Got any strong feelings, good or bad, about e-scooters, e-bikes and other micromobility devices? If so, the city would like to hear about it. An online survey is open now to help staff, relevant boards and commissions and City Council learn the public’s thoughts about how to regulate and manage the devices that have become an ingrained part of the local transportation ecosystem. Rules implemented in May brought some changes to how scooters and similar devices are handled by the city, with a limit of 6,700 total scooters allowed to operate. Also in May, the Urban Transportation Commission asked City Council to further rework the regulations to be more in line with the goals and mission of the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan. The survey is open until July 7.

The city has updated the numbers it uses to determine affordability in Austin. The median family income (MFI) for a family of four in the Austin-Round Rock area has increased about 3 percent over last year, from $122,300 to $126,000. That means that affordable rent for a three-bedroom apartment at 60 percent MFI would be $1,890. At 30 percent MFI, which is considered “deeply affordable” by the city, a three-bedroom apartment would be $945. The full chart and numbers are available online here.

The Arts Commission has given City Council a three-part recommendation for how to improve collections of Hotel Occupancy Tax from thousands of unlicensed short-term rental properties operating throughout the city. At last month’s meeting, the commission approved a recommendation that is estimated would net an additional $3 million per year for programs related to live music, cultural arts and historic preservation. The recommendation asks Council and the city manager to implement a streamlined, tiered licensing system to differentiate between owner-occupied STRs and those operated by nonresidents. It also pushes for an agreement with STR platforms that would see the city’s hotel tax revenue automatically levied and remitted in a timely manner. The third component calls for creating an “opt-out” sustainability fee on STR bookings, with the revenue used for a new Cultural Sustainability Fund to promote arts and music preservation. Also this year, the Tourism Commission and Music Commission have approved similar recommendations regarding STRs and improved hotel tax collection.

Former City Council Member Kathie Tovo, who served on Council from 2012 to 2023, will be hosting a mayoral campaign kickoff at 6:30 p.m. at El Mercado Restaurant on South First Street. Tovo, who served as mayor pro tem for four years, stresses her “proven record of standing up for women, workers, immigrants, and the LGBTQIA+ community.” Her campaign announced the party stating, “Tovo will celebrate her strong start in the race, share plans to deliver transparency and accountability at City Hall and outline ways to get involved in the campaign.” Other applicants for the middle seat on the dais include incumbent Mayor Kirk Watson, Go Austin/Vamos Austin Executive Director Carmen Llanes Pulido and Doug Greco, former executive director of Central Texas Interfaith.

Recent rainfall has had a positive impact on the region’s water supply, as evidenced by the Lower Colorado River Authority’s recent declaration that we have moved from Stage 2 to Stage 1 of its drought response. On May 1, lakes Buchanan and Travis were at 42 percent  capacity. As of yesterday, that has increased to about 56 percent capacity, or more than 1.11 million acre-feet of water. At this stage, LCRA asks that water customers reduce water use by 10 percent. Firm water customers (like businesses and municipalities) are asked to impose water restrictions. Under the separate metric of Austin Water’s watering restrictions, the city is currently in Stage 2. “We encourage everyone to cut back water use when possible,” John Hofmann, LCRA executive vice president of water, said in a statement to the press. “We’re heading into another hot, dry summer when the amount of water in lakes Buchanan and Travis typically drops because of increased water use and evaporation.” If the lakes reach 1.2 million acre-feet (which is 60 percent capacity) LCRA will exit Stage 1.

Starting this Friday, June 7, Austin Water customers in the southwest parts of the city are advised to limit consumption to only essential water use during repairs to a major water line. This includes refraining from outdoor watering, power washing and washing cars; turning off irrigation systems; and postponing washing clothes and dishes. A leaking 48-inch water line must be temporarily taken out of service, which may cause low water pressure and service disruptions. While customers may not experience any impacts, Austin Water is notifying the community out of an abundance of caution so that customers can have water for essential uses on hand, should a service disruption occur. The repair is estimated to last up to 12 hours but may exceed this time frame, depending on field conditions. Austin Water will offer free cases of bottled water at a location convenient to customers in the affected area beginning at 7 a.m. Friday. Customer notifications about specific water pickup locations will go out later this week. Austin Water also urges customers to store water for essential uses, 1 gallon per person per day, by no later than Thursday, June 6, by filling containers in advance of repair work. Customers can refer to the affected area map or interactive map at austinwater.org to determine if their address is in the affected area and for detailed location-specific information during the repair. If you have service concerns or questions, contact Austin Water’s 24/7 Customer Service Contact Center at 512-972-1000 and select option 1 for immediate assistance.

