[00:00:10] >> GARCIA: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. WE'LL GET STARTED. WE'LL CALL THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING TO A START AT 10:00 A.M. WITH A ROLL CALL. [Approval of Minutes  ] >> CLERK: MA'AM, WE HAVE A QUORUM. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL START WITH THE EASY STUFF AND THAT'S THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM MARCH 21ST, 2025. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> VIAGRAN: I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> GARCIA: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> >> GARCIA: ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION CARRIES. [Consent Agenda  ] ITEM NO. 2 IS THE -- YES. NOT ITEM NO. 2. ITEM NO. 5, 6, AND 7, THE CONSENT AGENDA, IF IT'S OKAY WITH MY COLLEAGUES, WE'LL TAKE THAT UP FIRST. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> VIAGRAN: I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> GARCIA: IS THERE A SECOND? THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? >> >> GARCIA: PERFECT. CAN WE HAVE SOMEONE COME UP FOR THE CREEKSIDE AT LOOKOUT APARTMENTS, THE PFC? COUNCILMAN, DO YOU NEED A PRESENTATION? >> COURAGE: ACTUALLY, YES. COULD WE PULL THAT SO I COULD GET A PRESENTATION ON THIS, PLEASE? >> GARCIA: LET'S TAKE UP ITEM 5 AND 6 NOW AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AND LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON THOSE. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEMS NO. 5 AND 6 ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> VIAGRAN: I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> GARCIA: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION CARRIES. WE WILL TAKE UP ITEM NO. 7 NOW INDIVIDUALLY AND WE'LL GO ON TO IAN. GO AHEAD, IAN. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. IAN BENAVIDES FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND SERVICES DEPARTMENT. THIS ITEM IS CREEKSIDE AT LOOKOUT, THIS IS A PFC DEAL. IT IS OPPORTUNITY HOME, WHICH IS THE CITY'S HOUSING AUTHORITY CREATED THE HOUSING PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION. ATHENA HAS PROPOSED A PARTNERSHIP TO CONSTRUCT THE CREEKSIDE LOCATED IN COUNCIL DISTRIC DISTRICT 10. THE PROPOSED PROJECT INCLUDES 232 UNITS. IT'S A MIX OF 60%, 80%, AND MARKET-RATE PROJECTS. IT ALSO INCLUDES ONE AND TWO BEDROOMS. AS A BACKGROUND ON THIS, WE BROUGHT A PREVIOUS PFC ITEM TO THIS COMMITTEE. THE OPPORTUNITY HOMES DEVELOPMENT POLICY PROVIDES THAT ANY PROCEEDS FROM THESE TYPES OF TRANSACTIONS BE USED FOR FOUR THINGS. ONE, TO CREATE NEW UNITS BELOW 50% AMI. TWO, TO PRESERVE AND UPGRADE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS WHOSE RESIDENTS TYPICALLY HAVE INCOMES BELOW 50% AMI, AND PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS AND TO FUND RESERVES . THE REASON THIS PROJECT IS COMING BEFORE YOU TODAY IS BECAUSE RECENT LEGISLATION IN SECTION 303 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE NOW REQUIRES ANY PFC GOVERNED BY NON-ELECTED OFFICIALS TO OBTAIN APPROVAL FROM THAT MUNICIPALITY, WHICH WOULD BE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. BECAUSE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE NOT ELECTED OFFICIALS IT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE CITY FOR APPROVAL. SO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE REQUEST. THE PROJECT ITSELF PROVIDES WORKFORCE HOUSING WITHIN THE DISTRICT IN THE CITY. AND ADDITIONALLY THE INCOME FROM THE PROJECT WOULD GO TO SUPPORT LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS, WHICH IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND OPPORTUNITY HOME, WHICH IS A SHIP PARTNER. WITH THAT SAID, I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS AND WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM OPPORTUNITY HOME. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, IAN. COUNCILMAN COURAGE PULLED THIS ITEM SO WE'LL START WITH DISCUSSION FOR HIM. BEFORE THAT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> VIAGRAN: I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> GARCIA: ALL RIGHT. WE'LL CONTINUE WITH DISCUSSION. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. >> COURAGE: WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 10% OF THOSE UNITS BEING AT 60% AMI, WHAT IS THE CURRENT AMI FROM HUD? >> THE INCOME LIMITS FOR 60%? I DON'T HAVE THAT AVAILABLE BUT I CAN GET THAT TO YOU. >> COURAGE: AMI IS OVER $80,000 IN OUR HUD DISTRICT. >> CORRECT. [00:05:03] >> COURAGE: 60% OF THAT IS GOING TO BE ABOUT $48,000 A YEAR. WE'VE ONLY GET 10% OF THOSE UNITS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY STRUGGLING. THE OTHER 40% ARE AT 80% AMI. 80% REALLY IS WHAT THE AVERAGE AMI IS IN THIS CITY. SO THAT'S ALMOST MARKET RATE. I DON'T SEE THE REAL BENEFIT OF THIS BEING AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT AND GETTING A TOTAL TAX DEDUCTION BECAUSE OF THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THOSE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FACTS OUT. I'VE LOOKED AT WHERE THIS IS BEING BUILT. IT'S BEING BUILT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. IT'S RIGHT AT THE BORDER OF SELMA AND LIVE OAK. IT'S PRACTICALLY NOT EVEN IN SAN ANTONIO AND I DON'T SEE THE BENEFIT TO THE WORKING COMMUNITY IN THIS PROJECT. I'M JUST GOING TO VOTE AGAINST IT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK OPPORTUNITY HOME IS DOING ENOUGH TO REALLY PROVIDE AFFORDABILITY IN THIS AND I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS A KEY WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE TAX EXEMPT. >> I'LL JUST ADD, COUNCILMAN, THIS PROJECT IS ONLY RECEIVING A TAX EXEMPTION AS ITS INCENTIVE. TYPICALLY IF THIS PROJECT WERE TO APPLY FOR HOUSING FUNDING WE WOULD HAVE MORE REQUIREMENTS. WITH THE TAX EXEMPTION, THIS IS ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE SOLELY WITH THAT TAX EXEMPTION AND THE REVENUES FROM THIS WOULD GO TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS THAT ARE ALREADY BEING SERVED BY OPPORTUNITY HOME. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT, BUT UNDERSTOOD. >> COURAGE: THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, IAN FOR THE PRESENTATION. SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS IF WE MOVE THIS FORWARD TODAY, IT'S GOING TO GO TO FULL CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL? >> CORRECT. >> VIAGRAN: I'M COMFORTABLE MOVING THIS FORWARD TODAY. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO PROVIDE THE -- WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING IN PFC TRANSACTIONS FOR THE NEW UNITS USED AT OPPORTUNITY HOME IN THEIR CURRENT SITES OR NEW SITES. THE ONLY REASON I BRING THAT UP -- AND I KNOW OPPORTUNITY HOME IS HERE -- ACROSS OVER ON -- I THINK IT IS SAN PEDRO WE HAVE THOSE NEW APARTMENTS GOING UP AND WE JUST BROKE GROUND ON THE COMMONS AT THE ACEQUIA. I THINK WHAT WOULD HELP THE COUNCIL IS IF THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT FROM THIS TRANSACTION THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD BE WORKING TO CREATE THE NEW UNITS FOR COMMONS AT ACEQUIA, WHICH IS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. AND ALSO TO UPGRADE AND PRESERVE THE PUBLIC HOUSING WE CURRENTLY HAVE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY ALONG THE CORRIDORS OF SAN PEDRO AND BROADWAY IN THOSE HIGH-RISES THAT ARE -- I'LL JUST MENTION THEM. I THINK PARKVIEW AT COLLEGE PARK. THEY ARE IN NEED OF PRESERVATION AND UPGRADES . IF YOU COULD PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD AND GET THOSE DETAILS BEFORE THE FULL CITY COUNCIL HAS THAT TO MAKE THE DECISION ON THAT. THANK YOU. >> ABSOLUTELY. I'LL COORDINATE WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME AND GET DETAILS ON WHERE THE PROCEEDS FROM THIS DEAL WOULD ACTUALLY GO. I THINK, TO YOUR POINT, THERE ARE SEVERAL DEVELOPMENTS IN MIND WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT FUNDING GO. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A LETTER ADDRESSING THAT FROM COUNCILMAN WHYTE IN FULL SUPPORT AND IT'S GOT A BREAKDOWN FROM WHERE THE PROCEEDS FROM THE PFC TRANSACTION WILL BE USED AND THERE ARE FIVE REFERENCE POINTS INCLUDING HOUSING BY ACQUIRING INTEREST IN TAX CREDITS AND CREATE NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AND PRESERVE AND IMPROVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS . I'M SURE THAT OPPORTUNITY HOME CAN EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON THAT. WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH THE CONVERSATION FOR COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I WOULD ECHO THE SENTIMENT OF COUNCILMAN COURAGE IN TERMS OF THE AFFORDABILITY COMPONENT. THIS PROJECT WOULD RECEIVE AND QUALIFY FOR A FULL TAX EXEMPTION. AND AS ALREADY MENTIONED IN TERMS OF AFFORDABILITY COMPONENTS AND THE NEED OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. I UNDERSTAND YOU WALKING US THROUGH THAT THIS COULD GENERATE FUNDING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY GO INTO PUBLIC AND/OR DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING. HOWEVER, SEEING THE TREND OF THIS PROJECT AND ANOTHER THAT WE APPROVED LAST MONTH THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN THE PRIORITIZATION OF DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE ALONGSIDE THE COUNCILMAN WITH OPPOSING THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GARCIA: COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WONDERFUL. LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE THEN. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> [00:10:02] >> GARCIA: THERE'S TWO. NO ABSTENTIONS. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH, IAN. THANK YOU. IAN, IF YOU CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THE OPPORTUNITY HOME FOLKS, BECAUSE I'M SURE THAT WILL COME UP A LITTLE FURTHER AT COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO IS WAITING PATIENTLY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T LOSE QUORUM FOR THOSE ITEMS SO WE TOOK THEM UP FIRST. [Public Comment  ] THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES. WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH PUBLIC COMMENT NOW. THE FIRST PERSON SCHEDULED TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM NO. 2 IS VINCENT MICHAEL. AND VINCENT, WE'LL START WITH YOU. THERE'S ABOUT 50 OF YOU ALL SCHEDULED TO SPEAK TODAY AND SO WE'RE GIVING YOU ALL ABOUT TWO MINUTES TODAY. SO IT'S ALL YOURS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SAN ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY. WE STILL HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE URBAN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS OR DIGITAL MEDIA AND ARTS PILOT PROGRAM. AT THE LAST HEARING YOU DISCUSSED THE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING ADDITIONAL LIGHT FROM THESE SIGNS TO ILLUMINATE DARK PORTIONS OF DOWNTOWN. WE THINK STREETLIGHTS WOULD BE MORE ECONOMICAL AND THEY WOULDN'T BE USED ALL NIGHT. SINCE THERE ARE ONLY THREE TO A DISTRICT THAT CAN'T HAVE AN APPRECIABLE IMPACT. IT ALSO -- WE'RE ANXIOUS TO HEAR WHAT THE RFP PROCESS IS FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM SO MULTIPLE ENTITIES COULD BID ON THAT. WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT PROCESS AND ASK WHETHER THE CITY IS GOING TO AWARD SUCH A PROGRAM TO A NEW VENDOR WITHOUT FOLLOWING THE RULES SET FORTH IN THE UDC AND THE SIGN CODE CHAPTER 28. I WOULD JUST ASK YOU, SINCE WE HAVE OTHER SPEAKERS HERE, TO CONSIDER WHAT IS THE PROBLEM BEING SOLVED? IS IT A LACK OF ART, A LACK OF ADVERTISING, OR A LACK OF LIGHTING AND WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM? >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MR. MICHAEL. LEWIS VETTER FOLLOWED BY MARY HEATHCOAT. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M LEWIS VETTER, THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY OF SAN ANTONIO. AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN DISFAVOR OF THIS MOTION AND THIS CONSIDERATION. THE SAN ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY STILL HAS A LEGAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND ECONOMIC CONCERNS ABOUT THIS URBAN DISTRICT. ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE DIGITAL MEDIA AND ARTS PILOT PROGRAM . THIS ADVERTISING PROGRAM VIOLATES CURRENT LAW, MAKES THE CITY UGLIER AND HAS NO PROVEN ECONOMIC UPSIDE. THE CITY ADOPTED THE SIGN CODE, CHAPTER 28 OF THE UDC TWO YEARS AGO, REQUIRING ADVERTISERS AND COMPANIES TO REMOVE FOUR BILLBOARDS FOR EVERY DIGITAL BILLBOARD THEY PUT UP. THAT HAS BEEN IMPROVING THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT. THE PROBLEM IS THIS PROJECT REVERSES THAT INCREASING THE ADVERTISING SIGNAGE. THIS PILOT PROGRAM DOES NOT HAVE AN END DATE OR PROVISION FOR REMOVAL. A DIGITAL KIOSK THE CITY INSTALLED FIVE YEARS AGO WERE CALLED A PILOT PROGRAM AND THEY ARE STILL HERE. IF ALLOWED, THESE NEW DIGITAL BILLBOARDS WILL BE HERE FOREVER. IN THE LAST HEARING YOU DISCUSSED THE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING ADDITIONAL LIGHT FROM THESE SIGNS TO ELIMINATE DARK PORTIONS OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA. STREETLIGHTS ARE FAR MORE ECONOMICAL THAN PUTTING UP A DIGITAL SIGN THAT'S GOING TO BE FLASHING AT DIFFERENT TIMES ALL NIGHT LONG. SO IT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM IF YOU HAVE ONE. IF YOU NEED THE LIGHT, PUT ONE IN. IT WAS ALSO STATED IN THE LAST HEARING THAT IT WOULD BE AN RFP PROCESS FOR THE THIS PILOT PROGRAM SO THAT MULTIPLE ENTITIES COULD BID ON IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM. SERIOUSLY, WHERE IS THAT PROCESS? IS THE CITY GOING TO AWARD A PROGRAM SUCH AS THIS TO A NEW VENDOR WITHOUT FOLLOWING YOUR OWN RULES FOR ACQUISITION? THE RFP PROCESS ALSO MANDATES THAT THEY IDENTIFY A PROBLEM THAT'S BEING SOLVED. AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POINTED OUT, IS IT FOR LIGHTING? WHAT ARE THE ISSUES? THIS SEEMS TO BE A SOLUTION LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM AND FOR A VENDOR LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> GARCIA: MARY HEATHCOAT FOLLOWED BY GRETCHEN ROSE. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M MARY AND I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BLUE STAR AS WELL AS A STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR CULTURE AND ARTS UNITED FOR SAN ANTONIO . IF THIS PILOT PROGRAM WERE TO MOVE FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE TO INSIST ON THE COMMITTEE'S SUPPORT OF THE REVENUES FROM THE PILOT TO BE EARMARKED EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE. THEY ARE NOW ONLY ABLE TO SUPPORT A FRACTION OF THE NEED [00:15:02] WHAT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE WITH HOT FUNDING . I ALSO ASK THAT THE STATIC PUBLIC ART COMPONENT OF THIS PROPOSAL BE APPROPRIATELY FUNDED TO COVER NOT ONLY THE ARTIST HONORARIUM PAYMENT, THE FABRICATION AND INSTALLATION, BUT ALSO THE LONG-TERM CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF THESE PUBLIC ART PROJECTS. ANY ARTWORK THAT IS COMMISSIONED THROUGH THIS PILOT SHOULD PASS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE'S PROCESS OF APPROVAL LIKE THE OTHER PUBLIC ART PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE INSTALLED AROUND THE CITY. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE THE CITY GETTING FAIR USE OF ITS MESSAGING TIME TO PROMOTE ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS, HIGHLIGHTING THE WEALTH OF THE CULTURAL ASSETS ALREADY AT HOME IN OUR COMMUNITY. FINALLY, AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CONTEMPORARY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE PROPOSED DISTRICTS FOR THIS PILOT PROGRAM. I KNOW ONE OF THE APPROVED DISTRICTS IS THE BLUE STAR ARTS DISTRICT. BUT THIS IS NOT A NAME THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR LOCATION USES. WE IN FACT ARE IN THE BLUE STAR ARTS COMPLEX ARE PART OF THE KING WILLIAM HISTORIC DISTRICT. AND ON THE LIST OF NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTERED PLACES. WE RESIDE IN DISTRICT 5 AS SOUTHTOWN ARTS AND CULTURE BUT THE BLUE STAR ARTS DISTRICT IS IN AN UNDEFINED LOCATION . IF THERE WERE TRULY AN IDEA TO BENEFIT ARTISTS, I FEEL IT WOULD HAVE SPRUNG FROM ARTISTS AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, NOT MARKETING COMPANIES. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MS. ROSE. KATHLEEN BAILEY. I'M SORRY. >> I'M GRETCHEN ROSE. I'M JUST WONDERING WHY WE'RE EVEN HERE AGAIN A YEAR LATER AFTER HAVING DISCUSSED THIS AND GETTING AN OVERWHELMING DISAPPROVAL FROM THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO. AND YET HERE WE ARE AGAIN. I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD DECIDE WHAT PROBLEM WE'RE SOLVING HERE. I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM THAT'S BEING SOLVED. ANYWAY, IN THIS BRAVE NEW DIGITAL WORLD WE ARE BOMBARDED BY ADVERTISEMENTS ON OUR PHONES, ON OUR COMPUTERS, ON OUR TELEVISIONS AND ON OUR EXPRESSWAYS. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A BEAUTIFUL EUROPEAN COUNTRYSIDE AND COME OUT OF THE HISTORIC CITY AND WHAT DO YOU SEE? FORESTS. ROLLING HILLS WITH SHEEP. WHAT DO WE SEE WHEN WE GO OUT ON I-10? IT'S GHASTLY. BUT IF YOU NEED A PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY, THEY'VE GOT ONE FOR YOU. WE DON'T WANT THAT IN OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY. WE HAVE ENOUGH ADVERTISEMENT. WHEN I GO INTO A CITY, I'M AN INTERIOR DESIGNER, I WANT TO SEE THE BUILDINGS, THE ARCHITECTURE. I DON'T CARE IF IT'S A PARKING GARAGE. I DON'T WANT TO SEE ADVERTISEMENT. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I ONLY SEE ONE BENEFICIARY, MAYBE TWO IN THIS PROJECT. NEITHER ONE OF WHICH WOULD BE THE POPULATION OF THIS CITY. IT'S EITHER THOSE WHO ARE PROPOSING IT OR THOSE WHO ARE RECEIVING MONEY UNDER THE TABLE. I REST MY CASE. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MS. ROSE. KATHLEEN BAILEY. FOLLOWED BY ELAINE VETTER. >> MY NAME IS KATHLEEN BAILEY. I LIVE IN DISTRICT 1 AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY OF SAN ANTONIO. I OPPOSE THE PROPOSED OUT FRONT MEDIA COMPANY PILOT PROGRAM TO CREATE DIGITAL MEDIA AND ARTS IN SAN ANTONIO. USING DIGITAL SIGNAGE ADVERTISING AND ART ON BUILDING FACADES DESTROYS THE CHARACTER AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BUILDING AS WELL AS DESTROYING THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE AREA. THE MASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON SOCIETY REPORTS 1 MILLION BIRDS DIE ANNUALLY DUE TO DIGITAL SIGNAGE, FLOODLIGHTS, AND ELECTRIC SIGNS. BIRDS BECOME DISORIENTED BY THE BRIGHT LIGHT AND CRASH INTO THE SIGNAGE. PRESERVING EXISTING BUILDINGS, NATURAL HABITATS, AND CREEKS ARE MORE IMPORTANT NOW MORE THAN EVER. PLEASE OPPOSE THIS PROPOSED PROJECT. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MS. BAILEY. ELAINE VETTER FOLLOWED BY KATHLEEN. OH, I HAVE KATHLEEN BAILEY TWICE. BY JOHN HINOJOSA. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ELAINE VETTER AND I'M WITH DISTRICT 8. I ALSO AM A MEMBER OF THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY. I ATTENDED THE LAST MEETING ON DIGITAL BILLBOARDS AND CAME AWAY WITH THE FOLLOWING [00:20:02] QUESTIONS: WHY DID COUNCILPERSON VIAGRAN WANT TO GET 10% INSTEAD OF 20% FOR THE CITY? I THOUGHT THE PURPOSE WAS TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE CITY AND NOT SOME OUTSIDE COMPANY. I REALLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT. I SAT IN THE AUDIENCE AND WENT WHY DID SHE SAY 10 INSTEAD OF 20? BUT, ANYWAY, WERE THERE OTHER SUPPLIERS ASKED TO BID ON THE PROJECT AND WHY WAS THIS COMPANY SELECTED? COUNCILMAN COURAGE SAID THIS WOULD SOLVE A SECURITY ISSUE FOR LIGHTING. JUST PUT UP SOME STREETLIGHTS. WE DON'T NEED THIS EXTRA ELECTRONIC STUFF AROUND. WE HAVE STREETLIGHTS, PUT THEM UP. WHY DO WE WANT SIGNAGE IN SAN ANTONIO, WHICH WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR TIME SQUARE OR LAS VEGAS. THIS IS SAN ANTONIO. WE'RE HISTORIC AND WE'RE PROUD OF IT. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT IS THE NEED FOR THIS? WHY DOES DIGITAL BILLBOARDS KEEP COMING UP LIKE, OH, I DON'T KNOW, A SKUNK IN MY BACKYARD? WE VOTED AGAINST IT BEFORE AND NOW Y'ALL AREN'T LISTENING. WE DON'T WANT THIS. IF I'M A TOURIST VISITING SAN ANTONIO, I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT APPRECIATE BILLBOARDS FLASHING LIGHTS AND ADS IN MY HOTEL ROOM FROM A BUILDING PARKING GARAGE, SUPPOSEDLY ACROSS THE STREET. I ASK THAT FUNDS BE SET ASIDE FROM PROCEEDS TO TAKE THESE SIGNS DOWN AFTER A SET PERIOD OF TIME. DON'T SAY THERE'S MONEY FOR IT LATER. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE PILOT. IF IT'S REALLY PILOT, THEN TAKE THE SIGNS DOWN IF IT DOESN'T GO. YOU'RE REPRESENTING US, THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO. I ASK THAT YOU THINK ABOUT MY QUESTIONS AND VOTE AGAINST THIS PROJECT. YOU VOTED AGAINST IT BEFORE. WE'VE TOLD YOU SO MANY TIMES WE DON'T WANT IT. WE STILL DON'T WANT IT. THINK ABOUT THE QUESTIONS. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MS. VETTER. JOHN HINOJOSA FOLLOWED BY TRISH DE BERRY. >> MY NAME IS JOHN HINOJOSA, I USED TO BE THE DIRECTOR SAY SI AND I AM JUST HERE AS A CITIZEN AND ARTS ADVOCATE . I LIVE IN DISTRICT 7. I WANT TO STATE THAT THIS PROJECT MAKES NO SENSE. AND I AGREE IF IT MOVES FORWARD THAT IT SHOULD BE FUNDING ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE. THE MORE PRESSING CONCERN, THOUGH, IS AS YOU KNOW CULTURAL TOURISM DRAWS OVER 20 MILLION TOURISTS ANNUALLY. THE INDUSTRY SUPPORTS APPROXIMATELY 94,000 JOBS AND CONTRIBUTES $8.7 BILLION TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. SAN ANTONIO'S ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS IMPACT NEIGHBORHOOD SENIORS, STUDENTS, YOUTH, AND ARE THE GOLDEN THREAD THAT DRIVES TOURISM TO OUR CITY. YET THE ONLY SOURCE OF FUNDING TO SUPPORT THIS VITAL RESOURCE COMES FROM OUR HOTEL/MOTEL TAX. FUNDS BROUGHT IN FROM OUR VISITORS. WE NEED TO, AS A CITY AND YOU AS CITY LEADERS, DIVERSIFY THE FUNDING OF ARTS AND CULTURE. IT IS ONCE AGAIN TIME FOR YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES TO LOOK AT DIVERSIFYING THE FUNDING TO DELEGATE AGENCIES. WE NEED TO LOOK AT GROWING OUR HOTEL/MOTEL TAX, FINDING OTHER DIVERSE FUNDING MECHANISMS THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE GENERAL FUND. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU DO IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY BLESS YOU. BECAUSE I JUST SPENT 30 MINUTES TRYING TO FIND PARKING DOWNTOWN. [LAUGHTER] I USED TO KNOW DOWNTOWN. I USED TO KNOW THE BACK ROADS, THE SIDEWAYS, AND THIS IS CRAZY -- AND HAPPY FIESTA. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MR. HINOJOSA. TRISHA FOLLOWED BY PATTY. >> GOOD MORNING AND VIVA FIESTA. YES. WE KNOW THAT IT STARTS TODAY. OBVIOUSLY, SOME OF THE PARKING PROBLEMS THAT YOU HAVE IS A RESULT OF FIESTA FIESTA GOING ON IN TRAVIS PARK SO WE HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE THERE. I SAY THAT BECAUSE DOWNTOWN IS A GATHERING PLACE FOR EVENTS AND FESTIVALS. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT TOURISTS AND RESIDENTS ALIKE. SO AS WE CONTINUE TO IDEATE AND INNOVATE REGARDING DOWNTOWN, WHETHER THAT'S A DIGITAL LIGHTING PROGRAM, WHETHER THAT'S BASEBALL, WHETHER THAT'S PROJECT MARVEL, THERE WILL BE INNOVATION THAT TAKES PLACE IN DOWNTOWN. WE BELIEVE THAT A DIGITAL LIGHTING BECAUSE IT IS EXACTLY THAT. IT IS A POSITIVE. WE BELIEVE IT COULD BE DONE TASTEFULLY, PRAGMATICALLY, IN A WAY THAT ENHANCES DOWNTOWN AND THE CURRENT BEAUTY THAT WE HAVE [00:25:05] IN DOWNTOWN. WE DO NOT BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE A LAS VEGAS OR A TIME SQUARE. I HAVE BEEN TO DENVER. I HAVE WITNESSED WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THERE. DO THERE NEED TO BE GUARDRAILS? ABSOLUTELY. BUT THE BEAUTY OF A PILOT IS WE FINE TUNE AND REFINE IT AND ON BEHALF OF CENTRO I'M PLEASED TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM . >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. PATTY. >> SET MY OWN TIMER. THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW ME, I CAN TALK BEFORE. MY NAME IS PATTY AND I'M A DISTRICT 10, FORMER RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 8 AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF THIS PROJECT. AS A MEMBER OF THE CITIZEN TASK FORCE FOR THE REVISIONS OF CHAPTER 28, WE DISCUSSED THIS. YOU CAN SAY ALL YOU WANT ABOUT IT. YOU CAN TRY TO PUT LIPSTICK ON THE PIG, TRISH, BUT THESE ARE BILLBOARDS. THEY ARE DIGITAL BILLBOARDS. THEY ARE FLASHY. