The Austin Chronicle 2018-01-26

46.6 MB·English

by  The Austin Chronicle

AISD Moves Way Down Southfield José Parlá Built a Wall Film Festival Calendar 2018
P.16 P.20 P.34

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JANUARY 26, 2018
VOLUME 37, NUMBER 22
austinchronicle.com
CONTENTS
JANUARY 26, 2018
VOLUME 37, NUMBER 22
PUBLISHER Nick Barbaro
EDITORIAL
EDITOR Kimberley Jones
NEWS Chase Hoffberger
ARTS Robert Faires
FOOD Jessi Cape
SCREENS Richard Whittaker
MUSIC Raoul Hernandez
WEB James Renovitch
CALENDAR
LISTINGS MANAGER, CLUB LISTINGS Mark Fagan
ARTS LISTINGS & MEAL TIMES Wayne Alan Brenner
SPECIAL SCREENINGS, SHOWTIMES,
& COMMUNITY LISTINGS Josh Kupecki
GAY PLACE & CIVICS LISTINGS Sarah Marloff
STAFF WRITERS
Kevin Curtin, Nina Hernandez,
Michael King, Mary Tuma
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
FILM Marjorie Baumgarten
FAR FLUNG CORRESPONDENCE Emily Beyda
MR. SMDAAYR TTYR IPPASN GTeS rRa.ldU .E S. tMeicnLbeeordg 44 COVER STORY: Going to Eleven C OVER B Y JASON STOUT/THINKSTOCK
PRODUCTION
ART DIRECTOR Jason Stout 4 FEEDBACK 34 SCREENS
PRODUCTION MANAGER Chris Linnen
WEB DIRECTOR Brian Barry
GRAPHIC DESDIGIGNIETRASL ZSeTkReA TBEaGrYb aMroic,h Jaeeffl BGaarmtnmeitltl PAGE THREE BY KIMBERLEY JONES 34 AUSTIN’S FILM FESTIVAL CALENDAR Start planning
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS John Anderson, Jana Birchum, BY RICHARD WHITTAKER
David Brendan Hall
PROOFREADERS Kat McNevins, Greg Stitt, 6 NEWS MY OBSESSION Time travel BY BEARS FONTÉ
Danielle White
INTERNS Ben Dickerson, Alyssa Frost, Christina
Garcia, Savannah Opre, MonsBearrialety S Sahneclhdeezn, 6 POINT AUSTIN BY
MICHAEL KING
ADVERTISING
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Cassidy Frazier 8 PUBLIC NOTICE BY
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Jerald Corder,
Bobby Leath, Elizabeth Nitz, NICK BARBARO
ACCOCUaNrTo ElyXnE CPUhTilIlVipEsS, DLaovisid R Kiclhewppinee, CIVICS 101
LEGAL NOTICES JMeassriiscaa MNeirsabbiattl 9 Naked City; CodeNEXT;
OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Council; Hutto; Richter;
DIGITAL CKOriOsRtiDnIeN TAoTfOtRe A New Jail?; more 11
Tamar Price 16 LOCATION, LOCATION,
MARKETING DIRECTOR/PR Sarah Wolf
MARKETING MANAGER Karena Rogers LOCATION AISD is mov-
LUV DOC/CIRCULATION/SPECIAL EVENTS Dan Hardick ing its administrative offices BY RICHARD WHITTAKER 34
STREET TEAM Kelsey Baker, Sommer Brugal, Anna
Cherian, Andrea Dane, Andrea Fuentes, Daniela
Garcia,A Oshrclehyi dG Greaerncisat,e iSna, nJdenran aG iHsie, rLriinsgat oGno,s Esleiatts, 18 CALENDAR 36 FILM LISTINGS BPM (Beats Per Minute), Den of Thieves, The
Huerta, Will Josma, Allen Martinez, Patricia May, Final Year, In the Fade, Maze Runner: The Death Cure, Mom
Bobby Mickey, Camille Morell, Andrew Osegi, and Dad
NATJIOonNaALs ASDpVirEaR, TCISoIkNaG TVreovicineo M, Aeldlyia W Garroruepn 41 SPECIAL SCREENINGS
(888/278-9866, www.vmgadvertising.com) 19 SNAPSHOT 42 SHOWTIMES
OFFICE STAFF
CONTROLLER Liz Franklin
OFFICE MANAGER/SUBSCRIPTIONS Carrie Young
CREDIT MANAGER cindy soo 44 MUSIC
ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT Chelsea Taylor 20 ARTS & CULTURE
INFO DESK Zach Pearce
TOSNYISGTHETM HSE ’ASD GMOINNNISAT RROATCOKR Y BOrUa TnOdNoInG HWTa Htkainnks 20 AMISTAD FOR TEJAS 44 BclAubS SanBdO fSeSst iRvaisli ng
CIRCULATION
You want a wall? P.A. standard comes
Leticia de la Vega, Perry Drake, Jared Esquivel,
Tom Fairchild, Ruben Flores, Jonina Foel-Sommers, Landmarks and artist together practically on
Andrew Gerfers, Suzette Johnson, Kevin Kinkade, José Parlá have a wall the ABIA tarmac
Eric McKinney, Grant Melcher, Paul Minor, for you. BY DAN GENTILE
Norm Reed, Nick Roseman, Zeb Sommers, BY ROBERT FAIRES
Bryan Zirkelbach 46 TEXAS PLATTERS
CONTRIBUTORS 22 ARTS LISTINGS The Lou Rebecca,
Greg Beets, Rob Brezsny, Isabella Castro-Cota, Way She Spoke: A Docu- Terminal Mind, PR
ChristiSnate Gvea rDcaiav,i sD, aBne aGresn Ftiolen,t éR,y Dano uHge Fnrneeesmsaene,, Mythologia, If I Forget, and Newman, and more 46
Sam Hurt, Melany Jean, Lindsay Stafford Mader, “Austin Women by Austin 48 RECOMMENDED
Lance Myers, Margaret Nicklas, Jenny Nulf, Women”
Rachel RascoDea,n Mnya rPca Sluamvlboov,, AKlaehjaronnd rSap Reaamrmiraenz,, 23 GAY PLACE CTHhaIrSle Ws LElEoKyd Memaragiols P frriocme ttahlkes l aWnidll ioef Nnealtsuorna,l dainsda sjatezzrs g, rpelauts
Tim StSehgaanllo, nM Wicheaaevel rT,o Aladnride,n Tnoem W Thoimteohrororswe, BY SARAH MARLOFF 20 Robyn Hitchcock, Marty Willson-Piper, Rhett Miller, Matthew
28 COMMUNITY LISTINGS Ryan, Matthew Logan Vasquez, Fred Eaglesmith, Big Boi,
Superfónicos, Wolf Parade, Devon Gilfillian, Devvon Terrell,
DAY TRIPS BY GERALD and more
E. MCLEOD
50 VENUES
52 ROADSHOWS + CLUB LISTINGS
30 FOOD
30 PULLED PORK BACK
Acornseekers brings
Spanish specialty
60 THE LUV DOC
The Austin Chronicle (ISSN: 1074-0740) is published BY ADRIENNE
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BY DANNY PALUMBO
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Austin, TX 78765. 31 MEAL TIMES 66 CROSSWORD
Unsolicited submissions (including but not 32 REVIEW Krua Urban Thai BY JESSI CAPE FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
