ITEM 2 - Downtown Density Bonus Phase 2 Briefing — original pdf

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Downtown Density Bonus Phase 2 Austin Planning | Design Commission Briefing | 9/28/26 Project Team Warner Cook Planner Principal Makayla Ponce Planner III Nick Smith Planner Senior 2 Phase 1 Overview Phase 1 – Summary of Changes ▪ Phase 1 changes to the Downtown Density Bonus (DDB) program were adopted in May 2026 by Ordinance No. 20260528-067, which: ▪ Created two new density bonus combining districts: ▪ DDB400 has +400 feet of height (rezoned Phase 1 sites into this) ▪ DDB850 has +850 feet of height (sites can request through the rezoning process) ▪ The additional height is additive to the property’s base zoning height limit ▪ e.g., a CBD-DDB400 site can build up to 750 ft (350 ft base height + 400 ft bonus) ▪ Modified gatekeeper requirements, including the addition of the Urban Design Standards and the removal of Design Commission review requirement ▪ Revised the list of community benefit options ▪ Updated affordability requirements and fee-in-lieu rates ▪ Adjusted site development standards and exemptions ▪ Retired the legacy DDB program within the Phase 1 area 4 DRAFT for internal discussion only 5 DDB Program Utilization Process If an Applicant seeks to utilize DDB400: 6 Phase 1 – Site Development Standards ▪ Exemptions: ▪ Maximum building coverage ▪ Landscaping requirements ▪ Minimum site area ▪ Private common open space ▪ FAR limits (unlimited FAR allowed) ▪ Non-transit supportive uses are prohibited or conditional The Residences at 6G is an example of how a project with these exemptions may build out. 7 Phase 1 – Gatekeeper Requirements Compliance with Urban Design Standards Great Streets Standards Streetscape Improvements Min. 2-Star Rating under the Austin Energy Green Building Program Selection from list of standards; no Design Commission review Will include any updates to Great Streets Plan With bird-friendly design standards required 8 Phase 1 – Community Benefits ▪ The primary community benefit is affordable housing. ▪ Units may be developed on-site, or a fee-in-lieu (FIL) can be paid to fund the Affordable Housing Trust Fund ▪ An additional optional community benefit may be provided to reduce the affordable housing requirement by either 2% of units or 20% of the FIL amount ▪ Community benefit options include: ▪ Grocery Store Use (min. 2,500 sq ft) ▪ Cultural Uses (min. 2,500 sq ft) ▪ Live Music Venue (min. 2,500 sq ft) ▪ Austin Energy Green Building 3-Star Rating ▪ Transit Supportive Infrastructure Affordability Requirements DDB400 DDB850 5% of all units at 50% Median Family Income (MFI) for rental; or 5% of all units at 80% MFI for ownership $10 per bonus area square foot $12 per bonus area square foot On-Site Affordable Housing Requirement Affordable Housing Fee-in-lieu 9 Urban Design Standards Urban Design Standards (UDS) Overview ▪ To participate in the DDB program, projects must adhere to all the mandatory Urban Design Standards and meet a specific number of optional standards. ▪ The optional standards follow a “menu” approach, where projects select which standards to meet: ▪ Projects utilizing DDB400 must meet 6 out of 12 standards. ▪ Projects utilizing DDB850 must meet 9 out of 12 standards. ▪ Any new combining districts proposed through Phase 2 could require a unique number of optional standards. ▪ Design Commission review is no longer required. Staff will determine compliance with the Urban Design Standards at the time of site plan review. ▪ Standards may be revised and additional options may be added as part of Phase 2. 11 Mandatory Urban Design Standards UDS-1: Screening Requirements UDS-4: Primary Entrance Requirements ▪ Provide screening for waste, utility and mechanical equipment, and above- ground parking UDS-2: Parking Limits ▪ Require sheltered building entrances every 150 ft for buildings with over 200 ft of street frontage with a minimum of two entrances ▪ Limit above ground parking to 60% of UDS-5: Limit Curb Cuts the amount formerly required by Appendix A and up to 80% with underground parking ▪ Limit curb cuts to one per 140 feet of east/west street frontage and one total per north/south street frontage UDS-3: Pedestrian-Oriented Frontage ▪ Require 75% of frontage to be pedestrian-friendly uses along principal street 12 Optional Urban Design Standards UDS-6: Enhanced Pedestrian-Oriented Frontage ▪ Require 75% of total building frontage to be pedestrian- friendly uses ▪ Require a street-facing outdoor amenity space UDS-7: Enhanced Primary Entrance Requirements ▪ Provide buildings entrances every 75 ft and buildings with over 200 ft of frontage on a street shall provide a minimum of three entrances UDS-8: Bicycle Parking ▪ Increase minimum number of required long-term bicycle parking spaces UDS-9: Limit Garage Lanes ▪ Limit number of garage lanes UDS-10: Minimum Cantilever Clearance ▪ Require 40’ clearance for