DEVELOPMENT BREAKDOWN City Council signed o on two measures tied to Austin’s housing crisis June 9. One expands an existing a ordable development program, while the other could reduce limits on new development along major roadways.
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neighborhoods linked to amenities and transit while building up much-needed housing stock. The June changes expand a program bringing taller mixed-use buildings on major streets and could reduce restrictions on projects near single-family homes. Those steps are among the most notable the city has taken on since a proposed rewrite of its land development code stalled this spring. But the changes are not backed by all in the community, with some concerned that new allow- ances could cause disruption for neighborhoods and businesses without bringing enough bene ts. And among more supportive developers and coun- cil members, some said the action may not bring enough relief to Austin’s housing pressures and a ordability concerns. “I’m not saying that I’m opposed to those changes by any means; I think it’s a good incremental prog- ress. It’s just, to me, it feels like a drop in the bucket,” said Chris A nito, president of Austin developer Heartwood Real Estate Group. Compatibility constraints Both updates are aimed at encouraging devel- opment on Austin’s major corridors—Burnet Road, Congress Avenue, Lamar Boulevard, and future Project Connect rail and bus routes, for example— where, to varying levels, many believe denser hous- ing belongs. One move City Council initially approved June 9 aims to loosen Austin’s strict limits on building height next to single-family homes, or compatibility stan- dards, which some developers point to as a hindrance on new construction. The regulations are designed to protect existing single-family homes from being overshadowed by larger developments within a cer- tain distance, and cover limits on yard sizes, height and overall building size. One aspect of compatibility acts as a cap on new building heights stretching outward from an exist- ing residence. Alongside other local development requirements, compatibility can often force devel- opers to reduce or abandon construction plans. Austin’s current height limits, and the distance over which a home’s in uence extends, stand out when compared with Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and other rapidly growing peers such as Charlotte,
MIXED USE ADDITIONS
EXISTING FUTURE
Austin’s vertical mixed-use, or VMU, program has brought thousands of housing units to the city, including hundreds reserved for those earning lower incomes. Even more could be coming under the expanded VMU2 option. Vertical mixed use (VMU): A city bonus program granting extra building height in exchange for some a ordable housing units.
VMU PROJECTS TOTAL HOUSING UNITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS
37
36
6,793
8,908
678
1,190
*AS OF APRIL
COMPATIBILITY CEILING
Changes proposed this spring apply only on Austin's corridors, and include granting greater building height to new development and reducing the distance over which compatibility can a ect nearby properties to 300 feet.
Compatibility: An element of residential design standards “designed to minimize the impact of new construction, remodels and additions to existing buildings on surrounding properties in residential neighborhoods.”
120 FEET
60 FEET
Compatibility restricts height closer single-family homes...
... and gradually loosens farther away.
30 FEET
SINGLE FAMILY HOME
300 FEET
540 FEET
25 FEET 50 FEET
DISTANCE FROM HOME
SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
as integral to a quality urban life and as a fundamen- tal part of zoning. This protection is more important as redevelopment occurs and cities get denser,” the group said in a statement. “Compatibility between structures and uses, not incompatibility, is the foun- dation of a ordable, livable large cities.” The proposed updates would not completely wipe away Austin’s decades-old limits on building height and other characteristics. Rather, the changes would grant denser developments more leeway with com- patibility when building on busy streets. Council’s proposal is now being reviewed ahead of a nal vote as soon as September. More mixed-use In June, council members also agreed to broaden one of Austin’s most proli c a ordable building pro- grams: vertical mixed-use, or VMU. The program allows for a trade-o granting taller
Denver and Atlanta. Erica Leak, a development o - cer at Austin’s housing department, said the lim- itations are “the most restrictive” that city sta are aware of. “There are a lot of fast-growing cities, but ours has been growing faster; our housing crisis is worse; and there is an obvious reason why that should be solved fairly easily,” A nito said. Over the past several years, Austin attempted to rework compatibility standards through a revision of the city’s 1980s land code. A group of homeown- ers successfully challenged that process in court, leaving a broader rewrite o the table, and many still believe the limits should not be reduced. Commu- nity Not Commodity, which did not favor council’s recent process, said considerations for homeowners should still be in place regardless of the city’s push for new development. “Access to light and air has long been recognized
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