APA PLANNERS TRAINING SERVICE – AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY AND ZONING: CASE STUDIES Managing Growth in Austin: The Impossible Dream? James B. Duncan, FAICP, CNU Austin Neighborhood Council February 25, 2015
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
APA PLANNERS TRAINING SERVICE – AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY AND ZONING: CASE STUDIES
Managing Growth in Austin: The Impossible Dream?
James B. Duncan, FAICP, CNU
Austin Neighborhood Council February 25, 2015
Presenter
Presentation Notes
While Austin has not recently updated its regulations like the other cities I have just discussed, it is just now embarking on such an effort. So I would like to use my hometown prerogative and profile several sustainable codes considered by many as local “Sacred Cows.” These are the Comprehensive Watershed Ordinance which is directed at preserving water quality and preventing flooding, and the Hill Country Roadway, Capitol View Corridors and Neighborhood Compatibility ordinances which are directed at preserving community character and values. However, the fact that they are “Sacred Cow Codes,” does not mean that they can not be streamlined, improved and made to work better.
APA PLANNERS TRAINING SERVICE – AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY AND ZONING: CASE STUDIES
1. Grow as a compact, connected city. Austin's long-term sustainability requires a fresh focus on redevelopment and infill within the city's developed areas.
2. Integrate nature into the city. A beautiful system of outdoor places for recreation
and environmental protection will define Austin as a world-class city.
3. Provide paths to prosperity for all. Austin can harness its strong economy to expand opportunity and social equity for all residents.
4. Develop as an affordable and healthy community. As development and change occurs, we must contain Austin's cost of living, while increasing wages and good jobs.
5. Sustainably manage water and other environmental resources.
Sustainability is about considering the needs of present and future generations.
6. Think creatively & practice civic creativity. Austin’s spirit of creativity most openly manifests itself in the local music and arts scenes.
Core Principles for Action
Presenter
Presentation Notes
These are the six core principles of the Imagine Austin plan. The key words are compact, connected, nature, prosperity, affordability, sustainability, environment and creativity. All of these principles are reflective of the uniqueness of Austin down to a recognition of the importance of our local music scene. It is important not to “cherry pick” principles. It is sorta like the Ten Commandments. They all important. Just because you do not kill people, it doesn't mean it is alright to lie, steal and sleep around.
APA PLANNERS TRAINING SERVICE – AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY AND ZONING: CASE STUDIES
1. Grow as a compact, connected city. Austin's long-term sustainability requires a fresh focus on redevelopment and infill within the city's developed areas.
2. Integrate nature into the city. A beautiful system of outdoor places for recreation
and environmental protection will define Austin as a world-class city.
3. Provide paths to prosperity for all. Austin can harness its strong economy to expand opportunity and social equity for all residents.
4. Develop as an affordable and healthy community. As development and change occurs, we must contain Austin's cost of living, while increasing wages and good jobs.
5. Sustainably manage water and other environmental resources.
Sustainability is about considering the needs of present and future generations.
6. Think creatively & practice civic creativity. Austin’s spirit of creativity most openly manifests itself in the local music and arts scenes.
Core Principles for Action
Presenter
Presentation Notes
These are the six core principles of the Imagine Austin plan. The key words are compact, connected, nature, prosperity, affordability, sustainability, environment and creativity. All of these principles are reflective of the uniqueness of Austin down to a recognition of the importance of our local music scene. It is important not to “cherry pick” principles. It is sorta like the Ten Commandments. They all important. Just because you do not kill people, it doesn't mean it is alright to lie, steal and sleep around.
APA PLANNERS TRAINING SERVICE – AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY AND ZONING: CASE STUDIES
Sustainable Cities Must Be: 1. Connected Walkable | Bikeable | Transit-oriented | Permeable | Proximate 2. Compact As dense as market will bear | Based on pedestrian sheds 3. Complete Balance of | Employment | Housing | Retail | School | Recreation 4. Complex Housing for diversity of | Age | Income | Market preference 5. Convivial Public spaces that are | Safe | Interesting | Accessible | Comfortable 6. Conserving Buildings that are | Resource efficient | Healthy | Durable | Flexible 7. Cost-effective Appropriate-tech | Conventional | Successional | Repairable 8. Coordinated Protocols of | Subsidiarity | Sequence | Coded principles | Appeal
Sustainable Codes Must Be: 1. Comprehensive Promote “triple-bottom line” goals (People-Planet-Profit) 2. Compatible Promote neighborly, harmonious and supportive relationships among
uses 3. Consistent Promote adopted planning goals that are fairly applied and seriously
enforced 4. Concurrent Promote available, accessible and affordable public services and
infrastructure
Sustainable Cities and Codes
Presenter
Presentation Notes
As a lover of alliteration, I admit that I was impressed when I came across this list of required characteristics for a sustainable community by Andres Duany the co-founder of New Urbanism. And to that I would add four more required code characteristics necessary to create the sustainable city.
