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Austin Monitor
Environmental Commission recommends Save Our Springs Ordinance amendment
The city’s Environmental Commission voted on July 5 to recommend an amendment to the Save Our Springs Ordinance that will pave the way for the completion of the long-awaited Barton Springs Bathhouse rehabilitation. The motion passed 10-0, with Commissioner Peter Einhorn absent. At its regular meeting, the commission heard...
District-by-district analysis shows unequal progress on affordable housing construction
The nonprofit HousingWorks Austin on June 29 released its eighth “District by District and Community at a Glance Analysis,” an annual report that shows how many units of subsidized affordable housing have been built in each City Council district, as well as other stats about housing affordability. The...
City, conservancy moving ahead with Rainey Street safety improvements
The Parks and Recreation Department has proposed up to $1 million in permanent infrastructure improvements to enhance public safety along the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail in the Rainey Street District. A memo released last week by department Director Kimberly McNeeley informed City Council and Mayor Kirk Watson of...
Environmental Commission wants public engagement on airport development plan update
The Environmental Commission voted to recommend a proposed update to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Master Development Plan at its regular meeting July 5. The original master plan ordinance passed in 1994 was designed as a blueprint for redevelopment of the Bergstrom Air Force Base into the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, including a water quality compliance plan intended to govern drainage infrastructure development. It provides a regulatory framework to guide development within the airport’s boundaries and serves as an omnibus compilation of pre-approved variances to city code.
Music Commission hears testimony and then delays vote on SXSW pay
The Music Commission delayed action on the matter of fair pay for South by Southwest performers, holding nearly three hours of discussion on the controversial topic Wednesday night before rescheduling possible action until next month. The delay on the SXSW item and several others came about because the commission only...
Travis County to look at cost-of-living adjustments and pay increases for in-person workers
Travis County commissioners recently discussed whether the county can increase pay for its non-remote workers, as well as the possibility of cost-of-living wage increases. Todd Osburn of the county’s compensation office on June 27 briefed the Travis County Commissioners Court on several compensation issues. Also up for discussion: holiday pay and a program that would allow certain employees to sell back unused leave time.
Austin ISD is getting federal money to install solar panels at more than a dozen campuses
The Austin Independent School District is one of two dozen school systems nationwide to get a new federal grant to make campuses more energy efficient. Austin ISD will receive nearly $15 million for its Solar for Schools project through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Renew America’s Schools grant program.
Interim city manager updates Office of Police Oversight procedures
Austin’s Office of Police Oversight has been in limbo in recent years. Its authority to investigate allegations of police misconduct was dismantled in 2021. Its director, Farah Muscadin, resigned in 2022. The city’s police labor contract expired – without a successor – in March. A proposition expanding the office’s authority passed in May.
Memo details progress, plans for African American Cultural Heritage District
The city is preparing to solicit an outside consultant to create an action plan for development of the portion of East Austin known as the African American Cultural Heritage District. Economic Development Department Director Sylnovia Holt-Rabb last month sent a memo to City Council, providing updates on development efforts for...
Planning Commission urges quicker processing of Land Development Code amendments
With dozens of amendments to the city’s outdated Land Development Code currently in the works – many aimed at increasing supply and lowering costs for housing – City Council members and city staffers in recent weeks have discussed how to prioritize the changes, given limited staff resources.
Resource Management Commission considers petition for oversight on gas utilities
The city’s Resource Management Commission may soon find itself a bit busier, with plans for a vote to add oversight of Austin’s natural gas utilities to its purview. Commissioner Paul Robbins, a longtime environmentalist, brought the proposal forth. It would explicitly designate the commission as City Council’s primary adviser on gas utility policies like rate design, environmental programs and customer assistance programs. Currently, the Resource Management Commission is tasked only with reviewing the city’s renewable energy and conservation policies.
Ethics Review Commission OKs pandemic-era changes to lobbying ordinance
The Ethics Review Commission last week voted unanimously to recommend changes to the city’s lobbying rules. The rules ensure phone calls and video conferences are properly recorded as appearances before a city official. The changes to City Code Chapter 4-8 concerning the regulation of lobbyists first came before the...
New building under construction on your block? Austin could change how you’re notified.
East Austin residents flooded a City Council meeting last month for a vote on rezoning the Borden Dairy plant to allow mixed-use development. The 21-acre site will make room for apartments, hotel rooms and a mix of office, restaurant and retail space. Many residents expressed concerns about the impact to traffic and air and water quality, but the city ultimately voted to move forward with the zoning change.
HealthSouth redevelopment stalls over affordable apartments proposed
The redevelopment of the former HealthSouth hospital property downtown appears to be at a standstill, with the Economic Development Department recommending the termination of a negotiating agreement with the Aspen Heights Partners development group. In a memo published Wednesday, Assistant City Manager Veronica Briseño informed City Council and Mayor Kirk...
Brentwood multifamily project secures Planning Commission support for rezoning
The Planning Commission on June 13 voted unanimously to rezone a collection of properties in Brentwood to allow mixed-use housing. Developer Narrow Road Group plans to build approximately 350 housing units on the 2.44-acre site bounded by Clay Avenue, Houston Street and William Holland Avenue. The developer requests General Commercial...
FAA investigating second near-collision at Austin airport
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a Monday evening near-miss incident between two planes at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. A passenger on an Allegiant Air flight landing at the airport told KXAN she experienced “extreme pressure” in the cabin when the plane took an unexpected dip. The passenger...
West Nile virus was found in mosquitoes in Austin. Here’s what to know.
For the first time this year, a pool of mosquitoes in Austin has tested positive for West Nile virus, according to Austin Public Health. The positive pool was located in the 78721 ZIP code of East Austin. West Nile is the most common mosquito-borne illness in the U.S. and potentially can cause high fevers, rashes and body aches. No human cases have been detected yet this year.
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