Texas
Hard to Change Houston's Rep as Nation's Worst Recycler
As the worst recycler amongst the 30 largest American cities, Houston has a lot of trash on its hands. But many obstacles stand in the way of the city closing the loop.
Natural Gas Boom Brings New Option to City Drivers
Officials in Fort Worth, Texas weigh regulations for natural gas compression stations arising from a boom in drilling shale for natural gas.
Cuckoo Clock Comes To City Square
A Dallas suburb considers whether to change its sign regulations to allow a massive cuckoo clock in a public space. European cities often have them, but American cities rarely do.
Sierra Club Opposes Use of HOV Lanes By Paying Customers
Houston's MTA is planning to allow drivers to pay a toll to use the High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on their freeways, and the local Sierra Club chapter is speaking out against the plan.
Living the Slow Life in Marathon, Texas
The New York Times profiles Marathon, a tiny town in Texas with no jobs to speak of but a growing number of second-home buyers looking for the quiet life.
Is Houston A Better Place to Live Than New York?
The New York Sun looks west and finds a lot to love in Houston's cars, growth, and pro-development policies.
Chickens Aren't Just For Countrysides Anymore
Residents of Austin, TX are risking violation of city ordinances forbidding loud animals to raise chickens in their central city neighborhood backyards. It's partly a way to cut out-of-pocket expenses.
Where Do Child Care Centers Belong?
A Houston bedroom community decides against allowing childcare centers to mix with other businesses in strip centers.
Study Says That Highways Don't Pay for Themselves
How often does one hear that transit is somehow a less respectable form of transportation than driving because of the "massive subsidies" transit receives? Well, a new study by Texas DOT says that highways don't pay for themselves either.
Do Cities Have Room For Golf Courses?
Stakeholders in Austin debate the future of a public golf course in the center of town while the University of Texas, owner of the land, debates whether to seek greater profits off the land. Neighbors champion the course as vital open space.
Corner Store Signs: Are They Blight?
Dallas's city council passed an ordinance restricting the percentage of window space a storefront can use for advertisements. Council members say the signs are creating or adding to blight.
Gas Prices Beget Golf Carts
City officials in Lockhart, near Austin, consider allowing golf carts on arterial streets.
It's Not That Easy Greening Your Fleet
Austin and a number of other cities are working to reduce the carbon footprint left by their fleets of city vehicles. Austin officials are looking for ways to offset their remaining emissions.
How Much Is Green Worth?
A recent conference in Austin, Texas, of real estate appraisers explored how they should incorporate green-building techniques and features into their assessment of properties.
Gas Pipelines Through Neighborhoods Are A Difficult Proposition
Fort Worth, Texas officials try to tackle the thorny issue of gas pipelines snaking through residential neighborhoods.
Houston Thinks About Changing Lifestyles to Fight Congestion
This segment from NPR features a discussion with Houston Mayor Bill White about the city's increasing congestion, the limits of zoning, and the population's reaction to rising gas prices.
New Lines Approved For Houston Light Rail
A five-line extension of Houston's light rail system was just approved by the city council.
Eroding Beach Sparks Property Rights Battle
As a Texas beach erodes and the waves come closer to shore, homeowners are scrambling to figure out what to do when the public beach invades their private property.
'Tele-Nurses' Save Precious Bucks on Ambulances
Instead of sending an ambulance every time someone calls 9-1-1, the Houston City Council voted to contract with a telephone nursing service for non-emergencies.
Waco Debuts Nation's First 'Green' Chamber Building
The Waco Chamber of Commerce is credited with inspiring a renaissance in downtown, developing their new headquarters on a former parking lot. They hope to receive LEED certification - the first U.S. chamber building to receive this designation.
Pagination
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