Maintenance and repairs on U.S. Highway 183 will close the portion of Southern Walnut Creek Trail that crosses the highway just south of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The temporary closure will begin Jan. 13 and continue until the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority completes the demolition of the old U.S. 183 bridge that traverses […]
Jessi Devenyns
Posted inDevelopment
Public Safety Commission dives into building material safety
Fire unquestionably presents a risk to public safety. However, a less visible risk associated with a burning building are the toxic chemicals used in building materials that can damage the health of first responders and homeowners who inhale the fumes they emit. According to local environmental activist and researcher Paul Robbins, three of the most […]
Posted inPlanning
Without paperwork, commissioners hear testimony on rezoning, but hold off on decision
It’s unusual for the Zoning and Platting Commission to postpone a final plat but hear a preliminary plan for a zoning case. Yet that is exactly what commissioners did at their Dec. 17 meeting, before discovering that they could not make any final decision for the subdivision at 12001 South Interstate 35 Service Road as […]
Posted inPreservation
Parks department staff occupy and transform a historic home in South Austin
A rare and intact example of a mid-1860s rural Travis County residence sits at 10140 Old San Antonio Road. After years of neglect, the Austin Parks and Recreation Department has taken over stewardship of the property and installed an administrative office in the building. Commissioner Terri Myers noted at the Dec. 16 meeting of the […]
Posted inPlanning
Planning Commission recommends a commercial zoning change in the heart of Brentwood
Commercial enterprises are sprinkled throughout Brentwood, a residential neighborhood in North-Central Austin. However, the request for a zoning change to turn a residential home into a real estate office brought concerned residents to the Dec. 10 meeting of the Planning Commission to oppose the project. Bill Spiesman, from the Brentwood Neighborhood Plan Contact Team, told […]
Posted inWhispers
Home with ‘wealth of history’ is relocated
Earlier this year, the Cielo Property group donated and relocated the home of the first African American disc jockey, Albert Lavada Durst – also known as “Dr. Hepcat” – from 1608 E. Fourth St. to 1906 E. 21st St. This initiative not only gave housing to an East Austin resident who was left homeless after her […]
Posted inPreservation
HLC says Pemberton Heights home no longer deserves historic status
Remodeling the exterior of a historic home requires care, attention to detail – and a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Landmark Commission to sign off on the proposed design. Failing to involve the commission can have financial consequences on one’s taxes. Despite not having the prior approval of the commission, John Ball proceeded to […]
Posted inWhispers
HLC excited about rare historic discovery
When D.R. Horton Homes discovered a 19th-century blockhouse at 1208 E. Howard Lane, the Historic Landmark Commission got excited. Homes of that vintage are rare in Central Texas, and this one was a serendipitous find. The structure, part of the Dessau community of German settlers, was covered by over a century of stucco and walls […]
Posted inPreservation
A divided landmark commission recommends Green Pastures Hotel
In the decades since Green Pastures opened in 1946, the restaurant has become a beloved venue known for its elegant, porch-wrapped home and verdant grounds. It was noteworthy when the proposed addition of a hotel to the property swept through the Historic Landmark Commission with full support in 2016. The approved project remained unrealized on […]
Posted inPreservation
West Campus home fails to receive required votes for historic designation
The Historic Landmark Commission recently recommended historic zoning for a 19th-century West Campus home at 704 W. 22nd St. against the owner’s wishes. Planning commissioners have now voted to deny the recommendation for historic zoning, preventing the case from moving forward. “I think we need to hold ourselves to a higher caliber,” said Commissioner James […]
Posted inEnvironment
Environmental Commission pushes for additional tree protections on Apple campus
Apple Inc. is well on its way to bringing a billion-dollar campus to Austin on a 133-acre parcel of land at 6900 Parmer Lane called Robinson Ranch. In an effort to offer increased protections for the trees on the property, the Environmental Commission unanimously passed a recommendation at its Dec. 4 meeting to encourage Apple […]
Posted inWhispers
Austin Animal Services officer receives award
Michelle Baca received an Officer of the Year award from the Texas Animal Control Association for her work in the field microchipping stray animals in Austin. “This is the first time anyone from Austin has received this award,” said Chief Animal Services Officer Don Bland. The award is a statewide recognition effort for individuals who […]