On occasion, portions of the city code that are intended to regulate one issue end up becoming a loophole for another. “I’ve never seen (the code) exploited the way you are or the way your architect is (exploiting it),” Chair William Burkhardt said at the Nov. 9 meeting of the Board of Adjustment, referring to a variance […]
Jessi Devenyns
Posted inPlanning
Board of Adjustment postpones setback request with no site plan
The Board of Adjustment needs a good reason to grant a request for reducing the setback from the waterfront. If a case from its most recent meeting is any indication, asking for an arbitrary number of feet without having a site plan in place will meet with its disapproval. David Cancialosi, who was representing the […]
Posted inWhispers
Hot tempers at City Hall over Jeff Sessions dismissal
On Thursday, Nov. 8, the front plaza of City Hall was packed with protesters, calling for President Trump to reconsider his decision to push Jeff Sessions out of his position as attorney general. A speaker orating to the crowd was barely audible above the roar of cheers and horns honking. What began at 5 p.m. lasted […]
Posted inPlanning
Volvo request for service extension stalls at the Environmental Commission
City water and wastewater flow just 175 feet away from the site of a newly proposed Volvo dealership; however, the 26-acre site at 10600 N FM 620 remains on well water and a septic system. Even with a plan to alter the land use to commercial and introduce a manyfold increase in utility usage, both […]
Posted inWhispers
Austin EMS launches new electronic patient care records system
Nov. 5 was the day Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services launched its new patient record software, which is intended to provide quicker and easier data access and streamline communications between EMS medics who take notes on the scene and medical professionals in the hospitals. “Hopefully this will (be) an avenue to look at those patient […]
Posted inUncategorized
Austin Fire Department’s burning desire for education takes them to California
Firefighters in Austin are adept and experienced when it comes to fighting brush fires. However, when it comes to large-scale wildland/urban-interface fires, our city’s firefighters don’t have as much experience. So, in hopes of gaining some real-life education in anticipation of a “mega-fire” that is feared to happen in West Austin, the Austin Fire Department […]
Posted inPlanning
Camelback PUD project receives final approval from Council
When it comes to approving a highly visible planned unit development on an iconic piece of Austin property, it’s not going to be an easy decision. After all, the devil is in the details. On Thursday night, after several hours of discussion to parse out the legal language associated with the Camelback PUD and Champion […]
Posted inParks
The Norwood House may soon get a face-lift
On the northwestern corner of Interstate 35 and Riverside Drive is a plot of land that the city purchased in 1985 and that most Austinites know to be an off-leash dog park. However, also nestled on that same plot of land is a historic 1920s bungalow called the Norwood House. Although until now the bungalow […]
Posted inCity Hall
Council plans additional post-mortem review of water crisis
Although last week’s crisis has passed and Austinites once again have clean drinking water in their homes and offices, City Council still has much work to do. In anticipation of the questions that would arrive in the aftermath of the boil water notice, last Thursday, Council Member Ellen Troxclair drafted a resolution requesting a review […]
Posted inParks
PARD unburies contract infringement with cemetery contractor
Recently, city auditors found major flaws in how the city manages its contracts, and based on the testimony by a citizen at the Oct. 23 Parks and Recreation Board meeting, the city’s cemetery contract may fall into that category. “We have a contractor that is not complying with his contract,” said Sharon Blythe, a concerned […]
Posted inPreservation
Hillside Farmacy recommended for historical designation
There are buildings in this city for which historical zoning is a no-brainer. One of these properties is the Hillside Farmacy at 1209 E. 11th St. The application for this zoning change was presented to the Historic Landmark Commission along with a lengthy history as to the importance of the building to the East Austin […]
Posted inPreservation
Storybook house remains a looming castle in Clarksville’s imagination
Despite three hearings at the Historic Landmark Commission and repeated attempts by the Clarksville Community Development Corporation to persuade Priscilla Glover, the owner of 1002 Charlotte St., that her proposed home design would not contribute to the character of the neighborhood, the applicant insisted that she had the right to build whatever structure she wished. […]