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Whispers
Monday, June 8, 2015 by Elizabeth Pagano
Meet CodeNEXT
The CodeNEXT team is inviting Austin residents to come meet them tonight. The group will be available to answer questions and let interested Austinites know how they can get involved in the city’s rewrite of the Land Development Code. The meetup will take place at 5:30 p.m. at Scholtz Garten. More information about the CodeNEXT process can be found on the city’s website as well, but there’s no beer there.
Friday, June 5, 2015 by Tyler Whitson
Council passes taxicab ordinance, franchise agreements
City Council unanimously passed a set of measures Thursday that include revised taxicab regulations and renewed five-year agreements with the three existing franchise agreements. The new regulations create an opportunity for taxicab drivers and their respective franchises to resolve contractual disputes through independent mediation; remove a requirement for drivers to have their chauffeur’s licenses sponsored by franchises, meaning that drivers will be able move freely among franchises; require a taxicab driver to pick up a passenger if that driver is determined to be closest to the passenger through a dispatcher’s GPS; and make issuance of additional permits to franchises contingent upon those franchises meeting certain performance requirements. Council will develop those performance requirements in the near future. The franchise agreements award 50 new permits to each of the existing franchises in the first year of each agreement, ensure that future permit distribution is based on the new performance requirements, remove a cap on the number of permits that franchises can hold and require that franchises have a dispatch system that uses GPS technology. The three existing franchises – Yellow Cab Austin, Lone Star Cab and Austin Cab Company – together hold 756 permits, which will increase to 906 permits.
Friday, June 5, 2015 by Jo Clifton
Hotel developer joins forces with Workers Defense
The Workers Defense Project’s Better Builder Program has a new partner: the developers of a hotel at 1207 E. Cesar Chavez. Cristina Tzintzún, executive director of the Workers organization, announced at a press conference Thursday that developers Brian and Bree Carrico have agreed to pay workers a minimum of $15 per hour and provide safety training for all construction workers on the project. Tzintzún said her organization and the Carricos share a common belief: “That the workers who build our city should be able to afford to live in it, and that workers’ families should know at the end of each workday that they can expect their family member to come home safely. But right now, that often isn’t the norm.” In addition to the higher wages and safety training, Tzintzún said all construction workers will have workers compensation insurance and that there will be monitoring of safety conditions to ensure the well-being of employees. Tzintzún said the Carricos chose to become part of the program because they understand the need to ensure that everyone benefits from Austin’s prosperity. According to The Austin Chronicle, not everybody is thrilled with the idea of a new hotel at that location. City Council Member Pio Renteria was quoted as saying, “I think it’s an infringement on the neighborhood.”
Friday, June 5, 2015 by Elizabeth Pagano
Beautify Dottie Jordan Park
The University Hills Neighborhood Association and the Parks and Recreation Department are inviting Austin volunteers to join them next weekend in cleaning up and “re-beautifying” Dottie Jordan Park. The cleanup will take place on Saturday, June 13, from 9 a.m. until noon. If you’re interested in volunteering, sign up by contacting Joe Washington at 512-971-5708 or joe.washington@austintexas.gov.
Friday, June 5, 2015 by Elizabeth Pagano
New sports venue to make waves in east Austin
As reported earlier this week, Austin’s newest sports venue will indeed be an inland surf park. The 160-acre NLand Surf Park will be located near the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and have the distinction of being the first inland surf park in North America. It is set to open in 2016. A press release about the park emphasized its eco-friendly nature. “We designed the park to tread lightly on the land and all its resources, especially water,” said NLand Surf Park Founder and CEO Doug Coors. “Even in the most challenging drought conditions, we will be capable of operating the lagoon with only rainwater. We partnered with Wavegarden, the Spanish engineering firm that invented the wave technology, because they figured out how to create incredible waves that are super energy efficient.” The press release also featured a statement from Travis County Commissioner Margaret Gómez, who touted the tax revenue and job opportunities the park will bring to Del Valle. The park, once open, will feature 300 “distinct waves” each hour, will have a surf school and will be the size of nine football fields.
Thursday, June 4, 2015 by Elizabeth Pagano
More tax breaks heading to Council
During yesterday’s budget work session, Council members Sheri Gallo, Ora Houston and Ann Kitchen all mentioned their interest in pursing a tax levy freeze for seniors and the disabled. Following the session, a member of Gallo’s office followed up that conversation with a post on the City Council Message Board explaining that those three Council members and Council Member Ellen Troxclair were currently at work on drafting a resolution that would do just that. The posting reads, in part, “As we continue to talk about Austin’s affordability issues, my hope is to provide much needed assistance to members of our community who are living on fixed incomes in a city with ever rising property valuations and tax bills. This resolution will be placed on the June 11th agenda for consideration.”
Thursday, June 4, 2015 by Elizabeth Pagano
Nortey running for County Commissioner
It’s official. James Nortey is running for Travis County commissioner in Precinct One. Though it’s been an open secret for a while now, Nortey officially threw his hat into the ring on Tuesday, and announced that he will be running to replace retiring County Commissioner Ron Davis. In a statement to the press, Nortey said, “Too many people feel like they’re barely holding onto their community and their homes. I’m running because we need smart, innovative, energetic approaches to government that protect and enhance the quality of life of our current neighbors and lay the groundwork for expanded opportunity for future generations.” Nortey has served on the city of Austin Planning Commission, as chair of the Mueller Neighborhood Association, as president of the Black Austin Democrats, and as vice chair of the Capital Area Progressive Democrats, among other things. Professionally, he is an associate at Duggins Wren Mann & Romero LLP.
