[Park, Trails, and Environment Committee on April 7,2025.]
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SO MARCH 3RD, DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL AND DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. ALL RIGHT, LET'S START WITH OUR FIRST BRIEFING THIS MORNING.
GOOD MORNING LAQS STAFF. WE'RE GLAD YOU GUYS ARE HERE.
WE ARE GOING TO GET AN UPDATE ON THE EXTENDED PART OF THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND STUDY.
I KNOW WE HAD A GREAT PRESS CONFERENCE LAST WEEK, AND SO THE INFORMATION IS GETTING OUT TO EVERYBODY, AND I, PAUL, I WILL, DIRECTOR WHITE. I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
THANK YOU. WELL, GOOD MORNING, CHAIR STEWART AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AND ALSO, ACM LIST. DL PEREIRA AND YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THIS TYPE OF DATA IS CRITICAL TO UNDERSTANDING AND ADAPTING TO THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, PARTICULARLY IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED OR AFFECTED BY HEALTH CHALLENGES.
SO THIS WORK, IT TIES INTO OUR CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, WHICH PRIORITIZES INTERVENTIONS IN OUR MORE VULNERABLE AREAS THAT LACK GREEN SPACE AND ARE MORE EXPOSED TO HEAT.
SO THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH THE PRESENTATION.
THE PURPOSE WAS FIRST TO IDENTIFY THE HOT SPOTS IN OUR CITY AND PREPARE FOR EXTREME HEAT.
WE ALSO WANT TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO IMPLEMENT COOLING SOLUTIONS IN THE COMMUNITIES.
LOOKING AT THOSE HOT AREAS AND PRIORITIZING THEM.
WE ALSO WANT TO ADVANCE THE CEDCAP GOALS, WHICH PAUL MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY GOALS SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT. SO FOR GOAL SIX, THERE'S A TARGET TO REDUCE THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND INDEX AND TO INCREASE CANOPY COVER.
GOAL SEVEN IS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH AND ALLEVIATE ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.
SO WHEN IT'S HOTTER THERE'S MORE OZONE FORMATION.
SO IF WE CAN REDUCE SOME OF THAT HEAT WE HOPE TO DECREASE OZONE IN OUR REGION.
WE ALSO WANTED TO COMPLETE THE MAPPING. SO NOW WE HAVE MAPPED 100% OF THE CITY, WHICH IS ABOUT 350 SQUARE LAND MILES. SO THE FIRST YEAR WE DID ABOUT 100MI², AND THE SECOND YEAR ABOUT 250.
NEXT. SO OUR INITIAL OBSERVATIONS, WE DID NOTICE THAT THE BUILT UP URBAN AREAS LIKE HIGHWAY INFRASTRUCTURE AND SHOPPING AREAS, A LOT OF AREAS WITH CONCRETE DID CONCENTRATE HEAT THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
WE ALSO SAW THAT AREAS WITH INDUSTRIAL LAND USE SEEMS TO CREATE POCKETS OF HIGH TEMPERATURE, AND THAT THE PRESENCE OF STREET TREES AND POCKET PARKS CAN ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT HEAT AND DENSE URBAN AREAS.
WE ALSO SAW THAT THE MAX DIFFERENTIAL TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 12 DEGREES, MEANING THAT AT THE SAME TIME IN THE CITY, ONE AREA COULD BE 12 DEGREES HOTTER THAN THE OTHER, SO ONE AREA WAS AROUND 90 DEGREES AND THE OTHER WAS AROUND 102 OR SO.
NEXT, WE HAVE A FEW INTERACTIVE MAPS THAT WERE CREATED WITH THIS DATA.
SO THE FIRST IS WITH THE 2024 DATA. AND SO YOU CAN SELECT DIFFERENT ITEMS. SO IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THE TEMPERATURE FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE MORNING, OR IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT IN THE AFTERNOON OR THE EVENING, YOU CAN SELECT THOSE DIFFERENT PARAMETERS. AND YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT EACH TEMPERATURE READING THAT WAS RECORDED.
SO DURING EACH ONE HOUR RECORDING SESSION WE HAD THREE THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
DATA WAS COLLECTED EVERY SINGLE SECOND DURING THAT ONE HOUR.
AND SO THEN A MODEL WAS CREATED, WHICH IS HOW WE GET THOSE, THOSE COLORS THROUGHOUT THE MAP.
AND NEXT SLIDE. THE NEXT MAP IS COMBINING THE 2023 AND 2024 DATA.
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SO THIS IS A COMBINED MAP OF THE JOINT DATA SETS.AND SO WITH THIS MAP WE DID SEE THAT HEAT WAS MOSTLY CONCENTRATED IN THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE CITY, ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN, THE SURROUNDING AREAS AND INDUSTRIAL AREAS AROUND DOWNTOWN AND ALONG THE I-35 CORRIDOR GOING SOUTH AND THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG THE I-35 CORRIDOR. WE ALSO SAW THAT COOLER AREAS WERE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT DALLAS, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN THE SOUTHEAST AREA OF DALLAS, WHERE THE TRINITY RIVER IS THE GREAT TRINITY FOREST AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.
SO THAT CANOPY COVERAGE OF THE TRINITY FOREST WAS REALLY HELPFUL IN COOLING SOME AREAS OF THE CITY.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH DBI TO INTEGRATE THESE MAPS ONTO OUR SERVERS, SO THEY'RE CURRENTLY ON OUR ON KAPPA STRATEGY SERVERS. THEY WERE THE CONSULTANT FOR THIS PROJECT. AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH DBI TO BRING THEM OVER TO OUR SERVERS WHERE WE CAN INTEGRATE THE CITY THE CITY COUNCIL MAPS AND OTHER IMPORTANT LAYERS THAT WE WILL FIND HELPFUL NEXT.
SO LOOKING AT THAT 2023 AND 2024 DATA MAP, WE SELECTED THOSE AREAS THAT WERE THE DEEPEST RED, MEANING THEY WERE THE HOTTEST. AND SO HERE ON THIS LIST WE LABELED THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THEIR DISTRICT NUMBERS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE FIRST ONE, OAK CLIFF, WE DID HAVE DISTRICT ONE AND DISTRICT FOUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE ALSO HAVE MEDICAL DISTRICT, SOME AREAS OF WEST DALLAS, PRESTON HILLS, THE OAK LAWN AREA, DOWNTOWN, AND A FEW OTHERS. NEXT. SO OUR NEXT STEPS IN OAQ IS FIRST WE'RE PLANNING ON MEETING WITH SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, FOR EXAMPLE PARKS AND REC.
WE'RE HOPING THAT THEY CAN USE THIS DATA AND THEIR TREE PLANTING STRATEGIES.
ALSO, WITH OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THEY USE THIS DATA FOR THEIR INCLEMENT WEATHER CENTERS, THEIR COOLING SHELTERS DALLAS FIRE AND RESCUE.
AND INTERNALLY IN OAQ, WE HOPE THIS IS WEATHER DEPENDENT, BUDGET DEPENDENT, BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN INTEGRATE THIS INTO OUR WEATHERIZATION PROJECTS TO INCREASE THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF HOMES.
AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO CONTINUE OUTREACH AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE SPREADING THE WORD AND NOTIFYING PEOPLE THAT THIS DATA IS AVAILABLE OUT THERE. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. WE WILL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. CHAIR.
ARNOLD, ARE YOU READY? YES. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE I'M GOING TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ALL IN TERMS OF THE NEED FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENCY AND UNDERSTANDING. NUMBER, I THINK IT WAS PAGE.
EXCUSE ME. EIGHT. EXCUSE ME. THAT'S WHAT'S COME THAT COMES ABOUT WHEN YOU GOT THE AIR THAT WE HAVE WHEN I, THAT I LIVE IN, 75232. YOU HAVE ON THAT SLIDE, SOUTH OAK CLIFF AND SOUTH DALLAS.
I NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHERE WHAT AREAS ARE YOU REALLY REFERRING TO? AND THEN YOU JUMP TO GLENDALE PARK. ARE YOU TALKING.
LET ME JUST HUSH. WHAT AREA YOU REFERRING TO WHEN YOU SAY SOUTH OAK CLIFF AND THEN SOUTH DALLAS? SO LOOKING AT THE INTERACTIVE MAP. THE SOUTH OAK CLIFF AREA NEAR THE HIGH SCHOOL, THAT WAS ONE OF THE DEEP RED COLORS, MEANING IT WAS ONE OF THE HOTTEST AREAS.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE HOTTEST, HOTTEST AREAS, YOU'RE OVER BY OVERTON ROAD AND MARSALIS AREA.
THAT'S WHERE SOUTH OAK CLIFF, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT SOUTH? ARE YOU REFERRING TO SOUTH OAK CLIFF HIGH SCHOOL IN THAT AREA? SO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE INTERACTIVE MAP BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE THE EXACT STREET NAMES RIGHT NOW.
THE QUESTION YOU HAVE. I MEAN, THE QUESTION I HAVE.
YOU HAVE SOUTH DALLAS. SO HOW ARE THOSE TWO CONNECTED? YEAH, I THINK I SEE WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT, AND I THINK WE SHOULD SEPARATE THOSE TWO.
SOUTH OF DALLAS. SOUTH DALLAS, FAIR PARK, SOUTH OAK CLIFF.
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I SEE WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THIS. YES, MA'AM.SO WE DO NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET JUSTICE.
YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND WHEN THERE'S ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE.
AND I THINK THE ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE CONCERNS WILL REMAIN IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OR WE'RE NOT CLEAR ON IT, AND WE'RE NOT SHARING THAT INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN GET THE HELP THAT WE NEED.
RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. NOW, THE OTHER CONCERN HERE JUST HOLISTICALLY, I WANT TO PUT HERE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE SOUTHERN SECTOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL DOUBLE CHECK YOUR INFORMATION.
AND CHAIR, I'M SHARE WITH YOU, I WOULD LIKE TO POST THIS MAP, AND I'M BEGINNING TO REACH OUT TO SOME OF MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THE MAP AS IT RELATES TO DISTRICT FOUR.
SO IF YOU ALL WOULD MAKE SURE AND I'M SAYING THIS ALSO TO THE CHAIRWOMAN AND ALSO TO ASSIST CITY.
CITY MANAGER, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, I REALIZE THAT WE REALLY HAVEN'T MOVED THE NEEDLE MUCH WHEN IT COMES TO THIS ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.
AND I THINK WITH YOUR FINDINGS AND LOOKING AT IT THROUGH THE COMMUNITY LENSES, THEN WE CAN COME BACK TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE MOVING THE NEEDLE FORWARD.
IT APPEARS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN ONE OF MY COMMUNITIES AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT CADILLAC HEIGHTS, THAT THERE IS A CONCERTED EFFORT TO TURN THE CLOCK BACK AND TO NOT PROVIDE A FORWARD THINKING VISION ON FREEING THE PEOPLE FROM THE OPPRESSION, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO THESE TEMPERATURES AND THE SURROUNDINGS. SO THAT'S MY POSITION THIS MORNING AS I SPEAK TO YOU AND WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR ON SOUTHERN DALLAS AND SOUTH DALLAS, BECAUSE THE DECISIONS AROUND THIS HORSESHOE AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU ALL BRING WILL HELP US.
BUT RIGHT NOW, ON THE RECORD, I WANT YOU TO KNOW, AND I'M GOING TO SAY THIS AGAIN TO THE CHAIR AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE LISTENING, AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC. WE MUST BE MORE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND NOT CONTINUE TO PUT OUR PEOPLE IN A POSITION OF SELLING THEM OUT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WHEN AND INDEED THEY ARE LIVING IN HARMFUL ENVIRONMENTS.
BUT WE'RE WILLING TO SELL THEM OUT BECAUSE OF A DOLLAR.
AND I'M VERY, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO SPEAK IT.
BUT WE NEED THE EVIDENCE TO PROVE TO THE PEOPLE THAT THEY NEED TO BE ENGAGED.
WE HAVEN'T MOVED THE NEEDLE, BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP, AND WE NEED YOU TO KNOW WHERE YOUR DATA IS, SO WE'LL KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WHAT NEXT STEPS WE NEED TO TAKE.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE, MR. PAUL? YES, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND I'LL BE LISTENING. THANK YOU.
