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Tag Archives: Development Services Department
Poll shows progress at Development Services
When Rodney Gonzales took over the Development Services Department in April 2015, the Zucker Report had reported customer survey results showing that 82 percent of respondents felt that the city’s development review and plan check processes were unnecessarily cumbersome or…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Feb 15, 2017
Plan for new city facility faces questions
City Council members Ann Kitchen and Alison Alter along with Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo expressed skepticism at Tuesday’s work session about a staff plan to move the Development Services Department, the Planning and Zoning Department and some staff from…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Feb 8, 2017
Slow response to flood report frustrates some commissioners
The city does not have many options for supporting individuals who suffer loss or damages from flooding caused by a development upstream, based on an exchange at the Nov. 29 joint meeting of the Planning and the Zoning and Platting…
Environment • By Joseph Caterine • Dec 5, 2016
Historic zoning debate reaches new heights at BoA
Are brand-new houses just as eligible for historic zoning as older homes? The answer may not surprise you: No, they are not. The fact that this question was the subject of a half-hour discussion at the Board of Adjustment, however,…
Preservation • By Elizabeth Pagano • Nov 29, 2016
BoA postpones interpretation case, disappoints developer
During a special called meeting on Nov. 21, the Board of Adjustment voted to postpone an interpretation case to its next meeting on Dec. 12. Leah Bojo, a senior manager at Drenner Group representing PSW Real Estate, cried “No!” from…
The Code • By Joseph Caterine • Nov 28, 2016
Grove memos defend city process
A lengthy series of memos defending the city’s review of the Grove at Shoal Creek planned unit development emerged yesterday, and it could set the stage for the case returning to City Council later this month. Attorney Jeff Howard, who…
City Hall • By Elizabeth Pagano • Sep 14, 2016
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Budget battle day two: Winners and losers
Two battles that played out at Tuesday’s budget session demonstrated that decisions City Council has made throughout the year have left it with few options for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 budget. At one point, Council even voted to reduce the…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • Sep 14, 2016
Council OKs worker protections with expedited permit review
City Council acted to increase protections for construction workers and speed up the building permit process for some at last night’s meeting. Council members strongly supported a proposal that would allow developers to pay an extra fee in order to…
Development • By Cate Malek • Sep 2, 2016
Who's building Austin? As city grows, construction workers are getting left behind
At the end of the workday in downtown Austin, streams of construction workers start pouring out of the city. They spend their days building the condos and office buildings that will make up the new Austin, but they go home…
City Council • By Cate Malek • Sep 1, 2016
Resubdivision reignites discussion at Planning Commission
A section of the city code that periodically causes brows to furrow on the Planning Commission reappeared at the commission’s last meeting. And, although commission members were bound by law in this latest reminder, a vow to take another look…
Land Development Code • By Elizabeth Pagano • Sep 1, 2016
Charter school fight headed to City Hall
With an ordinance on the table that could mean an end for their current site plan exemptions, some Austin charter schools aren’t waiting for the fight to come to them. Austin Achieve Public Schools, Goodwill Central Texas, Harmony Public Schools,…
The Code • By Elizabeth Pagano • May 9, 2016
Activists upset about Grove transportation review
Members of the Bull Creek Road Coalition are expressing alarm about what they consider an abrupt end to the transportation review process for Milestone Community Builder’s planned unit development called the Grove at Shoal Creek. Architect Chris Allen sent out…
