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New agriculture commissioner calls water top issue
Recently elected Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said Wednesday that he plans for the agency to play a more active role as it relates to water. “We’re going to have a water department, and we’re going to be…
Environment • By Tyler Whitson • Jan 26, 2015
Explainer: The long saga of the Garza Ranch case
Each week, the Explainer offers a closer look at stories we have been following. This week we look at the Garza Ranch. As part of their very first for-real, no-net meeting this week, Austin City Council members are set to…
Development • By Michael Kanin • Jan 26, 2015
Watershed Department maps it out in new guides
Though Austin’s new single-member district system has been actively in place for almost a month, there are undoubtedly countless details to be worked out. There are also opportunities for education, as the Watershed Protection Department has illustrated with a recent…
Environment • By Elizabeth Pagano • Jan 26, 2015
When is a carport a garage? Ask the BOA
At its last meeting, the Board of Adjustment considered whether staff had made an error by issuing a building permit at 904 Jessie St. David King, on behalf of the Zilker Neighborhood Association, made the appeal. In the end it…
Austin • By Elizabeth Pagano • Jan 26, 2015
Council hears feedback on restructuring proposal
The new City Council tested out a lot of ideas at Thursday’s meeting, giving members of the public the opportunity to comment on proposed legislative changes via Twitter, call-ins and online polls in an environment evocative of a television program.…
Austin • By Tyler Whitson • Jan 23, 2015
Lone Star Rail kicks off environmental study
A decade-old project to build a passenger rail line between the San Antonio and Austin areas picked up steam Wednesday with a public meeting of the Lone Star Rail Project. The meeting served as the kickoff to the project’s environmental…
Austin • By Gene Davis • Jan 23, 2015
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Council postpones salary debate until next week
On Thursday, City Council temporarily backed away from a plan that could have members voting to reduce their own salaries. Council members voted 11-0 to postpone action on the resolution until their Jan. 29 meeting. The resolution directs the city…
Austin • By Elizabeth Pagano • Jan 23, 2015
Union reps address Council on employment issues
City Council listened to representatives of the firefighters, police and EMS unions Thursday. Bob Nicks, president of the Austin Firefighters Association, and his attorney took the lion’s share of the time to complain about the city’s failure to listen to…
Austin • By Jo Clifton • Jan 23, 2015
Who Are the Powerful People in Your Neighborhood?
This story comes to us courtesy of our City Hall reporting partners at KUT. As you might have heard, and most probably have felt, Austin is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. But how it should handle that…
Austin • By Terrence Henry • Jan 22, 2015
Austin Monitor Radio: Isabelle Headrick on Source of Income
Isabelle Headrick of Accessible Housing Austin joins Monitor publisher Mike Kanin to talk about the City of Austin’s Source of Income discrimination ban. Program is embedded below. Sponsored by Kerby Lane Cafe.
Development • By Michael Kanin • Jan 22, 2015
City plans to repair cyclo-cross damage at Zilker
City staff has revealed a one-year plan that they hope will remediate tree and turf damage related to a national cyclo-cross championship held in Zilker Park earlier this month. Watershed Protection Department Environmental Officer Chuck Lesniak told the Environmental Board…
