Mixed views on LDC at public hearing
An overflow capacity crowd showed up to offer divergent opinions Thursday night about the proposal to overhaul all zoning within city limits.
At the regular meeting of the City Council Oct. 26, city leaders held a public hearing and introduced an ordinance to adopt the new Taylor Made Land Development Code, which will replace existing zoning, subdivision and sign regulations and adopt a new zoning map which rezones all properties in the city limits.
“What this new Land Development Code does is it makes future development look like our old neighborhoods that we love,” said District 2 City Councilman Mitch Drummond. “And yes it’s scary, but I have never heard anyone say anything good about our existing code, so this can’t be any worse.”
Nevertheless, several citizens and developers showed up to express their hesitancy about the plan, which is expected to be adopted Nov. 9.
David Glenn, spokesman of Greater Austin Homebuilders Association, said he was concerned there wasn’t an engineering manual available to go with the proposed changes yet.
“This is really important information for public infrastructure at intersections, roads, all those things the development community really needs to evaluate the price of the project,” Glenn said.
However, Glenn also had some positive feedback.
“There are some good things in there, and I would like to highlight that,” Glenn said. “We are excited about the flexibility with lot sizes ... to improve affordability for the community.”
Jimmy Crouch, a developer and city councilman in Bastrop, urged council to slow down.
“I cringed a little bit when I heard some of the terminology being used in the Taylor Made code because it is the same terminology that we just removed from our building code (in Bastrop),” Crouch said.
Taylor business owner Albert Janecka also expressed his concerns.
“Don’t rush into this thing,” Janecka said. “I read through the new development code, and there are some good things, but the process is eerily similar to the passage of the 2000 development code. That one had little to no input from developers or contractors, and it was touted as bringing Taylor into the 21st Century.”
Resident Pam Harper said in her opinion this rezoning could affect property taxes.
“If you live in South Taylor, and they build a big condo project next to you with businesses, you will be taxed out of your home, and if you live in North Taylor and they put up manufactured homes or apartments, the values will plummet,” she said. Nevertheless, other citizens expressed their support for the plan.
“I think some of the things that people are scared about are a little unrealistic,” said property owner Kate Walker. “They think that as soon as P4 zoning happens in a neighborhood, next thing they know there will be a Chili’s (Bar and Grill) and then on the other side, will be an 11-story residential tower. I don’t think that’s what is in this plan.”
Mayor Brandt Rydell said this plan will move Taylor in the right direction, recalling a beloved former grocery store that he grew up with, which would not be allowed under existing zoning regulations.
“Perfect is the enemy of the good,” Rydell said. “You have to move forward.”
Amy Everhart, chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission, said this plan was necessary to help Taylor.
“With all the changes coming to Taylor, it’s more important than ever that we get ahead of all the change coming and planning for the future by building the future that we want,” she said. “By adopting this code, we will preserve what’s best about Taylor, our close-knit community and historic development patterns.”
