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For affordable development in DWPZ Southwest Trails headed to City Council next week The city's Environmental Board Wednesday unanimously recommended a variance to city land use rules to allow construction of an affordable housing development in the Drinking Water Protection Zone (DWPZ). Southwest Trails, which is being sponsored by the Central Texas Mutual Housing Association […]

Hearing arguments on Neighborhood Plans East Cesar Chavez partisans still fighting The battle over the East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Plan continued last night at the Planning Commission. El Concilio political activists verbally attacked city staff, members of the planning team and Planning Commission members, both individually and collectively, in their efforts to prevent consideration of […]

In suit against federal agencies Second environmental group plans action to protect Barton Springs The board of directors of the Save Barton Creek Association (SBCA) voted Monday night to join forces with the Save Our Springs Alliance (SOSA) in a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service […]

With referral to District Attorney Wenk Civil sanctions also requested against HCWPP and its lawyer An attorney for Hays County has notified Erin Foster, chair of the Hays County Water Planning Partnership (HCWPP), that she may be the subject of a criminal investigation as a result of her offer to settle a pending lawsuit against […]

Victor over FM Properties Water quality protection zones unconstitutional On a vote of 6-3, the Texas Supreme Court Thursday gave the City of Austin a victory over FM Properties (FMP), declaring “water quality protection zones” to be unconstitutional. The law allowing FMP, formerly known as Freeport-McMoran, Gary Bradley, and other developers to exempt themselves from […]

hotel for corner of 2nd and San Jacinto 212 room, 16 story facility of up to 150,000 square feet Valencia Hotel Corp. plans to build a 212 room hotel in downtown Austin, says Ben Turner of Consort Inc., a planning, engineering and landscaping firm. The 16-story structure would be located on the northwest corner of […]

well testing till more information obtained Engineer Murfee tells board member water is for two, off-site subdivisions The board of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District (BSEACD) voted Tuesday to demand more information from Hays County landowner T.J. Higginbotham about any proposals for use of the 50 million gallons per year he has requested to […]

Conflicts with East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Plan East Austin neighborhood leaders have watched for years as their part of town became the site of numerous undesirable uses. Now neighborhood leaders believe East Austin is once again slated to become the home of an undesirable use, namely a new park-and-ride location. Lori C-Renteria, who spearheaded the […]

Road advocates and environmentalists expected in large numbers The Real Estate Council of Austin (RECA) has urged its members to flock to tonight's meeting of the CAMPO ( Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) Policy Advisory Committee, which is scheduled to consider the area's 2025 transportation plan, including funding for State Highway 130. RECA President Pete […]

CAMPO slated to vote Monday on budget for part of SH 130 A study by the city's Watershed Protection Department (WPD) shows that environmental damage to creeks in Northeast Austin will be greater if the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) chooses to build State Highway 130 along the so-called "western alignment," as opposed to the […]

Refunds will be given to nonresidential customers who were overcharged The mishmash of problems that led to the city overcharging some of its customers for drainage fees while failing to charge others will be addressed with action by the City Council today. In Fact Daily outlined those problems June 1. All nonresidential customers pay the […]

SOS Alliance and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agree on threat to water quality On Sunday night the Save Our Springs Alliance (SOSA) will celebrate 10 years of activism on behalf of Barton Springs, but a new report casts doubt about the health of the springs. Development has caused water quality in Barton Springs to […]