Austin’s “single-family neighborhoods are in jeopardy of losing big” with the proposed changes to the city’s zoning regulations, according to Ana Aguirre, president of the Austin Neighborhoods Council. While housing advocates have praised City Council Member Leslie Pool’s HOME initiative, the Austin Neighborhoods Council and Go Austin/Vamos Austin are among those decrying the proposals. Aguirre […]
Jo Clifton
Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor.
Posted inDevelopment
Green Pastures gets to keep three-year site plan extension
Despite pleas from several neighbors, City Council declined Thursday to overturn a ruling from the Planning Commission granting a three-year extension to a site plan for redevelopment of the historic Green Pastures restaurant and surrounding gardens. The vote was unanimous, with Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison absent. In July, the commission approved a request from the […]
Posted inWhispers
Change in zoning rules will mean more locations can serve as day cares
City Council on Thursday approved modifications to the city’s Land Development Code that will allow child care facilities as well as adult day care in areas previously off-limits to such facilities. Council Member Vanessa Fuentes sponsored a resolution earlier this year urging the zoning staff to move forward with changes to regulations limiting child care […]
Posted inWhispers
Commission approves Texas Gas Service resolutions
The city’s Resource Management Commission has approved two resolutions asking City Council to lower or eliminate certain rebates for gas appliances. On a vote of 7-2, the commission approved recommendations authored by the commission’s vice chair, Paul Robbins. The first resolution advises that Council should lower or eliminate certain rebates because they are inconsistent with […]
Posted inCity Council
Council approves convention center expansion contracts
On Thursday, City Council voted to award the contract for construction and pre-construction of a refurbished and enlarged Austin Convention Center to two firms, JE Dunn Construction and Turner Construction, for up to $1.2 billion. They also directed staff to negotiate a $65 million contract with architects LMN and Page Southerland Page, called LMN/Page, for […]
Posted inWhispers
Council may put off considering Woodland crossing deal with TxDOT
City Council will likely vote to postpone an item on Thursday’s agenda authorizing an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for the construction of a 300-foot-wide deck structure at Woodland Avenue over Interstate 35 as TxDOT enlarges the highway. After hearing about an alternative plan at Tuesday’s work session, Council Member José Velásquez indicated […]
Posted inDevelopment
Council to consider pilot program to extend zoning deadlines
The city’s Planning Department staff have been pushed to move a record number of zoning applications through the process in time to beat current deadlines at the city’s land use commissions and City Council. At the same time, the department is dealing with numerous vacancies, increasing the workload for each member of the zoning staff. […]
Posted inCity Hall
Council to consider city manager search firm this week
Following a national search, City Council is poised to choose Mosaic Public Partners, LLC to help recruit a new city manager. Former City Manager Spencer Cronk was fired on Feb. 15, and Council immediately appointed former City Manager Jesús Garza as interim city manager. Mayor Kirk Watson, who sat on the committee recommending the firm […]
Posted inEnvironment
Who should regulate Texas Gas Service conservation programs?
Longtime utility critic Paul Robbins has discovered that House Bill 2263, legislation approved by the Texas Legislature this spring, may hamper city efforts to regulate rebates offered by Texas Gas Service. The same would be true of other cities throughout the state that have regulated natural gas utilities. HB 2263 gives the Texas Railroad Commission […]
Posted inZoning
Council OKs first reading of zoning change but Austin Water wants more
City Council approved on first reading last week an amendment to the Hyatt West Planned Unit Development at the intersection of Riverside Drive and South First Street. As the developer’s representative, Leah Bojo, told the Planning Commission last month, her client wants to eliminate the minimum parking requirement for the area known as the West […]
Posted inFire
Council OKs contract for new AI wildfire tool
City Council on Thursday approved negotiation and execution of a contract for what Austin Energy describes as a powerful new tool to aid the utility in wildfire detection and response. The utility says it will use Pano AI technology to provide Austin Energy crews and emergency first responders with up-to-the-minute information to quickly respond to […]
Posted inFire
City continues to work on wildfire mitigation strategies
The public may not have noticed, but Austin-Travis County had 963 different brush and grass fire alarms in September, Assistant Fire Chief Andre de la Reza told members of the city’s Public Safety Commission on Monday. The department was able to handle those without requiring anyone to evacuate their homes, but the number demonstrates that […]