City Council plans to take the next two weeks to fine-tune the guidelines for a proposed place-based economic incentive program aimed at creative spaces, legacy businesses and community needs such as child care providers and grocery stores. Thursday’s meeting featured presentations on an assortment of new programs from the Economic Development Department, with the place-based […]
City Council
Posted inCity Council
Council could decide ‘agent of change’ noise dispute issue, after nearly a decade of debate
This week, City Council could end nearly a decade of waiting and staff work to settle disputes between music venues and new developments moving into all areas of the city. Today’s Council meeting will include a proposed ordinance change concerning sound assessments for new residential and hotel buildings, which since 2015 have been at the […]
Posted inCity Council
City Council condemns anti-immigrant Senate Bill 4
Last year, the Texas Legislature passed one of its most extreme anti-immigrant laws yet: Senate Bill 4, which gives law enforcement the ability to arrest and hold people suspected of having entered Texas illegally. As the law’s enforcement still hangs in the balance, pending Department of Justice and ACLU of Texas lawsuits, the city of […]
Posted inCity Council
Chris Riley, former Austin City Council member and urbanist, dies at 60
Chris Riley, who served as a City Council member from 2009 to 2015, died Sunday after a battle with cancer. A native Austinite, Riley was known as a fierce advocate for bike infrastructure and denser housing at a time when the political balance at City Hall tilted away from such priorities. “Chris loved Austin so […]
Posted inCity Council
Council OKs 13 proposed charter amendments for November ballot
Voters will decide on 13 potential amendments to the city charter in November, with two of the most significant potential changes affecting the number of signatures needed to recall a City Council member, and requiring elections for citizen-led ballot initiatives and charter amendments to take place in large even-numbered election years. At Thursday’s meeting, Council […]
Posted inCity Council
Council votes to follow traditional process before calling a climate bond election
After one of the most robust deliberations City Council has had in recent history, a resolution on a comprehensive climate bond election moved forward Thursday, but without the immediacy that some Council members would have preferred. Nevertheless, those who favored holding a bond election this year – namely Council members Ryan Alter, Vanessa Fuentes and […]
Posted inCity Council
Council seeks information on creating a public bank
City Council on Thursday approved a resolution by Council Member Zo Qadri directing the city manager to research the question of the city of Austin starting a “public bank.” Unlike commercial banks, public banks are required to operate in the public interest. The cities of Philadelphia, San Francisco and Los Angeles have filed legislation requesting […]
Posted inCity Council
With an ambitious food plan ready for adoption, all that’s missing is the financing
City Council members heard a briefing Tuesday on a far-reaching food plan designed to eliminate historical barriers to food access in Austin and Travis County. If all goes as planned, the draft proposal will return to City Council on Aug. 29 for possible adoption. The Travis County Commissioners Court is expected to be briefed on […]
Posted inCity Council
Council wants changes to rapid rehousing for homeless ahead of federal aid cutoff
The city will look for ways to improve and possibly restructure assistance programs for those at risk of losing their homes, in anticipation of the end of federal aid used to address homelessness. Last week, City Council approved a resolution following a recommendation from the Public Health Committee and the Housing and Planning Committee to […]
Posted inCity Council
Austin approves additional property tax breaks for seniors and people with disabilities
City Council voted Thursday to raise the property tax exemption for homeowners who are 65 years and older and those with a disability. The move is an attempt to further curtail the amount of money residents pay taxes on. Homeowners who qualify can keep $154,000 off the value of their home that gets taxed by […]
Posted inCity Council
Council adopts new two-minute rule for speakers
Though City Council moved forward with new two-minute time limits, several speakers at Thursday’s Council meeting urged them to adopt a rule giving each speaker three minutes per item, the amount prescribed by Judge Madeleine Connor in April and Judge Daniella Deseta Lyttle in May. Prior to the court case brought by the Save Our […]
Posted inCity Council
Council supports relocating and expanding Barton Creek sewage pipe
The prospect of an expanded and relocated Barton Creek wastewater line has Southwest Austin property owners hopeful of getting redevelopment projects off the ground. On the other hand, environmental advocates worry that an expanded sewage pipe will encourage more growth and construction activity in the sensitive watershed. The one point everyone seems to agree on […]