City Council’s Mobility Committee learned more about the mobility aspects, in particular the proposed parking garages, of the Zilker Vision Plan at its meeting Thursday. The city released the draft of the vision plan in September. The document, which runs more than 200 pages, encompasses ecological restoration and uplift, park programming, education and outreach, and […]
Environment
Posted inParks
C3 announces ACL Fest economic impact, with $7.2M donated to parks improvements
In a clear sign of the resilience of outdoor music festivals after the Covid-19 pandemic, data released yesterday show the 2022 edition of Austin City Limits Music Festival produced $447.9 million in economic impact. That number represents a substantial jump from the $369 million impact from the festival’s return in 2021, and the $291 million […]
Posted inEnvironment
Airport Advisory, Environmental commissions consider working relationship
The Airport Advisory Commission is considering a resolution this week that would establish a working relationship with the Environmental Commission. The change would allow the Environmental Commission to advise the Airport Advisory Commission on airport projects that may have impacts beyond the boundaries of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. According to the resolution the Airport Advisory Commission […]
Posted inParks
The Confluence marks next phase for Waterloo Greenway parks system
Wednesday’s groundbreaking of the Confluence – the second phase of the ambitious Waterloo Greenway effort – marks the latest move in the city’s work to revitalize the area around Waller Creek and turn the frequently flooded waterway into a community asset and magnet for development. The new portion stretches from Fourth Street south to Lady […]
Posted inParks
Parks board recommends park safety task force
The Parks and Recreation Board is calling for City Council to establish a parks safety task force to evaluate park safety, consider whether to reinstate a parks police unit and recommend ways of supporting the growing number of homeless residents dwelling in city parks. The parks board unanimously recommended the task force at its April […]
Posted inParks
Parks board hears update on project to convert Nash Hernandez building into intergenerational community hub
The city’s Parks and Recreation Board reviewed progress in the ongoing effort to convert the Nash Hernandez building in East Austin into an intergenerational resource and activity center. At the board’s April 24 meeting, members of the Intergenerational Resource and Activity Center Advisory Group and facilitator Jacqueline Angel, a professor at the University of Texas […]
Posted inEnvironment
Watershed Protection wants code change to allow funding for floodplain restoration projects
The Environmental Commission approved a resolution last week recommending a change to the city’s Watershed Protection Ordinance. The change is intended to clarify that the Riparian Zone Mitigation Fund may be used for floodplain restoration projects. Ana Gonzalez, manager of the Environmental Monitoring and Compliance Division for the Watershed Protection Department, explained the proposed changes […]
Posted inEnvironment
Restoration of wetland impacted by airport jet-fuel storage facility construction site leak nearing completion
Work to remediate a non-toxic mud spill on protected wetland near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport will conclude at the end of this month. The spill occurred in September as crews bored a tunnel underneath the airport runway. The Environmental Commission reviewed the status of the cleanup during an April 19 update on the construction of the […]
Posted inParks
City on track with lifeguard hiring, director says
Great progress has been made in the hiring of lifeguards, Parks and Recreation Department Director Kimberly McNeeley told City Council at Tuesday’s work session. In addition to the $20 per hour salary, McNeeley said those who complete their training and actually work as lifeguards can earn a $750 bonus. And anyone who completes the training […]
Posted inEnergy
With no end in sight to electric vehicle boom, Austin Energy embraces the transportation sector
As new battery-powered car models from General Motors and Ford roll into the market, Austin Energy is racing to ensure the city’s infrastructure is ready for them. The utility’s electric vehicle and emerging technologies team stopped by last week’s work session to bring City Council up to speed on pending improvements to its charging network […]
Posted inWater
Memo eyes possible polystyrene ban to curb trash in creeks, streams
The Watershed Protection Department wants city leaders to consider instituting a ban on polystyrene fast-food containers as one of a series of possible steps to reduce the amount of trash in local waterways. An April 10 memo gives City Council members an update on progress related to a 2020 resolution that called for a comprehensive […]
Posted inEnvironment
Far fewer monarch butterflies are migrating through Texas this spring
Lee esta historia en español It’s the time of year when monarch butterflies pass through Texas on their annual migration. But you might not see as many as last spring. One reason? The number of monarchs that spent the winter in Mexico dropped significantly. Migrating Eastern monarchs spend the winter months in forest colonies in […]