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Quote of the Day
“We’re in this situation because of a lack of realism by previous Councils on public safety cost. It’s why we need granular cent commitments in the ballot language.”
— ulio Gonzalez Altamirano, from Council approves maximum tax rate increase in preparation for possible election
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Council approves maximum tax rate increase in preparation for possible election
From Lina Fisher:
At a public hearing Thursday, City Council took the first step toward a possible tax rate election on the November ballot in order to plug Austin’s $33 million deficit and fund the proposed $6.3 million budget, setting the maximum Council can ask voters to increase their property taxes at 8 cents, or an extra $421 annually for the average homeowner. The current proposed budget already includes a 3.5 percent increase, which is the limit the state has set for cities to be able to collect. Anything more will require a tax rate election.
A city survey conducted over the spring and summer indicates that more than two-thirds of Austinites will support a tax increase – the question is how much of an increase, and what will it go toward. Survey respondents’ biggest priorities across the board were housing and homelessness services, transportation and mobility and sustainability, while speakers at the meeting Thursday emphasized the City’s responsibility to care for its most vulnerable constituents.
Though most speakers supported a TRE, some were critical of Council’s spending habits and reluctant to foot the bill. Council Member Marc Duchen echoed this view on the Council Message Board, saying that “if there was an interest on the dais, I would explore a compromise and support a modest one or two cent TRE that includes priorities that I believe we can all agree on. However, what I heard yesterday was ‘go big or go home’. And when presented with a 5+ cent ($200+) TRE I fear Austin taxpayers will tell us to ‘go home’.” He also urged austerity with social programs, including spending on housing and homelessness, in favor of more robust partnerships with nonprofits.
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An update on some zoning stories, courtesy of City Council
Austin City Council voted on several zoning cases that the Austin Monitor has reported on over the last few months during their most-recent meeting. We thought it would be worthwhile, and maybe bring some satisfaction and/or closure to interested readers, to know what the final decisions on a few of those cases actually were.
Last week, the Monitor reported on an unusual case where a neighborhood firmly supported the developer’s request to rezone a cluster of addresses on West Sixth Street from a more typical Commercial and Mixed-Use zoning to Limited Industrial zoning, over the objections of city planning staff. Their objection stemmed from the prospect of setting a precedent for new industrial zonings in the area, which has consistently been moving towards residential zonings for decades. Staff also cautioned against continuing an awkward legacy of granting industrial zonings for the purpose of building housing developments.
The Planning Commission had sided with the neighborhood and developer, reasoning that there wasn’t an alternative that both the developer and the neighborhood would accept. Council followed suit, approving the limited industrial zoning on the consent agenda.
Council also approved a zoning change for South Austin doggy daycare business The Acre, which had been found to be operating out of compliance with its zoning. During their consideration of the case, Planning Commissioners fielded complaints from neighbors and from one family whose dog escaped from the facility and was later found dead. City Council voted via consent to approve the applicant’s request to rezone from Limited Office toNeighborhood Office. That zoning, which will allow the business to continue operating, was recommended by the Planning Commission as well as city staff.
In another case touching a local small business that had been operating out of compliance with its base zoning (one wonders how many are), Little Lion Hair Salon on South Lamar won their requested rezoning, also moving from Limited Office, to General Office. The Monitor had reported on the Planning Commission’s hearing of the case in our July 1 newsletter. Planning Commissioner Greg Anderson noted, in making a successful motion to recommend the rezoning, that the commission had already recommended it once before procedural issues caused it to be sent back.
Other zoning requests reported on by the Monitor that passed during the work session were a rezoning of a vacant lot at 5215 Bruning Street in North Loop and a request to remove one property from the MLK Jr. Boulevard Transit-Oriented Development in order to build a 90-foot, 81-unit development.
— Miles Wall
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Elsewhere in the News
The Austin American-Statesman takes a look at the local impact of the redistricting currently taking place at the legislature and the battle ahead for Casar and Doggett. (Which is part of why the Democrats have fled to put a halt to things.)
The Austin Business Journal takes a look at how changes at the state level could impact the city’s density bonus programs (which are currently in the process of being revised.)
As Jacob’s Well continues to deal with the extreme highs and lows of Austin’s water resources, Gov. Greg Abbott has chosen to throw another wrench its way.
KXAN offers up a brief update to the bike and pedestrian bridge spanning Lady Bird Lake that is on-track to open in December.
And the Texas Tribune is asking the real questions, namely: What will become of Big Red in a world fighting big red No. 40?
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