10 C14-2026-0024 - 700 Dawson - Office Use; District 9 - Staff Report — original pdf

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ZONING CHANGE REVIEW SHEET CASE: C14-2026-0024 – 700 Dawson – Office Use DISTRICT: 9 ADDRESS: 700 Dawson Road ZONING FROM: GR-MU-CO-NP TO: GR-MU-CO-NP, to change a condition of zoning SITE AREA: 3.74 Acres PROPERTY OWNER Dawson Overlook, LLC (Michael Black) AGENT: Armbrust & Brown, PLLC (Michael Whellan) CASE MANAGER: Reese McMichael (512-974-7633, reese.mcmichael@austintexas.gov) STAFF RECOMMENDATION: The Staff recommendation is to grant community commercial – mixed use – conditional overlay – neighborhood plan (GR-MU-CO-NP) combining district zoning. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION / RECOMMENDATION: June 9, 2026: CITY COUNCIL ACTION: ORDINANCE NUMBER: ISSUES: None at this time CASE MANAGER COMMENTS: The subject rezoning area consists of approximately 3.47 acres located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Dawson Road and Post Oak Street. Situated on the site is a public event space available for rent known as The High Road on Dawson; this building formerly housed a local chapter of the Elks Lodge. The current zoning district of this property, established in 2023 by Ordinance No. 20231130- 099, is community commercial – mixed use – conditional overlay – neighborhood plan (GR- MU-CO-NP); the conditional overlay in effect for this property establishes a number of 10 C14-2026-0024 - 700 Dawson - Office Use; District 91 of 10 conditions on development and land use for this property, including a prohibition on several land uses that are otherwise allowed under the community commercial district zoning. Adjacent land uses consists of single family residences to the east, open space (Dawson Pocket Park and multifamily residences to the north, single family residences to the south, and open space (West Bouldin Creek Greenbelt) to the west. Please refer to Exhibits A (Zoning Map) and B (Aerial View). As for the transportation context of the larger vicinity surrounding this property, the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP) identifies Post Oak Street and Dawson Road each as level 1 streets. Capitol Metro operates the 30 bus on nearby Barton Springs Road, as well as the 105 Bus on Bouldin Avenue a block to the east. The applicant is requesting that Administrative and Business Office, as well as Professional Office, be removed from the list of prohibited land uses established by the existing conditional overlay in affect for this property; the applicant’s stated reason for doing so is that the inclusion of an office accessory use on this property would support the ongoing operation of the event space principal use. Currently, there is no proposed construction to augment the existing building, nor site. Staff is recommending community commercial – mixed use – conditional overlay – neighborhood plan (GR-MU-CO-NP) combining district zoning, to modify the conditional overlay. Administrative and Business Office and Professional Office would be removed from the list of prohibited uses established by the existing conditional overlay. The applicant is in agreement with the staff recommendation. BASIS OF RECOMMENDATION: 1. The proposed zoning should be consistent with the purpose statement of the district sought. The Community Commercial (GR) designation is intended for an office or other commercial use that serves neighborhood and community needs and that generally is accessible from major traffic ways. The Mixed Use (MU) combining districts is intended for combination with selected base districts, in order to permit any combination of office, retail, commercial, and residential uses with a single development. The Conditional Overlay (CO) combining district may be applied in combination with any base district. The districts is intended to provide flexible and adaptable use or site development regulations by requiring standards tailored to individual properties. The neighborhood plan (NP) district denotes a tract located within the boundaries of an adopted neighborhood plan. 10 C14-2026-0024 - 700 Dawson - Office Use; District 92 of 10 2. Zoning should allow for reasonable use of the property. The applicant’s proposal to amend the conditional overlay for this property to no longer prohibit office uses from taking place would not impact the applicant’s primary use of this property as an events space – the applicant asserts that permitting office use to occur supports the ongoing events space operations, therefore this rezoning proposal remains within the constraints of the applicant’s continuing, reasonable use of their property. 