Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 9 a.m. (Austin time), Austin City Hall
Committee: Climate, Water, Environment, and Parks Committee
The Climate, Water, Environment, and Parks Committee met on October 22, 2025, with a quorum and Vice Chair Ellis present. After public comment (four speakers on Zilker Park issues and park funding), the committee approved minutes from September 24, 2025. The committee received three briefings: Austin Water's long-range capital improvement and facilities planning, including major projects like the Williamson Creek interceptor and Walnut Creek wastewater treatment plant expansion; Zilker Park environmental priorities, including erosion stabilization, invasive management, tree plantings, and shuttle/parking operations; and Austin Water's refreshed enterprise strategic plan. Members asked questions about neighbor impacts of transmission mains, treatment plant lifespans, the Barton Creek interceptor timeline, Ullrich plant resiliency, southwest water pressure, and Zilker clubhouse safety. The committee's next meeting is in December; there is no November meeting.
0:05 Good morning everybody. I will call this meeting of the climate water environment and parks committee to order.
0:12 It is Wednesday, October 22nd at 9:00 am we are in the boards and commissions room in Austin City Hall
0:19 through one, uh, west second street.
0:22 A quorum of the committee is present, so we will start, um, with our public communication.
0:31 I understand we have some speakers.
0:32 Yes, we have six.
0:33 Alright, let's call 'em up.
0:35 Um, if I can have Mike kti
1:14 starting by punching them.
1:15 Right. But good morning, uh, y'all, uh, Mike kanati with, uh, time has expired.
1:21 <Laugh>, that was great testimony.
1:23 Thank you very much.
1:25 Start again. Uh, good morning.
1:27 I'm Mike kanati. I'm the chair with, uh, zilker 3 5 1.
1:30 And today I wanted to briefly describe some of the zilker environmental priority projects from the council approved
1:36 barton springs pool master plan.
1:38 Uh, these will help address drainage erosion, enhanced water quality, uh, with a series of projects including restoring
1:45 the shoreline, uh, removing invasive trees and planting new trees, and improving trail connections and accessibility at zilker.
1:52 But it will also help, uh, leverage private funding that can show up with, uh, direction from council.
1:58 Uh, I'm just gonna kind of show you briefly without belaboring the, the, the, the background here.
2:04 But for over 20 years, City Council has noted there are chronic conditions that zilker, that need immediate
2:10 need for improvements for 20 years we've been saying that.
2:12 So this, this particular plan I want to draw your attention to is one of many that relate
2:17 to improvements that can be done at, uh, barton springs, the zilker park.
2:21 And for today, I wanted to focus on the barton springs pool master plan.
2:24 This was approved by council in 2009.
2:28 Uh, and it includes as this slide shows that I've, I've left you some printouts that you can
2:33 read, but there, there's a number of projects, uh, that are in and around the pool.
2:38 So some of the long-term projects in the pool area, like the bathhouse renovation and the south grounds
2:43 improvement have already been done.
2:45 But I wanted to make sure you are aware that there are other improvements downstream from the pool.
2:49 It's called the dog park improvements and further downstream, uh, there's also recommendations throughout the plan to have
2:56 tree plantings, uh, all around the park.
2:59 Uh, and then there's also a recommendation to complete what's called the zilker loop trail.
3:03 And I want to draw your attention to the fact that this is a different zilker loop than
3:07 you're gonna be hearing about later today, which is a bus loop.
3:09 So there might be some confusion about the different loops.
3:13 Um, in this slide, I just wanted to show some of the details of the dog park and
3:17 downstream improvements. Um, but basically they call for restoring the shoreline so that all the trampoline that happens
3:24 with the heavy visitor usage can be, uh, mitigated and we can have more trees in a more
3:29 natural area and better water quality outcomes, less erosion.
3:32 Um, the, uh, this slide shows some of the details of what's the zilker loop, which would be
3:39 completed. This was actually permitted, I didn't realize this, in 2000 by part.
3:44 And many of the, if you can imagine the, the loop loop circling around the, the broader pool
3:49 area, there would be a, a connection both below the pool, uh, down by what is currently the,
3:54 the historic barton springs road bridge.
