Jacob Cottingham

After months of presentations, scientific examination and dialogue, the Parks and Recreation Board/Environment Board joint subcommittee on Monday issued their recommendations for 31 trees in and around the Barton Springs Pool, which concluded that only four trees be taken down.   Director Sara Hensley walked a small crowd through each of the 31 recommendations, and […]

The Zoning and Platting Commission recently voted 4-0 to postpone consideration of the preliminary plan for the Eastwood subdivision, a 2,316-lot development in Austin’s ETJ near Manor. The postponement until July 7 was a compromise between attorneys representing the Eastwood development and the attorney representing a neighboring landlocked landowner, who also wants to develop several […]

Despite an order from the federal government to implement its Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) on a timely basis, Travis County Health and Human Services staff said Tuesday that it’s unlikely they will meet that deadline.   Travis County Commissioners were updated on the county’s CDBG program Tuesday by Sherri Fleming, executive manager of Health […]

Hays County Commissioners again put off adopting new development regulations for the county again last week due to confusion and protests from property rights advocates, development and real estate interests.    The primary point of contention was a proposed minimum lot size of 6.5 acres. The proposed lot size requirement would apply lots with individual […]

Getting issues through the 81st Legislature turned out to be a difficult task for Travis County. Out of 21 bills the Commissioners Court had marked as “legislative priorities,” nine are heading to Gov. Rick Perry either on their own or as amendments to other bills. Deece Eckstein, the county’s coordinator of  Intergovernmental Relations, told In […]

Plans for the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District (BSEACD) to annex a portion of Western Travis County in the state-designated Priority Groundwater Management Area are officially dead. Nearly two years in the making, the BSEACD needed legislative approval to hold an election amongst the affected residents. Although the legislative logjam over voter ID created […]

Residents, renters and stakeholders in the Holly neighborhood in near East Austin last night voted to reject by-laws that would have established a Holly Neighborhood Plan Contact Team. Several disgruntled and passionate neighborhood residents ended up curtailing a number of agenda items discussing the Neighborhood Plan and the actual by-laws themselves.   Greg Guernsey, Director […]

Austin Water Utility customers will have to dig a little deeper into their wallets for water next year. Members of the city’s Water and Wastewater Commission heard from the AWU finance team last week, who briefed the members on a forthcoming rate hike, the future of the utility’s rate structure and the effects of conservation […]

Travis County Commissioners have retooled how they will approach the Community Development Block Grant money available to the county from the federal stimulus package. The county is eyeing some $226,300 that could be accessed through HUD and the county’s Health and Human Services Department.   Sherri Fleming, executive manager for the county’s Health and Human […]

After hearing from citizens concerned about the fate of the Barton Springs trees, and having taken several tours of those marked for possible removal, on Monday the Parks and Recreation Board and the Environmental Board joint subcommittee had a lengthy work session to figure out a path forward.   The board and PARD staff will […]

On Wednesday the Cooper Robertson & Partners master planning team presented the latest update on their plans for the University of Texas’ Brackenridge Tract, the 346-acre chunk of land on Lady Bird Lake deeded to the university by Col. Brackenridge.   The update included plans for handling traffic flow at the intersection of MoPac and […]

Travis County Commissioners, absent a vote from Pct. 1 Commissioner Ron Davis, unanimously approved Tuesday a $1.535 million central campus study to be conducted by Broaddus and Associates.   Purchasing Agent Cyd Grimes has been negotiating with Broaddus since March 10, when Commissioners authorized her to begin negotiations. The firm was responsible for an earlier […]