| Dear Neighbors,
On April 8th all of District 10 and most of Austin will lie in the path of totality for a solar eclipse. The last total solar eclipse visible from the Austin area occurred in the 14th century, and the next opportunity will occur in the 24th century. In this newsletter I want to provide you with resources and information to safely take advantage of this incredible opportunity to view a rare natural phenomenon.
Much of our city and county is anticipating several minutes of darkness, as well as a high volume of traffic and visitors (use this interactive map to see which areas will experience totality). With this in mind, I authored a resolution last November directing the City Manager to work with the community to prepare Austin for a safe, positive, and inclusive experience during the Total Eclipse. Austin Homeland Security and Emergency Management released an update on their preparation efforts, which you can read here. Last week I participated in a briefing for local officials organized by Travis County Judge Andy Brown to review and share preparation activities, and yesterday the City and regional partners convened a press conference– linked here.
Get Your Glasses If you plan to view the eclipse, it is imperative that you use specialized solar viewing eyewear. If you purchase eclipse glasses, find guidance to ensure your glasses are adequate at austintexas.gov/readycentraltexas/eclipse or at on this NASA webpage. My office has a limited number of eclipse glasses to share with community leaders who are able to distribute to their networks within the district. Please email district10@austintexas.gov if you are interested in coordinating a pickup. I will continue to share other glasses pickup opportunities in the district on my Facebook page.
Additionally, the Austin Parks and Recreation Department is distributing free eclipse glasses at the Nature & Science Center, recreation centers, and senior centers. Austin Public Library (APL) will also distribute glasses at branches on a first-come, first-serve basis starting Thursday, April 4. In addition, APL will host DIY eclipse viewer/pinhole projector programs–find updates on glasses, equipment, and library watch parties at library.austintexas.gov/eclipse.
UT is also providing glasses and telescopes with solar filters in select parks. Learn more about Austin Parks and Rec viewing locations at austintexas.gov/parkseclipse.
Make a Safety Plan I urge you to decide today where your family will be on April 8. You can view the path of totality here, with the longest totality closest to the blue line. If you will be traveling, pack emergency supplies, and plan for heavy or stopped traffic, and temporary losses in cell service. More planning information is available at austintexas.gov/readycentraltexas/eclipse or at traviscountytx.gov/TotalSolarEclipse. Please note that many schools will be open April 8th and are planning educational events for your students.
View and Celebrate the Eclipse! This memo lists a number of free City of Austin eclipse watch parties and related educational events leading up to the totality. Additionally, Waterloo Greenway, the Long Center, the Simons Foundation, and Fusebox are partnering to host 3 days of eclipse-related programming, including a family-friendly viewing event, with science presentations, live music, food trucks, and more. You can also find upcoming eclipse viewing and educational events hosted by the Thinkery’s Joyful Learning Collaborative here. Visit Austin also has information available here and UT’s webpage is another good resource.
Afterwards, you’re invited to share your eclipse photos and videos with the City at totaleclipse@austintexas.gov.
Finally, I encourage you to listen to UT’s Solar Eclipse Playlist Your UTotal Solar Eclipse Playlist - UT News (utexas.edu) and learn more about the significance of the 2024 total solar eclipse in this video from PBS.
Wherever you choose to be for the eclipse, I wish you a safe and fun experience during this once-in-a-lifetime event. In the remainder of this letter, you will find updates on changes to the City’s land development code, info on an upcoming event at Pease Park, and more.
Regards,
| | Alison Alter Council Member, District 10
P.S. Here’s hoping for clear skies on Monday! | | Table of Contents
Update on Land Development Code Changes
Featured District 10 Greenspaces: Trowel and Error at Mayfield Park this Weekend and Squirrel Fest on April 13!
Council Recap
Council Member Alter in the Community Thank You to the Collective Sex Crimes Response Model Steering Team Regional Economic Equity Development Plan Advisory Committee Kickoff Imagine Muny Annual Event Visiting Malin the Troll Congrats, EMS Cadet Class 1024!
