Feb 15, 2025 City Council Special Meeting

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ARE YOU ALL READY TO GO? GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

[I) Call Meeting to Order and Roll Call]

I'M GOING TO CALL THIS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER.

WOULD THE CITY SECRETARY PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MITCHELL. HERE. HEISER. HERE. RIZZO.

ZUNIGA. HARRIS. HERE. MCKINNEY. HERE. TOBIAS.

PRESENT. I THINK COUNCILMEMBER RIZZO WAS TRYING TO GET.

GET ON THE SCREEN HERE.

ROBERT, ARE YOU THERE? ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE SIX MEMBERS PRESENT.

WE HAVE A QUORUM. NEXT UP IS CITIZEN COMMENTS.

PERIOD. AT THIS TIME, WE ASK ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISHES TO COME UP AND SPEAK ON ANY ITEM TO PLEASE DO SO.

[II) Citizen Comment Period with City Council]

FIRST UP IS ELEANOR DOMINGO. DOMINICO I'M SORRY, I MIGHT NOT HAVE SAID YOUR LAST NAME.

RIGHT. ELEANOR.

THERE YOU GO. I'M SORRY. HI. MY NAME IS ELEANOR DIDOMENICO, AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE AT NEGLEY ELEMENTARY.

I KNOW MOST OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE LORAX.

IF YOU NEED A REFRESHER ABOUT IT, THE LORAX IS A BOOK ABOUT A TOWN THAT CUTS DOWN ALL THEIR TREES FOR PRODUCTS.

BUT THEN THEY HAVE TO FACE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT HAVING TREES.

I REALLY DON'T WANT OUR TOWN TO HAVE TO BE LIKE THAT.

IF HE DIDN'T KNOW THIS TREE THAT SOMEONE TRYING TO CUT DOWN IS 400 YEARS OLD, LIKE IT'S OLDER THAN ALL OF YOU.

IT WAS HERE WHEN THE NATIVE AMERICANS WERE HERE.

WAS HERE WHEN GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS FIGHTING IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

IT WAS HERE WHEN DAVY CROCKETT FOUGHT AGAINST SANTA ANA IN THE MEXICAN ARMY FOR TEXAS INDEPENDENCE.

IF YOU CUT THIS TREE DOWN, YOU'RE CUTTING OUR HISTORY DOWN.

I WANT TO GROW UP IN A TOWN THAT CARES ABOUT ITS HISTORY, THAT CARES ABOUT WILDLIFE AND OUR ENVIRONMENT.

I WANT TO GROW UP IN A GOOD TOWN. SO PLEASE DON'T CUT THIS BEAUTIFUL TREE DOWN.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP IS CASEY LANDERS.

HELLO. AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR CALLING THIS MEETING.

I JUST WANT TO SAY I AM ALL IN FAVOR OF ROAD UPDATES IN GENERAL, AND I REALLY LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENED TO STAGECOACH ALREADY.

I'M I'M ALSO FOR THE INTERCONNECTED VIBE TRAIL THAT THE CITY IS WORKING ON.

I THINK THESE ARE GREAT ADDITIONS TO OUR CITY, AND I APPRECIATE AND COMMEND EVERYONE'S WORK TOWARDS THOSE ENDS.

HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK THAT THESE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CITY SHOULD COME AT THE EXPENSE OF HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT OLD GROWTH TREES, OF WHICH WE HAVE VERY FEW IN KYLE. OLD GROWTH TREES ARE TREES THAT ARE OLDER THAN 30 YEARS, AND THEY HAVE SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN UNIQUE BENEFITS.

THEY FILTER AND THEY FILTER OUR AIR. THEY HELP CONTROL WATER RUNOFF.

AND THEY'RE LARGE CANOPIES HELP REDUCE THE EXTREME HEAT THAT WE EXPERIENCE IN THESE BRUTAL TEXAS SUMMERS.

WE SHOULD THEREFORE BE ACTING IN ACCORDANCE WITH PRINCIPLES THAT PROTECT THESE TREES RATHER THAN DESTROYING THEM.

BUT THIS LIVE OAK THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS NOT ONLY JUST AN OLD GROWTH TREE.

ITS AGE AND LOCATION MAKE IT EVEN MORE SPECIAL.

IRREPLACEABLE TO KYLE. THE CAMINO REAL WAS A ROAD TAKEN BY SPANISH, MEXICAN, FRENCH, AMERICAN AND NATIVE TRAVELERS, AND IT PLAYED AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN THE SETTLEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF TEXAS.

STEPHEN GONZALEZ IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EL CAMINO REAL DE LOS TEJAS NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL ASSOCIATION, AND HE'S CONFIRMED TO ME DIRECTLY THAT BASED ON THEIR RESEARCH, THEY BELIEVE THAT STAGECOACH ROAD IN KYLE IS INDEED PART OF THIS TRAIL.

THIS MEANS THAT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE TRAVELED THROUGH KYLE, MANY OF THEM RIGHT PAST THIS TREE. GIVEN ITS AGE, OUR MIX OF CULTURES AND KYLE NOW IS PARTLY DUE TO THIS HISTORY.

AND THIS TREE IS LIKELY ONE OF, IF NOT THE ONLY LIVING THING IN KYLE THAT HAS SUCH A CONNECTION TO THIS UNIQUE BACKGROUND. WE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING THIS, NOT TEARING IT DOWN.

FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO END BY MENTIONING AN OPTION THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED.

KEEPING THE TREE WHERE IT IS WHILE DOING MINIMAL UPDATES TO THE ROAD.

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THIS WOULD LIKELY BE THE CHEAPEST AND MOST TIME EFFICIENT SOLUTION OUT OF ALL OF THE ONES THAT Y'ALL WILL CONSIDER TODAY.

MAYBE IT IS WORTH IT TO REDESIGN A SMALL PORTION OF THE VIBE TRAIL HERE.

IT WOULD BE LUDICROUS TO KILL THIS TREE JUST SO SOME FOLKS CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY DRIVE GOLF CARTS AROUND.

I UNDERSTAND NOT DOING SUBSTANTIAL UPDATES ON STAGECOACH MIGHT MEAN FUTURE PEOPLE IN KYLE, INCLUDING MYSELF, WILL EXPERIENCE SOME INCONVENIENCE AND CONGESTION ON STAGECOACH GIVEN OUR GROWTH IN KYLE, BUT I THINK A FUTURE SLIGHT INCONVENIENCE IS WORTH IT TO PROTECT THIS HISTORICAL OLD GROWTH TREE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS SUSIE CAMPBELL.

GOOD MORNING. I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF TREES.

I ALSO KNOW SAW THE OPTIONS TO SAVE THAT TREE.

THE OPTION THAT REMOVES HOUSES FROM FOUR FAMILIES.

I CAN'T SUPPORT THAT. I FOUND OUT YESTERDAY THAT MY HOUSE WAS ONE OF THE FOUR MARKED OUT, LIKE THE WHITE BODY OUTLINE AT A CRIME SCENE.

ON FACEBOOK, NO LESS. RATHER THAN A DIRECT NOTIFICATION THAT IT'S A POSSIBILITY.

I JUST. THAT TREE WAS THERE BEFORE YOU BUILT ALL OF THAT.

THE ROAD YOU KNEW WAS GOING TO BE NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED.

AND I JUST CAN'T SUPPORT TAKING THOSE HOUSES BECAUSE ONE OF THEM'S MINE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS ZACK HALL.

HI ALL, I JUST WANTED TO BASICALLY THANK MAYOR MITCHELL AND MAYOR PRO TEM HEIZER FOR CALLING THIS MEETING.

I WANT TO THANK THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR SATURDAY AND AGREEING TO RECONSIDER THIS ISSUE.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER RIZZO, WHO AT THE LAST DECEMBER MEETING ABOUT THIS TREE VOTED TO SAVE IT.

AND MORE THAN ANYTHING, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS, WHO I BELIEVE IF YOU HAD NOT ACTED LIKE YOU DID, THE TREE WOULD NOT BE ALIVE TODAY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

I KNOW YOU GOT A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT YOU DID WHAT YOU BELIEVED YOU THOUGHT WAS BEST.

AND A LOT OF CITIZENS ARE VERY THANKFUL THAT YOU ACTIVATED US TO HELP TRY TO SAVE THIS TREE.

SO THANK YOU. AND I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR COUNCIL FOR RECONSIDERING THIS.

WHATEVER YOU ALL DECIDE, I HOPE YOU DECIDE TO SAVE THIS TREE.

IT'S HISTORIC. AS EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID, WE LOVE TREES IN TEXAS.

IT'S A BIPARTISAN ISSUE. THERE AREN'T MANY ISSUES IN TEXAS THAT YOU CAN SAY ARE BIPARTISAN, BUT HERE IN TEXAS, WE PRESERVE OUR HERITAGE TREES.

SO I REALLY HOPE YOU ALL VOTE TO PRESERVE IT, BUT DO IT IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T HARM OTHER PEOPLE.

I WOULD HATE TO SEE HOUSES REMOVED AS WELL THAT THAT CAN'T HAPPEN, BUT PLEASE TRY TO SAVE THIS TREE.

ONE LAST THING I SHOULD SAY IS THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS TREE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IN THE FUTURE Y'ALL ARE NOT IN THIS POSITION AGAIN WHERE YOU HAVE TO MAKE THESE HARD DECISIONS.

THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING IS TO COME UP WITH A STRONG TREE ORDINANCE THAT IN THE FUTURE YOU CAN USE TO SAY, OKAY, THIS TREE WE'RE PROTECTING AND THIS TREE WE DON'T HAVE TO PROTECT.

IF WE HAD A STRONGER TREE ORDINANCE, Y'ALL WOULD NOT BE IN THIS POSITION RIGHT NOW.

SO IF IN THE FUTURE Y'ALL WANT TO DO THAT, I HOPE YOU ALL DO.

COUNCIL MEMBER HARRIS, I THINK YOU'D BE A GREAT PERSON TO LEAD THAT EFFORT.

I'D BE WILLING TO HELP IN WHATEVER WAY YOU NEED, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF CITIZENS WHO WANT TO SAVE THIS TREE.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR RESPONDING TO THE REQUEST OF THE CITIZENS TO RECONSIDER.

THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS LAUREN MCGILL.

HI, I'M LAUREN MCGILL. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.

I'M ONE OF FOUR FAMILIES. THAT'S AN OPTION C FOR OUR HOUSES TO BE RELOCATED.

WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY THROUGH FACEBOOK, AND IT WAS QUITE TROUBLING TO US.

I MYSELF HAVE WORKED SINCE I'M 17 YEARS OLD TO SAVE AND BUILD A HOUSE.

I'VE LIVED IN KYLE SINCE 2010 AND DRIVEN AROUND THAT BEAUTIFUL TREE FOR 15 YEARS AND CAN PLAN TO.

CONTINUE TO DRIVE AROUND IT. I HOPE THAT YOU'LL LOOK AT AN OPTION THAT SAVES THE TREE WITH MINIMAL CHANGE TO THE ROAD.

I'VE HEARD THAT THE RETENTION POND WASN'T DONE CORRECTLY.

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AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'D BE GREAT IF PEOPLE HAD TIME TO REALLY LOOK AT THINGS AND HAD A BETTER PLAN.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING OPTION C BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT TO KILL THE TREE, THEY DON'T WANT TO MOVE THE TREE.

BUT OPTION C ALSO INVOLVES FAMILIES LOSING HOMES THAT THEY WORK THEIR LIVES FOR.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS TOM RICHTER.

GOOD MORNING, I'M TOM RICHTER. WE MOVED TO KYLE ABOUT 2021 AND BOUGHT A HOUSE.

I'M ALSO ONE OF THE FOUR FAMILIES THAT Y'ALL ARE CONSIDERING.

MY WIFE IS SO UPSET SHE COULDN'T EVEN MAKE IT HERE THIS MORNING.

I'M 76. I CAN'T REALLY MOVE TO ANOTHER PLACE.

I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF SAVING THE TREE. I LOVE TREES.

I PLANTED TWO NEW TREES IN OUR BACK YARD BECAUSE THE TREES WERE REMOVED WHEN THEY BUILT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

A LOT OF THEM, I THINK, COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED.

BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY DO. THEY PUSH THEM DOWN BECAUSE IT'S EASY TO BUILD HOUSES.

THEN THOSE TREES ARE GONE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY FIX THE ROAD BETTER OR DIG THE RETENTION POND DEEPER OR SOMETHING.

BUT MOVING FOUR FOUR FAMILIES IS NOT REALLY WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP IS ALI BARKHAM.

GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE ON A SUNDAY MORNING. I'M ALI BARKHAM, I'M AN URBAN FOREST STEWARD AND A KYLE RESIDENT.

