06 C20-2025-010 - CBD Amendments - Staff Report Addendum — original pdf

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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 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. Addendum: The proposed amendment to the Land Development Code 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 includes a revision to the DDBP’s – Eligibility, Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and Height Map (Figure 2). Figure 2 indicates the current limits for administrative approval under the Downtown Density Bonus Program. Within the core of downtown, this map currently indicates a maximum administratively-approvable height of “No Limit” and a maximum FAR of 25:1. Applicants are allowed to exceed these administrative limits through discretionary approval by City Council. The proposed revision to Figure 2 is to change the “No Limit” height limit to “350 feet.” Applicants would continue to be able to exceed this administrative limit through discretionary approval by City Council. The subdistricts which currently allow for “No Limit” on building height have a maximum FAR which has served as the administrative cap for developments in each subdistrict. With the passage of SB 840, the City can no longer use a FAR limit as an administrative cap for multifamily residential and mixed use residential developments participating in the Downtown Density Bonus Program. Staff is proposing an amendment to Figure 2 in order to ensure that there is a limit to staff’s administrative authority to approve projects participating in the Downtown Density Bonus Program. Under the proposed amendment, Figure 2 would be amended to include both a FAR limit and height limit to which developments would be able to build when participating in the Downtown Density Bonus Program. To develop beyond the maximum FAR and heights shown on Figure 2, applicants would continue to be able to request additional FAR or height from Council through discretionary approval. Staff anticipates a larger update to the Downtown Density Bonus Program in 2026 which would allow for a more substantial overhaul to the mechanics of the program in the context of the continued evolution of downtown. 06 C20-2025-010 - CBD Amendments1 of 3C20-2025-010 Sponsor Department: Austin Planning City Staff: Alan Pani, Principal Planner, Austin Planning, Alan.Pani@austintexas.gov, (512) 974-8084 06 C20-2025-010 - CBD Amendments2 of 3C20-2025-010 06 C20-2025-010 - CBD Amendments3 of 3