Despite hours of meetings and two visits to City Council, the park at 3000 Del Curto Road remains officially nameless because of a disagreement among those interested in the question. Three names were originally under consideration for the park: Del Curto Park, South Lamar Neighborhood Park and Tom Lasseter Park. Council postponed the […]
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 inDevelopment, Local Politics, Public Safety, Resources
Council approves funds for buyout of 140 more homes in Onion Creek
Though some relief is on the way for Halloween Flood survivors, the fact that nearly 15 percent of the funds could be spent on consultants raised some eyebrows at City Council Thursday. Council members approved all four items related to the Onion Creek buyouts but they faced some pushback from citizens concerned about the […]
Posted inTransportation
Under fire, Council approves $1 billion Strategic Mobility Plan
Austin City Council members unanimously approved what city staff is calling the Strategic Mobility Plan Thursday. The plan, which contains roughly $1 billion in various transportation projects, includes $600 million for a potential urban rail line. The approval of the plan marks a direct step toward what is shaping up to be a massive […]
Posted inEnvironment, Local Politics
Council takes no action on move to remove Leffingwell from BCCP
Activists opposed to State Highway 45 Southwest lost a battle at Thursday’s City Council meeting when a motion died to replace Mayor Lee Leffingwell as chair of the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan’s Coordinating Committee. Council Member Kathie Tovo moved to replace Leffingwell with Council Member Laura Morrison, but the motion died for lack of […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics, Resources
Ott pulls Austin Energy building plan from City Council agenda
Austin City Manager Marc Ott plans to remove a controversial item from today’s agenda that would authorize the design of a new Austin Energy headquarters. Speaking from the dais at Council’s regular Tuesday work session, Ott noted the need for more information. “Certainly I recognize that Council has a lot of questions and I […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Council members look for ways to shorten weekly meetings
Mindful of citizens forced to wait long hours to testify – and perhaps hoping to catch at least a few hours of sleep themselves – Austin City Council members hashed out ways Tuesday to end this Thursday’s meeting a little earlier. As the Council work session wound up, Council Member Kathie Tovo asked that […]
Posted inTransportation
Council to vote on mobility plan that includes road projects
A recommendation from City Manager Marc Ott means that City Council members will vote Thursday on what Mayor Lee Leffingwell calls “a strategic mobility plan” that ultimately could lead to a $1 billion November transportation bond election. The numbers, hinted at for some time, include $400 million in road projects and $600 million for […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Resources
Austin City Council spending for June 12, 2014
Here is a detailed look at expenditures Austin City Council authorized on June 12, 2014: · $477,592 of rebates were authorized for energy efficiency improvements; $131,100 to CWS Allandale-McKinney, LP (Austin Midtown Apartments); $123,680 to CWS Brushy Creek, LP (The Marquis at Brushy Creek Apartments); $136,712 to Gables Residential (Central Park Apartments); and $86,100 […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council gives go ahead to develop North Central Corridor Plan
The Austin City Council voted unanimously last week to let city staff begin planning updates to portions of Burnet Road and Anderson Lane in a venture unlike any the city has never embarked on before. Under the North Central Austin Corridor Plan, the city’s Planning Commission would first research the area surrounding Burnet Road […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council rejects eastside zoning request despite error in city permit
A neighborhood association squared off against its own president at City Council last Thursday during a contentious East Austin rezoning case. In the end, Council members sided with the neighborhood and denied the zoning change on a 3-4 vote. Toria English owns the house at 1307 Waller Street and happens to be president of the […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Austin Monitor Radio, Show 3
Council Member and 2014 City of Austin Mayoral candidate Mike Martinez joins the Monitor‘s Mike Kanin and Mark Richardson to talk Economic Development incentives. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/155080663″ 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 inDevelopment, Local Politics
Despite opposition, Council narrowly OKs measure on ‘granny flats’
There were storms raging inside and outside of City Hall early Friday morning, when the Austin City Council took on “granny flat” advocates and detractors at last week’s meeting. The fight started 12 hours earlier, on the steps of City Hall. In a noon news conference, the Austin Neighborhoods Council members criticized Council Member […]