TipSheet: City Council, 11.1.18

Welcome to this week’s TipSheet. In the interest of space, we’ve decided not to post the entire City Council agenda, but here are the items we have our eye on today. The Office of the City Clerk posts a copy on its website, here.

Item 4: Approve a resolution declaring the City of Austin’s official intent to reimburse itself from General Obligation Contractual Obligations in the amount of $1,185,000 to purchase dual trash/recycling receptacles for public parks.

Monitor’s Take: Hey! Progress on the very slow move to get recycling in all city parks. (More background on that slog here and here.)

Item 10: Approve an ordinance setting the council meeting schedule for calendar year 2019.

Monitor’s Take: Will Council meet next Halloween? What will the budget meeting schedule look like? Tune in today for answers to these cliffhangers from Tuesday’s work session.

Item 20: Authorize negotiation and execution of a multi-term contract with Synagro of Texas-CDR, Inc., to provide biosolid composting services, for up to ten years for a total contract amount not to exceed $19,300,000. (Note: This solicitation was reviewed for subcontracting opportunities in accordance with City Code Chapter 2-9C, Minority Owned and Women Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program. For the services required for this solicitation, there were no subcontracting opportunities; therefore, no subcontracting goals were established).

Monitor’s Take: Biosolids! Talk about a slog – this contract has somehow been hanging around for years. But, judging from this week’s work session, Council might actually approve a contract today.

Item 25: Approve a resolution directing the City Manager to develop and present options for the redevelopment, renovation, and activation of the Travis County Exposition Center and the surrounding 128-acre site.

Monitor’s Take: As we reported today, the 128 acres of the expo center have been leased to the county since 1983. That lease expires in 2033, and the city is getting a jump on looking at options for using the site. This will just launch the process, of course, but we do note that the resolution sets a goal of returning with info on redevelopment possibilities in six months, so that anything requiring voter approval can be on a ballot ASAP.

Item 35: C14-2018-0043 Belmont Apartments – Conduct a public hearing and approve an ordinance amending City Code Title 25 by rezoning property locally known as 9100 Brown Lane (Little Walnut Creek Watershed). Applicant Request: To rezone from limited industrial services (LI) district zoning to general commercial services-mixed use (CS-MU) combining district zoning.

Monitor’s Take: The main bone of contention around this zoning case is whether mixed-use zoning should be allowed on the entire property, or just a portion of it. For the curious, here’s what the discussion looked like when it was at the Zoning and Platting Commission.

Item 44: C14-2018-0077 Damac Commercial-Conduct a public hearing and approve an ordinance amending City Code Title 25 by rezoning property locally known as 7712 FM 969 (Walnut Creek Watershed) from single family residence-standard lot (SF-2) district zoning to community commercial -mixed use (GR-MU) combining district zoning on Tract 1 and townhouse and condominium residence (SF-6) district zoning on Tract 2.

Monitor’s Take: With three different recommendations and a valid petition on the table, there’s a lot to discuss. Make sure you are up to speed by reading our previous coverage?

Item 56: Conduct a public hearing and consider an appeal by David Knapp, represented by Nikelle Meade, of the Zoning and Platting Commission’s denial of a preliminary plan and associated environmental variance for Live Oak Springs preliminary plan, located at 9406 Morninghill Drive.

Monitor’s Take: Though this case has been withdrawn, and will not be considered today, here’s a look back on a controversial case.

Item 57: Authorize release of the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport 2040 Master Plan to the Federal Aviation Administration for its approval of the Master Plan and the Airport Layout Plan.

Monitor’s Take: The airport is expanding! Here’s what’s going on, from our buds at KUT.

Item 62: Conduct a public hearing and approve an ordinance amending City Code Section 11-1-28(C) to change the maximum number of years for which additional taxes may be collected upon the removal of a historic zoning designation from three years to five years.

Monitor’s Take: Recently, some members of City Council were dismayed by their limited power in collecting back taxes on properties that received a historic tax exemption right up until the time they were demolished. This would expand the city’s power – increasing that limit from three to five years.

Item 9: Approve an ordinance authorizing execution of the second amendment to a settlement agreement relating to the development of property located at 6400 City Park Road (Champion Tract 3) to include congregate living and convalescent services, and to reduce impervious cover; modifying the Lake Austin Watershed regulations in Ordinance No. 840301-F; amending Ordinances No. 960613-J and 20180215-013; and waiving Planning Commission Review.

Item 55: C814-86-023.01 – Camelback PUD – Conduct a public hearing and approve second and third readings of an ordinance amending City Code Title 25 by zoning and rezoning property locally known as 6507 Bridge Point Parkway (Coldwater Creek Watershed, Lake Austin Watershed). Applicant’s Request: To zone and rezone from interim-rural residence (I-RR) district zoning, interim-Lake Austin residence (I-LA) district zoning and planned unit development (PUD) district zoning to planned unit development (PUD) district zoning, to change conditions of zoning, with conditions.

Monitor’s Take: Though we are banking on this massive development to be the biggest discussion of the day, we note that the process to approve this planned unit development (PUD) has been fairly smooth so far. Here’s our coverage to date, for reference. Oh, and this will be taken up at 7 or so, though there might be testimony prior to Council deliberation.

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