Tourism Commission Chair Daniel Ronan said the city has the analysis and data it needs to move forward with reforming its policies on short-term rentals to increase Hotel Occupancy Tax revenues and shouldn’t wait through the end of the year. After the commission approved 10 recommendations related to STR enforcement last week, Ronan told the Austin Monitor: “It should not take 10 months to a year for the city of Austin to enact commonsense recommendations that this commission has put forward to allow the city to begin collecting additional (hotel) tax revenues almost immediately. I don’t see the need to forestall the inevitable when it comes to offering a potential path forward for the two principal STR platforms, Airbnb and Vrbo, in trying to do the right thing and also bringing additional resources into the city coffers to fund additional cultural arts programming grants, historic preservation grants,” he said. “The city has the tools in its toolbox to implement some very needed reforms to bring in additional resources.”

The city’s Housing Department is looking for feedback on how to invest in housing and community development. Each year, a community needs assessment is conducted to determine how to invest federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This year, that assessment will be used to create a five-year plan about how to invest local housing funds as well as federal money. That process is currently underway and will continue through March 15. Anyone can weigh in online here or through the mail (Housing Department, Attn: FY 2024-2029 Consolidated Plan, P.O. Box 1088, Austin, Texas 78767), email (housing@austintexas.gov), phone (512-974-3155) or through a phone survey by texting “MyCommunity” to 73224. In addition, the city will hold two public meetings on the topic at the March 7 City Council meeting and the March 12 Community Development Corporation meeting.

As the Austin Transit Partnership works to implement light rail in Austin, it’s seeking community input on locations for stations and other design options. The following events are open to the public to give input, and you can register for them here:

• Virtual open house from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22
• 4:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27, in person at Twin Oaks Library, Rooms 1 and 2, 1800 S. Fifth St.
• 7:30-9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 29, in person at St. David’s Episcopal Church, Sumners Hall, 301 E. Eighth St.

A virtual survey is also open through March 4.

Attorneys for the city of Austin and groups suing the city over creation of the South Central Waterfront Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, or TIRZ, will meet in court today. Taxpayers Against Giveaways, the Save Our Springs Alliance and three taxpayers – former City Council Member Ora Houston, former state Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos and Austin homeowner Faye Holland – filed suit last April to stop the city from diverting tax money into a fund to develop the former Austin American-Statesman site on Lady Bird Lake. City Council, under former Mayor Steve Adler, voted to take $354 million in property taxes over 19 years from general revenue to pay for development on the site. Both sides have filed motions for summary judgment. It will be up to Travis County District Judge Jessica Mangrum to sort out the arguments and decide whether to issue a summary judgment for either the plaintiffs or the defendant city of Austin. She could also reject both arguments and direct the parties to bring in evidence to support their positions.

The expansion of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport got a $39.1 million boost from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) this week. The money is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will help fund the construction of the new Concourse B as well as an infill project that will add about 13,000 square feet to the existing terminal. “Our Airport is once again in the spotlight, which is such great news for our community,” said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson in a statement to the press. “Not only did we experience more passengers travelling through AUS in 2023 compared to any other year prior, we are now poised to help ensure much-needed funding for critical projects that will elevate our airport into a world-class hub with top-tier infrastructure. This funding enables us to continue the transformative work of our Airport Expansion and Development Program, ensuring excellence for our travelers and community for years to come.” The expansion, dubbed “Journey with AUS” is currently underway, and more info can be found here.

This Monday, in observance of Presidents Day, a number of city offices (and the Austin Monitor) will be closed. The Austin Energy customer call center and customer service centers will be closed, though payment by mail, drop box or authorized H-E-B, Fiesta and Walmart stores will remain open. Austin Public Library branches will be closed both Sunday and Monday, Feb. 18 and 19. The Austin Animal Center will also be closed on Monday. Though the parks themselves will be open, many park facilities will be closed. Curbside garbage, recycling and compost collection will not be impacted by the holidays. A full list of the closures can be found here.

