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GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. THE TIME IS 1:09 P.M.
[Transportation and Infrastructure on March 25, 2025.]
AND I NOW CALL TO ORDER THE MARCH 25TH, 2025 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS ITEM A, APPROVAL OF THE FEBRUARY 18TH, 2025 SPECIAL CALLED TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE DART BOARD JOINT MEETING MINUTES. SO MOVED.
SECOND. THERE'S A PROPER FIRST AND SECOND. ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ANY DISCUSSION? ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NO DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. ALL THOSE NOT IN FAVOR. PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED. ITEM B IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 5TH, 2025 SPECIAL CALLED TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY, IS THERE A MOTION? THERE'S A PROPER FIRST AND SECOND.
THE AYES HAVE IT. THE MINUTES ARE PASSED. WE HAVE OUR FIRST BRIEFING ITEM.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE GOT TO HAVE THEM BECAUSE WE DIDN'T, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO REPORT TO THIS COMMITTEE UNTIL THE FORMER CHAIR BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO GET THIS TO HAPPEN AND THE REASON I DIDN'T HADN'T REPORTED TO US IN THE PAST WAS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT. BUT THE LGC FINALLY HAS SOMETHING TO REPORT ON THE HAROLD SIMMONS PARK WHICH GOES ACROSS MANY DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
BUT THE HEART OF IT IS DEFINITELY IN DISTRICT SIX.
BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, THIS IS JUST THE INFRASTRUCTURE PORTION.
SO, WE'RE NOT GETTING INTO THE WHOLE BUDGET AND ALL OF THAT STUFF.
THIS IS JUST THE INFRASTRUCTURE PORTION. TRAILS, PARKS AND ENVIRONMENT WILL HANDLE THAT OTHER PART.
SO JUST FYI, EVERYBODY, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO INTO ALL OF THAT.
HAROLD SIMMONS PARK PROJECT UPDATE. DOCTOR ANDREW QUICKSELL IS CHAIR AND TRINITY RIVER CORRIDOR AND TONY MORRIS, CEO, TRINITY PARK CONSERVANCY. YOU ALL NOW HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANKS TO THE COMMITTEE FOR THE TIME TO COME AND BRIEF.
WE HOPE TO EXPLAIN SOME OF THAT. I AM DOCTOR ANDREW QUICKSALL, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, AND I WANT TO INTRODUCE TWO OTHERS WITH ME. FIRST OFF, VINCENT PARKER, PAST CHAIR FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS OF THE LOCAL, THE LGC, TONY MOORE, TRINITY PARK CONSERVANCY.
THANK YOU. AND VERY SIMPLE OUTLINE TODAY. I WANT TO EXPLAIN WHY WE'RE HERE ALONG THE WAY.
EXPLAIN THIS RELATIONSHIP. WHO TPC IS RELATIVE TO THE LGC GIVE YOU A BACKGROUND, A HISTORY.
MANY PROBABLY KNOW THE HISTORY OF THE TRINITY RIVER, CERTAINLY AND HOW IT RELATES TO DALLAS.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND FOCUS ON THE LGC, WHERE WE'VE BEEN IN RECENT HISTORY, WHAT SOME OF THOSE PIVOTS HAVE BEEN TO CHANGE FOR US, AND THEN WE WANT TO IMMEDIATELY MOVE INTO THE NEAR FUTURE, WHAT THE CURRENT VISION IS, GIVEN THAT FOOTING.
THAT'S REALLY WHY TONY MOORE IS HERE. AND WE'LL INTRODUCE THAT.
WE'LL WRAP UP WITH SORT OF A WAY FORWARD AND WHERE WE PLAN TO GO FROM THERE.
SO, FIRST A LITTLE BIT OF, OF BACKGROUND AS WE, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS AS WE SAY, WE'VE HAD TO PIVOT MORE THAN ONCE. WHILE THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND WHILE THE LGC HAS THE MANDATE TO DEVELOP THAT, AND WE'VE CONTRACTED WITH OUR PARTNERS, THE TPC.
THE REGULATION OF A FLOODWAY IS GOVERNED BY THE U.S.
ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, AND THAT'S OUTSIDE OUR CONTROL, OF COURSE.
AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS HAS TAKEN CONTROL OF THE FLOODWAY RECENTLY, AND IT'S GIVEN US AN OPPORTUNITY IN DALLAS, ACTUALLY TO HAVE A REALLY POSITIVE STEP FORWARD WITH OUR FLOODWAY AND THE LEVEE SYSTEM.
IT'S ALSO GIVEN A BIT OF A CHALLENGE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARK.
AND I WANT TO GIVE SOME MORE BACKGROUND ON THAT IN JUST A MINUTE.
SO NEXT SLIDE. BACK UP ONE. THERE WE GO. BEFORE THAT LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS THIS TRINITY CORRIDOR LGC I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M GOING TO SAY THIS, BUT EIGHT YEARS AGO WE FOUNDED THE LGC AND I CAN SAY WE I WAS AT A BREAKFAST WITH THE FORMER MAYOR, AND HE ASKED ME TO SERVE AT THAT TIME.
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DALLAS, THIS OPEN GREEN SPACE, WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL IN ITS OWN RIGHT, BUT UNDER OR UNDEVELOPED, IT HAS A PRIMARY PURPOSE. NO ONE THINKS OTHERWISE.IT IS MEANT FOR FLOOD CONTROL. HENCE THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS INVOLVEMENT.
BUT CAN'T WE GIVE IT A SECOND PURPOSE? CAN'T WE LEVERAGE THAT OPEN GREEN SPACE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY? AND THAT WAS REALLY THE HEART OF WHY THE LGC WAS FOUNDED.
WE HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS AS WAS ORIGINALLY IDENTIFIED BY THE COUNCIL.
HE STILL SERVES, WHICH WE APPRECIATE AS WELL AS FIVE OTHER COLLEAGUES.
THE HISTORIES IS THIS. THIS IS A GREAT GRAPHIC PROVIDED TO US WHERE IT'S A BIT CONFUSING.
THERE ARE TWO PORTIONS TO THE FLOODWAY SYSTEM IN DALLAS, THE ORIGINAL DALLAS FLOODWAY, AND THEN A LATTER EXTENSION TO THE SOUTHEAST SPLIT BY THE A TSF BRIDGE. THE MANDATE OF THE LGC IS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLOODWAY ITSELF, OR THE GREEN SPACE IN THE FLOODWAY ITSELF, FROM THE CONFLUENCE OF THE ELM AND WEST FORKS DOWN TO THE START OF THE EXTENSION FLOODWAY OR THE ATSF BRIDGE.
THAT IS OUR MANDATE, THAT IS OUR FOOTPRINT TO GOVERN IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY ALL THAT LAND IS OWNED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND THAT IS WHAT IS STILL IN PLACE. I'LL JUST GIVE A TEASER HERE.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE TAKING A HARD LOOK AT, ARE THERE? NOW THAT WE'VE LEARNED QUITE A BIT OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, ARE THERE PIECES OF THIS THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED IN THE FUTURE? THE FIRST PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT WAS WITHIN THAT FOOTPRINT, IDENTIFIED AS BETWEEN THE RON KIRK AND THE SOUTHERN BRIDGE.