limited to articles, artwork, photographs,
and résumés) are not returned.
2 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE JANUARY 26, 2018 austinchronicle.com
austinchronicle.com JANUARY 26, 2018 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE 3
Still Free After All These Years, But …
Ways to support your favorite alternative weekly
Online readers may have already noticed And now more than ever – maybe you’ve interpret the launch of Chronicle Club as a you rely on the Chronicle for our incisive
the little blue prompt we’ve started running seen the news? – the press is under siege. death rattle. Quite the opposite: We want to City Hall coverage and award-winning
at the end of stories. Or not – it’s pretty Not just by a famously press-hungry presi- expand our coverage, in print and online, music and arts coverage, to hear “Playback”
discreet. It’s harder to miss the full-page dent who would probably spontaneously and we want to do that without charging for columnist Kevin Curtin’s latest scoop, or to
clarion call on p.35 of this issue. The ask? combust if the “fake news” stopped paying the paper or putting up a paywall. For discover new and under-the-radar restau-
“Support Free Press.” attention to him. The internet, that reliable almost four decades, we’ve been serving rants. Maybe our film reviews and show-
There are myriad ways you can show “disrupter,” has fundamentally changed the Austin as a progressive news source and a times have gotten you to a great movie.
your support for The Austin Chronicle – and way news is delivered. News community partner. With There’s a good chance the Chronicle has
we’ll get to them in a bit – but the No. 1 way organizations have seen your help, we think we’ve supported your nonprofit with a free ad, or
you can show your love is with a cash dona- direct traffic go down as PAGE got another four decades in promoted your event. We think we keep our
tion via our newly launched Chronicle Club third-party platforms – us, and that might be low- hate-readers pretty happy, too; our com-
THREE
(austinchronicle.com/support). For a recur- Facebook especially – have balling it. ment boards are bopping with them, at
ring or one-time donation, the Chronicle become the go-between, Right about now, you least. Or maybe we’ve just been keeping
BY
Club offers perks: swag, advance access to eroding that one-to-one, ele- KIMBERLEY might reasonably be asking your birdcage nicely lined for the past 37
Chron giveaways and parties, also “break- mental relationship between yourself, what has the years. Happy to do our part.
fast with Chronicle staff,” which frankly reader and newspaper. Now JONES Chronicle done for me late- If that list ticked any boxes for you, then
sounds more punishment than reward to Facebook is feeling a little ly? Well, do you take a copy consider sending us a couple bucks. But
me. (I’ve eaten with staff, and we’re all mon- squirrelly about the respon- of our endorsements with that isn’t the only way to show your support
sters, open-mouth chewers who’d step on sibility that comes with dis- you to the polls? (Candidate for the Chronicle. You can sign up for our
your neck for that last bagel.) seminating news, and has launched a new endorsement meetings, by the way, take up newsletters. You can follow us on social
This soliciting of funds may sound coun- algorithm that will dramatically reduce the an ungodly amount of time and mental media, and share our stories on those plat-
ter to the mission statement of a free, alter- number of news stories that pop up in your energy, but we think they’re an essential forms, which helps new readers find us.
native weekly. But in this Our Changing feed. And so media takes another hit. It’s all resource for readers. The Statesman And you can support our advertisers. Quite
Media Landscape, both nonprofit and for- right, Ma, I’m only bleeding! stopped running candidate endorsements a lot of them are independent businesses
profit journalism shops have turned to the Okay, that’s a lot of doominess, and in 2016. We’ll publish our March primary and mom-and-pop shops, and Austin
donations-based model to sustain their work. that’s not what this is about. No one should endorsements in early February.) Maybe wouldn’t be Austin without them. n
FEEDBACK LETTERS & COMMENTS
IT’S MAGIC The issue is not whether abortion is good or
bad, but whether outlawing it furthers the objec-
Dear Editor,
tives of society. I don’t doubt that the majority
On reading the well-written Jan. 5 letter “It’s
think abortion is bad and generally speaking,
True, Google It,” I was struck by the similarities
those who get abortions do it only because they
of the pro-life arguments and a magician’s trick.
view the alternative as worse. However, in this
The magician offers lots of movement, which
country, unlike in a theocracy, the default posi-
you watch carefully to see how something disap-
tion is that you do not outlaw something just
pears, but actually it all happened before you
because it is wrong. I am entitled to sin if my
started to pay attention.
sins do not hurt you.
