MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and Council FROM: Brion Oaks, Chief Equity Officer DATE: July 26, 2018 SUBJECT: Confederate Monuments Resolution (No. 20171005-031) Report The purpose of this memo is to provide an overview of findings related to the Confederate Monuments Resolution No. 20171005-031. Attached for your review are five items: 1. “Presentation on Confederate Monuments Resolution” - A presentation outlining the process and considerations of identifying city-owned Confederate Assets and recommendations for the process of remediation and next steps 2. “Assets Slated for Initial Review” - A spreadsheet containing a list of primary assets for Initial Review in which immediate action can be taken along with historical notes on the individual the asset(s) are named to honor 3. “Assets for Secondary Review” - A spreadsheet containing assets that require more analysis or were not explicitly Confederate and/or Civil War related but were within the spirit of the resolution representing segregation, racism, and/or slavery 4. “Confederate Related Streets Cost Estimate” - Projected cost of renaming streets that were identified for initial review and action 5. “ATD Street Name Change Recommendations” - Options from Austin Transportation Department on the process to rename multiple streets On October 5, 2017 City Council passed Resolution No. 20171005-031 which directed the City Manager to identify and develop recommendations for accomplishing removal or renaming of City-owned monuments and memorials of the Confederacy located on City-owned property and submitting a report to City Council. The report described by Resolution No. 20171005-031 consists of three parts: A. Identifying all City-owned monuments and memorials of the Confederacy located on City-owned property, including, and without limitation, streets and buildings located on City of Austin property; B. Producing an analysis of the cost of removal, replacement, or renaming of these icons, monuments, and memorials of the Confederacy; and C. Making recommendations for disposition of artifacts of historic value, including preservation, storage, and maintenance for educational purposes. Overview The Equity Office in partnership with other City departments reached out and initiated consultation with the peer cities of Dallas and New Orleans to understand their process for Confederate monument removal and identification, as well as best practices. In addition, a resolution workgroup of key departments was formed and convened as well as consulting experts from the Austin History Center, Travis County Historical Commission, Austin Independent School District (AISD) School Renaming Task Force and staff engaged in historic preservation from the Austin Planning and Zoning Department. The workgroup met to discuss the scope of the resolution and develop a plan to identify Confederate monuments and memorials consulting the City’s historians to conduct a thorough analysis of the Confederate assets as well as best practices in addressing the removal or contextualization of these assets. Through this process, the Equity Office has made two lists available for Council review and action. The first is “Assets Slated for Initial Review.” This list represents assets that are directly related to the Confederacy and/or the Civil War and recommended as a priority for immediate action to remediate. The second list is titled “Assets for Secondary Review,” representing assets that require more analysis or were not directly tied to the Confederacy and/or the Civil War but within the spirit of the resolution representing slavery, segregation, and/or racism. Recommendations and Next Steps      Equity Office recommends Council take immediate action to rename streets that were identified in the list for Assets Slated for Initial Review. Street assets slated for initial renaming are anticipated to cost $5,956.23. Consider and decide on two street name change options presented by the Austin Transportation Department. Council can choose to follow the standard procedure for a street name change or consider a second option to waive the code for the initial administrative process to begin a street name change in an effort to gain efficiency. For example, Council could make a determination that this grouping of street name changes related to Resolution 20171005-031 automatically go to Public Hearing. This action would eliminate resources spent on the initial mailing that is used for determining the need for a public hearing and digitizing completed response forms which is part of the standard procedure for a street name change. Allow the Council Member(s) in whose district the street resides to identify a person or other entity desired to be honored in the renaming of the street. Please reference the “Presentation on Confederate Monuments Resolution” to see recommendations from the AISD School Renaming Task Force and the Austin Commission for Women for renaming guidance. Make a formal request to the Texas Historical Commission to remove their Confederate related markers from City property that were identified in the Assets Slated for Initial Review. For example, one of these assets, the Austin Confederate States of America marker is located at the intersection of Cesar Chavez and Congress Avenue. Council can   take action to direct staff to submit an application to relocate these