I DRIVE BY THAT TREE EVERY DAY. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

YOU KNOW, DATABASE DECISIONS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR RESPONSIBLE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT? AND THERE'S A LOT OF INTERESTING INFORMATION IN THE SLIDES TODAY. I THINK SEEING THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYZES FOR THE DEVELOPMENTS IMPACTING THOSE ROADS, THE ARBORIST REPORTS AND ALSO THE ENGINEERING REPORTS WOULD REALLY HELP TO SUPPORT THE SLIDES THAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY. THE ROAD SPECIFICALLY SEEMS TO NOTE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR ALL OF OLD STAGECOACH.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE ONLY PART LOOKING AT ADJUSTMENT IS JUST THE CURVE AROUND THE TREE.

100FT, RIGHT? NO WAY. THAT COSTS $6 MILLION. SO DATA WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO SEE TO HELP UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING TODAY.

BUT BACK TO DATA BASED DECISIONS. TREES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE. NO ONE'S GOING TO WANT TO WALK ON A TRAIL WITH NO SHADE.

AND YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO PRESERVE OUR HISTORIC LEGACY HERE.

AGAIN, THIS IS GOING BACK TO THE EL CASINO. CASINO.

EL CAMINO REAL TRAIL, AND PRESERVING THAT LEGACY FOR FUTURE KYLE RESIDENTS IS PRETTY IMPORTANT.

IT IS BEST TO LEAVE THE TREE WHERE IT'S AT ITS BEST FOR THE TREE, BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY.

IF THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN BASED ON THE DATA, THEN THE BEST COMPROMISE IS TO MOVE THAT TREE.

THANK YOU KYLE TREES FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK. IT'S A BIG DEAL, AND I SURE HOPE THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT IMPROVING TREE ORDINANCES IN THE FUTURE.

BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. LET'S KEEP THAT TREE WHERE IT IS. IF THAT SEEMS TO BE IMPOSSIBLE BASED ON THE DATA, LET'S COMPROMISE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS DAKOTA NORTON.

HELLO, I'M DAKOTA. I'M ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS HERE WITH KYLE TREES.

I WANT TO FIRST OF ALL, REALLY THANK YOU GUYS FOR CALLING THIS MEETING. I THINK MOST OF US ARE CONSIDERING THIS A VERY POSITIVE STEP IN ALL OF OUR GOALS TOGETHER.

I ACTUALLY INJURED MYSELF THIS WEEK TAKING CARE OF MY DAUGHTER, SO I'M JUST GOING TO TRY TO SPEAK, AND I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO STICK AROUND FOR THE MEETING. BUT I DID BRING ALL OF YOU GUYS A T-SHIRT.

I GOT SEVEN FOR EACH MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, ONE FOR YOU AT HOME, RISO.

AND YEAH. SO I SENT BASICALLY A VARIATION OF THIS TO 2000 OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS THIS WEEK.

BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR CALLING THIS MEETING.

WE WANT THE PORTA OK TO STAY WHERE IT IS. WE CAN DIVERT THE ROAD AROUND IT.

A TRANSPLANT IS DANGEROUS FOR THE TREE. WE WANT TO STRENGTHEN THE KILE TREE ORDINANCE AND PREVENT OTHER HISTORICAL TREES FROM BEING DESTROYED.

VARIANCES TO THE TREE ORDINANCE SHOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE FOR DEVELOPERS.

WE WANT THE KYLE CITY COUNCIL TO APPLY TO PROGRAMS LIKE TREE CITY USA, THE TEXAS TREE COALITION, AND THE TEXAS A&M FOREST SERVICE REGISTRY, BRINGING POSITIVE ATTENTION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.

AND THIS MUST INCLUDE THE CITY HIRING A PROFESSIONAL ARBORIST.

SO THE TEXAS TREE COALITION I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS THIS WEEK, ACTUALLY FROM ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS.

THE TEXAS TREE COALITION IS LOOKING TO DOCUMENT ONE IMPORTANT TREE IN EVERY COUNTY IN TEXAS, AND THEY DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE ONE FOR HAYS COUNTY.

SO OUR THINKING IS THE PORTER OAK CAN BE THAT TREE WITH THE TEXAS TREE COALITION THAT THE ENTIRE HAYS COUNTY LOOKS TO AND SAYS,

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WE WANT THE TREE TO STAY RIGHT WHERE IT IS. THAT TRANSPLANT IS DANGEROUS. WE NEED SOME TEETH ON OUR TREE ORDINANCE, WHERE A DEVELOPER CAN'T JUST COME IN AND TALK TO SOME COMMISSIONERS AND PAY SOME MITIGATION FINES AND CUT THE TREE DOWN.

ANYWAY, THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. AND THEN WE WANT THE CITY TO HIRE AN ARBORIST AND APPLY TO THESE PROGRAMS. TREE CITY, USA. THIS IS FANTASTIC. IT BRINGS POSITIVE ATTENTION INSTEAD OF NEWS ARTICLES ON MSN AND NBC TALKING ABOUT HOW THE KYLE CITY COUNCIL WANTS TO CUT DOWN ANCIENT HISTORY TREES. THAT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR YOU GUYS.

THAT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR US AS RESIDENTS. LET'S LET'S MAKE POSITIVE, POSITIVE STORIES.

THAT'S MY TIME. THANK YOU. CAN I BRING THE SHIRTS UP TO YOU GUYS NOW? IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU ALL? IF YOU CAN JUST LEAVE THEM. LEAVE THEM WITH SECRETARY. THAT'S PERFECT. WE'LL COME GET THEM. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT UP IS TIM MILLER. ALL RIGHT, I'M TIM MILLER, A CERTIFIED ORGANIC GROWER HERE IN KYLE. I'M THE ONE WHO STARTED THIS MESS WITH THE TREE ORDINANCE.

I OPPOSE OPTIONS ONE TWO AND STAND STRONGLY LIKE MYSELF RIGHT HERE PROTECTING THE PORTAGE OAK ON STAGECOACH, WHICH IS OPTION THREE, LIKE I HAVE WITH THESE TWO STATEMENTS GIVEN TO CITY COUNCIL BACK IN 2013.

THE CITY, THE CITIZENS OF THE PAST AND PRESENT ARE THE OWNERS OF THE TREES IN THE AREA FROM THE EARLY INDIANS WHO LEFT IT TO THE FIRST SETTLERS.

AS FARMERS, THEY ARE THE ONES WHO SAW THE GREATNESS OF THE TREES AS FOOD SOURCES FOR THEMSELVES.

WILDLIFE AND SHADE LOOK ALL AROUND THE AREA. THESE HERITAGE SIZED LIVE OAKS, WHICH THE CITY DOESN'T EVEN MENTION IN THE TREE ORDINANCE, HAVE STOOD PROUD MOVING HERE IN 1991. I HAVE SEEN NO HOMEOWNER IN KYLE PURPOSELY CUT DOWN A HERITAGE LIVE OAK.

IN FACT, THE HERITAGE LIVE OAKS WERE LEFT INTACT AND HOMES BUILT ALONGSIDE THEM.

THAT WAS IN TWO 2025 2013. ANOTHER ANOTHER COMMENT.

ALL SUBDIVISIONS, CURRENT AND NEW. THE ETJ AND MOST IMPORTANTLY CITY OF KYLE HAS TO FOLLOW STANDARDS SET FORTH WITH THE PRESERVATION TREE ORDINANCE. ALL DEVELOPERS, HOMEOWNERS, CITY PLANNERS, PECK, HAYS COUNTY NEED TO COME TOGETHER IN IN THIS DECISION OF SAVING, WHICH MOST LIKELY IS 1% OF THE TREES IN THE AREA.

LOOK AT 1626 ROAD BUILDING AND THE LOSS OF THOSE HERITAGE SIZE TREES.

TRAFFIC WILL BECOME WORSE FROM A HISTORICAL ASPECT.

THE HAYS COUNTY FOR HAYS COUNTY VIDEOTAPING THE HISTORICAL RURAL ROADS BEFORE THEY ARE ALL BULLDOZED DOWN, ESPECIALLY THE HERITAGE OAKS THAT LINE THEM. WHAT A GREAT PROJECT FOR HIGH SCHOOLS OR EVEN HAYS HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

WE CAN TAKE THIS EVEN FURTHER WITH THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX FOR A COMMUNITY WIDE PROJECT.

ALL SCHOOLS, SINCE WE HAVE SO MANY STUDENTS WITH IPODS, TABLETS AND CAMERAS, PHOTOGRAPH THE AREA TREES AS AN ART PROJECT.

CREATIVE WRITING CLASSES. CAN WE AS CITIZENS ASK FOR OUR STREET TREES, LANDSCAPE TREES BE SOMEHOW PRESERVED? RESPECT IS WHAT IS NEEDED. ASK YOURSELF, WOULD THE CITY OF KYLE GO INTO THE KYLE CEMETERY AND CUT DOWN SOME HERITAGE SIZED TREES? THAT WAS WRITTEN FOR 18, 2013. ALL RIGHT. OPTION THREE.

THE ONLY WAY. AND TO SOME OF THE CITIZENS THAT COMMENTED, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER CYPRESS CREEK BOUGHT THE FIVE ACRES ACROSS FROM THIS TREE. AND CITY COUNCIL APPROVED WITH AN AMENDMENT TO THEIR SUBDIVISION PLOT.

SO ALL OF THOSE HOMES, THE THREE PEOPLE THAT COMMENTED, YOU WON'T BE LIVING THERE IF THEY WIDENED THE ROAD BACK THEN.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS NANETTE LUCAS.

NANETTE. LUCAS. GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU. MY NAME IS NANETTE LUCAS.

AS A RESIDENT OF KYLE, PLEASE DO NOT CUT DOWN THIS TREE.

IT HURTS TO KNOW THAT SOMETHING AS PRECIOUS AND HISTORICAL AS THIS TREE IS.

IT SHOULDN'T BE CUT DOWN. IT SHOULD BE LEFT FOR OUR CHILDREN.

ELEANOR AND THE CHILDREN AFTER THEM. I'VE BEEN DRIVING BY THAT TREE SINCE THE 80S.

YES, I JUST AGED MYSELF. BUT LET'S LEAVE IT ALONE.

IT'S BEEN THERE FOR 400 YEARS. LEAVE IT BE. PLEASE DO NOT CUT IT DOWN.

SAVE IT. I JUST THINK OF ALL THE SETTLERS AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE PASSED BY THAT TREE.

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PLEASE THINK ABOUT TREE INITIATIVES. I KNOW WHEN I MOVED HERE BACK IN THE EARLY 90S, I PLANTED PROBABLY TEN TREES ON MY PROPERTY. LET'S GET BUSY. LET'S GET PEOPLE INVOLVED.

SCHOOLS, OTHER CITIZEN SCIENTISTS. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HAVING THIS SPECIAL MEETING.

AND I HOPE THE TREE STAYS WHERE IT IS. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP. YVONNE FLORESCU.

GOOD MORNING. AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR HOLDING THIS SPECIAL MEETING.

THANK YOU, EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE. IT IS EXTREMELY EARLY AND I'M SUPER TIRED, AS I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE.

I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I RENTED THIS BOOK FROM THE.

IT'S CALLED THE GIVING TREE FROM THE KYLE CITY LIBRARY.

AND SO PROPS TO THEM FOR HAVING THAT. I JUST WANT TO SAY THE SAME WAY RESIDENTS PROTESTED ON CENTER STREET IN 2020 TO SUPPORT THE TREE AND TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS FOR BETTER LAWS TO PROTECT OUR KYLE TREES. WE STAND HERE AGAIN ONCE TODAY TO REQUEST THE SAME THING.

KYLE'S EXISTING ORDINANCE, WHICH PERMITS DEVELOPERS OR THE CITY TO CUT DOWN PROTECTED TREES FOR UTILITY PURPOSES PURPOSES, IS NO LONGER ADEQUATE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO STATE, FOR THE RECORD, SINCE BOTH OUR MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER RESIDE WITHIN CYPRESS FOREST, WHICH, ACCORDING TO MAYOR MITCHELL'S FACEBOOK POST, COULD BE AFFECTED BY INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES.

THEY BOTH HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. HOW CAN RESIDENTS BE SURE THEY WILL NOT BE SPEAKING ON THEIR OWN PERSONAL INTERESTS, OR FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE RESIDENTS? THIS ISSUE POSES A PERCEPTION OF IMPROPRIETY, AND THEREFORE THEY SHOULD RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM THE DISCUSSIONS OR VOTES ON THIS MATTER. PEOPLE HAVE ASKED WHAT GOOD WILL IT DO TO KEEP THE TREE? AND THE TRUTH IS, IF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE OAK TREE, NOTHING I SAY WILL CHANGE THEIR MIND BECAUSE THE VALUE OF THE TREE DOESN'T COME FROM DOLLARS, OR FROM LIVING, OR FROM THINGS WHICH MANY PEOPLE FIND VALUE.

INSTEAD, THIS MAGNIFICENT OAK TREE STANDS AS A LIVING TESTAMENT TO OUR HISTORY, PROVIDING SHADE AND SHELTER FOR GENERATIONS.

ULTIMATELY, THE VALUE OF THIS OAK TREE LIES NOT WITHIN ITS MONETARY WORTH, BUT IN THE MEMORIES IT HOLDS, THE STORIES IT TELLS, AND THE POWERFUL REMINDER OF OUR DUTY TO PROTECT THE NATURAL WORLD.

