The Audit and Finance Committee spent just under an hour trying to resolve a dispute over membership on the African American Resource Advisory Commission at its Dec. 14 meeting. At issue were the six seats on the 17-member commission reserved for members appointed by six civic organizations: the Austin Revitalization Authority, the Greater Austin Black […]
Jack Craver
Posted inPolice
Austin police emphasize mental health training
The Austin Police Department has altered its training and procedures in response to a growing consensus among experts that much of crime is linked to untreated mental illness. As a result, all new cadets in the Austin police academy receive 40 hours of training on mental health and on responding to situations involving people with […]
Posted inHousing
Zoning commission OKs northwest SMART homes
A speech by a neighbor denouncing a proposed SMART housing complex as dangerous and poorly planned didn’t stop the Zoning and Platting Commission from unanimously approving it at its meeting last Tuesday. The site plan for a 120-unit apartment complex at 11015 and 11017 Four Points Drive was requested by Foundation Communities, a nonprofit that […]
Posted inAustin
Animal Services chief responds to department audit
Austin is a leader in animal shelter and care, but the common metrics used for auditing animal care facilities have not kept pace with its no-kill policy, Chief Animal Services Officer Tawny Hammond told the Audit and Finance Committee on Monday. “We have to have standards and accreditation for no-kill communities,” she said. “We need […]
Posted inFire, Public Safety
Fire department touts improved flood performance
Larry Jantzen, chief of special operations with the Austin Fire Department, told members of the Public Safety Commission on Monday that the department was able to respond more quickly and effectively to the Oct. 30 floods because of improvements it had made since the floods that struck Austin on Halloween of 2013. For starters, the […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Austin police talk ‘open carry’ at safety commission
The Austin Police Department expects to be fielding more gun-related 911 calls after Texas’ recently passed open carry law takes effect in January. The new law allows licensed gun owners to have their weapons visibly holstered in public, but many people may continue to be alarmed by those who choose to pack heat openly. In […]
Posted inParks
Playground talk sparks district conflict
Parks advocates appear united in their belief that the city needs to spend more money to provide green spaces and playgrounds for kids, but precisely where it should invest limited resources is a source of contention. At a meeting of the Open Space, Environment and Sustainability Committee on Thursday, Parks and Recreation Department staff unveiled […]
Posted inDevelopment
ZAP chair hopes to avoid more PUD postponements
Gabriel Rojas, the chair of the Zoning and Platting Commission, told colleagues at the commission’s meeting last week that he hoped the discussion over the Grove at Shoal Creek Planned Unit Development – a controversial proposal for a mixed-use development at the intersection of 45th Street and Bull Creek Road – would not take as […]
Posted inAustin
Committee recommends more home buyouts in floodplain
Property values are rising in Austin, even in areas at high risk of flooding. It’s a challenge that the Watershed Protection Department faces as it seeks to buy properties in the Middle Williamson Creek area threatened by flooding, city staff told the Open Space, Environment and Sustainability Committee on Thursday. Mapi Vigil, managing engineer for […]
Posted inDevelopment
ZAP encourages heritage trees, connectivity
Before the Zoning and Platting Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a setback waiver for a new subdivision between Peaceful Hill Lane and Shallot Way, Vice Chair Jackie Goodman took a moment to express gratitude to Matthew Mitchell of Alm Engineers, the project applicant. “I wanted to make sure that you publicly got the credit […]
Posted inDevelopment
Council backs affordable housing development, despite location concerns
City Council gave the nod Thursday to a new 324-unit multifamily affordable housing development partially financed by 4 percent noncompetitive tax credits from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The Council vote of “no objection” was required in order for the applicant, NRP Group, to submit its application for the tax credits to […]
Posted inResources
Council approves new recycling standards for construction material
In a victory for environmentalists, City Council voted Thursday to approve an ordinance that sets limits on the amount of material from a construction or demolition site that can go to waste. The ordinance, which passed 8-3, with Council members Sheri Gallo, Ellen Troxclair and Don Zimmerman in opposition, requires those involved in a construction […]