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Pool LDC Policy Direction List

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2019 1:02 pm
by Louisa Brinsmade
On behalf of Council Member Pool:

Colleagues,
I’ve listed here the amendments I will bring for your consideration at our meeting on Monday, with a link for more detail on supportive documents. My staff and I are finalizing the exact wording I will offer on Protest Rights, but I will be bringing specific amendments on that issue.

I am leaving open the option to bring additional amendments after hearing the community at the public hearing tomorrow. To the best of my staff’s and my ability, I’ll try to get those additional changes posted here before Monday, but time will dictate whether I can do that so I will simply signal here that what we hear on Saturday may trigger additional changes for me.

1. Trees – Protecting our Canopy & Promoting Climate Resiliency
Direction:
Explore the possibility of a "No-Net Loss and 50-by-50 Tree Canopy Policy" to set near-term goal of no net loss of canopy, and a long-term goal of 50% canopy cover by 2050 to align with the City of Austin climate plan and resiliency goals.

Consider including a "Tree Species Prioritization for Resiliency" list in the code. The protection list should prioritize native and well adapted trees and those expected to be more common as a result of climate change.

To prevent a broader loss of our heritage tree canopy over time, reserve an administrative removal process for “major transit corridors” such as Lamar, Burnet, or Guadalupe instead of across all “corridors.”

Consider the benefits of restoring the public process for heritage tree removal and develop an incentives program that relaxes and makes flexible site development standards to encourage on site preservation of heritage trees for parcels on all corridors.

2. Ensuring Protest Rights and Process for our Community
Direction/Amendments language to come.

3. Reserving Impervious Cover in R4 & RM1
Direction:
Please provide scenarios to consider holding impervious cover limits at 45% in R4 and RM1 and only raising the limit (in varying amounts) with the provision of on-site affordable housing units.

4. Increasing Multi-Bedroom Housing to Benefit Families with Children and Other Multi-Generational Households
Direction:
Review a potential multi-bedroom requirement for the residential zones starting with R4 and provide a method to target these requirements in areas within ½ mile of our urban public schools.

5. Streamlining Permitting & Possible Programs to Add On & Stay in Place
I support the direction that CM Tovo laid out in her post to provide homeowners with a way to easily generate income-producing units and so I think together we can give a full picture to colleagues and staff on this issue.

Direction:
Explore providing a streamlined permitting process for a menu of pre-approved ADU (internal and detached), micro-unit, and other small housing types. Review methods for qualified homeowners to participate in developing additional units through financial assistance as well as through facilitated community partnerships.

6. Ensure Support for Monitoring of Affordable Housing Units
Direction:
Review the possibility of enacting a "monitoring and compliance fee" as a requirement to participate in the Affordable Housing Bonus Program.

Here is the link to the complete document: http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 125945.pdf

Thanks,
Leslie