City Council seems poised to move forward with a temporal expansion of the Waller Creek Tax Increment Financing Reinvestment Zone at its May 24 meeting, although some members are concerned that Travis County apparently does not wish to continue past the current end date of 2028. The city proposes an expansion of the time frame for the zone to 2041. The TIRZ, as it is commonly called at the city, was created in 2008. Under the agreement, the city contributes 100 percent of the incremental tax revenue collected in the designated area around Waller Creek and Travis County contributes 50 percent, based on the amounts each collected in 2007. As members discussed in March, expansion would enable the city and the Waller Creek Conservancy to fund improvements to Waterloo Park and Palm Park and create two new parks called Creek Delta and The Refuge. The big surprise in Tuesday’s work session briefing came from Assistant City Attorney Leela Fireside, who told Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo that the city can use money collected from the zone to pay for affordable housing. Tovo noted that the city can do all the things that it wants to do with the downtown parks and still have $30 million left over. She recalled that staff had indicated last September that the money could be used for emergency shelter, but not for permanent housing. But Fireside, who said she had done research on the issue, assured Tovo that such tax funds could indeed be used for affordable housing. “That’s terrific,” Tovo said, adding that she would like to have a formal written document stating that the money can be used for permanent housing. Council will hold a public hearing on May 24 before making a decision on having a longer time frame for the TIRZ.

The Public Safety Commission voted to recommend funding the building of three new temporary fire stations in Del Valle and Travis Country after many residents detailed the area’s delayed response times and unmet needs. Anthony Davis, Austin Fire Department assistant chief, said that while some areas have a 9-minute response time, others could experience a response time of up to 19 minutes. Commission Chair Rebecca Webber said she and other commissioners have been hearing for years about the top five needed fire stations in the city, two of which are in Del Valle and one in Travis Country. “Year after year, we talk about how we need these fire stations, (but) to me, the issue reached a critical level when it was reported that people in these neighborhoods are (experiencing a rise in) their homeowners insurance because insurers think (these residents are) in greater danger.” According to Bob Nicks, president of the Austin Firefighters Association, the temporary stations could be built on the same land where permanent stations could sit. He also said, however, the city is thinking of creative solutions for these temporary stations, like considering the tollbooth along Highway 130 for one station’s build. Despite the short-term expectations, the stations will include the same amenities as permanent ones, such as showers and kitchen facilities. The final motion, which stated that the three most-needed fire stations should also include facilities to house ambulances, passed unanimously.

City Council members want to develop a new way of appointing members to various Council committees, but they don’t agree on what the new process should look like. Council Member Jimmy Flannigan has proposed that the mayor, based on feedback from Council members, submit a list of appointments that Council could make changes to and approve. However, at a Council work session on Tuesday, Council Member Leslie Pool said she didn’t want the mayor calling the shots; she wants a more “collaborative process,” by which Council would come to consensus about appointments. “I think we’re all capable of coming to an agreement about who should be on what committee, so we don’t need a mediator,” said Pool, adding that Austin does not have a “strong mayor” system of government. Flannigan rejected the notion that his proposal was not collaborative, noting that Council members will be able to propose changes to or reject the mayor’s nominations. “It’s just a nomination list,” he said. “Council can do whatever it wants.” Council is scheduled to take up the matter at its next meeting on Thursday (Item 45).

The Barton Springs Bathhouse Rehabilitation is on the way, and in preparation, the city is now seeking feedback through a short online survey. The rehab, which is part of the 2009 Barton Springs Pool Master Plan, will include structural repairs, changes to the adjacent parking lot, replacement of the plumbing systems and restoration of the entry rotunda and changing rooms. The survey will be open until May 31.

The Austin Transportation Department and Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority have been hosting the Traffic Jam series to familiarize the public with Project Connect and all things transit-related. Over the next few weeks, mini Traffic Jams have been added to the program, six in North Austin and six in South Austin. The next mini jam is tonight, May 8, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Austin Public Library Hampton Branch at Oak Hill, 5125 Convict Hill Road.

Effective yesterday morning, the on-street, metered parking hours in Central East Austin are now 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The new parking rules cover Interstate 35 to Chicon Street and East 11th Street to Lady Bird Lake, where the hours were previously 6 p.m. to 11:59 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Over the next two weeks, parking enforcement officers will issue warning citations as residents get used to the new hours. The new hours are an attempt to circulate traffic and create turnover, the Austin Transportation Department said in a press release, as the department has been hearing complaints from stakeholders about unavailability of daytime parking in the area.

