Stories by Jimmy Maas
Residents complain about development at Commissioners Court
A development near Lake Travis brought a contentious public hearing to Tuesday’s Travis County Commissioners Court. A developer is looking to create a detached-condominium subdivision tentatively called the Summit at Lake Travis. The project is slated for land off…
Development • By Jimmy Maas • Mar 26, 2014
Travis Commissioners vote to spend $15 million on SH45 SW
The Travis County Commissioners Court approved spending $15 million in county funds Tuesday toward a plan to extend the southwest portion of State Highway 45 from the end of MoPac Boulevard to FM 1626. The vote fulfilled Travis County’s part…
Development • By Jimmy Maas • Mar 19, 2014
County may join city in developing local sobriety center
Travis County Commissioners took a step Tuesday toward developing a sobriety center for the Austin area. The resolution passed unanimously, though it came with a few caveats. Commissioners instructed their staff to work with the City of Austin and…
Local Politics • By Jimmy Maas • Mar 13, 2014
Travis County still working on finalizing flood buyout program
Four and a half months after the devastating Halloween floods, the county still doesn’t have a definitive buyout plan for all of the affected properties in the Bluff Springs Road area. After an hour of public discussion, and even…
Local Government • By Jimmy Maas • Mar 12, 2014
City Council meetings to move to Travis County this summer
The City of Austin is moving. The City Council, at least, will be moving up Lavaca Street to the Travis County building this summer while renovations take place in council chambers to accommodate a larger membership. The Travis County…
Elections • By Jimmy Maas • Feb 26, 2014
LCRA raises permit fees for developers to recover 100 percent of cost
Developers along the Highland Lakes will be paying more for construction permits as part of the Lower Colorado River Authority’s effort to keep what’s left of its water supply as clean as possible. The LCRA Board of Directors approved the…
Development • By Jimmy Maas • Feb 20, 2014
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LCRA to consider shifting watershed ordinance fees to developers
For the first time ever, the Lower Colorado River Authority may raise fees to develop within the Highland Lakes watershed. The only question seems to be how much of those fees will be passed on to developers. The measure…
Development • By Jimmy Maas • Feb 19, 2014
Report says key to Austin’s economic success is staying on top
Austin’s economy – if statistical rankings can be believed – is currently among the best in the country. Judging by those rankings, the city is at or near the top of many publications’ lists for job creation, business environment, places…
Local Politics • By Jimmy Maas • Feb 14, 2014
Travis Commissioners approve plans for new office building
The Travis County Commissioners Court approved design plans Tuesday for the county’s planned office building at corner of 11th and San Antonio streets. The plans for the building, which will house the District Attorney’s Office, were approved by unanimous vote.…
Development • By Jimmy Maas • Feb 12, 2014
Travis County Commissioners back LCRA emergency drought order
Travis County Commissioners voted Tuesday to back the Lower Colorado River Authority’s 2014 emergency drought order that would again limit the release of Highland Lakes water to agriculture interests downstream. The three-member Texas Commission on Environmental Quality are expected…
Local Government • By Jimmy Maas • Feb 12, 2014
Gun show a no go with background checks in contract
Travis County Commissioners voted Tuesday to offer the promoters of the Saxet Gun Show a new contract containing language requiring background checks on all gun sales, even private transactions. However, show promoter Todd Beiter said late Tuesday that he will…
Local Government • By Jimmy Maas • Feb 5, 2014
Capital Metro endorses Highland-East Riverside rail alignment
The Capital Metro board officially backed the first phase planned by Project Connect Wednesday. The board voted 7-0 on the resolution with Frank Fernandez off the dais. The plan is the same one Project Connect finalized late last year that…