FOR ANYONE WHO HAS READ THE GIVING TREE BY SHEL SILVERSTEIN.

YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE REOCCURRING LINE THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, AND THE TREE WAS HAPPY.

THIS PHRASE HIGHLIGHTS THE TREE'S JOY IN SELFLESSLY GIVING TO THE BOYS, SACRIFICING ITS OWN WELL-BEING TO BRING HIM HAPPINESS.

LIKEWISE, OUR OAK TREE HAS GENEROUSLY CONTRIBUTED TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS.

IN FACT, IT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE STOOD WITNESS TO THE HISTORIC BATTLE OF PLUM CREEK, FOUGHT 185 YEARS AGO IN 1840.

AFTER REVIEWING THE BACKUP MATERIALS, I FEEL THAT NEITHER THE CITY NOR THE COUNCIL IS PREPARED TO VOTE TODAY.

THE BACKUP INFORMATION PROVIDED DOES NOT ACCURATELY REPRESENT THE TRUE COST OF THE OPTIONS PRESENTED.

INSTEAD, THE AMOUNTS ARE MERELY ESTIMATES, WITH SOME BEING EXCESSIVELY LOW AND OTHERS EXCESSIVELY HIGH.

I URGE THE CITY TO INVEST TIME AND RESOURCES IN GATHERING ACCURATE DATA TO INCLUDE AND USE THE ENGINEERING PLANS THAT OBTAIN IT, AND THAT THEY OBTAINED AND PAID FOR IN 2019 FOR THE RESIDENTS OF SIX CREEKS.

PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT SUPPORT EMINENT DOMAIN AS AS IT'S EXPLAINED IN THE POST.

AS A PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEMBER WHO HAS VOTED AGAINST EMINENT DOMAIN, I WILL ALSO FIGHT ADAMANTLY FOR THEM TO NOT HAVE THEIR HOUSES TAKEN.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. STEPHANIE MCDONALD.

GOOD MORNING, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. I'M ACTUALLY NOT HERE TO ASK YOU TO CUT DOWN THE TREE, TO MOVE THE TREE, TO SAVE THE TREE, BUT I WANT TO QUESTION WHY WE'RE EVEN HERE TO BEGIN WITH.

THE ISSUE IS NOTHING NEW. IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT THIS TREE HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR YEARS.

I MOVED HERE IN 2015. IT WAS AN ISSUE THEN. MY HUSBAND WORKED ON ROADS AND INTERSECTIONS FOR YEARS AND HE SAID THIS ROAD CAN'T SUPPORT MUCH MORE TRAFFIC. THAT WAS BEFORE CYPRESS FOREST, BEFORE SIX CREEKS.

SO IT'S BEEN I'VE BEEN HERE TEN YEARS. IT'S BEEN PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT.

MAYBE NOT. WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, THERE WAS NOTHING ON THAT WEST SIDE OF STAGECOACH.

I SPOKE WITH LEON BARBER, THE ENGINEER, THE CITY ENGINEER, YEARS AGO BECAUSE WE REALIZED THINGS WERE GOING TO BE DEVELOPED, AND I SPOKE WITH HIM ABOUT IT AND HIS RESPONSE TO ME WHEN I TOLD HIM HOW THIS COULDN'T SUPPORT MORE TRAFFIC.

A TWO LANE ROAD WITH NO SHOULDERS, NOWHERE TO GO.

AND WHEN THOSE SUBDIVISIONS WERE BUILT, MY HUSBAND SAID, THEY'RE NOT PLANNING ON WIDENING THE ROAD ON THAT SIDE AT ALL BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT WAS

[00:25:06]

WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE TREE.

THAT WAS YEARS AGO. THAT WAS BEFORE ALL OF THOSE PROPERTIES WENT IN.

THAT IS NOT THOUGHTFUL DEVELOPMENT. I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO FOCUS ON THE NEEDS OF OUR CITY, WHICH I DON'T THINK HAS ALWAYS BEEN THOUGHTFUL.

INSTEAD OF PURCHASING PROPERTIES WITHOUT DUE DILIGENCE AS TO THEIR VALUE AND NO PLANNED USE FOR SOME OF THEM, PLACING DEVELOPMENTS ON OUR OVERTAXED WATER SYSTEM THAT ARE OUT OF THE CITY'S JURISDICTION FOR WATER.

INSTEAD OF HAVING PRIVATE COMPANIES SERVICE THOSE WE'RE TAKING THEM ON.

WE JUST IT'S JUST LIKE DEVELOP, DEVELOP, DEVELOP. EVERYBODY'S FOR DEVELOPMENT. BUT IT NEEDS TO BE THOUGHTFUL, RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING.

WE WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE HERE IF THOUGHTFUL DEVELOPMENT WAS DONE YEARS AGO CONCERNING THIS TREE.

NOW YOU GUYS ARE IN A QUANDARY. YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE SOME GROUP UNHAPPY.

IF IT WAS DONE THOUGHTFULLY, THIS WOULDN'T. WE WOULDN'T BE HERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER NEEDS WE HAVE. THE CITY HAS.

AND BY THE WAY, I DON'T KNOW IF R WAS ONLINE.

I WAS TOLD R WAS COMING ONLINE IN FEBRUARY. I HOPE THEY'RE ONLINE AND I HOPE WE GET OUR WATER RESTRICTIONS DROPPED.

BUT THEN HEARING THIS MORNING ABOUT OPTION C DISPLACING SIX FAMILIES, TO ME, MY FIRST IMMEDIATE THOUGHT IS IT'S A SCARE TACTIC TO GET SOME ACTIVISM GOING.

HOW CAN YOU SERIOUSLY CONSIDER DISPLACING SIX FAMILIES? MAKE THAT AN OPTION THAT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE ON THE TABLE.

THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S NOT I'M JUST CALLING FOR TRANSPARENCY, HONESTY, MORALITY WITH THE CITY AND THEIR GOVERNANCE.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS VANESSA. WHAT I CAN'T QUITE READ IT.

WEST WESTBROOK. OH. WESTBROOK. OH. YOU SCRATCHED IT VANESSA.

YEAH. GOODNESS IT WAS. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL. GOOD MORNING CITIZENS.

EVERYBODY'S HERE. WANT TO LISTEN? THAT'S A GREAT THING.

THAT'S THE FIRST WAY WE GET STARTED. EVERYBODY WANT TO LISTEN? LET ME START OFF BY SAYING THERE IS A CHILDREN'S MUSEUM IN SAN ANTONIO CALLED A MUSEUM.

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE YET, TAKE YOUR KIDS.

IT'S BASED ON STEM. NOW, WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING? I WAS ON THE TEAM THAT DESIGNED THAT MUSEUM, AND IT IS ONE OF THE MOST BUSTLING, INNOVATIVE MUSEUMS IN THE UNITED STATES.

THAT MUSEUM IS 95,000FT². HUGE MUSEUM IN SAN ANTONIO ON MUSEUM ROAD.

WHAT? MOST IMPORTANTLY, I'M HERE TO SAY IS THAT IN THAT MUSEUM IS A TREE.

AN OAK TREE THAT IS ABOUT 275 YEARS OLD. WHEN WE DECIDED TO BUILD THE MUSEUM ON THAT PROPERTY, WE HAD SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS. DON'T DO NOTHING TO THE TREE.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT? WE DIDN'T. WE BUILT A $28.6 MILLION FACILITY AROUND THE TREE.

IT'S STILL THERE. YOU CAN GO IN AND RIGHT NOW, GET A BOOK.

SIT DOWN UNDERNEATH THE TREE, UNDER THIS CANOPY.

READ TO YOUR KIDS. IT'S IN A COURTYARD DESIGNED FOR THE TREE.

SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE BUILT THAT INNOVATIVE, REALLY GREAT STRUCTURE THAT IF YOU LOOK UP MUSEUM, YOU COULD SEE IT. IT'S KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD NOW, ESPECIALLY IN NORTH TEXAS, BECAUSE OF WHAT IT PROVIDES THE KIDS.

AND WHAT WE DID IS WE BUILT AROUND THE TREE, AND THE TREE IS STILL THERE DOING ALL THE THINGS IT'S BEEN DOING FOR SOME 250.

75 YEARS. I FORGET THE EXACT DATE, BUT I CAN'T.

SOMETHING CAN HAPPEN WHERE EVERY. I THINK EVERYBODY CAN BE HAPPY.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF SITTING BACK DOWN AT THE TABLE AND FIGURING OUT WHAT THAT IS.

WE FIGURED IT OUT IN ORDER TO GET THE TREE TO STAY WHERE IT IS, BE ENJOYED, AND AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDE THIS REALLY GREAT FACILITY FOR OUR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT STEM AND BECOME ULTIMATELY THE PEOPLE WHO SIT IN THESE CHAIRS.

SO LET'S GET BACK. LOOK, SIT DOWN TOGETHER, LOOK AT THE PLAN AND FIGURE IT OUT.

IF WE COULD DO IT, YOU COULD DO IT. AND SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THIS PIECE OF HISTORY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THOSE ARE ALL THE FORMS THAT I HAVE.

[00:30:03]

IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME AND SPEAK, YOU HAVE TO STATE YOUR NAME AND THEN FILL OUT A FORM.

FILL OUT A FORM BUT WANTED JUST ONE LINE, MAY I? LET'S SEE. HI, I'M BROOKE. TELEPHONE. I SIT ON THE ART COMMISSION, WHICH IS HOW YOU MIGHT KNOW MY NAME.

I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. INSTEAD OF A WATER TOWER OR PIE, WHY DON'T WE MAKE THIS HISTORICAL TREE SOMETHING THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN COME AROUND AND CELEBRATE TOGETHER? THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

HELLO AND GOOD MORNING. I AGREE WITH STEPHANIE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE WE EVEN HERE DISCUSSING A TREE, YOU KNOW? BASICALLY JUST LEAVE EVERYTHING AS IT IS. AND I'VE BEEN TO THE TREE, AND IT'S A WONDERFUL ATMOSPHERE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE ACTUALLY ACTUALLY BEEN TO THE TREE YOURSELF, BUT ANYWAY THE TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES THAT IT PROVIDES ARE ABSOLUTELY PARAMOUNT. AND SOME OF THE VEHICLES THAT GO SPEEDING DOWN THAT ROAD YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT REALLY ACCEPTABLE BECAUSE SOME OF THEM GO PRETTY FAST.

AND IF YOU TAKE AWAY THE TREE AND WIDEN THE ROAD, THEN IT'S JUST A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. AND IT STANDS THERE AS A TESTAMENT OF JUST JUST LEAVE EVERYTHING AS IT IS, YOU KNOW, LET'S MOVE ON AND DEAL WITH MORE PRESSING MATTERS.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT THIS ISN'T IMPORTANT, AND I DO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE PREDICAMENT YOU GUYS ARE IN.

BUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST JUST LEAVE IT. YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.

IT REALLY ISN'T. LET'S MOVE ON AND GET TO WORK AND TAKE CARE OF THE CITY OF KYLE.

AND AGAIN, LET'S PUT OURSELVES ON THE MAP NOT JUST FOR PIE, BUT FOR BEING TRUE WARRIORS.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF, AND I CAN GET BEHIND THAT.

SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

AND DID I STATE MY NAME? NO, YOU DID NOT. I DIDN'T I DO APOLOGIZE ONCE AGAIN.

MY NAME IS JOANNE VEGA. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS BONNIE FINKEL. HELLO. MY NAME IS BONNIE FINKEL.

AND I MOVED TO KYLE TWO YEARS AGO FROM DALLAS.

AS SOON AS I SAW THAT TREE. I'VE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG THAT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.

AND THE FACT THAT THERE'S A YIELD SIGN ON BOTH SIDES, ANYBODY WHO'S DRIVEN DOWN THAT ROAD MORE THAN ONCE KNOWS THAT THE OTHER SIDE ALSO HAS A YIELD SIGN, AND THEY ANTICIPATE THAT PERSON'S GOING TO STOP.

I THINK THAT IF THERE HAD BEEN AN ACCIDENT THERE, WHICH I FEEL IS LOOMING IN THE FUTURE.

THAT, YOU KNOW, THEN IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION.

IT IS A BEAUTIFUL TREE, AND PEOPLE TALK ABOUT ENJOYING THE TREE AND LINGERING THERE AND ENJOYING THE SHADE, ETC. WE JUST GO BY IT. I MEAN, WE CAN APPRECIATE IT AND SAY, THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL TREE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER BEAUTIFUL TREES AND I JUST FEEL THAT THE COST, I DON'T SEE HOW RELOCATING IT WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL.

THE IDEA OF RELOCATING FAMILIES, I THINK, IS ABSOLUTELY WHAT'S THE WORD THAT I NEED? BUT ANYWAY, I JUST THINK THAT THAT'S THAT'S NOT THE CORRECT THING TO DO.