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO PROMOTE THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF SAN ANTONIO. AS A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY, WE STAND IN OPPOSITION OF IT. BUT I PERSONALLY KNOW THAT THESE SIGNS ARE NOT GOING TO ILLUMINATE THE DARK AREAS. THEY DON'T GO FROM DUSK TO DAWN. IF WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH LIGHTING AND ILLUMINATING AREAS WHERE THERE IS CRIME, WHERE THERE IS VAGRANCY, WE NEED TO PUT LIGHTS UP TO ILLUMINATE THOSE AREAS. THE EXPERIENCE OF DENVER, ATLANTA, AND CINCINNATI IS THAT REVENUES WERE A FRACTION OF WHAT WAS PROMISED AND DID NOT MATERIALIZE FOR YEARS. THAT CAME DIRECTLY FROM THIS GENTLEMAN IN ONE OF OUR TASK FORCE MEETINGS. URBAN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THIS, WILL HAVE ZERO CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY REVENUES. IT TAKES TIME FOR THIS. THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX YEARS -- SIX YEARS I BELIEVE WAS WHAT WAS QUOTED IN DENVER. WE HAVE TWO OF THE LARGEST TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN TEXAS. OUR PRECIOUS SHRINE THE ALAMO, AND OUR RIVER WALK. I AM A PROFESSIONAL TOUR GUIDE. PEOPLE DO NOT COME HERE TO SEE BILLBOARDS. THEY COME TO SEE OUR ATTRACTIONS OF THE ALAMO. SO IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING PUTTING THESE SIGNS, BILLBOARDS UP, PLEASE EXCLUDE THOSE AREAS. EXCLUDE THE AREAS WHERE OUR PRECIOUS ATTRACTIONS ARE. THE ALAMO, THE RIVER WALK, MAIN PLAZA. MY TIME IS UP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH BUT I IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE, IF YOU ARE GOING TO PUT THEM UP, DO NOT PUT THEM UP. I COULD TALK FOREVER. AND VIVA NIOSA. >> GARCIA: SEAN CAMPBELL FOLLOWED BY GEMMA KENNEDY. NO SEAN? GEMMA KENNEDY. GEMMA, YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY BIANCA. >> I'M DR. GEMMA KENNEDY, DISTRICT 1 IN THE RIVER ROAD NEIGHBORHOOD . I HAVE BEEN TO ALMOST ALL OF THESE MEETINGS AND ONE THING I FOUND OUT IS THAT THE COMMUNITY IS NOT BEHIND THIS PLAN. I KNOW WE'D LIKE TO MAKE IT FLASHIER AND NICER AND I'M NOT GOING TO EVEN REPEAT WHAT EVERYBODY SAID. BUT ONE THING I'M REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT IS THAT WE DID THE SIGN ORDINANCE. IT WAS BUSINESSES AND IT WAS NEIGHBORS WHO WROTE THIS. AND I HAVE -- YOU KNOW DISTRICT 1 IS THE LARGEST SIGN -- DIGITAL BOARD SIGN IN THE CITY. WE HAVE MORE DIGITAL BOARDS. IN MY LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD IN RIVER ROAD, I HAVE TWO. AND AS I WAS TALKING TO MY FRIEND FROM CLEAR CHANNEL, HE SAID, SURE. OPEN DOWNTOWN. YOU KNOW, LET'S OPEN THE DIGITAL CORE -- THE WHOLE CORE TO THESE BILLBOARD SIGNS AND CLEAR CHANNEL WILL WALK THROUGH. NOW YOU WANT THE URBAN CORE TO HAVE BILLBOARDS. BILLBOARDS ARE PURELY FOR ADVERTISEMENT. I HAVE BEEN IN THE ARTS SINCE 1976. I SUPPORT WHAT MARY SAID. IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS, LET'S HAVE MONEY FOR THE ARTS. THE OTHER THING THAT REALLY WORRIES ME IS THIS PILOT STUDY. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH SO MANY PILOT STUDIES IN THE CITY. YOU'RE PUTTING UP MAJOR [00:30:04] BILLBOARDS THAT ARE METAL, L.E.D. LIGHTS. THEY'RE HEAVY. THEY'RE BIG. THEY COST A LOT OF MONEY, SOMETIMES OVER A MILLION TO PUT IT UP. SO YOU'RE GOING TO PUT UP THESE BILLBOARDS AND THEN IF WE IT, WO TAKE THEM DOWN? THIS IS NOT LIKE WATERSHORE WE'RE PUTTING A CARDBOARD THING UP, THESE ARE MAJOR BILLBOARDS THAT ARE GOING TO COST A LOT OF MONEY TO INSTALL AND A LOT OF MONEY TO TAKE DOWN. I DON'T HEAR ANYBODY TALKING ABOUT IT. I KNOW COUNCILMAN COURAGE WOULD LIKE LIGHTS BUT REMEMBER WE'RE ALSO A BIRD CITY AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE -- WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW CITIES WHO ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE DARK SKIES RULES FOR OUR BIRD MIGRATION AND STUFF. DIGITAL LIGHTS WORK ALL THE TIME. IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO DIGITAL LIGHTS WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIVING DOWNTOWN, YOU CAN FIND THAT INFORMATION ALSO. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, DR. KENNEDY. BIANCA MALDONADO WILL BE THE FINAL PERSON FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM. OH, THERE'S ONE MORE FOR 2? GO AHEAD, BIANCA. YOU'RE GOING TO BE FOLLOWED BY KATHLEEN TRENTER. >> GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS BIANCA MALDONADO AND JUST AS PATTY SAID, I WAS ALSO A COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO VOLUNTEERED FOR THE REVISIONS OF THE UDC, CHAPTER 28. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WHY WE DIDN'T WANT TO ACT ON THIS WAS THIS WAS A CHANGE IN POLICY. WE'RE CHANGING THE COMMODITY. WE'RE SAYING YOU CAN PAY TO GET INTO OUR MARKET AND GIVE UP A REVENUE SHARE TO INSTALL NEW DIGITAL BILLBOARDS. WE'RE NOT TAKING DOWN AN EXISTING LOCATION NOR ARE WE CONVERTING DOWNTOWN. THAT IS A KEY DIFFERENTIATOR FOR WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY. THIS IS A HUGE CHANGE IN POLICY. UNFORTUNATELY, I FEEL LIKE THE ARTS IS BEING DANGLED IN FRONT OF YOU LIKE A CARROT. YOU HAVE TO DO THIS TO BE ABLE TO GET THE ART COMPONENT. I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU TO GO BACK AND SUPPORT THE ARTS FOR YOUR DIGITAL INSTALLATIONS IN THE AIRPORT, THE ALAMODOME, THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND YOUR PROJECT MARVEL. I THINK THAT WHEN YOU STEP BACK AND LOOK AT THE SA SPEAKUP DATA, THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE SURVEY, BUT IF YOU SELECTED NO, THE CITY DIDN'T COLLECT ANY INFORMATION ON WHY YOU SELECTED NO ON THE DIGITAL ARTS. I WOULD THINK 71% OF PUBLIC INPUT AND OPPOSITION IS A STRONG STATEMENT BUT THEIR CONCERNS WERE NOT DOCUMENTED. HOW IS THAT MEANINGFUL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT? I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT MANY OF THE CHANGES COMING TO DOWNTOWN AND MANY OF THE PROPOSALS THAT OUR CITY GOVERNMENT IS DOING, YOU WANT TO ENGENDER TRUST WITH THE PUBLIC BUT WHEN YOU DON'T LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC INPUT YOU RECEIVE OR YOU DON'T ACCEPT ENOUGH INPUT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CONCERN IS, YOU ARE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU'RE NOT RESPONDING TO THEIR CONCERN. THAT IS VERY UNFORTUNATE. SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO ENGENDER TRUST, TO UNDERSTAND WHY 71% OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS SAID NO. AND PLEASE DON'T MAKE US A PAY TO PLAY LOCATION. I UNDERSTAND WE WANT TO SUPPORT TOURISM AND SUPPORT THE ARTS BUT I THINK THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO DO THAT. THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERATION OF MY COMMENTS AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO TABLE AND GET MORE INFORMATION AND UNDERSTAND WHY 71% SAID NO. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MS. MALDONADO. KATHLEEN TRENTER. >> GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL AND OUR FRIENDS AND VISITORS. MY NAME IS KATHLEEN TRENTER AND I'M FROM DISTRICT 7, WEARING MY FIESTA MEDAL FROM DISTRICT 7 TODAY. I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE ENTERTAINMENT DIGITAL MEDIA PROGRAM. AND I WANT TO JUST THANK YOU FOR ENTERTAINING OUR COMMENTS THIS MORNING. THIS SO-CALLED PILOT PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER TROJAN HORSE. AS WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN WITH THE DIGITAL KIOSKS ADVERTISING BUSINESSES OUTSIDE THEIR PLACEMENT, WHICH IS BY DEFINITION A BILLBOARD. AND NOT TO MENTION THEY ARE DIGITAL BILLBOARDS, WHICH SHOULD BE A CLEAR VIOLATION OF OUR SIGNAGE CODE. PERHAPS THE POWERS THAT BE HAVE OBSERVED THAT 70% -- OVER 70% OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE DISAPPROVED OF ANY NEW BILLBOARDS IN OUR CITY'S LIVE SURVEYS, ONLINE SURVEYS. NOW, SAN ANTONIO GETS IT. BILLBOARDS IN ANY FORM ARE A DISTRACTION TO OUR HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS AND HISTORIC AMBIENCE, NOT TO MENTION ROADWAY SAFETY. RECALL OUR DARK SKIES INITIATIVE DOWNTOWN. THIS PROPOSED DIGITAL ADVERTISEMENT POSING AS ART WOULD BE A CLEAR VIOLATION OF THAT EFFORT. WOULD THE ANTICIPATED REVENUES FROM THE PROPOSED DIGITAL MEDIA [00:35:01] PROGRAM JUSTIFY SELLING OUR EYEBALLS AND THOSE OF OUR VISITORS'? AFTER SEEING WHAT THE PROGRAM DID TO DOWNTOWN DENVER, I THINK NOT. WE MUST DO BETTER. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU. QUESTION FOR MY COLLEAGUES. IS IT OKAY IF WE TAKE UP ITEM NO. 2 -- THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE STANDING. IF WE TAKE UP ITEM NO. 2, BECAUSE WE HAVE ANOTHER -- OKAY. >> NO PROBLEM. WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH PUBLIC COMMENT. CHEYENNE RENDON ON ITEM NO. 3. AND THEN FOLLOWED BY DOREN. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CHEYENNE RENDON. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS CONVERSATION POSSIBLE. I'M URGING YOU TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO ONE CRITICAL PIECE AND THAT'S SHREDDERS AND THE BY-PRODUCTS THAT THEY CREATE. SPECIFICALLY FLUFF AND ASR. SHREDDERS ARE ALREADY HERE. THEY ARE BECOMING A PART OF RECYCLE OPERATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. CALIFORNIA RECOGNIZES THESE FACILITIES IN SENATE BILL 404 BUT ACTIVELY REGULATING THEM. YET HERE IN SAN ANTONIO WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS CONVERSATION FORWARD, IT WAS SHUT DOWN WITH WE WON'T GIVE AWAY TRADE SECRETS. THAT RESPONSE SENT A MESSAGE. ONE THAT DISCOURAGED OPENNESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY. I HAVE PREPARED A PACKET FOR Y'ALL THAT HAS EPA AND GREAT DATA AND INFORMATION THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH IN TWO MINUTES. BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THROUGH THAT AND DETERMINE THAT FOR YOURSELF ABOUT HOW IT'S ALREADY EXISTING AND OPERATING. NOW LET ME BE CLEAR. I'M NOT HERE TO SAY SHREDDING IS WRONG, I'M SAYING WE CAN'T AFFORD TO IGNORE IT. FIRES HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED. ASR AND FLUFF ARE KNOWN TO CONTAIN COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS AND EXPERTS HAVE CONFIRMED THEY HAVE TESTED THESE MATERIALS FOR BTU LEVELS BUT IT'S NOT A STANDARD PRACTICE NOR DOES IT HAVE ANY REGULATION IN PLACE. THESE FLUFF PILES ARE GROWING HIGHER THAN THE FENCES. THEY'RE VISIBLE AND AS OF RIGHT NOW THEY ARE UNADDRESSED IN OUR CODE. KEEP IN MIND FLUFF PILES ASR. THEY ARE NOT ADDRESSED IN THE CODE. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR RADICAL CHANGES, WE'RE ASKING FOR RECOGNITION. WE'RE ASKING FOR DEFINITIONS. WE'RE ASKING FOR SAFEGUARDS THAT ARE REFLECTING WHAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING ON THE GROUND NOW. YOU ARE HERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT Y'ALL CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND I ASK YOU PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE THIS WORK UNFINISHED. INCLUDE METAL SHREDDERS OPERATIONS AND THEIR BY-PRODUCT IN THE CODE. LET'S LEAD WITH TRANSPARENCY AND FORESIGHT. THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M JORDAN VEXLER, CEO OF RECYCLING SOLUTIONS. I WANT TO THANK CITY STAFF AND MIKE SHANNON FOR THEIR PROFESSIONALISM THROUGHOUT THE CODE REVIEW PROCESS. YOUR COMMITMENT OF OVER 45 HOURS IN TASK FORCE MEETINGS AND YOUR RECEPTIVENESS FOR INPUT FROM ALL SIDE HAS BEEN APPRECIATED. MY FAMILY'S COMPANY HAS OFTEN BEEN SINGLED OUT WITH BASELESS CLAIMS LIKE WHAT YOU JUST HEARD. I TAKE EACH CLAIM PERSONALLY BECAUSE I KNOW THEY ARE UNTRUE. AFTER ALL, WHAT WE DO AS A TEAM EVERY DAY AT MONTEREY IS SUSTAINABLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY DRIVEN. WE MAY HEAR SOME OF THESE FALSE STATEMENTS TODAY. I HOPE COMMUNITY MEMBERS UNDERSTAND OUR ROLE IN REDUCING SAN ANTONIO'S CARBON FOOTPRINT. OUR COMPANY IS LOCATED ADJACENT TO PORT SAN ANTONIO. THERE'S A LARGE SILICA PLANT AND AN AIR FORCE BASE YET DESPITE THIS ENVIRONMENT WE ARE OFTEN SINGLED OUT AS THE SOURCE OF THE ISSUES IN THE AREA BY THOSE WHO MAY NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND OR CARE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DO OR HOW WE DO IT RESPONSIBLY. THERE'S A MISPERCEPTION THAT WE'RE UNREGULATED. IN REALITY EVERY CONCERN RAISED THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS FALLS UNDER STRICT OVERSIGHT BY MULTIPLE REGULATORY AGENCIES, A POINT MADE MANY TIMES. MY FAMILY'S COMPANY HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON DOING THE RIGHT THING AND BEING A GOOD STEWARD OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE LIVE. WE'RE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR OUR BEST PRACTICES AND WE ARE VITAL TO THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN SAN ANTONIO. I WANT TO COMMEND THE HARD WORK [00:40:01] OF THIS COMMITTEE AND THE WILLINGNESS OF INDUSTRY MEMBERS TO COLLABORATE. WE PARTICIPATED WITH THE BEST INTENTIONS. WHILE THIS PROCESS HAS OFTEN BEEN DOMINATED BY ACTIVIST VOICES, I BELIEVE WE HAVE REACHED A FAIR OUTCOME THAT ACKNOWLEDGES BOTH COMMUNITY CONCERNS AND THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE ALREADY OPERATE AND COMPLY. I SUPPORT THE REVISED CODE. IT IS CLEAR, MORE EFFECTIVE, AND REFLECTS MEANINGFUL IMPROVEMENTS THANKS TO THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF AND MY FELLOW TASK FORCE MEMBERS FOR TAKING TIME TO GET HERE. 45-PLUS HOURS. I AM PROUD OF THE PROGRESS WE MADE. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. LLOYD WELLTY FOLLOWED BY JEFF VEXLER. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M LLOYD WELLTY, VICE PRESIDENT OF PICK AND PULL AND AAA AUTO RECYCLERS. PICK AND PULL INCORPORATED HAS BEEN SAVING THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO MONEY FOR OVER 40 YEARS . DURING THIS TASK FORCE WE SPENT NUMEROUS HOURS REWRITING THE CURRENT CODE TO BRING IT UP TO BETTER STANDARDS. THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS THAT STARTED EARLY LAST FALL WITH THE CCR. THE TASK FORCE WAS PUT ON A BREAK DUE TO THE PUBLIC APPOINTEES NOT SHOWING UP TO THE MEETINGS OR WALKING OUT OF THE MEETINGS WHEN THEY DIDN'T GET WHAT THEY WANTED. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, WE MET TWICE A WEEK WITH A NEW TASK FORCE, INDUSTRY AND PUBLIC. WE PUT NUMEROUS HOURS INTO THIS, PROGRESS WAS MADE. ONCE AGAIN WE HAD TO EDUCATE A NEW SET OF PUBLIC APPOINTEES OF OUR INDUSTRIES AND OPERATIONS. AND THE GOOD WE DO FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE RESIDENTS OF SAN ANTONIO. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE CCR WANTED IS ALREADY REGULATED BY STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS OR AGENCIES. WE PROVIDED ALL THIS INFORMATION TO ALL OF THE PUBLIC APPOINTEES. THERE ARE DEFINITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THIS NEW CODE THAT ARE NEVER MENTIONED ANYWHERE IN THE CODE. WHY DO WE HAVE A DEFINITION IN THIS NEW CODE THAT'S NOT COVERED IN THE CODE? THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. JEFF VEXLER FOLLOWED BY ERICA ALVARADO. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M JEFF VEXLER, VICE PRESIDENT OF MONTEREY METAL RECYCLING SOLUTIONS. YOU ARE ALMOST ALL AWARE ALREADY THAT I'M A PROUD FOURTH-GENERATION METAL RECYCLER BUT YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT I'M ALSO THE DE FACTO COMMITTEE LIAISON FOR OUR COMPANY. IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS I HAVE MET WITH EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT IN OUR OPERATIONS VICINITY. THE LEADERS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE, KNOW WELL THAT THEY CAN CONTACT ME ANY TIME. THEY HAVE MY E-MAIL. THEY HAVE MY FACEBOOK. THEY HAVE MY PHONE NUMBER. THEY HAVE MY PERSONAL CELL PHONE NUMBER. THIS OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN EARLY 2024 AS A MEANS OF TRANSPARENCY WITH RESIDENTS OF NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS. WE HAVE EVEN HOSTED A PRIVATE TOUR OF OUR FACILITY FOR INTERESTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS. SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES HAVE TAKEN ME UP ON THE OFFER TO OPENLY COMMUNICATE. OTHERS, FOR WHATEVER REASON, HAVE NOT. WHILE NOT PERFECT, MY BROTHER, SISTER, DAD, AND OUR 90 EMPLOYEES MAKE AN HONEST EFFORT TO WORK IN GOOD FAITH WITH SOUTH SIDE NEIGHBORHOODS. GOOD FAITH. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN SAY THE SAME. NOT WHEN THE TASK FORCE FROM THE BEGINNING WAS PACKED WITH ACTIVISTS AND PEOPLE WITH POLITICAL FUTURES AS THEIR MOTIVATION. APPOINTEES FROM SOME SOUTH SIDE DISTRICTS DON'T EVEN LIVE IN THE DISTRICTS THEY REPRESENT ON THE TASK FORCE. AS PART OF BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR, LAST YEAR WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE VFW ACROSS THE STREET. WE DONATED MONEY FOR A NEW CONCESSION STAND FOR THEIR LITTLE LEAGUE THAT PLAYS AND PRACTICES THERE. WE LENT OUR EQUIPMENT TO THE VFW AND WE HAULED AN ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIER TO THE FRONT OF THE VFW THAT'S NOW PAINTED AND FIXED UP AND LOOKS GREAT ON DISPLAY IN FRONT OF THE VFW POST. MONTEREY PARTNERS WITH THE FOOD BANK, LOCAL CHURCHES, LOCAL SCHOOLS LIKE LOWELL ELEMENTARY, AND TAKES PART IN SEVERAL BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS. THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, WHICH IS WHAT MONTEREY IS AND HAS BEEN FOR 100 YEARS, DESPITE WHAT THEY'LL LEAD YOU TO BELIEVE. >> GARCIA: ERICA ALVARADO FOLLOWED BY MARCO. >> I WAS A D2 APPOINTEE FOR THE TASK FORCE. I ALSO LIVE AND WORK IN D2. I WANTED TO SPEAK TODAY TO SUPPORT THE DENSITY LIMIT LANGUAGE ADDED TO THE PROPOSAL THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW NEW MRES TO OPEN WITHIN 1,000 FEET OF A CURRENT MRE. I BELIEVE SAN ANTONIO NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE CONCENTRATIONS OF THESE RECYCLING ENTITIES IN D4 AND D5 TO INCLUDE THE HEALTH AND STANDARD OF LIVING FOR [00:45:02] THOSE RESIDENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT LANGUAGE THAT WOULD STOP NONCONFORMING ENTITIES FROMES BEING ABLE TO STAND. LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY DESIRE TO SEE COMPLIANCE CODES FOR MRE, UARPS UPDATED MORE REGULARLY AND FREQUENTLY. BEFORE THIS TASK FORCE, THE LAST TIME THE CODES WERE TOUCHED WERE 12 YEARS AGO AND THAT DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT NEW AND DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS LITHIUM BATTERIES, WHICH HAVE OFTEN BEEN NOTED AS A CAUSE OF FIRES AT THESE RECYCLING ENTITIES. THE TASK FORCE WAS NOT ABLE TO ADDRESS LITHIUM BATTERIES AND ONLY ALLOWED LIMITED TIME TO DISCUSS SHREDDERS, PORTABLE OR OTHERWISE. AS TECHNOLOGY MOVES FORWARD WE NEED COMPLIANCE CODES TO BE ABLE TO ADAPT AND ADDRESS THEM. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: MARCO ALONZO FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER JAC JACKSON. >> OKAY. I CAN TRANSLATE REAL FAST. OKAY. INTERPRETING] >> GOOD MORNING. HE IS A PROJECT ENGINEER AT MONTEREY METAL RECYCLING FACILITY. THIS IS A FAMILY COMPANY. THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN FAIR TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND OF ITS WORKERS. FOR EXAMPLE, I WILL CITE A FEW. THEY HELP US THROUGH A CREDIT UNION TO HELP US MANAGE OUR MONEY, LIKE OPEN ACCOUNTS, HOW TO SAVE AND HOW TO INVEST. THEY ALSO HELP US EXPAND OUR COVERAGE OF HEALTH INSURANCE. I'VE ALSO SEEN HOW THEY HELP PEOPLE WITH LEGAL CONFLICTS BY GIVING THEM WORK SO THAT THEY COULD STAY IN ORDER OF THE LAW. IN SOME CASES THEY'VE OFFERED US LOANS WITH ZERO INTEREST, OTHER THAN JUST TO HELP US. THEY CONTINUALLY HAVE HELP WITH PROJECTS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT. >> CURRENTLY, THEY HAVE GROWN TECHNOLOGY. THESE ARE SOME OF THE EXAMPLES THAT ALLOW US TO CONTINUE WORKING IN THIS COMPANY. WITHOUT MENTIONING THAT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WE ARE WORKING, EVEN WITH THE DECREASE IN THE MARKET. WITHOUT ANY RESTING NOR ANY DISCOUNTS. AND GIVING US A BONUS FOR DOING OUR WORK. BECAUSE OF THAT, I CAN SAY MONTEREY METAL RECYCLING SOLUTIONS IS A COMPANY THAT NOT JUST CARES FOR THEIR OWN [00:50:02] INTERESTS BUT ALSO OF THE PLANET AND THEIR WORKERS. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME'S JENNIFER JACKSON. I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF LONGHORN RECYCLING. I HAVE BEEN IN THE RECYCLING INDUSTRY FOR 30 YEARS. I FEEL THIS MRE UARP TASK FORCE WAS TARGETING ONE LOCAL MEMBER OF OUR INDUSTRY WHO HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO WORK WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY TO HELP PREVENT FUTURE INCIDENTS AND YET OUR ENTIRE INDUSTRY IS UNDER ATTACK FOR THIS. I WAS CHOSEN TO PARTICIPATE ON THIS TASK FORCE AND CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO EXPRESS HOW DISAPPOINTING AND FRUSTRATING IT HAS BEEN. THE RULES WERE OUTLINED IN THE VERY BEGINNING THAT THE TASK FORCE WOULD DISCUSS AND MAKE RECOMMENDED CHANGES, LIVE EDITS WOULD OCCUR, AND MAJORITY RULES. WE SPENT SEVERAL MONTHS GOING OVER CODE AND CAME TO MOSTLY CONSENSUS CHANGES BY THE TASK FORCE BUT DID NOT EVEN REQUIRE A VOTE. INDUSTRY MEMBERS SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS EDUCATING COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS SOME OF THEIR PROPOSALS WOULD HAVE ON LOCAL RECYCLING AND WHY SOME OF THEIR SUGGESTIONS WERE NOT PLAUSIBLE. WE EVEN SCHEDULED A VOTE ON THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS TO GIVE TASK FORCE MEMBERS TIME TO FURTHER RESEARCH THE TOPIC SO MEMBERS COULD BE SURE TO BE IN ATTENDANCE TO VOTE ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. AFTER SPENDING SEVERAL MONTHS IN MEETINGS DISCUSSING MANY ISSUES AND BEING ABOUT 75% THROUGH THE CODE, THE RULES WERE APPARENTLY CHANGED AND WE BASICALLY STARTED COMPLETELY OVER. EVERYTHING WE HAD PREVIOUSLY AGREED ON AND VOTED ON WAS PRETTY MUCH THROWN OUT THE WINDOW. CODE WAS NO LONGER EDITED IN THE MEETINGS. IT WAS SUMMARIZED BY THE CITY EMPLOYEES TO BE WRITTEN UP AT A LATER TIME. WE NO LONGER VOTED ON ANYTHING UNTIL THE LAST MEETING AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH A TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT VOTE. WE WERE ONLY ALLOWED TO VOTE THEN BECAUSE WE HAD AN EVEN NUMBER OF COMMUNITY AND TASK FORCE MEMBERS PRESENT. SHUTTING DOWN RECYCLING YARDS DOES NOT HELP OUR ENVIRONMENT. UNLESS WE ALL WORK TOGETHER IN A FAIR AND BALANCED WAY WE WILL NOT FIND SOLUTIONS TO FUTURE PROBLEMS CREATED BY THE EVOLUTION OF OUR SOCIETY. EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US ARE ALSO PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND WANT A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN TO GROW UP IN. OUR COMPANY PRIDES ITSELF ON OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. PETER FOLLOWED BY MIKE. >> MY NAME IS PETER CAIN. I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MONTEREY IRON AND METAL. THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT MONTEREY METAL RECYCLING SOLUTIONS. THIS ISN'T JUST A RECYCLING YARD, IT IS A CRITICAL PART OF SAN ANTONIO'S ECONOMY AND STRIVING FOR A CLEANER, MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. MONTEREY OFFERS SOMETHING ESSENTIAL, A SAFE, RESPONSIBLE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO RECYCLE METAL. EVERYTHING FROM OLD APPLIANCES TO CAR PARTS CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS. THAT MEANS LESS WASTE PILING UP IN LANDFILLS AND A CLEANER CITY FOR ALL. HERE'S WHERE I WANT TO CLEAR UP A COMMON MISCONCEPTION. JUST BECAUSE A FACILITY LOOKS A LITTLE RUGGED DOESN'T MEAN IT'S A PROBLEM. LET'S BE HONEST. RECYCLING YARDS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE POLISHED RETAIL STORES. THEY ARE BUSY, ACTIVE WORK SITES HANDLING REAL MATERIALS FROM YOUR HOME, YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR VEHICLE. DUST COMES WITH THE JOB BUT DISREGARD FOR RULES, THAT'S NOT PART OF WHAT MONTEREY DOES. MONTEREY HAS A LONGSTANDING TRACK RECORD OF DOING THINGS THE RIGHT WAY. THEY ARE FULLY PERMITTED AND THEY WORK HAND IN HAND WITH CITY, STATE, AND FEDERAL AGENCIES TO MEET STRICT SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS. FOR GENERATIONS THIS FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS HAS PRIORITIZED COMPLIANCE, TRANSPARENCY, AND COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY. THEY DIVERSITY THOUSANDS OF TONS OF RECYCLED MATERIALS FROM LANDFILLS EVERY MONTH. THAT'S A MASSIVE WIN FOR AIR, OUR SOIL, OUR WATER, AND FUR SAN ANTONIO'S LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY. THEY ARE LOWERING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT AND HELPING BUILD A GREENER SAN ANTONIO LOAD BY LOAD. WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE IF WE START CRACKING DOWN ON THE WRONG BUSINESS, THE ONES THAT ARE FOLLOWING THE RULES, WE RISK LOSING THEM. WHAT REPLACES THEM? ILLEGAL DUMPING, FEWER RECYCLING OPTIONS, FEWER JOBS. THAT'S NOT JUST BAD POLICY, IT'S BAD FOR SAN ANTONIO. SO HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE. WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE DOING THE HARD, NECESSARY WORK THE RIGHT WAY. [00:55:01] NOT JUDGE THEM BY APPEARANCES, NOT TIE THEIR HANDS WITH OVERREGULATION. LET'S WORK WITH THEM, NOT AGAINST THEM TO KEEP SAN ANTONIO CLEAN, STRONG, AND MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MR. CAIN. MIKE MOLINA FOLLOWED BY TIMOTHY RAMON. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TODAY. MY NAME IS MIKE MOLINA. I'M THE COMMANDER OF THE VFW NAMED AFTER ONE OF OUR HEROES. HE'S THE FIRST MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND HE GRADUATED FROM OUR CITY SCHOOL, CENTRAL CATHOLIC. I'M ALSO A DESCENDANT OF GREGORIO ESPARZA, THE BATTLE OF ALAMO. MY FAMILY HAS OVER 100 YEARS OF SERVICE SO INTEGRITY IS MY FAMILY'S BACKBONE. IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO. SHE HAS VISITED THE POST. MY POST WAS ENACTED 82 YEARS IN 19413. 19413. THEY ARE ONLY 200 FEET FROM US . THEY HAVE BEEN THERE SO LONG THAT WE JUST HAVE GOTTEN TO BE REALLY GOOD FRIENDS AND GOOD NEIGHBORS WITH THEM. I DID SOME DIGGING INTO OUR RECORDS AND OUR DATABASES AND HAVE TO THE COME ACROSS ANY COMPLAINTS IN OUR MINUTES FROM OUR MEETINGS GOING BACK FOR YEARS. I ALSO HAVE BEEN ASKING THE CUSTOMERS AND MY MEMBERS OF THE POST THAT COME EVERY SUNDAY IF THEY HAD ANY DIFFICULTY BREATHING OR DUST OR DEBRIS ON THEIR CARS AFTER THEY LEFT OUR SUNDAY DANCES. AND NEVER HAD ONE. NOT ONE COMPLAINT. EVERY SUNDAY WE HAVE ABOUT 150 PEOPLE JOIN US AND THEY'RE LATE 80S. WE ALSO HAVE THREE BALL TEAMS PRACTICE ON OUR FIELD. THERE ARE 20 KIDS AT LEAST THREE TIMES A WEEK. I HAVE ASKED THE COACHES AND I SPEAK TO THE PARENTS CONSTANTLY. NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM. AND THEY ARE OUT THERE RUNNING AROUND FOR FOUR HOURS. I BELIEVE FACTS MATTER AND SINCE WE ARE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE RECYCLING COMPANY WE WOULD BE THE FIRST AND FOREMOST RELIABLE PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE A PROBLEM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE PUTTING SUCH EMPHASIS ON AN ISSUE THAT ISN'T THERE. RECYCLING HAS BEEN OUR BEST NEIGHBOR AND MADE IT CLEAR THEY WILL ADDRESS ANY PROBLEM WE HAVE IMMEDIATELY. BUT THERE HASN'T BEEN ONE FOR THEM TO ADDRESS. >> GARCIA: TIMOTHY RAMON. TIMOTHY? OKAY. DAN YEXEL FOLLOWED BY CYNTHIA GARCIA. >> THANK YOU TO THE TASK FORCE, THE CITY COUNCIL FOR LOOKING INTO THIS ISSUE AND CONTRIBUTING THE TIME THAT YOU HAVE. MY NAME IS DAN. I'M PRESIDENT AND CEO OF SAN ANTONIO MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, KNOWN AS SAMA. THERE ARE 1500 MANUFACTURERS INCLUDING METAL RECYCLERS, EMPLOYING MORE THAN 50,000 PEOPLE IN THIS REGION WITH A $40 BILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT AND A PAYROLL OF $3 BILLION ANNUALLY. 12 OF OUR MANUFACTURERS ACTUALLY ARE LOCATED IN DISTRICT 5 AND DISTRICT 4. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT ONE OF SAN ANTONIO'S LONG-TIME MEMBERS, MONTEREY METAL RECYCLING AND WHAT IT MEANS TO EMPLOYEES AND LOCAL MANUFACTURERS. MONTEREY HAS BEEN PART OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS AS A MULTI-GENERATION FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS, LIKE MANY OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES IN THIS COMMUNITY. MONTEREY IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH CITY CODE, TCEQ, OSHA, AND SAWS REGULATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS AND ADDRESSES ANY CITATIONS AND ISSUES IN A TIMELY RESPONSIVE MANNER. IT EMPLOYS MORE THAN 90 PEOPLE, 60% OF WHOM RESIDE, AND THEIR FAMILIES, WITHIN CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS 4 AND 5. MONTEREY IS THE ONLY SHREDDER OF ITS TYPE FOR RECYCLING FOR MANUFACTURERS IN BEXAR COUNTY AND AS SUCH IT'S THE ONLY OPTION FOR THE MORE THAN 40 SAMA MEMBERS WHO ACCESS ITS SERVICES. MONTEREY PROVIDES A CONVENIENT, SAFE, AND EFFICIENT SOLUTION TO RECYCLING. BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION, IT MAKES GOOD BUSINESS SENSE TO RECYCLE MATERIAL WASTE AFTER PROCESS. IT MAKES GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL SENSE TO SAFELY RECYCLE MATERIALS TO PREVENT ILLEGAL DUMPING AND TAKING UP CAPACITY AND CAUSING SAFETY ISSUES IN LANDFILLS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, MONTEREY, LIKE LONGHORN, GREAT NORTHWEST AND OTHERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY, [01:00:01] TAKE POLLUTION VERY SERIOUSLY. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY AND THANK YOU TO THE TASK FORCE FOR ITS WORK ON THIS ISSUE. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, DAN. I SAID CYNTHIA GARCIA BUT I HAVE JAMES MICKELET FOLLOWED BY DOUGLAS CARLBURG. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JAMES MIHALAK. I AM THE GENERAL MANAGER OF GREAT NORTHWEST RECYCLING AND I WAS A MEMBER OF THIS TASK FORCE. I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND TIME GOING OVER THE CODE THAT WE DISCUSSED BECAUSE I THINK IF YOU GO WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND STRICTER ENFORCEMENT, I THINK WHAT YOU'LL SEE PROPOSED TODAY IS GOING TO SATISFY ALL THOSE PLUS MORE. SO WHAT I AM HERE TO DO IS TO ASK YOU, AS YOU CONSIDER THE PROPOSAL TODAY AND ANY FUTURE CHANGES, TO NOT OVERSIMPLIFY OUR INDUSTRY AS BUILDINGS, EQUIPMENT, AND MACHINERY, AND PILES OF METAL AND TRASH. INSTEAD, I WANT YOU TO THINK OF US AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY. BECAUSE EVERY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR OR EMPLOYEE AT OUR FACILITY IS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY. EVERY INDIVIDUAL THAT ENTERS OUR GATES TO SELL US OR GIVE US ANY MATERIAL IS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY. EVERY POUND OF MATERIAL THAT ENTERS ONE OF OUR FACILITIES GENERATED FROM THE COMMUNITY. AND JUST ABOUT EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE PAY TO ANY INDIVIDUAL THAT BRINGS IN MATERIAL TO ONE OF OUR FACILITIES GOES RIGHT BACK INTO, YOU GUESSED IT, THE COMMUNITY. SO AS YOU'RE CONSIDERING THESE CHANGES, PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND BECAUSE TODAY WHEN I LEAVE, I'M GOING BACK TO THE COMPANY THAT HAS SERVED ITS COMMUNITY, THIS COMMUNITY FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS. AND, GOD WILLING, AT LEAST 30 MORE. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. DOUGLAS CARLBURG FOLLOWED BY ELIZABETH. >> I'M DOUG CARLBURG HERE REPRESENTING THE AEROSPACE COMMUNITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND THE SURROUNDING AREA, LOCATED IN DISTRICT 8. WE ARE A BUSINESS WITH 60 EMPLOYEES. WE'RE A HIGH-TECH BUSINESS IN THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY. WE DO WORK FOR BELL HELICOPTER AND LOCKHEED MARTIN AND THE F-16 PROGRAM, AND ALSO WITH BELL, THE OSPREY, THE V-22, AND THE V-280 VALOR, WHICH BELL JUST WON. IT IS REPLACING THE BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER. IT'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR WIN FOR SAN ANTONIO IN THE AEROSPACE COMMUNITY HERE. WE HAVE OVER 600 PARTS ON THIS AIRCRAFT. AND I'LL GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES. WE'VE USED MONTEREY METAL WAY BACK, EVEN BACK WHEN I WAS A PART OF THE HARRIS CORPORATION TEAM HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND THEY ARE CRITICAL TO OUR OPERATION AND HOW WE UTILIZE THEM AND HOW THEY HELP US GO FORWARD. I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. WE MADE A PART LAST MONTH THAT GOES ON THE OSPREY. IT'S A TITANIUM PART. WHY TITANIUM? IT'S LIGHTWEIGHT AND IT'S VERY STRONG. AND IF YOU PUT THESE ON MILITARY AIRCRAFT, THEY CAN CARRY MORE ARMORMENT AND MORE FUEL, WHICH IS CRITICAL. SO WE STARTED OFF WITH A PART THAT WEIGHED 50 POUNDS. WE WENT THROUGH SEVEN OPERATIONS AND AT THE END THE PART WAS A POUND AND A HALF. THAT'S A LOT OF RECYCLING OF HIGH-TECH MATERIAL. AND HAVING BASICALLY MONTEREY THERE TO SUPPORT US IS CRITICAL BECAUSE WHEN I DO LONG-TERM CONTRACTS, I HAVE TO BID IN THE RECYCLING COST. NOT ONLY THE COST OF RECYCLING BUT ANY REVENUE THAT WE GET FROM THE PARTS WHEN I BID THE PARTS. AND IT'S CRITICAL THAT I HAVE A TEAM MEMBER THAT CAN HELP ME WITH PARTS. AND THESE CONTRACTS ARE A FIRM FIXED PRICE. THEY GO FIVE YEARS. AND THEY GET VERY COMPETITIVE. WE PUT AN INFLATION FACTOR IN THERE BUT WE ALSO INCLUDE, REALLY WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE RECYCLING IN THESE PARTS. SO LOSING A CRITICAL RECYCLER LIKE MONTEREY METAL IS NOT ONLY GOING TO HURT THE PORT IN RECRUITING NEW COMPANIES TO COME TO SAN ANTONIO, BUT IT IS GOING TO HURT GLOBALLY. I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING. [01:05:01] THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. ELIZABETH CEDILLO FOLLOWED BY JACK VEXLER. >> CEDILLO FOLLOWED BY JACK VEXLER. NO ELIZABETH? JACK VEXLER. JUSTIN. >> HE HAD TO LEAVE. >> GARCIA: ALFRED ROCHA. AND SO DEBORAH FOLLOWED BY PATTY ZION. SHE'S SPEAKING ON THIS ITEM TOO? >> HELLO. MY NAME IS DEBORAH PONCE AND I'M THE DISTRICT 4 REPRESENTATIVE ON THE TASK FORCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR TEAM, OUR TASK FORCE FOR WORKING SO HARD ALL THIS TIME. THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING US THIS OPPORTUNITY. NUMBER ONE, I WANT TO SAY OUR TASK FORCE HAS NEVER BEEN AGAINST RECYCLING BUSINESSES. THAT'S NEVER BEEN OUR GOAL. I HEAR LOSSES AND LOSSES. THAT'S NOT TRUE. WE WANT THE RECYCLING FACILITIES BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE OUR EARTH. YOU KNOW, IT'S AN IMPORTANT FACTOR. OUR ONLY FOCUS HAS BEEN TO STOP THE ORDINARY POLLUTION AND REPEATED FIRES THAT COMMUNITY HAS BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. LOTS OF PARTICULATE MATTER IS COMING OUT COVERING CARS. AND WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE BETTER NEIGHBORS. WE ARE UPDATING THE CODES AND NOT SHUTTING ANYONE DOWN. SPECIFICALLY I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE SECTION REFERENCING ZONING REQUIREMENTS. THE NEW PROPOSED LANGUAGE WOULD ALLOW NON-CONFORMING USE AUTO RECYCLERS TO EXPAND WITHIN THEIR EXISTING BOUNDARIES. THAT DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE THIS ALLOWANCE. THIS WOULD BE NEW TO THE CODE AND WOULD BE IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH THE ADOPTED ZONING COMMISSION LAWS THAT WE ALREADY HAVING IN OUR CITY. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS A ZONING COMMISSION AND THEY HAVE WORKED HARD TO CREATE LAWS THAT REQUIRE A PROCESS. THE PROCESS IS LISTED HERE AND IT CONSIDERS THINGS LIKE THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES, THE SAFETY, THE WELFARE OF PEOPLE, PUBLIC POLICY, AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS FOR THE AREAS IN WHICH THESE ZONING OR THESE RECYCLERS EXIST. WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THOSE STEPS. AND BY ADDING EXCEPTIONS INTO THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS IN THIS DOCUMENT, THAT'S GOING TO DO THAT. I CHECKED IT OUT. THAT BASICALLY ERASES THE CONFLICTING RULES ON EXPANSIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WHEN YOU GET TO THAT SECTION, WE NEED YOU TO PAY EXTREME -- I GUESS REALLY LOOK AT THAT SECTION TO MAKE SURE THAT IT -- EVERYBODY GOES BACK TO THE ZONING REGS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THAT WILL KEEP US SAFE. THE LAST THING I WANT TO ADD IS PILE HEIGHTS. WHEN YOU GET TO THE SECTION ON PILE HEIGHTS, THERE'S PILE HEIGHTS FOR METAL AND THERE'S PILE HEIGHTS FOR FLUFF OR AUTO RESIDUE. IT'S THE LEFTOVER PARTS AFTER THE RECYCLING PROCESS HAPPENS. THAT IS WHAT GETS AIRBORNE. THAT IS WHAT FLOWS INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND IS POSSIBLY INHALED BY PEOPLE NEARBY. WE NEED PILE HEIGHTS LOWER THAN METAL BECAUSE THAT'S AIRBORNE. THANK YOU. >> YOU KNOW WHO I AM. I AM ALSO -- BUT I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THIS TASK FORCE AND I APPRECIATE MARINA APPOINTING ME TO THIS TASK FORCE BECAUSE DISTRICT 7 HAS TWO RECYCLING ENTITIES WITHIN OUR DISTRICT . IT WAS VERY INTERESTING BEING ON THIS TASK FORCE. IT WAS VERY INTERESTING BEING ON THE SIGN CODE TASK FORCE AND TO TRY TO CONNECT THE TWO WAS VERY INTERESTING ABOUT HOW THE CITY OPERATES. I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IN THIS PROCESS BECAUSE IT WAS ARDUOUS. THE HOURS SPENT ON THESE DISCUSSIONS AND TRYING TO OBTAIN BALANCE BETWEEN THE INDUSTRY AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS. THE INDUSTRY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I'M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW. BACK WHEN ARNESON THEATER AND THE RIVER WALK WERE BEING DEVELOPED, THE MAJORITY OF THE DEBRIS EXCAVATED FROM THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AT THE RIVER BEND WAS, GUESS WHAT? CAR PARTS. SO WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN AGAIN. WE DON'T WANT RESTRICTIONS BEING SO ARDUOUS THAT THE CAR PARTS RECYCLERS ARE HAVING [01:10:04] DIFFICULTY DOING THAT. I KNOW ON BULK PICKUP DAY WHERE ALL OF THAT STUFF GOES. IT GOES TO THE RECYCLERS. I DON'T WANT THAT IN OUR LANDFILL. BUT AS A PRESERVATIONIST AND A CONSERVATIONIST, THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THESE AREAS CAN QUALIFY FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION. SO WE HAVE TO ACHIEVE THE BALANCE OF PROTECTING THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHILE ALLOWING THE INDUSTRY ENTITIES TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE, PROCESS, AND MOVE OUT ALL OF THE METALS THAT WOULD END UP IN OUR LANDFILL. SO I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT AGAIN TO THE CITY STAFF THAT SPENT HOURS ON THIS, AND IT WAS KIND OF A SHIFT OF GEARS BECAUSE MIKE WAS SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THEN HE HAD TO COME BACK AND AMIN DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. HE'S NOT HERE. BUT I WANT TO SAY PLEASE CONSIDER THE BALANCE THAT YOU NEED WHEN YOU'RE VOTING ON THIS MOTION. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: JULIAN VILLAREAL FOLLOWED BY CHRISTINA RAMIREZ. JULIAN? CHRISTINA RAMIREZ FOLLOWED BY EDUARDO. NOPE? THANK YOU, CHRISTINA. >> HELLO. GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS CHRISTINA RAMIREZ AND I'M PROUDLY REPRESENTING THE RAMIREZ FAMILY, OWNER, OPERATORS OF NINE METAL RECYCLING AND USED AUTO PARTS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF SAN ANTONIO DISTRICT 3, 4, AND 5. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE CREATION OF THE TASK FORCE. I BELIEVE IT HAS PROVIDED BOTH MEMBERS HERE TODAY AND COMMUNITY WITH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. BEHIND EVERY RECYCLING BUSINESS, WE ARE WORKING HARD WITH FAMILIES, DEDICATED EMPLOYEES WHO LOVE SAN ANTONIO AND WANT TO SEE IT THRIVE. OUR FACILITIES DON'T RUN ON BUSINESS, WE RUN ON COMMUNITY. METAL RECYCLING IS A LIFELINE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. WE SERVE EVERYONE FROM WORKING FAMILIES TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TRYING TO COVER PAYROLL TO CITY CREWS CLEARING ABANDONED VEHICLES OFF THE STREETS TO CONSTRUCTION WORKERS CLEANING OUT ABANDONED BUILDINGS OR ONCE HOMES. EVERY SINGLE DAY S SAN ANTONIANS BRING WASHERS, DRYERS, AND STAINLESS STEEL PANS THEY COOKED FAMILY MEALS WITH. THESE ITEMS ARE LEFT OUT FOR BULK PICKUP AND BEING RECYCLED BY OUR COMMUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT CLEARING SPACE OR MAKING EXTRA MONEY, WE ARE REDUCING FROM MANUFACTURING NEW MATERIAL WHICH SAVES NATURE RESOURCES AND ENERGY. IT LOWERS GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION, KEEPS WASTE OUT OF OUR LANDFILLS, AND HELPS CLEAN OUR CITY AND NEIGHBORHOODS. ECONOMICALLY, METAL RECYCLING CREATES LOCAL JOBS, SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES BUT PUTS MONEY DIRECTLY BACK INTO SAN ANTONIO FAMILIES. I WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THE SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR FAMILY'S TOP PRIORITY. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT, TCEQ, SAWS, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, DPS, TO NAME A FEW DEPARTMENTS THAT WE ARE COMPLIANT WITH AT ALL TIMES. I ALSO WANTED TO PERSONALLY THANK MS. CASTILLO. SHE HAS VISITED OUR RECYCLING ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO AND SHE SAW ALL OF OUR WORK THAT WE DID. AND I INVITE CITY FUTURE MEMBERS. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MS. RAMIREZ. EDUARDO IBARRA FOLLOWED BY CYNTHIA GARCIA. IS EDUARDO HERE? ALL RIGHT. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS EDUARDO IBARRA. I WANTED TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS REACH PROGRAM AND HOW IT WOULD WORK. DO THE VOUCHERS GO TO THE GI FORUM OR WHAT ENTITY? HOW WOULD THEY BE DISSEMINATED? THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT NEED ASKING. THE REASON BEING YOU FIND YOURSELF SOMETIMES IN SITUATIONS YOU WISH YOU WEREN'T IN. GOOD CASE IN POINT, YOU HAD ONE SOLDIER WHO RETIRED OUT OF THE MILITARY, FELL ON HARD TIMES, ENDED UP HOMELESS UNDER A BRIDGE SOMEWHERE HERE DOWNTOWN. WENT TO THE VA OVER THERE, FRANK TEJEDA, THE VA SAID GO SEE THE GI FORUM AND THEY'LL GET YOU TAKEN CARE OF. ONCE HE GOT TO THE GI FORUM, THEY ASKED FOR A COPY OF THE AWARD LETTER. THE AWARD LETTER SAID YOU WERE GIVEN 100%. THAT WAS THE RATING. THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THE VETERAN HAD BEEN RELEASED FROM [01:15:04] THE MILITARY IN DECEMBER. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED IN JANUARY. AS ANYBODY KNOWS WITHIN THE MILITARY COMMUNITY, IF YOU HAVE A LETTER FROM THE VA IT DOESN'T GUARANTEE MONEY IN THE BANK TODAY. SO THERE'S A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE THAT VETERAN DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING. SO TOO MUCH RED TAPE. SO AGAIN I ASK THE QUESTION, HOW IS THIS PROCESS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND AT THE SAME TOKEN, IS THIS PROGRAM, THIS REACH PROGRAM, GOING TO IMPACT VETERANS WHILE IMPACTING NEGATIVELY ANOTHER FAMILY WHO COULD BENEFIT GREATER? AS VETERANS WE STILL WANT TO CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY. A GOOD MAJORITY OF US WILL STILL DO IT. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. CYNTHIA GARCIA FOLLOWED BY AARON HAWN. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS. EYE NAME IS CYNTHIA GARCIA AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE AMERICAN GI FORUM OF BEXAR COUNTY. COMING BEFORE YOU BEFORE YOU MAKE ANY CHANGES IN REFERENCE TO OUR VETERANS, I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER THE CRITICAL POLICY TO END THE SOURCE OF INCOME DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE VETERANS BECAUSE THEY ARE USING HOUSING VOUCHERS. SO WE NEED TO REMIND YOU, I NEED TO REMIND YOU THAT WE BROUGHT THIS BEFORE YOU OR THE COUNCIL BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2023. SO IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF ALREADY AND WE'RE STILL COVERING THE SAME ISSUES. BUT WE HAVE PROVIDED DATA, TESTIMONY AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO SUPPORT ENDING THIS DISCRIMINATION. WE PROVIDED CLEAR DATA SHOWING VETERANS ARE BEING DISPROPORTIONATELY PUSHED INTO LOW-OPPORTUNITY AREAS DUE TO VOUCHER DISCRIMINATION. WE HAVE SUBMITTED PROOF AND I THINK MOST OF YOU ALL HAVE RECEIVED OUR SPREAD SHEETS SHOWING THAT OVER 1900 RENTAL LISTINGS WHERE LANDLORDS OPENLY MARKET THEY DO NOT ACCEPT HOUSING VOUCHERS REGARDLESS OF THE APPLICANT'S BACKGROUND. THESE ARE LIKE SAYING NO TO A HOMELESS REGION, NO ONE IS ALLOWED. WE ARE ASKING YOU PASS THIS POLICY OR THINK ABOUT USING THIS POLICY TO DO THIS. VETERANS HAVE SUBMITTED LETTERS, PERSONAL TESTIMONY. I VERY CLOSE TO 1,000 SIGNATURES ON THE PETITION SUPPORTING THE END OF THIS DISCRIMINATION TO OUR VETERANS. THIS COMMITTEE ALSO REFERRED IT TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION SO WE WORKED WITH THEM, GAINED THEIR UNANIMOUS APPROVAL, AND NOW WE'RE BACK HERE. WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE ASKED OF US. ALL WE WANT TO DO IS THAT YOU TAKE OUR VETERANS INTO ACCOUNT, JUST TELLING THEM THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE IS NOT ENOUGH. AND IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE BEING THAT MILITARY CITY THAT WE TOUT SO WELL, I THINK THAT IF WE STAND BEHIND OUR VETERANS AND LET THEM USE THEIR HOUSING VOUCHERS, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN TREAT THEM, ADMINISTER CERTAIN PROOFS TO THEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. PLEASE CONSIDER OUR PROPOSAL. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. AARON HAWN FOLLOWED BY BRANDON BANDERA. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ERIN HAWN WITH TEXAS HOUSERS, A STATEWIDE NON-PROFIT THAT WORKS TO ENSURE LOW-INCOME TEXANS HAVE ACCESS TO LOW-INCOME HOUSING. WE SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT NHSD IS BRINGING FORWARD TODAY AND COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO'S VOUCHER INCENTIVES, CCR. THOSE ARE IMPORTANT STEPS TO IMPROVE THE VOUCHER SYSTEM IN SAN ANTONIO. IN ADDITION WE URGE THE CITY TO CONSIDER A SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTION FOR VETERANS WHO USE VOUCHERS WHICH WOULD PROHIBIT LANDLORDS DENYING SOLELY BECAUSE HE IS A VETERAN. SOURCE OF INCOME DISCRIMINATION IS WIDESPREAD AND THE LAST DATA SHOWS ONLY 7.8% OF RENTAL LISTINGS IN SAN ANTONIO ACCEPT VOUCHERS. IN 2022, VETERANS ARE ESPECIALLY IMPACTED. OVER 70% OF VOUCHER HOLDERS IN SAN ANTONIO ARE CONCENTRATED IN AREAS OF HIGH SOCIAL VULNERABILITY AND 84% LIVE IN MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING. TEXAS HOUSERS HEARS FROM VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES THEY WANT QUIET OR MORE ESSENTIAL SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES BUT -- OR ACCESSIBLE SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES. WE SHOULD ASK ARE THE [01:20:01] VETERANS ABLE TO USE THEIR VOUCHERS TO ACCESS THE KIND OF HOMES AND COMMUNITIES THAT SUPPORT WELL-BEING AND CLOSE TO CRITICAL RESOURCES LIKE THE V.A. HOSPITAL AND GOOD SCHOOLS FOR THEIR KIDS. FEWER THAN 800 VETERANS USE VOUCHERS. THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY AND DESERVE THE DIGNITY OF A HOME THAT MEETS THEIR NEEDS. WE ENCOURAGE CONTINUOUS DISCUSSION ALONGSIDE THE REACH RECOMMENDATIONS IN COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO'S VOUCHER CCR. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL, I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THE HOUSING VOUCHERS AND AGAINST THE DISCRIMINATION OF THE SELECTION OF THOSE VOUCHERS AND WHERE THE FUNDING COMES FROM. I'D LIKE TO POINT TO DISTRICTS LIKE DENTON AND FORT WORTH WHERE THEY'VE ALREADY SEEN SUCCESS. ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE DISCRIMINATION, THE -- MANAGING PARTNERS OF THESE HOUSING PLACES, THEY ALSO HAVE LIKE A WHOLE SLEW OF THEIR OWN CRITERIA THAT THE VETERANS STILL HAVE TO BE VETTED. SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU ARE GETTING SOME, YOU KNOW, KIND OF RIFFRAFF OR ANYTHING LIKE THIS. YOU ARE GETTING PEOPLE THAT ARE UPWARDLY MOBILE AND THERE'S ANOTHER THING ABOUT THESE VETERANS AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT THAT ARE LOOKING FOR THESE SPACES. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY I PERSONALLY RECEIVED A HUD VOUCHER HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND TO BE BETTER, YOU HAVE TO SEE BETTER. AND NOW I'VE JUST CLOSED ON A HOME HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. SO THAT IS A SUCCESS IN ITSELF. AND SEEING THAT FOR OTHER VETERANS I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I ALSO THINK THAT WHEN YOU ARE GETTING THESE VETERANS, A LOT OF THESE VETERANS ARE COMING WITH A PRESENCE AND STABILITY. PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS, LOOKING OUT FOR WAYS THEY CAN HELP -- THIS OTHER GENTLEMAN MENTIONED HOW VETERANS ARE PRIME TO SERVE. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S INSTILLED FROM AN EARLY TIME IN THEIR SERVICE AND THAT STAYS WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFETIMES. SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SAY ON THAT TODAY. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. PETE BERNAL FOLLOWED BY ALLISON COHEN. >> CHAIR MEMBER, COMMITTEE, I'M COMMANDER OF THE AMERICAN GI FORUM OF BEXAR COUNTY. I REPRESENT THE VETERANS WHO DO NOT COMPLAIN, SO SUCK IT UP AND DRIVE ON. I'M HERE FOR THEM FOR I BELIEVE NO VETERAN SHOULD BE DENIED HOUSING SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY USE A VOUCHER. LANDLORDS REJECT VOUCHER HOLDERS NOT JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE UNQUALIFIED BUT BECAUSE THEY PAY RENT WITH THE VOUCHER. IT FORCES VETERANS TO HIGH-CRIME AREAS AND UNFAIR AND QUALITY SCHOOLS. AND JUST NOT FAIR. IT'S HARMFUL. MANY VETERANS LOSE THEIR VOUCHERS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND WHERE TO LIVE AND THEY RUN OUT OF TIME. THEY WANT THE PLACES WHERE GOOD SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES AND THEY ARE NOT TRAPPED WITHIN THE CYCLES THAT WERE MEANT TO BE BROKEN BECAUSE THEY JOINED THE MILITARY. THIS LETS CITIES LIKE SAN ANTONIO PROTECT VETERANS FROM BEING TURNED AWAY. IT DOESN'T FORCE LANDLORDS TO RENT TO ANY UNQUALIFIED, IT STOPS BLANKET DISCRIMINATION. EVERY DAY 22 VETERANS DIE FROM SUICIDE. ONE OF THE HOUSES INSTABILITY IS PART OF THAT CRISIS. WE NEED TO REMOVE ONE BARRIER LIKE THE VOUCHER DISCRIMINATION. WE GIVE VETERANS A REAL SHOT FOR RECOVERY AND DIGNITY AND STABILITY. VETERANS ARE NOT ASKING FOR HANDOUT, JUST A FAIR SHOT. A SAFE HOME, A DECENT NEIGHBORHOOD AND PLACE WHERE THEIR KIDS CAN THRIVE. LET'S END THE VOUCHER DISCRIMINATION AND GIVE VETERANS THE FOUNDATION THEY EARNED. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: ALLISON COHEN. >> GOOD MORNING, MEMBERS OF THE PCDC COMMITTEE -- SAME THING. I'M WITH THE SAN ANTONIO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, AND FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE REACH COMMITTEE FOR INVITING US TO BE PART OF THE COMMITTEE. OUR REPRESENTATIVES HELPED WITH THE EXPANDED GROUP OF STAKES HOLDERS AND THE HOUSING COMMISSION TO NARROW THE LIST TO NINE PRIORITIZED RECOMMENDATION. FROM OUR INNERRINGS ON THE COMMITTEE WITH THE OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AND UNDERSTANDING THE NEED FOR INCREASING RENTAL ASSISTANCE RATINGS, OUR MEMBERS FIND THESE NINE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AND ACTED UPON BEFORE TAKING ANY [01:25:04] OTHER POLICY ENDEAVORS. THEY WERE THOUGHTFULLY CREATED TO HELP MORE HOUSING PROVIDERS BE ABLE TO ACCEPT VOUCHERS FROM ANY VOUCHER HOLDER SO THAT NO GROUP IS LEFT BEHIND. I'D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND HER NEW CCR, COSA VOUCHES. THAT WILL BE A TIMELY AND MEANINGFUL TOOL FOR HELPING HOUSING PROVIDERS BE ABLE ACCEPT VOUCHERS FROM ALL VOUCHER HOLDERS. IN THE CITY'S NON-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE TO PROTECT THEM IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MS. COHEN. MANUEL MORALES. >> THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE. I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MONTERREY IRON. I WAS EMPLOYED WITH THEM FOR A LITTLE OVER FIVE YEARS. I LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY -- WHERE THEY ARE CURRENTLY LOCATE. MY PARENTS STILL LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY. I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND AND RECEIVE GRADUATE DEGREE AND MASTER'S DEGREE BECAUSE OF THEIR SPONSORSHIP OF MY EDUCATION AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT. NOW MY POSITION THERE WAS SAFETY DIRECTOR. I WAS IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THAT THE EMPLOYEES IN OUR COMPANY WAS -- MET STANDARDS FROM THE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL. I SPECIFICALLY DEALT WITH OSHA AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AT THE STATE LEVEL I DEALT WITH AT THE TIME -- I THINK NOW IT'S TCEQ. I DEALT WITH CODE COMPLIANCE AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE MAKING SURE THAT WE PREVENTED ANY TYPE OF HARM TO THE ENVIRONMENT WAS CRUCIAL FOR THE COMPANY. WE CELEBRATED EARTH DAY EVERY YEAR. EVERY NOW AND THEN I WOULD PLANT TREES AROUND THE PROPERTY AND THAT WAS A STAPLE OF WHAT WE CARED FOR. WE CARED FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE EMPLOYEES. NOW THERE'S A SAYING THIS PAST BEHAVIOR IS A GOOD PREDICTOR OF FUTURE BEHAVIOR. AND I CAN TELL THIS COMMITTEE AND THE TASK FORCE THAT WHILE I WAS THERE, WE WERE VERY TRANSPARENT AND WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE COMMUNITY WITH OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WERE AROUND THE COMMUTE. WE UTILIZED THEM FOR A LOT OF SERVICES. I REMEMBER ONE TIME TAKING SOME -- A CHECK OVER TO THE SAMMINISTRIES AND IT WAS A VERY LARGE AMOUNT FROM THE COMPANY. THEY WERE HEAVILY INVESTED IN PROVIDING FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE THAT WERE IN NEED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. I ALSO REMEMBER THAT THEIR MOTTO WAS TO -- THEY NEVER LAID OFF AN EMPLOYEE. THEY FOUND WAYS TO GO AROUND IT. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF MONTERREY IRON. >> GARCIA: WE HAVE THREE MORE. >> >> >> GARCIA: OMAR RIVERA. >> HELLO, GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS OMAR RIVERA AND I'M AN ENGINEER FOR MONTERREY METAL RECYCLING SOLUTIONS. I JOINED THE TEAM IN FEBRUARY OF 2024 AND SINCE THEN I'VE SEEN SOME REALLY BIG CHANGES. THERE'S NEW TECHNOLOGY, IMPROVED SAFETY, MORE SUSTAINABILITY AND A STRONG FOCUS ON CONTINUING -- CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. FOR ME WORKING HERE ISN'T JUST ABOUT HAVING A JOB. I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE PART OF SOMETHING THAT HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE WORLD. AND THIS PLACE HAS BECOME THAT FOR ME. WITH MY BACKGROUND, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING TECHNOLOGY INTO THE MIX TO SOLVE REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS AND IMPROVE HOW WE WORK. RECYCLING METAL DOESN'T JUST REDUCE WASTE. IT HELPS PROTECT RESOURCES, SUPPORT LOCAL JOBS. IT ALSO ENCOURAGES RECYCLING IN THE CITY INSTEAD OF PLACING METAL IN THE LANDFILLS OR WASTING AND USING RESOURCES TO GET THEM ELSEWHERE OR TAKE THEM ELSEWHERE. AND THIS IS GOING TO BE ON THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I'M PROUD TO BE PART OF THE COMPANY AND THE COMMUNITY THAT'S WORKING TOWARDS SOMETHING BIGGER. AND I'M ALSO PROUD TO BE WORKING FOR SOMEONE LIKE JORDAN AND THE VEXLER FAMILIES. JORDAN IS TRYING TO MAINTAIN OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH EVERYBODY AND ALL THE [01:30:03] EMPLOYEES AND NOT TO MENTION SHE'S COMPLETELY FLUENT IN SPANISH SO THEY CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT. I ALSO WANTED TO ADD TO THE ASR AND FLUFF ALSO PART OF THE SAFETY COMMITTEE AND WE HAVE A FIRE PREVENTION PLAN IN PLACE. WE ALSO HAVE POLICIES THAT REGULATE THE HEIGHTS FOR BOTH MATERIALS ASR AND FLUFF, AND WE DO FOLLOW THOSE PLANS ACCORDINGLY. THANK YOU FOR SHARING -- FOR LETTING ME SHARE THIS STORY. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MR. RIVERA. >> I KNOW MOST OF YOU ALL, BUT I DON'T COME OFTEN BEFORE YOUR COUNCIL, BUT THIS TIME IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO COME BEFORE YOU ALL BECAUSE I'M HERE TO SUPPORT MONTERREY. MONTERREY HAS BEEN THERE FOR MANY YEARS, AND I WANT TO PUT OUT HERE THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THIS BUSINESS, WE NEED TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. THE REASON IS THAT WE NEED TO BE A ROLE MODEL. WE NEED TO MAKE OUR CITY OF SAN ANTONIO A ROLE MODEL SO THEY CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE OUR OWN BUSINESSES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. WE DO NOT NEED OTHER BUSINESSES TO COME TO SAN ANTONIO AND START THEIR BUSINESS. WE NEED TO KEEP OUR BUSINESS. WE NEED TO SAVE OUR BUSINESSES. AND NOT ONLY THAT, THE WHOLE PURPOSE IS THESE BUSINESSES IN SAN ANTONIO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR MANY YEARS. THEIR YEARS EXPRESS THEIR EXPERIENCE AND HOW MANY YEARS THEY'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS CAN SPEAK TO THEY'VE BEEN FOLLOWING GUIDELINES WITH THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL AND I HOPE YOU ALL CONSIDER ALL THESE PROPOSALS THAT THEY PUT IN THERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE ALL THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP WITH THESE MEETINGS AUDIO] IT WAS A WASTE OF TIME. I FEEL BAD FOR ALL THESE BUSINESS OWNERS THAT WERE THERE BECAUSE IT WAS A WASTE OF TIME. EVERYTHING THAT WAS BEING SAID WAS REPEATED. ALL THESE PROPOSALS THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO THROW IN THERE, I FEEL LIKE IT WAS A PERSONAL TACTIC AGAINST ALL THESE PERSONAL OWNERS. AND I SAY THIS BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN FOR MANY YEARS IN BUSINESS AND I KNOW THEY HAVE FEDERAL AND STATE REQUIREMENTS. IF THEY ARE IN BUSINESS, THEY ARE DOING GOOD. NOT ONLY THAT, THEY ARE PROVIDING JOBS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, FOR OUR FAMILIES. OUR CHILDREN NEED THESE BUSINESSES IN ORDER TO GET FED AND HAVE A HOME BECAUSE ALL THESE BUSINESSES HAVE JOBS FOR THEM. I DON'T BELIEVE I HAVE JOBS FOR THEM IF THEY WERE TO SHUT DOWN THIS BUSINESS AND I DON'T BELIEVE YOU HAVE JOBS FOR ALL THESE FAMILIES. I'M CONSIDERING YOU TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THIS BECAUSE IT HELPS THE FAMILIES. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. >> >> I AM A -- ONE OF THE FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT I'M HERE SPEAKING FOR, THE RECYCLING COMPANIES. I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE REGULATION TO OVER REGULAR LATE THAT IT DOESN'T BE. I WAS ONE OF THE FAMILIES WHEN YOU ARE STRUGGLING, YOU DO LOOK TO DIFFERENT WAYS OF, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING YOUR FAMILY. SO THESE PEOPLE, THESE COMPANIES HAVE A LOT OF FAMILIES THEY SUPPORT. THE FOOD THAT IS ON THEIR TABLE, THE BILLS THAT GET PAID. I WAS THE ONE WHEN I WAS STRUGGLING, I TURNED TO DOING RECYCLING. THEIR MACHINIST AT BIG COMPANIES LIKE ALLIED CASTERS, THEY HAVE HUGE MACHINERY THEY ARE NOT GOING TO USE ANYMORE. THEY WERE ONE OF THE YOU -- ONE OF THE ONES THAT SAID WE'RE NOT USING THIS, IF YOU WANT TO COME AND PICK IT UP. A LOT OF FAMILY IN SAN ANTONIO THAT STRUGGLES, YOU WILL SEE THE TRUCKS AND SEE THEM PICKING UP WATCHERS, THINGS THAT PEOPLE THROW OUT THERE. SOME PEOPLE EVEN WILL PUT MAYBE THE METAL THERE THAT THEY KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO COME PICK IT UP. IT'S MONEY TO HELP THEM SURVIVE BECAUSE SAN ANTONIO IS HAVING TROUBLE, YOU KNOW, WITH BUSINESSES AND THE JOBS. ANYWAY, SO I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR THE RECYCLING AND HOPING YOU GUYS CONSIDER ALL THE BUSINESSES, ALL THE FAMILIES THAT YOU WILL AFFECT WHEN YOU MAKE DECISIONS LIKE EITHER TRYING TO OVER REGULATE OR TRYING TO TAKE THE BUSINESSES AWAY. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. >> >> GARCIA: AND THEN THE WRITTEN ONE? GO AHEAD. [01:35:01] >> I'M NOT HERE TO SAY RECYCLING SHOULD GO AWAY, THAT'S RIDICULOUS. MONTERREY IS NECESSARY FOR THE COMMUNITY. RECYCLING IS NECESSARY FOR THE COMMUNITY. I'M HERE TO SAY THAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THERE'S NO DEFINITIONS ON SHREDDERS. WE CANNOT COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHAT SHREDDERS ARE ABOUT. I THINK THEY PRESENTED THESE PACKAGES TODAY OF THEIR INDUSTRY HAVING DEFINITIONS OF SHREDDERS. WE JUST WOULD LIKE SOME KIND OF REGULATIONS. THEY ARE THE FIRST ONE HERE BUT PROBABLY NOT THE LAST ONE SO WE WOULD LIKE SOME REGULATIONS. ANOTHER COMMENT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS THAT WHAT MAKES THESE RECYCLING CENTERS EXEMPT OR SO SPECIAL, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS OUTLAWED OR NOT ALLOWED CORRUGATED METAL FENCING, WE PUT IN AN EXCEPTION FOR RIKERS TO HAVE THEM. MOST -- RECYCLERS TO HAVE THEM. CANNOT EXPAND IF THEY HAVE NON-CONFORMING USE, WHAT MAKES THESE PEOPLE SO SPECIAL. THERE'S AN EXCEPTION FOR USED AUTO PARTS RECYCLERS. I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AS DEBRA ASKED AND THAT'S IT, THAT'S MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. FINALLY WE HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT SUBMITTED BY BETH STANDIFER. I'M SORRY. I'M OPPOSED TO HAVING SUCH A PROGRAM IN THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN AREA FOR SEVERAL REASONS, CREATING VISUAL CLUTTER THAT HAS HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF BEING USED FOR ADVERTISING RATHER THAN ART. THE CITY AND MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT MANNERS. I OBJECT TO CITY ENDORSING ADDITIONAL ELECTRICITY WHEN OUR ELECTRICAL GRID IS STRAINED EACH SUMMER AND WINTER. [Briefing and Possible Action on  ] THANK YOU. WE WILL MOVE ON TO TO ACTUAL ITEM OR THE ACTUAL ITEMS AND THE FIRST ITEM IS THE DIGITAL MEDIA AND ARTS PROGRAM PRESENTED BY MIKE SHANNON. IT'S ALL YOURS. >> SHANNON: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND COUNCILMEMBERS. I'M MIKE SHANK SHANNON AND ITEM 2 IS FURTHER THE DISCUSSION. >> THE DIGITAL MEDIA AND ARTS PILOT PRESUME. YOU HAVE HEARD THIS A FEW TIMES AND I'LL JUST WALK THROUGH IT. YOU'VE SEEN THIS, THIS COMMITTEE HAS SEEN THIS A FEW TIMES IN DIFFERENT VARIATIONS. BACK IN JANUARY 2022, STAFF WAS APPROACHED BY UP FRONT MEDIA AND THE URBAN ACTION INSTITUTE TO LOOK FOR THE CITY TO CREATE A PROGRAM SOME OTHER CITIES HAVE. IT WOULD ALLOW DIGITAL OFF-PREMISE ADVERTISING ON EXISTING BUILDINGS AND DESIGNATED AREAS AND ABSOLUTELY REQUIRE A CHANGE TO CHAPTER 28 THAT'S NOT ALLOWED TODAY. IT WAS PRESENTED AS A PROPOSAL IN THE LAST SIGN CODE UPDATE PROCESS. THAT CODE COMMITTEE WAS LOOKING AT VERY TECHNICAL ITEMS ON CODE STUFF. I THINK ONE OF THE SPEAKERS MENTIONED POLICY DISCUSSION IN TERMS OF THIS NEW PROGRAM. SO WE WERE HERE IN MARCH '23 AS PART OF THE CHAPTER 28 CODE UPDATE PROCESS. THE COMMITTEE ASKED PLEASE KEEP WORKING ON IT, BRING IT BACK AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE. WE DID IN JANUARY 2024. WE SAID WE WOULD DO SOME COMMUNITY MEETINGS, STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH. WE DID ALL THAT. WE WERE BACK HERE PLASMA, RESULTS OF A STAKEHOLDER SURVEY. OVER 500 RESPONSES. 75% SAID NO THANK YOU, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS. 25 SAID YES. I THINK I WOULD BE OKAY WITH THAT WITH SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AS TO WHAT TO PROTECT. WE'LL INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF THE PROPOSAL TODAY. YOUR COMMITTEE ASKED US TO COME BACK AFTER THE DISCUSSION WHICH WE ARE DOING TODAY WITH A FEW OPTIONS TO CONSIDER ON SOME OF THE VARIABLES AND WHAT THE PROGRAM COULD LOOK LIKE. ALSO THERE WAS COMMENTS ABOUT TXDOT SO WE'VE HAD A MEETING WITH THEM TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD BE A ROLE IN THIS. SO I THINK YOU'VE SEEN PICTURES LIKE THIS. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE. THESE ARE OTHER CITIES. WE'RE JUST THROWING THIS UP. THAT COULD BE A PARKING GARAGE THAT HAD ONE OF THESE DIGITAL DISPLAYS. THERE'S ANOTHER PICTURE BOTTOM LEFT, THE SIZE AND LOOK AND FEEL OF THEM COULD [01:40:03] DIFFER, OF COURSE. SO POTENTIAL BENEFITS, ACTIVATION OF SPACES, CERTAINLY REVENUE SHARE. THAT'S ONE OF THE ITEMS WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, WOULD THE CITY GET A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF GROSS REVENUE FROM THE ADVERTISEMENT ON THESE. USE IT FOR ARTS OR OTHER GENERAL FUND PROGRAMS. WE WOULD GET A TIME SHARE, PUBLIC ART. LIGHTING, CONTROL OVER SOME CONTENT RESTRICTIONS, THINGS LIKE BRIGHTNESS, THE TIMES TO BE ON CARBON NEUTRALITY WOULD BE PART OF THE PROGRAM. THIS IS JUST A TIME LINE THAT I MENTIONED. WE'VE BEEN WORKING SINCE '22, BUT HERE SINCE '24. WE'VE DONE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, IN PERSONAL AND VIRTUAL. THE REMAINING WILL BE TO BE DETERMINED AFTER TODAY. SOME OF THE OUTREACH A LITTLE MORE SPELLED OUT. THOSE SPECIFIC MEETINGS WE HELD BACK IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR, 2024, AND THEN APRIL AND MAY WE WERE MEETING WITH MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS, SOME OF THEM ON THE LIST AND ORGANIZATIONS. SO VERY SPECIFICALLY, NOW WE START GETTING INTO WHAT THE PROGRAM WOULD LOOK LIKE. THESE ARE THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS WE WOULD BUILD INTO THE PROGRAM. THEY ARE NOT VARIABLES, NOT OPTIONS. CERTAINLY YOU ALL COULD SAY WHETHER YOU LIKE THEM OR DON'T. WE WOULD CREATE A SHORT PILOT PROGRAM. I'M COMFORTABLE CALLING IT A PILOT PROGRAM BECAUSE WE WOULD LOOK AT IT TWO YEARS, OFFER A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF THESE PERMITS, THESE DISPLAYS TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH MAJOR ART PROGRAMS. A TWO-YEAR PROGRAM, ALLOW A MAXIMUM NUMBER. CITY WOULD GET A PERCENTAGE REVENUE, PERCENTAGE TIME SHARE ON THE DIGITAL DISPLAY. WE WOULD REQUIRE A MAJOR ART COMPONENT WITH EACH OF THESE DIGITAL DISPLAYS. GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF OUR ARTS DEPARTMENT AND/OR A COMPANY LIKE CENTRO OR OTHER IF IT'S DOWNTOWN. THAT WAS ONE OF THE OPTIONS. WE WOULD HAVE SOME SIZE LIMITATIONS, PROBABLY 25% OF THE BUILDING FACADE. CARBON NEUTRAL. PROTECTION OF CERTAIN AREAS. THIS IS KEY. CERTAINLY SOME AREAS LIKE CAN'T BE SEEN FROM THE RIVERWALK. NOT ON HISTORIC DESIGNATED STRUCTURE. IF IT'S IN THE OVERLAY HAS TO GO THROUGH HDRC AND REVIEW PROCESS THAT'S ON THE BOOKS TODAY. CERTAINLY COMPLYING WITH TXDOT RULES WHERE APPLICABLE. WE TOOK YOUR FEEDBACK FROM LAST MEETING AND TRIED TO PUT TOGETHER SOME OF THE OPTIONS TO CONSIDER. I'VE LISTED THEM AS OPTIONS A, B AND C, BUT THROUGH OUR DISCUSSION TODAY IF YOU LIKE ONE BUT YOU LIKE TO MERGE A LITTLE BIT OF ANOTHER, BUT THAT'S THE FEEDBACK. REVENUE SHARE WAS A BIG TOPIC OF CONVERSATION. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REVENUE SHARE, IT WOULD BE THE GROSS REVENUE THAT A COMPANY WOULD MAKE THROUGH ADVERTISING. THAT GROSS PERCENTAGE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE GIVEN TO THE CITY. IF YOU REMEMBER, LAST MONTH WE TALKED ABOUT 20%, BUT THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT POSSIBLY ONLY 10% OF REVENUE SHARE. MAYBE AFTER A PILOT AFTER IT'S EXTENDED GROWING TO 15%. 15% WAS ANOTHER COMMENT. WE TALKED ABOUT 20%, CITY STAFF SAID WE COULD PROBABLY GO UP TO 30%, BUT FOR NOW I'M JUST SHOWING THE 20% THAT WE SHOWED LAST TIME. THE REVENUE SPLIT. SO THE MONEY THAT THE CITY GETS, WHERE WOULD IT GO? IT START WITH A LOT OF CONSTITUTION WITH IT SHOULD GO TO OUR ARTS, ARTS DEPARTMENT IN SAN ANTONIO. LAST MONTH THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT ARTS AND OTHER AREAS -- WHEN I SAY OTHERS, I MEAN GENERAL FUND, PERCENTAGE COULD GO TO A GENERAL FUND, WHATEVER CITY COUNCIL DECIDES AND IT COULD BE SPLIT IN SOME WAY. THOSE ARE THE OPTIONS FOR TODAY. WE TALKED ABOUT TIME SHARE. HOW MUCH OF THE TIME THAT THE DIGITAL DISPLAY IS UP WOULD BE DEDICATED TO CITY EITHER PUBLIC ART MESSAGING, PUBLIC ART ITSELF AND/OR JUST GENERAL CITY PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS PROMOTING WHAT WE THINK IS IMPORTANT. 20 TO 25%, IT'S WRITTEN UP THERE 20% PLUS 5% REMNANT TIME IF AVAILABLE, SO ALL OF THAT IS IN PLAY. ANOTHER MAJOR COMPONENT THAT IS PART OF THIS IS TO ALLOW THIS RIGHT UP FRONT TO PERMIT ONE OF THESE IS A PILOT ART CONTRIBUTION. SO THE MAJOR ART COMPONENT WOULD BE DEVELOPED, THE DIGITAL DISPLAY A PERMIT APPLICANT WOULD HAVE TO UP FRONT GIVE US A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY. THAT MONEY WOULD BE USED TO WORK THROUGH OUR PUBLIC ART PROCESS TO GET PUBLIC ARTISTS AND DEVELOP THE APPROPRIATE ART FOR THAT LOCATION WHETHER ON THAT BUILDING OR RIGHT NEXT DOOR, [01:45:02] BUT THAT'S LIKE A COMBO. WE TALKED ABOUT TOTAL NUMBER OF AREAS OR DISTRICTS. WE'VE IDENTIFIED TEN POSSIBILITIES. THERE WAS A MAP IDENTIFIED I THINK LAST TIME. THOSE ARE GENERAL IDEAS. SEVERAL DOWNTOWN AREAS AND SEVERAL OUTSIDE THE DOWNTOWN AREAS. BROOKS, EVEN TOYOTA FIELD WAS ONE OF THEM JUST TO SHOW THAT IT COULD BE ALL OVER TOWN IF YOU WANTED IT. MAXIMUM DIGITAL DISPLAYS PER DISTRICT. WE TALKED ABOUT TWO LAST TIME. THERE WAS CONVERSATION ABOUT MAYBE MORE IN EACH DISTRICT AS LONG AS WE KEPT THE TOTAL AT TEN SO WE'RE PROPOSING TEN. THOSE ARE THE MAJOR OPTIONS AND VARIABLES OF THIS PROGRAM. WE TRIED TO PACKAGE THEM IN A WAY THAT MADE SENSE BUT BE OPEN TO YOUR COMMENTS ON THAT. THESE ARE THE POTENTIAL LOCATIONS. WE JUST CAME UP WITH THESE AS SOME CONVERSATIONS, COULD BE ALL OF THESE HERE, SEVERAL DOWNTOWN, WE'VE BROKEN UP DOWNTOWN INTO DOWNTOWN WEST, EAST, SOUTH, CERTAINLY ALAMO DISTRICT, BUT THOSE ARE THE OTHER OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN. IF YOU PICK THESE TEN OR OTHERS OR A PORTION OF THESE, THERE WOULD BE A LIMIT IN EACH ONE THAT WE COME UP WITH AND THEN A MAX FOR THE WHOLE CITY OF THIS PILOT PROGRAM. AND IT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CITY AND/OR PRIVATE BUILDINGS. SO OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE PILOT PROGRAM BE FORWARDED TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION. WE WERE LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK ON ANY OF THESE OPTIONS THAT YOU LIKE TODAY AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MIKE. WE'LL GET INTO COMMENTS IMMEDIATELY. FIRST I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DISCUSS. >> SO MOVED. >> GARCIA: IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> GARCIA: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND. LET'S CONTINUE ON. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MIKE. SO I AM -- I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD. THE PILOT ART CONTRIBUTION OF $100,000 IS JUST ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SECURE WITH THIS. IT IS -- I'VE TRIED FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS TO GET MORE MONEY FOR ARTS. AND I'VE GOTTEN A FRACTION. AND H.O.T. TAX IS "-WE'RE LIMITED IN WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT. SO MY THING WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY AND OTHER CITIES DO IT WELL IS THAT WE DO THIS FOR OUR ARTS COMMUNITY THAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO FACE SOME ISSUES AND STRUGGLES AS WE LOOK -- AS WE CANNOT LOOK FEDERALLY FOR PROGRAMS TO COME DOWN. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OPTION A WITH THE 10% AND THE 15% AND THEN SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE FROM THERE. