Land Development Process in Austin

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

2. Regulatory Framework

3. 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

4. Code Contents • Technical Requirements • Land Use • Transportation • Drainage • Environment • Water and Wastewater • Signs • Buildings • Processes

5. Land Development Process

6. Zoning • Land use • Lot size • Building size (density and intensity) • Height • Setbacks • Building and impervious coverage • Landscape • Design Standards

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

8. 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

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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. Building Plans and Permits • Architectural plans of buildings • Compliance with technical codes: • Building • Mechanical • Electrical • Plumbing • Fire • Energy

14. Building Permit Approval • Administrative • Non-discretionary

15. Inspections

16. 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

17. 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

18. Process to Revise Austin’s Land Development Code Austin Neighborhoods Council 8/20/2013 George Adams, Assistant Director George Zapalac, Division Manager Matt Dugan, Development Services Process Coordinator Darrick Nicholas, Public Information Specialist Carol Gibbs, Neighborhood Advisor A priority program of

19. 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

20. Realizing the Plan—Priority Programs Compact & Connected Creative Economy Sustainable Water Household Affordability Workforce & Education Healthy Austin Green Infrastructure Development Regulations

21. Implementing Imagine Austin Community Engagement Internal Alignment Regulations Public Investment Partnerships

22. Imagine Austin’s LDC Revision Goals • Priority Program #8 • Revise 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

23. 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

24. On the Table for Reconsideration • Regulations relating to… • Procedures for review & approval • Zoning • Subdivisions • Site Plans • Drainage • Transportation • Environment • Signs

25. Code Revision Core Team • City Council • Planning Commission • Advisory Group • Staff • Consultant Team

26. 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 Mayo Stephen Oliver • Stephen Delgado Brian Reis • Jim Duncan Beverly Silas • Will Herring Dave Sullivan • Jeff Jack

27. 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

28. Code Revision—Four Steps 1 2 3 4

29. Listening and Understanding Step 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

30. Preliminary Draft Code Step 3 • 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 Step 4 • Public hearing • Planning Commission recommends and City Council approves diagnosis and outline

31. Timeline: LDC Revision 2013 2014 2015 2016 STEP 1 LISTENING & UNDERSTANDING STEP 2 CODE DIAGNOSIS & DRAFT CODE OUTLINE STEP 3 CODE DEVELOPMENT STEP 4 CODE ADOPTION

32. Summary of Process • Austin’s land development regulations and process need a holistic review • Imagine Austin provides a clear, community-based vision • Consultant team authors work products • Iterative, step-by-step process and community review • Planning Commission recommendations and City Council approvals throughout process

33. Open to all On time and within budget Engaging people who use the code Respectful and fair Focus on common ground Informative and educational Not letting perfection get in the way of improvement Avoid assumptions A clear, predictable, user-friendly code that implements What Does Success Look Like?

34. Contacts

35. Upcoming Events • Listening Sessions: Week of September 23rd • Imagine Austin Speaker Series: Development review processes, week of October 14th • www.austintexas.gov/newLDC

36. Land Development Code Public Engagement Framework

37. Approach: Principles Public Engagement Framework • 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) • Outlines the philosophy and guiding principles that will inform the approach to public engagement. • Highlights key principles, such as: • Inclusion • Transparency • Openness to learning • Multiculturalism

38. Strategies Public Engagement Framework • 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)

39. Strategies Public Engagement Framework • 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