Following lengthy discussion and public input, City Council unanimously passed an interim ordinance Thursday that limits overnight concrete pouring in parts of downtown from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. and initiates a 60-day stakeholder process for a permanent solution. The ordinance, which will expire after 120 days, includes a grandfather clause that exempts building permits […]
City Council
Posted inCity Council, Energy, Resources
Council to consider new utility debt policy
City Council will likely consider a new utility debt policy soon, after learning from staff that customers have accrued about $76 million in electricity debt alone, mostly over the past three years. Staff also reported that customers owe more than $21 million in water and wastewater bills, more than $9 million in waste management and […]
Posted inCity Council, Housing, Public Safety, The Code
City looks to improve rental registration program
As part of an ongoing effort to beef up how the city addresses problem rental properties, City Council will consider whether to amend its rental registration program today. So far, the program has managed to capture only a handful of properties. Code Department director Carl Smart explained that the poor showing is a result of […]
Posted inCity Council, Local Politics, Parks, Public Safety
Council split on new deal for Austin Pets Alive!
City Council members Tuesday continued to debate a potential extension of a contract for Austin Pets Alive! to operate a facility at the Town Lake Animal Shelter. The extension would also include additional leeway for the organization to make needed repairs to the facility. The discussion touched on what Council Member Laura Morrison suggested was […]
Posted inCity Council, City Hall, Local Politics
Austin Council meetings run far later than peers’
A report from Office of the City Auditor staff appears to corroborate what many Austin City Council observers have long lived: that the city’s Council meetings are much lengthier than those of their peers. The data, presented by Assistant City Auditor Patrick Johnson and Deputy City Auditor Corrie Stokes, suggests that the average length of […]
Posted inCity Council, Development, Land Development Code
Future LDC amendments may get Opticos review
Though City Council will likely select a CodeNEXT approach Thursday, it will also consider a resolution designed to ensure that any interim Land Development Code changes are consistent with the goals of the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan. That resolution, which Council discussed at its work session Tuesday, would direct the city manager to work with […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Development, The Code, Zoning
Downtown hotel zoning shifts to code amendment
After almost a year of going through the zoning change process, including trips to four different commissions and winning initial approval from City Council, developers of the Aloft Austin & Element Hotel are now seeking an amendment to the Land Development Code and giving up on their zoning case. Conventus Corporation and the Finley Company, […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Transportation
Long road ahead for TNC ordinance
Since City Council approved an ordinance in mid-October that would legalize transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft, city staff has been hard at work. Not only are they drafting contracts that authorize these companies to operate under the ordinance, they are putting together a report for Council with suggestions for a pilot program to […]
Posted inCity Council, Public Safety, The Code
Council passes sound permitting ordinance
City Council approved an ordinance Thursday that subjects large-scale outdoor music events on city parkland, such as the Austin City Limits festival, to more comprehensive sound permitting requirements. The ordinance amends city code to require that applicants seeking outdoor amplified sound permits for music events on city parkland with a likely daily attendance of 7,500 […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Development
Council OKs ‘local’ loan for planned hotel franchise
Questions from City Council Member Katie Tovo about a proposed Family Business Loan led to an illuminating discussion at Thursday’s Council meeting about what the word “local” really means. Tovo said she was surprised to find out that the program does not require that loans go to local businesses. Specifically, she wanted to know more […]
Posted inCity Council, Land Development Code, Local Politics
Divided Council debates approach to CodeNEXT
Those who enjoy debate about how the city will approach the rewrite of the its Land Development Code are in luck: City Council will consider its approach to CodeNEXT for a third time later this month. Council held the first part of the hearing at its last meeting. Thursday night, members took more public testimony and […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Development, Local Government
City Council not yet ready to close sale of quarry
The Austin City Council gave city staff the OK on Thursday to begin negotiations over the sale of a soon-to-be former quarry to the City of Cedar Park, but they elected not to authorize the finalization of that agreement. That move came as Council Member Laura Morrison continued to express concern for the level of […]