The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is expanding, and the airport has released a video sneak peek inside the construction efforts. The project is adding nine gates to the terminal, which will contain an additional 88,359 square feet of concourse, hold rooms, concessions and retail space. There will also be a new outdoor patio space that will overlook the east runway. Watch the video below, and head over to the airport’s blog post for more details.

Travis County has opened up the call for suggestions for names for the Travis County Tax Office at 5501 Airport Blvd. Any person or group is welcome to make a recommendation. If a recommendation commemorates an individual, a biographical sketch of the individual must be included. Only names of persons who have made a significant contribution to Travis County will be considered. Recommendations must be made in writing to Roger A. El Khoury, M.S., P.E., Director, Travis County Facilities Management Department, P.O. Box 1748, Austin, Texas 78767, or by email to roger.elkhoury@traviscountytx.gov. The submission deadline is Monday, June 11. A public discussion will follow on Tuesday, June 19, at 9 a.m., in the Commissioners Courtroom at 700 Lavaca St.

Rental housing providers have access to new resources intended to help them comply with fair housing regulations related to tenants with criminal backgrounds. The Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable has released a new background screening guide that was created to give property owners and managers guidance on legal terminology, how to calculate a look-back period and how to conduct individual reviews in compliance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The screening guide was created by a coalition of local organizations including the Austin Apartment Association, the Austin Tenants’ Council, the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition and the University of Texas Law School’s Community Development Clinic. Approximately one in three Texas residents have a criminal background, and it is hoped that uniform local practices for conducting background checks will make it easier for those with low likelihood of follow-up legal issues to find safe and stable housing. The guide can be accessed at www.reentryroundtable.net.

Bike to Work Day returns for its eighth year on Friday, May 18. Fifty-two cities are participating in this nationwide event, where regular and nonregular bicyclists are encouraged to ditch their cars and head to work on two wheels. Here in Austin, cycling commuters will be rewarded with free food and drinks at more than two dozen “fueling stations” throughout the city, organized by local bicycling advocacy organization Bike Austin. There’s more than just snacks at these stations: C3 Presents will be giving away a pair of tickets to this year’s Austin City Limits Festival, and the TownLake YMCA is opening up its doors, offering free passes and shower use in its facilities. Riders are encouraged to visit multiple fueling stations with the Passport Program. Pick up a passport at the first station you visit and get it stamped at each stop. Then, after work, head to the after-party at Cheer Up Charlies from 5 to 7 p.m., where you can redeem each stamp for one entry in a drawing for prizes like gift cards to local restaurants and have a drink with fellow bikers. Cheer Up Charlies is donating 10 percent of all after-party bar sales to Bike Austin, and there will be live music from local Americana artist Nichole Wagner and singer-songwriter Jonathan Brinkley.

Austin Energy made it on the Smart Electric Power Alliance’s 11th annual top 10 list of utilities that connected the most solar to the grid. The utility installed 285.9 MW of solar power last year, earning it a sixth-place ranking on the list. “The Austin City Council has consistently directed Austin Energy to be a leader among cities in the pursuit of solar energy,” said Jackie Sargent, Austin Energy general manager, in the utility’s press release. “We appreciate SEPA’s recognition, which places Austin Energy among the nation’s top utilities for solar deployment.” The release states that over 7,500 Austinites utilize solar power in their homes or businesses, and this number is growing. In 2017, rooftop solar grew by 22 percent, and Austin Energy “saw a 2.5 fold increase in utility scale solar, with a total of 464 MW operational. Another 320 MW are under contract and expected to be energized by 2020, bringing Austin Energy to over 50 percent renewable once online.”

Every year, St. Edward’s University, in partnership with Open Austin, Google Fiber and the city’s Innovation Office, hosts the ATX Hack for Change competition to provide computer programming-savvy Austinites with a chance to use their skills to improve their community. Now in its sixth iteration, the hackathon is open to residents over the age of 16 with all backgrounds, interests and levels of experience. This year’s competition runs from June 1-3: Check out the event website to see projects from previous winners and register to participate.