APA PLANNERS TRAINING SERVICE – AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY AND ZONING: CASE STUDIES
1. Austin faces “contentious” growth decision: 1. Preserve low-density residential neighborhoods 2. Promote denser more affordable development
2. Past City policies have created:
1. Most overvalued – 2. Most sprawling – 3. Most congested –
3. Need to go in a different direction!
How To Grow or How Not to Grow!
Presenter
Presentation Notes
These are the six core principles of the Imagine Austin plan. The key words are compact, connected, nature, prosperity, affordability, sustainability, environment and creativity. All of these principles are reflective of the uniqueness of Austin down to a recognition of the importance of our local music scene. It is important not to “cherry pick” principles. It is sorta like the Ten Commandments. They all important. Just because you do not kill people, it doesn't mean it is alright to lie, steal and sleep around.
APA PLANNERS TRAINING SERVICE – AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY AND ZONING: CASE STUDIES
Residential Preferences
Presenter
Presentation Notes
These are the six core principles of the Imagine Austin plan. The key words are compact, connected, nature, prosperity, affordability, sustainability, environment and creativity. All of these principles are reflective of the uniqueness of Austin down to a recognition of the importance of our local music scene. It is important not to “cherry pick” principles. It is sorta like the Ten Commandments. They all important. Just because you do not kill people, it doesn't mean it is alright to lie, steal and sleep around.
APA PLANNERS TRAINING SERVICE – AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY AND ZONING: CASE STUDIES
“After a number of years of business-oriented city government, a new city council and mayor were elected in 1984 with promises to control and direct growth and to protect the quality of life that old-time residents have seen as fast disappearing. “Don’t Houstonize Austin” was a frequent admonition of the new regime. Ordinances to limit building height and density, to preserve views, and to maintain water quality have been implemented. A Hill Country Road Ordinance sets limits on building height and density along scenic roadways west of Austin.”
Charles Palmer, The Balcones Escarpment: Land Use and Cultural Change, 1986
“After a number of years of business-oriented city government, a new city council and mayor were elected in 1984 with promises to control and direct growth and to protect the quality of life that old-time residents have seen as fast disappearing. “Don’t Houstonize Austin” was a frequent admonition of the new regime. Ordinances to limit building height and density, to preserve views, and to maintain water quality have been implemented. A Hill Country Road Ordinance sets limits on building height and density along scenic roadways west of Austin.”
Charles Palmer, The Balcones Escarpment: Land Use and Cultural Change, 1986
Déjà vu in Austin?
Presenter
Presentation Notes
In 1959, when I first came to Austin to attend UT, the city had 160,000 residents. In 1984, when I moved back here to be OLDS director, the population had doubled to 320,000. Today, Austin is rapidly approaching 900,000 residents – three times what it was 30 years ago and six times what it was 50 years ago. Austin is a growth city! That is an undisputable fact. It is going to grow no matter what. The only question is what kind of growth will it be – compact or sprawl?, green or gray?, affordable or unaffordable? walkable or rideable? smart or dumb? sustainable or non-sustainable?
APA PLANNERS TRAINING SERVICE – AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY AND ZONING: CASE STUDIES
Capitol View Corridors
Presenter
Presentation Notes
1965 – First building to block a Capitol view – 26 story Westgate – 1980-1985 –building boom blocks many views, inc. police building Ordinance adopted 1985. 30 protected view corridors Ordinance adopted by State legislature, becoming state law Original code included TDR allowing lost floor area to be sold Recent issue with Congress Avenue building – “90 high-60 back”.
