Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan, Planning Commission recommendation

4

DRAFT

85 87

CHAPTER 4: SHAPING AUSTIN: BUILDING THE COMPLETE COMMUNITY A Framework for the Future

88

Growth Concept Map

100

Comprehensive Plan Building Blocks

105

Building Block 1: Land Use and Transportation (LUT Policies)

109

Land Use and Transportation Policies

110

Urban Design Policies

111

Historic Preservation Policies

123

Building Block 2: Housing and Neighborhoods (HN Policies)

125

Housing Policies

126

Neighborhood Policies

129

Building Block 3: Economy (E Policies)

133 135

Building Block 4: Conservation and Environment (CE Policies)

137 143

Economic Policies

Conservation and Environment Policies

Building Block 5: City Facilities and Services (CFS Policies)

146

Wastewater, Potable Water, and Drainage Policies

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Solid Waste Policies

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Energy Policies

148

Public Safety Policies

149

Public Building Policies

149

Recreation and Open Space Policies

153

Building Block 6: Society (S Policies)

155

Health and Human Service Policies

156

Children, Families, and Education Policies

159

Building Block 7: Creativity (C Policies)

161

Creativity Policies

5

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CHAPTER 5: IMPLEMENTATION AND MEASURING SUCCESS Priority Programs

197

Implementing the Comprehensive Plan

3

Documenting Progress: Plan Monitoring and Review Action Matrix

Appendices A-3

A. Charter Requirements

A-5

B. Shaping Imagine Austin: The Community Process

A-15  C. Glossary A-29  D. Centers and Corridors A-47  E. Framework for Decision-Making A-49  F. Related Regional Planning Initiatives A-51  G. Attached Plans

IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

MAPS AND FIGURES 22 Figure 2.1

The Planning Area in 2011: City and its Extraterritorial Jurisdiction

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Annexation by Decade

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1979 Austin Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan Map

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Existing Land Use

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Susceptibility to Change Analysis

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Geographic Regions in Austin

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Austin’s Location within the Region (Texas Triangle)

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Chapter One The Roadmap and The Road Ahead

describes the need for a comprehensive plan providing a roadmap for Austin to navigate the challenges of the 21st century; core principles for action to achieve a sustainable future; and how we will use those principles to turn the plan into reality. It is useful for those who may not wish to read the plan “cover to cover”.

Chapter Two Experiencing Austin: Who Are We Today?

contains information on the current state of Austin and what it means for the city’s future, such as how affordable it is to live here, how people are getting around, and how our parks and city services are performing.

Growth Concept Map The geographic guide for applying the vision to the city’s physical pattern. Created through a public scenariobuilding process, the growth concept map illustrates priority locations for activity centers, corridors, transportation, open space, and resource preservation.

IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

A Vision for Austin’s Future As it approaches its 200th anniversary, Austin is a beacon of sustainability, social equity and economic opportunity; where diversity and creativity are celebrated; where community needs and values are recognized; where leadership comes from its citizens and where the necessities of life are affordable and accessible to all. Austin’s greatest asset is its people: passionate about our city, committed to its improvement, and determined to see this vision become a reality. Th u h m

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10 | IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

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What Does It Mean? – Population and Growth • Population projections show that Austin will almost double in population in 30 years. This will place heavy demands on infrastructure, resources, and services. Some of this growth will occur through annexation of unincorporated areas, but much of the growth will need to be accommodated through development within the city. • Austin still has strong patterns of racial, ethnic, and income segregation. • The growing number of older residents, aged 55 and above, has generated greater demand for services, different housing options, and amenities. • The increase in the number of young children will affect Austin’s school districts over the next decade. • The large number of younger, educated residents, such as married couples without children and single-person households, may signal increasing demand for housing other than single-family detached units. Many of these people already live in the urban core, and an increased demand for urban living may be met with redevelopment that includes townhouses, condominiums, and apartments. • Services to address poverty and limited job skills are needed in Austin. • Median household and family incomes may be higher than those of the rest of the state, but Austin’s high housing and transportation costs may consume greater proportions of household budgets, relative to other Texas cities.

Data sources: 2009 American Community Survey 2010 Census City of Austin Community Inventory Kiplinger Cost of Living Index (from Bureau of Labor Statistics Census Martin Prosperity Institute) “An Investment in the Future of Central Texas AARO.”

