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Report: ADU expansion, tax relief among city's options to promote preservation

Preservation advocates want the city to simplify the process for building accessory dwelling units, and use an ombudsman position to help navigate city processes as some of the steps needed to save existing housing stock while helping to address affordability.…

Preservation • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 20, 2023

Travis County bush

Travis County might create a probate court, but where is the money?

Travis County is one of the few large counties in the state with only a single probate court, but it may be adding a new one. The Travis County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a resolution last week to post a…

Courts • By Seth Smalley • Jan 20, 2023

City to look at electric vehicle building code updates

Austin’s building code may soon include updated provisions concerning electric vehicles and electric readiness for new construction. The city’s Resource Management Commission voted at its Jan. 17 meeting to recommend City Council initiate a public stakeholder process to develop rules…

Energy • By Nina Hernandez • Jan 20, 2023

Austin Water making progress but needs more employees

Members of City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee have reviewed the findings of a report detailing problems during four significant events at Austin Water’s Ullrich Water Treatment Plant between 2018 and February 2022, including three boil-water notices and a zebra…

Water • By Jo Clifton • Jan 19, 2023

Food plan committee balancing inflation worries against long-term needs

With food prices remaining persistently high as overall inflation levels continue to ease, the cost of food is likely to be one of many issues discussed in the coming weeks by the new group that will steer the creation of…

Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 19, 2023

Animal commission checks in on community cat backlog

The Austin Animal Center is working with the Austin Humane Society to increase its spay/neuter capacity and make progress on its backlog of calls about community cats, according to a report from the Animal Advisory Commission’s spay/neuter work group to the…

City Hall • By Nina Hernandez • Jan 19, 2023

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Request to build garage apartment for caretaker draws neighborhood opposition

A family’s request to allow an above-garage apartment for a caretaker of their special-needs son stoked controversy last Tuesday at the Planning Commission, when neighbors opposed a rezoning necessary to move the plans forward.  The family – Danielle Skidmore, her…

Zoning • By Jonathan Lee • Jan 19, 2023

Travis Heights residents put up a fight to preserve century-old fourplex

The Historic Landmark Commission kicked off 2023 with a bang last Wednesday, with nearly a dozen Travis Heights residents taking the stand to oppose demolition of a century-old home on the corner of East Monroe Street and Newning Avenue. The…

Preservation • By Kali Bramble • Jan 18, 2023

City working to maximize cap-and-stitch opportunities in final I-35 plan

As the Texas Department of Transportation proceeds with its Interstate 35 Capital Express project, the city’s cap-and-stitch program is working to maximize the amount of open space and other community amenities included in the final plan. At its Jan. 10…

Roads • By Nina Hernandez • Jan 18, 2023

Austin receives $2 million in federal funding for drug overdose prevention efforts

After a spike in the number of fatal drug overdoses last year, Austin is getting $2 million in federal funding for prevention programs, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) announced Tuesday. The money will be used to hire more peer-recovery coaches and for…

Public Health • By Haya Panjwani, KUT • Jan 18, 2023

Makeup of City Council committees slated for change

In addition to their work on City Council, Council members also serve on a variety of special committees, both within the city and with members from other entities, such as Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Travis County Commissioners Court.…

City Council • By Jo Clifton • Jan 18, 2023

Austin 911 is still strained by understaffing. Call takers brace for SXSW.

Austin’s 911 call center had about 200 calls on hold for hours on end New Year’s Eve and into the next morning. People waiting for emergency assistance were unable to get help. Those who hung up were bumped to the…

Public Safety • By Maya Fawaz, KUT • Jan 17, 2023

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