3:57 But above the pool, there is a bridge proposed and there was detailed schematic designs proposed for that.
4:03 Uh, that would basically be upstream from the little concrete slab and right where the old, uh, bridge
4:09 county road bridge used to be located, this could be merged into the upcoming violet crown trailhead.
4:15 Um, and so we think this is another recommendation from the barton springs pool master plan that we
4:20 would like to see endorsed.
4:22 And then I've tried to show in this slide some of the tree planting areas that can happen
4:27 along the shoreline. Out of time, I'll thank you very much for the presentation and for being here.
4:35 Next up, can we have robin rather followed by chris flores?
4:44 Chris flores,
5:01 oh,
5:12 test, test. Thank you.
5:15 Uh, good morning. Chris flotis, district 10.
5:18 Um, I have a couple of words to say about zilker park.
5:21 Um, nearly three generations ago, austinites voted for a bond to buy zilker park with interest.
5:28 It was meant to be a place of natural respite for austin's workers.
5:32 Our city grew more parks were purchased, and more people are using them forward to today.
5:39 We have invited a commercializer system to operate, presumably to fund our parks.
5:45 It has failed. The flow of funds are going from city coffers to the nonprofits, not the other
5:50 way around. And commercializers, like ticketmaster and trail of lights are using zilker as a rent-free venue.
5:57 And the revolving door of parks staff working for the commercializers has corrupted the parks department.
6:04 The commercializer contracts are not public.
6:06 They're hidden from elected people and hidden from public.
6:10 In order to debate them, I think it's time to put the public's alienation from our parks by
6:15 commercializers seeking to activate their profits on, on the ballot.
6:21 Put every contract on the council agenda for active discussion and end the revolving door.
6:27 Thank you. Thank you for being here.
6:32 If we can have mark May followed by karen kocher.
6:49 Morning, mark. Uh, hi.
6:52 Um, my name is mark.
6:55 May I live? Oh, good.
6:59 Okay. Sorry. Um, and you know, I live in d five.
7:03 I'm here today to talk about park funding.
7:06 Now we all know that there is a, you know, teary on the ballot whose, uh, language implies
7:12 a good bit of the money will go to parks.
7:14 I'm not sure that of the language imp prop queues actually binding, but I've heard that other, that
7:20 the numbers around six, uh, $6 million is gonna be spent for parks.
7:26 Alright, so we're at a place where you are asking the taxpayers to pay more money for city
7:34 basics. So let me ask you this.
7:37 Have you asked our nonprofit partners to bear more of the burden?
7:42 A few months back, the head of a pf was here.
7:45 There was some gentle questions from cm uchin and pretty much lavish praise from all the others.
7:54 And you took his comment that they preferred not to do maintenance without any pushback.
8:02 From my read of the a pf nine, 90 70% of their funding comes from actually renting out
8:09 our premier public park.
8:11 This means public money.
8:14 In my book, however, they pay themselves private sector, uh, salaries.
8:20 Their ceo is compensated much more than our Mayor.
8:26 In the same year, they bank $3.6 million for a grand total of nearly $22 million.
8:35 How does this make sense given our city budget?
8:39 So I ask again, why can't our nonprofit partners do more?
8:45 Why is it easier for you all to ask the voters for $6 million for parks maintenance and nothing
8:52 from a pf when they have $22 million in the, in the bank?
8:57 This is like something out of trump world.
9:01 Please understand my comments.
9:03 I'm not saying a pf does no good work or that the nonprofit model is, uh, fundamentally unsound.
9:12 I like and have done several, it's my park days I've actually donated to a pfi am saying
9:19 that this, uh, that this nonprofit model with a pf is broken right now, and I'm asking you
9:26 to take a step to fix it.
9:28 Now, I know the big a acl photo shoot is coming where you all will stand by the
9:33 big check and act like all that money is going to parks.
9:38 As I've said, their own nine 90 shows way too much is going to salaries and into the,
9:44 and into their bank account.
9:46 I challenge you all to treat the nonprofit partners no better than you treat your own voters and
9:53 ask them to do more.
9:55 Thank you. Thank you, mark.
10:00 If we can have karen kocher.
10:05 Hello. Good morning. I survived mopac on my way to get here, which is great.