Thursday, June 4, 2015 by Tyler Whitson
Committee recommends taxicab agreements, ordinance
The City Council Mobility Committee voted 2-1 Wednesday to recommend three proposed taxicab franchise renewal agreements and an ordinance that would substantially change the way the city regulates taxicabs to Council ahead of today’s votes on all four items. Council Member Don Zimmerman voted against the motion, saying that he couldn’t support it due to concerns with some of the proposals, but that he hopes Council will be able to address them before voting on the items. Council Member Ann Kitchen, who chairs the committee, said there are a couple of provisions that she will likely propose amendments to before Council votes. The regulatory changes, as written, would increase accessibility requirements for taxicab fleets, remove a requirement that permit holders be sponsored by a taxicab franchise and make issuance of future permits to franchises contingent on those franchises meeting certain performance measures, among other changes. The proposed five-year franchise agreements would require that the franchises use a computerized dispatch system, provide fifty additional chauffeur’s permits to each franchise in the first year of its agreement and remove the current limit on the number of permits franchises can hold, among other changes.
Thursday, June 4, 2015 by Elizabeth Pagano
Budget input deadline looms
This year, the city is asking Austinites about their budget priorities through something they are calling “Budget in a Box 2.0.” The exercise, which is designed for groups of six to 10 people, takes about an hour. According to the city, “The Financial Services Department will mail as many Budget in a Box kits as needed directly to homes, groups or churches/religious organizations. To order a kit(s), go to their website. Alternately, interested residents can watch a video about the exercise. The city is also hosting a series of guided sessions at various locations around town through June 11.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015 by Jo Clifton
City officials attend tech conference
Mayor Steve Adler, City Manager Marc Ott and Austin Energy General Manager Larry Weis were among the Austinites attending the Global City Teams Challenge Expo in Washington, D.C., Monday and Tuesday of this week. Cities from around the world sent delegates to discuss the future of smart devices and the Internet of Things in order to promote cooperation among those cities in dealing with new technologies. Austin was asked to discuss leveraging mobile devices for real-time data and resident feedback to enhance urban planning and address civic priorities, according to the website for the conference, which was sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and US Ignite. Asked to describe what type of devices Austin Energy was using that might fit with the theme of the conference, AE spokesman Robert Cullick said, “There’s an app from Austin Energy that will let you know when you’re moving into second and third tier” of electric use, which triggers higher prices. In addition, Cullick said, “Everything talks to us on a real-time basis. When a streetlight starts to go out, it communicates to a nearby streetlight,” so that the first streetlight can be repaired. In addition, Cullick pointed out that the city “can increase the lumens on our streetlights on 6th Street when it’s closing time.” Also, Austin has a 3-1-1 app that allows citizens to report things like potholes from their phones. Presumably, Austin will be sharing information about those technologies and receiving information from other cities on new uses of technology. A spokesman for the mayor’s office said that Adler would be back Tuesday night.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015 by Jo Clifton
Sen. Fraser announces retirement
On Tuesday, Sen. Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bend) joined the list of legislators not returning to the legislature in 2017. Fraser, who was first elected to the Texas House in 1988, joined the Senate in 1996. He is the Natural Resources & Economic Development Committee chair — a powerful position. He is also a member of the State Affairs, Transportation and Nominations committees. Fraser announced his decision not to seek re-election in a letter to colleagues and friends in his district as well as to the press. Fraser represents part of Travis County as well as Abilene, Belton, Fredericksburg, Killeen, Kerrville, Marble Falls and Temple. He has not been known as a friend of Austin Energy, at least recently. During the session that just ended, he filed a bill that would have given major customers of Austin’s electric utility a chance to leave Austin Energy and buy their electricity on the open market. That move was widely seen as a way to help Austin Energy’s largest customers, whose contracts with AE expired at the end of May. The legislation was a major reason why City Council approved a six-month extension of contracts with the two biggest customers, Samsung and Freescale Semiconductor, and a special tariff for Cypress Semiconductor. That cost Austin Energy about $4 million, according to an Austin Energy spokesman. In the letter he released Tuesday, Fraser did not mention Austin Energy but said his proudest accomplishment was “passing legislation requiring photo identification to vote, ensuring the integrity of the ballot box in protecting our most sacred privilege.”
Wednesday, June 3, 2015 by Tyler Whitson
Council considers creating flood task force
As Austin continues to recover from the Memorial Day weekend floods, City Council is considering creating a Flood Mitigation Task Force to meet monthly and develop recommendations for future flood preparation and response. Council Member Ann Kitchen, who sponsored the item, brought it up at a Tuesday work session, ahead of a vote at Thursday’s meeting. “The role would be to provide support for staff and also for us to have that community-wide discussion,” she said. The task force would likely consist of 11 or 22 members, Kitchen said, depending on whether Council opts to set membership at one or two appointees per Council member. Council members Ora Houston and Leslie Pool suggested that the task force should look at flooding as a citywide issue, rather than having it focus on specific areas, creeks or watersheds. Council Member Pio Renteria expressed concerns about the structure and cost of the drainage charge on residents and the amount the city allocates to fund capital improvement projects, which is something that the task force could also potentially examine when it begins meeting in September. That would take place after Council adopts a new drainage charge structure, which it is scheduled to do on or by June 18.