City Council’s newly revived Public Safety Committee convenes today at 2 p.m. to discuss the Austin Police Department’s General Orders and tactics. It’ll be a different kind of committee meeting: Rather than lead the discussion, committee members will listen to community members and gather feedback on a new vision for the department. The meeting comes […]
Nina Hernandez
Posted inCity Council
Council to review plan for St. Johns Home Depot project after July break
Six years ago, when City Council Member Greg Casar was knocking on thousands of District 4 doors campaigning for his current seat, one question came up time and time again. “People were asking, ‘What’s ever going to happen to the Home Depot and car dealership?’” Casar recalled. “When I told folks that the city had […]
Posted inZoning
Two Montopolis rezoning cases move forward
The battle over a group of Montopolis rezoning cases continued at the Planning Commission last Tuesday. One of the cases – 1.32 acres at 200 Montopolis Drive and 6206 Clovis – passed on consent, and three others were postponed. After a lengthy discussion, the commission approved rezoning 508 Kemp St. from Family Residence (SF-3) to […]
Posted inZoning
Planning Commission punts MLK zoning case so applicant can work with neighbors
This story has been corrected to reflect a reconsideration of the case by the Planning Commission at the end of its meeting. The Planning Commission voted at its Tuesday meeting to postpone consideration of a zoning change for 5201 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. so that the applicant could continue to work with Travis […]
Posted inPolice
City to give group auditing APD training materials more time
The next Austin Police Department cadet class is on hold indefinitely, City Manager Spencer Cronk reiterated Thursday during the Public Safety Committee meeting. The department will not proceed with the new cadet class, which it had hoped to begin in July, until an audit of APD’s training procedures can be completed. “We are delaying the […]
Posted inPublic Safety
City could see sharp decline in traffic fatalities after speed limit reductions
City Council recently made a decision to decrease speed limits to 25 mph on most residential streets. Now it’s up to the Transportation Department to implement the new limits, educate the public and partner with the Austin Police Department to enforce them. Eric Bollich, Transportation’s managing engineer, said the department is working on a deployment […]
Posted inDevelopment
ZAP approves restaurant use for plot at Slaughter and Cullen despite neighborhood concerns
On Tuesday night, the Zoning and Platting Commission agreed to an applicant’s request to remove restaurant (general) and restaurant (limited) uses from the conditional overlay attached to the property. Rob Pivnick of LG Slaughter and Cullen LLC owns 116 W. Slaughter Lane and 9012 Cullen Lane. Right now, a conditional overlay prohibits an array of […]
Posted inCity Council
Austin Public Health works to address Covid-19 racial disparities
During last week’s City Council work session, staff reported that Covid-19 is disproportionately impacting the Latinx and African American communities and detailed ways to address and reverse that trend. According to an accompanying memo from Austin Public Health Acting Director Adrienne Sturrup, Latinos represent 34 percent of Travis County’s overall population. As of May 31, […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Airport Advisory Commission attaches strict conditions to landfill expansion proposal
Late last month, the Airport Advisory Commission voted to oppose Texas Regional Landfill Company’s request for a permit to expand its landfill near the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, unless the company promises to remediate the landfill conditions that could attract wildlife and agrees to several other conditions. The decision came after complaints from Texas Campaign for […]
Posted inZoning
ZAP deadlocked on Jollyville Apartments case
After three separate deadlocked votes, at its June 2 meeting the Zoning and Platting Commission moved on from the Jollyville Apartments case without making a recommendation to City Council. The applicant is requesting a rezoning of the 0.79-acre parcel at Jollyville Road and Argonne Forest Trail, from Single-Family Residence – Standard Lot (SF-2) to Multifamily […]
Posted inCity Council
Council unveils resolutions aimed at dismantling systemic racism
On Monday morning, City Council members Natasha Harper-Madison, Delia Garza, Greg Casar and Jimmy Flannigan, along with Mayor Steve Adler, held a press conference to discuss a group of resolutions aimed at reforming the Austin Police Department and dismantling systemic racism in the community. The resolutions will appear at Council’s Thursday meeting. Harper-Madison opened the […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Public safety departments run modified cadet classes during pandemic
At the Public Safety Commission’s Monday meeting, Austin Police Department, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services and Austin Fire Department representatives discussed how cadet classes that were delayed due to Covid-19 (and other issues) will move forward. ATCEMS Chief of Staff Jasper Brown told the commission that the department had planned a set of oral interviews […]