Stories by Jo Clifton
VMU changes not happening anytime soon
Without taking a vote, City Council members decided during Tuesday’s work session that they would postpone Thursday’s vote on the most recent proposals to enhance affordability options within the zoning category known as Vertical Mixed Use, or VMU, and the…
Land Development Code • By Jo Clifton • Apr 20, 2022
Staff proposes continuing security guard contracts
City Council has been urging city staff since at least 2012 to hire more security guards as city employees, while city management and financial officers have pointed out the difficulties of doing so. Once again this week, Council will be…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Apr 19, 2022
Austin Transit Partnership to seek new executive director
The board of directors of the Austin Transit Partnership, the entity formed by the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the city to design and build the Project Connect transit system, will consider a resolution next week to launch the process…
Transit • By Jo Clifton • Apr 15, 2022
Council candidates start getting ready for November
Although campaign season has not really begun, candidates have filed paperwork to run for every City Council seat officially up for election in November, as well as those not scheduled to be on the ballot. Mayor Steve Adler will have…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Apr 14, 2022
Trial set for redistricting case that could upend city elections
Plaintiffs who say that they have been disenfranchised by the city’s redistricting process will be watching carefully on May 17, when the suit filed against Austin Mayor Steve Adler and his 10 City Council colleagues is set for trial. Also…
Courts • By Jo Clifton • Apr 13, 2022
EMS union, city at odds over pay
Twenty-six Emergency Medical Services employees have quit their city jobs so far this year, and according to Austin-Travis County EMS Association President Selena Xie, that’s double the number of separations in 2020 and 2021. She added that, in all of…
EMS • By Jo Clifton • Apr 12, 2022
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Council starts process to charge park fees for office buildings
City Council unanimously approved a resolution Thursday directing city staff to bring back amendments to the city’s parkland dedication ordinance that would require new office, commercial and industrial developments to provide parkland or pay into the city’s parkland dedication fund.…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Apr 8, 2022
Affordable housing takes center stage in Statesman PUD debate
City Council Member Kathie Tovo revealed during Tuesday’s work session that she will be seeking a major change to the proposed planned unit development on the former Statesman site on Lady Bird Lake. The Planning Commission unanimously approved plans for…
Development • By Jo Clifton • Apr 7, 2022
Council facing challenge in solving jet fuel storage
While the number of passengers traveling through most of the nation’s airports is growing at roughly 4 percent a year, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport traffic is growing at 8 percent a year, AUS Director Jacqueline Yaft told City Council at Tuesday’s…
Austin • By Jo Clifton • Apr 6, 2022
Chacon pledges more diverse police force
Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon told members of the Public Safety Commission Monday that his department has signed the 30 by 30 pledge, a national initiative that agrees to diversify the police force by 2030. APD is one of 40…
Police • By Jo Clifton • Apr 5, 2022
Committee tells auditor to seek water audit contract with UT
On Wednesday, City Council’s Audit & Finance Committee directed City Auditor Corrie Stokes to move forward with an interlocal agreement with the University of Texas to conduct an audit to review problems at Austin Water. The city has just released…
Water • By Jo Clifton • Mar 31, 2022
Vela seeks new solutions for housing the homeless
Council Member Chito Vela has proposed that the city request the cash equivalent of on-site affordable housing upon approval of the Statesman planned unit development on Lady Bird Lake. Under his proposal, the money would go toward temporary shelter for…
