Millions of dollars in tax revenue from unregistered short-term rental properties sits unused because the city cannot collect it, according to Visitor Impact Task Force Chair James Russell. In 2016, City Council passed an ordinance to phase out Type 2 short-term rentals, properties that owners rent out without living there and for less than 30 […]
Lisa Dreher
Posted inCity Council
Initiative to rename Robert E. Lee Road moves forward
Cities across the country, including Austin, are swiftly making strong statements following the recent clash in Charlottesville over removing a Confederate statue, which ended in a woman’s death and a response from President Donald Trump some deemed lukewarm. Council Member Ann Kitchen during City Council’s work session Tuesday took up the challenge launched by Council […]
Posted inWhispers
Zero Waste chair fearful rainy day fund too low
Last Wednesday, Austin Resource Recovery presented its proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2017-18 to the Zero Waste Advisory Commission. Commission Chair Gerard Acuna worried it lacked reserve funds in case of emergencies. Acuna was displeased that there is a program requirement that one-twelfth of the operating budget is set aside for reserve funds, and said […]
Posted inWhispers
More coins for composting
Residents using curbside composting collection services may pay a whopping 85 cents more for their base rate charge to help expand this Austin Resource Recovery program. The department informed the Zero Waste Advisory Commission about the increase on Wednesday as part of a discussion of its Fiscal Year 2017-18 proposed budget. All program users pay […]
Posted inWhispers
Forget delivery drivers, there’s a robot for that
With talks of autonomous cars and becoming a “smart city,” it is not too shocking that City Council on Thursday approved kickstarting a pilot program for delivery robots that will soon roam Austin’s sidewalks. Austin Transportation Director Rob Spillar said a pilot program will encourage competition among tech companies to create robots to deliver items […]
Posted inAustin
Imposing owls may soon nest near Butterfly Bridge
You may soon notice two pairs of orange, warm glowing orbs peeking over the new Butterfly Bridge downtown after it is complete, at least if the Arts Commission approves two gigantic owls to greet Austinites and tourists. The New American Public Art studio presented the two nocturnal art sculptures to the Art in Public Places […]
Posted inWhispers
Whoa, that was fast
The LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission appointed its chair and vice chair, and nominated four new commissioners at its third meeting. Commissioner Victor Martinez was appointed chair and Paula Buls was appointed vice chair, both unanimously. Martinez then led the meeting, and commissioners picked their favorite applicants out of the pool of more than […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Community Development Commission grapples with CodeNEXT
The Community Development Commission voiced frustration over lack of outreach and discussion with the CodeNEXT team during a special called meeting earlier this month. The first draft of CodeNEXT, Austin’s land code rewrite, has been out since January, but some commissioners felt the team excluded lower-income families and individuals from the dialogue. Tensions brewed when […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Arts Commission encourages artist collaboration to save funding
The Arts Commission is encouraging collaboration among Austin artists not only for a sense of community but also to safeguard its cultural arts funding process. Commissioner Richard “Bears” Fonte said artists have double-dipped in the cultural arts fund by splitting into separate art groups working toward the same or similar projects and applying for grants, and […]
Posted inWhispers
Is a veterans art show on the way?
A local group is trying to organize an arts festival that showcases the work of veterans. Glenn Towery, chair and founder of the Veterans Suicide Prevention Channel, presented the idea to the Arts Commission during its regular meeting Monday night. Towery, a Vietnam War veteran, founded the channel that creates videos to provide psychiatric help and […]
Posted inWhispers
Commission for Women meeting canceled
The Commission for Women’s July meeting was different not only because it was in the Austin History Center rather than the Terrazas Library, but also because it was canceled abruptly because two commissioners could not make it and so they did not reach quorum, according to Debbie Maynor of the Human Resources Department. At noon, […]
Posted inCity Hall
Arts panel faces procedural misstep
On Monday, the Art in Public Places panel felt caught in the middle of a procedural misstep taken by the Austin Public Library Friends Foundation, which wanted donated art installed at the new Central Library. John Gillum, the library facilities planning manager, said the Austin Public Library Friends Foundation has raised money for a 20-by-20-foot […]