After a tumultuous few years, Mayor Pro Tem Alison Alter has focused this year on making sure the city is able to weather whatever future shocks may lie ahead, be they public health emergencies, natural disasters or economic distress. “I’ve been really focused on advancing resilience and the long-term health of our city through good […]
District 10
Posted inWater
Despite drought, Austin Water still supplying raw water to golf course
Austin Water continues to supply the River Place Country Club with a combination of reclaimed water and raw water from Lake Austin to irrigate its golf course. “The amount and need for lake water is the sole discretion of River Place Golf Group, as they use raw water to fill the effluent pond when the […]
Posted inParks
Clogged wells, ongoing drought gum up Deep Eddy Pool’s opening hours
Deep Eddy Pool is facing delayed opening hours due to drought conditions and the clogged status of two of the wells the city uses to keep the spring-fed pool in operation. Although regular maintenance scheduled for January may alleviate some of the problem, there is a limit to what the city can do while water […]
Posted inEnvironment
Environmental Commission denies fuel line variance for Lake Austin marina project
An applicant seeking two code variances for the marina construction project at 1703 N. River Hills Road got mixed results at the Environmental Commission last week. On Nov. 16, the commission voted to recommend easing dredging restrictions for the Lake Austin project, but would not agree to recommend development of a gas fuel line with […]
Posted inZoning
Effort to designate West Austin house historic fails at Council
At its regular meeting last week, City Council did not pass an item that would have designated West Austin’s Delisle House a historic landmark. Before the vote, Mayor Steve Adler explained that the measure would need a nine-vote supermajority to pass on all three readings. The final vote was 3-7-1, so the measure did not […]
Posted inPreservation
Unpermitted demolition stokes existential crisis at Historic Landmark Commission
Frustration was palpable at last week’s meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission, with yet another unpermitted demolition garnering little fanfare outside the Historic Preservation Office. The vacant lot at 4008 N. Lamar, once home to a 1926 residence converted for commercial use, was reportedly demolished this spring. According to property representative Todd Cruz, the demolition […]
Posted inPreservation
Effort to save lakefront estate from demolition divides Planning Commission
The Planning Commission was split Tuesday on whether to help save an eclectic lakefront estate from demolition by zoning it historic amid concerns over tax breaks and the likelihood that a previous owner participated in segregation as a business owner. The property in question, known as the Delisle House, is located at 2002 Scenic Drive in […]
Posted inPreservation
Debate intensifies over owner-opposed historic zoning of lakefront estate
The fate of a lakefront estate at 2002 Scenic Drive is now in the hands of the Planning Commission, with a battle over the property’s merits ending in victory for preservationists last Wednesday. Citing architectural, landscaping and historical qualifications, the Historic Landmark Commission unanimously voted to recommend historic zoning for the two-story Spanish eclectic residence […]
Posted inPreservation
West Austin neighborhood bands together to save lakefront estate
An application to demolish an idiosyncratic estate at 2002 Scenic Drive has been put on hold, as the Historic Landmark Commission elected to initiate historic zoning last Wednesday. The residence first appeared on the commission’s agenda last month, inspiring an outpouring of neighborhood opposition and a community-led effort to research the property’s origins. Last week […]
Posted inZoning
An inflexible code puts small landlord’s business at risk
Prospective salon tenants have been knocking on the door of Stephen Straus’ charming house-turned-office at 3402 Kerbey Lane for months, only to be turned away because of the city’s rigid land development rules. Though a salon would be an ideal tenant for Straus, the property’s Neighborhood Office (NO) zoning doesn’t allow personal services use, which […]
Posted inZoning
ZAP disapproves of rezoning for cliffside condos
Should extreme topography influence whether or not to grant a rezoning? That was the main question the Zoning and Platting Commission wrestled with Tuesday over a request to rezone a property at 4833 Spicewood Springs Road to allow 20 condo units. “If you have vertigo, this is not the place for you,” Commissioner Jolene Kiolbassa […]
Posted inPreservation
Landmark commission weighs case for preserving former home of ‘Statesman’ editor
A case to preserve the former home of Austin American-Statesman editor Charles E. Green hit the desks of the Historic Landmark Commission this past Monday, and not for the first time. An application to demolish the building at 1505 Forest Trail came to the commission in 2017, but repeated postponements and posturing toward initiating historic […]