The city of Austin wants more time to figure out a way to secure the future of Lions Municipal Golf Course, but the University of Texas is running out of patience.

An item on the City Council's latest consent agenda, reserved for matters expected to win approval without any discussion, would authorize city officials to negotiate a three-month extension of a key deadline in the lease under which the city operates Lions Municipal, also known as Muny, on West Austin land owned by UT.

It's not clear whether the university is willing to extend the deadline. UT spokesman J.B. Bird didn't address that issue in response to the American-Statesman's inquiry, but his statement left little doubt that the university is frustrated by the lack of progress in negotiations.

"We continue to make proposals to the city in an effort to come up with a plan that is mutually beneficial and continues to use the Muny tract as a golf course," Bird said. "We are awaiting a response from the city to our proposals, which we have been making since January 17, 2017."

A top city official said negotiations are finding common ground.

“The item on this week’s council agenda would give the city and the University of Texas more time to reach an agreement covering the future of the Lions Municipal Golf Course and the other nearby land tracts owned by UT," interim Assistant City Manager Sara Hensley said Wednesday in a statement. "The city and UT have been at the negotiating table, and we feel that there is enough common ground to request council’s approval to extend negotiations for a few more months. We are hopeful of finding a mutually beneficial solution that results in a good outcome for the whole community.”

Muny occupies 141 acres along Lake Austin Boulevard, part of UT's 350-acre Brackenridge Tract. The deadline extension also would apply to an agreement between the city and UT on development of other portions of the tract. The university has indicated that it wants to realize upward of 10 times the nearly $500,000 a year it receives in lease payments for Muny from the city.

There is essentially no chance that a majority of the 11-member council would vote to pay that much. Discussions in recent months have dealt with ways that the city could provide other benefits to the university, along with some cash, in exchange for preserving Muny. The course is the most popular of the city's six municipal courses and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its place in the nation's civil rights movement. Some scholars say it was the first public golf course in the southern United States to become integrated, according to the Texas Historical Commission.

Options include land swaps, bond funding, creation of a philanthropic conservancy, hotel occupancy taxes earmarked for historic preservation and the creation of a special taxing district for future commercial development on other UT-owned parcels in the city. UT President Gregory L. Fenves also has suggested that the city pay to straighten Red River Street where it jogs at 15th Street and curves through campus; that would help accommodate expansion of the Dell Medical School.

The deadline at issue is Nov. 26, when either party must give notice if it wants to cancel the lease when it expires May 25. If neither party provides such notice, the lease automatically extends for five years.

The consent agenda item to be considered Thursday calls on city staffers to negotiate with UT officials to extend the notice deadline to no later than Feb. 28 of next year. The May 25 date of expiration of the lease and the agreement governing the development of the Brackenridge tract would not be affected.

Council Member Alison Alter, whose District 10 includes Muny, said she is committed to preserving the course. "We have an opportunity here to create a space that will be remembered 100, 150 years from now," she said. "I believe there is a path forward."

The UT System, which oversees the Austin flagship and 13 other campuses, declined to comment. The system's Board of Regents, whose approval would be needed for a deadline extension, is scheduled to meet Nov. 14 and 15.

State. Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, convened a meeting of top city and university officials a few weeks ago in an effort to step up negotiations. Watson, a former Austin mayor, has been frustrated at the lack of progress.

"I continue to hope that the city of Austin and the University of Texas will work to find some agreement that protects the golf course," Watson said. "It would be helpful if the parties are able to reach agreement with each other so that an extension of that notice provision can happen."

Watson said he retains the option of filing legislation that would preserve Muny if the city and university can't reach an agreement. "But consistent with my view that the best outcome involves the city of Austin, the city government needs to show real interest and action in reaching some form of agreement where that land stays in control of the city," he said.