After a public hearing on Thursday, City Council approved the Equity-Based Preservation Plan – a new strategy for preserving historic buildings that prioritizes diversity and cultural heritage. The plan was adopted as an ordinance amending the larger Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan, a 30-year document for the city’s growth. The Historic Landmark Commission first launched the […]
Development
Posted inZoning
Planning Commission recommends rezoning of Anderson Square
The Planning Commission voted to rezone Anderson Square in Tuesday’s meeting against staff’s recommendation. The property is a 16-acre retail center near the intersection of North Lamar Boulevard and U.S. Highway 183 – currently home to businesses such as Hobby Lobby, Planet Fitness and a bingo hall – was proposed for redevelopment. Situated in a […]
Posted inDevelopment
SOS sues utility to protect Barton Creek Habitat Preserve
The Save Our Springs Alliance has filed suit against the West Travis County Public Utility Agency and its board of directors, challenging the utility’s decision to condemn 2.685 acres of the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve in Southwest Travis County. SOS describes the preserve as “one of the most significant, untouched natural areas in Central Texas, […]
Posted inHousing
Panelists discuss how to solve Austin’s workforce housing crisis
While discussing the housing affordability crisis and its impact on Austin’s essential workers, a local EMS leader captured attention Wednesday morning with her account of how emergency services staff are pushing themselves beyond reasonable limits because of their long commutes into the city. With roughly 70 percent of Austin EMS Association members living outside the […]
Posted inPreservation
Planning Dept. analysis finds historic tax exemptions came largely west of I-35
More than 90 percent of the city’s historic tax exemptions in 2023 went to property owners west of Interstate 35, with a significant portion concentrated in downtown commercial areas, according to a recent analysis conducted by the city’s Planning Department. A recent memo to City Council from Lauren Middleton-Pratt, director of the Planning Department, included […]
Posted inPreservation
Commission fails to reach recommendation on historic zoning for East Austin house
After a series of votes, the Planning Commission failed to reach a decision on recommending historic zoning for an East Austin house, leaving the issue to be decided by City Council without their input. The property at 900 Spence St. in East Austin was built in 1915 and was described in city documents as an […]
Posted inZoning
Winding, narrow Thornton Road to get more housing
After two unsuccessful attempts to update the zoning on some commercial property on a narrow South Austin street, the owners succeeded in getting City Council approval to rezone the property at 2313, 2315, 2401 and 2413 Thornton Road at the Nov. 7 Council meeting. The new zoning will be MF-6 (Multifamily-Highest Density) with a conditional […]
Posted inPlanning
Equity overlay study prompts request for Council to further delay HOME2 implementation
The Community Development Commission wants City Council to further delay implementation of the second round of HOME initiative changes to the land use code, out of concern that more time is needed to properly design an equity overlay to address displacement concerns. At last week’s meeting, the commission unanimously approved a recommendation to delay HOME […]
Posted inPreservation
On second try, Tourism Commission votes in favor of equity-based preservation plan
The Tourism Commission has changed its stance from last month and approved a recommendation that City Council adopt the Planning Department’s Equity-Based Preservation Plan, which intended to guide the city’s use of hotel taxes dedicated toward historic preservation. Last month, the commission narrowly voted against supporting the plan, with a handful of commissioners feeling the […]
Posted inZoning
Planning Commission postpones East Austin rezoning decision after clerical error
After more than half a dozen community members took the dais to speak against an East Austin rezoning request, the Planning Commission voted to postpone its decision due to a clerical issue in the agenda. This marks the second consecutive meeting in which an administrative mistake has delayed the commission’s ability to act on an […]
Posted inZoning
Planning Commission postpones decision on Anderson Square rezoning
The Planning Commission unanimously voted to postpone a rezoning request for Anderson Square in North Austin after the property owner requested an amendment to the application, seeking to increase the maximum height limits. A 16-acre retail center near the intersection of North Lamar Boulevard and U.S. Highway 183 – currently home to businesses such as […]
Posted inDevelopment
Latest State of Downtown report shows the city core’s businesses and housing are in transition
The latest report on downtown Austin’s economic and cultural health shows the city core is seeing ongoing vacancies and low utilization of office space in a trend that has caused a flattening of many indicators of business activity. That analysis was among the findings of Downtown Austin Alliance’s Q3 State of Downtown report, which looked […]