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I remember the night Austin stood up to the threat facing Barton Springs. Money, money, money vs. a group of environmental "kooks"
(the word used by one of the "developers"). They were going after the soul of Austin and we the people gave them a swift kick in the rear. The City Council was brave, they did the right thing and said no to more sprawl on the watershed. But it was the energy and love of the citizens that saved her that night. Particularly a group of environmentalists led by some young lawyers and activists who gave everything to keep the Springs from destruction. What would Austin be without Barton Springs? I haven't swam in her for thirty years but every hot California summer I remember her sparkling cold waters and get homesick. As long as she lives clean and protected Austin will be special. Forget the scrapes and bling bling, all that is everywhere I look. Barton Springs is special. She is the soul of Austin. Thank you S.O.S. Live long and prosper. Remember, salamanders are people too. I had to miss that meeting in 1990 until I arrived at midnight and spoke at 430am. But Perry was there in the room for the beginning of the meeting, when the applicant addressed the council first. He recalled for me the most hilarious version I have ever heard. Jim Bob stood up for his more generous time allotment and, to wow the crowd, started off with his memories of his time at UT and the 1959 Southwest Condference Champion football team. Perry recalled how Jim Bob clearly believed everyone was going to stand up and flash the hook ‘em horns gesture and start singing the Eyes of Texas, and the whole crowd instead roared to life, pointing at jim Bob, screaming with waves of uncontrollable laughter, tears rolling down their faces, amazed that this idiot thought they could give a damn about the 1959 football champion when he was threatening to pave the aquifer!
My memory of the events leading up to the historic vote of the City Council Meeting of June 7, 1990 have grown a bit fuzzy through the years. However, I do remember the vote was actually in the early morning hours of June 8. I think it was about 5:30 AM. Meeting was adjourned at 5:55 AM shortly after 13.5 hours of public testimony. (Full transcript of meeting at http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=11913 )
A great deal of controversy about the development project was raised principally by the Austin Chronicle and two environmental organizations, The Save Barton Creek Association and the Austin Sierra Club. (The Save Our Springs Coalition did not form until 1992, however, some of its founders did speak and participate in meetings.) At the time, I was the Chair of the Austin Sierra Club Conservation Committee and its Political Action Committee, as well as, a member of the City of Austin Environmental Board. As such, I was present at nearly all meetings with Barton Creek PUD developers in discussions on what it would take from them to allow their development to proceed and still protect the aquifers recharge and contributing zones, along with Barton Creek. Mayor Lee Cooke, Charles Urdy, Robert Barnstone, Sally Shipman, George Humphrey, Smoot Carl-Mitchell, Max Nofziger were members of the Austin City Council on that historic day. Many meetings were held, mostly arranged by Mayor Cooke. I was a member of a joint, ad hoc committee made up of 3 environmental group representatives and 3 PUD developers to discuss the project and how it could be made to work. I sat on the Environmental Board when the project was initially presented and all subsequent modifications presented, and led in drafting the recommendations sent to the Planning Commission and City Council. (The recommendations of Environmental Board were intended to be adopted should the project be approved by the City Council, however, we did not recommend the project.) I was invited and attended the Austin Breakfast Club where I rose and spoke in opposition to Jim Bob Moffett, the CEO of FM Properties who was leading the PUD development. I was invited to be a guest speaker at the Austin Chamber of Commerce Luncheon where I presented the deficiencies of the project to a packed room and debated Darrell Royal about the project. (After the meeting, Austin School Board President and future City Council member Gus Garcia introduced himself to me, acknowledged that I was right, and later joined the Sierra Club.) On the 7th and 8th of June, I attended the entire meeting, either watching in person from the Council Chambers or on closed circuit television in the basement under the chambers. I was the last person to speak as a public speaker. I gave a brief history of my credentials and involvement, and ended by saying that based upon all I had heard before and during the meeting, I opposed the project in its current draft. Behind the scenes, from having lobbied each of the council members separately, I had clear knowledge where the votes would go on the motion to approve or deny the project. Mayor Cooke had confided in me how each was decided or was leaning. As it stood, those voting for the motion to approve where Urdy, Shipman, and Carl-Mitchell. Those in opposition were Barnstone, Humphrey, and Nofziger. Mayor Cooke was leaning toward approval up to the meeting but had raised a number of non-environmental issues at meetings expecting satisfactory answers prior to the June 7 meeting. It may have been a combination of those concerns, the environmental issues raised, and the public outcry that brought Mayor Cooke to the point of switch his vote to denial in the early morning hours of June 8. It’s clear from watching the recording of the meeting, the surprise on Shipman’s face when the Mayor goes to her and tells her of his decision. (The City of Austin Manager sat between them during the meeting.) Following this, Shipman made the motion to deny the PUD but adopt the recommendations of the Environmental Board and Planning Commission. (I know, I can’t make sense out of that either.). That did not pass. Robert Barnstone then made the motion for full denial and it passed 7-0, when the actual vote should have been 4-3. As an interesting incident that occurred along the way, a representative for Jim Bob Moffett made an offer of $1M to the Save Barton Creek Association if they would drop their opposition and get behind it. He would also deny such an offer was made if it was ever publicized.
I SAW GOD DOWN AT BARTON SPRINGS
He was in the arm upraised above the water He was in the grasses swaying on the bottom He was in the lifeguard in his eyes and everywhere in his body He was in the wind And in the clouds And in the warming sun. He was in the sounds that hit my ears He was coolness He was hot He was in the rocks He was solid He was in my breath He was in what the plants exhaled He was in the divine bikini. I saw God down at Barton Springs He had on a bathing cap He was having a good time floating between the molecules of oxygen and hydrogen He was walking slowly He was sad He was a delighted child's scream He was stretching He was talking to his wife. He was everything I saw and felt and heard He was gritting his teeth He was wearing white socks He fell from a tree as a leaf. He and only he is 100% here. There is nowhere else to be for all eternity Just here 100% at this moment “Matter and energy intraconvert in a cosmic dance of form and force.” We have always been here. We always will be here. And that's how I saw God at Barton Springs. ~ David Lauterstein |
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