markers. It must be noted that relocation of Texas Historical Commission Markers must provide a reason for the relocation request and first be approved by the Travis County Historical Commission before final approval from the State of Texas. Get input from Council on the desire to address secondary assets that were identified. Explore the opportunity for building/structural assets to be contextualized in order to provide awareness and a teachable moment for the community. Summary The goal of this report was to identify City-owned Confederate-named assets, analyze the cost of remediating or removing these assets, and to provide guidance on the remediation of these assets. Assets slated for initial review can immediately be acted upon, while secondary assets can be remediated in the future with more input and direction from Council. Finally, it is essential to acknowledge that societal values are fluid, and they can be and are different today compared to when our City made decisions to name and/or place these Confederate symbols in our community. It is also important to acknowledge that nearly all monuments to the Confederacy and its leaders were erected without a true democratic process. People of color often had no voice and no opportunity to raise concerns about the City’s decision to honor Confederate leaders. This process not only calls attention to remediating symbols of the Confederacy in our City, but creates a new opportunity for us to rename these symbols in order to commemorate the current values and legacy of those we choose to honor in our community’s public spaces. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at Brion.oaks@austintexas.gov or (512) 974-7979. Thanks! cc: Ray Baray, Chief of Staff City Council?s Resolution on Confederate Monuments: Asset Identification FRIDAY JUNE 15, 2018 Background on Resolution 20171005-031 Resolution passed by City Council on October 5, 2017 The resolution tasks the City Manager with collecting information about all city-owned Confederate monuments and memorials on city property, including street names and buildings. Work group formed to address this + provide estimated costs + provide recommendations for removal, renaming, maintenance for educational purposes, etc… RESOLUTION NO. 20I WHEREAS, the institution of American slavery caused and perpetuated brutal physical, mental, and emotional abuse and impeded opportunities for equality in all aspects of life for freed slaves from Africa and their descendants; and WHEREAS, the Confederacy and its military fought to preserve slavery and deny equality at the cost of our American Union; and WHEREAS, even after the slew and hard-won gains made from the Civil Rights Movement, Americans of African descent are still denied equality by a society that discriminates against them; and WHEREAS, memorials and monuments of the Confederacy, far removed from Civil War battle?elds, often have little to do with history but are public announcements of racial bigotry erected in the early- to mid-twentieth century during the Civil Rights Movement; and WHEREAS, monuments of the Confederacy along with streets, schools, and other public places named for prominent members of the Confederacy have continued to be glaring symbols of some?s refusal to allow full and equal participation in society by Americans ofAfrican ancestry; and WHEREAS, these monuments and other commemorations of the Confederacy were made for the explicit purpose of distorting the violent and oppressive history of the Confederacy and to preserve the cause of white supremacy as the law of the land; and WHEREAS, it is deeply unjust to require Americans of African descent in our community to continuously support the City?s upkeep ofthese hateful symbols with their tax dollars; and WHEREAS, the continued public display of monuments and eemmemerations of the Confederacy is antithetical to the stated public policy of the City efAustin to be a welcoming city to people of all backgrounds; and Narrowing our Scope Can only apply to City Property – meaning the Capitol, University of Texas, AISD, and federally protected buildings cannot be included A lot of City of Austin Historic Landmarks relating to Confederacy are also Texas Historic Landmarks and/or on the National Register, adding layers of protection Where to draw the line? Opposing Viewpoints  Erasure of history and threat on preservation  Unnecessary cost to government budgets for removal  Inconveniences to businesses and/or residencies  A slippery slope of what’s next and where do we stop? Guiding Principles  Advisory Council on Historic Preservation ◦ Changing values ◦ Historical context/significance ◦ Consultation and Inclusion  American Historical Association ◦ “History comprises both facts and interpretations of those facts. To remove a monument, or to change the name of a school or street, is not to erase history, but rather to alter or call attention to a previous interpretation of history. A monument is not history itself; a monument commemorates an aspect of history, representing a moment in the past when a public or private decision defined who would be honored in a community’s public spaces.” “Assets Slated for Initial Review” High Priority = Any asset identified that is in direct relationship to the language in the resolution being explicitly confederate and/or Civil War related “Assets for Secondary Review” Secondary = Any asset identified requiring more engagement or that was not explicitly confederate and/or Civil War related but represented segregation, racism, and/or slavery What Other Cities are Doing  Dallas, Texas o August 24, 2017- Mayor creates Task Force o September, 2017- City Council provides further guidance about task force through City Council resolution o August 31, 2017 to September 22, 2017 – Task Force holds five public hearings, two of which provided opportunities for public comment o Specific recommendations for specific monuments/streets/parks: o -- Robert E. Lee statue – donate to a museum (status: has been removed) o -- Confederate Monument (in cemetery) – donate to a museum (as of 2 days ago, likely to be taken down) o -- Fair Park – historic art and architecture remain in place and contextualized o -- Robert E. Lee park – rename o -- Confederate Cemetery – rename o --- Street names with confirmed Confederate linkage – rename o Recommends creation of City-wide engagement process to consider renaming City parks for a broader range of individuals, including abolitionists, formerly enslaved, civil and human rights leaders, marginalized and underrepresented communities, and victims of police brutality. What Other Cities are Doing  New Orleans, LA o June, 2015 – Mayor Landrieu calls for removal of 4 monuments (Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, P.G.T Beauregard, and Liberty Place) o July, 2015 – 115 people take part in talks out of 600 invited – facilitated through “Welcome Table” racial reconciliation initiative – talks are not open to press or public o August, 2015 – Historic District Landmarks Commission votes 11-1 to remove monuments o December, 2015 – Monuments Taskforce delivers petition to keep all monuments o December, 2015 – City Council holds public hearings and votes to remove all monuments o May, 2017 – all four monuments removed and placed in storage Next Steps/Recommendations •Equity Office recommends Council take immediate action to rename streets that were identified in the list for “Assets Slated for Initial Review” •Street assets slated for initial renaming are anticipated to cost $5,956.23. •Consider and decide on options presented by Austin Transportation Department to gain efficiencies in renaming multiple streets •Allow the Council Member(s) in which the street resides to identify a person or other entity desired to be honored in the rename of the street •Make a formal request to the Texas Historical Commission to remove their Confederate related markers from city property •Get input from Council on the desire to address secondary assets that were identified •Explore the opportunity for building/structural assets to be contextualized in order to provide awareness and a teachable moment for the community Renaming Guidance  Align with Austin Women Commission Recommendation 20171011-05a calling for the City to address gender and racial disparities in the naming of public symbols and seize the opportunity to recognize the contributions of women and people of color  Historically Connected – having a positive relationship and history with the community  Servant Leader – compassionate advocate for vulnerable and marginalized populations  Respected for Integrity – demonstrating strength of character  Equity and Social Justice – a member of a community that has been historically marginalized  Visionary and Inspirational - inspiring in thought and action a trailblazer in opening doors and creating opportunities  Adopted from the AISD School Renaming Task Force Questions? Comments? Amanda Jasso, Community Archivist Austin History Center 512-974-7498 amanda.jasso@austintexas.gov Brion Oaks, Chief Equity Officer 512-974-7979 Brion.oaks@austintexas.gov Confederate Monuments Resoultion - Assets Slated for Initial Review Name of Asset Type of Asset Notes/Historical Context Robert E. Lee Road Street Name Has been referenced by this name since the 1920s; Yes NAACP chairman and Reverend Robert E. Lee was active in 1950s, so likely named after the Civil War general; he traveled along a route departing from Barton Springs in Austin after being stationed in the city following the annexation of Texas to the Union. This road was listed as “River Road” in city directories up until 1939, but it had fallen out of use in the 1920s. A dispute arose over the future of the road that required mitigation by the Austin City Council, and Andrew Zilker, an Austin political figure and one-time private owner of Barton Springs, demanded the road be reopened citing its historical significance (in relation to Robert E. Lee) Council is currently considering renaming the street after Azie Taylor Morton. City Davis was the President of the Confederacy; a statue of him was removed from UT’s campus in 2015. City Jeff Davis Avenue Street Name Civil War Liability Yes Priority Department Recommendation Comments High Austin Transportation Department Rename Austin Transportation Department Rename High District 5; Street already renamed District 7; Street already renamed Austin C.S.A. Historical Marker Texas Historical Commission marker, located at intersection of Cesar Chavez and Congress Avenue on west side of Congress, dedicated 1965; one of 3 markers that incorporate the Confederate States of America in the marking title Yes City/State High PARD Removal District 9 Fort MacGruder C.S.A. Historical Marker Texas