Austin City Council members, set to finalize an ordinance that would ban housing discrimination based on one’s source of income, will consider a language change that would bring their version of the rule in line with state and federal codes. Council Member Laura Morrison raised the issue at Tuesday’s work session. “There is a state […]
Austin City Council
The Austin City Council is the body with legislative purview over the City of Austin. It offers policy direction, while the office of the City Manager implements administrative actions based on those policies. Until 2015, the body contained seven members, including the city’s Mayor, all elected at-large. In 2012, City of Austin residents voted to change that system and as of 2015, 10 members of the Council are elected based on geographic districts. The Mayor continues to be elected at-large.
Posted inAustin, Development, Parks, Water
Decker golf proposal likely going to next Council
Lobbyist Richard Suttle surprised most observers Tuesday by asking City Council to postpone a decision on whether to allow his client, Decker Lake Golf LLC, to create a PGA-style golf complex at Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park. The request came when Mayor Lee Leffingwell called upon Suttle to speak during Council’s work session. City staff […]
Posted inAustin, Energy, Environment, Resources
AE staff, stakeholders agree on gas plant review
Just in time for Council to consider it before the end of the year, Austin Energy and the environmental and business communities have cleared what appears to be the last hurdle of the 2025 energy generation resource plan. Austin Energy staff told City Council on Tuesday that the utility has agreed with stakeholders on an […]
Posted inAustin, Local Politics, Transit, Transportation
Riley plan for quarter-cent funds raises concerns
City Council Member Chris Riley ran into concerns from both Austin city management and his Council colleagues over a plan to use $20.4 million in funds raised through a Capital Metro one-quarter-cent tax agreement for transportation infrastructure improvements along Airport Boulevard. If approved, Riley’s proposal would use the money — the remainder of $139.4 million […]
Posted inCity Council, City Hall, Local Politics
Council braces for a long Thursday meeting
With a final agenda that has more than 230 items on it so far, Austin’s last at-large City Council looks determined to go out with a bang, and a really long meeting. On Tuesday, members discussed how to best deal with their last meeting, which will take place this Thursday. “It would be ironic, in […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Austin City Council 12.9 and 12.11
This one is a whopper, even for this Council. It’s quite possible that staff, worried about a potential civic slowdown as a an entirely new body takes office, is doing its level best to move things through before the change. At the same time, most Council members are making policy decisions for what could be […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics, Radio
Full Video: KLRU, KUT, Austin Monitor Mayoral Debate, 12/7
Video of Sunday’s Monitor, KLRU, KUT debate is posted below:
Posted inElections, Local Politics, Radio
Austin Monitor Radio: Council Member-elect Delia Garza
City of Austin District 2 Council Member-elect Delia Garza joins Monitor publisher Mike Kanin to share her perspective on the new Council. The show is embedded below: [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/180284840″ 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 inAustin, Development, Parks
Anti-lobby complaint filed on Long Park golf plan
A complaint filed Thursday with the City of Austin alleges violations of the city’s No-Contact Rule between the developers of the proposed Walter E. Long Park golf courses and city employees. Community activist Brian Rodgers filed the complaint after obtaining copies of emails between the developers and city staff through a public information request. Rodgers, […]
Posted inAustin, Development, Elections, Local Politics, Transportation
Candidates debate development in District 7
Two North Austin City Council candidates, who will face off in a Dec. 16 runoff election, say the city is growing rapidly and that the District 7 Council member must make sure the area stays affordable. District 7 candidate Leslie Pool, 59, is an executive assistant for Travis County Constable Carlos Lopez. She sailed ahead […]
Posted inAustin, Elections, Local Politics, Transportation
Under scrutiny, District 4 candidates debate
On first day of early voting, the two remaining candidates in District 4 sat down to debate. Even though both focused on their plans for keeping North Austin affordable, their differences were apparent. Greg Casar, 25, a community organizer, led the election on Nov. 4 with 39 percent of the vote. His opponent, Laura Pressley, […]
Posted inAustin, Development
Oak Hill residents stay late to warn against project
Though both sides recognized the threat of floods in the area, an Oak Hill project that some worry could make floods worse got an initial approval from City Council at its last meeting. Developers are seeking a zoning change from Limited and General Office Use to Multifamily and Mixed Use, and to change the Future […]