3. Zoning changes should promote compatibility with adjacent and nearby uses and should not result in detrimental impacts to the neighborhood character. This rezoning proposal does not change the primary use of this property as an events space, nor is it associated with any proposed construction or demolition; therefore, ongoing operation of this property will remain within the footprint of the existing building and won’t result in changes to land use that would be incompatible with this property’s surroundings. EXISTING ZONING AND LAND USES: ZONING GR-MU-CO-NP Site North MF-3-NP; SF-3-NP SF-3-NP South SF-3-NP East P-NP West LAND USES Club/Lodge Apartment/Condominium, Open Space Single-Family Residential Single-Family Residential Parks/Greenbelts NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA: Bouldin Creek WATERSHED: West Bouldin Creek – Urban CAPITOL VIEW CORRIDOR: No SCENIC ROADWAY: No SCHOOLS: Austin Independent School District Becker Elementary School Lively Middle School Travis High School COMMUNITY REGISTRY LIST: Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association Preservation Austin Austin Neighborhoods Council Homeless Neighborhood Association Perry Grid 614 Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Plan Contact Team Bouldin Creek Zoning Committee South Central Coalition Friends of Austin Neighborhoods Austin Independent School District AREA CASE HISTORIES: 10 C14-2026-0024 - 700 Dawson - Office Use; District 93 of 10 NUMBER NPA-2023- 0013.02/C14- 2023-0064 NPA-2017- 0013.01/C14- 2017-0026 REQUEST SF-3-NP to CS- MU-NP COMMISSION To Grant GR-MU-CO- NP (10/24/2023) CITY COUNCIL Approved as PC recommended (11/30/2023) To Grant addition of Garage Placement Design Tool (06/13/2017) Approved as PC recommended (05/11/2017) Amend Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Plan to include the Garage Placement Design Tool (City initiated) RELATED CASES: ADDITIONAL STAFF COMMENTS: Comprehensive Planning Project Name and Proposed Use: 700 DAWSON ROAD. C14-2026-0024. Project: 700 Dawson - Office Use. 3.741 acres from GR-MU-CO-NP to GR-MU-CO-NP. Existing: recreational community center. Proposed: recreational community center and small office building. Yes Y Imagine Austin Decision Guidelines Complete Community Measures * 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. Names of Activity Centers/Activity Corridors/Job Centers *: • 0.10 miles from Lamar Boulevard Activity Corridor Y Mobility and Public Transit *: Located within 0.25 miles of public transit stop and/or light rail station. • 0.13 miles to bus stop along Bouldin Ave Mobility and Bike/Ped Access *: Adjoins a public sidewalk, shared path, and/or bike lane. Connectivity, Good and Services, Employment *: Provides or is located within 0.50 miles to goods and services, and/or employment center. Connectivity and Food Access *: Provides or is located within 0.50 miles of a grocery store/farmers market. Connectivity and Education *: Located within 0.50 miles from a public school or university. Y Connectivity and Healthy Living *: Provides or is located within 0.50 miles from a recreation area, park or walking trail. 10 C14-2026-0024 - 700 Dawson - Office Use; District 94 of 10 • 0.3 miles to Butler Metro Park Y 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 to urgent care clinic along S Lamar Blvd 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. Housing Affordability *: Provides a minimum of 10% of units for workforce housing (80% MFI or less) and/or fee in lieu for affordable housing. Mixed use *: Provides a mix of residential and non-industrial uses. Y Culture and Creative Economy *: Provides or is located within 0.50 miles of a cultural resource (ex: library, theater, museum, cultural center). • 0.4 miles to Palmer Events Center Culture and Historic Preservation: Preserves or enhances a historically and/or culturally significant site. 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 a particular area or that promotes a new technology, and/or promotes educational opportunities and workforce development training. Industrial Land: Preserves or enhances industrial land. Y Not located over Edwards Aquifer Contributing Zone or Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone 6 Number of “Yes’s” Drainage The developer is required to submit a pre- and post-development drainage analysis at the subdivision and site plan stage of the development process. The City’s Land Development Code and Drainage Criteria Manual require that the Applicant demonstrate through engineering analysis that the proposed development will have no identifiable adverse impact on surrounding properties. Environmental The site is not located over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone. The site is located in the West Bouldin Creek Watershed of the Colorado River Basin, which is classified as an Urban Watershed by Chapter 25-8 of the City's Land Development Code. It is in the Desired Development Zone. Zoning district impervious cover limits apply in the Urban Watershed classification. 