Zilker Park Vision Plan — Communicating to City Council About Making Zilker Park Green and Accessible for ALL of Austin 2023-08-03T22:40:10-05:00

ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN — COMMUNICATING TO CITY COUNCIL ABOUT ABOUT A GREEN SOLUTION FOR ZILKER PARK.

See information below for the Parks Board meeting (May 22 @6pm) :

City Council Email addresses:  kirk.watson@austintexas.gov; natasha.madison@austintexas.gov; vanessa.fuentes@austintexas.gov; jose.velasquez@austintexas.gov; chito.vela@austintexas.gov; ryan.alter@austintexas.gov; mackenzie.kelly@austintexas.gov; leslie.pool@austintexas.gov; paige.ellis@austintexas.gov; zohaib.qadri@austintexas.gov; alison.alter@austintexas.gov

Registering to Speak: Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. You can also register to speak remotely at the Aug. 31 City Council meeting once the meeting agenda is posted at this page. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely. Registration no later than noon on August 30 is required for remote participation.

Honorable Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and City Council Members,

Please support the Zilker Park Vision Plan because it will make Zilker Park a sustainably greener, inclusive, and accessible park for ALL of Austin.  It does so with significant improvements that benefit the millions of annual visitors by thoughtfully balancing the competing priorities of protecting the natural environment while allowing use of the park by so many visitors who enjoy this beloved outdoor space.  Some of the specific improvements to support include:

  • Sustainably “greening” Zilker Park with 92+ acres of new ecological uplift and remediation, 14+ acres of reduced impervious cover, 62% improvement in carbon capture performance, and reduced degradation of water quality.
  • Environmental education improvements at the proposed Welcome Center to help protect Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer by educating park visitors about the environment at Zilker Park and Barton Springs.
  • Multi-modal mobility improvements that include “all of the above” bike/pedestrian/trail/vehicle/transit solutions to increase access for all ages and abilities.
  • Five new bike/ped bridges to provide active transportation access options into Zilker Park. 
  • An impressive and appealing nature/land bridge crossing over Barton Springs Road to provide a natural crossing experience that safely connects the park over Barton Springs Road.
  • Enhanced trail system by adding 6.9 miles of new trails in Zilker Park providing a 55% increase in trails (19.5 miles) over what currently exists (12.6 miles).
  • A robust and exciting transit plan that includes multiple transit route improvements to and from Project Connect stops; improved CapMetro service; internal circulators; improved walking, micro-mobility, and bike connections with wayfinding between internal and nearby transit assets; and external shuttle options. 
  • A centralized and consolidated and phased parking solution in a more compact footprint of 1 to 3 buried or green garages to maintain, and not increase, the current total parking capacity while improving the overall ecological health of the park. 
  • Rehabilitating Barton Creek with controlled water access and erosion treatments.
  • Enhancing the tree canopy and shade over trails.

In considering the improvements of the Vision Plan, we encourage City Council to note that the vision plan has received recommendations and support (and associated conditions) from the all of the reviewing boards and commissions, including the Pedestrian Advisory Council and Bicycle Advisory Council, the Urban Transportation Commission, the Design Commission, the Environmental Commission, and the Parks and Recreation Board.