Austin City Council—Sept. 25

Street performers, also known as buskers, including magicians, jugglers and musicians would be allowed to perform on sidewalks after the code is changed. The new code language will offer protections so businesses and residents are not disturbed by the performers.

Austin resident Will McCloud voiced concern that allowing the code change could impede the right-of-way for pedestrians, especially those with disabilities.

"I've been in places where people actually block and impede the sidewalk," McCloud said. "I don't want to have to wheel my grandfather, who's in a wheelchair, [through that] blocked access."

The new code language will return to City Council by Oct. 16 for potential final approval.

Vote: 7 "yes", 0 "no"

Leffingwell House may be made landmark

The house in which Mayor Lee Leffingwell was raised will now be considered for possible Austin landmark status.

Austin City Council voted during its meeting to hold a public hearing and potentially approve an ordinance to change the zoning of the home to a combined zone of residential and historic landmark.

The home, located at 910 Christopher St., was first occupied by Leffingwell's mother and father, who was a firefighter and deputy sheriff, and is the home where Leffingwell and his siblings were raised. Leffingwell is no longer owns or occupies the home.

According to staff documents, the home is a good representation of 1920-era bungalows and minimal homes of the 1930s and beyond.

During the voting process, Leffingwell at first abstained himself from the vote but then changed his vote to "yes."

Vote: 5 "yes", 1 "no" with Councilman Mike Martinez voting "no" and Councilwoman Kathie Tovo recused.

Ride-sharing services one step closer to becoming legal

The controversy of whether or not ride-sharing services can legally operate in Austin is one step closer to ending.

The ordinance that passed on first reading Sept. 26 requires ride-sharing services—also known as transportation network companies, or TNCs, which use social media apps to connect drivers and passengers—have insurance for injury or accidents. Drivers must also be at least 21 years old, have a valid driver's license and pass a background check.

Ride-sharing services would have to have ADA-compliant vehicles, but the ordinance does not require a certain number of them.

Under the ordinance that awaits final passage, drivers could only accept passengers using a smart phone app, meaning potential passengers could not hail them like a traditional cab. Riders must also know the cost estimate before the ride begins.

City Council passed the ordinance on a first reading but delayed final passage because many council members wished to amend the law's language, mainly the portions dealing with insurance coverage.

Companies like Uber and Lyft would have to report to the city every three months so that a future ordinance could be crafted to adequately regulate the companies.

Yellow cab supporters said they are not opposed to the competition, but that ride-sharing services should be regulated as cab companies. They also claimed Uber and Lyft will not offer certain data to the city that is required in the resolution. But Uber spokesperson Jennifer Mullin said the company has already shared information with the city and offers similar data-shares with other cities where Uber operates.

"We work really closely with the city to make sure they have what they need," Mullin said.

Critics also claim that allowing ride-sharing companies to operate in Austin conflicts with the city's recently adopted ordinance that bans manual input on a hand held devices, or texting while driving, for car or bicycle drivers unless they are stopped at a red light. The main way of communicating for ride-sharing drivers is smart phone apps that require the use of a cell phone while driving.

Supporters of ride-sharing companies said that the need to provide safe transportation for intoxicated persons far outweigh the concerns of cab companies if the city hopes to decrease the number of driving under influence violations in Austin.