CHAIR, MAY I ALSO ADD TO THAT CHAIR? THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
CHAIR ARNOLD. ALSO FOR THE INSIGHTS ON THE TERMINOLOGY WHICH WE'LL WORK ON.
AND SO WE CAN SHOW YOU EXACTLY WHERE THE HOTSPOTS ARE, IF YOU WILL, NO PUN INTENDED.
BUT CERTAINLY, WANT TO BE ABLE TO USE THE DATA FOR, AS THE TEAM IS POINTING OUT, FOR RECOMMENDATIONS TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND HOPEFULLY OTHER ENTITIES CAN USE THIS DATA. BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO GET MORE DETAILED TO YOU AND BRING THE INTERACTIVE MAP AND CHAIR.
BUT WHAT DRIVES ME? AND THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR LETTING, ALLOWING US THIS INTERACTION IS THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN THE DAY ENDS, IF WE CANNOT LOOK IN THE FACES OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, THEN ALL WE'RE DOING HERE IS FOR NAUGHT.
I GO TO SLEEP. I WANT TO GO TO SLEEP EVERY NIGHT KNOWING WE'VE TOLD THEM THE TRUTH.
I WANT THEM ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE MAP.
SO THAT IS MY DRIVE IS THE PEOPLE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING AROUND THE HORSESHOE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR ARNOLD. LET'S SEE OTHER QUESTIONS.
CHAIR BLACKMON. SO GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS MAP, YOU KNOW, YOU WE REALLY SEE THE RED AND THEY POP OUT AND THEN THE BLUE, OF COURSE, IS POPPING OUT. AND THEN WE HAVE THAT OCHER COLOR.
SO IT'S NOT AS BRIGHT. AND THAT SEEMS TO BE THE MORE DOMINANT COLOR.
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HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THE AREAS WHERE WE'RE TEETERING WHERE THEY COULD MOVE TO THAT HOT RED SPOT? IF A BIG WIND COMES AND I'M LOOKING AT MOSTLY AROUND WHITE ROCK LAKE AND EAST DALLAS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT COOL, BUT IT'S NOT HOT. IT'S IN THAT LIGHT ORANGE BROWN AREA.BUT GIVEN THE STORMS THAT WE HAVE AND THE WINDS THAT WE'RE HAVING AND THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENING AND WE'RE GETTING SOME CLEAR CUTTING OF LOTS, ARE WE LOOKING AT AREAS WHERE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T TURN THAT HOT RED? RIGHT AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL A PART OF PROACTIVE PLANNING.
AND I THINK YOU KNOW, THIS IS A THIS MAP IS GREAT FOR US AND IT'S DATA SO THAT WE CAN SIT DOWN WITH DBI PLANNING AND WE CAN HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PROACTIVELY APPROACHING THESE AREAS SO THAT WE CAN ADD THE URBAN CANOPY, WE NEED TREE CANOPY AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS IN ORDER TO NOT GET TO THAT POINT.
OKAY. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN THE FUTURE.
SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE COUNTING OUR TREES, RIGHT? RIGHT. I THINK WE CAN EVALUATE THAT.
WE CAN LOOK AT THE DATA THAT WE HAVE, AND WE CAN START APPROACHING IT PROACTIVELY.
YEAH. BECAUSE I'M SEEING IN MY AREA WHERE MORE, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSES ARE GOING LOT LINE TO LOT LINE AND THEY'RE TAKING OUT BEAUTIFUL BIG TREES. AND SO I HAVE MORE PEOPLE WANTING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, YOU KNOW, PLANT TREES EITHER IN PRIVATE PROPERTY OR IN THEIR MEDIAN TO KEEP THAT CANOPY, BECAUSE THEY DO KNOW THAT IT COOLS OFF DURING.
I MEAN, WHEN YOU HAVE IT SHELTERED AND YOU'RE WALKING YOUR DOG, IT'S A WAY EASIER WALK THAN IF IT'S UNSHELTERED AND YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, EXPOSED TO THE HOT SUN. AND SO AND I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IS PRESERVING WHAT WE HAVE AND THEN LOOKING AT WHERE WE CAN GO AND DO MORE. BUT IT IS INTERESTING THAT ON THE FAR WEST, I MEAN, WHAT IS HAPPENING OVER THERE THAT IS CAUSING IT TO BE, YOU KNOW, THAT HOT RED POKER, SO TO SPEAK. AND, I BET YOU ANYTHING IT IS PROBABLY PARKING LOTS BECAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE WE'VE PUT A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT. AND, AND SO I THINK AS YOU LAYER THIS DATA WITH OTHER DATA, I THINK IT'S GOING TO TELL A BETTER STORY.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NOT AT THE MOMENT, MADAM CHAIR. MISS ARNOLD ALREADY POINTED OUT THE DISCREPANCY THAT I WOULD HAVE.
THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND CHAIR MORENO.
NO. SO I'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO LOOK AT THIS, AND SINCE THE PRESS CONFERENCE LAST WEEK.
SO THAT'S A THAT'S A BIG FACTOR IN THIS, I THINK, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY CARS ON OUR HIGHWAYS ON A SATURDAY AS WE WOULD MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, TUESDAY, YOU KNOW, ANY DAY, I THINK, DURING THE WEEK. SO MY HUNCH IS THIS IS US ON A BETTER DAY THAN, YOU KNOW, MANY DAYS IN THE CITY. AND I FOUND THAT HUMBLING.
REALLY. THE OTHER THING IS, I REALLY WANT TO SEE US FOCUS ON INCREASING, OBVIOUSLY.
I MEAN, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF TREE CANOPY THAT WE HAVE.
INCREASE AND PROTECT OUR GREEN SPACES. AND ANYTIME WE CAN TAKE UP CONCRETE.
ANYTIME WE CAN TAKE UP CONCRETE. I'M GOING TO SAY THAT AS MANY TIMES AS POSSIBLE.
IT'S A SMALL WIN, BUT WE WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS ON A LARGE SCALE AND FIGURE OUT SOME BIGGER WINS.
BUT WE CAN ALSO MAKE SOME INCREMENTAL SMALL WINS.
AND THAT GOES TO MY LAST POINT, WHICH IS IN OUR CONVERSATIONS AFTER THE PRESS CONFERENCE LAST WEEK.
I HEARD THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS WHAT'S CALLED, I GUESS, A PLAYBOOK FOR NEIGHBORHOODS SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THEY COULD DO TO BRING THAT COOLING EFFECT TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH INCREASED NUMBER OF TREES INCREASED, OOPS WHOOPS.
AND I THINK WE'LL FIND NEIGHBORHOODS WHEN THEY SEE THIS MAP, VERY MOTIVATED TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO TO TRY TO INCREASE THEIR GREEN SPACES AND PROTECT THEIR TREE CANOPY. I THINK IT'S THE MAP IS JUST TELLS A STORY VERY DISTINCTLY.
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I MEAN, YOU JUST CAN'T ARGUE WITH IT. AND SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE STUDY AND FOR THE MAP.AND I KNOW THAT'S YOU GUYS ARE IN THAT MODE, BUT ANYTHING I CAN DO ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD SIDE, I'D BE HAPPY TO HELP. YES, MA'AM. AND, YOU KNOW, A BIG PART OF IT IS GOING TO BE THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
YES. ENGAGING THE PUBLIC AND THEN, YOU KNOW, EVEN WITH THE TREE CANOPY PIECE THAT'S PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, AND JUST HAVING THE TREES AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO PLANT.
SO WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
YES. SO. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT. YES, I MEAN IT.
WE HAD A HOUSE NEAR FLAGPOLE HILL THAT HAD A VERY LARGE OLD CHINKAPIN OAK AND A VERY LARGE RED OAK.
AND DURING THE WINDSTORMS OF THE PAST TEN YEARS, REALLY, WE LOST BOTH OF THOSE TREES.
SO THE TREE CANOPY CHANGED DRAMATICALLY IN OUR YARD.
AND I WISH I HAD PLANNED FOR THAT. RIGHT. I WISH I HAD STARTED PLANNING SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, SO THAT IT WOULD BEGIN TO MATURE AND TAKE THE PLACE OF THOSE.
AND I THINK THAT'S JUST EDUCATION AND UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW AND WHETHER THAT OUR TREES ARE VULNERABLE TO THESE WINDSTORMS. WE NEED TO KEEP THEM TRIMMED. WE NEED TO KEEP THEM HEALTHY SO THAT THEY DON'T HIT OUR ENCORE LINES AND TAKE OUT POWER, BUT THEY ALSO WE DON'T LOSE THEM AND LOSE THEM AS PART OF OUR TREE CANOPY.
SO I JUST THINK THERE'S I KNOW I'M WAY DOWN IN THE WEEDS AT THIS POINT, BUT I'D LIKE TO TO TAKE THE INFORMATION AND GET IT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SO THAT THEY CAN DO THINGS IN THEIR OWN SPACE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HELP US.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR WORK. I HAVE ONE COMMENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME TO MIND AS SHE WAS TALKING IS THAT AS WE TALK TO DEVELOPERS WITH NEW NEIGHBORHOODS, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WHEN THEY COME TO THE CITY IN PARTICULAR FOR SUPPORT, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, IS THAT WE HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT TREES AND WHAT WORKS BEST IN COMMUNITIES.
SO THAT LONG TERM IS A BENEFIT AND NOT A NIGHTMARE, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF FIRST TIME, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPERS AND THEY'LL BUILD TREES BECAUSE THEY LOOK GOOD.
AND I THINK THAT EDUCATION IS VERY, VERY KEY.
YEARS AGO, EVIDENTLY IN THE PLANNING STAGES, NO ONE REALLY EDUCATED THOSE DEVELOPERS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY IN MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS NOW, THE SIDEWALK, THE TREES ARE COMING UP THROUGH THE SIDEWALKS. AND I HAVE A NEIGHBOR RIGHT NOW, AND THE CITY IS TELLING THEM THAT HE HAS TO PAY FOR THAT.
THAT TREE IS WELL OVER 40 YEARS OLD, AND IT'S TEARING UP THE SIDEWALK.
AND HERE HE GOES, WELL, WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT? SO THOSE ARE THE LITTLE THINGS. AND THANK YOU, CHAIR STEWART, FOR REMINDING ME OF THAT.
I NEEDED TO SAY THAT WE IT'S ABOUT EDUCATION.
EVERYBODY LOVES TREES. I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT I LOVE TREES, BUT FOR THOSE WHO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING THEIR PROPERTY LONG TERM, AND WHAT TYPE OF TREES ARE MORE LIKELY TO GET THE FIRE ANTS OR WHAT ARE THOSE? WHATEVER THOSE WHAT DO YOU CALL THEM? WHATEVER THEY CALL THEM, THE WITH TERMITES, THEY'RE NOT REALLY TERMITES, BUT THEY'RE ANTS WITH WINGS ON THEM. SOME SAY TERMITES, SOME NOT, BUT THEY LIKE CERTAIN TREES.
AND SO YOU BUILD THEM CLOSER TO THE HOUSE. YOU GOT A PROBLEM.
SO THE I THINK THE EDUCATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT ENGAGES US, IS SO VERY KEY.
THANK YOU. I'M NOT USED TO THIS NEW MICROPHONE YET.
DOES NOT, CHAIR NARVAEZ DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? OKAY. JUST WANT TO CHECK. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND WE'LL BE READY TO WORK WITH YOU HOWEVER WE CAN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO WE ARE MOVING ON TO BRIEFING ITEM B AND THIS IS ON THE CITYWIDE TRAIL INITIATIVE.
AND I BELIEVE IT IS PRESENTED BY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPUTY DIRECTOR RENEE JOHNSON AND HER TEAM.
GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS
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OF THE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE TODAY.WE ARE EXCITED AND ELATED ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION TODAY.
SO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE REALLOCATED SOME FUNDING TO START TO BUILD A TRAIL TEAM THAT WAS SPECIFIC IN WORKING ONLY ON TRAILS, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS THAT ALSO HELP US MAINTAIN TRAILS.
