Austin Energy says customers should expect to pay an extra $20 a month for their electricity starting in November. In a memo to City Council, the publicly owned utility said the increase is due to the rising cost of natural gas, among other factors. Council members are expected to sign off on the rate increase next week. […]
2022
Posted inWhispers
How shall we roll?
Do you have an opinion on Austin’s urban trails, bikeways and sidewalks? The city is now offering community members a chance to use those opinions to shape the future of multimodal transportation with an open house and survey available through Oct. 23. The virtual open house runs through a couple of different scenarios for building […]
Posted inElections
Candidates for District 1 City Council seat chat with the ‘Monitor’
Four years ago, Natasha Harper-Madison won a runoff election to become the second-ever representative of City Council District 1. That year, the entrepreneur and mother of four bucked conventional wisdom by winning at the expense of better financed candidates. This cycle, the dynamic is completely different. Incumbent Harper-Madison has raised $113,973, while only one of […]
Posted inPlanning
Creative spaces, affordable homes possible for two city-owned East Austin sites
The city’s Housing and Planning Department has identified parts of city-owned parcels that could incorporate creative spaces and affordable housing for artists, with development plans likely to be handled by the Austin Economic Development Corporation. Mandy De Mayo, deputy director of the housing department, shared some basic details of the two projects at Monday’s Arts […]
Posted inHousing
Austin ISD is considering turning two properties into teacher and staff housing
Austin ISD is considering turning two of its properties into housing that teachers and other staff could afford as rising housing costs make it harder to retain and recruit employees. District officials have been holding public meetings on proposals for the Anita Ferrales Coy Facility in East Austin, the former Rosedale School in Central Austin, […]
Posted inWhispers
Early voting hours extended
In some good news for voters, Travis County has extended its early voting hours for the Nov. 8 election. Travis County Clerk Rebecca Guerrero proposed extending early voting hours at select polling locations during two days of early voting, and the county judge and commissioners gave the plan the green light. Guerrero said in a […]
Posted inWhispers
Slow down on Stassney
The city is urging motorists driving on East Stassney Lane to use caution due to construction intended to address pavement heaves and install shared-use paths. The project, which is addressing Stassney between Teri and Burleson roads, is in its first phase and is expected to be complete by fall 2023. A news release from the […]
Posted inPreservation
Castleman-Bull house resolution OK’d with changes
City Council approved a resolution from Council Member Kathie Tovo last week directing City Manager Spencer Cronk to study questions about restoring the interior of the historic Castleman-Bull House, which has sat vacant since the Austin Convention Center acquired and moved it to its current location at 201 Red River St. The building has sat […]
Posted inWhispers
Clean Water Action endorsements revealed
The environmental group Clean Water Action revealed its choices in a variety of City Council races on Monday. The group has endorsed Kirk Watson for mayor, Ken Craig for the District 5 Council seat, incumbent Paige Ellis to retain her District 8 Council seat, and Linda Guerrero for the District 9 seat. David Foster, who […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Because of compatibility, mini storage units block 10 homes in South Austin
The Board of Adjustment failed last Monday to approve a compatibility waiver that would have allowed 10 townhomes at 1609 Matthews Lane in South Austin. In order to build the units, the owner of the half-acre property requested a variance to compatibility, which limits the height of buildings near single-family homes and requires additional setbacks. Though […]
Posted inWhispers
Survey explores transit accessibility
Austin Transportation and Capital Metro have partnered up for a community engagement process that explores the public’s thoughts on various transit enhancements in the pipeline over the next few years, with a focus on transit accessibility. The agencies’ outreach efforts are intended “to improve the transit rider experience by implementing a range of infrastructure projects […]
Posted inElections
Council sends police oversight act to voters, despite concerns about delay
Voters will decide in May whether to expand civilian oversight of the Austin Police Department after City Council declined to pass an initiative petition during a Sept. 15 meeting, with some members expressing concerns about potential legal challenges. The political action committee Equity Action submitted 33,000 petition signatures to the city clerk on Aug. 8 […]