TipSheet: Austin City Council 2.13.25

Today, the Austin City Council will convene for a regular meeting with a manageable agenda that has some issues worth diving into. As usual, we’ve taken a minute to highlight those issues and, as usual, the whole agenda and backup is also posted online for all to read.

As we reported on Wednesday, Council continues to move forward with Land Development Code revisions, and today the body sets its sights on streamlining approvals for smaller (5- to 16-unit) residential projects with “site plan lite.”

Council will also consider amending its parking regulations today in a move that is being pitched as more of a code (and fee!) update than anything radical. Notably, the change will make parking in bike lanes illegal, which any local cyclist will know is a major change from the current state of affairs. 

Remember the “Domain on Riverside”? Since its approval in 2019, there hasn’t been much movement aside from demolition on the site at Riverside and Pleasant Valley, but it’s making a surprise appearance on today’s agenda in a resolution from the Council Member José Velásquez. The resolution would eliminate a trip to the Codes and Ordinances committee for a 2.3-acre tract that would be amended into the development plan, though it will still have a normal public hearing at the Planning Commission.

Council will also take up a new plan – the “Downtown Austin Strategic Initiative,” which comes from downtown City Council Member Zo Qadri. The plan is a plan “to track, oversee, coordinate, implement, and identify any additional funding needed for all projects and programs within and impacting downtown Austin, focusing on mobility and infrastructure, music and arts, cultural and historical assets, economic and workforce development, public safety, homelessness, and parks and greenspace.” And a version that includes amendments from Council Member Mike Siegel can be read here.

A push to expand the purview of the Resource Management Commission and include oversight of natural gas and its rates will also be at Council today. You can read about the reasoning behind that expansion here and an overview of the changes is here. 

After a bit of delay, a decision on new erosion protections for the Colorado River downstream from the Longhorn Dam is expected today. Last year, we reported on the proposed protections, which would widen an erosion hazard zone and establish new stormwater discharge requirements.

As we reported on Wednesday, there are a number of housing tax credit projects up for endorsement by the city, which might could possibly lead to the creation of more affordable housing. The credits are highly competitive and Council does not have the power to grant them, but they can sign on to boost their chances at development, which we explained a bit more here. 

And, in a move that telegraphs the desires of the new Council members to have a say in any upcoming bond elections (should they take place), Council will vote to allow themselves to remove “Bond Election Advisory Task Force who were appointed by any council members whose term ended in January of 2025.”

In terms of zoning, there looks to be a number of postponements, and it’s never quite clear what will happen, but we’re keeping our eye on this Gunter Street rezoning that would replace seven homes on about 3 acres in East Austin.

The Austin Monitor’s work is made possible by donations from the community. Though our reporting covers donors from time to time, we are careful to keep business and editorial efforts separate while maintaining transparency. A complete list of donors is available here, and our code of ethics is explained here.