Bills pending in both the Texas House and Senate would make it more difficult for neighbors to successfully fight against zoning changes. Community Not Commodity has notified its members that the House Land and Resource Management Committee will hear testimony related to House Bill 24 by Rep. Angelia Orr, R-Hill County, beginning at 8 a.m. Thursday in room E2-026.

Specifically, the bill contains provisions designed to reduce notice of citywide zoning changes as well as individual changes. It is also written in a way that greatly increases the required number of neighbors protesting to impact the vote.

Under the current regulations, if 20 percent of the neighbors sign a petition against a zoning change, the change will go through only if three-fourths of City Council members vote for it. HB 24 would require 60 percent of property owners in the area to object in order to require the three-fourths vote from City Council.

Austin Rep. Gina Hinojosa sits on the committee hearing the bill on Thursday. A spokeswoman in her office said they had received a few calls about it Tuesday afternoon.

Anyone wishing to testify on this bill, or any other, can sign up for the process. Witnesses may also register their opinions by going to this website.

The city’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is offering an Emergency Preparedness Pop-Up event from 3-6 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, at the Windsor Park Branch Library to help prepare residents for wildfire risks and other emergences. Attendees will learn about wildfire prevention, flood preparedness, severe weather safety and other response strategies. Representatives from HSEM and other city departments will be available to share resources, answer questions and distribute preparedness materials. The first 25 guests will receive a free emergency supply kit, limited to one per household. HSEM holds monthly pop-up events on the third Wednesday of each month in different City Council districts to educate residents about disaster preparedness. With Central Texas prone to extreme weather events ranging from winter storms to flash floods, officials encourage community members to take advantage of these opportunities to learn how to stay safe before, during and after emergencies. Information is available online.

Nominations are now open for Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center annual Awards of Excellence. The awards, established in 2009, recognize “leadership and meaningful contributions in the Latino/a/e/x cultural arts,” according to a press release from the city. “Individuals or groups from any artistic discipline whose work has made a significant impact to the Latino/a/e/x cultural arts of Austin or the Greater Austin Metropolitan Area may be nominated. No self-nominations will be accepted. City of Austin employees and officials may not submit nominations nor be nominated.” The center will award individuals that have done so in several categories: Emerging Artist, The Arts, Service, Arts Educator, Lifetime Achievement and Posthumous Award. Anyone wanting to submit a nomination can visit AustinTexas.gov/MACCAWARDS before March 23 to do so.

The Mayor’s Health and Well-Being Council (MHWC) is working with Austin Public Health to find schools and faith-based communities that are promoting health and well-being in the community. Applications are now open for the 2025 Exemplary School Certification, which “seeks to recognize school campuses that demonstrate a commitment to implementing best practices aimed at improving health and well-being for their students within their campuses,” according to a press release from the city. “By achieving MHWC Exemplary School status, campuses will be acknowledged for their efforts in areas such as nutrition, physical activity, and creating a healthy school environment.” Exemplary schools will be eligible to compete for the Mayor’s Healthiest Schools awards. Faith communities that participate can receive technical assistance from Austin Public Health in setting health and well-being goals. Applications are open now through May 23, 2025. More information on the program and application information can be found here.

The Development Services Department is introducing the DSD Info Series, a new initiative aimed at providing community members with knowledge on permitting, housing development and property maintenance. The sessions, available both online and in-person, will connect Austinites with city resources and services. The first session, “Permitting: Where Do I Start?”, takes place March 25 and will guide homeowners, small business owners and neighborhood groups through the permitting process. Subsequent sessions will focus on housing opportunities under the HOME Initiative, with discussions on duplexes, multi-unit properties and tiny homes scheduled for April 15 and April 22. The series will also include an in-person home maintenance workshop at the George Morales Dove Springs Recreation Center on April 26. Registration and other info is available online.

Jesús Aguirre was recently named as director of Austin Parks and Recreation after similar roles in Washington, D.C., and Seattle and as CEO of Waterloo Greenway, the 35-acre urban park system in downtown Austin. For a chance to meet him at a Community Listening Session, all are welcome at 6 p.m. today at the Northwest Recreation Center, 2913 Northland Drive. “We cannot achieve excellence unless we listen to the the people we serve,” Aguirre said. “I look forward to meeting community members and hearing what they have to say about the parks, trails, facilities and programs we offer.” For more information about this and future Community Listening Sessions, please visit austintexas.gov/PARDlistening.

