Callout: Today’s newsletter is supported by “Austin Parks Foundation’s Party for the Parks”
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Quote of the Day
“We relied too heavily on our parkland dedication fees. Meanwhile, the price of land soared.”
— Dr. Amanda Masino of Evergreen Austin
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Parks and Recreation Department pushes for parkland acquisition in 2026 bond
From Lina Fisher:
Sixteen years after City Council set a goal to provide parks within a five- to 10-minute walk of all residents, only about 70 percent of Austin residents live within walking distance of a park. Parks and Rec wants to that number to reach 100 percent through the city’s 2026 comprehensive bond package.
A $3.87 billion wishlist from city departments is well over five times the recommended limit and will be whittled down, but PARD told Council’s Parks Committee on Wednesday morning that its top priority is funding for parkland acquisition.
PARD is requesting $100 million — a relatively small chunk of the proposed package — because of the effects of a state law from 2023, House Bill 1526, that prohibited any fees on commercial development and limited the fees cities could impose on new development in order to fund parks.
Austin drops AI surveillance cameras from consideration as residents raise privacy concerns
From Luz Moreno-Lozano:
The city is no longer considering using artificial intelligence to help catch people breaking into cars and committing other crimes at parks and greenbelts, at least for the time being.
Earlier this year, the city increased police patrols and installed security cameras in response to dozens of incidents, including car break-ins and stolen valuables, reported at popular green spaces each year.
City officials were considering expanding the program through a $2 million contract with Utah-based LiveView Technologies, a security company that uses an artificial intelligence system to “analyze behavior” in camera footage, detecting potential crime. City Council was slated to vote on the contract in August, but city staff withdrew it from consideration just days before the meeting. The move came not long after the city ended its automatic license plate reader program over data privacy concerns.
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Today’s newsletter is supported by “Austin Parks Foundation’s Party for the Parks”
Join Austin Parks Foundation for the 11th Annual Party for the Parks, featuring Passion Pit! This beloved event is happening under the lights at ACL in Zilker Park on Wednesday, October 8th.
Partygoers will enjoy delicious dining options, libations from Austin’s premiere beverage brands, games, a live auction and an intimate concert—all while helping raise funds for our city’s nearly 400 parks, trails and green spaces. Click here to get your tickets and join the fun!
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The newly renovated MACC will open later than expected
The reopening celebration for the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center that was scheduled for Nov. 1 will be delayed after the city’s contractor missed a key construction milestone this month.
A memo from Kara Boyles, director of Capital Delivery Services, states that the facility’s “substantial completion date” of Sept. 11 was not met, due to a failed building envelopment test that was needed to obtain a temporary certificate of occupancy that would allow the center to resume operations.
Rogers-O’Brien Construction, the city’s contractor on the project, informed officials on Sept. 9 that it would not be able to complete necessary repairs and requirements for the project in time. Capital Delivery Services has been meeting with the company’s leadership to establish a plan for a new substantial completion date of Nov. 3.
The MACC has been undergoing a major expansion and renovation, intended to improve programming space and community amenities. A new celebration date has not yet been announced.
— Chad Swiatecki
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Elsewhere in the News
Mayor Kirk Watson is asking Austinites to vote to raise property taxes to bring the city an additional $110 million. If voters approve, about half of that would go toward addressing homelessness in the city.
Of the 33 Austin ISD schools rated “unacceptable” by the Texas Education Agency, 28 have dual-language programs, meaning that kids learning English will be more impacted by the district’s overhaul plan currently in the works.
A new 4,000-capacity indoor music venue broke ground this week in the mixed-use development that some have called a “Domain on Riverside.” It’s just east of Oracle’s headquarters and will host concerts, conferences and private events.
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