Land Development Process in Austin Austin Neighborhoods Council August 20, 2013.

Land Development Process in AustinAustin Neighborhoods CouncilAugust 20, 2013

Regulatory Framework

Land Development Code• Regulations for using and building on land

• WHAT can be built• WHERE it can be built• HOW MUCH can be built• HOW it can be used• WHEN it can be used

Code Contents• Technical Requirements

• Land Use• Transportation• Drainage• Environment• Water and Wastewater• Signs• Buildings

• Processes

Land Development Process

Zoning

Zoning Approval• City Council• Land Use Commission• Public hearings• Discretionary Process

Subdivision• Division of a tract of land into

parcels for the purpose of sale, development, or extension of utilities to the property

• May include new streets, lots, blocks, utilities, drainage

Subdivision Approval• Land Use Commission • Director (four lots or less)• Non-discretionary except for variances• Recorded in county deed records• Difficult to modify

Subdivisions in ETJ• City jurisdiction extends 5 miles beyond city limits• City and Travis County have single set of subdivision

regulations for ETJ• Subdivisions in ETJ must be approved by Land Use

Commission and Travis County Commissioners Court

Site Plans• Commercial and Multi-family Development• Detailed, engineered plan for construction of a site

• Building size and location• Parking and driveways• Landscaping • Tree and natural area protection• Utilities• Grading, drainage and water

quality

Site Plan Approval• Mostly administrative

• Non-discretionary• Some require Land Use Commission approval

• Conditional use permits• Hill County Roadways• Discretionary within limits specified in Code

Building Plans and Permits• Architectural plans of buildings• Compliance with technical codes:

• Building• Mechanical• Electrical• Plumbing• Fire• Energy

Building Permit Approval• Administrative• Non-discretionary

Inspections

Participating Departments• Planning &

Development Review• Austin Energy• Austin Water Utility• Code Compliance• Economic

Development • Fire

• Law• Neighborhood

Housing & Community Develop.

• Real Estate Services• Parks & Recreation• Public Works• Transportation• Watershed

Protection

What Rules Apply?• Base Zoning District• Conditional Overlay• Overlay District• Planned Development Area (PDA)• Restrictive Covenant• Combining District• Neighborhood Plan• Compatibility Standards• Hill Country Roadway Corridor• Commercial and Residential Design Standards

Process to Revise Austin’s Land Development Code

Austin Neighborhoods Council 8/20/2013

George Adams, Assistant DirectorGeorge Zapalac, Division ManagerMatt Dugan, Development Services Process CoordinatorDarrick Nicholas, Public Information SpecialistCarol Gibbs, Neighborhood Advisor

A priority program of

Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan

• Community Values• Guide for managing

change• Reference for decision

making• Direction for more

detailed city plans, investments, initiatives, etc.

• City’s “To-Do”list• Benchmarking, tracking,

updating

Realizing the Plan—Priority Programs

Compact & ConnectedCompact & Connected

Sustainable WaterSustainable Water

Workforce & EducationWorkforce & Education

Green InfrastructureGreen Infrastructure

Creative EconomyCreative Economy

Household AffordabilityHousehold Affordability

Healthy AustinHealthy Austin

Development RegulationsDevelopment Regulations

Implementing Imagine Austin

Community Engagement

Internal Alignment

Regulations

Public Investment

Partnerships

Imagine Austin’s LDC Revision GoalsPriority Program #8Revise Austin’s development regulations and processes to promote a compact and connected city.

• Complete neighborhoods and expanded housing choices

• Neighborhood protection• Household affordability • Environmental protection• Efficient service delivery• Clear guidance and

user-friendly

It’s Time to Revise the LDC when…

• Last comprehensive revision in 1984

• 181proposed amendments since 2005

• Over 60 zoning districts

• Multiple overlay districts on a single property

• Multiple duplicative & conflicting requirements

• Development process is complex and difficult to understand

• It’s not user-friendly

Regulations relating to…

• Procedures for review & approval

• Zoning

• Subdivisions

• Site Plans

• Drainage

• Transportation

• Environment

• Signs

On the Table for Reconsideration

• City Council

• Planning Commission

• Advisory Group

• Staff

• Consultant Team

Code Revision Core Team

Advisory Group

• Purpose:• Assist with public outreach

• Provide feedback on development and implementation of a revised code

• Meets regularly throughout process

• Advisory Group members:Chris Bradford Melissa Neslund

Mandy De MayoStephen Oliver

Stephen Delgado Brian Reis

Jim Duncan Beverly Silas

Will Herring Dave Sullivan

Jeff Jack

Staff & Consultant Resources

• Opticos Design – Lead consultant• Fregonese Assoc.