Foundation Communities, a nonprofit providing health and wellness services to Austinites, is seeking to raise $125,000 during Amplify Austin Day to sustain its health programs following the expiration of federal funding. The loss of American Rescue Plan Act funds in 2024 has forced the organization to scale back or eliminate key initiatives, including Healthy Food Pantries, fitness classes, health fairs and community health worker programs. To highlight the importance of these programs, the organization will kick off Amplify Austin Day with an event showcasing its Healthy Food Pantry, which distributed 383,000 pounds of food in 2024 to serve over 2,000 households. “These food pantries have become a lifeline for families facing food insecurity, especially with the rising cost of food in recent years,” Executive Director Walter Moreau said in a prepared statement. “Every dollar we raise during Amplify Austin will support our Healthy Living programs, ensuring our neighbors can access resources they need to improve their health and well-being.” The event will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, at the Trails at Vintage Creek Apartments (7224 Northeast Drive). Donations can be made at foundcom.org/amplify.

​The Umlauf Sculpture Garden + Museum is set to host a free public event 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, to celebrate its partnership with Bloomberg Connects, a global digital platform that enhances accessibility and engagement for arts and cultural institutions. The event will include a presentation on utilizing the new digital guide, opportunities to explore the garden and complimentary refreshments. Information and event registration are available online. Representatives from the Zilker Botanical Garden and the Bullock Texas State History Museum will also be present to share information about their own Bloomberg Connects guides and programming. Umlauf is in the early stages of a significant renovation plan aimed at enhancing accessibility and expanding its offerings. The Historic Preservation, Expansion and Unification (HPEU) Plan proposes integrating Charles and Angeline Umlauf’s historic home, private garden and artist studio with the existing museum and sculpture garden. The plan includes developing new facilities, such as the “Treehouse,” a multilevel structure designed to connect different areas of the property, and the “Gateway,” a welcoming center to accommodate educational programming.

Developers, conservationists and local officials are calling for expanded use of water-saving strategies in Hill Country developments following a recent gathering in Wimberley. Attendees of the gathering organized by Hill Country Alliance, the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance and Comal Conservation emphasized the need for rainwater harvesting, graywater recycling and sustainable site design to address growing water constraints in the region. The event featured discussions on regulatory barriers and potential policy solutions. Robert Mace, executive director of the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University, warned that worsening drought conditions demand urgent action. Highlighted projects, including a rainwater-reliant subdivision in Dripping Springs, showcased practical models for sustainable growth.

Do you have opinions on scooters and e-bikes? Sure you do! And now, the city of Austin is actively looking to hear residents’ opinions on safety, parking and how they use shared micromobility devices. According to a news brief from the city’s Transportation and Public Works Department, the online survey currently underway aims “to find new and innovative ways to make Austin’s transportation system safer and more convenient for everyone” and will be used in refining the rules that regulate scooters and e-bikes. In addition to the survey, which is open through April 6 and can be found here, the city will also host an in-person event at the Carver Branch of Austin Public Library from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 24.

Movability, the Austin area’s transportation management association, is still accepting applications for its spring 2025 GoGrant program, which offers up to $7,500 in financial assistance to Austin employers aiming to promote sustainable mobility options. The application window is open until March 6.

The GoGrant program supports three types of projects:​

• Infrastructure projects: Funding for permanent structures like bike racks or lockers.​
• Programmatic projects: Incentives and policies encouraging active commuting, such as transit pass subsidies or vanpool programs.
• Mobility planning: Development of custom mobility plans, including transportation demand management research and auditing.​

Previous grant recipients include organizations such as Yellow Bike, Out Youth, O. Henry Middle School and ICC Austin, which have implemented projects ranging from bike refurbishments to transit pass programs. Employers interested in applying can access the application and additional resources on Movability’s website.

An opportunity to provide feedback on a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) examining the potential for negative impacts of Project Connect’s planned light rail expansion on the city’s citizens, critters and environment ends March 11. The DEIS was previously reported on by the Austin Monitor and reporting partner KUT. Jennifer Pyne, executive vice president for planning, community and federal programs with the Austin Transit Partnership, encouraged Austinites to submit comments before the deadline during a presentation to the Mobility Committee of Council on Feb. 20. Residents interested in submitting comments can call the ATP at 512-710-2100., email input@atpx.org or use the online portal. The ATP is obligated by law to reply to all comments.

The phone number in this whisper has been corrected.