New PUD proposed for S. Congress has full roster of environmentally friendly features

City Council members got their first look at a proposed planned unit development to be built at 311-315 S. Congress Ave., next to the Statesman PUD. Developers of the project, called the Firestone PUD after its current major occupant, are proposing…

Planning • By Jo Clifton • Nov 17, 2022

City staffers push back on proposed changes to compatibility

A proposal by City Council to reduce compatibility along major streets would make the city’s Land Development Code more complicated while doing little to increase housing supply, city staffers told the Planning Commission last Tuesday. “We’re very supportive of the direction…

Land Development Code • By Jonathan Lee • Nov 16, 2022

Double-decker highway coming to South Austin

Amid howls of protest and a legal challenge in federal court, the Texas Department of Transportation is plowing ahead with the first of three projects to widen Interstate 35 through Travis County. The I-35 Capital Express South project stretches from Ben…

Roads • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Nov 16, 2022

City still faces gap in first responder pay, benefits

After a presentation comparing first responder salaries and benefits, and a direct plea from an Austin-Travis County EMS medic, the city’s Public Safety Commission is recommending the city take another look at closing the compensation gap between paramedics and the…

EMS • By Nina Hernandez • Nov 16, 2022

E-bike rebates to double under proposed pilot program

The city will likely dramatically increase its incentives for electric bike purchases beginning next year with a new program that will double the rebates given for individual and fleet-level purchases. In a memo released this week from Jackie A. Sargent,…

Bicycles • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 16, 2022

APD has improved response to sexual assault cases but there's more work to do, report finds

While the Austin Police Department has improved its handling of sexual assault cases in some areas – like sending sexual assault kits for DNA analysis faster and correctly classifying more cases – there’s still room for improvement, a new report finds. Researchers…

Police • By Sangita Menon, KUT • Nov 15, 2022

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Which candidates will receive the city’s Fair Campaign money?

Runoff candidates who followed the rules for receiving disbursements from Austin’s Fair Campaign Finance Fund are expecting to receive thousands of dollars to help them in the Dec. 13 runoff election. Those candidates include Daniela Silva and Linda Guerrero and…

Elections • By Jo Clifton • Nov 15, 2022

Austin Energy rate case participants band together behind alternative proposal

The race for City Council’s blessing on 2023 electric rates is heating up, as parties in the Austin Energy base rate review case announced their own counter-settlement to the utility’s proposed rate design. The independent consumer advocate, John Coffman, along with…

Energy • By Kali Bramble • Nov 15, 2022

Builder: Without new affordability bonds, projects would be 'few and far between'

The new round of bonds providing $350 million to fund affordable projects couldn’t have come at a better time for developers of affordable housing in Austin. The combination of fierce land costs locally, inflation increasing construction costs on all housing…

Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 15, 2022

Planning Commission says no to extra parking for bar

The Planning Commission on Tuesday prevented a bar on Manor Road from building extra parking, as members expressed concern over encouraging drinking and driving. “I certainly think that more people driving to bars is not a good idea,” Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson…

Planning • By Jonathan Lee • Nov 14, 2022

EMS using medication-assisted treatment to reduce overdoses

Two Travis County programs are proving successful at reducing opioid overdoses and connecting people in need with treatment at a time when deaths from synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are on the rise nationally. Last week, the Public Safety Commission…

EMS • By Nina Hernandez • Nov 14, 2022

Police union revisits city’s proposal to expand civilian oversight as clock ticks down

The Austin Police Association will respond later this month to the city’s repeated demands to remove civilian oversight of the police department from the labor contract. In exchange, the union has asked the city to reconsider some of its earlier…

Police • By Emma Freer • Nov 14, 2022

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