Public Notice: November Song

Did you know that Austin has one of the 25 largest urban parks in the country, according to the Trust for Public Land? No, it's not Zilker or Auditorium Shores; it's Walter E. Long Park, east of town, most of the way to Manor. The 3,715-acre tract includes the Travis Co. Exposition Center, Decker Power Plant, wildlife and prairie grass sanctuaries, and a 735-acre tract on the east shore of Decker Lake that was 45 years ago envisioned to be a public golf course. Now, in the waning days of the "economic development" City Council era, a development group is trying to dust off that vision, updated into a high-end, privately run, destination golf resort.

The proposal has been negotiated as a concession agreement: For 50 years, plus four 10-year options, the city would – not sell, not lease, but grant a concession to Decker Lake Golf LLC to build and operate two high-end golf courses and a clubhouse complex suitable for PGA tournaments. (Also part of the plan, on adjacent private property along SH 130, are a pair of luxury hotels.) That terminology is crucial, because this is dedicated parkland, which the Council cannot "sell, convey, lease, mortgage, or otherwise alienate" except by a public vote by the electorate. Yet proposal backers would have us believe that a "concession" contract, which takes the parkland out of public park rolls through our grandchildren's lifetimes, is somehow exempt from this provision. It's a specious argument – even leaving aside the whole question of whether high-end golf courses are the best use of that land for the remainder of the 21st century – and it will likely be challenged in court should Council decide to go down that path. But never underestimate the developer lobbyist's faith in the Hail Mary pass. And that people are even taking this seriously is a testament to how badly various folks want to get the outgoing Council to do various things for them before the barbarians take over the Council chambers in January.

The project's own timeline has the contract scheduled for negotiation and execution through January – but of course, with the new Council being sworn in Jan. 6, and District 1 Council-Member-in-Waiting Ora Houston on record in opposition to the proposal as it currently stands, that timeline has apparently been moved up. Should Coun­cil approve the contract tonight, that decision would be taken out of the hands of the new Council – and indeed, every City Council for the next 90 years. Tonight's authorization for staff to execute a contract would be final; the only thing that would come back to the new Council would be issues surrounding water use – and indeed, those are substantial: See Austin Water Director Greg Meszaros' tactful equivocations on the matter in Jo Clifton's "A Few Rounds Over Decker," p.16.

One action that might come a little easier, because it doesn't require a long-term commitment, is a proposed curfew on after-hours construction that's being discussed at the Downtown Commis­sion as we go to press Wednesday, and will be back on the Council agenda Thursday. Currently, builders can work all night in the CBD; they'd like to expand the area in which they can do so, but Council's response was to add a 2am curfew (negotiated back from the 7pm that Downtown residents requested). That passed on first reading, but faces stiff opposition from the development lobby.

On the other hand, Springdale Farm owners Glenn and Paula Foore are asking for Council to pass three measures (Items 145, 146, 147): to amend the neighborhood's Future Land Use Map, approve a zoning request, and remove a restrictive covenant on the property. With District 3 City Council candidate (and front-runner) Susana Alman­za leading the opposition, and a valid petition filed, Springdale will need a super-majority vote at City Council, meaning six of the seven votes to approve. This paper has been a big supporter of Springdale, and of urban farms in general, but by the same logic as above, this looks like a very uphill battle.

Meanwhile, the proposal to allow Acces­sory Dwelling Units (granny flats) on undersized lots remains in Planning Com­mis­sion subcommittee deliberation and refinement, and will now almost certainly be held for the new Council to consider. And, no one knows where Council will come down on the hugely influential, but little-understood decision on an approach to CodeNEXT building code rewrites. The only logical decisions would be to adopt the staff-recommended middle-of-the-road Approach No. 2, or to punt and let the new Council take its shot at this long-range planning decision that they're going to have to manage and live with. But this is one where the outgoing Council members have a chance to do one last big solid for the private sector they're about to join, so logic may have little to do with it.

We're kind of thin on Public Notice-y events this Thanksgiving week, so I threw in a few items straight out of the mailbag:

City Election Forums & Debates Early voting in the run-offs doesn't start until Dec. 1, but the talking is already under way. In addition to the League of Women Voters forums Friday evening (see "Civics 101" below), Wednesday night's Time Warner mayoral debate is available both online at TWCNews.com and on Local On Demand, Channel 1020.

Art For Water Local activist metal sculptor Barry George is donating 100% of his proceeds during this weekend's East Austin Studio Tour to the Save Our Springs Alliance. Visit him at 204 Attayac St. See www.east.bigmedium.org for more info.

Press Releases I Couldn't Bear to Read Any Further: LCRA SEEKS TO SUSPEND RELEASES FROM HIGHLAND LAKES FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT YEAR: Historic Action Prompted by Record-Setting Drought

Press Releases I Couldn't Wait to hear more about: "Texas is ranked #14 in the U.S. for love of green-bean casserole, according to the Del Monte Green Bean Index."

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