THAT RECTANGULAR AREA WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE FIRST PIECE OF THE OVERALL RANGE OF THE FLOODWAY THAT THE LGC WOULD FOCUS ON. IT'S THAT PIECE THAT THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DONATING TOWARDS.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE LGC HAS CONTRACTED THE TRINITY PARK CONSERVANCY TO BE OUR IMPLEMENTING PARTNER, BOTH IN THE ACTUAL DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARK, BUT ALSO THE FUNDRAISING FROM THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY.
ANOTHER DOCUMENT THAT PROBABLY NEEDS UPDATING AND TWEAKING NOW THAT WE HAVE THE HISTORY THAT WE DO.
NOW TIME FOR THE PIVOT. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF THINGS CHANGE IN EIGHT YEARS.
THERE WAS THAT LITTLE COVID ISSUE, AMONG OTHERS.
BUT IN TERMS OF WITHIN THE FLOODWAY, THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS RECEIVED A CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATION TO EXPAND UPON IMPROVEMENTS ON THE DALLAS FLOODWAY. ALL IN THIS IS MULTIPLE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BETWEEN DIFFERENT POTS OF MONEY, INCLUDING THE CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATION.
IT'S VERY EASY WHEN SITTING IN THESE CHAIRS OVER HERE TO SEE THIS AS AN IMPEDIMENT.
I'M EXCITED BY THIS. WE SHOULD NOT VIEW LEVEE EXPANSION AS A PROBLEM.
THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE FLOODWAY IS FLOOD CONTROL, AND SO WE COULD EITHER TAKE THIS AS A FRUSTRATION, OR WE COULD TAKE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY. AND THE LGC AND OUR PARTNERS, THE TPC, HAVE CERTAINLY CHOSEN TO TAKE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY.
WE LOOKED AT IT AS ONE OF TWO OPTIONS. EITHER WE JUST FREEZE AND WE WAIT UNTIL THE ARMY CORPS IS DONE, AND THEN WE GO ON WITH THE PLANS WE HAD BEFORE, OR WE START LOOKING AT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.
THE MANDATE IS FROM THE TOP OF THE LEVEES AND ON DOWN THE SIDE TO A QUARTER MILE.
ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES HERE TO BEGIN PARK PROGRESSION, EVEN WHILE THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS IS FINISHING THEIR WORK AND WE CHOSE THE LATTER. WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY AND FOR THE CITIZENS OF DALLAS TO SEE PROGRESS IN THIS SPACE,
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AND THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT WE COLLECTIVELY CHOSE TO GO.THANK YOU, DOCTOR QUICKSALL. TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE ON OUR PARK.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AS DOCTOR QUICKSALL OUTLINED INITIALLY IN 2017, WHEN WE RECEIVED THE FIRST DONATION FROM ANNETTE SIMMONS TOWARDS THE HAROLD SIMMONS PARK, THEN MAYOR ROLLINS DESIGNATED IT BETWEEN THE TWO CALATRAVA BRIDGES, WHICH WAS THEN LATER APPROVED BY COUNCIL. AT THE TIME, THE DESIGN WAS INTENDED TO HAVE INTEGRATION, PARK INTEGRATION AND THE FLOODWAY, AS DOCTOR QUICKSALL MENTIONED.
THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ARE HARD AT WORK WIDENING AND FLATTENING THEIR FLOOD MITIGATION, AND THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT WORK TO BE DONE. AND SO THE FACT THAT WE COULDN'T BUILD ON THE INSIDE OF THE FLOODWAY, WE PIVOT TO THE OUTSIDE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. WHAT YOU SEE CIRCLED IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING A FOUR OVERLOOKS.
FOR THE MOST PART, THIS IS CITY OWNED LAND, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FOR WEST OVERLOOK.
AND I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THE GEOGRAPHY REALLY QUICK.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, AS DR. QUICKSALL MENTIONED, WE ARE TRULY EXCITED AND ANTICIPATE THE TIME WHEN THE CORPS WILL MOVE TOWARDS THE FLOODWAY, AS IN THE BALANCED VISION PLAN AND THE 200 ACRES OF NATURE PRESERVE IS THE VERY HEART OF OUR PARK AND ALLOWS US TO HAVE A POINT OF DIFFERENCE. ON THE EAST WE HAVE OUR EAST OVERLOOK.
WE'RE EXCITED TO DEVELOP THIS WITH THIS PROXIMITY TO DOWNTOWN AND HOW IT WILL TRANSFORM OUR EAST CORRIDOR NORTH OF THAT IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING A DIRECT EAST WEST CONNECTION VIA THE RON KIRK BRIDGE.
IT HAS TWO GATEWAYS, BOTH ON THE EAST SIDE. ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND IT'S A VERY WHAT WE CALL A SENSE OF ARRIVAL WITH A HEAVY LANDSCAPED CONTINENTAL GATEWAY.
WE CANNOT PUT LANDSCAPE ON THE RON KIRK BRIDGE DUE TO LOAD BEARING, BUT NEXT SLIDE SHOWS RON KIRK BRIDGES THIS MASSIVE ASSET WITH A ONE OF A KIND VISTA OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS, AND WE ARE TRULY EXCITED IN HOW WE WILL PROGRAM THIS HALF A MILE OF LINEAR PARK ON THE WEST END IS THE FELIX LOZADA GATEWAY, AND ALREADY A FAVORITE FROM OUR WEST DALLAS COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND OUR INTENTION, AS YOU'LL SEE IN THE NEXT SLIDE, IS TO INTEGRATE IT WITH A SERIES OF SPORT COURTS AND REALLY HAD SOME INTENTIONAL PROGRAMING, BUT NOT JUST SPORTS COURTS. THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF HOW THIS HALF A MILE LINEAR RUN BRIDGE CONNECTS TO THE SKATING RINK, AND THIS IS A HEAVILY PROGRAMED SKATING RINK.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE SPORT COURTS ON THE FAR SIDE.
SOUTH OF THAT, THIS IS OUR LARGEST, MOST CONTIGUOUS FOOTPRINT OF THE WEST OVERLOOK APPROXIMATELY FIVE ACRES OF THAT IS CITY OWNED, AND 16 OR 17 OF THAT WAS PURCHASED BY THE TRINITY PARK CONSERVANCY.
AT APPROXIMATELY $42 MILLION, WE NEEDED A CONTIGUOUS LAND BASE THAT WE COULD BUILD A CONTIGUOUS PARK, AND WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE SITE AS IT IS THE DOMINANT STRUCTURE.
BUT THIS WAS PRIMARILY INDUSTRIAL SITE. WE WILL CONVERT IT INTO 22 ACRES OF A WORLD CLASS PARK.
AND I'LL GO OVER REAL QUICKLY SOME OF THE KEY FEATURES.