WE THOUGHT THAT WE NEEDED A COMPONENT THAT WAS ONLY DEDICATED TO TRAILS, AND WE TURNED THIS OVER THIS INITIATIVE OVER TO DAVID SMITH AND RONALD GOOD, AND THEY HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB. AND TODAY I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES, AND THEY'RE GOING TO WALK THROUGH THIS TRAIL INITIATIVE WHERE WE ARE, WHAT OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE AND WHAT WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND COMMITTEE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. STARTING OFF WITH AN OVERVIEW, WE'RE GOING TO BE BRIEFLY GOING THROUGH THE BACKGROUND OF KIND OF THE CITY OF DALLAS TRAILS. ALSO THE CLASSIFICATIONS OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRAILS.
WE HAVE THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONAL COMPONENTS THAT GO ALONG WITH.
HOW WOULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME? EXCUSE ME. DAVID SMITH.
THANK YOU. AND WHO ARE YOU WITH? I'M WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT.
AND THE ACHIEVEMENTS THAT WE ACHIEVED LAST YEAR.
NEXT SLIDE. ALL RIGHT. A LITTLE TEST WOULD BE IF ANYBODY KNOWS WHAT THE OLDEST TRAIL IS, THAT BEING WHITE ROCK CREEK TRAIL THAT HEADS NORTH FROM WHITE ROCK LAKE GOING, YOU KNOW, VERY FAR.
IT ACTUALLY GOES ALL THE WAY UP, ALMOST INTO.
IT GOES PAST FRISCO. SO IT WAS ACTUALLY BUILT BY D.W.
AND IT CONTINUES TO GROW. CURRENTLY WE HAVE EXCUSE ME, AS THE END OF THE 23, 24 FISCAL YEAR, WE HAD OVER 150 TRAILS, OVER 200 MILES OF EXISTING TRAILS AND PROGRAM TRAILS, THAT BEING ONES THAT ARE DESIGNED OR CONSTRUCTION.
IN REGARDS TO SOME STATISTICS, THERE IS DALLAS THE CITY OF DALLAS IS 385MI².
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE TRAIL AREA IS 1.13% OF THAT.
SO 4.35MI². A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TAKEN BACK BY THAT, NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW FAR WE'VE COME.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE COME TO THAT NUMBER, IT IS A IT IS AN ESTIMATE.
AS FAR AS SOME OF THESE TRAILS ARE 20FT WIDE.
SOME OF THEM ARE 100FT WIDE. SO IT'S AN AVERAGE OF THAT WIDTH.
PLUS, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THE LENGTH IT ACCOUNTS FOR OVER 27% OF THE ISSUES THAT CURRENTLY SIX MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS CURRENTLY ARE INVOLVED WITH. THEN 38% OF THOSE LINEAR TRAILS CURRENTLY TOUCH A STATIONARY PARK.
THEY ARE TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS FOR A LOT OF FOLKS AND OBVIOUSLY FOR RECREATIONAL USE.
LOOKING AT THE CLEANLINESS, JUST LOOKING AT DEBRIS REMOVAL, WHITE ROCK LAKE WHEN IT FLOODS, WHITE ROCK CREEK, AT&T, TRINITY FOREST, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE TEAMS ARE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THE DISTRICTS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE CLEAN AND AVAILABLE TO BE USED.
AS FAR AS BEAUTIFICATION, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE STRIPING, LOOKING AT SIGNAGE, LOOKING AT THE PRESSURE WASHING TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO DELIVER A PRODUCT THAT'S CLEAN AND SAFE. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO DELIVER ONE THAT LOOKS WELL, THAT LOOKS GOOD.
THANK YOU DAVID. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS RONALD.
SO STARTING OFF, WE HAVE OUR PARK TRAILS. THESE ARE ONES THAT FORMED A CLOSED LOOP OR LINEAR, ALLOWING PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS TO START AND FINISH, TYPICALLY IN THE SAME AREA.
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WE ALSO HAVE OUR LINEAR TRAILS. THESE ARE TYPICALLY ONES THAT CONNECT YOUR PARKS OR GREENBELTS, YOUR SCHOOLS, YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND ANY ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS THAT YOU HAVE.NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO MOVING INTO THE CLASSIFICATIONS LINEAR TRAILS.
AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE THESE ARE PAVED TRAILS OUTSIDE OF YOUR STATIONARY PARKS.
WE HAVE AN INVENTORY OF 40 LINEAR TRAILS, ABOUT 118 LINEAR MILES AND THREE CONNECTORS.
AND A CONNECTOR IS TYPICALLY A POINT WITHIN A STATIONARY PARK TRAIL THAT CONNECTS TWO LINEAR TRAILS, SO THEREFORE WOULD BE A CONNECTOR FOR MORE LINEAR TRAILS, AND EXAMPLES LIKE THESE WOULD INCLUDE WHITE ROCK CREEK AND PRESTON RIDGE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THEN YOU HAVE YOUR PROGRAM TRAILS.
AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE THESE ARE UNDER DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION.
AND IN OUR FUTURE TRAIL INVENTORY WE HAVE ABOUT 14 TRAILS AND 34 MILES WORTH.
EXAMPLES LIKE THESE ARE OUR FAMOUS TRINITY SPINE.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE HIGH LINE CONNECTOR. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
WE HAVE OUR SOFT SURFACE TRAILS. AGAIN THESE ARE NATURAL WALKING PATHS IN OUR INVENTORY.
WE HAVE 18 TRAILS AND 30 MILES WORTH. EXAMPLES OF THESE ARE HARRY MOSS AND L.B.
HOUSTON. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THEN WE HAVE OUR PARK TRAILS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND THEN DAVID SMITH IS GOING TO TAKE US THROUGH THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE TEAM.
THAT SCOPE OF WORK WAS GOING TO INCLUDE EVERYTHING.
IMMEDIATELY. SO GOING THROUGH SOME OF THOSE, WE'RE GOING TO SEE HERE, THIS IS OUR TEAM ACTUALLY ON THE KATY TRAIL, AND WE'RE DOING OUR FIRST BIT OF STRIPING TO ENSURE SAFETY THAT PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS ARE ON THEIR APPROPRIATE SIDE.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE 911 MARKERS ARE PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPONENTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, I WOULD SAY A GOOD PORTION OF OUR TRAILS DO NOT HAVE THOSE.
BUT RON HAS BEEN ABLE TO BRIDGE A GAP WITH BFR AND IN GIS, THOSE COMPONENTS.
AND NOW WE'RE PUTTING THOSE SIGNS INTO PLACE.
WE'VE WORKED WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PLANNING AND DESIGN DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE SIGNS ARE GOING IN WITH THE CONSTRUCTION, NOT AFTER THE FACT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. ANOTHER LARGE COMPONENT IS GOING TO BE THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
MAKING SURE EVERYBODY IS SAFE. AND WE ARE PUSHING THOSE BUFFERS BACK.
IT REALLY JUST TO SAFETY. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO BE HURT BY A FALLEN TREE OR BRANCHES, BUT ALSO ANYBODY THAT MAY BE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY IN THAT VEGETATION THAT CANNOT BE SEEN.
SO THAT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST ONE OF THE COMPONENTS THAT WE TAKE CARE OF.
ALSO WE LOOK AT AMENITY INSPECTIONS AND REPAIRS.
THAT INCLUDES BRIDGES, RAILS, FENCES, SIGNAGE.
AND NOT JUST THE INSPECTION, BUT LIKE I SAID, THE REPAIR OR THE INSTALLATION OF A REPLACEMENT.
THIS IS OUR INDICATOR ON WHERE WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING SOME ADDITIONAL EFFORTS OR WHERE WE COULD BRING YOU KNOW, WE COULD BRING SOME ADDITIONAL ATTENTION TO HELP PROGRAM THAT TRAIL.
SO THROUGH THAT, THROUGH THE ECO COUNTERS, WE'RE THE TEAM IS ABLE TO DO INSPECTIONS, INSTALLATIONS, REPAIRS, DATA COLLECTION, WHICH ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO THE PARK BOARD.
FOR FOR THEIR REVIEW. IN ADDITION, WE ALSO LOOK AT ENCROACHMENTS, WHETHER THAT BE FROM CORPORATE ENTITIES OR CITIZENS THEMSELVES, AND REPORT THOSE AND DEAL WITH THOSE ACCORDINGLY.
IN ADDITION, DUE TO WHERE A LOT OF THESE ARE AT THE TRAILS THERE THEY'RE PLACED AND IN SOME CASES FLOOD PRONE AREAS OR ALONG OLD RAILROAD PASSES, ENCORE EASEMENTS AND SO FORTH. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DRAINAGE AND HYDRO DRAINAGE AND EROSION CONTROL.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS SLIDE JUST SPEAKS A LITTLE BIT OF HOW WE APPROACH IT.
SO FIRST OFF THE TEAM'S GOING TO GO OUT AND DO AN INSPECTION.
BUT THEN AT THE END, THEY'RE ALSO FOLLOWING UP WITH THE DISTRICT MANAGER THAT OVERSEES THAT TO ENSURE THAT THAT FINAL REPORT, EVERYTHING THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WHILE THEY'RE ON THE TRAIL IS DONE.
BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, THEY ARE SUPPORT FOR THE DISTRICT.
[00:35:02]
THEY ARE NOT THE PRIMARY CARETAKER OF THE TRAIL.ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, IT'S JUST A WEATHER AVAILABILITY CHART.
THIS JUST IS A REFLECTION OF HEY, EVEN THOUGH THERE MIGHT BE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO JUST TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE HOLDING OUR TEAMS ACCOUNTABLE. IT MAY BE TOO COLD FOR CONCRETE, BUT IT'S NOT TOO COLD TO DO VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
SO RON WILL BE ASKING THOSE DISTRICTS ACCORDINGLY FOR MAINTENANCE ITEMS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S FUNDING BENCHES, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, FOR THEIR SUPPORT FOR THOSE FOR THOSE ITEMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. MOVING FORWARD, RON'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE TRAIL ASSESSMENT AND REPORTS.
YES. THANK YOU DAVID. SO WITH THE ASSESSMENTS WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT ANYBODY WHO JOINED THE TEAM WOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT WHILE THEY WERE ON THE TRAILS, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE SOME MATRIXES HERE.
THIS ONE SPECIFICALLY SPEAKS TO CONCRETE. WE DO HAVE OTHERS AS FAR AS BRIDGES, RAILS, FENCING, SIGNAGE AND AMENITIES. BUT AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS MATRIX, WE HAVE OUR SIGNIFICANT FACTOR.
AND THEN WHAT YOU WOULD TYPICALLY SEE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS CONCRETE, SO THAT WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR INSPECTIONS AND OUR ASSESSMENTS, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REMAINING ON THE SAME IDEOLOGICAL VIEWPOINT OF IT.
AND THEN THE DALLAS GUIDELINES WE HAVE THERE AS WELL.
HOW MUCH OF IT IS FLOODING? AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE AT THE BOTTOM WE HAVE A 23%.
AND AT THE TOP THIS IS OUR ASH CREEK WHICH WAS BUILT IN 2023.
SO THAT 23% YOU SEE THERE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
ALSO SHOWS US WHY WHITE ROCK CREEK HAS A 78% FOR THE CURRENT CONDITIONS.
ONE OF OUR OLDEST TRAILS THERE FROM 1987. SO WE'VE BEEN DOING A CURRENT CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT AND KIND OF BEING ABLE TO PRIORITIZE WHERE WE NEED TO PUT THE MAINTENANCE FOR THE TEAM.
AND NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND HERE WE HAVE A FEMA FLOODPLAIN MAPPING OF WHITE ROCK CREEK.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE THAT'S MOST OF THAT 78% AS WELL.
ALL OF THAT FLOODING THAT OCCURS ON THAT TRAIL.
CAN CAUSE THAT THAT NUMBER TO RISE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND SO HERE WE HAVE OUR INSPECTION THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH BY ANNUALLY.
AND THIS INSPECTION JUST TAKES INTO ACCOUNT EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCOPE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND SO HERE WE HAVE OUR ANNUAL JOB FUNCTION CALENDAR.
