AUSTIN, Texas -- The clock is counting down for a decision from Austin City Council on CodeNEXT, the major overhaul of the city’s land development code, but there is still time for the public to make their opinion heard.
The City Council will hold two public hearings this week on CodeNEXT, the first will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. and a second on Saturday at 10 a.m. Speakers will have three minutes to speak.
The division over CodeNEXT has existed since the process began in 2012, upon the adoption of the city's long range vision, Imagine Austin. CodeNEXT aims to rewrite Austin's development regulations to realize the goals of Imagine Austin.
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From the outset, factions debated the extent to which they wanted to see CodeNEXT impact the city's land development code. Neighborhood activists advocated for a tidying up of the city's code, which has been amended hundreds of times since its adoption in 1984. Others argued the city's land development code--later referred to by a hired consultant as one of the worst in the country--needed a complete overhaul.
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Tempers flared earlier this month when the group Community Not Commodity laid out its problems with CodeNEXT. Susana Almanza said the draft code would make Austin unaffordable for more families.
"It should be a city with diversity of ethnicity, but also with diversity of income," said Almanza.
Austin's Planning Commission finished its recommendation Friday after weeks of late-night meetings and hundreds of amendments to CodeNEXT. Commission Chairperson Stephen Oliver is often the swing vote on the more controversial amendments.
"The level of cooperativeness that this body maintains throughout this is something I think we can all be proud of as individuals with differing opinions, strong minds, strong hearts," said Oliver.
The final proposal heads to City Council, but Commissioner Patricia Seeger said it is missing one key review: to find affordable housing and get mechanisms put in place. A final City Council vote is expected by the end of June.
CONTINUING COVERAGE:
• Council votes to keep CodeNEXT petition off November ballot
• Austin leaders reject 30,000-plus signed petition to put CodeNEXT on ballot
• Austin CodeNEXT critics submit petitions seeking citywide election