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Harvey revives flooding concerns about CodeNEXT

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the land use commissions questioned staff on how CodeNEXT would address local flooding at their Aug. 29 joint meeting. “Austin came real close to having another catastrophe this (past) weekend. Real close,” Zoning and…

Planning • By Joseph Caterine • Aug 31, 2017

Whose job it is to provide recycling in Austin parks?

Austin’s Universal Recycling Ordinance mandates that by Oct. 1, all commercial properties in Austin will be required to provide recycling. However, open spaces, including public parks, are not included in the current ordinance, which leaves the Parks and Recreation Department…

Parks • By Jessi Devenyns • Aug 31, 2017

Adler attacks plan to move hotel tax money

Mayor Steve Adler made clear at Tuesday’s work session that he would try to derail Council Member Ellen Troxclair’s plan to reallocate money from the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue when it comes up for City Council consideration on Thursday.…

Austin • By Jo Clifton • Aug 30, 2017

Central Health concerns continue to stymie Commissioners Court

On Tuesday the Travis County Commissioners Court once again failed to reach a compromise that could satisfy all parties involved in the seemingly interminable controversy over transparency at Central Health. Before the court was a review of the new financial…

Travis County • By Caleb Pritchard • Aug 30, 2017

Council looks to Waller Creek TIF for homeless funds

City Council is looking to tax increment financing, a tool designed to address urban blight, as a way to address homelessness in downtown Austin. Council is considering extending the life of the Waller Creek Tax Increment Financing Reinvestment Zone for…

City Council • By Jack Craver • Aug 30, 2017

Trustees cast doubt on success of UT partnership program

At its Aug. 28 meeting, the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees approved an interlocal agreement with the University of Texas at Austin to renew the Literacy First program at 22 Austin schools for the coming school year, but…

Education • By Joseph Caterine • Aug 30, 2017

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City welcomes Harvey survivors, helps Houston

Mayor Steve Adler on Monday sent out a message of welcome to survivors of Hurricane Harvey seeking shelter in Austin. During a news conference at the Delco Center, the mayor said the state has asked Austin to take in 7,000…

Austin • By Jo Clifton • Aug 29, 2017

Vision Zero reports detail progress; crash data mostly unchanged

A pair of documents delivered to city officials last week show that the plan to eliminate all Austin traffic deaths and serious accidents by 2025 is proceeding, and this year’s accident data suggests the effort hasn’t moved the needle in…

Transportation • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 29, 2017

Capital Metro greenlights millions more for MetroRail

The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority will spend $65.7 million to install federally mandated safety upgrades along its commuter rail line. The agency’s board of directors voted unanimously on Monday to hire Modern Railway Systems to augment the 32-mile Red Line…

Transit • By Caleb Pritchard • Aug 29, 2017

Limits of land use code exposed in unique zoning case

An application for commercial zoning at the corner of a North Austin neighborhood elicited a tiresome recommendation from the Zoning and Platting Commission at its Aug. 15 meeting. Commissioners had to go item by item through a list of zoning…

Planning • By Joseph Caterine • Aug 29, 2017

Commission finds itself at CodeNEXT crossroads

Only a few weeks before the scheduled release of CodeNEXT Draft 2.0, the Planning Commission at its Aug. 22 meeting took a step outside of business as usual and considered the alternatives in proceeding with the revamp of the city’s…

Land Development Code • By Joseph Caterine • Aug 28, 2017

Accelerator targets city's 'screaming crisis' of housing affordability

A new program from the Impact Hub Austin social improvement accelerator has set its sights on solving the growing affordability crisis facing Austin’s middle- and lower-income communities. The Affordable Housing Accelerator held its kickoff event last week and brought together…

Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 28, 2017

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