The writer asserts that the law is designed to
We can argue about whether to call it a fetus
protect innocent human life, no matter what
or an unborn child, but there is little doubt
stage of development. No it isn’t. The law is
about what it is not. It is not a member of soci-
designed for two purposes – to get society to
ety.
function effectively and to benefit the powerful.
So there are just two defensible pro-life argu-
That is true everywhere. Despotic regimes focus
ments. One is that abortion opponents are pow-
primarily on the second objective. Those cater-
erful and should get what they want because
ing to the first disagree on how best to protect
serving the powerful is one of the law’s objec-
society. For example, should we be all-in on free-
tives. The other is that it helps maintain the
dom of speech or should hate speech be
moral fabric of our country, not unreasonable
restricted?
but very much at odds with freedom of religion.
Ray Heitmann
I JUST WANT THIS TO BE SPECIAL:
“I visualize @MayorAdler balancing on a
Slackline when making this quote. ‘The “Want to make Austin special?
paradox for us is how do we grow, and at Stop jacking up rates to force
the same time preserve what makes people out of their homes just
Austin special? We can’t stop the growth, so that transplant hipsters can
and we have to preserve what’s special.’” come in and turn it into mini
@Jacobbarett via Twitter California. Stop gentrifying our
neighborhoods just to make LETTERS TO THE EDITOR must be signed with full name and include daytime phone number,
Austin white.” full address, or email address. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. We reserve the right to edit
– Joshua Perez via Facebook all submissions. Letters may not be edited, added to, or changed by sender once we receive them.
General email address: [email protected]
Letters online: austinchronicle.com/feedback
“I actually think he’s done a great job.”
– James Conradt via Facebook “Steve Adler Mounts Second Bid to Run City” Mailing address: The Austin Chronicle, PO Box 4189, Austin, TX 78765
(News, Jan. 19)
UPDATED DAILY
AUSTINCHRONICLE.COM/POSTMARKS
4 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE JANUARY 26, 2018 austinchronicle.com
austinchronicle.com JANUARY 26, 2018 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE 5
NEWS
QUOTE WEEK
of the
“It is the policy of the City Council, to the best of its ability, not to
procure services from any company involved in the design,
construction, or maintenance of the border wall.”
– From a resolution to be discussed by City Council Feb. 1, regarding
the Trump administration’s plan for a wall between the U.S. and Mexico
HEADLINES
Cultivation technician Dalton Edwards
CITY COUNCIL RETURNS to public meetings carries a bin of harvested cannabis at
Compassionate Cultivation. The South
next week, with a Tuesday work session (Jan. 30)
Austin dispensary and production facility
followed Thursday, Feb. 1, by the first regular meet-
planted its first crop in early November.
ing of 2018. The opening agenda is a doozy: 122
Items, including the appointment of new City
Manager Spencer Cronk and the re-re-re-return of
the Champion Tract 3. See “Council: As the Year
Turns,” p.10.
BYE, BYE BUTLER?
The contemplated pro-
fessional soccer venue for would-be Ohio trans-
plant the Columbus Crew looks increasingly
unlikely for the MLS team’s target of Butler Shores.
Council Member Ann Kitchen says she’s drafting a
resolution that would block the use of public park-
land for the project. Club owners issued a statement
Wednesday saying they “hope council will allow us
the opportunity to demonstrate potential parkland
improvements and community … benefits … which
could lead to the possibility of a public vote.”
“TRAFFIC STOP,”
a film about the June 2015
arrest of Breaion King, was nominated for an
Oscar in the category of documentary (short sub-
ject). See “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back,”
p.15, for related news to that arrest.
FROZEN INK:
There will be no CodeNEXT
election in May. IndyAustin organizer Linda Curtis ALL
told The Austin Bulldog last week that the effort to H
N
obtain enough signatures to force a referendum on DA
N
the rewrite’s language has stalled, leaving the pos- E
R
sibility open for a revival come November. Curtis D B
cited the increased November turnout, and the AVI
D
$800,000 the city would need to put up to hold a
special May election, but also noted her group’s
Amazon in Austin’s Pocket
trouble gathering signatures, particularly at Barton
Springs on New Year’s Day, when it was too cold to
hold a pen.