AND THIS JUST SPEAKS BACK TO WHAT DAVID WAS SPEAKING ABOUT EARLIER.
AS FAR AS THE JOBS THAT NEED TO BE COMPLETED.
DURING WHAT TIME. OBVIOUSLY CONCRETE YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT DURING A PERIOD OF TIME, WHICH IS AVAILABLE. SAME THING FOR YOUR DRAINAGE AND EROSION.
YOU DON'T WANT TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS, TYPICALLY WHILE IT'S THE FLOOD SEASON.
SO THIS SPEAKS TO THAT NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND THEN HERE JUST ENSURING THAT WE'RE ALSO KEEPING UP WITH THE MILES THAT WE'LL NEED TO FINISH IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE BIANNUAL ASSESSMENT. WE HAVE HERE A ANNUAL MILES PER MONTH CALENDAR TO KEEP US ON TRACK.
SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND DAVID'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
SO THIS IS A REFLECTION OF THE 23-24 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
ONE OF THE I GUESS, JUST KIND OF STARTING AT THE TOP AND WORKING OUR WAY DOWN, I'LL HIT SOME HIGHLIGHTS. I WON'T READ THEM ALL, BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPONENTS IS THE 911 MARKERS. SO WE AS OF LAST YEAR, WE HAD FIVE MILES OF AT&T AND TRINITY FOREST TRAIL.
WE GOT THOSE 911 MARKERS. THAT WAS PROBABLY OUR IT WAS OUR BIGGEST ITEM JUST DUE TO THE FACT OF THE REMOTE ACCESSIBILITY FOR ANYBODY TO GET THERE. RIGHT. SO WHEN IT COMES TO FIRST RESPONDERS, IF YOU'RE ON THE AT&T OR THE TRINITY FOREST, IT IS VERY, VERY HARD TO CONVEY TO SOMEONE WHERE YOU ARE OTHER THAN YOU'RE ALONG THE TRINITY SOMEWHERE.
SO THAT THIS WAS A VERY BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR US.
[00:40:02]
ONCE AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, WORKING WITH DFR, WORKING WITH THE DISTRICTS TO HAVE THESE SIGNS PROCURED.THEN HIS TEAM ACTUALLY GOING OUT AND INSTALLING THEM THE ECO COUNTERS IS ANOTHER MAJOR COMPONENT.
THERE HAD BEEN SOME ISSUES OVER THE YEARS, BUT RON AND HIS TEAM WORKED WITH ANOTHER TEAM FROM CANADA TO REPAIR THOSE COUNTERS AND GET 16 OF THEM INSTALLED IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS AROUND THE CITY. ALSO, THE STRIPING OF KATY TRAIL RIGHT BEFORE THEY WERE HAVING A 5K, I BELIEVE WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT DONE.
THOSE, THAT'S A REFLECTION OF THE PHOTO YOU SAW EARLIER.
ALSO ANOTHER COMPONENT WAS THE CONSTRUCTION OVERSIGHT.
RON AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, COLLABORATING BETWEEN PMO, P AND D, DWU, DFR, PUBLIC WORKS, TRANSPORTATION, AND COUNTLESS OTHER CONTRACTORS TO ENSURE THAT HE'S KEEPING UP AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE ANY AND ALL INFORMATION TO COLLABORATE ACCORDINGLY, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PUTTING IN A TRAIL THAT'S SATISFYING TO EVERYONE.
ALSO, ANOTHER BIG COMPONENT IS THE TRAIL CROSSWALK STRIPED.
AT WHITE ROCK LAKE, IT WAS IT WAS A LARGE COMPONENT WHERE WE REALIZED THAT THE AMOUNT OF USAGE THAT WAS THERE AND THE UNFORTUNATE FACT THAT WE HAVE 18 CROSSWALKS, SOME OF THEM PUBLIC, SOME OF THEM, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE, WHICH, YOU KNOW WOULD BE OURS, WHEN I SAY PRIVATE.
WE HAVE NOW BRIDGED A FURTHER GAP, MR. JENKINS AND THE TRAIL TEAM MYSELF.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING THE ONES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH PARK ROADS AND INTERIOR PARK COMPONENTS, PARKING LOTS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND ONE OF THE OTHER BIG COMPONENTS ALSO AS WELL ARE THE ADA BARRIERS REPAIRED? THIS IS MORE SO SPEAKING TO ACCESSIBILITY COMPONENTS, WHERE YOU HAVE TWO PIECES OF CONCRETE WHERE THEY HAVE OFFSET DUE TO SETTLING, OR TREES THAT ARE TOO CLOSE TO THE TRAIL. RON AND HIS TEAM, EITHER THEY'RE GOING TO PULL THAT CONCRETE OUT AND REPORT OR WE HAVE A COMPANY THAT'S ABLE TO COME IN AND THEY ACTUALLY DO A IT'S A TECHNIQUE CALLED HORIZONTAL CUTTING WHERE THEY'LL TAKE THAT CONCRETE AND THEY'LL CUT IT PER ADA STANDARDS TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY THAT'S IN A WHEELCHAIR OR, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THOSE ADA BARRIERS IS NO LONGER THERE.
SO THAT THAT IS A VERY LARGE COMPONENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT MOVING FORWARD AS WELL.
AND IT'S KIND OF THE FUTURE OF WHERE THINGS ARE GOING WITH THE TRAILS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DAVID. AND SO BEFORE I GO TO THE SLIDE HERE, WE HAVE A HERE WE HAVE A APP THAT I WAS ABLE TO BUILD WITH AS MUCH KNOWLEDGE AS I NEEDED TO LEARN WITH THIS INITIATIVE, I WANTED TO BE ABLE THAT IT WAS VIEWABLE FOR ANYBODY WHO WERE TO COME BEHIND ME, AND ALSO FOR OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERS AS WELL.
I'M A VERY VISUAL PERSON, SO BEING ABLE TO SEE EVERYTHING FROM A BIRD'S EYE VIEW, IF YOU WILL, KIND OF HELP ME UNDERSTAND AND LEARN ALL OF THE TRAILS AND FEATURES WITHIN IT.
SO THIS IS JUST SOMETHING I WAS ABLE TO DO WHILE I WAS WORKING IN THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE INITIATIVE, AND IT'S SOMETHING I'M VERY PROUD TO SHOW YOU GUYS HERE. SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO WE HAVE OUR DATABASE HERE CLICK START. WE HAVE A VIEW OF DALLAS.
WE HAVE OUR TRAILS 2024 MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR SERVICE AREA CENTERS. IF YOU CLICK ON TRAILS YOU'LL SEE ALL THE TRAILS SHOW UP.
AND THEY'RE IN COLOR CODE HERE. AND THEN ON THE SIDE WE HAVE OUR TRAIL SYSTEM THERE.
THEY ARE COLOR CODED. WE HAVE LINEAR PROGRAMED NATURE AND PARK.
AND IF I WANTED TO CLICK ON JUST THE LINEAR, EVERYTHING ELSE DISAPPEARS AND YOU'RE ABLE TO JUST SEE ALL THE LINEAR TRAILS HERE IN DALLAS. IF WE GO TO THE LIST, IT'S IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER HERE A THROUGH Z.
AND THEN IF WE GO BACK TO THE MAP. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THE TRAIL SYSTEM.
AND THEN IF WE WANTED TO LOOK AT JUST OUR PARKS HERE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO CLICK PARKS.
I KNOW IT'S VERY HARD TO SEE THE LITTLE TINY GREEN DOTS, BUT THEY'RE ALL PARKS TRAILS.
AND THEN IF WE GO BACK TO THE TRAIL SYSTEM, GO BACK TO TRAILS 2024.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU GUYS A MAINTENANCE DISTRICT VIEW.
SO THESE ARE OUR PMO DISTRICTS. WE HAVE ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE AND SIX.
AND IF I WANTED TO CLICK ON SIX YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE SIX AND ALL OF THE TRAILS THERE.
AND OF COURSE ON THE SIDE YOU'LL HAVE YOUR COLOR CODED LINEAR PROGRAM NATURE AND PARKS.
IF I WANTED TO LOOK AT JUST THE PROGRAM HERE IN DISTRICT SIX.
[00:45:06]
SO HERE WE HAVE OUR TEN, 11, 12 AND 13. IF I WANTED TO VIEW 12, JUST LIKE BEFORE, YOU CAN GO EVEN FURTHER. AND SO IF YOU WANTED TO BE ABLE TO VIEW A TRAIL NOT LIKE THIS, BUT LET'S SAY YOU WERE ON THE MAIN PAGE, WE GO BACK TO THE TRAIL SYSTEM, CLICK ON ANY OF THE TRAILS ONE IN SOUTH DALLAS, AT&T HERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY ZOOM IN.SO HERE WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH AT&T TRAIL.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE ALL THOSE BEAUTIFUL TREES.
AND THERE'S A SLIVER OF RED LINE EVERY NOW AND THEN.
AND SO YOU'RE ACTUALLY LIKE A BIRD VIEWING AT&T TRAIL FROM ABOVE.
SO WE'LL GO INTO THIS EASEMENT HERE. COME AROUND THE CORNER.
AND THEN IT SHOULD TAKE US ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE START.
AND THAT IS AT&T TRAIL. AND SO HERE ON THE SIDE YOU SHOULD SEE SOME DATA POINTS.
AND THEN UP ABOVE YOU SEE THAT CAMERA IF WE ACTUALLY WANTED TO CLICK ON IT.
AND AS A COMMUNITY, I'M JUST SO PROUD TO BE A PART OF IT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THAT IS THE END OF OUR BRIEFING.
I DO WANT TO SAY THOUGH, JUST TO TAG ON TO THAT, RON RECENTLY PARTICIPATED IN ONE OF OUR INITIATIVES WITH PARK MAINTENANCE OR EXCUSE ME WITH PARKS AND RECREATION. IT'S CALLED PARK TANK.
HE WAS RECENTLY ACCEPTED TO BRING THIS APP TO REALIZATION.
SO HE'S A MENTEE AND I'M THE PROUD MENTOR FOR HIM.
SO KUDOS TO RON ON THAT. WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THIS GOES.
BUT THAT IS THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.
AND OF COURSE, I'M VERY PROUD AS WELL. AS IT RELATES TO THIS INITIATIVE.
OKAY. WELL, WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR SOME QUESTIONS.
CHAIR NARVAEZ. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO I WANTED TO FIRST START OFF BY SAYING CONGRATULATIONS.
THIS IS A LOT OF WORK, AND I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY.
SO THIS IS FANTASTIC NEWS. LET'S KEEP THAT UP.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE FLOODING I WASN'T SURE IF I MISSED IT, BUT THE TRINITY STRAND TRAIL, WE JUST DID THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR THE BRIDGE THAT WE'LL BE DOING THAT WILL END AT THE HIGH LINE TRAILHEAD AND GO ACROSS OVER TO THE MEDICAL DISTRICT TRAIL, I BELIEVE. WHERE I GET CONFUSED WHERE THEY ALL CONNECT AT THAT POINT.
BUT A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT WERE THERE WERE TALKING TO ME ABOUT THE TRINITY STRAND TRAIL UNDERNEATH MARKET CENTER BOULEVARD, THAT IT FLOODS ALL THE TIME UNDERNEATH THERE BECAUSE OF SOME THE DAM, SOMETHING WITH THE DAM AND THAT IT'S NOT RELEASING WATER FAST ENOUGH.
OR IF THERE'S SOME, IF Y'ALL CAN GET WITH ME LATER AND EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THAT IS.
THAT WAY I CAN KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
AND THEN I ALSO HAD A QUITE A FEW PEOPLE TELL ME THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TREES ON THE TRINITY STRAND TRAIL AREA BECAUSE, I MEAN, IT'S JUST THERE ARE NO TREES THERE. AND SO IT GETS REALLY HOT, OBVIOUSLY, DURING THE DAY AND THE SUMMER.
SO IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT CUMBERSOME FOR FOLKS TO UTILIZE.
BUT JUST IF Y'ALL CAN HELP ME OUT THERE, HOW DO WE GET SOME EXTRA TREES OUT THERE? MAYBE TEXAS TREES FOUNDATION CAN HELP US. OR, YOU KNOW THERE'S GOT TO BE A WAY TO GET SOMETHING OUT THERE.
