15 - C20-2024-018 - Downtown Density Bonus Update Phase 1 Briefing - Presentation — original pdf

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Downtown Density Bonus Phase 1 – Proposal Austin Planning | Planning Commission Briefing | 04/14/2026 Agenda • • • Background Existing Program & Process Proposed Changes • Urban Design Standards • Community Benefits | • Downtown Density Bonus Process • Stakeholder Engagement and Timeline 2 Background City Council Resolution  Downtown Density Bonus Update  Resolution No. 20240718-185 in July 2024 directed staff to update the Downtown Density Bonus (DDB) program  Requested:  Updates to gatekeeper requirements  Integration of Rainey subdistrict  Creation of new subdistricts  Prioritization of accessibility and shade opportunities  Simplification of the affordability program  Alignment of the program with the Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD) overlay.  Downtown Density Bonus – Phase 1  In response to Senate Bill 840, Council adopted Ordinance No. 20251023-063, which amended the Central Business District Zone and directed staff to update the DDB program by June 2026 for three DDB subdistricts 4 Existing Program & Process Phase 1 - Existing Height & FAR Map  After the recent adoption of the Central Business District Zone amendments and updates to the DDB, the three subdistricts in Phase 1 have the following entitlements available via the DDB program:  Core Subdistrict – 350ft of height and 25:1 FAR*  Rainey Subdistrict – 350ft of height and 15:1 FAR*  Convention Center Subdistrict – 350ft of height and 15:1 FAR*  Applicants can request Council approval to exceed these entitlements *FAR limits are only applicable to commercial developments 6 Proposed Changes Phase I – Proposed Applicability  Revised to remove the Red River Cultural District from Phase I  To be updated and included in Phase II of the DDB Update  DDB is a voluntary program  Supersedes the following overlays:  Capitol Dominance Overlay  Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Density Bonus  Waterfront Overlay 8 Phase I – Combining Districts  Each combining district will have different entitlements/requirements. Phase I will create 2 combining districts:  DDB400 has +400 ft  DDB850 has +850 ft  Additional height is additive to the property’s base zoning height limit  E.g., a CBD-DDB400 site could build up to 750 ft (350 ft base height + 400 bonus ft)  Sites will be rezoned into DDB400 in Phase I.  Sites will be eligible to request rezoning into DDB850 through the standard rezoning process.  Max height cannot be exceeded by Council approval.  Additional combining districts will be created in Phase II.  Within a combining district, different subdistricts could be mapped in the future.  Different subdistricts can have different gatekeeper requirements or community benefit options.  E.g., Red River may have more cultural/live music gatekeeper requirements or community benefit options. 9 DRAFT for internal discussion only 10 Downtown Heights Current CBD Base Height 350 ft CBD Average Height 450 ft DDB400 Max Height 750 ft DDB850 Max Height 1,200 ft Windsor on the Lake 332 ft 300 Colorado 446 ft The Republic 707 ft Waterline 1,034 ft (Austin’s tallest building) 11 Program Structure General Requirements  Regulations applicable to any + Subdistrict Requirements (Phase II)  Additional regulations within each participating developments include: subdistrict could include:  Applicability of the Program  Gatekeeper Requirements  Allowed Uses  Site Development and Design Standards  Parking Allowances  Other Requirements of City Code Chapter 4-18  Height Allowances  Affordability Requirements  Specific Site Development Standards  Specific Gatekeeper Requirements  Specific Community Benefits Requirements 12 Phase I – Site Development Standards Existing Core Existing Rainey & Convention Center Exemptions None Uses FAR Height None 25:1* 350’ None None 15:1* 350’ Great Street Standards Great Street Standards Gatekeeper Requirements 2-Star Energy Green Building Rating 2-Star Energy Green Building Rating Design Guidelines Design Guidelines Proposed DDB400 Proposed DDB850 Maximum building coverage Maximum building coverage Landscaping requirements Landscaping requirements Minimum site area Minimum site area Private common open space Private common open space Prohibits or makes conditional non-transit supportive uses Prohibits or makes conditional non-transit supportive uses Unlimited Unlimited +400’ (750’ Max) +850’ (1200’ Max) Great Street Standards Great Street Standards 2-Star Energy Green Building Rating 2-Star Energy Green Building Rating Required Design Standards + 7 of 14 Optional Design Standards Required Design Standards + 10 of 14 Optional Design Standards *FAR limits do not apply to residential or mixed-use projects meeting SB840 standards 13 Phase I – Proposed Updated Gatekeeper Requirements Compliance with Urban Design Standards Required standards + selection from optional list of standards; no Design Commission review Great Streets Standards Streetscape Improvements Will include any updates to Great Streets Plan Min. 2-Star Rating under the Austin Energy Green Building Program With bird-friendly design standards required 14 Urban Design Standards Urban Design Standards Gatekeeper Requirement  In order to participate in the DDB program, projects must adhere to the mandatory Urban Design Standards and select a number from the optional list to meet for their development.  The optional standards will follow a “menu” approach, where projects select which standards to meet.  Projects utilizing DDB400 must meet 7 out of 14 standards.  