Animal Services to take community-centered approach to lost pets

In some parts of Austin, runaway pets are likely to stay lost. That’s what an analysis by the city’s Animal Services Department has found. While roughly one animal for every 100 residents gets brought into a shelter citywide, three ZIP…

BoA backs city in 'structural trellis' case

A bid to change the way the city allows homes to be attached to each other fell short at the Board of Adjustment’s most recent meeting, despite widespread skepticism toward the central idea that an arbor is a “structural element.”…

At Travis County, CTRMA's park-and-ride proposal hits another pothole

The Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday pitched a second strike against an elaborate plan to build eight new transit-oriented parking lots along Central Texas toll roads. County Judge Sarah Eckhardt’s decision to defer action on the proposal put forward…

County considers calls to preserve Montopolis Negro School building

A group of activists scurrying to preserve a segregation-era schoolhouse brought their case before the Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday. Led by East Austin advocates Fred McGhee and Susana Almanza, the group urged the court to help protect the…

Midcentury modern demolition brings dysfunction to the fore at Historic Landmark Commission

Ideological tension at the Historic Landmark Commission bubbled to the surface Monday over the proposed demolition of a midcentury modern home built in the 1950s. Commissioners were evenly split on whether to release the demolition permit for the home at…

TCAD trying to make appraisals more equitable

Many taxpayers have charged that the current property tax system is unfair because it penalizes longtime homeowners with a higher tax bill when their neighborhoods start to gentrify. One of those homeowners is City Council Member Ora Houston. During Council’s…

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With $90 million up for grabs, Visitor Impact Task Force faces hefty charge

The city’s new Visitor Impact Task Force hopes to accomplish several goals in the next four months, all of them having to do with how the city can best grapple with the growing number of tourists coming to Austin each…

Williamson County upends park-and-ride plans

The Williamson County Commissioners Court last week refused to go along with an ambitious plan aimed at planting eight new park-and-rides along Central Texas toll roads. The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority cooked up the proposal last month in partnership…

Council moves toward Austin Oaks PUD approval

Shortly after approving the contentious Grove at Shoal Creek planned unit development on Thursday, City Council took an important step toward approving another West Austin development that has divided neighbors over concerns about traffic, environmental protection and neighborhood preservation. In…

Plaza Saltillo project postponed again

The redevelopment of the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Plaza Saltillo tract is still in City Hall limbo. The Planning Commission on Tuesday postponed a hearing on the developer’s request to rezone the project. According to sources familiar with the case,…

Planning Commission approves South Austin rezoning despite traffic, flooding concerns

Despite opposition from neighbors, the Planning Commission last week voted to support the rezoning of a South Austin property to allow condominiums and townhouses. At its Dec. 13 meeting, the commission unanimously approved the rezoning of 4507 and 4511 Vinson…

Reporter's notebook: Old endings, new beginnings

Love actually… Bob Gedert, who has served as director of Austin’s Resource Recovery Department since 2010, is retiring for love. Following his final appearance before City Council on Thursday, Gedert was standing outside Council chambers when the Austin Monitor caught…