For local preservationists, Council facilitates a miracle on East 12th Street
City Hall was abuzz with more than just the holiday spirit last Thursday, with City Council adjourning its final meeting to the sound of cheers at a rare victory for preservationists at 1500 E. 12th St. The fate of the…
Preservation • By Kali Bramble • Dec 17, 2024
Council approves new hotel fee agreement, freeing funds for homelessness services
Next year, the city will begin receiving revenue from a new fee on hotel room stays that will provide an estimated $7 million per year to cover housing or other services needed by those experiencing homelessness. Last week, City Council…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 17, 2024
Southeast rezoning will allow huge increase in multifamily units
Last week, City Council gave final approval to developers who want to demolish 210 aging multifamily residences and replace them with 1,100 new units plus commercial development on Willow Creek Drive near Pleasant Valley Road in Southeast Austin. The 7-acre…
Zoning • By Jo Clifton • Dec 17, 2024
City Council passes new energy plan through 2035. Here’s what it does.
After nearly two years of study, revision, public outreach and intense debate, the city of Austin finally has a new plan for how it will meet its energy needs over the next 10 years. Austin Energy’s Resource, Generation and Climate…
Energy • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Dec 16, 2024
Council calls for revisions for proposed MoPac South expansion
City Council is pushing for changes to the proposed MoPac South expansion to make the project fit with the city’s mobility, environmental and sustainability goals. Last week, Council passed a resolution that emphasizes refining the project, overseen by the Central…
Roads • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 16, 2024
After a close race, Bledsoe and Siegel share perspectives on runoff results
After what looks to be a narrow victory in Saturday’s runoff election, Mike Siegel will serve as the next representative for North Austin’s District 7. Cinching the win over opponent Gary Bledsoe by around 200 votes, Siegel will be the…
Elections • By Mina Shekarchi • Dec 15, 2024
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Council approves requiring safety bollards at new medical facilities
City Council agreed unanimously on Thursday to require installation of safety barriers, called bollards, at the pedestrian entrances of medical facilities when a new facility is being constructed. The new rules are intended to prevent the kinds of tragedies that…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Dec 13, 2024
Ethics commission dismisses Watson and Greco cases and sets hearing on two other complaints
The city’s bruising election season comes to an end Saturday with a runoff in the District 7 City Council race, but the Ethics Review Commission’s work continues as it considers another round of the season’s ethics violation complaints. So far,…
Elections • By Amy Smith • Dec 13, 2024
City Council approves nearly $7 million to keep Marshalling Yard shelter open
The city of Austin has identified the financing it will use to keep the Marshalling Yard emergency shelter open indefinitely. In September, City Council agreed to keep the shelter in Southeast Austin open until a more permanent location could be…
City Council • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Dec 13, 2024
Critical volunteer hours for the Austin Animal Center are not being tallied
According to the Austin Animal Center website, there are about 100,000 free-roaming cats in Austin. That number is a conservative estimate, noting that cats can be impregnated as young as 5 months old and have one to three litters a…
Austin • By Hunter Simmons • Dec 13, 2024
Austin's airport has a critical shortage of air traffic controllers approaching the holidays
Retired librarian Carolyn Foote was craving an easy, three-hour flight home to Austin on Sunday after a weekend library conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. Instead, she found herself stuck in a cramped terminal at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, surrounded by crowds…
Transportation • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Dec 12, 2024
Ethics complaints filed against Siegel, AURA
An ethics complaint has been filed against Mike Siegel, who is running to take the District 7 City Council seat in the Dec. 14 runoff. Adam Haynes also filed an ethics complaint against a major urbanist group that has been…
