Stories by Elizabeth Pagano
Monday, May 21, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Reporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Overheard, signs of the times
And on and on… Last week brought a tentative update to the ongoing labor negotiations with the Austin Police Association. Those negotiations resumed after City Council voted against a proposed contract in December. Since then, police have been operating without…
Friday, May 4, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Planning
North Shoal Creek plan put on hold
Despite an overwhelming workload courtesy of CodeNEXT, Planning Commissioners managed to spend more than three hours discussing a plan centered on just one neighborhood at its most recent regular meeting.Neighbors have been pushing for a North Shoal Creek Neighborhood Plan…
Wednesday, May 2, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
City Hall
City Manager Spencer Cronk settles in
City Manager Spencer Cronk already has allergies. “When I first moved here, they hit me hard. I’ve never had allergies in my life,” he explained. “I haven’t gone to the doctor yet, but I’m pretty sure I either broke or…
Monday, April 30, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Radio
Austin Monitor Radio: District 8 candidate Bobby Levinski
This week, City Council candidate Bobby Levinski joins Austin Monitor freelancer Caleb Pritchard and editor Elizabeth Pagano to talk about why he wants to represent District 8. Listen in below to hear his take on CodeNEXT, MoPac and other issues…
Wednesday, April 18, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Radio
Austin Monitor Radio: District 9 candidate Danielle Skidmore
This week, Danielle Skidmore joins Austin Monitor freelancer Caleb Pritchard and editor Elizabeth Pagano to talk about why she’s running for City Council’s District 9 seat, how she prepared for the challenge, and what she hopes to tackle if elected.…
Tuesday, April 17, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Planning
BoA puts Bouldin variance on hold
There’s no use being coy at the Board of Adjustment. That’s the lesson one Bouldin Creek homeowner learned at its most recent meeting.Architect David Webber spoke on behalf of homeowners William Mass and Nancy Hellman. Webber was seeking a variance…
Monday, April 16, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Preservation
Mary Street historic district sails to Council
Travis Heights is one step closer to getting its first local historic district after a trip to the Planning Commission last week.The Mary Street historic district is a modest bid for a historic district that would cover just 2.5 acres…
Monday, April 9, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Radio
Austin Monitor Radio: District 1 candidate Natasha Harper-Madison
This week, Natasha Harper-Madison joins Austin Monitor freelancer Caleb Pritchard and editor Elizabeth Pagano to talk about why she’s running for City Council’s District 1 seat and what led her into local politics. To hear her take on local issues,…
Friday, April 6, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Land Development Code
Landmark commission drills down on CodeNEXT
As the final draft of CodeNEXT inches ever closer to City Council, city commissions are compiling their recommendations in preparation. This week, the Historic Landmark Commission took a look at the third draft of the Land Development Code rewrite at…
Thursday, April 5, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Planning
Grove PUD plan postponed
The Grove at Shoal Creek Planned Unit Development was back at City Hall for a moment this week. This time, the Zoning and Platting Commission postponed approval of its preliminary plan, with some commissioners citing unanswered questions about the plan,…
Monday, April 2, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Preservation
Eastside demo moves quietly forward
East Austin is losing another home to demolition. The demolition moved forward without a fight at the Historic Landmark Commission, where Historic Preservation Officer Steve Sadowsky noted he had put the item on the agenda because “I didn’t want to…
Monday, April 2, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Radio
Austin Monitor Radio: Dockless bike share
What is dockless bike share? Is it coming to Austin? City of Austin active transportation manager Laura Dierenfield and bike share program manager David Orr join Austin Monitor freelancer Caleb Pritchard and editor Elizabeth Pagano to answer those questions and…
Friday, March 30, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Preservation
Five new demolition permits released for Old West Austin homes
A modified plan for five homes in the West Line Historic District moved forward at the Historic Landmark Commission on Monday night, but it required a leap of faith on the part of commissioners.Originally, five demolitions were part of a single…
Monday, March 19, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Reporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Parking and … other … concerns
Still hanging around… We have it to thank for our intimate knowledge of celebrities’ lunches, Capital Metro’s train delays and the president’s spontaneous thoughts, so why not also give Twitter pre-emptive credit for helping to establish a working urban cable…
Thursday, March 15, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Preservation
Is a historic district on the way for Travis Heights?
If at first, second or third you don’t succeed, try something smaller. That might prove the key to a Travis Heights historic district.A local historic district has long been in the works for the South Central Austin neighborhood. For more…
Wednesday, March 14, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Courts
Court upholds majority of ‘sanctuary cities’ law
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Senate Bill 4 can remain in effect for the time being. Tuesday’s decision will allow the so-called “sanctuary cities” law to take effect while the case against it plays out.However,…
Tuesday, March 13, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Radio
Austin Monitor Radio: CodeNEXT Draft 3
In this week’s show, Planning and Zoning Director Greg Guernsey and Assistant Director Jerry Rusthoven sit down with Austin Monitor freelancer Caleb Pritchard and editor Elizabeth Pagano to talk about the third draft of CodeNEXT. This is the final draft of…
Friday, March 9, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
City Council
Council denies reappointment of five judges
Who judges the judges? On Thursday, it was City Council. Though there was very little dissent on the dais about a recommendation that left five judges without appointments, the public testimony that preceded Council’s vote was critical and, at times,…
Tuesday, February 27, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
City Hall
Judicial Committee recommends against reappointment of five judges
City Council’s Judicial Committee acted in swift unity Monday morning, voting unanimously to recommend a slate of Municipal Court judge appointments that did not include five sitting judges. The vote came after a change in the recommendation process and increased…
Tuesday, February 20, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Reporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Roses are red, violets are blue
He who speaks the loudest wins… During a discussion about a proposed public voucher program last Monday, it appeared that two camps were forming among the commissioners of the Charter Review Commission. There were those who lauded the equity promised…