Community members are invited to the second quarterly Police Oversight Implementation Workgroup meeting to offer input on future meetings as well as receive the most recent complaints data from the Office of Police Oversight. The meeting is open to the public and will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron Road. The event will be presented in both English and Spanish, as well as American Sign Language (ASL). Additional interpretation services and accessibility accommodations are available upon request. Register to participate here. For questions, email OPO.Outreach@AustinTexas.gov or call (512) 974-9090.

Thomas Dambo, the Danish artist whose medium is recycled materials, will introduce the Pease Park troll to the Austin community at an event at 3-5 p.m. March 15 at Kingsbury Commons at Pease Park, 1100 Kingsbury St. He’ll share the story of the massive troll, and Austinites are invited to celebrate the completion of the build with food and music. Parking is available at the parking lot at the Austin Recreation Center, 1301 Shoal Creek Blvd.; the small parking lot at the south end of Pease Park; or street parking on Parkway, north of 15th Street. Upon arrival at the park, follow the eastern trail north through Kingsbury Commons about a quarter mile. For answers to frequently asked questions about the troll, visit peasepark.org/news/trollfaq.

The March 5 primary election is right around the corner and, once again, the League of Women Voters Austin Area has you covered with a new nonpartisan voting guide. Information can be obtained in three different formats: a personalized guide at VOTE411.org, a PDF at LWVAustin.org or a physical copy from one of these locations. “From local races to statewide and federal contests, it is crucial for voters in Travis County to make their voices heard this election year,” said Jessica Foreman, LWV Austin Area president. “The League of Women Voters Austin Area has published our Voters Guide as a PDF in four languages, in print in English and Spanish, and on VOTE411.org as a resource for all Austin area voters.”

Austin Transit Partnership will hold three community meetings this month to gather input on the area’s light-rail plan. A virtual open house will take place at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 22 with in-person meetings scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Twin Oaks Library on South Fifth Street and 7:30 a.m. Feb. 29 at St. David’s Episcopal Church on Eighth Street. A related transit group, Transit Forward, has also scheduled a quarterly lunch for 11:30 a.m. Feb. 28, also at St. David’s Episcopal Church, with panelists discussing how public transit impacts traffic safety. The lunch is part of the Yimbytown 2024 conference organized by AURA-ATX and will feature panelists Selena Xie, president of Austin Emergency Medical Services Association; Lewis Leff, acting assistant director of the Transportation and Public Works Department; Roberto Gonzalez Jr., senior director of planning services for Capital Metro; and Heyden Black Walker, board member of Safe Streets Austin.

Austin Water’s Wildland Conservation Division continues a controlled burn of 280 acres today that began Tuesday, covering areas east of FM 1826, west of Brodie Lane and northwest of FM 1626. The burn is planned for 10 a.m. to noon. The burns are intended to mimic natural fire cycles to limit fire intensity and reduce the potential for more destructive wildfires. The land, which is managed by the Wildland Conservation Division, is part of the 30,000 acres overseen by Water Quality Protection Lands program. Neighbors and other entities in the impacted areas should have received prior notification. Information and progress reports about the burns are available online.

Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services on Monday announced, “with profound sadness and extremely heavy hearts,” the passing of Dr. Mark Ackrell, who died unexpectedly over the weekend at his home. Ackrell served in the department for nearly 17 years and worked in the community for several years before that, including emergency medical work at St. David’s South Austin Hospital and St. David’s Medical Center. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh medical school in 1992 and had more than 31 years of experience in the medical field, according to online sources. Selena Xie, president of the Austin EMS Association, told the Austin Monitor, “The death of Dr. Ackrell is a loss for all of Austin as one of the best in emergency medicine. For the Austin EMS community, we’re also losing a mentor, caring friend, and the best laugh you’ve ever heard.”

According to the city of Austin’s website, Dr. Ackrell was the medical director for Fayette County EMS and Texas EMS. He had multiple federal assignments and worked internationally as the medical director for AlphaStar Aviation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Funeral arrangements had not been announced as of Monday afternoon.