TipSheet: Austin City Council, 4.14.16

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.

3. Approve a resolution directing the City Manager to include certain requirements in the proposed [re]Manufacturing Hub solicitation.

Monitor’s take: As you might recall, the city’s [re]Manufacturing Hub became entangled with the proposed sale of city land on Winnebago Lane. That sale has since been … complicated, but that’s not what is going on here. What’s going on here is a resolution that will impose protections, such as assurances that living wages are paid, for those working on and at the Hub.

6. Approve an ordinance on second and third reading amending the process for public comment at city council and committee meetings.

Monitor’s take: During its last meeting, Council unanimously approved changes (on first reading) to its procedures that would limit the length of testimony allowed at both regular meetings and at committee meetings to 90 minutes.

7. Approve a resolution directing the City Manager to develop recommendations for a transit priority policy.

Monitor’s take: This item basically deals with developing transit lanes and signal prioritization for transit in the city, although it will also kick off some outreach to stakeholders on the topic.

13. C814-2012-0163 – Sun Chase Planned Unit Development – District 2 – Approve second reading of an ordinance amending City Code Chapter 25-2 by zoning property locally known as 15201, 15810, and 16070 Pearce Lane, and 7910 Wolf Lane (Dry Creek East Watershed) from interim-single family residence-standard lot (I-SF-2) district zoning and interim-single family residence-small lot (I-SF-4A) district zoning to planned unit development (PUD) district zoning.

Monitor’s take: We covered this case when it was at the Planning Commission in January. Although there were some questions about how affordable housing for the development would work, the commission voted unanimously to recommend it.

16. C14-2014-0198 – One Two East – District 1 – Conduct a public hearing and approve an ordinance amending City Code Chapter 25-2 by rezoning property locally known as 1109, 1105, and 1107 North IH 35 Service Road Northbound (Waller Creek Watershed) from general commercial services-neighborhood conservation combining district-neighborhood plan (CS-NCCD-NP) combining district zoning to general commercial services-neighborhood conservation combining district-neighborhood plan (CS-NCCD-NP) combining district zoning for Tract 1, and from commercial-liquor sales-neighborhood conservation combining district-neighborhood plan (CS-1-NCCD-NP) combining district zoning to commercial-liquor sales-neighborhood conservation combining district-neighborhood plan (CS-1-NCCD-NP) combining district zoning for Tract 2.

Monitor’s take: This would have been the most contentious thing on the agenda, were it not for a late-breaking request for postponement from the developer. As it stands now, Council will take it up in May, but we shall see …

20. C14-2015-0133A – 1204 San Antonio Street – District 9 – Conduct a public hearing and approve an ordinance amending Chapter 25-2 of the Austin City Code by rezoning property locally known as 1204 San Antonio Street (Shoal Creek Watershed) from general office (GO) district zoning to downtown mixed use (DMU) district zoning.

21. C14-2015-0133B – 1205 Nueces Street – District 9 – Conduct a public hearing and approve an ordinance amending Chapter 25-2 of the Austin City Code by rezoning property locally known as 1205 Nueces Street (Shoal Creek Watershed) from general office (GO) district zoning to downtown mixed use (DMU) district zoning.

Monitor’s take: Planning Commissioners gave a lukewarm OK to this project earlier this year. Here’s our coverage of that.

26. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance amending City Code Title 25 and Title 30 of the Land Development Code to change the staff review time for development applications from calendar days to the equivalent number of business days, define review times in administrative rules, modify the life of a site plan or subdivision application from 180 days with an available 180 day extension to one year with no extension provision, establish a stop-clock provision for development application life for related applications that require a public hearing, and establish expiration dates for subdivision vacation and subdivision construction plan applications consistent with other development permit applications.

Monitor’s take: Though this seems like a simple change on its face, there could be some nuanced implications if the change is made. And you know we love nuanced implications at the Austin Monitor.

27. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance amending City Code Title 25 related to the neighborhood plan design tool known as garage placement standards.

Monitor’s take: We also love small tweaks to the Land Development Code. This garage placement issue is much like the small-lot amnesty issue from earlier this year — basically, developers are using it in a way that neighborhoods didn’t anticipate when they opted in to the standard. For a refresher, here is our previous coverage on the topic.