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At the June 4 City Council meeting, Council Member Ora Houston voted against an Austin Water Utility contract with Austin White Lime that would allow the company to provide about 21.5 tons of lime per year to soften the city’s…
The proposed Bluebonnet Hills preservation district took its first step forward at City Council on Thursday. But will it be its last? After several hours of public testimony both for and against, Council voted to approve the district on first…
The question of how an urban farm should be used got heated at a meeting of the Planning Commission on Tuesday when a motion to grant a conditional use permit for outdoor entertainment and off-site parking at East Austin’s Springdale Farm…
Before the end of their 2015 session, the 84th Texas Legislature passed a bill that could add a new wrinkle to the standoff between the Travis County Commissioners Court and the Sheriff’s Office over the jailhouse video-visitation program. HB 549…
Austin’s single-use bag ordinance is helping residents reduce overall consumption by about 197 million single-use bags per year, but it has had unintended consequences including an increase in the number of thicker reusable bags in the recycling stream. That’s according…
Residents opposed to a proposed 65-room boutique hotel at 1207 East Cesar Chavez St. told the Planning Commission on Tuesday night that they do not want to see their neighborhood become “another Rainey Street.” At the meeting, several residents held signs…
Austin’s switch to a 10-1 government is costing the city money in unexpected areas. At a budget work session Wednesday, the city’s Support Services Department forecasted a $131,000 expenditure increase to fund ATXN, the city’s government access channel, as a result of…
The owners of a controversial house in East Austin’s Swede Hill neighborhood are taking their fight with the city to a Travis County district court. Last week, lawyers for Blake and Toria English filed a suit against the city of…
Capital Metro’s Operations, Planning and Safety Committee reviewed two major, multimillion-dollar contracts Monday for area rail lines that could increase revenue for the transportation entity. Melvin Clark, vice president of rail operations, said his staff reconfigured contractors’ responsibilities this year…
Two agencies that help provide affordable housing for Travis County’s most vulnerable residents are in dire financial straits, according to a study conducted by the County Auditor’s Office. The report notes that the situation at the Housing Authority of Travis…
At the conclusion of a Texas Legislative Session, Austin must inevitably sit back and lick its wounds. According to Interim Intergovernmental Relations Officer Karen Kennard, however, the city sustained far fewer direct blows to its local control this time around…
