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- Austin’s airport is getting a new concourse and 20 more gates but not until the 2030s
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- Save Our Springs Alliance sues City Council over Open Meetings Act
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Whispers
Tuesday, October 23, 2018 by Katy McElroy
Celebrate roots and wings this weekend
Can’t decide whether to party in observance of Arbor Day or for Monarch Appreciation Day? Well, this year you don’t have to. This year there will be a joint celebration of both nature holidays at the Zilker Botanical Garden. The Roots and Wings Festival is Saturday, Oct 27, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 2220 Barton Springs Road, with free parking on Stratford Drive. Nature-inspired costumes are encouraged, and a costume parade will happen at 1:30 p.m. Other activities include a singing zoologist, a butterfly tag-and-release station, a kids’ tree climb with city arborists, and nature walks. Bring your own picnic, or grab something to go from the food truck. There is a small entrance fee – $1 for kids under 12 and seniors 62 and over, $2 for Austin resident adults, and $3 for nonresidents – and the event will take place rain or shine.
Tuesday, October 23, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
ASSET launches
A new coalition introduced itself to Texas yesterday. The Alliance for Securing and Strengthening the Economy in Texas (or “ASSET”) released a press release announcing its official launch and vowed to “fight for public policies that protect Texas small business owners from burdensome, California-style government regulations.” The 501(c)(4) nonprofit explained that it “believes it is in the best interest of the Texas economy to defend state sovereignty by passing a statewide law to preempt local governments from unilaterally enacting piecemeal local employment and labor laws affecting private employer operational business practices like employer benefits, scheduling, and hiring practices. … Texas businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to operate under these unfunded mandates and burdensome regulations. ASSET believes statewide legislation should be signed into law to prohibit municipalities from instituting local ordinances regulating business practices.” According to that same press release, members include the Real Estate Council of Texas, the Texas Apartment Association, the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association and the Texas Association of Builders.
Tuesday, October 23, 2018 by Alyx Wilson
ZAP calls for Cap Remap equity check
At the most recent meeting of the Zoning and Platting Commission, commissioners unanimously approved a resolution calling for interlocal agreements regarding transit connectivity between the city of Austin and the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The resolution is intended to encourage Capital Metro to improve its bus schedule in areas with low-income households and high minority populations, in response to allegations that Capital Metro had violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and that its new “Every 15” minutes campaign is intentionally misleading. Commissioners David King and Ana Aguirre’s presentation pointed out areas of the Cap Remap route map with potential issues. Some members of the public had expressed concern regarding the new route maps’ potential disparate impact on minority populations living in Northeast, East and South Austin, saying that individuals in those areas encounter wait times between 45 and 60 minutes for buses as opposed to 15-30 minutes for “white millennials” near the University of Texas campus and Mueller. The commission passed the resolution unanimously 7-0, with commissioners Dustin Breithaupt, Sunil Lavani, Nadia Barrera-Ramirez and Bruce Evans absent.
Monday, October 22, 2018 by Katy McElroy
Who’s running for mayor?
The Austin Monitor, KUT, Glasshouse Policy and A Functional Democracy will be wrapping up our candidate forum series tonight with a conversation with the mayoral candidates. The forum will start at 7 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1164 San Bernard St. Those who are free earlier can join us for a happy hour at Full Circle Bar, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. RSVP here.
Monday, October 22, 2018 by Katy McElroy
UPDATED: Austin Water urges city to reduce water use
Update 11:30 a.m.: The city of Austin is now also on a boil water notice. Residents should boil water before drinking or cooking with it, or use bottled water.
Austin Water has issued an urgent call for all city residents to make efforts to reduce their water intake. According to a press release from the department: “Historic flood waters flowing into our region’s water supply lakes, the Highland Lakes, contain much higher levels of debris, silt, and mud. As a result, Austin water is experiencing reduced water treatment capacity. It is taking more time to filter and treat the water to remove the higher levels of silt and debris.” Apparently the enormous amount of extra water in the lakes is causing the water to be 100 times cloudier than usual, requiring that much more effort to deliver clean water to homes and businesses. Therefore, the utility is asking for residents to help out by reducing their water usage as much as they can, including by stopping outdoor watering and minimizing indoor water use by taking shorter showers and postponing washing clothes and dishes as long as possible. Visit AustinWater.org for updates, and follow the utility on Facebook and Twitter.
Monday, October 22, 2018 by Katy McElroy
Check out the AFD chief candidates
The Austin Fire Department is bringing its search for a new fire chief to the public. Last week the department announced the candidates for the job: Joel Baker, Noel Horan, Steve Landin, Kevin McGee, Mark Rohlfing and Scott Walker. Now, everyone is invited to meet these six finalists from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 25, at Town Lake Center, 721 Barton Springs Road. Attendees will hear presentations and a moderated discussion, and meet the final candidates. The event will be shown live on the city’s Facebook page, ATXN, and ATXN.tv. The AFD has been led by Interim Chief Tom Dodds since the previous chief, Rhoda Mae Kerr, left in July to be the fire chief in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The city manager is expected to choose the new chief by the end of the year.
Monday, October 22, 2018 by Ryan Thornton
Austin makes deal for local solar power
Thursday morning, in a step toward a cleaner future, City Council approved a deal between Austin Energy and East Blackland Solar Project 1 LLC to create a 144-megawatt utility-scale solar generation facility in Travis County. The deal entails a 15-year power purchase by Austin Energy of $11 million per year for a total of $165 million. The facility will feed right into the city’s energy system upon completion in 2020, putting Austin on track to meet the goal set out by the Austin Energy Resource, Generation, and Climate Protection Plan to 2027, which anticipates approximately 65 percent renewable generation from Austin Energy by 2027. Austin Energy currently sources above 30 percent of its energy from renewables, compared to 20 percent in 2015. East Blackland Solar Project 1 was chosen among more than 430 proposals from 80 separate projects following an Austin Energy request for proposal on May 4. The vote passed 9-1 with Council Member Ellen Troxclair voting no.