AND IT MAY NOT BE FEASIBLE BECAUSE JUST DEPENDING ON WHAT'S THERE.
BUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO, LIKE, SHADE STRUCTURES OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT?
[00:50:01]
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO HELP MAKE THAT A BETTER AREA? AND THEN THANK YOU ALL FOR FOCUSING ON CONNECTIVITY, CONNECTIVITY, CONNECTIVITY.IT'S MY BIGGEST MANTRA. I THINK EVERYBODY WHO'S ON TRANSPORTATION, THEY KNOW THAT'S ALL I TALK ABOUT IS CONNECTIVITY, CONNECTIVITY, CONNECTIVITY. AND YOU ALL HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OF GETTING OUR TRAILS CONNECTED NOW.
NORTH HAVEN WILL SOON. GET US THERE BEFORE TOO LONG.
SO. AND WHOEVER DID THE DEAL WITH THE CITY OF IRVING TO BUILD THE CONNECTOR FROM IRVING INTO THE CITY OF DALLAS TO ONE, BUILD IT, PAY FOR IT, AND ALSO PAY TO MAINTAIN IT.
BIG CONGRATULATIONS OR BIG HIGH FIVE, WHATEVER THAT IS.
THAT THAT WAS A HUGE, HUGE DEAL BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF WE WOULD HAVE EVER GOTTEN TO IT.
BUT TO HAVE THAT GET DONE OR BEING WORKED ON WAS A REALLY FANTASTIC PROJECT.
AND THEN THE ONE THING I WASN'T SURE OF AND MAYBE ON THE MAP THAT YOU SHOWED WAS CYPRESS WATERS WHICH IS A PART OF THIS DISTRICT SIX, COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX. I WASN'T SURE IF THE TRAIL WAS IN THERE OR NOT.
THAT BELTLINE AND 635. YES. SO THAT ONE WAS DID NOT MAKE IT INTO THE MAP ITSELF JUST BECAUSE I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THAT I BELIEVE HER NAME IS KAMALA.
AS FAR AS THE ACQUISITION DATE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY'RE STILL BUILDING OUT THERE AS WELL.
OKAY. VERY GOOD. I KNEW THERE HAD TO BE A REASON.
SO THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT TO ME. I JUST NOTICED THAT IT WASN'T OR I THOUGHT MAYBE I DIDN'T SEE IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY LITTLE AREA THAT IS IN DALLAS, BUT IT ISN'T IN DALLAS, BUT IT IS IN DALLAS.
SO THAT I'VE REPRESENTED FOR A WHILE. OTHER THAN THAT, THANK YOU ALL.
KEEP IT UP. THIS IS A HUGE NEWS, AND I LIKE SEEING THE TRAILS GETTING BUILT AND SEEING HOW THEY CONNECT TO DIFFERENT AREAS IN THE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SO JOB WELL DONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR. CHAIR ARNOLD. THANK YOU.
EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU ALL, MOST DEFINITELY FOR YOUR WORK AND THE INNOVATION, EVEN IN PRODUCING THE INFORMATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO THE HONORABLE RENEE JOHNSON QUESTION, YOU ARE WITH US ON THE RIDE. WELL, NO, YOU WERE. NO, YOU WE WERE, I THINK, DEDICATED HONEY TRAIL.
THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. HONEY TRAIL WITH THE COMMISSIONER, JOHN WILEY PRICE.
WAS THAT TRAIL PARTLY FUNDED WITH CITY DOLLARS? FROM WHAT I RECALL, THAT WAS A DALLAS COUNTY FUNDING SOURCE.
OKAY. FROM WHAT I RECALL. RIGHT. FOR HONEY SPRINGS.
OKAY. BECAUSE I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY WE WERE THERE. I KNOW OUR NAMES ARE ON THE SIGN.
YES, IT'S OUR TRAIL, BUT IT WAS FUNDED THROUGH DALLAS COUNTY.
YOU WERE NOT WITH US WHEN THE REVEREND DOCTOR JENKINS AND SOME OF THE BOARD PARK BOARD MEMBERS RODE OUR BICYCLES THAT DAY DOWN THE PARK, AND MY POINT THAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO. AND I THINK HE WAS ABLE TO RECOVER FROM THAT RIDE.
I THINK HE'S STILL HERE IN GOOD SHAPE. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY.
BUT WHAT I WANT TO PUT ON THE ON THE RECORD AS WE TALK ABOUT BUILDING MORE PARKS, THE ONLY PAINFUL PART ABOUT THAT TRAIL RIDE AND WALK AND I LOVE THE CONNECTIVITY. IT WAS OFF THE CHAIN, AS WE SAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WAS JUST LOOKING AT SOME OF THE CODE VIOLATIONS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT PARKS CAN'T TAKE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR, BUT IT WAS JUST HORRIFIC LOOKING AT ALL OF THAT IN THOSE BACKYARDS WITH THAT BEAUTIFUL TRAIL. SO THE QUESTION IS, AND MAYBE REVEREND DOCTOR JENKINS CAN ANSWER THIS AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AND WHAT TYPE OF GAME PLAN COULD WE ENVISION SO THAT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT CONNECTIVITY AND ENJOYING OURSELVES, AND ACTUALLY WHEN YOU'RE WALKING DOWN THOSE TRAILS, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO DO A WOOSAH AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AND ENJOY.
[00:55:09]
IT'S A HEALTH BENEFIT AS WELL. SO IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN THINK ABOUT OR OFFER IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN? AND HERE COMES REVEREND DOCTOR NOW. YEAH, BECAUSE I KNOW, I KNOW, PARKS DOESN'T HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CLEANING, BUT IT WAS KIND OF HARD THAT DAY TO RIDE AND BE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.GOOD MORNING. ALL RIGHT. DIRECTOR JENKINS, PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
THOSE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS, THE BACK, SEEING THE BACK OF THEIR YARDS.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD RECOMMEND IN THE FUTURE IS IF WE'RE GOING TO BUILD IN THOSE TYPES OF LOCATIONS, THAT WE MAY LOOK AT SOME TYPE OF SCREENING, AND IT MAY BE PLANT MATERIAL, IT MAY BE SOME BUSHES, SOMETHING THAT COULD SCREEN THOSE AREAS. BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, WE DON'T ADDRESS THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES.
AND I'M GLAD THAT I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD AS YOU ALL MOVE FORWARD, PERHAPS ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR WHERE I REPRESENT IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, WE MIGHT BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE MAYBE IN THE PLANNING, AS WE DO SITE DEVELOPMENT, WE BEGIN TO INCLUDE THOSE OTHER DEPARTMENTS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A HEALTHY AND A VALUE ADDED TRAIL SITE AS WE GO ON OUR MERRY, MERRY WAY. BUT I KNOW THAT ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE GATE FENCES AND THE WOODEN FENCES AND ALL OF THE BOOTLEG TYPE OF FENCING THAT WE SEE ALONG THAT TRAIL IN THAT SPACE, IT ALMOST YOU ALMOST JUST I DIDN'T WANT TO CRY.
SO MAYBE AS WE MOVE FORWARD, YOU ALL CAN KEEP THAT IN MIND BECAUSE WE WANT TO SEE MORE TRAILS.
WE WANT TO SEE CONNECTIVITY. AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SING THAT FAVORITE SONG, HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN ON THIS TRAIL. BUT I'M VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THE VALUE ADDED AND THE SUPPORT THAT WE CAN GAIN, EVEN MORE SO AS WE BEAUTIFY THOSE TRAILS IN OUR CITY, BUT PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.
SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK. AND TO YOU WHO I'M JUST REALLY KIND OF MEETING YOU.
BUT I DO KNOW THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS HAVE WORKED VERY HARD WITH US, EVEN WITH THE KIEST'S PARK TRAIL.
REVEREND DOCTOR JENKINS, YOU REALLY YOU ALL WORKED ON THAT? THAT'S ONE OF OUR BEAUTIES THERE WITH THE WITH THE OR WFAA TRAIL, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, AT KIEST'S PARK.
I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THEM FOR TAKING THE EXTRA STEP TO THINK ABOUT CUSTOMERS FIRST, BECAUSE THEY CREATED THAT INNOVATION IN-HOUSE, THINKING ABOUT THE CUSTOMER'S EXPERIENCE.
WE GOT OVER 180 MILES WORTH OF TRAILS. HOW CAN THEY FIGURE OUT A WAY WHERE CUSTOMERS.
WE HAVE A LARGE TRAIL SYSTEM, THE LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY, BUT HOW CAN THEY GET AN EXPERIENCE SO THEY CAN NAVIGATE OUR TRAIL SYSTEM? AND FOR THEM TO CREATE THIS IN-HOUSE JUST SPEAKS OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO THIS PARK SYSTEM, TO THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE WOULD. I'M JUST SAYING THIS WAS ON TOP OF THEIR REGULAR TEN HOUR DAYS THAT THEY WORKED ON THIS. SO I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THEM. THANK YOU.
CHAIR ARNOLD. CHAIR BLACKMON. THANK YOU. AND THANKS FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING.
WHITE ROCK LAKE, I CONSIDER THE HUB OF ALL THESE TRAILS.
WE'VE HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT EROSION, MR. JENKINS. AND APPARENTLY THAT CAME TO OUR YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NOT THAT CONVERSATION HAPPENING DURING THE BOND.
WHERE IS THAT IN YOUR INVENTORY OF STUFF? BECAUSE THAT IS VERY SERIOUS.
YEAH. AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING I DIDN'T SEE THAT.
BUT OF COURSE, I DIDN'T REALLY GET INTO THE MINUTIA.
IS THE EROSION INFORMATION IN YOUR INVENTORY? YES, YES. AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK WITH PLANNING AND DESIGN TO TRY TO DEVELOP DIFFERENT WAYS TO BUILD SOME SECTIONS OF
[01:00:04]
TRAILS THAT ARE ALREADY OUT THERE TO KIND OF ALLEVIATE THIS ISSUE THAT WE'RE HAVING.SO IT'S NOT JUST THE EROSION. IT TURNS INTO MULTIPLE PROBLEMS AT ONCE.
SO WE ABSOLUTELY DO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. AND WE HAVE BEEN TAKING IT.
SO WHY WASN'T THAT BROUGHT UP DURING THE CONVERSATION? A BOND. DURING THE BOND PROGRAM? YES. SO COUNCILWOMAN BLACKMON.
SO IT WAS BROUGHT UP DURING THE BOND PROGRAM.
I DID MENTION PROBABLY ABOUT 20 OR $30 MILLION WORTH OF EROSION DURING THE BOND PROGRAM.
IT JUST DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE PROCESS. AND WE TREAT EROSION BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, MOST OF OUR PARKS, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY AT LEAST 40 TO 50% OF OUR PARKS, THEY'RE IN A FLOODPLAIN.
AND SO THERE'S EROSION EVERYWHERE. BUT WE HAVE TO TREAT EROSION.
IT'S NOT A PROBLEM UNTIL IT ACTUALLY. OKAY. I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT TRAILS.
YEAH, TRAILS, EVEN WITH THE TRAILS. SO IT'S NOT A PROBLEM UNTIL IT ENCROACHES ON THE TRAIL.
SO Y'ALL DID TALK ABOUT IT AT PARK? YES. I DO NOT REMEMBER IT COMING UP TO THE COUNCIL LEVEL.
I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
YES. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO BE. I'M GOING TO BE GONE.
OMAR'S GOING TO BE GONE, AND ARNOLD'S GOING TO BE GONE.
MRS. STEWART. YOU MAY STILL BE HERE AT THE NEXT.
SO I'M JUST SAYING MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THINGS ARE ADDRESSED BECAUSE THEY CAN BE VERY SERIOUS TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR INVESTMENT. PEOPLE USE THEM TO GET TO WORK.
PEOPLE USE THEM FOR RECREATION. AND IF YOU SEE A TRAIL THAT'S BASICALLY ALMOST FALLING INTO A LAKE, I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHICH ONE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. IT GETS A LITTLE DAUNTING, EVEN THOUGH WE KEEP TELLING EVERYBODY IT'S SAFE.
