Imagine Austin, second Community Forums presentation

Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan

Community Forum Series #2

April 27, 28, May 1, 2010

• Comprehensive Plan Refresher

• Planning Process Overview

• Trends Affecting Austin’s Future

• Articulating the Vision

• Draft Vision Statement Components

• Today’s Activities

• Imagine Austin Chip Exercise

• Visualizing Land Use and Density

Community Forum #2 - Agenda

• An expression of the community’s shared values, aspirations, and vision for the future

• The policy foundation for decision-making to proactively manage growth and change

• The City’s “to-do” list defining an action program and priorities to be implemented over time

Comprehensive Plan Refresher

What the Comprehensive Plan is

• Community Engagement

• Broad public engagement

• Values and aspirations of Austin’s community

• Sustainability

• Specifically for Austin

• Future environment, economy, and community

• Implementation

• Strategic focus on implementation

• Realistic action agenda and measure progress


City Council’s Three Goals

• How can Austin be better for you and your family over the next 5, 10, 20, and 30 years?

• How can it improve quality of life (e.g., parks, schools, jobs, transit, waking, and biking)?

• What short-term steps can be taken to achieve this?

• What longer-term strategies can make Austin a great city for the next generation?

• What we hear from you will directly inform the Plan’s vision, goals, strategies, and actions.


Why is the Plan important to residents?

1. Articulating the Vision

Community Forum Series #1 (Nov. 2009)

2. Dynamics of Change

Community Forum Series #2 (April/May 2010)

3. Plan Framework

Community Forum Series #3 (Fall 2010)

Planning Process Overview

Phase 1Plan Kickoff

1. Project Orientation and Design

Public Participation Plan

2. Project Kickoff and Follow-up

Comprehensive Plan Open House (Sep. 2009)

Phase 2Vision and Plan Framework

Phase 3Comprehensive Plan Document

1. Draft Plan Development

Community Forum Series #4 (Winter 2011)

2. Plan Adoption

Public Hearings

City Council Adoption

Imagine Austin Schedule

Aug. – Oct. 2009 Nov. 2009 – Dec. 2010 Jan. 2011 - 2012

Trends Affecting Austin’s Future

• Annual population growth of 3-4% (1950-2000).

• Recent growth (2000-2010) is occurring at a slightly slower pace and mostly at the edges of City.

• Regional population is projected to grow at rates higher than the City of Austin over the next 20 years.

• Undeveloped land in the ETJ is seeing increased development pressure following the completion of SH130 and other developments.

• Projected increase of approximately 750,000 people and 300,000 jobs in the City of Austin and the ETJ by 2040.

Demographic and Population Trends

Source: U.S. Census Bureau and City of Austin

Population Trends and Projections

Land Consumption and Redevelopment

• About 46% of rangeland was converted to urban uses from 1983-2000 (in MSA).

• Developed areas increased, while agriculture, rangeland, and forested land use decreased.

• Recent demolition permits show significant redevelopment in Austin.

• GIS analysis shows that there continues to be potential for more redevelopment and infill (e.g., along low-density commercial corridors including Burnet Rd, Airport Blvd) in Austin.


Housing and Income

• Housing prices have increased significantly over the last ten years, while household incomes have remained stagnant or declined.

• This trend is more prevalent in Hispanic and African-American households, compared with the overall population.

• The rise in housing prices vs. incomes over the past 10 years is creating an affordable housing gap:

• Only 28% of single-family homes are affordable to households earning 80% of the MFI, compared with 42% in 1998.

Sources: HUD, Comprehensive Housing Market Study (2007), Census (2000-2007).



• While transit use is increasing, automobiles remain the dominant travel mode the region.

• New high-tech focus is emerging: medical/life science, clean energy (Mueller smart-grid) creative tech (gaming, media), data centers, and professional services.

• National forecasts indicated that Austin will be one of the first metro areas to recover from the recession (Forbes, MSNBC, Moody’s).

