Water director recommends more staff over bill credit following February boil-water snafu
After reviewing the options, the director of Austin Water is recommending spending money on more staff and enhanced technology instead of a direct credit to customers impacted by February’s citywide boil-water notice. Council approved a March 3 resolution that, in…
Water • By Elizabeth Pagano • Mar 23, 2022
In time for spring, Living Streets initiative making it easier to throw a block party
Just in time for spring, the Transportation Department stopped by the City Council Mobility Committee meeting to share progress on the Living Streets initiative passed by Council last October. The Living Streets program encourages the use of city streets as…
Planning • By Kali Bramble • Mar 23, 2022
City office working to prevent violence
Austin is seeking strategies to prevent gun violence, help at-risk young people avoid the pitfalls associated with violence, and assist victims of trauma. It’s all the job of the Office of Violence Prevention, which is a part of Austin Public…
Public Safety • By Jo Clifton • Mar 23, 2022
Animal center struggles to quell public concern over out-of-state transfers
Animal Advisory commissioners continue to question the shelter’s transfer of animals to partner shelters, but thus far are still waiting for answers. The conversation began last month, when commissioners issued a resolution to more closely monitor out-of-county and out-of-state transport…
Austin • By Kali Bramble • Mar 22, 2022
Transit riders could pay less under new fare proposal by Cap Metro
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority is planning to roll out a new fare system this fall that would limit how much people pay to ride the bus or train. Riders using a new smartphone app or fare card – branded as…
Transit • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Mar 22, 2022
Downtown court relocation plans draw mounting criticism
Resistance appears to be growing to a slate of resolutions on the agenda for Thursday’s City Council meeting that would lead to the permanent relocation of the Downtown Austin Community Court to a circa-1800s municipal building on West Eighth Street.…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 22, 2022
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Planning Commission weighs in on mobility plan updates
As the city works to update the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, a 20-year transportation plan adopted in 2019, the Planning Commission was the latest body to comment on the proposed changes March 8. City staffers propose two sets of changes…
Planning • By Jonathan Lee • Mar 22, 2022
Activists remain wary of new jet fuel storage facility plans
Activists and homeowners are protesting the proposed location for a new jet-fuel storage facility at the airport on the northbound side of U.S. Highway 183. Construction is scheduled to begin this spring for the project, which will include two storage tanks,…
Environment • By Willow Higgins • Mar 21, 2022
Civil rights office could take over enforcement of city's ADA regulations
The city may fold enforcement of all concerns related to the Americans with Disabilities Act into the Office of Civil Rights, a change that would take those responsibilities away from human resources staff. A resolution was passed unanimously at this month’s…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 21, 2022
Travis County Judge speaks out against Texas voting law
Last Thursday, Travis County Judge Andy Brown joined a U.S. House subcommittee, Committee on House Administration, to speak against Senate Bill 1, the new Republican voting legislation aimed at limiting the effectiveness of alternative voting methods like voting by mail.…
Elections • By Seth Smalley • Mar 21, 2022
City loses Land Development Code lawsuit appeal
On Thursday, the Texas 14th Court of Appeals upheld a ruling by Travis County District Judge Jan Soifer invalidating two votes by Austin City Council rewriting the city’s Land Development code. Soifer ruled that the city had violated property owners’ procedural…
Land Development Code • By Jo Clifton • Mar 18, 2022
Resolutions push city to look toward future use of crypto, blockchain tech
Payments for city services via cryptocurrency could become a reality in the near future, as could storage and processing of paperwork using blockchain ledger technology. Those are two of the possible outcomes from a pair of resolutions set for consideration…