CHAPTER 2 EXPERIENCING AUSTIN: WHO ARE WE TODAY? | 27

HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS We have a variety of neighborhoods but limited housing choices. Our housing costs are rising. Key Facts/Trends H

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Data sources: 2009 American Community Survey Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University City of Austin Community Inventory

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What Does It Mean? – Housing and Neighborhoods • Housing costs are rising in many close-in neighborhoods. As a result many longtime residents of Austin, particularly low-income renters, are finding that they no longer can afford to stay. • As the Austin housing market has become more expensive, the geographic distribution of units affordable to households earning 80 percent or less of the local median family income has changed. Housing options for moderate and low-income households have moved to increasingly distant suburban areas of Austin, which in turn increase transportation expenditures. • Austin is a majority renter city due, in large part, to the significant numbers of college and university students, recent graduates, and other young people who live here. This demographic bulge, as well as the needs of other Austinites of more modest means, highlights the need for more affordable rental housing. This demographic group has also demonstrated a market preference for more urban amenities and lifestyles. • Higher housing costs and slower-growing household incomes may prompt many families to rent rather than purchase a home. • High demand for rental units translates into demand for housing products other than single-family detached homes. • To accommodate the increasing diversity of Austin area households, more housing options will be needed to address our demographic changes. • Infill development and redevelopment in centers and along major roadways will be needed to meet the growing demand for higher-density, closer-in affordable housing. Creating harmonious transitions between adjacent neighborhoods is an important component of the development process. • As the city’s housing stock ages, home repair costs will create additional burdens on low to moderate-income residents. Home repair services can help low-income households stay in their homes, mitigating gentrification pressures in historically low-income neighborhoods near the urban core. • Through the numbers are declining, many people in Austin continue to be homeless. Both housing and services are necessary to help these very low income residents transition to stability. 30 | IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

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What Does It Mean? – Land Use • Very little undeveloped land is available within the city’s urban core. In the absence of policy or regulatory changes, new growth will likely occur in outlying areas where land values are lower. • Total developed land is increasing. As land values in suburban areas are rising, owners are selling undeveloped or agricultural land as a result of higher property taxes or returns. • Growth within the city’s urban core will involve redevelopment and increases in density. • As a governmental and educational center, Austin has a large percentage of institutional uses. These uses are not likely to change. • Austin has an active historic preservation program. • The city has a substantial amount of agricultural land that may be converted to other uses as land values rise. • Generally, less intensive land use changes will occur in the western part of the city due to environmental constraints.

Data sources: 2009 American Community Survey City of Austin Community Inventory City of Austin GIS

38 | IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED DRAFT - APRIL 2012

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What Does It Mean? – Transportation • Transportation infrastructure responds to and shapes growth. Austin’s sprawling development away from the urban core is partially the result of transportation decisions that prioritized highway construction. As a result, the city and region has been slow to develop a comprehensive transit system. Limited commuter rail and bus service to suburban areas has stressed the area’s highway system, due to few transportation options beyond the car. • The absence of a strong transit system makes it more difficult for Austin to encourage efficient land use patterns. • Despite Austinites’ limited transportation options, residents and workers are less auto-dependent than those in other major Texas cities. • In 2005, about 7 percent of households did not have access to a motor vehicle and 43 percent had one vehicle available. Transportation choices other than an automobile can provide lower-cost options; however, transit route and service limitations and gaps in sidewalk and bicycle networks can increase travel times and reduce access to jobs and services throughout the greater Austin area. In addition, limited transit, pedestrian, and bicycle networks reduce the attractiveness of other modes and pose safety risks. • In the past decade, Austin has worked to change the focus of its transportation policies twoard its growing transit, bicycle, and sidewalk network. • The average household in the Austin region spends one-quarter of its income on transportation, contributing to unaffordability in Austin and the region.

Data sources: 2009 American Community Survey City of Austin Community Inventory Capital Area Metropolitan Transportation Organization Capital Metropolitan Transit Authority Bureau of Labor Statistics Brookings Institution “The Road . . . Less Traveled: An Analysis of Vehicle Miles Traveled Trends in the U.S.” (2008) CNT Housing and Transportation Affordability Index (2010).

