Stories by Elizabeth Pagano
Tuesday, November 10, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Land Development Code
Board of Adjustment raises renovation cap in Rosedale
Generally speaking, Austin’s Board of Adjustment isn’t wild about granting variances from the Land Development Code to those who have bought their way into a preexisting situation. Luckily for one family in the Rosedale neighborhood, that’s not always the case;…
Wednesday, November 4, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Elections
Flannigan and Kelly to face off in December
District 6 is primed for a runoff between incumbent Jimmy Flannigan, who won just over 40 percent of the vote, and challenger Mackenzie Kelly, who earned just over 33 percent. Unlike other City Council districts, a significant portion of the…
Wednesday, November 4, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Elections
Alter, Virden will compete in runoff for District 10
As predicted, there will be a runoff in District 10, but in a somewhat surprising turn, the runoff will take place between incumbent Alison Alter and challenger Jennifer Virden. In order to avoid a runoff, candidates must win a simple…
Tuesday, November 3, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Health & Human Services
City tracks $450M cost of Covid
About eight months in, the Covid-19 pandemic has cost the city $449.9 million. The total, according to an Oct. 30 memo from Deputy Chief Financial Officer Ed Van Eenoo, represents the initial $271.6 spending framework approved by City Council in May…
Tuesday, November 3, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Planning
Plan for new Domain substation leaves Council, moves forward
City Council has approved a plan to construct a much-needed Austin Energy substation, hoping it will speed through the city’s zoning process with public input as quickly as possible. Mayor Steve Adler opened the discussion by stressing the urgency of…
Monday, November 2, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
City Hall
City ethics commission wrestles with access during pandemic
In its previous, pre-pandemic incarnation, the city’s Ethics Review Commission met in a back room of City Hall that was often jammed full of commissioners, accusers, defenders, and occasionally, reporters. But the meetings were open to the public, and once…
Monday, November 2, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Land Development Code
BoA consciously postpones Galindo variances
A request for two variances in the Galindo neighborhood forced Board of Adjustment members to think realistically about their future actions last month, and determine whether a postponement was really fair to the applicant. Lauren Jones, speaking on behalf of…
Wednesday, October 28, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Land Development Code
BoA holds off on approval for ‘flipped’ ADU plan
While a request to build an accessory dwelling unit larger than the existing home was not a sticking point, the lack of a preservation plan for a variance that hinged on preservation did present a problem for the Board of…
Thursday, October 22, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Land Development Code
Environmental benefits fail to win Board of Adjustment dock variance
The Board of Adjustment has made it clear that “the greater good” isn’t enough when it comes to getting an exception from the city to build a boat dock. The requested variance would allow the owner of 3002 Scenic Drive…
Thursday, October 15, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Zoning
Reworked Kemp Street rezoning continues to draw fire
Today, Austin City Council will take up a contentious Montopolis zoning case that opponents say will speed gentrification and wreak havoc on a nearby preserve. But supporters of the reworked plan for 508 Kemp St. tout the creation of affordable…
Monday, October 12, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Transportation
Memo reveals details of Grove traffic plan
The development is here, years have passed since its final contentious City Council hearing, and now a watered-down traffic program for the 75-acre Grove planned unit development is underway. The original $1.3 million transportation plan created jointly by the Bull…
Thursday, October 8, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Austin
Abbott allows Texas bars to open again
Texas bars will soon be allowed to open at 50 percent capacity indoors at the discretion of the presiding county judge, according to a new order from Gov. Greg Abbott. Abbott’s newest executive order applies to areas with “low Covid-19…
Wednesday, October 7, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Elections
Money flows into quiet races for Council
All Austin City Council candidates are required to file a campaign finance report 30 days before the election. Most of the candidates for the Nov. 3 election filed their reports Monday or a few days before. Despite the pandemic, there…
Thursday, July 16, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Elections
City Council candidates file campaign finance reports
Though the results of Tuesday’s election are still being tallied, Wednesday marked the day that campaign finance reports for City Council elections were due. In addition to casting their votes for president of the United States this year, Austin residents…
Tuesday, June 23, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Zoning
Montopolis rezonings draw community ire
The Planning Commission is scheduled to hear a cluster of five development cases in Montopolis today, and it hasn’t escaped the notice of community leaders. Eight separate addresses covering more than 10 acres of the Southeast Austin neighborhood are seeking…
Tuesday, June 16, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Health & Human Services
As Covid-19 cases spike, local officials stress caution and personal choice in slowing its spread
Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Public Health Interim Medical Director Dr. Mark Escott and Assistant to the Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt extended stay-at-home orders Monday in response to a surge in Covid-19 cases, and asked residents to reinvest in precautions to…
Monday, June 8, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
City Council
Council’s APD grant vote: What happened
After listening to nearly seven hours of heartbreaking testimony from Austinites traumatized by police violence during protests the last week of May, City Council took a vote approving more funds for the Austin Police Department. On its surface, the $430,685…
Monday, June 1, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
City Hall
City leaders respond to protests
Over the weekend, protesters across the country left their homes in a call for justice for George Floyd and other black victims of police brutality. In Austin, people turned out in an expression of solidarity and to demand accountability for…
Tuesday, May 5, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Elections
Casar to seek reelection
Council Member Greg Casar announced Monday that he will not be seeking Sen. Kirk Watson’s now-vacant District 14 seat. In early March, Casar explored the possibility of running for state Senate. However, that move was quickly overshadowed by the cancellation…
Tuesday, April 14, 2020 by Elizabeth Pagano
Austin
Austin, Travis County extend stay-at-home orders, which now require face coverings
Mayor Steve Adler and Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt have extended stay-at-home orders until May 8 and have expanded those orders to mandate that residents wear fabric face coverings during essential work and activities. According to a press release sent out…