Transportation and Economic TrendsAustin’s Transportation Mode Split (2008)

Articulating the Vision

• Over 6,800 residents participated

• November Forum, Meetings-in-a-Box, Online and Paper Surveys, Statistically Valid Survey

• Task Force used input to begin drafting vision (March Vision Workshop)

• Draft Vision reviewed by Task Force (April)

• Public review today through June, followed by review by Plan Commission and City Council

Public Input


• Arts, music, and cultural amenities (79%)

• University of Texas (76%)

• State Capital (75%)

• Unique local identity (74%)

• Parks and Open Space (73%)

Statistically Valid Survey – Top Strengths

• Near public transit stations and routes (56%)

• Centers outside of downtown (50%)

• Along roadway corridors (43%)

Potential Areas - Growth and Development


• Quality public schools (38%)

• Affordable tax rate (32%)

• Affordable housing (28%)

• High paying jobs (27%)

Statistically Valid Survey – Future Vision

• Improve the transportation system ($25)

• Health and human services ($21)

• Repair infrastructure ($16)

• Public safety facilities ($13)

Capital Improvements Allocation ($100)


• Improve public transit system

• Reduce roadway congestion

• Protect the environment

• Leader in sustainability

• Diverse, unique neighborhoods

• Dense, compact city

• Predicable planning process and goals

• Engaged citizens, participation

Online Surveys, CF#1, Meetings-in-a-Box: Top Ideas for the Future

Draft Vision Statement Components

On its 200th anniversary (2039), Austin is recognized worldwide for its

• exceptional livability and vibrant creativity;

• its leadership in the arts, education and technology;

• and its commitment to environmental responsibility, economic

opportunity, and social equity.

Through the efforts of our engaged community working in collaboration with

local government, civic organizations, and businesses, we maintain an

outstanding and fertile environment in which to nurture the next generation of

proud Austinites.

The Austin we Love is…

Opening Statement:

Draft Vision Statement Components

• Livable

• Prosperous

• Natural and Sustainable

• Functional and Accessible

• Caring and Committed

• Stimulating and Creative

The Austin we Love is:

…See the Vision Survey, provide comments

Draft Vision “Word Cloud”

Today’s Activities

• Stations around the room

Review of Draft Vision Statement Components

• This is your opportunity to create a future plan for Austin!

• Group will use the CHIPS AND MARKERS to create a GROWTH CONCEPT MAP

• Provides a GENERAL guide for development/preservation, not a Future Land Use Map

• Group results will be used to develop three alterative scenarios (vote in Fall 2010)

Imagine Austin Chip Exercise


• Population and employment are projected to grow over the next 30 yrs

Develop a Future Scenario for Austin

Employment Projection

+300,000 new jobs

(+ 1.5 – 1.3% Per Year)

Population Projection

+750,000new residents

(+ 1.9 % Per Year)

in Austin and ETJ 2010 – 2039 Based on City of Austin projections


Step 1 Open Space• Indicate major areas that should be set aside and protected as open space / natural areas

Step 2 Land Use• Discuss land use chips

• Set currently on the table reflects current land use trends• Consider implications of land use decisions on transportation, the environment, and

sustainability• Trade chips into banker to change land use trends

• Trading examples• Trade low density for high density residential to reduce development footprint• Trade residential and commercial for mixed use to achieve greater compactness

• Place chips on map• A chip on an undeveloped area represents greenfield development• A chip on an existing use represents infill/redevelopment

Step 3 Transportation• Place transportation chips to serve land use patterns



Existing Base Map

Visualizing Land Use and Density

Mixed Use

Residential

Commercial Industrial

Transportation

Open Space

1 mi

1 mi2


Mixed Use

• Regional urban hub

• Highest densities of jobs and people

• Highly walkable

• Supports high-capacity transit

• Residential mostly high rise

• Includes full spectrum of employment opportunities

• Significant collection of commercial uses and residences

• Supports high-capacity transit

• Residential includes townhouses, row houses, and multifamily

• Includes offices and community-serving retail


Mixed Use

• Local focus

• Highly walkable

• Supports transit

• Moderately dense residential includes small-lot single family, duplexes, townhouses, and apartments

• Commercial focus on local retail, services, and entertainment

• Similar to Neighborhood Center, but linear


30,000 people and 10,000 jobs can be accommodated with

1 Regional Center +

4 Neighborhood Centers

2 Town Centers

4 Mixed Use Corridors


Predominantly Residential

• Large and small apartment complexes

• Incidental convenience shopping

• Local examples include:

