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Historic Preservation Office aims to replace 40-year-old preservation plan by next fall, with a focus on equity
Austin’s Historic Preservation Office has taken on a new project to tackle equity issues, with ambitions to overhaul the city’s preservation plan for the first time since 1981. In a briefing to the Historic Landmark Commission, staff reported that the…
Preservation • By Kali Bramble • Jul 19, 2022
Planning Commission postpones decision on parkland fees for commercial development
Should new commercial developments contribute land and/or money for new parks? If so, how? These were the questions the Planning Commission considered last Tuesday related to a proposed rule that would make offices, retail, hotels and industrial buildings include on-site…
Development • By Jonathan Lee • Jul 19, 2022
First financial reports offer a glimpse into City Council campaigns
It’s that time of year again. Candidates for city elections late last week shared how much money they’ve raised so far in accordance with the city’s campaign finance reporting deadline on July 15. Here, we’ll break down the results from…
Elections • By Jonathan Lee • Jul 18, 2022
Commission for Women supports the GRACE Act, abortion access
Austin’s Commission for Women passed a recommendation this week in support of the GRACE Act, which would de-prioritize abortion investigations and prevent city funds from being used to report procedures, which will soon be completely illegal in the state. While…
Public Health • By Willow Higgins • Jul 18, 2022
Proposed $5B city budget leans on fees, less on property taxes, amid a boom in sales tax revenue
Austinites may not see as steep a hike in property taxes next year. Still, they could see an increase of 2.7% under a budget proposal released Friday. City Manager Spencer Cronk’s proposed $5 billion budget for 2023 leans more heavily on…
Budget • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Jul 18, 2022
Notley/Monitor Poll: Austinites value local news but disagree on quality
Nearly seven in 10 Austinites believe that local news is important to them personally, but only 36 percent rate highly the quality of local news reporting, according to a June survey of 507 likely voters commissioned by Notley and conducted by Change…
Mission Note • By Joel Gross • Jul 15, 2022
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Notley/Monitor Poll: The data
In a poll commissioned by Notley for the Austin Monitor, Change Research surveyed 507 likely voters in Austin, Texas, from June 24-29, 2022. Over the course of the past week, we’ve published a series of stories examining the data. Now it’s anybody’s turn.…
Austin • By Elizabeth Pagano • Jul 15, 2022
Divided Board of Adjustment rejects site plan appeal
A divided Board of Adjustment on Wednesday rejected a site plan appeal organized by the Windsor Park Neighborhood Association related to the redevelopment of the Windsor Village shopping center at 5900 Westminster Drive. What was once a small shopping center…
The Code • By Jo Clifton • Jul 15, 2022
Capital Metro budget talk raises concerns of a looming recession
A potential recession has many industries feeling wary going into the 2023 financial year, which begins on Oct. 1. At its finance committee meeting Wednesday, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority executives discussed the agency’s budget for the upcoming financial year and…
Transit • By Samuel Stark • Jul 15, 2022
City speeds up Live Music Fund for spring 2023 launch
The city has refined its process for rolling out awards for the $3 million Live Music Fund, with city staff preparing to begin dispersing funds to local musicians next spring. That change shaves roughly three months off the timeline for…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Jul 15, 2022
Notley/Monitor Poll: Austinites stand divided on police spending, public safety
More than two years after a series of mass protests triggered budget cuts for the Austin Police Department, and nearly a year after voters rejected a proposition to expand the department’s ranks, Austinites remain split in their perceptions of law…
Police • By Emma Freer • Jul 14, 2022
Planning Commission forms housing policy working groups
Amid a housing crisis some say is exacerbated by the city’s Land Development Code, Planning commissioners decided to take matters into their own hands by creating working groups tasked with studying and proposing changes that might help lower the cost…
