After roughly seven grueling hours of testimony from neighbors on both sides of the issue, the Zoning and Platting Commission opted shortly before 3 a.m. Wednesday to postpone its decision on a controversial planned unit development proposed for a 75-acre parcel of land located between 45th Street, Bull Creek Road and Shoal Creek. Because a […]
Jack Craver
Posted inAustin
Austin’s black population growing again
After years of decline, Austin’s African-American population appears to be growing again. In a presentation during a City Council work session Tuesday, city demographer Ryan Robinson explained to Council members that the black population within Austin’s city limits increased by an estimated 8,000 in the four years following the 2010 census. In the entire Austin […]
Posted inEnergy
AE proposes raising residential service charge
The independent consumer advocate that the city hired to represent the interests of Austin residents and small businesses as it reviews electricity rates is crying foul. John Coffman, who heads the advocate team, accuses Austin Energy, the city-owned utility, of surprising the team with a change to its rate proposal that will increase costs for […]
Posted inWater
Commission OKs drainage discount for rain barrels
The city’s Environmental Commission endorsed a proposed ordinance last week that will give property owners the chance to lower their drainage fees if they make efforts to reduce runoff from their properties. Austin Water utility already provides a one-time rebate to homeowners who buy rain barrels and rain gardens, but the Watershed Protection Department decided […]
Posted inPlanning
Environmental Commission votes narrowly against Grove PUD
After six hours of testimony from neighbors at a previous meeting and a two-and-a-half-hour question and answer session with city staff and project developers at its most recent one, members of the city Environmental Commission remained deeply divided over a major mixed-use planned unit development on a 75-acre parcel of land between 45th Street, Bull […]
Posted inWhispers
New policy approved with affordable housing in mind
In an attempt to free up more money to provide affordable housing, City Council approved a new policy Thursday that will devote 100 percent of property tax revenue that comes from the sale of state-owned lands to the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo, who authored the measure, introduced the item […]
Posted inTransportation
Council approves law barring many former offenders from driving for taxi companies, TNCs
City Council approved an ordinance that will bar many convicted of low-level criminal offenses from operating a taxi or driving for transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft for many years after their offense. Those convicted of certain felony offenses, including a felony-level charge for selling, manufacturing or delivering drugs, will be permanently barred […]
Posted inDevelopment
CM Garza has second thoughts about Sun Chase PUD
After voting to support it just a month ago, City Council Member Delia Garza said on Wednesday that she’s not sure she can continue to back a massive Planned Unit Development east of Austin in Del Valle. The Sun Chase PUD likely does not provide the community with benefits that the city should demand of […]
Posted inCity Council
Council seeks to reverse decision on Hays County emergency service district
It wasn’t just Austinites who were inconvenienced by the absence of Mayor Steve Adler and two City Council members during last week’s Council meeting. Several dozen families who live in a 5-acre area of Hays County that is located within Austin’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) may not be able to vote on whether to join a […]
Posted inCity Council
Mayor’s absence causes Council headaches
City Council can conduct its business without the mayor and two Council members. But a tedious morning session on Thursday proved that it’s not necessarily easy. The absence of Mayor Steve Adler and Council members Delia Garza and Ann Kitchen, all of whom are in Washington, D.C., giving a presentation relating to Austin’s bid for […]
Posted inParks
Group pushing toward $220 million chain of parks downtown
For once, a discussion of Waller Creek at City Hall was almost entirely upbeat. City Council members were delighted during a work session Tuesday to hear an update on an ambitious $220 million project to create a long, narrow public space that stretches from Waterloo Park on 15th Street to Lady Bird Lake. The plan […]
Posted inCity Hall
Council to consider dark money ordinance
Independent political groups that spend money to influence elections will be required to disclose much more about themselves and their donors if City Council approves a proposed ordinance. At a Council work session on Tuesday, Assistant City Attorney Cynthia Tom told Council members that the ordinance she had helped craft with the Office of the […]