Joint Housing & Planning/Mobility Committee Tues April 23rd

[Paige Ellis]

On Tuesday, April 23rd at 1:00 pm, we are holding a joint meeting with the Housing & Planning and Mobility Committees. I welcome your participation as we discuss items related to land use including an item that covers:

-Briefing regarding proposed amendments to City Code Title 25 (Land Development) that would revise regulations that apply to lots with one housing unit (also known as HOME Phase 2); create regulations that allow properties to be used for charging electric vehicles; create regulations, including a density bonus program that modifies height and compatibility in exchange for community benefits, for properties that are located within a half mile of the planned Phase 1 Light Rail and Priority Extensions (also known as the Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD) overlay); revise regulations that apply to flag lots and small lots; and revise height, building placement, and other related regulations that apply to property and are in addition to the base zoning regulations (also known as Compatibility Standards).

The rest of the agenda can be found here: https://www.austintexas.gov/department/ ... 23-hpc.htm
It includes items on downtown parking, the South Central Waterfront, and Agrihoods.

I encourage you to join this robust discussion.

Thank you,
Paige Ellis, Mobility Committee Chair

[Natasha Harper-Madison]

Many thanks, Chair Ellis, for your partnership in our respective committees jointly reviewing these critical amendments. As you noted, the Housing and Planning Committee will continue to meet following the review of the Transit Supportive Amendments. This will allow us to discuss a topic I have raised in our last two meeting: Agrihoods.

In addressing affordability and climate reality in Austin, I would like to draw our attention to the underutilized type of housing community known as an Agrihood. These communities are designed around agriculture and are intended to facilitate food production, provide green space, recreation, natural aesthetics and value for a complete, healthy community. According to the Urban Land Institute, Agrihoods are "single-family, multifamily, or mixed-use communities built with a working farm or community garden as a focus." I want to add specific emphasis on my interest in the working farm and mixed housing types.

Recently, the District 1 team, along with some helpful city staff and community stakeholders, visited Village Farm, the only Agrihood in Austin. The existing farmers of Green Gate Farm (a historic Bergstrom homestead property) and the RV park community on the premises reached a compromise with the owners/developer to keep a portion of the farm active while building a dense 'tiny home' community around the periphery. The agreement benefits the food sovereignty of a community deep in the heart of this food desert terrain. The farm has a long and committed history of feeding the neighborhood by providing access to locally produced fresh produce, eggs, meat, milk and honey with the CSA and work share programs.

Nationally, we are losing farmland at neck breaking rates of speed. Austin and surrounding areas have ample opportunities to utilize available farm assets for additional Agrihoods that focus on affordable, workforce and attainable housing, drastically improved food access, health and wellness, interruption of isolation and many other farm to table lifestyle benefits. Best practices of Agrihoods have led my office to conclude that the City of Austin needs policy direction from Council so we can successfully take advantage of this sustainable and community-centric approach to creating accessible, walkable, healthy, resilient, self-sufficient communities.

The Housing and Planning Committee will introduce Agrihoods in the form of a panel to hear from national and local experts on April 23rd. I invite all of you to learn with us and be a part of this initiative and welcome your support for any policy recommendations that follow.

Kind regards,
NHM

[John Lawler]

Colleagues,

I am pleased to Co-Chair the joint Housing and Planning Committee and Mobility Committee this afternoon. After consulting with Mobility Committee Chair Ellis, here is our proposed schedule:

First, we will hear any general public communication. Then we will approve the minutes from last month's Housing and Planning Committee and then Chair Ellis take the lead to approve the minutes from last month's Mobility Committee.

Then we will take up the joint briefing items from staff:
• HPC Item 4 / MobCom Item 2 regarding HOME Phase 2, EV charging, ETOD Overlay for Phase 1 Light Rail and Priority Extensions, and Compatibility Standards.
• HPC Item 5 / MobCom Item 3 regarding the South Central Waterfront.
• HPC Item 6 / MobCom Item 4 regarding downtown parking requirements.

Then I will hand it off to Chair Ellis to discuss future Mobility Committee items and adjourn the Committee.

We will then resume the Housing and Planning Committee and finish with Items 2, 3, and 7.

• HPC Item 2… discussion on status and timeline of land development code amendments

• HPC Item 3… panel and discussion on a form of sustainable development called an 'Agrihood'

Following the Agrihood panel, I will introduce a motion sheet ( LINKED HERE: https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/ ... ?id=427568 ) for the committee to review and vote upon.

We will then conclude with Item 7 and discuss future items.

Thank you all, I welcome everyone to tune in to watch these important and insightful topics that will be heard and discussed today.

*Posted on behalf of Councilmember Harper-Madison*