Mark Walters with the Housing and Planning Department gave a presentation to Zoning and Platting commissioners last week on a city study that evaluated trends of industrial land use in Austin. Walters said city staffers have noticed the “continuing erosion of industrially zoned land” over the last several years, particularly in Southeast Austin. “There’s been […]
Planning
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Planning Commission postpones ‘Statesman’ tract cases
In its Oct. 27 meeting, the Planning Commission indefinitely postponed consideration of neighborhood plan amendment and rezoning cases related to transforming the Austin American-Statesman site at 305 S. Congress Ave. A development team wants to redevelop the newspaper’s downtown property on the South Central Waterfront into mixed-use development, parks and open space. Richard Suttle, an […]
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Plan for new Domain substation leaves Council, moves forward
City Council has approved a plan to construct a much-needed Austin Energy substation, hoping it will speed through the city’s zoning process with public input as quickly as possible. Mayor Steve Adler opened the discussion by stressing the urgency of the situation, and getting Austin Energy “out there just as quickly as possible.” In order […]
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Domain substation may compromise Red Line Trail
Austin Energy needs a new substation to serve the population growth around the Domain and the utility already owns a site in an ideal location for that purpose. However, the Public Works Department’s Urban Trails team has been eyeing that the same property for future development of the planned 32-mile Red Line Trail. A request […]
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ZAP briefed on Onion Creek flooding and development
Zoning and Platting commissioners were briefed last Tuesday on the effects of flooding on development in South Austin’s Onion Creek. Kevin Shunk, the floodplain administrator in the city’s Watershed Protection Department, gave the presentation in response to questions from ZAP. Shunk said Watershed is guided by the Land Development Code to make sure there are […]
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Design Commission advances new hotel project on downtown parking lot
The Design Commission unanimously voted Wednesday to recommend a density bonus for a proposed 17-story hotel project at 617 Colorado St. in downtown Austin. The site is currently a surface parking lot at the southeast corner of Seventh and Colorado streets. The tract, only about 10,000 square feet in size, is zoned Central Business District. […]
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Planning Commission approves South Austin condo rezoning
The Planning Commission unanimously approved a rezoning request that paves the way for more condominiums in South Austin at its Tuesday night meeting. Staff recommended the rezoning of a 1.45-acre tract at 219 Lessin Lane, near Ben White Boulevard and South Congress Avenue, from a Family Residence base zone (SF-3) to a Townhouse & Condominium […]
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Board of Adjustment debates the value of maintaining area character
Swapping primary and secondary residences is an approach to creating larger living spaces for homeowners that has become a popular tactic for preserving homes that contribute to area character. However, at the Sept. 14 meeting of the Board of Adjustment, members debated whether preservation of area character was a disingenuous “get-out-of-jail-free card” for those looking […]
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Schlotzsky’s PUD wins first round approval
City Council voted 7-4 on first reading last week to approve zoning that would allow a 96-foot tower on the property at 218 S. Lamar, the home of a closed Schlotzsky’s restaurant. Leading the dissent was District 5 Council Member Ann Kitchen, whose district includes the property. Joining her in rejecting the zoning change from […]
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ZAP to consider Training Kitchen request as commission grapples with postponement woes
At the Zoning and Platting Commission Tuesday night, a rezoning request from a nonprofit that wants to build a community center on a South Austin lot was postponed by commissioners until early October. But the discussion underscored the commissioners’ frustration about how the body is handling postponement requests and what they mean for projects. The Training Kitchen wants […]
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Environmental Commission recommends increased impervious cover in waterfront overlay
Historically, it is rare for the Environmental Commission to recommend a variance to increase impervious cover in a waterfront overlay. Lately, however, the redevelopment of old, heavily covered lots has the commissioners opting for the lesser of two evils and making compromises for improved water quality in exchange for higher levels of impervious cover than […]
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ULI proposes affordability-centered upgrade to transit-oriented development
Housing costs in Austin are skyrocketing, bringing the average home sale price from $179,250 in 2010 up to nearly $385,000 this year. Factor in the transportation costs of car ownership, and median income isn’t even close to keeping up with the increase. A new report from Urban Land Institute Austin proposes a partial solution to […]