The Draft Unveiled

At a press conference Wednesday morning, Mayor Kirk Watson unveiled a draft of the city's ordinance meant to serve as a recommendation on how to deal with the issues raised by the repeal of SB 1704. Addressing a crowd containing representatives from developers, environmentalists, and the Legislature (Austin Senator Gonzalo Barrientos), the Mayor continued to juggle the interests of all three groups. "The citizens of Austin will see greater environmental protection and less long-term speculation, while those in the process [developers] will get a critical element they have said they want -- certainty."

But considering how far apart the builders and greenies are, instead of making everybody a little bit happy, Watson's middle of the road may end up pissing off everybody.

Here are a few highlights of the draft plan:

• Projects over 10 years old must come into immediate compliance with current ordinances on September 3, with a hardship review available until March 3.
• Projects less than 10 years old, but older than five, get two-year grace periods. Commercial and multi-family projects with at least partial final platting will have to obtain necessary approvals and building permits within that two-year period, while single family subdivisions will need to have begun construction of infrastructure. (Note that the city is providing longer periods than the environmentalists want, but requiring more work on the projects than the developers said was reasonable).
• Projects less than five years old will be treated the same as those between five and 10 years old, with the possibility of an additional one-year extension. Also, single-family subdivisions will need to complete construction of infrastructure.
• The city will provide incentives for voluntary compliance. Projects in the Barton Springs Zone get a 10-year extension if they voluntarily comply with current ordinances, and projects located elsewhere get five. The city will also allow departures from site development regulations (mandatory street widths, parking requirements, etc.) where it helps projects comply with environmental ordinances, and may approve the purchase of "mitigation land" in the relevant watershed. (Developer/stakeholders suggested these measures in the warmer, fuzzier moments following Bill Bunch's eruption at last Thursday's joint meeting (see accompanying story), but both Bunch and environmental engineer/stakeholder Lauren Ross later said they oppose the ideas as insincere and insubstantial.
• After September 3, all new projects will have three years, with a one-year extension, to get from their first permit application to filing a building permit. This window is longer than those in most other cities in Texas, but shorter than the developers would have liked.

The fallout from the draft ordinance will be on display tonight (August 28) at a joint meeting of the 1704 task force and focus group. The meeting is from 5-9pm in City Hall, room 304. -- J.S.