OKAY, SO I'M JUST SAYING, JUST PLEASE LOOK AT THE MAINTENANCE BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A GREAT INVENTORY.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE TRAILS. WE NEED TO LOOK AT ACCESS.
AND SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS GREAT TOOL THAT YOU HAVE, WHICH I THINK IS WONDERFUL, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE USING IT. WHEN WE INVEST IN BOND BUDGET GRANTS, ACCESS TO MONEY FROM THE FEDS IF WE EVER GET ANY MORE, THAT SORT OF STUFF. OKAY, SO BECAUSE THE TOOL IS GREAT, BUT THE TOOL NEEDS TO BE MADE TO USE DECISIONS AND WE USE YOU AS RECOMMENDERS TO THOSE.
OKAY. SECOND THING IS E-BIKES ON THE TRAIL. I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, INITIATIVES, BUT I'M GETTING A LOT OF E-BIKE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
I'VE TALKED TO MY PARK BOARD PERSON, AND I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT.
OH, ANOTHER THING TOO. SOME OF THESE TRAILS AND I'VE HAD AN ALERT THEY'RE USING FOLKS ARE USING THEM, AND THEY'RE KIND OF MIGRATING ONTO PRIVATE PROPERTY.
SO THEY'RE GETTING A TRAIL. THEY'RE USING A TRAIL.
THEN THEY HIT PRIVATE PROPERTY, AND I'LL TALK TO YOU OFFLINE. I THINK THERE'S BEEN A WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MEETING ABOUT IT. DO WE USE PARK RANGERS TO DO TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP PEOPLE ON THE TRAIL AND NOT MIGRATE OVER INTO PRIVATE PROPERTY? PROPERTY? IS IT? HOW? IN OTHER WORDS, WE NEED TO TALK OFFLINE ABOUT HOW TO KEEP PEOPLE ON THE TRAILS VERSUS MIGRATING OVER TO PRIVATE PROPERTY.
OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. CHAIR. MORENO. THANK YOU.
CHAIR. GREAT PROGRAM. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE UPDATE.
AND WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT? THANK YOU. DIRECTOR JENKINS, WE SHOULD MAYBE.
AND ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT DIRECTOR STANDIFER AND I HAVE HAD SEVERAL TIMES IS AS WE DESIGN TRAILS IN THE FUTURE, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT PUT THESE TRAILS SO CLOSE TO CREEK EMBANKMENTS.
AND I UNDERSTAND FOLKS WANT TO GET UP AND CLOSE AND SEE THE BANKS BECAUSE IT ADDS TO THE SCENERY, BUT IT ONLY CREATES A MAINTENANCE ISSUE DOWN THE ROAD AS WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS EROSION.
[01:05:04]
WE ARE TO CONSULT WITH DWR AND WE ARE NOT TO KEEP PUTTING THESE TRAILS CLOSE TO EMBANKMENTS.THAT'S GOING TO COST THE CITY ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO ADDRESS EROSION IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT? AND I DO AGREE WITH YOU, DIRECTOR JENKINS.
IT'S A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE WHITE ROCK CREEK TRAIL.
AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL. AND ON A SUNNY DAY WHERE IT HADN'T RAINED IN A WHILE, IT'S GREAT.
BUT OVER TIME, OVER THIS WEEKEND, OVER THIS WEEKEND.
I WOULDN'T BE DOWN THERE THIS MORNING. YOU KNOW, IT JUST YOU COULDN'T.
YOU PROBABLY COULDN'T GET THROUGH. SO WE DO HAVE TO BALANCE ALL OF THAT FOR SURE.
OKAY, I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT. LET ME SEE IF DEPUTY MAYOR, PRO TEM DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM BAZALDUA, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR QUESTIONS? MA'AM. IS THAT A NO? NO, MA'AM. OH, OKAY. IT'S A NO, MA'AM. NO, MA'AM.
OH, MAN. THANK YOU. IT'S THE MA'AM I'M REACTING TO.
NO, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH YOU. 18 OR OVER 65, CHAIR.
ARNOLD, YOU HAD A FOLLOW UP? 18 I REALLY JUST WANTED TO COMMEND THAT LAST STATEMENT THAT MR. I'M SORRY, REVEREND DOCTOR JENKINS AND YOU ALL CATCH THAT BY THE TIME HE GETS THROUGH WITH ALL THESE PROJECTS.
THAT'S A VERY EXCELLENT POINT. AND BACK TO THE POINT THAT I CONTINUED TO MAKE.
WE MUST STOP WORKING IN ISOLATION. INFORMATION IS SO KEY AND IS SO POWERFUL.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M EXCITED. REALLY, MORE THAN WHAT YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT THE INNOVATION WITH THE APPS AND THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE, BECAUSE LONG TERM IT DOES END UP COSTING US IMPACT TAXPAYERS DOLLARS TO GO BACK AND REDO.
AND I'M NOTICING EVEN WITH HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE BUILDING ON THE CREEKS, YOU KNOW, I'M ONE OF THOSE I LOVE, YOU KNOW, THE CREEK I USED TO PLAY IN THE CREEK GROWING UP WITH ALL THE TADPOLES AND ALL THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T OWN A HOUSE THERE. AND SO NOW FOLKS REALIZE THE POWER OF EROSION AND THE FACT THAT THEY MISSED A WHOLE LOT OF LESSONS IN THE SCIENCE CLASS.
BUT IN OUR CASE, AS A CITY, ALL DEPARTMENTS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF KEYING IN, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BEAUTIFICATION OF THESE TRAILS.
SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT ON THE RECORD. AND I HOPE THAT THE COMMUNICATION TO DWU AND ALL THE OTHERS, BUT AS YOU SAID PRIMARILY DWU, BECAUSE IT ROLLS OUT.
AND THEN NEXT THING YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT CODE ISSUES AND WHO'S GOING TO CLEAN THIS UP AND WHERE'S THE FUNDS FOR IT? SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP THIS MORNING.
SO WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO WORK WITH.
WE WANT OUR TRAILS AND PARKS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT NOT SO THAT WE'RE GOING BACKWARDS ALL THE TIME TO CORRECT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWARE OF IN THE BEGINNING. AND WE HAVE NOW MORE INFORMATION THAT ACCESS TO THAT QUICKER THAN WHAT WE HAD IN THE DAYS OF WHEN SOME FOLKS WERE GROWING UP AND THEY HAD THE ENCYCLOPEDIAS.
AND I'M SURE YOU ALL DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT IS. WHEN WE USED TO BRAG ON WHO YOU MEAN, YOU, YOUR WEALTH WAS EQUATED TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAD AN ENCYCLOPEDIA AT THE HOUSE.
SO THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT. AND KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU HAVE THESE NEGOTIATIONS AND DEMAND THAT THAT INFORMATION IS INCLUDED IN THE CONVERSATION, BECAUSE THAT'S YOUR LEGACY. AND WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING THAT NEGATIVE TO FALL ON YOU OR YOUR TEAM AS IT RELATES TO PARKS AND TRAILS.
THANK YOU. OKAY. I JUST HAVE ONE HOPEFULLY. QUICK QUESTION.
IS THERE A PERSON AT PARKS THAT WE WOULD WORK WITH ON THAT ISSUE? AND IS IT IS IT DAVID OR RON OR. YES. AS FAR AS THE SAFETY OF TRAILS AND, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION. KEVIN, KEVIN MUNDY. OKAY.
KEVIN MUNDY WILL BE OUR POINT PERSON FOR CLEANUP AS WELL.
YES. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. I BELIEVE THAT IS ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS.
AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. IT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION. I ESPECIALLY LOVE THE APP.
IS IT? SO IS THIS AN APP? IS THIS ON A CITY WEBSITE? WHERE DO WE ACCESS THIS OR IS IT NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME? SO CURRENTLY NO, IT IS NOT READY. IT'S CURRENTLY IT'S A DATABASE.
[01:10:04]
OF THE TWO. BUT IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS. THAT'S A PRETTY AMAZING.AND PEOPLE WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT. SO YES, THE SOONER THE BETTER.
OKAY. FOR OUR LAST BRIEFING, WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE DALLAS GREENING INITIATIVE.
FROM RYAN O'CONNOR, I BELIEVE. DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND MOLLY MORGAN FROM TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, SHE IS THE TEXAS STATE DIRECTOR OF THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND.
BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION, AS THE AS THE SLIDE DECK IS GETTING CUED UP.
JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE WHAT A GREAT PARTNER TPL IS TO THE PARK SYSTEM.
JUDGE CHARLES ROSE, SOUTH OAK CLIFF, RENAISSANCE, WOODY BRANCH, AND COUNCILWOMAN ARNOLD'S DISTRICT, CURRENTLY BIG CEDAR WILDERNESS. THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
SO I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS FROM EARLIER, BUT I AM HERE TODAY TO GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE ABOUT THE DALLAS GREENING INITIATIVE, ONE OF OUR NEWEST AND MOST EXCITING PROGRAMS AT TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION, TO BRING MORE PARKS RIGHT INTO PEOPLE'S NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE IT'S THE MOST IMPACTFUL WHERE WE CAN SPEND TIME OUTSIDE.
AND SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE OUR MISSION AT TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND, WE'RE A NATIONAL NONPROFIT, AND OUR MISSION IS TO CONNECT EVERYONE TO THE OUTDOORS.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO SEE ANOTHER INCREASE SOON.
WE KNOW THAT SPENDING 20 MINUTES OUTSIDE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTS YOUR HEALTH DIRECTLY.
LOWERS YOUR CORTISOL AND CAN DECREASE STRESS AND ANXIETY.
IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER THING BENEFITS WE GET FROM BEING OUTSIDE.
PARKS ALSO IMPROVE EQUITY, HEALTH AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE OF NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT NEIGHBORS ARE A PART OF THE PROCESS.
AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SHOW YOU THEIR FEEDBACK AND THE DESIGNS THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH.
THE PARTNERSHIPS ON HERE FOR THE FIRST COHORT INCLUDE DALLAS WATER UTILITIES STUDIO OUTSIDE.
BETTER BLOCK AND DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY. AND HERE I JUST WANT TO NOTE ALSO THAT MANY OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE WE'VE ANALYZED THEM AS VACANT LOTS, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
BUT ALSO THERE ARE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS ALREADY WITHIN THE CITY INVENTORY.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE COHORT ONE FIRST COHORT OF SITES.
THERE ARE FIVE IN EACH COHORT. THERE WILL BE A TOTAL OF 15 ONE IN EACH DISTRICT AND ONE AT LARGE.
THE SITE CRITERIA THAT WE USED IS AS VACANCY.
IS IT CITY OWNED? IS IT IN A PARK DESERT? CAN WE FILL A PARK GAP? DOES IT COINCIDE WITH URBAN HEAT ISLANDS AND EQUITY CRITERIA? AND DOES OUR HEALTH DISPARITIES PRESENT IN THAT AREA? AND SO THESE ARE THE FIRST FIVE. AND AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT COHORTS TO COME.
AND SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE TIMELINE.
IN 2023, MAYOR JOHNSON COMMITTED 1.25 MILLION IN ARPA FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM AND CALLED FOR AN OVERVIEW OF VACANT, CITY OWNED LAND THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR PARK SPACE AND NOT APPROPRIATE FOR OTHER USES.
[01:15:01]
250,000 COMING FROM MEADOWS FOUNDATION. AND WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF OUR FUNDERS AND THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR WHO SAW THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS. WE WORKED WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS TO IDENTIFY LOCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY GREEN SPACES AND FINALIZE COHORT ONE.IMPORTANTLY, DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, WE WORKED WITH YOU ALL ON THIS COMMITTEE.
AND PARK AND RECREATION TO IDENTIFY SOME WAYS THAT WE COULD SUPPORT BETTER MAINTENANCE IN THE COMMUNITIES, WHICH I WILL TALK ABOUT IN A SECOND ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
IN 2024, THE LOCATIONS WERE MADE PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS BEGAN.
THE SCHEMATIC DESIGNS FOR THE FIRST FIVE SITES WERE REVIEWED BY OUR CITY PARTNERS, AND WE WORKED WITH THE CITY TO REFINE DESIGN, BUILD MODELS, IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES TO DELIVER THESE MORE EFFICIENTLY.
FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE AND A TIME PERSPECTIVE.
THIS YEAR, IN 2025, WE'RE EXCITED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT FACILITIES IS SET TO BREAK GROUND ON THE FIRST SITE IN JUNE OF 2025, AND WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING TO FINALIZE THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS ON THE NEXT FIVE AND IDENTIFY THE QUICKEST AND MOST EFFICIENT WAYS WE CAN DELIVER THESE SO WE CAN DO THEM ACROSS THE CITY. GREENSPACE DALLAS WILL BEGIN SITE PREP ON THE REMAINING SITES THIS SUMMER.
AND I WANT TO NOTE HERE THAT THANK YOU TO THE RECOMMENDATION OF THIS COMMITTEE THAT TPL HAS WITHHELD BACK 10% OF THE CAPITAL COST TO ASSIST IN SUPPLEMENTARY MAINTENANCE AND HAS IDENTIFIED WAYS TO STEWARD MAINTENANCE PLANS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH THEIR FRIENDS OF GROUPS, EXISTING VOLUNTEER GROUPS, AND SUPPORTING THOSE GROUPS BY BRINGING OUTSIDE AND MORE EXPERIENCED VOLUNTEER GROUPS TO SUPPORT THEM.
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE WORKED WITH TPL KNOW THAT IT IS OUR PASSION TO DELIVER PROJECTS THAT TRULY FIT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES AROUND THEM, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO LIVE WITHIN A TEN MINUTE WALK.
IT'S CRITICAL TO LONG TERM MAINTENANCE, STEWARDSHIP, AND USAGE OF A PARK SPACE THAT RESIDENTS ARE INVOLVED EARLY AND OFTEN THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, AND THEIR VOICES ARE TRULY HEARD. AND SO MEETING ONE FOR THESE SITES ARE A SITE OVERVIEW AND POTENTIAL AMENITIES.
AND THESE REALLY ARE A BLANK SLATE. SOME OF THESE ARE EXISTING DALLAS WATER UTILITY SITES.
ON SOME SITES, PEOPLE WANT MORE ACTIVE PROGRAMING, LIKE PLAYGROUNDS FOR THEIR KIDS.
WE SET A BUDGET. WE LET THE COMMUNITY DECIDE WHAT GOES INTO IT.
IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR US TO GIVE BACK. PEOPLE ARE SPENDING THEIR TIME GIVING THEIR FEEDBACK TO US.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE IT FUN AND EXCITING AND SHOW PEOPLE WHAT THE SITE CAN BE LIKE.
PARK ACTIVATION AND STEWARDSHIP. SO HOW CAN WE ASSIST THOSE FRIENDS OF GROUP BE MORE ACTIVE ON THEIR SITE OR HAVE A BETTER KNOWLEDGE BASE FOR THE MAINTENANCE THEY WANT TO ACHIEVE THROUGH THE TEN MINUTE WALK PARK EQUITY ACCELERATOR TPL CONTINUES TO WORK WITH PARK AND RECREATION TO ENGAGE NEIGHBORS AND DEVELOP NEIGHBORHOOD LED MAINTENANCE AND STEWARDSHIP MODELS. ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE SOME PICTURES OF OUR ENGAGEMENT.
SO THE FIRST SITE I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS LAKE JUNE ROAD, THE GREEN SPACE IN MANY PLACES WE'RE CALLING THESE GREENS BECAUSE WE HAVE FOUND THROUGH THE ENGAGEMENT THAT LOTS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS ASSOCIATE THE WORD PARK WITH A REALLY BIG PLACE, WITH LOTS OF AMENITIES AND THINGS THAT COULD INCREASE CONGESTION IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THESE ARE NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE. THEY ARE MEANT FOR PEOPLE TO WALK TO, TO SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FRIENDS, FAMILY OR GET A BREAK FROM THEIR DAY TO DAY LIFE.
AND SO THAT'S ONE REASON YOU'LL SEE GREEN AT THE TOP INSTEAD OF PARK.
AT LAKE JUNE ROAD, THE COMMUNITY MOST TALKED ABOUT IN EXISTING THE EXISTING MURALS IN THE CANAL AND THAT THEY WANTED TO WALK AND THAT THEY WANTED A PLACE THAT THEY COULD OVERLOOK THIS GREAT CREATIVE PLACEMAKING PROJECT.
[01:20:05]
LITTLE BIT BIGGER AROUND THE MURALS. THEY WANTED THIS TO BE A GREAT FIT FOR YOUNG FAMILIES AND HAVE GOOD CONNECTION AND FLOW, AND THEY PARTICULARLY WANTED SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD KIND OF WALK IN A CIRCLE AROUND FOR EXERCISE.THEY REALLY WANTED A SHADE STRUCTURE HERE THAT WAS THEIR MOST DESIRED AMENITY, SO THAT THEY COULD SPEND TIME OUTSIDE AND AGAIN OVERLOOK THE MURALS AND CELEBRATE THEM, AND SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE FINAL DESIGN.
BUT WE ARE VERY BUDGET CONSCIOUS HERE. AND SO WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN BUILD WHAT IS HERE.
THERE'S ALSO A FLEX LAWN LOCATED ADJACENT TO THAT PAVILION.
SO THAT AGAIN, IT CAN BE USED AS A PLACE OF LEISURE.
BUT WHEN THERE IS MURAL FEST, THEY CAN ACTIVATE THAT SPACE.
AND THERE IS A PATHWAY THAT RUNS IN A RELATIVE CIRCLE AROUND THE SITE SO THAT YOU CAN DO A FEW LAPS WHILE YOUR KIDS ARE PLAYING IF YOU WANT TO. ON THE NEXT SLIDE, EXCUSE ME, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT ECHO LAKE.
THIS IS A PROPERTY THAT HAS FLOODWAY ON ON HALF OF THE SITE.
AND SO WE WORKED WITH THE COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP THE AREA AND PROVIDE OPTIONS.
ON THE HIGH POINTS. AND I WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT HERE THAT I DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT IT ON THE LAST SLIDE, BUT THERE'S TWO OPTIONS HERE. WE PRESENT BOTH OPTIONS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND SO HERE IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT SPLIT PLACES TO PLAY, ONE FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN AND ONE FOR OLDER CHILDREN.
THEY LIKED THE ADDITION OF A SHADE STRUCTURE.
THEY WANTED OPEN SPACE AND NATURE TRAILS AND A BETTER, A BETTER PLACE FOR CONNECTION IN THE COMMUNITY AND PLACES TO WALK AND EXPLORE WITH BENCHES, PICNIC TABLES AND LIGHTING. ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE FINAL DESIGN.
AND SO WE WILL LOOK AT PHASES FOR THAT PIECE.
AND THE SITE ON THE MAIN PROGRAM PORTION OF THE SITE IS COMPLETELY OUT OF THE FLOODWAY.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE COTILLION DRIVE GREEN.
THEY WANTED TO HAVE THE BEST WALKING ALONG THE TREE LINE.
AND WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT CREEK CLEANUP HERE AND SOME CLEARING SOME VEGETATION TO MAKE THE AREA SAFER, WHICH WE WILL BE DOING AS A PART OF THIS DESIGN.
AND THEY WANTED TO PLAY AREAS AND A LAWN SPACE AND SHADE AND BARRIERS FROM THE ROAD.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE FINAL DESIGN.
THERE ARE VEGETATED SCREENS AND TREES THERE TO PROTECT CHILDREN.
WHO HAS AN EXISTING PIPE RUNNING THROUGH THE SITE.
AND WITH DESIGN AND ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIP, WE COULD FIND A COMPROMISE THAT WORKED FOR EVERYONE.
AND SO THERE ARE VEGETATIVE SCREENS AGAIN, TO PROTECT THOSE KIDS.
[01:25:02]
AND THERE ARE WALKING TRAILS AND TRASH RECEPTACLES.AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE CLEANING UP THE CREEK WAY AND THE OVERGROWTH ON THIS SITE AS WELL.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE WE'LL SEE BUSHMILLS ROAD GREEN.
WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL SITE AND HAS A WATER DETENTION FACILITY ON SITE.
THE NEIGHBORS HERE REALLY WANTED WALKING TRAILS AND LOVED THE SITE AS IT IS, BUT WOULD LIKE IT TO BE SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD GO OUTSIDE AND SIT ON A BENCH AND ENJOY THE SPACE. AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, THEY CAN'T SEE THE POND.
AND SO THIS DESIGN IS JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN SOME OF THE OTHER ONES.
THEY WANTED A PICNIC AREA. THEY LIKE THE MIX OF PLAY AND NATURAL ELEMENTS, AND NEEDED SEATING NEAR THE CREEK TO VIEW IT, AND IT CLEANED UP TO DO SO. IT WAS ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT TO ADD BOLLARDS IN WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN'T DRIVE ON THE SITE.
IN THE DESIGN AND SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE FINAL DESIGN.
THIS DESIGN INCLUDES AN OPEN LAWN SPACE AND POLLINATOR GARDEN, WHICH WE'RE SHIFTING TO POLLINATOR AREAS OF WILDFLOWER SEEDING, DECOMPOSED GRANITE PICNIC AREA, VEGETATIVE SCREENS TO PROTECT NEIGHBORS PRIVACY.
BUT ALSO AND THE RAIL THAT'S NEXT TO IT. BUT IT DOES ALSO INCLUDE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF UNDERSTORY CLEANUP AROUND THE CREEK WAY TO MAKE IT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN ENJOY. IT INCLUDES BENCHES ALONG THE TRAILS, A CONCRETE WALKING PATH.
IT INCLUDES LIGHTS AND CAMERAS. ALL OF THESE.
AND NATURE PLAY. IT WAS IMPORTANT HERE THAT ANY PLAY PIECES TIE INTO THE NATURAL ELEMENTS OF THE SITE, AND THERE'S A DECK OVERLOOK AGAIN TO ENJOY THE PEACEFULNESS.
THE SITE CAN PROVIDE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, THERE'S HIGH VISTA DRIVE GREEN.
AND THEN THE LIBRARY SITE WILL BE DESIGNED AROUND IT.
SO PEOPLE LOVED THE IDEA OF A WALKING LOOP AND NATIVE GRASSES AND WILDFLOWERS.
THEY WANTED TO BE AWAY FROM THE ROADWAY, WHICH IS MARSH LANE.
THEY WANTED SOME OPEN LAWN SPACE AND SOME RANDOMNESS TO THE ACTIVITY.
SO SOME FLEXIBLE SPACES THEY LIKED ORGANIC SHAPES, NATURAL FEEL.
THEY WANTED A BIKE RACK AND A DOG WEIGH STATION AND SOME PLAY PIECES TOO.
AND SO THE TWO DESIGN OPTIONS ARE SHOWN ON THE LEFT.
AND THEN ON THE NEXT SLIDE YOU CAN SEE THE FINAL DESIGN.
AND SO HERE IS THE FINAL SCHEMATIC. IT INCLUDES SEAT WALLS THAT BORDER MARSH LANE TO KEEP THE PARK SITE SAFE AND VEGETATIVE SCREENS AND PLANTINGS TREE PLANTINGS TO CONTINUE TO BUFFER BOTH THE AIR AND THE ROADWAY ITSELF FROM THE PARK SITE.
IT INCLUDES A PICNIC AREA OF DECOMPOSED GRANITE AND WE PRESERVED THE EXISTING TREES THAT ARE THERE THAT ARE, THAT ARE GOOD FOR THE SITE, WHICH IS GREAT FOR SHADE.
AND SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR NEXT STEPS.
ONE HAS FLOODWAY OR FLOODPLAIN ON IT. AND EACH SITE HAS IT HAS A DIFFERENT SORT OF NEED.
WE ARE IDENTIFYING WHAT THEY NEED FROM A CONSTRUCTION STANDPOINT.
AND THEN WE, OF COURSE, ARE MATCHING THE FUNDING TO THE CITY.
AND SO WE ARE GOING TO ADDRESS HELPING PROCURE EQUIPMENT AND SCHEDULE CONSTRUCTION AS NEEDED.
