Proposed Code Amendments

Below are proposals to amend Chapter 25 and 30 of the City Code. The Planning Commission and City Council may initiate changes to the Code. Case amendment numbers (C2O-0X-XXX) are assigned before the Planning Commission's Codes and Ordinances Committee takes action on a proposal.

This is not a complete listing of all code amendments initiated by the City Council or Planning Commission. If you do not see a code amendment listed on this website, contact the city staff person listed on the notice or agenda for information about the amendment. This website is periodically updated. For up-to-date information about an amendment, contact the city staff listed for the code amendment.

C2O-2008-018 Amend Chapter 25-2, Article 16 of the City Code related to the Neighborhood Plan Amendment process. The amendments are designed to clarify, and reorganize the plan amendment ordinance as well as codify established community meeting procedures. In addition, a new plan amendment requirement is included that provides for the expiration of a plan amendment application.

Summary of Proposed Amendments

Staff Contact: Melissa Laursen, Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department, 974-7226.

C2O-2008-017 Amend City Code sections 25-1-83 and 30-1-114 (Applications Relating to Development Over A Closed Municipal Solid Waste Landfill) to improve consistency with recent state law changes, clarify applicability and certification requirements.

Draft Ordinance

Staff Contact: Chuck Lesniak, Watershed Protection and Development Review Department (WPDR), 974-2699

C2O-2008-016 Amend Chapter 25-2 to create a North Burnet/Gateway (NBG) zoning district and established associated use and site development regulations, repeal previous interim regulations, amend Subchapter E: Design Standards and Mixed use to exempt the NBG zoning district, and approved collector street plan for the NBG Neighborhood Planning Area.

Staff Contact: Molly Scarbrough, Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department, 974-3515.

C2O-2008-014 Amend Chapter 25-2-981, of the City Code, relating to landscaping for residential subdivisions. This amendment will create additional site plan requirements in Hill Country Roadway Corridors and clarify application of this section.

Draft Ordinance

Staff Contact: Michael Embesi, Watershed Protection and Development Review Department, 974-1876.

C2O-2008-013 Amend Chapter 25-8, Subchapter B, of the City Code relating to Tree and Natural Area Protection. This amendment will add a new Heritage Tree definition, include identification of eligible heritage tree designees, and require mitigation and include City Arborist review of final plats, and add a Division 3 related to Heritage Trees.

Draft Ordinance

Staff Contact: Michael Embesi, Watershed Protection and Development Review Department, 974-1876.

C2O-2008-012 Amend Section 25-2-1007, Subsection E, of the City Code relating to parking lot landscaping. This amendment will create new requirements for landscaped medians in parking lots.

Draft Ordinance

Staff Contact: Michael Embesi, Watershed Protection and Development Review Department, 974-1876.

C20-2008-011 Amend Chapter 25-2 of the City Code to create a height exception for a fly tower constructed for and within a public performing arts theater to permit the fly tower to exceed a zoning district height limit by up to 33%. The proposed amendment would allow “fly towers”, associated with public performing arts theatres, to exceed the height limit of the base zoning district by thirty-three percent (33%). This height increase would be established as an exception to the base district.

Staff Contact: Bobby Ray,Watershed Protection and Development Review Department, 974-3056.

C2O-2008-010 Amend Chapters 25- 1 and 25-2 of the City Code to amend the requirements and process for approving a Planned Unit Development (PUD) district and Planned Development Agreements (PDA).

Approved Ordinance

Staff Contact: Jerry Rusthoven, 974-3207, Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department

C2O-2008-009 Amend Chapter 25-2 of the City Code relating to the East Sixth Street/Pecan Street (PS) Overlay District.

Staff Contact: Robert Heil, Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department, 974-2330.

C2O-2008-008 Amend Chapter 25-2 of the City Code, “Land Development”, including Subchapter F (Residential Design and Compatibility Standards), commonly referred to as the “McMansion” ordinance, and Section 25-2-773 (Duplex Residential Use). These amendments would clarify and modify residential development regulations for single family and duplex construction, the application of residential design and/or compatibility standards currently permitted in a townhouse and condominium (SF-5) district, expand the authority of the Residential Design and Compatibility Commission, and create an additional residential use classification known as an “urban duplex” zoning use and its related site development standards.

McMansion Items to Review
McMansion Task Force Recommendations

For more information regarding the proposed amendments, please visit the Development Regulations website.

Staff Contact: Jessica King, Jessica King, Watershed Protection and Development Review Department, 974-2728.

