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Most Popular Stories
- Parks Board recommends vendor for Zilker Café, while voicing concerns about lack of local presence
- City leaders evaluate surprising ideas for water conservation
- Audit: Economic official granted arts, music funding against city code
- Downtown Historic Resource Survey eyes seven new districts eligible for designation
- Austin is losing even more water to leaky city pipes than previously thought
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Unpermitted demolition stokes existential crisis at Historic Landmark Commission
Frustration was palpable at last week’s meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission, with yet another unpermitted demolition garnering little fanfare outside the Historic Preservation Office. The vacant lot at 4008 N. Lamar, once home to a 1926 residence converted for…
Preservation • By Kali Bramble • Oct 13, 2022
Report raises questions about campaign loan for District 9 candidate
Kym Olson has received little media attention since late August, when she designated a treasurer for her campaign for the District 9 seat on Austin City Council. Olson, who serves in the Texas State Guard as a protocol officer and…
Elections • By Jo Clifton • Oct 13, 2022
TipSheet: Austin City Council, 10.13.22
A discussion about scheduling at Tuesday’s City Council work session made it clear that local officials are acutely aware of the upcoming transition ahead. With at least four new representatives on the way, it’s starting to look like it’s time…
TipSheets • By Elizabeth Pagano • Oct 13, 2022
Council facing tough decisions on Austin Energy charges
Facing an increasing deficit in its collections for fuel costs to run Austin Energy, City Council must quickly make a decision about increasing the power supply adjustment that all customers pay. The matter is on this week’s Council agenda. While…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Oct 12, 2022
Police oversight office advocates for community input in updating police body- and dash-cam policies
The Austin Police Department should incorporate public feedback when developing policies related to body-worn and dashboard cameras, direct officers to alert community members when their interaction is being recorded, investigate potential violations of body-worn and dashboard camera policies, and reconsider…
Police • By Emma Freer • Oct 12, 2022
County mulls options to improve campus voting
While the county is doubling its number of voting machines on the UT campus this year, students and advocates are still warning of long wait times, sparse transit access and a lack of polling sites (hint: there are two). On…
Elections • By Seth Smalley • Oct 12, 2022
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City departments continue refining wildfire evacuation plan
Last week, City Council’s Mobility Committee learned about the regional response and evacuation plan that would go into effect in the event of a wildfire. “Wildfires know no boundaries and looking at what we’re doing in terms of coordination, we’re…
Fire • By Nina Hernandez • Oct 11, 2022
Landmark commission makes no exceptions for sign standards on Congress Avenue
Austin-based health care provider Curative will have to rethink its storefront design thanks to the Historic Landmark Commission, which unanimously voted last week to reject signage for the startup’s flagship clinic on Congress Avenue. The rejected proposal would have rendered…
Preservation • By Kali Bramble • Oct 11, 2022
Long Center makes sole bid to manage city's Live Music Fund
The Long Center for the Performing Arts appears almost certain to be named as the organization that will handle the application process and payments for recipients of grants from the city’s long-awaited Live Music Fund. The fine arts center was…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 11, 2022
ZAP recommends mixed-use zoning along Lakeline Boulevard over neighbors' objections
Despite objections from several neighbors, the Zoning and Platting Commission recommended a rezoning Tuesday that could bring a mixed-use development to Lakeline Boulevard. The property in question at 2610½ S. Lakeline Blvd. straddles the boundary between Austin and Cedar Park.…
Zoning • By Jonathan Lee • Oct 11, 2022
City, Central Health eye partnership for homeless respite care facility
The city may soon begin talks with Central Health and homelessness service providers focused on creating a permanent health care facility to aid those experiencing homelessness in recovering from significant illnesses and injuries. The state of respite care for the…
Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 10, 2022
$1,700, $2,900, $3,200 a month? What’s the real cost of rent in Austin?
The rent in Austin is too damn high. But how high? Recently, Axios published data showing the median rent in Austin is a whopping $2,930 per month. (That includes rental homes of all sizes.) Another report from Bloomberg published in July,…