As part of the We All Belong citywide anti-hate initiative launched last summer, the city is hosting the Party at the People’s House, a free event open to the public to celebrate “belonging and the eclectic mix of cultures that make Austin such a weird and wonderful place to live,” according to a news release from the city. The event, curated and produced in partnership with Almost Real Things, will showcase local food vendors, musicians, art, family activities, city departments, community organizations and more, with the goal of making people feel inspired and empowered to end hate in Austin. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP. It’s set for 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 22, at Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second St.

The city is also releasing a new public service announcement featuring the mayor, mayor pro tem and City Council members, encouraging people to report acts of hate using streamlined reporting tools and resources on the We All Belong information hub, austintexas.gov/againsthate. The site also features a new interactive community data dashboard that explores hate crime reports in Austin and how acts of hate impact community’s sense of trust and safety. Visitors can also learn more about attending or hosting We All Belong pop-up events held year-round in collaboration with local organizations, and download message toolkits to share with family and friends. The toolkits are available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Burmese Chinese (simplified), French, Hindi, Korean, Pashto and Vietnamese in the “spread the word” section of the site.

City Council on Thursday approved contracts for design and enhancements for the Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant that will begin in 2025. In all, the contracts total more than $1 billion. The plant currently can treat 75 million gallons a day, and the expansion will allow that capacity to expand by 25 million gallons, in addition to modernizing the plant with things like moving away from the use of chlorine chemicals and reducing the amount of nutrients that flow into the Colorado and spur algae growth. The project will also include $120 million in plant protection projects designed to guard it from high water flow and flooding. Save Our Springs Executive Director Bill Bunch spoke against the contracts at Thursday’s City Council meeting. He objected to the lack of information posted and the lack of discussion by Council on such an expensive plan.

The city’s Housing Department will host a “Black Land Matters” symposium on June 14. The event will focus on efforts to prevent displacement and ways to “promote, secure and preserve landownership among Black Americans” and help families maintain their property and close the racial wealth gap, according to a press release from the city. “We are thrilled to host this symposium for a second year in Austin. These conversations are important to have as we seek to reduce displacement of families by highlighting the challenges of Black land loss and sharing information on the tools and resources available to keep their homes,” Mandy DeMayo, interim director of the Housing Department, explains in a statement to the press. “These discussions can also help us identify where to focus potential resources for future programs and services.” This event is free and open to the public and light refreshments will be provided. Anyone interested in attending can RSVP here.

With the search for Austin’s next police chief officially underway, the city is now seeking input from community members through an anonymous survey facilitated by executive search consultant Mosaic Public Partners. The survey (which is available in both English and Spanish) closes on June 10 and is a way for residents to share their preferences and priorities for Austin’s next chief. The position was posted on May 15 and also will remain open until June 10, with the hopes of identifying candidates soon afterward. After a series of interviews and a public meet and greet, City Manager T.C. Broadnax will select a finalist, with their employment dependent on City Council’s confirmation.

With warmer temperatures firmly in place, worries about toxic algae are, once again, on the minds of dog owners across the city. These concerns are shared by the city, which will continue its $300,000, five-year pilot that aims to reduce the dangerous algae blooms on Lady Bird Lake. The pilot uses lanthanum-modified clay, which binds to phosphorus in the lake, making it an unusable source of nutrients for the algae – depriving it of a primary food source. According to a press release from the city, the first application of the clay will take place in June, with additional applications in July and August. A contractor will be treating areas near Red Bud Isle, the north-shore boat ramp just west of Interstate 35 and the north shore of the lake between I-35 and the Festival Beach Boat Ramp (roughly).

Also according to the press release, the results of the first three years of the pilot have been “mixed.” It continues, “At Red Bud Isle, there has been a reduction in the amount of harmful algae after each application in June. The July and August applications appear to hold the line without achieving any further reduction of the algae. By the time following June and the first application of the year rolls around, the algae has generally returned. This year, the City of Austin observed a recurrence early in the spring, but the rains over the past two months have reduced its presence. There was not much present on the lakes in mid-May. East of I-35, the lanthanum-modified clay does not appear to be having any effect. This may be because new sediments from upstream areas are covering up the clay and bringing in more nutrients.” The press release notes that reducing the amount of nutrients that enter the lake “would likely be the most effective solution” and that Austin residents can help by avoiding or limiting fertilizers and landscaping with native vegetation, as opposed to lawns.

Each year on the first Saturday in June, people can fish on any public waterway in the state without a fishing license. Free Fishing Day returns this Saturday, June 1. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers multiple resources for anglers of all skill levels and all ages, like covering the basics of fishing with tips and a variety of videos on the TPWD Learn to Fish webpage, finding a place to fish close to home with the Lake Finder and TPWD’s Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes that provide urban angling access – including two in the Austin area. To learn more about Free Fishing Day, visit TakeMeFishing.org.