| | Dear Neighbors,
The last few weeks have been jam-packed for my office, as we got settled in and started the work of representing District 10 at the City.
We held our first Community Listening Session in January and had a great turnout to talk to District 10 residents about their concerns, chiefly wildfire and public safety.
Our next Community Listening Session will be Tuesday, February 18 from 4:30 - 6 PM at Rudy's on Jollyville Rd (11570 Research Blvd 78759). Please join us! | | | | Austin Police Department
I attended the recent APD Baker Sector community meeting to hear recent crime stats and talk about neighborhood and park safety concerns in our district. I will be sure to inform you of the next APD sector community meeting that District 10 residents are able to attend.
The APD Community Connect Open Data Portal is a centralized hub for data about policing in our city. Find crime statistics, which APD Sector you live in, or file a police report. District 10 includes much of Baker Sector and parts of Adams Sector (primarily west of 360 and south of 183).
Wildfire Concerns at Parks
Given the heightened concerns around wildfire risks and the amount of “dead and down” vegetation on the ground, a number of residents have inquired about their local parks, greenbelts, preserves, and green spaces. In response to these inquiries, my office has started touring District 10 parks so we can ascertain the state of the maintenance and vegetation.
So far we have toured Great Hills Neighborhood Park and the North Cat Mountain Greenbelt. We meet neighbors, walk the area, take photos and get aerial footage, and generally try to get a sense of the park’s status and challenges. We are currently working on arranging a tour of Bright Leaf Preserve based on community concerns. If you have a specific request for us to prioritize a park or preserve in your area please reach out to the District 10 office at district10@austintexas.gov.
First City Council Meeting
On January 30, I voted on the dais for the first time. Here are three important items we voted on:
Item 4: The 2016 Austin/Travis County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) was written partly based on the findings of a study done over 15 years ago on 33 sites in the Balcones Canyon Preserve. Since that study was completed, Austin has experienced increasingly extreme weather and droughts - including several freezes and droughts just in the last several years. This item approved a new study, requested by the Wildland Conservation Department of Austin Water (which manages a large amount of city land). This study will revisit the same 33 sites in the Balcones Canyon Preserve and quantify how the risks have changed to help inform AFD and PARD fuel management work.
Item 25: We passed wildfire reduction efforts in the form of contracts that will provide vegetation management services at various natural areas managed by the Parks and Recreation Department (PARD). The services include vegetation cutting and all related activities to reduce wildfire risk, improve climate resilience, and provide ecosystem services to Austin’s natural lands in perpetuity. These services will be planned and closely supervised by PARD Land Management staff. PARD manages over 12,500 acres of parkland natural area in nature preserves, greenbelts, district parks, metro parks, and other park types.
Item 83: This item directed the City Manager to explore funding for our homelessness response system including a mix of homelessness solutions. Although this resolution itself has no financial impact, it specifically calls for another round of 575-650 permanent supportive housing (PSH) units to follow the current round of PSH under construction. I abstained from voting on this item for two reasons. First, most of the work on this resolution occurred before I took office. Second, PSH units carry prohibitive operational costs compared to every other homelessness solution. My team and I are working to get a clearer picture of both the homelessness landscape and financials – including what the city’s responsibility for funding these PSH units may be relative to our nonprofit partners. I look forward to getting caught up on this issue and supporting effective, accountable, and data-informed strategies to address our homelessness challenges.
View the schedule for this year’s council meetings, work sessions, and various committee meetings here. You are welcome to watch a council meeting at City Hall, or you can watch meetings from home live on ATXN. If you would like to sign up for public comment, or comment on a specific issue, more information is available on the website.
Council Appointments
I’m pleased to announce that the 2025 Council Committee and regional appointments have been assigned. | | | | These committees reflect the issues I have been speaking about for the last year: responsible spending, improved public safety, parkland acquisition and maintenance, water conservation, and more. I look forward to representing the interests of District 10 and encouraging creative problem-solving and accountability as we work together to make Austin the best it can be.
In the rest of the newsletter you’ll find my statement about the federal funding freeze, information on public input sessions for upcoming changes to Short Term Rental policies, events and important information from the City, and a round-up of events I've attended in my first month in office.
Finally, Happy Lunar New Year! I wish you and your family happiness, peace, and prosperity in 2025.
Sincerely, | | | | Marc Duchen Council Member, District 10
P.S. There is more news than I can share in a newsletter! For more frequent updates and information about city resources, follow me on social media: | | | Land Development Code Proposed Changes
Council is considering changes to the Land Development Code in February and April. Proposed changes would overhaul short-term rental regulations and update the preservation bonus used for the HOME amendments.
Short-term rental (STR) code amendments will be considered in February. Proposed changes will modify regulations to include new requirements that focus on regulating owners, operators, and platforms as businesses and enforcing licensing requirements. The changes represent the first time that the City has undertaken significant STR reforms since 2016.
Your participation and feedback is vital to this process and I encourage testimony and feedback on this important topic. Council already held a joint hearing with the Planning Commission on Feb. 4 that was sparsely attended. The final public hearings on these proposed amendments will be held at Austin City Hall (301 W. 2nd St.) during the Planning Commission Meeting (Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 6 PM) and at the February 27 City Council Meeting at 10 AM.
Changes to the preservation bonus in response to City Council direction will be considered in April. This proposed amendment will increase the interior square footage allowed for two new housing units if an existing housing unit is preserved (with no increase to impervious cover).
