Reporter's Notebook: Peacocks and loose lips

Wherever you go, there you are… Though it seems that former Austin Energy General Manager Larry Weis is eager to put Austin behind him, it looks as though he may be taking a bit of his history with him to…

Austin Monitor Radio: CM Ann Kitchen on TNCs

Austin City Council Member Ann Kitchen joins Austin Monitor publisher Mike Kanin to talk about her thoughts on transportation networking companies such as Uber and Lyft. The post is embedded below. Austin Monitor Radio is brought to you by Austin…

KUT Interview: The Austin City Council 10-1 system after year one

The first Austin City Council elected under the city’s new geographic district system was sworn into office on January 6, 2015. After about a year in office, how are things going? Is the system of ten geographic districts – rather…

Council to soon consider public restrooms downtown

Everyone has to use the restroom, but sometimes it can be frustrating to find somewhere to go, especially if you are in downtown Austin. To help alleviate this problem, the City Council’s Health and Human Services Committee has directed the…

Prehearing held in Austin Energy rate review

Austin Energy stakeholders provided feedback Thursday in a prehearing on the rules of a legal proceeding that will kick off later this month as part of the utility’s ongoing rate review. Attorney Alfred Herrera, the impartial hearings examiner in the…

PUD changes advance despite commission stalemate

Changes to the city’s Planned Unit Development policy are moving forward as quickly as promised, but they will be doing so without a recommendation from the Planning Commission. If approved by City Council, the proposed amendment to the city’s Planned…

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Board rules former cat palace can stay

There was opposition from the neighborhood association, but that wasn’t enough to keep the Board of Adjustment from a unanimous decision to allow one Zilker neighborhood resident to keep her Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) in place in her backyard. Tracy…

Mandatory pet sterilization not recommended to help reduce number of animals in shelters

Austin animal owners should not be forced to spay or neuter their animals, said Chief Animal Services Officer Tawny Hammond in a briefing before the City Council Health and Human Services Committee. The presentation, which comes just as Austin is about…

Citizens plead for affordability from CodeNEXT

About 30 members of the public took the opportunity Tuesday night to address CodeNEXT, the citizens advisory group for rewriting Austin’s land development code. The majority of those speaking asked the panel to do something about Austin’s affordability problems. “We…

Planning Commission punts controversial Thornton Road project to Council

Neighborhood activists appeared to score a partial victory Tuesday when the Planning Commission voted to forward a controversial proposal for a major development on Thornton Road to City Council without a recommendation. Although a majority of commissioners present voted to…

Commissioners Court discusses PID policy

The Travis County Commissioners Court waded deep into the weeds of a policy marsh on Tuesday and emerged on the other side a little closer to an agreement that could have significant rewards for construction workers and the affordable housing…

Disparate treatment of women comes back into focus at City Hall

Last spring, Austin found itself in the national spotlight when news broke about a training session held with the intent of helping city staff cope with a female-majority City Council. Though the repercussions were quick for then-assistant City Manager Anthony…