CodeNEXT V4 Brentwood Impact

The full article on CodeNEXT V4 Impacts on Brentwood can be accessed here: Access a PDF Version for future reference.

CodeNEXT Impact on Brentwood
By Barbara McArthur
[For the complete article go the BNA website or view at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o729IilfKXwdDSqVaY0ubnaNFC75dqoj/view]
The Austin City Council is on a quick schedule to rezone all of Austin and to release a new CodeNEXT (version 4). They anticipate releasing the new zoning maps and land use code on October 4, with a first reading by the Council in early December. The public will have the opportunity to attend one public meeting in front of the Planning Commission on October 26 and one in front of the City Council in mid-November. See the schedule here: http://austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/LandDevelopmentCode-Milestones-FNL.pdf

Transition Zones are areas of neighborhoods adjoining designated corridors that the City is going to "upzone" by authorizing the construction of "missing middle housing" to increase housing density by allowing more units on smaller lots.

Activity corridors and the transit priority network impacting Brentwood includes Lamar Blvd, Burnet Rd, West 49th St and part of Sunshine Drive as well as the Crestview Station Transit Oriented Development (TOD) activity center.

These transition areas extend into neighborhoods up to 2 ½ blocks, depending on the orientation of the residential blocks to the corridor. When the blocks are parallel to the corridor, five lots can extend 2 ½ blocks; when perpendicular to the corridor, five lots could extend about ½ of an 8 lot block. However, the Mayor and the council refused to cap it at five lots, so we could see a minimum of 4 units per lot, and a possible maximum of 36 units per acre, a height of 60 feet and impervious cover at 70%. Lot sizes may be reduced as well. Houses abutting the corridors may be upzoned to the same designation as the corridor. The effect on rezoned single-family homes and lots that have been upzoned is they become non-confirming and there will be restrictions on what can be done with the home and the land. Compatbility standards will no longer apply to the corridors.

The Council instructed staff to eliminate off-street parking requirements for multi-family and commercial projects ¼ mile for the corridors that now require parking except in extraordinary circumstances. Height limits are also increasing; the proposal for Burnet and Lamar is 85 feet. There is no plan to be sure that infrastructure (utilities, roads, etc.) can support the upzoning before creating the transition zones. Rather, the city will consider if the infrastructure is sufficient at the site plan stage.

According to the city, you will not have valid petition rights, or get notice of this upzoning.

If you are concerned about the City’s plans or have questions, write to:
Mayor Steve Adler: steve.adler@austintexas.gov,
Councilmember Leslie Pool: leslie.pool@austintexas.gov and
City Manager Spencer Cronk spencer.cronk@austintexas.gov

Here is the link to the City Council directive:

http://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Communications/Council_Adopted_LDC_Policy_Direction_5.2.19.pdf