CITY & COUNTY
News from Austin, Travis County & Williamson County
HIGHLIGHTS WILLIAMSON COUNTY An agreement between the county and Hope Alliance will allow the nonprofit agency to use a county facility as a temporary shelter while it builds a new location in Leander. The organization, which is in the process of moving from its two Round Rock locations, provides assistance and shelter to victims of family violence and sexual assault in Williamson County. Austin City Council Will meet March 9 and 23 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 Will meet March 7, 21 and 28 at 9 a.m. at the Travis County Administration Building, 700 Lavaca St., Austin. 512-854-4722. www.traviscountytx.gov Williamson County Commissioners Court Will meet March 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 9:30 a.m. at the Williamson County Courthouse, 710 Main St., Georgetown. 512-943-1100. www.wilco.org MEETINGS WE COVER
Taller construction approved near The Domain AUSTIN New construction surrounding The Domain can now be denser and taller following action taken by Austin City Council members during their Feb. 9 meeting in anticipation of continuing growth in the area. plan so that it accurately reflects the vision as our second downtown,” Pool said. The edits bump up maximum building heights and floor-to-area ratio, or FAR—the comparison of a structure’s footprint and the size of the property it sits on—in the North Burnet/Gateway area. The changes apply to two transit-oriented develop- ment subdistricts north of Braker Lane and east of BY BEN THOMPSON
County gets federal overdose funds
Council appoints interim city manager
REACHING NEW HEIGHTS Updates to the North Burnet/Gateway plan will allow taller buildings to be built in the area surrounding The Domain. Here are the new maximum heights of buildings in the plan area.
BY KATY MCAFEE
LOCAL DRUG OVERDOSE CRISIS Travis County Commissioners Court will receive $2 million for overdose prevention, as fatal overdoses have continuously increased throughout the county in recent years. The $2 million will be used to: Hire 9 peer support specialists
TRAVIS COUNTY Area leaders announced securing $2 million in federal support for overdose education, outreach and preven- tion programs Jan. 17, the first long-term federal funds received for this purpose. Travis County leaders declared drug overdoses a public health crisis last May following a report showing drug toxicity was the top cause of accidental death in the county in 2021. Fatal overdoses have since increased, medical examiner data shows. The $2 million will be given to Austin Public Health and is expected to last two years. Fund- ing will go toward hiring at least nine peer support specialists with personal addiction experi- ence and training for at least 250 residents on how to administer overdose reversal drug Narcan and identify an overdose. Exist- ing peer support contracts will be
BY BEN THOMPSON
60 ft. 120 ft.
420 ft. 491 ft.
JJ Pickle Research Campus locations North Burnet/ Gateway plan area
AUSTIN City Council voted 10-1 to fire City Manager Spencer Cronk on Feb. 15 and appoint former City Manager Jesús Garza as his interim replacement. Cronk’s tenure lasted just over five years and ended after city officials expressed discontent with the handling of the recent winter storm and police labor negotiations. Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison voted against his removal. Including salary and benefits, Cronk’s severance totaled $463,001.50. Garza, who most recently managed a political committee supporting Mayor Kirk Watson’s election, will earn $350,000 plus other allowances and benefits this year. “I knew the job that I signed up for when I came to Austin five years ago, and it’s not uncommon for the council and manager to re-evaluate their working relationship, and today was a reflection of that,” Cronk said.
180 ft.
While The Domain has its own set of building regulations, council approved several edits this month to the North Burnet/Gateway Regulating Plan, which governs development in and around the district now labeled as Austin’s expanding “second downtown.” The planning area is roughly bounded by US 183, MoPac, Walnut Creek and Metric Boulevard, which includes The Domain, Austin FC’s Q2 Stadium and The University of Texas’ J.J. Pickle Research Campus. Council Member Leslie Pool, whose District 7 includes much of that area, began promoting updates to local planning documents last year as new residential, business and transit investments have poured in over recent years. The latest adjustments could help clear the way for even more additions, she said. “[The plan amendments are] responsive to the energetic growth in this area of my district. Last year I brought an initiative to perform a compre- hensive update for the North Burnet/Gateway
Burnet Road along Capital Metro’s Red Line. New development in that area can now reach up to 491 feet high, or about 30 stories, and can build to a density of a 12-1 FAR. The subdistricts were previously allowed between 240-360 feet of height and FARs of 5-1 and 8-1. “I look forward to seeing the comprehensive update come before us this spring and to respond- ing to the enthusiasm for development in this area,” Pool said. District 4 Council Member Chito Vela, who represents a slice of the North Burnet/Gateway district, also expressed support for further growth in and around The Domain. “The changes that we see in that area around Austin FC stadium, around The Domain north of Burnet, are remarkable and exciting, and I wholeheartedly support this item to continue in that direction,” he said.
183
MOPAC
Train 250 residents on how to administer Narcan
THE DOMAIN
Create a public education campaign
360
SOURCE: TRAVIS COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
extended as well. Training will also be given to health providers to prevent cycles of dependency as addic- tion can stem from pain killers given at the hospital.
N
SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN/COMMUNITY IMPACT
HYMEADOW 12611 Hymeadow (512) 506-8401
NORTH 620 10601 N FM 620 (512) 506-8316
ARBORETUM 10515 North Mopac Expressway (512) 342-6893
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