10:13 Um, and you've already won for the day.
10:15 What's that? You've already won for the day.
10:17 Whew. That's maybe true.
10:20 Well, um, I'm here as part of the barton springs conservancy and the creator of the living springs
10:26 documentary series. And, um, one of the greatest challenges to protecting the springs, the aquifer and the habitat,
10:32 is effectively educating the park visitors.
10:35 And, um, there are four opportunities to do this I'd like to speak about, and there's some slides
10:42 up here. Um, one is the quonset hut and the maintenance barn.
10:47 And with the loss of the classroom space in the bathhouse, this location could be converted into an
10:53 amazing educational space to be used by watershed protection department's.
10:58 Earth camp, the Austin nature and science center programs, and the sunshine camp park rangers could also make
11:05 use of the space to educate visitors from around the world.
11:09 It's a type of adaptive reuse that is an environmentally sound way to go with a strong equity
11:15 component as well. Um, another opportunity for interpretive education would be the creation of an overlook on the
11:24 north side of barton creek that looks across the sunken garden, providing additional opportunity to tell the story
11:31 of sunken garden's place within zilker four springs.
11:35 It is also visible evidence of the aquifer below.
11:38 There could be information on water quality and quantity, and of course, the barton springs and Austin blind
11:44 salamanders. Um, it would allow folks to learn about a key park feature that they would otherwise miss
11:50 unless they go over to the south side, which is actually quite a distance.
11:55 Um, the ilra ponds provide yet another opportunity for environmental uplift, environmental education, and increasing accessibility.
12:03 Currently, the path through this area from the upper parking lot is dangerous for the mobile and inaccessible
12:10 to those who are mobility impaired.
12:13 Um, it is full of non-native plants and currently no interpretation is provided.
12:17 So there's a lot of potential there to uplift this, um, ccc project.
12:23 Um, finally, and arguably also an opportunity for education are the proposed restrooms and changing areas on the
12:30 south side of the pool.
12:32 The nearest bathroom is close to half a mile round trip and up a flight of 32 stairs
12:37 if you've ever taken time to count them.
12:40 So it's not hard to imagine where people relieve themselves.
12:43 If only 20% of barton springs attendees came through the south side each year, this is close to
12:49 a hundred thousand people.
12:51 I'll just ask you to use your imagination and think about water quality.
12:56 Um, it would be great if we could take care of this environmental hazard, and I was not
13:01 kidding when I about the opportunity for interpretation within that space.
13:06 The great thing about all of these four projects is that there is an opportunity to unlock private
13:10 funds to pay for them and not costing the taxpayers ascent.
13:16 So, um, we would love to get these things moving with a recommendation from this committee since the
13:21 zilker vision plan blow up.
13:23 The parts staff is waiting for City Council or the city manager to act.
13:28 Anyone would be grateful.
13:29 Have your blessing so that we can get these important projects going.
13:32 Thank you. Um, it's been a long time.
13:35 Thank you. Thank you so much for being here.
13:37 Mr. K, do you have one more copy of the yes.
13:42 Lastly we have nico howard.
13:47 He might be stuck.
13:48 <Inaudible>. Alright. I don't see nico either, but we will, if he shows up later, we'll give him
13:58 the opportunity to speak.
14:00 Um, all right, uh, just for the record show that vice chair Ellis is present.
14:07 Um, with that, I'd like to move to item number one, approval of the minutes.
14:12 Uh, could I get a motion to approve the minutes?
14:14 Vice chair Ellis seconded by Council Member uchin.
14:18 Um, and no objection, the minutes from our September 24th, 2025 meeting are approved.
14:27 With that, we can move to item number two, a briefing on long range planning at the Austin
14:32 water facilities capital improvement program and major construction projects.
14:37 And I see the Austin water team before us, so I'll, uh, let director rolson take it away.
14:49 Good morning chair council members, thank you for having us here today to talk about, uh, Austin water's
14:55 long range planning. Uh, so as you all know, um, we're a large, uh, water utility.
15:02 We serve over a million people in central texas.
15:04 And so we do a number of long range planning exercises that are, that are well integrated with
15:11 one another and hence the, the, the presentation by our combined team here.