An influx of dogs, puppies, cats and kittens to the already overburdened Austin Animal Center this week has prompted officials to waive adoption fees for all animals through Sunday. Officials report that on Oct. 7 alone, more than 50 animals entered the shelter system. Due to the high number of intakes, the center is confronting a capacity crisis with a deficit of approximately 85 kennels for large- and medium-size dogs.  Center officials remind pet owners who have lost a pet recently to immediately check the Austin Animal Center. The center will also be waiving reclaim fees for all altered pets returned to their owners through Oct. 12. The Austin Animal Center, 7201 Levander Loop, is open daily from 11 a.m.  to 7 p.m. The adoption special also applies to all pets at the overflow kennels at Town Lake Animal Center, 1156 W. Cesar Chavez St.

Hays County officials are planning a meeting to develop a Roadway Character Plan for FM 150, from near Arroyo Ranch Road northwest through Driftwood to RR 12 in Dripping Springs. County Commissioners Will Conley and Ray Whisenant will host the meeting to share information about the roadway and gather ideas from the public about the cross-county road as changes are phased in to improve mobility and safety. Improvements are expected to be phased in over 10 to 20 years. The meeting is set for Oct. 16 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Thurman’s Mansion, 17900 FM 1826 in Driftwood. The presentation will begin at 6:30 p.m. Go online for more information on the Roadway Character Plan, or contact Concept Development & Planning at 512-533-9100.

If you have ever wanted to be a tree hugger, your chance is coming up. The city, TreeFolks and more than 70 volunteers will be planting 80 native trees and mulching existing trees at Boggy Creek Greenbelt in honor of Arbor Day 2014.  The event will celebrate Arbor Day and the City of Austin’s 23rd year as a Tree City USA community. There will be activities, live music, an Arbor Day proclamation and lots of family fun, including tree planting, tree ID tours, and seed ball making. The event is 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Boggy Creek Greenbelt, 2300 Rosewood Ave. The ceremony is set for 11 a.m. Check online for more information about Austin’s Urban Forestry Program or TreeFolks.

The Central Health Board of Managers met Wednesday evening in closed session with their lawyers to discuss the two final major lease agreements for the new Seton Medical Center teaching hospital. The hospital will be replacing the Central Health-owned University Medical Center-Brackenridge, which is currently operated by Seton. Central Health will continue to lease the hospital’s land from the University of Texas and will then sublease the grounds to Seton to build and operate the facility. Under the agreements, Seton will pay monthly rent starting at $72,000 directly to the university, although Central Health as intermediary between the two will also be responsible if Seton defaults on rent, or any other part of the agreements. The board will vote on the two agreements at its regularly scheduled meeting Oct. 15. Both the University of Texas and Seton have already approved the agreements. Groundbreaking on the new facility will take place after the leases are approved.

A couple of days ago when we wrote about the many candidates running for mayor and the 10 districts, we tried to include all those who had raised significant cash or had garnered enough endorsements to be called credible candidates. We failed to mention Marco Mancillas, one of eight candidates running for District 4. Mancillas has raised more money than some of those who have gotten more attention and endorsements. Mancillas reported this week that he had raised nearly $34,000 and spent only about $7,000. Mancillas, the former executive director of the Hispanic Physicians Association, lists more than 45 doctors as contributing to his campaign. Three other candidates in the race have garnered more attention. Greg Casar of Workers Defense received several labor endorsements, as well as endorsements from Democratic clubs and environmental groups. He has also collected the most money and has almost $44,000 in the bank. Katrina Daniel has the backing of numerous business leaders and won the endorsement of the Austin Police Association PAC as well as the Homebuilders PAC. Laura Pressley, who can count on support from the slice of District 4 that supported Ron Paul for president, also won an endorsement from the Austin Neighborhoods Council. She reported having $27,000 in the bank after spending nearly $36,000.

