backup agenda item #4 — original pdf

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South Central Waterfront Combining District & Density Bonus Program Small Area Planning Joint Committee March 21, 2024 History Combining District Density Bonus Program - Bonus Program Opt-in Requirements - Fees-in-Lieu - Additional On-Site Community Benefits Timeline & Ways to Provide Feedback South Central Waterfront Vision Framework Plan Adopted June 6, 2016 3 City Council Resolution 20220915-090  Directed Planning Staff to create regulations supporting implementation of the 2016 South Central Waterfront Vision Framework Plan.  Increased development only available through the Density Bonus  Maximize community benefits: affordable housing, open space, and  Maximize infrastructure investments: new streets, parks, bikeways, Program. public art, etc. and trails.  Program to be re-evaluated/updated at least every five years. 4 City Council Resolution 20220915-090  Create a Density Bonus Program “akin” to Downtown.  Support Project Connect transit investment.  Allow entitlements significant enough to achieve required infrastructure and community benefits.  Ensure entitlements meet market demand to account for increased costs and avoid continual requests to amend the code.  Create enhanced environmental standards and protections. 5 City Council Resolution 20220915-090 Create a connected, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use district where “thousands more Austinites can live, work, and play.” 6 Updates / Changes since Council Resolution  The SCW regulations will be implemented by: – Council adoption of an optional set of regulations and bonus program through the creation of a Combining District and a Density Bonus Program (spring 2024). – City-initiated rezoning of properties in the district (summer 2024). – Subsequent rezonings and code amendments will be required to add additional properties at a later date.  Regulation review will occur sooner than 5 years to account for updated details from Project Connect and citywide density bonus analysis. 7 District Boundary New parcels added that are affected by Project Connect light rail alignment. Project Connect Rail Alignment 8 Combining District Components  General Provisions (Policies, procedures, and who can participate)  Land Use Standards (Permitted and conditional land uses)  Development Standards (What can be built and where)  Design Standards (How it will look)  Definitions 9 Density Bonus Components  Procedures/Requirements  “Gate Keeper” Requirements – Affordable Housing – Environmental Protection – Improved Streetscape and Built Environment  In-Lieu Fees and Dedications  Onsite Community Benefits Eligible for Bonus Area 10 Streets and Light Rail 11 Subdistricts Council approval is required to exceed FAR maximums Project Connect Rail Alignment 12 Critical Water Quality Zones 13 Permitted land uses support: Land Uses – Transit – Pedestrian use – Mixed-use – Creative Enterprise – Recreation and Entertainment Activity 14 Parks & Open Space  Required publicly accessible Open Space (5% of site)  Parkland dedication may be credited towards Parks Fee-in-Lieu amount  Buildout of parks amenities is a community benefit available for bonus area  Both parkland dedication and buildout must meet PARD criteria and be accepted by the PARD Director 15 *For artistic rendering purposes only 16 Pedestrian Experience  Internal walkways require at least 10ft of sidewalk and 5ft of planting/amenity zone.  Sidewalks along roadways will have at least a 10ft sidewalk with an 8ft planting/amenity zone. 17 Density Distribution Areas (DDAs)  Floor-to-Area Ratio (FAR) is calculated separately for each DDA and FAR maximums apply separately.  DDAs shall be no greater than 90,000 s.f.  Internal walkways are required along DDA boundaries for internal pedestrian circulation. Not representative of actual site plan 18 SCW Density Bonus Program On-site Requirements:   Enhanced Environmental Standards Streetscape and Built Environment Standards  5% of housing on-site must be affordable under 3:1 FAR. May be: – Affordable rental units at 60% MFI, – Or if Condos: – Affordable ownership units (condos) at 80% MFI, or – A fee-in-lieu for ownership units. At full buildout, it is estimated: The SCW Bonus Program could produce 481 On-site Affordable Units compared to 527 Affordable Units anticipated in the 2016 Vision Plan. 19 SCW Density Bonus Program Beyond the on-site gate keeper requirements:  70% of desired bonus area may be achieved through fees- in-lieu and dedications. – The fees-in-lieu will be divided among Affordable Housing, Parks, and Infrastructure. – Affordable Housing fee will be spent within a boundary – Parks fee will be spent within a distance from the property from which it is obtained – Infrastructure fee will be spent within SCW District 20 SCW Density Bonus Program  30% of desired bonus area may be achieved through additional on-site community benefits. – Public Open Space – Cultural Uses (plazas, etc.) (art galleries or museums) – Childcare and Adult Care – Live Music Venues Services – Grocery Stores 21 SCW Density Bonus Program  Additional on-site community benefits: – Enhanced Accessibility Standards (beyond ADA) – Park & Playground Amenities – Transit-Supportive Infrastructure (Transit Infrastructure, Bus Stations, Bikeshares, etc.) 22 Bonus Program Structure First Then (For Additional FAR Beyond Base) Gate Keeper Requirements Onsite Affordable Housing (Fee for Non-Residential) Enhanced Environmental Protections Streetscape & Built Environment (To Reach Up to FAR Subdistrict Maximums) 70% In-Lieu Fees & Dedications Affordable Housing Parks Infrastructure 30% On-Site Community Benefits Open Space Universal Design Child / Adult Care Park Buildout Cultural Uses Music Venues Grocery Store Transit- Supportive Infrastructure 23 Density Bonus Calculator  This Excel-based tool calculates: – The total fee-in-lieu amount associated with the desired bonus area; – An estimated number of onsite affordable units (at 60% MFI); and Project Inputs Site and Current Entitlement Characteristics Gross Site Area (SF) 85,548 Desired Building Characteristics (Total with Bonus) Desired Conditioned SF Desired Parking SF 950,000 200,000 Percent of Conditioned Building area Residential Percent of Conditioned Building area Hotel Percent of Conditioned Building area Office Percent of Conditioned Building area Retail 70% 5% 20% 5% Total Number of Housing Units Expected 950 Results - Community Benefit Requirements for Desired Density – The value of onsite community benefits to be provided to achieve the desired bonus. 1.19 Total Parking FAR Excluded $1,491,377 Housing Fee $1,491,377 Parks Fee from Bonus $1,491,377 Infrastructure Fee 11 Estimated Number of Affordable Units $1,555,721 Value of Community Benefits Required 172,858 Bonus SF of Community Benefits Required 24 Timeline b e F r a M r p A y a M n u J Public Comment Period Feb. 20 – Mar. 20 E n g a g e m e n t 2/28 3/18 3/20 Boards & Commissions Feb. - April Feedback Integration (Analyze feedback) April PC & Council Review / Adoption April - May Today 25 Tell Us What You Think!  Head to the Survey Station!  Speak Up Page for South Central Waterfront (SpeakUpAustin.org/SouthCentralWaterfront) contains: Link to South Central Waterfront website – – Draft Combining District & Density Bonus Program with draft fees and bonus schedule Engagement activities Link to Survey to provide feedback – –  Questions? Reference South Central Waterfront – Phone: 512-974-7220 & Email: LDCupdates@austintexas.gov 26 Thank You