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Downtown Commission wants city to open three new homeless shelters by 2020

The Austin Downtown Commission wants the city to push harder to create homeless shelters outside of downtown, asking City Council to create three satellite facilities by September 2020. The directive came as part of a recommendation passed unanimously at last…

Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • May 21, 2019

bcycle

B-cycle prepares for shift in leadership

In the wake of steady ridership losses and multiplying competitors, Elliott McFadden, executive director of the public bike-share system Austin B-cycle, has decided to step away from the bike rental program. McFadden notified B-cycle’s board of directors in mid-April that…

Bicycles • By Ryan Thornton • May 21, 2019

East Austin poised to gain a new local historic district

East Austin is on its way to anointing another local historic district. Amid support from dozens of neighborhood residents in the audience, the Historic Landmark Commission unanimously recommended the approval of the creation of a Robertson/Stuart & Mair Historic District.…

Preservation • By Jessi Devenyns • May 21, 2019

I35

Mayor Adler says more lanes on I-35 won't solve Austin's traffic woes – but it's a start

Austin Mayor Steve Adler wants you to know something. “I do not believe that adding lanes to I-35 … is the answer to congestion,” Adler said in an interview with KUT, saying that merely adding lanes will make traffic worse…

Roads • By Mose Buchele, KUT • May 21, 2019

AustinConventionCenter

Tourism Commission backs 2017 findings pushing convention center expansion

Signaling more possible momentum for a push to expand the Austin Convention Center, the city’s Tourism Commission has recommended City Council adopt a 2017 report outlining the benefits and possible frameworks for the project. At last week’s meeting, the commission…

Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • May 20, 2019

Lady Bird Lake

Despite zebra mussels, Austin’s waterways seeing a recovery trend

The news is full of horror stories about zebra mussels invading intake pipes and sediment causing city water to be of questionable quality. Yet statistics show that, overall, the waterways of Austin are regaining their health. According to Mateo Scoggins of…

Environment • By Jessi Devenyns • May 20, 2019

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Planning Commission decides how much office is too much office in a neighborhood

In Central Austin especially, neighborhoods evolve and zonings change. However, change is not always simple. The two owners of the properties at 1804, 1806 and 1808 W. Sixth St. came before the Planning Commission at its May 14 meeting to…

Zoning • By Jessi Devenyns • May 20, 2019

Reporter's Notebook: Trees and tribulations

Water woes… Out of the 33 water utilities in the South that deliver water to at least 400,000 customers, a new study by J.D. Power reports that Austin ranks 28th in terms of customer satisfaction with 707 points. San Antonio,…

Reporters' Notebook • By Austin Monitor • May 20, 2019

Austin Monitor Radio: ECHO's Ann Howard

Ann Howard, the executive director of the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO), sits down with Austin Monitor reporter Jack Craver this week to talk about recent initiatives, challenges and the current state of homelessness in Austin. To get the latest…

Radio • By Austin Monitor • May 20, 2019

Travis County bush

Many parents at risk of losing their children look to Travis County's Office of Parental Representation

Low-income criminal defendants aren’t the only people Travis County is required to provide with legal representation. Parents at risk of losing custody of their children are also afforded assistance at no cost from the county Office of Parental Representation. OPR,…

Travis County • By Jack Craver • May 17, 2019

power lines

Austin Energy says Decker employees will be prepared for transition

Belated plans to decommission two aging steam turbines at Decker Creek Power Station have brought into question the futures of the estimated 39 employees who will be out of work when the last steam unit shuts down in late 2021.…

Energy • By Ryan Thornton • May 17, 2019

map of the area

Planning Commission fails to recommend zoning change, citing proximity to hazardous materials

Abutting the Cypress Semiconductor manufacturing plant is an undeveloped 1.63-acre tract of land that is currently zoned commercial. This transition property connects the industrial tract to the east with residential developments closer to town. On May 14, Ferris Clements, an…

Zoning • By Jessi Devenyns • May 17, 2019

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