CITY OF AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING PROCESS

Overview of Neighborhood Planning

What Is Neighborhood Planning?

Neighborhood planning is an opportunity for citizens to help shape the neighborhoods where they live and work. The neighborhood planning process focuses on land use, and also addresses transportation, infrastructure, and urban design issues. The goal of neighborhood planning is for diverse interests to come together and develop a shared vision for their community.

Some of the issues a neighborhood plans address are:

  • Land uses that do not match existing zoning
  • Incompatible land uses
  • Desired future land use to direct future growth
  • Historic character and preservation
  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility
  • Transportation Improvements
  • Infrastructure Improvements (parks, trails, creeks, libraries, recreation centers etc.)

    Citywide Needs a Neighborhood Plan Must Address:

  • Updating the Austin Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan.
  • Ensuring housing choice for Austin's residents.
  • Maintaining the City's tax base to support schools, infrastructure improvements, etc.
  • Improving citywide mobility and access.

    Benefits of an adopted Neighborhood Plan:

  • Creates a shared vision for the future of the neighborhood
  • Provides a framework for land use decisions through a Future Land Use Map (FLUM)
  • Recommends zoning changes to implement the Future Land Use Map
  • Expresses the desired neighborhood character through voluntary design guidelines.
  • Informs property owners and potential developers as to what services are needed and the types of development that will be encouraged.
  • Provides input for a pedestrian master plan including recommended sidewalks and bike lanes
  • Makes recommendations for transportation improvements.
  • Makes recommendations for infrastructure improvements
  • Gives direction to the City regarding capital improvements appropriate for the neighborhood

    Who Should Be Involved:

  • Residents - homeowners and renters
  • Business owners
  • Property owners
  • Institutions: Schools, Churches, Civic organizations etc.
  • Neighborhood organizations

    Background

    In 1997, the City of Austin initiated a Pilot Neighborhood Planning Program. During the pilot program neighborhood plans were developed for four urban core neighborhoods. In 1999, the City Council directed staff to develop neighborhood plans for the entire urban core area (Mopac, 183, Braker, Stassney).

    Planning Areas for 2002-2003

    For the 2002-2003 fiscal year we have selected seven neighborhood-planning areas that will be collaborating with the City of Austin to develop neighborhood plans. In order to allow each plan to have a more broad and comprehensive focus, and to make the most efficient use of staff resources we have combined areas for planning purposes. The combined planning areas are:

  • North University/West University/Hancock
  • Crestview/Wooten
  • Brentwood/Highland

    One of the reasons that these seven areas were chosen is because they are all adjacent to the proposed Transit Corridor along Guadalupe and Lamar. The Rapid Transit Project (RTP) has been initiated as a joint project of the City of Austin and Capital Metro. RTP has studied and held workshops on the alignment for a future rail line and the types of rapid transit cars that would be used in the system. The proposed initial segment, the Central Rail Line, is a proposed light rail line that would travel along Guadalupe and Lamar. The RTP is currently studying potential station stops and alignments for this initial segment. During the planning process, there will be two workshops to examine the proposed station locations and the areas around these stations in more detail. Regardless of whether light rail is implemented or not, the City of Austin feels that this is one of the most important transit corridors in the City, and that a revitalization project is appropriate for the corridor.