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Council to consider Crestview valid petition case

On Thursday, City Council will be considering its first valid petition case in which the neighborhood opposes any zoning change for the property in question. Developer David Kahn is proposing to build a project of just under 70,000 square feet,…

Development • By Jo Clifton • May 13, 2015

City's 2014 heritage tree results a mixed bag

Austin’s heritage tree ordinance is effectively protecting the city’s healthy historical trees, though last year saw the loss of a considerable number of them due to poor health and related issues. That sums up what Keith Mars, environmental coordinator for…

Environment • By Tyler Whitson • May 13, 2015

Metz and Mabel Davis pools to remain open

This summer, the Parks and Recreation Department plans to keep open both Metz Neighborhood Pool and Mabel Davis Municipal Pool. Late last month, the department announced its intention to close the District 3 pools. Last summer, Mabel Davis lost 25,561…

Parks • By Elizabeth Pagano • May 13, 2015

AISD remains hopeful about school finance bill

Austin Independent School District trustees received good news Monday: A state bill restructuring school finance, House Bill 1759, still has wind in its sails. In the hour-plus monthly meeting with staff, AISD Intergovernmental Relations Committee members heard updates on several…

AISD • By Courtney Griffin • May 13, 2015

Audio: Kanin talks Zim with KUT's Jennifer Stayton

Here’s the tape from this morning’s discussion between KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Monitor publisher Mike Kanin about Council Member Don Zimmerman’s appointments, and the impact they’ve had on Council deliberations. This post has been updated to reflect the accurate spelling…

Austin • By Michael Kanin • May 12, 2015

CAMPO adopts 2040 Regional Transportation Plan

Austin’s history of doubling its population every 25 years or so presents a huge challenge to regional elected officials trying to predict the area’s future transportation needs. Despite this issue, the Transportation Policy Board of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning…

Roads • By Tyler Whitson • May 12, 2015

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Decker Golf gets first positive sign from committee

The City Council Committee on Economic Development gave supporters of a proposal for a PGA-style golf course at Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park their first victory Monday. The four-member committee voted unanimously to approve a framework for additional benefits for…

Development • By Jo Clifton • May 12, 2015

City, firefighters reach tentative agreement

After years of strife, the City of Austin and the Austin Firefighters Association successfully concluded the collective bargaining process Monday. Last November, City Council agreed to settle a lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Justice over alleged discrimination in the…

City Hall • By Elizabeth Pagano • May 12, 2015

Committee votes no on barbecue smoke ordinance

After hearing from several opponents of the proposed ordinance to require scrubbers on the smokestacks of restaurants that smoke meat, the City Council Committee on Economic Development voted unanimously Monday against supporting the ordinance. Council Member Ora Houston made the…

The Code • By Jo Clifton • May 12, 2015

Audio: The UT Dell Med School and its impact on the City of Austin

This is the full audio from the Monitor’s April 2015 UT Dell Med School panel discussion. Guests for the evening were Med School dean Clay Johnston, Austin Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo, Travis County Central Health President and CEO Trish…

Development • By Michael Kanin • May 11, 2015

Council tentatively extends large energy contracts

Austin Energy is stuck between a rock and a hard place, with the rock being the Texas Legislature and the hard place being the utility’s exhausted reserve funds. City Council is now working to wriggle the municipal energy provider out…

Energy • By Tyler Whitson • May 11, 2015

West Austin home demolition moves forward

In accordance with the owners’ wishes, the demolition of a West Austin home built in 1939 will be moving forward. “I think this is simply a case of a house that’s being demolished because it doesn’t fit somebody’s needs,” said…

Preservation • By Elizabeth Pagano • May 11, 2015

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