Laurel Chesky

To the dismay of some Lake Austin residents, new regulations for building bulkheads on the shoreline sailed through the Austin Parks and Recreation Board last week. The board voted 6-0 to recommend approval of a proposed ordinance that changes the city’s development code dealing with docks, bulkheads and shoreline access.  The purpose of the ordinance […]

A long-awaited recreation center planned for north Austin moved one step closer to reality last week. On Thursday, City Council voted unanimously to approve a plan for the North Austin Community Recreation Center, at 1000 West Rundberg Lane. In addition to approving the development agreement between the city and the YMCA of Austin, Council added […]

With no guarantees that voters will pay for it, the City of Austin nevertheless indicated it was moving forward Tuesday with plans for a hike-and-bike trail looping Lady Bird Lake. A proposed boardwalk built over the water would complete the 10-mile trail running along both sides of the lake.   David Taylor from the city’s […]

If all goes well, the popular Liz Carpenter Fountain will reopen in three weeks. But it will be closed two days per week and may need 40 to 50 labor hours per week in maintenance.   “We plan to reopen the fountain by June 15,” said Charles Vaclavik, the parks grounds manager for Austin Parks […]

A draft policy to guide the establishment and use of off-leash dog areas in Austin could be ready by early next month. The proposed policy, being drafted by the city’s Off Leash Area Advisory Committee (OLAAC), will establish criteria for choosing off-leash sites, guide their design, and suggest user etiquette.   At the Parks and […]

The Bull Creek District Park restoration project will likely meet its April 2 deadline. Meanwhile, a plan to improve the Turkey Creek Trail in Emma Long Metropolitan Park has been temporarily shelved. Those messages were delivered Tuesday night to the city of Austin’s Parks and Recreation Board.   In separate presentations, Sheila Holbrook-White, vice chair […]

Austin Energy’s 10-year journey to find a home for the Mueller Substation in East Austin may finally be approaching the 18th green. The utility company’s proposal to build the power substation on a city-owned golf course is scheduled for a public hearing at the March 25 Austin City Council meeting, said Sonny Poole, supervisor for […]

History, like art, often resides in the eye of the beholder. The question of whose idea of history should guide the restoration of a treasured Austin yard has fueled a growing controversy at the Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD).   On Tuesday night, citizens packed the PARD boardroom at 200 South Lamar Blvd. to […]

On Thursday, the Austin City Council is scheduled to discuss the fate of a new hotel proposed for downtown. Unfortunately, council members will not have the benefit of a Planning Commission recommendation – but not for lack of trying on the commission’s part. At its Nov. 10 meeting, the commission spent over an hour discussing […]

While it’s closed for restoration, Bull Creek District Park will not be replaced with another temporary off-leash dog park in the area. That blow was dealt to off-leash dog park advocates at a community forum last week. The forum, held at the Northwest Recreation Center at FM 2222 and MoPac, was the second one this […]

In September, the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District passed a set of new regulations designed to protect the aquifer during times of drought. Those rules aren’t sitting well with at least one of the district’s constituents, who has indicated that legal action might be in order if the district enforces the rules.   The rules […]

When representatives of an Austin non-profit organization approached their landlord to renew their lease, they got a big shock. According to their landlord’s lawyers, the lease is illegal.   The ARC of the Capital Area, a nonprofit that provides services for developmentally disabled residents, has rented its building at 2818 San Gabriel St. from the […]