The Board of Adjustment granted the Church of Scientology a variance request for a change to the church’s logo on its sign facing the street. Mike McHone, who represented the Church of Scientology at the BoA meeting that took place Feb. 13, said in an interview that the approval was among the last technical hurdles […]
Land Development Code
Posted inLand Development Code
Architects, builders suggest ‘low-hanging fruit’ land use code changes
The Planning Commission shared the findings Tuesday of a housing policy working group formed last summer to identify potential Land Development Code changes that could make housing more affordable. The working group gathered recommendations from three industry groups: American Institute of Architects Austin, Preservation Austin and Austin Infill Coalition. “We talked with them about trying […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Notley/Monitor Poll: Austinites divided on parking requirements, compatibility and other housing policies
Austinites remain divided on housing issues, including what the city should do to reach its affordable housing goals and whether to change compatibility and parking requirements, according to a January/February poll of 429 voters commissioned by Notley and conducted by national pollster Change Research for the Austin Monitor. Questions about how Austin should grow and […]
Posted inLand Development Code
City stalled on land use changes intended to preserve creative spaces
Six months after a pair of unanimous City Council votes, the city has made little progress in adopting changes to the land use code intended to incentivize the creation of music venues and other creative spaces at risk for displacement due to rising land prices. In recent communications with Council members, staff from the Economic […]
Posted inLand Development Code
City moving forward with new floodplain maps from Atlas 14 rainfall study
The city is moving forward with its effort to update its floodplain maps, in anticipation of an expected increase in dramatic rainfall and flooding events caused by climate change over the next decade. Earlier this month, the Watershed Protection Department began mailing notices to properties located in or near a potential floodplain once the new […]
Posted inHousing
Council relaxes compatibility requirements along selected corridors
City Council has approved changes to building compatibility standards that will allow for some increases in housing density along a handful of transit corridors. The ordinance amending City Code Title 25 was approved Friday, modifying parking requirements and allowing for increased building heights closer to single-family homes located on the targeted corridors, with some entitlements […]
Posted inLand Development Code
City reverses decision, granting variance from compatibility in storage unit case
City Council is set to consider the topic of compatibility on a larger scale Thursday. Meanwhile, the Board of Adjustment took a second swing at the issue on a more granular level, voting at its last meeting to overturn a previous denial of a compatibility variance in South Austin. The applicants were seeking a variance […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Planning Commission says Council’s compatibility reforms don’t go far enough
The Planning Commission last Tuesday recommended broader changes to compatibility standards than what City Council proposed earlier this year, setting the stage for a Council discussion on Dec. 1 over how much to relax the rule. Compatibility, a rule limiting the height of buildings near single-family homes, has come under increased scrutiny for its role […]
Posted inLand Development Code
City staffers push back on proposed changes to compatibility
A proposal by City Council to reduce compatibility along major streets would make the city’s Land Development Code more complicated while doing little to increase housing supply, city staffers told the Planning Commission last Tuesday. “We’re very supportive of the direction (the proposal is) going and relaxing compatibility to encourage housing capacity … but as it’s […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Planning Commission recommends allowing housing in commercial zoning
The Planning Commission recommended a code change Tuesday to allow housing in more parts of the city. The change, if approved by City Council, would allow housing on 7,474 commercially zoned properties, boosting the city’s housing capacity by up to 46,324 units amid a housing crisis caused in part by lack of supply. Council voted […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Council adopts new stormwater rules
After considerable delay and discussion, City Council finally approved new environmental regulations related to drainage, landscaping and green stormwater infrastructure on Thursday. Mackenzie Kelly was the only Council member to vote no, and Natasha Harper-Madison was off the dais. Last week’s vote had been postponed from Oct. 14 to give Council more time to consider […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Code change to allow housing on commercial properties
A code change that would allow housing on commercial properties got an initial hearing at the Planning Commission Tuesday. After some discussion, the commission postponed the item until Nov. 8 amid concern over a recommendation by city staffers to not allow housing near highways. City Council initiated the code change almost a year ago as a […]