Stories by Joseph Caterine
Slow response to flood report frustrates some commissioners
The city does not have many options for supporting individuals who suffer loss or damages from flooding caused by a development upstream, based on an exchange at the Nov. 29 joint meeting of the Planning and the Zoning and Platting…
Environment • By Joseph Caterine • Dec 5, 2016
City attorney presence could be scaled down at land-use commission meetings
The city’s land-use commissions may lose their on-call legal counsel, according to Mitzi Cotton, assistant division chief at the Law Department, who presented at the Nov. 29 joint meeting of the Planning Commission and the Zoning and Platting Commission. After…
City Hall • By Joseph Caterine • Dec 1, 2016
BoA postpones interpretation case, disappoints developer
During a special called meeting on Nov. 21, the Board of Adjustment voted to postpone an interpretation case to its next meeting on Dec. 12. Leah Bojo, a senior manager at Drenner Group representing PSW Real Estate, cried “No!” from…
The Code • By Joseph Caterine • Nov 28, 2016
Musical infill: ZAP passes 'spot zoning' case
The Zoning and Platting Commission heard a rezoning case during its Nov. 15 meeting that drew criticism from neighborhood representatives who saw it as an example of “spot zoning.” The property is located in Northwest Austin at 7901 Ranch Road…
Zoning • By Joseph Caterine • Nov 21, 2016
ZAP approves Robert's Rules training
A resolution to provide city staff and assistant city attorneys with training on Robert’s Rules of Order – and to make that training available to all members of boards and commissions – met with animosity from Commissioner Susan Harris at…
City Hall • By Joseph Caterine • Nov 18, 2016
New city contract: 'death knell' for private dumpster services?
Bob Gregory, CEO of Texas Disposal Systems, and his son Adam Gregory sounded the alarm at Monday’s Electric Utility Commission meeting concerning the pending authorization of a 36-month city contract with Republic Services, or another qualified bidder, to provide dumpster…
Resources • By Joseph Caterine • Nov 16, 2016
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Flannigan takes District 6, ousts Zimmerman
Don Zimmerman, one of the city’s most controversial City Council members, conceded to challenger Jimmy Flannigan yesterday after the early voting results were released in the early evening, with 12,542 votes (57.65 percent) for Flannigan and 9,213 (42.35 percent) for…
Elections • By Joseph Caterine • Nov 9, 2016
Environmental variances for church approved, despite lack of tree survey
The Environmental Commission approved a list of variance requests for the Iglesia Camino del Rey Church during its Nov. 4 meeting, despite the fact that there was no tree survey for review. The new church with parking will cover 10,000…
Environment • By Joseph Caterine • Nov 7, 2016
Austin Oaks PUD wins ZAP recommendation
After hours of heated testimony and intense deliberation, the Zoning and Platting Commission passed a motion during its Nov. 1 meeting recommending the Austin Oaks planned unit development rezoning request with conditions. The project has been in the works since…
Planning • By Joseph Caterine • Nov 3, 2016
Despite protest, commission OKs liquor rezoning
The Planning Commission has endorsed a rezoning case that will result in a Twin Liquors store opening near the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders. Despite opposition from Austin Neighborhoods Council President David King, lack of objection from the…
Zoning • By Joseph Caterine • Nov 1, 2016
'Train wreck': Planning Commission discusses CodeNEXT
A working group of the Planning Commission had only negative things to report at the commission’s Oct. 25 meeting after analyzing the final prescription paper for CodeNEXT, the city’s overhaul of the Land Development Code. The paper, which addresses fiscal…
Land Development Code • By Joseph Caterine • Oct 28, 2016
'Spot Zoning' case moved to subcommittee
A strange example of patchy zoning came before the Planning Commission at its Tuesday meeting. Chair Stephen Oliver and Commissioner Michael Wilson co-sponsored an item that proposed initiating a code amendment to create an overlay district for two lots on…
