At its March meeting, the Library Commission will vote on a recommendation to eliminate late-fee fines from Austin’s public libraries. “We see this as an equity and accessibility issue,” said Chair Catherine Hanna. The Austin Public Library stopped charging fees on overdue materials checked out for kids in 2018. Hanna explained to the commission that […]
Jessi Devenyns
Posted inPlanning
Planning Commission recommends Imagine Austin amendments but postpones neighborhood request
At Tuesday’s Planning Commission meeting, city staff asked commissioners for their recommendations for amending the language of the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan. Staff brought two requests to the dais. One was for an endorsement to alter the language of the Imagine Austin Growth Concept Map and Downtown Austin Plan to reflect that residential uses are […]
Posted inPlanning
Environmental Commission postpones Lantana PCA to encourage compromise
On Feb. 19, the Environmental Commission heard from divided parties arguing their case for whether to recommend implementing a Project Consent Agreement at the Lantana project in Southwest Austin to allow for a mixed-use residential project rather than office space on the site. “They are proposing a change of use within the same footprint,” Environmental […]
Posted inDevelopment
Environmental Commission recommends revising green building standards
Green buildings are intended to be superior constructions built with environmentally sustainable materials and design. While not required, the city encourages this type of construction on a voluntary basis through Austin Energy’s Green Building Program, which rewards builders for green choices. Although some baseline prerequisites are required for a development to be eligible for one-star […]
Posted inWhispers
AFD working to reduce wildfire risk and protect endangered songbird
The Austin metro area is one of the regions in the country most vulnerable to wildfire. Although there are many areas at risk, the environmentally sensitive Balcones Canyonlands Preserve is right smack in the middle of wildfire territory. Historically, the cedar-oak woodlands that dominate the preserve have not been susceptible to frequent fires and under most […]
Posted inZoning
ZAP recommends less density than staff does for South Austin site
At its Feb. 18 meeting, the Zoning and Platting Commission debated how much density is too much for the lot at 6917 Colton Bluff Springs Road. Although the land is intended for a single project, the 23-acre site is divided into two tracts, which currently have Rural Residence (RR), Single-Family Residence – Small Lot (SF-4A) […]
Posted inEnergy
More energy-efficient homes are straining Austin Energy’s revenues
Austin Energy began its year with higher-than-expected revenues thanks to warmer temperatures this fall. “We’re about 5 percent over the forecast for the quarter in consumption,” said Stephanie Koudelka, the utility’s principal accounting manager, at the Feb. 10 meeting of the Electric Utility Commission. This increase in consumption translated to a 2 percent bump in […]
Posted inCity Council
Waste management emergency contract heads to Council with split recommendations
Austin’s dumpster wars continue. The city’s contract with Waste Management of Texas expires Feb. 28. To avoid a public health crisis, City Council will vote tonight on whether to execute an emergency multi-term contract with the waste collector for up to one year and an amount not to exceed $1.06 million. Not all commissions are […]
Posted inWater
Water and Wastewater Commission learns cause of foamy water
On Jan. 22, residents in South Austin reported foamy water in their taps following the Austin Fire Department’s extinguishing of a church fire. At the Feb. 12 meeting of the Water and Wastewater Commission, Rick Coronado, the assistant director of Austin Water, told commissioners that the foam was a benign substance. “Essentially it’s a soap […]
Posted inPlanning
Environmental Commission recommends a variance for 19 feet of fill
A developer building a commercial storage facility project requiring a variance for 19.5 feet of fill to construct a driveway on slopes steeper than a 15 percent grade received a unanimous recommendation from the Environmental Commission at its Feb. 5 meeting. The steep topography of the 5.4-acre site at 4229 N. FM 620 is located […]
Posted inZoning
ZAP finds a compromise to bring density and more affordable housing with a unit cap
In an effort to bring more density to the environmentally sensitive area of far Southwest Austin, developers came to the Zoning and Platting Commission on Feb. 4 with a plan to construct 15 condominiums within a small footprint on their 3-acre lot. To accomplish this plan, they requested a recommendation for a zoning change from […]
Posted inAustin
UT professor maps climate vulnerability in Austin
Communities within Austin are disproportionately affected by climate change based on their social vulnerability. Social vulnerability refers to a community’s sensitivity to natural hazards and community members’ capacity to rebound from natural disasters. In a study by Patrick Bixler with the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs, 18 variables of social vulnerability were […]