Friday, October 19, 2018 by Katy McElroy
It’s easy to vote early
There are 17 days left until the joint general and special elections on Tuesday, Nov. 6. However, early voting starts in just two days, on Oct. 22. The Travis County clerk will offer 29 permanent early voting sites, along with 61 mobile locations, making it easy and convenient to cast your ballot. The site at Austin Community College Highland Campus will have two check-in stations and 20 voting booths. Voters will be deciding contests for 28 local jurisdictions including Austin Community College, city of Austin and Austin Independent School District in addition to the gubernatorial election. View your sample ballot at www.votetravis.com. There is also a plethora of voting information, including a map of voting locations, at the county clerk’s website. Travis County also has a voting hotline with information: 512-238-VOTE.
Friday, October 19, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Floods continue
Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt issued a local declaration of disaster Thursday, as flooding in the area continued. Gov. Greg Abbott has issued a state of emergency in 18 Texas counties, and in a letter to Abbott, Eckhardt explained, “While response operations are still underway, it is my belief that damage to homes, businesses, public infrastructure and property due to rain and flood water constitutes a potential public health and safety hazard. I have declared a local disaster due to flooding. I have determined the incident will be of such severity that effective recovery will be beyond Travis County’s capability without State and/or federal Assistance. Additionally, I certify that Travis County does not have local funding available to make the needed repairs and to provide these citizens effective relief. Your assistance in this emergency, as it affects the safety and health of our citizens, would be greatly appreciated.” Meanwhile, the city has closed Barton Springs Pool and the hike and bike trail around Lady Bird Lake. A ban on recreational craft on Lake Austin, Lady Bird Lake and Lake Travis has been extended until next week. Up-to-date information on flooding and closures can be found at atxfloods.com.
Friday, October 19, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
With a PUD, sometimes the second, third, or fourth try is the charm
Although the Environmental Commission previously recommended the planned unit development at 4907 RM 2222 – which was subsequently approved by Council on Dec. 14, 2017– the applicant neglected to ask for one last variance that would have allowed them to complete the project without a hitch. According to Dwayne Shoppa of Stantec, the applicant representing the project at the Oct. 17 meeting of the Environmental Commission, at the time that the PUD was approved, the project team knew that they would require an additional eight feet of fill to construct a properly graded driveway to allow access to the property. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get that written into the PUD,” Shoppa said. Current code allows for four feet of fill, but in order to safely pave the driveway, the applicant asked for a variance to raise that limit from four feet to 10 feet. Shoppa said that aside from the additional fill that the project needs, there are no other changes. Even the trees will remain untouched outside of the ones that the original plan impacted; 100 percent of the heritage trees on the site will be preserved. Commissioner Andrew Creel noted that according to his recollection, “This was literally the only feasible access point and access for the driveway,” and so the request for more fill was justified on the part of the applicant. City staff as well supported the variance in light of the fact that a cut up to 10 feet was allowed under the PUD. Other than this change, Shoppa assured the commissioners that “this alignment is still the same that everybody saw with the PUD.” The commission voted unanimously to recommend the approval of this variance. Commissioner Katie Coyne was off the dais.
Thursday, October 18, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Get out, vote
In an effort to increase voter turnout, City Council will consider a resolution today that asks employers to give their employees a break. A press release from the office of Council Member Delia Garza, who sponsored the resolution, explains: “State law requires employers in Texas to allow employees to leave work to vote on Election Day, with pay, if the employee does not have sufficient time outside working hours. Council Member Garza’s resolution encourages employers to take the lead this election season, and ensure their employees can leave work with pay to vote on Election Day or during early voting, which starts on October 22.” The press release also notes the resolution is in line with other civic efforts. Capital Metro will offer free rides on public transit on Election Day in even-numbered years. And, “Travis and Williamson Counties also use countywide voting centers, so voters can choose from any open polling place in their county, rather than taking the risk of showing up at the wrong precinct location. City of Austin employees have been allowed to take administrative leave hours to vote on Election Day, and this year, the City will begin allowing leave during early voting as well.”
Thursday, October 18, 2018 by Katy McElroy
AFD announces candidates for chief
The Austin Fire Department is getting a new chief, and the candidates have been announced:
- Joel Baker – Served as fire chief of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department in Atlanta, Georgia, until his retirement in February 2018.
- Noel Horan – Assistant to the director with the San Antonio Fire Department in San Antonio, Texas.
- Steve Landin – Fire chief and emergency management coordinator for the city of Laredo, Texas.
- Kevin McGee – Chief for the Department of Fire and Rescue in Prince William County, Virginia.
- Mark Rohlfing – Fire chief for the Milwaukee Fire Department in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
- Scott Walker – Assistant chief for the Phoenix Fire Department in Phoenix, Arizona.
The AFD, with 1,151 firefighters and 106 civilian staff members, is the 16th largest in the country. The new chief will be in charge of the $200 million annual operating budget, as well as planning, directing, and coordinating the department’s activities. The department is currently led by Interim Chief Tom Dodds. The previous chief, Rhoda Mae Kerr, left the AFD in July to be the fire chief in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Panel interviews for the six chief candidates will take place next week.