Land Development Process in Austin Austin Neighborhoods Council August 20, 2013
Dec 24, 2015
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
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
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
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
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 [email protected]
Mary Ingle, 1st Vice President [email protected]
Joyce Basciano, 2nd Vice President [email protected]
Planning and Development Review Department
George Adams, Assistant Director 512-974-2146 [email protected]
George Zapalac, Division Manager 512-974-2725 [email protected] Dugan, Development Services Process Coordinator 512-974-7665
Darrick Nicholas, PIO Specialist [email protected]
Carol Gibbs, Neighborhood Advisor 512-974-7219 [email protected]
Upcoming Events
Listening Sessions: Week of September 23rd
Imagine Austin Speaker Series: Development review processes, week of October 14th
www.austintexas.gov/newLDC
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