Whichever one of you is pulling those smash and grabs on Second Street needs to cut it out....

Congestion tolls are better than gas taxes for reducing congestion. Using the toll revenue to reduce property taxes is equivalent to a rebate....

Don't be silly. You don't compromise after you've won....

Loudmouth: VMU does not apply to existing apartment complexes. Period....

Another point, figment: VMU only applies to properties zoned commercial. It does not incentive the redevelopment of existing multi-family. Bear in mind, though, that any multi-family can already be...

Did anybody catch what Slickshu proposed as a growth-management policy? I must have missed it. ...

ducknutz, gas prices aren't driving the demand for dense development. Demand began surging while gas was still cheap. Some people simply prefer denser, urban eviornments. While density is not such ...

Here's Hyde Park's position in a nutshell: If a developer fails to provide some multiple of code-required parking, the neighborhood is entitled to wall off the new residents from adjacent neighborhoo...

Here's Hyde Park's claim in a nutshell: If a developer fails to provide some multiple of code-required parking, the neighborhood is entitled to wall off pedestrian and bicycle access to adjacent neig...

Seth: Many developers are repeat players in Austin. They care a great deal about their reputation because a bad reputation hurts them in dealing with both Council and neighborhoods. There are unsav...

Raising insurance rates enough will also be politically impossible. Accident costs are not fully internalized today because states don't require drivers to carry enough insurance for political reason...

I suspect we can also thank the housing slump. CWS downsized the project a lot, more than it had to, I think. ...

Same effect. Minimum lot sizes force some buyers to buy more land than they want. Kyle is forcing some buyers to buy more house than they want. Either way, new homes become more expensive. Minimum...

Right. Put differently, large lots won't see any change in their entitlements while small lots will. That theoretically could increase the value of large lots in absolute terms, not just relative to...

I should add that we're talking about SF-zoned lots. You can't tear down the houses and put up apartments without a zoning change....

No, the McMansion ordinance makes lot size directly relevant to lot value. A lot with an entitlement to a 2300 sq ft house is a whole lot more valuable than a lot with an entitlement to a 1600 sq ft...

For what it's worth, I think the new design standards will at least require 1st floor glazing on all sides visible to the public, as well as awnings. Marriott will have to earn "bonus" points. Optio...

I don't think that's worse than making people who never come downtown or who never use a car at all pay. And remember that a City-owned garage may book a "profit" while still being a terrible deal...

I suggested that the city consider a public improvement district that would pay for new parking by assessing property owners. Let the property owners figure out whether new parking is worth the price...

Thanks for the link, Shilli. I only caught the second half of the PC hearing last night, but there were indeed some angry long-term homeowners speaking against the change....