Stories by Josh Rosenblatt
Parks Board delays decision on proposed shaft site
On Tuesday evening, the Parks and Recreation Board voted unanimously to delay making a recommendation on the approval of both permanent and temporary use of parkland within the Upper Bull Creek Greenbelt by the Austin Water Utility. The utility would…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Oct 28, 2010
Animal center staff struggles to find qualified behaviorist
City officials are in the process of filling the new animal behaviorist position at the Town Lake Animal Center, but they’re learning that finding qualified candidates isn’t easy. Or cheap. The animal behaviorist position was established by City Council…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Oct 22, 2010
Planning Commission votes to recommend Hyde Park Historic District
The city moved another step closer to establishing Hyde Park as a local historic district last week when the Planning Commission voted to approve a staff recommendation and send the neighborhood’s application on to City Council. Should Council approve the…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Oct 21, 2010
Planning Commission approves east side studio over strong objections
Discussion about a rezoning case on the east side became surprisingly heated on Tuesday when the Planning Commission met to consider the request of an owner to convert his property into a music recording studio. The property in question…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Oct 18, 2010
Parks board to hear water utility’s request for use of greenbelt
The battle over the city’s Water Treatment Plant 4 project came to the Parks and Recreation Board’s Land, Facilities, and Programs Committee this week, with representatives from the Austin Water Utility and the Spicewood Springs Coalition butting heads over a…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Oct 14, 2010
Zilker Neighborhood and local café reach accord on outdoor music
Negotiations between the Zilker Neighborhood Association and the South Austin café Opa! have resulted in an agreement modifying the Outdoor Music Venue permit the city granted the café on March 9. The agreement came just days before City Council was…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Oct 13, 2010
Subscribe to our newsletter
Austin homeless advocate publishes book promoting living wage
All in all, it was a good couple of weeks for Richard Troxell. With Troxell’s backing, changes to the city’s Downtown No Sit/No Lie Ordinance that would allow for more medical exemptions to the law were recommended on Sept.…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Oct 8, 2010
Austin Energy efficiency rebate program wraps up strong FY2010
The verdict is in on Austin Energy’s FY2010 energy efficiency rebate programs and it’s good. According to Karl Rabago, the utility’s vice president for distributed energy services, 2010 saw “unprecedented demand” for AE’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR rebate program,…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Oct 5, 2010
Callan-Boswell saga finally over after Council rejects historic status
The long, contentious debate over the status of the Callan-Boswell House on East 33rd Street ended last Thursday, with Council unanimously approving staff’s recommendation to not grant the house historic landmark status. The vote came as a relief to the…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Oct 4, 2010
Watershed Protection taking steps to improve fee system
The city lost nearly $1 million in revenue over four years due to problems with fee administration in the Watershed Protection Department, according to estimates calculated by the Office of the City Auditor. Non-residential Transportation User Fees and Drainage Utility…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Sep 29, 2010
Council to vote on changes in process for social service contracts
Focusing on promoting self-sufficiency among program recipients, the city’s Health and Humans Services Department is recommending that the City Council approve changes in the way Austin solicits and engages its social service contracts. Council members will vote Thursday on…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Sep 28, 2010
New mobile food vendor rules win Council approval
After more than a year of debate, discussion, and stakeholder and committee meetings, the City Council voted Thursday to approve tougher code requirements for the city’s mobile food vendors. As the number of mobile food vendors in Austin has…
