Council to disperse quarter-cent fund "equitably"

On Thursday, City Council took the first step in a plan to disperse the $21.8 million remaining in the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Quarter-Cent Fund “equitably across all Council districts” for transportation and mobility improvement projects. In a resolution, Council…

Council cuts 2.3 city positions

City Council approved cuts to long-vacant city positions Thursday, but the result didn’t come close to the budget savings first envisioned. The effort to eliminate positions that had been vacant for more than a year was led by Council Member…

Committee proposes delay on drainage fee

With pressure mounting for City Council to adopt a new drainage-fee structure in the face of legal and budgetary concerns, the Public Utilities Committee took up the issue Wednesday but made no official recommendation to Council. The ordinance that the…

Council to consider settling with WTP 4 contractors

After years of public discussion and argument, the city built Water Treatment Plant 4 and it began operating six months ago with little fanfare. There is just one piece of business remaining for completion of the plant and its financing.…

Popular infill project stalls at BoA

Time invested, neighborhood support and a convoluted city code won’t get you a variance at the Board of Adjustment. But they might buy you a little time. James Schoenbaum is the owner and manager of the proposed development at 614…

Committee circles accessory dwelling unit changes

The City Council Planning and Neighborhoods Committee took on accessory dwelling units at its Monday meeting. Though members acknowledged they had a lot of work to do on the ADU ordinance, at their most recent meeting they largely steered clear…

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AISD stalls on employee raises

Austin Independent School District board members heard better budgeting news Monday but still could not come to an agreement on employee raises. The wrong decision could mean “draconian” cuts in future years. Chief Financial Officer Nicole Conley presented board members…

Concrete pouring ordinance may need more time

City staff’s proposed restrictions on notoriously loud and bright overnight concrete pouring at downtown sites may not be ready to hit the ground yet. That’s according to a discussion City Council had at its Tuesday work session ahead of a…

Griffin School enrollment causes trouble at City Hall

Last week, Austin’s Griffin School went to the Board of Adjustment to ask for a variance crucial to its continued operation. Griffin is a private liberal arts school at 5000 Martin Ave. in Hyde Park that teaches students in grades…

Transition group will begin posting meetings

It was never intended to be a committee. But the City Council committee on committees, also known as the transition committee and the Transition Work Group, has met at least twice without the usual notice to the public, video recording…

Staff seeks more funding to finish Waller Tunnel

City management is asking City Council for the authority to issue $5.6 million in Certificates of Obligation in order to finish construction work for the main inlet facility of the Waller Creek Flood Control Project. But they are hoping to…

Advocates say concrete pouring doesn't belong in the Music Division

The mournful hum of an industrial concrete mixer, it could be argued, makes for a lousy piece of music. Yet writing sound-impact plans for new concrete projects falls under the purview of the city’s Music and Entertainment Division. These plans…