Neighborhood activist Mary Ingle heightened the controversy around the city’s Land Development Code rewrite process Thursday by alleging that a member of the committee working on the rewrite has violated city ethics rules. In a sworn complaint, Ingle alleges that Melissa Neslund, who serves on the city’s Land Development Code Advisory Committee, has violated city […]
CodeNEXT
CodeNEXT is the name given to the land development code rewrite process undertaken in the early 2010s by the City of Austin.
Posted inDevelopment
Commission fails to endorse South Austin plan
South Austin residents for and against a new neighborhood plan jammed Tuesday night’s Planning Commission meeting. After several hours of discussion, the South Austin Neighborhood Plan failed to win a recommendation from the commission, where deeper concerns about the current state of the neighborhood planning process were revealed. Ultimately, the Planning Commission voted unanimously, 5-0, […]
Posted inDevelopment
Austin Monitor Radio, Show 7
Elizabeth Pagano talks land development code re-write with ANC President Mary Ingles and City PDR’s George Zapalac. Follow the “Read Now” button to hear it. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/159024199″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council members ponder high cost of Highland area renovations
There was widespread support at Tuesday’s work session for the renovations already underway at Highland Mall. But the hefty price tag that will most likely accompany that redevelopment had some City Council members concerned that the city could be overextending itself in the face of so many opportunities. The first phase of the project […]
Posted inDevelopment
Despite criticism, Planning Commission reviews CodeNEXT rewrite
Though the process continues to draw criticism, the CodeNEXT code rewrite moves forward, and the Planning Commission looked at its latest benchmark last week. Planning and Development ReviewUrban Planner George Zapalac presented the Planning Commission with a draft of CodeNEXT’s Code Diagnosis Report. The final report, which will also detail major issues found in […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council moves forward with proposal to allow micro apartment units
The discussion about micro apartment units boiled down to a few small details at Thursday’s City Council‘s meeting. Council members approved a resolution 7-0, initiating a code amendment that could decouple parking requirements from units that are less than 500 square feet in size. This decoupling already exists in the University Neighborhood Overlay, where […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Riley’s push for micro-apartments draws complaint from Morrison
A push from Council Member Chris Riley to revise Austin’s Land Development Code to include new provisions to encourage the construction of micro-apartments raised concerns from Council Member Laura Morrison at Council’s Tuesday work session. There, Morrison argued that the move – set for approval at Thursday’s Council meeting – would run counter to work […]
Posted inDevelopment
Commission initiates code amendment for small lot amnesty
Modifications to the city’s small lot amnesty policy continue to move forward, with a code amendment now on the horizon. The Planning Commission voted unanimously at its last meeting to initiate the code amendment, which will clarify that the small lot amnesty infill tool is intended to allow new development or redevelopment of an […]
Posted inDevelopment
Panel debates future steps for Land Development Code rewrite
Some may think it’s moving too fast, and some may think it’s moving too slow, but most everyone agrees that the revision of the city’s Land Development Code continues to move toward what one stakeholder calls “difficult, necessary conversations.” The process has been branded CodeNEXT by the city, and at last week’s Comprehensive Planning […]
Posted inDevelopment, Elections
ANC wants Land Development Code rewrite held for 10-1 Council
The Austin Neighborhoods Council and others are calling for the ongoing rewrite of the city’s Land Development Code to be put on hold until the new 10-1 City Council is seated in January 2015. At their Monday afternoon meeting, members of the Land Development Code Advisory Group heard from several citizens, all of whom […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Government
Apartment occupancy rates, rental costs at all-time high
As Austin’s population continues to increase, occupancy rates and rents for apartments and the construction of new multifamily properties are at all-time high levels. And while that may be a financial boost for owners and landlords, City of Austin housing officials say it presents a serious challenge to their mission of creating affordable housing. […]