City Council opted Thursday to postpone a decision on changes to the city’s environmental regulations related to drainage, landscape and site plan requirements. Staff and environmentalists argue the changes are important updates to regulations related to stormwater drainage, wastewater infrastructure, landscape requirements and wetland protections. The Planning Commission had already recommended postponing certain sections of […]
Land Development Code
Posted inLand Development Code
Planning Commission recommends enviro code updates with caveats
The Planning Commission on Tuesday unanimously recommended that City Council approve only certain elements of a package of code updates aimed at making new development more environmentally friendly, and suggested Council retool or delay adoption of other elements. The complex code amendments have sparked considerable discussion at various boards and commissions in recent weeks, as […]
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As affordability concerns linger, Planning Commission postpones enviro code changes
The Planning Commission postponed a vote Tuesday on a complex package of environmental and water quality code amendments. Commissioners say much work remains to understand the full impact of the changes, especially as they relate to housing affordability. While many code changes are proposed, the biggest include requiring enhanced “functional green” landscaping in most new […]
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To improve connectivity, ZAP recommends prohibiting culs-de-sac in most cases
The Zoning and Platting Commission recommended changes to city code on Tuesday to improve street connectivity in new subdivisions. “I look at culs-de-sac as kind of destroying the grid,” said Commissioner Lonny Stern, who initially proposed the changes. He explained that a grid of streets is much easier to navigate than a web of culs-de-sac, […]
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Because of compatibility, mini storage units block 10 homes in South Austin
The Board of Adjustment failed last Monday to approve a compatibility waiver that would have allowed 10 townhomes at 1609 Matthews Lane in South Austin. In order to build the units, the owner of the half-acre property requested a variance to compatibility, which limits the height of buildings near single-family homes and requires additional setbacks. Though […]
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Planning Commission worries new environmental regulations could make housing more expensive
After expressing concerns over the impact of new water quality and drainage regulations on housing affordability, members of the Planning Commission voted Tuesday to form a working group to tackle the code changes before giving a final recommendation to City Council. The rules, which were part of the failed Land Development Code rewrite, would help […]
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New water quality rules aim to promote green infrastructure
In a presentation to the Environmental Commission last Wednesday, staffers from the Watershed Protection Department presented a bundle of code updates aimed at improving water quality and making drainage infrastructure more environmentally friendly. “We couldn’t be more excited about the potential impact of these updates on the future of Austin’s environmental resilience,” Environmental Officer Katie […]
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City considers changes to floodplain redevelopment
Owners of businesses in the city’s floodplain will soon be able to make changes to their buildings or rebuild entirely so flash floods pose less of a threat – to structures as well as employees and customers. The tweak to city code, currently working its way through boards and commissions, will allow commercial buildings within […]
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Planning Commission considers working group to tackle ‘archaic’ land use code
Austin’s Planning Commission is once more dipping its toes into turbulent waters, with plans to form a working group that would tackle small-scale reforms to the 38-year-old Land Development Code. On Tuesday commissioners opted to postpone action for another two weeks to iron out differing opinions over approach. Commissioners aim to reconvene next Tuesday with […]
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East Austin townhomes move forward with relaxed compatibility
A plan to build townhomes in the Chestnut neighborhood is moving forward with the unanimous blessing of the Planning Commission, which granted permission to build closer to nearby homes than would normally be allowed. Developers of the project at 1400 Cedar Ave. won a waiver from the commission to build 18 feet from the west […]
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Sixth Street reboot gets first Council OK to raise building heights
In one of the most significant moves to remake the city’s downtown entertainment district along East Sixth Street, a Dallas developer has received the first OK aimed at raising mixed-use buildings up to 140 feet high to the area. Last week City Council voted 9-0 to move forward with a proposed amendment to the city’s […]
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Council approves new mixed-use development rules and launches separate corridor proposal
In response to Austin’s housing crisis, City Council passed two policies Thursday to allow more housing along major streets. “I think it’s more critical now than it has ever been to increase density and housing on these corridors,” Mayor Steve Adler said. “And I think that’s our existential challenge.” Though housing advocates have urged more […]