AND I JUST I JUST FEEL FOR THE SAFETY. I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY, FROM THE MOMENT I SAW THE FIRST TIME I DROVE DOWN THAT ROAD, IT'S LIKE, OH MY GOSH, THIS JUST IS A REAL SAFETY HAZARD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO SPEAK? YOU CAN ONLY GO ONCE. I'M SORRY. YEAH. I'M SORRY.

THANK YOU. IS. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT.

SEEING NONE, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE CITIZEN COMMENTS. CITIZEN COMMENTS IS NOW CLOSED.

ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS AGENDA ITEM ONE, THE ONLY ITEM CONSIDERING POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR THE LIVE OAK TREE ON OLD STAGECOACH ROAD.

[III.1) Consider and possible action regarding alternative options for the live oak tree on Old Stagecoach Road.]

ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

GOOD TO BE WITH YOU THIS MORNING. I DID WANT TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES GOING THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.

I KNOW MOST OF YOU HAVE SEEN IT. MANY OF THE PUBLIC HAVE SEEN IT AS WELL.

I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION FAIRLY QUICKLY.

A LOT OF IT IS INFORMATION YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE AND OTHER DIFFERENT SETTINGS.

THERE IS SOME NEW INFORMATION I'M GOING TO SPEND THE MAJORITY OF MY TIME ON THAT.

I ALSO HAVE SOME TECHNICAL EXPERTS IN THE ROOM.

WE DO HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM K FREEZE, AS WELL AS PETE DAWSON, OUR ENGINEER, AND IF THERE'S ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS WE GET TO,

[00:35:07]

IT'S REPORTEDLY SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS OLD. 51 INCH DIAMETER TREE.

SO IT'S A VERY, AS I MENTIONED, A VERY LARGE TREE.

IT IS WITHIN SIX INCHES OF THE ROADWAY. SO IF YOU'VE EVER DRIVEN IN THAT PARTICULAR STRETCH OF ROAD, YOU KNOW, IT DOES INTERFERE WITH TRAFFIC. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD, AS WE'VE IDENTIFIED, AND IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS BY THE CITY COUNCIL. SO FOR THAT REASON, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT HOW TO IMPROVE STAGECOACH ROAD AND THEN HOW TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF THIS TREE.

THERE ARE SOME OBVIOUS LESSONS LEARNED HERE, AS I THINK YOU'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF THE CITIZENS HERE, THIS TREE COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY PROPER PLANNING YEARS AGO.

THE CYPRESS FOREST SUBDIVISION WAS PLATTED IN APPROXIMATELY THE 2015 TIME PERIOD.

CERTAINLY BEFORE THAT TIME, IT CERTAINLY COULD HAVE BEEN MOVED AS WELL.

THE ROAD COULD HAVE BEEN MOVED, BUT IT WAS NOT.

SO GOING FORWARD, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO HAVE BETTER PLANNING FOR THESE KINDS OF EVENTS, AND CONSIDERATION FOR TREES WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO OUR TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AN UPDATED TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN PROPOSAL COME FORWARD IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE TREE SERVICE SURVEYS BE IMPLEMENTED AS PART OF OUR FUTURE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE DOING. AND AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE'VE ALSO BEGAN A REWRITE OF OUR DEVELOPMENT CODE.

AND TREE PRESERVATION CAN BE FURTHER STRENGTHENED IN THAT AS WELL.

SO THOSE ARE ALL JUST LESSONS LEARNED. BUT AGAIN, ALL FOR THE FUTURE.

WE ARE WHERE WE ARE WITH THIS ISSUE, BUT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AS A STAFF.

THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST TEN DIFFERENT TIMES THAT THIS TREE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED SINCE 2020, AND I THINK IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED MANY TIMES EVEN BEFORE THAT.

I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE VARIOUS DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU, BUT THEY'RE HERE FOR YOUR INFORMATION, JUST TO SEE, BACK IN 2020, 2021, 2022, THE THE VOTERS DID APPROVE A ROAD BOND PACKAGE $294 MILLION PACKAGE.

STAGECOACH ROAD WAS INCLUDED, AS WELL AS THE ALIGNMENT OF THE ROAD WAS INCLUDED IN THAT PACKAGE AND WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN NOVEMBER OF 22.

SINCE THEN, THERE'S BEEN A FEW OTHER DISCUSSIONS ON THAT ABOUT THE ALIGNMENT.

THOSE HAVE BEEN DONE IN 23 AND 24. AND AS YOU GUYS KNOW, BACK IN DECEMBER OF 24, THE COUNCIL HELD ANOTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT.

THE CURRENT DIRECTION RIGHT NOW IS TO MOVE THE TREE.

EXCUSE ME, REMOVE THE TREE. SO THERE'S THREE OPTIONS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED ABOUT THIS TREE.

AGAIN, TWO OF THESE YOU'VE SEEN IN GREAT DETAIL, BUT I'LL GO THROUGH THOSE VERY QUICKLY. THE FIRST IS JUST SIMPLY TO REMOVE IT TO CUT THE TREE DOWN. IT DOES NOT IMPACT THE ROAD SCHEDULE THAT WE THAT WE HAVE AND WOULD NOT IMPACT THE OVERALL DESIGN.

THIS WOULD BE A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $10,000 TO REMOVE THE TREE.

THERE HAS ALSO BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT MAKING WHATEVER TREE, IF THE TREE WAS REMOVED TO PRESERVE THE WOOD FOR SOME TYPE OF ARTISTIC PURPOSE.

SO THERE IS A VERY LARGE TRUNK, AS I MENTIONED, A 51 INCH DIAMETER TREE.

SO TRYING TO REMOVE IT IN A RESPECTFUL WAY AND THEN SOMETHING ARTISTIC COULD BE DONE WITH THAT WOOD IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IF WE WERE TO REMOVE THE TREE.

THE SECOND OPTION THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT IS SIMPLY RELOCATING OR MOVING THE TREE ITSELF.

WE'VE IDENTIFIED A LOCATION. WE LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF OPTIONS WITH COUNCIL ABOUT POSSIBLE SPOTS.

WE DID IDENTIFY A LOCATION IN THE EASEMENT OWNED BY SIXTH STREET SUBDIVISION.

IT'S JUST TO THE NORTH OF THE TREE. YOU CAN SEE THAT SHOWN HERE ON THE CIRCLE.

THERE ARE SIX OTHER SMALLER TREES THAT ARE THERE THAT MAY BE IMPACTED BY THIS MOVE AS WELL.

THEY MIGHT HAVE TO BE REMOVED, BUT THIS IS THE LOCATION THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT.

THERE'S ALSO A WATER LINE THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED.

WE THINK IT'S A MANAGEABLE IMPACT, SOMETHING THAT COULD BE MANAGED BY SIMPLY THE INSTALLATION OF ANOTHER VALVE.

BUT THERE WOULD BE ABOUT 14 HOMES THAT ARE IMPACTED FOR JUST A FEW HOURS WHILE THAT WORK IS DONE, BUT JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE FOR VISIBILITY. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT IMPACT.

THERE'S ALSO A TRAFFIC IMPACT THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE.

WE'VE GOT THE THE DETOUR THAT WOULD BE PROPOSED FOR THE TREE IF WE WERE TO MOVE IT.

WE DO EXPECT THAT WORK WOULD TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS, 4 TO 5 WEEKS, ABOUT 6000 VEHICLES A DAY GO THROUGH THAT ROUTE.

SO THIS WOULD BE THE DETOUR AND THE IMPACTS TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THAT AREA.

AND THEN WE'VE LOOKED AT THE SURVIVAL RATES. ONE OF THE ARBORISTS DID PROVIDE US INFORMATION INDICATING THAT ABOUT 98% OF THEIR RELOCATIONS ARE SUCCESSFUL, THAT THE TREES SURVIVE. THERE'S OTHER DATA OUT THERE FROM THE FORESTRY SERVICE THAT PROVIDES MIXED INFORMATION ABOUT THE SURVIVAL RATES.

I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY A GOOD CHANCE OF SURVIVAL, BUT WE JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT IT'S NOT 100% CERTAIN THAT THE TREE WOULD SURVIVE.

BUT THERE ARE GOOD PROGNOSIS FOR THAT. AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED TO YOU, SOME OF THE OTHER TREES AT THAT LOCATION WOULD NEED TO

[00:40:08]

SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE OF.

WE ALSO HAVE LONG TERM MAINTENANCE OF THE TREE BEFORE AND AFTER IT'S MOVED.

THAT WOULD NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED. THERE'S SOME COST RELATED TO THAT. WE WOULD WANT TO HAVE A CERTIFIED ARBORIST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TREE SURVIVES AND IS GETTING ALL THE CARE AND NUTRIENTS THAT IT NEEDS ONCE IT'S MOVED. THE COST FOR ALL OF THE MOVEMENT, OUR ESTIMATE IS BETWEEN 730 TO $950,000.

THAT INCLUDES THE MOVEMENT OF THE TREE AND THE ROAD WORK ITSELF.

IT WOULD NOT IMPACT THE SCHEDULE FOR THE STAGECOACH TREE.

EXCUSE ME, THE OLD STAGECOACH ROAD. IF WE DID RELOCATE THE TREE PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION, WE'VE IDENTIFIED A DATE OF NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER OF 2025 THAT THE TREE WOULD NEED TO BE MOVED TO ACCOMMODATE THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE.

SO THAT'S OPTION TWO. YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THE IMPACTS HERE JUST AS A SUMMARY.

OPTION THREE WOULD. AND THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S SOMEWHAT NEW INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN EXPLORED YEARS AGO.

BUT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT HERE AS A COUNCIL RECENTLY.

BUT THIS WOULD BE TO REDESIGN THE ROADWAY AROUND THE TREE ITSELF.

AS YOU CAN SEE, JUST TO THE WEST OF THE TREE'S LOCATION, THERE IS A DETENTION POND THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH CYPRESS FOREST.

THIS IS A DETENTION BASIN FOR THAT ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT AND THAT PERFORMS A VITAL DRAINAGE FUNCTION FOR THE AREA.

SO WE'VE LOOKED AT IS TO TRY TO SEE IF WE COULD MOVE THE ROAD AND IMPACT THAT STRUCTURE AS LEAST AS POSSIBLE.

SO THIS IS WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU SOME OPTIONS THAT DO THAT.

THE FURTHER WEST THAT YOU GO, THE MORE IMPACT THERE IS AND THE GREATER COST AND THE GREATER IMPACT TO ALL THE DRAINAGE FEATURES THAT ARE HERE.

THIS IS THE ONE THAT MINIMIZES THAT IN OUR IN OUR JUDGMENT, WHEN YOU DO THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD HAVE TO GET RID OF THE CENTER TURN LANE OR SHORTEN THE CENTER TURN LANE UP TO THREE FORKS DRIVE.

THAT WOULD PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF TRAFFIC IMPACT.

OVER TIME, IT PROVIDES LESS QUEUING SPACE. IT'S NOT REALLY THE OVERALL DESIGN OF THE ROADWAY, BUT IT IS POSSIBLE IT WOULD MEET ALL THE MINIMUM CRITERIA TO DO THAT.

YOU WOULD ALSO HAVE TO REMOVE THE SIDEWALK THAT WAS PLANNED ON THE WEST SIDE OF THIS ROADWAY.

BUT THESE THINGS ARE POSSIBLE AND THIS IS HOW THAT WOULD LOOK.

WE WOULD ALSO HAVE AN IMPACT TO WHAT WE CALL THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE OF THE TREE.

WE WOULD HAVE TO BUILD A RETAINING WALL NEXT TO THE ROAD TO RAISE UP THE ROAD FOR PROPER SIGHT DISTANCES.

THAT WOULD REQUIRE A RETAINING WALL TO GO DOWN ABOUT TWO FEET IN THAT CRITICAL ROOT ZONE, WHICH COULD IMPACT THE HEALTH AND SURVIVAL OF THE TREE.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR AS THIS GOES FORWARD.

IT IS A POTENTIAL ISSUE. BUT THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT'S THERE IS WHEN YOU IMPACT THIS DETENTION BASIN IS YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THAT WATER THAT WAS PLANNED TO GO IN THAT AREA WITH LESS AREA, SURFACE AREA IN THE DETENTION BASIN, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT AREA OR FIND OTHER PLACES FOR THE WATER TO GO.

SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT ARE THERE.

SOME OF THESE MAY NOT TECHNICALLY BE FEASIBLE.

AND THAT'S HOW AS WE GO DOWN THROUGH THE PROGRESSION OF OPTIONS, YOU END UP WITH OUTCOME POTENTIAL. SEE, THE WORST OPTION WOULD BE THAT THIS IS NOT A BIG ENOUGH BASIN AND SOME HOMES HAVE TO BE ACQUIRED TO TO BUILD THIS OUT.

THE OTHER ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IS ATLAS 14 REQUIREMENTS FROM FEMA.

THIS IS ESSENTIALLY MEANS THAT THERE'S HIGHER INTENSITY OF RAINFALL THAN IN THE PAST.

WE HAVE TO DESIGN LARGER DETENTION AND DRAINAGE FEATURES THAN WE DID IN THE PAST.

