A development company has donated 19 acres of land near Niederwald for the use of Hays County’s planned extension of FM 2001. Canada-based developer Walton Development and Management is planning a major project along the border of Hays and Caldwell counties. Hays County officials say the FM 2001 project will connect Interstate 35 and Texas 130, and relieve the traffic flow into Austin. Under the terms of the deal, Walton is donating the use of the right of way to Hays County, which will control the land but not transfer ownership. The tract is where Walton wants to build Camino Real, a proposed development west of Texas 21.

The group “Citizens for Tax Relief NOW” drew a crowd of reporters Tuesday at a news conference to address the city budget process taking place across the river. As may become typical in this election, speakers probably outnumbered attendees, with candidates and political figures each making their pitch toward lowering taxes. Speakers included mayoral candidate Todd Phelps, District 6 candidate Jay Wiley, District 10 candidate Bill Worsham, District 3 candidate Julian Limon Fernandez and Travis County judge candidate Mike McNamara. The conference also featured Americans for Prosperity Texas Policy Director Peggy Venable, who released a statement saying that government spending and debt was outpacing Austin’s growth. She wrote: “Local government debt in Texas is a growing threat to our economic freedom.” Highlights of the news conference included a promise from Fernandez to lower property taxes by 20 percent, a promise from Phelps to lower the property tax rate immediately, and a warning from Phelps that Council was planning to ban all cellphones. Though Citizens for Tax Relief NOW identify themselves as a “nonpartisan citizen-led issue organization,” they do seem to share a photographer with the Austin Texas Tea Party, with each of their websites using the same picture of Austin.

Travis County Commissioners voted Tuesday to accept the resignation of longtime probate judge Guy Herman, who has announced his retirement.  Commissioners named Herman’s associate judge, Dan Preshner, as interim probate judge until a permanent judge is in place. Commissioners may call a special election to fill the seat.

One of the last changes to City Council’s budget session Tuesday came at the behest of Council Member Chris Riley. That change will reduce the fee for businesses to install “street patios,” which is a new category for the city that allows downtown businesses to use their street parking as outdoor patio space. After the approval, participation in the program will cost $2,400 per space per year, instead of the proposed $4,000. Though the $4,000 fee was based on the revenue that would be lost from the absence of a space, Riley argued that there was a public benefit that should be taken into account, as is done with valet spaces. The concept was tested as part of a pilot program at the Congress Avenue location of Royal Blue Grocery. The rate change passed unanimously.

Mayoral Candidate David Orshalick, who has been fairly quiet since getting on the ballot in August, will officially launch his “bold mayoral campaign” tonight. In a news release, Orshalick announced that he will kick off his campaign at the Upper District 7 Candidate Forum, which is taking place at 7 p.m. at the St. Albert’s Church on Metric Boulevard. In his news release, Orshalick promises to “shake things up” at City Hall, writing, “Austin is worth saving. The time has come to move away from the ineffective, nonresponsive City government that led us to this precipice … Together, we can create and implement a plan that leads Austin into a vibrant and viable future where residents and visitors alike can experience the affordable high quality of life we deserve.”

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department is temporarily prohibiting the building of fires and smoking in all city parks, greenbelts and preserves due to the dangerous fire hazard conditions that currently exist in the Central Texas area. This includes the use of wood or charcoal BBQ pits/grills/smokers. Propane stoves are allowed in designated picnic areas only. PARD is working with park police and park rangers in the enforcement of the fire-building and smoking ban in order to provide for the public’s safety. Violations of this burn ban may result in a fine between $300 and $500. PARD will evaluate conditions to determine when to lift the ban.

Among the many budget items City Council approved yesterday was $507,000 for Austin public libraries. That money will go toward restoring library hours that were cut in prior budgets. The money will allow the libraries affected by cuts to reopen on Thursdays and Fridays. The money is a boon for library patrons, as it was not requested by Austin Public Library director Brenda Branch, who had planned to request the money in conjunction with the opening of the new, downtown Central Library.

Ongoing renovations at City Hall continued to take a toll last night. The latest victim? Arguably, everyone who attended the Board of Adjustment meeting, which was stuffed into the Austin Energy break room at the last minute. The meeting was held among the buzzing vending machines, but the board may hold a surprise meeting next week, in a room more suited to the purpose. Of course we will keep you posted if that happens, in addition to covering the break room meeting held last night.

After listening to the candidates for mayor and four of the new City Council district seats, the Austin Stonewall Democrats made the following endorsements last week: for mayor, Steve Adler; District 2, Delia Garza; and District 3, Sabino “Pio” Renteria. There were dual endorsements in two of the races. In District 7, the group endorsed Leslie Pool and Melissa Zone. In District 9, they endorsed both Chris Riley and Kathie Tovo. According to Rich Bailey, endorsement chair for the Stonewall Democrats, the threshold for an endorsement is 60 percent, but no candidate reached that threshold in the two races, so the group decided to issue the dual endorsements.

Craig Smith, a member of the board of the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District, was hospitalized on Saturday, over fears that he had suffered a “small heart attack.” Mary Ann Neely said Smith had gone to the Barton Springs pool, where he swims daily, but was in too much pain to swim and drove himself to the St. David’s Hospital in South Austin. He was released from the hospital Sunday evening. Smith is also an assistant county attorney for Travis County. Neely advises friends to call before visiting.

Members of Austin Interfaith will hold a news conference today at 9 a.m., just before City Council’s budget session begins, in order to “address the injustice of the proposed budget.” A statement from the group explains that the proposed budget is “an immoral document that does not reflect the values and priorities of our great city.” In that same release, Austin Interfaith criticizes the amount of money spent on public safety instead of child poverty. A list of budget priorities for next year penned by the organization identified just under $130 million in funding for social service contracts and city departments. The news conference will be held at 721 Barton Springs Road.

In an email sent to union members, Austin Firefighters Association head Bob Nicks said this week that he is disappointed in the latest contract offer from city management, saying the terms of the offer would mean an “erosion of our professional standards.” Nicks is referring to a potential new contract for the city’s firefighters. The city and the firefighters union have been negotiating a new agreement since June, when Austin and the U.S. Department of Justice settled a lawsuit over the city fire department’s minority hiring practices. Nicks said, “Based on the recent membership survey results and the AFA’s commitment to abide by the will of the membership, we have agreed to forward the management team’s ‘final and best offer’ to the membership for review and vote.” Nicks said the vote will happen online between Sept. 23 and 25.