Developers of some downtown towers will have to pay more toward affordable housing after City Council voted 10-0-2 on Thursday to increase the Downtown Density Bonus program’s in-lieu fees. The program offers developers more height and density in exchange for on-site affordable housing and/or fees-in-lieu toward housing vouchers and permanent supportive housing for people experiencing […]
Planning
Posted inPlanning
A neighborhood’s request to build a private park draws concern over policing
Last week the Planning Commission heard a surprisingly controversial debate among neighbors in East Austin’s Senate Hills over whether to allow the construction of a new neighborhood park. Though the commissioners all sided with those in favor of the park, the park’s future is uncertain after a majority of commissioners indicated their preference for a […]
Posted inPlanning
City seeks input on vision, plans for downtown’s Palm District
Residents can begin offering their thoughts to the city about the future use and look of the Palm District, a section of downtown that features historic structures and is surrounded by rapid growth and development. The city will hold a series of virtual meetings and surveys to let those interested in the district share their […]
Posted inPlanning
Council wants Project Connect TOD plans in place ‘pronto’
The city is set to overhaul its transit-oriented development policies to allow denser, more equitable development near future Project Connect stations as soon as possible. “We need to be ready from the word ‘go’ to let areas near our transit system be able to grow in a way that maximizes ridership potential,” Mayor Pro Tem […]
Posted inPlanning
Neighbors wary as ACC takes a step back from concrete plant
After hearing numerous complaints from neighbors of Austin Community College’s Pinnacle campus in Oak Hill, the ACC Board of Trustees approved a new resolution Monday night specifically excluding the use of the campus for a concrete batch plant. The board approved a resolution last month that appeared to authorize negotiations for placing the plant on […]
Posted inPlanning
Carver Museum expansion plans headed to Council in May
City Council is set to approve expansion plans for the George Washington Carver Museum in May, the final step in a yearlong – and entirely virtual – process of planning, community engagement, and board and commission review. The museum is dedicated to Black history, art and culture, and serves as an important community space in […]
Posted inPlanning
In Earth Day win, Environmental Commission sides with salamanders over developer
At its April 21 meeting, the Environmental Commission fielded discussion over a wastewater service extension request (SER) from a prospective developer of a property located at FM 620 and Anderson Mill Road. Kaela Champlin, an environmental program coordinator with the Watershed Protection Department, presented the case to commissioners, ultimately recommending the commission nix the request […]
Posted inPlanning
City gains parkland along Williamson Creek, but access proves tricky
The Planning Commission tried to settle a dispute Tuesday over public park access between the Parks and Recreation Department and the developer of a South Congress multifamily project. When finding the best solution for both parties proved elusive, commissioners blamed the city’s rigid Land Development Code. “Our code lacks the opportunity for innovation,” Commissioner James Shieh […]
Posted inPlanning
Council OKs Springdale Green PUD on first reading
While a number of residents of Saucedo Street next to the former East Austin tank farm strongly support plans to turn the property into a six-story office building with a height ranging from 75-93 feet, other neighbors object to the height. Last week City Council voted 7-0-3, with Council Member Pio Renteria leading the charge […]
Posted inPlanning
Council to change Downtown Density Bonus fees, consider new FAR rules
Long-awaited changes to the Downtown Density Bonus Program are back on track after City Council passed a resolution Thursday aimed at maximizing the affordable housing fees generated through the program. “I am very confident that the changes that we’ve initiated, including and especially the fees, are going to yield more affordable housing dollars,” said Council […]
Posted inPlanning
Devil is in the details when it comes to recalibrating density bonus
City Council is set to approve a resolution recalibrating the Downtown Density Bonus program’s affordable housing fees, a first attempt to pick up the pieces of the city’s failed Land Development Code rewrite. Almost all Council members have said they support recalibrating the fees, and none have said they are opposed. But the details – […]
Posted inPlanning
Planning Commission recommends newest Foundation Communities project
The Planning Commission has backed the latest project by local affordable housing developer Foundation Communities, recommending Multifamily-Moderate Density (MF-4) zoning for an 8-acre, church-owned property at 2105 Parker Lane in Southeast Austin. The Parker Apartments will offer 135 units affordable to households at or below 60 percent area median income, in addition to a learning […]