Stories by Jessi Devenyns
Board of Adjustment members file grievance against former assistant city attorney
On Monday, Board of Adjustment Chair William Burkhardt and former Board Member Bryan King, with the support of Board Member Don Leighton-Burwell, filed a complaint with the State Bar of Texas against former Assistant City Attorney Brent Lloyd. The complaint…
City Hall • By Jessi Devenyns • Jun 4, 2019
Start of summertime brings trash to Austin's greenbelts
Austin’s greenbelts, though beautiful, have had a fraught history of visitors contaminating the wild beauty of the Central Texas landscape with their trash. At the May 28 meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board meeting, Board Member Rich DePalma brought…
Parks • By Jessi Devenyns • Jun 3, 2019
Austin’s Google Fiberhood smaller than promised
In 2013, with much fanfare, Google announced the arrival of Fiber in Austin, with promises of providing free Google Fiber services to 102 city buildings. But the internet giant has succeeded so far in providing that service to only 28…
Uncategorized • By Jessi Devenyns • May 31, 2019
Citing discrimination, City Council considers changing homelessness ordinances
City Council has decided it is time to take a hard look at the city’s policies associated with homelessness and take dramatic action. The homeless population in Austin is continuing to grow as the city’s population swells. According to the…
City Council • By Jessi Devenyns • May 30, 2019
Historic Landmark Commission postpones demolition of home, has questions about integrity
A picture may be worth 1,000 words, but it does not always clearly tell the story of the integrity of a century-old structure. Such is the case for the Herrera family home at 1805 E. Third St. At the May…
Uncategorized • By Jessi Devenyns • May 29, 2019
Historic Landmark Commission discovers code interpretation error
At its April meeting, the Historic Landmark Commission postponed the case for 1400 Winsted Lane in search of more context for the property. Instead, staff returned with a new reading of the code that could change how the commission does business…
Preservation • By Jessi Devenyns • May 28, 2019
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Annexation causes confusion over property zoning at ZAP
Before being annexed into the city of Austin in 1984, the half-acre lot at 9606 Swansons Ranch Road operated as a commercial lot with a gunsmithing business and later a seafood business. After annexation, the parcel of land, which was…
Zoning • By Jessi Devenyns • May 24, 2019
ZAP recommends rezoning AISD property for commercial use
Austin Independent School District’s Rosedale School is a special institution that serves students of all ages with severe disabilities, including children who are medically fragile or who need intensive behavioral support. Many of these special-needs children require intensive medical care,…
Zoning • By Jessi Devenyns • May 23, 2019
Eureka Holdings to begin repairing I.Q. Hurdle House
After a surprising turn of events last month brought the I.Q. Hurdle House from a demolition-by-neglect case to a Certificate of Appropriateness approval for maintenance and repairs, the Historic Landmark Commission expressed enthusiasm that the fate of the property was…
Preservation • By Jessi Devenyns • May 23, 2019
East Austin poised to gain a new local historic district
East Austin is on its way to anointing another local historic district. Amid support from dozens of neighborhood residents in the audience, the Historic Landmark Commission unanimously recommended the approval of the creation of a Robertson/Stuart & Mair Historic District.…
Preservation • By Jessi Devenyns • May 21, 2019
Despite zebra mussels, Austin’s waterways seeing a recovery trend
The news is full of horror stories about zebra mussels invading intake pipes and sediment causing city water to be of questionable quality. Yet statistics show that, overall, the waterways of Austin are regaining their health. According to Mateo Scoggins of…
Environment • By Jessi Devenyns • May 20, 2019
Planning Commission decides how much office is too much office in a neighborhood
In Central Austin especially, neighborhoods evolve and zonings change. However, change is not always simple. The two owners of the properties at 1804, 1806 and 1808 W. Sixth St. came before the Planning Commission at its May 14 meeting to…
