Table of Contents
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Here’s what we’re watching at the Austin Metropolis Council conference Thursday.
Fight Back again for Reproductive Wellbeing Agenda
Facing a opportunity stop to Roe v. Wade, Austin Metropolis Council is desperately performing what it can to secure reproductive legal rights.
District 2 councilmember Vanessa Fuentes launched a collection of resolutions — the Fight Back again for Reproductive Health and fitness Agenda — which supplies defense for girls, trans and non-binary men and women.
“We can not let discrimination centered on medical options or ailments any place in the city,” she claimed.
The proposed agenda aims to eliminate boundaries that folks in poverty confront accessing period of time products.
Austin Metropolis Council authorized Thursday to direct the metropolis supervisor to present no cost menstrual products in many town-owned amenities, including recreation centers, metropolis libraries and Austin Community Wellbeing facilities.
VMU2 dialogue
Councilmembers will go over an modification that would generate a new category, VMU2, a voluntary application that would allow for an enhance in height up to 90 ft on a selected corridor in exchange for much more reasonably priced housing.
These vertical blended-use developments are buildings with apartments on best and commercial space below.
The density bonus program lets builders to attain top in trade for designating economical models.
The city’s will need for a lot more inexpensive housing is essential alongside transit corridors to provide possibilities for all Austinites to stay near to important transportation belongings,” Austin Town Council member Ann Kitchen mentioned.
As the metropolis grapples with an affordability crisis, VMU2 could provide more medium-density housing though developing reward instruments for cost-effective housing.
District 4 town councilmember Jose “Chito” Vela has recommended waiving parking needs in buy to enable even extra of these units to be constructed.
“Compatibility and parking specifications on really cost-effective buildings can dilute the favourable modify that these constructions look for to realize,” he said.
Some speakers supported Vela’s proposed parking necessity waiver, calling it an option to enable expand how a lot of cost-effective households can be crafted less than the VMU2 adjustments.
Robert Ochoa, president of the Austin Habitat for Humanity Younger Industry experts, explained Austin’s lack of inexpensive housing is “its standing across the country.”
“There is home for enhancement in this metropolis in how we answer to this crisis,” Ochoa explained.
Others, having said that, reported taking away parking specifications would disproportionately affect some citizens who are dependent on automobile access for labor-intense work opportunities, or who have households.
“Removing parking totally is impractical. It is not rooted in economical housing. It truly encourages white privilege,” one particular commenter explained.
She stated additional affluent or “knowledge workers” like desk workforce can bike or look for alternate techniques to do the job, when individuals doing the job in landscaping, building, instructors or other workforce are dependent on car or truck entry.
The postponed vote on VMU2 adjustments will get position June 9.
Lifeguard shortage
A lot of men and women throughout Austin are upset about the closure of the town swimming pools due to the fact of the absence of lifeguards.
The Parks and Recreation Office has skilled and hired 196 lifeguards. On the other hand, it will need an additional 550 lifeguards to function all city swimming pools this summer months.
Council will decide whether or not or not to waive $12,000 truly worth of education service fees similar to turning into a city lifeguard.
PARD is presenting a $1,250 signing reward for possible hires but hasn’t yet increased the lifeguard’s hourly wage.
“We must perform to continue on rising wages and gains for lifeguards in get to close the gaps and allow our pools run safely and securely in our metropolis,” councilmember Fuentes claimed
Austin lifeguards have held meetings with neighborhood leaders, urging them to boost the least pay out to $22 per hour.
Pre-Kindergarten proposal
Town council users postponed right until June 16 voting on an settlement with the Austin Unbiased Faculty District to extend access to no-expense, entire-working day pre-kindergarten.
If authorised next month, this agreement would permit all 3-calendar year-old little ones in AISD’s university boundary to show up at courses.
Mayor Steve Adler is a proponent of the proposal.
“Pre-Kindergarten is an critical very first move to foster discovering and bolster early learners’ instruction,” he reported.
This item would also insert two additional Pre-K classrooms to this interlocal settlement, if accredited in June.
