Tag Archives: Austin City Council
Monday, June 26, 2017 by Austin Monitor
Reporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: What is equity, really?
There’s always a silver lining… If you only read the transcript of Mary Owens’ remarks to City Council during Citizen Communication on Thursday – and therefore could not hear the frustration and contempt conveyed by the tone of her voice…
Friday, June 23, 2017 by Jo Clifton
Austin
Council OKs $6.9 million in fee waivers for state
Despite Gov. Greg Abbott’s long list of proposed topics for an upcoming special session of the Texas Legislature that look a lot like Austin bashing, City Council voted Thursday to allow staff to negotiate an interlocal agreement with the Texas…
Thursday, June 22, 2017 by Jack Craver
Land Development Code
CodeNEXT proposes new program to bolster affordable housing
CodeNEXT, the proposed overhaul of the city’s Land Development Code, dramatically expands an existing city program that offers developers incentives to build housing reserved for low- and middle-income buyers and renters. In a presentation to City Council members on Wednesday,…
Thursday, June 22, 2017 by Audrey McGlinchy
Entertainment & Events
As city debates how to keep the peace, an expert explains how to keep things quiet
City Council members have delayed a vote on the so-called “agent of change” proposal, which would establish rules aimed at easing tensions between neighbors and music venues over amplified sound. An early version of the rules asked both new businesses…
Wednesday, June 21, 2017 by Jo Clifton
Texas State Legislature
Is a grueling special session ahead?
Brie Franco, the city’s intergovernmental relations officer, told City Council at Tuesday’s work session that although Austin had “some positive outcomes” during the just-ended legislative session, many of the items defeated by the city and its allies are likely to…
Tuesday, June 20, 2017 by KUT News
Courts
Mayor, City Council members hold news conference on ‘sanctuary’ suit
The city of Austin filed a motion in federal court Monday, seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the enforcement of Senate Bill 4, the state’s new law barring so-called “sanctuary cities.” Mayor Steve Adler called SB 4 unconstitutional and said…
Monday, June 19, 2017 by Austin Monitor
Reporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Best-laid plans
No two ways about it… yet… Like many, many other projects around town, the conversion of downtown’s Colorado Street to a two-way avenue will be delayed, albeit slightly. Crews have been reconstructing the street from the Governor’s Mansion on West…
Friday, June 16, 2017 by Jack Craver
Health & Human Services
Council narrowly approves controversial Central Health board nominee
By a one-vote margin, City Council approved the appointment of a new member to the Central Health Board of Managers after complaints about the nominee’s potential conflicts of interest. Council voted 6-5 to assign Julie Oliver, a division controller for…
Thursday, June 15, 2017 by Jo Clifton
Bonds & Propositions
Talk starts for 2018 city bond election
City Council got a first look during its work session on Tuesday at an initial list of staff bond proposals that could go to voters in November of 2018. That list included a total of $640 million in bonds, with…
Thursday, June 15, 2017 by Syeda Hasan
Housing
Study could shed more light on housing discrimination in Central Texas
The federal Fair Housing Act aims to protect people from discrimination when renting, buying or financing a home. Despite those protections, the reality is that housing discrimination persists in many cities, and today City Council will consider a review of…
Wednesday, June 14, 2017 by Jo Clifton
Public Safety
Casar: End curfew law that targets minorities
Seventy-six percent of teenagers accused of juvenile curfew violations from 2014 through 2016 were minorities, with Hispanics making up the majority of those cited by the Austin Police Department, according to the department’s own records. The law prohibits persons under…
Wednesday, June 14, 2017 by Jack Craver
Land Development Code
What businesses are coming to your neighborhood under CodeNEXT?
Mayor Steve Adler continues to assure the public that City Council still has ample time to “calibrate” CodeNEXT. The reassurance is in response to myriad concerns about how the proposed overhaul of the city’s Land Development Code will impact neighborhoods.…
Monday, June 12, 2017 by Jo Clifton
Development
Council hears all about plumbing rules
City Council heard arguments Thursday from supporters of the Uniform Plumbing Code, which included members of the city’s commission on plumbing matters, and supporters of the International Residential (plumbing) Code, which included other plumbers, representatives of the home builders association…
Monday, June 12, 2017 by Austin Monitor
Reporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: This week in conflict management
Fighting for privacy in the nude… During a special City Council meeting Wednesday, John Miki, one of the consultants leading the proposed overhaul of the city’s Land Development Code, described some of the community divisions over development that he encountered…
Friday, June 9, 2017 by Jack Craver
City Council
Council rejects gun rights advocate for commission
City Council took the rare move Thursday of rejecting a nomination to a citizen commission over the nominee’s controversial statements. Only two of the nine members of Council present voted to support appointing Michael Cargill, the founder of Central Texas…
Friday, June 9, 2017 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
Hotels to join music venues, residents in revamping ‘agent of change’ proposal
Representatives from Austin’s music venues, neighborhood groups and hotel industry are expected to begin meeting next week to rework the city’s long-gestating “agent of change” policy intended to reduce friction between those three interest groups. That charge was the result…