Projects utilizing DDB850 must meet 10 out of 14 standards.  Design Commission review will no longer be required. Staff will determine compliance with the Urban Design Standards at the time of site plan review.  In future phases, Standards may be revised and additional options added. 16 Mandatory Urban Design Standards 1. Screening Requirements  Provide screening for waste, utility, mechanical and above-ground parking 2. Parking Limits  Limit above ground parking to 60% of formerly required by Appendix A and up to 80% with underground parking 3. Pedestrian-Oriented Frontage  Require 75% of frontage to be pedestrian-friendly uses along principal street 4. Primary Entrance Requirements  Require buildings entrances every 150ft and buildings with over 200ft of frontage on a street shall provide a minimum of two entrances 17 Optional Urban Design Standards Enhanced Pedestrian-Oriented Frontage  Require 75% of total building frontage to be pedestrian- 8. Protection for Pedestrians from Precipitation  Require overhead shelter over 60% of street frontage 1. 2. friendly uses Enhanced Primary Entrance Requirements  Provide buildings entrances every 75ft and buildings with over 200ft of frontage on a street shall provide a minimum of three entrances 3. Bicycle Parking  Increase minimum number of required long-term bicycle parking spaces 4. Stepbacks  Require minimum 10’ setback above 120’ of height 5. Curb Cuts  Limit number of curb cuts per lot frontage 6. Garage Lanes 7.  Limit number of garage lanes Cantilever Clearance  Require 40’ clearance for cantilevers with depth not less than 40% clear height 9. Provide Transparency on Street-Facades  Require high-level of transparency along sidewalk 10. Provide Transparency Above Ground Floor  Require high-level of transparency on first two floors above the ground floor 11. Provide Publicly Accessible Restroom and/or Drinking Fountain 12. Provide Planting Area or Green Roof  Require 15% of site as dedicated at-grade planting or 50% of roof as green roof 13. Match Historic Building Scale  Require a base with height within 15ft of the height adjacent to historic property 14. Preserve Existing Building Façade  Preserve minimum 75% of historic building facade 18 Community Benefits Phase I – Proposed Community Benefits  Must provide 100% of community benefits as Affordable Housing On-Site Units or Fee-in-Lieu  By providing one of the community benefits listed below, the affordable housing requirement can be reduced by up to 2% of units or 20% of the fee-in-lieu:  Onsite Historic Preservation  Grocery Store Use (min. 2,500 sf)  Cultural Uses (min. 5,000 sf)  Live Music Venue (min. 5,000 sf)  Austin Energy Green Building 3-Star Rating  Transit Supportive Infrastructure 20 Phase I – Affordable Housing Requirements Existing Core & Convention Center Existing Rainey Proposed DDB400 Proposed DDB850 Affordable On-Site 10 bonus square feet per 1 square foot of affordable units (10% of bonus square footage) 5% of units up to 8:1 FAR AND Fee-in-lieu or 10 bonus square feet per 1 square foot of affordable units 5% of all units at 50% Median Family Income (MFI) rental 5% of all units at 50% Median Family Income (MFI) rental OR OR 5% of all units at 80% Median Family income for ownership 5% of all units at 80% Median Family income for ownership Affordable Fee-in-Lieu Commercial CBD - $9 Residential CBD - $12 Commercial non-CBD zoning - $6 Residential non-CBD zoning - $10 Residential - $5 Commercial CBD - $9 Commercial non-CBD - $6 DDB400 - $10 per bonus area square foot DDB850 - $12 per bonus area square foot 21 Phase I – Requirements from Code Ch. 4-18  Density Bonus Lease & Redevelopment Requirements (4-18)  Require dispersion of affordable units and equal access to amenities  Require tenant protections and redevelopment requirements for existing multifamily and certain commercial uses:  Creative spaces (see § 25-2-654(F) for definition) operating for ≥ 3 years  Adult care services (general or limited) operating for ≥ 12 months  Child care services (general or limited) operating for ≥ 12 months  Cocktail lounges operating for ≥ 10 years  Food sales operating for ≥ 10 years w/ gross floor area of ≤ 20,000 sq ft  General retail sales operating for ≥ 10 years w/ a gross floor area of ≤ 5,000 sq ft  Personal services operating for ≥ 10 years w/ a gross floor area of ≤ 5,000 sq ft  Restaurant (general or limited) operating for ≥ 10 years w/ gross floor area of ≤ 5,000 sq ft 22 Downtown Density Bonus Process Phase I – Proposed Process 24 Stakeholder Engagement and Timeline Stakeholder Engagement  Staff has met with several community  Staff has engaged several departments as well, including:  Austin Economic Development  Austin Energy  Austin Housing  Austin Parks and Recreation  Austin Watershed stakeholder groups, including:  Downtown Austin Alliance (DAA)  Real Estate Council of Austin (RECA)  Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association (DANA)  American Institute of Architects (AIA)  Red River Cultural District  Urban Land Institute (ULI)  Staff is also engaging several commissions in this process:  Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee  Design Commission  Downtown Commission  Historic Landmark Commission  Planning Commission 26 Timeline November – January - Early Engagement - Draft Staff Proposal March – May - Community Engagement - Code & Ordinances (4/29) - Planning Commission Consideration (5/12) - Council Consideration (5/28) - Interdepartmental Discussions - Finalize Staff Proposal - Proposal Engagement/Calibration February – March *Timeline subject to change 27 Thank you! Alan Pani, Austin Planning | LDCUpdates@austintexas.gov SpeakUpAustin.org/DDBP1 28