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Environment
Watershed Protection delivers long-awaited report on trash in creeks
The Environmental Commission heard a long-awaited presentation on trash in Austin creeks at its meeting last week. Two years ago, in response to a City Council direction, the Watershed Protection Department launched a comprehensive study on trash, including dockless mobility…
Water • By Nina Hernandez • Sep 27, 2022
Workers demand labor protections at Austin Energy base rate rally
It was an unusually lively morning outside Austin Energy Headquarters last Saturday, as a coalition of workers, environmentalists and community leaders gathered to air their grievances with the publicly owned utility. With a potential increase to residential rates on the…
Energy • By Kali Bramble • Sep 27, 2022
Environmental Commission recommends watershed code changes despite equity concerns
At its regular meeting last week, the Environmental Commission voted to recommend a group of watershed-related Land Development Code changes to City Council, along with a set of recommendations on public engagement and equity. The amendments to Title 25 of…
Environment • By Nina Hernandez • Sep 26, 2022
Are you an Austin Energy customer? Expect a $20 hike in your monthly bill starting Nov. 1.
Austin Energy says customers should expect to pay an extra $20 a month for their electricity starting in November. In a memo to City Council, the publicly owned utility said the increase is due to the rising cost of natural gas,…
Energy • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Sep 22, 2022
Featured Collection: Sixth Street
Stream reveals details of six possible new Sixth Street music venues
Stream Realty Partners is eyeing the possibility of turning at least six of its properties on East Sixth Street into music venues, including a plan to convert the former Buffalo Billiards space into a daytime food hall with music in the evenings.…
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Impartial examiner report backs up Austin Energy base rate proposal, but critics aren't giving up
As the November deadline to update utility rates approaches, the pressure is on for Austin Energy and its stakeholders to make their final arguments before city policymakers. Following the release of the impartial hearing examiner’s report earlier this month, participants…
Energy • By Kali Bramble • Sep 19, 2022
With new lakeside access, Lady Bird Lake trail is 'finally fully complete'
The city of Austin has officially opened a new section of the hike and bike trail along Lady Bird Lake. The quarter-mile stretch of trail connects what officials said was the last remaining gap in the 10-mile lakeside loop. Before…
Parks • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Sep 15, 2022
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Council rejects renaming Pan American park but adds plaque to honor Castillo
Toward the end of its Thursday meeting, City Council decided not to add the name of Tony Castillo to Pan American Neighborhood Park in East Austin, but to honor him with a plaque at the park instead. That vote was…
Parks • By Jo Clifton • Sep 7, 2022
Council to debate controversial rate increase for Austin Energy customers this fall
With stakeholders awaiting the conclusion of the hearing review process, City Council’s Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee heard updates Tuesday from the electric utility on what to expect as the 2022 base rate review case approaches the homestretch. Following a…
Energy • By Kali Bramble • Sep 2, 2022
Austin Police Department Budget, 2012-2022
During the 2020-21 budget process, City Council cut $31.5 million from APD’s budget, citing the protests and “community outcry against the disproportionate impact of police violence on Black Americans, Latinx Americans and other non-white ethnic communities,” according to the approved…
City moving ahead with five-year food security plan
The Office of Sustainability will soon begin recruiting community members interested in helping to create the city’s first comprehensive food plan, which is intended to address food scarcity and build up the community’s resilience to withstand natural disasters. The plan…
Resources • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 25, 2022
Parks board continues talks about alleviating 'flagrant' violations of leash laws
Austin’s Parks and Recreation Board recommended Monday to create more fenced off-leash dog areas in the hopes of decreasing the rising number of citizens allowing their dogs to roam parklands leash-free where they are not permitted to do so. Austin…
Parks • By Samuel Stark • Aug 24, 2022
Trash and scooters still clogging Austin creeks, study finds
The city’s attempts to keep garbage out of local creeks are still being stymied by discarded motorized scooters, according to the findings of a roughly six-month analysis of 20 watersheds throughout Austin. A memo released last week presented the findings…
Environment • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 23, 2022
Harper-Madison argues against increasing parkland fees
Austin’s residential parkland dedication fees, which the city uses to buy parkland, more than doubled last year as the price of land increased. Now city budget writers are proposing to double those fees again for 2023. Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison…
