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LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2019 3:31 pm
by Steve Adler
Colleagues,

As discussed at Thursday’s Council meeting, we have drafted a document which can serve as a base for amendments in order to provide the Manager the direction he requested. Linked here: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 152634.pdf

- As was requested by several council members, we removed much of the language from previous documents regarding values and high level goals, and focused on specific objectives and direction as to how goals and objectives should be achieved through a new code and map.
- We also endeavored to reflect in the document where there seemed to be some consensus based upon our recent worksession and bulletin board posts.
- We also included some options for areas of direction that were raised, but not yet resolved.
- We removed much of the discussion of future planning that was in previous versions, and intend to include that discussion Monday.

Everyone should suggest amendments on the bulletin board this next week... hopefully prior to our next work session. Any changes can be suggested, including but not limited to items the council may have discussed and we could have included in this post but did not (sorry).

Staff is requested separately to suggest to Council additional questions or issues on which we could give direction, and to recommend changes to this posting where it is not clear or helpful or could be better worded. Please help us.

We apologize for omissions or poor word choices in this post that we’re sure are inadvertently included.

-s

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2019 4:08 pm
by Ann Kitchen
Colleagues

Thank you Mayor, for putting forward this document for all of us to work from.

We have amended the document to add back in the planning direction we had suggested in the previous documents and discussed at Worksession. This language is the same language from 20170928-101 that was previously passed by Council, regarding including language establishing a small area planning process in the Land Development Code.

We will continue to review the document posted on Friday and propose any additions and/or amendments prior to our next Worksession.

Link to Amended Document with Planning Language:
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 55634.docx

Best Regards
CM Leslie Pool
CM Ann Kitchen

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:26 am
by Steve Adler
Thank you, Ann, for the draft of a Planning Section. Not too dissimilar from what we were doing, so we just made amendments to your draft (link below). Note that rather than putting the criteria, etc., for planning into the code, it seems more appropriate to do it by direction (resolution? in the budget with a rider?)?

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 081242.pdf

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 11:33 am
by Steve Adler
Colleagues,

I have posted here Word versions of the council policy direction document and future planning direction document to make it easier for you to propose amendments and changes.

LDC Policy Direction:
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 13039.docx

Future Planning (Adler amendment to Kitchen post):
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 12917.docx

-s

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 4:39 pm
by Ann Kitchen
Colleagues,

We have prepared an updated version of the Planning Section of the Council Code Direction document. The edits by the Mayor are captured and we have included our original language related to selection of planning areas and process to be included as part of the code.

Updated document can be found at:
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 63428.docx

Regards,

CM Leslie Pool
CM Ann Kitchen

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 5:41 pm
by Steve Adler
Colleagues,

I’m looking forward to discussion of the LDC Rewrite next week (on Tuesday and Thursday).

In anticipation of several amendments (some already posted) to the base direction document that I posted on the 13th, I request that council members post any proposed amendments to the bulletin board by Monday evening.
a. This will allow us to discuss them at Tuesday’s work session.

b. For Thursday’s council meeting, after public comment, I will entertain a motion for the base direction document I posted and, if such a motion is made, then we can begin to work through the posted amendments, starting with those without objection, and then we can debate those where there is not yet consensus. Certainly, un-posted amendments will be in order, should the Council want to consider them.

c. If it is the will of the Council, we could take a vote on the Manager’s 5 questions and any direction.

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 6:22 pm
by Greg Casar
From Greg and Delia:

Colleagues,

Find here, three amendments to the document posted by the Mayor. http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 181317.pdf

The first amendment relates to our citizen commissions. Our commissions did hard, diligent work improving prior land development code drafts. We suggest that commission recommendations be reviewed by the staff in this process and that recommendations be incorporated as appropriate.

The second set of amendments relate to our Downtown. While Downtown is primarily in two Council districts, it serves as the financial and employment center for the whole city. We believe it’s important to ask the Manager to maximize the benefits that Downtown can provide to all our constituents.

The third set of amendments proposes context-sensitive criteria for 2019 missing middle mapping. We’ve included an exhibit that illustrates such mapping in different neighborhood contexts. The proposed criteria attempt to be clear guidelines to help us reach our goals of more income restricted housing, more missing middle housing, and more housing in general, while being responsive to concerns we’ve heard from those hesitant about mapping missing middle housing, while preserving smooth transitions and compatibility, and while preserving for staff some measure of professional discretion.

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2019 11:36 am
by Jimmy Flannigan
Here are the suggested changes to the Mayor's original post from myself, CM Harper-Madison, and CM Renteria.

