Tag Archives: Austin City Council
Thursday, October 18, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Energy
AE seeks code change to support fast car charging
Austin Energy estimates that there were 5,873 electric plug-in vehicles in its service territory as of Sept. 30. Karl Popham, AE’s manager for electric vehicles and emerging technologies, told City Council during Tuesday’s work session that about 85 percent of…
Wednesday, October 17, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Texas State Legislature
Property taxes, Austin Energy top city’s worry list
Once again, the city of Austin, along with other large Texas cities, will face a grueling task as the 2019 legislative session begins in January.Intergovernmental Relations Officer Brie Franco told City Council during Tuesday’s work session that she and the…
Thursday, October 11, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Elections
IndyAustin raises funds to fight Precourt, Adler
IndyAustin’s specific-purpose political action committee reported raising nearly $30,000 in their campaign finance report filed on Tuesday.IndyAustin recently started gathering signatures for a petition to trigger an election on the city’s deal with Precourt Sports Ventures, which plans to bring…
Thursday, October 11, 2018 by Jack Craver
Elections
One month from election, candidates report fundraising figures
Reports from each candidate for mayor and City Council were due at the Office of the City Clerk on Tuesday. Mayor Steve Adler reported raising nearly $140,000 for the latest time period. His total raised for the current race is…
Wednesday, October 10, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Preservation
Council denies West Austin historic zoning
A divided City Council declined last week to zone a West Austin house as historic, but the owners have agreed to renovate the house in Italian Renaissance Revival style, so that it satisfies them as well as the neighborhood and…
Monday, October 8, 2018 by Ryan Thornton
Budget
City grants crucial funding to arts organizations
Austin’s art advocates are breathing a little easier since Thursday afternoon, when City Council approved a resolution to award crucial funds to eligible arts organizations for Fiscal Year 2018-19.A total of $8,602,688 will be distributed among the organizations listed here.The…
Monday, October 8, 2018 by Jack Craver
Housing
Council debates how to convert downtown property into affordable housing
Almost every member of City Council agrees that the city should use two pieces of prime downtown real estate for affordable housing. However, questions and potential disagreements remain about how the land should be used to provide housing.Some Council members…
Friday, October 5, 2018 by Ryan Thornton
City Council
City Council votes: Manchaca to become Menchaca
Austin City Council voted Thursday afternoon to rename South Austin’s Manchaca Road to reflect its allegedly historically accurate spelling: Menchaca.While the issue may appear to be too simple for debate, the vowel in question is a placeholder for a much…
Friday, October 5, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Austin
Downtown restroom contract OK’d
On Thursday City Council directed staff to execute a contract with Blue Chem Inc. for waste removal services at a city-owned portable toilet downtown. The initial two-year contract is for $330,000, but if the contract is extended to five years…
Tuesday, October 2, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Elections
Adler, Tovo top list of endorsed candidates
Since the race began, it has looked like Mayor Steve Adler would have an easier path to victory than his major opponent, former Council Member Laura Morrison. His incumbency and better name ID are factors, and another is his personal…
Monday, October 1, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Elections
ANC releases Council scorecard
Last week, the Austin Neighborhoods Council voted to endorse the group’s former president, Laura Morrison, for mayor. They also endorsed another former ANC activist, Kathie Tovo, the incumbent in District 9 who serves as mayor pro tem.In addition, ANC endorsed…
Thursday, September 27, 2018 by Jack Craver
Housing
Low-income housing project advancing in Northwest Austin
An affordable housing development that has drawn fierce opposition from nearby residents in North Austin is one step closer to realization.The proposed Elysium Grand apartments at 3300 Oak Creek Drive, just west of MoPac Expressway, will include 90 units. Only…
Monday, September 24, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Zoning
Zoning OK’d for affordable housing
With the recently released University of Texas gentrification study on their minds, City Council members on Thursday gave final approval for a zoning change that will allow construction of 258 apartments – including a few three-bedroom units – in North…
Monday, September 24, 2018 by Austin Monitor
Reporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Who stands alone?
You can’t say that… During a discussion at Thursday’s City Council meeting about a city home repair program for low-income households, Mayor Steve Adler took an opportunity to remind those watching about the $250 million affordable housing bond that will…
Friday, September 21, 2018 by Jack Craver
Development
City of Austin adds 136 acres south of Onion Creek
On Thursday, City Council voted to have the city of Austin annex the Cascades Municipal Utility District, 136 acres of undeveloped land south of Onion Creek.The landowner, Onion Associates Ltd., entered into an agreement with the city in 2014 to…
Thursday, September 20, 2018 by Jack Craver
Transportation
Figures show Austinites love and hate scooters
Members of Austin City Council have plenty of concerns about the operation of dockless vehicles, particularly electric scooters. But they all appear to agree that the vehicles are here to stay, if for no other reason than they have proved…
Thursday, September 20, 2018 by Jo Clifton
City Hall
Firefighter wins battle with city
Austin firefighters won their battle to get the city to drop its lawsuit against one of their own, Lt. Carrie Stewart, who filed a claim for workers’ compensation after she was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer in 2015.After meeting…
Thursday, September 20, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Development
Council to put off hearing on tax credit property
At the request of Council Member Delia Garza, on Thursday City Council will likely postpone a scheduled hearing and consideration of whether to give the city’s blessing to 4 percent affordable housing tax credits to a proposed apartment complex for…
Wednesday, September 19, 2018 by Jack Craver
Preservation
City estimate: Preserving Montopolis Negro School would cost $5.7M
The city of Austin is beginning the process of using eminent domain to seize the 1-acre plot at 500 Montopolis Ave., home of an 83-year-old building that was once the Montopolis Negro School. The structure is a rare vestige of…
Monday, September 17, 2018 by Jack Craver
Transit
Cap Metro: Key to high-capacity transit is dedicated right of way
The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority is still a few months away from announcing what modes of transportation it plans to propose for Project Connect, the long-term plan to bring high-capacity public transit to the Austin metropolitan area.Potential solutions include light…
