| | Dear Neighbors,
I hope everyone enjoyed a restful holiday weekend filled with family, food, and fun. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I would like to take a moment to thank you, the voters, for supporting the 2018 bond propositions. Bond planning efforts began in 2016. For nearly two years, Council worked with the Bond Election Advisory Task Force, city staff, boards and commission members, and community stakeholders to craft a bond package that would invest effectively in some of Austin's greatest needs. The final package included seven propositions addressing challenges such as affordable housing, flood mitigation and public safety while upgrading and creating new spaces for our community to come together.
Bond funding enables us as a city to plan over a long time horizon and make investments in our infrastructure and quality of life that are capital intensive. Thank you for choosing to invest in the health of Austin's future by passing all seven propositions.
As the city moves into the implementation stage of the bond initiatives, your comments continue to be extremely important. Many bond projects will rely on the community for guidance, and I look forward to working with you on this.
In this issue of the District 10 newsletter, you will find several opportunities to provide feedback on Austin mobility projects, participate in a small business competition, and more. I also invite you to join me during our next office hours to ask questions or share thoughts and concerns. Read below to see how you can engage over the next few weeks.
Regards,
Alison Alter Council Member, District 10 |
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Table of Contents - CapMetro Project Connect Community Conversation – Nov. 28
- District 10 Office Hours with Council Member Alter – Dec. 7
- Austin Strategic Mobility Plan – Feedback Closes Dec. 21
- Spicewood Springs Road Regional Mobility Project – Input Period
- Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Open Houses and Planning Initiatives – Comment Period Closes Dec. 31
- Asian American Resource Center Master Plan Community Meeting – Dec. 11
- Deadline Extended for Applications to Fast Pitch Competition for Small Businesses – Deadline Dec. 6
- Citizen Communication via Videoconferencing
- District 10 Artist Feature – Sue Kemp
- D10 Artist Feature – Call for Artists and Musicians
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| | | CapMetro Project Connect Community Conversation – Nov. 28 |
| Capital Metro is working to improve travel in Central Texas and is bringing the Project Connect conversation to Districts 6 & 10. Join CapMetro on Wednesday, Nov. 28, to learn more about the Project Connect regional transit vision, ask questions and give CapMetro your feedback.
Austin Strategic Mobility Plan team members will also be available to answer your questions about related City initiatives.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018 6-8 p.m. Jewish Community Center 7300 Hart Lane* Austin, TX *Served by Routes 19 & 661 |
| | District 10 Office Hours with Council Member Alter – Dec. 7
Come by and talk to Council Member Alter and District 10 staff about the issues that matter most to you! We will be at Epoch Coffee on Far West on Dec. 7 to listen to your comments and concerns and help connect you with the appropriate City resources. These will be walk-in office hours, and we will be available first come, first served during the hours detailed below.
Friday, Dec. 7 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Epoch Coffee on Far West 3900 Far West Blvd. |
| | | Austin Strategic Mobility Plan – Feedback Closes Dec. 21
The Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP) is the City’s new transportation plan. The plan will guide the city's transportation policies, programs, projects, and investments for the next 20 years. The ASMP addresses multiple modes of transportation, including driving, walking, bicycling, and public transportation.
The Austin Transportation Department has released draft recommendations for ASMP policies and maps and is asking for public feedback. Feedback surveys close on Dec. 21. In addition to the online input, the ASMP teams are hosting community meetings and office hours, and are available to give presentation to any group or organization. Visit the Get Involved page to learn more. |
| | | Spicewood Springs Road Regional Mobility Project – Input Period
After holding public meetings and reviewing feedback from the community, the Austin Transportation Department (ATD) has issued a recommendation for the Spicewood Springs Road improvement project. The recommendation shown below received the most support from the community and was identified as the best option moving forward. ATD is entering the design phase, and will continue to review public input. |
| | | | Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Open Houses and Planning Initiatives – Comment Period Closes Dec. 31
The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) has several current opportunities to provide feedback on their ongoing planning efforts. CAMPO is hosting a series of in-person open houses for the public between now and Dec. 7 Details for each event can be found on the CAMPO calendar page. If you are unable to make any of the in-person events, online open houses for updates to the Public Participation Plan, Regional Transportation Plan, Transportation Improvement Program, Regional Arterials Plan, MoKan Subregional Study and Luling Transportation Plan available through Dec. 31.
