Summary

The City of Austin is considering changes to compatibility, a zoning regulation that limits the height of buildings near single-family homes. Changing zoning regulations is one way that the City responds to shifting needs and conditions.  

In June 2023, City Council passed Resolution No. 20230608-045, which directed staff to propose relaxed and simplified compatibility regulations to allow more housing to be built across the city. The City’s 2017 Strategic Housing Blueprint estimated that the city needs an additional 135,000 housing units in 10 years to accommodate a growing population. Additional housing supply can reduce housing prices or keep prices from rising as quickly. 

The proposed changes to compatibility do the following:  

• Simplify citywide compatibility standards​ 

• Limit where compatibility applies 

• Require a landscape buffer between single-family homes and larger buildings 

• End compatibility at 75’​ of distance from a single-family home 

• Allow more height and flexibility within 75’  

For more information about what compatibility is and a more detailed summary of the proposed changes, see the “What is Compatibility” and “Proposed Changes” tabs.