10 C14-2026-0024 - 700 Dawson - Office Use; District 95 of 10 According to floodplain maps there is no floodplain within or adjacent to the project location. Standard landscaping and tree protection will be required in accordance with LDC 25-2 and 25-8 for all development and/or redevelopment. At this time, site specific information is unavailable regarding vegetation, areas of steep slope, or other environmental features such as bluffs, springs, canyon rimrock, caves, sinkholes, and wetlands. This site is required to provide on-site water quality controls (or payment in lieu of) for all development and/or redevelopment when 8,000 s.f. cumulative is exceeded, and on site control for the two-year storm. At this time, no information has been provided as to whether this property has any preexisting approvals that preempt current water quality or Code requirements. PARD – Planning & Design Review Parkland dedication fees may apply to any future site or subdivision applications resulting from this rezoning. As of January 1, 2024, new commercial, non-residential uses are not subject to parkland dedication requirements at the time of site plan and subdivision. Please note that this site abuts existing parkland and trails and further public connections into the parkland would be welcomed. Site Plan No comments on zoning change. Transportation – Engineering Review TPW-TDS has no objection to the proposed amendment to the conditional overlay. Transportation assessment/traffic impact analysis and transportation demand management plan shall be required at the time of site plan if triggered per LDC 25-6 and TCM 10.2.1. Assessment of required transportation mitigation, including the potential dedication of right of way and easements and participation in roadway and other multi-modal improvements, will occur at the time of site plan application. The Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP) calls for 58 feet of right-of-way for POST OAK ST. It is recommended that 29 feet of right-of-way from the existing centerline should be dedicated for POST OAK ST according to the Transportation Plan with the first subdivision or site plan application. [LDC 25-6-51 and 25-6-55]. The Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP) calls for 58 feet of right-of-way for DAWSON RD. It is recommended that 29 feet of right-of-way from the existing centerline should be 10 C14-2026-0024 - 700 Dawson - Office Use; District 96 of 10 dedicated for DAWSON RD according to the Transportation Plan with the first subdivision or site plan application. [LDC 25-6-51 and 25-6-55]. The adjacent street characteristics table is provided below: Name ASMP Classification ASMP Required ROW Existing ROW Existing Pavement Sidewalks Bicycle Route Capital Metro (within ¼ mile) 58’ 37’ 25’ No No Yes 58’ 52’ 30’ No Yes Yes POST OAK ST DAWSON RD Level 1 – Local Mobility Level 1 – Local Mobility Austin Water Utility No comments on zoning change. The landowner intends to serve the site with existing City of Austin water utilities. Depending on the development plans submitted, water and or wastewater service extension requests may be required. All water and wastewater construction must be inspected by the City of Austin. For more information pertaining to the Service Extension Request process and submittal requirements contact the Austin Water SER team at ser@austintexas.gov. INDEX OF EXHIBITS AND ATTACHMENTS TO FOLLOW: Exhibit A: Zoning Map Exhibit B: Aerial Photograph Exhibit C: Applicant’s Summary Letter 10 C14-2026-0024 - 700 Dawson - Office Use; District 97 of 10 Exhibit A 10 C14-2026-0024 - 700 Dawson - Office Use; District 98 of 10Exhibit B N A l" = 400' SUBJECT TRACT .1 ZONING BOUNDARY 1 • • W PENDING CASE CREEK BUFFER 700 Dawson - Office Use ZONING CASE#: LOCATION: SUBJECT AREA: MANAGER: C 14-2026-0024 700, 700-1/2 Dawson Rd 3.741 Acres Reese McMichael This product has been produced by Austin Planning for the sole purpose of geographic reference. No warranty is made by the City of Austin regarding specific accuracy or completeness. IA Austin Created: 4/15/2026 10 C14-2026-0024 - 700 Dawson - Office Use; District 99 of 10Exhibit C ARMBRUST & BROWN, PLLC A T T O R N E Y S A N D C O U N S E L O R S 100 CONGRESS AVENUE, SUITE 1300 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78701-2744 512-435-2300 FACSIMILE 512-435-2360 March 29, 2026 Via email Joi Harden, Zoning Officer Housing and Planning Department City of Austin 1000 E. 11th St. Austin, Texas 78704 Subject: Rezoning request for 700 Dawson Rd. (the “Property”) Dear Ms. Harden, On behalf of Dawson Overlook, LLC (the “Applicant”) please accept the attached rezoning application for the Property. The Applicant seeks to maintain the existing GR-MU-CO-NP zoning, while amending the conditional overlay to allow the following uses by right: professional office and administrative and business office. The Property is the site of the ‘High Road on Dawson,’ a local club and former Elks Lodge, which has operated here since the 1950s. Several years ago, the Applicant acquired the Property and sought the current GR-MU-CO-NP zoning in order to continue operating it as a local club space. During that rezoning case, the Applicant agreed to prohibit a large list of commercial uses in a conditional overlay. Today, the Applicant is seeking a narrow change to the conditional overlay to allow some office space on the Property, which would complement the club/lodge use while preserving the extensive restrictions on other more intensive uses. We believe this narrowly tailored request is reasonable and appropriate and will ensure a good mix of complementary activities on the Property. Thank you for your consideration – and I am available to answer your questions and discuss this application further. Sincerely, Michael J. Whellan {W1227456.1} 10 C14-2026-0024 - 700 Dawson - Office Use; District 910 of 10