Although the city has long objected to creation of Municipal Utility Districts in its extra-territorial jurisdiction, Council voted 5-2 last night to approve the Cascades MUD in southeast Travis County. Council Members Laura Morrison and Kathie Tovo were opposed. Council Member Mike Martinez made the motion to approve the Planning Commission recommendation with its […]
Development
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council to study homestead preservation districts to boost affordability
Austin City Council members are set to consider a measure today instructing city staff to begin evaluating whether the city could use homestead preservation districts as a tool to promote affordability. Council Member Mike Martinez is the sponsor of the resolution. Council has been down this road before. In 2008, Council members approved a […]
Posted inDevelopment
BoA wrangles over short-term rentals in North University
Undeterred by a lack of neighborhood concern, the Board of Adjustment continued its fight against short-term rentals in the North University Neighborhood Monday night. Though the board approved a variance at 204 West 33rd St., they attached a condition that the house would not be used as a Type II Short-Term Rental. The variance […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Government
Hays County loses $400K in real estate sale
SAN MARCOS— With the opening of the Hays County Government Center in early 2012, county employees began their exodus to the newly constructed $50 million government complex leaving four downtown county buildings empty in San Marcos. After nearly two years on the market, Hays County has finalized the sale of the last two of […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council considers details of lowering housing occupancy cap
Austin City Council members Tuesday continued to explore a potential change in development rules that lowers the city’s occupancy cap from six to four unrelated persons. Though the measure, brought by Council Member Mike Martinez, is aimed squarely at what some call stealth dorms, wider concerns grabbed council attention. These include questions over how […]
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Appeal allows Co-op to move Dabney-Horne House
There have been plenty of twists and turns along the way, but it looks like plans to move the historic Dabney-Horne House 12 feet are fairly unstoppable, due to a scheduling problem. The case has been in and out of the city’s boards and commissions for some time now. Most recently, the University Co-op […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Government
Travis Commissioners approve plans for new office building
The Travis County Commissioners Court approved design plans Tuesday for the county’s planned office building at corner of 11th and San Antonio streets. The plans for the building, which will house the District Attorney’s Office, were approved by unanimous vote. According to Roger El Khoury, director of the county’s Facilities Management Department, the seven-story […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Government, Transportation
SH45 Southwest gaining steam with federal funding removal
The construction of State Highway 45 Southwest could come sooner rather than later, bypassing lengthy, stringent federal reviews, now that CAMPO, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, has stripped the $100 million project of federal funding. Without federal dollars, the state could move forward with the project, eliminating the federal environmental requirements attached to the […]
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Council rezones downtown lot to make way for chilling station
Despite concerns about downtown noise, City Council members laid the groundwork for a chilling station for Austin Energy at their last meeting. Austin Energy asked for a change from the current Downtown Mixed Use zoning to Public zoning on its 812½ West Second Street property, which is slightly more than one-half acre in size. […]
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Cascades MUD project finally headed for City Council action
The 10th time proved the charm for the Cascades Municipal Utility District No. 1. The project won the support of the Planning Commission at its last meeting, and has moved on to the City Council. The Planning Commission voted 8-0 to approve the Onion Creek area project, despite objections from the Planning and Development […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics, Uncategorized
Two more tech companies seek incentives from state, city
Both the City of Austin and the Office of Governor Rick Perry announced two separate economic development incentive proposals Thursday that they say would bring 640 new full-time jobs and a capital investment of more than $15 million to Austin. The tech companies are Websense, Inc. and Dropbox, Inc. According to the city’s Economic […]
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Council rejects bid to remove restrictive covenant on east side lot
City Council members shot down a bid to remove a restrictive covenant on an east side property last week, sending developers back to the drawing board. Hector Avilia was asking for termination of a restrictive covenant at 1120 Tillery Street. Currently, the 3.5 acre lot is home to Ted’s Trees, and zoned for that […]