As City Council enters its July semi-hiatus – though the work inevitably goes on – it decided a few things last Thursday, punted a few others, and otherwise kept the ball moving. The White Lodging fee waiver controversy was ducked for now (see above), and the long-awaited Density Bonus Program becomes effective July 8 (“Density Bonus Program ‘Interim’ No More,” p.16). And in a breath of fresh air, the Oak Creek Village redevelopment deal (see left) confirmed that it’s possible for stakeholders to join together for everybody’s good.
In that spirit of optimism, Council decided to move forward on a potential November housing bond vote (not yet confirmed) – though it will once again be a close question as to whether they’ve left themselves enough time to promote it – and also directed staff to develop a five-year strategy. We should be so lucky.
A couple of resolutions responded to lakefront neighborhood concerns about environmental encroachments: Council directed staff to generate recommendations to maintain existing environmental protections along the shoreline; and to determine if anything legally could be done about the many aerial banner ads on event weekends. Only former pilot Lee Leffingwell was particularly skeptical, saying he’d oppose additional regulation “even if it turns out to be legal,” which he doubted.
On public safety: Council ratified an EMS deal with Travis County, and more prominently, a new police officer meet-and-confer contract, in which the Austin Police Association agreed that reports on critical incidents by the Citizen Review Panel will be routinely released, instead of restricted to department discipline cases.
Council also heard a briefing on the work in progress of the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Initiative, an effort begun in 2008; a new consultant’s report is available at austintexas.gov/department/hispanic-quality-life, and is posted online with this week’s “Point Austin,” p.9.
This article appears in July 5 • 2013.
