Changes to Public Meetings: City Council Committees Ordinance, 2/16/17
Council took steps to manage their public meetings schedule and efficiencies by reducing the number of council committees from ten to five, and assigning members to the new committees.
On February 16, 2017, Council voted to discontinue their Public Utilities Committee; Public Safety Committee; Open Space, Environment, & Sustainability Committee; and Economic Opportunity Committee. They also folded the Housing & Community Development Committee into the Planning & Neighborhoods Committee, renaming the latter the Housing & Planning Committee. This Ordinance 20170216-014 (linked below, agenda item 14) reduced the total number of Council committees from 10 to 5.
Council complemented this discussion with agenda item 31 that same day, which made initial council member assignments to the 5 committees. That discussion can be found here: Work Session Video
Council had also discussed these council committees in the days preceding the meeting, via the city's online council message board: Council Forum Discussion
Find more information about Austin City Council on the City Clerk's Website (clickable).