Austin City Council to vote on Austin Energy rate hike Thursday

AUSTIN (KXAN) — There are just short of 90 items on Austin City Council's agenda for Dec. 1. Here's some of what we're watching.

Austin Energy rate hike

Austin City Council already approved a pass-through rate increase for average customers of roughly $15 a month. That rate covers the cost of buying and transporting energy.

Now, Austin City Council could decide on a base rate increase, as is required by the city every five years. That proposal asks the council to approve another $15 increase for customers — this one at a set rate.

“We see higher infrastructure costs, we see bigger growth within the city of Austin, and it’s important that the utility can keep pace with that and the cost of providing electricity to our customers,” said Matt Mitchell, a spokesperson for Austin Energy, after a previous council work session on the topic.

The base rate is used for fixed costs, such as employees and equipment.

Austin Energy CAP program expansion

Also on the agenda is creating enrollment markers for Austin Energy to hit with its Customer Assistance Program (CAP). Council members have previously discussed their desire to expand that program as fees go up.

"This item aims to enroll 90% of eligible residential customers by June 2025. Currently, only about 38% of eligible residential customers are enrolled," Council Member Vanessa Fuentes posted.

Legal representation for South Terminal lawsuit

Council members will likely approve an agreement with Winstead PC to represent the city in lawsuits over the condemnation of the South Terminal at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport as the city looks to expand its airport into that space.

According to city documents, the city could sign off on an additional $1.5 million toward legal representation. The money will come from the Fiscal Year 2022-23 Department of Aviation's Operating Budget.

Documents list the total contract amount as just over $3 million.

Data coordination for homeless assistance

The council could direct the city manager to find ways to make it easier for groups that deal with homelessness to share and keep data.

"This aims to reduce costs and increase efficiency," Fuentes said.

According to documents, the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO), Integrated Care Collaboration (ICC) and Dell Medical School are working to make a data platform that would track and share medical and social service data, so groups could improve coordination and see what services have previously been offered to people experiencing homelessness.

The resolution directs the city manager to assist in that process if approved.

Brodie Oaks Redevelopment PUD

Another major development in Austin is headed to the council after the planning commission signed off on the Brodie Oaks proposed planned unit development, or PUD, earlier this month.

The increasingly empty shopping center near South Lamar and the 360 Loop is in the early stages of becoming a small skyline in south Austin, roughly four decades after it was originally built.

This will be the first of three PUD readings.

Statesman PUD

The contentious 305 South Congress PUD, where the old Statesman building is now, is up for its third and final PUD reading.

Simply put, a PUD is a set of rules for developers which typically go beyond what other parts of the city can do on what can and can’t be built or what is required to be included in the space.

This item has been kicked down the line several times as the city and developers have not been able to agree on the details of the PUD. One of the most vocalized during previous meetings is the lack of park space offered by developers and required under the PUD.

The area could eventually become the latest expansion of Austin’s downtown area.