What was initially proposed in 2012 as a plan to simplify and streamline the process for planning special events has come back to the Austin Music Commission in a form commissioners say they never quite intended. Instead of recommending the Special Events Ordinance, the commission passed a resolution this week asking City Council members to “hit the hold button” and have city staff address several problems brought up by stakeholders before going forward. Bobby Garza with Transmission Events, who is a also former Council aide, told the commission that the original impetus for the ordinance came from members of the music community, who were frustrated with the complexity of the permit process. However, he added that what has come out of the process is not what they had in mind. “The ordinance, as I understand it right now — having read it in several iterations — feels like a lot of bureaucracy and much less consolidation than I think is warranted.” The Music Commission is the 28-page ordinance’s last stop among several boards and commissions before it goes before Council on Oct. 16. Council members approved the ordinance in 2013 on first reading, but agreed that it needed work before second and third reading. With pushback from the Music Commission and several other boards, passage of the ordinance could be delayed again, possibly long enough to be on the agenda of the new Council when it is seated in January.

The city’s Housing Authority will open its Section 8/Housing Choice Voucher waiting list this year for the first time since 2006. Applicants can apply online at any time between Oct. 22 and 29 using any Internet device. To provide applicants with equal access to the process, the Housing Authority has partnered with a number of groups, businesses and community organizations across the Austin area to provide Internet access. Those who apply during the eight-day period are entered into a random lottery for an equal chance at one of the 2,500 available spots on the waiting list. Organizers say they expect the number of applicants to be between 20,000 and 40,000. The pre-application process will be available online only at austin.apply4housing.com.  For more information, call 888-262-3949.

SXSW Eco presented Austin City Council Members Chris Riley and Mike Martinez SXSW Eco Awards on Tuesday night for their “leadership on making Austin a national clean energy leader.” The SXSW Eco Awards Presented by PBS honors ingenuity in cleantech, social innovation, public interest design and storytelling. In August, Council passed an affordable energy resolution sponsored by Martinez and Riley. The resolution outlined a plan to expand solar power, including provisions to expand accessibility to local solar programs for low-income communities and to replace the aging Decker gas-fired power plant by 2017. Now in its fourth year, SXSW Eco attracts a global community to “explore, engage and co-create solutions for a sustainable world.”

The Zoning and Platting Commission voted Tuesday to postpone a rezoning request for property that is currently home to ACE Discount Glass and ACE Auto Salvage, pending a potential Transfer of Development Rights between the applicant and the city on an environmentally sensitive tract of land. If approved, the agreement would likely influence the commission’s decision on whether to rezone that tract to Community Recreation. According to Sherri Sirwaitis of Planning and Development Review, staff was not finished with the TDR review process. She added that Environmental Officer Chuck Lesniak, who was not present, expressed interest in a postponement until the review was completed. “The city has made an offer and I’ve accepted it,” applicant Roy Cavanaugh told commissioners. He added that he’s simply waiting for staff and the legal department to approve the agreement. The ZAP will revisit the item on Nov. 4.

District 9 City Council candidate Chris Riley released a platform for re-election Tuesday, highlighting contrasts between him and his opponents in the race for the new 10-1 Council. Riley’s platform emphasizes more ways for people to live, work, play and get around Austin.  “We need to provide more options for the many people who want to live closer in, live smaller and drive less,” said Riley. “Doing a better job of meeting that demand will not only promote affordability, it will also raise the quality of life in Austin, ease congestion and limit our environmental footprint.” He said his 10-point platform includes specifics on how he plans to advance his vision of Austin “as the most progressive city in America.” Riley’s platform can be found at his campaign website.

The Zoning and Platting Commission elected officers Tuesday night. Starting next year, Commissioner Rahm McDaniel will be known as Assistant Secretary of ZAP. The commission also  re-elected Chair Betty Baker, Parliamentarian Gabriel Rojas, Secretary Cynthia Banks and Vice Chair Patricia Seeger. Banks made the nomination at Tuesday’s meeting, Rojas seconded and the vote was unanimous. McDaniel was not inclined to make a speech regarding his new position, though he did appear flattered. Baker followed the discussion by asking if the commissioners would like to go home. They agreed and did.

The “Let’s Go Austin” political action committee that is campaigning for Proposition 1, the city’s November road and rail bond package, reports that it has raised $485,876 during the most recent reporting period. That brings the overall fundraising total to $559,121, according to PAC officials. LGA’s total current cash-on-hand — funds left to spend before Election Day — is $290,724. Greg Hartman, LGA’s treasurer, said the campaign has exceeded its initial fundraising goal of $500,000 and will continue to raise funds over the final month of the election. The November bond proposal totals $1 billion, with $400 million dedicated to road projects and $600 million dedicated to the first phase of the rail system.