The Planning Commission wants City Council to prioritize creating senior and disabled-accessible housing units on city-owned land located near transit corridors, with a priority given to equitable transit-oriented developments, or ETODs, throughout the area. At a meeting last week, the commission voted in favor of a resolution that is related to policy involving ETODs and […]
City of Austin Planning Commission
This commission addresses issues of land use as assigned to it by Austin’s City Code. These include the abilities “[t]o make and amend a master plan, recommend approval or disapproval of proposed zoning changes and control land subdivision within neighborhood planning areas and submit, annually, a list of recommended capital improvements.” It has sovereign authority, or the right to make final decisions on certain cases.
Posted inZoning
Following court ruling, Oak Springs project scrambles to get back on track
Planning Commission members unanimously recommended an Oak Springs Road zoning change that was temporarily thwarted by a court ruling – despite concerns at their most recent meeting about an abbreviated timeline from a neighborhood representative. In May 2023, developers submitted a site plan that was approved through the now-obsolete Vertical Mixed Use 2 ordinance process, […]
Posted inZoning
Affordable housing complex competes for space with a church in Payton Gin zoning change
Planning Commission members have embraced an affordable housing project in North Austin despite concerns from the church it will replace. Developers plan to build a 100 percent affordable, six-story, 192-unit apartment complex at 1706 Payton Gin Road using the city’s Affordability Unlocked program. In return for the development incentives offered through the program, the project […]
Posted inPreservation
Planning Commission backs historic zoning for east side beauty shop
Despite its recent history, the Planning Commission unanimously endorsed historic landmark status for East Austin’s Fashionette Beauty Shop as a step toward more equitable historic preservation this week. The Fashionette Beauty Shop and McDonald Jackson House have stood at East 13th and Bob Harrison streets since the early 1900s. Staff and the Historic Landmark Commission […]
Posted inPlanning
New EV station will not charge forward in East Austin
Plans for an electric-vehicle charging lot spanning Pleasant Valley Road were thwarted by Planning Commission members who objected to its auto-centric nature at their last meeting. The project would have created two electric-vehicle charging parking lots flanking Pleasant Valley at Cesar Chavez Street. The easternmost lot is currently home to a vacant building and a […]
Posted inPlanning
Planning Commission endorses ‘plot twist’ for South Central Waterfront Plan
Though the future of Austin’s south shore has been shaken by a court ruling against the proposed tax increment reinvestment zone, members of the Planning Commission last week took their turn tackling the South Central Waterfront Plan in a sprawling discussion that spawned a number of novel proposals. The plan, which has been in the […]
Posted inTransportation
New rules in the works for electric vehicle charging stations
In addition to changes to major portions of the city’s land use regulations, City Council heard at last week’s meeting about proposed changes to rules governing where public electric vehicle charging stations can be located in the future. Because of Austin’s ambitious climate protection goals and strategies, which include reaching net-zero communitywide greenhouse gas emissions […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Updated: Council and Planning Commission hear from public on proposed land use changes
With City Council all but certain to approve extensive revisions to Austin’s land use code next month, Thursday’s public hearing on the proposed changes lacked the fire-in-the-belly resistance demonstrated at last October’s hearing. Back then, the joint Council hearing with the Planning Commission lasted well into the evening hours. Thursday’s joint hearing was over by […]
Posted inLand Development Code
HOME returns to Council and Planning Commission for public hearing
The second phase of the HOME initiative reemerges in the public spotlight this week, accompanied by a series of other proposed revisions to the Land Development Code. On Thursday, City Council and the Planning Commission will hold a joint hearing to receive public testimony on proposed changes relating to: Properties zoned single-family, including flag lots […]
Posted inHousing
A push for more affordable housing falls flat at Planning Commission
A new tower planned for downtown sparked debate about Austin’s density bonus program at the most recent meeting of the city’s Planning Commission. The density bonus program essentially trades increased development entitlements for a number of community benefits, including things like affordable housing, public space or green building. In this case, would-be developers of 506 […]
Posted inPreservation
Planning Commission gets its first look at Equity-Based Preservation Plan
With the draft Equity-Based Preservation Plan now available for public review, city boards and commissions are getting briefed on the document that includes over 100 recommendations for preserving the highs and lows of Austin’s history. The Planning Commission, which will be voting on the plan this fall, heard an overview of the draft at its […]
Posted inZoning
St. David’s snags Planning Commission approval to expand South Austin presence
St. David’s HealthCare is one step closer to redeveloping a medical office building near its South Austin hospital, nearly quadrupling the square footage. The Planning Commission unanimously approved a rezoning request on Feb. 13 that would allow St. David’s to redevelop an existing medical office complex at 4007 James Casey St. The medical office currently […]