City briefs committee on proposed downtown digital kiosk network, seeks code changes and local office meetings

Interim Economic Development Director Anthony Segura briefed the Economic Opportunity Committee on Sept. 19 about a proposed interactive digital kiosk program intended for high‑pedestrian civic areas in Austin.

Segura described a vendor-funded deployment of roughly 50 kiosks that would be “hardwired” for power and data and made available at no startup cost to the city. The model would rely on ad revenue with a revenue-sharing arrangement; unsold advertising time would be made available to the city for public service announcements at no cost, Segura said.

Segura told the committee the kiosks are approximately 8 feet tall and weigh about 830 pounds. He said advertising content would be regulated to prohibit false or misleading ads, tobacco, drugs, firearms, adult entertainment, violent or obscene content and ads that conflict with city policies. Staff also proposed a 500‑foot exclusion zone for alcohol advertising around sensitive uses including schools, libraries, day care centers, parks, hospitals and treatment centers.

The program would require an amendment to city sign regulations (described in the briefing as “chapter 20 5‑ten”) to permit off‑premise advertising on kiosk displays. Segura said Transportation/Public Works would retain oversight of siting, spacing, sightlines and lighting once code changes are authorized.

Segura said the kiosks are already present in other Texas cities including Arlington, Houston and San Antonio, and that Austin already has some kiosks at the domain. He said the city issued an RFP in May and is finalizing a vendor contract. Tentative next steps include presentations to the Code and Ordinance Joint Committee and Planning Commission in October, a city council public hearing on the code amendment in November 2025, and potential kiosk deployment in fall 2026 after permits and utility work are complete.

Committee members asked questions about accessibility, privacy and content control. Chair Cawdrey asked whether kiosks could provide navigation for people experiencing homelessness and emergency “press a button” functions; Segura said those features are possible and that the city would be able to use inventory for city job postings and public communications. Councilmember Siegel raised concerns about right‑of‑way impacts and potential effects on people with mobility or vision impairments. Segura said staff will provide a fuller presentation to each council office and seek feedback on siting and ADA compliance.

Privacy questions surfaced about cameras included in some kiosk packages. Segura said he would verify whether cameras could be disabled and provide further detail to council offices. Councilmembers also asked about revenue expectations; Segura said revenue estimates are being worked on and that final projections would be provided once the vendor contract is complete, though he suggested six‑figure revenue in a typical year was plausible.

Members discussed whether advertisers could monopolize inventory in particular neighborhoods and how targeted block‑level advertising might work; Segura said the vendor manages sales and the city would enforce content and placement rules, and he promised to follow up with details on political advertising boundaries and camera/privacy configurations.

Segura said staff have met with the Downtown Austin Alliance and local chambers and will continue community engagement and one‑on‑one briefings with council offices before code hearings. No formal action was taken at the committee meeting; staff will return with code amendment language and technical details for council consideration.