IF YOU TOUCH THESE TYPE OF IMPROVEMENTS, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THEM COMPLIANT WITH THOSE ATLAS 14 STANDARDS.

SO AS WE GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN, THERE ARE THREE POTENTIAL OUTCOMES THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT OF HOW THIS WOULD BE DONE.

THE FIRST WOULD BE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THESE EXISTING BASINS IN THE HOMETOWN KYLE AREA THAT WE HAVE IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.

YOU CAN SEE THREE PARTICULAR LOCATIONS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE INCREASED IN TERMS OF SIZE, TO HANDLE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE DRAINAGE THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED HERE AND MAKE IT COMPLIANT WITH ATLAS 14. IF THAT CANNOT BE DONE SUCCESSFULLY, IF IT'S TECHNICALLY NOT FEASIBLE, THEN YOU WOULD GO TO OUTCOME B, WHICH IS A DETENTION BASIN, A LITTLE FURTHER OUT NEXT TO BROOKS CROSSING BROOKS RANCH, AND THAT WOULD THEN HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT TO MAKE THAT A LARGER DETENTION BASIN.

AND THERE'S COST AND ENGINEERING ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

WE WOULD HAVE TO ALSO GO THROUGH A FEMA APPROVAL PROCESS AND PERMITTING, IF IT'S TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE, WE WOULD HAVE TO GET FEMA'S APPROVAL TO DO THAT WORK.

IF THEY APPROVE THE EXPANSION, THERE WOULD BE ALSO SIGNIFICANT UTILITY LINE RELOCATIONS.

WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED THOSE IN THE AREA, AND IF THE FEMA DID NOT APPROVE THIS EXPANSION, WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS LAST OPTION C OR OUTCOME C THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED FOR YOU

[00:45:06]

SO THAT'S THE WORST POSSIBLE OUTCOME OBVIOUSLY.

BUT WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU WHAT COULD HAPPEN, DEPENDING ON THE ENGINEERING FOR EACH OF THESE THREE OUTCOMES THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED, THE COST RELATED TO THIS. IF OPTION THREE A WAS POSSIBLE AND THERE WAS A TECHNICAL PATH TO DO THAT, WE THINK THE THE IT WOULD ADD ABOUT 4 TO 6 MONTHS TO THE PROJECT.

THERE'S SOME CONSTRUCTION INFLATION BECAUSE THE PROJECTS IS DELAYED. THAT COST IS ESTIMATED AT $2.7 MILLION FOR THAT OPTION.

IF THREE A WAS NOT POSSIBLE AND YOU HAD TO LOOK AT OUTCOME THREE B, IT'S 1 TO 1 AND A HALF YEARS ON THE DELAY OF THE PROJECT WITH CONSTRUCTION, INFLATION AND ALL OF THE COST RELATED TO THAT, WE ESTIMATE THAT'S ABOUT $3.4 MILLION.

AND IF THAT OPTION WAS NOT TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE, AGAIN, WE WOULD GO TO THIS OUTCOME.

THREE C WE'RE LOOKING AT ONE AND A HALF TO TWO YEARS FOR THAT PROJECT, AND ABOUT $6.4 MILLION IN COST IS OUR ESTIMATE.

AND THESE ARE HIGH LEVEL ESTIMATES THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM OUR ENGINEERING FIRMS. THERE WOULD BE MANY TECHNICAL ANALYSIS AND REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT.

THEY COULD BE HIGHER, THEY COULD BE LOWER. BUT THIS IS KIND OF AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE FOR YOU OF WHAT WE THINK THE COSTS ARE. WITH OPTION THREE, IT DOES NOT MEET THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE BOND PROJECT.

IT CAUSES A GAP IN THE PEDESTRIAN NETWORK THAT I'VE MENTIONED TO YOU BEFORE.

IT WOULD IMPACT THE LENGTH OF THE TURN LANE, WHICH IMPACTS THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE ROADWAY OVER TIME.

IT ALSO WILL IMPACT THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE FOR THE TREE.

I MENTIONED THAT TO YOU EARLIER AND IT, PENDING FURTHER INVESTIGATION, MAY REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT UTILITY RELOCATIONS AND PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS THAT WE'VE TRIED TO OUTLINE FOR YOU HERE. SO THESE ARE THE THREE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU TODAY.

OPTION ONE REMOVING THE TREE. COST IS APPROXIMATELY $10,000.

RELOCATING THE TREE. THAT COST IS APPROXIMATELY 730 TO 950.

OR REALIGNING THE ROADWAY 2.4 TO $6.7 MILLION.

AGAIN, THE CURRENT DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL IS TO PROCEED WITH OPTION ONE.

AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANY DIRECTION THAT YOU HAVE ON THIS ISSUE.

SO, MAYOR, THAT'S MY PRESENTATION. I'D BE HAPPY TO STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, AS WELL AS OUR CONSULTANTS AND STAFF BEFORE BEFORE ANY OF US GIVE OPINIONS AND THOUGHTS.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS THAT THEY WISH TO ASK FROM STAFF OR FROM THE ENGINEERS WITH REGARDS TO THE OPTIONS PRESENTED? COUNCILMEMBER ZUNIGA. HELLO. YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF IF IT'S ESSENTIAL TO DO THE TWO FOOT INTO THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE, CAN YOU GET DONE WITH THE ONE FOOT TO MINIMIZE THAT IMPACT.

AND THE SECOND QUESTION I'D LIKE TO ASK IS WERE ANY BASINS FOR DETENTION WATER LOOKED AT ON THE SIDE WHERE THE TREE EXISTS, BECAUSE THAT WOULD JUST HELP THE TREE. AND YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY EXPAND ON THE WEST, THAT BASIN. SO TO GIVE A LITTLE COMPROMISE ON THAT EAST SIDE BASIN.

SO THOSE TWO QUESTIONS I LIKE TO ASK. YES, SIR.

SO THE FIRST QUESTION ON THE RETAINING WALL, IT IS RECOMMENDED AT TWO FEET BECAUSE OF THE TO PROVIDE GOOD STRUCTURAL SUPPORT FOR THE ROADWAY THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE FOR DECADES TO COME.

SO IT IS RECOMMENDED AT TWO FEET. AND UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S NOT ANOTHER AREA NEXT TO THE TREE THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR DETENTION.

IT'S THE DETENTION POND. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ROOM IN THAT CORRIDOR.

THAT'S THOSE ARE MY TECHNICAL ANY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER MCKINNEY JUST CURIOUS, BECAUSE I'M.

I'M THE NEW GUY HERE. WAS ANY OF THIS MONEY SET UP IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET TO COVER ANY OF THIS FOR REALIGNING THE ROADWAY OR MOVING THE TREE. ALL THREE OPTIONS WITH THE ROAD PROJECT ITSELF, THERE CERTAINLY WAS FUNDS AVAILABLE TO REMOVE THE TREE. MOVING THE TREE IS SOMETHING WE THINK WE COULD ACCOMMODATE IN THE BONDS THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR THE PROJECT, FOR REALIGNING THE ROADWAY. THAT WOULD BE A MUCH LARGER ADDITIONAL COST THAT WE DON'T HAVE IDENTIFIED IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER TOBIAS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

MAYBE THIS IS THE TIME I CAN SHOW MY EXAMPLE IF YOU THINK THAT MIGHT HELP.

IF YOU WANT TO SHOW SOME OF THE SLIDES, I THINK WE HAVE.

YES, SIR. IT HAS A FEW PICTURES. OKAY. SO I'VE BEEN KIND OF DRIVING AROUND THE CITY OF KYLE AND SEEING OTHER AREAS THAT COULD EVENTUALLY RUN INTO THIS PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE.

HOWEVER IF ANYBODY KIND OF RECOGNIZES THIS ROAD, THIS IS ROLLING LANE.

OKAY. SO IF WE CAN GO ON TO. THIS IS WHEN I BELIEVE IT WAS WIDENED ABOUT A COUPLE OF YEARS OF A YEAR OR SO AGO AROUND THE PARAMOUNT SUBDIVISION.

SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE. SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT PHOTO, IF YOU CAN, I WAS OUT THERE SURVEYING AND RESEARCHING OTHER

[00:50:07]

WE MIGHT BE IN THE SAME SITUATION IN A COUPLE MORE YEARS.

THERE'S ANOTHER MIGHTY OAK RIGHT THERE. OKAY.

SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THIS HAS BEEN REPAVED AND REDONE ON ROLAND.

AND WE DIDN'T MESS WITH ANY OF THESE TREES, AND THERE WAS NO PROCESS ON THIS ONE HERE.

COULD WE STILL WORK AROUND THE TREE? BECAUSE IF YOU GO WITH ONE MORE PHOTOGRAPH, I THINK I SHOWED HOW WE EXPAND.

THERE'S THE TREE RIGHT THERE. IT'S KIND OF THE SAME FEET FROM THE EXACT ROAD.

CORRECT. IT LOOKS THAT WAY. AND THEN IF WE GO TO THE OTHER PHOTOGRAPH THAT I TOOK, THIS SHOWS RIGHT HERE HOW THE EXPANDED OUT TO WHERE THE ROAD CURVED AROUND. SO I FEEL THE ENGINEERING CAN BE THERE.

BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN BE ABLE TO MANIPULATE JUST THAT CERTAIN SECTION OF THE TREE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IF WE CAN DO IT THERE. ON THIS END. BUT THE QUESTION LIES THAT I, THAT I BROUGHT UP TO YOU LAST NIGHT DURING OUR CONVERSATION IS WHEN THE DEVELOPERS COME IN, LET'S SAY CYPRESS FORTH AND SO FORTH.

ARE THEY COMING IN AND HELPING ASSIST US WITH THESE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS FOR THEIR SUBDIVISIONS, OR DOES THE CITY HAVE TO COVER THE ENTIRE COST? AND I THINK THAT'S THE FUTURE AS WELL. BUT I MEAN, THIS IS ALREADY DONE.

SO THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT WE GOT TO ASK AS WELL.

BUT BUT GOING BACK AND JUST KIND OF LOOKING AT ALL THE ROADS THAT WE HAVE IN KYLE AND LOOKING AT AND GOING BY AND DRIVING THE STAGECOACH AGAIN, I'M LIKE, THERE'S GOT TO BE A VERY EASY FIX TO THIS.

AND I MEAN, IT'S RIGHT THERE, YOU KNOW. AND SO EVEN IF IT'S JUST A MATTER OF A CURB BECAUSE I SEE THAT THERE'S A LARGER AMOUNT OF CURB.

BUT ROLAND LANE, IT JUST IT, THERE'S ABOUT PROBABLY MAYBE HALF THE SIZE OF THE AMOUNT OF CARS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH, BUT THERE IS HEAVY TRAFFIC THERE. SO I'M TRYING TO I'M TRYING TO, IN MY MIND, FIGURE OUT IF IT'S JUST A SMALL SECTION OF WHERE THE TREE IS AT NOW. IF THERE'S ENGINEERING THAT CAN JUST BE MANIPULATED TO WHERE WE CAN JUST NOT HAVE TO TAKE SO MUCH, NOT ONLY THE HOUSING, BUT JUST THE THE RETENTION POND AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT TO ADD IN THERE. BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THESE ESTIMATED COSTS ARE.

IF YOU GO WITH OPTION THREE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT RECONSTRUCTING THE UTILITIES.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE HOMES THAT WILL BE AFFECTED.

SO AND AND AGAIN, MY COMMENT ON THE HISTORY BEHIND ALL THIS.

YEAH. YOU'RE RIGHT. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. YEAH. I THINK WE'VE EVEN HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MY FAMILY.

THIS HAS BEEN GOING BACK SINCE 1980 WHEN THE COMMISSIONERS BACK THEN THAT WAS A COUNTY ROAD.

IT'S JUST UNFORTUNATELY COUNCIL. THIS IS OUR PROBLEM THAT WE INHERITED FROM PAST FAILURE COUNCILS FROM TAKING CARE OF THIS.

I'LL TRY TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THAT. I THINK IT IS UNFORTUNATE.

RIGHT. AS WE MENTIONED, CYPRESS FOREST WAS WAS PLOTTED BEFORE.

I THINK ANY OF YOU WERE ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND PROBABLY BEFORE A LOT OF FOLKS IN THIS ROOM WERE HERE.

BUT IT'S PLANNING, PROPER PLANNING, PROPER DEVELOPMENT GOING FORWARD IS REALLY, I BELIEVE, THE WAY THAT YOU CAN TRY TO AVOID THESE ISSUES MOVING FORWARD.

THOSE ARE SOME GOOD EXAMPLES. COUNCIL MEMBER TOBIAS.

AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL IMPACTS WERE THERE, WHAT ALL TREES WERE TAKEN OUT TO PUT THAT ROAD THAT WERE ENCOUNTERED WHEN THAT WAS BUILT.

BUT THAT'S WHAT WE BELIEVE IS REALLY THE PATH FORWARD IS PUT PROPER PLANNING IN PLACE WITH THE TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLANS.

