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City, EMS union reach tentative labor agreement with wage increases

The city and the Austin Emergency Medical Services Association have reached a tentative labor agreement that moves the needle on medic salaries. The city announced Monday that both sides have agreed to a deal that, if approved, would give current…

EMS • By Nina Hernandez • Aug 30, 2023

Council hears plan to overhaul site plan review process

Few who have dealt with the city of Austin’s site plan review process would dispute that it’s cumbersome, time-consuming and expensive. But consulting firm McKinsey & Company, which analyzed the process and then outlined improvements for City Council at Tuesday’s…

Land Development Code • By Jo Clifton • Aug 30, 2023

Parks board to take an (ever-so-brief) pause on Zilker Park plan

Given the sudden collapse of the Zilker Park Vision Plan earlier this month, it’s little surprise that the city’s Parks and Recreation Board has disbanded its working group for the plan. However, the board did so this week with a…

Parks • By Elizabeth Pagano • Aug 30, 2023

City facing new legal challenge over Affordability Unlocked, other rules this week

The 18 plaintiffs who won a judgment against the city of Austin over its attempted rewrite of the Land Development Code in 2020 are going back to court this week. This time, they’ll attempt to overturn city regulations created in…

Courts • By Jo Clifton • Aug 29, 2023

Regulating plan for Austin's South Central Waterfront could be adopted this year

The long-awaited regulating plan to guide development patterns just south of the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge could arrive just as a handful of massive new projects in the area move forward for approval. A city memo released last…

Development • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 29, 2023

Austin mobility leaders praise land use changes in support of 50-50 transit shift

Transit leaders agree: Shifting half of all local travel away from individual vehicles by 2039 will require an aggressive mix of land use reform and expansion of transit options, including the Austin’s forthcoming light rail line. Exactly how those changes…

Transit • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 29, 2023

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Noise concerns amplify as I-35 expansion in Central Austin nears

Now that the expansion of Interstate 35 through Central Austin has cleared a final bureaucratic hurdle, the city can expect the project to resonate in more ways than one. Noise from heavy machinery will rumble day and night after construction starts…

Roads • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Aug 28, 2023

City champions electric bike-share as mode shift trailblazer

Four years into Austin’s commitment to have half its population choose alternatives to driving by 2039, the Transportation and Public Works Department is still hopeful its growing pains will eventually pay dividends. Division Manager Kirk Scanlon visited City Council’s Mobility…

Transportation • By Kali Bramble • Aug 28, 2023

Council committee gets drought update

Austin Water Utility officials didn’t promise any miracles during a briefing on the city’s drought response and water supply at last week’s Austin Water Oversight Committee meeting. As of Aug. 14, the city was in exceptional drought conditions that pushed…

Water • By Elizabeth Pagano • Aug 28, 2023

Ethics commission reprimands Velásquez

City Council Member Jose Velásquez has been found to be in violation of city code by the Ethics Review Commission, which voted Wednesday to issue a letter of admonition over failures to identify income and board tenure.  Following Velásquez’s recusal…

City Hall • By Elizabeth Pagano • Aug 25, 2023

Pilot program to give small, local businesses preferences for city contracts

In October, the city will begin a two-year pilot program that will attempt to give preference for some contracting opportunities for small and locally owned businesses. At Wednesday’s meeting of City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee, staff from the city’s…

City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 25, 2023

Public Safety Commission hears update on regional emergency response coordination efforts

The Public Safety Commission heard an update on the city’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and its collaboration with other public safety entities at the commission’s regular meeting on Aug. 7. The briefing was presented by HSEM Director…

Public Safety • By Nina Hernandez • Aug 25, 2023

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