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CREATING AGAIN, A OVERLOOKED LAWN THAT LOOKS OVER AT THE SKYLINE OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS.INSIDE THE 22 ACRES, THEY'RE INTENTIONAL DESIGNED BY MICHAEL VAN VALKENBURGH AND ASSOCIATES, OUR DESIGNERS, TO HAVE WHAT WE CALL ELEVATED PERCHES THAT ALLOW US TO HAVE BREATHTAKING VIEWS OF THE SKYLINE OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
AND AS WE HAVE TO GENERATE SOME REVENUE TO KEEP THE PARK OPERATING, WE HAVE A EVENT BUILDING THAT HAS A WELCOME CENTER BELOW EDUCATIONAL STEM CLASSES AS WELL. AND UPSTAIRS WE WILL HAVE A SPACE THAT WE CAN DO EVENT PLANNING AND WORKING WITH VISIT DALLAS.
THERE IS A SKATE PARK, WILD PRAIRIE WALK. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THIS WILL BE WHERE WE SAY STROLLER MOM WILL RETURN FOR THIS.
AND OUR ADMISSION FOR THIS PARK IS ENTIRELY FREE THANKS TO OUR DONORS.
BUT THE PARK ALSO HAS A SENSE OF WELLNESS AND CONNECTION TO NATURE.
AND WE'LL BE VERY INTENTIONAL ALSO WITH THE PROGRAMING THAT WE WILL PROVIDE, AS THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS, THE CULTURAL PROGRAMING OF A WIDE RANGE. IMPORTANT THOUGH, AS WE TALK ABOUT A PARK, A TIER ONE PARK, AND THE STANDARD THAT KLYDE WARREN PARK IS SET FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT AND MAKING THIS A PARK THAT WILL HELP TO UNITE.
ACCORDING TO HR&A AND ECO NORTHWEST AND IMPACT PROJECTED OF $7 BILLION IN THE FIRST 30 YEARS OF OPERATIONS, AND OVER 2.1 BILLION IN TOURISM AND RECREATIONAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS, AND 1.3 IN NEW PUBLIC REVENUES.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC IMPACT, YOU ALSO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE CHALLENGES THAT OUR WEST DALLAS COMMUNITY IS FACING, AND WE HAVE NOT YET PUT A SHOVEL IN THE GROUND.
WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THE ROLE WE CAN PLAY. AND WE HAVE BEEN, IN SOME CASES, PARTNERING WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS IN WHICH WE WILL HELP WITH EDUCATION SEMINARS AROUND HOME OWNERSHIP AND PROPERTY TAX.
AND SO THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART IN FIGURING OUT THE ROLE THAT WE CAN PLAY WITH OUR PARTNERS.
BUT WE'RE OBLIGATED THAT AS WE BUILD THIS PARK, THIS WILL BE A TIER ONE PARK WITH ECONOMIC IMPACT, WITH A FOCUS ON STROLLER MOM THAT WILL BE WELL MANAGED, WELL TAKEN CARE OF, WELL PROGRAMED AND WILL REALLY ADD SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE DALLAS CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS. AND SO WE WILL START WITH OUR WEST OVERLOOK, WHICH IS THE 22 ACRES.
AND OUR INTENTION IN THE NEXT SLIDE, AS YOU'LL SEE, IS WHEN I FIRST MET COUNCILMAN OMAR NARVAEZ, HE SAID, LISTEN, GET SOMETHING GOING. ROBIN BENTLEY AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM TO MY LEFT WITH KEVIN AND DORSEY SAYS, GET SOMETHING GOING. AND SO, WE HEARD YOU AND WE ARE GETTING SOMETHING GOING.
AND SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE ON OCTOBER 22ND. WE STARTED THE CLEARING OF THE SITE, AND WE'RE BUSY DOING THAT SITE AS WE WORK WITH OUR ENTITLEMENT AND OUR VACATE AND ACCEPTANCE OF CITY OWNED RIGHT OF WAYS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE CLEARING AND THE LAND PREP, BUT ON OCTOBER, BUT ON APRIL 8TH, WE WILL HAVE OUR OFFICIAL GROUNDBREAKING.
AND YOU'RE ALL INVITED. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU.
GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, TONY. WE'VE ALL SEEN THAT A FEW TIMES.
THAT MAY BE THE FIRST FOR SOME OF YOU, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.
MOVING FORWARD WE HOPE TO PROVIDE A CLEAR TIMELINE.
YOU JUST GOT SOME OF THAT FROM TONY. AND AS I MENTIONED, WE DO HOPE TO ALTER BOTH THE MASTER USE AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY COUNCIL AND THE LGC, AS WELL AS BETWEEN THE LGC AND THE TPC. AND AS I THINK WAS MENTIONED RIGHT BEFORE WE BEGAN FURTHER DISCUSSION ON FUNDING.
BUT REALLY WHAT I WANT TO SAY AT THIS MOMENT IS MOVING FORWARD, WE HOPE TO COME BACK AGAIN.
WE HOPE TO COME BACK NOT ON AN EIGHT YEAR TIME CYCLE, BUT RATHER IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND AT THAT TIME, POST GROUNDBREAKING AND MAYBE WITH A FEW AGREEMENTS ALTERED, WE'LL HAVE MORE TO REPORT ON.
WITH THAT, I THINK WE'D BE THRILLED TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
VERY GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND BEFORE I BEGIN, I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY WE'RE NOT DOING ANY FINANCIALS AT THIS BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT PART OF THIS AGENDA. THIS WAS JUST AN UPDATE ON THE PARK ITSELF.
BEFORE I GET STARTED NOW, FOR REAL, FOR REAL, I WANT TO THANK YOU, PASTOR PARKER, FOR YOUR MANY, MANY YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE LGC AND TO THIS PARK.
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YOU HAVE BEEN AN INCREDIBLE LEADER. AND EVEN WHEN I WAS THE BIGGEST, ONE OF THE BIGGEST NAYSAYERS OF THIS PARK EVER HAPPENING BECAUSE TONY MADE IT SOUND REAL SUGAR COATED. IT WASN'T AS NICE, I WASN'T AS NICE AS HE SAID WHEN WE FIRST MET, I BASICALLY TOLD HIM, I DON'T BELIEVE THIS WILL EVER HAPPEN. WE'VE BEEN WAITING 30 YEARS, WE'VE INVESTED SO MUCH MONEY, BLAH, BLAH. YOU KNOW, I GAVE HIM ALL THE PROBLEMS AND I SAID, BUT IF YOU IF YOU WANT A CHALLENGE AND I SAID THIS FOR REAL, I SAID, BREAK GROUND BEFORE I LEAVE COUNCIL. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED, AND HE'S DONE IT APRIL 8TH.AND THAT'S ALL OF YOU GUYS. SO I STAND CORRECTED AND I'VE PUBLICLY TOLD HIM MORE THAN ONCE TO TONY BUT ALSO TO YOU, PASTOR PARKER, BECAUSE YOU WERE ALWAYS IN COMMUNICATION.
ALWAYS MAKING SURE THAT I WAS ON TOP OF WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE PARK.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU. AND JUST WANTED TO SAY, WAS IT FIVE YEARS THAT YOU WERE CHAIR? YES, DID CHAIR FOR FIVE YEARS. SO, THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT.