MAKE SURE THERE IS CONSIDERATION OF THE TREES THAT ARE IN THOSE CORRIDORS, AND TO SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE HERE IN THIS PARTICULAR CORRIDOR, WITH THE WAY IT'S DEVELOPED AND THE DETENTION AND DRAINAGE ISSUES.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER OPTIONS OTHER THAN THE THREE THAT ARE THAT ARE PRESENTED TO YOU HERE TODAY.

THAT'S WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES. IF THIS WAS 10 OR 15 YEARS AGO, THERE WERE CLEARLY OTHER OPTIONS THAT WERE AVAILABLE, BUT THOSE WERE NOT EXERCISED FOR WHATEVER REASONS.

AND I KNOW IT'S A TOUGH ISSUE TO BRING TO THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY, BUT THIS IS THE THREE THAT WE HAVE FOR THIS PARTICULAR ROADWAY TO BUILD

[00:55:05]

IT'S SOMETHING THAT I INHERITED IN 2015 WHEN I STARTED RUNNING.

THEY JUST I REMEMBER THE THE RIBBON CUTTING OR THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR CYPRESS FOREST AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T GO BACK AND GET INTO THE MINDSET OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE MAKING THAT DETERMINATION.

BUT OFTENTIMES THIS IS JUST KIND OF HOW GOVERNMENT GOES, THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT JUST AREN'T ON YOUR RADAR, AND THE PROBLEMS JUST FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS AND YOU CREATE A LONG TERM LIABILITY FOR YOURSELF.

SO I HAVE I HAVE REALLY STRUGGLED WITH THIS TREE OVER THE YEARS AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT TO DO, WHILE ALSO KEEPING THE CITY MOVING FORWARD. I THINK IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WHILE TODAY WE HAVE A STRONG PUBLIC FEEDBACK ON THE NATURE OF THIS TREE, WE OFTEN HAVE ALSO STRONG AND MUCH LOUDER PUBLIC FEEDBACK ON THE NATURE OF OUR ROADS.

ROAD, ROAD RECONSTRUCTION AND TRAFFIC MITIGATION, PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE ARE ALL ALL NUMBER ONE ON THE LIST.

WHICH IS WHY WHEN WE TOOK THIS BALLOT TO THE TO THE VOTERS, IT PASSED OVERWHELMINGLY.

MORE THAN 15,000 PEOPLE CAST THEIR VOTE. WE HAD TOWN HALLS ON STAGECOACH, AND AS HAS BEEN NOTED, THE STAGECOACH AND THE STAGECOACH TREE HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED MANY, MANY TIMES THROUGH THE YEARS.

BUT IT ULTIMATELY DOES COME BACK TO A NO WIN SITUATION.

IT REALLY, IT REALLY IS THAT I WOULD SAY THAT THE DESIRE TO BUILD STAGECOACH ROAD AND FULFILL THE, THE, THE, THE COVENANT WITH THE VOTERS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DESIRE TO KILL A TREE OR TO CUT DOWN A TREE.

SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, YOU KNOW, I WAS RAISED IN THE COUNTRY AROUND HERITAGE LIVE OAKS.

THEY WERE ON THE THEY WERE ON MY PARENTS PROPERTY.

WE FOUGHT VERY HARD TO TO HAVE THOSE LIVE OAKS SURVIVE DURING THE WHEN OAK WILT WAS COMING THROUGH IN THE HILL COUNTRY WHERE I'M FROM, AND MY PARENTS SPENT MONEY THEY BARELY HAD IN ORDER TO TRY.

I MEAN, DOWN TO THE LAST PENNY TO TRY TO SAVE SOME OF THOSE TREES.

AND IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO DO THAT. WHEN I WENT TO TEXAS A&M IN COLLEGE STATION.

I'M AN AGGIE. I DON'T KNOW, THERE'S SEVERAL AGGIE SYMPATHIZERS IN THE ROOM, I KNOW.

IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO TEXAS A&M AND WALKED ON THEIR CAMPUS, ASK YOURSELF, WHAT DOES WHAT KIND OF COLLEGE EDUCATION DID I GET WITH REGARDS AND WITH RESPECT TO TREE PRESERVATION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HERITAGE OAKS? YOU WILL KNOW JUST HOW IMPORTANT OAKS ARE AND OAK TREES ARE TO AGGIES.

AND SO COMING TO KYLE, I AGREE OFTEN WITH THE SENTIMENT THAT'S BEEN EXPRESSED HERE ABOUT HOW FEW HERITAGE OAKS WE ACTUALLY HAVE.

WE HAVE SOME VERY HISTORIC TREES LIKE THE THE WHAT'S THE TREE ON SLEDGE? I GUESS IT'S UP TO SOME DEBATE AS TO WHETHER THAT'S THE ORIGINAL AUCTION.

OAK. IT HAS A HISTORICAL MARKER ON IT. WHEN THE TOWN WAS FIRST PLATTED AND LOTS WERE SOLD OFF, THEY WERE SOLD OFF UNDER AN HISTORIC OAK RIGHT OVER THERE ON SLEDGE.

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BY, YOU SHOULD GO SEE IT.

IT'S A MAGNIFICENT TREE THAT'S BEEN WELL PRESERVED THROUGH THE YEARS, SO THAT ULTIMATELY, FOR ME, IT IS. IT IS ALWAYS COME DOWN TO TRYING TO BUILD THE PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE TO GET ALL OF THE SUBDIVISIONS CYPRESS FOREST, SIX CREEKS, HOMETOWN, KYLE AND THE 10,000 HOMES THAT ARE ALREADY ENTITLED THAT WERE ENTITLED BEFORE I WAS HERE TO GOING IN BEHIND THAT AREA.

THE NANCE BRADSHAW TRACT, THE THE AND EVERYTHING IN THE REMAINDER OF THE BLANCO RIVER RANCH TRACT.

THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE HOMES THAT ARE COMING AND WILL BE UTILIZING THAT ROAD.

AND SO IT FEELS TO ME VERY IMPERATIVE THAT WE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME KIND OF PROJECT THAT ALLOWS FOR PEOPLE TO GET ACCESS TO OUR DOWNTOWN.

PEDESTRIANS IN PARTICULAR, AND OTHER AND OTHER FACTORS.

SO ALL I CAN THINK OF WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IS THAT A COMPROMISE IS PROBABLY THE ONLY REAL SOLUTION, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE, I THINK, PROBABLY UNWISE FOR US TO GO DOWN THE PATH OF OF CONSTRUCTING THE ROAD AROUND THE TREE, EVEN WHEN CUTTING IT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO A TWO LANE ROAD.

AND GETTING RID OF THE SIDEWALKS STILL CAUSES US TO CUT THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE OF THAT TREE.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO OTHER THAN TO SAY FOR ME.

I WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE A COMPROMISE AND VOTE TO TRY TO REMOVE TO MOVE THE TREE FROM ITS CURRENT LOCATION, WHICH WOULD BE OPTION TWO, WHICH IS STILL NOT GOING TO MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY, BUT IT GIVES THE TREE A CHANCE, AND IT ALSO GIVES THE RESIDENTS A CHANCE TO HAVE RIGHT SIZED INFRASTRUCTURE.

[01:00:05]

WITH THIS PROJECT, WE HAVE ALREADY SPENT OVER $1 MILLION MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS ON THE DESIGN OF THE ROAD.

THAT MONEY IS NOT WASTED WITH OPTION TWO. OPTION TWO THE THE THE TOTAL LIABILITY IS CONTAINED WITHIN THE COST OF MOVING THE TREE.

AND WE ARE ABLE TO BUILD THE ROAD AS PLANNED AND AS PRESENTED TO THE VOTERS.

SO MY MY GOAL AND HOPE WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH OPTION TWO, MOVING THE TREE, AND THEN THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR US TO STAY ON THE TIMELINE THAT WE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE SET OUT.

AND I'D LIKE TO CONSIDER WHAT YOU ALL HAVE TO SAY.

COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS. THANKS FOR THAT EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ROADS, YOU THINK, WELL, WE CAN JUST CURVE THE ROAD, RIGHT? UNTIL YOU REALIZE THAT THERE IS THAT DETENTION POND RIGHT THERE BEHIND THE FENCE AND CYPRESS FOREST, CYPRESS FOREST AND SIXTH STREET, SIX CREEKS WERE BUILT ON THE WATERSHED FOR BLANCO RIVER.

SIX CREEKS WAS SIX CREEKS. WHEN YOU BUILD IN THOSE AREAS, YOU HAVE TO BE EXTRAORDINARILY SENSITIVE TO WHERE THE WATER IS GOING TO FLOW IN THIS CASE. IT THE WATER FLOW WAS BUILT SOMEWHAT ARTIFICIALLY.

IT WOULD NOT HAVE NORMALLY FLOWN THE WAY IT IS THROUGH CYPRESS FORESTS AND OR SIX CREEKS.

AND THAT WAS DONE. IT IS DONE. THE SINS OF THE FATHERS ARE VISITED UPON US AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO FIX THAT. IT'S EASY TO SAY, WELL, LET'S JUST MOVE THE ROAD.

I HAD NO IDEA HOW COMPLEX THAT WOULD BE. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE ENGINEERING THAT WAS DONE.

LOOKING AT THE OPTIONS FOR THAT. THAT DETENTION POND IS CRITICAL FOR THE WATER FLOW AND FOR TO PREVENT THE FLOODING OF THE HOUSES.

IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH FEMA ON ATLAS 14 WHEN YOU'RE MOVING THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THIS WILL BECAUSE IT WILL IMPACT HOMETOWN KYLE, BECAUSE IT GOES THROUGH HOMETOWN KYLE AS WELL.

SO IF WE ENLARGE THOSE DETENTION PONDS IN HOMETOWN KYLE, THERE'S AN IMPACT TO THEM.

IF THE ROAD IS MOVED, IT REALLY NEEDS TO COME 20FT OFF OF THE TREE AND THAT IT MOVES IT EVEN FARTHER OFF, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT YOU NEED TO MOVE IT OFF THE ROOT BASE OF THE TREE.

SO I'M THINKING THAT OUR BEST OPTION FOR THE TREE IS TO MOVE THE TREE TO THAT EASEMENT ON SIX CREEKS.

THE THE SUCCESS RATE IS VERY HIGH. THE TREES THAT ARE UNSUCCESSFULLY MOVED ARE THE ONES THAT ARE NOT TAKEN CARE OF AFTER THE MOVE. AND THERE IS AN EXCELLENT PLAN TO TAKE CARE OF THIS TREE AS FOREVER.

WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE FOREVER, BUT FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, THERE WILL BE AN AUTOMATIC WATERING SYSTEM DESIGNED BY THE ARBORISTS TO ASSURE THAT THAT TREE IS TAKEN CARE OF, THAT IT WILL BE CHECKED AND MAINTAINED ON A MONTHLY BASIS.

EVERY EFFORT WILL BE PUT INTO ITS SURVIVAL, AND I THINK THAT IT WILL BE AROUND MAYBE ANOTHER 100 TO 200 YEARS.

IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY TREE. IT'S A SINGLE TRUNK TREE THAT'S 51IN.

THAT IS A VERY, VERY OLD TREE. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT PRESERVED.

I THINK OUR BEST OPTION IS, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, PROBABLY TO MOVE IT.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? COUNCILMEMBER HEIZER? YEAH. THANK YOU. SO THANKS, EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

TO THE FAMILIES THAT WHO HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES OF THEIR HOMES BEING TAKEN, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHEN WE VOTED ON THIS TWO MONTHS AGO, THAT OPTION WAS NOT ON THE TABLE.

THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THIS BODY CONSIDERED. TO ME, THAT SOUNDS INSANE.

IT'S A NONSTARTER. THE REASON THAT OPTION IS EVEN IN THIS PRESENTATION IS IS YOUR FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

SOME PEOPLE SITTING IN THIS ROOM DEMANDED THAT WE CONSIDER ALL OPTIONS, INCLUDING REROUTING THE ROAD ONTO YOUR PROPERTY.

IT. THE GROWTH IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW, COMES WITH RESPONSIBILITY OF FIGURING OUT HOW WE HAVE TO MANAGE IT FOR EVERYBODY, NOT JUST THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PART OF KYLE TREES OR PEOPLE WHO WANT US TO PRESERVE HISTORY.

BUT THE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T HERE, WHO DON'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS PARTICIPATE IN THESE KINDS OF MEETINGS IN THIS SETTING.

[01:05:06]

AND IT'S NOT ABOUT CONVENIENCE. IT'S ABOUT SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY AND OUR ABILITY TO SUPPORT THE REQUIRED INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF THE GROWTH THAT THE CITY HAS FACED.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TRAVERSED THIS ROAD EVERY DAY.

AND YOU KNOW, I IT'S HARD TO SIT UP HERE AND THINK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE, LIKE, QUITE FRANKLY, AND SOME OF YOU HERE, I'VE SPOKEN TO ONE ON ONE AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT NECESSARILY A TREE GUY.

LIKE, THIS ISN'T AN ISSUE. THAT WAS ON MY VISION BOARD FOR 2025.

BUT WE'RE HERE BECAUSE YOU GUYS CARE ABOUT IT.

