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Rally draws attention to criticism of SXSW artist pay

Union organizers for musicians took their criticism of South by Southwest’s artist payment practices to the street on Thursday, gathering outside the Austin Convention Center to rally and draw attention to their demand for increased compensation for the hundreds of…

Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 17, 2023

Zoning case at Planning Commission highlights ‘broken’ Land Development Code, prompts fixes from Council

A zoning case heard by the Planning Commission on Tuesday called attention to what commissioners called the city’s “broken” Land Development Code, which they said in effect forced them to recommend industrial zoning on an East Austin property in order…

Zoning • By Jonathan Lee • Mar 17, 2023

Animal Advisory Commission asks for city bat biologist

The Animal Advisory Commission has approved a recommendation that the city hire a bat biologist to manage and provide expertise on the various bat populations in Austin, including the popular colony under the Congress Avenue Bridge. “Bats are an extraordinarily…

Environment • By Ava Garderet • Mar 17, 2023

Hundreds of fish found dead in Shoal Creek after waterline break

Update: Austin’s Watershed Protection Department told KUT in an email Friday that staff have found about 300 dead fish now. “Last night’s storm pushed debris in the creek, along with the fish, toward an inlet where staff were able to…

Environment • By Haya Panjwani, KUT • Mar 17, 2023

Airport Advisory commissioners question jet-fuel storage monitoring plan

Members of the city’s Airport Advisory Commission questioned the independent monitoring plan for a new fuel storage facility being built at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. During a staff update on the project at its March 8 meeting, the commission heard a…

Environment • By Nina Hernandez • Mar 16, 2023

What's at stake in the Texas school voucher debate

Three terms are coming up over and over again this legislative session: school choice, school vouchers and education savings accounts. They’re all related to the goal of giving families state money to send their kids to nonpublic schools. One of…

Education • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Mar 16, 2023

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3D home printer opens $1M competition as 'affordability moonshot'

Austin-based 3D-printed home manufacturer Icon is looking for designers and college students from all over the world to propose advancements in architecture that could bring the cost of homes under $99,000. The company announced its Initiative 99 contest on Wednesday…

Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 16, 2023

End times near (for brush drop-off), says Travis County

Following a substantial decrease in demand, Travis County has announced that March 26 will be the last day Mansfield Dam Park will serve as a drop-off location for storm debris. Winter Storm Mara created an outsize need for debris disposal…

Travis County • By Seth Smalley • Mar 16, 2023

Texas Legislature could derail Austin's transit expansion

Austin’s slowly shrinking vision for a fast-moving urban rail system by the end of the decade is about to face a new challenge, one that could upend the voter-approved transit expansion: property tax warriors in the Texas Legislature. New bills…

Transit • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Mar 15, 2023

City Council takes step to restart Community Police Academy

After a three-year pandemic hiatus, the Austin Police Department’s Community Police Academy, a 14-week program designed for members of the public, may soon resume classes. City Council voted last week to direct city staff to report back on the possibility…

Police • By Emma Freer • Mar 15, 2023

Doggett celebrates federal funding to benefit Foundation Communities

At a Tuesday press conference, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett and Foundation Communities celebrated $3.5 million in federal funds that will go toward three of the local housing nonprofit’s programs serving low- and middle-income families in Austin. “Before affordability was a…

Housing • By Nina Hernandez • Mar 15, 2023

Council approves rule to allow more use of small lots

In 2016, City Council voted to close a loophole that allowed houses to be built on smaller lots than intended when the Land Development Code was adopted. At the time, some North Austin neighbors were complaining that they had been…

City Council • By Jo Clifton • Mar 15, 2023

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