Residents to vote on ride-hailing regulations
Austin | On Feb. 17, City Council set the official language of a ride-hailing ordinance proposition that will appear on a May 7 municipal election ballot.
City Council was required to call the election, which is estimated to cost between $500,000 and $900,000, after it voted Feb. 11 against adopting a citizens’ petition that called for the repeal of new ride-hailing company regulations approved in December.
If voters approve the proposition, city regulation of ride-hailing companies—also known as transportation network companies, or TNCs—will revert back to the original TNC laws, which did not mandate fingerprint-based background checks or vehicle identification via emblem and did not prohibit loading and unloading in travel lanes.
Council members Don Zimmerman and Ellen Troxclair voted against the ordinance language, stating it framed the citizens’ petition in a negative light.
On Feb. 2, Austin City Clerk Jannette Goodall verified 26,320 signatures were submitted with the citizen petition requiring council to adopt “common-sense ride-sharing rules” or put the issue before voters.
Council to seek input on mobility options
Austin | On Feb. 11, City Council passed a resolution to seek community input on transportation priorities and funding options for transportation projects—including a possible mobility bond.
City Council directed the city manager to initiate a public conversation and input process regarding mobility goals. The scope of public input would include neighborhood groups and previous input gathered through past initiatives, such as Project Connect.
On Feb. 3, Assistant City Manager Robert Goode presented a list of mobility needs that could be included in a bond totaling $4.5 billion, although he said the list was not comprehensive and did not incorporate regional projects.
WilCo votes to pay off $10 million in debt
Williamson County | Commissioners voted to pay down $10 million of debt Jan. 26 and refinance remaining debt that could save the county more than $11 million in future interest payments.
The $10 million is from a 2006 bond, and funds were allocated to pay off debt in this year’s budget. The move will save the county about $5 million in future interest payments, said Dan Wegmiller, a financial adviser contracted by the county. The county will refinance $75 million in existing debt by resetting its interest rate, which likely would save $3.7 million, he said.
“These items are addressing savings that are a result of paying down debt and refinancing debt down to lower interest rates,” he said. “Just those two items combined estimate $8.74 million in savings.”
Advisory group to examine courts capacity
Travis County | On Feb. 2 the Commissioners Court approved creating an advisory committee. It will continue work on possibly creating additional capacity for courts following voters’ rejection of bond funds for a proposed new civil and family courts complex, or CFCC, in November.
Belinda Powell, strategic planning manager for the Travis County Planning and Budget Office, told commissioners some members of the Community Focus Committee who worked on CFCC plans have said they want to continue serving the county on the new advisory committee.
Not all members of the previous committee were 100 percent in favor of the proposed downtown Austin location, she added.
Committee appointments will be approved at a later date.
City Council highlights
Feb. 11: Council approved rezoning the former Luby’s property at 13817 N. US 183 to community commercial district use to support the redevelopment of the site for automotive sales.
Feb. 11: Council voted to support an application to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for housing tax credits submitted by Saigebrook Development LLC. The proposed Elysium Park Apartments would be located at 3300 Oak Creek Drive near MoPac and Parmer Lane.
Jan. 28: After three hours of public comment, City Council postponed voting on additional regulations for Type 2 and Type 3 short-term rentals to a special-called Feb. 23 meeting.
Jan. 28: City Council passed a parkland dedication ordinance that increases the amount of parkland required to be dedicated by incoming developments from 5 to 9.4 acres for every 1,000 residents.
