Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 1 p.m. (Austin time), Austin City Hall
Committee: Housing and Planning Committee
0:04 And I'm Council Member Natasha Harper Madison, chair of the housing and planning committee.
0:09 Uh, we are meeting at City Hall in council chambers today on February 10th, 2026.
0:15 I'm calling our meeting to order at 1:00 pm on the dot, um, staff, do we have any speakers
0:21 signed up today? Yes, we have one.
0:22 Awesome. Would you mind calling our speaker?
0:25 Yes. If we can have phillip wiley, which I believe he's already here.
0:32 Good morning, mr. Wiley. Good morning.
0:36 Um, phil wiley, uh, downtown resident for 33 years.
0:41 I've, uh, I'd like to talk with you a little bit about, um, supply chain management and imagine
0:47 Austin. About a year ago, I, I started this venture exercise to, to try to, uh, convey my
0:55 understanding of what compact and connected means to other people in the community because it, it occurred to
1:00 me that we had a different understanding or different interpretations of, of what that meant.
1:07 Um, it turns out it really isn't different at all.
1:10 It was just a matter of me having that eureka moment where I found it and I did
1:16 find it. So, um, this first chart is a one page summary.
1:22 Everybody should have a copy of it on their board, in their office.
1:25 In my opinion, it's a summary of imagine Austin as we enter the city center planning cycle.
1:31 The next chart, please.
1:33 The next chart is the definition of compact, and it's the definition of compact and connected, which shows
1:40 compact is focused on access in the center area by bicycle and by foot.
1:50 So it's pedestrian and bicycle oriented.
1:53 Um, the, the transit system is an important, um, complement, if you will, or supporting infrastructure, but the,
2:03 the, the primary focus is trying to get people where they can walk or bike, uh, close enough
2:07 to the things they need to be close to.
2:10 Um, so with, with that in mind, I I, I'd like people to start to think about like,
2:16 what is the epicenter, if you would, where, where is, where, what site epitomizes compact and connected in
2:24 the city of Austin.
2:25 I think it's a useful thought.
2:27 Exercise. Next chart, please.
2:31 These. So, so you go from sustainability to six core principles, and the top one is compact and
2:40 connected. And then you go down to define compact, define connected, and then you set, um, metrics for
2:49 that. And, and this chart is, is showing well, the goals and the metrics.
2:56 So what is your goal and how are you going to evaluate how you're doing against that goal
3:00 is what this page is intended to summarize.
3:04 And I think if you read it closely and, and reflect on it a little bit, it will
3:09 open up your eyes a little bit to some things you haven't thought about before.
3:13 Um, the next chart, please.
3:16 I, I find that a lot of confusion related to compact and connected is to a, uh, lack
3:23 of deep understanding of statistics.
3:26 And I'm not gonna get into this, it's not a 12 second topic, but, uh, I'll continue to
3:31 cover that. And the last chart is on the far right corner at mlk and lavacca, in my
3:40 opinion, is what I call the epicenter, the cambridge tower.
3:45 Thank you, mr. Wiley.
3:57 Probably should have thought to bring that over with me in the first place.
4:01 All right. So moving right along.
4:03 Um, for this meeting, we're gonna take up our items in the following order.
4:06 We're gonna do item number one, which is approval of the minutes item number two, which is a
4:12 really fantastic briefing on the land development code.
4:15 And item number three, we get another briefing from the manager's office about, uh, the city's approaches to
4:21 creating affordable housing. So on item number one, we will begin by approving the minutes from our January 27th
4:28 meeting. Um, so moved, so moved by council, by, uh, vice chair Vela, and seconded by Council Member
4:35 Ellis, uh, is, no, we've already made that motion.
4:38 Um, oh, and by that all in favor.
4:45 Uh, and with that, the minutes are approved.
4:47 Forgive me, I was distracted by it.
4:49 <Laugh>. I'm not scared of spiders, but when I see 'em, it's startling is all I'm trying to
4:55 say. Item number two, we get to receive this briefing that I know some folks upstairs are really
5:01 looking forward to. Also, this is on our land development code and amendments timeline on amendments.
5:07 The presentation is provided by stevie greathouse with Austin planning.
5:12 All right, good afternoon.
5:12 Thank you for your time today.
5:13 Afternoon, good afternoon, chair and members of the housing and planning committee.
5:16 I'm stevie greathouse, division manager in the Austin planning department.
5:19 I'm happy to be here to provide a briefing on all things land development code amendment timeline related.
5:25 In the backup for this item, you will find a memo that includes the February, 2026 land development code
5:31 amendments timeline, gantt chart.
5:33 Since the materials were last shared with the housing and planning committee, um, in December, staff have made
5:39 adjustments to the timeline to reflect adoption of recent code amendments and some other considerations.
5:48 Um, in this presentation, I'll briefly cover the items that have been adopted or completed since December, upcoming
5:54 items as well as the updated version of the land development code amendments.
5:58 Gantt chart two actions have occurred since December related to the land development code.
6:04 On January the 22nd, City Council adopted an amendment related to parkland drainage easements.
6:10 And last week a study was distributed via official distribution.
6:13 That includes staff analysis and recommendations related to the potential development of new zoning districts that would better
6:21 support mixed use and missing middle residential development.
6:25 In the event that council chooses to initiate code amendments, based on the recommendations of that study, those
6:31 amendments would come back, um, in late 2026.
6:36 Staff also hopes to be able to engage the public on potential new mixed use zones and tandem
6:41 with other related work that we'll be bringing forward in the spring.
6:46 As indicated in the memo and backup, several amendments that were anticipated to be presented during a potential
6:52 joint meeting this month have been moved to, to timelines to be determined pending additional coordination with city
6:59 leadership. Once an appropriate review pathway is identified for those amendments, staff will update the timeline.