EVERYBODY'S PART OF THIS. IT'S AN EXCITING TIME FOR US.
ESPECIALLY IN WEST DALLAS. AND WHAT I'LL SAY IS I'M GOING TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS SO THAT THEY CAN ASK QUESTIONS FIRST BEFORE I CLOSE THIS OUT ON THIS.
ALL RIGHT. WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST? CARA. COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? SURE. I JUST WANT TO SAY FIRST. THANKS. THIS IS A VERY EXCITING PROJECT.
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON SLIDE 24 IF WE CAN PULL THAT UP.
IT'S THE LAYOUT OF THE PARK. YOU HAVE IT A COUPLE DIFFERENT SLIDES IN THERE.
COULD YOU POINT OUT WHERE THE JAIL IS? CERTAINLY.
YOU DO HAVE A SLIDE WITH I THINK IT'S IN THE BACKGROUND.
YES, MA'AM. YES, THAT'S THE EAST OVERLOOK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION.
HOW DOES THAT IMPACT YOUR PLANS? IF I COULD ANSWER THAT.
SO, THERE IT IS IN THE BACKGROUND YOU CAN SEE.
OKAY. YES. YEAH. YES. TONY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO.
SURE. BASED ON THE DESIGN. SO AS WE LOOK INTO PLACEMAKING MASTER PLANNING, WE AGREE THAT THE JAIL AND THE GEOGRAPHY IT OCCUPIES IS NOT PERHAPS THE BEST USE OF LAND AT THIS TIME WITH ALL THE OTHER AREAS PLANNED AND ACTIVITIES EVEN FURTHER SOUTH WITH THE REDOING OF RIVERFRONT DRIVE, THE FORMER DAWSON STATE JAIL.
WE DO OWN, AND WE DO HAVE INTENTIONS TO CONVERT THAT INTO PARK SUPPORTING AMENITIES.
WE'RE WAITING TO MOVE WITH THE PARK FIRST AND THEN GO BACK BECAUSE IT'S A HEAVY LIFT.
FROM A REAL ESTATE POINT OF VIEW, CERTAINLY IS. THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE ENDLESS, BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY JUST WATCHING CLOSELY AND IS HIGHLY SUPPORTIVE OF ANY CIVIC ACTIVITIES THAT WILL INVOLVE IT BEING RELOCATED, OF COURSE.
AND THEN I THINK IT'S THE SLIDE BEFORE THIS THAT PRECEDES THIS ONE.
I'M SORRY. IT MIGHT BE ANOTHER ONE. IT'S THE BROADER SHOT OF THE WHOLE MAP AT THE BEGINNING.
THERE WE GO. AND SO THE PROPOSED HIGH SPEED RAIL.
WHERE WILL THAT CROSS? SO THERE ARE TWO PROPOSED ROUTES THAT GO FROM DALLAS TO FORT WORTH. AND ON THE TWO SCENARIOS THAT HAVE IT CROSSING AND RUNNING PARALLEL TO THE UNION PACIFIC RAIL ROAD, THAT'S IN THE VERY CENTER OF THAT DIAGRAM. AND ONE OF THE ROUTES HAVE IT RUNNING OVER THROUGH THE PARKING LOT.
THAT'S THAT GRADE AREA OF THE PARK THAT YOU SEE TO THE FAR RIGHT OF THAT CIRCLED AREA.
BUT AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS. AND AS IT RELATES TO HIGH SPEED RAIL AND AGAIN, WE'RE ANXIOUS TO SEE WHERE THIS FINAL ROUTE ENDS UP. COUNCILWOMAN. WE LGC HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS, AT LEAST BECOMING AWARE OF THOSE THINGS. THE FIRST MAP I GOT AS A LGC CHAIR, WHERE THERE WERE 23 DIFFERENT ROUTES COMING FROM THE END OF THE HIGH SPEED RAIL AT THE CEDARS AND CROSSING SOMEWHERE CROSSING THE TRINITY AT SOME POINT.
SO AS TO TONY'S POINT, THESE LAST TWO THAT WE ARE AWARE OF, AND I'M SURE THAT THERE IS CONTINUED DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, THEY DO IMPACT THE WEST OVERLOOK. AND HAS THE BOARD TAKEN A POSITION ON THIS OR YOU'RE IN A WAIT AND SEE MODE?
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WE ARE IN THE POSITION OF WE'LL SUPPORT WHAT THE CITY COMES UP WITH NOW TO I WILL GIVE MY.SINCE YOU KNOW I'M A FORMER CHAIR, I GET TO SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE OR A LITTLE FREEDOM.
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HIGHEST AND BEST USE, YOU DON'T SEND SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO A PARK.
YOU SEND IT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER THINGS.
SO BUT THE BOARD HAS TAKEN THE POSITION IN THE PAST, AND DR.
QUICKSALL WILL BE SPEAKING FOR THAT, THAT WE WILL SUPPORT WHAT THE CITY AND COMES UP WITH IN THAT, IN ONE OF THOSE ROUTES. BUT OUR COURSE, OUR PREFERENCE WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD NOT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THIS WEST OVERLOOK THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED AND STILL FUNDING STAGE.
WE'RE LOOKING TO THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO FUND.
WELL, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG AWAITED PARK, AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE IT BISECTED BY A TRAIN, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, AND ESPECIALLY SINCE THE STATION IS BELOW 30, I JUST DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHY IT EVER HAS TO GO NORTH OF 30 AND INTERFERE WITH OUR DOWNTOWN OR YOUR PARK. SO ANYHOW, I JUST WAS CURIOUS IF YOU HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT, AND I THINK THERE'S SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS TO GENERATE REVENUE, BUT REALLY PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS. AND THOSE WERE ACTUALLY ALL THOSE WERE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. I HAVE. OKAY, THERE WE GO.
CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? OKAY. SO, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO VISIT YOUR NEW OFFICE SPACE RECENTLY.
AND GET TO SEE ALL OF THIS BIG AND BOLD IN YOUR SPACE.
YOU I THINK YOU ALL HAVE ONE OF THE MORE CHALLENGING PROJECTS GOING ON IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS FOR HOLDING ON AND HANGING IN THERE AND CONTINUING TO WORK IT THROUGH.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS ON THAT. AND I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF VISITING THE SANTA FE PARK AND MEXICO CITY AND THE GATHERING IN TULSA AS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLES OF URBAN PARKS AND TONY'S CREATIVITY AND LEADERSHIP, AND THAT HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO ME.
I VISUALIZE THINGS BETTER IF I ACTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING TO COMPARE IT TO.
SO I THINK THAT IT IS DEFINITELY AN ASSET FOR OUR CITY TO HAVE THIS PARK.
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU. AND I GUESS I'LL GO WITH MY SECOND ONE FIRST.
AND TONY KNOWS I ALWAYS ASK THIS QUESTION, HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE? AND I UNDERSTAND WE MAY NOT BE GETTING INTO THE FINANCIALS TODAY, AND PERHAPS WE CAN TAKE THAT TO PARKS, TRAILS AND THE ENVIRONMENT. AND I THINK YOU HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ON THAT.
