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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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BoA postpones case to better understand 10-foot setback implications

After combining two plots of land in the West Austin Sweetbrush neighborhood in January and agreeing to conform to city of Austin ordinances in the process, the owners of 2404 Sweetbrush Drive came before the Board of Adjustment on May…

Land Development Code • By Jessi Devenyns • May 17, 2019

Palm school

City eyes Palm School, bigger convention center

City Council Member Kathie Tovo, with assistance from Mayor Steve Adler, has produced a 23-page resolution outlining Council’s desire to create a plan for the southeast part of downtown, including use of the Palm School for cultural programming and expansion…

Planning • By Jo Clifton • May 16, 2019

Austin City Hall front

Cronk names team, spells out process for land use code rewrite

City Manager Spencer Cronk has selected the team that will handle the creation and adoption of the city’s new land use code, with the goal of completing the process by the end of 2019. In a memo issued Tuesday, Cronk…

Land Development Code • By Chad Swiatecki • May 16, 2019

getting towed

APD makes case for increased tow fee

The Austin Police Department says the city tow rate is due for an update. According to the department’s calculations, the current fee has fallen behind market rates and should be adjusted as soon as possible. While the city’s police tow…

Transportation • By Ryan Thornton • May 16, 2019

swimming pool

Mis-measured fence must come down to size, according to BoA

City code considers a swimming pool to be a backyard hazard that should be securely encircled by a solid fence – sometimes a fence that is higher than the 6-foot standard. However, a fence of increased height is only permitted…

Land Development Code • By Jessi Devenyns • May 16, 2019

Auditor says Austin Energy employee accepted utility poles from vendor

Investigators in the Office of the City Auditor have released a report showing that an Austin Energy supervisor asked for and received favors from a city vendor early last year. In the report, which was released Monday, an investigation found…

City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • May 15, 2019

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