TickTock: Austin City Council meeting 5.4.2017
Monday, May 8, 2017 by Austin Monitor
TickTock is the sortable transcript of @austinmonitor Tweets from the most recent Austin City Council meeting.
TickTock for Friday, May 5, 2017
Participants:
austinmonitor 72
MateoClarke 1
DanKeshet 1
Thursday, May 04, 2017 9AM
All Access Readers! Get a head start on today’s Council meeting w @lizpagano’s TipSheet: https://t.co/2x69hKWx9G #atxgov #atxcouncil May 04, 2017 09:30 AM
Thursday, May 04, 2017 10AM
Good morning! City Council settling in on the dais. Happy Thursday! #atxcouncil May 04, 2017 10:03 AM
Alright! Meeting convened! #atxcouncil May 04, 2017 10:14 AM
Looks like the items pulled are going to be: 6, 8, 12, 17, 18, 27, 28, 42 (to discuss postponement) May 04, 2017 10:18 AM
Item 2
CM Troxclair votes no on Item 2, abstains from 36, 37, 38 and 40 #atxcouncil May 04, 2017 10:26 AM
.@MayorAdler takes a moment to note that with all of the federal and state craziness going on, the city will continue to focus on its work May 04, 2017 10:27 AM
.@DeliaGarza is out today — representing CapMetro May 04, 2017 10:27 AM
Item 12
Item 12 now — this is a parks transfer of funds. About $1 million coming from the Convention Center. May 04, 2017 10:30 AM
Sharon Blythe is talking about cemeteries, as she is wont to do. #atxcouncil May 04, 2017 10:31 AM
.@kathietovo notes that funds come from Hotel Occupancy Taxes, and she approves. Makes a pitch for using HOT taxes in similar ways. May 04, 2017 10:33 AM
Item 17
Item 17 up now — talking bomb robots. Council Member Ora Houston questions what will happen “if one of the little arms blows off.” May 04, 2017 10:36 AM
"@austinmonitor Convention center or ACVB?"
@DanKeshet backup says Convention Center… “Austin Convention Center Department Tourism and Promotion Fund Operati… https://t.co/cul08HsHu4 May 04, 2017 10:37 AM
"@austinmonitor Was this a serious question? Or was she just trollin’?"
@MateoClarke It was serious! More a question about who would pay for damage, but also a cute/tragic image. May 04, 2017 10:40 AM
Item 18
Have been debating Item 18 a bit. This is a CapMetro program that educates the public into not being scared of public transit. May 04, 2017 10:42 AM
.@EllenforAustin makes the point that parts of her district don’t even have the chance to be scared — there are no buses around. May 04, 2017 10:43 AM
Kind of talking about… trickle out transit?… The idea that an increase in central city ridership will benefit all. May 04, 2017 10:47 AM
.@CM_Renteria , who is on the CapMetro Board stresses the importance of increasing ridership. Notes routes cost $1 million a year. May 04, 2017 10:48 AM
.@EllenforAustin making it clear she isn’t only advocating for D8, but points to pattern of underspending on transportation in her district. May 04, 2017 10:51 AM
Item 18
Item 18 passes 8-2, with Houston and Troxclair voting no and Garza absent. May 04, 2017 10:51 AM
Items 27 and 28 up now. A plan to expand the MetroRail station and close area to cars, and make East Fifth two-way to boot. May 04, 2017 10:53 AM
Speakers now talking about the plan — so far two people are against it. May 04, 2017 10:58 AM
Thursday, May 04, 2017 11AM
.@Oraatx1 has questions about the outreach “downtown belongs to more than just downtown stakeholders.” May 04, 2017 11:01 AM
ATD Director Spillar says the money would go, in part, to outreach. May 04, 2017 11:02 AM
Spillar says traffic from “events” of wknd 6th street could be solved by plan “We were surprised, honestly, that it was such a good idea.” May 04, 2017 11:04 AM
.@kathietovo points out that outreach after the decision is ??? also, asks why it wasn’t part of the Downtown Austin Plan. May 04, 2017 11:08 AM
Major shtick on the dais as Adler mistakenly calls Flannigan “Zimmerman” and he pulls out a tiny little yellow fedora. #propcomedy May 04, 2017 11:19 AM
Council right now talking about the cost (which will be over $3M) and how much of that should be borne by the city. May 04, 2017 11:21 AM
Now discussing what happened to the idea of public restrooms — which has been a push in downtown — but not in the current plan. May 04, 2017 11:36 AM
Tovo is, quite reasonably, not buying the argument that if there are public restrooms at this stop “all stops will need them.” May 04, 2017 11:37 AM
Restrooms are still in the plan — kind of — currently unfunded, and if they are built would be at the expense of the city. May 04, 2017 11:44 AM
Council approves the addition of westbound lane to 5th street: Only @EllenforAustin and Ora Houston vote no. #atxcouncil May 04, 2017 11:50 AM
#ATXCouncil approves agreement w/@CapMetroATX for new downtown rail station. @EllenforAustin & Houston vote no. May 04, 2017 11:52 AM
Speaker: black youth = 23% of curfew citations but only 8% of population. Latino youth = 60% citations but only 48% of population. May 04, 2017 11:54 AM
All ears on Red River as noise curfew pilot program kicks off. Read more (via @TheeChad): https://t.co/JWtayBwUUc #atxgov May 04, 2017 11:55 AM
#ATXCouncil considering setting public hearing on review of city’s curfew policy that we recently wrote about: https://t.co/ZKMggiGTZe May 04, 2017 11:56 AM
#ATXCouncil only has till June 18th to re-approve curfew ordinance. Looks like it will have public hearing on issue on June 15. May 04, 2017 11:58 AM
