City Council Notes — June 2009

City Council Notes — June 2009

By Community Impact Newspaper Staff Friday, 26 June 2009

Austin

New school speed limit

Austin City Council approved an ordinance to amend the speed limit near Gorzycki Middle School, set to open this fall. In effect June 29, the maximum speed limit will be 35 miles an hour on the portion of Slaughter Lane W. from Barstow Avenue to 900 feet south of RM 1826.

Austin Film Society

Austin City Council members voted to renew a lease agreement with the Austin Film Society over 20 acres of land at the city’s former airport. The lease renewal, which was approved during the council’s June 18 meeting, enables the film society to continue using the former Robert Mueller Municipal Airport for studio complexes.

The site has been a boost to Austin’s bubbling film scene since the city and film society first entered into a lease together in 2000. That lease, as well as the renewed lease, calls for the premises to be used as a studio complex for production of films, television programs, commercials and multimedia productions. Under the agreement, the film society pays the city $100 per year and, in lieu of fair market rental, AFS finds film, television and multimedia companies to house at the site.

Zero Waste Plan

Austin council members voted June 18 to negotiate a $1.5 million contract with HDR Engineering Inc. to develop a long-term plan for the city’s Solid Waste Services Department. The firm will be responsible for helping implement the city’s Zero Waste Strategic Plan, which was approved by the council in mid-January. The goal of the Zero Waste Plan is to cut the amount of city waste going into landfills by 90 percent. City officials say waste reduction will be accomplished through recycling, education, innovations and public/private partnerships to curb trash in the city. The firm will be responsible for crafting the plan and developing ways to implement it in the city.

City music department

Austin City Council members delayed a vote on whether to establish a city music department until Aug. 6. The proposition for a music department was brought forward by council members Mike Martinez and Laura Morrison, who said creating the department is a critical step in maturing as a city that supports live music. The decision to delay the vote during the council’s June 18 meeting came after Councilwoman Sheryl Cole expressed concerns over costs and asked for more time to analyze the proposal.

Solar rebates

City council approved rebates to businesses for installation of solar equipment as part of Austin Energy’s Commercial Energy Efficiency program in May. The aim is to reduce local air pollution through energy conservation. Several apartment complexes are receiving rebates. Each project will prevent carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide from being emitted into the atmosphere. The amount of kilowatt hours per year saved by each of these energy improvements is equivalent to providing electricity to two to three average Austin homes for a year.

Art in Public Places

The City of Austin Art in Public Places added two new public artworks to the city’s permanent art collection. The collection, created by Austin glass artist Kathleen Ash, was recently unveiled at the grand opening of the North Village Branch Library at 2505 Steck Ave. The Art in Public Places program allocates 2 percent of eligible capital improvement project budgets to artwork.

Ash was commissioned to work with building architects to integrate her artwork designs into the architecture of the building and create work that is engaging to library patrons. Visit www.cityofaustin.org/aipp.

Conservation easements

Land preservation agreements were authorized by Austin City Council for the acquisition of two conservation easements consisting of approximately 1,900 acres of land located in the Barton Springs Recharge Zone. The agreement, in partnership with Hays County and the Hill Country Conservancy, will protect natural areas, preserve open space and maintain or enhance water quality.

Accelerate Austin

Accelerate Austin is a major transportation initiative aimed at not only fixing local roads but jumpstarting Austin’s economy. The first two projects were launched April 23. These include a street reconstruction project in the Oak Plantation subdivision of south Austin and a road design and construction project connecting Howard Lane and Cameron Road to Toll 130 in north Austin.

Street closures

An amended ordinance approved by the Austin City Council now requires that event coordinators communicate details of street closures to businesses and residents in the affected area. If 20 percent or more of those notified express concerns, the proposed closures will be evaluated before city council in a public hearing. The Urban Transportation Commission will now be the appeal body that will accept complaints and review rules surrounding street closures during downtown parades, festivals and events.

Police training campus named after former Austin Mayor Roy Butler

In May, city council unanimously approved naming the Austin Police Department’s Training Academy after former Austin Mayor Roy Butler — the first Austin mayor elected by the public, serving two terms from 1971-1975 — in recognition of his more than half-century of support for law enforcement. The Roy Butler Police Training Academy campus includes classrooms, a driving track, gym and outdoor shooting range in southeast Austin. Improved facilities are expected to be built later this year.

Travis County

New facilities for Travis County

The Travis County Commissioners Court approved a $1.5 million contract with Austin consultants Broaddus & Associates to develop a master plan for Travis County facilities downtown. The county has only appropriated money for the first of two phases of the contract, amounting to $841,000. Phase one began June 1 and will end by February 2010. If commissioners do not like how the study is going, they have the option not to fund phase two, which is scheduled to be finished by December 2010.

Upcoming Austin City Council meetings

• July 23
• Sessions begin at 10 a.m.
• 301 W. Second St.
• Meetings are broadcast on municipal TV cable channel 6 and on 88.7 FM radio, starting at 1:30 p.m. Meetings are streamed live on the channel 6 website, www.ci.austin.tx.us/channel6. Visit www.ci.austin.tx.us/council for more information, including transcripts, schedules, agendas and archived video.

Upcoming Travis County Commissioners Court meetings

• June 30, July 7, 14 and 21
• Sessions begin at 9 a.m.
• 314 W. 11th St.
• The public is welcome in the courtroom, or may choose to watch a live broadcast of the proceedings on TCTV-17 or view streaming video on the web at www.co.travis.tx.us/commissioners_court/. Archived video files, agendas and schedules are also available online.