Austin City Council met Thursday with over 100 items on its agenda.
Major Business Items
Real Estate Acquisition: The council approved acquiring approximately 142.754 acres at 6500 Tracor Lane for $41.1 million for Austin Water and other municipal purposes, including 11 buildings totaling about 2.4 million square feet. (Austin Business Journal)
Austin Water Projects: Several major water infrastructure items were approved, including:
- $260 million bond authorization for capital improvement projects
- $6.2 million agreement with Lennar Homes for wastewater infrastructure
- Two low-interest loan agreements with the Texas Water Development Board totaling $13 million
Aviation: Approved new airline use and lease agreements for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport running from 2026-2035.
The airport has issued the following statement from Ghizlane Badawi, AUS Chief Executive Officer:
“This is a pivotal milestone for Central Texas. We are thankful for our airlines’ shared commitment to deliver safe, modern, and efficient airport facilities that meet the needs of travelers and the region for years to come and we are grateful to the Austin City Council, City of Austin leadership and our business and community partners who have supported this transformational work, none of which would be possible without the tens of millions of people who pass through our terminal each year. We can’t wait to deliver a bigger, better AUS for our community.”
Service Contracts & Operations
The council approved numerous service contracts including:
- Homeless Services: Multiple amendments to agreements with organizations like Integral Care, Casa Marianella, and LifeWorks, totaling millions in additional funding for housing and support services
- Public Health: Extensions of various health service contracts with organizations like SAFE Alliance, Catholic Charities, and the University of Texas
- Technology: Major IT contracts including $33 million for ServiceNow software and various infrastructure upgrades
A resolution aimed at prioritizing youth homelessness funding failed following extended debate over budget process and policy flexibility. (Austin Monitor)
Planning & Zoning
Four zoning cases were approved, including:
- Height increases for properties on North Lamar Boulevard (from 60 to 160 feet)
- Rezoning for mixed-use developments
- Changes to South Congress neighborhood plan
Other Notable Actions
- Approved Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau budget of $22.4 million
- Authorized comprehensive plan update (“Imagine Austin”) with $3 million in funding
- Approved various fee waivers for community events and affordable housing projects
- Conducted Austin Housing Finance Corporation meeting approving tenant-based rental assistance and multifamily housing bonds
The meeting included 115 regular agenda items, with most approved on consent. Two items were withdrawn during the proceedings.
Austin City Council delayed a vote on a $2 million contract with Live View Technologies for mobile security cameras in city parks, citing concerns about data usage and audio capture.
Council is also pausing plans to reopen the Zilker Café at Barton Springs Pool after nearly a decade.
Austin City Council approved measures requiring dig guard protections at the bottom of fences in dog boarding facilities to prevent escapes, following the tragic death of a dog named Wendy who dug under a fence last summer.
WATCH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL MEETING VIDEO
One man is dead, and a bystander was injured after an officer-involved shooting in South Austin.
AUSTIN POLICE MEDIA BRIEFING
An Austin Water contractor died Thursday afternoon after a crane toppled at a construction site in North Austin.
Austin police announce the arrests of five people in connection with a shooting and robbery in North Austin earlier this month.
Authorities in Pflugerville announced the arrests of four people in connection with two homicides in 2021.
Federal prosecutors have charged Thomas Austria Crouse with making threats against a staffer for President Donald Trump.
According to a criminal complaint, Crouse left a voicemail threatening to decapitate the staffer and kill their family. The FBI traced the call to Crouse in Austin.
After the FBI spoke with Crouse on Tuesday, he reportedly agreed to stop making threats. However, prosecutors say the staffer then received five more threatening voicemails urging them to take their own life. Crouse was arrested on Wednesday, two days after the initial call was allegedly made. (Austin American-Statesman)
Police evacuated Kyle City Hall Thursday morning after receiving a report of threats made against the building. (CBS Austin)
A flight traveling from Aspen, Colorado to Houston was diverted to Austin Thursday night after reported “severe turbulence”. Two people suffered minor injuries.
