After nearly three months of quiet hallways and locked doors, Travis County facilities will begin reopening at the end of June. To ensure the continued safety of employees returning to the workplace as well as residents accessing county services, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted unanimously on June 16 to require facial coverings for anyone […]
Jessi Devenyns
Posted inLand Development Code
Board of Adjustment debates request to sacrifice heritage tree or waterfront overlay
The Board of Adjustment exists to help residents achieve variances from the Land Development Code’s building regulations, but only if an applicant is willing to provide information and evidence of a valid hardship. Dan Coops, the owner of 71 Julius St., has appeared before the board several times in an effort to gain a variance […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 6.16.20
The Travis County Commissioners Court meets every Tuesday at 9 a.m. To help our readers stay informed, each week we offer a selection of interesting items from the voting session agenda. The entire agenda is available at the Travis County website. This week’s meeting will be broadcast to ensure everyone is able to follow social […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Board of Adjustment calls retroactive variance request a ‘cluster’
Although the structure at 1401 E. Third St. is already completed, it cannot pass final inspection due to encroachment into the property’s side setback. In an effort to avoid reconstructing the entire building, the applicant came before the Board of Adjustment on June 8 to seek a retroactive variance to decrease the minimum interior side […]
Posted inWhispers
County sends cash to neighboring cities
This week, small municipalities in the county will receive an official contract outlining the direct funds that Travis County will provide to help bolster an economy rattled by the Covid-19 pandemic. “They’re anxious to see the document,” Commissioner Gerald Daugherty said at the June 9 meeting of the Commissioners Court. Last week, the Commissioners Court […]
Posted inTravis County
Updated: Travis County extends moratorium on evictions until July 25
In a new order issued Thursday, Travis County announced it will continue to push back issuing notices to vacate until July 25. This order is applicable countywide and includes the city of Austin. Previously, the county extended a similar order until June 1. This order picks up on June 11 and leaves a gap of […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County’s small business grant program to go live June 15
Small businesses have waited nearly a month and a half to apply for $10 million in grant money set aside for Travis County’s small business grant program, designed to help companies affected by the Covid-19 economic downturn. After weeks of planning and logistics, the businesses will be able to apply for funding beginning July 6. Beforehand, […]
Posted inDevelopment
Springdale Farm development proposal lacks support due to environmental concerns
For over a year, Austin developer StoryBuilt has worked with the Govalle neighborhood to design a site plan for the 4.8-acre site that operates as Springdale Farm and Eden East at 755 Springdale Road. While the overall design for a pedestrian-friendly site with a half-acre urban farm, restaurant, commercial space and residential living with affordable […]
Posted inEnvironment
City reworks its Community Climate Plan through an equity lens
Five years ago, Austin’s Office of Sustainability began implementing its 2030 Community Climate Plan in order to work toward the city’s goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Now, the department is revising its plan to update metrics and advance the city’s ambitious emissions goals with a commitment to racial equity. Zach Baumer, the […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 6.9.20
The Travis County Commissioners Court meets every Tuesday at 9 a.m. To help our readers stay informed, each week we offer a selection of interesting items from the voting session agenda. The public can access the meeting by watching the livestream or by tuning in to public access Channel 17. The entire agenda is available […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County settles on $7.3M in direct assistance to smaller cities
Travis County will no longer be solely responsible for portioning out the $61.1 million to assist in disaster relief efforts during the pandemic. On June 2, the Commissioners Court unanimously voted to allocate $7.3 million, or $55 per Travis County resident, in the surrounding municipalities, excluding Austin, and allow individual cities to distribute those funds […]
Posted inDevelopment
Parks board recommends moving forward with COTA development
The motor racing track Circuit of the Americas has long been known for big-name concerts and Formula 1 races. In the future, however, the development may become better known for its water park, parkland and residential uses. With 1,037 acres of developable land located east of State Highway 130 and north of Farm to Market […]