The Environmental Commission voted last Wednesday to recommend a wastewater service extension request for a proposed 82,000-square-foot warehouse west of Oak Hill. Some commissioners were hesitant to approve the service extension, which will include constructing over 800 feet of force main from the existing infrastructure, because there are no plans for the warehouse yet. The […]
Willow Higgins
Posted inPlanning
Large housing development in the works on Barton Springs and Lamar
Developers are looking to rezone a property currently home to the Bicycle Sport Shop on Barton Springs Road and South Lamar Boulevard. If successfully rezoned as a planned unit development, the lot would be redeveloped as a nine-story building with 400 residential units and a ground floor with mixed commercial use. The project at 517 […]
Posted inPublic Health
Sustainability office spearheading regional food plan
Austin’s Office of Sustainability is working on the city’s first-ever food plan – a coordinating structure that is designed to help bridge disparities in local food access in a sustainable way. While Austin’s food system includes state-of-the-art restaurants and groceries across the city, the quality and quantity of food access is bifurcated by race and […]
Posted inParks
Parks board postpones vote on alcohol sales in Republic Square Park
The Parks and Recreation Department asked the parks board this week for its support of a conditional use permit that would allow for the sale of alcohol in Republic Square Park. Since the park is public property, it needs to have its zoning changed in order to legally sell alcohol. However, the board ultimately chose to […]
Posted inEnvironment
Waterways beginning to recover from Samsung acid waste spill
The tributary of Harris Branch Creek in Northeast Austin is beginning to recover from an acid waste spill that killed off the creek’s aquatic life. Samsung’s semiconductor facility discharged as much as 763,000 gallons of the acidic waste into its stormwater pond and a connecting tributary in January. The spill caused the pH of the […]
Posted inEnergy
Utility commission ponders letting new developments shoulder rate increase
Austin’s Electric Utility Commission is thinking over some suggestions to offer to City Council about Austin Energy’s rate review, which as currently proposed would increase the utility’s base rate by 7.6 percent to make up for a $48 million deficit. The commission’s budget and audit work group came to this week’s EUC meeting with some […]
Posted inAustin
Austin Animal Center faces questions about monthly update
Alongside shelters nationwide, the Austin Animal Center has been struggling with staffing shortages and soaring populations of shelter animals – a situation that was evident in the shelter’s monthly update to the Animal Advisory Commission. In April, a total of 1,067 animals were brought to the shelter, while 419 were adopted and 132 cats, dogs or […]
Posted inPublic Health
Dove Springs soon to have a comprehensive public health center
After years of work, the Dove Springs neighborhood will finally be getting a full-service public health facility. The project, which is funded by a 2018 bond measure, will be a central hub for the surrounding community, offering a number of resources in one place, including preventive health care, employment services and child care. The parkland adjoining George […]
Posted inCity Hall
Resource Management Commission at stalemate over toxic materials resolution
Resource Management commissioners recently butted heads over a proposed resolution directing Austin Energy staff to facilitate a working group tasked with brainstorming how to dissuade builders from using toxic materials. The resolution ultimately did not pass, ending in a 4-4 tie vote, with one abstention. Ultimately there was some confusion over what exactly the resolution aimed […]
Posted inAustin
After initial push, city’s effort to eliminate Confederate names loses momentum
In the midst of the July 2020 protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, the city of Austin passed a resolution committing to remove or rename all city-owned assets, such as streets and buildings, that have names commemorating the Confederacy or other white supremacist causes. The passage of that resolution is just one piece […]
Posted inEnvironment
How the Watershed Protection Department removes obstructions from Austin creeks
Austin, a city known for the rivers, creeks and springs that run through it, is also prone to flooding. The city’s Watershed Protection Department shoulders the responsibility of managing Austin’s waterways and reducing the impact of flooding, erosion and pollution in the community’s watershed. The department recently gave the Environmental Commission a rundown of the […]
Posted inCity Hall
City joins effort to end hair-based discrimination
The city of Austin and its Office of Civil Rights are initiating a discussion about how to prevent race-based hair discrimination, which is most commonly experienced by women of color. The CROWN Act, which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, is a piece of legislation that prohibits discrimination based on […]