Meeting of the Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee July 16, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. Permitting and Development Center (PDC) – Room #2103 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive Austin, TX 78752 Some members of the Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee may be participating in the video conference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once, either in-person or remotely, and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation. To register, call or email the board liaison, Jonathan Lee, at (512) 974-7232, Jonathan.Lee@austintexas.gov. CURRENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS Alejandra Flores (Chair) Awais Azhar Betsy Greenberg Lonny Stern Felicity Maxwell Nadia Barrera-Ramirez Alice Woods CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Speakers signed up prior to commencement of the meeting will be allowed to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of April 16, 2025, meeting minutes. 1 DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Staff Request for Code Amendment Initiation. Discussion and possible action to initiate amendments to City Code Title 25 (Land Development Code) related to the drainage easements on parkland owned by the City of Austin. City staff: Kevin Shunk, Watershed Protection Department, (512) 974-9176, Kevin.Shunk@austintexas.gov. 3. Annual Report. Discussion on the 2024-2025 Annual Report for the Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee. 4. Officer Election. Conduct an election for Vice Chair. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days before the meeting date. Please call Jonathan Lee, at 512-974-7232, Jonathan.Lee@austintexas.gov for additional information; the City receives and accepts Video Relay Service (VRS) calls from people who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing. For more information on the Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee, please contact Jonathan Lee, at 512-974-7232, Jonathan.Lee@austintexas.gov . 2
Meeting of the Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee April 16, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. Permitting and Development Center (PDC) – Room #2103 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive Austin, TX 78752 Some members of the Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee may be participating in the video conference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once, either in-person or remotely, and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation. To register, call or email the board liaison, Jonathan Lee, at (512) 974-7232, Jonathan.Lee@austintexas.gov. COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Alejandra Flores (Chair) (In Person) Greg Anderson (Virtual) Awais Azhar (Virtual) Lonny Stern (Virtual) COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: Betsy Greenberg CALL TO ORDER Meeting started at 6:08 PM PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL There was no public communication. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of March 19, 2025, meeting minutes. Unanimously approved on a motion by Commissioner Azhar, 2nd by Chair Flores. 1 DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. C20-2023-037 S.M.A.R.T. Housing Updates Phase 2. Discussion and possible action to recommend amendments to the City’s S.M.A.R.T. Housing Program, including amendments to City Code Title 25 (Land Development Code), to improve the functionality of the program. City Staff: Brendan Kennedy, Housing Department, (512) 978-1594, Brendan.Kennedy@austintexas.gov. Brendan Kennedy presents. Commissioner Azhar motions to recommend approval of the code amendment by Planning Commission, 2nd by Commissioner Anderson. Motion passes 4-0. 3. Officer Elections. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair. Commissioner Anderson motions to reappoint Chair Flores as Chair, 2nd by Commissioner Azhar. Chair Flores is reappointed Chair on 4-0 vote. Commissioner Azhar motions to appoint Commissioner Anderson as Vice Chair, 2nd by Chair Flores. Commissioner Anderson is appointed Vice-Chair on a 4-0 vote. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Commissioner Anderson requests the creation of a zoning district that will allow multifamily residential buildings with single-stair layouts. Commissioner Azhar asks for an update on the status of the DB90 Fee-In-Lieu item initiated by Planning Commission; requests the item be added to the Code Amendments Gantt Chart; and recommends that staff working on the item engage with members of the Zoning and Platting Commission when developing the recommended code amendments. ADJOURNMENT 6:39 PM The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be …
NEW BUSINESS: CODE AMENDMENT INITIATION REVIEW SHEET Amendment: Consider initiation of amendments to Title 25 of the City Code related to the Parkland Drainage Easements. Description: Amendment to 25-7-152 (E) as related to parkland drainage easements. The proposed amendment would allow an administrative variance for a development that is on parkland owned by the city of Austin so that a drainage easement is not required for development that is on parkland. If ever the subject property is sold through a Chapter 26 process and voter referendum, the new property owner will be required to dedicate the easement as part of any future development per the code. Anticipated community benefits: • Reduction in site plan review time and staff time • Improvements to fiscal efficiency and responsibility on public parkland projects Proposed Language: TBD (draft ordinance language