Stories by Ryan Thornton
Friday, December 27, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
City Council
Alter highlights progress in public safety in 2019
Out of all the work she’s accomplished this year, Council Member Alison Alter is particularly proud of what she’s brought to fruition in the realm of public safety. Beginning in January, Alter posted a resolution calling for a third-party audit…
Monday, December 23, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
City Council
Casar proud of victories in 2019, ready to prove value of progressive policy again in 2020
Council Member Greg Casar began the year defending several of the city’s workers’ rights ordinances at the 86th legislative session while pushing for adoption of Affordability Unlocked at City Council. Senate Bill 15 was known for its attack on the…
Monday, December 23, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
City Council
Kitchen optimistic about work begun in 2019 but committed to finding real solutions
From where Ann Kitchen sits, 2019 was a productive year at City Hall. After years of stagnation on major issues from homelessness and transportation to our clunky land use code, the Council member says the city buckled down this year…
Friday, December 20, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
City Council
Renteria appreciates slow but steady progress to affordable, equitable city in 2019
As he did in 2019, Council Member Pio Renteria will continue working to create a more integrated, walkable and resilient city in the next year. “Historically, Austin is a city that has been segregated, and we’re trying to change that,”…
Tuesday, December 17, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Transportation
Austin Transportation to set per-trip fee for dockless vehicles
The Austin Transportation Department’s dockless mobility program has decided on a per-trip vehicle fee that could result in an annual revenue boost of around $800,000. In a Dec. 10 memorandum, Robert Spillar, director of transportation, said the department has decided…
Thursday, December 12, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Land Development Code
Draft Land Development Code approved on first reading
Wrapping up a three-day effort, City Council approved the draft Land Development Code text and map on first reading in a 7-4 vote Wednesday afternoon. In accordance with Council direction, the code revision team will now work to compile and…
Thursday, December 12, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Zoning
Tarrytown food truck approved with change to neighborhood plan
City Council gave final approval to a Tarrytown zoning case on Thursday that also necessitated an amendment to the Central West Austin Combined Neighborhood Plan. Ideally, Council Member Alison Alter said, the applicant’s request – to make room for a…
Wednesday, December 11, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Development
Exception for RV park near Hamilton Pool put on hold
The Travis County Commissioners Court still hasn’t found the middle ground it’s looking for to grant a platting requirement exception for the Bentree RV Resort, a recreational vehicle park that would be developed less than a mile southwest of the…
Tuesday, December 10, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Land Development Code
Council sets off on long journey to code adoption
City Council took its first go at a first reading of the draft Land Development Code on Monday. Due both to the scope of the issue and scheduling conflicts, that attempt will now be spread out over today and Wednesday,…
Wednesday, December 4, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Land Development Code
Chief appraiser says market will determine whether code rewrite changes property values
City Council got some clarity Tuesday on the issue of property valuations under the Land Development Code rewrite. Chief Appraiser Marya Crigler of the Travis Central Appraisal District joined Council’s work session to offer context to a conversation Council members…
Tuesday, December 3, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Transportation
CAMPO 2040 plan, Stassney Lane overpass highlight common failures of multimodal projects
A recent brief from the Center for American Progress suggests the Austin region’s transportation efforts may ultimately work against its own stated priorities. Kevin DeGood, CAP’s director of Infrastructure Policy and author of the Nov. 13 brief, examined the Capital…
Wednesday, November 27, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
City Hall
Demolition permitting revision to get going in 2020
The Development Services Department is behind schedule in its effort to revise the city’s demolition permitting process. The department issued a report with nine recommendations for a new process in October 2018. At the time, the department expected to bring…
Tuesday, November 26, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Land Development Code
Garza says code needs ‘equity overlay’ to address historic development patterns
Reading through the draft Land Development Code over the last several weeks, Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza noted that, for all its pages and nuance, the draft has a blind spot around housing equity. Realizing there was no single tool…
Friday, November 22, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Planning
MLK crossing compromises Capitol Complex pedestrian concept
The Texas Capitol Complex is now well into the first phase of construction. Funding for the second of three phases was allocated during this year’s legislative session. The project lays out a grand vision of a “cultural gateway” linking the…
Thursday, November 21, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Zoning
Council makes first move for Tarrytown food truck zoning case
David Kanne, the owner of a Tarrytown multifamily residential lot, wants to build a family-friendly play area with a food truck over what today is a filled-in pool and patio on an underused corner of his property at 2401 Winsted…
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Transportation
City, Capital Metro, to consider new vision for Red Line trail
In the past week, the city of Austin and Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority have each passed resolutions to renew interest in creating a 32-mile transit- and trail-oriented corridor with hike and bike trails, parks, and easy access to transit stations…
Thursday, November 14, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Land Development Code
Council debates the potential impact of large-scale rezoning on property taxes
Some of City Council’s internal conflict over the Land Development Code may be tied to different understandings of how zoning and development affect residential property taxes. The code rewrite lead team told Council on Tuesday that many residents are worried…
Wednesday, November 13, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Parks
Council to consider park priorities, long-range plan
City Council will consider adoption of the Austin Parks and Recreation Long-Range Plan on Thursday, though not all Council members are sure the plan’s top priorities jibe with the city’s vision for housing, walkability and equity. If adopted, the plan…