AND THAT'S ALWAYS THOSE QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, FUNDING AND O&M TO ME ARE JUST VERY MUCH CONNECTED.
BUT THEN ALSO, YOU HAD REFERENCED SOME AGREEMENTS THAT WE NEED SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO, AND I DON'T NEED DETAILS, BUT CAN YOU KIND OF BROAD BRUSH WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGREEMENTS? SURE. I'LL TAKE A CUT ACTUALLY AT BOTH OF THOSE, AND THEN ALSO OPEN UP TO MY COLLEAGUES TO SEE IF THEY WANT TO ADD ON TO IT.
THE FIRST, JUST SO WE DON'T LET IT GO. I KNOW YOU FRAMED IT SORT OF SORT OF MORE OF A STATEMENT THAN A THAN A QUESTION, BUT ON THE, ON THE O&M AND FINANCE IN GENERAL.
SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO STOP YOU BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING ON O&M FINANCIALS, ANYTHING. SO IT'LL BE OUT OF ORDER. SO IT WASN'T A QUESTION.
BUT I'LL JUST GO WITH HIS STATEMENT. SO THAT'S FINE.
WE ARE INDEED WORKING ON IT. AND WE HAVE OVERSIGHT AS LGC AND WE'RE WORKING ON IT ALL THE TIME.
THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY FOR NOW. ON THE, ON THE OTHER HALF OF THE AGREEMENTS.
AGAIN, WE HAVE TWO. THE LATTER, THE ONE BETWEEN THE LGC AND THE TPC IS MOSTLY INTERNAL.
OF COURSE. WE'LL SHARE IT WITH YOU. THAT THAT IS MORE OF JUST MUCH BETWEEN THE LGC AND THE TPC HAS CHANGED OVER EIGHT YEARS AND IT'S VERY DETAIL ORIENTED, BUT WE CAN SHARE IT. THE MASTER AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE LGC.
THERE ARE SOME KEY POINTS THAT AS WE'VE SPENT EIGHT YEARS FIGURING OUT WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T.
SEEING WHAT THE ARMY CORPS HAS CHANGED. WHAT HASN'T? THE PIVOT TO OUTSIDE THE DRY SIDE. IT WAS, AS WAS SAID HAS YIELDED SOME, SOME QUESTIONS THAT REALLY THEY DON'T
[00:30:07]
INHERENTLY NECESSARILY CONTRADICT WHAT'S THERE.IT'S JUST PERHAPS THE AGREEMENT DIDN'T EVEN FULLY ADDRESS IT.
AND WE'VE JUST LEARNED NEW THINGS. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE REWORK THE AGREEMENTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD TO THAT OR. GOOD. THAT'S GOOD.
JUST MY FIVE YEARS EXPERIENCE, AS THE CHAIR INFORMS, HAS INFORMED US THAT THIS COMPLICATED PROJECT BETWEEN THE OWNER, THE CITY, THE CORPS, WHICH IS THE COMPTROLLER, AND THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, WHICH IS THE FUNDER THE OUR ORIGINAL AGREEMENTS REALLY DO NEED A GOOD REVIEW FOR COMMUNICATION PURPOSES AND FOR THE WE'RE NO LONGER IN PRE-DEVELOPMENT.
WE ARE IN CONSTRUCTION. AND SO, THE CHANGES WOULD REFLECT A NECESSARY WOULD REFLECT A SMOOTHER OPERATION BETWEEN ALL THREE PARTIES. COUNCILWOMAN DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
NO QUESTIONS. VICE CHAIR GRACEY. YOU'RE UP. THANK YOU.
NO QUESTIONS. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
THIS PROJECT IS AMAZING. I THINK IT WILL BE A GREAT ADDITION TO DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
I THINK THIS IS A PHENOMENAL PROJECT. THANK YOU.
GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO, I'M GOING TO START OFF WITH THE PERSON WHO FROM CITY STAFF THAT'S GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THEM ON THOSE UPDATES AND CHANGES BECAUSE YEAH, WE NEED TO SEE THEM AND WE WANT TO SEE THEY THE COMMITTEE WILL IF IT'S BEFORE MY TIME IS UP.
IF IT'S NOT THEN I'M SURE IT'LL BE WITH THE NEXT CHAIR.
BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET THOSE DONE AT SOME POINT, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE VALID POINTS ON CERTAIN ITEMS, BUT WE REALLY NEED THEM TO WORK WITH CITY STAFF AS WELL AS OUR ATTORNEYS, SO WE GET IT RIGHT.
SO THAT'S WHY THEY DIDN'T GET TO HAVE THEM IN HERE.
BECAUSE WE JUST WEREN'T QUITE READY. WELL, THEY WEREN'T READY YET BECAUSE THEY WERE ASKED, BUT IT WAS TOO MUCH TO LIKE, NOT HAVE THEM ALREADY CODIFIED IN LANGUAGE THAT WAS CODIFIABLE SO THAT WE COULD HAVE IT READY TO GO FORWARD TO FULL COUNCIL. THE LGC, OBVIOUSLY IT'S NO SECRET I VOTED AGAINST THE LGC BEING FORMED IN AUGUST OF 2017.
I WAS ADAMANT AGAINST IT. I STILL DON'T KNOW IF I'M 100% IN FAVOR OF IT, BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE WE'RE HERE AND WE GOT TO MAKE IT WORK, AND WE HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO WORK TOGETHER AND MAKE IT WORK, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I ALSO GOT TO GO TO THE GATHERING PLACE IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA, WHICH IF YOU'RE LISTENING AND YOU'RE WONDERING, WHAT IS THIS PLACE? TONY MOORE, WHO'S WORKING ON THE HAROLD SIMMONS PARK, IS THE ONE WHO ACTUALLY BUILT GOT THAT PARK BUILT.
SO HE'S GOT A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE, I GUESS, IN BUILDING AMAZING PARKS.
AND THAT PARK WAS AMAZING. IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE, GO.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE LAND BRIDGE IS REALLY COOL.
I GOT TO SEE IT IN AT THE GATHERING PLACE, BUT THEY HAVE A DOUBLE LAND BRIDGE THERE AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE THE ONE SINGLE, BUT IT'S OKAY, BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE FUNNY TO ME BECAUSE WE HAD JUST COMPLETED GETTING RID OF THE TUNNEL THAT WAS THERE, AND IT'S LIKE, NOW WE'RE PUTTING IT BACK, BUT NOT THE SAME WAY.
IT'S GOING TO BE THE SAME GOOD ROAD THAT WE HAVE AND THAT WE FIX.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE WASTED ANY MONEY. WE'RE JUST ADDING THAT LAND BRIDGE.
SO, I REALLY LOVED THAT YOU WERE GOING TO DO THAT IDEA.
