Federal judge orders halt to Oak Hill tree removal, for now

A federal judge last week ordered the state to temporarily halt the removal of nearly 200 trees to make way for a 12-lane road project through Oak Hill in Southwest Austin. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman will make a final…

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Monday, August 2, 2021 by Elizabeth Pagano

The Region

Defining Del Valle

When you look at a map, it’s pretty easy to distinguish man-made boundaries from the rivers and oceans that have been codified into borders. The edges of Austin have both kinds of boundary lines. Some lines on the map flow…

Monday, August 2, 2021 by Jonathan Lee

Zoning

Developer sidesteps valid petition, drawing Council members’ ire

Five City Council members voted against an affordable housing project in Northeast Austin after the developer skirted a valid petition by reducing the requested rezoning area. The case still passed on first reading Thursday, with six votes in favor, but…

Friday, July 30, 2021 by Jonathan Lee

Development

Council chooses developer for St. John Home Depot site

After years of community engagement, redevelopment of the city-owned St. John Home Depot site is finally happening. City Council Thursday voted unanimously to select the joint proposal from developer Greystar and the Housing Authority of the City of Austin. The…

Friday, July 30, 2021 by Jo Clifton

Budget

Council sets maximum tax rate

City Council took the first step toward setting next year’s property tax rate by voting Thursday to designate the maximum tax rate for Fiscal Year 2021-22 at 55.42 cents per $100 valuation. On a vote of 9-2, they followed staff…

Friday, July 30, 2021 by Seth Smalley

Housing

South Austin tenants aren’t getting evicted but still want answers

Tenants of the Rosemont at Oak Valley apartment complex, who had previously been given abrupt (though now rescinded) notices of their imminent evictions, still have unanswered questions for the Housing Authority of Travis County. Though the Housing Authority has since…