Austin City Council members received a set of updated Urban Rail statistics Tuesday. The presentation offered a glimpse at the ongoing process as staff and Mayor Lee Leffingwell did their level best to drive home the point that a route for the project — still subject to voter approval via a probable 2014 bond election […]
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
City Council to take up battle over Urban Farms Ordinance
A fight over revisions to the city’s Urban Farm Ordinance has made its way to City Council, but with a postponement looming, that fight may not be over quite yet. Opponents to ordinance changes are calling for a postponement, which they are likely to get, unless City Council breaks from the long-standing understanding that […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Uncategorized
Council members, City Manager discuss limits on policy directives
Two attempts at dealing with a pending city crackdown on ornamentation of gravesites in city-owned cemeteries forced Council members Tuesday into a wider discussion over the limits of their purview when it comes to directions for City Manager Marc Ott. At immediate issue is a proposed delay in the enforcement of city rules that […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Public Safety, Uncategorized
Council, police chief clash over district representative assignments
Austin City Council members continued to do battle amongst themselves and with Police Chief Art Acevedo Tuesday over lingering issues associated with the opening of three segments of city hike and bike trails to 24-hour traffic. It all comes against the backdrop of the continuing dispute over how many officers it takes to serve the […]
Posted inDevelopment, Environment
Watershed Ordinance rewrite still has some hurdles to overcome
The massive Watershed Protection Ordinance passed its first official hurdle at City Council earlier this month, though a few bones of contention remain and much more discussion is likely on the horizon. After unanimously approving the new ordinance on first reading at its last meeting, Council is expected to take up the ordinance again […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Eastside juice bar gets go-ahead despite some Council misgivings
Despite hand-wringing over the prospect of a drive-though in far East Austin, a modest juice bar proposal emerged unscathed from City Council consideration last week. “Here’s a guy trying to make a go of a small business. Everybody knows that he is going to get more business if he has this extra capability to […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council clarifies affordability calculations on PUD Ordinance
Moving with a swiftness seldom seen at City Hall, City Council members approved changes to the city’s Planned Unit Development Ordinance at last week’s meeting. Council voted 5-2 to approve the new ordinance, with Council Members Kathie Tovo and Laura Morrison voting in opposition. The changes are a result of a lack of […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council to add 7 new members to Buildings-Standards Commission
Austin City Council members Thursday took the first steps toward a larger Building and Standards Commission – one that would, theoretically, be able to better handle a hefty volume of building code violations. Council members unanimously offered tentative approval of the addition of seven members to the Commission. The move would bring the total […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Business owner wants city’s help to get rid of his junkyard business
In an unusual turn of events, the owner of a northwest Austin junkyard brought his concerns about the environmental impact of his business to City Council last week, and urged them to help him get rid of it. The situation came to light during a public hearing for the full-purpose annexation of the Ace […]
Posted inDevelopment, Environment, Local Politics
New Watershed Protection Ordinance up for Council consideration
Austin City Council members may offer only limited approval to a series of dramatic changes to the city’s Watershed Protection Ordinance. The rewrite, a document that exchanges small allowances of additional impervious cover for more protection of the city’s creek watersheds – among other items – is set for a vote and public hearing on […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council agrees to allow loading and unloading in downtown alleys
After a surprisingly lengthy debate on the issue, the City Council agreed to continue to allow downtown businesses to use alleys for loading and unloading, legally. At first glance, the idea of using alleys for that purpose may not seem especially controversial, but it proved just that Thursday, when Council took up the issue […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Transportation
City Council postpones decision on 24-hour bicycle trails
Austin City Council members Thursday delayed until Oct. 17 a vote on whether to end 24-hour cyclist access to three segments of the city’s Hike and Bike Trail. In the meantime, Austin Police Department officials and representatives of the city’s biking community are expected to discuss differences over the extent of police patrol necessary for […]