City Council passed two ordinances Feb. 9 aimed at helping the community make needed storm repairs safely and quickly. Both ordinances waive permitting and development fees and some permitting requirements for repairs to single- and multifamily homes damaged during the ice storm between Jan. 31 and Feb. 2. The first ordinance “waives permitting and development fees for structural repairs and tree removal associated with the winter storm. The waiver applies to plan reviews, inspections, demolitions and variances, but not to re-inspections when repairs do not comply with Code requirements and fail initial inspections.” The second ordinance “allows the building official to exempt some electrical work from permit requirements, extends the deadline for some permit applications, and waives a city of Austin registration requirement for electricians who are licensed to work in Texas.” Find more details here.

On Thursday, citizens making public information requests were notified that the city of Austin had asked the Texas attorney general’s office “to suspend certain deadlines under the Texas Public Information Act for seven calendar days. This notice and the suspension will allow city departments involved in the response to last week’s winter weather to have time to respond to public information requests received during that time.” The provision allowing the city to submit what is called a “catastrophe notice” allows the city to suspend parts of the Public Information Act to give it extra time to respond to public information requests. “Any pending public information requests that have been received will be paused for seven calendar days and new public information requests that are received over the next seven calendar days will be deemed received on February 13, 2023.” However, departments not affected by the winter storm “should continue to respond to public information requests under normal procedures,” the city said. The Texas Legislature approved changes to the law in 2019 in response to Hurricane Harvey. The city did not provide a list of departments impacted by the recent storm, but it undoubtedly includes Austin Energy, Austin Travis County EMS, the Austin Fire Department, and the Parks and Recreation Department. An Austin Monitor reporter who made a PIR on Jan. 27 was told she would receive a response by March 6.

Sales tax collections for Austin are up 9.77 percent for the year, according to data released Wednesday by Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar. So far, the city has collected more than $61.5 million in sales tax money. Capital Metro’s tax revenues have increased by close to 9 percent, giving the transit agency $67.4 million for the year to date. Round Rock’s tax collections are up nearly 7 percent for the year, but jumped a hefty 11.82 percent in the most recent report. Overall, Hegar’s press release said state sales tax revenue totaled $4.11 billion in January, 6.6 percent more than in January 2022. The majority of January sales tax revenue is based on sales made in December and remitted to the agency in January.

St. David’s Foundation has announced more than $43 million in grant funding that will benefit local and grassroots organizations in Central Texas. A total of 108 grants were awarded from September to December 2022, reflecting “the foundation’s commitment to advancing health equity in Central Texas through investment and action,” says the news release. “The most significant portion of these new investments will ensure that more people have access to medical and behavioral care through safety net clinics; provide support to low-income older adults to remain in their homes and stay connected to their communities; and support systems to address housing and homelessness.” Here’s more info and a list of the 93 grantees.

The Black Fund at Austin Community Foundation has announced that it “will be awarding $355,000 in grant funding to 21 Black-led and Black-serving nonprofits in Central Texas later this month.” The grants focus on four areas, which are education; health and wellness; power building, organizing and advocacy; and wealth building. The grantees and specific funding levels will be announced at the Black Fund Awards Show later this month. The show will include performances by Roland Martin, Alesia Lani, Ballet Afrique, Cha’keeta Banita, Tje Austin and Taméca Jones. Monday, Feb. 27, 6-9 p.m., Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Ave. See a full list of grantees and get tickets here.

Austin Energy delivered the dispiriting news Monday that, while the vast majority of Austinites had power restored, the utility was aiming to have everyone back online by Sunday, Feb. 12. Complicating already complicated repair matters is a forecast that threatens high winds and rain that may slow down repairs further. In the meantime, the city continues to compile and distribute resources for those who might still be without power or are coping with damage sustained during the ice storm. Information about shelters, food distribution, disaster response, utilities, repairs and permitting, storm debris management and other safety information can be found on the city’s website, here.

On the heels of a destructive ice storm, the Development Services Department wants to get the word out to Austinites that permits are not required to start work on emergency repairs to homes and businesses. Storm repairs “can begin immediately, and DSD will work with you to ensure repairs were completed safely.” Need an emergency inspection for electrical or plumbing repair? Call 512-974-2030 for electrical work or 512-974-1520 for plumbing work. Inspections are available 24/7. Find more information about emergency repairs, permitting and inspections at austintexas.gov/emergency-permits. DSD can also be reached via the chat feature on its home page at DevelopmentATX.com. Any questions? Call 311, Monday-Friday, 7:45 a.m.-4:45 p.m.

Former Austin Chamber of Commerce President Laura Huffman, in partnership with Steven Pedigo, has a new venture called CivicSol, a consulting firm to help communities “develop their economies to benefit all.” Huffman, who resigned as president and CEO of the chamber late last year, previously served as an assistant city manager with the city of Austin and then as executive director for the Texas branch of the Nature Conservancy before joining the chamber. She is the founding executive director of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs Urban Lab at the University of Texas. Sharing her news on LinkedIn, she wrote, “Steven and I have teamed up to bring our deep cross-sector expertise to the table with an approach that is grounded in the belief that value-driven, public-private partnerships are necessary for building successful economies and addressing the challenges inherent to the urban environment.”

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority sent out an announcement letting the community know that all of its bus routes are back up and are operating at their regular service times. MetroRail has also resumed service, as of today at 5:40 a.m. from Leander Station. Crews from the transit agency have been working “throughout the week to ensure the safety and reliability of our service, and we are now able to return to full operational capacity,” according to the announcement.

Workers from the Development Services Department are out in the field working on repairing damage caused by this week’s winter storm. The DSD has released an announcement informing Austinites that “If your home or business is in need of emergency repairs, work can begin immediately. DSD will work with you to retroactively permit and inspect all emergency repairs to ensure work was completed safely.” Those who have fallen limbs or trees should take photos and document the estimated diameter and size of the tree. If a tree or structure has fallen on a power line, residents are advised to contact Austin Energy immediately. Find more information on emergency repair permits at austintexas.gov/page/emergency-permits or call 311.

Austin Pets Alive! has issued a desperate plea to the community seeking people who are able to serve as temporary fosters for a shelter pet, even for a few days. APA’s shelter lost power during part of the storm, and while power has since been restored and the shelter is “easing back into normal operations,” help is still needed and appreciated. Find more info on fostering, the latest updates on the shelter and cold weather tips for pets – including how to DIY a quickie shelter for outdoor cats – here.