As part of our ongoing, tireless attempt to keep readers up to date with all that is going on at City Hall, we present our tip sheet for Austin City Council committees. As usual, we will be offering highlights of meetings, with links to entire agendas. As a note, this week the City Council will meet on Monday and Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. to discuss the city budget.
Regional Affordability Committtee
Monday, August 17.
Agenda here.
3. Presentation and discussion of affordable housing opportunities and public-private partnerships.
4. Presentation on the status of affordable housing projects in and around the City of Austin and discussion on potential interlocal agreements and use of public land for affordable housing.
Monitor’s take: Tackling the city’s affordable housing problems remains at the top of this committee’s list with these two briefings. Both look to be out-of-the-box approaches to the problem and could spark some interesting ideas.
Planning and Neighborhoods Committee
Monday, August 17.
Agenda here.
3. Discussion and possible action on recommendations related to amendments to City Code regarding secondary dwellings.
Monitor’s take: As per City Council’s July discussion, the committee is poised to discuss “possible financing and loan programs for ADU construction, pre-approved designs that could enable faster processing, short-term rental regulations and parking requirements at this meeting, as well as send a recommendation to Council. We reported on the most-recent ADU timeline here.
4. Discussion and possible action on recommendations for the City’s density bonus programs.
Monitor’s take: This is just a guess, but the time pressure and possible lengthy public input on the other two items we’ve highlighted may push aside the discussion about whether to require on-site affordable housing for the city’s density bonus programs.
6. Discussion and possible action on recommendations for short-term rental regulations and enforcement.
Monitor’s take: With a promise to take public testimony on STRs at this meeting and return for a full City Council deliberation on Thursday, this item promises to take up most of what could be a very long meeting. We reported on the proposed changes to the short-term rental ordinance on Friday. This meeting is where those changes will be addressed by citizens, who may also propose their own fixes to a historically contentious topic.
Public Utilities Committee
Wednesday, August 19.
Agenda here.
3. Staff briefing, invited testimony, and policy discussion to consider a resolution on stopping the addition of fluoridation to treated water.
Monitor’s take: >We’re expecting something like this comments section.
7. Staff briefing, discussion and possible action on the Fiscal Year 2016 drainage charge base rate assumption.
Monitor’s take: We’ve covered the drainage fee pretty thoroughly in the past. At this meeting, the committee specifically address a memo last week that discusses the impact of the drainage fee.
Health and Human Services Committee
Wednesday, August 19
Agenda here.
1. Staff briefing, invited testimony, and policy discussion to consider a resolution on stopping the addition of fluoridation to treated water.
Monitor’s take: Part II of the fluoride hearings, which are being held concurrently at the Public Utilities Committee (see above.)