Special Called Meeting of the Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee September 24, 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) Nadia Barrera-Ramirez (Vice Chair) Betsy Greenberg Lonny Stern Felicity Maxwell 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 July 16, 2025, meeting minutes. 1 DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Senate Bill 840 Presentation. Presentation and discussion on Senate Bill 840, a law passed by the 2025 Texas State Legislature that requires cities to allow multifamily and mixed-use development in commercial zoning. City staff: Jonathan Lee, Senior Planner, Austin Planning, (512) 974-7232, Jonathan.Lee@austintexas.gov, and Stevie Greathouse, Division Manager, Austin Planning, Stevie.Greathouse@austintexas.gov, (512) 974-7226 3. C20-2025-010 CBD Amendments. Discussion and possible action to recommend amendments to City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to establish a maximum building height limit within the Central Business District (CBD) zoning district and to amend the Downtown Density Bonus Program (DDBP) and Rainey Street Subdistrict regulations to modify allowable maximum building height when participating in the DDBP. City staff: Stevie Greathouse, Division Manager, Austin Planning, Stevie.Greathouse@austintexas.gov, (512) 974-7226 4. Schedule of Active Code Amendments Presentation. Presentation and discussion on the September 2025 Schedule of Active Code Amendments Gantt Chart. City staff: Jonathan Lee, Austin Planning, (512) 974- 7232, Jonathan.Lee@austintexas.gov. 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, Staff Liaison, at (512) 974-7232, Jonathan.Lee@austintexas.gov for additional information; the City …
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) – Present in person Awais Azhar – Present via teleconference Betsy Greenberg – Present via teleconference Lonny Stern – Absent Felicity Maxwell – Absent Nadia Barrera-Ramirez – Present via teleconference Alice Woods – Absent CALL TO ORDER Chair Flores calls the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Mr. Ryan Saunders raises concerns regarding noise from bars and food trucks. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of April 16, 2025, meeting minutes. Minutes are approved unanimously on a motion by Commissioner Azhar, seconded by Commissioner Greenberg. 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. Kevin Shunk presents. The Committee unanimously recommends Planning Commission initiate the code amendment on a motion by Commissioner Azhar and second by Commissioner Greenberg. 3. Annual Report. Discussion on the 2024-2025 Annual Report for the Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee. No comments are made regarding the Annual Report. 4. Officer Election. Conduct an election for Vice Chair. The Committee unanimously appoints Commissioner Barrera-Ramirez as Vice-Chair on a motion by Commissioner Azhar and second by Commissioner Greenberg. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Chair Flores raises the issue that builders are unable to build using HOME Phase 1 on lots less than the minimum width and requests a briefing from relevant staff. Commissioner Greenberg requests a briefing from relevant staff on the City’s noise regulations, specifically related to issues raised by Mr. Saunders in his public communication testimony. ADJOURNMENT Chair Flores adjourns the meeting at 6:36 p.m. The City of Austin …
C20-2025-010 Central Business District Amendments Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee Alan Pani, Principal Planner Content Background Proposed Changes Next Steps Background Texas Senate Bill 840 Texas SB 840 went into effect on September 1. – Allows for multifamily or mixed-use in any commercial zone Under SB 840, multifamily and mixed-use residential developments in commercial zones will, by right, be able to: – Reach a height that is the greater of 45 feet or the height that applies to commercial uses for the site. – Reach a density of up to 54 units per acre. – Include setbacks that are the lesser of 25 feet or the setbacks imposed on commercial uses. – Develop unlimited floor-to-area ratio (FAR). 