City Council is set to adopt a plan next month that will guide how areas around Project Connect transit stations develop. The equitable transit-oriented development policy plan, launched last summer following a $1.65 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration, aims to increase housing – particularly affordable housing – near stations while also preventing displacement. While […]
Planning
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Planning Commission weighs in on Palm District Plan
The Planning Commission heard a presentation Tuesday on the Palm District Plan, an initiative that aims to guide growth and preserve cultural heritage in a rapidly changing part of downtown. “The overarching vision of the district,” Stevie Greathouse with the Housing and Planning Department said, “is that it become a vibrant, historic hub of downtown […]
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Brodie Oaks PUD gets Planning Commission approval
The Planning Commission recommended a proposal Tuesday to transform the Brodie Oaks Shopping Center at South Lamar and Loop 360 into a huge mixed-use development, paving the way for a City Council vote in the coming weeks. The project would turn the 36.7-acre shopping center, with its expansive parking lots and partially vacant retail spaces, […]
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New PUD proposed for S. Congress has full roster of environmentally friendly features
City Council members got their first look at a proposed planned unit development to be built at 311-315 S. Congress Ave., next to the Statesman PUD. Developers of the project, called the Firestone PUD after its current major occupant, are proposing a 400-foot tower to provide for approximately 450 multifamily residential units. The owners, Wesley H. […]
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Planning Commission says no to extra parking for bar
The Planning Commission on Tuesday prevented a bar on Manor Road from building extra parking, as members expressed concern over encouraging drinking and driving. “I certainly think that more people driving to bars is not a good idea,” Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson said. The bar, called the Alright, is currently under construction at 2301 Manor Road. The […]
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Buildings over 400 feet tall now allowed around Q2 Stadium
The view from Austin FC’s Q2 Stadium could soon be filled with tall buildings. City Council approved a zoning change on Oct. 27 to allow buildings up to 420 feet in height – about 40 stories – on some properties around Q2 Stadium and in the Domain. Council Member Leslie Pool, who represents the area, […]
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Commissioners review public improvement district policy options
The Travis County Commissioners Court approved revisions to County Code Chapter 481, the county’s public improvement district policy, on Tuesday. Notable updates to the policy included required on-site community benefits in every public improvement district, in addition to required affordability goals for commercial and residential properties. Christy Moffett, director of economic and strategic investments with […]
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Planning Commission supports North Austin townhome project
The Planning Commission recommended a rezoning Tuesday for a townhome project in North Austin amid objections from several neighbors. The property in question is a 5.5-acre tract at 10600 Jonwood Way. The owner hopes to rezone the property from Single Family-Standard Lot (SF-2) to Townhouse & Condominium Residence (SF-6) zoning in order to build about 10 […]
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Staff unveils long-awaited Palm District draft plan
City staff members presented the draft version of the long-awaited Palm District Plan to the Environmental Commission last week. City Council commissioned the plan in 2019 as it sparred with Travis County over the future of the county-owned Palm School site. The resolution instructed city staff to engage with the public and learn the community’s […]
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PARD pushes to use Nash Hernandez building for offices instead of senior services
The Parks and Recreation Department is pushing back against a City Council recommendation and wants to convert an idle East Austin property into office space instead of a facility for seniors and children. In a memo released last week, PARD Director Kimberly McNeeley wrote that a recent feasibility study of the Nash Hernandez building found […]
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Plans for South Congress PUD include rooftop beehives and bird-safe glass
At its regular meeting this week, the Environmental Commission heard a preview of an upcoming planned unit development proposal for 311-315 South Congress Avenue. The commission heard the Project Assessment Report from both Housing & Planning Department staff and Steve Drenner of the Drenner Group, the developer’s representative. Although preliminary, the proposal would create a […]
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Commission delays vote on support for senior services facility
The Community Development Commission will take another month before deciding to support a proposal to convert the long-vacant Nash Hernandez Building into an intergenerational facility providing care and services to seniors living in East Austin. The commission voted unanimously to revisit the agenda item next month, following occasionally intense debate among commission members about the […]