AND YOU ASKED US TO REEVALUATE THE DECISION THAT WE MADE AND TO THE MAYOR'S WHAT THE MAYOR WAS SUGGESTING WITH OPTION TWO. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING THAT I WOULD SUPPORT DOING.

YOU KNOW, A CHANGE FROM WHAT WE VOTED TO DO TWO MONTHS AGO IS THAT COMPROMISE.

SO WITH THAT MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO.

I WAS STILL GOING TO. WELL, I CAN. HE STILL HAS THE FLOOR.

COUNCIL MEMBER SUEN. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OPTION TWO TO RELOCATE THE ROAD OR THE TREE.

EXCUSE ME. OKAY. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. IT'S A MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER HEIZER, SECONDED BY THE MAYOR, THAT WE APPROVE OPTION TWO. IS THERE DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? COUNCILMAN ZUNIGA. SO THE VOTE THAT WAS TAKEN IN DECEMBER? WE WERE NOT COUNCIL WAS NOT GIVEN ANOTHER OPTION TO MOVE THE ROAD.

SO A LOT OF US TOOK THE VOTE TO CUT THE TREE DOWN, BECAUSE THAT WAS, WE FELT, THE RESPONSIBLE DECISION AT THE TIME TO BECAUSE RELOCATING THAT TREE WAS GOING TO BE A HIGH RISK AND REALLY BAD FOR THE TREE THAT THAT'S I GUESS, WHAT SOME OF US FELT. SO I STILL STAND BY THAT.

I THINK THAT TRENT TRANSLOCATING THIS TREE, NOT KNOWING THE CERTAINTY OF THE SURVIVAL AND THEN HAVING TO MAINTAIN IT, SEEMS TO ME LIKE WE'RE OVERDOING A SIMPLE FIX HERE.

NOW, WE'VE SEEN THAT THERE IS AN OPTION TO CURVE AT THE POINT WHERE THE TREE IS.

AND IF IT TAKES SOME MODIFICATION OF THE DETENTION POND, I'D RATHER DO THAT.

HAVE THE ROAD MOVED A BIT RIGHT THERE? THREE A SEEMS TO BE LIKE WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO BE.

I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO GO THAT THIS WILL GO, IN MY OPINION, ALL THE WAY TO THREE C.

WE HAVE PLENTY OF ENGINEERS THAT CAN DESIGN THIS KIND OF STUFF.

WE HAVE THE TIME TO REALLY EVALUATE IT, TO SEE WHAT THE TRUE COST WOULD BE AND WHAT THE REAL IMPACT WOULD BE BY JUST MOVING THAT ROAD SLIGHTLY.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE BEST OUTCOME FOR THE TREE TO PRESERVE YOUR HISTORY, YOU'D STILL GET A VERY USEFUL ROAD OUT OF IT.

WE'D STILL BE ON SCHEDULE, AND IT'S THE MOST RESPONSIBLE DECISION.

FROM WHERE I STAND, I THINK THAT MOVING THIS TREE AND JUST RISKING THAT SURVIVAL RATE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I CAN SUPPORT NOW. IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T CARE ABOUT HISTORY.

I'M ONE OF THE GUYS WHO VALUES HISTORY. I GREW UP IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, I FARMED, I'VE PLAYED WITH TREES.

I'VE CLIMBED THEM. I UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY MEAN.

OKAY. I'M A SCIENTIST BY TRAINING, SO I UNDERSTAND THE NUTRITION VALUE, THE AIR QUALITY VALUE, THE SHADE. I'VE ALWAYS ASKED FOR SHADE. I'VE ALWAYS ASKED FOR THAT.

WE BEAUTIFY KYLE THE TREE. DEFINITELY BEAUTIFIES KYLE.

AND I'M WILLING TO SAY. THEN LEAVE IT. LEAVE IT WHERE IT IS.

MR. TOBIAS HAS SHOWN US PICTURES OF OTHER LARGE HERITAGE TREES THAT ARE NEAR THE ROADWAYS SO THAT THOSE ARE FINE.

SO IF WE REALLY ARE SINCERE ABOUT PROTECTING AND SAVING THE TREE, THEN THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO LEAVE IT THERE AND DESIGN THE ROAD SLIGHTLY AROUND IT AND STICK WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF OPTION THREE.

AND THAT'S WHERE I'LL BE. SO THAT'S MY EXPLANATION FOR THE VOTE.

OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILOR TOBIAS. OKAY. IF WE GO WITH OPTION TWO, DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATED COST ABOUT THE IRRIGATION? BECAUSE WE ARE KICKING AND SCREAMING ABOUT STAGE THREE WATER.

AND I KNOW THAT IF THE VOTE GOES THROUGH FOR REMOVING THE TREE AND PLANTING IT, WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY HAVE TO INSTALL SOME KIND OF CITY

[01:10:05]

AND HOW MANY OR I MEAN, I'M NOT ARBORIST, I KNOW, I KNOW, YOU MAY BE.

I'M JUST GOING BY JUST MY, YOU KNOW, UNEDUCATED EXPERIENCE ABOUT TREES, ABOUT HOW YOU WATER THEM.

I MEAN, AND SO JUST KIND OF GETTING A BALLPARK FIGURE OF HOW MUCH DO WE ARE WE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS INSTALLING AN IRRIGATION LINE AND THE MAINTENANCE COST ON THIS TREE? SO THE IRRIGATION, THE WATER TO GET TO THE SITE IS ALL INCLUDED IN THAT. THOSE FIGURES THAT I PRESENTED, THAT 730 TO 950, THAT'S INCLUDED IN THOSE ESTIMATES.

WE'VE BEEN TOLD TO ESTIMATE APPROXIMATELY $1,000 A MONTH FOR AFTERCARE FOR THE TREE, FOR AT LEAST 1 TO 2 YEARS AFTER IT'S TRANSPLANTED.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY GALLONS THAT IS, BUT OBVIOUSLY WATER WOULD BE A CRITICAL COMPONENT AS WELL AS FERTILIZATION AND SOME OF THE OTHER NUTRIENTS THAT THE TREE WOULD NEED.

BUT THAT'S THE MAINTENANCE COST GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS A VERY HIGH CHANCE OF SURVIVAL AND THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THE TREE, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE ACTUAL COST. THAT'S AN ESTIMATE.

THE ACTUAL COST WOULD BE WHENEVER WE ACTUALLY BID, WE WOULD HAVE AN ARBORIST HAVE THE MOVEMENT, AND THEN THE AFTERCARE WOULD ALL BE INCLUDED IN THAT CONTRACT.

OKAY. BUT APPROXIMATELY $1,000 A MONTH. PROBABLY ABOUT $1,000 A MONTH.

OKAY. AND AND I GET IT. AND I DID SHOW SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW A ROAD CAN BE MOVED AND HOW WE CAN ALSO PRESERVE THE TREES THAT ARE THERE AND IN ANOTHER TREE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IN THE FUTURE.

THAT'S IN THE ROADWAY. WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING OVER $1 MILLION OR CLOSE TO $800,000 EITHER WAY.

AND I AND I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, MR. ZUNIGA, ABOUT, YOU KNOW ABOUT THE REDESIGN OF THE ROAD, IT'S IT'S NOT FEASIBLE TO TO REMOVE A TREE. IT'S GOING TO COST US 800,000.

THOUSAND $900,000 FOR ONE TREE. IF THIS VOTE GOES THROUGH.

SO. BUT MY BIGGEST THING ON THE VOTE FOR ME IS I HEAR ALL OF YOU.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT WHAT THE PUBLIC IS IS, IS ASKING.

I HEAR YOU. I HAVE TO MAKE THESE HARD CHOICES IN THESE JUDGMENT CALLS ON THINGS THAT I HAD TO INHERIT, INCLUDING PROBLEMS. BUT AND I'M SURPRISED I HADN'T SEEN ANYBODY COME UP HERE SAYING CHOP IT DOWN, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE SAYING THE SAME THING, TOO. BUT I COULD SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY CONCERNED, AND THEY BELIEVE IN THE IN THE SPIRIT OF KYLE AND ITS HISTORY.

SO. THAT'S WHERE I STAND ON THAT. COUNCILMAN MCKINNEY.

YEAH. AND IN THE BIG PICTURE. I FEEL LIKE OPTION TWO THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO VOTE ON IS IS THE BEST THING FOR THE TREE.

THAT BEING SAID, AND I'M GOING TO PREFACE, I AM IN FAVOR OF SAVING THIS TREE.

A LOT OF THINGS I'M ABOUT TO SAY ARE GOING TO SOUND ANTAGONISTIC TO THAT, BUT I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT IS THE BEST THING FOR THE FUTURE.

CITIZENS OF KYLE, CURRENT CITIZENS OF KYLE. YOU KNOW, WE WERE GOING TO REPLACE THIS TREE WITH WITH DOZENS OF TREES AND 50 TO 100 YEARS FROM NOW. THIS TREE.

TREE MAY OR MAY NOT STILL BE AROUND, BUT WE COULD HAVE HAD DOZENS OF TREES FOR OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN'S CHILDREN TO PLAY ON AND UNDER.

I FEEL LIKE THE CORRECT SOLUTION IS NOT TO PUT THIS BURDEN ON TAXPAYERS.

I FEEL LIKE WE CAN AND SHOULD RAISE PRIVATE FUNDING TO PAY FOR THE MOVING OF THIS TREE.

AT LEAST A PORTION OF IT. IT'S IT'S ALWAYS FOR ME BEEN A PART OF BEING RESPONSIBLE WITH TAXPAYER MONEY. AND OPTION C, I THINK IS THE LEAST RESPONSIBLE FOR TAXPAYER MONEY.

I, I CAN NEVER PUT A TREE'S VALUE ABOVE THE VALUE OF SOMEBODY'S HOME.

THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE TO ME. THAT BEING SAID, I WILL I WILL HAVE TO SAY THAT MOVING THE TREE IS THE BEST OPTION. SINCE SINCE WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO TO PRINT MONEY, WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THIS MONEY HAS TO COME FROM SOMETHING ELSE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD COMPLAINTS FROM CITIZENS THAT OUR ESTIMATES ARE ON THE HIGH END.

EVEN IF WE CUT THEM IN HALF, MOVING THIS TREE IS GOING TO COST HALF 1 MILLION TO $1 MILLION.

[01:15:06]

WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT COMES DOWN TO A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, DO YOU CARE ENOUGH ABOUT THE TREE TO HAVE YOUR TAXES RAISED TO PAY FOR IT OR CUT SERVICES, BECAUSE THAT MONEY HAS TO COME FROM A COMBINATION OF THOSE TWO.

BIG PICTURE. SO THAT'S REALLY ALL I'VE GOT. COUNCILMAN ZUNIGA.

NO MAYOR COULD. COULD I WEIGH IN? I'VE COUNCIL MEMBER.

RIZZO? YES, SIR. SORRY. YEAH. LOOK, HONESTLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY BEING HERE.

THANK YOU FOR THE SATURDAY MORNING MEETING. CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOUR COMPUTER? ROBERT MEMBERS. WE'RE HAVING A HARD. I'M SORRY.

WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING YOU. CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER, PLEASE? OKAY.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I KNOW THE FIRST VOTE WAS REALLY, REALLY HARD.

WHEN WE LOOK AT VOTES LIKE THIS, WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, EVERY ASPECT OF IT.

WE LOOK AT DOLLARS, WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY, WE LOOK AT PUBLIC SAFETY, WE LOOK AT EVERYTHING.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT EVER AN EASY DECISION. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS SOME CRITICISM ON SOME OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, I GUARANTEE YOU THEY TOOK EVERYTHING INTO ACCOUNT AND TRIED TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION.

ARE WE PERFECT UP HERE? WE'RE NOT. NO. DON'T LOOK FOR PERFECTION.

WE'RE HUMAN. WE'RE. WE'RE GOING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN AND TRY TO TAKE ALL THE INFORMATION IN AND MAKE THE BEST AND CRITICAL DECISION WE CAN.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT WHEN THERE'S THOUGHTS INTO A VOTE, IT'S NOT JUST AN EASY VOTE FOR PEOPLE.

IT'S IT'S HARD FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS. BUT I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS DONE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS TO PRESERVE TREES.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEW DEVELOPMENT ON 150 AND STAGECOACH, IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THOSE MEETINGS, YOU TALK ABOUT THERE'S SOME MORE HERITAGE TREES THERE, THAT THERE'S ONE EVEN LARGER THAN THE ONE WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE, THAT WE WENT TO BATTLE FOR WITH THE CONTRACTOR AND THE DEVELOPER AND MAKING SURE THAT WE PRESERVE THOSE.

THOSE ARE STILL THERE. THERE'S ALSO HISTORIC WELL, THERE THAT WE'VE BEEN BATTLING TO PRESERVE AS WELL.

THAT WELL, WAS THERE FOREVER. YOU KNOW, WE HAD PEOPLE WATERING THAT FROM THE ORIGINAL STAGECOACH LINE.

