Stories by Laurel Chesky
Report renews hope for annexing areas into water conservation districts
A draft report released late last month by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) staff may revive wilted ambitions to absorb areas of southwestern Travis County and western Comal County into existing groundwater conservation districts (GCDs). The Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer…
Uncategorized • By Laurel Chesky • Oct 22, 2009
TCEQ waters down proposed rule to protect aquifer from effluent
The state’s environmental agency is offering a proposal to protect the Barton Springs end of the Edwards Aquifer from damage caused by wastewater effluent, but those who proposed the rule in the first place say the draft regulation proposed by…
Uncategorized • By Laurel Chesky • Oct 16, 2009
Aquifer district explores wastewater reuse to save on groundwater
The Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District is investigating the idea of letting two of its largest commercial permit holders replace water they’re drawing from the aquifer with treated wastewater. Texas Lehigh Cement Company and Centex Materials, both located in…
Uncategorized • By Laurel Chesky • Oct 13, 2009
Landscape architects get their well but can’t pump until drought is over
At a time when Central Texans are being asked to curtail their water use, the public has little stomach for those who keep the sprinklers on. An Aug. 17 Austin American-Statesman article revealing the city’s highest residential water users, including…
Uncategorized • By Laurel Chesky • Sep 28, 2009
Parks, Environmental boards discuss dying trees at Barton Springs
What Austin Parks and Recreation Department staff viewed as a request for decisive action seemed to others as a bad case of déjà vu. “Are we really talking about cutting down trees at Barton Springs again?” asked one frustrated citizen.…
Uncategorized • By Laurel Chesky • Sep 22, 2009
Investors hear some gloom, a glimmer of hope at ABA seminar
A group of real estate professionals painted a somewhat gloomy picture punctuated with a glimmer of hope for investors at a land development seminar on Friday. The annual seminar, held at the downtown Omni Hotel by the Real Estate…
Uncategorized • By Laurel Chesky • Sep 22, 2009
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Board passes new rules to better protect Barton Springs end of Edwards Aquifer
Revisions to the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District’s rules and bylaws will help the agency respond more effectively to drought conditions, district officials say. The rule changes were passed on a 4-1 vote by the district’s board of directors Thursday…
Uncategorized • By Laurel Chesky • Sep 14, 2009
Austin One Stop Shop service slow but slowly improving, audit finds
The city’s One Stop Shop (OSS) office received a less-than-stellar report card from the city auditor. In a report presented to the City Council Audit and Finance Committee last week, auditors reported that the Austin OSS fell short in many…
Uncategorized • By Laurel Chesky • Sep 3, 2009
City boards get earful from both sides in Bull Creek off-leash debate
About 30 residents showed up at a public hearing last night to bark about plans to rescind Bull Creek District Park’s designation as an official off-leash dog park. The city of Austin Parks and Recreation and Environmental boards held a…
Uncategorized • By Laurel Chesky • Sep 1, 2009
Barton Springs board allows SOS to contest Kyle water permit
Last December, when the City of Kyle filed an application to double its draw of water from the Barton Springs portion of the Edwards Aquifer, city officials may have been counting on the winter rains to dilute the inevitable opposition…
Uncategorized • By Laurel Chesky • Aug 28, 2009
Audit shows nearly $300K in telecomm fees going astray
Local telecommunication service providers owe the City of Austin more than $283,000, according to a city audit report. That may not be enough to stave off property taxes and fee hikes, but its money the city sure could use. …
