The Planning Commission last Tuesday recommended broader changes to compatibility standards than what City Council proposed earlier this year, setting the stage for a Council discussion on Dec. 1 over how much to relax the rule. Compatibility, a rule limiting the height of buildings near single-family homes, has come under increased scrutiny for its role […]
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
City staffers push back on proposed changes to compatibility
A proposal by City Council to reduce compatibility along major streets would make the city’s Land Development Code more complicated while doing little to increase housing supply, city staffers told the Planning Commission last Tuesday. “We’re very supportive of the direction (the proposal is) going and relaxing compatibility to encourage housing capacity … but as it’s […]
Posted inPlanning
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, […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Council adopts new stormwater rules
After considerable delay and discussion, City Council finally approved new environmental regulations related to drainage, landscaping and green stormwater infrastructure on Thursday. Mackenzie Kelly was the only Council member to vote no, and Natasha Harper-Madison was off the dais. Last week’s vote had been postponed from Oct. 14 to give Council more time to consider […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Code change to allow housing on commercial properties
A code change that would allow housing on commercial properties got an initial hearing at the Planning Commission Tuesday. After some discussion, the commission postponed the item until Nov. 8 amid concern over a recommendation by city staffers to not allow housing near highways. City Council initiated the code change almost a year ago as a […]
Posted inCity Council
Council opts to make Austin a friendlier place for backyard chickens
Chicken enthusiasts have cause for celebration, as a proposal to loosen setback regulations for chicken coops passed last week on City Council’s consent agenda. The move stems from a collaboration between the Public Health Department and the Office of Sustainability, which sought to make it easier for Austinites living on smaller lots to reap the […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Council puts off making environmental code changes
City Council opted Thursday to postpone a decision on changes to the city’s environmental regulations related to drainage, landscape and site plan requirements. Staff and environmentalists argue the changes are important updates to regulations related to stormwater drainage, wastewater infrastructure, landscape requirements and wetland protections. The Planning Commission had already recommended postponing certain sections of […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Planning Commission recommends enviro code updates with caveats
The Planning Commission on Tuesday unanimously recommended that City Council approve only certain elements of a package of code updates aimed at making new development more environmentally friendly, and suggested Council retool or delay adoption of other elements. The complex code amendments have sparked considerable discussion at various boards and commissions in recent weeks, as […]
Posted inLand Development Code
As affordability concerns linger, Planning Commission postpones enviro code changes
The Planning Commission postponed a vote Tuesday on a complex package of environmental and water quality code amendments. Commissioners say much work remains to understand the full impact of the changes, especially as they relate to housing affordability. While many code changes are proposed, the biggest include requiring enhanced “functional green” landscaping in most new […]
Posted inLand Development Code
To improve connectivity, ZAP recommends prohibiting culs-de-sac in most cases
The Zoning and Platting Commission recommended changes to city code on Tuesday to improve street connectivity in new subdivisions. “I look at culs-de-sac as kind of destroying the grid,” said Commissioner Lonny Stern, who initially proposed the changes. He explained that a grid of streets is much easier to navigate than a web of culs-de-sac, […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Planning Commission worries new environmental regulations could make housing more expensive
After expressing concerns over the impact of new water quality and drainage regulations on housing affordability, members of the Planning Commission voted Tuesday to form a working group to tackle the code changes before giving a final recommendation to City Council. The rules, which were part of the failed Land Development Code rewrite, would help […]
Posted inHousing
Mayoral candidates outline plans to make housing more affordable
Since the pandemic began, most Austinites have felt the effects of increased rent, higher property taxes, or home prices growing increasingly out of reach. With rising costs forcing people out of their neighborhoods (or out of the city entirely), candidates hoping to become Austin’s next mayor in November agree that something has to be done […]