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO WHEN WE PUT THIS OUT FOR RFP THAT IT IS COMPETITIVE AS POSSIBLE. AND IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WE ARE -- WE WANT THEM TO COME, BUT IT IS GOING TO BE WITH SORT OF VERY SPECIFIC THINGS IN MIND THAT WE'VE SEEN WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN DENVER AND OTHER CITIES, BUT THIS IS SAN ANTONIO. KIND OF DIGITAL LIGHTING EXPERIENCE SO IT WILL LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEY EXPECTED. SO I ASSUME WE PUT THAT FORWARD IN THE RFP, BUT -- AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION WITH OUR FULL COUNCIL ON THIS BECAUSE I THINK AS THE CITY MOVES FORWARD, WE NEED TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO LIGHT THAT ARE NOT STREET LIGHTS BECAUSE THAT IS FROM OUR BUDGET AND WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING WHERE THEY WILL MAINTAIN -- MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY WILL MAINTAIN THE DISPLAYS, CORRECT? WE WON'T HAVE TO HAVE CPS OR SAWS DO THAT, IT WOULD BE THE -- THE GROUP THAT GETS THE RFP? >> SHANNON: YEAH, SO -- YES. THE OWNER OF THE DIGITAL DISPLAY COMPANY WOULD BE CHARGED WITH MAINTAINING IT, YES. >> VIAGRAN: AND THE OTHER IN TERMS OF THE PILOT ART CONTRIBUTION, AND THIS IS WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE ARTISTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS PROCESS IS I THINK $100,000 UP FRONT IS GOOD. I THINK $50,000, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD HELP IN TERMS OF A PIECE THAT WE NEED DOWNTOWN. SO I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT OPTION A MOVES FORWARD AND WE HAVE MORE CONVERSATION. THE OTHER THING IN TERMS OF THE TIME SHARE WITH THE 20% PLUS ADDITIONAL 5% REMNANT TIME AVAILABLE IS CURRENTLY IF WE COULD LOOK AT OUR DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT THEY ARE SPENDING FOR DISPLAYS. IF THEY ARE SPENDING AT THE [01:50:04] KIOSKS BECAUSE I KNOW KIOSKS WAS BROUGHT UP BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY GIVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT OUR CITY EVENTS. I KNOW WE HAVE OUR TVS IN THE HALLWAY OF CITY HALL, BUT ANYTHING WE CAN DO THAT WE ARE NOT SPENDING ON A DIGITAL BILLBOARD BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH -- WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT, ABOUT HOW MUCH PUBLICITY WE GET FOR THE PROGRAMS, THE CITY EVENTS THAT WE HAVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD. I'D LIKE TO GET AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH WE COULD SAVE A DEPARTMENT IF THEY ARE NOT HAVING TO SPEND THAT BECAUSE WE CAN PUT THAT ON A DISPLAY. MOVING FORWARD. AND THEN IF -- IF THE DIGITAL BILLBOARDS ARE CURRENTLY PROVIDING COMMUNITY SPACE, GIVE US A NUMBER FOR THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD TOO. AND THIS WILL BE THE BIG ONES THAT ARE OVER BY THE PEARL AND OVER HERE. IF THEY DO PROVIDE US PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS, WHAT WOULD THAT NORMALLY COST IF THE CITY HAD TO PURCHASE THIS. IF WE COULD HAVE THAT MOVING FORWARD TOO. I MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE OPTION A FORWARD FOR A FULL CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION. DO I HAVE TO SAY THE NEXT DATE OR WE'LL JUST CHOOSE A DATE? >> IS THERE A SECOND? THANK YOU. MIKE, I'M SORRY, I FORGOT TO ASK AND COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN JUST MENTIONED PEARL. I THOUGHT THAT HAD BEEN REMOVED. >> SHANNON: NO, THAT HAS NOT BEEN REMOVED. WE HAD SOME CONVERSATION WITH SOME OF THE PEARL LEADERSHIP AND THEY WERE A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. I HAVE IT THERE AS A POTENTIAL IF THAT'S SOMETHING THE COMMITTEE WANTS US TO REMOVE, WE COULD CERTAINLY DO THAT. >> GARCIA: WE CAN PROBABLY TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE MORE, BUT ALSO WHEN I MENTIONED LAST TIME THAT WE WERE HERE, I MENTIONED I WOULDN'T WANT THIS ANYWHERE NEAR THE RIVERWALK OR HISTORIC AREAS. I CONSIDER KING WILLIAM TO BE AN HISTORIC AREA. HOW ARE YOU MAKING THE DEFINITION BETWEEN THE KING WILLIAM AND WHAT WERE YOU THINKING IN TERMS OF THE BLUE STAR DISTRICT, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT? >> SHANNON: IF WE LOOK AT THE PROGRAM, YOU CAN'T SEE -- AT THE PARAMETERS, YOU CAN'T SEE IT FROM THE RIVERWALK. CAN'T BE ON THE ALAMO. BUT ANY HISTORIC DESIGNATED STRUCTURE, YOU COULDN'T PUT IT ON THAT. IF IT'S IN THE RIO DISTRICT, IT WOULD GO THROUGH HDRC OR OHP PROCESS TO GET SOME SORT OF APPROVAL. WE HAVE SOME PROTECTIONS FOR I THINK THE HISTORIC AREAS, BUT IT DOESN'T PRECLUDE THEM FROM FINDING AN AREA WITHIN THOSE DISTRICTS NEAR THE BLUE STAR OR OTHERS AND THEY COULD PRESENT IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS. IF YOU CAN'T SEE IT FROM THE RIVERWALK, CAN'T BE ON AN HISTORIC STRUCTURE, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH HDRC AS WELL. I THINK THAT'S OUR PROPOSAL TO PROTECT THAT. EACH ONE OF THOSE AREAS PROBABLY HAS SOME SPACES THAT IT JUST CAN'T HAPPEN. WE TRIED TO DESCRIBE AN AREA WHERE THEY COULD TRY TO MAKE THIS WORK. BUT CERTAINLY EVEN WHEN TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEARL, THEY HAVE A LOT OF SPACE THERE THAT YOU CAN SEE ALMOST EVERYTHING FROM THE RIVERWALK THAT WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED, BUT MAYBE THERE IS, BUT THAT'S CONSIDERATION FOR TODAY AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD. >> GARCIA: AND CAN YOU PUT UP THAT SLIDE REALLY FAST WITH THE PEARL IN PARTICULAR? OR I GUESS IT'S NOT REALLY -- LIKE WE WOULD NEED A ZOOM-IN VERSION. MAYBE FOR NEXT TIME IF YOU CAN, WHEN IT MOVES TO FULL COUNCIL IF IT DOES, I REALLY WANT TO SEE THE PEARL AND KING WILLIAM. I'M STILL NOT COMFORTABLE WITH KING WILLIAM, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD. I SAW A MEXICAN BLUEJAY AND SENT IT TO COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ, HE INFORMED ME THAT'S WHAT I WAS. >> SHANNON: MY WIFE IS THE BIRDER IN THE FAMILY SO I'LL LET HER KNOW YOU MENTIONED IT. >> GARCIA: I WILL SEND HER THE PICTURE. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: AS I MENTIONED, I WAS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THE INITIAL APPROACH IN THAT 75% OF PUBLIC WHO GAVE INPUT WERE OPPOSED TO THIS MOVING FORWARD. THE RECOMMENDATION IS BASED OFF OF THAT 25% THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD. HOWEVER, IF THE CONSENSUS IS THAT THIS MOVES FORWARD, I HAVE A COUPLE OF EXPECTATIONS IN TERMS OF [01:55:01] WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE. IT'S WHY I DIDN'T SECOND THE MOTION BECAUSE THERE'S A COUPLE OF PIECES I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT. ONE OF WHICH IS ENSURING THAT THE 20% OF THE REVENUE SHARE GOES TO THE SAN ANTONIO CULTURAL ARTS DEPARTMENT TO INSURE THEY ARE RECEIVING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT BECAUSE THE H.O.T. TAX IS NOT ENOUGH SUPPORTING THIS BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. FURTHER IN TERMS OF THE TIME SHARE, MY EXPECTATION THERE'S NOT ADVERTISEMENTS RELATED TO VAPING. I HOPE THE CITY SETS AN EXPECTATION WE WOULD NOT ADVERTISE. AND THE POINT I RAISED AT THE LAST COMMITTEE MEETING IS BEING CONSISTENT WITH TERMS OF THE DIGITAL KIOSKS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, 25% SPLIT AND I THINK WE SHOULDN'T DECREASE OUR AMOUNT OF SHARE. IF IT'S 21.5, WE SHOULD BE CONSISTENT AS WELL. BUT IF THE CONSENSUS IS TO MOVE FORWARD, THAT'S THE WILL OF THE BODY. BUT ALSO I DID GET TO CATCH UP WITH MARY BRIEFLY IN TERMS OF THE BLUE STAR AREA THAT OVERLAPS WITH THE KING WILLIAM DISTRICT. I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, ONE, THEY ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT BEING INCLUDED, BUT UNDERSTAND IT'S A CONCEPT AND IDEA WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE THERE, BUT HEARING FROM SOMEONE WHO OVERSEES THE ARTS COMPLEX, THIS IS SOMETHING THEY ARE NOT COMFORTABLE SEEING ON THE MAP. MOVING FORWARD IF IT GOES TO B SESSION IF WE CAN REMOVE IT BECAUSE THAT'S THE DIRECTION OF THE ARTS COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF NOT WANTING TO HAVE THESE DIGITAL BILLBOARDS WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT. LASTLY, OF COURSE JUST I THINK SOMEONE IN PUBLIC COMMENT HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD IN TERMS OF THE -- AND THIS ISN'T A STATEMENT MADE ON CITY STAFF'S BEHALF, BUT IT COMES OFF THIS IS UNDER THE GUISE OF SUPPORTING THE ARTS COMMUNITY WHEN THERE'S SO MANY OTHER TOOLS LIKE THE GENERAL FUND TO SUPPORT THE ARTS AND TO MEET THE NEEDS. AND, OF COURSE, DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE THEY BRING TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THE COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMITTEE RECENTLY HAD A BRIEFING FROM AN ECONOMIST WHO PRESENTED THE BILLION DOLLARS IMPACT THE ARTS HAS ON SAN ANTONIO AND I WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT MINIMIZING THEIR IMPACT IN TERMS OF HOW WE SUPPORT THEM THROUGH OUR CITY BUDGET. I HAVE ONE MORE POINT. IN TERMS OF WHO WILL OVERSEE THE PILOT PROGRAM, AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CITY STAFF CONTINUE TO ADMINISTER IN HOUSE. I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TEAM AND ALL FOLKS INVOLVED DURING THAT PILOT PROGRAM TO OVERSEE. AND, OF COURSE, ENSURING THAT CITY STAFF OVERSEES THAT COMPONENT AND MAINTAIN SOME OF THAT SHARE. >> GARCIA: MIKE, WOULD I BE ABLE TO MAKE A MOTION TO JUST REMOVE THE KING WILLIAM DO I MAKE -- DO WE MAKE THAT AS AN AMENDMENT? WHAT CAN WE DO JUST NOW. >> IT COULD BE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT MADE WITH CONSULTATION WITH COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN OR WITHDRAWAL OF THE ORIGINAL MOTION. >> GARCIA: COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: I'M OKAY WITH REMOVING THE KING WILLIAM DISTRICT. WHEN IT COMES TO THE PEARL BREWERY DISTRICT IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS, THERE IS -- THERE'S PEARL PROPER AND THEN THERE'S GRAYSON AND ST. MARY'S. SO I WOULD REALLY RATHER -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD -- LIKE IF PEARL -- I KNOW PEARL OWNS PEARL. BUT IN TERMS OF WALKABILITY FROM PEARL TO GRAYSON ON THEIR RESIDENTS AND FROM PEARL DOWN ST. MARY'S, LIED PHYCO-THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROCESS WHERE THEY LOOK. I'D LIKE TO NOT TAKE THE PEARL OUT. I'M ALL FOR TAKING KING WILLIAM OR WHAT IS LOOKED AT AS THE BLUE STAR DISTRICT, BUT DO WE NEED -- >> GARCIA: WE CAN JUST FOR WHEN IT MOVES TO TOWN, THEN WE CAN -- THE MAPS, THE TWO SEPARATE MAPS WITHIN THE PEARL. >> SHANNON: I'M HEARING IF YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH ONE OF THESE OPTIONS, YOU WOULD LIKE US TO -- IS SO FAR, YOU WOULD LIKE US TO TAKE OUT KING WILLIAM AS AN OPTION IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM AND MAYBE SOME FURTHER LOOKING AT THE PEARL. >> GARCIA: YES. >> SHANNON: WE WILL CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE THAT ON THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROCESS. >> GARCIA: WE'LL CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION WITH THAT FRIENDLY AMENDMENT. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO, ARE YOU GOING TO SECOND? OKAY. [02:00:01] COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING ON THE TABLE TO TALK ABOUT. FIRST OF ALL, I'LL SAY I FIRST BECAME AWARE OF THIS MAYBE TWO YEARS AGO OR 18 MONTHS OR SO WHEN I WAS APPROACHED ABOUT THIS. I'VE BEEN APPROACHED SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE TO SAY I'VE BEEN LOBBIED AND BY THAT I MEAN I'VE HAD PEOPLE REPRESENTING WANTING TO BRING THIS TO SAN ANTONIO COME AND TALK AND OFFER IDEAS AND WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND I'VE LISTENED TO A LOT OF THOSE IDEAS AND I'VE BEEN IN BASIC AGREEMENT WE OUGHT TO BE DOING MORE TO LIGHT UP PARTS OF OUR CITY. PARTICULARLY I'VE BEEN PUSHING DOWNTOWN MORE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO BE UP FRONT. PEOPLE TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS, PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO IT. BUT ALSO I RESPECT THE COMMUNITY INPUT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN. I'VE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THE -- THE SURVEY WE TOOK WHERE WE HAD 500 PEOPLE SAY NO AND I FORGET HOW MANY SAY YES OR MAYBE. WHAT WAS THAT QUESTION THAT WE ASKED THEM? >> SHANNON: THE FIRST BASIC QUESTION, AND I KNOW WE WENT OVER THIS LAST MEETING, I'LL TRY TO PULL IT UP IF I HAVE IT. LET ME MAKE SURE. >> COURAGE: WELL, YOU ARE USING UP A LOT OF MY TIME. >> SHANNON: THE FIRST BASIC QUESTION, TELL US WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT A PROPOSAL TO ADD LARGE DIGITAL DISPLAY S TO SAN ANTONIO. >> COURAGE: I WOULD HAVE SAID NO IF YOU HAD ASKED ME THAT TOO. YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS HOW YOU ASK THE QUESTION. IF WE HAD MAYBE FOCUSED THAT ON TWO OR THREE SPECIFIC AREAS AND THAT PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD AGREE TO PUT THESE UP THERE, THAT IT WAS A PILOT PROJECT. I MEAN YOU MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT RESULTS. SO TO THOSE IN THE PUBLIC WHO SAY, WELL, 75% OF THE PEOPLE SAID NO, I THINK 75% OF THE PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT A PROPOSAL COULD BE. IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL. NOW, LOOKING AT THE PROPOSAL YOU HAVE UP HERE, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GET MORE LIKE 15% REVENUE SHARE, BUT I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING TOGETHER IS A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, AN RFP THAT COULD GO OUT THERE. AND HOPEFULLY WE WOULD GET THREE OR FIVE OR A DOZEN DIFFERENT COMPANIES WHO SAY WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS. I DON'T KNOW THAT SAYING THIS IS HOW MUCH WE WANT IS NECESSARILY THE RIGHT WAY TO GO ABOUT, BUT I'D SAY WHY DON'T WE SET A MINIMUM OF AT LEAST 10%. IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO BE 11 OR 12 OR 15 OR 17 TO GET THAT JOB, I SAY GREAT. IT MIGHT INCREASE WHAT WE GET AS RETURN. I AGREE NO HISTORIC LOCATIONS. SHOULDN'T GO ON ANY OF OUR HISTORIC BUILDINGS ANYWHERE NEAR DOWNTOWN OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE CITY. BUT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED SOME AREAS, AND I THINK IT'S REASONABLE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE AREAS. YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER THAT -- AND PEOPLE PROBABLY AREN'T THINKING ABOUT THIS, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THOSE BUILDINGS NEED TO SAY YES, WE WANT TO HAVE A DIGITAL DISPLAY ON OUR BUILDING. SO IT'S NOT LIKE THE CITY IS GOING TO PUT UP METAL POSTS WITH A HUGE BILLBOARD, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. I'M AFRAID PEOPLE ARE THINKING THAT'S WHAT THIS IS. IT'S REALLY LOCAL HE BUSINESSES, PROPERTY OWNERS SAYING YES, I'VE GOT THE KIND OF BUILDING AND FACADE WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND THEY COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE COMPANY THAT'S GOING TO BE PUTTING IT UP. THE CITY IS GOING TO SAY YOU HAVE TO DO IT AND THE CITY WILL PROBABLY ONLY SAY YOU CAN'T DO IT IF IT'S OF AN HISTORICAL NATURE. THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE TO GO INTO THIS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO SEE IS THAT WE GET REPORT. AFTER WE START THIS, IF WE START IT, THAT WE HAVE A REPORT AT THE END OF AER 82, 18 MONTHS, TWO YEARS, WHAT KIND OF PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE. OBVIOUSLY IS IF WE GO THROUGH A BIDDING PROCESS AND THERE'S A COMPANY THAT WANTS TO PUT UP A CERTAIN NUMBER, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO PUT THEM UP IN A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS. IT MAY TAKE A YEAR OR LONGER BEFORE THEY GET UP FOUR OR FIVE OR SIX OUT OF HOWEVER MANY ARE APPROVED IN THE BID PROCESS. IT'S A LONGER PROCESS, MORE TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING. I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA THAT WE'RE ONLY DOING 20% CITY AND MAYBE 5% REMNANT. WHEN I HEARD THIS PROPOSAL [02:05:04] TO ME WHEN IT WAS FIRST PRESENTED, THEY WERE SAYING WELL, WE'LL HAVE 50% ADVERTISING AND 50% WILL BE ART. NOW IT'S DOWN TO 80% ADVERTISING AND 20% BEING ART. I THINK WE NEED TO PUTUT IN A MINIMUM THAT WE WOULD WANT 25% OF WHATEVER IS UP THERE TO BE ART REFLECTIVE OF SAN ANTONIO ART. IN OTHER WORDS, TURNING LOCAL ART INTO DIGITAL ART THAT WOULD BE DISPLAYED UP THERE. AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL 5% SHOULD BE DEDICATED TO THE CITY FOR PUTTING UP MESSAGES OF IMPORTANCE TO THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH THAT SYSTEM. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I PREFER. I THINK 10 ARE TOO MANY BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING BEYOND A PILOT. YOU ARE ALMOST STARTING A WAVE THAT'S JUST GOING TO KEEP GOING. IF YOU KEEP IT AT LESS THAN 10, YOU KNOW, 8, 7, 6, AND INSTEAD OF SAYING NO MORE THAN 3 IN ONE AREA, HOW DO YOU SEE THE IMPACT IF THEY ARE ALL SPREAD OUT AND YOU ONLY HAVE ONE OR TWO HERE OR ONE OR TWO THERE OR ONE BY ITSELF OVER THERE? IF WE WANT TO SEE THE IMPACT OF WHAT IT HAS AND MY PREFERENCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON TOURISM, LIGHTING UP DOWNTOWN, MAKING IT MORE SAFER, MAKING A MORE ATTRACTIVE AREA FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO SAN ANTONIO. I THINK WE OUGHT TO AT LEAST ALLOW FOR FOUR INSTEAD OF JUST TWO OR THREE. DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH THE PROJECTED REVENUE COULD BE? HAVE WE GOTTEN ANY ESTIMATE? >> SHANNON: WE'VE GOTTEN SOME ESTIMATES FROM THE COMPANY IN DENVER THAT SAID EACH ONE OF THESE COULD GROSS $300,000 OF AD REVENUE, PLUS OR MINUS, A 10, 15, 20% OF THAT. THAT'S THE NUMBER WE GOT PER DISPLAY. >> COURAGE: THEN I THINK THAT IF WE PUT TOGETHER AN RFP THEN WE PUT IN THE MINIMUM RETURN WE WOULD EXPECT TO GET WOULD BE SOMETHING WITHIN THE EXPECTATION OF THE INDUSTRY WHEN IT COMES TO THIS. SO I THINK WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF THAT BUILT INTO AN RFP. AND I DON'T -- I THINK A LOT OF IT SHOULD BE DEDICATED TO ART AND TO CULTURE. BUT I THINK IF CENTRO IS GOING TO PLAY A ROLE IN PROMOTING THIS IF WE DO SOMETHING THAT'S DOWNTOWN, MAYBE CENTRO COULD GET A SMALL PORTION OF THAT BENEFIT, BUT I AGREE A LOT OF IT NEEDS TO GO TO ART. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK NEED TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN WE PUT THIS TOGETHER. I DON'T JUST GO WITH PLAN A. THE 100,000 IS GREAT, BUT IF YOU GET SIX OR SEVEN OR EIGHT OR NINE, THAT'S EIGHT OR $900,000. AND THAT'S A ONE-TIME SHOT, IT'S NOT EVERY YEAR, HOWEVER, THE RETURN TO THE CITY AS OUR PERCENTAGE OF THE DEAL WILL BE MUCH MORE GOING TO ART YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT AT LEAST FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. THE LAST THING I'M GOING TO SAY IS TO ME IF WE DON'T HAVE A WAY OF UNDERSTANDING THE THIS FAILS, IF PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO SUPPORT IT, IF THE COMMUNITY SAYS IT'S JUST NOT WORKING, I DON'T WANT THE CITY TO BE STUCK WITH THE REMOVAL BILL. I THINK WE NEED TO INCLUDE IN ANY PROPOSAL THE ABILITY FOR THE COMPANY PUTTING THESE UP TO SEE THAT THEY ARE REMOVED SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE EYESORES HANGING UP THERE FOR YEARS. HOWEVER, I KNOW THAT IF A COMPANY PUTS ONE UP ON LET'S SAY A HOTEL, THAT HOTEL MAY DECIDE WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND DO SOMETHING WITH THAT THEMSELVES AND MAY COME TO THE CITY. THEY MAY HAVE A LIFE AFTER A PILOT MAY FAIL. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT STUCK WITH A BUNCH OF THINGS HANGING ON SIDES OF BUILDING THAT HAVE NO PRACTICAL USE AND THE CITY ENDS UP FOOTING THE BILL TO HAVE THOSE REMOVED. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE INGREDIENTS I THINK WE NEED TO BE CONSIDERING AS WE PUT TOGETHER AN RFP TO SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO DO. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. >> SHANNON: JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS THERE. SO THAT FEEDBACK WAS REALLY GOOD, COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU. THE PROPOSAL THAT WE SEE MOVING FORWARD WOULD BE TO GO WITH A PILOT OF A CERTAIN NUMBER, AND AFTER THAT PILOT DECIDE IF WE WANT TO DO ANY MORE. SIMILAR TO THE DIGITAL PROGRAM IN '08. IF WE GO WITH TEN, THE PROPOSAL WOULD THEY DO NOT COME DOWN IF THE CITY DECIDES NOT TO. IF WE WANT A PROGRAM THAT'S IT'S UP TWO YEARS, MENING THEY INVEST IN THAT INSTALLATION, AND IF THE CITY DECIDES IN TWO YEARS TO NOT DO IT AND THEREFORE TAKE IT DOWN, WE WANT THAT TO BE VERY CLEAR. WHATEVER THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTION IS, I'LL BE LOOKING TO THAT TODAY OR IF [02:10:01] WE MOVE THIS FORWARD. THE PROPOSAL WOULD BE THEY DON'T COME DOWN EVEN IF WE SHOP THE PROGRAM, SIMILAR TO --M SIMILAR TO THE BILLBOARDS IN '08. >> COURAGE: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW THE CITY WOULD MANAGE THE EXISTING STRUCTURE OVER TIME. >> SHANNON: IT WOULD STILL BE OWNER. IF IT'S ON ONE OF OUR CITY FACILITIES, YES, ABSOLUTELY, WE WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THAT. WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT BASED ON THE WILL OF THIS GROUP AND MOVING FORWARD. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ. >> PELÁEZ: SO A COUPLE OF CONCERNS. ONE IS THAT NO MATTER -- I'M GOING TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION A TODAY, BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT IT WILL BE PERCEIVED AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE PERCEIVED WHAT WE'RE APPROVING TODAY IS DIGITAL BILLBOARDS EVERYWHERE. WE DON'T WANT DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO TO LOOK LIKE TOKYO OR THE LAS VEGAS STRIP. I DO THINK, HOWEVER, THAT WE'VE ALL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY THAT MAYBE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO HAVEN'T TO REALLY SEE WHAT -- WHAT COULD BE IF DONE ARTFULLY AND THOUGHTFULLY. AND I AGREE, THERE'S SOME CITIES THAT HAVE JUST DONE IT REALLY TERRIBLY AND IT LOOKS GARISH AND TACKY AND ASSAULTS THE SENSES. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO END UP WITH HERE. I THINK WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE TABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DOESN'T END UP BEING THE PARADE OF HORRIBLES THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT WILL BE. AND THAT'S THE NATURE OF PILOTS, RIGHT, IS THAT WE CAN PULL THE PLUG AND THEN WE CAN ADAPT BASED ON WHAT DEVELOPS. SO I DO THINK THIS COMMITTEE AND THE WORK YOU'VE DONE AS FAR AS GATHERING INPUT HAS BEEN SOBER AND CAREFUL AND THOUGHTFUL AND IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME, AND IT SHOULD TAKE A LONG TIME WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN GETTING INVOLVED. AND SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND THEN ASK A QUESTION BECAUSE HERE'S THE CONCERN. HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THE ADVERTISEMENT IS TASTEFUL AND DOESN'T BECOME GARYISH? WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE AN AESTHETIC AND THE CHOICES MADE? >> SHANNON: SIMILAR TO THE KIOSK PROGRAM THROUGH THOSE CONTRACTS AND THE PROCESS WE WENT THROUGH THERE ARE LIMITATIONS AS TO COUNCILWOMAN TALKED ABOUT NO VAPING OR NO SMOKING. THAT COULD BE INCLUDED WITH THE LAUNDRY LIST. