More neighbors sued over restrictive covenant

Attorneys for Mark Dawson Homes have made good on the threat to sue 61 homeowners in the Crestview neighborhood’s Meadowlawn subdivision, claiming that the lawsuit is the only avenue they have to remove a restrictive covenant that might prevent the…

County creates first PID, possibly setting up showdown with city of Austin

City Council is now on the clock to determine whether it wants to be the spoiler for Travis County’s first-ever public improvement district. The Commissioners Court voted on Tuesday to approve the creation of the WildHorse Ranch PID in far…

CAMPO vote signals the oncoming end for Lone Star Rail

The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization gave the Lone Star Rail District (LSTAR) an all but fatal kick in the caboose on Monday night. Members of the CAMPO Transportation Policy Board overwhelmingly voted to begin the process that will remove…

Elysium Park angst: From City Hall to Israel

Last Thursday, many of those watching the City Council meeting were left befuddled by an exchange that took place late in the meeting over a proposed affordable housing project at 3300 Oak Creek Drive. Both the developer and the neighborhood…

Austin Energy defends its rate proposals to Council

City Council members didn’t have a whole lot to say on Monday during their first hearing regarding the electricity rates that Austin Energy, the city-owned electric utility, has proposed for the next five years. Convened as the Austin Energy Utility…

Austinites to receive incentive for storing rainwater

Property owners who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to store rainwater will start to receive a discount on their drainage fees next year. The Watershed Protection Department has proposed the change in an attempt to create an…

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Neighbors seek to block new mental health clinic in North Austin

A group of neighbors in Northeast Austin is seeking to stop a mental health clinic from coming to their area, saying they are concerned about the safety of children at a nearby elementary school. Austin Travis County Integral Care, the…

City arborists need reinforcements

It’s easy to imagine that Austin’s trees are a natural feature of the city, but the abundant greenery lining the streets is actually protected and maintained by a tiny army of arborists. And, with new buildings being built every day,…

Martinez jumps on the mobility bond bus

Former City Council Member Mike Martinez has plunged back into local politics in order to support former rival Mayor Steve Adler’s $720 million transportation bond proposal. Addressing a packed press conference at City Hall on Friday, Martinez said he was…

Reporter's Notebook: Resignations and resignation

“Sent using OWA for iPhone”… On Friday, the Austin Monitor reported that Neighborhood Housing and Community Development department executive Steve Ritchie had quit, following the sudden retirement of Director Betsy Spencer over the public release of allegations of harassment and…

Austin Monitor Radio: Mayor Steve Adler on a potential 2016 transportation bond

Austin Mayor Steve Adler joins Austin Monitor publisher Mike Kanin to chat about a potential November 2016 City of Austin transportation bond. Post is embedded below.

Embattled manager quits housing department

By Jo Clifton and Cate Malek Facing allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation, Steve Ritchie, the embattled chief of construction and development for the Neighborhood Housing and Community Development department, submitted his resignation on Thursday. In July, department Director Betsy…