After a series of delays stretching back to November, the Planning Commission is now expected to consider and possibly approve the Palm District Plan at a special called meeting May 30. As a result of the new meeting time, City Council is not expected to hold a public hearing on the plan until its July […]
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 inPlanning
Planning Commission OKs height boost for Rainey tower amid resident pushback
The Planning Commission on April 11 recommended approval of a density bonus that would allow a new tower to rise in the Rainey Street neighborhood. The proposed 215-unit condominium tower at 62 East Ave. will rise 57 floors and 684 feet. But before the project can break ground, it needs City Council approval to increase […]
Posted inZoning
Neighbors hope for midnight closing, no loud music at new bar on Guadalupe
City Council gave first reading approval last week for a zoning change for property at 3100 Guadalupe St. that would allow the owners to operate a cocktail lounge on the site after getting a conditional use permit to do so. Neighbors have a valid petition against the change, with more than 28 percent of surrounding […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Planning Commission proposes changes to compatibility
The Planning Commission Tuesday launched a proposal that would let single-family homeowners decide to allow taller buildings near them. The change to city code would let individual owners waive compatibility, a rule that limits the height of buildings near single-family homes and, critics say, acts as a barrier to building more housing in the city. The […]
Posted inZoning
Planning Commission moves to create new zoning category to allow more housing
The Planning Commission took a step on Tuesday to create a new zoning category that commissioners say would allow more housing to be built across the city. “We’re not building enough housing, and whatever we can do to change that and get transit-supportive density on the ground, we’ve gotta do. And this is a great […]
Posted inZoning
Planning Commission discusses whether city should preserve industrial areas
A case at the Planning Commission on March 28 sparked discussion about whether the city should try to preserve remaining industrial areas or encourage their redevelopment. In question is a 13-acre property at 5010 Burleson Road in Southeast Austin. The property owner requests a change from industrial to commercial use on the site’s Future Land […]
Posted inZoning
Redevelopment of East Austin dairy plant gets Planning Commission approval
A dairy plant in East Austin could soon be redeveloped into a massive mixed-use project, pending the outcome of a zoning change request. Developer Endeavor Real Estate plans to build 1,400 multifamily units, a 220-room hotel, 411,500 square feet of offices, 66,000 square feet of restaurant space and 40,000 square feet of retail on the […]
Posted inZoning
Zoning case at Planning Commission highlights ‘broken’ Land Development Code, prompts fixes from Council
A zoning case heard by the Planning Commission on Tuesday called attention to what commissioners called the city’s “broken” Land Development Code, which they said in effect forced them to recommend industrial zoning on an East Austin property in order to allow housing. “The code is broken,” Commissioner João Paulo Connolly said. “We’re given broken […]
Posted inZoning
Berkman zoning change wins City Council approval
City Council approved a major increase in zoning for a less than 1-acre site at 6305 Berkman Drive last week. The move will allow the developer to build about 34 one- and two-bedroom units, compared to the 10 units that could have been built under the previous single-family zoning, according to Victoria Haase of Thrower […]
Posted inPlanning
ATX Walk Bike Roll plan presented to boards and commissions
ATX Walk Bike Roll, an update to Austin’s active transportation plans, is heading for City Council approval in the coming months. Over the past few weeks, city staffers have made the rounds at boards and commissions, presenting the draft plan for feedback. Walk Bike Roll unites plans for urban trails, bikeways and sidewalks under the […]
Posted inZoning
More housing coming to North Shoal Creek neighborhood, pending rezoning
The Planning Commission Feb. 28 recommended rezoning a 3-acre site along Shoal Creek Boulevard to allow a 330-unit multifamily housing project. The request would change the zoning for properties at 8640 and 8700 Shoal Creek Blvd. from Limited Industrial (LI) to Limited Industrial-Planned Development Area (LI-PDA) – a zoning category that allows multifamily housing, despite […]
Posted inZoning
695 homes – many of them affordable – planned on East Riverside
The Planning Commission on Tuesday recommended approval of a zoning change that could bring a large mixed-use project with affordable housing to Riverside Drive. Plans for the project at 6610 East Riverside Drive include 600 residential units, half of which would be affordable, as well as 95 live/work units and 4,000 square feet of ground-floor […]