The 'conditional' Lineup

With the adoption of the East Austin Overlay Combining District in 1997, the following uses became conditional in the CS, CS-1, and LI tracts in the district (and were already prohibited in GR):

• Agricultural sales and services
• Basic industry
• Building maintenance services
• Construction sales and services
• Equipment repair services
• Equipment sales
• General warehousing and distribution
• Kennels
• Laundry services -- over 5,000 s.f.
• Light manufacturing
• Limited warehousing and distribution
• Recycling centers
• Resource extraction
• Vehicle storage

The amendment now before the council would add to the list the following uses and make them all conditional (if not already prohibited, as noted) in the GR, CS, CS-1, and LI districts:

• Art and craft studios -- general [prohibited in GR]
• Art and craft studios -- industrial [prohibited except in LI]
• Automotive rentals
• Automotive repair services
• Automotive sales
• Automotive washing
• Business or trade schools
• Business support services
• Campgrounds [prohibited in GR]
• Commercial blood plasma centers [prohibited in GR and LI]
• Commercial off-street parking
• Communications services
• Communication service facilities [i.e., Time Warner]
• Community recreation -- private
• Community recreation -- public
• Congregate living
• Convenience storage ["mini-warehouses" -- prohibited in GR]
• Custom manufacturing [prohibited in GR]
• Drop-off recycling collection facilities
• Electronic prototype assembly [prohibited in GR]
• Employee recreation [prohibited except in LI]
• Exterminating services
• Funeral services
• General retail ["convenience" retail is permitted]
• Group home, class II [halfway houses, homes for emotionally disabled, etc.]
• Guidance services [drug treatment, shelters, drop-in centers, etc.]
• Hospital services -- limited
• Hotels and motels
• Indoor entertainment
• Indoor sports and recreation
• Laundry services -- 5,000 s.f. and under [prohibited in GR]
• Maintenance and service facilties [usually public sector -- prohibited in GR]
• Medical offices -- 5,000 s.f. and under [These were added to cover methadone clinics]
• Medical offices -- over 5,000 s.f. [already conditional in GR]
• Outdoor sports and recreation
• Plant nursery [already conditional in GR]
• Pawn shops [prohibited in LI]
• Personal improvement services [massage therapy, health clubs, etc. -- not adult-oriented]
• Railroad facilities
• Residential treatment centers [for substance abuse]
• Research services
• Restaurant -- drive-in/fast food [already conditional in GR]
• Restaurant -- general
• Service stations
• Theatre
• Veterinary services [prohibited in GR]

Under the PC's draft, "guidance services" and "communication service facilities" would be conditional uses anywhere in East Austin, regardless of the zoning.

There are also a number of uses that are already conditional in these zoning districts, wherever they're located, aside from the overlay. They include clubs and lodges, outdoor recreation, general hospital services, transitional housing for the formerly incarcerated, and transportation terminals. Between these uses and the ones specified in the current and proposed overlay ordinances, there are 69 uses that will now require a permit.

If you're interested in the city's official definitions of these use categories, point thyself to the city's Web site at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/development/ldc1.htm. This is the online link to the new-and-improved Land Development Code; the use categories are in Chap. 25-2, Subchap. A, Article 7. -- M.C.M.