CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS Informal Meeting February 27, 1956 7:30 Ρ.Μ. Council Chamber, City Hall 97 97 The meeting was called to order with Mayor Miller presiding. Roll call: Present: Councilmen Long, Palmer, Pearson, White, Mayor Miller Absent: None Present also: W. T. Williams, Jr., City Manager; Doren R. Eskew, City Attorney. Present also: Members of the Greater East Austin Development Committee. The City Attorney went over the various sections of the draft of an ordinance which would amend the Code, establishing a building standards commission, and providing for vacation, repair, or demolition of substandard buildings. Certain suggestions were made and are listed below: 1.. To give some thought on changing the minimum requirement of floor space of a dwelling unit from 240 square feet to 400 square feet in Chapter 14.17 (as referred to in the draft in Sec.14.21 (a). 2. On page 2, 14.21 (g), change the wording to add "accumulation of trash or rubbish or weeds in such a way to harbor rats or mice...." 3. Clarification and enlargement of paragraphs (5) and (6), Sec.14.24. 4. A provision in the ordinance indicating that the desire is to see the people get back into the houses when the houses are repaired. 5. To assign one employee to the Building Standards Commission for issuing certificates of occupancy, as a starting point. 6. Rewording of Section 14.27(3), Page 6. CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS 98 98 7. Consideration of providing against overcrowding on a lot that when a house which was substandard in one of these crowded areas is pointed out, that maybe the Commission might not permit it to be made standard if adequate land were not available. 8. Creation of a larger advisory committee, in addition to the Commission... of five, to keep in contact with conditions in the city, and interpret this ordinance and its enforcement to the community, and try to keep Community support behind the Council and Building Standards Commission in their efforts to eliminate bad housing. 9. The number on the Commission be raised to seven instead of five. The Mayor stated the Council would go over the ordinance and all of the suggestions and study them during the next several weeks. Mr. Jackson, Chairman of the Committee, believed the ordinance and suggestions would do justice to the situations; and that the Committee had performed its functions, and would stand by willing to be of whatever service it could to carry out the program. After thanking the Committee for its fine work, the Council adjourned at 10:00 P.M., subject to the call of the Mayor. ATTEST: Elin Wooley City Clerk APPROVED Miller. Mayor