In a ruling that could derail Austin’s rewrite of its Land Development Code, a Travis County district judge voided two votes City Council has taken so far on the changes. The city has spent nearly eight years and more than $10 million trying to rewrite its land code – the rules that determine what can […]
City of Austin Land Development Code
The city’s Land Development Code regulates building and development in the city of Austin.
Posted inLand Development Code
LDC vote postponed due to COVID-19
The new Land Development Code, which was moving toward final passage with the support of seven Council members just a few days ago, has now been relegated to the back burner as Mayor Steve Adler and City Council look at ways to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Although Adler had written about scheduling […]
Posted inAustin
Virus impact grabs attention from transit, land use at panel for NW Austin Council members
Even with long-term issues such as local transit and the city’s proposed new Land Development Code up for debate, three City Council members representing the Northwest Austin area couldn’t get away from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic during a Wednesday panel discussion. Organized by the Austin Chamber and the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, […]
Posted inCourts
Habitat for Humanity, Environment Texas weigh in on land code lawsuit
Travis County District Judge Jan Soifer heard arguments Wednesday from attorneys for 19 Austin homeowners who sued the city over the new Land Development Code. The homeowners filed rezoning protests, but the city denied their requests for a hearing. The plaintiffs claim that by filing a rezoning protest they can force City Council to hold a […]
Posted inCourts
The city’s rewrite of its land use code heads to court (again)
Lawyers representing a group of Austin homeowners will argue in court this week that landowners have the right to formally protest the rezoning of their property under a citywide land code rewrite. If the court sides with them, it could mean that a portion of the city’s land would be exempt from a broad rewrite […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Parks board asks Council to add commercial projects to parkland dedication ordinance
The Parks and Recreation Board has asked for a change to the city’s parkland dedication ordinance that would require commercial developments to set aside parkland or make a fee-in-lieu payment to the city. The resolution unanimously approved at last week’s parks board meeting asks City Council to expand the applicability of the ordinance to include […]
Posted inPlanning
Planning Commission recommends Imagine Austin amendments but postpones neighborhood request
At Tuesday’s Planning Commission meeting, city staff asked commissioners for their recommendations for amending the language of the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan. Staff brought two requests to the dais. One was for an endorsement to alter the language of the Imagine Austin Growth Concept Map and Downtown Austin Plan to reflect that residential uses are […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Land use code to protect transit-oriented trees and increase canopy cover
A recent amendment to the draft Land Development Code could change how heritage tree preservation impacts new development on corridors. Council Member Paige Ellis offered a concept last week, the Supplemental Heritage Tree Preservation Program, that she said would help keep trees on corridors by relaxing zoning standards in exchange for preservation of a heritage […]
Posted inLand Development Code
With second vote, Council advances draft land use code
While City Council has not arrived at a consensus on the draft Land Development Code, members began a conversation that could lead in that direction during Council’s second reading this week. Before Council approved the draft on second reading in a 7-4 vote Thursday night, some Council members who fall on the side of the […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Public speaks on land use code second draft
City Council opened the floor to public comment Tuesday, leading up to its second reading on the revised draft of the Land Development Code. In total, there were 65 speakers, most of whom voiced objections of some sort to the proposed code rewrite. Articulating a well-represented view on the new code, resident Bill Fowler said […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Take a look at what could be built under Austin’s proposed new land code
On Wednesday, the city of Austin revealed some models of what could be built under the proposed new Land Development Code, the rules that dictate what can be built in the city and where. It’s important to note that in most cases the images show the maximum of what could be built. Developers could decide […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Council responds to code second draft
City Council took a few hours Tuesday afternoon to respond to the second draft of the revised Land Development Code in light of a new zoning map, a recalibrated density bonus program and reduced overall housing capacity. Last Friday, Jan. 31, the city’s Land Development Code revision team released the draft after consideration of 199 […]