CHAPTER 2 EXPERIENCING AUSTIN: WHO ARE WE TODAY? | 41

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CHAPTER 2 EXPERIENCING AUSTIN: WHO ARE WE TODAY? | 43

What Does It Mean? – Economy • Suburban commercial and office development is diminishing Austin’s position as the regional economic leader. • The government, technology, medical, and institutional sectors form the base of Austin’s economy. • Austin’s highly-educated workforce makes the city attractive to high-growth companies seeking to relocate or establish operations in the greater Austin area. • Austin’s economy continues to produce professional and skilled service jobs. However, access to these jobs is limited for many minorities and individuals with lower educational attainment. • Austin’s creative sector is key to our continued economic growth. • There are many factors that make Austin an ideal environment for small business growth: high amounts of venture capital funding, a well-educated and young population, a creative/independent spirit that strongly favors originality and local businesses versus national big-box retail stores. • Austin’s lower wages (relative to other major U.S. cities) creates an impediment to attracting talented workers who perceive that they can secure better pay elsewhere. • Entrepreneurship and the ability of existing businesses to adapt to new technologies will continue to drive Austin’s economy. • Investment is needed in workforce development programs that address shortages in critical healthcare professions and blue-collar workers. Data sources: Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University City of Austin Community Inventory Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce 2009 American Community Survey The Living Wage Project. Bureau of Economic Analysis Bureau of Labor Statistics CoStar Group Business Journals.

CHAPTER 2 EXPERIENCING AUSTIN: WHO ARE WE TODAY? | 45

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What Does It Mean? – City Facilities and Services • Continued low-density suburban development can strain the City’s public safety budget, as more development on the city’s fringes will require additional police and fire stations to ensure adequate response times. • The per unit costs associated with serving low-density, sprawling development with water and wastewater services are generally greater than those associated with denser, more compact development. • Creek flooding poses a recurring risk to public safety and property. Localized flooding threatens property across the city due to undersized, deteriorated, clogged, or inadequate storm drain systems. • The city has an above-average amount of parkland, but funding for maintenance and upgrades has not kept up. • More attention needs to be paid to creating smaller parks that are in or within walking distance of neighborhoods. The absence of these smaller parks means that many areas of the city are not adequately served by the park system. • Austin’s existing parks and trail system are amenities that should be considered in planning for infill in and redevelopment of urban core areas. • As the city becomes more compact, there is a greater need to incorporate more urban play spaces for children in parks and other public places. • Austin is a regional leader in conservation strategies, but it must be proactive in planning for supplying water and other municipal services to its rapidly-growing population. • More residents and businesses need to be encouraged to recycle to reduce the amount of solid waste sent to landfills. Data source: City of Austin Community Inventory

CHAPTER 2 EXPERIENCING AUSTIN: WHO ARE WE TODAY? | 55

SOCIETY AND HEALTH Rising housing and transportation costs, school quality, and access to healthcare, food, and social services are major considerations for families and residents living in Austin. Families and Households •

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What Does It Mean? – Society and Health • Families with children are not necessarily staying in Austin. Rising housing costs, school quality, safety, available amenities, and educational costs are concerns for families. • The two school districts serving the largest area in the extraterritorial jurisdiction (Austin ISD and Del Valle ISD) are facing challenges related to population growth, immigration/language needs, poverty, transient families, and sharply reduced funding from the State of Texas. • Higher educational institutions are a major part of Austin’s identity, history, and economy. • Austin has a very active social service network. The Community Action Network is developing a set of priority indicators for children and youth to measure progress. • Teenage pregnancies can have profound effects on the mother’s future prospects, her family, child, and the broader community. Teen parents are more likely to drop out of school, not attend college, experience unemployment, and earn lower wages. Children of teenage mothers are more at risk for having low-birth weight, prematurity, and infant mortality. • Design of the physical environment affects public health. Ensuring that new development creates walkable and bikable communities with safe pedestrian facilities and recreation opportunities can promote the health and well-being of Austin’s residents and reduce risk factors associated with diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. CHAPTER 2 EXPERIENCING AUSTIN: WHO ARE WE TODAY? | 61

ARTS AND CULTURE We are a leader in creative and artistic fields, but rising costs of living and working in Austin may affect the long-term viability of the arts community. Key Facts/Trends A

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What Does It Mean? – Arts and Creativity • Austin’s live music and arts scene is a cornerstone of the city’s identity. • Creative industries are an important element of the city’s economy and can be leveraged for additional economic growth. • The arts and creative community struggles with issues of funding, affordable and appropriately sized performance and practice space, housing, health and healthcare, and quality of life issues. • City and private funding for local arts facilities and programs is critical to the ongoing strength of the arts in Austin. • Lower-income communities may not have adequate opportunities to participate in Austin’s arts programs and events. • Workforce development programs need to provide job training for technological, arts-related occupations. Data sources: City of Austin Community Inventory CreateAustin Cultural Master Plan.

