Issue Bottom Line: Responding to a growing number of construction noise complaints, the City Council may pass an ordinance to prohibit concrete pour activity in downtown after 10:30pm.
Don't let the Council make a decision based solely on one side of this issue! Let them hear from our construction industry about the problems that will result if concrete cannot be poured overnight as needed.
Please take a minute to send an e-mail (sample below) to the City Council. One e-mail will go to all 10 Council Members and the Mayor.
Issue Background: Beginning in 2008 through late late 2014, contractors were able to obtain 72 hour permits from the City of Austin in order to pour and install concrete during the overnight hours in the Central Business District (CBD). There are a number of critical reasons why the construction industry pours concrete for large, commercial projects in the overnight hours, including:
- alleviate daytime traffic congestion downtown due to large numbers of large concrete trucks required;
- keep the public safe from the large number of concrete trucks required;
- keep workers safe from high daytime temperatures on hot concrete;
- reduce the construction schedule and negative community impact of construction activity;
- lower housing costs and increase affordability; and
- maintain proper concrete and construction engineering quality.
As the number of high-rise residences downtown (built with the benefit of overnight concrete pours) has increased over the past few years so, too, have complaints about construction noise. In response, the construction industry, downtown residents, City staff, and City Council worked together to craft a temporary ordinance approved in November 2014 prohibiting concrete pours between the hours of 2am and 6am. The temporary ordinance has been repeatedly extended every 3 months since that time and expires again at the end of March.
City officials are now proposing a new ordinance that will prohibit concrete pours as early as 10:30pm and the City Council may consider this change during their March 31st meeting. This change is largely skewed toward concerns of downtown residents and does not reflect the views of all parties involved, including the construction industry as well as the large number of Austinites who come downtown every day to work and socialize.
As this issue continues to evolve, the voice of Austin's commercial construction industry must be heard! Take time today to e-mail the City Council today!
e-mail is available below that you can use a a guide for your own comments.
For more information, contact Phil Thoden at the Austin AGC.
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Austin City Council Members:
As a construction professional working in Austin, I am concerned about a possible ban on overnight concrete pours in downtown Austin.
Severe restrictions on concrete pours at night will cause negative impacts on the local construction industry and also the large Austin community that works, commutes, live and socializes downtown during the day. Among these problems will be added traffic congestion, public safety concerns, worker safety concerns, higher housing costs, longer periods of construction activity, concrete quality problems, and delayed move-in dates for new tenants.
As you work toward a solution to address complaints about overnight noise, I urge you to fully consider the impact of your decisions on the local construction industry, our workforce, and also on the many Austinites who come downtown each day.
Sincerely,