Historical Commission marker; 3900 S. Congress Ave, reported missing Yes City/State High PARD Missing District 3 Name of Asset Type of Asset Notes/Historical Context Civil War Liability Priority Department Recommendation Comments Texas Newspapers C.S.A. Historical Marker Texas Historical Commission marker; 718 W. 5th Yes St.These markers are among more than 100 C.S.A. others across the state that are representative of the Texas Civil War Centennial era of 1961-65 during which the State of Texas convened the Texas Civil War Centennial Commission and the Texas State Historical Survey Committee. (text taken from PARD memo) City/State High PARD Removal Metz Recreation Park Name Center/Park and Pool City High PARD Jefferson Davis State/City High Austin Transportation Interpretive District 3 Signage/Educational Programming Removal District 2 Littlefield Street Hamilton M. Metz: Captain Co. E, 33rd Texas Yes Cavalry (Confederate Vet), also longtime school board member 1903-1915 Highway Marker Davis was the President of the Confederacy; a statue Yes of him was removed from UT’s campus in 2015. Located 6812 South Congress Avenue Street Name George Littlefield: Confederate Army Major - Terry's Yes Texas Rangers; slave owner; UT's Littlefield Fountain was established as a war memorial. Commissioned statues of Confederate Generals, including Robert E. Lee, at UT, which was taken down in 2017; he is the namesake of the Austin chapter of Sons of Confederate Veterans (Camp 59) City High Austin Transportation Department Rename District 9 Tom Green Street Street Name City High District 9 Street Name City High Austin Transportation Department Austin Transportation Department Rename Sneed Cove General in Civil War, died in battle, first company Yes raised in Austin and one of the first organized in the State was named after him (1861) Sebron Sneed: owned 21 slaves; Confederate provost Yes marshal and volunteered his home also called "Comal Bluff" as a Confederate recruiting station. Rename District 2 Reagan Hill Dr. Street Name in same area as Reagan H.S., so presumably named after John H. Reagan. Yes City High Rename District 4 Dixie Drive Street Name De facto/unofficial anthem of the Confederate States Yes of America; Confederate Pres. Jeff Davis had it played at his inauguration City High Austin Transportation Department Austin Transportation Rename District 2 District 9 Name of Asset Type of Asset Confederate Avenue Street Name Plantation Road Street Name Notes/Historical Context Civil War Liability Located within Clarksville, historically Black Yes neighborhood; didn't show up in City Directories until 1924 Recalls 19th century when plantation landowners Yes owned black slaves Priority Department Recommendation Comments City High Rename District 9 City High Austin Transportation Department Austin Transportation Department Rename District 5/borders District 8, where Thomas Kincheon St is (former slave, namesake of Kincheonville) Confederate Monuments Resolution - Assets for Secondary Review Asset Name Asset Type Park Name Notes/Context Elisha M. Pease: one-time Governor of Texas, Unionist, but was a slave owner. Pease’s plantation in Old West Austin and nearby slave quarters resided in Clarksville. Dave Pease and S.L. Whitley were former slaves of the family. Neighborhood Name Soon to be Park Name Other Colonel James Bouldin: big land owner and slave owner; after emancipation, freedmen settled in what is now Brackenridge neighborhood Edwin Waller: Chosen by Lamar to design downtown grid; first Mayor of Austin; owned 17 slaves. William Barton: “Daniel Boone of Texas”; slave owner; settled on Comanche land in 1830s near now Barton Springs - fought Comanches Major George W. Littlefield Camp #59 10' granite obelisk located in the northeastern Yes section of Oakwood Cemetery, near the intersection of Comal St. and MLK, Jr. Blvd. Historical Marker Historical Marker Andrew Jackson Hamilton Historical Marker Pease Park Bouldin Creek Waller Creek Barton Springs (Pool, Bathhouse) Sons of Confederate Veterans Memorial Major William Martin "Buck" Walton Johann Jacob Groos Memorial Civil War Liability Yes City Priority Medium Department PARD Comments District 9 City Medium Watershed City Medium PARD/Watershed City Medium PARD Private/City Medium PARD District 1 Texas Historical Commission marker in Oakwood Cemetery, dedicated 1999. Major Yes in Confederate Army; owned slaves; was a lawyer who practiced with Sneed and A.J. Hamilton, later governor of Texas; Walton building – 2nd Travis County Courthouse City/State Medium PARD District 1 Texas Historical Commission marker in Oakwood Cemetery, dedicated 1974; was Yes Texas Land Commissioner for 4 years; served in Confederacy Texas Historical Commission marker in Oakwood Cemetery; slave owner; he was Yes appointed acting state Attorney General in 1849, and in 1850 was elected to a term in the State House of Representatives. Hamilton was elected to the United States House of Representative as an Independent Democrat in 1858, representing the Western District of Texas. He did not seek re-election in 1860 and later moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. During the Civil War, he was commissioned a Brigadier General of Volunteers and in 1862 was appointed Military Governor of Texas, with headquarters at federally-occupied New Orleans and Brownsville. In June 1865 Hamilton was appointed by