Kayakers paddle near the historic Seaholm power plant on Lady Bird Lake.

64 | IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED DRAFT - APRIL 2012

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CHAPTER 3 IMAGINING AUSTIN: OUR VISION OF A COMPLETE COMMUNITY | 81

COMPLETING COMMUNITIES IN PRACTICE

Dove Springs Imagine a large neighborhood of approximately 50,000 people. Once full of middle-class families, it is now troubled by poverty, school overcrowding and violence, isolation from the rest of the city, crime, lack of access to health care services, and the highest rate of childhood obesity in the city. Despite this, residents are devoted to the neighborhood where they raise their families, with its affordable homes, proximity to jobs, schools, recreation center, and library. Schools and community-based organizations have mobilized to support residents’ expressed needs and interests. By fulfilling these identified needs, the community is moving closer to completion.

82 | IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

PLANNING COM

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CHAPTER 4 SHAPING AUSTIN: BUILDING THE COMPLETE COMMUNITY | 89

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CHAPTER 4 SHAPING AUSTIN: BUILDING THE COMPLETE COMMUNITY | 97

LUT BUILDINGBLOCK

LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION

Complete Community Matrix

LIVABLE

EDUCATED

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Learning

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Diversity and Affordability

Community

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to Community Amenities

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Design / Distinctive Character

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Diverse

Business Opportunities

Technological

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Conservation/Efficiency

3 Extensive

Green Infrastructure

Innovation

3 Education/Skills

Compact, and Walkable

Development

Development

MOBILE AND INTERCONNECTED 3 Range

CREATIVE Vibrant

with Higher Learning

PROSPEROUS

NATURAL AND SUSTAINABLE

3 Support

Partnerships with Schools

3 Relationships

of Crucial Resources

3 Sustainable,

Opportunities for All Ages

of Transportation Options

3 Multimodal

Connectivity

3 Accessible

Community Centers

Cultural Events/Programs

VALUES AND RESPECTS PEOPLE

for Arts/Cultural Activities

3 Access

to Community Services

3 Employment,

Food, and Housing Options

3 Community/Civic

Engagement

3 Responsive/Accountable

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Let’s Go Green!

fiscal implications of mixed use, compact develop-

The Imagine Austin scenario planning study

ment. The study looked at areas more likely to rede-

compared Austin’s current development trends with a more compact, mixed use

velop (based on several assumptions including land

land use pattern (preferred scenario) to

values, existing uses, and zoning) and found that

accommodate future population and jobs

compact, mixed use development would result in an

with the following results:

increase of over $9 million in annual sales and use tax

Land Area Consumed

revenue. Street reconstruction and water infrastruc-

Trend: 161 square miles

ture costs to accommodate redevelopment were

Preferred Scenario: -44 square miles

estimated at about $55 million over several years, or a payback period of 5-6 years. In addition, the study

Mixed use Development

found that a mixed use redevelopment scenario

Trend: 45 % Preferred Scenario: +36%

is highly efficient in terms of land consumption. The same number of new jobs and residents can be

Daily Vehicle Miles Traveled

accommodated in an approximately 200-acre study

Trend: 36.7 million miles

area compared with a typical suburban pattern that

Preferred Scenario: -1.1 million miles

would require about 2,000 acres of land.

Development in Edwards Aquifer Trend: 31 square miles Preferred Scenario: -10 square miles

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CHAPTER 4 SHAPING AUSTIN: BUILDING THE COMPLETE COMMUNITY | 117

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CHAPTER 4 SHAPING AUSTIN: BUILDING THE COMPLETE COMMUNITY | 123

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CHAPTER 4 SHAPING AUSTIN: BUILDING THE COMPLETE COMMUNITY | 135

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CHAPTER 4 SHAPING AUSTIN: BUILDING THE COMPLETE COMMUNITY | 143

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CHAPTER 4 SHAPING AUSTIN: BUILDING THE COMPLETE COMMUNITY | 145

In 2039, “Austin has expanded public services and is providing libraries, parks, public education and health services to all its residents. There is plenty of affordable housing…” Community Forum Series #1 Participant responding to the question “How has the city improved by 2039?”