A BUSINESS MODEL BUILT ON PUBLIC SUBSIDIES SHOULDN’T HAVE ITS HAND OUT
DRUNK TANK NEWS:
Travis County Com mis-
sioners approved a contract this week that will have Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has a net worth Unlike many of my neighbors, I have no ty.” Since the productive debate over the
Tegrity Contractors build the $770,000 Austin of about $100 billion. Take that down to great fear that Austin could not absorb the Domain and Samsung, the city has not been
Sobering Center at 1213 Sabine St., site of the old $99.5 billion and nobody working at any HQ2 influx over its 10-year projections of profligate with incentive deals, and by ordi-
county medical examiner’s office. County officials Amazon facility in America would need 50,000 new highly paid employees (and many nance they must be “performance-based”
hope to open the sobriety center in August. assistance to eat. – David Dayen more ancillaries). But I don’t believe we and “cash-positive” – that is, certified as
should have to pay to make contributing more in direct economic
HART SHUTTERS CRP:
Interim City Manager Well, we made the cut. them welcome, and I was returns to the city than the cost of the initial
Elaine Hart officially shut down the Citizen Review Austin is one of 20 cities still pleased to see that among incentives – and require an open debate and
POINT
Panel on Tuesday, citing a lack of access to officers’ under consideration by Ama- the 20 cities profiled by The public decision by City Council.
confidential G-files as a result of the broken meet- zon Inc. for the site of its AUSTIN New York Times (“Where
and-confer agreement. second headquarters, after Amazon May Build Its New THRIVING ON SUBSIDIES
238 cities in all supplicated BY Headquarters,” Jan. 18), But such assurances ring a little hollow
STEVEN KLING, MICHAEL
a Democrat running to themselves before the God Mayor Steve Adler was one in this instance, since it is the state govern-
replace state Sen. Donna Campbell in District 25, is of Online Tax Exemp tion. In KING of the few officials deflecting ment in concert with the Greater Austin
celebrating big fundraising figures this week. The substance, it’s the equiva- notions of official bribery. Chamber of Commerce that has submitted
Dripping Springs resident has raised nearly lent of those magazine-pro- “I still not have heard any “Greater Austin’s” bid to Amazon, so the
$75,000 so far; he says that’s twice as much as any moting lists of “The Top 10 conversations about offering prospect of a suburban giveaway with few
Democratic challenger to Campbell has raised in Cities for … Pico de Gallo,” incentives,” Adler told direct benefits (and many imposed costs) to
any of her three contested elections. and it would have been a surprise if a tech reporters, and reiterated his plaintive hope the city appears very real. Amazon’s busi-
hub that is also the country’s 11th largest that an Amazon expansion might serve to ness model (including largely tax-free
WOULD PRIME BE FREE?
Austin is one of city would not be getting a second look. catalyze regional “mobility and affordabili-
CONTINUED ON P.8
20 cities to make the shortlist for Amazon’s second
headquarters, which is both exciting and awful.
ONLINE//CITY COUNCIL | NAKED CITY | BREAKING NEWS |AUSTINCHRONICLE.COM/NEWS
6 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE JANUARY 26, 2018 austinchronicle.com
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austinchronicle.com JANUARY 26, 2018 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE 7
NEWS ARTS & CULTURE FOOD SCREENS MUSIC
POINT AUSTIN CONTINUED FROM P.6 Old News on CodeNEXT regulation. Here are a few salient examples:
online sales) has in fact depended on gen- • Many of the issues related to process are
erous tax breaks, mostly for its country- in the purview of the Development Ser vices
wide network of warehouses. “Since 2000,” Department, not Planning and Zoning. And
reports David Dayen in The New Republic, SCATTERSHOTS, WHILE WAITING FOR DRAFT THREE while Council has greatly boosted that
“Amazon has received $1.115 billion in 129 department’s funding and manpower in the
communities in the U.S., rocketing past Earlier this month, the Austin American- (now delayed) anti-CodeNEXT referendum, last couple of cycles, there’s still never been
the previous leader in this category: Statesman ran three full-page editorial pages, with most members vehemently opposed to anything like an accounting of progress made
Walmart.” (“Amazon Is Thriving Thanks to of council members answering a seven-item it, but Tovo, Pool, and Alter saying, essential- since the scathing performance review known
Taxpayer Dollars,” Jan. 9.) questionnaire about the CodeNEXT land devel- ly, that they’ll live with what the voters as the Zucker Report, that’s now going on
The total is likely greater, since many of opment code rewrite effort. Taken as a whole, decide, and Ora Houston opining, “Why not?” three years old (see “Public Notice: Where
the giveaways are hidden behind nondis- what’s interesting about the answers is that, And when asked if the current timeline Does Money Come From?,” April 3, 2015).
closure agreements. Localities in Texas while the CMs have obvious strong differenc- needs to be extended, the CMs again seemed • The density bonus program intended to
alone provided Amazon with incentives es on development issues in principle, they to agree, with distinct variations only in tone, create funding for affordable housing is bro-
(generally long-term tax waivers) estimat- also agree on most all of the specifics. that an April passage is unrealistic, and that ken. The amount of money it produces, even
ed at $269 million, including $11 million Three of the questions pertained to there’s a lot more work to be done. during the building boom of the past decade,
from San Marcos, $7 million from Houston, affordable housing, and CMs wiggled is barely a drop in the bucket of what’s need-
a half-million from Dallas – and the com- around to various degrees before admitting On the other side of town, but also earlier ed, and the monitoring system to make sure
pany also enjoys confidential deals with that by and large, CodeNEXT doesn’t, and this month, a group of Easts ide leaders held the units really exist, and are really afford-
Katy and Coppell, and Harris and Dallas indeed can’t, do much to produce low-income a public event under the Community Not able, is virtually nonexistent. And while the
counties. These incentives generally affordable housing (except Jimmy Flannigan, Commodity banner to propose a seven-point revisions under CodeNEXT may create more,
underwrite facilities that Amazon needs for who threw in the laugh line, “Ultimately, the resolution regarding low-income housing, or perhaps less, funding for the program,
its quick-delivery premise – without the main barriers for developers committed to and to reiterate their opposition to there’s no apparent movement to fix the fun-
waivers, the company couldn’t simply walk building affordable units are the complicated CodeNEXT. Unfortunately, the resolution itself damentally broken pipeline itself.