“SkyWest flight 5971, operating as United Express from Aspen (ASE) to Houston (IAH), was diverted to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) after experiencing turbulence. The flight landed safely and was met by medical personnel upon arrival. Our highest priority is the safety and well-being of all onboard and we are working with our partner United to assist customers.” — SkyWest spokesperson
There’s new information about a fatal accident on I-35 earlier this week.
A grass fire was quickly contained by Lake Travis fire crews Thursday afternoon in west Austin near Steiner Ranch.
A city ordinance prohibits visitors from using “a jet ski, wet bike, motorized surfboard, or similar device” on Lake Austin on Labor Day and other holiday weekends. (Austin American-Statesman)
WEATHER
THURSDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPS
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
Two main zones of wet weather are forecast to impact parts of the United States through Labor Day. One zone will stretch from Wyoming to New Mexico, and another will reach from Texas to Florida and the Carolinas, where flash flooding will be the primary concern. (AccuWeather)
A message from ABIA for holiday weekend travelers…
The Texas House has passed a bill that would bar transgender people from using bathrooms in government buildings that align with their gender identities. The version passed on Thursday differs from the one sent by the Senate, in that it multiplies the fines for places that violate the law by five.
The Texas House on Thursday evening approved a bill that would allow private citizens to sue anyone who manufactures, distributes, mails or provides abortion medication to or from Texas.
In the days since the Texas Legislature approved a new congressional map, lawmakers and candidates have been eyeing the new district lines. Several have already announced their plans to switch seats or step down based on the updated map. (Texas Standard)
Former Major League Baseball player Mark Teixeira launched his campaign for Texas’ 21st Congressional District on Thursday, becoming one of the first Republicans to declare for the Central Texas district since the incumbent, Rep. Chip Roy, announced he would give up the seat to run for attorney general.
TX AG Race, ATX Congressman Changes Districts, Foreign Land Ownership – Weekly Roundup – August 29
Is Texas protecting its campers from future floods?
Vapes containing THC and other hemp-derived cannabinoids like Delta-8 will become illegal to sell in Texas on Sept. 1 under a law passed earlier this year. Senate Bill 2024, while narrower than efforts to outlaw all THC products in Texas, drew far less attention as it moved through the legislature. (KUT 90.5)
In San Antonio, Martin Rivera Perez Gonzalez emailed 50 people, including law enforcement, demanding “Crime Stopper fees”, “city dues”, and “local media funds”, threatening “Operation Kill All Citizens” if not paid.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing a San Antonio business behind more than a dozen San Antonio hotspots over allegedly prohibiting an off-duty police officer carrying a weapon inside. It’s all tied to a piece of 2017 legislation saying officers can carry their guns, even when not on the clock, into spaces otherwise deemed gun free. (My San Antonio)
The Trump administration has cleared the way for new border wall construction in South Texas, waiving more than 30 environmental and public health laws to expedite the project, which will cut through parts of a federally protected wildlife refuge. (Chron)
SPORTS
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCORES (AUG. 28)
Anderson 37, McCallum 2
Buda Hays 43, Elgin 13
Del Valle 47, Cedar Creek 0
Marble Falls 49, Crockett 0
Hewitt Midway 56, Westwood 19
Killeen Shoemaker 56, Round Rock 28
Pflugerville 21, Leander 14
Stony Point 42, East View 20
Vista Ridge 30, Killeen 14
Weiss 56, McNeil 28
TONIGHT’S AREA GAMES listed here.
The top-ranked Longhorns are actually underdogs.
Texas Football @ Ohio State Preview + Week 1 CFB Talk | 8/29/25
The biggest Longhorn, Bevo, won’t be in Columbus tomorrow. (KXAN-TV)
MLB: The Houston Astros were flying high in Denver last night.
Christian Walker homered twice, capped by a tiebreaking solo shot in the eighth inning to lift the Houston Astros to a 4-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday. (Yahoo! Sports)
The Texas Rangers had the day off yesterday.
ON THE SCHEDULE
AL WEST STANDINGS
Step inside George Strait’s massive Texas ranch, a breathtaking estate in Medina County that reflects both luxury and country charm. Known worldwide as the “King of Country Music,” George built a life away from the spotlight that is just as fascinating as his legendary career.
