TipSheet: Travis County, 11.13.18

To help our readers stay informed, each week we offer a selection of interesting items from the Travis County Commissioners Court voting session agenda. The full list of items can be accessed at Travis County’s website.

1. Receive comments regarding a resolution of no objection for Lakeway Apartment Homes to be located at Storm Drive and RR 620 Falls Parkway, Austin, TX, 78734. (Action Item 9) (Commissioner Daugherty)

9. Consider and take appropriate action on a resolution of no objection for Lakeway Apartment Homes to be located at Storm Drive and RR 620, Austin, Texas 78734. (Public Hearing 1) (Commissioner Daugherty)

Monitor’s Take: Rise Residential Construction and Strategic Housing Finance Corporation have submitted an application to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Office to receive a 4 percent, low-income housing tax credit allocation via a Fair Housing Review. The Commissioners Court should have no objection to the application, which promises a total of 180 efficiency to three-bedroom affordable rental units in a moderate to very high area of opportunity. The units will be restricted to households making 30-80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), allowing for economic diversity in an expensive neighborhood. Once approved, an application will be sent to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for consideration.

12. Consider and take appropriate action on the creation of Turner’s Crossing Public Improvement District. (Commissioner Gómez)

Monitor’s Take: Following last week’s brief public hearing on the petition for the creation of Turner’s Crossing PID, the Commissioners Court will likely approve the petition Tuesday, marking a major milestone in the complicated history of Turner’s Crossing, which began with an initial PID proposal in 2016.

17. Consider and take appropriate action regarding the revised budgets for the 2017-’22 Bond Program and Critical Safety Projects related to the NOAA Atlas 14 findings. (Commissioners Travillion & Shea)

Monitor’s Take: The Atlas 14 study findings were initially estimated to cost Travis County an additional $31 million in the 2017-2022 Bond Program and Critical Safety Projects if the new standards for anticipated rainfall intensities were adopted. Revised estimates, however, now predict a lower total fiscal impact of $22,170,229 to be spread out over five years. The Commissioners Court has taken the Atlas 14 findings seriously and will probably approve the corrected budget impact estimates with pleasure.

25. Approve exemption and contract award to Concept Development and Planning, LLC, Contract No. 4400004050, for Phase II Public Engagement Services supporting the county’s transportation plan. (Commissioner Daugherty)

Monitor’s Take: The Commissioners Court approved the Draft Travis County Transportation Blueprint (TCTB) last Tuesday and will be moving forward with Phase II Public Engagement under a professional services agreement with Concept Development and Planning, LLC, which completed Phase I of Public Engagement in winter 2017. The sum of $80,000 has been earmarked for Phase II Public Engagement in Fiscal Year 2019-20.

30. Receive update on the legislative implications of the 2018 General Elections. (Commissioners Shea & Daugherty)

Monitor’s Take: This will be an overview and revision of the pre-election briefing, which anticipated minor changes to the overall composition of the Texas Legislature.

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