The city’s Capital Delivery Services will hold another quarterly “Building Austin” event to address ongoing city projects. This quarter, the department will look at transportation, water and park projects in Northeast Austin from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20. Attendees, whether virtual or in-person, will be able to learn about the various projects and ask questions. The event is free and open to the public, with RVSPs available here.

Applications are almost open for the 2025 Nexus Grant, which promises to award up to 100 $5,000 grants to support new and emerging artists. According to a press release from the city, “Eligible applicants must have a minimum one-year history of cultural or arts programming in Austin, and be headquartered in the Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area.” More information about eligibility, how funds can be spent and applications can be found here. After some community feedback, the application process has been streamlined and will take place only once a year. Anyone needing help with their application can reach out via in-person or virtual information sessions, during virtual office hours from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays or check out the resources here. Applications open on Jan. 28 and are due by 7 p.m. March 6.

Travis County is asking the public to weigh in on a new comprehensive parks plan that is currently in the works. The county has 27 public parks totaling 13,000-odd acres, and the plan will cover all of them, guiding investments over the next 10 years. In order to accurately reflect what residents want and need out of county parks, there is an online survey that will be open through Feb. 13, and two virtual community meetings that will take place on Jan. 29 and 30 (more information here). “Community input is crucial in shaping the future of Travis County Parks,” Joanna Wolaver, executive director of Travis County Parks Foundation, said in a statement to the press. “By sharing ideas and priorities, we can help guide decisions that will impact our parks and green spaces for years to come. Together, they can ensure these spaces meet the needs of a growing community – now and in the future.” Questions can be emailed to TCParksCompPlan.2025@traviscountytx.gov.

CapMetro is bringing tap-to-pay to Austin’s buses and trains in March and is seeking community feedback on these upgrades at an in-person meeting at 5:30-6:30 p.m. today, Jan. 14, at Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 2910 E. Fifth St., in the Rosa Parks Boardroom. The proposed changes with new machines will allow riders to tap-to-pay with debit and credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay on buses and trains. The CapMetro app will be retired and riders will be able to use the new Umo app to pay for fares and the Transit app to plan their trips. Selected cards and passes must be swapped for new CapMetro Reloadable Fare Cards starting February 2025. More information is available on CapMetro’s website. “These proposed changes are going through a Title VI Analysis to determine if there would be disparate impacts to the community,” a news release from CapMetro says. “The results of the analysis will be shared with the CapMetro board before they decide to approve the proposed fare payment system changes.” The CapMetro Public Hearing is scheduled for noon Wednesday, Jan. 15. The live stream link and more information on the Public Hearing are available online. The public is encouraged to attend and share their thoughts on the proposed changes. Attendees can take bus Routes 4 and 300 to get to the meeting. Register to attend at publicinput.com/fare-updates.

The Downtown Austin Alliance will host an Issues Over Lunch event titled “Our Future 35: Vision to Reality” from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Austin Marriott Downtown on East Cesar Chavez Street. The event will focus on the Texas Department of Transportation’s plan to lower Interstate 35, and the city’s plan to cap the lowered highway with parks and public spaces. Speakers at the event include representatives from the city of Austin, TxDOT and the Downtown Austin Alliance, who will provide updates on the progress of the project and address these pressing concerns. The event is free, but registration is required. The discussion comes as City Council recently debated significant budgetary allocations and policy priorities for the I-35 expansion project including questions over how much city funding should go toward realizing elements of the vision for the cap-and-stitch projects that aim to reconnect neighborhoods divided by the highway. Council members have raised concerns about state support, cost-sharing mechanisms and the potential displacement of residents and businesses during the project. More information and registration are available online.

The city’s Development Services Department is inviting residents to a Brown Bag Lunch & Learn session, intended to shed light on the city’s Environmental Inspection processes. Amanda Wyrick from the Environmental Inspections team will discuss erosion and sedimentation controls, tree protection and the inspections needed during development. It’s scheduled for noon to 1:15 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, at the City of Austin Permitting and Development Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr. Registration is open now. For more information, email DSDCommunications@austintexas.gov.

With cold weather and the threat of a hard freeze having descended upon Austin, the Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center (ATCEOC) remains activated and at the ready to coordinate response. The cold weather shelters will be in operation until Friday morning, then reopened for another overnight shift this evening. In addition, Austinites in need of a warm space can access warming centers throughout the day. More information about the shelters can be found by calling 512-972-5055, and general information will be posted at austintexas.gov/alerts and @AustinHSEM social media accounts. Information on preparing for and coping with cold weather can be found at ReadyCentralTexas.org. Officials ask that Austinites refrain from calling 911 unless they are experiencing an emergency. Nonemergency help can be found by calling 311.

