A group of activists scurrying to preserve a segregation-era schoolhouse brought their case before the Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday. Led by East Austin advocates Fred McGhee and Susana Almanza, the group urged the court to help protect the Montopolis Negro School on Montopolis Drive just east of U.S. Highway 183. Austin Stowell of […]
2016
Posted inPreservation
Midcentury modern demolition brings dysfunction to the fore at Historic Landmark Commission
Ideological tension at the Historic Landmark Commission bubbled to the surface Monday over the proposed demolition of a midcentury modern home built in the 1950s. Commissioners were evenly split on whether to release the demolition permit for the home at 2506 Great Oaks Parkway in a vote of 5-5. That vote prevented the demolition from […]
Posted inWhispers
Relive the CodeNEXT Density Bonus Analysis stakeholder meetings
As an early Christmas present, the city has released a recap of the CodeNEXT Density Bonus Analysis stakeholder meetings that happened earlier this month. During the meetings, which were a collaboration between the city and the consulting firm EcoNW, stakeholders discussed how CodeNEXT could use density bonuses to promote affordable housing in the city. The […]
Posted inWhispers
Holiday closures
The city is shutting down its offices on Friday, Dec. 23, and Monday, Dec. 26, for the Christmas holiday. Offices will also be closed to observe the new year on Monday, Jan. 2. During those weeks, Austin Resource Recovery will continue to pick up trash on schedule. City golf courses will stay open as well […]
Posted inHousing
TCAD trying to make appraisals more equitable
Many taxpayers have charged that the current property tax system is unfair because it penalizes longtime homeowners with a higher tax bill when their neighborhoods start to gentrify. One of those homeowners is City Council Member Ora Houston. During Council’s Dec. 6 work session, Houston said she lives in a house that is 50 years […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
With $90 million up for grabs, Visitor Impact Task Force faces hefty charge
The city’s new Visitor Impact Task Force hopes to accomplish several goals in the next four months, all of them having to do with how the city can best grapple with the growing number of tourists coming to Austin each year. But the most significant of those goals by far is coming up with ideas […]
Posted inWilliamson County
Williamson County upends park-and-ride plans
The Williamson County Commissioners Court last week refused to go along with an ambitious plan aimed at planting eight new park-and-rides along Central Texas toll roads. The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority cooked up the proposal last month in partnership with the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. CTRMA staff […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 12.20.16
The Travis County Commissioners Court meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday. In the interest of space, we’ve decided not to post the entire agenda here. The county clerk’s office hosts a copy at its website. 1. Receive comments regarding the issuance of a mass gathering permit for Euphoria Music Festival to be held on April 6–10, […]
Posted inWhispers
Council says goodbye to Gallo, Zimmerman
City Council bade farewell Thursday to Council members Don Zimmerman and Sheri Gallo, both of whom lost their bids for re-election, at the last meeting before their replacements are sworn in next month. Mayor Steve Adler took a few minutes to pay tribute to both of his departing colleagues. He credited Zimmerman, a vociferous critic […]
Posted inWhispers
CodeNEXT schedule approved for Planning Commission
Following up on a discussion at last month’s joint meeting of the Planning and Zoning and Platting commissions, Greg Guernsey, director of the Planning and Zoning Department, appeared at the Dec. 13 meeting of the Planning Commission to set its CodeNEXT schedule for the coming year. CodeNEXT is the city’s ongoing overhaul of the Land […]
Posted inWhispers
Mobility bond set in motion
Last week, City Council voted to approve $28 million in the first corridor improvement spending from November’s $720 million mobility bond. That amount includes $4 million for the corridor program, $10 million for sidewalks, $2 million in Vision Zero funding, $3 million for the Safe Routes to School program, $2 million in bikeways, $1 million […]
Posted inWhispers
From PUDs to KOs
Austin Monitor staffers were biting their nails last week in anticipation of former Monitor reporter and occasional pinch editor Josh Rosenblatt surely getting his face smashed in, or at least his typing fingers out of joint, at the hands of one Jon Potts – but now we’re just feeling bad for Potts. The two faced off […]