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What started out as a reporter’s normal trip to East Austin to cover the Arts Commission became something of an adventure that provided an unexpected look at an accessibility issue in some of the city’s newer office spaces. Monitor reporter Chad Swiatecki, who uses a wheelchair, planned last Monday to cover the meeting that was […]

Council calls out enemies among us… Council had no qualms Thursday shaming the Texas Legislature for its arrogance in passing the “shot clock” bill, House Bill 3167. In the words of Council Member Leslie Pool, the bill demonstrates that the state “has zero understanding about the complexities involved in Land Development Code and processes.” A […]

The so-called “Domain on Riverside” fell one vote short of the seven needed to pass City Council on both second and third readings. Council members rehashed common concerns about the development’s size and location on Thursday before passing the 4700 Riverside development 6-5 on second reading only. Even with the applicant’s additional anti-displacement measures as […]

SoClose… Tourists scrambling to get their photos taken at Jo’s Coffee were unaware of how close they came to a lurking danger, but the city’s Watershed Protection Department sure was. In a July 31 memo to City Council, Watershed Protection Interim Director Jose M. Guerrero explained that ongoing construction at South Congress Avenue and Academy […]

When Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 3 into law earlier this summer, in addition to increasing school funding and approving teacher raises, he also approved a requirement for all Texas high school seniors to fill out an application for federal or state financial aid for college. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or […]

Lodge party… After a divisive case in April concerning the use of the home at 2311 Shoal Creek Blvd., the question of whether a fraternity house is considered a single-family use or a club/lodge use was still up for debate. According to Planning and Zoning Director Jerry Rusthoven, planning staff determined that the property was […]

Without a statutory requirement to provide waste disposal services, Travis County is reconsidering the best way to deal with waste, both illegal and legal, while increasing recycling rates. The county initiated an interlocal agreement with the Institute for Government Innovation at Texas State University in March to assess all of the solid waste services currently […]

Last May, City Council unanimously passed the Affordability Unlocked bonus program, a density program that loosens site restrictions and promotes the construction of more units in affordable and mixed-income housing developments. This month, the first developer came before the Planning Commission to request a zoning change to better allow them to take advantage of the ordinance’s […]

After eight months of study, including a two-month extension, the Planning and Zoning Department has finalized its recommendations for a potential public plaza program to make it easier and cheaper for applicants and city departments to create temporary public plazas. These plazas are open public areas for general recreation that may also dedicate space for […]

The Austin Transportation Department says years of efforts to institutionalize Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan visions of a compact and connected city are finally panning out. Since signing a memorandum of understanding in December involving ATD, the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and both the Development Services and Planning and Zoning departments, the city is now refining […]