Georgetown Edition | July 2022

LAND USE IN

GEORGETOWN

195

The comprehensive plan includes the city’s future land-use map, which is composed of 11 dierent categories. Mid- to high-density and multifamily developments are permitted in three of those categories.

REGIONAL CENTER • Target ratio: 75% nonresidential, 25% residential • Uses: large retailers, mixed use, high-density residential • Examples: Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center, The Summit at Rivery Park Apartments

LAKE GEORGETOWN

GEORGETOWN

COMMUNITY CENTER • Target ratio: 80% nonresidential, 20% residential • Uses: small retailers, medium to high-density residential • Example: Oak Meadows Marketplace • •

NE INNER LOOP

130 TOLL

EMPLOYMENT CENTER • Target ratio: 80% nonresidential, 20% residential • Uses: advanced manufacturing, life sciences, professional services, high-density residential • Examples: St. David’s Georgetown Hospital, The Rail at Georgetown apartments

SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWNCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

One redevelopment project in the works is the former McCoy Elemen- tary School property, a 12-acre site purchased by Partners Capital in December. Located at 1313 Williams Drive, the building housed George- town ISD administrative sta when the new McCoy school was built. In 2018, sta moved to the Hammerlun Center for Leadership and Learning, leaving the former school vacant. Demolition was approved in March 2019. A press release from Partners Capital said the real estate rm is planning to build a mixed-use development with multifamily residential and commer- cial buildings that will house retail stores, medical oces and restaurants. “Williams Drive is a major thor- oughfare for the city,” Waggoner said. “Eorts to develop the Williams Drive Study and the 2030 Comprehensive Plan included public outreach and The ApartmentData.com June report shows there are approximately 23,995 multifamily units in the Round Rock and Georgetown submarket. “Due to buyer fatigue, rising interest rates and general price increase, peo- ple are not really certain on what is the best way to spend their money,” said Brandy Wuensch, 2022 Austin Board community conversation.” Aordability and availability

St. David’s Georgetown Hospital and The Rail at Georgetown apartments are in an employment center. “Population growth and housing aordability has created an increased demand for alternatives to low-den- sity, single-family housing,” said Cesar Acosta, Georgetown’s long-term planning director. “Including employ- ment and regional centers in the plan has been helpful in providing us with a transition.” Working on Williams Drive The plan encourages redevelopment in key areas such as Williams Drive. The Williams Drive Study, which was drafted in 2017 by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the city, focuses on a 558-acre area along Williams Drive between San Gabriel Park and Lakeway Drive. Waggoner said the vision is to create a vibrant mixed-use center and gateway. Because the study emphasizes traf- c ow, the city is working to submit a request for proposal to engineers to conduct an access management study that will propose the removal and repo- sitioning of driveways along Williams. According to the plan, other areas of concern include pedestrian accessibil- ity, consistent signage and branding, mixed-use infrastructure, and modern accents and characteristics.

of employment center, community center and regional center, which could benet both developers and residents. “What we heard from the commu- nity is that they want to have more complete neighborhoods—and we recognize multifamily is a neighbor- hood in some regards—so we wanted to make sure that folks living in those developments have access to goods and services,” Waggoner said. According to the plan, the city aims to have 75% nonresidential and 25% residential development within a regional center. This ratio allows devel- opments such as major shopping cen- ters, big-box retailers and ex oce space to exist in close proximity to res- idential buildings, which encourages the interaction of residents and busi- nesses, according to the plan. The Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center at 1101 Woodlawn Drive and The Summit at Rivery Park Apart- ments are examples of a regional cen- ter development. Similarly, an employment center should have a ratio of 80% nonresiden- tial and 20% residential development. Including moderate- to high-density residential in these areas is intended to support the employers.

CONTINUED FROM 1

There are 20 multifamily complexes under construction and more commer- cial projects underway in the plan’s targeted areas for density such as Wil- liams Drive and NE Inner Loop. “As we continue to grow, our pat- terns will shift, and the future land- use element in the plan helps guide those development patterns,” said Nat Waggoner, assistant long-range planning director. Mapping it out The comprehensive plan, which was adopted in 2020, identies 11 land-use categories—such as neighborhoods, community centers, and parks and rec- reation—that make up the city’s future land-use map, or FLUM. According to the plan, the FLUM and its categories serve as the city’s long-range roadmap to establish an overall framework for the preferred development pattern of the city based on balanced, compatible and diversied land uses. Waggoner said before updating the plan, high-density residential was a standalone use. Now, it will exist within the future land-use categories

COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM