Joint Meeting: Transit & EV Supportive Code Amendments
Joint Meeting: Transit & EV Supportive Code Amendments
The City of Austin's Planning Department, at City Council's direction, is proposing several changes to the land development code. The goal is to make our city more walkable, transit-supportive, and environmentally friendly for all residents.
Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD), updated compatibility standards, and a smaller minimum lot size for a house will unlock opportunities for more housing, including affordable housing, throughout the city, especially along our busiest transit corridors. Developing regulations for where we put electric vehicle charging sites will help make this green mobility option more available while making sure we do so in a way that works for all of Austin.
These code amendments will help our city reach our adopted mobility, affordability, and climate goals. They will also help make us more competitive when applying for federal funding for the Project Connect Light Rail Transit program. That's because the new housing will support higher ridership for our voter-approved Austin Light Rail service, and economic development along the corridors will also bring community benefits. These changes to the code have been informed by years of community conversation and were requested after careful deliberation by City Council.
Register for our In-Person Open Houses: May 6 at Anderson High School | May 8 at the Carver Museum
Summary
Learn More About Each Code Amendment
To review the proposed changes and learn about the background of each code amendment, click on the following links:
EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT (ETOD) OVERLAY
Create regulations that would apply to properties that are located within a half mile of the planned Project Connect Phase 1 Light Rail and Priority Extensions
Revise height, building placement, and other related regulations known as Compatibility Standards that apply to a property based on its proximity to a single-family home
Reduce the lot size needed to build one home, and revise related regulations that apply to properties with one home
Create regulations that allow properties to be used exclusively for charging electric vehicles
The Public Hearing Dates
The City will hold hearings on these proposed amendments at Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St. on the following dates:
Thursday, April 11 at 9 a.m. - Joint City Council and Planning Commission Meeting
Tuesday, April 23 at 4 p.m. - Planning Commission Meeting
Tuesday, April 30 at 4 p.m. - Planning Commission Meeting
Thursday, May 16 at 10 a.m. - City Council Meeting
Code Amendment Adoption Process
The code amendment adoption process includes the following steps:
1. INITIATION
City Council has initiated changes to the Land Development Code (LDC) through four separate resolutions. In these resolutions, City Council directed city staff to propose modifications to the Land Development Code. You can access these resolutions by clicking on the links provided in the sidebar on this webpage.
2. DEVELOPMENT AND FEEDBACK
City staff is actively working on code changes that are aligned with the goals in the resolutions initiated by City Council. We encourage community members to share their feedback on the proposed changes. You can provide your feedback by speaking at a public hearing, posting comments on this webpage, or by reaching out through the contact information provided on the notification postcard that will be sent out ten days prior to the first public hearing.
The first public hearing, a joint meeting between City Council and Planning Commission, is scheduled to take place at City Hall on Apr. 11. The purpose of this meeting is to hear from the community regarding the code changes before Planning Commission and City Council consider the proposed code changes. Community members are encouraged to participate in person or virtually at this public meeting to speak for, against, or neutral on the proposed code amendments. No action will be taken at this meeting.
As we progress through the review process, we will continue to update the website with the latest information on the proposed code changes.
3. REVIEW AND ADOPTION
On Apr. 23 and Apr. 30, Planning Commission will hold public hearings for the amendments from the Joint Meeting. During these meetings, Planning Commission will assess staff's proposal and provide recommendations to City Council.
On May. 16, City Council will conduct a public hearing to deliberate on Planning Commission's recommendations and staff's proposal. At this meeting, City Council can vote to formally adopt an ordinance that enacts the proposed changes into law.
We encourage community members to participate in person or virtually during City Council and Planning Commission meetings, offering their perspectives for, against, or neutral on the proposed code amendments.
Public Hearing Information and Timeline
Public hearings are an opportunity to have your voice heard on proposed changes to the Land Development Code.