THE CULTURAL PROGRAMING THAT YOU SHARED WITH ME ALREADY WHICH IT WASN'T IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR INCORPORATING THE INDIGENOUS THAT WERE THERE FIRST FOR INCORPORATING AND KEEPING THE INDUSTRIAL AND HOMAGE TO IT WITH THE SHED. BECAUSE THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO EVEN THOUGH WE MAY NOT WANT INDUSTRIAL IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ANYMORE IN WEST DALLAS, WE STILL HAVE THAT HOMAGE TO IT, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT MADE US WHERE WE WERE, WHAT BROUGHT US TO DALLAS BEFORE IT WAS EVEN DALLAS INCLUDING MY FAMILY WHO MOVED TO THIS INTO WEST DALLAS IN THE 1930S.
AND SO THAT HOMAGE TO THAT INDUSTRIAL WITH THE SHED IS REALLY, REALLY COOL.
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF MISTRUST. AND I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THAT, TONY, AND YOU SAID, DON'T WORRY.
[00:35:03]
AND YOU GAVE ME EXAMPLES THAT YOU DID AT THE GATHERING PLACE. AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY, YOU'VE GOT ALL THE ANSWERS. NOW LET'S SEE IF HE CAN REALLY DO IT. AND YOU, MY FRIEND, DID IT ALL LIKE I SAW IT HAPPENING AND IN REAL TIME AND HEARD THE RESIDENTS, BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING IN WEST DALLAS WITHOUT THEM ALL COMING TO TELL ME WHAT YOU DID, WHAT YOU SAID, WHAT HAPPENED. YOU KNOW, NOT JUST YOU, BUT EVERYBODY WHO COMES INTO THE AREA BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A CLOSE KNIT SET OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY.AND WE'RE ALSO ALMOST ALL RELATED TO EACH OTHER IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
AND WE'RE EXCITED TO CALL YOU PART OF OUR FAMILY NOW WITH THE HAROLD SIMMONS PARK.
AND I CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE WAITED A LONG TIME AND NOT JUST WEST DALLAS, BUT THIS ENTIRE CITY.
AND WE HAVE INVESTED A TON OF CASH INTO THIS AREA BECAUSE OF THE LEVEES.
AND AND I THINK A TON OF DOLLARS IN ARGUING BACK AND FORTH WHETHER IT WAS GOING TO BE THIS PLAN OR THAT PLAN, A TOLL ROAD, NO TOLL ROAD, THIS AND THAT AND THE OTHER. IT WAS A LOT OF DRAMA.
BUT THE DRAMA IS OVER. AND ON APRIL 8TH, WE'RE GOING TO BREAK GROUND ON WHAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE MOST AMAZING PARK IN THIS ENTIRE CITY WHEN IT OPENS. IT'S I MEAN, JUST GOING TO BE STUNNING WHEN IT'S ALL PULLED OFF WITH THE OVERLOOKS, YOU KNOW, CONNECTING THE TWO OVERLOOKS AS WELL AS THE INDUSTRIAL LAND THAT'S GOING TO BECOME A PARK BECAUSE I HAVE TWO PARK DESERTS IN MY DISTRICT, I'M SORRY. THREE. AND THIS WAS ONE OF THEM.
AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE IN RIGHT BY IN THE MIDDLE OF WEST DALLAS.
IT'S THE MOST BIZARRE PLACE BY DAY. BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT PARK LAND THERE.
AND HOPEFULLY WITH THIS BOND THAT WE JUST PASSED, I WILL FIX THAT AS WELL.
SO, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ALL DID AND FOR LISTENING WHEN I SAID, GO OUTSIDE THE LEVEES AND YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, ACTUALLY, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT JUST LAST WEEK. AND I WAS LIKE, THAT'S LIKE, WE'RE ON THE SAME PATH AS OUR VISIONS WERE.
AND OUR BRAINS, OUR BRAINS, I THINK, WORK SIMILAR.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE I ASKED SOMETHING AND YOU SAID YOU ALREADY HAD THE ANSWER. YOU ALREADY DID IT. YOU'RE LIKE, OH, HERE, LET ME SHOW YOU. I JUST LIKE, HOW DID YOU KNOW TO DO THAT? OR YOU'D ASK ME A QUESTION. I WAS LIKE, OH, LET ME GO GET THAT.
AND HERE'S WHAT WE DID. AND IT'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
AND THAT'S WHY I SAID, AND WE'VE ALL WORKED WELL TOGETHER.
WE WILL CONTINUE THAT UNTIL AT LEAST JUNE 11TH.
WHEN WILL BE MY LAST MEETING HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
BUT I THINK I HAVE UNTIL THREE MORE DAYS AFTER THAT OR FOUR MORE DAYS.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO BE GONE UNTIL THEY LITERALLY KICK ME OUT OF THIS BUILDING.
BUT I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE BECAUSE I LIVE RIGHT BY THAT PARK.
AND, TONY, YOU KNOW, YOU WE MEET AROUND THERE ALL THE TIME.
SO YOU KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THIS AREA IS, NOT JUST TO ME, BUT TO MY FAMILY AND TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS, AND ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE SITTING AT THIS HORSESHOE AND IN THIS BUILDING.
AND THERE'S SO MANY THAT GO DECADES. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PARK FOR DECADES.
THIS ISN'T LIKE A FEW YEARS. THIS IS DECADES WORTH OF WORK, AND WE'RE FINALLY HERE.
AND YOU MADE A PROMISE. AND I WAS LIKE, NO, WE'LL SEE WHAT KEEPS IT.
AND WHEN YOU TELL ME WHERE YOU WERE READY FOR IT, AND IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETIME IN THE SPRING.
I MEAN, YOU WERE ALMOST ON THE EXACT RIGHT DATE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE INVESTED, YOUR TIME, YOUR ENERGY AND MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
AND I CAN'T WAIT TILL APRIL 8, BECAUSE I GET TO SAY, WELCOME TO WEST DALLAS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT WITH THAT? Y'ALL ARE FREE TO GO. THAT WASN'T TOO BAD, WAS IT? THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. AND THE NEXT THING WE HAVE IS BRIEFING ITEM D, WHICH I MEAN, BRIEFING MEMO D, WHICH IS THE INTRODUCTION OF SERVE ROBOTICS DELIVERY ROBOTS.
AND DOCTOR GUS CONCARLI, IF YOU, DOES ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE LITTLE ROBOTS.
I'VE SEEN THEM I SAW THEM A COUPLE OF THEM IN THE STREET THE OTHER DAY.
NOPE, NOPE. OKAY. VERY GOOD. YOU GOT OFF EASY ON THAT ONE, GUS.
THE NEXT THING WE HAVE IS BRIEFING MEMO E, FOLLOW UP TO THE FEBRUARY 18TH, 2025 TRANSPORTATION DART UPDATE BRIEFING, IDENTIFICATION OF PROJECTS ALIGNED WITH MUTUAL, CITY OF DALLAS AND DART GOALS.
AND. VERY GOOD. CHAIR MENDELSOHN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
[00:40:06]
AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE INPUT ON, WHAT WE'RE SEEING.HOPEFULLY THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION OF ITEMS FOR US TO GIVE THAT INPUT BEFORE IT GOES FORWARD ON THE NEAR-TERM HIGH PRIORITY OPPORTUNITIES. THE FIRST ONE KIND OF STOPPED MY HEART BECAUSE THE KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON STATION DEVELOPMENT SHOULD NOT BE AN ASK FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS. THIS SHOULD BE PART OF DART'S OWN EFFORTS.
IT IS UNRELATED TO US ASKING THEM TO DO SOMETHING, AND OUR LIMITED NUMBER OF ASKS AND DOLLARS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN BY THEIR NEED TO REDESIGN ONE OF THEIR OWN STATIONS. SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING.
THERE'S TWO OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE ON THIS NEAR-TERM HIGH PRIORITY OPPORTUNITIES LIST THAT REALLY RISE TO THE TOP OF IT, WHICH IS SOMETHING I'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME, WHICH IS WE NEED A DEFINITIVE CONNECTION FROM LOVE FIELD TO THE CONVENTION CENTER AND FROM DFW TO THE CONVENTION CENTER. AND SO I'M GLAD THAT THEY'RE BOTH ON HERE.
WE NEED PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SEAMLESSLY ARRIVE AT THE AIRPORT AND END UP AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE THE TOP PRIORITY ON THE SECOND LIST.
THE LONGER TERM PRIORITY OPPORTUNITIES. THERE'S AN ITEM ON THERE WHICH AGAIN, I TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME, WHICH IS TRANSFERRING THE OWNERSHIP OF THE STREETCAR BACK TO DART.
AT THIS POINT, IT'S COSTING US ABOUT $2,000,000,002 MILLION A YEAR OF GENERAL FUNDS.
WE ALREADY PAY DART OVER $430 MILLION A YEAR.
THEY ARE THE TRANSIT PROVIDER. WE SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS.
I RECOGNIZE THE COUNCIL PRIOR TO ME AGREED TO THIS BAD DEAL, BUT THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO ALIGN IT WITH THE ACTUAL TRANSPORTATION PROVIDER. AND I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD BE A LONG TERM PRIORITY.
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY ON THE NEAR TERM, SO THAT WE CAN USE OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS FOR THE SERVICES WE'RE INTENDED TO PROVIDE. AND DART, WHO GETS HALF OF OUR SALES TAX, COULD PROVIDE THE STREETCAR.
THE OTHER THING ON THERE, I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE THE TRANSIT ORIENTED DESIGN ITEM.
I AGREE THAT SHOULD BE TOP OF MIND. BUT AGAIN, IT'S THEIR LAND IN DALLAS.
FRANKLY, THEY COULD SET UP THEIR OWN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION IF THEY WANTED TO.
THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THE FEES THAT WOULD THEN HELP THEM DO ADDITIONAL PROJECTS.
AND I THINK THAT'S A FAIR THING. THE NEXT ONE IS THE URBAN CONNECTOR.
IT WAS ADORABLE WITH THE LITTLE BUNNY. I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT EVER WENT AWAY.
SO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, URBAN CONNECTOR, HOP A BUS.
I WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO DO THAT, ESPECIALLY IN THE DOWNTOWN AND MOST SURROUNDING AREAS, MEANING IT SHOULD GO TO TRINITY GROVES, IT SHOULD GO TO THE CEDARS AND IT SHOULD GO TO DEEP ELLUM.
AND THIS WOULD LITERALLY TAKE CARS OFF THE ROAD.
THIS WOULD ALLEVIATE MANY OF OUR PARKING ISSUES.
AND SO I THINK THIS SHOULD BE SOMETHING WE SPECIFICALLY SAY IS NECESSARY.
AND WITH THAT I'LL LEAVE MY OWN COMMENTARY. BUT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT LIST.
AND I DO AGAIN HOPE THAT WE'RE SOLICITING THIS COMMITTEE'S INPUT.
BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO ASK THE FULL COUNCIL ABOUT THIS.
I MEAN, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ASK AND VERY CONSEQUENTIAL FOR OUR CITY.
SO THAT'S MY INPUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME OF THE UPDATE ON WHAT YOU SAID.
SO THIS IS NOT ANYTHING FROM OUR GENERAL FUND OR ANY OF THESE ARE FROM US.
THIS IS DART ASKING US FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS THAT WE COULD JUST GIVE.
SO THAT JUST SO I UNDERSTOOD THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU.
YOU MENTIONED MORE THAN ONCE US USING OUR RESOURCES.
SO THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO ASK THEM TO DO IT AND THAT AND THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF IT.
AND THEY ARE HAVE BEEN SINCE THE GET GO AND THE DESIGN AND ALL OF THAT.
[00:45:02]
DART STREETCAR HAS YOU SAID GIVE IT BACK TO DART.IT NEVER WAS DART'S. IT WAS ALWAYS THE CITY OF DALLAS.
JUST SO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I WAS AROUND FOR IT.
SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY AND THEN AND WE DO.
AT SOME POINT JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU I LOVE THE THING ABOUT THE CONNECTOR TO LOVE FIELD.
ABSOLUTELY. IT IS A HUGE PRIORITY FOR ALL OF US.
AND THEN THE HOP ON. IS THAT WHAT THE BUNNY RABBIT BUS? HOP A BUS? IT WAS A PINK BUS. IT HAD LITTLE EARS.
YEAH. AND IT WAS REALLY CUTE, I GET IT. THAT DART DIDN'T PAY.
DDI ACTUALLY PAID FOR THAT OUT OF THEIR FUNDS, AND THEY RAN OUT OF MONEY.
AND TRINITY GROVES ACTUALLY PAID FOR PART OF IT TO GET IT TO THEM.
SO JUST FYI, SO THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET THOSE THINGS BACK THROUGH.
SO I BELIEVE DART ACTUALLY THEN DID A CONNECTOR BUS.
THAT DDI PAID FOR. YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. SO WELL AWARE OF THE HISTORY OF THE STREETCAR.
IF I ADDED THE WORD BACK IN, THAT IS A CORRECTION.
THANK YOU. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE ARE SOME LIMITED DOLLARS, SO IT'S NOT DOLLARS COMING FROM OUR CITY, BUT THE SYSTEM IS PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER CITIES.
AND THAT IS HOW WE CAME TO BE ASKED FOR WHAT PROJECTS WE WANT.
AND SO MY INPUT WAS WHAT I THINK ARE THE PRIORITY ITEMS. I DO THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER CHAIRS THAT AND BY THAT I MEAN PEOPLE SITTING IN THESE CHAIRS THAT SHOULD HAVE A VOICE AS WELL.
THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. WE GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT.
AND JUST, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTELY. YOUR POINTS ARE TAKEN AND NOTED.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ON THE? VICE CHAIR GRACEY.
THANK YOU. AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER. CAN YOU JUST HELP KIND OF WALK THROUGH HOW SOME OF THESE PROJECTS WERE IDENTIFIED THERE? I KNOW PERSONALLY I HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE ONE I MENTIONED IN HAMPTON, ILLINOIS, OR I'M SORRY, THE HAMPTON STATION TRANSFER STATION TO BE CONSIDERED AS A TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.
SO CAN YOU JUST KIND OF HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW THESE PROJECTS WERE IDENTIFIED AND DEVELOPED, AND THEN WHY THEY MADE THE LIST AMONG SOME OF THE OTHERS? WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, AND I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN'S FEEDBACK ALSO.
