As part of our ongoing effort to keep readers up to date with all that is going on at City Hall, we present our tip sheet for Austin City Council committees. As usual, we will be offering highlights of meetings, with links to entire agendas. Health and Human Services Committee Monday, Nov. 30, 1 p.m. […]
Austin City Council Open Space Environment and Sustainability Committee
A City Council committee that reviews environmental matters, including climate change and protection, water, trees, and parks.
Posted inParks
City mulls free swimming for some Austin seniors
Plans to waive pool fees for all Austinites ages 80 years or older at Barton Springs Pool and other city pools are moving forward. Previously, the “Lifetime Pass” program – which grants free entry to Barton Springs for seniors who meet certain requirements – was a way to honor Austinites ages 85 and above. The […]
Posted inAustin
Districts 1, 2 and 4 hardest hit by retail food deserts
Despite beating most others in population growth estimates, Districts 1, 2 and 4 are trailing the rest of the city when it comes to fresh, healthy and affordable retail food options. Edwin Marty, food policy manager for the Office of Sustainability, told the City Council Open Space, Environment and Sustainability Committee on Wednesday that the […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: A pornographic departure
We make news… Capital Metro Transportation Authority’s Twitter account went off the rails last week after an apparent security breach led to a decidedly non-family-friendly detour. Shortly after 11 a.m. on Thursday, Community Impact’s eagle-eyed reporter Jennifer Curington noticed that @CapMetroATX had quietly started following scores of adult-oriented profiles, including porn stars, adult film production […]
Posted inParks
Committee is unanimous: Caswell Center tennis players need parking spots
A vacant court isn’t all it takes to play tennis in Austin. It also takes a vacant parking spot. To that end, City Council’s Open Space, Environment and Sustainability Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend that 28 parking spaces be transferred to the Parks and Recreation Department and turned into dedicated parkland. Currently, those spaces […]
Posted inAustin
Future of 64 Rainey remains unknown
The future use of a small city-owned plot of land butting up against the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center is no closer to being known. Members of City Council’s Open Space, Environment and Sustainability Committee heard from neighbors and a local developer last week about a proposal recommended by the MACC Advisory Board […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: This week’s Council Committees
As part of our ongoing attempt to keep readers up to date with all that is going on at City Hall, we will now be offering weekly tip sheets for City Council committees. As usual, we will be offering highlights of meetings, with links to entire agendas. Public Safety Committee Monday, June 22. Agenda here. […]
Posted inCity Council
Climate action plan blows past committee
Climate action advocates can rest assured that a proposed 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emission plan will go before City Council in June, though it will not come with a committee recommendation. Due to a lack of quorum, the Open Space, Environment and Sustainability Committee was unable to vote Tuesday on a recommendation to Council for […]
Posted inParks
Parks will consider keeping city pools open
After impassioned reactions from neighbors to news that the city would close Metz Neighborhood and Mabel Davis Municipal pools this summer for extensive repairs, the Parks and Recreation Department told the Open Space, Environment and Sustainability Committee on Wednesday that it was looking into ways to keep the pools open. These would only be stopgap […]
Posted inParks
City to close some swimming pools, reduce hours
Citing budget shortfalls, water conservation issues and a lack of lifeguards, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department says it will close two pools and cut back pool operating hours this summer. The department says it would cost the city $41 million to bring all of its public pools into good repair. According to a memo […]