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WASTEWATER, POTABLE WATER, AND DRAINAGE POLICIES P

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(See also HN P12, E P15)

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146 | IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

w

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(See also LUT P1)

w u

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S

BUILDINGBLOCK SOCIETY

Complete Community Matrix

LIVABLE

PROSPEROUS

3 Healthy

and Safe Communities

Diverse

3 Housing

Diversity and Affordability

Technological

3 Access

to Community Amenities

3 Quality

Design / Distinctive Character

MOBILE AND INTERCONNECTED of Transportation Options

3 Accessible

Community Centers

Vibrant

A c m un e

’s o

l he

sw

e

s c

he na u

nd f una f w

d

ng w he

o

ne a

f he i nme

a d ui u

hs v

n

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w

y Ac ni

pa n

o i

c

id

a e

ah a

o

h uni

io of

h ph i a

w

he

i

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de

ng

s P

n

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n

n w n

si

ha

qua

s

n

n

e

a

a d fo

n

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c no na

h

Green Infrastructure

n

n io

es a s d n

o s f

c he

a

on

Extensive

u

e

a

ia

h s aff

n

n

s s f

Conservation/Efficiency

Government

h o

n

Development Patterns

Resource

es av la e h bui

n f

Sustainable

Engagement

Responsive/Accountable

for Arts/Cultural Activities

NATURAL AND SUSTAINABLE

Food, and Housing Options

Community/Civic

with Higher Learning

Cultural Events/Programs

Support

to Community Services

3 Employment,

Partnerships with Schools

CREATIVE

VALUES AND RESPECTS PEOPLE 3 Access

Opportunities for All Ages

3 Relationships

Connectivity

Development

EDUCATED 3 Learning

3 Community

3 Multimodal

Innovation

3 Education/Skills

Preservation of Crucial Resources

3 Range

Business Opportunities

n

d

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i

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u

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and

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A

n

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up

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v

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h h H

n;

n,

n h nm

n

h

nd n n

h h

h

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wh m

hy c

n

y

n

n

mmu CHAPTER 4 SHAPING AUSTIN: BUILDING THE COMPLETE COMMUNITY | 153

KEY ISSUES AND TRENDS:

A

• Health care access in Austin is slightly better than the U.S. aver-

e

a

i si i

i n

o

o io of

ni

si y

e

i n i as i i n

ugho

io h

f he ci

a

i ies a

i h c n inuing e

health insurance is decreasing and

wi h io

su

e

nd

age of Travis County residents with

• As of 2009, all Central Texas coun-

o o

considered optimal. The percent-

to be covered.

i h w

i

age, but below what would be

lower income families are less likely

i i

e

a in

f

d

io g

uc

e

ud s qua i

if

n jo

v nc d

hi d in d c

i io

y Ima i nd a ic

e

ki s

i

a

ai n

A

i a

yc

i s

f

ining

KEY CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE •

n

ties were classified as “medically

c nc

n

n

n

u

e h n

h

h

underserved” by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

•

n

ep

u

n

m

h

y

v

, un n

e , n

u d

• The Central Texas Sustainability Indicators Project found that nearly

• ec ming a e

e i he

h ca e

sea ch

ec no o

all clusters of middle school students who are obese are located in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in northern, eastern, and southern parts of the city.

•

n ac e

•

v

s

c

n

ho h

w

n

n qu

y

d

c

d

a

w

mi

• According to the Austin Independent School District, in the 2008-2009 school year, less than 65

•

n

h m

percent of students had healthy

n hi

body mass index — a ratio of a person’s height and weight often used as a health indicator.

•

n

place a strain on delivery of health • Currently, Austinites aged 45 and over are making the largest gains in

this group ages.

factors for access, particularly in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.

h

seeking homes outside of the city and farther from jobs – resulting in

ibi i

d

vi

,

e hoic

fo

un

l

, and

a d aff

a ii

of hea

ife

he

o

w income

n

l

dh

a hma n

h h

h y

•

n w

n

yp

v

u

d

•

h

h mp

• As housing becomes more expensive in Austin, some families are

a

u n

v i

b

n

in some neighborhoods. Proximity and cost can both be limiting

uc

d ,m

c

o

• Access to healthy foods is limited

n

n

si en

• a

•

n,

ob

n

f mi i

population. Services specific to an aging population will increase as

in

v

n

m e

• c

services.

l

u

n

• Long term trends showing significant increases in diabetes rates will

u

• i i

ving acces w

increased transportation costs and travel times.

154 | IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

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on , n

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w

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find jo s

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C

BUILDINGBLOCK CREATIVITY LIVABLE

PROSPEROUS

Healthy

and Safe Communities