Stories by Josh Rosenblatt
Subcommittee agrees to fewer changes to Sit/Lie Ordinance
Debate over changes to the city’s controversial Downtown No Sit/Lie Ordinance continued to rage at Tuesday’s meeting of the Public Health and Human Services Subcommittee, with supporters once again advocating for further medical exemptions to the ordinance and opponents warning…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Sep 23, 2010
Walnut Creek looks to city staff for help with increased panhandling
Some 30 residents of the Walnut Creek community convened at City Hall last week to voice their frustrations about rising crime rates in north Austin and, hopefully, find a way to bring those rates down. The members of the neighborhood, led…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Sep 16, 2010
Homeowners protest AISD suspension of historic zoning tax abatements
August was a busy month in the continuing saga over of historic zoning. First, Austin City Council, in response to a record number of homeowners applying for and receiving historic zoning status, voted Aug. 19 to temporarily limit the…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Sep 8, 2010
Austin’s first Net Zero Energy subdivision featured on DIY Channel
Last night, one of the DIY Channel’s newest shows, This New House, profiled Solutions Oriented Living, the first Net Zero energy subdivision in Austin. To celebrate, Council Member Sheryl Cole, residents, various city officials, and the builder gathered in the…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Sep 3, 2010
Zilker Neighborhood continues appeal of café’s outdoor music permit
Lost in the shuffle of last week’s long and testy Council meeting was the postponement of an appeal regarding an Outdoor Music Venue permit for South Austin café Opa! But the postponement does not signal successful negotiations between the Zilker…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Sep 2, 2010
Council seeks to ease cable viewers’ conversion to digital channels
The city took a small but significant step into the future Thursday. City Council voted to approve a resolution directing the city manager to take steps to protect Time Warner Cable subscribers’ continued access to Austin Public, Education and Government…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Aug 30, 2010
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Council up late for heated public hearing on water rates, WTP4
City Council settled in for a late night last night, as community concern over proposed water rate hikes and the construction of the controversial Water Treatment Plant 4 took over a public hearing on the FY2010-2011 proposed budget, a hearing…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Aug 27, 2010
City Hall hosts opposing viewpoints on proposed water rate hike
Two simultaneous presentations at City Hall yesterday shed light on the debate over a proposed residential rate hike for water use in next year’s budget. In one corner stood David Anders, assistant director of the Austin Water Utility, who was…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Aug 25, 2010
Historic Landmark Commission OKs historic district for Hyde Park
Just four days after City Council approved a plan to make the Castle Hill neighborhood a local historic district, the Historic Landmark Commission voted unanimously to recommend that Council do the same for Hyde Park. The Hyde Park Local…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Aug 25, 2010
McKinney to be honored for service on city Design Commission
At today’s City Council meeting, Mayor Lee Leffingwell will be presenting the Distinguished Service Award to Eleanor McKinney, who recently retired from the Design Commission after 13 years. During her tenure on the commission, McKinney helped write the Downtown Design…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Aug 19, 2010
Council panel OKs “humanitarian” changes to No Sit/Lie Ordinance
Homeless advocacy groups scored a major victory yesterday, as the Council Health and Human Services Committee voted unanimously to make changes to the controversial No Sit/No Lie Ordinance. Those changes, if approved by the whole Council, would broaden and clarify…
Uncategorized • By Josh Rosenblatt • Aug 18, 2010
Martinez questions weatherization contractor’s business model
One of the six primary vendors doing business with the city as part of Austin Energy’s weatherization assistance program is under increased scrutiny after the Council’s MBE/WBE and Small Business Advisory Committee expressed concern about its business model. The…
