It was the Planning Commission’s turn to tackle new Lake Austin regulations last week, and they had questions. The proposed changes are the result of a nearly two-year process of looking at Lake Austin, proposing changes to the code that deals with zoning as well as regulations that detail Boat Dock and Shoreline Regulations. […]
Development
Posted inDevelopment, Environment, Local Government, Transportation
SH45 SW opponents say roadway would cause damage to aquifer
State officials expect to have an environmental impact study of the proposed four-lane State Highway 45 Southwest ready for public review within the next two months. Challengers of the toll road plan say it would expose the Barton Springs zone of the Edwards Aquifer and natural features above it to damage and pollutants, and do […]
Posted inDevelopment
Landmark Commission postpones action on West Austin demolition
Developers itching to demolish a 1933 cottage in West Austin’s Heritage neighborhood will have to wait a month longer, after a ruling by the city’s Historic Landmark Commission last week. Historic Preservation Officer Steve Sadowsky allowed that the 1933 House at 902 West 30th Street did “have some architectural interest.” He also revealed that […]
Posted inDevelopment
Planning Commission denies MF-2 zoning for West Austin tract
A controversial development plan on Exposition Boulevard is back at City Hall. Austin Elm Terrace, LP was asking for Multifamily (MF-2) zoning on the 3215 Exposition Boulevard lot, which is just over two acres. The tract was formerly part of the Austin State School, and the majority of the land is currently unzoned. […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council denies East Cesar Chavez restaurant a late-hours permit
East Austin’s Weather Up Restaurant will have to weather at least another year without late night hours, after an unsuccessful trip to City Council last week. In February, the Planning Commission rejected the request for the conditional use permit for Weather Up in an even split. The owners took the case to Council as […]
Posted inDevelopment, Public Safety
Building and Standards Commission eases sanction for code violations
An Austin homeowner facing a glut of building code violations says his house was not inspected before he bought it in 2005, during the national housing bubble. Austin’s Building and Standards Commission voted unanimously last week to give homeowner Ricardo Ordonez an extra 60 days to sell his house, which he says, he has […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council moves forward with proposal to allow micro apartment units
The discussion about micro apartment units boiled down to a few small details at Thursday’s City Council‘s meeting. Council members approved a resolution 7-0, initiating a code amendment that could decouple parking requirements from units that are less than 500 square feet in size. This decoupling already exists in the University Neighborhood Overlay, where […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council members postpone rework of city’s SMART housing policy
Austin City Council members postponed a re-tool of the transit portion of the city’s SMART housing policy Thursday. The move came over the objections of Council Members Chris Riley and Bill Spelman, who noted the importance of timing the redefinition of those rules to coincide with the completion of the city’s five year comprehensive housing […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Morrison resolution seeks to preserve ability to get New Starts grant
Council Member Laura Morrison has crafted a resolution she hopes will help preserve affordability along a proposed new mass transit route and ensure that the city can secure federal money in the form of a Federal Transportation Agency New Starts grant. Her resolution is on today’s Council agenda. At Tuesday’s work session, Morrison told […]
Posted inDevelopment, Environment
Planning Commission OKs variance for Lake Austin boat dock
Though they faced criticism from residents on the other side of Lake Austin, the owners of a Rob Roy property are well on the way to getting a boat dock. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve the variance for the dock at 5 Humboldt Lane, with conditions that no trams be built and […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Riley’s push for micro-apartments draws complaint from Morrison
A push from Council Member Chris Riley to revise Austin’s Land Development Code to include new provisions to encourage the construction of micro-apartments raised concerns from Council Member Laura Morrison at Council’s Tuesday work session. There, Morrison argued that the move – set for approval at Thursday’s Council meeting – would run counter to work […]
Posted inDevelopment, Transportation
Medical School construction to bring changes to Red River Street
The character of Red River Street as it runs through the new University of Texas Dell Medical School is set to change under current plans for the development of that area. According to Austin Transportation Director Robert Spillar, “The street will change character as it becomes integrated within that piece of the campus.” Spillar […]