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Stories by Jessi Devenyns

Texas’ oldest psychiatric facility faces demolition but is eligible to be a historic landmark

This past legislative session, lawmakers identified the Austin State Hospital as a top health care funding priority and set aside $165 million for its refurbishment. Texas Health and Human Services and the University of Texas at Austin’s Dell Medical School…

Pioneer Crossing PUD changes course, adding parkland

Having passed through and received an approval recommendation from the Zoning and Platting Commission on Sept. 17 for its 14th amendment, the Pioneer Crossing planned unit development arrived at the Environmental Commission on Oct. 2. A 376-acre portion of the…

Developer offers extra parkland to speed construction

Pioneer Crossing at 10930 Defender Trail is an old, undeveloped planned unit development that City Council approved in 1997. A history of foreclosures and bankruptcy has left the 1,410-acre parcel fragmented between various owners. Nevertheless, the site is still beholden…

Planning Commission votes in favor of protecting future ears from airport expansion

Generally speaking, residential use is prohibited within the airport overlay zones. The exception is the third zone (AO3) of the airport overlay, which under certain circumstances permits residential development. “We don’t just meet one of the three thresholds, we meet…

State law leaves the Historic Landmark Commission in gridlock

Getting a property zoned historic when the owner opposes it requires a supermajority vote at City Council. Yet even getting such a case before Council is an endeavor that requires the support of the Historical Landmark and Planning commissions. Prior…

Historic Herrera homestead heads to Council with Planning Commission approval

It’s rare that a structure is zoned historic against an owner’s wishes. According to Preservation Austin, it has happened only three times since 1974; however, that number may be about to grow to four. Following in the footsteps of the…

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Historic Landmark Commission contemplates bending rules for influential Mexican American activist

Sometimes a house is more than a home. In the case of Edward Rendon Sr., his home served as a community center that some say is as meaningful to the neighborhood today as it was 40 years ago. Rendon was…

Masonic Lodge construction plans may never satisfy Historic Landmark Commission

For three months in a row, the Historic Landmark Commission has made it clear that the design for a modern addition to the Royal Arch Masonic Lodge on the corner of Seventh and Lavaca streets will not easily get its…

Community concerns with teeth: Council postpones vote on animal-related code changes

Austin is the largest no-kill city in the country and residents would like to keep it that way. Yet some have expressed concern that maintaining the animal shelter’s no-kill status could come at the expense of community safety. Although much…

Planning Commission endorses West Campus density

When the University Neighborhood Overlay (UNO) was established in 2004, the idea spurring its creation was to increase housing opportunities for students in an area close to classrooms and campus life. In the 15 years since, the need for affordable…

Should hotel taxes and festival fees contribute to public safety coffers?

Austin’s festivals are most certainly a tourist attraction. But does that mean the public safety costs associated with those events should be financed through money earmarked for arts and tourism? With Council’s vote to raise the Hotel Occupancy Tax by…

Environmental Commission recommends Council include Atlas 14 update in code rewrite

Atlas 14 is a historical rainfall study that alters the city’s flood plains drastically, showing that Austin is projected to receive a 30 percent increase in rainfall. Nevertheless, the study is not something that can change development on its own.…

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