Today at City Hall: a Southwest Parkway hearing slips to Nov. 19, a Tarrytown condemnation is pulled and the rent-aid plan is revised

The Austin City Council meets today, Nov. 5, for the first time since Tuesday's election. Two members, José Velásquez and Ryan Alter, now face Dec. 12 runoffs. Two others, Natasha Harper-Madison and Paige Ellis, leave office in January. The agenda itself changed this week. The city's changes and corrections memo and late backup posted on the meeting page show these updates.

What changed

Southwest Parkway hearing moves to Nov. 19. When the council takes up public hearings, Item 29 will be postponed to Nov. 19, the memo says. The item is a site-specific amendment to the Save Our Springs ordinance for development at 5811 Southwest Parkway in the Barton Springs Zone. Our Oct. 28 story explains the proposal. The memo does not give a reason for the delay.

A Tarrytown condemnation is withdrawn. Item 28 would have authorized eminent domain for a 2,418-square-foot wastewater easement on land owned by Tarrytown Christian Church, at 2614 Exposition Blvd., appraised at $20,594, for Austin Water's NW Tarrytown pipeline project. A Nov. 2 memo from Chief Financial Officer Ed Van Eenoo says Financial Services staff are withdrawing it. The memo gives no reason. The companion item, Item 27, for an easement owned by a homeowners' association on the same project, remains on the agenda, as our preview described.

The rent buy-down resolution has a new draft and a proposed amendment. Item 24, led by Council Member Krista Laine, directs the city manager to create a program that helps local and legacy small businesses pay for commercial space. A second version was posted Nov. 4. Council Member Mike Siegel filed a motion sheet that would require eligibility rules to reflect, at a minimum, the general eligibility criteria of the city's existing Place-Based Enhancement Programs, along with limits, performance requirements and accountability measures. His stated rationale is to keep the program "consistent with other economic incentive programs." Velásquez is a co-sponsor of the resolution. Our Oct. 28 story covers the original.

The Austin Energy bond ordinance was revised. A second version of the ordinance for up to $695 million in electric utility revenue bonds was posted Nov. 4, with a redline. The bonds would be repaid from Austin Energy revenue, not property taxes.

Appointments. The list of board and commission nominations for Item 23 was posted Nov. 2.

What our records add

Items tied to the runoff districts. Item 2 would send the city's share of revenue from the Dog's Head tax increment zone, in District 3, to the Housing Trust Fund and Parks Enhancement Fund. Velásquez voted against creating the zone in July. Alter voted for it. Our earlier story explains the item. Item 19 would recertify an East Austin community land trust for a city tax exemption.

Other items we have covered: a $1 million transit lane at Dean Keeton Street and I-35; an expanded Pease Park Conservancy role; an update to the Strategic Housing Blueprint; a hearing date for emergency demolition rules; and an Austin ISD reading program.

What staff told members in writing. The city's questions and answers report includes Council Member Marc Duchen's questions on two items. On the Pease Park plan, parks staff wrote that it "is not anticipated to generate significant direct budget savings." Instead, they said, it would let parks staff time go to other parks.

How to follow along

The meeting began at 10 a.m. Zoning hearings are set for 2 p.m. The city posts actions taken on the meeting page. Our meetings page adds the video and searchable transcript once they are available.

What's next

• Nov. 19: The next regular meeting, with the Southwest Parkway hearing.
• By Nov. 17: A separate meeting to canvass the election.