How does one forget to report $10,000? That was the question of the evening for the Ethics Review Commission at its March 13 convocation. In a complaint filed by Fred Lewis last November, he accused the No on J political action committee of failing to report its largest and most controversial contribution from the Real […]
Jessi Devenyns
Posted inLand Development Code
BoA ponders historically zoned multifamily
For the owner of 608 Elmwood Place in the Hancock neighborhood, perhaps the third time in front of the Board of Adjustment will be the charm. After being postponed last month to allow for more discussion with the neighborhood about the proposed multifamily project, the board once again postponed the project in the face of […]
Posted inAustin
CTMâs Office of Design and Delivery: Corporate workshops should not be awful
As Austin grows and city officials begin to question how their jobs are evolving to meet the demands of the tens of thousands of new residents every year, it stands to reason that the city of Austin would ask for guidance from larger municipalities around the country. With the spirit of SXSW coursing through the […]
Posted inPublic Safety
APD investigates causes of traffic fatalities
As busy and congested as Austin streets have become, drivers have managed to keep the number of traffic fatalities from rising over the last few years. âWeâre on a four-year downward trend,â Ron MacKay, Austin Police Department’s crime analysis division manager, said at the March 4 meeting of the Public Safety Commission. According to the […]
Posted inPlanning
Bowie High School development plan nullified by new survey
Technological advancements are generally welcomed with open arms thanks to their potential to save time, money and recalculations. Unfortunately, applying these new capabilities to work done almost three decades ago can reveal errors that throw carefully negotiated plans out the door. In 2017, City Council approved a plan that would swap impervious cover from three […]
Posted inWhispers
Final draft of Austin Strategic Mobility Plan passes Environmental Commission
Following a presentation on the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan at the March 6 meeting of the Environmental Commission by Annick Beaudet, the assistant director of Austin Transportation, commissioners began asking about some of the environmental aspects of the plan. While questions about tree canopy removal in order to widen streets made a predictable appearance, issues of air […]
Posted inPolice
APD racial profiling statistics hold steady despite dip in traffic stops
Each year, the Austin Police Department releases a report to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement detailing the number of traffic stops and searches it makes and categorizing them by race. Recently released statistics show that while the Austin Police Department has decreased its overall searches of individuals, the majority of people who were searched following […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Council-mandated sexual assault process review comes before Public Safety Commission
After City Council ordered an independent review of the Austin Police Departmentâs handling of sexual assault cases, the city managerâs office went straight to work. Staffers requested proposals from non-governmental entities with expertise in the prosecution of the crime to review at least 200 APD cases (or 50 percent of cases) and determine the degree […]
Posted inWhispers
Sobering Center Austin gets its first statistics
After opening last August, Austinâs first sobering center is finally receiving its inaugural statistics. According to Jasper Brown, the EMS assistant chief, 90 percent of clientele are first-time users of a sobering center and most are brought in for overconsumption of alcohol. The average overnight resident is a 34-year-old male who was brought in by […]
Posted inPublic Safety
In Austin, violent crime is down but hot spots persist
As Austin continues to experience explosive growth as it transforms into one of the nationâs larger metro areas, concerns about big-city-sized crime abound. However, despite meteoric growth, overall violent crime is down. Ron MacKay, the crime analysis division manager with APD, came to the March 4 meeting of the Public Safety Commission to present the […]
Posted inPlanning
Brush Square Master Plan gets wholehearted approval from HLC
Brush Square may be the least memorable of the four original squares designed as part of the 1839Â Waller Plan. Today, thanks to a new master plan, that may be about to change. Kim McKnight, a planner with the Parks and Recreation Department, came to the Feb. 25 meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission to present […]
Posted inPlanning
Commission drills down on Grove at Shoal Creek park plans
After years of contentious planning, the Grove at Shoal Creek has broken ground and begun construction on the first two blocks of residences of this mixed-use development in central Northwest Austin. The plan for the accompanying parkland remains under discussion. At the Feb. 26 meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board, Robert Deegan, a partner at […]