Council to finalize housing update plan
Published 8:11 am Sunday, April 16, 2017
The Austin City Council should finalize a plan to update its 2013 housing study on Monday.
At its 5:30 p.m. regular meeting at City Hall, 500 Fourth Ave. NE, the council is expected to finalize a $14,000 plan to hire Maxfield Research to update its 2013 housing study.
The city is looking to split the cost three ways with the Housing and Redevelopment Authority and Vision 2020.
City officials have identified housing as a key economic development challenge. That 2013 study outlined the need for nearly 300 rental units and 118 single family units by 2020. But as the city moves ahead, it will look to have the most up-to-date information on trends and Austin’s needs.
“If we want to have the best and most current information, we’d probably be warranted to go ahead to do the update now,” City Administrator Craig Clark said earlier this month.
The city approved the plan at an April 3 work session.
The city is approaching Vision 2020 about a possible partnership as it updates the housing study.
Housing continues to be one of the city’s key economic development focuses; however, it’s also a complex issue requiring a multi-faceted approach in solutions.
While Austin’s made headway through things like the Science Park apartment project and a housing tax abatement, which has been offered in partnership with Mower County and Austin Public Schools, there’s still a long way to go.
Clark has said the housing tax abatement saw a good start last year, but they’re waiting to see how it carries forward into this spring’s construction season.
The city is also taking steps in partnership with the Austin Housing and Redevelopment Authority on the Fox Pointe development, which would feature 38 town homes in an area north of Wal-Mart.
In other business, the council will:
—Finalize a plan for Austin to match the state on the recently-approved Sunday liquor sales. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. starting July 1. The city can’t band Sunday sales, but it could have limited the house. The city
—Vote on a plan to demolish the Fogarty hangar at Austin Municipal Airport with funds from the airport construction fund.
—Discuss a resolution of support for Minnesota House and Senate Bills that increase the base appropriation for local government aid.
—Discuss alterations to a 2011 memorandum of understanding with the Cedar River Watershed District on the North Main Flood Control Project for anticipated spring 2018 construction of the Community Recreation Center at the downtown Austin Municipal Plant.
—Discuss bids for reconstruction of Fourth Avenue Northwest.
—Discuss bids for asphalt reconstruction in northwest Austin on First Street, Second Street, Third Street, Fourth Avenue and Fifth Avenue.