Tag Archives: Austin City Council
Friday, June 29, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Transportation
Austin hopes deregulation will save taxi companies
Austin’s City Council on Thursday approved a radical change in the city’s taxicab regulations that the Transportation Department drew up in the hopes of saving the industry.The most important of the changes is the deregulation of fares. That means each…
Thursday, June 28, 2018 by Jack Craver
Bonds & Propositions
Council gears up for bond debate
On Thursday, City Council members will try to put together a bond package that a majority on the dais agree to and that they believe a majority of Austin voters will support at the polls in November.Whatever package Council approves…
Wednesday, June 27, 2018 by Jack Craver
Transportation
City wants to keep taxi franchise system
The city of Austin doesn’t want to give up on traditional taxicabs, but it acknowledges that they need to adapt to survive in the face of competition from cheaper ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Lyft.On Thursday, City Council will…
Wednesday, June 27, 2018 by Jo Clifton
City Council
City likely to help Cap Metro fund studies
City Council appears poised to move forward Thursday with approval of an amendment to its agreement with the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority that will help the agency fund preliminary engineering work and environmental analysis on what sorts of projects would…
Wednesday, June 27, 2018 by Syeda Hasan
Police
Police and community groups join to explore how to improve oversight of APD
Austin’s system of police oversight may be more effective than others at promoting long-term change, but there’s still skepticism about the agency, according to a new report.The report from the Office of the Police Monitor notes that agencies like Austin’s…
Tuesday, June 26, 2018 by Jack Craver
City Hall
Citizen petition demands city audit
This article has been updated. A spokesperson for Council Member Ellen Troxclair said that the proposed audit ordinance is not on the agenda for the next City Council meeting because one of the initial co-sponsors of the proposal withdrew support.A…
Monday, June 25, 2018 by Austin Monitor
Reporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Gooooooooooooals
Different goals… Politics, as they say, is (are?) a full-contact sport. Unlike men’s soccer, which mostly has a bunch of grown men flopping around like children at the slightest breeze (women’s soccer, we’ll note, is far less lame). Nonetheless, Austin…
Thursday, June 21, 2018 by Jo Clifton
City Council
Tovo seeks to keep rowing club at boathouse
Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo wants to help the nonprofit Austin Rowing Club continue operating the city-owned Waller Creek Boathouse on Lady Bird Lake by instructing staff to extend the club’s contract rather than offer the boathouse for competitive bidding.Tovo…
Wednesday, June 20, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Draft audit recommends changes, improvements for Visit Austin
A draft summary from the Office of the City Auditor finds that the city’s convention center needs to improve its internal communication and tracking of deliverables related to its annual contract with the city of Austin.The complete audit is expected…
Wednesday, June 20, 2018 by Jack Craver
Land Development Code
Four Council members urge for new direction on CodeNEXT
Four City Council members signaled their discontent with the current direction of CodeNEXT process and announced an effort to develop a new code that is “equitable, sustainable, accessible, vibrant and community-driven.”Surrounded by supporters at a City Hall press conference Tuesday…
Wednesday, June 20, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
Energy
Council-mandated energy studies have already quietly begun
After clamoring from the public and a push from the Electric Utility Commission last month to have Austin Energy come back with the scopes of work for the list of required studies included in City Council’s ambitious renewable energy plan,…
Tuesday, June 19, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Zoning
Council gives final OK to 4 East project
Utilizing both the density bonus program within the Plaza Saltillo Transit-Oriented Development and the CURE density bonus program, developer Tocayo Investments GP LLC and CC Third and Comal LP won the right to develop six properties on East Fourth Street…
Monday, June 18, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Police
Divided Council rejects more pay for police
With only five members voting in favor of the motion, City Council rejected reinstatement of extra pay for certain police officers Thursday night, dashing the hopes of officers who work night shifts, for example. Passage of any ordinance requires six…
Monday, June 18, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
City Hall
New Tourism Commission to advise on hotel tax funds, issues related to $9B industry
Austin’s tourism industry will get some additional City Hall oversight as City Council prepares for budget workshops that are almost certain to include decisions on how to spend the quickly growing reserve of Hotel Occupancy Tax funds.Council voted 8-1-2 Thursday…
Monday, June 18, 2018 by Austin Monitor
Reporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Throwing side eye, catching rides
Side eye, or stink eye?… What exactly is the name given to the withering glances occasionally dished out by City Council Member Ora Houston toward her colleagues on the dais? Council Member Leslie Pool learned directly on Thursday during discussion…
Friday, June 15, 2018 by Jo Clifton
City Council
Council raises homestead exemption to 10%
On a vote of 7-4, Council on Thursday approved raising the homestead exemption from the current rate of 8 percent to 10 percent for the coming year.The resolution’s sponsors included Council members Ellen Troxclair, Leslie Pool, Ann Kitchen and Ora…
Friday, June 15, 2018 by Jack Craver
Bonds & Propositions
Five Council members signal support for major housing bond
Mayor Steve Adler and four other members of City Council announced their support Thursday for putting a major housing bond on the ballot in November.Standing in front of scores of activists on the front steps of City Hall Thursday morning,…
Thursday, June 14, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
$29.5M appraisal backs claims city eyed McKalla for commercial use
A 2016 appraisal of the city-owned property commonly known as McKalla Place found that it had a market value of $29.5 million if used for “commercial development, including retail, office and multifamily development.”The appraisal, performed by Paul Hornsby & Co.…
Thursday, June 14, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
City Council
Houston withdraws, and Harding enters, in race for D1 Council seat
Austin’s City Council District 1, which is made up almost entirely of portions of East Austin, will definitely have a new representative in 2019, with current Council Member Ora Houston announcing Wednesday she will not seek re-election. Houston’s decision came…