4 Central Business District Central Business District (CBD) is the designation for an office, commercial, residential, or civic use located in the downtown area CBD currently regulates development based on floor-area ratio (FAR) – Currently, the allowed FAR is 8:1 There is no maximum building height under CBD As of September 1, the City can no longer regulate FAR in developments utilizing Senate Bill 840 CBD 5 Downtown Density Bonus Produces highest density/heights in our city and produces the most affordable housing fees-in-lieu for the City CBD and Downtown Mixed Use (DMU) zoning today: – CBD zoning does not have a height limit but has FAR limit of 8:1. – DMU zoning has height limit of 120’ and FAR limit of 5:1. DDB allows for developments to go above their base entitlements – Additional entitlements are mapped, but in general, DDB can increase CBD and DMU sites: – Up to 25:1 FAR – Up to unlimited height 6 Proposed Changes CBD Median Height Equivalent Staff analyzed the median and average height for sites participating in the Downtown Density Bonus to find the height equivalent for 8:1 FAR Site Area (acres) Floors with 8:1 FAR* Height with 8:1 FAR* (feet) Density Bonus Sites CBD Median CBD Average 0.55 0.72 *8:1 FAR equivalent for developed sites. 16 18 207 233 8 9 10 Proposed Changes to CBD Create a new maximum base height of 350 feet for the Central Business District. – 350 feet follows the trend toward taller buildings in Downtown to help support development and growth in the city center. – The height limit will address the effects of the removal of …
C20-2025-010 ORDINANCE AMENDMENT REVIEW SHEET Amendment: C20-2025-010 Central Business District Amendments Description: Amend City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to establish a base height limit within the Central Business District (CBD) zoning district and update the Downtown Density Bonus (DDB) and Rainey Street Subdistrict to incorporate the CBD base height limit into the DDB program. Background: This amendment is in response to the State of Texas’ Senate Bill 840 (SB 840), which went into effect on September 1, 2025. This legislation addresses how cities of a specific size regulate mixed-use and multifamily development projects, as well as the conversion of certain commercial buildings into mixed-use and multifamily residential occupancy. SB 840 allows multifamily or mixed-use development in any commercial zone and specifies how cities can regulate multifamily and mixed-use developments. Under SB 840, multifamily and mixed-use residential developments in commercial zones will, by right, be able to: • Reach a height that is the greater of 45 feet or the height that applies to commercial uses for the site. • Reach a density of up to 54 units per acre. • Include setbacks that are the lesser of 25 feet or the setbacks imposed on commercial uses. • Develop unlimited floor-to-area ratio (FAR). The Central Business District (CBD) zone applies to certain sites within downtown Austin and allows a variety of uses including office, commercial, residential, or civic use. The site development regulations applicable to a CBD use are designed to, amongst other things, promote the downtown area as a vital commercial retail area; ensure that a CBD use is compatible with the cultural, commercial, historical, and governmental significance of downtown; enhance existing structures, historic features, and circulation patterns in the downtown area; and, consider significant natural features and topography in the downtown area. C20-2025-010 CBD CBD zoning regulates development via floor-to-area ratio (FAR) and does not state a maximum building height. The allowed FAR for CBD is eight to one. Downtown development that proposes to exceed the allowed FAR or the maximum height allowed under the site's primary entitlements may participate in the Downtown Density Bonus (DDB) program to receive additional entitlements in exchange for specified community benefits. Austin Planning has analyzed developments that have been built under CBD zoning to estimate what heights the current 8:1 FAR has resulted in. Density Bonus Sites * Base floor and height with 8:1 FAR equivalent for developed sites. CBD Median CBD …
Case Number Name Description Initiated By Resolution Stage Status Lead Department Sub Department Active Code Amendment Cases September 2025 N/A Crestview TOD Update Amend the Lamar Blvd./Justin Lane “Crestview” TOD Station Area Plan and regulating plan to match the height limits achievable with a density bonus in Phase 1 of the ETOD Overlay and align the density bonus program to match other elements of Phase 1 of the ETOD Overlay if recommended. C20-2025-014 TOD Updates/Rezonings Update regulations within the 3 existing TOD boundaries C20-2025-013 New Zoning Districts (Plaza Saltillo, MLK, and N. Lamar / Justin Blvd.) to align with ETOD Policy Plan and other recent code amendments such as parking modifications, ETOD Overlay Phase 1, etc. Identifies gaps in base zones and proposes new zones to fill those gaps, including missing middle and mixed-use transit- supportive base zones that could be used going forward in addition to or instead of the current slate of residential, office, and commercial base zones. City Council 20240321-034 