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF GOING TOO FAR WITH THAT IS CORRECT BUT WE HAVE A FORMAT WITH THE KIOSK PROGRAM. AND THEN THE ADVERTISEMENTS ACTUALLY GO THROUGH OUR C AND E TO ENSURE THEY MEET THOSE STANDARDS. WE'RE VERY CAREFUL WITH THOSE VENDORS AS TO WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO ADVERTISE AND WE DO HAVE SOME CONTROL. I THEY HAD SOMEBODY SAY THE SMOKING AND VAPING, OTHERS ABOUT NATIONAL BRANDS. I THINK WE HAVE THAT ABILITY AND WE WOULD USE THE MODEL OF THE KIOSK CONTENT CONTROL LANGUAGE PROBABLY WITH THIS PROGRAM. IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT THE BODY WANTS US TO LOOK AT FURTHER, WE COULD CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT. >> PELÁEZ: MY SISTER IS A PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER AND LOOKS FOR ALL OPPORTUNITIES TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PUT HER PHONE NUMBER AND FIRM'S NAME ON BILLBOARDS AND BUSES AND ALL THAT. AND TONIGHT WHEN I GO HOME IS SHE GOING TO SAY THANK YOU FOR CREATING ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO ADVERTISE MY PHONE NUMBER AND TELL EVERYBODY IF THEY'VE GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT, I'LL BE THE ONE TO RECOVER THEIR INJURIES. HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT, AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING IS CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR -- WELL, FOR THE KIND OF ADVERTISEMENT PEOPLE QUITE HONESTLY JUST DON'T LIKE? >> SHANNON: I THINK OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH SOME OF THE INDUSTRY MEMBERS THAT ARE INTERESTED HAVE SAID YES, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO LIMIT IN WHAT WE CAN ADVERTISE, THAT'S FINE, THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE SAID. WE WOULD USE A MECHANISM LIKE WITH THE KIOSK PROGRAM. IT WAS ACTUAL WRITTEN IN THE RFPS OR CONTRACTS THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO ADVERTISE IT CAN'T BE THESE AND THERE'S A LIST OF I THINK TEN THINGS. WE COULD MODEL IT OFF THAT. IT WOULD BE PART OF THE ISSUANCE OF THE PERMIT, INCLUDES THIS CONTENT [02:15:04] CONTROL. WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE CAN'T GO TOO FAR WITH THAT, THERE'S ALL THAT FIRST AMENDMENT STUFF. BUT IF IT'S A PROGRAM THAT IS OPTIONAL FOR THEM TO DO IT AND THEY AGREE TO THESE TERMS, THEN THEY GET THEIR PERMIT TO DO IT. WE WOULD CREATE THAT SIMILAR TO THE KIOSK PROGRAM. >> PELÁEZ: APPROACHING THIS WITH CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM, I'M NOT SURE IT WILL BE WHAT WE ALL WANT IT TO BE BUT THAT'S THE NATURE OF PILOTS AND I'M WILLING TO TRY. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: I'LL LOOK FOR -- I THINK OPTION A IS LIKE THIS IS OUR EXPECTATION. IF SOMEBODY COMES IN AND BIDS HIGHER FROM THE MINIMUM, I'M ALL FOR THAT. LIKE PILOT ART CONTRIBUTION, THEY DOUBLE IT, WOW. BUT YOU MENTIONED THE KIOSKS A COUPLE OF TIMES AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO GIVE US OR AT LEAST ME IN PARTICULAR AND MY OTHER COLLEAGUES BEFORE THIS GOES TO A SESSION THE DIFFERENCE -- THIS IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM KIOSK. BECAUSE WHILE WE HAVE SOME THINGS AT KIOSK, THERE ARE SOME KIOSKS THAT HAVE BEEN DOWN QUITE A WHILE THAT TAKE A LITTLE TOO LONG TO BRING UP MESSAGING. AND I DON'T KNOW WHO THE MAINTENANCE IS. SO WHAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE IS THIS PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE IT, YOU KNOW, ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDING AND IT'S DOWN FOR, LIKE, THREE DAYS. OR, YOU KNOW, IT GETS STUCK. SO I THINK OUR EXPECTATION IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM THIS BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT IN DENVER. YOU KNOW, WE EXPECT THE MAINTENANCE TO BE DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER. AND I'M SURE AS WE PUT IT OUT TO RFP PROCESS THAT IS BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN KIOSKS THAT JUST DO NOT WORK IN PARTS OF THE CITY AND YOU CAN SIT THERE AND PRESS A BUTTON AND IT JUST DOESN'T -- YOU NEVER GET THE INFORMATION YOU NEED. THAT'S WHY I'M LIKE LET'S MAKE SURE WE GET ALL THAT INFORMATION ABOUT HOW IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE I'M AFRAID IF WE TAKE THIS AND WE REFER TO KIOSKS TOO MUCH, COUNCILMEMBERS LIKE MYSELF WHO HAVE HAD EXPERIENCES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TOLD THEM THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING OR GOING TO BE LIKE NO, BAD IDEA. LET'S JUST MAKE SURE WE SEE THE DIFFERENCE. >> SHANNON: THIS IS A DIFFERENT PROGRAM THAN THE KIOSK. IT CAME UP AT THE LAST MEETING A MONTH AGO. I'M USING IT AS AN EXAMPLE WE HAVE SOME THINGS BUILT IN LIKE REVENUE SHARE, LIKE TIME SHARE. THERE ARE CONTROLS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT WILL BE BUILT IN LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES DO ON MAINTENANCE AND IF THEY DON'T FOLLOW THROUGH WITH MAINTENANCE, IF IT'S TOO BRIGHT, BROKEN TOO LONG, WE CAN REVOKE AND THEY WOULD LOSE THEIR ABILITY TO USE IT. THEY WOULD BE IN THE ORDINANCE AS CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS FOR THEM TO DO, BUT THOSE POINTS ARE WELL TAKEN. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ. >> PELÁEZ: JUMPING IN SECOND ROUND. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAD TRISH DEBARRY HERE TO TALK TO US ABOUT THIS PROGRAM. I THINK THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE ABOUT A BIGGER CONVERSATION. COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE MENTIONED WANTING TO LIGHT UP DOWNTOWN. I'LL TELL YOU THAT CITIES ALL OVER THE WORLD HAVE THESE LIGHT FESTIVALS THAT SERVE AS A WAY OF REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THE BEAUTIFUL ASSETS IN THEIR DOWNTOWN AND THEN PARTICIPATING WITH LOCAL ARTISTS TO DO EITHER LOCAL MEANINGFUL WAY THAT SPEAKS TO THE CITY'S SOUL AND CHARACTER. I'LL CALL YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE I THINK PATTI MENTIONED CINCINNATI. I USED TO LIVE IN CINCINNATI AND CINCINNATI CREATED THIS FESTIVAL THAT'S CONSIDERED ONE OF THE BEST IN CLASS CALLED BLINK. I GOT TO GO TO THE BLINK AND THEY HAVE PARTNERED WITH ALL THE LOCAL ART COMMUNITY TO LIGHT THE ENTIRE CITY UP AND NOT JUST ON THE OHIO SIDE BUT ON THE KENTUCKY SIDE. AND TWO MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR COME AND VISIT DOWNTOWN CINCINNATI JUST FOR THE BLINK FESTIVAL BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO DO LIGHTING IN AN ARTFUL AND THOUGHTFUL WAY. MY HOPE IS THIS KIND OF TECHNOLOGY HELPS US TO EVENTUALLY FIGURE OUT A WRAY TO HIGHLIGHT SAN ANTONIO IN A WAY WE'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE WITH LIGHTS. AND TO BE RESPECTFUL AND REF RENT OF THE HISTORIC ASSETS DOWNTOWN, USING LIGHT TO HIGHLIGHT HE AND BEAUTIFUL AND IMPACTFUL THEY'VE BEEN TO OUR HISTORY AND WHAT THEY MEAN TO US. ANYWAY, THAT WAS JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT. [02:20:02] THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ. ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE AND I KNOW THAT YOU'LL PROBABLY TAKE SOME OF YOU -- COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE SAID CAN WE ADVANCE OR CAN WE TAKE TO VOTE TO ADVANCE TO FULL COUNCIL. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ANY ABSTENTIONS? VOTE CARRIES. WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 3, THE MRE AND CODE UPDATES. AND IT'S A MIKE SHANNON SHOW. >> SHANNON: THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNCILWOMAN. I'LL BE PRESENTING THIS AND A LOT OF COMMENTS. WE'LL JUMP RIGHT INTO IT FOR UPDATES TO CHAPTER 16. I CAN SPEAK LOUDER, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE ARE LEAVING. THIS WAS A RESULT OF A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST -- COUNCILWOMAN, ARE YOU GOING TO JUMP IN? >> GARCIA: YOU ARE GOOD. SORRY. >> SHANNON: THIS WAS A CCR, A COUPLE MONTHS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHERE WE WERE AT, BUT BACK IN 2023 COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO AUTHORED A CCR TO UPDATE REGULATIONS ASSOCIATED RELATED WILL TO METAL RECYCLING CENTERS AND AUTO PARTS RECYCLING. INCLUDE COMMUNITY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES WHICH WE'VE DONE. INCLUDING THINGS LIKE THE TIME LINE AND PROCESS FOR ISSUING AND RESOLVING CODE VIOLATIONS, FINES, IDENTIFYING THRESHOLD FOR TRIGGERING HARSHER THE USE OF POSSIBLE FENCE LIKE AIR MONITORS AND FINES TO RECOUP CITY SURFACES. AS YOU MENTION AND AS WE STARTED WITH THIS COMMITTEE LAST YEAR WE CREATED A TASK FORCE, BALANCED TASK FORCE THAT HAD COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES AND INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES. WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS. WE UTILIZED SOME OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS HERE IN DISTRICT 3 AND 5 TO CREATE IT. AND WE ENDED UP ACTUALLY WITH EIGHT AND EIGHT. IT WAS BALANCED ON BOTH SIDES. AND WE HAD A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER AGENCIES INVOLVED THROUGHOUT THE START OF IT IN SEPTEMBER. THEY DID A HUGE LIFT. I CAN'T THANK THE TASK FORCE MEMBERS ENOUGH. THEIR TIME, ENERGY. PASSIONATE, PROFESSIONAL DEBATE. IT WAS THROUGHOUT THE LAST EIGHT OR NINE MEETINGS AND THEY REALLY TACKLED SOME TOUGH ISSUES, BUT THEY LISTENED AS WELL AS COME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THAT. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM. AND MY STAFF TOO. THEY WERE AT EVERY MEETING. SO THANK YOU STAFF. SO OUTREACH, THESE ARE THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS WE HAD. WE USED EVERYTHING TO SHOW PEOPLE. WE EVEN RECORDED THE MEETINGS, THAT WAS PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION LAST TIME. WE USED OUR WEBSITE, HAD TRANSLATION SERVICES AT EVERY MEETING SO OUR TYPICAL OUTREACH WAS USED. WE STARTED WITH THE CCR, BUT THERE IS WHERE WE HAD TO PAUSE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, WE WERE HERE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO AND NOW WE'RE HERE HOPING TO MOVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO A SESSION SOON. I REALLY WANT TO GO OVER A SUMMARY OF THE CHANGES AND I THINK WE HAD A LOT OF GOOD CHANGES. DID EVERYBODY AGREE, ABSOLUTELY NOT, BUT WE HAD SOME GENERAL AGREEMENT. INCREASED OPTIONS FOR ENFORCEMENT. ALL THESE BUSINESSES TO FOLLOW THE RULES AND WHEN THEY DON'T WE'VE ADDED OPTIONS FOR QUICKER COMPLIANCE AND IF THEY STILL DON'T COMPLY INCREASED ENFORCEMENT OPTIONS. [02:25:05] FIRST AND FOREMOST, FASTER TO TIME TYPICAL 10 OR 30 DAYS. WE'RE PROPOSING THEY HAVE TO FIX IT WITHIN TWO DAYS, TWO BUSINESS DAYS OR ELSE THAT WILL TURN INTO A CITATION. THAT'S IMPORTANT WHEN WE GET TO THE LAST BULLET. QUICKER COMPLIANCE ON EVERY VIOLATION IS BETTER FOR EVERYONE, THE COMMUNITY, THE CITY AND THE BUSINESS, SO THAT'S A HUGE ONE RIGHT UP FRONT. WE'RE ADDING THE ABILITY TO USE CIVIL TICKETS OR CIVIL CITATIONS THROUGH OUR ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING OFFICER. TODAY WE ONLY USE THE CRIMINAL CITATION, CRIMINAL CLASS 3. IT GETS US IN FRONT OF A JUDGE QUICKER THAN THE REGULAR MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE. WE WILL USE BOTH, THAT'S WHAT WE DO IN A LOT OF CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES. WE ARE HOPING THEY FIX THINGS QUICKLY, BUT IF THEY DON'T, WE CAN GET A CASE ADJUDICATED QUICKER WITH CIVIL CITATIONS. I CAN REVOKE THE C OF O IF THEY ARE OPERATING WITHOUT A VALID LICENSE. ALL OF THEM ARE OPERATING WITH A VALID SILENCE. WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST WHERE THEY HAVEN'T AND IT'S UNCLEAR AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN REVOKE THE C OF O. WE'RE MAKING IT CRYSTAL CLEAR. LASTLY, THIS IS MY THREE-STRIKE BULLET. THE CITY CAN SUSPEND OR REVOKE IF THEY GET THREE CITATIONS WITHIN A 12-MONTH PERIOD. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. AGAIN, NOT TO STRIKE ANYBODY OUT, NOT TO PUT ANYBODY OUT OF BUSINESS, BUT ENCOURAGE THEM TO STAY IN COMPLIANCE AND IF THEY COME OUT OF COMPLIANCE ON INSPECTION THEY QUICKLY FIX IT WITHIN TWO DAYS. THAT'S THE MODEL I THINK WILL WORK AND THE STRENGTH OF THESE OPTIONS TODAY. JUST MOVING FORWARD, A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS. THE DIRECTOR AND ME CAN REQUIRE BUSINESSES TO CEASE OPERATIONS. IF AND WHEN I START DOWN THE PATH OF REVOCATION. THIS INCLUDES A CEASING OPERATIONS WHILE GOING THROUGH THAT, A MANDATORY MEETING WITH ME AS THE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT. AND I WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT WITHIN THREE DAYS. I CAN'T STRING THEM ALONG FOR TWO OR THREE WEEKS. WE HAVE TO TRY TO RESOLVE IT QUICKLY, GET BACK INTO COMPLIANCE OR WORK TO SHUT DOWN. WE'RE ADDING TO ISSUE A 30-DAY LICENSE. THERE ARE TIMES THEY ARE RENEWING THEIR LICENSE AND WAITING ON PAPERWORK, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I -- THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO ISSUE A TEMPORARY LICENSE IF ONLY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS LIKE THAT BECAUSE WE'RE PUTTING IN STRONGER LANGUAGE FOR OPERATING WITHOUT A VALID LICENSE. THAT GETS TO THE EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL. ALL OF THESE BUSINESSES IF THEY RUN INTO THIS TYPE OF WASTE, THEY HAVE TO MANIFEST IT OR PROVE THROUGH PROOF OF SALE, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, LEGAL DISPOSAL. WE'RE ADDING A REQUIREMENT CODE OFFICERS REVIEW THAT EVERY THREE MONTHS. THAT THEY HAVE THAT PROOF OF GETTING RID OF IT IN THE RIGHT WAY. WE HAD SOME OPERATORS BRING SOME COPIES OF THAT TO SOME MEETINGS THAT'S VERY DOABLE FOR THEM. SO ZONING AND NON-CONFORMING USE, THIS WAS TALKED ABOUT AT LENGTH. I'LL GO THROUGH THIS HERE. MANY OF THESE BUSINESSES OUT OF THE 69 OR SO LOCATIONS THAT WE HAVE, MANY OF THEM HAVE NON-CONFORMING RIGHTS BECAUSE THEY WERE ANNEXED INTO THE CITY AT SOME POINT AND JUST TYPICAL ZONING. TWO BIG THINGS CAME OUT OF THIS. ONE IS TO ADD A DENSITY LIMITATION OR -- IF ANY NEW ONES COME THROUGH YOU, THE ZONING PROCESS, WE'RE ADDING A REQUIREMENT THEY BE LOCATED 1,000 FEET FROM ANY EXISTING. THERE WAS SOME CONCERN -- THERE IS SOME CONCERN THERE'S A DENSELY POPULATED AREA OF THESE, WE SHOWED THIS TO YOU BEFORE IN AREAS OF TOWN THAT HAVE MOST OF DECREASE THE DENSITY. ALL OF IT WOULD STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL PROCESS TO DO A NEW ONE AT A NEW PROPERTY, OF COURSE. CITY COUNCIL COULD, THROUGH THE ZONING PROCESS, WAIVE THAT OR REDUCE THAT LIKE YOU DO WITH ALCOHOL VARIANCES, BUT THAT WOULD BE YOUR DECISION AS COUNCIL TO LOOK AT THAT SPECIFIC THING. BUT THIS TELLS THE BUSINESS COMMUNITIES, THE COMMUNITIES AROUND TOWN THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME SEPARATION OF THESE TYPES OF BUSINESSES. IN ADDITION TO ZONING, WE'RE PROPOSING TO ADD THE ABILITY FOR THE UAPRS THAT HAVE LEGAL [02:30:03] NON-CONFORMING USE TO EXPAND WITHIN THEIR EXISTING LOT LINES, SO THAT EXPANSION, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT TODAY. MOST BUSINESSES, IF YOU HAVE NON-CONFORMING DO NOT HAVE THAT. THE ONLY BUSINESS THAT HAS THE S METAL RECYCLERS. THAT WAS ADDED IN THE 2012 EDITION OF THE CODE. THROUGH THE CONVERSATION, A LOT OF THE USED AUTO PARTS RECYCLERS SAID WE HAVE STRUGGLES TOO. WE'RE GROWING BUSINESSES. WE KNOW WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH ZONING ON OTHER PROPERTIES. WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS TO EXPAND WITHIN THAT EXISTING LOT LINES AS MRES. THAT'S PART OF THE PROPOSAL TODAY. WE ADDED LANGUAGE TO ENSURE FACILITY STANDARDS WERE SAFER. ADDING SOMETHING FOR ALLOWING METAL FENCING BY RIGHT. RIGHT NOW MOST OF THEM ARE GRANDFATHERED WITH SOME METAL FENCING BUT IF ANY NEW ONES, THEY CAN HAVE IT. BUT WE ADDED THIS. IT HAS TO BE PAINTED AND CAPPED. SO CAPPED FOR SAFETY BUT PAINTED TO REDUCE REFLECTIVITY AND HEAT TRANSFER. A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE HEAT CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING IN THE CITY, SO THAT WAS SOMETHING, IF WE DO ALLOW METAL FENCING, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE TREATED WITH GENERAL PAINT THAT WOULD LIMIT THE REFLECTIVITY AND HEAT FOR THAT AREA, NEIGHBORS, AND THE AREA. WE'RE PROPOSING TO INCREASE PEST AND VECTOR CONTROL TO EVERY THREE MONTHS TO ENSURE THERE'S MORE VECTOR CONTROL, TO ENSURE THAT THEY DON'T GET IT OR THEY DON'T CREATE A CONDITION FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS. AND THEN WE'RE CLARIFYING THAT IN RECYCLING OPERATION AREAS, WEED AND BRUSH HAS TO BE MAINTAINED 4 INCHES INSTEAD OF 12 INCHES. THIS IS PART OF THE FIRE CODE SO WE'RE PUTTING THAT RIGHT IN THE CODE TO MAKE IT CLEAR FOR EVERYBODY. THAT MAKES SENSE. MORE GRASS/WEEDS ARE A POTENTIAL FOR HAZARDS AND SUCH. THIS IS A BIG TOPIC OF CONVERSATION. FIRE PREVENTION AND PUBLIC SAFETY. THIS IS ONE OF OUR PROBABLY BIGGEST RECOMMENDATIONS, I THINK IS IT ADDS A REQUIREMENT FOR EVERY YARD EXISTING AND NEW, TO HAVE A FIRE PREVENTION PLAN SUBMITTED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND SO THEY CAN REVIEW IT FOR PRE-PLANNING PURPOSES. THAT WOULD BE A NEW OR RENEWED LICENSE. IT IDENTIFIES THINGS LIKE WATER SUPPLIES, ACCESS, FIRE NOTIFICATIONS, ET CETERA. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WOULD USE IT FOR PRE-PLANNING FOR THAT FACILITY. THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE WAS AT EVERY ONE OF THESE MEETINGS. IN THE EVENT THAT THERE'S A FIRE AT ONE OF THESE FACILITIES, THE FIRE CHIEF COULD REQUIRE, DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT THE FIRE PREVENTION PLAN WORKED WELL OR NOT TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF THAT EVENT. BUT THEY COULD REQUIRE THE COMPANY TO BRING IN AN APPROVED THIRD PARTY TO LOOK AT THAT PLAN THAT SPECIALIZES IN THIS TO SEE WHAT WENT WRONG AND SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY. THAT'S A NEW ADD TO THE CODE. WE'RE ADDING LANGUAGE TO ENSURE THE FIRE SAFETY PATH AROUND THE FACILITY NOT ONLY IS WIDE ENOUGH BUT IT'S VERTICALLY CLEAR. 14 FEET. THAT'S NOT IN THE CODE TODAY BUT THAT'S THE INTENT OF IT, ANYWAY, SO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN USE IT PROPERLY IN AN EMERGENCY. HAS TO BE CONTAINED TO PREVENT NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THAT'S A BASIC STATEMENT. A LOT OF RULES AT THE STATE, LOCAL, FEDERAL, FIRE CODES HAVE THAT ALREADY BUT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE DISCUSSION. WE'RE ADDING FIRE CODE LANGUAGE ABOUT THE MAXIMUM PILE SIZES, ET CETERA. THE HEIGHT, SEPARATION OF THOSE. THAT'S IN THE FIRE CODE TODAY BUT, AGAIN, ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IS, YOU KNOW, NEEDED TO BE CLEAR FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED SO WE'RE GOING TO PLOP IT RIGHT INTO CHAPTER 16, BETTER COMPLIANCE AND EASIER ENFORCEMENT. AND THEN WE'RE ADDING A REQUIREMENT FOR CODE STAFF DURING THEIR INSPECTIONS, WHEN WE DO REPORT AND HAND OFF SOMETHING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR TCEQ OR SAWS THAT WE DOCUMENT THAT AND IT HAS TO BE HANDED OFF TO THE APPROPRIATE AGENCY. THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE MAY SEE THAT AREN'T UNDER OUR PURVIEW AND WE MAY NEED SAWS, TCEQ, OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO COME IN. BUT DOCUMENTING THAT AND MAKING THAT PART OF OUR INSPECTION REPORT. AGAIN, MOVING ON. WE UPDATED AND CLARIFIED SOME DEFINITIONS. A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THESE. NOT 100% TOTAL AGREEMENT. I THINK WE HAVE BETTER DEFINITIONS NOW. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS WAS DEFINED. WE HAVE A BETTER DEFINITION NOW. IT IS MORE CLEAR. IS IT PERFECT? I'LL LET YOU BE THE JUDGE BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THAT. WE ALIGNED SOME OF THE DEFINITIONS WITH STATE DEFINITIONS. JUST TO REMIND YOU ALL OF THESE REQUIRE A STATE AS WELL AS A CITY LICENSE. WE DID COME UP WITH A DEFINITION THAT'S NOT THERE. [02:35:01] YOU HEARD SOME PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IT. WE CAME UP WITH METAL SHREDDER RESIDUE. IT INCLUDES THE WORD "FLUFF." IT'S NOT IN OUR CODE BUT IT IS IN SOME OF THE YARDS ESPECIALLY THE ONES WITH METAL SHREDDERS. AT LEAST THIS GETS US STARTED SO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. LASTLY, YOU ASKED ME A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE SOMETHING THAT WE COULDN'T COME UP WITH. I'M GOING TO ADD THESE TWO OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS. WE DIDN'T ADD ANYTHING TO THE CODE ON AIR MONITORS, A BIG DISCUSSION, BUT WE THINK THE CITY SHOULD CONSULT WITH TCEQ, IDENTIFY WAYS TO INSTALL EITHER AIR MONITORS OR LOOK AT AREAS AROUND NOT ONLY THESE BUT INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES, HIGH-DENSITY INDUSTRIAL AREAS. BUT TCEQ IS THE ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY FOR AIR QUALITY IN TEXAS. I THINK WE KNOW THAT. BUT I THINK WE COULD CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM. AND THEN I THINK WE SHOULD -- THE COUNCIL SHOULD CONSIDER THE OVERALL POLICY OF COLLECTING FEES FOR CITY SERVICES FOR EMERGENCIES. NOT JUST FOR THESE FACILITIES BUT OTHERS AS WELL, WHETHER IT'S INDUSTRIAL OR NOT. COLLECTING FEES FOR SERVICES, THE TASK FORCE, I'M NOT SURE PUTTING THAT IN THE CODE REQUIREMENT FOR THESE PARTICULAR BUSINESSES BUT IT'S SOMETHING YOU ALL COULD FURTHER DISCUSS. WITH THAT, THAT'S A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAKE OUR CODES BETTER AND OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO MOVE THESE FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL ADOPTION. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MIKE. AND SO I'LL START OFF BY THANKING YOU AND THANKING THE ENTIRE TASK FORCE FOR MEETING SO OFTEN AND FOR WANTING TO HAVE THE INTEREST OF OUR RESIDENTS IN MIND. AND SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL THAT YOU ALL WERE ABLE TO SQUEEZE IN SO MANY MEETINGS. WE KNOW THAT YOUR TIME IS VERY VALUABLE BUT I DO THINK THIS IS A COMPROMISE AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDED. WE NEEDED BOTH SIDES AND WE UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR AREA. AND I'LL SHARE A -- I SHARED THIS WITH SOMEONE A FEW MONTHS AGO. BUT WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL MY PARENTS AND I WOULD SAVE ALUMINUM CANS AND WE WOULD KEEP THEM IN THE BACK IN BIG BAGS. WHEN MY PARENTS COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY SOMETHING, LIKE THE ELECTRICAL BILL OR WATER BILL, THOSE WERE OUR SAVING GRACE. I REMEMBER MY DAD WOULD SAY IT WOULD BE TIME TO PACK UP THE TRUCK AND GO TAKE THESE BAGS. AND I WOULD HELP WITH THE BAGS. THAT'S HOW I GOT MY BIG MUSCLES, I GUESS. WE WOULD PACK THOSE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER WE COLLECTED THE CASH FROM THOSE CANS. IT WAS REALLY, REALLY COOL. I WOULD BE SURPRISED BECAUSE A LOT OF NEIGHBORS WOULD DROP OFF THEIR CANS AND I WOULD HAVE TO CRUSH THEM AS A LITTLE GIRL. I KNEW MY PARENTS WERE GOING TO BE HAPPY WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO CASH THAT MONEY BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO PAY THE BILLS. I KNOW A LOT OF RESIDENTS DO THAT FOR FOOD. THEY DO THAT FOR A LOT OF THINGS AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT. IT WAS ALSO THE FIRST TIME THAT I SAW A ROBOT. AND SO MY DAD WOULD SAY IT'S THE ROBOT. IT WOULD BE SO COOL FOR ME TO GO AND JUST WATCH THAT. SO I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE RESIDENTS THAT CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND NEED THAT. AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I ALSO DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE RESIDENTS THAT SUFFER FROM THINGS LIKE ASTHMA. I'M ONE OF THOSE. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE AREA THAT WE LIVE AND EVERY TIME THAT THERE'S A SMOKE -- OR I SEE SOMETHING, I CALL COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND SHE'S ALREADY ON IT BY THE TIME I CALL HER, BY THE WAY, BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS ALREADY CALLED HER. WE DO SHARE THOSE RESIDENTS IN THOSE AREAS. THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE DID ALSO JUST RECEIVE INFORMATION BACK FROM AN AUDIT THAT SAYS THAT THE METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS DOING A GREAT JOB AT MONITORING THE TCEQ AND EVEN SOME OF THE FEDERAL STANDARDS. I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK THE SAN ANTONIO METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT. I'LL GIVE A PLUG FOR THE ASTHMA PROGRAM, THE BREATHE ASTHMA PROGRAM. THE AWARENESS YOU ALL RAISE IN TERMS OF SHOWING PARENTS HOW TO TAKE CARE -- LIKE, THIS IS INCLUDED, THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU TO OUR METRO HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR WORKING WITH YOU ALL. I'M VERY COMFORTABLE WITH SOME OF THE INCREASED OPTIONS FOR ENFORCEMENT AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY AND ALSO THAT THE FIRE CHIEF WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY ALSO TO TAKE CONSIDERATION OR STRONGER ACTION. I LOVE THE FACT THAT IT'S GOING FROM TEN DAYS TO TWO DAYS. I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS. THEY WANT AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE. THEY DON'T WANT SOMETHING TO HAPPEN AND THEN HAVE TO WAIT. THANK YOU. I'M IN FAVOR OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AS-IS AND I'D LOVE TO TURN IT OVER NOW TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, WHO DRAFTED THIS CCR. COUNCILWOMAN. