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Most Popular Stories
- Former Council Member and dedicated environmentalist Jackie Goodman has died
- Texas lawmakers finalize bill limiting property owners’ right to protest new homes nearby
- A multi-family rezoning at the rugged edge of Northwest Austin
- As Acacia Cliffs rezoning is approved, Critics say Council has sold out on its affordability commitments
- City delays decision on license plate reader program
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Chief appraiser says market will determine whether code rewrite changes property values
City Council got some clarity Tuesday on the issue of property valuations under the Land Development Code rewrite. Chief Appraiser Marya Crigler of the Travis Central Appraisal District joined Council’s work session to offer context to a conversation Council members…
Land Development Code • By Ryan Thornton • Dec 4, 2019
Council members support using hotels to house homeless, but are wary of locations and quick timeline
Austin City Council members say they’re concerned about the timeline, placement and funding strategy for a plan to expand efforts to buy and retrofit hotels to house homeless Austinites. Last month, Council OK’d a plan to buy the Rodeway Inn…
City Council • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Dec 4, 2019
AFD, union still at odds over interlocal agreement
Bob Nicks, president of the Austin Firefighters Association, and Austin Fire Chief Joel Baker are locked in a battle over whether the city should sign on to a new mutual aid agreement with emergency services districts in both Travis and…
Fire • By Jo Clifton • Dec 4, 2019
Affordability committee moves forward as Realtor group sounds home price alarm
Members of the Regional Affordability Committee are continuing their work updating the group’s strategic plan for improving housing options, while another group tied to the Austin housing market has called for decisive action to keep housing prices from growing at…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 4, 2019
Public Safety Commission pushes for an independent investigation into 'endemic' racism and homophobia in APD
Last month, City Manager Spencer Cronk announced that attorney Lisa Tatum would investigate allegations of racism among the executive staff of the Austin Police Department. The investigation follows complaints that APD Assistant Chief Justin Newsom used the N-word to refer…
Police • By Jessi Devenyns • Dec 3, 2019
CAMPO 2040 plan, Stassney Lane overpass highlight common failures of multimodal projects
A recent brief from the Center for American Progress suggests the Austin region’s transportation efforts may ultimately work against its own stated priorities. Kevin DeGood, CAP’s director of Infrastructure Policy and author of the Nov. 13 brief, examined the Capital…
Transportation • By Ryan Thornton • Dec 3, 2019
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South Austin zoning could be a game-changer
“This is going to be a game-changer for South Austin,” Council Member Pio Renteria told his colleagues, as they voted to allow a developer to turn an industrial site near the intersection of Interstate 35 and Ben White Boulevard into…
Zoning • By Jo Clifton • Dec 3, 2019
Austin Monitor Radio: Project Connect
This week, we talk about Project Connect, the joint effort of Capital Metro and the city of Austin to expand transit connectivity in the greater Austin area. Jackie Nirenberg, the community engagement manager with Capital Metro, and Anna Martin, an…
Radio • By Austin Monitor • Dec 3, 2019
Austin Humane Society moves forward with 15-year expansion plan
The Austin Humane Society has been in its current facilities for 25 years. However, as Austin continues to grow, the shelter finds itself in need of an expansion to accommodate its own increasing populations. “We’ve outgrown our space,” said Frances…
Planning • By Jessi Devenyns • Dec 2, 2019
Neighbors win Open Meetings suit again
Once again, the city of Austin finds itself on the losing end of a legal battle over public information. Last week, the 14th Court of Appeals sided with the Lake Austin Collective, which sued the city for failing to give…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Dec 2, 2019
ULI sees progress on affordability, with drawbacks, in latest LDC draft
Urban Land Institute Austin has weighed in on the draft Land Development Code, with a white paper that asserts the city’s proposed changes in housing types, design standards and affordable housing programs won’t go far enough to add enough new…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 2, 2019
Commissioners approve exemptions for RV development
The Travis County Commissioners Court said yes last week to a proposed RV park that was facilitated by an exemption to certain development regulations county staffers believe are not necessary for homes on wheels. “What we’re trying to recognize is…
