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Archives for November 2008

Another cup, please.

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downtown Austin from South bank of Lady Bird Lake
downtown Austin from South bank of Lady Bird Lake

It’s Sunday morning – my favorite time of the week. This morning I walked to Jo’s coffee, ordered two breakfast tacos and a Topo Chico. It’s packed with people of all ages.  This Sunday morning routine is something I developed growing up in Pittsburgh and, personally, it perfectly describes why I love living in the city.  Downtown Austin has come a long way in a short amount of time. Most people that live in Austin are not from Austin (I don’t have any data to back this up, but stick with me). People immigrate to Austin from California and the Northern states.  We come here for the weather and the lifestyle, and inevitably gravitate towards dense neighborhoods.  We seek out places to live and work that have close proximity. Places where each person’s experiences are more intimate and common to everyone else.  Here I am, in one of America’s greatest cities, with laptop open I just ordered another cup of Jo’s coffee.  I see people I know. Damn, this is nice.

Rail, rail, rail – why Austin needs more rail!

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future of downtown Austin rail?
future of downtown Austin rail?

• Transportation is the most significant challenge facing region
• Lack of mobility is affecting Downtown’s role as cultural & commercial heart of region
• Lack of transportation options affects affordability & social equity
• Automobile dominance impairs ability to create pedestrian-oriented Downtown
• Rail provides opportunity to carry many more people in the same space compared to roads

World class cities are often defined by their rail system.  Austin has an opportunity to pool the economic resources from San Marcos to Round Rock with a rail system.  Companies looking to establish a headquarters look to cities with good mobility for its employees and customers.  Rail is an investment in our city that will provide a return in job growth, less sprawl, and less reliance on cars and foreign oil.

link to City Council presentation from Nov. 6th. [pdf]

City Council passes mandatory "energy audits" for home sellers

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The idea is to encourage home owners to make “green” decisions whenever possible.  But, at a time when home owners are already facing a slow down, this feels more like a tax on the home owner.  When it comes time to sell a house, the seller will be required to pay Austin Energy $200-300 for a report that gives buyers a snapshot of how energy efficient the property is. 

“Any upgrades would be voluntary, although officials are hoping that the
disclosures would prompt either buyers or sellers to gradually make
improvements that will cut energy use in the city.”

[more]

Proposition 2 Fails

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KAW in oval Plus.ai

From the City of Austin web site:

Voters did not pass Proposition 2, which would have prohibited the City from entering into future agreements to provide financial incentives in connection with the development or redevelopment of property that includes one or more retail uses, and to stop the City from providing financial incentives under certain existing agreements in connection with the development or redevelopment of property that includes one or more retail uses. The unofficial vote tally on this proposition was 126,064 “for” and 136,609 “against.”