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, MIKE FOR THE [02:40:03] PRESENTATION. IN 2021 I WROTE A WHERE I LIVE ARTICLE AND I HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPACT AND VALUE THAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD METAL RECYCLER HAD ON MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO SERVED TO REPRESENT, WHETHER IT WAS THE INDUSTRY SIDE OR THE COMMUNITY SIDE TO GIVE INPUT. AND THE FOLKS WHO GAVE PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY, AGAIN, WHAT I HEARD IN PUBLIC COMMENT WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS IN TERMS OF IT'S TOO MUCH REGULATION, NOT ENOUGH REGULATION, OR THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MOVEMENT AT ALL. BUT IF YOU'RE PICKING UP WHAT I'M PUTTING DOWN, I'M GOING TO CO-OP COUNCILMAN PELAEZ'S ARGUMENT STRUCTURE. I BELIEVE WHEN YOU HEAR FOLKS MAKE THAT ARGUMENT, THAT MEANS WE'RE MEETING A MIDDLE GROUND. WE'RE MEETING WHERE CONSENSUS IS MADE. IT MAKES SENSE WHEN YOU HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE IT IMPACTS THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEY LIVE AND THEIR RESPIRATORY HEALTH AND THE QUALITY OF THEIR SOIL. WHEN IT IMPACTS HOW THEY PAY THEIR BILLS AND HOW THEY GET FOOD ON THEIR TABLE. JUST AS IMPORTANT, RATHER, WHEN IT'S YOUR LIVELIHOOD. WHEN IT'S A BUSINESS YOUR FAMILY HAS RUN FOR GENERATIONS, DECADES, OR IT'S NEW. I UNDERSTAND THE PASSION AROUND THIS ISSUE. WHEN WE HEAR BOTH SIDES PUSHING BACK, I THINK WE'RE MAKING GREAT MOVEMENT. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE SIGHT ON WHAT YOU JUST PRESENTED TO US IN TERMS OF A FASTER TIMELINE FOR RESPONSE AND TO GIVE AN OPERATOR TWO DAYS TO CORRECT THAT ISSUE WHEN A VIOLATION IS NOTED, WHICH IS 10 TO 30 DAYS TO 2. MODIFY THE ABILITY TO SUSPEND OR REVOKE A LICENSE IF THREE CITATIONS ACCEPTED WITHIN MUNICIPAL COURT WITHIN A 12-MONTH PERIOD. CURRENTLY IT'S THREE CITATIONS WITHIN 18 MONTHS. THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US TODAY. THERE'S SO MUCH IN HERE THAT I THINK WILL HELP THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO LEAD IN TERMS OF WHAT COMPLIANCE LOOKS LIKE FOR THESE INDUSTRIES. ADDING REQUIREMENT FOR CONTAMINATED LIQUID AND OTHER HAZARDOUS WASTE, THAT THAT BE REVIEWED AT LEAST EVERY THREE MONTHS BY CODE ENFORCEMENT. THE ZONING CONCERN I CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM DISTRICT 5 RESIDENTS ADDS ZONING DENSITY RULES TO WELL. HIGHLIGHTING THAT THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE CAN'T BE MORE EXPANSION. THAT RESPONSIBILITY WILL CONTINUE TO LIE ON THE CITY COUNCILMEMBER TO MAKE THAT DECISION, TO HEAR FROM THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS THIS SOMETHING THEY WANT TO SEE EXPANDED OR NOT. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS DOESN'T MEAN IT'S AN ABSOLUTE NO, IT MEANS THERE'S GOING TO BE A LARGER DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION FROM CITY STAFF IN TERMS OF A REZONING FOR EXPANSION AND/OR NEW ZONING. OF COURSE THE FACILITY STANDARDS, THE WEED AND BRUSH BE MAINTAINED AT 4 INCHES RATHER THAN 12 IS A KEY COMPONENT. YOU HIT ON THE ISSUE, MIKE, ENSURING THAT ANY OF THE DEBRIS CAN CREATE AND SPARK A FIRE. THEN OF COURSE ADDING LANGUAGE FOR THE FIRE SAFETY PACK. AS MENTIONED, THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT ONLY ABOUT THE FOLKS WHO LIVE AROUND THE FACILITIES BUT IT'S ABOUT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE EMPLOYEES AT THESE FACILITIES AS WELL. IT'S ABOUT ENSURING THAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ALSO HAVE A CLEAR AND SAFE PATHWAY TO RESPOND WHEN THERE IS A FIRE. THE FIRE PREVENTION AND SAFETY COMPONENT, JUST WANT TO THANK MIKE, HIS TEAM, AND THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR ENSURING THAT IN THE CASE THERE IS A FIRE THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN SIT AND REVIEW THAT PLAN TO SEE WHERE CHANGES COULD BE MADE FOR A CLEAR PATHWAY TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. THE MOST IMPORTANT PART WHERE THE FIRE IS PUT OUT SOONER THAN LATER AND FOLKS AREN'T HAVING TO INHALE ALL THE DEBRIS AND CONTAMINANTS FROM THE PLUME. THERE'S SO MUCH IN HERE TO HIGHLIGHT BUT I WOULD JUST RESTATE YOUR PRESENTATION, ESSENTIALLY. BUT NO DOUBT THERE'S PLENTY OF WORK TO DO. WE HEARD FROM SOME FOLKS THAT GAVE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT FLUFF AND THAT IMPACT AND WHAT WE CAN DO THERE. ULTIMATELY, THIS IS SOMETHING I'M SUPPORTIVE OF MOVING FORWARD. I MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE MOVE THIS TO FULL COUNCIL. >> SECOND. >> GARCIA: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE TABLE. WE'LL CONTINUE WITH DISCUSSION. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANKS. I JUST HAD TWO QUESTIONS. AND ONE OF THEM CAME UP AS KIND OF AN ASIDE COMMENT. BUT HOW DO THESE AUTO RECYCLING AND METAL RECYCLING DEAL WITH LITHIUM BATTERIES? AND WE KNOW IN CARS, OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE IN THERE AND SOME OTHER MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT. >> SHANNON: WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT LITHIUM BATTERIES. WE HAVE NOTHING SPECIFIC IN THE CODE ABOUT LITHIUM. THEY HAVE SOME STATE RULES HOW TO GET THEM OUT OF THE CARS OR ANY OTHER APPLIANCES OR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. THEY HAVE TO DISPOSE OF THEM THROUGH THAT. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ASK. IF YOU WOULD LIKE WE CAN ASK ONE OF THE RECYCLERS TO COME [02:45:06] UP. >> COURAGE: YEAH. >> SHANNON: ANYBODY WANT TO TAKE IT? >> COURAGE: WHAT DO WE DO WITH LITHIUM BATTERIES? >> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVELS. SO I'VE BEEN WORKING, ACTUALLY, AT THE STATE LEVEL TO WORK ON LEGISLATION THAT CAN PROMOTE THE COLLECTION OF LITHIUM ION BATTERIES. LITHIUM ION BATTERIES -- BATTERIES OUTSIDE OF LEAD ACID BATTERIES REALLY DON'T -- THEY DON'T HAVE A FLOW THROUGH OUR SOLID WASTE OR RECYCLE SYSTEM. THEY DON'T HAVE A VALUE AT THIS MOMENT AND SO REALLY NONE OF OUR FACILITIES WANT THEM AT OUR FACILITIES. THEY ARE SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT AS PROHIBITED MATERIALS. AND, YOU KNOW, AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL I THINK THERE ARE ONLY MAYBE SEVEN EXISTING RECYCLERS, ACTIVE RECYCLERS OF LITHIUM ION BATTERIES, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE FOCUSED ON. AND THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO CREATE A PRODUCT WITH ANY VALUE. ALL IN ALL, THIS IS JUST NOT A TASK FORCE-RELATED TOPIC. IT'S A VERY COMPLEX TOPIC THAT IS POSING PROBLEMS TO ALL END OF LIFE -- WELL, TO OUR HOUSEHOLDS, TO OUR RESIDENTS, AND CONSUMERS. BUT ALSO AT THE END OF LIFE LEVEL OF INDUSTRY. SO THAT WOULD BE SOLID WASTE FACILITIES AND METAL RECYCLING FACILITIES ARE ALL HAVING A HARD TIME TRYING TO PREVENT THESE MATERIALS FROM ENTERING OUR STREAM. WHEN THERE'S NOT A VALUE STREAM, A VALUE ADD TO DRIVE SOMETHING PROPERLY THROUGH A DISPOSAL METHOD OR A RECYCLE METHOD, THAT'S WHEN YOU FIND THINGS IN OUR STREAMS AND WHERE YOU DON'T WANT THEM. THAT USED TO BE A PROBLEM WITH LEAD ACID BATTERIES. FORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT TODAY BUT THAT'S THE -- PERHAPS A LONG ANSWER. I CAN TELL YOU THAT I SERVE ON A NATIONAL COMMITTEE AND TASK FORCE THAT LOOKS AT THIS. AND, AGAIN, AT THE STATE LEVEL I'M WORKING ON LEGISLATION THAT'S ACTUALLY MOVING THROUGH THE HOUSE AND SENATE. >> COURAGE: YOU DON'T HAVE ANY IN YOUR FACILITY. DO YOU KNOW IF ANY OF THE OTHER RECYCLERS KEEP THEM OR DEAL WITH THEM? >> I WOULDN'T THINK THAT ANYBODY IS -- I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM. I WOULD 99.9% TELL ME THERE'S NO WAY THEY'RE WANTING THOSE TO ENTER THEIR FACILITY FOR RECYCLING. I CAN ALSO TELL YOU 99.9% SURE -- NO, 100% SURE THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF LITHIUM ION BATTERIES IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW. THOUSANDS. I MEAN, THEY ARE EVERYWHERE WE GO. WHETHER WE KNOW IT OR NOT. I FOUND ONE IN MY DAUGHTER'S MERMAID THE OTHER DAY. >> COURAGE: I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. THANK YOU. I BROUGHT UP THAT QUESTION BECAUSE A FRIEND OF MINE JUST SAID THAT THEIR LITHIUM BATTERIES WENT OUT IN THEIR CAR AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THEM. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE HYBRIDS. I WAS WONDERING, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CARS, DO THEY END UP THERE? APPARENTLY THEY DON'T. MAYBE I HAVE TO CHECK WITH THE CAR DEALER. MY OTHER QUESTION WAS SEPARATE AND THAT WAS WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT FEE FOR SERVICES AS A DISCUSSION POINT. BUT NO DECISION WAS MADE. WE HAVE FEE FOR SERVICES IF SOMEBODY CALLS 9-1-1 AND AN AMBULANCE COMES OUT. SO WE CHARGE INDIVIDUALS FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT SERVICES RELATED TO AMBULANCE, RIGHT? >> SHANNON: YES. >> COURAGE: THERE'S A FEE FOR SERVICE FOR THAT. WHY WOULDN'T WE HAVE A FEE FOR SERVICE IF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO GO OUT AND PUT OUT A FIRE AT ONE OF THESE FACILITIES? >> SHANNON: YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER. I THINK WHEN WE STARTED THAT CONVERSATION -- AND WE JUST HAD A QUICK ONE ON IT -- IT QUICKLY LED INTO WHAT ABOUT THIS FACILITY, WHY NOT THAT FACILITY? WHAT ABOUT A FIRE AT THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS VERSUS THAT TYPE OF BUSINESS? IT LEADS US TO A LOT OF QUESTIONS. MORE CONVERSATION IS WARRANTED. THAT EXAMPLE I THINK OF THE SAFD RESPONSE TO THE AMBULANCE CAME UP BUT IT SEEMED A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN THIS TASK FORCE COULD HANDLE. IT JUST KEPT LEADING INTO THE WHY IS THIS ONE TYPE OF FACILITY ONLY. OR TWO BUSINESSES. >> COURAGE: I NEED TO TALK TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ABOUT IT MORE. THEY'RE AN OPEN-AIR BUSINESS. THAT'S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN [02:50:04] SOMEBODY IN THEIR HOME OR A CLOSED BUSINESS THAT MIGHT HAVE A FIRE. I JUST WONDERED ABOUT THAT DISCUSSION. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MIKE AND TASK FORCE FOR YOUR EFFORTS ON THIS ISSUE. I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A LARGER CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL-WISE. AND, DEBORAH, I WANT TO THANK YOU. YOU SHOW UP TO THE SYMPOSIUM WE DO IN JANUARY. WE ARE ON THE ISSUES AND I THINK THIS IS BIGGER THAN THIS TASK FORCE. AND SO I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK. BECAUSE WHEN I'M WITH THE GROUP FROM CPS, IT'S THE COAL PLANTS. WHEN I'M WITH THE TRANSPORTATION AND MY BIKE, THEY'RE, LIKE, IT'S THE VEHICLES. IT'S THE DRIVING. IT'S NOT HAVING, YOU KNOW, A GOOD SYSTEM FOR US TO KIND OF JUMP ON THE BUS, JUMP OFF. SO I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THAT BIGGER CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF OUR AIR QUALITY. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO. AND THEN GOING BACK TO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE HEALTH IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE LOOK AT HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE THEIR VOICE. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR EFFORTS. I THINK WHAT WE TASKED YOU TO DO, YOU DID AND COMPLETE. I THINK THERE'S MORE WORK FOR US TO DO BUT IN TERMS OF THAT, WE NEED TO DO THAT AND TAKE A LOOK AT OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN. WE AS A COUNCIL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER ON PUTTING POLICY FORWARD AND LOOKING AT THE POLICY WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT WE CAN ADDRESS TO KIND OF HIT SOME OF THOSE NEEDS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP IN DISCUSSION TODAY. THE ONE THING I DO WANT TO BRING UP, MIKE, IS IN TERMS OF THE BUSINESS -- BECAUSE THESE ARE BUSINESSES THAT ARE -- I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE NEW BUSINESSES COMING IN, THAT THE EXISTING BUSINESSES AND HOW WE GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY, IF THEY HAVE THE LAND TO EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS OR MAYBE WORK WITH A BUSINESS ALONGSIDE THEM BUT MAKING SURE THEY'RE WORKING WITHIN OUR CODE. AND YOU BROUGHT UP UDC -- AND I KNOW WE WORKED ON IT WHEN I WAS FIRST HERE, WHICH SEEMS LIKE SO MANY YEARS AGO. BUT THERE WERE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP THERE THAT WE DID PUSH AND WE SAID LET'S SAVE THIS FOR LATER. AND THERE WERE THINGS BROUGHT FORWARD -- AND YOU KNOW THIS -- THAT I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH IN UDC CODE. AND I THINK AS COUNCIL PEOPLE WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. SOMEBODY MENTIONED THE CORRUGATED METAL FENCES AND HOW IT WAS SPECIAL FOR JUST THESE. I WAS LIKE, MY NEIGHBORS WANT THEM IN MY DISTRICT. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE LARGER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WE DO FOR BUSINESSES, WHAT WE DO FOR HOMES, AND THEN HOW WE MOVE FORWARD. AND WHAT IS BEST TO HELP US TAKE CARE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. AND I THINK WE ASKED THE TASK FORCE TO DO EFFORTS. THEY HIT THOSE EFFORTS BUT I THINK IT'S TIME AS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GO BACK AND SAY, OKAY, NOW HOW DO WE REPACKAGE THIS AWAY FROM YOU AND GET DOUG IN SUSTAINABILITY ON THE HOT SEAT MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS. WE'LL KEEP YOU IN THE LOOP, MIKE, BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO DO THE HEAVY LIFTING ANYMORE. >> SHANNON: I DON'T REFER TO THIS AS THE HOT SEAT. >> VIAGRAN: I LOOKED FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IT TODAY AND GETTING COUNCIL FOR FINAL ADOPTION AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS. I THINK THERE WERE MORE CONVERSATIONS THERE BUT IT'S NOT FOR THIS TASK FORCE. WE NEED TO GO INTO OTHER COMMITTEES AND TALK WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO KIND OF MOVE SOME OF THESE THINGS FORWARD. A LOT OF WHAT I HEARD COULD BE IN TO CHEC. I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT ALSO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR EFFORT AND I JUST APPRECIATE ALL THAT Y'ALL DID. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. COUNCILMAN PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: CAN I GET JORDAN VEXLER UP HERE? I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE DEFINITION -- BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN IT BEFORE -- THE DEFINITION OF METAL SHREDDER RESIDUE. WHAT IS THAT? >> WELL, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION. BECAUSE IT IS A TOPIC THAT CAME UP AT THE -- I THINK I SAID THE OTHER DAY, THE 49TH HOUR IN THE MEETINGS. AND IT STARTED OUT AS BEING -- I THINK GENERALLY IT'S ASSUMED THAT THAT DEFINITION WOULD ONLY AFFECT A FACILITY LIKE MINE. I POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE ALL TYPES OF SHREDDERS AND IN FACT THERE ARE SHREDDERS OF ALL DIFFERENT SIZES AND PURPOSES IN DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES AS WELL AS [02:55:02] WITHIN OUR INDUSTRY, DIFFERENT TYPES OF SHREDDERS. THE DEFINITION, AS IT STANDS, I HAVE POINTED OUT IS QUITE CONFUSING AND I HAVE SOME SOLUTIONS TO IT. IT'S AS IF WE'RE EXPECTING STAFF OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BECOME AN EXPERT IN OUR INDUSTRY AND UNDERSTAND TERMINOLOGY AND PROCESSING. I THINK IT ENDED UP BEING A CONFLATED DEFINITION. >> PELAEZ: SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FLUFF AND SHREDDER RESIDUE? >> SO FLUFF IS TESTED -- I HAVE SHOWN A MANIFEST BEFORE AT OUR COMMUNITY TASK FORCE MEETINGS. SO FLUFF IS SHIPPED TO THE LANDFILL AS A NON-HAZARDOUS MATERIAL. IT'S TESTED REGULARLY, AS ANY LANDFILL REQUIRES. SO FLUFF IS A WASTE PRODUCT. A METAL SHREDDER RESIDUE IS ACTUALLY -- IT'S A METAL CONCENTRATE OF NON-FERROUS MATERIALS THAT REQUIRES FURTHER SEPARATION. IF IT WERE TO GO TO THE DUMP WITHOUT SEPARATION, WE WOULD BE THROWING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THE RECOVERABLE MATERIALS INTO THE LANDFILL. THE TWO DEFINITIONS CONFLATED IS REALLY DIFFICULT -- I THINK IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR THE CITY STAFF TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY. >> PELAEZ: IS RESIDUE A RECOVERABLE MATERIAL THAT YOU THEN GO AND RESELL? >> SO DIFFERENT FACILITIES HAVE DIFFERENT CAPABILITIES OF PROCESSING. WE ARE ABLE TO PROCESS THAT FURTHER. I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THERE ARE MANY FACILITIES IN TOWN THAT ARE ABLE TO FURTHER REFINE THOSE PRODUCTS. >> PELAEZ: YEAH. SO THE REASON I'M ASKING IS, MIKE, WHEN YOUR INSPECTORS GO OUT THERE, I WANT THEM TO LOOK FOR FLUFF, NOT FOR RESIDUE OR -- AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR INSPECTORS HAVE A COLOR BY NUMBERS MANUAL THAT IS ACCURATE AND IS ACTUALLY SOLVING FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR. AND I'M HEARING THAT IF WE'RE USING RESIDUE AND FLUFF AND PUTTING THEM TOGETHER, THAT WE'RE CREATING A PROBLEM FOR THE INDUSTRY AND WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY FIXING WHAT WE WANT TO FIX. HOW DO WE SQUARE THAT CIRCLE? >> IF I COULD JUST SAY ONE THING IS I THINK YOU DO POINT OUT SOMETHING IMPORTANT. I THINK IT'S REALLY COMPLEX FOR -- AGAIN, FOR US TO EXPECT THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WOULD BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE COMMODITY TYPES OR, YOU KNOW, COMMODITY NAMES. ALL OF OUR FACILITIES PROCESS DIFFERENTLY AND THAT ACTUALLY MEANS THAT WE CREATE DIFFERENT SPECIFICATION AND QUALITY OF MATERIAL, WHICH HAS DIFFERENT NAMES. AND THOSE ARE INDUSTRY STANDARDS. I WOULDN'T PROBABLY KNOW WHAT TO CALL A PARTICULAR MATERIAL AT A COLLEAGUE'S FACILITY. >> PELAEZ: I GET IT. HOW DO WE SOLVE THIS? >> SHANNON: WELL, I WOULD SAY WE'RE PROPOSING A DEFINITION. IT'S A WORKING DEFINITION. WE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S PERFECT. WE ASKED INDUSTRY TO GIVE ME THE STANDARD DEFINITION THAT'S OUT THERE AT THE FEDERAL OR STATE LEVEL. THERE IS NONE. SO WE CAME UP WITH ONE BECAUSE WE KEEP HEARING THE TERM METAL SHREDDER RESIDUE OR ASR, AUTOMOBILE SHREDDER RESIDUE. BUT WHAT IF IT'S NOT AN AUTOMOBILE, WHAT IF IT'S AN APPLIANCE? AND THEN FLUFF. WE CAN WORK TO REFINE IT BEFORE IT COMES TO COUNCIL. I THINK WHATEVER WE LAND ON, OUR CODE OFFICERS ARE VERY SMART. WE'RE GOING TO BE TRAINING ON ALL THESE NEW REQUIREMENTS. CERTAINLY WE HAVE TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THE SHREDDING RESIDUE IS. WHETHER IT'S WASTE PRODUCT AND/OR THE STUFF THAT THEY CAN FURTHER REFINE SO THEY CAN HAVE A SELLABLE PRODUCT. WE CAN WORK ON IT MORE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, AND TRY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE MORE CLEAR. I THINK THE STANDARD WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS A WORKING DEFINITION, NOT A PERFECT DEFINITION. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ONE OUT THERE AND I THINK THAT WAS WELL ESTABLISHED AT THE MEETINGS. >> PELAEZ: THAT WOULD BE MY REQUEST. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT. I'LL BE ASKING ABOUT THIS AT A SESSION. THANKS. APPRECIATE IT. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MIKE. SO AND I HAD FLUFF ALSO, THE [03:00:03] HEIGHT PILE. SO IF WE COULD LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE HEIGHT AND THE DIFFERENCE IN HEIGHT AND MAYBE WHAT OTHERS DO IN TERMS OF HEIGHT. >> SHANNON: SURE. >> GARCIA: AND THEN ON THE LITHIUM BATTERIES, I JUST THINK IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A LARGER COUNCIL, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN SAID. BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP AGAIN, COUNCILMAN COURAGE. WE CAN TAKE A VOTE, IF WE ARE READY. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> >> GARCIA: WAIT. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO HAS ONE MORE THING. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, MIKE. A COUPLE OF THINGS WHILE UNFLASHY BUT FOUNDATIONAL, THE UDC REVISION PROCESS IS IMPORTANT. I BELIEVE IT HAD BEEN 13 YEARS SINCE WE REVISED OR EXAMINED THESE TWO CODES. >> SHANNON: 12, 13 YEARS. YEP. >> CASTILLO: I WOULD HOPE WE COULD CONTINUE TO REVISIT ON THE SIMILAR TIME-FRAME AS THE UDC PROCESS TO REVISIT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE. AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE COST RECOVERY COMPONENT, WHAT COMES TO MIND IS THE COST RECOVERY COMPONENT THAT AN INITIATIVE WITH THE DART PROCESS WE INITIATED AND COST RECOVERY. I THINK THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REPLICATE TO EXPLORE ARE THERE ANY PARALLELS AND HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT IF IT'S NOT IF FEE, IT'S THE COST RECOVERY COMPONENT. BUT THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO ADD. >> SHANNON: JUST TO CLARIFY, SO THE UDC IS ON A FIVE-YEAR CYCLE. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR WHEN WE BRING IT TO A SESSION? OKAY. >> GARCIA: LET'S TAKE A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, MIKE. GOOD JOB. AND TO ALL YOUR TEAM AND THE METAL RECYCLING TASK FORCE. WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM NO. 4, WHICH IS A RENTAL ENGAGEMENT AND ASSISTANCE TO CONNECT WITH HOUSING, OR REACH INITIATIVE. AND IS THIS VERONICA? SARAH, YOU'RE PRESENTING? IT'S ALL YOURS. >> ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR HANGING IN FOR THIS VERY LONG MEETING. WE HAVE WHAT CAN BE A HEAVY TOPIC BUT WE HOPE IS A POSITIVE UPDATE FOR YOU AND WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A VOTE AFTER THIS. