Council adopts graffiti ordinance, adds city property removal and data collection directions

The Austin City Council passed an ordinance on Sept. 11 that revises the city’s approach to graffiti, including a new definition for "transportation infrastructure," a notice procedure, and clarified offenses.

Councilmember Jimmy Duchin sponsored two amendments that the council adopted. The first directs collection and tracking of graffiti removal data to help measure the city’s response and the success of abatement efforts. The second makes explicit that the city must take responsibility for removing graffiti on public property and not rely solely on private property enforcement.

Mayor Kirk Watson framed the measure as part of an effort to protect the city’s sense of place. Councilmember Duchin said, "Graffiti is a serious issue for our city," and argued that tracking removals would help show whether abatement efforts are successful (paraphrase of remarks on the record).

The ordinance, as adopted, uses the version 2 text contained in council backup materials and was approved on a voice vote after the amendments were accepted.

Why it matters

Council and public testimony tied graffiti abatement to downtown and corridor appearance, public safety perceptions and the value of neighborhood property. Councilmembers emphasized that timely removal and transparent tracking improve community confidence and neighborhood livability.

Implementation

The council directed staff to implement the notice and removal process consistent with the amended ordinance and to compile removal metrics. Staff may make conforming code edits to put the direction into effect.

Speakers quoted in this article are taken from the Sept. 11 council transcript and are attributed to those who spoke on the record.