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Most Popular Stories
- Council members celebrate unanimous defeat of bill that proposed putting Austin under state control
- A once-banned type of building is back in favor – and the Planning Commission approves
- Eviction crisis spreads as affordability pressures worsen
- East Austin’s ‘wishbone’ bridge takes shape as concrete beams almost span Lady Bird Lake
- Austin churches answer prayers for affordable housing – by building it themselves
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Discover News By District
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Stories by Amy Smith
Council approves initiative to conduct inventory of public trees
On Thursday, City Council elevated the significance of Austin’s trees by initiating a comprehensive inventory of the city’s trees alongside a detailed tree planting and maintenance strategy. The measure follows Council’s approval last month of a direction for more street…
City Council • By Amy Smith • Apr 22, 2024
Council hears proposed changes to city charter for November ballot
City Council on Tuesday officially received the Charter Review Commission’s proposed revisions to the city charter, along with some additional staff-proposed changes. Council members limited their questions to the administrative items brought by staff because the commission’s nine recommendations will…
City Charter • By Amy Smith • Apr 17, 2024
Updated: Council and Planning Commission hear from public on proposed land use changes
With City Council all but certain to approve extensive revisions to Austin’s land use code next month, Thursday’s public hearing on the proposed changes lacked the fire-in-the-belly resistance demonstrated at last October’s hearing. Back then, the joint Council hearing with…
Land Development Code • By Amy Smith • Apr 12, 2024
HOME returns to Council and Planning Commission for public hearing
The second phase of the HOME initiative reemerges in the public spotlight this week, accompanied by a series of other proposed revisions to the Land Development Code. On Thursday, City Council and the Planning Commission will hold a joint hearing…
Land Development Code • By Amy Smith • Apr 10, 2024
Council approves renaming bathhouse in honor of Joan Means Khabele
City Council on Thursday approved the renaming of the bathhouse at Barton Springs Pool in honor of the woman who, as a teenager, led the first “swim-in” at the segregated pool in an act of civil disobedience. With the unanimous…
Parks • By Amy Smith • Apr 5, 2024
AFD narrows its wildfire preparedness focus on Eastern Crescent
Ahead of national Wildfire Community Preparedness Day on May 4, the Public Safety Commission this week heard an update on how Austin is faring with its own community readiness efforts. The good news is that Austin leads the state in…
Fire • By Amy Smith • Apr 4, 2024
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Charter Review Commission sends its recommendations to Council
The Charter Review Commission has wrapped up its evaluation of possible charter revisions relating to petition requirements, among other items, and has submitted its final report to City Council with nine recommendations. Council will ultimately decide which items will be…
Bonds & Propositions • By Amy Smith • Mar 26, 2024
Environmental commissioners air concerns about waterfront district plan
A proposed framework for how the south shores of Lady Bird Lake will build out in future years received a lukewarm response from the Environmental Commission on Thursday. While only the Planning Commission and City Council are scheduled to vote…
Planning • By Amy Smith • Mar 25, 2024
Planning Commission gets its first look at Equity-Based Preservation Plan
With the draft Equity-Based Preservation Plan now available for public review, city boards and commissions are getting briefed on the document that includes over 100 recommendations for preserving the highs and lows of Austin’s history. The Planning Commission, which will…
Preservation • By Amy Smith • Mar 15, 2024
Council approves changes to environmental protections to upgrade Butler Trail
With little discussion, City Council last week approved amendments to environmental protections to clear the way for capital improvements on the popular hike-and-bike trail at Lady Bird Lake. The code changes allow for exemptions from critical water quality zone rules…
Parks • By Amy Smith • Mar 11, 2024
Council gets briefed on improved path to affordable housing
Now that the state Legislature has added more guardrails to a financing mechanism for affordable housing developments, Austin officials are exploring how to proceed with plans to put more housing on the ground under the welcomed reforms. At its work…
Housing • By Amy Smith • Mar 7, 2024
Council passes a resolution calling for greener procurement practices
After its recent approval of a measure to create an investment strategy for financing the city’s climate plans, City Council on Thursday passed a complementary item to establish more sustainable procurement practices. Like the previous resolution, this one, too, was…
