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Korean church rezoning fails without a motion

By declining to take action, City Council quickly scuttled a developer’s plans Thursday to build 70,000 square feet of office space and approximately 10 apartments in the Crestview neighborhood. Developer David Kahn purchased the site at Justin Lane and Cullen…

Development • By Jo Clifton • May 15, 2015

ACM Snipes placed on administrative leave

The Austin Monitor has learned that Austin City Manager Marc Ott has placed Assistant City Manager Anthony Snipes on paid administrative leave. The move comes after news broke that Snipes had organized a controversial training designed to help staff cope…

Uncategorized • By Elizabeth Pagano • May 14, 2015

City learns how to deal with angry women, men

An ill-advised city training session designed to teach staff how to deal with female City Council members has most of Austin talking, angry and wondering how it happened in the first place. That includes Council members. During the session, which…

City Hall • By Elizabeth Pagano • May 14, 2015

Council weighs homestead exemption equity

City Council is facing an array of difficult choices as it attempts to balance potential increases in the city’s homestead exemption tax with its upcoming budget needs. Following a Wednesday budget work session, Council members can add possible impacts on…

Budget • By Tyler Whitson • May 14, 2015

Council to delay Red Bluff Hotel variance hearing

Although City Council members are scheduled to hear an appeal today on a variance granted by the Planning Commission to allow construction of a new hotel on Red Bluff Road in East Austin, staff will likely seek a postponement to…

Development • By Jo Clifton • May 14, 2015

Expanded health insurance may cost too much

A memorandum prepared by City of Austin staff reveals that a potential plan to expand health insurance coverage to temporary and contract employees could cost close to $13 million. Human Resources and Civil Service Director Mark Washington sent the memo…

Budget • By Caleb Pritchard • May 14, 2015

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Council debates city's state legislative policies

With the 84th session of the Texas Legislature set to end June 1, the city’s Government Relations Office has kicked its lobbying efforts into overdrive. At the same time, City Council has opened a discussion about how the city determines…

City Council • By Tyler Whitson • May 13, 2015

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

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