cantilevers UDS-11: Enhanced Pedestrian Protection ▪ Require overhead shelter over 60% of street frontage with depth not less than 40% clear height UDS-12: Increased Transparency Façade on Street- Facing Ground Floor ▪ Require high-level of transparency along sidewalk UDS-13: Above Ground Floor Transparency ▪ Require high-level of transparency on first two floors above the ground floor UDS-14: Additional Amenities ▪ Provide a publicly accessible restroom, changing room, and/or drinking fountain UDS-15: Planting Area or Green Roof ▪ Require 15% of site as dedicated at-grade planting or 50% of roof as green roof UDS-16: Historic Building Scale Matching ▪ Limit height to within 15 feet of an adjacent historical structure ▪ Height may exceed the 15-foot limit with a 15-foot stepback ▪ UDS-17: Preserve Existing Building Façade ▪ Preserve primary building facade 13 Phase 2 Approach Council Direction for Phase 2 ▪ Develop preservation tools for the Red River Cultural District ▪ Ensure that the new program works in tandem with transfer of development rights (TDR) and historic tax incentive reform outlined in the Equity-Based Preservation Plan ▪ Make the South Central Waterfront (SCW) area eligible for the DDB program ▪ Engage with stakeholders regarding Urban Design Standards ▪ Continue to consider additional gatekeeper requirements and community benefits Visual representation of a transfer of development rights (TDR). Credit: NYU Furman Center 15 DDB Phase 2 Scope ▪ Phase 2 will: ▪ Create new combining districts with different height allowances, establish eligibility areas, and consider expanding eligibility areas for DDB400 and DDB850 to additional parts of the study area ▪ Revise the eligibility boundaries of the DDB area ▪ Incorporate the South Central Waterfront (SCW) into the DDB eligible area ▪ Create subdistricts for areas that may require specialized regulations, like the Red River Cultural District or the South Central Waterfront area ▪ Consider expanding and/or refining gatekeeper requirements, including Urban Design Standards ▪ Consider rezoning eligible parcels outside of Phase 1 geography into a DDB combining district ▪ Projects outside of the Phase 1 amendment area will continue to be eligible for the “legacy” DDB program until Phase 2 is implemented 16 DRAFT for internal discussion only 17 Phase 2 Combining Districts Approach ▪ Consider creating lower height DDB combining district(s) ▪ Develop specific affordability and Urban Design Standards requirements for new combining districts ▪ Design new combining districts to account for difference in base zones across the Phase 2 area ▪ Consider expanding DDB400 and DDB850 eligibility areas to additional parcels (beyond what was approved in Phase 1) ▪ Apply DDB combining districts to certain areas through City-initiated rezonings ▪ Consider applying different subdistricts within a particular combining district to account for distinct characteristics of particular areas 18 Potential Geographically Specific Considerations ▪ Subdistricts would allow for additional gatekeeper requirements and community benefit options. Some possible areas of additional consideration include: ▪ Red River Cultural District ▪ Consider preservation tools for the Red River Cultural District (example: applying Chapter 4-18 non-residential redevelopment requirements) ▪ South Central Waterfront ▪ May add context-specific standards (example: requirements for internal circulation since area does not have a standardized grid like in Downtown) ▪ West Downtown ▪ May include areas that are currently ineligible for the legacy DDB program ▪ Making new areas eligible for the DDB program would expand application of Great Streets and Urban Design Standards to those areas 19 Engagement Strategy and Timeline Phase 2 Timeline 21 Stakeholder Engagement ▪ Staff is engaging stakeholders in this process with focused discussions, including: Organizations Committees and Commissions City Staff • Downtown Stakeholders • South Central Waterfront Stakeholders • Development Community Stakeholders • Design Community Stakeholders • Cultural and Small Business Stakeholders • Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee • Design Commission • Downtown Commission • Historic Landmark Commission • Planning Commission • Central City District Plan team • Great Streets Update team • Historic Preservation team • Austin Housing • Austin Development Services • Austin Economic Development • Downtown Strategy Office 22 DDB Phase 2 Project Page ▪ The DDB Update also has a web page that includes information about what was adopted in Phase 1, as well as the planned approach for Phase 2 ▪ This page also includes a survey to gather feedback on what participants would like to see in Phase 2 To view the SpeakUp page and take part in the survey, please visit: www.SpeakUpAustin.org/DDBP2 23 Thank you! Warner Cook, Austin Planning | LDCUpdates@austintexas.gov www.SpeakUpAustin.org/DDBP2