Austin, Monitored: Planning, planning, planning

Zoning and Platting debates a plan for west of Loop 360

From Miles Wall:

The Zoning and Platting Commission discussed the prospect of a new “regulating plan” for the fast-developing, fire-prone land west of downtown during their June 17 meeting before ultimately postponing a decision over development concerns.

The idea comes from a 2023 resolution by the Planning Commission that directed the city to consider creating a small area plan for the large tract of land bounded by the Colorado River to the south, to the west by FM 620, to the east by Texas Loop 360, and to the north by Boulder Lane. The wildfire danger for that whole chunk of the city is categorized on the city’s interactive “What’s My Wildfire Risk?” website as either “elevated” or “high.”

“We felt that the lack of a regulatory plan, as this area is growing, could result in human and property damage,” said Jennifer Mushtaler, who introduced the motion during her time on the planning commission and spoke in favor of the effort during the meeting.

Mushtaler noted that the area has few major roads and little city infrastructure, having until recently been county land, and that obtaining home and fire insurance has become increasingly difficult for homeowners in the area.

Vice Chair Betsy Greenberg motioned to adopt the Planning Commission recommendation as written, but several commissioners voiced opposition. Commissioner Lonny Stern said he was concerned that giving the area more planning attention could serve to encourage further growth in the area, which Stern noted he has consistently opposed. Stern cited the language in the recommendation around improving roadways and transit access as part of the plan as evidence.

“It’s still biased towards growth, biased towards adding roads and biased towards adding transit, and so that means bringing more people to this area,” Stern said.

Greenberg proposed a substitute motion to postpone to the next meeting, and said she was interested in working with Stern to tweak the recommendation. The substitute motion passed unanimously.

Austin preps for 2026 bond election

As the City of Austin prepares for a likely 2026 bond election, the Bond Election Advisory Task Force is entering a critical phase of its work to evaluate a sprawling list of capital needs. At its Monday meeting, task force members outlined a yearlong timeline that will culminate next April, when formal recommendations must be delivered to City Council to meet election deadlines.

Over the summer, the task force will solidify its internal process to split into working groups, decide on whether to adopt a unified scoring rubric or allow flexibility across categories, and ensure transparency and public input throughout. Members expect to receive a comprehensive list of proposed projects from city staff in July, complete with cost estimates and basic categorization. That list is likely to total well over $3 billion in requested spending, while the city’s available bond capacity is projected to fall somewhere between $500 million and $700 million.

“We’re not hearing how much money is needed from city staff. We’re hearing about projects, but not we haven’t really seen dollars yet,” task force member Dave Sullivan said. “It’s a combination of what are the specific needs for capital improvements, but there’s also how much cash is needed to fund them, and we haven’t seen that yet.”

Beginning in early fall, the task force’s working groups will split into their assigned project categories ranging from parks and infrastructure to public safety and civic facilities, applying agreed-upon evaluation criteria such as equity, affordability, sustainability, and project readiness. There’s also interest in weighing factors like long-term operating costs and greenhouse gas impacts. Public engagement will be a key feature during this phase, with the task force likely hosting community meetings or surveys to gather feedback before narrowing its priorities.

By winter, the full task force is expected to begin consolidating its recommendations, drawing from the working groups’ analysis and public sentiment. Members will negotiate the final shape of the bond package, which may involve difficult tradeoffs and attempts to balance geographic equity, infrastructure types, and short- versus long-term returns.

The group aims to finalize its recommendations in early spring, with an April 2026 deadline for submitting the package to City Council. That timeline is essential to allow Council the runway it needs to approve a bond measure and place it on the November 2026 ballot. With so many needs on the table and a limited budget, the year ahead will demand strategic focus, internal consensus, and robust public involvement to shape a bond program that voters will support.

— Chad Swiatecki

… And so does public safety

Austin’s public safety departments also laid out the case for new and renovated facilities during the BEATF meeting, each presenting data on service demands and infrastructure gaps as they prepare for potential inclusion in the 2026 bond. While each agency tailored its message, a few common themes emerged: rising population and call volumes, aging or inadequate facilities and the need to improve service equity and response times.

EMS officials highlighted their buildout of five new stations funded through the 2018 bond and certificates of obligation, noting that all are now operational. They emphasized a new scoring matrix that prioritizes affordability, sustainability, equity, and proactive health prevention. Austin Fire Department leaders echoed similar concerns, underscoring the growing mismatch between Austin’s rapid growth and the department’s ability to meet response time goals. A map showing fire station coverage over time revealed significant decline in service levels in parts of the city despite recent investments.

The Austin Police Department, which received no bond funds in 2018, advocated for satellite facilities to reduce officer travel times and increase community visibility. APD’s proposal focused on creating modern, equitable, and sustainable facilities, along with expanding community meeting spaces to build trust and reduce calls for service through proactive engagement.

All three departments stated a desire to partner on joint facilities where possible and to create multipurpose spaces. The conversation also touched on funding strategies, with task force members questioning the balance between bonds and certificates of obligation. Departments noted that while bonds are now the preferred route for larger projects, both tools are essential given construction inflation and infrastructure backlogs.

— Chad Swiatecki

Greco to head TCDP

Doug Greco, a longtime political organizer and former teacher, was elected chair of the Travis County Democratic Party during the group’s June 21 executive committee meeting. Greco won the position outright on the first ballot, receiving a majority of votes from precinct chairs in a four-candidate race that saw 94 percent turnout. Greco has held leadership roles with Central Texas Interfaith and Equality California and previously worked for State Rep. Gina Hinojosa. He also spent five years teaching at Johnston High School and holds degrees from Brown University, Princeton, and USC. In his remarks following the election, Greco emphasized voter turnout, year-round organizing, and party fundraising as top priorities. He said he plans to expand the party’s budget and focus efforts on the 2026 election cycle.

— Chad Swiatecki

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ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS

KUT reports that ACC has joined the fight challenging the end of the Texas Dream Act.

More (unsettling info) on those robotaxis that have arrived in Austin

With the police license plate reader pilot set to expire, Flock, the company that held the contract for the program, has responded to the controversy.

And Austin’s Parks and Recreation Board is looking at the results of a park safety audit at their meeting.

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