When it rains, it pours in Austin, but this week, the City Council is poised to give infill developers a way to minimize, if not avoid, their drainage control obligations. A proposed new ordinance reduces the requirements for an infill project of 5 to 16 units on a lot size (TBD 1-2 acres) to manage stormwater flow created by the new development (Item 83). Proper management of increased stormwater flow is critical to preventing localized flooding. If the City Council adopts the Staff proposal, neighborhoods will have greater exposure to lot-to-lot flooding.
The Planning Commission version of the ordinance would reduce compliance so drastically that even the City Staff does not recommend it: “eliminating all drainage review for such a broad category of development because the resulting runoff could negatively impact surrounding residents by increasing instances of lot-to-lot flooding and, for projects exceeding one acre, strain the City of Austin capacity of local drainage systems. Additionally, staff believes the Planning Commission proposal would result in a lower level of drainage protection in Austin than any other major Texas city.”
Remember the convenience store next door we told you about? The Austin Zoning and Platting Commission approved the proposal for commercial use on most residential lots. We will keep you informed on this recommendation to facilitate restaurants, retail stores, medical offices, and much more on single-family or multifamily lots.
Finally, DB-90 giveaways continue with a proposal to upzone the Aero Riverside apartments, 210 units that rent from $874-$1169 units, to be replaced with luxury units. Residents and community members are asking for a postponement to develop a real equity overlay to prevent the displacement of existing affordable units. (Item 128)