10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 3 - Staff Report — original pdf

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NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT REVIEW SHEET NEIGHORHOOD PLAN: East Riverside/Oltorf Combined and East Riverside Corridor Plan CASE#: NPA-2026-0021.01 DATE FILED: February 27, 2026 PROJECT NAME: 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA PC DATE: May 12, 2026 ADDRESS/ES: 1404 E. Riverside Drive DISTRICT AREA: 3 SITE AREA: 2.62 acres OWNER/APPLICANT: South Shore Apartments Owner LP AGENT: Drenner Group, PC (Amanda Swor) CASE MANAGER: Maureen Meredith PHONE: (512) 974-2695 STAFF EMAIL: Maureen.Meredith@austintexas.gov TYPE OF AMENDMENT: Change in Future Land Use Designation From: Specific Regulating District To: Multifamily Residential Base District Zoning Change Related Zoning Case: C14-2025-0111 From: East Riverside Corridor, Corridor Mixed Use subdistrict To: PUD – Planned Unit Development Code Amendment: C20-2026-001 – Request to be removed from the East Riverside Corridor Planning area NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN ADOPTION DATE: November 16, 2006 CITY COUNCIL DATE: May 21, 2026 ACTION: Proposed for 1st Reading 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 31 of 23 PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: May 12, 2026 – (action pending) STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff supports the applicant’s request for Multifamily Residential land use. BASIS FOR STAFF’S RECOMMENDATION: Staff supports the Applicant’s request to change the future land use map from Specific Regulating District to Multifamily Residential land use. The property is located along East Riverside Drive, which is designated as an activity corridor in the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan. The property is also located on the edge of the Riverside Stations Neighborhood Activity Center. East Riverside Drive has public transportation and is proposed for a light rail line. There are multifamily developments directly to the east and west of the property. The applicant proposes a 381-unit multifamily residential development that will provide 15 on-site affordable units for people who earn 60% MFI. The proposed development will help meet the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint’s goal of creating 135,000 housing units throughout the City by 2027 with 60,000 designated as affordable for households at or below 80% of medium family income (MFI). 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 32 of 23 LAND USE DESCRIPTIONS: EXISTING LAND USE: Specific Regulating District - This map designation is intended for areas that have an adopted regulating plan. This district will be identified on the Future Land Use Map, but is not considered a typical land use category. The purpose of this designation is to make the user aware of the Regulating Plan and that it should be reviewed for development regulations. Approved Regulating Plans: 1. Plaza Saltillo TOD Station Area Plan 2. Martin Luther King (MLK) Boulevard TOD Station Area Plan 3. Lamar/Justin TOD Station Area Plan 4. East Riverside Corridor Plan PROPOSED LAND USE: Multifamily Residential - Higher‐density housing with four or more dwelling units on one lot. Purpose 1. Preserve existing multifamily and affordable housing; 2. Maintain and create affordable, safe, and well-managed rental housing; and 3. Make it possible for existing residents, both homeowners and renters, to continue to live in their neighborhoods. 4. Applied to existing or proposed mobile home parks. Application 1. Existing apartments should be designated as multifamily unless designated as mixed use; 2. Existing multifamily-zoned land should not be recommended for a less intense land use category, unless based on sound planning principles; and 3. Changing other land uses to multifamily should be encouraged on a case-by-case basis. 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 33 of 23 Imagine Austin Decision Guidelines Complete Community Measures Yes Imagine Austin Growth Concept Map: Located within or adjacent to an Imagine Austin Activity Center, Imagine Austin Activity Corridor, or Imagine Austin Job Center as identified the Growth Concept Map. Name(s) of Activity Center/Activity Corridor/Job Center: • Property has frontage on East Riverside Drive, which is an activity corridor • On the edge of the Riverside Stations Town Center Yes Mobility and Public Transit: Located within 0.25 miles of public transit stop and/or light rail station. • Bus routes along East Riverside Drive • East Riverside Drive is proposed for a light rail line Yes Mobility and Bike/Ped Access: Adjoins a public sidewalk, shared path, and/or bike lane. • Side walks along East Riverside Drive Yes Connectivity, Good and Services, Employment: Provides or is located within 0.50 miles to goods and services, and/or employment center. • East Riverside Drive is a commerci No Connectivity and Food Access: Provides or is located within 0.50 miles of a grocery store/farmers market. • 1.5 miles from HEB on East Riverside Drive Connectivity and Education: Located within 0.50 miles from a public school or university. No Yes Connectivity and Healthy Living: Provides