President Andrew Johnson as the 11th Governor of Texas,a provisional post in the early Reconstruction period; he served for 14 months. He was a Texas Supreme Court justice in 1866, and a delegate to the Loyalist Convention in Philadelphia in 1866. After the war, he came to oppose Black suffrage and became one of Texas' leading Republicans, but he lost the seat for Governor of Texas in 1869. City/State Medium PARD District 1 City/State Medium PARD District 1 Asset Name Bouldin Avenue Asset Type Street Name Notes/Context Colonel James Bouldin: one of South Austin's pioneer settlers and slave owner; after emancipation, freedmen settled in what is now Brackenridge neighborhood Civil War Liability City Priority Medium Department Austin Transportation Department Pease Road Street Name Elisha M. Pease: one-time Governor of Texas, Unionist, but was a slave owner. Pease’s plantation in Old West Austin and nearby slave quarters resided in Clarksville. Dave Pease and S.L. Whitley were former slaves of the family. Yes City Medium Austin Transportation Department Duval Street Street Name named for Captain John Crittenden Duval or Captain Burr H. Duval?; Texas Revolution (both served) + Confederate soldier &Texas Ranger (John C.) Yes City Medium Burnet Road & Burnet Lane Street Name David G. Burnet: Served as VP under Lamar and Interim President of the new Republic of Texas (1839 – 1841); Slave-owner City Medium Burleson Road Street Name City Medium Lamar Blvd Street Name Gen. Edward Burleson: slaughtered Native Americans (Cherokees and Comanches); known as “Old Indian Fighter,” VP of Republic of Texas; commonly known for killing more Mexicans and Indians than any other Texan. Mirabeau Lamar: President of the Republic of Texas, Occupied/Colonized Native land that is now Austin. Slave owner, Native American removal; In 1840, he signed “An Act Concerning Free Persons of Color,” which gave all free blacks then living in Texas two years to get out or face being sold into slavery, and mandating that any free black entering Texas would be enslaved for one year. At the end of that year, if that free person of color could not post bond, they became a slave for life. Convinced that Texas statehood was necessary to protect slavery, lobbied for annexation. City Medium Austin Transportation Department Austin Transportation Department Austin Transportation Department Austin Transportation Department The street named for John Hancock in 1938: prominent judge and Austinite in Civil Yes War era, Unionist but owned at least 21 slaves and supported U.S. Grants' policy for placing Native Americans on reservations. Emancipated slaves, Rubin and Elizabeth Hancock, bought land and established a farm in the area that is now Loop 1 and Parmer Lane. Rec Center is said to be named after Lewis (George's son) - Austin County Club founder, "father of golf," banker, mayor (1895-1897) and segregationist (sold tracts of land in Aldridge Place with racial deed restrictions); neighborhood said to be named after Lewis Jr. City Medium Hancock Drive & Hancock Street Name Rec Center Austin Transportation Department Comments segregated neighborhoo d, could not be a person of color to live there Asset Name Asset Type Street Name Notes/Context Civil War Liability Fought to defend slavery in spite of Mexico's effort to ban it; believed slave labor City indispensable for Texas to flourish in its production of sugar and cotton; believed that if slaves were emancipated they would turn into "vagabonds, a nuisance and a menace." Wanted slaveowners to be compensated if their slaves were emancipated. (From Eugene Barker's The Life of Stephen F. Austin, 1926) Priority Medium Department Austin Transportation Department Street Name Edwin Waller: Chosen by Lamar to design downtown grid; first Mayor of Austin; owned 17 slaves. City Medium William Barton Dr. & all Street Name associated Barton names: Barton Blvd, Barton Hills, Barton Parkway, Barton Point Circle, Barton Point Drive, Barton Skyway, Barton View Dr, Barton Village Circle, Barton’s Bluff Ln “Daniel Boone of Texas”; slave owner; settled on Comanche land in 1830s near now Barton Springs - fought Comanches City Medium Austin Transportation Department Austin Transportation Department Oliphant Street Street Name Yes City Medium Lanier Dr. Street Name William James Oliphant: soldier in Civil War; studied photography with Alexander Gardner, major photographer of the Civil War; United Daughters of the Confederacy Austin chapter is named after him. Named after Sidney Lanier? Yes City Medium Mirabeau Street Street Name Named after Lamar? City Medium Fort Sumter Circle Street Name Charleston, South Carolina: first shots of the Civil War, fired by Confederacy Yes City Medium Fort Sumter Road Street Name Charleston, South Carolina: first shots of the Civil War, fired by Confederacy Yes City Medium Stephen F. Austin Drive, Austin city name, & Rec Center Waller Street Austin Transportation Department Austin Transportation Department Austin Transportation Department Austin Transportation Department Austin Transportation Department Comments City of Austin Sign Cost Estimate 6/15/2018 To: Lauren Seyda From: Kenny Scott Subject: Street name sign replacement cost estimate Confederate related streets Materials/Description Quantity Dixie Dr Littlefield ST Tom Green ST Sneed Cove Reagan Hill DR Confederate AVE Plantation RD Price 18 4 16 2 4 2 16 Technician/Labor $27.71 $27.71 $27.71 $27.71 $27.71 $27.71 $27.71 Hourly Rate Hours sign fabrication sign fabrication 20.00 20.00 Truck Hours Sign truck Sign truck Subtotal $498.78 $110.84 $443.36 $55.42 $110.84 $55.42 $443.36 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Overtime (Y/N) $22.00 $22.00 Add for O/T Rate $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Salary Related $10.97 $10.97 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Indirect Total Cost Costs Per Hour Subtotal 168.13% $36.99 $69.96 $1,399.10 $36.99 $69.96 $1,399.10 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Hours Rate 24.00 $30.00 24.00 $30.