TipSheet: Austin City Council, 12.14.23

The last City Council meeting of the year is here. Breaking from a tradition that the final meeting of any year is longer than reason, Council opted to take up its most contentious items – amendments to the Land Development Code – in a separate (and very long!) meeting last week. Nonetheless, there are still several items of note on this week’s regular agenda, and we’ve compiled them below. The entire agenda can be read here.

After putting off a decision at its last regular meeting, Council is set to decide on replacement for the Barton Springs Bridge. The project has been in the works for years, but the last time it was before Council, some objected to the fact that, despite the prolonged timeline, it had not gone through the normal public process. 

Council is also up against a hard deadline when it comes to ending the Seaholm TIRZ, after a close vote at its last meeting. The mechanism allocates improvement money to the area, but critics argue that the targeted improvements are not a good use of property taxes. And, though their hands are essentially tied, Council members also will vote to reduce parkland dedication requirements in line with new state laws. In another move to be compliant with new state law, Council also will vote to change city code to eliminate duplicative fees by requiring a food manager certificate (and lose about $110,000 in revenue in the process).

Speaking of parks, Council also will vote on a host of new rules for city parks. The rules prohibit things like unsanctioned geocaching, jumping from bridges and scattering cremated remains in parks as well as placing limits on rock-climbing, slacklining and remote-controlled devices.

In fun, city-sponsored venue news, it looks like the city is moving forward on an event space on East Seventh Street as well as a $4.5 million investment in the Austin Playhouse Arts Center project.

And, as the Interstate 35 expansion project barrels ahead, the city turns to mitigating its impact with a round of investment in cap-and-stitch projects intended to bridge the road.

Today’s agenda also offers a few interesting resolutions from Council members. Council Member Vanessa Fuentes has sponsored a Library Commission-recommended change that would eliminate the nonresident fee for Austin residents in the limited-purpose and extraterritorial jurisdictions. The reasoning is that, as Austin has become increasingly unaffordable, residents have been pushed out of its boundaries and the current $120 annual fee is a barrier and in opposition to the library’s mission.

Council Member Mackenzie Kelly has sponsored a resolution that supports state and federal drone regulations aimed at public safety and security.

Last week, Council approved a series of changes that aim to make it easier for homeowners to build on their land. Today, it will look at a resolution from Council Member José Velásquez that explores financing for those who would like to build an additional unit but lack the resources to do so, targeting communities that have faced displacement and gentrification. And Council Member Chito Vela has put together a resolution that seeks to support city employees facing immigration issues.

Finally, Council will vote to expand the geographical reach of the Downtown Austin Community Court to the entire city and property owned by the city. Members will also discuss the best way to go about contracting the massive expansion of Austin’s airport currently underway. 

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