City of Austin Council Message Board

CM Colleagues: I've heard from numerous groups throughout the city that such constituents groups would like to be heard regarding Council's assessment of city management. The following is from ChangeAustin.org (Brian Rodgers), but it reflects a much broader viewpoint. ---- What Austin deserves in Co...

I appreciate the work that my colleagues have put forth regarding the Thursday 2/25 Council Meeting Agenda Item 42 on Chapter 2-5 of the City Code relating to council committees and procedures for council meetings. A few things jump out at me: 1. A majority of a committee must sponsor an item on the...

CURRENT DRAFT Resolution regarding the STR (Version 6, 19-Feb-2016) Whereas, public nuisances, whether caused by Short-Term Rentals (STRs), long-term rentals, homeowners, or other sources, are bad for communities; and Whereas, all parties, including Austin Neighborhoods Council and Austin Rental All...

CM Troxclair -
I would like to co-sponsor and second the motion to move this Resolution to the full Council with recommendation for passage.
Don

CM Colleagues: Last week, the Austin Neighborhoods Council considered and passed a Resolution which in principal supports the policy idea of a dedicated Public Disturbance Task Force. The ANC Resolution is here: http://ancweb.org/download/2-10-16ECResolutionAustin-Neighborhoods-Council-Executive-Com...

CM Troxclair,

I would like to co-sponsor this as an agenda item.

Thanks,
Don

PUC Colleagues - I want to introduce this Resolution at 17-Feb-2016 meeting: RESOLUTION NO._________________ (DRAFT) WHEREAS, according to “City of Austin Drought Contingency Plan” of August, 2012, adopted by City Council Resolution 20120816-005, Table 2, Stage 1 water restrictions may be imposed wh...

Many thanks to Chief Manley and Director Smart for helping to clarity on who (Code Compliance, APD, or both) can respond to various issues. While most of these are problems people complain with regards to Short Term Rentals, however, the issues are not limited to STRs. These were the results: APD: N...

Dear Mayor and Colleagues: I believe this language (or something extremely close) accompanied the petition which gathered over 60,000 signatures. I would support this language owing to the fact that it appears legal under the city Charter provision, and those petition signers who asked to see ballot...

Mr. Mayor & Co-Sponsors,
Based on the red-line version of what I read in this amendment, I would also be in support of this.

Mr. Mayor, I have several strong objections to the MOU, but this post focuses on one -- Section 3.2, "Additional Safety Features", referrencing the last sentence: "The City may designate without limitation further or different Additional Safety Features with other TNCs not party to th...

For immediate release February 4, 2016 Contact: Joe Petronis, Chief of Staff, City Council Member Don Zimmerman, (512) 978-2106 Subject: Austin water customers say NO to permanent Stage 2 restrictions, but AWU still hears YES. AUSTIN — On Wednesday February 3, 2016, Austin Water Utility (AWU) had it...

Thank you, Council Member Kitchen, Casar, and Transition Committee: I appreciate the time you have spent working on this. While looking at CM Kitchen’s post regarding the “Transition Committee Report Draft” and CM Casar’s post regarding “Proposed committee system changes,” a few things jump out at m...

CM Colleagues, The reference file and comments below are based on consultation with District 6 constituents who have experience in irrigation and have been Austin water users for decades. LINK to raw data: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincouncilforum/C5-20160125130522.xls 1. Surrounding communit...

Dear CM Kitchen -- From the earlier posting... "Prior to January 22nd - posting on Message Board of any proposals from Mayor / Councilmembers January 22nd - Posting of agenda item language (staff language and/or Mayor / CMs) with January 28th agenda" I have not noticed a recent posting on ...

Dear CM Colleagues: I submit these as draft Resolutions for the indicated Agenda items. PROPOSED RESOLUTION: (Item #72) RESOLUTION NO._________________ (DRAFT) WHEREAS, the City of Austin Code, Article 8 of Chapter 25, regulates signs including outdoor billboards; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin cur...

Dear CM Colleagues, We've heard considerable public testimony regarding the successful PUC rate case brought against the Austin Water Utility by four wholesale MUD customers, and we've also received information in executive session. Based on all this testimony and evidence, I recommend the following...

An Austin constituent brought to our attention that AWU staff emphasized, at a recent public hearing advocating permanent Stage 2 restrictions, that under the Drought Contingency Plan (DCP, August, 2012), on Pg 5, Table 2, the "End Condition" for lifting Stage 2 and Stage 1 restrictions st...

REF: PROPOSED AMENDMENTS to late backup TNC ordinance draft: From: Dinning, John Sent: Monday, December 14, 2015 2:35 PM To: Council Executive Assistants Cc: Powers, Catie Subject: Late Backup: TNC ordinance CM Colleagues, I intend to propose these amendments at 17-Dec-2015 meeting on item 75: Amend...

Fellow Council Members, I ask that you take a look at the current Drought Response regulations (Aug, 2012) and question why we are in the Stage 2 restrictions when, based on the City’s Drought Contingency Plan, we should not even be in Stage 1 restrictions. As of Tuesday December 15, 2015, according...

Dear Council Member Colleagues, I am trying to see if there is any desire to have a “calendar” from the purchasing department showing when things like current contracts will be expiring, and therefore will probably be coming before Council. If we have a calendar showing which contracts were set to e...

Council Members: Next week, APD is set to release the very important initial RFP for body cameras. The PSC contends that technical specifications for the cameras and associated storage equipment are directly connected to POLICY regarding camera use. I personally have made several requests that counc...

[last posting missing subject line] DRAFT Resolution for PSC meeting for Nov. 30th (2015). We currently have this issue time certain at 4:30PM, with 15 minutes of invited expert testimony (for and against), and unlimited public testimony (on this or any other issue) at about 6:30 PM. RESOLUTION No. ...

DRAFT Resolution for PSC meeting for Nov. 30th (2015). We currently have this issue time certain at 4:30PM, with 15 minutes of invited expert testimony (for and against), and unlimited public testimony (on this or any other issue) at about 6:30 PM. RESOLUTION No. WHEREAS, the terrorist attacks upon ...

This photo is backup material, showing errant Pickfair Street (District 6) city utility (wastewater) markings in about August of 2015. These errant markings led to a costly and embarrassing raw sewage backup into a constituent's residence. I was told the Austin city policy is such mistakes are not t...