April 26 Austin City Council update

Items of interest approved include:

Cabs permits

• 64-65: Final approval of issuing additional taxicab permits for Austin Cab Co. and Lone Star Cab Co. Councilman Chris Riley was sole "no" vote.

Solar energy

• 81: Creating the Austin Local Solar Advisory Committee and directing the city manager to negotiate and execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Pecan Street Inc. to provide committee support.

Downtown parking

• 74: Initiating reduction or elimination of minimum parking requirements downtown.

MoPac bicycle and pedestrian bridge

• 75: Approving a resolution in support of a shared-use bicycle and pedestrian facility in the MoPac corridor in conjunction with the managed lanes project.

Austin Pets Alive

• 21: Authorizing Austin Pets Alive's use of the Town Lake Animal Center located at 1156 W. Cesar Chavez St.

2012 Charter Revision Committee recommendations

Placing charter amendments on the November 2012 ballot regarding the following items:

• 68: Moving the city's general election date from May to November.
• 84: Expanding the jurisdiction of the Ethics Review Commission to include campaign finance violations.
• 87: Creating a campaign finance database.
• 88: Enhancing required reporting regarding bundlers of campaign contributions and creating limits on the amounts of campaign contributions that may be bundled by lobbyists.

Withdrawn:

• 79: Placing a charter amendment on the November 2012 ballot to establish an advisory task force on drawing geographical districts for City Council elections.

Postponed until May 24:

• 85: Placing a charter amendment on the November 2012 ballot requiring special reporting of campaign contributions made in the last nine days before an election.
• 86: Placing a charter amendment on the November 2012 ballot enhancing reporting of independent expenditures in city elections.

The next city council meeting is scheduled for May 24 at 10 a.m., City Hall, 301 W. Second St.