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN GET A LITTLE BREAK. SO ABOUT A YEAR AGO, A YEAR AGO TOMORROW, WE CAME BEFORE THIS BODY TO PROVIDE AN INFORMATIONAL BRIEFING ON SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTIONS. THE ITEMS WE COVERED IN THAT WERE IN GENERAL WHAT SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTIONS ARE, SOME OF THE LOCAL PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN EFFECT HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND IMPORTANTLY THE STATE PREEMPTIONS THAT PREVENT US FROM DOING MUCH MORE THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE. AT THAT MEETING YOU HEARD A LOT OF COMMENT, MANY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE WITH US AGAIN TODAY, ABOUT DESIRE FOR MORE PROTECTIONS FOR VETERANS BUT ALSO VERY REAL CONCERNS FROM HOUSING PROVIDERS ABOUT VOUCHER PROGRAMS IN GENERAL. SO THE DIRECTION THAT WE GOT FROM YOU ALL WAS TO BASICALLY PULL A TABLE TOGETHER. GET STAKEHOLDERS AMONG THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES WHO ADMINISTER VOUCHER PROGRAMS. THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SPACE WHO ARE RECEIVING APPLICATIONS FROM VOUCHER HOLDERS, AND OF COURSE FOLKS IN THE VETERAN COMMUNITY TO HAVE HONEST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GETTING IN THE WAY FROM EVERYONE BEING ABLE TO WANT TO ACCEPT A VOUCHER RIGHT AWAY. SO THANKFULLY GRACIOUS IN LETTING US JOIN HANDS WITH THEM. I WILL SAY KATIE WILSON, THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WAS HERE EARLIER BUT SHE HAD TO LEAVE. SO TOGETHER WE WORKED THROUGH NINE ULTIMATE DELIVERABLES, WHICH WE FINALIZED IN 2024, AND WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED IMPLEMENTATIONS. THESE ARE OUR PARTICIPANTS, AND WE REALLY HAD KIND OF TWO BODIES WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. THE FIRST IS OUR STEERING COMMITTEE, OF COURSE LED BY CLOSE TO HOME, BOTH OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES, THAT'S OPPORTUNITY HOME AND HOUSING AUTHORITY OF BEXAR COUNTY. SAYBOR, HUD, AND ALONG WITH OUR CHIEF HOUSING OFFICER. MANY OTHER PARTICIPANTS CAME TO THE TABLE . I WON'T NAME ALL OF THEM BUT WILL THANK THEM FOR THE TIME AND THOUGHT THEY PUT INTO THIS WORK. SO THE FIRST THING THAT WE DID WAS KIND OF BRAINSTORM -- CLEARLY EVERYONE AROUND THE TABLE CARES VERY DEEPLY ABOUT THIS ISSUE. [03:05:02] SO WHAT IS IN THE WAY FROM GETTING MORE UNIVERSAL VOUCHER ACCEPTANCE? AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT VOUCHER HOLDERS SPEND A LONG TIME FINDING APARTMENTS. IT CAN BE MONTHS. AND THAT'S IN ADDITION TO THE WAIT TIME THAT THEY HAVE EVEN TO GET A VOUCHER. AND PART OF THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT VOUCHER PROGRAMS COME WITH ADDITIONAL INSPECTIONS, ADDITIONAL PAPERWORK. AND THAT ADDS UNCOMPENSATED TIME. THOSE ARE MANDATES FROM HUD AND THEY ARE NOT WITHOUT GOOD REASON. WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FEDERAL MONIES ARE GOING TO APARTMENTS THAT ARE SAFE AND AFFORDABLE. BUT THAT VOUCHER PROCESS CAN BE PROBLEMATIC FOR PROPERTY MANAGERS AND THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE NUANCED PROBLEMS THAT SURFACED. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOME PROPERTY OWNERS OR PROPERTY MANAGERS SIMPLY DO HAVE NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS ABOUT VOUCHER HOLDERS AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO ADDRESS AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. SO THE TIMELINE FOR THIS PROCESS IN SUMMER OF LAST YEAR, WE CONVENED OUR STEERING COMMITTEE AND BEGAN TO DRAFT SOME INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS. THAT WAS A PRETTY ROBUST LIST. 23 STRONG INITIALLY. AND THEN WE CONVENED A WORKSHOP WITH OUR LARGER STAKEHOLDER GROUP AND THEY GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS MORE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS. EVERYBODY GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AROUND THE ROOM, LEARN FROM SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTS ABOUT WHAT EACH OF THESE STRATEGIES COULD OR COULD NOT DO. AND THEN EVERYONE GOT TO SORT OF RATE WHERE THEY FELT THESE STRATEGIES WOULD FALL. WE ASKED THEM TO CONSIDER HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD BE AFFECTED IF THIS STRATEGY WERE IMPLEMENTED. IS IT SCALABLE? DO WE HAVE RESOURCES TODAY THAT WE NEED TO DO IT? THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. THAT'S HOW WE WENT DOWN THAT LARGER LIST DOWN TO NINE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE FELT LIKE -- AND BY "WE" I MEAN THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS HERE FELT LIKE IF WE WERE ABLE TO DO THESE THINGS WE CAN MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT FOR ALL VOUCHER HOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY. SO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE SHARED AT HOUSING COMMISSION IN THE FALL. WE HAD OUR FIRST STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING THAT IS QUARTERLY, LAST MONTH, AND NOW WE'RE HERE TODAY TO BRIEF YOU ALL. SO HERE IS A CLOSER LOOK AT THE NINE RECOMMENDATIONS. AND WE'VE BROKEN THEM OUT TO COVER A COUPLE THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND THE REST ARE IN PROGRESS. THE FIRST ONE I'LL HIGHLIGHT, MAJOR THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS AT NARPUM AND SAYBOR FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN. WHEN YOU LIST A PROPERTY IN THE MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE YOU HAVE TO INDICATE IF YOU WILL ACCEPT VOUCHERS OR NOT. IT USED TO BE AN OPTIONAL BUTTON, NOW IT IS REQUIRED, AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SAY THERE WERE 357 ACTIVE LISTINGS THAT SAID THEY WOULD ACCEPT VOUCHER HOLDERS. THEY HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF RENTS, DOWN TO $450, AND THERE WERE ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF HOUSING. NOT JUST SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES BUT ALSO MULTIFAMILY, DUPLEXES, ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT HOUSING TYPES. THE OTHER PIECE THAT WE WERE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT IS ADDRESSING THAT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES ISSUE. YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER FROM COMMENTS THAT WE HEARD ABOUT CO-MINGLING. IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE FOR PROPERTY MANAGERS WHO HOLD REAL ESTATE LICENSES WHO CANNOT CO-MINGLE FUNDS FOR DIFFERENT UNITS TOGETHER. BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT CAN BE THE WAY THAT A LOT OF PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES ACTUALLY ISSUE PAYMENTS. IF YOU HOUSE MORE THAN ONE VOUCHER HOLDER, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THAT AS ONE LARGE PAYMENT. SO THANKFULLY, WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE REALLY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS AND OPPORTUNITY HOME, I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE STEPHANIE, IS HERE TO GIVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS. WAS ABLE TO TWEAK THEIR PROCESS SO THAT THEY CAN ISSUE PAYMENTS ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. BUT WE DON'T WANT TO STOP THERE. WE ALSO WANT TO GIVE REALTORS THE ASSURANCE THEY NEED BY WORKING WITH THE TEXAS REAL ESTATE COMMISSION TO CLARIFY THE INTEND BEHIND THEIR CO-MINGLING REGULATIONS AND EXPLORE A FIX TO THE CODE SO IT IS CLEAR THAT THE INTENT IS NOT TO PREVENT ANYONE FROM ACCEPTING VOUCHERS. THOSE TWO ARE ALREADY DONE. DEVELOPING INCENTIVES, PARTICULARLY TIED TO HOUSEHOLDS THAT UTILIZE VOUCHERS WAS A PRIORITY FOR THIS GROUP. I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT WE DO [03:10:05] HAVE AN EXISTING PROGRAM CALLED PLACE THAT IS ADMINISTERED FROM CLOSE TO HOME. IT IS UP TO $1500 FOR HOUSEHOLDS THAT ACCEPT REFERRALS FROM OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE OR NHSD STAFF. YEAR TO DATE WE HAVE HAD 79 PEOPLE SERVED THROUGH THAT PROGRAM. AND ONLY TWO PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY HAD TO PAY OUT BECAUSE THEY BROKE THEIR LEASE OR NEEDED ADDITIONAL DAMAGES. WE'RE REALLY HAPPY WITH THAT. WE'RE HOPING TO BUILD OFF THAT SUCCESS WITH OTHER SUPPORTS. I'LL HIGHLIGHT AS WELL THAT OPPORTUNITY HOME DID HAVE A LANDLORD INCENTIVE FUND THAT WAS $500 FOR SIGNING ON A NEW VOUCHER HOLDER OR RENEWING AN EXISTING LEASE. BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING THEY HAD TO DISCONTINUE DUE TO BUDGETARY CONCERNS. LASTLY, THERE ARE SOME LEGISLATIVE OPTIONS IN THIS CATEGORY THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO THE PRESENTATION. THE NEXT STRATEGY IS FOCUSING ON IMPROVING THE INSPECTION PROCESS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS SURFACED A LOT IN THESE CONVERSATIONS. WHILE PRE-INSPECTIONS ARE SOMETHING THAT THE GROUP WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS ON MORE, IT IS NOT YET SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A TIME AND BACK WHEN WE FIRST INITIALLY TALKED WITH YOU ALL ABOUT THIS, INSPECTIONS COULD TAKE 30 TO 45 DAYS OR POTENTIALLY EVEN LONGER. NOW, BECAUSE OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES HAVE MADE, THEY ARE DOWN TO AS LITTLE AS ONE DAY ONCE COMPLETE PAPERWORK HAS BEEN SUBMITTED. THAT'S A BIG IMPROVEMENT. THE NEXT CATEGORY IS REALLY FOCUSED ON ENHANCING THE USER EXPERIENCE, PRIMARILY FOR HOUSING PROVIDERS BUT ALSO FOR PARTICIPANTS. SO WE DO HAVE TWO HOUSING AUTHORITIES IN OUR COUNTY. OUR GOAL IS NOT THAT THEY OPERATE INFORMED BY BEST PRACTICES OF BOTH PHAS AND THAT THOSE PROCESSES ARE AS STREAMLINED AS THEY CAN BE. ONE OF THE STRATEGIES I'LL HIGHLIGHT IS CREATING A CENTRALIZED DATABASE THAT COMES WITH OWNER STAFF SUPPORT. WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR HOUSING BASE TOOL THAT ARE ALLOWING US TO START SHOWING UNITS WITH REALTIME AVAILABILITY. AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ENHANCE THAT TOOL AS WELL. AND LASTLY, AND THIS SPEAKS TO THE PIECE ABOUT JUST VOUCHER PERCEPTION, IS WORKING ON COMMUNICATIONS AND MESSAGING. HOW CAN WE REFRAME THE PERCEPTION THAT UNFORTUNATELY DOES COME FOR VOUCHER HOLDERS AT TIMES. AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THE SOLUTIONS WE'RE IMPLEMENTING ARE HAVING AN IMPACT FOR THE POPULATIONS THEY'RE INTENDED TO SERVE. I'LL HIGHLIGHT THAT OPPORTUNITY HOME HAS REALLY TAKEN THE LEAD ON BOTH OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THEIR TENANT POWER HOURS AND THEIR FORTHCOMING RESIDENT ADVISORY GROUPS OF VOUCHER HOLDERS. SO THOSE ARE THE NINE RECOMMENDATIONS. AS YOU HEARD IN PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE SHARED, WE DID PRESENT THESE TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION. COMMISSION WAS SUPPORTIVE OF ALL NINE OF REACH'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEY ALSO WANTED TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION FOR HOW MUCHER HOLDERS WHO ARE VETERANS. AT THIS TIME THE REACH COMMITTEE IS FOCUSED ON IMPLEMENTING THOSE NINE AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT UNTIL WE FEEL HAPPY WITH THE PROGRESS. SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR REACH STAKEHOLDERS TO FOLLOW A COUPLE OF RELATED LEGISLATIVE ITEMS. ONE THAT WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS HB 714. THIS CREATES A TDHCA-FUNDED TENANT READINESS AND LANDLORD INCENTIVE PROGRAM. IT WAS VERY SIMILAR TO ONE THAT WE ACTUALLY ADMINISTERED FROM TDHCA VIA A GRANT DURING COVID. SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT IF THIS FUND WERE CREATED THAT SAN ANTONIO WOULD BE COMPETITIVE FOR IT AND IT WOULD HELP FILL THE GAP FOR THOSE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE. LOOKING UPSTREAM, REPRESENTATIVE GARCIA HAS PROPOSED A LAND BANKING PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY FOR LOW-INCOME VETERANS. NO. 14 WOULD REPEAL PROHIBITIONS. THIS IS A BILL THAT I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE FOLLOWED THE LEGISLATURE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, SO YOU KNOW IT HAS EMERGED IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER EVERY SESSION SINCE 2015 WHEN THE PROHIBITIONS WENT INTO EFFECT. THE NEXT ONE IS HOUSE BILL ADD BOTH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND PEOPLE AGED 62 OR OLDER TO THE LIST OF EXCEPTIONS THAT MUNICIPALS COULD ADOPT PROTECTIONS FOR. THE LAST ONE IS FROM [03:15:05] REPRESENTATIVE LOPEZ, A MEMBER OF OUR DELEGATION, THAT WOULD ADD VETERANS AS A PROTECTED CLASS FROM HOUSING DISCRIMINATION MORE GENERALLY. IT DOES NOT IMPLEMENT SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTIONS FOR VETERANS BUT IT IS ONE THAT WE ARE WORKING ON. SO I'LL JUST REMIND THE GROUP THAT REACH IS AN ONGOING PROCESS. OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE IN JUNE AND THIS IS THAT FOR OUR UPDATES. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE MEMBERS OF OUR STEERING COMMITTEE WHO ARE STILL WITH US IN THIS LONG MEETING. IF YOU GUYS DON'T MIND STANDING UP. [APPLAUSE] AND MARTIN, EVEN THOUGH HE'S NOT STANDING. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS AWESOME AND JUST THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU ALL. I DON'T WANT TO GIVE MANY LONG REMARKS BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS ALMOST HANGRY UP HERE. I HAVE QUICK LITTLE QUESTIONS BUT I THINK WE CAN JUST SEND THEM. THEY'RE EASY QUESTIONS SO WE CAN TALK OFFLINE FOR THE BETTER OF THE GROUP. BUT I'LL START WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS -- ACTUALLY, THERE'S NO -- OR THERE'S NO NEED FOR ACTION SO JUST COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES. ANYBODY? ALL RIGHT. COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND THEN COUNCILMAN PELAEZ. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPACT OF VOUCHERS. I KNOW YOU AND I WERE AT -- AND SOME OF YOUR TEAM MEMBERS WERE AT THE SAN ANTONIO BOARD OF REALTORS PANEL IN WHICH THEY HIGHLIGHTED THE VOUCHER PAYMENT PROCESS AND HOW IT CAN BE PROBLEMATIC FOR PROPERTY MANAGERS. THAT'S WHY I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE CO-CREATED A COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST WITH THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT EVERY COUNCILMEMBER ON THIS COMMITTEE HAS SIGNED ON TO ADDRESS STREAMLINING THE VOUCHER PAYMENT PROCESSES. WHAT I HEARD FROM THE FOLKS WHO GAVE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT OFTENTIMES THERE IS -- EVIDENT IN THE PRESENTATION -- THAT THERE CAN BE NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS OF VOUCHERS AND VOUCHER HOLDERS. THE GOAL OF THIS COUNCIL CONSIDERATION REQUEST IS TO HELP FACILITATE THAT PROCESS SO IT INCENTIVIZES IT AND MAKES IT EASIER TO ACCEPT THE VOUCHERS. WE HAVE HEARD IT IS A LENGTHY PROCESS TO GET REIMBURSED FROM THE GOVERNMENT. THIS CCR IS GOING TO EXPLORE HOW WE CAN OFFSET THAT BURDEN TO GET MORE FOLKS HOUSED. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE COMPONENTS. GRATEFUL FOR THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION FOR COCREATING THAT WITH US AS WELL AS WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR SIGNING ON TO IT AND MOVING IT FORWARD . THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE AND GET MORE FOLKS HOUSED. >> GARCIA: I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SABOR, BUT THAT MLS EDITION, HOW AWESOME IS THAT. COUNCILMAN PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: MARTIN, TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, YOU COULD HAVE DUG IN YOUR HEELS AND JUST SAID NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. AND SO COULD HAVE THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION. BUT YOU DIDN'T. AND INSTEAD YOU REALLY WERE VERY OPEN MINDED, AND SO IS THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND WORKING THROUGH AND BEING A PART OF THE SOLUTION. I HAVE SEEN OTHER TRADE ASSOCIATIONS COME IN AND SAY NO, HELL NO AND STOP ASKING. AND YOU GUYS WENT A DIFFERENT ROUTE REALLY SPEAKS TO YOUR VALUES AND YOUR DEDICATION TO SEEING MORE PEOPLE HOUSED THAN LESS. THAT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED. PLEASE PASS ON MY THANKS TO THE FOLKS OUT THERE. TWO, JUST TO MAKE SURE, THIS DOESN'T FORCE AN UNWILLING LANDLORD WHETHER OR NOT DOESN'T WANT TO TAKE VOUCHERS TO TAKE VOUCHERS, RIGHT? >> IT DOES NOT. THERE IS NOT A POLICY RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU. BUT WHAT IS ALLOWED IN TEXAS IS THAT CITIES CAN ADOPT SOURCE OF INCOME PROTECTION ORDINANCES AND THOSE DON'T REQUIRE PEOPLE TO TAKE VOUCHERS. BUT THEY DO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BEING TURNED AWAY ON THE BASIS THAT THEY USE A VOUCHER. AND THAT PROTECTION IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO VETERANS. >> PELAEZ: ARE WE TAKING A POSITION WITH REGARDS TO THE BILLS THAT YOU JUST SHOWED US, ARE WE WORKING OUR DELEGATION? ARE YOU GUYS PART OF THAT EFFORT? >> WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH GA. WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY TAKEN A POSITION ON ALL THE BILLS BUT WE ARE SUPPORTIVE ESPECIALLY OF 714 BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A GRANT FOR MUNICIPALITIES THAT WE HAVE ALREADY SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED. >> PELAEZ: THANKS. THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. >> COURAGE: YEAH, I'VE HAD A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING ABOUT PEOPLE NOT WANTING TO TAKE VOUCHERS. [03:20:06] BUT I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE ANYONE JUST TELLING A VETERAN I'M NOT GOING TO ACCEPT YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE A VETERAN'S VOUCHER. TO ME THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. HOW MANY DIFFERENT REASONS ARE THERE THAT A PROPERTY OWNER COULD USE TO REJECT SOMEONE FROM, YOU KNOW, BEING A TENANT IN THEIR PROPERTY? BESIDES VOUCHERS, HOW MANY DIFFERENT RULES OR REGULATIONS THEY CAN USE? >> COUNCILMAN, I MIGHT HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION, BUT I THINK THE SHORT ANSWER OF IT IS A LOT. THERE'S, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF FAIR HOUSING PROTECTIONS ON THE PROTECTED STATUSES, LOCALLY WE HAVE OUR NON-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THOSE PROTECTED STATUSES PLUS VETERANS AND OLDER ADULTS. OUTSIDE OF THAT, TYPICALLY WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR IS DO YOU MAKE THE INCOME REQUIREMENTS? DO YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT CREDIT HIST? ARE THERE ELEMENTS OF YOUR RENTAL OR CRIMINAL BACKGROUND THAT WOULD BE A VIOLATION? THOSE ARE THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE HEAR. >> COURAGE: I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND IT SEEMS A LOT OF OF IT IS GOING TO BE EDUCATION. EDUCATING PROPERTY OWNERS. EDUCATING POTENTIAL VOUCHER HOLDERS ABOUT HOW THEY SHOULD GO ABOUT OR HOW THEY CAN GO ABOUT USING THEIR VOUCHERS AND IDENTIFYING THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. IS DHS KEEPING A RECORD OF THOSE PROPERTIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW? I'M SORRY, THE HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT. >> SO THE PROPERTIES CAN DECIDE BASICALLY ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS IF THEY WANT TO TAKE VOUCHERS. HOWEVER, WHAT WE DO TRACK, AS AN HSD, IS PROPERTIES THAT WE INCENT THAT ARE SUBJECT TO OUR HOUSING VOUCHER INCENTIVE PROGRAM. THAT WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN 2021 AND IT MEANS IF YOU GET A CITY INCENTIVE YOU CANNOT TURN AWAY ANY APPLICANT, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY'RE A VETERAN OR NOT, ON THE BASIS -- >> COURAGE: AND WHAT ARE THOSE INCENTIVES TODAY? >> ANY OF OUR LOCAL ONES. BOND, GRANT FUNDING, EVEN CITY FEE WAIVERS. >> COURAGE: OKAY. BUT WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN AS FAR AS OFFERING AN INCENTIVE LIKE WE'LL GIVE YOU $500 IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND LET THIS PERSON MOVE IN. >> OUTSIDE OF OUR PLACE PROGRAM, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THE CITY DOES. BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT OPPORTUNITY HOME HAS PREVIOUSLY DONE. >> COURAGE: BUT THEY'VE STOPPED THAT PROGRAM, IS THAT RIGHT? AND ALSO WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE IDEA OF THE CITY TAKING A ROLE IN TRYING TO EXPEDITE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO GET INTO RENTAL PROPERTIES THROUGH A VOUCHER PROGRAM. ARE WE CONTINUING TO EXPLORE WHAT WE COULD DO TO BE A PARTNER IN EXPEDITING THAT KIND OF A PROCESS? AND I MEAN PHYSICALLY PAYING FOR EARLY INSPECTIONS FROM THE CITY OR OFFERING UPFRONT TO THE PROPERTY OWNER THE FIRST MONTH'S RENT WHILE THEY'RE WAITING TO GET IT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT? >> SURE. WE DON'T HAVE A PROGRAM NOW FOR THAT BUT WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME AND BEXAR COUNTY AGAIN ON WHAT INCENTIVES COULD LOOK LIKE FROM THE GROUP. AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE THAT PROGRAM. WE DON'T HAVE THAT FUNDING SOURCE TODAY BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM TO SEE. A LOT OF OUR EFFORTS TO DATE HAVE BEEN ON THE COORDINATION EFFORT, JUST SEEING HOW -- AND I WILL GIVE THEM A LOT OF CREDIT. THEY WENT FROM 30 TO 60-DAY INSPECTIONS TO A COMMITMENT OF A 72-HOUR TURNAROUND, SOMETIMES A 24-HOUR TURNAROUND. THEY HAVE DONE A LOT BY COORDINATING AND WORKING TOGETHER AND I THINK THAT'S TO BE COMMENDED. >> COURAGE: BUT HOW ABOUT THE FIRST MONTH'S RENT PAYMENT FROM OPPORTUNITY HOME? WHAT IS THE AVERAGE TIME-FRAME THAT SAY IT TAKES TO GET A PAYMENT FROM A PROPERTY OWNER? >> I'LL INVITE STEPHANIE TO SPEAK TO THE IMPROVEMENTS THEY HAVE MADE. >> HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M STEPHANIE RODRIGUEZ WITH OPPORTUNITY HOME SAN ANTONIO. SO IT DOES TAKE, ON AVERAGE, 30, 45 DAYS BECAUSE IT DOES GO FOR THE LANDLORD TO SIGN, THE RESIDENT SIGNS, AND WE SIGN IN ORDER FOR PAYMENT TO GO OUT. ONCE THE CONTRACT IS SIGNED, IT'S TWO WEEKS FROM THERE. IF WE GET THE COUNT PROCESS WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF THE RESIDENT MOVING IN, THEN TWO WEEKS FROM THERE IS USUALLY WHEN THAT PAYMENT CAN GO OUT. BUT WE DO SEE IT'S AN AVERAGE OF 30 TO 45 DAYS IF EVERYBODY SIGNS TIMELY. >> COURAGE: HAVE WE HAD PEOPLE WHOM COME TO YOU AND SAID THEY WOULDN'T TAKE ME BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO WAIT 30, 45 DAYS TO GET THEIR RENT. THEY WANT IT UPFRONT? >> I WOULD SAY A YEAR AND A [03:25:01] HALF AGO, YES. WE WOULD DEFINITELY GET A LOT MORE. BUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WE WERE 60 TO 90 DAYS FOR PAYMENT TO GET OUT FOR THAT FIRST MONTH. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH BEXAR COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY ON HOW THEY NORMALLY PROCESS THROUGH THEIRS, IN ORDER FOR US TO TRY TO MATCH THAT TIMELINE. WE HAVEN'T HEARD AS MUCH. MOST OF THE LANDLORDS STILL HAVE THE AR RESIDENT HAS TO PAY THEIR PORTION AND THE SECOND MONTH IS WHEN THEY GET THAT LARGE PAYMENT, AND IT'S BEEN HELPING. WE TRY TO MONITOR THOSE LANDLORDS IF THEY TELL US I CAN'T. I NEED TO GET THAT MONEY, WE TRY TO PROCESS THOSE ACCOUNTS FASTER. >> COURAGE: WHAT ABOUT THE UPFRONT SECURITY DEPOSIT? >> WE DON'T PROVIDE THAT ASSISTANCE BUT WE DO REFER THEM TO THE NHSD SERVICES FOR RELOCATION FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. SOMETIMES IT'S REIMBURSABLE TO THE HOUSEHOLD FOR THAT SECURITY DEPOSIT, I BELIEVE IS PART OF THAT PROGRAM. >> YES. WE DO HAVE OUR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE WHERE WE CAN COVER THAT SECURITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPOSIT UP TO $3500. >> COURAGE: WHEN WE COVER THAT , THE TENANT STILL NEEDS TO PAY IT AND WE PAY IT BACK. >> NOT NECESSARILY. WE ACTUALLY COVERING IT ON BEHALF OF THE TENANT AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE IT TO COME BACK TO THE CITY. IT CAN BE APPLIED TO LAST MONTH'S RENT, IN SOME CASES. >> COURAGE: GOOD. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THOSE FOR ME. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE. COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU FOR THE WORK ON THIS. I WANT TO THANK YOU THE GI FORUM. WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DID NOT LEAVE GROUPS BEHIND, SO I WANT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR GETTING AN ACTION AND MAKING SURE THAT WE WORK ON SOMETHING THAT INCLUDES THOSE THAT ARE BEING TOLD THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE VOUCHERS. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF -- THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ASKED BY MULTIFAMILY MANAGERS IN TERMS OF WHAT THE TENANTS ARE. THERE ARE SOME TENANTS THAT REALLY LIKE QUIET SPACES, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS TO SAY NO. BUT I THINK IF WE WORK TOGETHER AND WE COMMUNICATE OUR PRIORITY AND OUR SHIP GOAL, WE CAN DO THIS NOT JUST FOR THE VETERANS WHO EXPERIENCE THIS BUT FOR OTHERS, SINGLE MOTHERS. YOU KNOW, THOSE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES. AND I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE UPDATES IN THE LEGISLATION THAT WILL HELP US WITH THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO FOR DOING THAT AND ALL YOUR EFFORTS. THANK YOU. >> GARCIA: AWESOME. GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, SARAH, FOR THE PRESENTATION. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED WORK. AND THE TIME IS NOW 1:30 AND WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANKS, EVERYBODY FOR STAYING AN EXTRA HOUR AND A HALF. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.