When Tamara Stutz heard about a free tree-planting program at her neighbor’s house, she was sold. Coordinators from TreeFolks, an Austin-based nonprofit, had reached out to property owners in her neighborhood outside Manor offering to plant trees in an effort to prevent flooding. “This is a 100-year floodplain we are standing on,” Stutz said, when […]
Sumaiya Malik, Reporting Texas
Posted inPublic Health
City waives permit fees for food charities
Effective immediately, City Council has voted to waive permit fees, fines and other charges for charitable feeding organizations like food banks and soup kitchens that distribute food to vulnerable populations and increase access to healthy foods in the community. The waiver also applies to operational requirements and grease traps for food establishments. “This would ensure […]
Posted inCity Hall
In push to raise funds, History Center makes a bid for formal partnership with the city
The Library Commission has postponed the decision to officially recognize the need for an agreement between the Austin History Center Association and the city of Austin. According to the proposed agreement from the association, the group would have a seat at the table with the city when it comes to fundraising for the history center […]
Posted inAustin
Austin Pets Alive! provides neonatal care for kittens in kitten season
It’s kitten season, the time of year when the population of kittens explodes in communities across the country. Kitten season begins in the spring and peaks during the summer, lasting until the fall months. During this period, thousands of kittens are born, putting pressure on municipal shelters and animal rescue groups to keep up with the flood […]
Posted inParks
Collaborative process yields innovative design for Williamson Creek greenway
The Environmental Commission has recommended conditional support of the Central Williamson Creek Greenway Vision Plan provided that the project reaches out to additional neighborhood associations and working groups and that the trails and improvements avoid areas marked as critical environmental features. The coalition that developed the vision plan presented it to Environmental commissioners at their […]
Posted inEnvironment
Environmental Commission recommends removal of two West Campus heritage trees
The Environmental Commission has recommended the conditional removal of two heritage trees from a property near UT Austin that is being developed as student housing. The 32-inch red oak, in “fair” condition, and a 25-inch pecan tree in poor condition stand on a property at the intersection of Nueces and West 24th Street, a couple […]
Posted inParks
Commissions plan joint work group to address off-leash dogs
The Parks and Recreation Board and the Animal Advisory Commission are expected to form a work group to address the growing issue of off-leash dogs in Austin. Both bodies have received complaints from Austin residents about off-leash dogs and noncompliant pet owners in parks and in city neighborhoods. According to a monthly report provided this […]
Posted inAustin
Austin Animal Center offers free microchipping to help residents track their pets
In an effort to educate and encourage Austin residents to get their pets microchipped, the Austin Animal Center will offer a free drive-up clinic to pet owners on April 10. The process involves implanting a microchip, a tiny electronic device the size of a grain of rice, between the animal’s shoulder blades. Once the chip […]
Posted inAustin
Shelter logged record-setting number of animal distress calls during ‘snowmageddon’
The weeklong winter “snowmageddon” that stretched from February 16 to 21 also affected the city’s ability to respond to animal distress calls. Pounding sleet, icy roads and temperatures as low as 10 degrees in Austin made the roads dangerous for animal rescue trucks as well as staff traveling to and from the shelters. Austin 311 […]
Posted inCity Hall
Animal Advisory Commission recommends adopting ordinance to close bull hook loophole
The Animal Advisory Commission has made a unanimous recommendation to City Council to amend the city code in order to close a loophole created by the bull hook ban. “We are confident that enacting (the ordinance) accomplishes the most good for the most animals and in no way authorizes or condones any cruelty to livestock,” […]
Posted inAustin
City’s efforts to educate seniors about reducing property tax delayed
The city of Austin has been working on finding ways to educate seniors about opportunities to reduce their property tax. The city is also developing a volunteer program that would allow seniors to offset a portion of the tax. But the pandemic and the severe winter weather in mid-February slowed down the effort. A 2019 City […]
Posted inEnvironment
Conservation groups promote ‘Lights Out’ to protect migrating birds
A coalition of organizations is working to promote a program to protect migrating birds as they pass through Austin this spring. Travis Audubon, Texan by Nature, Defenders of Wildlife, the Austin Office of Sustainability, Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, Audubon Texas, and the Texas A&M Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections are collaborating on the Lights Out program. […]