will be brought to PC for a recommendation before going to Council for final approval). Background: Current code requires that when a property owner submits a site development permit application, they must dedicate a public drainage easement encompassing the 100-year floodplain located on the property. The code already includes provisions allowing the Director to grant an administrative variance under certain circumstances. The proposed amendment would add a provision allowing an administrative variance for projects that are proposed on City-owned parkland. This change would improve fiscal and administrative efficiency for public park development and capital projects. The Parks and Recreation Department and Watershed Protection Department are in longstanding agreement that this change is appropriate and beneficial. Currently, each parkland development project must provide evidence of this agreement to apply for and receive a variance individually. Codifying this exception will streamline the process and reduce unnecessary administrative work for both departments Staff Recommendation: Recommended for initiation by WPD and PARD staff. Board and Commission Actions: TBD Council Action: TBD Ordinance Number: NA City Staff: 1 Kevin Shunk Phone: (512) 974-9176 Email: Kevin.Shunk@austintexas.gov (Subject Matter Expert) - Watershed Protection Department D’Anne Williams Phone: (512) 496-5880 Email: Danne.Williams@austintexas.gov (Subject Matter Expert) - Parks and Recreation Department Leslie Lilly Phone: (512) 535-8914 Email: leslie.lilly@austintexas.gov (Subject Matter Expert) - Watershed Protection Department Sean Watson Phone: (512) 963-2167 Email: sean.watson@austintexas.gov (Subject Matter Expert) - Watershed Protection Department 2
Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee Land Development Code change initiation Drainage Easements on PARD proper ty July 16, 2025 C I T Y O F A U S T I N W A T E R S H E D P R O T E C T I O N D E P A R T M E N T Intent of current code – Drainage Easements 2 5- 7 - 1 5 2 ( A ) T h e o w n e r o f r e a l p r o p e r t y p r o p o s e d t o b e d e v e l o p e d s h a l l d e d i c a t e t o t h e p u b l i c a n e a s e m e n t f o r s t o r m w a t e r f l o w t o t h e l i m i t s o f t h e 1 0 0- y e a r f l o o d p l a i n • Ensures that the current and future property owners know that flood risks exist on the property • Accomplished by surveying the floodplain area on the property C I T Y O F A U S T I N W A T E R S H E D P R O T E C T I O N D E P A R T M E N T PARD project impacts under current code • • • • • R e q u i r e s s o l i c i t a t i o n a n d c o n t r a c t n e g o t i a t i o n R e q u i r e s m u l t i p l e r o u n d s o f s t a f f r e v i e w A D e c l a r a t i o n o f U s e ( D O U ) r e q u i r e s R e a l E s t a t e …
Annual Internal Review This report covers the time period of 7/1/2024 to 6/30/2025 _Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee_ (Official Name of Board or Commission) The Board/Commission mission statement (per the City Code) is: § 2-1-207 - CODES AND ORDINANCES JOINT COMMITTEE. (A) The city council creates the Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee to consider and make recommendations to the Planning Commission regarding: (1) proposed amendments to the Land Development Code for which review is required under Section 25-1-502 (Amendment; Review); and (2) requests to initiate amendments to the Land Development Code under Section 25-1-501 (Initiation). (B) The committee consists of seven members, which shall include: (1) four members of the Planning Commission, selected by the Planning Commission; and (2) three members of the Zoning and Platting Commission, selected by the Zoning and Platting Commission. (Ord. No. 20160505-037, Pt. 1, 5-16-16) Annual Review and Work Plan 2024 1. Describe the board’s actions supporting their mission during the previous calendar year. Address all elements of the board’s mission statement as provided in the relevant sections of the City Code. As required by the City Code, the Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee considered and made recommendations on the following amendments to the Land Development Code: 2024 – Recommended Initiation to full Planning Commission Hays Commons Site-Specific Save Our Springs (SOS) Amendment Initiation. Initiation of site-specific amendments to City Code Chapter 25-8, Subchapter A, Article 13 of the Save Our Springs Initiative as necessary for the Hays Commons Municipal Utility District. Permitted uses along Imagine Austin corridors. Initiation of amendments to City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to modify permitted uses along Imagine Austin corridors. Permitted and Conditional uses for Residential Zones. Initiation of amendments to City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to modify permitted and conditional uses for residential zones 2024 – Recommended to full Planning Commission C20-2022-003 South Central Waterfront Combining District and Density Bonus Program. An ordinance to amend City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to create a new zoning district and modify related site development regulations and compatibility standards; and create a new zoning district for density bonus that includes granting additional floor-to-area ratio in exchange for providing community benefits; and to establish boundaries for the new zoning districts located in the vicinity commonly known as the South Central Waterfront. C20-2023-026 Live Music and Creative Space Bonus Phase 2. An ordinance to amend City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to …
