Staff releases expedited timeline for housing code amendments

An updated timeline for implementation of a bundle of city code amendments aimed at increasing housing supply is in the hands of City Council.

In a memo dated July 13, Planning Department Director Lauren Middleton-Pratt revealed the updated Schedule of Active Code Amendments chart, which addresses concerns from community groups, the Planning Commission and Council members that the process was moving too slowly.

“Staff understands the urgency of these amendments, particularly those that have the potential to increase housing supply and income-restricted housing for the Austin community and is committed to compressing the timelines to adoption where feasible and as additional resources are identified,” Middleton-Pratt wrote.

Last week, a coalition of groups including the Austin Housing Coalition, HousingWorks Austin, Transit Forward and the Austin Justice Coalition reiterated the concerns in an open letter.

“While we understand that it is crucial to study the potential impacts of these code changes, we urge Council to press staff to refer to the results of the outreach from the previous land development code rewrite process and prior Council-initiated code changes, where millions of dollars were spent to demonstrate that our city needs to use every tool available to allow more housing,” the letter reads.

In the original timeline, parking requirements would have stayed in effect until 2024 despite a May vote to eliminate them. That drew criticism; staff reassessed and reprioritized its resources in response, and the Transportation and Public Works departments have started working on the language. The revised schedule aims to have the provision presented to Council for adoption by Dec. 31.

“Staff is committed to bring a draft ordinance for Council’s consideration by December 31, 2023,” the memo reads. “This timeline assumes no additional public engagement aside from the hearings at Planning Commission and City Council.”

The updated timeline proposes “site plan lite part 2” be ready for Council review in December. In March, staff proposes bringing forward provisions on substandard lots, infill-lot plat process and citywide compatibility.

A comprehensive and streamlined approach to density bonus programs now is scheduled to appear before Council for adoption by July 2024. In September 2024, staff will aim to present changes to the city’s Equitable Transit-Oriented Development policy. According to the timeline, that will be followed by a comprehensive revamp of zoning districts in June 2025.

“The timing presented is subject to change based on future changes to priorities, resources, commission and community bandwidth, and additional analysis related to the complexity of certain amendments,” the memo reads. “With additional staffing and approval of additional resources, staff will look for opportunities to expedite code amendment timelines.”

The memo notes the city currently is under contract with ECO Northwest, an outside consultant helping with the proposed density bonus program for the South Central Waterfront Regulating Plan code amendments.

“It is anticipated that consultant support will also be needed for the ETOD Amendments, Density Bonuses (Comprehensive Approach), and New Zoning Districts (Comprehensive Approach) code amendments, while the Citywide Compatibility (Comprehensive Approach) code amendments may also require consultant assistance,” the memo states.

At its Thursday meeting, Council will consider Item 195, a resolution that allows the city manager to respond to Council-initiated amendments to the Land Development Code with amendments that further the initial policy goal.

This would include proposing amendments that “eliminate unnecessary or outdated provisions; address conflicts between sections; clarify existing language; and propose improvements that complement the changes contemplated in the initiating resolution.”

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