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Planning Commission rebukes city staff in Blackland rezoning

The Planning Commission voted to endorse five townhouses just south of Manor Road despite a recommendation from city staff against the development. The property at 2107 Alamo St. is currently occupied by an aging duplex. The owner, Anmol Mehra, wants…

Planning • By Jack Craver • Mar 7, 2019

City expands money, eligibility for creative space assistance

The city has nearly quadrupled its funding and expanded accessibility for a 2017 pilot program to assist creative spaces at risk of closing due to rising rents or maintenance issues. The Creative Space Assistance Program has more than $750,000 available…

Uncategorized • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 7, 2019

Council-mandated sexual assault process review comes before Public Safety Commission

After City Council ordered an independent review of the Austin Police Department’s handling of sexual assault cases, the city manager’s office went straight to work. Staffers requested proposals from non-governmental entities with expertise in the prosecution of the crime to…

Public Safety • By Jessi Devenyns • Mar 6, 2019

County indigent defense grant still on the table

Austin is currently the largest city in the country with no traditional public defender office. Travis County wants to change that, but efforts so far have been unraveled by personal and political disagreements within the Indigent Legal Services work group,…

Travis County • By Ryan Thornton • Mar 6, 2019

City begins process of spending $925 million in bonds

Spending money is not always easy. Four months after voters approved $925 million in bonds to fund housing, parks, transportation, fire stations and a wide assortment of other municipal priorities, city staff and City Council are beginning the process of…

Bonds & Propositions • By Jack Craver • Mar 6, 2019

House Speaker Pelosi says attempted voter purge in Texas shows need for stronger federal protections

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a visit to East Austin on Tuesday to promote sweeping voting reform legislation currently before Congress. Among other things, House Bill 1 would ensure online voter registration or automatic registration for citizens across the country.…

Local Politics • By Ashley Lopez, KUT • Mar 6, 2019

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In Austin, violent crime is down but hot spots persist

As Austin continues to experience explosive growth as it transforms into one of the nation’s larger metro areas, concerns about big-city-sized crime abound. However, despite meteoric growth, overall violent crime is down. Ron MacKay, the crime analysis division manager with…

Public Safety • By Jessi Devenyns • Mar 5, 2019

Can Austin get dedicated transit lanes without losing car lanes?

Mayor Steve Adler and Capital Metro Transportation Authority leaders say it is critical that Austin put in place a high-capacity public transit system that runs in a dedicated right-of-way, but that the new system does not have to come at…

Transit • By Jack Craver • Mar 5, 2019

Sexual assault survivor accuses Travis County prosecutor of lying about her case

Lawyers for a woman who says she was sexually assaulted in Austin are asking a court to force Travis County prosecutors to answer questions and provide evidence after learning of a prosecutor’s phone call they say defames the woman. Emily…

Courts • By Nadia Hamdan • Mar 5, 2019

Brush Square Master Plan gets wholehearted approval from HLC

Brush Square may be the least memorable of the four original squares designed as part of the 1839 Waller Plan. Today, thanks to a new master plan, that may be about to change. Kim McKnight, a planner with the Parks and…

Planning • By Jessi Devenyns • Mar 5, 2019

Commission drills down on Grove at Shoal Creek park plans

After years of contentious planning, the Grove at Shoal Creek has broken ground and begun construction on the first two blocks of residences of this mixed-use development in central Northwest Austin. The plan for the accompanying parkland remains under discussion. At…

Planning • By Jessi Devenyns • Mar 4, 2019

City electric water heating restrictions not plugged in to affordability, climate reality

The Joint Sustainability Committee is asking the city to reconsider an outdated prohibition on electric water heating as part of the upcoming code rewrite process. The committee passed a resolution Feb. 27 claiming the prohibition is a barrier to affordability…

Energy • By Ryan Thornton • Mar 4, 2019

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