City Council members raised several questions during Tuesday’s work session about the effectiveness and environmental sensitivity of the Texas Department of Transportation’s recommended route for State Highway 45 Southwest. The conversation took place as part of a joint briefing by the Transportation and Watershed Protection departments on a report that Council requested in a May […]
Tyler Whitson
Posted inPublic Safety, Transportation
Council OKs TNC regulations on first reading
Early Friday morning, Transportation Network Companies such as Lyft and Uber moved one step closer to operating legally on Austin streets as part of a temporary pilot program, provided they enter into an agreement with the city and follow a set of predetermined regulations. City Council voted 6-1 to approve an ordinance on first reading, […]
Posted inWhispers
Board and commission appointments
Council members approved a number of appointments to citizen boards and commissions Thursday. Council appointed Council Member Kathie Tovo’s nominee, Dennis Mick, to the Robert Mueller Municipal Airport Implementation Advisory Commission and Mayor Lee Leffingwell nominees Granyon Perry and Alejandro Delgado to the Community Development Commission. Low-Income Consumer Advisory Task Force appointees include Mayor Pro […]
Posted inDevelopment
ZAP backs Colony Park despite ‘missing middle’
The Zoning and Platting Commission recommended a Planned Unit Development rezoning request for the Colony Park Sustainable Community Initiative last week, despite concerns about a potential “missing middle” effect on affordability. The community would comply with the city’s SMART Housing regulations, dedicating 20 percent of its residential units to serving households at or below a […]
Posted inDevelopment
Commission backs middle ground approach to LDC rewrite
Despite disagreement over the best way to move forward with CodeNEXT, the Zoning and Platting Commission has approved city staff’s recommendation for a middle-ground approach to rewriting the Land Development Code. Commissioner Gabriel Rojas was the only commissioner to vote against the item at Tuesday’s meeting, asserting that Planning and Development Review Department staff’s recommendation […]
Posted inElections, Uncategorized
District 9 forum focuses on affordability
The three City Council candidates vying to represent Austin’s most central district focused on issues of affordability and housing during Thursday night’s forum. The City of Austin presented the event in partnership with the Ethics Review Commission and the League of Women Voters. Aside from affordability and housing, moderator Frances McIntyre presented questions to District […]
Posted inDevelopment
Auto dealer storage garage riles Allandale residents
A group of Allandale neighborhood residents aired their frustrations about Charles Maund Volkswagen’s presence in the area at the last Zoning and Platting Commission meeting. The problem centers around the dealership’s planned construction of a three-story parking garage for nearby vehicle storage. It would be located on the northeast corner of Burnet Road and Pegram […]
Posted inEnvironment, Transportation
Bicycle Advisory Council keeps Austin on two wheels
Bicycling is big in Austin. When you are the home of Lance Armstrong, even with his tarnished image, you’re bound to have a lot of two-wheelers on your roads, and Austin does. In fact, USA Today recently named Austin as one of the Most Bicycle Friendly Cities in the country. With the city’s hundreds of miles […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Resources
City Council adopts $3.5 billion 2015 budget
City Council adopted the Fiscal Year 2015 budget and tax rate Tuesday, despite Mayor Lee Leffingwell’s dissent. Council members voted in favor of an operating budget with an $854 million general fund after approving a set of amendments this week that totaled $3.4 million. They also increased combined enterprise and internal service fund spending by […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Leffingwell, Council clash over budget changes
City Council began its 2015 budget adoption reading Monday with Mayor Lee Leffingwell making two unsuccessful motions to reduce the property tax rate. In fact, throughout the day he objected to the majority of Council-initiated operating budget amendments. Deputy Budget Officer Diane Siler told the Austin Monitor that, at the end of Monday’s meeting, Council […]
Posted inDevelopment, Environment
Service extension may signal city’s growth plans
In a move that may signal the city’s future growth plans, City Council has postponed decisions on whether to grant water and wastewater service extension requests for the Stokes Ranch development in the city’s Limited Purpose jurisdiction. Watershed Protection Department staff recommended Council deny the requests. Council voted 6-0 at its regular meeting last Thursday […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Resources
Council postpones action on hauler ordinance
Following complaints from stakeholders, City Council voted on Thursday to postpone action on a measure known as the “hauler ordinance,” which would amend city code regarding the private solid waste collection program. It also postponed action on amendments to administrative rules associated with that code. Council will reconsider the issue at its Nov. 6 meeting […]