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Stories by Jessi Devenyns
Code compliance citation inspires historic restoration
After years of languishing in disrepair, a circa-1922 grocery store at 220 Comal St. was cited for code compliance issues, prompting the owners to file for a partial demolition permit to make repairs. In order to preserve the neighborhood building…
Preservation • By Jessi Devenyns • Jul 25, 2019
Water drainage fears force postponement at ZAP
Drainage engineering studies are site-specific and don’t always capture the concerns of adjacent properties. However, without addressing those concerns, a study doesn’t always tell the whole story. At the July 16 meeting of the Zoning and Platting Commission, Commissioner David…
Planning • By Jessi Devenyns • Jul 23, 2019
One year later: The new life of the old Onion Creek flood plain
Since 1999, the city of Austin has been working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to buy homeowners out of the Onion Creek flood zone. Last year, when the Watershed Protection Department completed the buyout program, 813 houses had…
Parks • By Jessi Devenyns • Jul 22, 2019
Environmental Commission gives Walter E. Long Park plan the green light, with conditions
Following the lead of the Parks and Recreation Board, the Environmental Commission unanimously approved the new master plan for East Austin’s Walter E. Long Park. The vote, however, came with a host of conditions. The commissioners expressed concern that the…
Parks • By Jessi Devenyns • Jul 19, 2019
Austin Energy plans to purchase more wind energy
The Electric Utility Commission unanimously recommended the approval of a new energy contract that would bring Austin Energy’s percentage of renewable energy up to 61 percent by the middle of 2021. That is only 4 percentage points below the City…
Energy • By Jessi Devenyns • Jul 19, 2019
Third time not the charm for River Place case at ZAP
At the end of Milky Way Drive there’s a 42-acre greenbelt buffering the River Place neighborhood from Balcones Canyonlands Preserve. Since 2015, there has been an ongoing debate over how best to develop that tract of land. The latest hearing…
Planning • By Jessi Devenyns • Jul 18, 2019
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Electric Utility Commission unanimously declares climate crisis must be addressed
In a unanimous show of hands, the Electric Utility Commission passed a resolution July 15 asserting that the time has come for Austin to declare support for climate change mitigation policies and to adopt its own resolution declaring a climate…
Energy • By Jessi Devenyns • Jul 17, 2019
Request to increase impervious cover for 12,000-square-foot home postponed by BoA
A couple building their dream home can find it disheartening to make it through the architectural design and site plan process, only to have an administrative hiccup put their plans on pause. John and Amy Porter, who own 1704 and…
Planning • By Jessi Devenyns • Jul 16, 2019
Planning Commission offers no recommendation on mobile home rezoning in airport overlay zone
Despite a City Council directive to identify mobile home parks with improper zoning and work toward aligning the zoning and the use on sites, in some instances city staff identified mobile home zoning as inappropriate and withdrew those sites from…
Zoning • By Jessi Devenyns • Jul 15, 2019
AW assures: Austin's lead pipes pose little threat
In the wake of the drinking water scandal in Flint, Michigan, the issue of lead in drinking water has come to the forefront of the nation’s – and Austin’s – attention. Until July 9, Matt Cullen of Austin Water said…
Water • By Jessi Devenyns • Jul 12, 2019
Board of Adjustment denies case in consideration of trees
On Monday night, trees became the centerpiece of a dock variance discussion at the Board of Adjustment. The property at 2710 Scenic Drive currently has a half-constructed boat dock, big enough for only one boat, that the new property owners…
Planning • By Jessi Devenyns • Jul 11, 2019
Cultural center variance goes before Board of Adjustment for a third time
When the Board of Adjustment voted last month to deny the reconsideration of a case and let their original judgment for a variance at 810½ San Marcos St. stand, it turns out that the vote negated their original vote of…