In an unusual turn of events, the owner of a northwest Austin junkyard brought his concerns about the environmental impact of his business to City Council last week, and urged them to help him get rid of it. The situation came to light during a public hearing for the full-purpose annexation of the Ace […]
Elections
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics, Uncategorized
Delay sought for Density Bonus plans for Rainey Street
Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole plans to delay an item on today’s Austin City Council agenda that seeks to reconcile the city’s new Downtown Density Bonus program with one in place in the exploding Rainy Rainey Street area. With the postponement, staff will have the opportunity to further delve into the issue.  “I want to […]
Posted inElections
Local officials working to help voters get proper ID before Election Day
Local election officials plan to be very busy over the next week in an effort to identify as many of Travis County’s estimated 37,000 registered voters who do not have a photo ID. People with the county and the City of Austin are planning a series of events through Oct. 7 to help as many as […]
Posted inDevelopment, Environment, Local Politics
New Watershed Protection Ordinance up for Council consideration
Austin City Council members may offer only limited approval to a series of dramatic changes to the city’s Watershed Protection Ordinance. The rewrite, a document that exchanges small allowances of additional impervious cover for more protection of the city’s creek watersheds – among other items – is set for a vote and public hearing on […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council agrees to allow loading and unloading in downtown alleys
After a surprisingly lengthy debate on the issue, the City Council agreed to continue to allow downtown businesses to use alleys for loading and unloading, legally. At first glance, the idea of using alleys for that purpose may not seem especially controversial, but it proved just that Thursday, when Council took up the issue […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Public Safety, Uncategorized
Cole, Morrison question use of employee criminal background checks
An audit designed to examine the effectiveness of the city’s approach to criminal background checks has raised the ire of two City Council members, who thought they had removed such checks from city hiring protocol in 2008. At last week’s Council Audit and Finance Committee, Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole and Council Members Laura […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council members approve changes to Short-Term Rental Ordinance
City Council approved tweaked regulations to the Short-Term Rental Ordinance that they hope will help smooth out the process, with debate over the issue Thursday turning out to be less contentious that many had expected. They voted 6-1 to approve the changes to the ordinance, with Council Member Kathie Tovo in opposition. The […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council approves SOS Ordinance variances for Garza Tract
After many years of debate and heartburn, members of the Austin City Council late Thursday night approved a set of Save Our Springs Ordinance variances for a stretch of land in Southwest Austin known as the Garza Tract. With the approval, development on the site can now move forward. Council Member Laura Morrison made […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Transportation
City Council postpones decision on 24-hour bicycle trails
Austin City Council members Thursday delayed until Oct. 17 a vote on whether to end 24-hour cyclist access to three segments of the city’s Hike and Bike Trail. In the meantime, Austin Police Department officials and representatives of the city’s biking community are expected to discuss differences over the extent of police patrol necessary for […]
Posted inLocal Politics
City gets closer to streamlined process for special event permits
After years of discussion, the City of Austin appears to be getting closer to streamlining its process for issuing special events permits. It’s a move at least one local event planner says is necessary to address what can currently be an antagonistic process. On Tuesday night, the seven-member Parks and Recreation Board voted […]