AUSTIN, Texas — A battle over the future of Southeast Austin took over City Hall on Thursday. Developers say the proposed Dog’s Head project could bring much-needed jobs and crucial infrastructure to the area. But neighbors say it threatens their homes and the environment.

The Austin City Council voted 8-2 Thursday to approve two key financing measures for the proposed Dog’s Head development, clearing a major hurdle for the 2,600-acre project in Southeast Austin.

On Thursday, hundreds of people packed city council chambers to voice their concerns about the size of the development, the risk of flooding, and potential harm to the Colorado River.

Garrett Tung lives in the Dog’s Head area in Southeast Austin. His home backs up to the Colorado River, and he is worried the massive 2,600-acre development will force him and neighbors out of their homes.

“The reason why we were speaking out against it is that the original plans show a trail running through mine and a lot of my neighbors’ living rooms. Today, they’re still using the same map. So, we’re here fighting for our homes,” said Tung.

The Dog’s Head development would be built on a former mining site that sits north of Austin Bergstrom International Airport. The acreage on the Colorado River is twice the size of Downtown Austin and would include residential, retail, office, and industrial space.

“The fact that hundreds of people are willing to show up on a Thursday at 10 a.m., people who have jobs and responsibilities. That just shows what kind of deal this is,” said Tung.

RELATED| Amazon is the first major prospective tenant at Austin’s Dog’s Head development

KEYE

The rowdy Austin City Council meeting had speakers asking that people be given higher priority than profits.

But some council members welcome the prospect of Amazon bringing 300 to 500 jobs to Southeast Austin.

“This looks like opportunity and looks like jobs that can help people own their homes and stay rooted in their community,” said Krista Laine, District 6 Austin City Council Member.

Laine also wants assurances against future data centers being approved as tenants on the property.

“Can you make a clear verbal commitment that this property will not be developed as a data center for at least the next decade?” asked Laine.

“We have no intent on Dog’s Head to go after a data center as a primary use,” said Richard Suttle, Attorney for the Endeavor Real Estate Group.

Thursday afternoon, council members approved amendments to the project that would increase the buffer zone between the development and the Colorado River and reduce the impervious cover allowance from 100% to 79%.

“I will be the first to admit that we should not have put in 100% impervious cover in the first deal, and today we are fixing that,” said Ryan Alter, District 5 Austin City Council Member.

Later Thursday, the City Council voted 8-2 to approve the agreement with Travis County to fund and participate in Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) No. 21 and separately approved the preliminary project and financing plan for the zone by an 8-2 vote, with Council Members Chito Vela and Mike Siegel voting against both measures. The financing tool will reimburse developers for some of the cost of public infrastructure such as roads, bridges, utilities and flood management.

“There’s a potential that if the city and the county participate in a TIRZ, we can get reimbursement for $1.6 billion of a potential $5-billion investment,” said Andy Pastor, a managing principal at the Endeavor Real Estate Group.

Thursday’s votes approve the city’s participation in the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone and the preliminary project and financing plan, allowing the proposed Dog’s Head development to move forward through the next stages of the development process.