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 113355.pdf

We are still reviewing the other document referencing planning that was posted to this thread.

I believe that this discussion on the message board is a great and transparent way to continue a substantive process towards final policy direction we hope to approve on April 25th!

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2019 8:15 am
by Ann Kitchen
Colleagues,

The link below outlines "Addition 2. Affordable Housing" direction for consideration to be incorporated into the Council's policy document.


http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 81118.docx

regards,
CM Ann Kitchen

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2019 8:17 am
by Ann Kitchen
Colleagues

I am posting an Addition #2 specific to additional affordable housing policies to incorporate into the LDC. My previous posts listed affordable and income restricted housing as a subject that I think is important to address right now, as part of the policies we ask the City Manager to develop. For the most part these policies are ones we have considered as a Council (in the ASHB) but not yet directed the City Manager to implement or include in the Code.

Affordable housing is critical to ensuring that Austin remains/becomes a place for everyone and so I think we should consider how we can direct our policies to achieve these goals at the same time we are considering goals for additional housing for those at higher income levels.
The Land Development Code should support the city’s 10-year Affordable Housing Goals and align resources and ensure a unified strategic direction to achieve a shared vision of housing affordability for all Austinites in all parts of the city. The City Manager should identify and propose for Council approval amendments to the Land Development Code that will (1) address the housing goals established on page 16 of the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint (ASHB) and (2) implement recommendations for achieving these goals that are included in the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint (ASHB) and the ASHB Implementation Plan (once adopted by Council).

I am continuing to think through the amendments that others have posted and look forward to our discussions.

Best
CM. Ann Kitchen

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2019 4:14 pm
by Ann Kitchen
Colleagues,

My amendments to the Mayor's proposal are found in the following document. Much of the content was part of my original post with some added comments from the community.

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 160532.pdf

Looking forward to our conversations tomorrow at work session.

regards,

CM Kitchen

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 3:28 pm
by Louisa Brinsmade
On behalf of Council Member Pool:

Colleagues:
I have printouts of this amendment, but I want to provide an electronic copy here for you all and the public.

In response to some concerns that we will need predictable updates to future Small Area or District-Level Plans, I have amended the additional direction planning document from CM Kitchen and myself to include language asking our staff to explore mechanisms to trigger those plan updates.

Here is the document with that amendment: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 152645.pdf

Leslie

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 12:26 pm
by Steve Adler
Colleagues,

Several of you have asked for me to post the document related to Transition Area mapping that we distributed on the dais during yesterday’s works ession. The link is below. We anticipate offering amendments to this later today.

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 33444.docx

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 2:56 pm
by Steve Adler
Colleagues,

Thanks for the hard work yesterday and for the many posts to the message board. We got through a lot of issues.

Please try to post your amendments today, by close of business if at all possible, so that others have a chance to review and vet them before tomorrow.
As we all prepare amendments, the two of us thought we would share our positions on some of the issues that generated the most work session conversation. We feel that the city would generally be best served with the compromise positions set out below. If a majority of the council is inclined to support what we propose, we would know better how to manage Thursday’s process.

We do not intend for this to cover all the amendments that are anticipated to be considered on Thursday, but rather to present an opportunity for us to shorten the time that might be spent on some of the issues that might otherwise take the longest time to consider.

Council Member Ellis and Mayor Adler

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 44958.docx

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 3:15 pm
by Jimmy Flannigan
Attached are my proposed amendments, from our collaborative document with CM's Harper-Madison and Renteria, and including some from CM Kitchen (where noted).

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 151235.pdf

We tried to reflect the conversation from Tuesday in areas where there was clarity as well as items that I believe still need some healthy debate tomorrow.

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 3:36 pm
by Ann Kitchen
Colleagues,

I've attached my initial proposed amendments related to provisions for Affordable Housing. Additional amendments are forthcoming.

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 153111.pdf

Ann Kitchen
CM D5

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 4:18 pm
by Leslie Pool
Colleagues, here is the link to the text of an amendment I will offer tomorrow. It covers the work that CM Kitchen and I did to ensure our Land Development Code includes District-area (Small Area) Planning. http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 152645.pdf

I will have additional amendments to post later this evening (e.g., inserting COOPERATIVES in the "missing middle" housing typology list).