away – yet Dayen reports that many of code and process.”). One clear got sort of lost in the coverage • Parallel planning efforts in transit corri-
these warehouse workers can’t get by with- divide on the dais is highlighted of the code opposition, but it’s dors – between the city transportation
out food stamps. as Kathie Tovo, Leslie Pool, and PUBLIC worth noting that much of department, Capital Metro, and CodeNEXT
Alison Alter each point out that, what they ask for could be planners – have lacked coordination through-
HOBSON’S CHOICE as early drafts seek to pro- NOTICE done, in parallel, and with or out. Only now, as the “final” code draft is
My uninformed guess is that the Cham- mote density by granting extra without, CodeNEXT implemen- readying for release Feb. 12, are we consid-
BY
ber’s bid offers both potential sites and development entitlements by NICK tation. Summed up, they pro- ering ways it could be informed by the trans-
Texas Enterprise Funds for Amazon’s con- right, they simultaneously pose creation of a Low- po plans, and vice versa (see “Plans Can’t
sideration, and if Austin survives the next delete a lot of potential afford- BARBARO Income Housing Trust Fund, Be Made in Silos,” p.10).
cut and the bids are finally made public, able housing incentives. That’s with dedicated city funding • Cap Metro has lost its lower-class rider-
the city would be expected to become a a baby that will be very hard to and a broader, more communi- ship base (because they’ve been gentrified
requisite “local sponsor,” as was the case cut in half, and a problem in ty-based management board out of Cap Metro’s service area, a rep told
for Circuit of the Americas. Under that sce- the code that’s been brewing for a while (see than the city’s current density bonus program the Plan ning Commission on Tuesday), and
nario, the city wouldn’t be out any cash, but “Density vs. Affordability,” Feb. 19, 2016). enjoys, plus a policy that all future bond perhaps its way. With ridership stagnant as
would be under substantial political (and A question on traffic congestion was a packages include at least 20% that’s ear- population and corridor density have shot up
business) pressure not to be a fly in the gimme: All the answers are a variation on, if marked for low-income housing. this decade, the transit authority has a lot of
ointment – and perhaps expected to provide we build more density along corridors, and work to do.
at least token, “welcoming” incentives. close to jobs and services, then more people One of the common themes in the views So, what’s a city to do? Not give up on try-
Between that political rock and hard will use alternative modes of transportation. expressed above, and in the discussions this ing, certainly, but it would help, perhaps, to
place is the very real consideration that if Similarly, CMs largely agreed that the current week at Planning Commission (see p.10), acknowledge that, for instance, CodeNEXT
the HQ2 is headed Austin’s way, better it be code is “so burdensome and restrictive is to highlight the fact that a lot of the issues isn’t going to do a huge amount to solve our
inside the tent – that is, within city limits that it drives up the cost of construction”; that recur in the CodeNEXT debate, a lot of affordable housing problems, or our transit
– rather than outside. If the latter happens only a couple pointed out that the early the benefits we want to get out of the problems, or our development review prob-
(and that remains highly speculative) CodeNEXT drafts aren’t much of an improve- rewrite, and a lot of the deficiencies we see lems, so we’d better get working on some
Austin proper will be enduring much of the ment; and also that a lot of the cited defi- in the current system, are not issues having other approaches as well. n
affordability and congestion costs (etc.) of ciencies are in development review, not code. to do with the code itself, and cannot be
Send gossip, dirt, innuendo, rumors, and other
all those new people, and few of the eco- There was something of a divide on the solved, purely or even primarily, by land use useful grist to [email protected].
nomic benefits. In keeping with the
increasingly top-down nature of our corpo-
CIVICS 101 DUTY NOW FOR THE FUTURE
rate and governmental arrangements, the
City Council would be in the very uncom-
fortable position of trying to make the best
of a business it would have had little or no THURSDAY 1/25 TUESDAY 1/30 THURSDAY 2/1
role in negotiating.
AUSTIN TEJANO DEMO CRATS Endorsement CANDIDATE MEET-AND-GREET Rainey Street FIRST 2018 CITY COUNCIL MEET-
As I’ve written before, I still think Austin forum to screen and endorse candidates for local races. Dems host a meet-and-greet with progressives running in ING (See p.10.) 10am. Austin City Hall,
and Central Texas remain long shots in this 5:30pm. Gardner Betts Juvenile Justice Center, 2515 S. Congress. the March primaries. Jan. 30, 6-8pm. Half Step, 75½ Rainey. 301 W. Second. www.austintexas.gov.
nationwide supplication, primarily because SATURDAY 1/27 JOINT LAND USE COMMISSION MEETING COMMUNITY INITIATIVES APPLI-
our limited mass transit would be daunting A special meeting of the Zoning & Platting and Planning CATION WORKSHOPS Individual art-
51st & SPRINGDALE ROAD PROJECT A public commissions to discuss CodeNEXT. 6pm. Austin City Hall ists, arts groups, and nonprofits: Learn how
to those thousands of highly paid commut- meeting to learn about ATD’s E. 51st St. improvement Council Chambers, 301 W. Second. www.austintexas.gov/zpc. to complete the application. Noon. Cultural Arts
ers yearning for ever-speedier accommoda- project (from I-35 to US 183). 10:30am-noon. East 19th Street Division offices, 201 E. Second. www.austintexas.gov.
