Long-awaited home buyouts in the flood prone areas of the Upper Onion Creek neighborhood were approved last week by Austin City Council. Here are four other things to know this week:

  • Ground breaking approaches on $27 million recreation center near Oak Hill.


Construction will begin on a 90,000-square-foot athletics facility aimed toward serving residents from Dripping Springs, South Austin, Lake Travis, Westlake, Buda and Kyle in September. The Junction Athletic Complex, projected to open west of Oak Hill in September 2018, is slated to include six indoor basketball courts that can be converted into volleyball courts; four regulation-size grass fields; 12 sand volleyball courts; a 2-mile outdoor walking trail and a 50-meter swimming pool. A weight room, locker room, pro shop and concession area will also be included.






  • Onion Creek buyouts The city of Austin purchased 10 flood-prone properties last Thursday.[/caption]

    City Council approves $5 million worth of home buyouts in Onion Creek.


Ten properties at risk of flooding in Onion Creek were approved for purchase by Austin's City Council last Thursday, Aug. 3. The properties sold for fair market value and, according to city documents, cost the city around $4.9 million.




  • Tuesday is the 25th anniversary of the Save Our Springs ordinance.


Austin's passing of the Save Our Springs, or SOS, Ordinance is considered the most significant milestone in the city's history of protecting the water quality of Barton Springs. To commemorate this watershed moment, on the 25th anniversary of the ordinance’s passing, a retroactive screening of the “Common Ground: A Battle for Barton Springs” documentary will be screened at Barton Springs pool.




  • Travis County bond referendum increases by $28 million.


Additional money to fund drainage-stream projects and improvements to Northeast Metropolitan Park in Pflugerville was added to the Travis County bond referendum last Tuesday, Aug. 1. In order to offset the costs of the additional projects, cuts had to be made elsewhere. Staff recommended removing the Braker Lane Capacity Project, which would cost $6.6 million and is eligible for grant funding through the Texas Department of Transportation, as well as the Austin-to-Manor bike trail, which was projected to cost $300,000. Together, the cuts saved about $7.7 million.






  • Autumn Woods Homes in the Autumn Woods development will include eco-friendly features like solar panels.[/caption]

    Eco-friendly housing development nears completion in Southwest Austin.


An eco-friendly community of single-family homes will be complete this fall near Old Manchaca Road and Slaughter Lane. The Autumn Woods development will include multiple green features, such as rooftop solar arrays, hybrid heat pump water heaters, variable-speed HVAC systems, and LED lighting, according to its developers.