Development and Engagement Will be addressed by TOD Updates/Rezonings. Austin Planning Development and Engagement Anticipating review and adoption by September 2027. Austin Planning City Council 20230720-126 Initiation Anticipating initiation in February 2026 and review and adoption by December 2026. Austin Planning C20-2025-011 SB 840 Related Updates to 25-2 Amend City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to update zoning regulations to address SB 840 changes. C20-2025-010 CBD Amendments Amend City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to establish a base height limit within the Central Business District (CBD) zoning district. SB 840 SB 840 Development and Engagement Anticipating review and adoption by February 2026. Austin Planning Development and Engagement Anticipating review and adoption by October 2025. Austin Planning C20-2025-009 Parkland Drainage Easement Amend City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to allow an administrative variance for a development on parkland owned by the City of Austin. Planning Commission Development and Engagement C20-2025-004 Life Science Land Use Amend City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to establish a life science land use and regulations allowing a property to be used for life science in commercial and industrial zoning districts. City Council 20250327-063 Development and Engagement In Process - ➡ COJC 11/12/2025 ➡ Planning Commission 12/9/2025 ➡ City Council 01/2026 TBD Timeline to be determined. Austin Watershed Protection Austin Planning 1/5 8/25/2025 2:22:24 PM C20-2025-002 DB90 Fee-in-Lieu C20-2024-022 Density Bonus for Commercial Highway & Industrial Zones (DB240) Amend City Code Title 25 (Land …
SCHEDULE OF ACTIVE CODE AMENDMENTS SEPTEMBER 2025 2025 2026 SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY 2027 JUL JUN AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC LEAD CASE NO. CODE AMENDMENT AP C20-2025-010 CBD AMENDMENTS AWP C20-2025-009 PARKLAND DRAINAGE EASEMENT AP N/A NEW ZONING DISTRICTS STUDY AP C20-2025-011 SB 840 RELATED UPDATES TO 25-2 AP C20-2024-004 ETOD OVERLAY (PH 2) + CITYWIDE DENSITY BONUS AP C20-2024-003 EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR REG. PLAN UPDATE AP C20-2025-013 NEW ZONING DISTRICTS AP C20-2024-018 DDB/DOWNTOWN AMENDMENTS AP C20-2025-014 TOD UPDATES/REZONINGS STAFF RECOMMENDS ADDRESSING THESE ITEMS THROUGH MORE COMPREHENSIVE CODE AMENDMENTS CHART KEY LEAD DEPARTMENT C20-2018-004 MIRRORED GLASS C20-2023-031 FRONT OR SIDE YARD PARKING FILING DEADLINES C20-2023-032 MOBILE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT FILING DEADLINES C20-2023-036 TENANT NOTIFICATION AND RELOCATION PH 2 TIMELINES TO BE DETERMINED AP AWP C20-2022-025 GREENFIELD DRAINAGE FOR REDEVELOPED SITES ADS C20-2023-003 SUBSTANDARD LOTS AP C20-2023-023 NOTIFICATION MODIFICATION AP AP AP AP C20-2024-002 NBG REG. PLAN (SIGNAGE) AP C20-2024-010 UNO UPDATE AP C20-2024-012 NBG REG. PLAN (BONUS PROGRAM) ADS C20-2024-013 ARTICLE 9 LANDSCAPING ADS C20-2024-015 TREE PRESERVATION & PLANTING REQUIREMENTS AP C20-2024-020 PRESERVATION BONUS UPDATE PHASE 2 AP C20-2025-004 LIFE SCIENCE LAND USE SUSPENDED/INDEFINITELY POSTPONED AP C20-2022-003 SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT COMB. DIS. & DB ATPW C20-2023-040 ELIMINATE MIN. PARKING REQUIREMENTS PH 2 AP C20-2024-017 PLANNED DEVELOPMENT AREA 2 (PDA2) AP C20-2024-022 DB FOR COMMERCIAL HWY & INDUSTRIAL (DB240) ADDRESS BY CITYWIDE DENSITY BONUS: C20-2023-007 TOWN ZONING AP AP C20-2025-002 DB90 FEE-IN-LIEU C20-2022-018 NOXIOUS LAND USES ADDRESS BY NEW ZONING DISTRICTS: AP AP N/A AP C20-2023-016 SINGLE FAMILY OWNERSHIP BONUS PROGRAM HOME FUTURE PHASES ADDRESS BY UNO UPDATE: AP C20-2024-005 UNO HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS ADDRESS BY DDB/DOWNTOWN AMENDMENTS: AP C20-2024-008 DOWNTOWN PARKING MODIFICATIONS PH 2 ADDRESS BY TOD UPDATES/REZONINGS: AP N/A CRESTVIEW UPDATE Note: Schedule presented is subject to change based on future changes to priorities, resources, commission and community bandwidth, and additional analysis related to the complexity of particular amendments. Version Date: 8/27/2025 ADS AUSTIN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AP AUSTIN PLANNING ATPW AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS AWP AUSTIN WATERSHED PROTECTION LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT PROCESS INITIATION DEVELOPMENT AND/OR ENGAGEMENT REVIEW AND/OR ADOPTION AMENDMENTS WITH SCHEDULED REVIEW & ADOPTION DATES DATES FOR REVIEW & ADOPTION PLANNING COMMISSION CITY COUNCIL CODES AND ORDINANCES JOINT COMMITTEE OTHER ICONS SUBSTANTIAL BENEFIT TO HOUSING CAPACITY OR COST N/A NO CASE NUMBER TBD TO BE DETERMINED
