More than a year after Austinites and reporters raised questions about Frank Rodriguez’s continued ties to Latino HealthCare Forum, a nonprofit he founded while he was serving as a senior policy adviser for Mayor Steve Adler, the issue came before the Ethics Review Commission. In a complaint filed last Aug. 3 by the Office of […]
Jessi Devenyns
Posted inWhispers
Ethics commission due to get fresh blood come March
With a legislative session about to go into full swing and Council on the verge of appointing commission members, the Ethics Review Commission is preparing to see numerous changes in the upcoming months. Just prior to adjourning on Wednesday night, Chair Ben Stratmann voiced his concerns about making the quorum at the March and April […]
Posted inPlanning
Boat dock variance dredges up concerns at the Board of Adjustment
There are occasions when, regardless of how a homeowner may redesign, reorient or reimagine a site, there is simply no option to make a project code-compliant. That still doesn’t mean that the request for a variance will be supported. This scenario came up at the Feb. 11 meeting of the Board of Adjustment, pertaining to […]
Posted inWhispers
Ethics commission dismisses another case surrounding PAC expenditures
In a case that seems eerily similar to one that appeared before the Ethics Review Commission in January, Kathie Tovo’s former campaign manager, Michael J. Gaudini, filed a complaint against the Center for Austin’s Future PAC for improperly filing the required appointment of campaign treasurer. According to city law, an appointment for campaign treasurer must be made at […]
Posted inCity Hall
Ethics Review Commission dismisses case against Human Resources director
The city of Austin professes to have a “mother-friendly” work environment that supports new moms and working parents. However, a complaint filed in December by the Office of the City Auditor brings that policy into question. The complaint filed by Brian Molloy, chief of investigations for the city auditor’s office, alleges that Joya Hayes, director […]
Posted inPlanning
Scraped lots are not entitled to variances because of tree placement
Generally, when trees are the cause of a variance request, the Board of Adjustment is quite accommodating. After all, considering all the good trees do for the environment and the city’s stringent protections for them, it can be difficult for homeowners simply to remove them. Still, despite this historical pattern, the Board of Adjustment does not […]
Posted inWhispers
BoA recommends lowering fees to a sixth of the price for residents
After months of discussions in a working group, the Board of Adjustment voted to adopt lowered fees for residents seeking to come before the board and request a variance. At the beginning of this fiscal year, fees for individuals seeking a zoning variance jumped from $1782.56 to $3,230.24. Calling the fees “discriminatory” on a financial […]
Posted inCity Hall
Board of Adjustment changes rules for those seeking appeal
After postponing the vote last month in an effort to ensure that a fair and open appeals process is available to the public, the Board of Adjustment made a decision Monday night that may prove contentious. In a 6-5 vote at its Feb. 11 meeting, the board approved a revision of its rules that includes […]
Posted inPlanning
Citing density concerns, West Austin lot receives recommendation for subdivision
After purchasing his home in May 2016 under the assumption that the city would permit him to subdivide his 3.2-acre lot into two 1.6-acre lots, Rick Engel, the owner of Ski Shores restaurant, found himself still pleading his case almost three years later. His lot, which sits at 6910 West Courtyard Drive, is a long property […]
Posted inAustin
Watershed department works with city to clean up homeless camps
The number of people experiencing homelessness is growing in the city of Austin. Last fall, recognizing the crisis on the streets and the pressure on city resources, City Council approved an increased budget to help relieve the situation. In addition to a new “homelessness czar,” the budget includes funding for the Watershed Protection Department to […]
Posted inWhispers
No matter the weather, Mayor Adler is there
Despite 35-degree temps and a persistent drizzle, Mayor Steve Adler came out to Austin’s second annual Far East Fest to celebrate the cultures and cuisines of the city’s Asian inhabitants. In typical Austin fashion, the food festival had lines snaking from booth to booth as people gobbled down warm samples and watched belly dancers and K-pop cover […]
Posted inPlanning
Zoning and Platting Commission discusses validity of previous vote
At the last meeting of the Zoning and Platting Commission on Jan. 29, even with a full dais the commission was unable to muster the supermajority vote needed to approve a request for a flag lot at 11603 Tedford St. Dissatisfied with the decision due to what Commissioner Bruce Evans called an “inability to articulate” […]