Shortly after approving the contentious Grove at Shoal Creek planned unit development on Thursday, City Council took an important step toward approving another West Austin development that has divided neighbors over concerns about traffic, environmental protection and neighborhood preservation. In the early morning hours Friday, Council voted to approve, on first reading, the Austin Oaks […]
2016
Posted inDevelopment
Plaza Saltillo project postponed again
The redevelopment of the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Plaza Saltillo tract is still in City Hall limbo. The Planning Commission on Tuesday postponed a hearing on the developer’s request to rezone the project. According to sources familiar with the case, the delay was requested by members of the East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Planning Team who […]
Posted inZoning
Planning Commission approves South Austin rezoning despite traffic, flooding concerns
Despite opposition from neighbors, the Planning Commission last week voted to support the rezoning of a South Austin property to allow condominiums and townhouses. At its Dec. 13 meeting, the commission unanimously approved the rezoning of 4507 and 4511 Vinson Drive from Family Residence (SF-3) to Townhouse & Condominium (SF-6) in the South Manchaca Neighborhood […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s notebook: Old endings, new beginnings
Love actually… Bob Gedert, who has served as director of Austin’s Resource Recovery Department since 2010, is retiring for love. Following his final appearance before City Council on Thursday, Gedert was standing outside Council chambers when the Austin Monitor caught up with him. He said he was moving to Cincinnati and would become a consultant […]
Posted inPremium Types
TickTock: Austin City Council, 12.15.16
ITEMS 6 10 46 59 60 64 66 67 71 72 73 74 76 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 TickTock for Monday, Dec. 19, 2016 Participants: MKanin 235 DanKeshet 3 nanieneavel 1 slyarak 1 SomewhereinATX 1 cynth 1 Pschmandt 1 mpusto 1 Thursday, December 15, 2016 9AM Checking […]
Posted inRadio
Austin Monitor Radio: Austin/Travis County Central Health
Travis County Central Health president and CEO Patricia Young Brown joins Austin Monitor reporter Caleb Pritchard to chat about her organization, the University of Texas Dell Medical School and the organizations’ role in the community. Post is embedded below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/298485223″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Posted inWhispers
Council wants you to drive 25
City Council polished Austin’s relatively new Vision Zero Action Plan on Thursday by endorsing four new policies aimed at reducing speeds on city streets. The resolution recommends supporting efforts at the Texas Legislature to lower the default urban speed limit to 25 miles per hour, write target design speeds into city plans and manuals, re-evaluate […]
Posted inWhispers
Council makes Aiken’s ascent to Central Health board official
City Council on Thursday resolved the last lingering wisps of drama over a vacancy on Central Health’s board of managers. Council unanimously voted to appoint Abigail Aiken to the position, an act that validated the unanimous endorsement of the Health and Human Services Committee. Aiken’s seat is the only one on the board that is […]
Posted inWhispers
Manor Road has finally arrived
The Manor Road Merchants Association, ATXN and the city’s Economic Development Department teamed up to showcase the restaurants, shops and bars that line the stretch of road between Interstate 35 and Airport Boulevard in a promotional video released Wednesday. Some of the featured businesses include Hoover’s Cooking, in.gredients, Unit-D Pizzeria and Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop. As […]
Posted inDevelopment
Council approves Grove PUD
After more than two years of fierce debate among neighbors, a developer and City Hall leaders, City Council finally approved the Grove at Shoal Creek, a massive planned unit development to be built on 75 acres of vacant land at the corner of Bull Creek Road and 45th Street. The PUD approved by Council on […]
Posted inCity Council
Council reopens path to chauffeur’s permit for many criminal offenders
City Council took action on Thursday that could help put some disqualified taxi and transportation network company drivers back on Austin roads. The amendment to the city code tweaked an existing ordinance that Council passed in June that restricted many current and potential drivers with criminal records from qualifying for a chauffeur’s permit. Under the […]
Posted inCity Council
Council votes to fund immigration legal fees
Half a dozen posters depicting that British hit band the Beatles color the walls of Justin Estep’s office on Rutherford Lane in North Austin. It brings some levity to an otherwise tense space. “Anxiety … and just basic fear,” said Estep, describing the emotions of many of his clients in the wake of Donald Trump’s […]