Planning Commission members have unanimously approved a series of budget requests aimed at reforming and streamlining the way their commission is run. Most significantly, the recommendations would establish an Office of the Land Use Commissions that would work with the Board of Adjustment, Planning Commission, and Zoning and Platting Commission. The office would also include […]
City Hall
Posted inBudget
Budget work session on homelessness spending shows gaps in funding
City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes requested a briefing to help her and other Council members understand the intricacies of funding shelter for Austin’s homeless population. She said it was clear from town hall meetings and budget hearings that Austinites are concerned about people without reliable places to stay and the city’s response to the problem. […]
Posted inBudget
Music Commission asks city to find space, assistance for Texas Music Museum
The Music Commission has asked the city to step in quickly to provide storage space for the archives of the Texas Music Museum, with $850,000 sought in the near future to help the nonprofit organization remain viable and secure a permanent home. The recommendation approved unanimously on Monday asks City Council to quickly approve a […]
Posted inAustin
Cisco’s gets a $50,000 grant to preserve the restaurant’s history
Lee esta historia en español Cisco’s Restaurant, Bakery & Bar has been serving classic Tex-Mex dishes like huevos rancheros and migas to Austin residents since 1950. Now, 74 years later, the restaurant has received $50,000 as part of an effort from the National Trust of Historic Preservation to support small, historic businesses. Longtime customer Gardner Selby […]
Posted inBudget
Resource Recovery proposes slight uptick in trash fees
Austin residents may see a small increase in their trash bill next fiscal year if City Council approves the Austin Resource Recovery budget proposal. The Clean Community Fee for residents would increase by 45 cents from $5 to $5.45 a month, with no change for commercial customers. The base customer fee for residential users would […]
Posted inCity Hall
After heated discussion, Planning Commission bylaws to stay unchanged
An attempt to codify when information is posted online for Planning Commission members and the public is not moving forward, but the discussion about the issue revealed strain on the dais at the commission’s last meeting. Commissioners Nadia Barrera-Ramirez and Jennifer Mushtaler proposed a change to the commission bylaws that would require relevant documents known […]
Posted inBudget
Austin Energy makes a case against giving more to the city’s General Fund
During a budget work session on July 30, Austin Energy made a case for not transferring an extra $4 million to the city’s General Fund, which goes toward basic city services like parks, fire, police and EMS. The city’s ratepayer-owned utility is the largest of the city’s enterprise funds and currently transfers $115 million every […]
Posted inAustin
Mexic-Arte pushes for state cultural district while museum reconstruction awaits
Leaders from the Mexic-Arte Museum downtown are at work gathering public input and indexing the cultural organizations along Fifth Street that could help to enhance the area that they hope will receive state recognition as a cultural district for the local Mexican American community. The city gave the area from Republic Square to Plaza Saltillo […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Firefighters call for more cadets to address safety, mental health needs
The Austin Firefighters Association is seeking more attention to the safety issues facing its membership, which were discussed in part last week during City Council budget sessions. The AFA had planned to hold a press conference Monday to publicize issues such as increasing injury rates and mental health concerns highlighted by a recent death by […]
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 Hall
Tourism Commission looks at how city can welcome more major events
The Tourism Commission has indicated it may ask the city to be more hospitable toward major events that can bring large numbers of visitors to the area. Areas they could focus on include the availability of major gathering areas in the downtown core, working to allow more street closures and other possible disruptions to accommodate […]
Posted inCity Hall
Audit finds gender disparities in city hiring
A report released earlier this month by the Office of the City Auditor found that women are still underrepresented in the city workforce as city agencies work to improve their gender gap in hiring. A 2021 audit said that Austin “needs to be more deliberate in its pursuit of a diverse workforce,” but since the […]