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Subtotal $720.00 $720.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Total Cost Estimate Please credit the following account: Fund Agency 5125 Date June 15, 2018 Prepared by: Kenny Scott 2400 Org 3420 Credit 8505 $5,956.23 Austin Transportation Department Recommendations for Street Name Change Process related to Resolution 20171005-031 Option 1 – follow the standard administrative procedure 1. Council could direct the City Manager to follow the standard administrative procedure for street name change cases, including mailing Response Forms to all abutting property owners of subject street(s) to determine whether there is any opposition to the proposed street name change. If even one response comes back in opposition, a public hearing will be required. Described in City Code Chapter 14-5-7: “Recommendation to Council and Council Action”: a. The director shall present an application for a street name change that meets the requirements of this chapter with comment from any City department to the council for action. b. Except as provided in Subsection (C), the council may act on an application for a name change without a public hearing. c. If an owner of property abutting the subject street opposes the proposed street name change, the council shall hold a public hearing before taking action on the application for a street name change. 2. The estimated cost related to the mailing of Response Forms is approximately $1200-$1600. This includes staff time and mailing costs, but will vary widely depending on the number of abutting property owners. 3. Estimated timeline based on existing staff resources would be approximately 4 months per case (with no more than 2 to 3 cases occurring simultaneously). NOTE: while this would be a standardized process whether the street name case is related to this resolution or standard business, the more Response Forms that go out, the more costly to the City and the more likely someone will respond in the “negative” and trigger a public hearing. It’s potentially a lot of work and resources where the outcome is very predictable. Option 2 – waive code for administrative process (recommended for efficiencies) 1. Council could make a determination that this grouping of cases related to Resolution 20171005031 automatically go to Public Hearing. This would eliminate resources spent on the initial mailing used for determining the need for a public hearing and digitizing completed response forms. 2. Staff would create on online comment card to gauge and collect public opinion, which could be provided to Council prior to the public hearing. 3. Additionally, staff would send paper notice to abutting property owners of subject streets notification of the public hearing, as is standard of administrative procedure. The notice would not include a paper response form but would include a link to the digital comment card, and contact information. Additional Comments 1. In either case above, there would be a minimum of two mailings sent to each abutting property owner for each street name change case: 1) a notice of public hearing and 2) a notice providing the outcome of the public hearing/Official Change of Address notice. Based on two recent street name change cases, mailings cost approximately $0.60 per property owner per mailing, not including administrative time to prepare the mailings. 2. According to Chapter 14-5-2 of City Code: “An application must include the proposed new street name.” Council Members with streets in question seek public input early in the process to determine proposed street name(s) with majority support. 3. Council may choose to waive the application fee ($415 per street to be renamed). 4. Council may choose to waive the fabrication and installation costs for the new signs (see attached cost estimates), in which case an alternate reimbursement by the City would require identification. 5. Per City Code Chapter 14-5-4, applications must include one or more of the “Allowed Reasons for Street Name Change”: a. to establish continuity of a street name, including establishing one name for a roadway with staggered center lines that is commonly traveled as a single thoroughfare; b. to eliminate duplication of name spelling or phonetics; c. to correct a misspelling; d. to enhance ease of location; e. for consistency with the street numbering system designation, including compass direction; f. to provide a necessary roadway designation, including: "street," "road," "lane," "circle," "drive," or "boulevard;" g. to honor a person, place, institution, group, entity, or event; or h. to enhance a neighborhood through the association of a street name with its location, area characteristics, and history.