Regards,

Leslie

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 8:59 pm
by Ann Kitchen
Colleagues

I am attaching two amendments for consideration tomorrow:

1. AMENDMENT #1: This is my original amendment, with some language added from CM Flannigan, Harper-Madison, and Renteria. I have taken their approach to transition zones, which asks the City Manager to consider options for mapping, and bring them back for Council consideration. At this point, we don't have sufficient information to definitively identify the conditions for mapping transition zones. I have included as suggestions for the City Manager, conditions identified by the Planning Commission, as well as those included in the Mayor and CM Ellis post today.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 194830.pdf

2. AMENDMENT #2: This is my original amendment with some language revisions to respond to our Work Session discussions.
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 191148.pdf

I believe it is important that we not leave anyone behind - we need to use every tool that we have to provide income-restricted housing so that people have housing opportunities, regardless of their income. Those tools include tying additional entitlements along corridors to density bonuses to secure more affordable units.

We also need additional capacity - more missing middle housing types. We should ensure that this type of housing is also affordable, and, for larger missing middle housing, we can create density bonus type programs to provide the opportunity to live in this type of housing for people regardless of income.

I appreciated our conversations at Work Session and believe we have many areas of agreement - including the importance of housing for all, across the city.

Best Regards
CM Ann Kitchen
City Council D5

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 10:58 pm
by Leslie Pool
Colleagues:

My amendments posted here speak to my overall desire to get back to the basics of what the City Manager and our staff are asking us to do: give broad policy direction for the land development code rewrite and mapping.

Over the past several weeks, we have debated the questions posed in the City Manager’s memo, and draft after draft of amendments with more and more prescriptive language continues to mire down our debate.

I propose that, as agreed at Tuesday’s work session, we begin with the Mayor’s April 13 document, amend that document as our staff suggested in their April 19 memo (with a short addition on one item), and add Additional Direction for 1. Planning and 2. Affordable Housing (as CM Kitchen has posted).

As for the Transition Zones, or Missing Middle Zones (as staff has suggested we describe this area), I include a motion sheet to ask staff to return to us with detailed options for the density proposed and the depth of that zone, depending on the context of the corridor and the neighborhood behind it.

I have also included a motion sheet for adding Cooperatives to the Missing Middle housing types in Question 3.

I am appreciative of the lively debate that we have had over the past few weeks, and I think staff understands the task and that our common ground must be that we are working to meet our housing and mobility challenges while promoting the public good with flood mitigation and protecting our natural environment for a sustainable future.

Links to motion sheets:

Additional Direction – Planning: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 225359.pdf
Amending April 13 document with staff changes: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 224541.pdf
Adding Cooperatives as Missing Middle housing type: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 224757.pdf
Requesting staff options on Missing Middle zones: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 224959.pdf

Best,

Leslie

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2019 12:05 am
by Steve Adler
Colleagues,

As discussed, we will begin deliberation with the base document that I posted a couple weeks ago;

This post offers Amendment A, which reflects the amendment elements set forth in yesterday's bulletin board post by CM Ellis and me;

As it is believed these amendments may reflect the will of a majority of the dais on several of the most discussed LDC issues, I plan for Amendment A to serve as a starting point for considering amendments (with an opportunity for everyone to offer amendments to Amendment A);

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 00033.docx

Steve

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2019 12:24 am
by Kathie Tovo
Colleagues:
Thank you for the thoughtful and vigorous discussion about these issues. As I look through the most recent versions online, I see much I can support. I'd elaborate, but the hour is late - I'll try to respond to your request to do so in the a.m., Mayor Adler and CM Ellis. I can say that I'm generally in support of many of the points you've brought forward.

Below are my amendments, updated a bit since Tuesday. Apologies for the format - apparently we can only link documents when we're on-site at City Hall. I've indicated added or changed language with an asterisk and will update with a linked doc in the (later) a.m. Also, as I was preparing these, several of you were posting yours. In some cases, our areas of focus overlap. I haven't attempted to reconcile these in the draft but will endeavor to do so on the dais.

Best,

Kathie Tovo
Council Member District 9


Question 1. Scope of Code Revision.
. . . . .
5. Zoning Map. The revised zoning map should limit the Former Title 25 (F25) zoning classification to unique zoning districts (e.g., NCCDs and PDAs) for which no similar district exists under the revised Land Development Code. Specialized zoning districts that exist today and are of a type contained in the new Code, such as Planned Unit Developments and regulating plans, should be carried over and not be classified as F25. *During this period, staff should review the NCCDs with recommended updates regarding elements such as minimum lot sizes .

