About 30 members of the public took the opportunity Tuesday night to address CodeNEXT, the citizens advisory group for rewriting Austin’s land development code. The majority of those speaking asked the panel to do something about Austin’s affordability problems. “We believe that Austin is in a housing crisis,” said Eric Goff of the advocacy group […]
AURA
This organization started as an advocacy group organized around the city of Austin’s November 2014 urban rail bond election. Its members have since announced their intention to broaden the focus of their work to include other issues. Its membership still holds a largely New Urbanist set of views.
Posted inCity Council
Despite consensus, park dedication fees delayed
To the apparent disappointment of all sides, a long-lingering proposal to change the city’s Parkland Dedication Fees was postponed by City Council on Thursday. Council Member Leslie Pool pushed for the postponement of the changes and explained that she needed more time to review the compromise that stakeholders and the Parks and Recreation Department had […]
Posted inParks
Debate continues over parkland dedication changes
Both sides of the debate over a new Parkland Dedication Ordinance stayed late into the night to state their cases Thursday. In the end, City Council voted to approve the ordinance 10-1 on first reading at 2:25 a.m. Council Member Don Zimmerman voted in opposition. The change in parkland dedication requirements and fees is more […]
Posted inParks
Council puts off vote on parkland fees
Last week, City Council postponed action on a staff proposal that would significantly increase parkland dedication fees for developers of most new residential developments, with fees dependent on density. Staff brought forth the proposal after more than a year of work as a result of a resolution adopted by Council in August 2014. Although Council […]
Posted inAustin
AURA, UT group want to tear down wall, plant trees
Tear down that (West Campus) wall. The West Campus Wall – which runs along much of the University of Texas’ western edge, separating the campus from Guadalupe Street – has long been a symbol of UT’s isolation from the rest of the city, and several groups agree it’s time to tear it down. That was […]
Posted inTransportation
Transit priority lanes considered for the Drag
Close to half of all rush-hour travelers through the Drag may go by bus, and the busy corridor’s future may include dedicated bus lanes, commissioners learned at Tuesday’s Urban Transportation Commission meeting. The Austin Transportation Department is studying ways to improve the design of the notoriously congested stretch of Guadalupe Street between MLK Jr. Boulevard and […]
Posted inDevelopment, Land Development Code, Transit, Transportation
Austin Monitor Radio, Show 22
Brennan Griffin and Amy Hartman of AURA join Monitor publisher Mike Kanin to talk about the past, present, and future of the organization. Link below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/174499415″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Posted inTransportation
AURA accuses Project Connect of funding political ads for urban rail
Project Connect’s ubiquitous summer media spots about its proposed urban rail project have drawn fire from the transit activist group AURA, which calls the ads unethical. The group says the ads are a political advertising campaign funded by taxpayer dollars. Project Connect officials say they are educational. The radio, television, print and digital ads in […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Transportation
City Finance Committee compares notes with CapMetro on rail costs
With an upcoming rail bond election almost certainly on the horizon, the city continues to take a closer look at what a new urban rail system might mean. A special called meeting gave the Austin City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee a chance to meet with the Capital Metro Finance Committee Monday and go over […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Transportation
Council to consider upping fine for blocking new priority bus lanes
Austin City Council members will consider whether to implement significantly increased fines for vehicles parked illegally in designated transit priority lanes Thursday. The measure would allow traffic officials to impose up to a $500 fine on vehicles left in lanes set aside for Capital Metro’s soon-to-be-unveiled MetroRapid Transit system. The move is aimed squarely at […]