The city of Austin, among other local stakeholders, is at odds with the Texas Department of Transportation and state leaders like Gov. Greg Abbott over the type of managed lanes in TxDOT’s I-35 Capital Express Project. Despite lobbying by the city for variable toll lanes like those on MoPac Expressway, TxDOT remains intent on non-tolled […]
Jonathan Lee
Posted inWater
Before Uri, Austin Water didn’t see winter weather as a threat
Austin Water deemed winter weather a low risk to the city’s water supply before Winter Storm Uri, the utility told the Water Oversight Committee on Wednesday. Multiple climate and disaster preparedness plans failed to mention the threat of extreme winter weather, leaving the utility underprepared for the impending crisis. “Unfortunately, in this event, we did […]
Posted inZoning
Planning Commission recommends 400-unit VMU project at Airport and Springdale
A 400-unit apartment project at 3707 Goodwin Ave. took another step toward approval last Tuesday after receiving Planning Commission support for vertical-mixed use (VMU) zoning. “This is a simple, straightforward VMU zoning case,” said David Hartman, representing the applicant, “but it is exciting in the sense that it’s transforming three acres of a trucking terminal […]
Posted inPlanning
Planning Commission throws support behind Springdale Green development
The Planning Commission last Tuesday recommended rezoning a 30-acre brownfield site in East Austin to make way for Springdale Green, a proposed 800,000-square-foot, mixed-use development. The commission voted 7-4 to support Planned Unit Development zoning, though only at the current building footprint. City staffers support the rezoning, as does the Environmental Commission. The development sits […]
Posted inRoads
City Council critiques TxDOT’s I-35 plans
City Council last Thursday made clear what the city’s goals are for the Texas Department of Transportation’s Interstate 35 expansion, passing a resolution critiquing – though not outright opposing – the preliminary plans presented so far. The resolution together with letters from the mayor, Council members and city staff urge TxDOT to prioritize safety and […]
Posted inPlanning
Council postpones vote on Rainey towers, Tovo pushes density bonus changes
Council Member Kathie Tovo previewed her upcoming push to change the downtown density bonus rules as part of her opposition to three new residential towers planned for the Rainey Street District. “I believe we need to have a policy conversation that was deferred from 2014 about what benefits should be embedded within our density bonus […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Most of City Council opposes ‘strong mayor’ plan
Nine City Council members so far have come out against Proposition F, the “strong mayor” proposal on the May 1 ballot. At a press conference Wednesday hosted by Austin for All People, a group opposed to the proposition, several Council members explained the reasoning behind their stance. “There’s no evidence that there is some problem […]
Posted inCity Council
Council floats spending ‘huge’ portion of American Rescue Plan funds to solve homelessness
City Council hopes that solving homelessness – the city’s biggest priority – may finally be within reach thanks to President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package. Council members spoke effusively at Tuesday’s work session about the “transformational” change possible if the city concentrates its portion of the American Rescue Plan – $195.8 million – on solving key […]
Posted inZoning
Hindered by traffic concerns, ZAP punts on rezoning case
Members of the Zoning and Platting Commission disagreed Tuesday on the proper zoning for an apartment project at 1434 Genoa Drive in South Austin, letting the zoning case move to City Council without their input. The commission’s main sticking point proved to be the right number of new homes – or rather, cars – the […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Voices of Austin censured for breaking campaign finance laws
The nonprofit Voices of Austin violated city law by campaigning against Proposition A last year, the Ethics Review Commission ruled on March 10. The commission voted to censure the organization, the most severe rebuke at its disposal. Nonprofits are not allowed to advocate for or against ballot measures or political candidates, but Voices of Austin […]
Posted inTransportation
TxDOT reveals early plans to accommodate I-35 caps
Discussion at Thursday’s City Council Mobility Committee meeting showed both the Texas Department of Transportation’s intent to accommodate caps over Interstate 35 and city leaders’ will to make it happen. TxDOT said all three of the design alternatives for the proposed multibillion-dollar I-35 Capital Express Central project will allow caps – though TxDOT will not […]
Posted inTransportation
Big changes coming to Airport and North Lamar with reallocation of 2016 bond funds
Complete makeovers to two prominent streets have moved up the city’s to-do list. North Lamar Boulevard between U.S. Highway 183 and Rundberg Lane and Airport Boulevard between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and U.S. 183 are slated for reconstruction by 2024 – earlier than expected – through a $65 million reallocation of 2016 mobility bond […]