Stories by Jack Craver
Council approves Champion tract deal
By a one-vote margin, City Council on Thursday gave its blessing to the controversial Champion development. Mayor Steve Adler, along with Council members Greg Casar, Pio Renteria, Delia Garza, Jimmy Flannigan and Ellen Troxclair, voted to approve an amendment to…
Planning • By Jack Craver • Feb 16, 2018
CodeNEXT draft boosts housing capacity
A day after the third version of CodeNEXT was unveiled, City Council members expressed cautious optimism about the proposed overhaul of Austin’s land development rules. Notably, Council members were happy to see that the new version dramatically increased the amount…
Land Development Code • By Jack Craver • Feb 15, 2018
The battle over conditional overlays
City Council Member Jimmy Flannigan is fed up with conditional overlays. Conditional overlays – COs in the parlance of City Hall insiders – are zoning rules that apply to a specific property. They often end up included as part of…
Planning • By Jack Craver • Feb 14, 2018
Transportation Department defends 'speed cushions'
Transportation Director Robert Spillar showed up at a meeting of the Public Safety Commission on Monday to defend “speed cushions,” the traffic-calming devices that have infuriated motorists across the city, most notably in a Northwest Austin neighborhood that successfully campaigned…
Roads • By Jack Craver • Feb 13, 2018
What policies would create the most housing in CodeNEXT?
As the city of Austin has learned over and over again in recent years, allowing something to be built doesn’t mean that it will be. Hence, density bonuses that offer developers the opportunity to build bigger buildings in exchange for…
Land Development Code • By Jack Craver • Feb 9, 2018
Commission considers an independent watchdog agency for Austin
Saying that it is time for Austin to have a full-time watchdog, a task force tasked with proposing changes to the city charter is considering ways to establish an independent ethics agency. Currently in Austin, oversight of campaign finance filings…
City Hall • By Jack Craver • Feb 8, 2018
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Council approves pools plan but funding questions remain
On Thursday, City Council overwhelmingly approved the Aquatic Master Plan, a 640-page document crafted by the Parks and Recreation Department that provides guidance for repairing and expanding the city’s aging system of pools. The plan says that the capital costs…
Parks • By Jack Craver • Feb 7, 2018
Police reform activists call for city-funded nonprofit for police complaints
Representatives of Austin’s police union said Monday that they’re eager to begin negotiations with the new city manager on a contract that can hopefully win approval from City Council. Ron DeLord, an attorney for the Austin Police Association, told members…
Police • By Jack Craver • Feb 6, 2018
Another postponement for Champion case
City Council decided Thursday that a legal and political battle surrounding the Champion tract in Northwest Austin that has spanned two decades will be extended yet another two weeks. Council voted 7-4 to postpone action on an amendment to a…
City Council • By Jack Craver • Feb 5, 2018
Troxclair wants to know how rates compare to other Texas utilities
This year, the average Austinite will spend $2,475 on utility bills to cover the cost of electricity, water and garbage pickup. City Council Member Ellen Troxclair wants to know how that compares to what other people served by other utilities…
Resources • By Jack Craver • Feb 1, 2018
Austin Energy gears up to 'repower downtown'
As Austin grows, so must its utility. Austin Energy plans a nine-figure investment over the next eight years on improvements to its system of substations and transmission lines. In a presentation Wednesday to the Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee, AE…
Energy • By Jack Craver • Jan 30, 2018
Charter Review Commission wants another vote on Council-appointed city attorney
Austin is one of only 6 percent of Texas home-rule cities with a city attorney who is unilaterally appointed by the city manager, with no input from City Council. As a result, critics contend, there is a lack of accountability…
