City Council Member Alison Alter said Tuesday that her colleagues were allowing one company to rewrite city lobbying rules, suggesting that an ongoing rewrite of the Anti-Lobbying Ordinance was largely the result of bullying by Texas Disposal Systems, a waste hauler that has accused city lobbying regulations of infringing on its First Amendment rights. Alter’s […]
Jack Craver
Posted inPolice
Commission fails to endorse police contract
Citing a lack of information, the Public Safety Commission on Monday declined to endorse the union contract recently hammered out between the Austin Police Association and city labor negotiators. In addition to concerns expressed by some commissioners about shortcomings of the contract cited by activists urging greater police accountability, some members of the commission voted […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Water quality groups wade carefully into CodeNEXT debate
While the Austin environmental community appears divided on what to do about CodeNEXT, three green groups say the proposed overhaul of the Land Development Code will strengthen water quality protections in a number of key ways. In a statement released Tuesday, the Save Barton Creek Association, Clean Water Action and Environment Texas highlight some of […]
Posted inWhispers
Urbanist speaker: Cars no longer provide freedom, sex
A group of urbanists convened at The Ginger Man bar on Lavaca Street Monday night to hear Jeffrey Tumlin, an international transportation planner known as an advocate for transit. Tumlin described the reforms he pushed through during his time as transportation director in Oakland, California, including eliminating parking requirements and targeting other regulations that favor […]
Posted inAustin
Report: ‘No-kill’ policy an asset to Austin
An analysis prepared by researchers at the University of Denver argues that the benefits of Austin’s “no-kill” policy outweigh its costs. The decision to no longer euthanize stray dogs and cats has certainly cost city taxpayers, but those dollars do not disappear, according to the report “Legislating Components of a Humane City: The Economic Impacts […]
Posted inCity Council
Council members question free parking for Second Street stores
Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo isn’t sure whether shoppers on Second Street should get free parking courtesy of the city of Austin anymore. At a City Council meeting last week, Tovo questioned city staff about its recommendation that Council renew contracts with several properties that house a number of small retail businesses and restaurants on […]
Posted inThe Code
Council continues to wait on new lobbying rules
On Thursday, Council Member Leslie Pool, who has been leading efforts to make changes to the city’s Anti-Lobbying Ordinance, told her colleagues that stakeholders are close to reaching an agreement over new rules. “We’re achieving really good progress,” she said. City Council voted in April to waive the Anti-Lobbying Ordinance for waste contracts, with the […]
Posted inWhispers
Biosolids contract not subject to lobbying rules
During a work session Tuesday, Council Member Leslie Pool said that she would likely ask for a proposed revision of the Anti-Lobbying Ordinance to be postponed until City Council’s Nov. 9 meeting, so that the Ethics Review Commission can examine the proposal and offer input. Pool has said she is eager to get the proposal […]
Posted inZoning
Council looks to roll back CURE zoning
Driven by concerns over gentrification, City Council is poised to do away with the final remnants of a policy that was put in place two decades ago to encourage redevelopment downtown. The central urban redevelopment (CURE) combining district that Council adopted in 1996 covered the entire downtown area between Lady Bird Lake, Lamar Boulevard, Martin […]
Posted inCity Hall
Texas Disposal Systems unhappy with proposed new lobbying rules
City Council is scheduled to take up a recommendation from city staff at its meeting on Thursday that will make changes to the longtime Anti-Lobbying Ordinance in response to problems the city has encountered with its waste contracts. The main problem is that Texas Disposal Systems, which currently is under a 30-year contract with the […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Council pushes ahead with CodeNEXT contract
City Council has voted to authorize spending what is supposed to be the final chunk of money allocated for the consultants hired to craft CodeNEXT, the rewrite of the city’s Land Development Code. The $2.27 million will go to Opticos Design Inc., the California-based consulting firm in charge of the rewrite, as well as a […]
Posted inWhispers
Ethics Review Commission authorizes complaint against Don Pitts
On Wednesday, the Ethics Review Commission voted to authorize a complaint against Don Pitts, the former head of the city’s Music and Entertainment Division, for failing to show for a commission meeting in May where he was expected as a witness. The commission, exercising its relatively new subpoena power, had requested Pitts’ testimony as part […]