Announcements Register for the Wildfire Symposium Vote in the May TCAD Election Seeking an Appointee for the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities NWACA Earth Day Celebration Lights Out for Spring Bird Migration! Happy Small Business Week! Distracted Driving Awareness Month
City Services Updates | | | Update on Land Development Code Changes This week you likely will receive notice of a new series of proposed changes to our land development code that the Planning Commission and the City Council will consider over the next 6 weeks. These changes include Phase II of the so-called “HOME” initiative as well as other amendments. You may recall that I explained why I voted against Phase I of “HOME” in my December newsletter. You may review the latest details for this spring’s deliberations in this memo released last week.
To stay up to date on the calendar and timeline for this and other code amendments, visit this website. To contact departmental staff with questions about these amendments, email LDCupdates@austintexas.gov or call 512-974-7220. Below I've listed a few key dates related to the code amendment adoption process:
Unless otherwise noted, meetings will take place at City Hall, 301 W. 2nd Street March 29: Public input website launches and notices begin arriving in mailboxes. Information about community input meetings can be found here. April 11: Joint City Council and Planning Commission Meeting on HOME Phase 2, Compatibility, the Equitable Transit Oriented Development (ETOD) Overlay Phase 1 and other amendments starting at 9 am. Register in advance to speak; see the public input link for info on registration. April 17: In-Person Open House, Central Library, 6-8 pm–meet with staff in person to ask questions and learn more about the amendments. April 20: Virtual Open House, 10-12. April 23: Planning Commission meeting at 6 pm on HOME Phase 2, Compatibility, and Electric Vehicle (EV) charging. Register in advance to speak; see the public input link for info on registration. April 30: Planning Commission meeting at 6 pm on ETOD Overlay Phase 1. Register in advance to speak; see the public input link for info on registration. May 16: City Council meeting at 10 am on HOME Phase 2, Compatibility, EV Charging, and ETOD Overlay. Register in advance to speak; see the public input link for info on registration.
| | | | Featured District 10 Greenspaces: Trowel and Error at Mayfield Park this Weekend and Squirrel Fest on April 13!
Trowel and Error, Mayfield Park’s annual gardening symposium and fundraiser, is scheduled for Saturday, April 6 at 10 am. Stop by to experience the raffle, plant sale, and guest speakers! Find more info here.
Additionally, Pease Park’s annual Squirrel Fest is Saturday, April 13 from 4-10 pm. The fest will include family-friendly nature activities, crafts, food trucks, music, shows, and more. Learn more at peasepark.org/squirrel-fest.
| | | | Update on City Manager Search Council will vote on the appointment of T.C. Broadnax as Austin’s next City Manager this Thursday. I will share updates in my next letter. Thank you to everyone who provided input throughout the search process.
Council approved the following items during the March 21 meeting:
Partnerships to Expand Access to Child Care- Council executed agreements with 6 agencies to increase direct access to child care, provide critical training to early childhood staff, fund culturally competent education for parents, and promote school readiness for disadvantaged children. Our community sees the benefits from these investments, especially when they reach parents and children in a two-generation approach. It is not only a moral imperative that we fund these programs, but a financial imperative, as well, as these investments make our families, workforce, and economy stronger.
Cost-Sharing With AISD on Mobility Improvements- Council authorized an interlocal agreement with Austin ISD for cost sharing that will allow for mobility improvements near several schools. Projects include sidewalk, shared-use path, and pedestrian crossing improvements. This agreement builds on work my office did to help enhance the AISD bond projects undertaken at Murchison and Doss.
