In many ways, the zoning case before the Planning Commission this Tuesday involving a proposed 258-unit apartment building was pretty typical. A developer wanted to build more units, and nearby neighbors were unhappy about it. What was unusual about the proposed rezoning at 411 and 601 Powell Lane was that the unhappy neighbors were in […]
Jack Craver
Posted inCity Hall
Campaign for city audit says it has enough signatures for referendum
Organizers of a petition to require an audit of city government announced Wednesday that they had gathered enough signatures to put the question before voters this November. A statement released by Citizens for an Accountable Austin, the group that has led the petition drive, said that the group had gathered more than 30,000 signatures, far […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Some areas of the city care a lot more about CodeNEXT
What do Austinites think about CodeNEXT? It’s hard to say. A poll conducted by the Austin Chamber of Commerce, which supports CodeNEXT, found 45 percent in favor, 36 percent opposed and 19 percent unsure. When City Council recently held two public hearings for residents to voice their opinions on the proposed overhaul of the Land […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Council votes to ‘test’ CodeNEXT
City Council has asked the city manager to convene a group of development and design experts who will “test” the new regulations proposed in CodeNEXT. The idea is to have a group of building professionals – architects, engineers, urban planners – go through the process of crafting a number of fictional projects based on the […]
Posted inLand Development Code
CodeNEXT targets major obstacle to density: Compatibility standards
One of the major divisions over CodeNEXT was brought into sharp relief during a Wednesday City Council special called meeting. The issue: compatibility standards and transition zones. Currently, what one can build on a property is based not just on how the lot is zoned, but whether it is within a certain distance of a […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Council moves forward one of the largest bonds in Austin history
City Council took a crucial first step late Thursday toward presenting voters with one of the largest bond package in the city’s history. Just before 11 p.m., Council endorsed a $925 million general obligation bond that will include major pots of money for housing, transportation, parks, stormwater infrastructure and cultural facilities. The vote only instructed […]
Posted inCity Council
Council waives bidding rules for Austin Rowing Club
The Austin Rowing Club is going to get another chance. After hearing dozens of people testify in support of the club, City Council voted unanimously Thursday to give the nonprofit the go-ahead to negotiate a new contract to manage and operate the Waller Creek Boathouse on Lady Bird Lake. The boathouse is a city-owned property […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Council gears up for bond debate
On Thursday, City Council members will try to put together a bond package that a majority on the dais agree to and that they believe a majority of Austin voters will support at the polls in November. Whatever package Council approves on Thursday will lay out the biggest features of the bond, notably the dollar […]
Posted inWhispers
Tovo proposes centralizing Council open records requests
Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo says there has to be a better way for City Council offices to deal with the frequent open records requests they receive. Frequently, she said, the records requested are emails relating to a certain subject. State law, however, requires that email addresses in public records be redacted, meaning that her […]
Posted inTransportation
City wants to keep taxi franchise system
The city of Austin doesn’t want to give up on traditional taxicabs, but it acknowledges that they need to adapt to survive in the face of competition from cheaper ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Lyft. On Thursday, City Council will take up a measure recommended by city transportation staff that would maintain the current […]
Posted inCity Hall
Citizen petition demands city audit
This article has been updated. A spokesperson for Council Member Ellen Troxclair said that the proposed audit ordinance is not on the agenda for the next City Council meeting because one of the initial co-sponsors of the proposal withdrew support. A politically diverse group of activists is behind an effort to force the city of […]
Posted inPlanning
East side subdivision evokes legacy of racist deed restrictions
There wasn’t much the Planning Commission could do about the subdivision sought by the the owner of an acre of land at 4520 Rimrock Trail, near the Morris Williams Golf Course. The commission was legally required to approve the owner’s request to subdivide the lots, which complied with existing zoning. That detail didn’t stop neighbors […]