| Dear Neighbors,
We have received hundreds of calls and emails expressing serious concern over the Land Development Code (LDC) rewrite. I share your frustration over the pace, the process, and the product.
It is no secret that I have opposed the council actions that led us to this point. I believe in transparency and taking the time to get things right. The current path does neither. Let’s remember that Austin embarked on the rewrite to achieve affordability and simplicity. This code delivers neither.
Council is scheduled to begin deliberations on second reading of the Land Development Code revisions on February 11th, with a vote likely happening between Feb. 11-13. This week, LDC staff gave a series of presentations outlining some of the most recent code and map changes. The code and these presentations need serious attention from all citizens.
You can find links to the current draft code and maps, as well as each of the presentations and council discussions below:
Wednesday afternoon’s presentation included new drawings depicting the types of structures, including unit size and impervious cover, that would be possible per the current draft code. Large parts of District 10 are zoned for a variation of R2 zoning, which can be found on slides 19-23. Below is an example of what could be built on an 8,500 square foot lot using the preservation bonus, which staff laid out on Wednesday afternoon. |
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| | | Some residential areas of District 10 are currently proposed for R4 zoning, which is sometimes referred to as a “missing middle” zone. This zone is currently mapped in transition areas as well as in some neighborhoods, such as off of Greystone and Mesa.
An example of base R4 zoning on an 8,000 square foot lot can be seen below.
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| | | RM1 zoning is another missing middle category, which we see mapped in District 10 in places including, but not limited to, the interior of neighborhood lots off of Jollyville Road and areas off of Exposition and Enfield.
You can see the base entitlements for RM1 on a 7,500 square foot lot below. Other depictions for missing middle possibilities can be found on slides 28-36.
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| | My office is working diligently to digest the hundreds of pages of code and map changes released on January 31st. We also are meeting with staff and other council offices as we draft amendments and prepare for next week’s deliberations. Please know we are reading and absorbing your emails and taking as many phone calls as possible.
I might be in a minority on the council in my opposition to the current process, but I will continue to speak out on your behalf – you can hear one example of this in the video below.
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| | We have held several office hours sessions and town halls on the Land Development Code over the last year. With such a short turnaround between release and Council action it simply is not possible for us to hold office hours and a town hall before the vote. We have LDC office hours scheduled for February 25th from 9-11 a.m. at Galaxy Cafe on Mesa Drive, and we anticipate holding a town hall in the coming weeks.
Before the vote on second reading, Council will be taking public comment on the latest versions of the maps and code. If you would like to testify, I encourage you to sign up to speak on February 11th so your comments can be heard as early as possible. If you are unable to come to City Hall that day and still wish to speak in person, you also can register to speak on February 12th or 13th. However, please note it is possible that Council could vote on the 11th. Please see the end of the mayor’s recent message board post for details about how citizen testimony will be structured. You will find a summary of the public comment process and meeting start times here.
Dozens of Council amendments were posted yesterday on the Council Message Board and more may be added in the coming days. In addition to the amendments that I post, I also am co-authoring several amendments with other council members. For example, many of the concerns I’m hearing from the community relate to transition zone depth. I am working with Council Members Kitchen, Pool, and Tovo to create language reducing transition zone impact, and that joint amendment as well as others I support may be posted by one of my colleagues.
As your representative, I am listening to and working to represent the concerns I am hearing from you. My staff are available by phone or email, and you can contact my chief of staff, Kurt Cadena-Mitchell, at kurt.cadena-mitchell@austintexas.gov or at (512) 978-2207. Thank you for your continued engagement through this process.
Regards,
Alison Alter
Council Member, District 10
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| | | District 10 Land Development Code Office Hours – Feb. 25
District 10 staff will be available on February 25th to listen to your comments and help answer questions regarding the Land Development Code. These will be walk-in office hours operating on a first come, first served during the hours detailed below.
Tuesday, February 25
9-11 a.m.
Galaxy Cafe8127 Mesa Dr #A100
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