At City Council’s first work session of the year, Mayor Steve Adler reminded his colleagues of the lawsuit by the state attorney general against the Planning Commission. The suit accuses the commission of being in violation of the city charter, which states that only one-third of its members can have ties to the real estate […]
Jack Craver
Posted inPreservation
Commission divided on whether home of architecture icon should be a landmark
The Planning Commission declined to recommend historic zoning for a 70-year-old home in Old West Austin due to recent changes the property owner made to the house. The case demonstrated the tenuous standards that shape the city’s efforts to preserve historic buildings. The city’s Historic Preservation Office has recommended granting historic zoning to the house […]
Posted inEnergy
Austin Energy considers scams, rising home values in changes to assistance programs
The city-owned electric utility Austin Energy has been a national leader over the past 30 years in helping customers lower their electric bills through energy efficiency programs. In addition to helping customers of all income levels cut costs by reducing their energy consumption, AE provides discounted rates to low-income customers and has programs in place […]
Posted inWhispers
Kitchen offers resolution to establish new homeless shelter
Council Member Ann Kitchen is offering a resolution for Council’s Jan. 31 agenda that will instruct the city manager to prepare a report by the end of May describing “the best options for piloting immediate shelter and support services for those experiencing homelessness with the intent of providing a pathway to permanent housing.” The resolution […]
Posted inPlanning
Planning Commission OKs change to 30-year-old development agreement
Homes produce a lot less sewage now than they did 30 years ago. That’s partly why the Planning Commission decided Tuesday to allow the construction of an office building in western Travis County over the objections of city staff. The story begins in 1986, when City Council approved the creation of the Senna Hills Municipal […]
Posted inParks
A new vision for Brush Square Park
City officials believe that Brush Square Park, home of the O. Henry Museum, the Susanna Dickinson Museum and Austin Fire Station 1, has the potential to be a downtown gem. As it stands, however, it is an inefficiently used piece of prime downtown property that attracts crime. Beyond people walking their dogs through the park, […]
Posted inAustin
City hopes 10-foot fence will deter crime on Red River
The city of Austin is inching toward a “short-term” solution to a downtown alleyway that police and business owners say has become a magnet for criminal activity. Drug dealing, prostitution and human waste are frequent issues in the alley between Beerland and the old Sidewinder club on the 700 block of Red River Street, Nicole […]
Posted inEnergy
Austin Energy tries to encourage Austinites to buy electric cars
Last week, the city of Austin was awarded a coveted $2.5 million grant from a foundation funded by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to pursue a number of environmental initiatives focused on energy efficiency and green transportation. While the Transportation Department will be using part of the grant to zero in on getting people […]
Posted inAustin
IndyAustin PAC will not be involved in stadium battle
Linda Curtis, the Bastrop-based activist best known for gathering signatures for various citizen initiatives in Austin, has disbanded a political action committee linked to her advocacy group, IndyAustin. The group will continue to engage in advocacy, Curtis said in an interview with the Austin Monitor. “We are not ceasing operations,” she said. “We’re just putting […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Legal questions swirl around soccer stadium petition
The organizers of an initiative aimed at stopping the construction of a Major League Soccer stadium in North Central Austin say that the city must hold an election on the matter in May, despite contrary claims from city attorneys. Last week, a group of activists submitted roughly 30,000 signatures in support of an ordinance that […]
Posted inThe Code
City proposes new demolition rules
In response to an audit last year that identified a number of problems in the city’s demolition permitting process, the Development Services Department has recommended a number of changes aimed at streamlining the process and ensuring safety. The recommendations were included in a report published by the department in October. The report followed extensive engagement […]
Posted inCity Hall
City employee forced out for using city computer for food trucks
A city employee has been fired after city auditors accused him of using his city computer to manage two food trucks that he owns. For his part, the employee claims that he is being treated unfairly and that his mistakes are nothing compared to what he has seen co-workers get away with. An investigation conducted […]