tion. It’s savvy of Mayor Adler to propose Missionary Baptist Church, 3401 Rogge Ln. www.austintexas.gov. WEDNESDAY 1/31
ONGOING
that predicament as one of the “challeng- PROTEST FOR CHOICE Austin NOW and Texas BOND OVERSIGHT COMMISSION will discuss
es” he would like to address in partnership Handmaids lead a counterprotest for choice and access 2012 bond projects, and the 2018 calendar. 9:30am. Aus- FREE TAX PREP FOR LOW-INCOME
during the Rally for Life (one of Texas’ biggest anti-abortion tin City Hall, 301 W. Second. www.austintexas.gov/bondoversight. FAMILIES Available at six locations with
with Amazon. Certainly out of his own
events). Noon. Texas State Capitol, 1100 Congress. CODENEXT LIVE City staff answer questions live on varying day, evening, and weekend hours;
pocket, Jeff Bezos could underwrite an COMPOSTING CLASS Learn how to compost, and Facebook about the new code. Follow the page and post see www.foundcom.org.
Austin rail line – hell, even a subway sys- qualify for a $75 rebate on a home composting system. your questions! This week’s topic: Mobility. 12:15pm. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for the 25th
tem – and barely notice the expense. 1:30-2:30pm. TreeHouse, 4477 S. Lamar #600. www.austintexas.gov. www.fb.com/austincodenext. Annual SOTX Winter Games. Sign up online.
Challenge or not, I doubt that’s what TX10 CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE MEET- ADVOCATE TRAINING Learn how to advocate for Jan. 16-Feb. 2. www.sotx.org.
Amazon has in mind. But they should at AND-GREET A chance to hear from the candidates paid sick days at City Hall. 6-8pm. Texas AFL-CIO Aud., AUSTIN WOMEN’S HALL OF FAME
running the seat currently held by Republican Michael 1106 Lavaca. www.latinainstitute.org/en/texas. Austin Commission for Women is taking nomi-
least pay their own way. n
McCaul. 2-5pm. Scholz Garten, 1607 San Jacinto. Free. nations through Jan. 31. www.austintexas.gov/whof.
8 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE JANUARY 26, 2018 austinchronicle.com
NAKED CITY
VAN BOVEN VS. THE TMB …
THE SEQUEL
Dec. 8 should have provided a
moment of celebration for Dr. 6103 BURNET ROAD
Robert Van Boven. After nearly AUSTIN, TX • [phone] Best Selection of Native American Jewelry in Texas!
three years of “temporary restric- WWW.TEXASTTP.COM
tion” from his medical practice
(effectively ending it), the Texas
Medical Board finally accepted a
Sept. 15 ruling from State Office of
Admin istrative Hearings Judge
Hunter Burkhalter that Van Boven
had neither engaged in “boundary JA
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violations” with two patients nor A B
unprofessional conduct with another. IR
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The TMB concurred with Burkhalter’s HU
M
Proposal for Decision in a 9-1-1 vote,
Flat Smith at the Impeachment Rally on Saturday at City Hall. For more
but only reluctantly, as board mem-
from Austin’s Day of Resistance, see austinchronicle.com/photos.
bers complained they disagreed with
the ruling – the outcome of a week-
long May hearing – but felt obliged CHAMPION BOUT SCHEDULED
by their own standard practices to concur. Plans for the Champion Tract 3 are again drawing fire,
That should have ended the matter, but Van Boven this time from the city’s Environmental Com mis sion.
soon learned that instead of retracting the agency’s Last week, commissioners voted 7-2 to not recommend
original filing with the National Practitioner Data Bank approval of an ordinance amending rules that currently
– the federal repository of licensure actions against doc- govern the tract’s development, deeming the combina-
tors – the TMB only “revised” the report, noting the tion of variances and restrictions the ordinance creates to
reinstatement of Van Boven’s right to practice but leav- be not “necessarily environmentally superior” to what is
ing the record of the initial charges – including discred- allowed under the settlement agreement the city reached
ited claims of “sexual misconduct” and that he had rep- with the Champion sisters in 1996. Environmental Officer
resented an “immediate threat to health or safety.” Chuck Lesniak, who helped negotiate the terms of the
The NPDB files are not open to the public, but Van amending ordinance, told commissioners that impervious
Boven says any hospital or other institution where he cover limits and the preservation of 30 contiguous acres
might wish to practice would have access to the data- of the tract under a restrictive covenant make it an envi-
base, and would see this as an immediate red flag – ronmental win for the city. But commissioners disagreed, CHAMPION BOUT SCHEDULED
ending any hope he has of resuming his profession. and in a written resolution urged Council to renegotiate
According to information provided by NPDB staff, the provisions within a public process, citing concerns LINKS
among the reasons for “voiding” a report (removing it about tree removal, potential degradation of the water-
entirely) is “the action was overturned on appeal” – shed and protected bird habitat, violations of the Hill “Blood on the Tracts” - https://www.austinchronicle.
exactly the nature of Burkhalter’s ruling, and TMB’s Country Roadway Ordinance, and the setting of a “bad com/news/2017-06-30/looking-back-on-the-champi-
concurrence. TMB Executive Director and General precedent by granting excessive environmental waivers ons-tract-rezoning/
Coun sel Scott Freshour did not return calls requesting outside the public process,” among others.
