Austin News

Three public hearings have been scheduled to consider changes to single-family zoning regulations in the Land Development Code. Proposed code amendments include: 

• Allowing up to three housing units, including tiny homes and recreational vehicles (RVs), on a single-family (SF) zoned property;  
• Revising regulations that apply to a property with two housing units; and  
• Removing restrictions on the number of unrelated adults living in a housing unit.   

These changes, initiated by the City Council in recent months, provide more opportunities for housing within areas with single-family zoning and include the “Home Options for Middle-Income Empowerment (HOME) Amendments.

The public hearings on these proposed amendments will be held at Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St., on the following dates: 

• Thursday, October 26 at 2 p.m. 
  Joint Planning Commission and City Council Meeting 
• Tuesday, November 14 at 6 p.m. 
  Planning Commission Meeting 
• Thursday, December 7 at 10 a.m. 
  City Council Meeting 

The Austin community is encouraged to attend these meetings and give feedback on these proposed changes. Participants must register in advance to speak at the public hearing. Notices of these public hearings are being mailed to over 725,000 Austin residents, posted to the City of Austin’s website, and shared on social media. More detailed information about these code amendments can be found at: https://publicinput.com/LDCupdates, including how to participate and how a property owner can protest these changes.  

About the Land Development Code Amendments Process

The proposed Land Development Code amendments were initiated by three City Council resolutions brought forward and/or co-sponsored by Mayor Pro Tem Paige Ellis, District 8, Council Member Leslie Pool, District 7, and Council Member Zo Qadri, District 9. Resolutions are available here: 20230601-048, 20230720-126, 20230914-083. The Land Development Code amendment process begins with City Council initiating changes to the code through a resolution. Then City staff propose code changes that meet the goals of this resolution. The Austin City Council and Planning Commission conduct public hearings to discuss and potentially amend the proposed changes, and then City Council may adopt an ordinance into law.  

Original source can be found here.