The City of Austin Planning Commission meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday. In the interest of saving space, we will not publish the entire agenda here. It is available on the city’s website (this week has an addendum, too.) With most of the agenda postponed last week, this tip sheet might look a little familiar. However, […]
City Hall
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 […]
Posted inAustin, Development, Land Development Code, Planning, Zoning
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 proposed changes before members of the public and committee members were up in arms over […]
Posted inCity Hall, The Code
Doomed commission awaits marching orders
Urging its own demise, the Residential Design and Compatibility Commission took some time during its most recent meeting to see whether its dissolution had made headway over the past couple of months. City Council passed a resolution to dissolve the RDCC in December and directed city staff to initiate code amendments that will ultimately return […]
Posted inCity Council, Fire
Council OKs restart of firefighter negotiations
As its first major action, the Austin City Council on Thursday approved a resolution directing city management to go back to the bargaining table with the Austin Firefighters Association. But it did not, as initially proposed, direct staff to stop the RFP process for finding a vendor to design a procedure for recruiting a racially […]
Posted inCity Council, Development, Planning
Council discusses future of Imagine Austin
Since its launch, Imagine Austin has inspired debates about affordability, growth, neighborhood autonomy and more. City Council continued this tradition Thursday in a special meeting with city staff and housing stakeholders about the comprehensive plan. The discussion touched on several major issues, including the relationship between the plan and the city’s many official neighborhood plans, […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Austin City Council Special Called Meeting 2-5
The Austin City Council will tackle just four items in its Special Called Meeting Thursday. Given the brevity of the agenda, we’ve elected to post (and comment) about all of it below. Links to meeting backup materials can be found here. 1. Council discussion addressing land use issues, the Comprehensive Plan (Imagine Austin) and housing […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, City Hall, Local Politics
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 meeting Thursday to adopt the ordinance after incorporating several amendments. Council based some of the […]
Posted inAustin, Budget, City Council, Local Politics
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 Council for it to become part of the code, and some Council members have reservations […]
Posted inCity Council, Local Politics, Resources
Zimmerman establishes pole position
As one of their first acts as a body, City Council members examined, then approved, a routine contract for up to $10 million of steel poles for Austin Energy. Council Member Don Zimmerman pulled the proposed contract with TransAmerican Power Products, Inc. for extra scrutiny and abstained from an otherwise unanimous vote. Zimmerman lamented the […]
Posted inAustin, City Hall, Elections
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 the city’s Fair Campaign Finance law as well as campaign finance laws in general. Many […]
Posted inAustin, Development, Zoning
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 on after their briefing on land use issues. Most of the conversation centered around the […]