I AM PROUD. I APPRECIATE THE TPL LOVE FROM EARLIER.
NOT ALL OF OUR PROJECTS CAN MOVE THIS FAST. THESE ARE SMALLER.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE FUTURE COHORTS SHOULD BE ON A LITTLE BIT QUICKER TIMELINE TOO,
[01:30:02]
BECAUSE THIS IS OUR FIRST. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH WITH EACH OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND CONTINUE FORMING THE FRIENDS OF GROUPS AND MAINTENANCE PLANS THAT ARE SPECIFIC FOR EACH SITE. AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE WORKSHOPS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER GROUPS TO COME IN AND TEACH AND SUPPORT WHEN SOME OF THESE GROUPS ARE NEWER. WE'RE PLANNING FOR COHORT TWO. I AM ALSO PROUD TO SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY AND SUCCESSFULLY FUNDRAISING FOR THIS PROJECT.PEOPLE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT. AND SO I HOPE TO HAVE MORE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THAT SOON.
BUT WE'RE PLANNING FOR COHORT TWO AND AIMING TO BEGIN IN FALL OF WINTER OF 2025.
FOR EVERY DISTRICT, WE HAVE THREE SITES IDENTIFIED THAT COULD BE THESE SPACES.
AND SO AT THE POINT THAT THE COHORT IS FUNDED OR WE WANT TO HAVE A FUTURE CONVERSATION, WE'D LOVE TO SIT DOWN WITH EACH MEMBER AND IDENTIFY WHICH OF THOSE SITES IS MOST APPROPRIATE FOR THOSE SPACES.
AND AGAIN, THESE COULD BE ANY VACANT CITY OWNED PIECE OF PROPERTY.
THERE'S ONE WE'RE LOOKING AT ON A FIRE STATION PROPERTY.
AND SO IT COULD REALLY BE ANYTHING, WHATEVER IS MOST SUCCESSFUL FOR THE DISTRICT.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL.
WE COULDN'T DO THIS WORK WITHOUT PARTNERSHIP.
AND THE BEST PART OF MY JOB IS GETTING TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND COMMUNITIES TO DELIVER GREEN SPACES WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED FOR PEOPLE. AND I'M THRILLED THAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE EXCITED.
AND I'M EXCITED TO DELIVER ALL 15 OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I THINK A LOT OF US ARE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S COMING.
YOU'VE MADE GREAT PROGRESS AND IT'S MOVING A LOT MORE QUICKLY.
BUT AS YOU SAID, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT SIMPLER, A LITTLE BIT SMALLER, SO THAT THAT FACILITATES THAT.
CHAIR BLACKMON. AND THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU TO YOUR GROUP.
WE WERE FIRST COHORT COTILLION PARK OR GREEN.
AND I THINK IT'S A DIFFERENT WAY TO IMAGINE SOMETHING BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY SEE IT AS A CERTAIN WAY. BUT WHEN YOU GET REALLY INTO THE SPACE, LOOK AT IT.
THINGS EVOLVE, AND I THINK YOU BRING THAT OUT.
EVEN THE KID OUT IN THE ADULT. AND IT'S ALWAYS FUN AND ENERGETIC.
AND I MEAN, WHEN I WAS THERE, I WAS THERE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR.
YOU HAVE IT FUN, IT'S ENERGETIC. AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, BECAUSE I DO THINK THIS IS NOT JUST A GREEN SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY, BUT IT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE, IF YOU WILL, BECAUSE WITH MORE PEOPLE IN A SPACE AND THE VEGETATION LIFTED UP FROM A CREEK BED IN THE SIDELINES ARE EXPOSED, I DO THINK THEN YOU GET A AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SAFE COMMUNITIES AND SAFE ENVIRONMENTS FOR PEOPLE TO CONGREGATE IN. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT COHORT AND WHEN OR WHEN YOU START I GUESS GROUNDBREAKINGS ON MINE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIR. ARNOLD. THANK.
EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU AGAIN. AND I'LL JUST SIMPLY SAY, GOOD GOLLY, MISS MOLLY.
SO I KNOW YOU'VE DONE QUITE A BIT OF WORK, AND WHAT I WANT TO JUST CHIME IN ON REAL FAST IS THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT GREEN SPACE, YOU'RE CORRECT. AND WE ARE RIGHT TO KEEP EMPHASIZING THE EDUCATION PIECE.
PEOPLE AUTOMATICALLY THINK IN TERMS OF PARKS.
BUT OFTENTIMES WE BRING THAT FOLKS BRING THEIR ENERGY TO NEIGHBORHOOD CONVERSATIONS WHERE THEY REALLY DON'T LIVE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE IMPACTED BY DAY TO DAY. AND SO WE HAVE TO KEEP WORKING ON A TOOL FOR BRINGING IN THOSE INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES THAT ARE WITHIN A CERTAIN DISTANCE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE EXCITEMENT OF THE PARK. THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE FOOTPRINTS AND THE TRAFFIC.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING. EVEN WITH THE PROPOSED PARK HERE IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR DISTRICT FOUR, WHERE WE WILL REPRESENT AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION BECAUSE I'M PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF JUST THE PASSAGE OF THE TREE ORDINANCE AND ALL.
[01:35:02]
AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE WORK THAT GREEN INITIATIVES IS DOING TO PROTECT SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES AND THE GREEN SPACE, AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR ALONG 35.BUT FOLKS DO CONFUSE THE TWO BETWEEN GREEN SPACE AND PARKS.
AND THEY WANT EVERYTHING THAT IT COMES WITH IT.
AND SO THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT. NUMBER ONE, EDUCATION, TWO, MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNICATION IS TO THOSE INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IMPACTED BECAUSE LONG TERM, THEY WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE DAY TO DAY.
AND WE DON'T WANT ANYONE TO SAY, WELL, WE WISH WE HADN'T DONE THAT.
AND OF COURSE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO BRING THE CLOSE NEIGHBORS IN, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE GREEN SPACES WERE WHERE, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE IS A NATURAL HABITAT OR SOME NATURAL FAMILY MEMBERS, THE ANIMAL SPECIES WHO WILL COME OUT AS A RESULT OF THIS DEVELOPMENT. AND SO THEY WILL BE IMPACTED DAY TO DAY.
AND SO I CAN'T STRESS THAT ENOUGH. I'M ABSOLUTELY EXCITED ABOUT MOVING FORWARD AND GIVING THIS REALLY AMOUNTS TO A FREE EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN, YOUNG CHILDREN.
NO BETTER PLACE TO TAKE THEM TO A GREEN SPACE OR A PARK.
BUT PUBLIC SAFETY IS ALSO KEY. THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PUT OUT.
HOW DO THEY GET OUT? HOW DO THEY GET IN? IN CASE THERE'S AN EMERGENCY.
AND OF COURSE, I'VE SPOKEN TO MR. REVEREND DOCTOR JENKINS ON THIS BEING ABLE TO SHUT DOWN SOME OF THESE GREEN SPACES IN SUCH A WAY THAT THERE'S NO POSSIBILITY OF FOLKS COMING IN TO CAMP OUT OVERNIGHT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SEE PLACES LIKE THAT.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF MY MAIN COMMENTS AS YOU NAVIGATE THIS PROJECT.
AND I CAN'T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH, BUT YOU HAVE BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH.
BUT I BELIEVE YOU UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THE COMMUNITY'S VOICE.
I BELIEVE YOU UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT MISREPRESENTING COMMUNITY INPUT.
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME CONVERSATIONS AROUND DIFFERENT PARTS OF, OH, WELL, THE COMMUNITY WAS THERE, AND THE COMMUNITY IS NOT THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIVE WITHIN THAT DISTANCE OF BEING IMPACTED.
AND SO I PUT THAT ON THE RECORD BECAUSE I KIND OF GET SOMETIMES BACKLASH, EVEN AS I TAKE A STAND ON FOLKS WHO MISREPRESENT WHAT COMMUNITY ACTUALLY MEANS. BUT I THINK YOU GET IT.
I THINK YOU HAVE THE PERSONALITY TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND YOU'RE NOT COMING IN JUST TO GET BROWNIE POINTS.
THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. SO I DID WANT TO THANK HER FOR THAT, BECAUSE YOU DON'T GET THAT OPPORTUNITY ALL THE TIME TO WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE FOR THE PEOPLE AND WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT FAMILY MEANS AND COMMUNITY MEANS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEANINGFUL TO ME. LIKE I SAID, I LOVE WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, WE TELL PEOPLE THAT IF WHAT THEY WANT IS CLEANING UP THEIR SITE AND IT TO BE MOWED AND A PLACE TO SIT, THAT'S WHAT THEY CAN HAVE. AND IF THEY WANT SOMETHING THAT HAS A REALLY GREAT PLAYGROUND OR A PAVILION OR SOMETHING MORE DESIGNED, THEY CAN HAVE THAT TOO. IT'S I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT THAT YOU KNOW, TPL'S WORK IS REALLY DIRECTLY IN NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND WE KNOW THAT GREENING VACANT LOTS MAKES NEIGHBORHOODS SAFER.
IT'S STATISTICALLY THERE'S A STATISTIC STUDY FROM PHILADELPHIA ABOUT THAT.
AND WE KNOW THAT RAISING SIGHT LINES CAN KEEP PEOPLE FROM LIVING BEHIND PEOPLE'S HOUSES.
IT CAN MAKE IT EASIER TO ACCESS LIGHTING AND CAMERAS, AGAIN, CONTINUE TO BOLSTER THAT.
WE'VE HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP AND I KNOW IT'S JUST GOING TO GROW AND GROW AS THE YEARS CONTINUE ON.
YOU ACTUALLY REALLY DO. AND THAT'S NOT JUST SOME LIP SERVICE.
[01:40:05]
YOU ALL ACTUALLY PAY ATTENTION AND YOU LISTEN AND YOU ALL MAKE IT HAPPEN.SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. I REALLY GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM BAZALDUA.
YOU'RE SHAKING YOUR HEAD. NO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. CHAIR. MORENO. NO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE ONE CHANCE TO SAY, AS EVERYBODY ELSE HAS. YOUR WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY, YOUR ABILITY TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY IS PHENOMENAL, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT'S BEEN THE CRITICAL PIECE FOR THE BUSHMILLS NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEIR INITIAL REACTION WHEN I WAS TAKING FLIERS OUT FOR THAT FIRST COMMUNITY MEETING WAS THEY DID NOT WANT ANYTHING, ANYONE COMING IN AND DOING ANYTHING. AND I WENT, IT WAS ONE OF MY CHALLENGES, EARLY CHALLENGES AS A COUNCIL MEMBER AND I THOUGHT, OH MY, HOW DO I NAVIGATE THIS? BUT I WAS ABLE TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET TO THE MEETING.
AND ONCE THEY HEARD AND REALIZED YOU ALL WERE TRULY LISTENING TO THEM, AND IF THEY DIDN'T WANT TO PLAYGROUND AND ALL THEY WANTED WAS A LOOP TRAIL AND FOR IT TO BE MOWED, THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. AND THAT'S WHAT I CAN SEE.
YOU GUYS HAVE LISTENED TO THEM AND THAT'S JUST I HATE TO SAY IT'S UNIQUE, BUT IN SOME WAYS IT IS UNIQUE THAT YOU ARE TRULY LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITIES, AND THESE GREEN SPACES WILL BE A REFLECTION OF WHAT THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE ASKING FOR AND TRULY NEED.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU MOLLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALL RIGHT. SO I THINK WE ARE FINISHED WITH THIS BRIEFING.
WE NEED TO EXTEND THAT TERM. I THINK IT GOES THROUGH JUNE OF 25.
AND SO WE WILL BE VOTING SOON TO EXTEND THAT.
AND THEN ALSO, WHAT WAS IT? OH, JUST THE FORECAST.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FORECAST LET ME KNOW ABOUT THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? NOPE. DIRECTOR WHITE, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NOPE. OKAY, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL WITH ALL THAT, WE WILL ADJOURN THIS MEETING.
I PAUSE FOR A MINUTE TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S READY FOR THAT.
ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 10:51. THANK YOU EVERYONE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.