comment, but in a letter to Van Boven he defended the Council originally approved the ordinance in 2016,
revised posting as “proper” and following “standard but the approval was later voided when District Court
processes like every NPDB report made by TMB.” Judge Scott Jenkins found that the city had not prop- VAN BOVEN VS. THE TMB … THE SEQUEL
At Van Boven’s request – supported by letters from erly notified the public about environmental waivers LINKS
both the Texas Medical Association and the Associa tion the ordinance granted (“Blood on the Tracts,” June 30,
of American Physicians and Surgeons – the matter has 2017). Council reposted and again approved the ordi- “Sept. 15 ruling” = https://www.austinchronicle.com/
been submitted for Dispute Resolution by the NPDB (a nance on second reading in December, while also task- daily/news/2017-09-20/judge-clears-van-boven-of-
division of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services). ing commissioners with a review. A third reading and mistreating-patients/
The “Policy and Disputes Branch” is now considering vote is set for Feb. 1. – Margaret Nicklas
whether the TMB’s “Revision to Action” report is sufficient, “Obligated by their own standard practices” = https://
or – as Van Boven contends – the original filing should be HOMELESS COUNT SATURDAY www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2017-12-12/van-
“voided” or removed entirely from the database. “The Early on Saturday morning, 600 volunteers will boven-cleared-of-mistreating-patients/
nearly two-year long ‘temporary’ restriction has unjustly meet for the Ending Community Homelessness
inflicted irreparable harm to my reputation, my career, and Coalition’s 2018 Point in Time Count. ECHO relies on
my family,” Van Boven wrote to the NPDB. “I urge the volunteer support to conduct their survey of people
NPDB to now remove this vestige of vilification.” experiencing homelessness and document the resourc-
Van Boven has maintained that the TMB’s actions es they need to survive. Last year, teams counted 2,036
were the result of unmerited complaints filed against people living outside, in shelters or other havens, or in
him by the Lakeway Regional Medical Center (now some type of transitional housing, and found a 28%
the Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Lakeway), in reduction in the number of people reporting as chroni-
retaliation for Van Boven’s whistleblowing complaints cally homeless, and an 84% decrease in adults report-
concerning dangerous or deadly hospital incidents and ing a substance use disorder, compared to the year
practices. Van Boven has lawsuits pending against the before. Volunteers learned that a combination of eco-
TMB and against Baylor Scott & White; a hearing is nomic factors, fractured support networks, inadequate 9
scheduled for Jan. 31 in Travis County District Court, for access to supportive services, and exposure to the
his anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public partici- criminal justice system keep people from finding stable
pation) suit against LRMC. – Michael King shelter. ECHO uses this data to draw strategies for
achieving its overall mission of ending homelessness.
Learn more at www.austinecho.org. – Nina Hernandez
austinchronicle.com JANUARY 26, 2018 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE 9
NEWS ARTS & CULTURE FOOD SCREENS MUSIC
Plans Can’t Be Made in Silos
CODENEXT’S NEW FRIEND,
THE STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN
It’s been a busy week for the city’s The ASMP will include policies, pro-
Planning Commission: a special called grams, and projects to help adopt the plan,
CodeNEXT meeting last Thursday, plus a as well as an updated “roadway table.” The
regular meeting Tuesday that briefly dove inventory of Austin’s streets will note what
back into Thursday’s discussion. This week, they are today and where they need to be in
attention turns to the developing Austin the future to help “manage our growth and
Strategic Mobility Plan and Capital Metro’s transportation demand,” said Beaudet.
like-minded projects, and how they both Multimodal options will be addressed by
might play along with the new code. examining the width of roadways, number
Transportation Department Assistant of car lanes and bike lanes, and types of
Dir ec tor Annick Beaudet provided commis- transit on each street.
sioners with a preview of that mobility plan, Staff are currently in the process of map- M
an update to the Austin Metropolitan Area ping three mode share scenarios to examine HU
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Transportation Plan that’s been in effect what happens if the city: BIR
since 1995. The effort is run by Kimley- 1) keeps doing what it’s been doing; A
N
A
Horn, the same firm subconsulting on 2) increases investment in centers or cor- J
transportation for Opticos Design on ridors; Mayor Steve Adler, riding one of Austin’s many modes of transportation, although hopefully
CodeNEXT. It was ultimately Kimley-Horn’s 3) only invests in Imagine Austin corri- not exclusively on the sidewalk on his way to work Downtown. The rapidly developing Austin
familiarity with the zoning rewrite that dors and activity centers. Strategic Moblity Plan will soon see the city’s mobility initiatives coalesce with CodeNEXT.
inspired ATD to reach out for the mobility Conceptualized scenarios will be pre-
plan; Beaudet called the cross-plan synergy sented to the public in February, and from Commissioners still had questions for take the language up in April. But since
a “best outcome for the city.” Kimley-Horn there ATD will work out an actual plan. Hem ing son. PC Chair Stephen Oliver November’s delay, land use commissioners
is already a year into what ATD anticipates That’s when CodeNEXT comes into play: asked how Cap Metro’s planning can be (from both PC and Zoning and Platting)
being a two-year process; Beaudet said the The land use code is how ATD acquires best used to inform the next several have been concerned about how much time
department hopes City Coun cil can adopt right-of-ways for roadways, and easement months of CodeNEXT conversations. they’ll get to digest draft three before issu-
the final plan in the spring of 2019. for transportation usage. Hemingson suggested both sides look at ing their recommendations to Council.
