City of Austin Passes Ordinances For Winter Storm Recovery

Austin TX

26 February, 2021

3:11 PM

Description

AUSTIN, TX — The City of Austin has passed several ordinances that would help residents recover from this month's severe winter weather. During a special meeting Thursday, the Austin City Council passed a number of measures related to relief and recovery, according to a series of Tweets posted by the city. The council ratified and extended Mayor Steve Adler's state of disaster declaration. The declaration allows the city to continue accessing state and federal emergency funding following the winter storms. The declaration was originally made Feb. 14, according to the city's website. Council Affirms Disaster Declaration: @ATXCouncil ratifies and extends @MayorAdler's state of disaster declaration to allow the City to access state + federal emergency funding following the severe winter weather. More info: https://t.co/GP6h387awL pic.twitter.com/hzHbqs8XbB— City of Austin (@austintexasgov) February 25, 2021 Other measures that were passed included waiving permits and fees to repair homes and remove trees and tree limbs damaged during the storm, waiving fees and costs for people who received help from Austin-Travis County EMS during the winter storms and suspending late fees for Austin Energy and Austin Water bills so that residents can focus on repair and restoration efforts. Austin customers are already protected from rate spikes due to the city's fixed rates, set by council. According to the Twitter thread, the city also approved a plan to enable more rapid repair of plumbing damaged by winter storms—including through permitting waivers and extension of application deadlines. Cronk: "After all, this is Austin. We're a resilient city, but more importantly, we are a caring city. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you." 3/3 pic.twitter.com/akcz5W86PD— City of Austin (@austintexasgov) February 25, 2021 "There is no good word to describe how scary, catastrophic and crippling the last ten days have been for our community," City Manager Spencer Cronk said during Thursday's special meeting. "But I can think of a few words that describe how our community responded to this event, and they include heroic and inspiring." During the meeting, Cronk made sure to thank city employees and the community for stepping up to help those in need. "...This is Austin. We're a resilient city, but more importantly, we are a caring city. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you," Cronk said. Want to know more about this special meeting? Visit the city of Austin's website here. RELATED COVERAGE: Here's Where To Find Water, Meals In The Austin Area Austin Community College Reopens After Winter Storm Impact Former Austinite Sandra Bullock Donates $250k To Area Food Bank