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Austin

Bike signal debate triggers acrimony at Council

Some Austin City Council members grew irritated while debating the problems of bicycles at intersections and whether to accept grant money that could ease those problems at Thursday’s meeting. At issue was a proposal that the Austin Transportation Department accept $200,000…

Texas mayors take aim at Legislature's tax caps

Austin Mayor Steve Adler and the mayors of nine other large Texas cities came together Monday to declare their intention to fight any proposal to diminish local government control, especially cities’ authority to set tax rates. The idea of a…

Developers propose brackish water for Decker Golf

In a major shift, Decker Lake Golf LLC representatives have proposed a new plan they say would not use reclaimed water to irrigate a PGA-class golf course proposed for Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park. The company’s vice president, Warren Hayes,…

Explainer: Open Meetings and the new Council

On their way to postponing an item that would have allowed Mayor Steve Adler to fund office staff positions via dollars raised by a 501(c)3 organization, Austin City Council members Thursday expressed a handful of concerns. As Kara Nuzback reported…

Video: 2.12 Council rundown, KXAN

Monitor Publisher Mike Kanin joins KXAN‘s Sally Hernandez for a quick rundown of Council’s February 12 discussions of Mayor Steve Adler’s plan to fund additional office staff with (c)3 dollars and a now-in-process study of a potential 20 percent homestead…

Council members challenge mayor on privately-funded staff positions

Austin’s new mayor is proposing to hire additional staffers to at no cost to taxpayers. But the idea doesn’t sit well with some council members, who voiced concern over paying for city employees using private funds, as well as the…

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Subcommittee seeks help for ADU changes

The Planning Commission Codes and Ordinances Subcommittee met Thursday to discuss amendments to a city ordinance regarding accessory dwelling units — apartments located on the same property as a house. But city staffer Ming-ru Chu could barely read through the…

Council adopts sweeping procedural changes

After a full week of debate about transparency, efficiency and public input, City Council has adopted a new set of meeting procedures and a committee structure that will overhaul the legislative process. Council members voted unanimously at their first regular…

Council tentatively approves salary shift

City Council took the first step toward allowing some Council members to divert all or portions of their own salaries Thursday. Council members voted unanimously to allow the resolution to move forward. However, the issue will have to return to…

Ethics panel considers campaign finance reform

Now that the dust has settled after Austin’s busiest local election season to date, the city’s Ethics Review Commission is taking a hard look at Austin’s current campaign finance laws. On Tuesday night, the Ethics Review Commission took input on…

Council to postpone all this week's zoning cases

After a lengthy discussion at Tuesday’s work session, City Council members decided —  without voting — that they would postpone all zoning items on Thursday’s agenda in the expectation that they will have a better understanding of what they are voting…

Bluebonnet Hills district gets go-ahead ... again

For a second time in as many months, the Historic Landmark Commission has endorsed the creation of the Bluebonnet Hills preservation district. Though the commission already voted to recommend the district in November, there was a noticing error for that…

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