People interested in serving on the Community Development Commission – a 15-member board that “advises (City Council) in the development and implementation of programs designed to serve the poor and the community at large with emphasis on federally funded programs,” according to a press release – can apply for a role on this board with Austin Public Health. Applicants must be 18 or older, live within the geographic area assigned for that seat and want to serve people living in poverty. Seven members of the board are nominated by a Council committee and appointed by Council, and eight are democratically selected to represent low-income people who are eligible to be served under the Community Services Block Grant. Applications will be accepted for representatives in the following areas:

• North Austin – Gus Garcia Recreation Center – 1201 E Rundberg Lane, Austin, 78753
• St. John – St. John Community Center – 7500 Blessing Ave., Austin, 78752
• Colony Park – Turner-Roberts Recreation Center – 7201 Colony Loop Drive, Austin, 78724
• Rosewood-Zaragosa/Blackland – Givens Recreation Center – 3811 E. 12th St., Austin, 78721
• East Austin – East Austin Neighborhood Center – 211 Comal St., Austin, 78702
• Montopolis – Montopolis Recreation and Community Center – 1200 Montopolis Drive, Austin, 78741
• South Austin – South Austin Recreation Center – 1100 Cumberland Road, Austin, 78704
• Dove Springs – Dove Springs Public Health Center – 5811 Palo Blanco Lane, Austin, 78744

Each election site will have paper ballots available with the names of the candidates for each area.

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Austin chapter will host its next Building Equitable Communities Exchange from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 506 Congress Ave. The event is free and open to the public, aiming to connect professionals in the built environment industry with initiatives supporting equity and inclusivity. The series, organized by ULI Austin’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Steering Committee, highlights projects and programs that foster equitable outcomes across Austin. The event will feature presentations on the Palm School, Equidad ATX, Colony Park and the Mexican American Heritage Corridor. Attendees will have opportunities to interact with project leaders during a networking session following the presentations. The DEI Steering Committee’s mission includes amplifying diverse voices, building a pipeline of young leaders, fostering a culture of inclusiveness and empowering allies through partnerships. By providing a platform for community-driven projects, the Exchange aims to increase awareness and collaboration, encouraging Austinites to participate in shaping a more inclusive city. For more information and to register, visit the ULI Austin website.

The city of Austin is set to salute New Year’s Eve with a free celebration at Auditorium Shores featuring Third Eye Blind, local bands, food and fireworks. This year, the event will be part of the “New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen” broadcast on CNN. “Austin’s New Year is back and bigger than ever, and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate at Auditorium Shores,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said in a statement to the press. “This City is no stranger to hosting world class events, so it’s no surprise CNN is returning to count down to the new year in the Live Music Capital of the World.” More information about the schedule, parking, food and road closures can be found here.

In October, City Council passed a resolution aimed at improving the city’s sound regulations when it comes to things like air conditioners and landscaping equipment. Until Dec. 20, the Development Services Department is looking to gather feedback on Austin’s current mechanical equipment noise regulations and has invited anyone with information or personal experience to share it through a survey.  Additional questions can be directed to dsdcommunications@austintexas.gov.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 10 and 11, residents can get help preparing for emergencies with information, demonstrations and giveaway items at the north and south locations of the City of Austin Utilities Customer Service Centers. The city is providing meter keys, hose bib covers, hand-crank flashlights, solar-powered device chargers, emergency preparedness kit materials and winter preparedness tip sheets. A number of city departments are getting in on the effort: Austin Energy will provide free solar phone chargers and info on staying safe during a power outage; Austin Water will have free water shutoff keys or insulated faucet covers help avoid property damage caused by freezing temperatures; and the Austin Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will help folks build emergency preparedness kits. The city advises arriving early because quantities are limited.

UCSC — North
8–11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, or while supplies last
8716 Research Blvd., Suite 115

UCSC — South
8–11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, or while supplies last
1901 W. William Cannon Dr., Suite 100

For more information on preparing for emergencies, check out ReadyCentralTexas.org. The city also reminds people to tune in for emergency alerts by:

• Downloading the Ready Central Texas mobile app.
• Signing up for Emergency Alerts at WarnCentralTexas.org.
• Registering for Austin Energy’s Outage Alerts by texting REG to 287846
• Bookmarking COAUtilities.com, austinwater.org, austinenergy.com and outagemap.austinenergy.com.
• Signing up for Austin Water’ My ATX Water customer portal.