Many of the same Austinites made the same arguments they’ve made for decades, but this time, the result was different. At the behest of Pct. 3’s Gerald Daugherty, the Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday endorsed construction of the controversial SH45 Southwest roadway. Just three years ago, a somewhat different group of Travis County […]
Local Politics
Posted inLocal Politics, Transportation
Council members concerned over funding issues for Lone Star Rail
Austin City Council members are calling for more in-depth discussion about a potential interlocal agreement with the Lone Star Rail District. The agreement, if approved, would govern the partnership between the city and a potential rail agency for a line that could run from Georgetown to San Antonio. It is one of several such agreements […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Government, Local Politics, Transportation
Despite opposition, Daugherty aiming to get SH45SW back on track today
Travis County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty hopes to take a major step today to get his fellow Commissioners to endorse building the controversial SH45 Southwest roadway between South MoPac Boulevard and FM 1626. The roadway has been in the planning stages for almost 30 years, but has faced repeated roadblocks and delays. The major issue so […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council to update density benefit regulations for Rainey Street area
Austin City Council members Thursday OK’d the start of a process that will result in a set of changes to the way that developers can exchange extra project density for community benefits in the area in and around Rainey Street. The new rules, once codified, are designed to bring Rainey’s development rules into alignment with […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Transportation
Council again postpones action on 24-hour access to hike-and-bike trails
A battle over whether three segments of the City of Austin’s hike-and-bike trails should remain open will last at least another week, after City Council members postponed a vote on an ordinance that would end the pilot program. However, that didn’t mean that there wasn’t any action. Though the item was quickly dispatched Thursday, […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council looks at compromise on Rainey Street density bonus plan
Austin City Council members returned Tuesday to the question of how to calculate public amenities associated with density bonuses for projects located in the Rainey Street neighborhood downtown. As part of the discussion – postponed from Council’s last agenda – Council Member Laura Morrison offered a potential compromise. Morrison’s proposal would adopt the Downtown […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Transportation
City Council gets review of progress on Urban Rail Program
Austin City Council members received a set of updated Urban Rail statistics Tuesday. The presentation offered a glimpse at the ongoing process as staff and Mayor Lee Leffingwell did their level best to drive home the point that a route for the project — still subject to voter approval via a probable 2014 bond election […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
City Council to take up battle over Urban Farms Ordinance
A fight over revisions to the city’s Urban Farm Ordinance has made its way to City Council, but with a postponement looming, that fight may not be over quite yet. Opponents to ordinance changes are calling for a postponement, which they are likely to get, unless City Council breaks from the long-standing understanding that […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Uncategorized
Council members, City Manager discuss limits on policy directives
Two attempts at dealing with a pending city crackdown on ornamentation of gravesites in city-owned cemeteries forced Council members Tuesday into a wider discussion over the limits of their purview when it comes to directions for City Manager Marc Ott. At immediate issue is a proposed delay in the enforcement of city rules that […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Public Safety, Uncategorized
Council, police chief clash over district representative assignments
Austin City Council members continued to do battle amongst themselves and with Police Chief Art Acevedo Tuesday over lingering issues associated with the opening of three segments of city hike and bike trails to 24-hour traffic. It all comes against the backdrop of the continuing dispute over how many officers it takes to serve the […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Eastside juice bar gets go-ahead despite some Council misgivings
Despite hand-wringing over the prospect of a drive-though in far East Austin, a modest juice bar proposal emerged unscathed from City Council consideration last week. “Here’s a guy trying to make a go of a small business. Everybody knows that he is going to get more business if he has this extra capability to […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council clarifies affordability calculations on PUD Ordinance
Moving with a swiftness seldom seen at City Hall, City Council members approved changes to the city’s Planned Unit Development Ordinance at last week’s meeting. Council voted 5-2 to approve the new ordinance, with Council Members Kathie Tovo and Laura Morrison voting in opposition. The changes are a result of a lack of […]