The public hearings on these proposed amendments will be held at Austin City Hall at the Joint Planning Commission and City Council Meeting (Tuesday, April 1, 2 PM), Planning Commission Meeting (Tuesday, April 8, 6 PM), and the April 24 City Council Meeting at 10 AM.
Learn more, submit your opinions, or sign up for public testimony (pre-registration required) at publicinput.com/DSDNotice. | | Federal Grant Funding Freeze
I've spoken with multiple journalists since the federal grant funding freeze was announced, and have fielded questions from residents about its impact on projects and programs run by the City of Austin. The short answer is that we will have to wait and see if the funding is released for the federal grants that Austin has already been promised by the federal government.
Cities like Austin receive large amounts of federal grant funds to serve our community with basic needs. There are also countless schools, healthcare organizations, and nonprofits in Austin that receive federal grants. It’s natural to want to review how our public dollars are spent, but how we do it is hugely important if we want to be effective and restore public trust. This action by the executive branch is missing public input and consideration for the daily functioning of our local governments and economies. | | | | | Holocaust Remembrance Day Proclamation
Before my first council meeting, I honored Holocaust Remembrance Day with a proclamation to remember the lessons of the past and pay respect to the victims and survivors of this tragedy. It is critical now more than ever for us, as a city, to act against discrimination, respect one another, and defend our common humanity.
Antisemitism, hatred, and violence has no place in a healthy society. Austin is celebrated for its quality of life, booming economy, attitude of innovation, and artistic culture. Our city shows what is possible when we celebrate our differences and respect the cultures and religions of our neighbors. | | | Lunar New Year
I kicked off Lunar New Year at the Asian American Cultural Center and enjoyed performances from student groups, regional dance teams, and cultural dance schools.
I also enjoyed the Fo Guang Shan Xiang Yun Temple Chinese New Year Celebration, where I presented a proclamation recognizing the importance of the occasion and the impact the Asian-American community has had on the cultural fabric of Austin. | | | Indian American Coalition of Central Texas Fundraising Gala
I was grateful to attend the Indian American Coalition of Central Texas' annual fundraising gala with my colleagues Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes and Council Members Zo Qadri, Krista Laine and Ryan Alter and our City Manager T.C. Broadnax.
I met a lot of District 10 and Austin residents who are deeply committed to the success of our city, and I also enjoyed the performance from Nagavalli Medicharla, Chair of the Austin Music Commission. | | | Liberal Austin Democrats Meeting
I attended the Liberal Austin Democrats’ first meeting of the year to speak to my priorities as a new council member. I also broke down the wildfire risk in west Austin and talked about what the city is doing to protect people and neighborhoods.
Wildfire, water, electricity - the reliable, long-term functioning of the most essential aspects of our city - is my first priority for council. | | | Austin Fire Department Annual Awards Breakfast
Last Friday, I attended the Austin Fire Department annual awards breakfast. We are lucky to have such highly-trained, brave and dedicated people serving our city. Congratulations to this year's honorees:
Firefighter of the Year - Fire Specialist Phil Johnson Fire Officer of the Year - Captain Alex Venegas Career Achievement Award - Battalion Chief Chris Watson | | | | Apply to Vote By Mail
Eligible voters can now complete their Annual Application for a Ballot by Mail (ABBM), which covers all elections in a calendar year. The deadline to apply for Ballot by Mail for the upcoming May 3 election is April 22.
You can vote by mail if you are: 65 years or older, sick or disabled, out of the county during early voting and Election Day, expecting to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day, or incarcerated but otherwise eligible to vote.
Learn more and submit your application.
| | | Imagine Austin Speaker Series
Join the Austin Planning Department for the latest Imagine Austin Speaker Series featuring City Manager T.C. Broadnax and City Demographer Lila Valencia. They will discuss how Austin uses data to navigate change and plan for the future, covering topics like affordability, equity, and mobility. The talk will be moderated by UT Professor Jake Wegmann.
This event is being held at the George Washington Carver Museum (1165 Angelina Street) from 3:30 to 5 PM on Wednesday, February 19, and is free to attend. Register here. | | | | | | Get To Know Your Veteran Benefits
Join the City of Austin on Wednesday, February 12 from 10 AM - 1 PM to learn about the benefits and resources available to veterans and their families. Topics will include VA disability compensation, veteran pension, survivor benefits, burial benefits, state veterans homes/cemeteries, land sales, home/land loans, and more.
This information session happens every 2nd Wednesday of the month. | | | Small Business Workshops
The Economic Development Dept. is hosting a series of workshops this month supporting the success of small businesses - check out the full schedule on their website. | | | Artist Access Program Applications
The Artist Access Program (AAP) provides free or low-cost rehearsal and production spaces to Austin-based performance artists. Artists and arts organizations can apply to take advantage of the opportunity to produce public performances in a space for free or at a reduced rental fee of $1 per ticket sold. Additional benefits include marketing resources, assistance with event planning, and support from PARD’s arts and culture staff.
For more information, visit the webpage or email AAPInfo@austintexas.gov. The deadline to apply is Saturday, March 15. | | | Travis County Parks Survey
Share your opinion! The Travis County Parks Comprehensive Plan, a year-long process to create a plan that will guide the future of Travis County Parks, has kicked off. Find more and take the survey by February 13. | | |
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