The Fun Fun Fun Fest stage lit up Austin during last year's event.[/caption]UPDATED: 6:23 p.m. CST 8/6/15
The fate of annual Austin music festival Fun Fun Fun Fest could soon be determined as a compromise among stakeholders continues to be discussed.
Austin City Council will consider a resolution at its Aug. 6 meeting that would instruct city staff to continue talks with stakeholders and allow FFF Fest to use no more than one acre of off-leash dog park space at Vic Mathias Shores—formerly known as Auditorium Shores—during the Nov. 6-8 event.
The music festival is scheduled during the same weekend and in the same area as The Settlement Home for Children's annual charity garage and estate sale as well as a performance night for Austin Opera. The three highly attended events have raised concerns regarding adequate parking and traffic impacts.
District 4 Council Member Greg Casar, sponsor of the resolution up for consideration Thursday, said he originally postponed the site plan approval in June with hopes that city staff and stakeholders could compromise beyond City Council chambers to settle the park-use dispute. He said he wants a compromise to occur this year so all three events can resume next year with better planning.
Austin Music People, a nonprofit music industry advocacy group, has attempted to garner public support for FFF Fest to proceed as planned for this year. AMP Executive Director Jennifer Houlihan said it is possible the event could have to move to another location in upcoming years.
"I think this is a perfect example of the city's unintended lack of support for the music industry," Houlihan said. "It's a perfect example of what we see in the [Austin Music] Census that Austin talks about how we're the 'Live Music Capital of the World,' and there are a lot of people and businesses that see a financial benefit from that. That benefit doesn't always roll down to the people who are working for tips and minimum wage and making it the live music capital of the world."
Council unanimously approved a resolution Aug. 6 allowing staff to continue discussions with Fun Fun Fun Fest, Settlement Home and Austin's Opera to potentially allow FFF Fest to use no more than 1 acre of the off-leash area at Vic Mathias Shores—formerly known as Auditorium Shores. The resolution also requires the Riverside Drive roundabout to remain open to vehicular traffic as long as city officials can ensure such access is feasible and safe.
Other City Council agenda highlights:
—Consider amending City Code to allow electronic filing of campaign finance documents. Approved on consent agenda during Aug. 6 meeting.
—Consider asking City Manager Marc Ott to develop a Taxpayer Impact Statement to provide residents an understanding of how the city budget will affect their monthly and annual bill.
—Consider approval of changes to the intersection at Barbara Jordan Boulevard and I-35 Frontage Road for no more than $500,000. Approved on consent agenda during Aug. 6 meeting.
—Consider banning the use of bull hooks to train or control elephants at circuses taking place in Austin and other guidelines regarding humane treatment of circus elephants. The use of bullhooks by any person will be banned in Austin as of October 2016. Council approved the item Aug. 6, with District 6 Council Member Don Zimmerman casting the only "no" vote.
—Consider purchasing two land tracts at 11101 and 11105 Zimmerman Lane for no more than $400,000 to expand the Balcones Canyonland Preservation area by almost 11 acres. Approved during Aug. 6 meeting with nine "yes" votes and two "no" votes from Council Members Don Zimmerman of District 6 and Ora Houston of District 1.
