CITY & COUNTY
News from Austin, Travis County & Williamson County
HIGHLIGHTS TRAVIS COUNTY Community groups announced they had secured nearly 7,000 free monthly bus passes for homeless Austinites Nov. 16. The passes have been distributed to more than 40 local organizations and will be available through May. These groups have been working to provide unhoused Austinites free transportation since spring 2019, when Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center formed an advocacy group.
Development limits reduced for corridors, commercial areas
Renovations coming to mental health crisis center
Austin Energy rate hike approved
The two Austin Energy rate increases approved this fall will cost residents $24 more per month on average, combined.
RISING RATES
BY BEN THOMPSON
BY BEN THOMPSON
Austin aims to add housing In December, City Council approved policy updates that allow housing on some commercial zones if affordable units are included, and ease compatibility standards—limits on building near existing homes—on selected major roadways. RESIDENTIAL IN COMMERCIAL COMPATIBILITY ON CORRIDORS
Rate change
Previous before Nov. 1 * Base rate charges Pass-through charges
AUSTIN City Council wrapped up several revisions to its land use policy in early December. The changes come after Austin’s extensive push to rewrite the city’s complex land development code was halted in court. Officials voted to reduce compat- ibility standards, which can limit height and other aspects of new construction near existing homes along select corridors. Residential development in commercially zoned areas was also unlocked if affordable housing is included. Mayor Pro Tem Alison Alter said the changes—while not per- fect—represented progress built on compromise between several council members and constituents. “Rather than lamenting that whether this proposal is only half a loaf, we should remember that half a loaf is still a lot of bread. We can always continue to work to make our city more livable and more
AUSTIN A new base rate structure for Austin Energy utility charges will affect all power customers in the city beginning in March. A typical resident using 860 kilowatt-hours of electricity each month will soon pay about $9 more on their monthly bills. The update comes on the heels of a separate AE rate adjustment that went into effect in November and tacked about $15 more onto utility bills. “We know any rate increase affects our customers, who are dealing with rising costs just like our utility,” AE General Manager Jackie Sargent said in a statement. “We believe this balanced approach will help our customers and our utility’s long-term financial health.” AE’s base rates cover the costs of the city-owned utility’s operations. An extensive review of a new rate proposal stretched on through 2022 with residents and consumer advocates petitioning council to find a way to reduce “rate shock” experienced by customers. The base rates are structured across multiple tiers with rates increasing as more power is used. The new rate includes four tiers in addition to a flat $13 monthly fee. That charge will increase by $1 over the following two years alongside slight rate changes. While AE had proposed its own rate system through the year, council—responsible for monitoring the utility and setting its rates—ended up taking their own course based on
$84.92
Current bill through Feb. 2023*
BY GRANT CRAWFORD
$99.85
WILLIAMSON COUNTY The Commissioners Court signed off on $264,867 in renovations to expand the county’s Law Enforcement Drop Center for mental health services on Dec. 6. Chasco Constructors will expand the 23-hour drop-off facility in Georgetown using unallocated federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to create space to accommodate more people as they are diagnosed for potential mental health issues through Bluebonnet Trails Community Services. Law enforcement from around the county can bring individuals to the center for medical and psychological care before health professionals locate the appro- priate services or placement.
New bill starting in March 2023*
Developers can now build more housing in commercially zoned areas if at least 10% of units are affordable. Staff estimated 8,885 commercial properties citywide are eligible. Around 23% of those properties are located near highways, and nearly half are in displacement risk areas.
West Austin, where the city is most lacking in affordable housing options. “This item as it is currently designed is designed as inequita- ble. The exclusion of corridors in high-income areas was purposeful and by council direction, and we are left with no option to address these inequities today,” District 1 Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison said. The reach of compatibility around homes on those corridors was cut from 540 feet to 300 feet. Staff estimate 2,475 acres of property along targeted corridors have compatibility completely removed, while 4,040 acres could be eligible for reductions.
$108.71
0 $10 $20 $30 $40 $50 $60 $70 $80 $90 $100 $110 * BILLING ESTIMATES ARE BASED ON THE TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL USE OF 860 KILOWATT-HOURS PER MONTH.
MEETINGS WE COVER
Austin City Council Will meet Jan. 26 at 10 a.m. at Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second St., Austin. 512-974-2250 www.austintexas.gov/department/ city-council Travis County Commissioners Court Court dates for 2023 meetings have not been set as of press time. Travis County Administration Building, 700 Lavaca St., Austin. 512-854-4722. www.traviscountytx.gov Williamson County Commissioners Court Will meet Jan. 10, 17, 24 at 9:30 a.m. at the Williamson County Courthouse, 710 Main St., Georgetown. 512-943-1100. www.wilco.org
SOURCE: AUSTIN ENERGY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
a framework from District 7 Council Member Leslie Pool. Council passed the new rate system 7-4. Some members said they believe the framework does enough to support AE while limiting residents’ financial burden, while those vot- ing against said they do not believe the proposal is afford- able or the best possible outcome from the rate review. “Knowing how challenging it is to live in our ever-increas- ingly more unaffordable Austin with rents on the rise, with inflation, with grocery prices going up, all of those factors are compounding and making it more challenging for our working families,” District 2 Council Member Vanessa Fuentes said. The council members voting in favor said they believed the outline represents an upgrade over the utility’s original proposal.
SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN/COMMUNITY IMPACT
affordable,” Alter said. Community members expressed varying views on the updates, and both policies also drew some scrutiny over the equity of their rollout. Staff and council members said a possible outcome will be residents being bunched near highways, where health outcomes are found to be worse. Some also pointed out the compatibility changes largely exempt
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