APA PLANNERS TRAINING SERVICE – AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY AND ZONING: CASE STUDIES
Comprehensive Watersheds
Presenter
Presentation Notes
For decades, Austin has been a national leader in and had a strong reputation for energy conservation and environmental protection. 1980 – Lake Austin, Barton Creek and Williamson Creek ordinances passed. Limited impervious and density. No buildings in flood plain. 1981 - Lower Watershed ordinance passed (most of south austin). Lowered impervious area. Required buffer zones. 1986 – Comprehensive Watershed ordinance passed (extends to all non-urban watersheds). Introduced NSA. Reclassified watersheds. 1992 – Save Our Springs Ordinance passed by citizens initiative. Lowered impervious. Required non-degradation. Limited variances. Talk About Resilience: 1980 – Whole Food opened on North Lamar with 19 employees. 1981 – Eight months later, WF devastated by Memorial Day Flood. 2013 – Now major natural grocer chain with 65,000+ employees.
Slope Floor Area Ratio Intensity Zone Low Moderate High Under 15% .20 .25 .30
15 to 25% .08 .10 .12
25 to 35% .04 .05 .06
Over 35% none none none
Setback Building Height Within 200’ 28’ 28’ 28’
Over 200’ 28’ 40’ 53’
Basic Design Requirements Vegetative Buffer 100’
Undisturbed Area 40%
Indigenous Materials
Visual Screening
View Preservation Parking medians 10’
Hill Country Roadways
APA PLANNERS TRAINING SERVICE – AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY AND ZONING: CASE STUDIES
Neighborhood Compatibility
External (Edge) (Non-residential)
Internal (Infill) (McMansions)
• Limits adjacent heights (45 degree plane) • Limits lighting (cut-off) and noise (70db) • Requires screening (parking, storage, refuse) • Prohibits reflective/intensive activities • Requires massing and clustering
• Limits house size (2300 sf or .4 FAR) • Limits house height (32’) • Limits buildable area (45 degree plane) • Decreases alley setbacks for ADUs • Requires sidewall articulation
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Edge Regulations adopted as part of 1986 code update Basically protects properties along perimeter of residential neighborhoods from negative effects of adjacent uses. Infill regulations adopted in 2006 as code amendments (aka Residential Design Guidelines or McMansion Ordinance). Prior intensity controlled by impervious cover. Now FAR. Basically protects existing homes from potential negative effects of new homes that are larger than those already there (out of scale). Most prevalent in older inner-city neighborhoods where land has become more valuable than structures and small cottages are being torn down (scraped) and replaced by large homes (McMansions). One of key reasons for code update in Denver.
APA PLANNERS TRAINING SERVICE – AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY AND ZONING: CASE STUDIES
Special Use Infill Cottage project must not exceed two acres in total site area Cottage lots must be at least 2,500 square feet in area Cottage entries must face front property lines Covered porch must be at least 5 feet deep along 50% of front façade Rear vehicle access must be through public alley or public easement Front-facing garages must be at least five feet behind building façade Off-street parking: two spaces required
Urban home lots must be at least 3,500 square feet in area Urban home entries must face front property lines Covered porch must be at least 5 foot deep along 50% of front façade Front yard setback must be equal to average setback of adjoining lots Front facing garages must be at least 5 feet behind building façade Garage width must not exceed 50 percent of front building façade Parking: 2 spaces not in front yard, other than driveway
Building height must not exceed 30 feet or two stories Gross floor area must not exceed 850 square feet Building entry must be on side furthest from side lot line Impervious cover for total site must not exceed 45 percent Building cover for total site must not exceed 40 percent One parking space (in addition to parking for principal structure) Parking prohibited in front yard other than in driveway
Seco
ndar
y Ap
artm
ents
U
rban
H
omes
C
otta
ges
Two corner stores must not be within 600 feet of each other Building floor area must not exceed 3,000 square feet Operating hours must be within 6am and 11pm Exterior lighting must not be directly visible from adjacent properties Building façades must not extend in unbroken line for over 30 feet Awnings must cover at least 50 percent of ground floor façade Parking must be in rear and side yards, with less than 50% on side
Cor
ner
Stor
es
Presenter
Presentation Notes
As proven in Vancouver, the only way that infill works is when subjected to definitive design requirements that ensure compatibility with their neighborhood surroundings.
The Ultimate Solution
Related Documents