or is located within 0.50 miles from a recreation area, park or walking trail. • Property is next to the Lady Bird Lake Boardwalk • 0.3 miles from Norwood Estate Dog Park on E. Riverside, 1018 1/2 Edgecliff Terrace, Austin, TX 78741 Yes Connectivity and Health: Provides or is located within 0.50 miles of health facility (ex: hospital, urgent care, doctor’s office, drugstore clinic, and/or specialized outpatient care.) • 0.5 miles from CareNow Urgent Care - Riverside Drive, 1920 E Riverside Dr #110, Austin, TX 78741 Yes Housing Affordability: Provides a minimum of 10%of units for workforce housing (80% MFI or less) and/or fee in lieu for affordable housing. • Proposed for 381 apartment units • 15 on-site affordable at 60% MFI total 8,568 square feet. • Additional $1,049,256 fee-in-lieu for increase bonus area above the baseline to the Affordable Housing Trust ($9 per bonus square foot per PUD Ordinance) Yes Housing Choice: Expands the number of units and housing choice that suits a variety of household sizes, incomes, and lifestyle needs of a diverse population (ex: apartments, triplex, granny flat, live/work units, cottage homes, and townhomes) in support of Imagine Austin and the Strategic Housing Blueprint. Yes Mixed use: Provides a mix of residential and non-industrial uses. • The proposed PUD zoning would allow for a mixed use development of commercial and residential uses, although the applicant is only proposing multifamily residential uses. No No Culture and Creative Economy: Provides or is located within 0.50 miles of a cultural resource (ex: library, theater, museum, cultural center). Culture and Historic Preservation: Preserves or enhances a historically and/or culturally significant site. 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 34 of 23 No Not known Creative Economy: Expands Austin’s creative economy (ex: live music venue, art studio, film, digital, theater.) Workforce Development, the Economy and Education: Expands the economic base by creating permanent jobs, especially in industries that are currently not represented in particular area or that promotes a new technology, and/or promotes educational opportunities and workforce development training. Industrial Land: Preserves or enhances industrial land. No Yes Not located over the Edwards Aquifer Contributing Zone or Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone 10 Number of “Yeses” Proximity to Imagine Austin Activity Centers and Corridors 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 35 of 23 Proximity to Public Parks 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 36 of 23 Proximity to Public Transportation and Urban Trails IMAGINE AUSTIN GROWTH CONCEPT MAP Definitions Neighborhood Centers - The smallest and least intense of the three mixed-use centers are neighborhood centers. As with the regional and town centers, neighborhood centers are walkable, bikable, and supported by transit. The greatest density of people and activities in neighborhood centers will likely be concentrated on several blocks or around one or two intersections. However, depending on localized conditions, different neighborhood centers can be very different places. If a neighborhood center is designated on an existing commercial area, such as a shopping center or mall, it could represent redevelopment or the addition of housing. A new neighborhood center may be focused on a dense, mixed-use core surrounded by a mix of housing. In other instances, new or redevelopment may occur incrementally and concentrate people and activities along several blocks or around one or two intersections. Neighborhood centers will be more locally focused than either a regional or a town center. Businesses and services—grocery and department stores, doctors and dentists, shops, branch libraries, dry cleaners, hair salons, schools, restaurants, and other small and local businesses—will generally serve the center and surrounding neighborhoods. 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 37 of 23 Town Centers - Although less intense than regional centers, town centers are also where many people will live and work. Town centers will have large and small employers, although fewer than in regional centers. These employers will have regional customer and employee bases, and provide goods and services for the center as well as the surrounding areas. The buildings found in a town center will range in size from one-to three-story houses, duplexes, townhouses, and rowhouses, to low-to midrise apartments, mixed use buildings, and office buildings. These centers will also be important hubs in the transit system. Regional Centers - Regional centers are the most urban places in the region. These centers are and will become the retail, cultural, recreational, and entertainment destinations for Central Texas. These are the places where the greatest density of people and jobs and the tallest buildings in the region will be located. Housing in regional centers will mostly consist of low to high-rise apartments, mixed use buildings, row houses, and townhouses. However, other housing types, such as single-family units, may be included depending on the location and character of the center. The densities, buildings heights, and overall character