CodeNEXT petitioners to turn in signatures today

The political action committee IndyAustin is ready to turn in its petition to put to a vote the revision of the city’s land use code known as CodeNEXT. Longtime political activists Linda Curtis and Fred Lewis formed the group and began collecting signatures in September. Fred Lewis authored the petition. The group claims to have collected 32,000 signatures, which is well over the 20,000 usually required for City Council to put a matter to a vote in the next available election, which is November in this case. However, a memo authored by Austin attorney C. Robert Heath says that the petition is likely not legal and advises Council to decline to call for the vote. Nevertheless, IndyAustin has announced a press conference at 10 a.m. today at the Office of the City Clerk at City Hall.