Jacob Cottingham

Despite objections from a vocal group of citizens, the Buda Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend to City Council a change in the land use agreement between the city and Sunfield MUD. The MUD wants to allow 159.9 acres, which was designated for commercial retail use to become office and industrial use.   […]

With the federal stimulus bill now official, Travis County commissioners have seen their hopes for additional transportation funding essentially whittled down to nothing. The writing was on the wall at a workshop last Thursday, when commissioners convened with their Coordinator for Intergovernmental Affairs Deece Eckstein and some department managers. As far as transportation projects are […]

Hays County Commissioners on Tuesday spent four hours hearing testimony from a range of regional water experts on how the new subdivision rules could impact water quality and quantity.   The commissioners joked about their diminished mental capacity after so many hours of testimony, but the new water regulations do seem to be finally taking […]

On Thursday night, City Council voted 6-1 to postpone the controversial Wildflower PUD until August 20. Council Member Laura Morrison was the lone dissenter.   More than 90 people had signed up to speak in opposition to the development, which included a 100,000 sq. foot supermarket, retail, restaurants, and 550 condos in the Barton Springs […]

Travis County Commissioners are trying to avoid having the county fail EPA air-quality standards through an initiative they are calling the “Big Push.” The goal is to use policies and incentives to avoid “Ozone Action Days,” where the amount of ozone in the air exceeds the EPA standard of 75 parts per billion (ppb).   […]

Travis County Commissioners unanimously voted Tuesday to proceed with the latest cycle of the county employee salary study. They also approved a compensation committee to study the pay structures and policies of other counties in relation to Travis County.   The committee will recommend “short and long term policy decisions for rank and file employees.” […]

A citizen’s petition spearheaded by the South Lamar Neighborhood group derailed a zoning change off Ben White. A homeowner, Robert Anderson, wanted to turn his SF-3 residentially-zoned home into a GR commercial space in order to open a custom gun manufacturing business.   The homeowner said he had purchased the property in 1981 and the […]

The Austin Planning Commission on Tuesday recommended that City Council approve an 18-story, 300-room Westin hotel project planned for the corner of Third and Colorado streets. The developer, Hixon Properties of San Antonio, is requesting a CURE overlay which would increase the Floor to Area Ratio (FAR) from 8:1 to 12:1.   Attorney Steve Drenner […]

The Planning Commission has voted 8-1 to recommend that a popular East Austin spot, Buckets Deli, not be granted a CS-1 zoning change. Such a change, from CS-MU-CO-NP, would allow for the deli to derive the majority of its income from alcohol sales rather than food.   Currently Buckets is under investigation for alcohol sales […]

Travis County Commissioners have approved a list of specific roads projects they plan to submit to the Texas Department of Transportation for funding under a potential federal stimulus package.   Executive Director Joe Gieselman of the Transportation and Natural Resources Department told commissioners last week the guidelines for projects to be submitted was constantly changing. […]

In a special meeting Friday afternoon, Hays County Commissioners unanimously voted to join the contested case hearing against Jeremiah Ventures, which is behind a forthcoming Hays County development. The Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District, the City of Austin, Save Our Springs Alliance and Ruby Ranch Homeowners Association have all filed for a contested case […]

The City Council last week rejected a bid by the Senna Hills Municipal Utility District to annex a small sliver of land that has been embroiled in litigation related to development regulations for several years. Because the property is currently subject to the Save Our Springs Ordinance, and the release of the land from city […]