Last Thursday, Council gave first reading approval to rezoning of about 3 acres of land close to the intersection of South Lamar and Menchaca. Developer John Warnock promises to provide 10 percent of an estimated 450 apartment units to renters earning 60 percent of the median family income if granted the MF-6 zoning he is […]
Vertical Mixed Use (VMU)
According to the city’s website, “A vertical mixed use building contains a mix of residential and commercial uses. Typically, commercial uses (i.e. retail shops, restaurants, offices) are located on the ground floor, while residential units (condominiums or apartments) are located on upper levels.”
Posted inPlanning
Parks board says no to parkland compromise
Austin’s Parks and Recreation Board voted unanimously at Tuesday’s meeting to reject a developer’s appeal related to city regulations for parkland dedication for a proposed apartment complex at 403 E. Koenig Lane. Only six members of the board – the minimum for a quorum – attended the meeting at the Zilker Botanical Garden. The case […]
Posted inZoning
Planning Commission supports latest East Austin VMU rezoning
The Planning Commission last Tuesday recommended approval of a rezoning to allow a 126-unit multifamily building at 1200-1208 Springdale Road. The developer requests Vertical Mixed Use (-V) zoning, which would allow more units, on top of the current Community Commercial-Mixed Use (GR-MU) zoning. The site is currently vacant. With the existing zoning, the developer would […]
Posted inZoning
Planning Commission recommends 400-unit VMU project at Airport and Springdale
A 400-unit apartment project at 3707 Goodwin Ave. took another step toward approval last Tuesday after receiving Planning Commission support for vertical-mixed use (VMU) zoning. “This is a simple, straightforward VMU zoning case,” said David Hartman, representing the applicant, “but it is exciting in the sense that it’s transforming three acres of a trucking terminal […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Commission pushes for increased height, reduced compatibility ahead of code rewrite
The Planning Commission voted Tuesday to initiate a code amendment that would increase the building height limit from 60 to 85 feet at properties located within a transit-oriented development or zoned as vertical mixed-use. For good measure, the amendment would also waive all restrictions based on compatibility standards for any transit-oriented development or vertical mixed-use […]
Posted inZoning
Zoning request highlights role of commission, need for new land use code
The Planning Commission went against the official staff suggestion Tuesday evening, recommending the addition of a Vertical Mixed Use designation to the current General Commercial Services-Mixed Use Combining District-Neighborhood Plan Combining District zoning of 3706 Goodwin Ave., near the intersection of Airport Boulevard and Springdale Road. Michael Whellan, who was representing the applicant, said the […]
Posted inZoning
Planning Commission balks at neighborhood VMU
At its Oct. 23 meeting, the Planning Commission found itself reeling at a request for vertical mixed use on a rezoning case in Windsor Park at 6203, 6205 and 6207 Berkman Drive. The applicant presented two options that were agreed upon by the property owner and the neighborhood planning contact team, but that agreement did […]
Posted inZoning
Commission split on mixed-use zoning near Lamar
The Planning Commission urged a property owner and his neighbors to try to reach a compromise Tuesday after a hearing in which both sides of a contentious zoning case accused the other of duplicity. “They’re traumatized; I’m traumatized,” said John Scott Neal, the owner of a parcel of land that includes 1507, 1509, 1511, 1601 […]
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 […]