The City of Austin for a while now has been considering changes
to compatibility zoning regulations to hopefully address housing
issues and costs in the region. Compatibility rules manage the
transition between single-family neighborhoods and taller and
denser developments, by regulating things like building heights,
screening, and design in the buffer zone.
Austin's compatibility regulations are among the strictest
in the nation. The regulations aim to protect single-family
neighborhoods, but as usual the law of unintended consequences
hurts our housing affordability by reducing supply.
Here are some of the highlights of the city staff's
recommendations:
- Reduce compatibility zone from 540 feet to75 feet
