City of Austin Council Message Board

Colleagues,

I wanted to share an update regarding my proposed amendments. I am no longer offering my original amendments on Chapter 4-18 redevelopment requirements and fire concerns related to ingress/egress, but I am still offering my amendment on alleyway compatibility. I am also adding a few new amendments. Included here are all the amendments I am currently proposing.

Impervious Cover (Item 6 - Ch 25-1 and 25-2)
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 091914.pdf
This item adds staff’s recommended text related to measurement and impervious cover for flag lots from Planning Commission Amendments 1 and 9. Since flag lots will be more common with smaller lot sizes, this amendment considers flagpoles part of the building area for impervious cover calculations. Additionally, I support staff’s recommendation to not make any changes for impervious cover calculations for front yards. I share staff’s concerns that any changes to the 50% requirement could allow additional pavement and parking to be included on lots.

Setbacks and Fire Risk (Item 6 - Sec 25-2-779)
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 092640.pdf
After speaking with staff, my original amendment is no longer needed. However, I was originally basing my analysis on the staff item. To that end, I agree with staff’s analysis that adding additional flexibility in the code for internal lot lines could create issues for fire access. This amendment reincorporates staff’s recommendation for setbacks at side, rear, and front yards, in accordance with the initial ordinance.

Alleyway Compatibility (Item 4 - Ch 25-2-1063 Screening, Noise, and Design Requirements)
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 173411.pdf
This item amends compatibility standards to extend the distance boundary from the property line to an adjacent alley for noise, light, and any other screening requirements. This amendment closes the loophole where a majority of compatibility standards currently do not apply across alleyways.

I look forward to discussing these with everyone.

Ryan

HOME Delayed Implementation - WUI (Item 6)
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 103943.pdf

Colleagues,

Since we will be amending and voting on the Planning Commission version of Item 6, I am offering this additional amendment to ensure staff’s initial language about delayed implementation for HOME in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) is preserved. I appreciate all of staff’s work to address Council concerns about wildfire risk in areas with limited ingress and egress. However, their solutions will need research and time to take effect, which is why I am recommending an implementation date for HOME in the WUI of November 16, 2024, three months after the implementation for HOME in non-WUI areas.

Ryan

Colleagues, I have some updates and changes to the amendments I posted this morning. Based on conversations with staff, I think these solutions will help forge a middle path on these issues. I will be withdrawing both of my earlier amendments and replacing them with these alternatives.

Setbacks and Impervious Cover
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 163452.pdf

This amendment sets the front yard setback at 15 feet, but allows front porches to encroach an additional five feet into front yards. Additionally, front porches could include liveable space on top of and/or alongside the porch encroachment. I believe it is important to incentivize these front porches, which is why they will be allowed to include liveable space on top of and/or alongside the porch encroachment and be excluded from the 50% front yard impervious cover calculation. Additionally, the 50% impervious cover requirements for front yards are preserved while protecting against unintended consequences.

Impervious Cover on Flag Lots
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 164705.pdf

This language mirrors the language included in my earlier amendment addressing impervious cover on flag lots, but separates out the issue discussed in the amendment discussed above. My primary concern is to consider the water quality and runoff effect pre- and post-subdivision. That is why I believe land that would have been part of a site’s impervious cover calculation should continue to be included in that calculation, not excluded simply because it is being converted to a pole. That is what this amendment accomplishes and I look forward to discussing it further.

Ryan

Colleagues,

I was alerted to a small oversight in my last setbacks and impervious cover amendment that I corrected and am replacing with Version 2 below. Additionally, to ensure that the same alleyway compatibility protections are included in the ETOD, I am bringing an amendment to compatibility standards in ETOD to extend the distance boundary from the property line to an adjacent alley for noise, light, and any other screening requirements.

Below, you will also see an amendment to delay the implementation of HOME 2 within the WUI six months, which was at the request of staff to give them the time necessary to finalize the WUI rules they are currently working on.

Finally, I want to share a list of all amendments that I am bringing so that there isn’t confusion based on all of the back-and-forth today.

Setbacks and Impervious Cover V2 (Item 6)
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 203714.pdf

Impervious Cover on Flag Lots (Item 6)
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 164705.pdf

Delayed Implementation - WUI (Item 6)
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 103943.pdf

Alleyway Compatibility (Item 4 - Ch 25-2-1063 Screening, Noise, and Design Requirements)
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 173411.pdf

ETOD Compatibility Standards (Item 5)
http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 204048.pdf