THE REASON WE HAVE A STAGECOACH ROAD IS BECAUSE THE STAGECOACH LINE THAT RAN THROUGH KYLE BACK IN THE DAY, WE HAD SOLDIERS THAT USED TO COME THROUGH THERE.

UNION, CONFEDERATE. EVERYONE USED TO COME BY THERE, WATER THE HORSES.

WE HAD TRAVELERS. WE HAD EVERYTHING. THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORIC THINGS THAT ARE THERE THAT WE'RE STILL FIGHTING FOR. THAT WILL SOMETHING I'M STILL FIGHTING FOR, MAKING SURE THAT THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY, THE DEVELOPER, KNOWS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PRESERVE THAT. WELL, BECAUSE IT'S AN HISTORIC WELL.

BUT THEN EVEN WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS TREE.

WHEN I FIRST HIT WAS ON COUNCIL, I REMEMBER TURNING AROUND AND TALKING TO SCOTT SELLARS AND SAYING, HEY, WE HAVE THE SAME SITUATION ON OAK LANE. THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT RIGHT NOW.

SO I MADE SURE THAT HE WAS AWARE THAT ANY DEVELOPMENT GOING TO OAK LANE, WE WERE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PRESERVE THAT TREE OVER THERE.

BRIAN, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THE SAME THING. AND YOUR STAFF IS THAT WE'VE GOT A BEAUTIFUL OLD TREE ON OAK LANE.

LET'S MAKE SURE BEFORE DEVELOPMENT COMES INTO THAT QUADRANT THAT WE'RE PLANNING AHEAD.

WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO FIX THAT ONE.

BUT ALSO THE MAYOR BROUGHT UP SOMETHING THAT REALLY HIT CLOSE TO HOME.

THE REASON I LOVE THE TREES IN OUR AREA IS BECAUSE WE HAD THE SAME SITUATION ON OUR PROPERTY WHEN THE OAK WHEEL CAME THROUGH.

WE LOST A COUPLE OF TREES. MY DAD WAS ABLE TO SAVE SOME OF THEM.

WE ACTUALLY TOOK A LOAN OUT TO PAY TO HAVE THE TREES TREATED SO THAT WE COULD PROBABLY SAVE THEM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE THREE BEAUTIFUL ONES ON THE TREE.

THE ONES THAT WE DIDN'T SAVE. MY DAD PLANTED TWO NEW ONES DURING THE 2001 FREEZE.

OUR SNOWPOCALYPSE PORTION OF THE TREE IN THE FRONT YARD ACTUALLY BROKE OFF.

AND MAN, I TELL YOU WHAT, I NEVER FELT SO BAD IN MY LIFE.

IT FELT LIKE SOMEBODY THAT, YOU KNOW JUST KICKED ME.

IT FELT REALLY BAD. BUT THE TREE IS STILL SURVIVING.

THE MAJORITY OF THE TREE IS STILL UP, AND I'M GLAD ABOUT THAT.

THAT TELLS YOU MY LOVE FOR TREES IN OUR AREA.

SO WE'RE WE'RE DEFINITELY, AS A DEIST, DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT OUR TREES.

UNFORTUNATELY, THIS TREE HAS BEEN IN A SPOT THAT WE INHERITED, AND WHEN WE INHERITED THE ROAD BACK, THE COUNTY ACTUALLY CAME IN AND REDID THE ROAD, CUT SOME OF THE ROOT SYSTEMS WHEN THEY DUG DOWN TO MAKE THE BASE SYSTEM DEEPER AND PAVED OVER IT. SO THIS TREE HAS BEEN CUT UP, BEAT UP.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO THIS TREE, AND I THINK THIS TREE HAS FINALLY EARNED THE RIGHT TO BE IN A SPOT WHERE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE CUT ON, CLIMBED ON TO SEE SOMEONE CLIMB ON IT AND BREAK BRANCHES.

JUST OVER A MONTH AGO WAS REALLY DISHEARTENING.

[01:20:03]

AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BLAME THAT PERSON. I KNOW THEY WERE.

THEY WERE TRYING TO DO WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS RIGHT. BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH OUR TREES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THINKING BEFORE WE ACT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING. I THINK THE RIGHT THING FOR THIS TREE IS TO TRY TO PRESERVE IT, AND THAT'S TO MOVE IT AND PUT IT IN AN AREA WHERE A CAR IS NOT GOING TO HIT IT, WHERE SOME WE'RE NOT GOING TO CAUSE A FATALITY.

I DRIVE THIS ROAD EVERY DAY, AND NEXT YEAR, MY DAUGHTER, MY BRAND NEW DRIVE DAUGHTER WHO'S GETTING HER LICENSE, WILL BE DRIVING THIS ROAD EVERY DAY ON HER WAY TO HIGH SCHOOL AND TO SEE HOW PEOPLE ARE NOT COURTEOUS AND WILL SHOOT THROUGH THERE, EVEN WHEN YOU'VE ALREADY YIELD AND COME THROUGH, HAS BEEN VERY DISHEARTENING.

IT'S VERY SCARY ACTUALLY. I JUST ALMOST GOT HIT ABOUT A WEEK AGO, AND IT WAS A GUY IN A BIG PICKUP TRUCK, AND I DRIVE A PRETTY BIG PICKUP TRUCK TOO. SO IT, IT COULD HAVE ENDED UP REALLY BAD REALLY QUICK.

BUT WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS, I THINK THIS TREE IS EARNED THE RIGHT TO BE IN A SPOT WHERE IT CAN LIVE OUT ITS LIFE AND BE SOMETHING WE CAN STILL GO BY AND AND SHARE AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, EVEN BE ABLE TO ENJOY.

IT MIGHT BE HERE LONGER THAN US, BUT I THINK IT'S EARNED THAT RIGHT. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE.

AND THAT'S BY MOVING IT. MOVING IT IS THE BEST OPTION AND KEEPING IT AWAY FROM CARS, KEEPING IT AWAY FROM EVERYTHING ELSE.

THE OTHER THING THAT I'VE NOTICED ON THIS TREE IS THAT IT'S STARTING TO IT'S OLD, RIGHT? IT'S STARTING TO HOLLOW OUT IN SOME AREAS. THE BRANCH LEADING OVER OLD STAGECOACH ROAD IS HOLLOWING OUT.

THAT'S WHY YOU SEE CACTUS GROWING ON IT NOW AS WELL.

THAT BRANCH IS PROBABLY BECAUSE I'VE GOT A LOT OF HISTORY IN KYLE.

I'VE SEEN WHAT WINTER DOES AND WHAT WHAT WIND DOES.

THIS TREE IS PROBABLY A FREEZE AWAY. A GOOD FREEZE AWAY FROM THAT BRANCH COMING DOWN AND MAYBE INJURING SOMEONE OR HURTING SOMEBODY.

HOPEFULLY IT FALLS WHEN NOBODY'S AROUND, WHICH WOULD BE THE BEST CASE SCENARIO.

BUT THERE'S A LOT THAT WE'VE GOT TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AS PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL.

BUT I'M GOING TO BE IN FULL SUPPORT OF MOVING THIS TREE.

I WAS FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN WE TOOK THE LAST VOTE, AND I THINK THAT I THINK IT'S THE BEST OPTION FOR US.

AND I THINK WE WE CAN WIN AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO PRESERVE TREES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I THINK WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB AS A COUNCIL TRYING TO PRESERVE THE CITY'S TREES WHEN IT COMES TO NEW INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE'RE DEFINITELY KEEPING AN EYE ON IT. BUT JUST WANT TO BRING THAT UP.

THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU. ANYONE. COUNCILMEMBER ZUNIGA.

BRIAN. BRIAN, I WANTED TO GET BACK TO OPTION THREE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE REALLY MAKING IT MURKY WITH THREE A, THREE B, THREE C, WHICH I BELIEVE NONE OF THEM ARE REALLY GOING TO APPLY.

BUT HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH OF THAT DETENTION POND REALLY NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE ASSUMING ALL THE WATER OF THIS ROAD IS GOING TO BE TRANSFERRED ON THERE.

SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW CLARIFICATION. WHAT WHAT DETENTION POND CAPACITY DO WE REALLY NEED? IS THERE A WAY TO GET THAT BEFORE NOVEMBER 23RD WHERE WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT FINAL DECISION, A CONTRACT, SOMEONE TO MOVE THE TREE? WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO ASSESS HERE.

THIS IS FROM OUR ENGINEERING TEAM LOOKING AT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.

PAPE DAWSON HAS DONE THIS WORK. SO THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.

FIRST, WHEN YOU MOVE INTO THE EXISTING DETENTION BASIN, ALL OF THAT FOOTPRINT THAT YOU'VE NOW TAKEN UP WITH, THE ROAD HAS TO BE PUSHED SOMEWHERE ELSE INTO ONE OF THESE OTHER DETENTION BASINS THAT WE HAVE.

THE SECOND THING IS THE RAINFALL. AND WHAT WAS EXPECTED TO GO INTO THAT POND GOES UP BECAUSE OF THE ATLAS 14 REQUIREMENT.

SO THERE'S MORE PLANNING THAT HAS TO GO INTO THAT DETENTION BASIN BECAUSE THERE'S EXPECTED TO BE MORE RAINFALL AT HIGHER INTENSITY LEVELS.

100 YEAR STORM. WHERE DOES THAT WATER GO? AND SO BECAUSE YOU'RE PUSHING INTO THE DETENTION BASIN, YOU HAVE TO ADD MORE CAPACITY. AND THEN SECONDLY YOU HAVE TO ADD MORE CAPACITY FOR ATLAS 14.

SO THE PLAN WOULD BE TO GO THROUGH THOSE VARIOUS OUTCOMES.

YOU WOULD HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO DO OUTCOME A. BUT IF THERE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT ROOM TO ENLARGE THOSE PONDS AND TO HANDLE ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AND FLOWS COMING OUT OF THESE DEVELOPED AREAS, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO GO TO OPTION B.

THEN THE SAME THING WOULD APPLY TO OPTION B, IF TECHNICALLY YOU COULD NOT GET THE TYPE OF CAPACITY THAT YOU NEEDED THERE.

FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT RAINFALL EVENTS AND ALL THE DEVELOPED AREAS AND YOU COULDN'T GET FEMA APPROVAL, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO TO OPTION C. SO THAT'S OPTION A IS THE LEAST COSTLY AND MOST TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE APPROACH.

BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE A SERIES OF VERY DETAILED ENGINEERING REPORTS TO SEE IF IT WAS EVEN POSSIBLE.

BUT THOSE ARE THE THREE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES FROM OUR ENGINEERING TEAM. YEAH, AND THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO UNDERSTAND. WAS THREE A HOW SOON COULD WE SEE THAT MODELING TO. BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE BEST SURVIVAL FOR THE TREE.

[01:25:02]

SO THE ROAD LEVEL HAS TO BE INCREASED. SO THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THAT.

SO SO THE LEAST. SO SO WILL IT COST TOO MUCH DOLLARS TO GET AN ASSESSMENT OF THREE A BEFORE NOVEMBER.

SO WE MAKE A BETTER DATA DECISION? YES, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE.

IT WOULD DELAY THE PROJECT BECAUSE THE FIRST THING IS WE'RE WE'RE PLANNING TO FINISH THE DESIGN OF THIS ROADWAY.

WE'VE ALREADY SPENT MONEY ON THIS PARTICULAR ALIGNMENT.

WE WOULD HAVE TO STOP THAT WORK AND THEN HAVE A NEW ENGINEERING ENGAGEMENT TO LOOK AT THE DRAINAGE WORK AND POTENTIAL REALIGNMENTS.

SO YOU WOULD HAVE A DELAY OF THE PROJECT. AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS YOU WOULD HAVE AN ADDITIONAL COST FOR THE ENGINEERING, WHICH IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN DO IF THAT'S THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTION. BUT EACH TIME YOU DELAY THE PROJECT, THERE'S ADDITIONAL COSTS OF THAT ROADWAY. THIS IS A $40 MILLION ROADWAY FROM BEGINNING TO END.

AND EVERY MONTH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING INFLATION OF HALF A PERCENT TO A PERCENT EVERY SINGLE MONTH IN CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY.

SO ANOTHER YEAR ADDS POTENTIALLY 12% TO THAT COST.

SO IT JUST IT BECOMES VERY EXPENSIVE. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT WITH THESE COSTS.

THESE THESE ESTIMATES INCLUDE THE DELAYS AND THE POTENTIAL INFLATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION RELATED TO THOSE, AND THAT'S HOW WE'VE CALCULATED THEM. WE THINK 2.4, BASED ON OUR PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, IS THE LEAST COSTLY WAY THAT IT WOULD BE THERE, BUT IT COULD BE AS HIGH AS 6.7.

IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO TECHNICALLY TAKE ALL THAT WATER, WE WANT TO GIVE YOU ALL THE INFORMATION.

ROLL CALL. VOTE. MITCHELL. YES. HEIZER. YES. RIZZO.

YES. HARRIS. YES. TOBIAS. HI. MCKINNEY. YES. ZUNIGA.

NO. ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES 6 TO 1. I WANT OPTION THREE.

MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.