Tag Archives: Austin City Council
Ann Kitchen: Building better solutions
Council Member Ann Kitchen has spent the year juggling difficult decisions – about the Covid-19 pandemic, reallocating police funds, finding solutions for homelessness, improving mobility and preserving the arts. “Covid has highlighted disparities in our community and highlighted problems that…
City Council • By Sumaiya Malik, Reporting Texas • Jan 5, 2021
Natasha Harper-Madison: Creating a more equitable city
“Greetings!” Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison’s phone voice message said, “I look forward to connecting with you.” Harper-Madison represents District 1, which includes Northeast, East Central and far East Austin. The Council member has been hard at work, sometimes even on…
City Council • By Sumaiya Malik, Reporting Texas • Jan 4, 2021
Delia Garza is on the move
Delia Garza is blazing a trail of firsts: first Latina on Austin City Council; first Latina mayor pro tem; and soon, the first Latina Travis County Attorney. “I stand on the shoulders of other Latinas,” Garza noted. “There were four…
City Council • By Sumaiya Malik, Reporting Texas • Jan 4, 2021
Vanessa Fuentes: Building a pipeline to community power
Vanessa Fuentes, like all of us, had no idea what 2020 would entail when she ran to become the District 2 City Council member. But the issues that the pandemic have exposed were less of a surprise. “I didn’t realize…
City Council • By Elizabeth Pagano • Jan 4, 2021
The city is closing shelters it set up for homeless Austinites during Covid. Residents want to know when.
Last Wednesday, Helen Davis was in St. Louis, tired, sore and 825 miles from home without bus fare or a place to stay. As cars whizzed by, she wracked her brain, trying to think of an excuse – something to…
Housing • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Dec 21, 2020
Council approves Saxon Acres rezoning case in Montopolis
City Council has approved a rezoning request for the Saxon Acres development in East Austin’s Montopolis neighborhood. The 3-acre tract at 316 Saxon Lane and 6328 El Mirando St. is now zoned Townhouse & Condominium Residence (SF-6) instead of Family…
Zoning • By Jonathan Lee • Dec 18, 2020
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Unions line up to oppose 'strong mayor' plan
Fifteen community leaders, including nine representing labor unions, have written to Andrew Allison, the chair of a political action committee behind a suite of proposed charter amendments that would remake Austin city government, asking him to end his campaign to…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Dec 17, 2020
Council grants historic zoning to Baker School and parking lots
City Council has granted historic zoning to the Baker School property – parking lots and all. No one debated approving the historic landmark designation for the school itself, but the request to include the surrounding parking lots in the variance proved…
Preservation • By Jonathan Lee • Dec 17, 2020
South Austin multifamily project gets ZAP approval, Council postponement
The Zoning and Platting Commission has recommended multifamily zoning for a project at 10304 Old San Antonio Road in South Austin. But City Council will not take up the case until next year amid questions about traffic safety and flooding. Wendy…
Zoning • By Daniel Salazar • Dec 17, 2020
Kelly overtakes Flannigan in District 6 runoff
After a close runoff election Tuesday, residents of District 6 in far Northwest Austin will be represented for the next four years by Mackenzie Kelly, the first Republican to serve on City Council since 2018. “This is a tough night for…
Elections • By Ryan Thornton • Dec 16, 2020
Alter wins reelection in tight District 10 race
Incumbent District 10 City Council Member Alison Alter pulled out a win over her conservative challenger, Jennifer Virden, in Tuesday’s runoff election. The race was too close to call early in the evening, but at the end of the night…
Elections • By Jo Clifton • Dec 16, 2020
Council approves street impact fee program
Beginning in mid-2022, developers eager to contribute to Austin’s growth will need to pitch in to help pay for the transportation infrastructure costs necessitated by the new development. The street impact fee program that City Council unanimously adopted last week…
