Council postpones item eliminating Council approval for service extension requests

On a vote of 6-4, City Council voted last week to postpone consideration of an item that would have taken decisions about water and wastewater service extension requests within the drinking water protection zone (DWPZ) away from Council and put them into the hands of city staff. These requests are how landowners and developers ask the city to extend water or wastewater service to a property. Council Member Alison Alter sought the postponement of the item sponsored by Council Member Leslie Pool. Numerous citizens showed up to oppose the change, which would remove not only City Council authority but also the authority of various environmental and land use commissions to weigh in on such requests. Interim City Manager Jesús Garza said he and his team would like to take the opportunity to work with Watershed Protection Department management and the Austin Water utility to “identify any weaknesses in what we’re doing.” At least one speaker intimated “that somehow Watershed was not allowed to express fully what they believed needed to be done. So, we need to go through that process and then we want to work with each of the Council offices that are interested in this as we go forward for that postponement,” Garza said. The item was postponed to Aug. 31, but that agenda already has numerous controversial items, so it could be postponed again. In addition to Alison Alter, those voting in favor of postponing the item were Mayor Kirk Watson and Council members Chito Vela, José Velásquez, Ryan Alter and Mackenzie Kelly. Kelly and Ryan Alter were both co-sponsors.