THERE ARE OTHER AREA CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDING DART WITH A LIST.
AND SO, WE CONVENED A TEAM WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOLKS, TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC WORKS AND THE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING ON THE CONVENTION CENTER TO KIND OF DEVELOP A LIST.
AND SO THAT WAS HOW WE SORT OF DEVELOPED THIS LIST AND REFINED IT A LITTLE BIT.
WE UNDERSTAND THE SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE MAYBE HIGHER PRIORITIES THAN OTHERS, BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO GIVE DART AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE A LONGER LIST. WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING THROUGH PHASE TWO OF THE AREA PLANS TO DEVELOP A MORE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH AS IT COMES TO THIS COLLABORATION WITH DART ON OUR MOBILITY PROJECTS.
PERHAPS THE AREA PLANS HAD REVIEWED CERTAIN PROJECTS AND NOT ALL OF THEM.
I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN 5 OR 7, FIVE AND SEVEN, I THINK FROM THERE.
BUT I REALLY WANT TO GO BACK AND JUST KIND OF CHALLENGE THIS LIST A LITTLE BIT AS WE CONTINUE TO REVIEW IT TO ENSURE, YOU KNOW, DISTRICTS THREE, FOUR AND EIGHT ARE ALSO KIND OF FACTORED IN.
AND A LOT OF THESE MAKE SENSE. SO I'M NOT NECESSARILY CHALLENGING THE LIST PER SE, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SOUTHERN DALLAS IS FULLY INCLUDED IN IN THIS LIST. YEAH. AND THAT'S WHY THE WHOLE AREA PLANNING PROCESS IS SO CRITICAL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE AREAS WITHIN THE
[00:50:08]
CITY OF DALLAS. SO, APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK COUNCIL MEMBER AND WE'LL YOU KNOW, AS WE DEVELOP THE LIST WE'LL BE WORKING WITH, WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS TO REFINE THAT. PERFECT.ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND VICE CHAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO ALSO SAY SO THIS WAS A SMALL SET OF LISTS, RIGHT? THE TOD. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE YOUR THE HAMPTON STATION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THE TOD.
AND I THINK WE'RE IN OUR THIRD OR FOURTH ALREADY THROUGH THERE.
SO, GET WITH ROBIN BENTLEY OFFICE AND ASK FOR THE TOD LIST, BECAUSE WE IDENTIFIED IT WAS 6 OR 8 STATIONS THAT DART WAS WILLING TO WORK WITH US ON, AND THAT SHOULD GET EXPANDED.
IF SO, IF IT'S NOT, LET'S GET THAT ON THAT LIST.
AND SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT ARE DOWN SOUTH MIGHT BE IN A DIFFERENT SET OF PROJECTS.
SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE WHOLE THING. SO THIS WAS WHAT WAS ASKED FOR THAT QUICK, YOU KNOW, TURNAROUND BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE A DART TOGETHER.
RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. VICE CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ.
YES. JUST VERY QUICKLY, I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DEB, I THINK YOUR EXPERTISE IN CRAFTING THIS LIST AND UNDERSTANDING IT FROM A FULL PERSPECTIVE REALLY SHOWS HOW LUCKY WE ARE TO HAVE YOU HERE.
THAT'S NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO. COULD YOU JUST RESPOND REALLY QUICKLY IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THIS LIST IS TOO EXTENSIVE, CERTAINLY COMPARED TO WHAT THE OTHER CITIES ARE PLANNING ON OR I KNOW WE'RE A MUCH BIGGER ENTITY, SO YOU CAN'T JUST SAY THEY GET THREE AND SO DO YOU.
BUT DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS LIST IS MANAGEABLE FROM A DART PERSPECTIVE? WELL, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, FOR THE FEEDBACK AS WELL AS THE QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE, OUR LIST IS PROBABLY MORE EXTENSIVE THAN OTHER MEMBER CITIES.
AND YOU KNOW, WE QUESTIONED WHETHER WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVE A, YOU KNOW, 1 OR 2 ITEMS. BUT YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE REALLY HADN'T GONE INTO THE PHASE TWO OF THE AREA PLANNING, WHICH SOME OF THE OTHER MEMBER CITIES HAD DONE, I FELT LIKE WE WANTED TO AT LEAST DO THE WORK TO IDENTIFY THE FULL RANGE OF PROJECTS.
THIS ONE IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO MORE IMMEDIATELY.
SO I THINK THAT'S GREAT. AND SO I THINK ONCE THEY RESPOND TO THIS, IT COULD VERY WELL BE THAT YOU HAVE TO COME BACK AND ASK US TO PRIORITIZE, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT. THIS IS THIS IS REALLY A LIST THAT WAS RESPONDING TO THE REQUEST THAT WAS MADE BY THIS BODY, AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE DART BOARD FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION, SIMILAR TO WHAT OTHER MEMBER CITIES HAVE PROVIDED.
JUST SO WE WERE HAVING THAT TRANSPARENCY, AND I THINK I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THE OF THE TEAM, THE STAFF TEAM THAT DID THE WORK TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.
IT PUTS US IN A REALLY GOOD POSITION AS WE MOVE INTO THE SECOND PHASE OF AREA PLANNING WITH DART.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO THANK YOU ALL AND THANK YOU TO STAFF. I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY OF THESE.
AND I WAS LIKE, COME ON, TELL ME SOME OF THE PROJECTS. BUT ABSOLUTELY NOT. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I SHOULDN'T BE PUTTING MY WEIGHT INSIDE OF THESE BECAUSE IT'S FOR OUR ENTIRE CITY. SO, AND THE REGION WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
SO BUT I LIKE THE LIST AND JUST LIKE DEV SAID IF DART COMES BACK AND SAYS, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU GET IT DOWN TO THREE, THEN WE'LL, YOU KNOW, WHITTLE IT DOWN TO THOSE THREE AND I GUESS WE CAN ROLL IN THE MUD UNTIL WE, WE COME UP WITH THREE WINNERS. RIGHT. WITH THAT, THAT IS DONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DEV AND STAFF. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND THE REST OF THE AGENDA IS F THROUGH N, WHICH ARE UPCOMING AGENDA ITEMS. IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
[00:55:02]
AND IF NOT, YOU CAN ALWAYS MEET WITH STAFF BEFORE NEXT WEEK ON NO, BEFORE THIS WEDNESDAY BEFORE TOMORROW MORNING.IT'S A LONG TIME. ANY QUESTIONS? ANYBODY? ANYBODY NO.
CHAIR STEWART, YOU'RE LOOKING LIKE YOU MIGHT HAVE ONE.
NOT AT THIS TIME. VERY GOOD. WITH THAT. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
WELCOME BACK FROM SPRING BREAK. IT IS NOW SPRING IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND THE SUN HAS DECIDED TO SHOW UP TODAY. AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE 90 DEGREES.
SO, THE TIME IS NOW 2:05 P.M. AND I NOW CALL TO A CLOSE THE MARCH 25TH,
2025 TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.