Land Development Process in Austin Neighborhoods Council August

Land Development Process in Austin Neighborhoods Council August 20, 2013

Regulatory Framework Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan Land Development Code Neighborhood Plans

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

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

Land Development Process Zoning Subdivision Site plan Building permit Inspection

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Building Permit Approval • Administrative • Non-discretionary

Inspections Environmental Inspections Subdivision Inspections Building Inspections Certificate of Occupancy

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

What Rules Apply? • • • Base Zoning District Conditional Overlay District Planned Development Area (PDA) Restrictive Covenant Combining District Neighborhood Plan Compatibility Standards Hill Country Roadway Corridor Commercial and Residential Design Standards

Process to Revise Austin’s Land Development Code Austin Neighborhoods Council 8/20/2013 A priority program of George Adams, Assistant Director George Zapalac, Division Manager

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

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

Implementing Imagine Austin Community Engagement Internal Alignment Regulations Public Investment Partnerships

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

It’s Time to Revise the LDC when… • Last comprehensive revision in 1984 • 181 proposed 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

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

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

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

Staff & Consultant Resources • Opticos Design – Lead consultant • Fregonese Assoc. • Peter J. Park • Mc. Cann Adams • Cultural Strategies • Group Solutions • Lisa Wise Consulting • RCLCO • ECONorthwest • Taniguchi Architects • Kimley Horn • Mc. Guire. Woods • Urban Design Group

Code Revision—Four Steps 1 2 3 4 Listening & Understanding Diagnosis & Outline Preliminary Draft Code Adoption

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

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

Timeline: LDC Revision 2013 STEP 1 STEP 2 JUL 2013 JAN 2014 2015 2016 LISTENING & UNDERSTANDING JUL 2013 -JUL 2014 STEP 3 CODE DIAGNOSIS & DRAFT CODE OUTLINE AUG 2014 SEPT 2015 STEP 4 CODE DEVELOPMENT OCT 2015 JUNE 2016 CODE ADOPTION

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 product • Iterative, step-by-step process and community review • Planning Commission recommendations and City Council approvals throughout process

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

Austin Neighborhoods Council Carol Lee, President president@ancweb. org Mary Ingle, 1 st Vice President vp 1@ancweb. org Joyce Basciano, 2 nd Vice President vp 2@ancweb. org Planning and Development Review Department George Adams, Assistant Director 512 -974 -2146 george. adams@austintexas. gov George Zapalac, Division Manager Matt Dugan, Development Services Process Coordinator 512 -974 -2725 george. zapalac@austintexas. gov 512 -974 -7665 matthew. dugan@austintexas. gov Darrick Nicholas, PIO Specialist 512 -974 -1236 darrick. nicholas@austintexas. gov Carol Gibbs, Neighborhood Advisor 512 -974 -7219 carol. gibbs@austintexas. gov Contacts

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

Land Development Code Public Engagement Framework

Approach: Principles Public Engagement Framework 1. 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) 2. Outlines the philosophy and guiding principles that will inform the approach to public engagement. 3. Highlights key principles, such as: • • Inclusion Transparency Openness to learning Multiculturalism

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)

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, You. Tube, Instagram, Vine) • Traditional media (including news releases, press conferences, media interviews and public service announcements) • Toolkit to support ambassadors • Newsletters • Channel 6