C2O-2008-007 Consider an ordinance granting variances from City Code Sections 25-8-454 (Uplands Zone) and 25-8-452 (Critical Water Quality Zone), and establishing an administrative variance process for limited variances to City Code Sections 25-8-301 (Construction of a Roadway or Driveway), 25-8-302 (Construction of a Building or Parking Area), 25-8-341 (Cut Requirements), and 25-8-342 (Fill Requirements) to allow construction of the Water Treatment Plant Number 4 plant site, pump station site, and raw water intake facility.

Staff Contact: Pat Murphy, Watershed Protection and Development Review Department, 974-2821.

C2O-2008-006 Amend Section 25-8-514 (Save our Springs Initiative) of the City Code to allow construction of a pollution prevention device upstream of Dry Fork Sink in the Critical Water Quality Zone of Williamson Creek.

Staff Contact: Tom Franke, Watershed Protection and Development Review Department, 974-1882.

C20-2008-005 Amend City Code Chapter 25-10, “Sign Regulations”, and Chapter 13-2, “Ground Transportation Passenger Services,” as follows:

Staff Report - April 2008

Sign Regulation Amendments:

Ground Transportation Passenger Services Regulation Amendment:
Impose registration requirements and a registration fee for signs installed on vehicles that transport passengers for profit and advertise unrelated businesses.

Staff Contact: Jessica King, Jessica King, Watershed Protection and Development Review Department, 974-2728.

C2O-2008-003 Amend Chapter 25 of the City Code regarding the application of the Central Urban Redevelopment (CURE) combining district to property designated Downtown Mixed Use (DMU) district. The amendment would allow a regulation established by the CURE combining district to modify the site development regulations applicable in the DMU district, including Subchapter C, Article 10 (Compatibility Standards).

Staff Contact: Robet Heil, Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department, 974-2330.

C20-2008-002 Amend Section 25-1-23(B) of the City Code to exclude a portion of the area above a subsurface structure from land use impervious cover calculations.

Proposed Ordinance

Staff Contact: Pat Murphy, Watershed Protection and Development Review, 974-2821

C20-2008-001 Amend Sections 25-8-92 and 30-5-92 of the City Code relating to Critical Water Quality Zones along the shorelines of the Colorado River downstream of Town Lake. Currently, Critical Water Quality Zones for the Colorado River are measured from the “stream centerline” and extend landward 200 to 400 feet. However, this method results in a portion of the buffer remaining in open water while the portion of the buffer on land may only be a fraction of its intended width. The proposed ordinance moves the starting point of the buffer to the bank’s edge (“ordinary high water mark”) and thereby ensures the full buffer width is on land, as intended.

Staff Contact: Matt Hollan, Watershed Protection and Development Review Department, 974-2212.

C20-07-024 Amend Chapter 25-2 of the City Code related to the Neighborhood Plan Amendment process. The amendments specifically address provisions related to conflict of interest, mailings to account holders, notice of applications, and pre-application meeting.

Staff Contact: Paul DiGiuseppe, 974-2865.

Draft Ordinance

Staff contact: George Zapalac, Watershed Protection and Development Review Department, 974-2725.

Council Resolution

Amendments

Staff Contact: Kathleen Fox, Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department, 974-7877.

C20-07-020 Amend Chapter 25-2 of the City Code related to residential uses in mixed use buildings.

Staff Contact: Mark Walters, 974-7695

C20-07-019 Amend Title 25 of the City Code to provide incentives for developers of housing that complies with the City’s S.M.A.R.T. (safe, mixed-income, accessible, reasonably-priced, transit-oriented) Housing program and green building standards; amending Section 25-9-347 (Exemption for Certain Affordable Housing); and adding new Article 15 to Chapter 25-1 related to S.M.A.R.T. Housing.

Final Draft

Staff Contact: Steve Barney, Steve Barney, Neighborhood Housing and Community Development, 974-3126.

C20-07-015 Amend Chapter 25-2 of the City Code to add new permitted uses to the Neighborhood Commercial (LR) zoning district.

Staff Contact: Mark Walters, 974-7695

C20-07-013 Amend Article 6 of City Code Chapter 25-1 (Interested Parties, Notice, and Public Hearing Procedures) related to: (1) “interested party” criteria for public hearings and administrative decisions related to land development; and (2) notice requirements for public hearings, administrative decisions, and applications.

Staff Contact: Kathy Haught, Watershed Protection and Development Review Department, 974-2724

C20-07-010 Amend Chapter 25-2-812 (L)(2) of the City Code to add a new section 25-8-812 (T) relating to Mobile Food Establishments.

Contact: Jorge E. Rousselin, Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department, 974-2975

C20-07-009 Amend Section 12-5-29(D) )(1)(2)(3)(4) of the City Code to provide for the annual review of the front yard parking applications yet provide greater flexibility for review of amendments to the restricted parking area map.

Contact: Kathleen Fox, Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department, 974-7877