Thursday, May 04, 2017 12PM
.@LesliePoolATX wants Council to take up issue earlier…so they aren’t flirting with deadline…#atxcouncil May 04, 2017 12:00 PM
.@LesliePoolATX’s motion to set public hearing a week earlier doesn’t get a second. #atxcouncil May 04, 2017 12:01 PM
#ATXCouncil votes to take up curfew policy on June 15. Only @LesliePoolATX in dissent. May 04, 2017 12:01 PM
.@kathietovo concerned about how little the city sells alleys for. #atxcouncil May 04, 2017 12:04 PM
City selling alley on Dean Keaton for $67k. David King says “we’re about giving this away.” #atxcouncil May 04, 2017 12:07 PM
Item 8
#ATXCouncil approves item 8 unanimously. And that’s the end of the consent agenda and morning session! May 04, 2017 12:08 PM
What We Woke Up To: May 4, 2017 – https://t.co/KkZFUnf7Ay May 04, 2017 12:22 PM
Our Quote of the Day for Thursday, May 4, 2017. Read more: https://t.co/1VVBbzaMrw #ATXgov https://t.co/bWvARnU6cx May 04, 2017 12:30 PM
Thursday, May 04, 2017 1PM
Council gears up for mobility bond investments. Read more (via @cubbie9000): https://t.co/yi8O09I6e0 May 04, 2017 01:00 PM
Thursday, May 04, 2017 2PM
City employee pay raises an open question. Read more (via @JoClifton78704): https://t.co/ITKO1sb2YO #atxgov May 04, 2017 02:00 PM
Thursday, May 04, 2017 3PM
12th & Chicon bus stop will showcase East Austin African-American history. Read more (via @kgroetzi & @KUT p’ship): https://t.co/oJf45L5kjS May 04, 2017 03:00 PM
Okay, y’all, #atxcouncil is back. Now taking up zoning. May 04, 2017 03:49 PM
Item 57
Good news – Item 57, which was destined for a 7 pm time certain – may be taken up earlier. May 04, 2017 03:51 PM
On consent, Items 50, 51, 59, 60, 61. Items 52, 53, 54, 55 postponed. 54 & 55 (Autism Center) will be merged and go back through commissions May 04, 2017 03:55 PM
Items 50 and 51 — Council wanted to know whether they could talk about connectivity at time of site plan. Answer: no May 04, 2017 03:56 PM
Item 56
Item 56 up now. Petition against it but not close to the 20 percent required — 0.66 percent signed against. No one present to oppose May 04, 2017 03:57 PM
This is a rezoning at 13007 Canterra Drive — not actually looking for a new zoning, just looking to change the vehicle trip limit. May 04, 2017 03:59 PM
Thursday, May 04, 2017 4PM
All ears on Red River as noise curfew pilot program kicks off. Read more (via @TheeChad): https://t.co/r1716oEAtY #atxgov May 04, 2017 04:00 PM
As CM Houston points out, this will allow the property to have more gas pumps. May 04, 2017 04:07 PM
CM Houston explains that the property has changed owners a number of times, some neighbors frustrated by continuing requests to the city. May 04, 2017 04:09 PM
Agent Alice Glasco asks for opportunity to withdraw the case if needed. Weirdness: says not enough homes for HOA, so developer is the HOA. May 04, 2017 04:12 PM
Glasco says some neighbors were misled: thought the property might be a dog park, though that was never the plan. May 04, 2017 04:13 PM
CM Houston notes the overlay limiting trips (now up for removal) was only put in place last year. May 04, 2017 04:15 PM
Postponing this one to June 15 May 04, 2017 04:17 PM
Item 58
Item 58 up now 13033 Pond Springs Road. May 04, 2017 04:20 PM
CM Flannigan now ?s about how property originally not part of the city “no rules” Now there are rules. ?s about CodeNEXT, the future. May 04, 2017 04:23 PM
Conditional Overlay conversation now — going to be a big topic in CodeNEXT, a bit of a preview here about retaining them/ trashing them May 04, 2017 04:28 PM
Good news, getting into annexation. May 04, 2017 04:36 PM
Tovo reluctant to approve lifting the part of the CO that would allow outdoor venue use, and a couple other uses. May 04, 2017 04:41 PM
Approved on first and second reading only. Will give more time to look into the Conditional Overlay issue. May 04, 2017 04:46 PM
Item 63
Item 63 up now — affordable housing at Creekview Apartment Homes. City has to sign on for tax credits. May 04, 2017 04:49 PM
CM Houston says she supports the project, but will vote against because of the location. Not within walking distance of a lot of things May 04, 2017 04:58 PM
Thursday, May 04, 2017 5PM
That item passes, vote of 8-2, with Troxclair and Houston voting against. Troxclair has similar concerns as Houston. May 04, 2017 05:01 PM
Today is CM Greg Casar’s 28th birthday! Mayor Adler jokes they should give him a cake with a file in it… May 04, 2017 05:20 PM
#atxcouncil now headed to break, will pick up the last zoning case at 6:15 May 04, 2017 05:21 PM
Whispers: Hyde Park Spanker; more. Read more: https://t.co/YAQpmhDIZQ #atxgov May 04, 2017 05:50 PM
Tick Tock
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Key Players & Topics In This Article
Austin City Council: The Austin City Council is the body with legislative purview over the City of Austin. It offers policy direction, while the office of the City Manager implements administrative actions based on those policies. Until 2015, the body contained seven members, including the city's Mayor, all elected at-large. In 2012, City of Austin residents voted to change that system and as of 2015, 10 members of the Council are elected based on geographic districts. The Mayor continues to be elected at-large.
