At Monday’s work session, City Council members discussed purchasing two hotels in North Austin to secure more than 150 permanent supportive housing units for the homeless. Mayor Steve Adler urged Council to act to remedy what he called an “emergency situation,” perhaps using previously rejected measures like setting up designated campsites. In a press release, […]
Jonathan Lee
Posted inRoads
Mobility Commission hears plea not to widen I-35
“BE IT RESOLVED,” read Urban Transportation Commission Chair Mario Champion, “the UTC urges TxDOT in the strongest possible way not to widen I-35.” This recommendation, along with many others from the Urban Transportation Commission, amounts to the city’s first official rebuke of the Texas Department of Transportation’s plans to widen Interstate 35 through Austin. At […]
Posted inTransportation
Mobility Committee hears update on Proposition B plans
At Thursday’s City Council Mobility Committee meeting, city staffers described what 2021 has in store for the numerous projects funded by Proposition B, the $460 million active mobility bond that voters passed overwhelmingly in November. Staff members across several city departments will spend most of the year prioritizing and planning the projects, a huge task […]
Posted inZoning
ZAP narrowly recommends South Austin upzoning
A request to upzone a vacant South Austin lot squeaked through the Zoning and Platting Commission on Tuesday. The commission voted 6-5 to recommend Urban Family Residence (SF-5) zoning for 1105 Matthews Lane, where a developer envisions 10 townhome units on 2.5 acres. Commissioners’ comments during the meeting highlighted their differing opinions on the city’s […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Commission hears preview of complaint against Voices of Austin in truncated meeting
An audio problem during last week’s meeting of the Ethics Review Commission cut short what was promising to be a contentious hearing for a complaint against a local nonprofit. Political consultant Mark Littlefield, who also brought a complaint against Save Austin Now, alleged that Voices of Austin, a 501(c)(4) organization, sent a political mailer that […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Ethics commissioners request more evidence in complaint against Save Austin Now
Save Austin Now, the nonprofit that is gathering signatures to reinstate the city’s ban on homeless camping, faced an ethics complaint at last week’s Ethics Review Commission meeting. The complaint, brought by political consultant Mark Littlefield, alleges that the organization overstepped the bounds of its 501(c)(4) status by engaging in unauthorized political activity and failing […]
Posted inPlanning
Planning Commission grants variance for ‘innovative’ office proposal
The Planning Commission on Tuesday approved an environmental variance for an office project at 1514 W. Koenig Lane, but not before working through the details of city environmental requirements that make developing the site tricky. Applicant Joel Levine plans to expand his law offices, currently located across the street, but needs a code variance to […]
Posted inZoning
Council approves Saxon Acres rezoning case in Montopolis
City Council has approved a rezoning request for the Saxon Acres development in East Austin’s Montopolis neighborhood. The 3-acre tract at 316 Saxon Lane and 6328 El Mirando St. is now zoned Townhouse & Condominium Residence (SF-6) instead of Family Residence (SF-3). The developer proposes building 34 homes, including two priced at 80 percent of […]
Posted inPreservation
Council grants historic zoning to Baker School and parking lots
City Council has granted historic zoning to the Baker School property – parking lots and all. No one debated approving the historic landmark designation for the school itself, but the request to include the surrounding parking lots in the variance proved controversial. “I don’t think we should be preserving parking lots,” Council Member Jimmy Flannigan said. […]
Posted inAustin
Citing disrepair, Council removes public artworks from display
Art left out in the elements doesn’t last forever. That’s why City Council just delisted five worn-out pieces of public art, including the Bicentennial Fountain at Vic Mathias Shores; LAB, the series of yellow sculptures along the Lance Armstrong Bikeway; and Moments, the enigmatic work along the Lamar underpass downtown. Though the pieces will no longer […]
Posted inDevelopment
Council pushes vote on HealthSouth redevelopment to January
City Council again delayed confirming a contract with Aspen Heights Partners to redevelop the HealthSouth tract in northeast downtown. Instead, Council members opted to further consider how the redevelopment could include more affordable housing and community benefits. Council first postponed the vote a week ago. “We’re not going to have an opportunity like we have […]