• East Riverside Drive

• Far West Boulevard/Greystone Drive

• East Stassney Lane/Little Texas Lane

• Primarily single-family houses, with small number of duplexes and medium-sized apartment complexes

• Incidental convenience shopping


• Most of the established neighborhoods in Austin


Predominantly Residential

• Single-family housing on very large lots


• Newer developments

• Houses located on the edges of Austin

• Single-family housing on very large lots (2 acres or larger)


• Areas with a rural feel

• Houses located on the edges of Austin or in the county


1 High Density Residential 6 Low Density Residential3 Medium Density Residential

30 Very Low Density Residential

15,000 people can be accommodated with


Predominantly Commercial

• Uses include stores and services (shopping, dry cleaning, daycare)

• Often isolated from residential areas

• Most easily accessible by car


• Lakeline Mall area

• Tech Ridge

• South Park Meadows

• Includes major employment centers

• Dominated by offices


• Area around IBM in North Austin

• Medical district around Seton in Central Austin


Predominantly Industrial

• Includes major employment centers

• Characterized by warehouses, offices, and manufacturing

• Most easily accessible by car


• Along Burnett Road north of US 183

• Southeast of Ben White Boulevard and IH-35

• Along St Elmo Road between South Congress Avenue and IH-35


1 Retail/Services 1 Office

2,500 jobs can be accommodated with

1 Industry


=

Mixed Use Equivalents (other combinations possible)

=

=


Transportation


Transportation

Group Exercise

• Higher densities support more robust transit service

• Rules of Thumb

• 16 people/acre can support transit every 30 minutes

• 30-50 people/acre can support transit every 10 minutes

• 85 people/acre can support intensified transit

Considerations: Transportation

Group Exercise

• Cost of infrastructure decreases as

density increases

• Serving close-in infill

development costs less than

outlying greenfield development

• Redevelopment/infill require

higher densities, infrastructure

upgrades

Considerations: Cost of Providing Infrastructure

The Costs of Alternative Development Patterns: A Review of the Literature. Frank, James E.Washington, DC: The Urban Land Institute.

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

20000

0 4 8 12

Run

off p

er d

wel

ling

unit

(ft3/

year

)

Dwelling units per acre

Runoff by Density

Group Exercise

• Development is limited in

sensitive environmental areas

(e.g., floodplain, Barton Springs

Watershed, steep slopes)

• Stormwater runoff per unit

decreases as density increases

• Mobile sources contribute to over

60% of Austin’s air pollution

problem

Considerations: Environment

Protecting Water Resources with Higher‐Density Development, US EPA 2006. 12 du/acre value extrapolated

Group Exercise

• What areas should be preserved? Where should new open space be located?

• Where should new growth go in the region? Where should people and jobs be?

• How will we plan for increased travel within the region? How will people get around?

• How should the cost of providing services and environmental impacts affect

development patterns?

Questions to Consider

• Austin Metropolitan Area Transportation Plan

• Capital Metro All Systems Go

Long Range Transit Plan (2025)

• Central Texas Greenprint for Growth

• Envision Central Texas Vision Map

• Existing and Potential Trails and Greenways

Available Map Resources

• Future Road Projects

• Know Your Watershed

• 2007 Employees per Acre

• 2009 Bike and Pedestrian Plan

• 2009 Combined Future Land Use Map


Step 1 Open Space• Indicate major areas that should be set aside and protected as open space / natural areas

Step 2 Land Use• Discuss land use chips

• Set currently on the table reflects current land use trends• Consider implications of land use decisions on transportation, the environment, and

sustainability• Trade chips into banker to change land use trends

• Trading examples• Trade low density for high density residential to reduce development footprint• Trade residential and commercial for mixed use to achieve greater compactness

• Place chips on map• A chip on an undeveloped area represents greenfield development• A chip on an existing use represents infill/redevelopment

Step 3 Transportation• Place transportation chips to serve land use patterns


Documents

Imagine Austin, second Community Forums presentation