• Peter J. Park

• McCann Adams

• Cultural Strategies

• Group Solutions

• Lisa Wise Consulting

• RCLCO

• ECONorthwest

• Taniguchi Architects

• Kimley Horn

• McGuireWoods

• Urban Design Group

Code Revision—Four Steps

1 2 3 4

Listening and UnderstandingStep 1

• Conduct listening sessions – What works, what doesn’t work, identification of critical issues & divisive topics

Code Diagnosis & Outline Step 2• Prepare draft diagnosis (what’s left alone, what’s to be

revised, and what to explore further) and annotated outline (summary organization of the revised codes)

• Prelim review by Advisory Group, staff, public and Boards and Commissions

• Planning Commission recommends and City Council approves diagnosis and outline

Preliminary Draft Code• Based on annotated outline

• Conduct workshops on draft sections of the code

• Develop roll-out process for mapping

• Broad events to allow public to explore and comment on code

• Review by Advisory Group, staff, public and Boards and Commissions

Code Adoption• Public hearing

• Planning Commission recommends and City Council approves diagnosis and outline

Step 3

Step 4

2013 2014 2015

STEP1

STEP2

STEP3

STEP4

2016

LISTENING & UNDERSTANDING

CODE DIAGNOSIS & DRAFT CODE OUTLINE

CODE DEVELOPMENT

CODE ADOPTION

Timeline: LDC Revision

Summary of Process

What Does Success Look Like?

On time and within

budget

Open to all

Engaging people who

use the codeRespectful and fair

Informative and

educational

Focus on common

ground

Avoid assumptionsNot letting perfection

get in the way of

improvement

A clear, predictable, user-friendly

code that implemen

ts

Contacts

Austin Neighborhoods Council

Carol Lee, President president@ancweb.org

Mary Ingle, 1st Vice President vp1@ancweb.org

Joyce Basciano, 2nd Vice President vp2@ancweb.org

Planning and Development Review Department

George Adams, Assistant Director 512-974-2146 george.adams@austintexas.gov

George Zapalac, Division Manager 512-974-2725 george.zapalac@austintexas.govMatt Dugan, Development Services Process Coordinator 512-974-7665

matthew.dugan@austintexas.gov

Darrick Nicholas, PIO Specialist 512-974-1236darrick.nicholas@austintexas.gov

Carol Gibbs, Neighborhood Advisor 512-974-7219 carol.gibbs@austintexas.gov

Upcoming Events

Listening Sessions: Week of September 23rd

Imagine Austin Speaker Series: Development review processes, week of October 14th

www.austintexas.gov/newLDC

Land Development CodePublic Engagement Framework

Public Engagement FrameworkApproach: Principles

1. Outlines the City of Austin’s public participation principles:

• (accountability and transparency)• (fairness and respect)• (accessibility)• (predictability and consistency)• (creativity and community collaboration)• (responsible stewardship)

2. Outlines the philosophy and guiding principles that will inform the approach to public engagement.

3. Highlights key principles, such as:

• Inclusion• Transparency • Openness to learning• Multiculturalism

Public Engagement FrameworkStrategies

Methods (used to implement the engagement strategies will be designed to integrate the guiding principles of engagement) •In-depth interviews (to understand perceptions and attitudes for effective messaging and communication)

•Stakeholder interviews (to understand detailed issues, concerns with, and possible approaches to the new code)

•Listening sessions (with the general public to understand likes and concerns about specific places and gather feedback on the public engagement plan)

•Small-group meetings (with existing and new stakeholder groups to gather input on what they value and are concerned about on both specific places and related to the code itself)

•Educational speaker sessions (to foster more in-depth learning and discussion about hot topics related to the land development code)

•Ambassador program (to engage leaders from traditionally underrepresented communities to foster greater involvement in those communities)

•Booths and presentations (at neighborhood and community events and presentations at existing meetings of community organizations)

Public Engagement FrameworkStrategies

Tools and Platforms (to inform and engage the community about the project) •Website (including online engagement platform, surveys, etc.)

•Social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Vine)

•Traditional media (including news releases, press conferences, media interviews and public service announcements)

•Toolkit to support ambassadors

•Newsletters

•Channel 6