ATD has spent the first year of the effort Transportation talk continued on Tuesday the corridors again to ensure their plans Oliver’s “relatively aggressive” timeline
running public outreach, with a focus spe- with a presentation by Capital Metro Exec- are fully aligned. He also stressed that proposed that Council receives those rec-
cifically on underserved communities u tive Vice President Todd Hemingson. housing and job density “generally ommendations by May. If that becomes the
(including minorities, seniors, youth, and Connections 2025 (to be implemented in equates” to higher levels of transit users. case, Council likely wouldn’t vote on
folks with limited mobility), and working June, see “Cap Metro’s Frequent Flyers?” Commissioner Trinity White followed by CodeNEXT until at least July.
closely with Capital Metro’s Project Con- Nov. 3, 2017) and Project Connect (the more specifically asking about the importance of PC and ZAP pick up CodeNEXT again on
nect. The U.S. Department of Transporta- long-term, comprehensive strategy) are Cap mixed-use zoning, something CodeNEXT’s Tuesday, Jan. 30. As for ASMP, Beaudet
tion mode share numbers (which track how Metro’s two plans to increase public transit second draft brought to a number of areas invites residents to the Central Library (710
people 18 and older get to work) indicate ridership and reduce the number of cars on that are currently zoned for commercial W. Cesar Chavez) on Saturday, Feb. 24, to
that 74% of Austin workers commute alone city streets. For example, the agency is cur- only. Hemingson called the mixing of uses begin the second round of public engage-
each day, accounting for a bulk of the city’s rently looking into what happens if today’s “absolutely critical.” ment. And though dates have not yet been
traffic congestion. Population projections turn lanes are transformed into bus lanes. Closing out on Thursday, Oliver proposed set, commissioners will hear more from
hope that by 2040 Austin will achieve a Hemingson told commissioners this simple an updated timeline for the commission to ASMP and Cap Metro. As Hemingson said,
50-50 split, with only half its residents driv- switch could double or triple the movement review the third and supposedly final draft these plans can’t be made in silos. “It’s a
ing to work; even with that balance, traffic on roadways, and help maximize corridor of CodeNEXT (out Feb. 12) and get it to chicken or the egg scenario,” he said. “We
is expected to stay the same unless a plan is use. Their findings will be unveiled in draft Council as soon as possible. Under the city’s can’t lead one without the other, but I think
installed that changes matters. form next month for public comment. original timeline, Council was supposed to we’re off to a good start.” – Sarah Marloff
City Council: As the Year Turns Tax Cred its (along with related administrative resolutions) There’s no city money involved, but the longstanding argu-
to be used for multifamily projects around town. The large ment might return over state giveaways for these events and
City Council formally inaugurates the new year next week, basket of applications might be a consequence of wide- the dubious related ROI calculations.
with its first regular meeting on Thursday, Feb. 1 (work ses- spread speculation that the Trump administration’s corporate • Relentless Robbins: Final Item 122 (although likely to be
sion Jan. 30). From this distance, the day’s 122-Item agenda tax rate cut will soon make the program’s credits less desir- heard in the early evening) is a public hearing on energy gad-
looks daunting, although a large group of housing tax credit able and thus cut sharply into the nationwide supply of fly Paul Robbins’ complaint concerning the Texas Gas Sup-
applications may fly through with little debate, and the list affordable housing. ply change in rates approved last year. Staff recommendation
includes several dozen zoning cases – always unpredictable • Public Safety Cloud: The morning briefing features an is to reject the complaint – Robbins’ response should be illu-
for postponements and timing. It also boasts not one but two update on public safety operations, particularly concerning minating and entertaining.
Champion Tract Items, likely to regenerate the long-running “labor relations issues” (i.e., grim prospects). There’s plenty more on the list, including a half-dozen sec-
disputes over development near FM 2222 and City Park Road • We Are the Champions: Item 12 carries over the 2017 ond and third readings of zoning cases (meaning the first
in Northwest Austin. A few early Items to anticipate: Champion Tract 3 debate into 2018 (public hearing closed, readings were conditional) and nearly three dozen new cases
• Enter the Cronk: Item 66 concerns the formal appoint- dais only), updated by a negative recommendation on the (including that Champion 1C) that could consume serious
ment of new City Manager Spencer Cronk, first day Feb. 12, proposed settlement agreement from the Environmental Council time. And despite the lack of regular January meet-
with salary terms and related matters to be approved by this Com mission (“Champion Bout Scheduled,” p.9). And Item ings, other work has proceeded: Council Member Greg Casar
resolution. 104 addresses a zoning change for Tract 1C, with split rec- expects to return Feb. 15 with a version of his employee sick
• Especially Special: The repeatedly postponed, third-read- ommendations from staff (yes) and the Zoning & Platting leave proposal, and CM Ann Kitchen promises a resolution
ing approval of new rules governing special events and high- Com mis sion (no). to exclude city parkland (i.e., Butler Shores) from consider-
capacity venues returns as Item 14, after yet another round of • On the Circuit: Items 10 and 11 consider city sponsorship ation for any potential professional soccer venue.
staff and stakeholder tweaks. Will it make the cut this time? of applications by the Circuit [of the Americas] Events One more notable early highlight: The musical honorees
• Last Chance Housing?: A list of 26 Items (15-41) con- Local Organizing Committee to Gov. Greg Abbott for state will be the Huston-Tillot son University Concert Choir.
cern city approval of applications for Low-Income Housing underwriting of future RallyCross and MotoGP events at COTA. – Michael King
10 THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE JANUARY 26, 2018 austinchronicle.com