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Most Popular Stories
- A plan to end night swimming at Barton Springs is over before it ever began
- Two Years after the Austin Police Oversight Act passed, Community Police Review Commission finally meets
- Austin moves forward with plan for parks over I-35
- External review finds data inconsistencies in APD reporting on use of force
- Audit cites city failures to address discrimination, harassment
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'Downtown puzzle' plan sets aside millions for Austin music
City Council endorsed one new plan for hotel occupancy taxes last week. At the end of this month, it will take up another. Last Tuesday’s release of Mayor Steve Adler’s Initial Financing Framework for Downtown Investments – known colloquially as…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 6, 2017
Audit: Health inspectors found napping on job
Investigators from the Office of the City Auditor found that three restaurant inspectors were wasting city resources by exercising, shopping, napping and misstating the times they actually spent inspecting restaurants. According to the audit, in January, the auditor’s office received…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Sep 5, 2017
Casar issues call for citywide paid sick days
This Labor Day, a group of community advocates and leaders gathered to celebrate the holiday with a push for more progressive employment legislation in Austin. The group, led by Council Member Greg Casar, issued a call for City Council to…
City Council • By Elizabeth Pagano • Sep 5, 2017
Aquatic Master Plan Task Force moves forward
It’s no secret that Austin city pools are on life support. Last month, City Council put off a vote on the dense and troubling Aquatic Master Plan. Instead, Council members created a task force to take a closer look at…
Parks • By Jessi Devenyns • Sep 5, 2017
Reporter's Notebook: A doozy of a notebook
A doozy of a day… Council Member Ora Houston is a consistent advocate for citizen input. But that doesn’t mean she has to enjoy it. “Thank you Jesus,” she muttered to herself when City Council voted at 9:40 p.m. Thursday…
Reporters' Notebook • By Austin Monitor • Sep 5, 2017
Council supports reducing HOT funds for convention center, visitors bureau
After a lengthy public hearing featuring scores of public speakers on all sides of the issue, City Council unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday night in support of diverting millions of dollars generated by hotel occupancy taxes from the Austin Convention…
City Council • By Jack Craver • Sep 1, 2017
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Fred Lewis appointment stirs controversy
Fred Lewis, an attorney who served as the main architect of the city’s new lobbying ordinance, surprisingly became the center of an ethics controversy on Thursday when City Council appointed him to serve on the 2018 Charter Review Commission. Lewis…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Sep 1, 2017
Council delves into liquor politics
A proposed liquor store in Northwest Austin still faces long odds due to intense opposition from surrounding neighbors, but it won a key procedural victory Thursday when City Council voted to give the property owner another chance to make his…
Zoning • By Jack Craver • Sep 1, 2017
Single-family occupancy limits drop back to four in CodeNEXT second draft
There is a two-sided nature of the CodeNEXT drafting process. On the one hand, staff and third-party consultants meticulously work through the details of the new land use code on a daily basis. And, on the other, the land use…
Land Development Code • By Joseph Caterine • Sep 1, 2017
Federal judge blocks Texas' ban on 'sanctuary cities'
A federal court in San Antonio has blocked Senate Bill 4, Texas’ so-called “sanctuary cities” law. U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia said, “The best interests of the public will be served by preserving the status quo and enjoining, prior to…
Courts • By Stephanie Federico • Aug 31, 2017
Housing advocates want a bigger housing bond
With Austin facing an affordable housing crisis, city leaders are hoping that taxpayers will OK tens of millions of dollars to fund the construction of low-cost apartments and houses as well as repairs to homes for Austin’s low-income and working-class…
Bonds & Propositions • By Jack Craver • Aug 31, 2017
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…