6. Additional. To ensure that the Land Development Codes and permitting process are streamlined to the greatest extent possible upon adoption of any revision to the Land Development Code, the regulatory requirements adopted as part of Water Forward, Austin’s 100-year integrated water resource plan, should be codified and implemented as part of this comprehensive land development code revision process.*


Question 2. Housing Capacity.

. . . . .
b. *In general, additional by-right entitlements achieved through mapping and code revisions should be provided only with the intent to increase the supply of income-restricted affordable housing alongside market-rate units in activity centers, along activity corridors, and in transition areas.
i. By-right entitlements should only be granted where that entitlement carries with it the requirement to provide additional income restricted affordable housing units or, in smaller projects, in-lieu fees.
. . .
iii. The granting of new entitlements —especially in areas currently or susceptible to gentrification — should be limited so as to reduce displacement and dis-incentivize the redevelopment of existing housing, especially multi-family residential development, unless substantial increases in long-term affordable housing will be otherwise achieved.*

1. Code Text. Code revisions to provide additional housing capacity should include:

a. *Modify non-zoning regulations to allow for higher unit yields on parcels within activity centers and fronting activity corridors. In considering potential revisions to non-zoning regulations, appropriate consideration may be made for the right-of-way acquisition, traffic mitigation and transportation demand management, drainage, heritage tree preservation, parkland dedication, and water quality. [THIS ADDITION IS PRIMARILY STAFF RECOMMENDED LANGUAGE].
Review non-zoning regulations related to Austin Energy and Austin Water (other than regular fees) that can significantly impact the cost of development. Review and suggest changes to non-zoning regulations that may encourage demolition rather than the redevelopment of existing structures.*

b. A city-led testing process to assess the impact of revised regulations that includes participation by design and technical professionals *and the substantial involvement of the public.* The testing should examine how the proposed zoning and non-zoning code provisions perform when applied to various types and scales of development, *and staff should complete this testing prior to review by boards and commissions.
c. Adding residential to appropriate commercial zoning categories.
d. Identifying and implementing opportunities throughout the code to encourage preservation of existing housing, especially market affordable housing.*

Question 3. Missing Middle Housing Types.
. . . . .

1. Code Text. Code revisions to increase the supply of missing middle housing should include:
. . .
c. Reduced site development standards *as appropriate* for missing middle housing options such as duplexes, multiplexes, townhomes, and cottage courts in order to facilitate development of additional units.
. . . . .
Question 4. Compatibility Standards.
. . . . .
Zoning Map. Compatibility standards and initial mapping should work together in a way that maximizes housing capacity on parcels fronting activity corridors and within activity centers, consistent with applicable base zoning regulations and with any Affordable Housing Bonus otherwise available.
a. The revised zoning map should include a transition zone that will eliminate the impact of compatibility for parcels along all activity corridors and within activity centers.
i. Lot(s) adjacent to parcels fronting an *Imagine Austin* activity corridor will be mapped with a zone (RM1 and above) that does not trigger compatibility and is in scale with any adjacent residential house-scale zones.

1. Such mapping of this minimal transition zone may not occur in some situations, *including instances where market affordable and/or missing middle housing is adjacent to a property along a corridor.*

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2019 2:06 am
by Julie Montgomery
On behalf of Council Member Ellis:

Dear colleagues,

Thank you all for your thoughtful posts on how we can best shape the land development code revisions to achieve our community's goals! I look forward to discussing them at our meeting.

In addition to "Amendment A" posted earlier by the Mayor to reflect the direction described in our joint message board post, I would like to offer one further amendment at this time. Specifically, I propose adding section Q2.1.c of the Housing Capacity – Objective portion of the Mayor’s base document to read as follows:

"c) In general, within activity centers, along activity corridors, along the transit priority network, and in transition areas, lots should be assigned entitlements that allow missing middle housing (consistent with direction in this document that provides transitions in intensity). Additional entitlements beyond the more intense of (a) the missing middle entitlements and (b) current entitlements should also be available through participation in an affordable housing density bonus program."


This amendment would ensure the missing middle housing our community urgently needs could be built throughout the centers, corridors (both IA and/or TPN), and transition areas. It would establish a floor for enabling missing middle units via entitlements, but to reach the full potential for housing in these centers, corridors, and transition areas, participation in a density bonus would be necessary. We have attempted to craft this direction language to ensure its implementation does not unintentionally down-zone any lots that may already have entitlements greater/more intense than those needed for missing middle housing.

Thanks!
Paige

Re: LDC Direction Policy Direction Document

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2019 8:36 am
by Shannon Halley
Below is a link to CM Tovo's amendments:

http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 83340.docx