Council members grill Austin Energy over plans for new building

City Council members expressed concern at Tuesday’s work session over the transparency of the route taken by Austin Energy officials in search of roughly $9 million to design a new headquarters building in East Austin and an additional $5.2 million…

Development • By Michael Kanin • Jun 11, 2014

Transportation staff puts $400 million in road projects on the table

Austin Transportation Department Director Robert Spillar Tuesday presented Austin City Council members with a menu of options for road improvement projects that might grace a potential November 2014 city transportation bond. The full price of all the projects – much…

Transportation • By Michael Kanin • Jun 11, 2014

Tovo, Martinez disagree with Mayor over rejection of incentive deals

After learning Monday that National Instruments and Dropbox terminated economic incentive agreements with the city, Austinites learned Tuesday that a third company, U.S. Farathane, also ended its participation in the program which gives companies tax breaks or fee waivers in…

Development • By Jo Clifton • Jun 11, 2014

Commissioners scrap petition to challenge commercial appraisals

Over the past two weeks, there has been a quickly escalating debate over the whether the Travis County Commissioner Court should file a challenge petition with the Travis Central Appraisal District regarding the undervaluation of county commercial properties.   However,…

Development • By Beth Cortez-Neavel • Jun 11, 2014

West Lake Hills’ planner’s actions under ethical spotlight

Actions of a former West Lake Hills City Council member and former city planner are raising ethical and legal concerns since it appears he is representing a client he may have begun a business relationship with while still employed by…

Development • By Jo Clifton • Jun 11, 2014

Austin Monitor Radio, Show 2

Travis County Chief Appraiser, Austin City Council Member Kathie Tovo, and Travis County Intergovernmental Relations Coordinator Deece Eckstein join the Monitor‘s Mike Kanin and Beth Cortez-Neavel to talk property tax appraisals.

Development • By Michael Kanin • Jun 10, 2014

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Environmental Board OKs redevelopment in Barton Springs zone

The Environmental Board gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up to redevelopment plans in the Barton Springs Zone Wednesday night.   Parkside Community School is moving from its current Toomey Road location, where rising rents have become unmanageable, to a new home at…

Development • By Elizabeth Pagano • Jun 10, 2014

DOJ, city seek order to resolve hiring dispute over firefighters protest

The U.S. Department of Justice and the City of Austin filed a joint motion in U.S. District Court Monday seeking a consent decree to resolve claims that the city has discriminated against African-American and Hispanic firefighter candidates.   In the…

Public Safety • By Michael Kanin • Jun 10, 2014

National Instruments nixes expansion; Mayor calls incentive rules onerous

National Instruments, the Austin-based high-tech firm with a global reach, has opted out of an estimated $7.4 million economic development deal with Austin, Travis County and the State of Texas. The deal, struck in mid-2013, would have brought as many…

Development • By Mark Richardson • Jun 10, 2014

ZAP rejects neighborhood’s plea to keep new traffic off their street

The Zoning and Platting Commission heard a plea from a group of South Austin residents to keep traffic from a proposed development off their street, but the panel said no to their concerns.   Most of the neighbors who spoke…

Development • By Elizabeth Pagano • Jun 9, 2014

Capping I-35 could provide substantial economic benefit for city

A study commissioned by city staff shows that one plan floated recently to cut traffic congestion – taking a portion of Interstate 35 underground through central Austin – could bring the city millions of dollars in new property tax revenues,…

Local Government • By Mark Richardson • Jun 6, 2014

Demographer says city’s rapid growth a complex statistical issue

Austin’s growth has received a lot of attention over the past few years. The pace of that growth certainly warrants attention – but are we seeing it clearly? The Austin Monitor sat down with City Demographer Ryan Robinson to try…

Development • By Elizabeth Pagano • Jun 6, 2014

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