Tag Archives: Planning and Zoning Department
Garza makes major changes to city organization
Interim City Manager Jesús Garza announced a series of major organizational changes in a press release late Friday, saying his “highest priority is to organize our people and our work so that we are operating cohesively and focused on problem-solving.”…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Mar 27, 2023
ZAP tweaks proposed merger of housing and planning departments
The Zoning and Platting Commission on Tuesday discussed the potential merger between the Neighborhood Housing and Community Development and the Planning and Zoning departments. After multiple commissioners expressed concerns about the measure, they voted unanimously to include three recommendations to…
Planning • By Nina Hernandez • Jul 24, 2020
Housing, Planning & Zoning departments to merge
Under a plan proposed by Assistant City Manager Rodney Gonzales Thursday, the city’s Planning and Zoning Department would be merged with the Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department in the 2020-21 fiscal year, which starts in October. The new department’s…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Jun 26, 2020
Timbercreek Apartments headed for revamp
The venerable Timbercreek Apartments at 614 S. First St. will at some point in the near future be demolished and replaced with a larger, modern, more environmentally friendly tower – if all goes according to plan for the developer. As…
Planning • By Jo Clifton • Feb 19, 2020
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Audit finds temp employee misused city truck
The Office of the City Auditor has found that a temporary employee of the Planning and Zoning Department regularly misused his assigned city vehicle to drive himself home and run personal errands. His work with the city ended shortly after…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Feb 11, 2020
Milky Way property zoned for single-family condos, with conditions
City Council has taken action on a zoning case at the city’s western edge that some residents and environmental advocates say could result in catastrophe. Before Council approved the request Thursday, Joyce Statz, president of Austin Firewise Alliance, framed the…
Zoning • By Ryan Thornton • Nov 5, 2019
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Guernsey announces retirement
After 34 years with the city of Austin, Greg Guernsey, director of the Planning and Zoning Department, announced his retirement Tuesday. Guernsey’s last official day is July 31, but he’s planning to take vacation time, so his last day in…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Jul 10, 2019
Infrastructure, financing studies signal progress for South Shore district
The city’s Planning and Zoning Department is looking to move forward on two pieces of long-overdue economic analysis needed to begin larger planning and development efforts around the portion of South Congress Avenue immediately south of Lady Bird Lake. At…
Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • Apr 17, 2019
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Despite progress, builders complain of long waits for permits
Among the many factors blamed for Austin’s affordability crisis are the city’s notoriously complicated development regulations. The development review process is so cumbersome, critics say, that builders have to hire agents to get their permits approved, creating a cost that…
Development • By Jack Craver • Aug 21, 2018
CodeNEXT testing: What to look for
Depending on who you ask, the testing of CodeNEXT, the rewrite of the city’s Land Development Code, is either an important exercise in moving the city toward more efficient construction or just an obscure game being played at City Hall.…
Land Development Code • By Jo Clifton • Jul 23, 2018
CodeNEXT: What's the plan, here?
After seeing the city spend five years and $8.5 million on CodeNEXT, some members of the Planning Commission are worried that the final product will be little more than a “plan to plan.” Currently, the commission is in the process…
Land Development Code • By Jack Craver • May 21, 2018
Despite staff objection, Slaughter zoning OK'd
Jim Wittliff of Land Answers Inc. represents the owner of two lots on Slaughter Lane, one of which is adjacent to a small residential street. After meeting with members of the Slaughter Lane Neighborhood Association last November, Wittliff told the…