Workforce Readiness Services- Council authorized an agreement with several area social service agencies to provide workforce readiness assistance, including vocational training, wrap-around support to increase sustainability and self-sufficiency, and integrating education and instruction to help move Austinites into the workforce. View a comprehensive list of the awarded agencies and programs here.
| | | | | Thank You to the Collective Sex Crimes Response Model Steering Team Here in Austin we are creating a national model for best practices, known as the Collective Sex Crimes Response Model (CSCRM) project. This innovative and collaborative process is led by survivors, advocates, and APD leadership together, ensuring that everyone who needs to be at the table participates fully. Some of my colleagues and I hosted a lunch to thank the CSCRM leadership and reaffirm our commitment to seeing the model implemented. | | | Regional Economic Equity Development Plan Advisory Committee Kickoff I am thrilled to serve on the advisory board for the Regional Equity Economic Development (REED) Plan, stewarded by our new Diversity and Ethnic Chamber Alliance (DECA). Together with the Asian, Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQ chambers and the Economic Development Department, I launched the development of this plan to reimagine how we can expand economic opportunity for all. DECA and the REED planning process are creating a new, national model to ensure the prosperity of Central Texas uplifts our whole community. To learn more or get involved, connect with DECA. | | | Imagine Muny Annual Event It’s always a pleasure to attend the annual Imagine Muny event at ACL Live, but this year was extra special because Lions Municipal Golf Course turned 100! I am proud to have this important piece of history in D10. | | | Visiting Malin the Troll I met my newest constituent, Malin, the Pease Park troll! Plan your visit here. | | | Congrats, EMS Cadet Class 1024! Congratulations to EMS Cadet Class 0124 on your graduation! I was honored to join you and your families to celebrate. Are you or someone you know looking for a new, rewarding career? Learn more and apply at austintexas.gov/emsrecruiting. | | | | | Register for the Wildfire Symposium Registration is now open for the 2024 Wildfire Preparedness Symposium. This public forum, hosted by the Austin-Travis County Wildfire Coalition, will be held on Saturday, May 4, from 10-3 at the Rosewood-Zaragosa Neighborhood Center (2800 Webberville Road). Hear how the coalition is preparing communities for wildfire and how you can reduce wildfire risks. Register here. | | | Vote in the May TCAD Election Three positions on the Travis County Appraisal District Board of Directors are up for election on May 4. These are new, impactful positions, in what is anticipated to be a low-turnout election, so your vote really counts! Learn more about these positions and the candidates using the League of Women Voters’ Austin Area Voters Guide (which will be published here soon). Find polling locations/hours at votetravis.com. | | | Seeking an Appointee for the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities D10 has a vacancy on the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities. This body advises the Council and City Manager regarding issues affecting persons with disabilities in the Austin area. If you are interested, please apply here, and then email District10@AustinTexas.gov summarizing your relevant experience and motivation for serving on the commission. | | | NWACA Earth Day Celebration The Northwest Austin Civic Association is hosting its second annual Earth Day festival on Sunday, April 21 from 2-4 pm at the Doss Elementary park. The fest will include a petting zoo and repurposed craft and gardening activities for kids, and info on green rebates, electric vehicles, and safe medication disposal for adults. | | | Lights Out for Spring Bird Migration! It’s spring migration season! Help protect migratory birds by turning off indoor/outdoor lights each evening through June 15. | | | Happy Small Business Week! Austin’s Economic Development Department is hosting a series of free classes for Small Business Week (April 29-May 3). Topics include funding, bookkeeping, marketing, and more. Register here to build your entrepreneurial skills. | | | | | | | | Airport Open House Join the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) for a free open house to learn how our City-owned airport operates, and what’s planned for improvements and expansion. Stop by between 10:30 and 1:30 on Saturday, April 27 at the Montopolis Rec Center (1200 Montopolis Drive). Free parking is available, and the rec center is accessible via Cap Metro.
Coffee, tacos, live music, and career info will be provided, and Austin Public Health’s mobile vaccine clinic and Parks and Recreation summer camp staff will be on-site. RSVP at austintexas.gov/airport/openhouse.
| | | | | | | 2024 Warrant Amnesty Austin Municipal Court and the Downtown Austin Community Court are offering amnesty for outstanding citations or warrants. Come in voluntarily to get questions answered and take care of outstanding citations or warrants without threat of arrest. You can also discuss payment plans, request community service, or file hardship waivers. Find hours/locations here. | | | Provide Input on the Draft Food Plan Austin and Travis County have been working with community partners to create a draft food plan. Review the plan and provide your feedback here. |
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