Austin City Council The new Austin City Council will host its first scheduled meeting Jan. 29 after weeks of working with city staff and gathering public input on a proposed new governing structure. The 11-member council will consider approving the new structure during the meeting and also consider various zoning items and city contracts. Any action on zoning requests is likely to be postponed to allow new council membersall but onemore time to familiarize themselves with the zoning process. Council members used their Jan. 27 work session, which lasted almost three hours longer than usual, to gain more background information on agenda items slated for the Jan. 29 meeting. During the work session, many new council members sought rationale for existing rebate and contract proposals. They also received background on some issues on the Jan. 29 agenda, including the proposed zoning of Garza Ranch in Southwest Austin. The agenda currently has 53 items compared with previous council agendas that typically included more than 100 items.

Consent agenda:

  • Approve new council governing structure. Pulled from consent agenda. Approved.
  • Create a Community Engagement Task Force made of 13 people from Austin to report to City Council in six months on the progress of the proposed new structure should it pass. Pulled from consent agenda. Approved unanimously.
  • Allow council members to use the money budgeted to their office as desired as long as any changes do not increase their personal salary any more than what is allowed by city ordinance. Pulled from consent agenda. Approved unanimously.
  • Make changes to an existing city ordinance regarding noise regulations of buskers, or street performers. Postponed until March 26.
  • Apply for $200,000 in funding from Texas Parks and Wildlife for an equestrian trail in the Southpark Meadows Greenbelt. The city could pay up to $250,000 for project costs. Approved on consent agenda.
  • Create a Regional Affordability Committee that would consist of members from Austin City Council, Austin ISD Board of Trustees, Travis County Commissioners Court, Austin Community College Board of Trustees, Capital Metropolitan Board of Directors, Central Health Board of Directors, Del Valle Independent School District Board of Trustees, Pflugerville Independent School District Board of Trusteesand Williamson County Commissioners Court. Pulled from consent agenda. Approved after amended to include child care concerns with 10 "yes" votes and 1 "no" vote from Councilman Don Zimmerman.

Non-consent items:

  • Approve the development of secondary dwellings, also referred to as mother-in-law suites or micro-units, that are less than 500 square feet. Postponed until March 5
  • Make easier the transition from commercial use to residential use for developments within the downtown mixed-use and central business district zones. Postponed until Feb. 12
  • Appeal a decision that would allow for the development of a 290-unit multifamily development slated for constructionat 5606 Springdale Road in East Austin.

Zoning items:

  • The Enclave in Southwest Austin, postponed until Feb. 12
  • Garza Ranch in Southwest Austin, postponed until Feb. 12
  • Development of a new tenant project at 10300 Anderson Mill Road, postponed until Feb. 12
  • Rezone 8528 Burnet Road from general commercial to multi-residential with allowance for high density, postponed until Feb. 12
  • Rezone area at Second Street and Broadway from single family to mixed-land use and commercial, postponed until Feb. 26