Additionally, a public hearing for the Public Participation Plan and amendments to the Regional Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Program will be held on Dec. 10. The hearing will be an item on the CAMPO Transportation Policy Board’s agenda.
Monday, Dec. 10, 2018 6 p.m. Thompson Conference Center 2405 Robert Dedman Dr.
Free parking is available at the southwest corner of Red River and Dean Keeton.
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| | | Asian American Resource Center Master Plan Community Meeting – Dec. 11
Austin Parks and Recreation will be hosting the first community meeting for the Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Master Plan Update. This meeting will provide community members a project overview, the goals and objectives of the process, and an opportunity to share their vision and values of the future of the AARC.
Tuesday, December 11, 2018 6-8 p.m. AARC Ballroom
8401 Cameron Road
Sign up to receive email updates on the AARC Master Plan webpage. |
| | | Deadline Extended for Applications to Fast Pitch Competition for Small Businesses – Deadline Dec. 6
The Austin Fast Start small business competition, a partnership between the City of Austin Small Business Program and the Austin Young Chamber, is a recurring 90-minute fast pitch competition designed for early stage start-up businesses that are less than two years old. Fast Start has extended the deadline to apply to the FinTech (financial technology) competition to Dec. 6.
The winner will receive a $2,500 cash prize plus $5,000 in prizes. Startups must be located within Austin city limits, be in the pre-seed/early revenue stage and be less than two years old. Applications are free and open to the public. |
| | Citizen Communication via Videoconferencing
Did you know that you don't have to drive down to City Hall to participate in Citizen Communication? Early last year, I was a proud cosponsor of a resolution directing the City Manager to analyze ways to expand library services offered to residents. This expansion included providing access to General Citizen Communication via videoconferencing, as well as facilitating teleconferencing by military families, community organizations and small business start-ups at local libraries.
Using the videoconferencing capabilities that our public libraries now possess is a great way to speak to Council about important issues without having to make the trek downtown, saving time, money and energy. Please note that you must plan in advance if you would like to take advantage of these new services. To ensure you are able to utilize the videoconferencing technology, contact your local library a few weeks before the date you would like to speak to Council and ask staff for assistance. |
| | District 10 Artist Feature – Sue Kemp |
| | Sue Kemp is a long time resident of Balcones Hills who enjoys capturing things in life that are sometimes taken for granted. Although she paints a wide variety of subjects, her love for country has been depicted in several works over the years. A full time artist, Kemp also teaches at the Art School at Laguna Gloria.
"Enlightenment", which combines the American flag, Lady Liberty and the eagle, has textures woven throughout the painting, just as in the fabric of our lives. 22"x22", watercolor on paper.
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| | | D10 Artist Feature – Call for Artists and Musicians
Do you know a local artist whose work you'd like to share with your neighbors? If you or someone you know have a knack for painting, singing, drawing, guitar, photography, etc., we would love the opportunity to feature work from District 10 artists in this newsletter!
To submit an artist/piece to be featured here, please email my Communications and Outreach Coordinator, April Brown, at April.Brown@austintexas.gov. If you are sending in visual artwork, please include a photo of the work you would like to share with your neighbors, the work's title, year, medium/materials, and a link to a website, if available. Also encouraged is background information such as: - What/who inspired the work?
- What do you hope viewers/listeners will feel/think?
- Why did you choose the medium, subject matter, style?
For musicians, please send a photo or video of the musician(s), a brief description of the artist's or band's background, music genre, instruments played, etc. If a band website or online link exists, please feel free to share that as well.
We also are looking for musicians to play at City Hall! If you or your group are interested in playing before Council, please send us an email indicating your interest and include the information above with a link to your music.
Through these artist features, we hope to showcase some of the many talents and passions of District 10 residents and increase awareness of the importance of art in our communities. |
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