1. As the deadline to register to vote approaches, local organizations are scheduling candidate forums. The League of Women Voters is hosting candidate forums Sept. 8-23 for the five Austin City Council seats up for election this November, one of which is the District 2 seat in South Austin. Residents may only vote for the council member representing their geographical district. Challengers Casey Ramos and Wesley Faulkner will face off against incumbent Delia Garza. Information on council district boundaries is available at www.austintexas.gov/10-one or by calling 3-1-1.
2. Austin City Council voted Thursday to approve a program to provide tenant notification and relocation assistance for certain development projects that displace apartment and mobile home dwellers. A front-page story in the Central Austin edition of Community Impact Newspaper delved into the then-proposed ordinance in detail.
Lenox Springs by Austin-based developer Oden Hughes is in development on I-35 between Old San Antonio Road and FM 1626.[/caption]3. For families who would spend between $1,000 and $2,000 per month on an apartment unit, local multifamily developer Oden Hughes has begun construction on Lenox Springs, a 660-unit luxury apartment complex to be built along the South I-35 frontage road between Old San Antonio Road and FM 1626. Leasing for the first phase, which will include 400 units, is expected to begin in fall 2017.
4. State Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, along with city of Austin Mayor Steve Adler will help break ground Sept. 7 for two of the Texas Department of Transportation’s Mobility35 projects, including one to reconstruct the Oltorf Street interchange from south of Woodland Avenue to Woodward Street. The ground breaking takes place at the intersection of I-35 and 51st Street, where the other project will take place.
Austin Parks Foundation hosts Movies in the Park throughout the fall.[/caption]5. Families can take advantage of Austin Parks Foundation’s annual Movies in the Park series this month. On Sept. 15, Dick Nichols District Park, 8011 Beckett Road, hosts a free screening of the Disney movie ‘Frozen’ at about 8 p.m. Information about the screening and others planned for area parks in the future can be obtained by calling 512-477-1566 or visiting www.austinparks.org.
6. Public input opportunities are scheduled to begin this week throughout Austin for proposed Capital Metro service changes, including recommendations to increase frequency on both the MetroRapid and local bus routes, consolidate duplicate bus lines, offer one price for bus fare, launch more MetroRapid routes and create mobility hubs to connect to other transportation options. An open house will take place Sept. 7 at the Pleasant Hill Branch Library at 211 E. William Cannon Drive in Southwest Austin.