7:05 Um, and when I get to the conclusion of this presentation, if folks have questions about any of
7:09 that, um, happy to answer them.
7:11 We currently anticipate bringing forward a proposal to modify requirements related to posting of zoning notification, signs to
7:18 planning commission and City Council in March.
7:21 So look forward, um, to that item moving forward.
7:25 Looking ahead, um, we anticipate a number of code amendment related activities in the spring, as indicated in
7:32 the memo that was sent to council on July 28th.
7:36 If you'll remember, I'm back to last year.
7:38 Staff anticipates bringing back a comprehensive package of housing incentive recommendations, including potential amendments to our citywide density
7:45 bonus programs by May of this year.
7:48 Um, and ms. Lee is speaking later on this agenda.
7:51 We'll kind of fill you in on, on where we're at on a piece of that, um, work.
7:56 We also expect to bring back an initial phase of amendments to the downtown density bonus program focused
8:01 on the core and rainy subdistricts by May of this year, with the remainder of the proposal to
8:07 amend the downtown density bonus program, um, moving forward and being developed concurrently with the central city district
8:13 plan. By the end of 2026, work has begun on an update of the east riverside corridor plan
8:19 and regulating plan, um, which I believe you'll be hearing about under a different agenda item today.
8:23 And we anticipate bringing back that proposal in late 2026.
8:27 And finally, as I mentioned on a previous slide, um, in the event that council chooses to initiate
8:32 code amendments based on the new zoning district study, those amendments would come back.
8:36 Um, in late 2026 on screen.
8:39 You'll see the detailed schedule that is attached to the memo included in backup.
8:43 As you review the timeline, you will also notice a number of amendments for which timelines are yet
8:47 to be determined. Um, as specific timelines are developed for those items, the overall schedule will be adjusted
8:53 to reflect those timelines.
8:55 The schedule reflects an ambitious work program, and as processes move forward, staff will continue to make adjustments
9:00 while working to identify specific review and adoption dates for the all of the proposed timelines shown on
9:05 this chart. Um, for more information as always, um, or to provide feedback, folks can visit speak up
9:11 austin.org/ldc updates. Um, we did just post some new material on that speak up page, both yesterday and
9:19 today related to sharing this overall timeline, um, with the public, and then also providing information about the
9:26 new zoning district study and providing some, um, background information about our work on new citywide density bonus,
9:33 um, program. Um, and with that, I am happy to answer any questions.
9:38 Thank you very much for the presentation colleagues.
9:40 Do we have any questions?
9:42 Uh, the, the, I had a, an item related to the, uh, substandard lots.
9:56 Uh, I, I can't even, it's been a, a while and I remember seeing it on the pending
10:00 list. I don't see it on the gantt chart anymore.
10:03 Uh, what's going on with, uh, that item?
10:05 And again, I know that kind of got behind a glut of other work that was being done
10:10 on a single family lots, uh, the home.
10:13 Yeah. And that May be a case of one that we partially implemented and need to get the
10:16 item back on the list because it wasn't fully implemented.
10:18 So I'll, I'll check in with staff and, um, get a kind of status update on that one
10:22 and get it back on the list if it is something that has fallen off by mistake.
10:26 So apologies for that uhhuh, uh, uh, please.
10:29 And it's, it's a relatively, it's a relatively simple and straightforward one.
10:33 Again, I, I know in the order of things that, uh, uh, y'all had a, a bigger fish
10:37 to fry and it doesn't affect, but I think in the 3000 lot, uh, uh, kind of range,
10:42 uh, but it is, uh, it's, it's a good little item and, and would like to know the
10:47 status of it. So thank you.
10:53 Thank you very much.
10:53 And I misspoke earlier.
10:54 Vice chair Siegel. Thank you, chair.
10:57 Um, just a couple of questions.
10:59 Um, I guess if you could share a little bit more information about what is a zoning sign
11:03 posting update? Sure. So right now, the, um, requirements in the code essentially put the onus on the
11:11 city to post signs for zoning cases.
11:14 And these are, so basically the signs that you would have on a property that is going through
11:17 the zoning change process is the sign that we're talking about.
11:21 Um, and state law now allows, um, the, the city to require that those, or actually state law
11:27 change to require kind of how those signs are posted and how they are maintained on the site,
11:33 so that folks can continue to receive that information throughout the duration of the process.
11:37 Um, and I think the, the recommendation that will be moving forward to the council is, um, considering
11:43 a, an approach to posting those signs that would rely on the applicant, um, to post the sign.
11:49 Okay. Fair enough. Thank you, chair.
11:52 No prob no other questions.
11:55 Thank you very much.
11:56 We appreciate the presentation.
11:57 Look forward to the next one.
11:58 Thank you. All right.
12:02 Ah, item number three.
12:06 Oh, I was really looking forward to this one.
12:08 Also. We're looking forward to, hi there, ms. Lee, a presentation from the manager's office.
12:15 Item number three is a briefing on the city manager's office update to the city's approach to creating
12:21 affordable housing. This presentation is provided by erica lee.
12:25 Thank you. Yep. Try that again.
12:31 Uh, good afternoon, chair and committee members.
12:34 Um, I'm eric leak with the city manager's office leading affordable housing policy work, and I will be
12:40 joined by, uh, paul pinger of bae urban economics, who will be giving part of the presentation and
12:49 should be on webex now or momentarily.
12:53 There he is. Perfect.
12:55 Alright. Um, so as I began the presentation, uh, I wanted to share that this update and the
13:05 housing policy work that I'm leading is being done in tandem with an economic development roadmap, uh, that
13:14 the city manager's office is leading, so that both of them will really work together to address the