TipSheet: Austin City Council, 11.12.15

The Austin City Council will hold its regular meeting Thursday. Below is a list of items we’re watching. In the interest of space, we’ve decided not to post the entire agenda. The Office of the City Clerk posts a copy on its website, here.

2. Approve an ordinance amending Ordinance No. 20150908-003 to add an electric rate schedule for service at primary voltage to customers with an average load of at least 20 megawatts and a load factor of at least 85 percent.

Monitor’s take: This item comes after last month’s conversation about tariffs for AE’s largest industrial customers. As a reminder, a special rate once given to the group has run out, and only two of the rate payers have had their deals extended.

7. Approve third reading of an ordinance adopting and authorizing execution of an Impervious Cover Transfer Agreement associated with a 5.92 acre property located at 6308 Spicewood Springs Road known as Ace Salvage Yard and Ace Discount Glass (District 10).

Monitor’s take: Council gave its initial nod to this deal back in May. The rather complicated case could be resolved today, which would mean the end of the salvage yard and removal of contamination in the critical water quality zone. In exchange, the owner of the salvage yard will be able to trade impervious cover “credits” and build a dog kennel and storage units on his property.

27. Approve a resolution initiating code amendments related to relocation requirements for developments that will result in displacement of tenants. (Notes: SPONSOR: Council Member Sabino “Pio” Renteria CO 1: Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo CO 2: Council Member Delia Garza CO 3: Council Member Gregorio Casar CO 4: Council Member Ann Kitchen)

Monitor’s take: Given the recent focus on the human cost of gentrification in the city, we are expecting this discussion to be an interesting one. (As a side note, there was no backup posted online this week for the first time in our memory, so we will have to wait to read the resolution itself.)

33. Approve a resolution adopting the Austin Convention Center’s Long-Range Master Plan regarding Convention Center facilities.

Monitor’s take: Plans to expand the Convention Center have steadily been accumulating opposition from various corners, from Austinites interested in city development to Council members themselves. The ensuing tension could make for an interesting discussion about what drives the city, and what the city should drive.

78. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance that suspends issuing new short-term rental Type 2 licenses.

Monitor’s take: Although this was intended to be a focused, quick portion of the short-term rental resolution that Council recently approved, like all things STR, chaos reigns. At the work session, there was some debate over whether there is a gulf between Council’s intent and what it will consider today. We expect that debate to continue and will do our level best to translate it. For the record, this ordinance is not the entirety of the short-term rental amendments, just the moratorium on Type 2 rentals that the Planning Commission recommended last month.

81. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance amending City Code Chapter 25-1 and Ordinance No. 20070621-027 relating to parkland dedication requirements and associated fees imposed as a condition to development approval.

Monitor’s take: We covered this proposal back in August. At the time, we detailed some concerns with raising the fee, and critics also highlight the increase in the ratio of residents to parkland. With development in the pipeline, they are concerned that the new ratio is simply not doable in the urban core.

36. C14-2014-0153 – The Enclave at Oak Parke – District 8 – Approve third reading of an ordinance amending City Code Chapter 25-2 by zoning property locally known as 10301-10317 Salmon Drive (Slaughter Creek Watershed-Barton Springs Zone) from interim-rural residence (I-RR) district zoning and interim-single family residence-standard lot (I-SF-2) district zoning to single family residence-standard lot (SF-2) district zoning. First Reading approved on November 20, 2014. Vote: 7-0. Second Reading approved on February 12, 2015. Vote: 11-0.

Monitor’s take: Though it’s been almost a year since the second reading was approved, the applicant has not yet signed a restrictive covenant that imposes Council-approved conditions. As a result, and in light of the fact that the case will soon expire, staff is now recommending a denial or modified approval.

38. NPA-2015-0017.01 – Korean United Presbyterian Church – District 7 – Conduct a public hearing and approve an ordinance on second and third readings amending Ordinance No. 040401-Z-2, amending the Crestview/Wooten Combined Neighborhood Plan, an element of the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan, to change the land use designation on the future land use map (FLUM) on property locally known as 2000 Justin Lane (portion of) (Shoal Creek Watershed) from Civic to Multifamily land use.

39. C14-2015-0025 – Korean United Presbyterian Church – District 7 – Conduct a public hearing and approve an ordinance on second and third readings amending Chapter 25-2 of the Austin City Code by rezoning property locally known as 2000 Justin Lane (Shoal Creek Watershed) from single-family residence-neighborhood plan (SF-3-NP) combining district zoning to multifamily residence medium density-conditional overlay-neighborhood plan (MF-3-CO-NP) combining district zoning.

Monitor’s take: Council passed this contentious case on first reading, and pushed off the public hearing to second and third readings. That day has now arrived.

… And, Mount Zion

Monitor’s take: As a note, the Mount Zion case may really and truly come to an end today, as all of the various cases hobbled together to form a compromise will, most likely, be passed on consent after months of struggle in the Planning Commission.