01-01: Draft Minutes of May 19, 2026 — original pdf

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PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING MINUTES MAY 19, 2026 PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MAY 19, 2026 The PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD convened in a REGULAR meeting on MAY 19, 2026 at 6310 WILHELMINA DELCO DRIVE in Austin, Texas. Chair Bazan called the PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD Meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Stephanie Bazan, Ted Eubanks, Jennifer Franklin, Diane Kearns- Osterweil, Nicole Merritt, Pedro Villalobos. Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Luai Abou-Emara, Lane Becker. Board Members Absent: Shelby Orme, Kim Taylor. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Chris Flores - Rewilding efforts Julie Fisher - Holly Fishing Pier Project Phillip Thomas - Partnership Concerns Marcos Deleon - East Austin history and heritage Gavino Fernandez - Colorado River area activities Carol Baxter - Austin Rowing Club Bill Bunch - Save Our Springs Alliance on mowing issues Bertha Rendon Delgado Ortiz - East Town Lake Citizens Neighborhood Association Elisa Rendon Montoya - East Town Lake Citizens Neighborhood Association APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Parks and Recreation Board regular meeting of April 27, 2026. The motion to approve the minutes of the Parks and Recreation Board regular meeting of April 27, 2026 was approved on Board Member Eubanks’ motion, Board Member Kearns- Osterweil’s second on an 8-0 vote with one vacancy. Board Members Orme and Taylor absent. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Presentation, discussion and approve letters of support for Austin Parks and Recreation staff members who worked to complete the delivery of four pools and two bathhouses: Colony Park Aquatic Facility; Givens Pool; Northwest Pool; Montopolis Pool; Parque Zaragoza Bathhouse; and, Joan Means Khabele Bathhouse at Barton Springs Pool. Page 1 of 3 PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING MINUTES MAY 19, 2026 Liana Kallivoka, Assistant Director and D'Anne Williams, Project Manager, Austin Parks and Recreation gave a presentation and answered questions on accessibility, two new adult sized changing tables, and bond spending. The motion to approve letters of support for Austin Parks and Recreation staff members who worked to complete the delivery of four pools and two bathhouses: Colony Park Aquatic Facility; Givens Pool; Northwest Pool; Montopolis Pool; Parque Zaragoza Bathhouse; and, Joan Means Khabele Bathhouse at Barton Springs Pool was approved on Board Member Villalobos’ motion, Board Member Kearns-Osterwil’s second on an 8-0 vote with one vacancy. Board Members Orme and Taylor absent. 3. Approve an appointment to the Parks and Recreation Board seat on the Joint Sustainability Committee. Board Members discussed Vice Chair Becker rolling off this committee. The motion to appoint Luai Abou-Emara to the Parks and Recreation Board seat on the Joint Sustainability Committee was approved on Board Member Villalobos’ motion, Board Member Eubanks’ second on an 8-0 vote with one vacancy. Board Members Orme and Taylor absent. STAFF BRIEFINGS 4. Staff briefing on named features in the Waller Creek District Confluence and Sir Swante Palm Neighborhood Park projects. Lana Denkeler, Project Manager, Austin Parks and Recreation and John Rigdon, Chief Planning and Design Officer, Waterloo Greenway Conservancy gave a briefing and answered clarifying questions on the name of Palm Park not changing, accessible bathrooms, the removal of the pool, whether the naming of these features will come to the Parks Board for review, the number of features identified for naming, the process for selecting names for community named features, whether this item could have been marked for action, funding for this project that has come from tax payers rather than doners, and community involvement as it relates to interpretation. No action was taken on this item. 5. Staff briefing on park safety. Amanda Ross, Natural Resources Division Manager, Austin Parks and Recreation and Michael Chancellor, Assistant Chief, Austin Police gave a briefing and answered clarifying questions on constituent questions, cameras in parks, the City's TRUST Act, the benefits of mounted officers, community education, crime related to homeless encampments, and 311 data. No action was taken on this item. 6. Staff briefing on the Barton Springs Road bridge replacement project. Page 2 of 3 PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING MINUTES MAY 19, 2026 Eric Bailey, Deputy Director, Capital Delivery Services gave a briefing and answered clarifying questions on the Historical Commission's approval of "potentially" replacing the bridge, presentation to the Urban Transportation Commission, the rate of deterioration of this bridge, why the structural analysis cannot be shared publicly, bond funding, the cost of the bridge replacement, the TxDOT evaluation process, whether the bridge could be closed, the impact to the Zilker Eagle train, parkland mitigation funding, the load rating of the bridge, the amount of time it would take to repair/rehab the bridge compared to replacement as it relates to impact on parkland, the width of the proposed bridge as it relates to lanes of traffic on either side, whether the bridge is a contributing factor to Zilker Park's designation on the National Registry of Historic Places, traveling underneath the bridge, the state antiquities act, and the sense of place that exists on, around and beneath the bridge, No action was taken on this item. 7. Staff briefing on Parks and Recreation Department community engagement events, planning updates, development updates, maintenance updates, program updates and administrative updates. Adena Long, Deputy Director, Austin Parks and Recreation gave a briefing and answered clarifying questions on whether the City has enough lifeguards to open all pools this summer, and the Zilker 351 MOU. No action was taken on this item. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Eubanks – Zilker 351 MOU. Bazan – Barton Springs Bride Working Group. The motion to waive the rules and allow the Parks and Recreation Board to meet after 10:00 P.M. was approved on Board Member Abou-Emara’s motion, Vice Chair Becker’s second on a 7-1 vote. Those voting aye were Chair Bazan, Vice Chair Becker, Board Members Abou-Emara, Eubanks Franklin, Kearns-Osterweil and Merritt. Those voting nay were Board Member Villalobos. Board Members Orme and Taylor absent. Chair Bazan adjourned the meeting at 10:08 p.m. without objection. These minutes were approved at the DATE Parks and Recreation Board meeting on Board Member NAME motion, Board Member NAME second on a VOTE. Page 3 of 3