Landscape architect and neighborhood advocate Jean Mather passed away on Jan. 9, shortly after her 99th birthday. She is remembered as a passionate advocate for the environment and for South Austin. Mather and her husband, Bob, settled in Travis Heights in 1961. He was a professor of architecture at the University of Texas, where he […]
Jo Clifton
Jo Clifton is the Politics Editor for the Austin Monitor.
Posted inBonds & Propositions
City management cautions against 2025 bond election
A 2025 bond election would reduce available funding for a comprehensive bond election in 2026, according to a memo from Assistant City Manager Robert Goode sent to City Council through City Manager T.C. Broadnax. The memo offers reasons that Council should not have a bond election this year, citing the history of bond consideration and […]
Posted inCity Council
Changes coming to Audit & Finance Committee
With the retirement of City Council members Alison Alter and Leslie Pool, who served as the chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Council Audit & Finance Committee, as well as Council Member Mackenzie Kelly, who served on the committee, Mayor Kirk Watson has announced that he would like to serve as chair of that […]
Posted inCity Council
At citizens’ request, City Council reannexes land
Some property owners object to the rules and fees governing use of their land in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and seek to escape from those rules. But their neighbors may not agree. City Council took action during their final meeting of 2024 to bring some property owners back into the city’s ETJ as they requested. […]
Posted inEnvironment
Golden-cheeked warbler may be downlisted to ‘threatened’ status
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken the initial step to downlist the Hill Country’s golden-cheeked warbler from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act. According to a news release from USFWS, there will be a lengthy process before the bird’s official status is changed. The much-cherished songbird was listed as endangered in […]
Posted inCourts
Lost Creek neighborhood sues city over tax efforts
The Lost Creek Neighborhood Association and two property owners in the area that disannexed from the city of Austin last September have sued the city after residents discovered that the city is still expecting them to pay property taxes. According to attorney Bill Aleshire, who is representing the plaintiffs, the city says it will continue […]
Posted inCity Council
Marc Duchen readies to take his place on the dais for District 10
After besting his only opponent in the Nov. 5 election, Marc Duchen is getting ready to take the City Council District 10 seat. He will succeed Council Member Alison Alter, who is retiring after two terms. Duchen represents a change in personality but has been in agreement with many of his predecessor’s ideas, particularly as […]
Posted inCity Council
Ryan Alter looks back on accomplishments of 2024
District 5 Council Member Ryan Alter is proud of City Council’s many accomplishments in 2024, starting with what is obviously one of his favorite topics: housing. “I think first and foremost, we as a Council made some really important strides when it comes to affordability, especially around housing. A key priority of mine has always […]
Posted inCity Council
Natasha Harper-Madison looks forward to planning progress for her district
With two years left on her term of office, Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison is looking forward to helping move the Northeast Planning District toward the bright future she envisions for it. That’s “really at the top of my list” of what she wants to work on in 2025, she told the Austin Monitor. Work on […]
Posted inZoning
Southeast rezoning will allow huge increase in multifamily units
Last week, City Council gave final approval to developers who want to demolish 210 aging multifamily residences and replace them with 1,100 new units plus commercial development on Willow Creek Drive near Pleasant Valley Road in Southeast Austin. The 7-acre property at 2201 Willow Creek Drive will go from Multifamily Residence-Medium Density (MF-3) zoning to […]
Posted inCity Council
Council approves requiring safety bollards at new medical facilities
City Council agreed unanimously on Thursday to require installation of safety barriers, called bollards, at the pedestrian entrances of medical facilities when a new facility is being constructed. The new rules are intended to prevent the kinds of tragedies that have occurred in Austin as well as other medical facilities around the nation when a […]
Posted inWhispers
Commission on Immigrant Affairs not going away
Wednesday’s meeting of the City Council Audit & Finance Committee was the final one for the chair, Council Member Alison Alter, and her vice chair, Council Member Leslie Pool. Alter started the meeting by announcing that they would not be considering dissolving the Commission on Immigrant Affairs. If a commission fails to meet for six […]