Austin Updates Laws, Defines Traffic Roles
Modernizing City Laws:
Austin was undertaking a major project to organize and update all its city laws (ordinances), removing outdated or conflicting rules to streamline local governance.Clarifying Traffic Authority:
City leaders discussed how traffic decisions would be made, maintaining ultimate authority over key issues like one-way streets, speed zones, and parking meters, while authorizing the Traffic Engineer to gather facts and make recommendations.Commitment to Transparency:
To ensure thorough review and public awareness, the city decided to keep a rule requiring new ordinances to be read on three separate days before being enacted.Specific Policy Updates:
Decisions were made to adopt a standard fireworks ordinance and refine the approach for issuing tickets in incidents involving negligent collisions.
Full Transcript
CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS 10:41 1041 MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS Informal Meeting October 01, 1954 10:00 Α.Μ. The meeting was called to order with Mayor McAden presiding. Roll Calle Present: Councilmen Long, Pearson, Thompson, White, Mayor McAden Absent: None Present also: W. E. Seaholm, City Manager; Doran R. Eskew, Assistant City Attorney; Clifton E. Speir, Assistant City Attorney; Mr. Thomas M. Brown, Mitchie Company. The Council met in an informal meeting with MR. THOMAS M. BROWN, Mitchie Company, to receive information on the progress of the codification of the ordinances. He explained the type of ordinance that had been omitted--those that had been repealed, those that were obsolete, in conflict with State Law or voided by a Court. Those that were in conflict with the Charter had been brought in line with the Charter. He asked the Council to accept their work and to know that they had done nothing to the present day laws of the City--they were exactly as the City Council had set them up through the years. He wanted the Council's informal approval so that he could go ahead with setting it up in final form. MR. BROWN explained his recommendation regarding the Traffic Code, whereby certain standards as set by the State would govern conditions and the Traffic Engineer would recommend to the City Manager the details after he determines whether the facts meet the standards set up. The Council would not delegate any of its authority, but would authorize the Traffic Engineer as the fact-finder. The Council would decide on one-way streets, speed zones and parking meters. MR. BROWN asked if the Council wanted to eliminate the reading of ordinances on three separate days as provided in the old Code. The Council wanted to keep this provision. The Council decided to use the regular fire-works ordinance, and to leave out the one passed in 1945. CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS 1042 1042 The Council agreed with the Acting City Attorney's recommendation regarding negligent collision and both parties involved being given tickets. The Council informally agreed to accept the work of the Mitchie Company as scrutinized and checked by the City Attorney's Office. The Council also agreed on the color of the binding of the books, a dark red. ATTEST: Elain Prosley City Clerk APPROVED: Mayor