of a center will depend on its location. Activity Centers for Redevelopment in Sensitive Environmental Areas - Five centers are located over the recharge or contributing zones of the Barton Springs Zone of the Edwards Aquifer or within water-supply watersheds. These centers are located on already developed areas and, in some instances, provide opportunities to address long-standing water quality issues and provide walkable areas in and near existing neighborhoods. State-of-the-art development practices will be required of any redevelopment to improve stormwater retention and the water quality flowing into the aquifer or other drinking water sources. These centers should also be carefully evaluated to fit within their infrastructural and environmental context. Job Centers - Job centers accommodate those businesses not well-suited for residential or environmentally- sensitive areas. These centers take advantage of existing transportation infrastructure such as arterial roadways, freeways, or the Austin-Bergstrom International airport. Job centers will mostly contain office parks, manufacturing, warehouses, logistics, and other businesses with similar demands and operating characteristics. They should nevertheless become more pedestrian and bicycle friendly, in part by better accommodating services for the people who work in those centers. While many of these centers are currently best served by car, the growth Concept map offers transportation choices such as light rail and bus rapid transit to increase commuter options. Corridors - Activity corridors have a dual nature. They are the connections that link activity centers and other key destinations to one another and allow people to travel throughout the city and region by bicycle, transit, or automobile. Corridors are also characterized by a variety of activities and types of buildings located along the roadway — shopping, restaurants and cafés, parks, schools, single-family houses, apartments, public buildings, houses of worship, mixed-use buildings, and offices. Along many corridors, there will be both large and small redevelopment sites. These redevelopment opportunities may be continuous along stretches of the corridor. There may also be a series of small neighborhood centers, connected by the roadway. Other corridors may have fewer redevelopment 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 38 of 23 opportunities, but already have a mixture of uses, and could provide critical transportation connections. As a corridor evolves, sites that do not redevelop may transition from one use to another, such as a service station becoming a restaurant or a large retail space being divided into several storefronts. To improve mobility along an activity corridor, new and redevelopment should reduce per capita car use and increase walking, bicycling, and transit use. Intensity of land use should correspond to the availability of quality transit, public space, and walkable destinations. Site design should use building arrangement and open space to reduce walking distance to transit and destinations, achieve safety and comfort, and draw people outdoors. BACKGROUND: The applicant proposes to change the future land use map (FLUM) from Specific Regulating District to Multifamily Residential land use. The applicant proposes to change the zoning on the property from is ER-CMU, East Riverside Corridor – Corridor Mixed Use subdistrict to PUD (Planned Development District) and to also be removed from the East Riverside Corridor Plan. For more information on the proposed zoning, see case report C814-2025-0111. For more information on the applicant’s request to be removed from the East Riverside Corridor Plan, see case report C20-2026-001. The applicant proposes a 381-unit multifamily residential development. The applicant says 15 apartments will be affordable units at 60% MFI totaling 8,568 square feet. An additional $1,049,256 fee-in-lieu for increased bonus area above the baseline to Affordable Housing Trust Fund. PUBLIC MEETINGS: The ordinance-required community meeting was held on April 27, 2026. The recorded meeting can be found here: https://publicinput.com/neighborhoodplanamendmentcases. Approximately 13,089 meeting notices were mailed to property owners and people with utility accounts (renters) who live within the East Riverside Corridor (ERC) planning area and also within the 500 feet notification boundary of the ERC planning area. Three Austin Planning staff members attended, Maureen Meredith, Mark Walters, and Chase Gonsoulin. Amanda Swor and Kate Kniejski from Drenner Group attended, in addition to Matthew Bunch from Mill Creek Residential. Eight people from the neighborhood also attended. Below are highlights from Amanda Swor’s presentation: • The property is 2.62 acres • The property is where the Acton School of Business was located but the building has since been demolished and the property is vacane.t • The current zoning is ER-CMU, East Riverside Corridor – Corridor Mixed Use subdistrict. The property is also within the Waterfront Overlay – East Riverside Subdistrict • The current FLUM is Specific Regulating District and the proposed FLUM is Multifamily Residential land use. • Another request is to remove the property from the East Riverside Corridor Plan. 