The City of Austin has released the much-awaited first draft of CodeNEXT, its new land development guidelines. It’s the first time in more than 30 years that these regulations have been updated.
The new code aims to address a host of issues, from offering flexibility in homes allowed in a planned neighborhood, to improving flood mitigation.
The city is set to host an open house previewing CodeNEXT on Wednesday and is taking public comment online.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler said much of the city’s current zoning will remain the same under CodeNEXT, but the idea is to accommodate Austin’s future growth by building along major transit corridors, places that already see high traffic and activity.
“Our greatest amount of housing supply should be in and along the corridors in the city where we have the greatest amount of traffic in the city, where the greatest opportunities exist for building out transit.”
The next step for CodeNEXT is the release of a map that lays out the new zoning districts. It’s set to be released in April, after which there will be more time for public input. City Council is expected to vote on adopting the new code in December.
