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Austin Monitor
State preservation case may halt plans for new athletic facility on UT campus
Plans to bulldoze the historic Steve Hicks School of Social Work building on the University of Texas campus may soon be derailed, with an alumni-led campaign to secure landmark protections winning over the state’s Antiquities Advisory Board last month. Next, the case will advance to the Texas Historical Commission,...
Council asked to consider ridership, access goals in revising e-scooter rules
The Urban Transportation Commission wants the city to rework some of its recent regulations of e-scooters and other micromobility devices but stopped short of spelling out what changes should be made. At its meeting this week, the commission approved a revised recommendation – crafted largely by Commissioner Spencer Schumacher –...
An Austin-area school district says staff need a break, so it’s going to offer mental health days
Manor ISD is rolling out a new benefit during the 2024-2025 school year that will give employees time off to take care of their mental health. Superintendent Robert Sormani said he thinks it’s important to explicitly offer days off that are dedicated to mental health. “Even more than just...
Music Commission wants clubs, creative space required in Red River Cultural District
The Music Commission wants the city to ensure that any new multistory development within the Red River Cultural District would need to provide discounted space for music venues or creative uses, without offering any density bonus incentives. At Monday’s meeting, the commission opted to add provisions to a recommendation offered...
Environmental Commission recommends site plan changes
At last week’s Environmental Commission meeting, members gave a positive recommendation for reducing the size of infill residential lots, including changes designed to make the process more efficient and less costly, while ensuring that drainage requirements are sufficient to prevent flooding neighboring lots. In addition, they approved a resolution...
Council pushes for ‘agrihood’ pilot program merging homes with farmland in East Austin
The city will target part of Northeast Austin as an area that could see more small farms mixed with affordable homes, in a nod to the “agrihood” movement to bring homes closer to agriculture. Last week, City Council approved a resolution sponsored by Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison that...
Council OKs restrictive covenant for Southwest Parkway apartments
The owners of 9.6 acres of undeveloped land at 8413 Southwest Parkway are moving forward with plans to build a total of 438 apartments, including 219 units available to households earning 60 percent of the median family income, as well as 88 units reserved for families at or below 50 percent of the median family income. Another 10 percent of units will be reserved for families at or below 80 percent of median family income.
Lost Creek, two other areas of Austin vote to remove themselves from city limits
Three of six neighborhoods near the outskirts of Austin will be removed, or “disannexed,” from the city limits following voter approval in Saturday’s election. That includes Lost Creek in West Austin, the largest of the three; land near Blue Goose Road in Northeast Austin; and a portion of land in River Place in West Austin.
With Austin office buildings 20 percent vacant, conversion to housing remains out of reach
Two years ago, with the office real estate market in Austin stuck at a 20 percent vacancy rate, Brad Stein took the first of two trips to other markets to see if some of the hundreds of thousands of empty spaces in downtown Austin and areas beyond could be converted into badly needed housing stock. What Stein saw in a 2022 visit to Chicago and another trip to Dallas last year was that housing space and office space are two very different puzzle pieces that don’t fit together without considerable and expensive alterations.
Democrat-backed candidates sweep first Travis County appraisal election
Three candidates backed by the local Democratic Party won seats to the Travis Central Appraisal District’s board of directors, who help manage property appraisals. Jett Hanna, Shenghao “Daniel” Wang and Dick Lavine soundly defeated three others backed by the local Republican Party on Saturday, including Matt Mackowiak, chair of the party in Travis County, and Don Zimmerman, a former Austin City Council member.
City Council approves water conservation plans, for now
As expected, City Council endorsed new Water Conservation and Drought Contingency plan updates at its Thursday meeting, voting unanimously to send them along to the state – despite major misgivings from key stakeholders who say the plans don’t do enough to conserve water. Both plans approved Thursday regulate...
Texas attorney general threatens Austin over City Council’s effort to protect health care for transgender people
Shortly after City Council acted Thursday to protect transgender people from discriminatory health care laws, Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a threatening statement, vowing to “consider every possible response to ensure compliance” with state law prohibiting gender-affirming care for minors. Against this backdrop of escalating anti-trans rhetoric within...
The search is on for businesses owned by underrepresented groups to support infrastructure projects
With tens of thousands of workers needed over the next decade to complete a plethora of multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects, local leaders are also looking for a large pool of contractors and consultants who will help with supplementary services. That search is already underway, with a forum held earlier this week allowing small minority-owned businesses the chance to participate in jobs related to the Project Connect mass transit effort.
Historic east side home may not get the votes needed to preserve it
City Council surprised staff during Thursday’s zoning hearing when the vote to zone the Sinnigson House at 1100 E. Second St. as historic did not have the eight votes needed for final passage. The home was built in 1888. Although the Historic Landmark Commission and the Planning Commission endorsed...
Austin Energy’s climate protection plan timeline comes under fire
After an unpopular first draft, Austin Energy is taking a new approach to update its Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan. Staff says the approach, led by a newly hired mediation specialist, will employ strategies that bring new voices to the table for more collaborative conversations ahead of the utility’s second shot at a policy plan. But critics are concerned that the tactic could further delay the urgently needed update, which is already behind schedule.
After city lost case on development rules, it’s been ordered to pay attorneys’ fees
Travis County District Judge Jessica Mangrum has ruled that the city of Austin must pay $175,000 in attorneys’ fees in a case on the city’s failure to abide by a previous order requiring notice to property owners when the city is changing development rules. Mangrum’s assistant sent notice...
Council appears to support revised plans for South Central Waterfront District
City Council appears to be supportive of staff’s recommendations for how to revise the planning and density bonus programs for the South Central Waterfront District, in effect rejecting some of the Planning Commission’s most substantial ideas for the area. This week’s work session meeting included a presentation from...
TipSheet: Austin City Council, 5.2.24
City Council will convene for what looks to be a fairly fun meeting today. For those who would like to judge for themselves, the full agenda is, of course, posted online. We’ve also done some judging and our take on said agenda follows. Though not everyone is crazy about...
Judge rules that city is violating open meetings law and the city charter
A second Travis County judge ruled Tuesday that the city of Austin is violating the Texas Open Meetings Act as well as the city charter in allowing people who wish to speak to City Council only two minutes, regardless of how many items they want to address. District Judge Daniella Deseta Lyttle ruled in favor of the Save Our Springs Alliance and its executive director, Bill Bunch, in their lawsuit against the city.
After 79 more arrests, Travis County attorney says continuing to charge protesters is ‘unsustainable’
Seventy-nine people were arrested on UT Austin’s campus during demonstrations Monday against Israel’s war in Gaza, the Travis County Sheriff’s Office said. The most recent arrests began a second week of protests, with pro-Palestinian demonstrators again descending on the university’s south lawn. State police responded, arresting scores of protesters. Crowds attempting to block vans carrying arrested protesters to jail were met with pepper spray and flash-bangs.
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Five days a week, we bring you the news from Austin City Hall, Travis County Commissioners Court, and multiple other civic entities that make key decisions for central Texas. We stick to the facts. We aim to be fair. When we err, we correct it fast.
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