Please Attend Public Hearing on Major Zoning Changes in Austin

Phase II of the H.O.M.E. initiative is headed back to the Austin City Council. A joint public hearing will be held on Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 9am. Online Speaker Registration is now open. Registration for remote speaking closes TODAY, Wed., April 10 th at 12pm. In-person speakers may register at an on-site kiosk at City Hall between 12pm on Wed., April 10th until Thurs., Apr. 11th, at 8:15am.

The proposed amendments include reducing minimum lot sizes for single-family residents to 2,000 sf (from 5,750 sf); reducing minimum lot width to 20 ft (from 50ft); removing McMansion compatibility standards for small lots; making it easier to establish flag lots (irregularly shaped lots); and increasing zoning impervious cover to 45% for some lots. Collectively, these amendments will help developers maximize the development potential of each lot.

Yet notably, the code modifications lack enhanced protections for trees and mitigation for drainage, localized flooding concerns, and creek erosion that result from increased impervious cover. They also lack equity considerations for neighborhoods vulnerable to displacement and gentrification.

These code amendments are being paired with several other development regulation changes, including massive increases of entitlements along commercial corridors. Information about the April 11th public hearing, including draft ordinances, can be accessed here:
https://www.austintexas.gov/department/city-council/2024/20240411-spec.htm
These zoning change will result in more flooding, reduced green spaces, increased urban heat, and hastened gentrification, impacting all of Austin.

READ MORE ABOUT ISSUES WITH H.O.M.E.

Redirect CAMPO Funds to Smarter Alternatives

The CAMPO Policy Board will be holding a public hearing on April 15, 2024, at 2pm, to consider how to spend billions in transportation dollars in the Austin region. Here's the draft plan. As proposed, the plan directs the bulk of these funds ($4 billion) to a single project, the expansion of I-35 through Central Austin. ​

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As you may be aware, Save Our Springs Alliance filed a federal lawsuit challenging TxDOT's failure to consider air quality and water quality problems associated with the highway expansion. Alongside Rethink35, PODER, Austin Justice Coalition, and several other environmental and neighborhood groups, we are trying to force consideration of a more environmentally responsible alternative that helps heal the divides the highway has created.
Please join this coalition in requesting the CAMPO Policy Board to redirect the region's limited transportation dollars to smarter alternatives that will better improve mobility and safety for the region's commuters. Write a letter or attend the public hearing. 

Thank you for taking the time to read through these important updates and calls for your collective action. Your support and engagement are crucial in advocating for smarter alternatives and addressing the pressing issues facing our community, from transportation funding to zoning changes. If you're able, please consider supporting our efforts by making a donation.

In Solidarity,
SOS Alliance

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