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 39 of 23 • Approximately 381 residential units are proposed, with 15 on-site affordable units at 60% MFI. Additional $1,049,256 fee-in-lieu increase bonus area above the baseline to the affordable Housing Trust fund. • Parking will be 100% structured garage with wiring for EV charging for 25% of • parking spaces. Long- term bicycle parking and community benefits and contributions 1.17 acres of Parkland dedicated via approved SDP upgraded streetscape with native plantings minimum 9000 square feet public open space including Plaza like space along E Riverside drive Meeting Summary Attendees discussed the project’s proximity to nearby developments, traffic concerns on East Riverside Drive, and reasons for removing the site from the East Riverside Corridor Plan. The development team outlined planned community benefits such as parkland access, environmental improvements, pedestrian enhancements, and on‑site affordable housing. Residents raised questions about signage, the use of park funding, and the timing of planning and council hearings. Staff indicated that hearings are scheduled for May and July, with construction expected to begin after site development permitting. Key Points & Concerns Community members asked about the site’s distance from Oracle and River Park. Significant concerns were raised about traffic and access to East Riverside Drive. Clarification was sought on why the property must be removed from the ERCP. Questions focused on planned community benefits, including parkland access, environmental measures, and affordable housing. Attendees asked about funding for park improvements and whether it would directly benefit local residents. Timeline questions: planning commission on May 12, council on May 21 (first reading), then July 23 (second reading). 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 310 of 23 Applicant Summary Letter from Application 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 311 of 23 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 312 of 23 Letter of Recommendation from the Neighborhood Plan Contact Team (NPCT) (No letter as of May 5, 2026 – anticipated to be submitted as late back-up) From: Meredith, Maureen Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2026 5:42 PM To: cabraun309@yahoo.com; dai.ziran@gmail.com; fdeworken@gmail.com; ian.dille@gmail.com; clhedwards@gmail.com; dan.in.austin@gmail.com; gayle.goff@gmail.com; nicholaskehl@gmail.com; elel.austin@yahoo.com; landry541865@gmail.com; jlong91@austin.rr.com; popscribe@aol.com; heather@efoinc.com; mark@efoinc.com; outhavong@hotmail.com; janeannp@utexas.edu; mpiano@presidiumre.com; zach.davis.stone@gmail.com; allynstott@gmail.com; lor@peacesigns.com; lsunderland@icloud.com; Ron Thrower <ront@throwerdesign.com>; ttrentham@gmail.com; lindajwatkins@netscape.net; moonbeamweaver@yahoo.com; myeatts@austin.rr.com Cc: Tomko, Jonathan <Jonathan.Tomko@austintexas.gov> Subject: EROC NPCT Ltr Rec: NPA-2026-0021.01_1404 E. Riverside Dr Importance: High Dear EROC NPCT: As I mentioned at the virtual community meeting on Monday, April 27th, cases NPA-2026- 0021.01 and C14-2025-0111_1404 E. Riverside Dr are scheduled for the May 12th Planning Commission hearing and the May 21st City Council hearing dates. If your team would like to submit a letter of recommendation to be included in our staff reports, please email it to me and Jonathan, the zoning planner, by Tuesday, May 5th by 5:00 pm. If we get it after this date and time, your letter will not be in our reports but will be submitted as late material to the Planning Commission. If you were unable to attend the virtual community meeting to discuss these cases on April 27th, you can watch the recorded meeting here: https://publicinput.com/v15057. Please let me know if you have any questions. Maureen Maureen Meredith (she/her) Senior Planner Austin Planning 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr. Austin, TX 78752 512-974-2695 maureen.meredith@austintexas.gov Please Note: Correspondence and information submitted to the City of Austin are subject to the Texas Public Information Act (Chapter 552) and may be published online. Por Favor Tome En Cuenta: La correspondencia y la información enviada a la Ciudad de Austin está sujeta a la Ley de Información Pública de Texas (Capítulo 552) y puede ser publicada en línea. 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 313 of 23 Site 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 314 of 23 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 315 of 23 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 316 of 23 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 317 of 23 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 318 of 23 Amanda Swor’s Presentation at the April 27, 2026 Virtual Community Meeting 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 319 of 23 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 320 of 23 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 321 of 23 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 322 of 23 Correspondence Received No correspondence received as of May 1, 2026. 10 NPA-2026-0021.01 - 1404 East Riverside PUD NPA; District 323 of 23