After hearing strong opposition from his colleagues as well as others, Mayor Steve Adler is proposing a complete revamp of his plan for additional staffing in the Mayor’s office. Adler told the Austin Monitor Thursday that he would be pulling down his proposal to fund additional staff for the Mayor’s office through the Better Austin […]
Austin
Posted inAustin, Zoning
Planners look at big picture and deny rezoning
After taking a look at the impact of similar businesses nearby, the Planning Commission shot down a South Austin rezoning request at its last meeting. The 0.85 acre lot is located at 4102 and 4200 Manchaca Road. Owner Mitchell Whiddon is asking for a change from the current zoning, which is a combination of Limited […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, City Hall
Council set to discuss committee logistics today
The Austin City Council will have an opportunity this afternoon to discuss and possibly vote on a proposed new Council schedule, including committees. Mayor Steve Adler’s Chief of Staff, John Michael Cortez, posted the proposal on the Council bulletin board after 5 p.m. Wednesday, giving the majority of Council members little time to digest the […]
Posted inAustin, City Hall, Development, Environment, Water, Zoning
ZAP shoots down variances for Far West parcel
The Zoning and Platting Commission took a hard stance against several requested environmental variances that would allow an Austin resident to build a 3,500-square-foot home on a steep slope at 4316 Far West Blvd. Property owner Ali Tabrizi sought to build a single-family home on the parcel located within the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone and […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Development, Planning, Preservation, Zoning
Council limits Spicewood Springs project footprint
City Council voted Thursday to approve a zoning change that would allow a new professional office building on Spicewood Springs Road. Council limited the size of the structure to 12,000 square feet, despite protests from the applicants. The vote was 10-0, as Mayor Steve Adler recused himself, saying his law firm had dealings with one […]
Posted inAustin, Bicycles, City Council, Transportation
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 in federal grant money already awarded by the Texas Department of Transportation to install bike-visible […]
Posted inAustin, Local Politics, Texas State Legislature
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 state-imposed revenue cap on their collections is of greatest concern to cities. “We want to […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Resources, Water
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, told the Water and Wastewater Commission on Wednesday that he and his associates would pump […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Local Politics
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 Friday, power imbalance and questions over whether the Texas Open Meetings Act would apply to […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Monitor News & Media, Videos
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 tax exemption for Austin residents. Video embedded below:
Posted inAustin, City Council, City Hall
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 implication that more staffers for the major would shift the balance of power in his […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Austin City Council 2-10 & 2-12
Council is back in voting action this week. The feeling at City Hall is that this meeting may include a return to what might resemble typical business. As always, the Austin City Council meets in a work session Tuesday and for its regular meeting Thursday. Below is a list of items we’re watching for the […]