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
IS THAT. LET'S JUST SAY HYPOTHETICALLY, IT'S $5,000.
SO WHERE WOULD THAT COME FROM IN THE BUDGET? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY OR DO YOU HAVE SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT THERE'S A POCKET OR.
I MEAN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IF WE INVEST THAT MONEY, NOT ONLY DO WE GET A MUCH BRIGHTER, SAFER STREET, BRIGHTER LIGHT, SAFER STREET, BUT IT ALSO IS GOING TO REDUCE OUR ELECTRIC COSTS SIGNIFICANTLY.
RIGHT? YES, MA'AM, IF I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION CORRECTLY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE KIND OF THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE WHEN WE ASK ONCOR TO CONVERT SOMETHING VERSUS THE, STANDARD MAINTENANCE PORTION OF IT.
SO THIS ONE HAS NO COST TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO THE ENCORE HAS BASICALLY OWNS THOSE, SAY CALL IT 72, 70,000, STREETS HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WHEN A LIGHT GOES OUT, IT BULB CALL IT BULB IS BURNED.
THAT'S WHEN THEY WE BY EXECUTING THIS AGREEMENT.
THEN WE'RE SAYING, HEY, WHEN YOU REPLACE IT, YOU REPLACE IT WITH LED.
SO IT HAS NO COST TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE ARE LIKE, LET'S SAY UPGRADING A COMPLETE STREET OR A NEIGHBORHOOD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR A PARTICULAR LOCATION, WE SAY ONCOR, GO REPLACE, THIS LIGHT OR THESE LIGHTS ON THIS PARTICULAR STREET IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE WE'RE ASKING THEM TO REPLACE AN OPERATING, LIGHT.
THAT'S WHEN WE INCUR THE COST.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
YOU'RE JUST NOT GOING TO TAKE OUT PROACTIVELY A BULB.
YOU'RE GOING TO WAIT TILL IT BURNS OUT.
AND THEN, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE LIFESPAN OF THESE STREET LIGHT BULBS? INCANDESCENT KIND, NOT THE LED KIND.
I HAVE TO LET ME FOLLOW UP ON THAT SO I CAN GIVE YOU A CORRECT ANSWER.
THANK YOU. I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT, STEP.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD.
THANK YOU. MA'AM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANYBODY ELSE? IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS FROM THE MR. RESENDEZ. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE.
VERY GOOD. I DIDN'T LOOK UP TO DOUBLE CHECK.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY HERE ON THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU. EVERYBODY STAY WARM.
AND, WE WILL SEE YOU ALL, LATER THIS WEEK.
THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND STUFF CALLED, SO WE'LL SEE YOU ALL LATER.
AND HAPPY MLK JUNIOR DAY FOR ALL THOSE THAT OBSERVED IT YESTERDAY.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.