The Austin City Planning Commission unveiled a new plan to further develop a city district surrounding Lady Bird Lake at a series of community meetings asking for feedback held throughout February and March. 

The South Central Waterfront Vision Framework Plan provides guidelines to develop the South Central Waterfront District, a 118-acre district located between First Street and East Riverside Drive, on the southeast shore of Lady Bird Lake.

The City Council initially approved the framework in June 2016 as part of The Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan, a plan created to guide the city’s growth, but paused it until 2022. 

The council passed a resolution directing the planning commission and city staff to implement the original 2016 framework in September 2022. Key elements of the plan include incorporating a Project Connect light rail route in the district, dividing the area into sub-districts based on density, requiring publicly accessible spaces and the construction of affordable housing. 

The planning commission shared their vision for the district with community members and asked for feedback and input via survey on what they hoped the district would provide. 

The drafted plan presented allows for development options such as housing, commercial businesses, offices, medical facilities, parks and open spaces. The plan also includes a density bonus program that lists requirements for the plan like environmental standards, streetscape construction and making sure 5% of on-site housing is affordable.  

“The combining district and density bonus program is designed such that 5% of the site is required to be publicly accessible open space,” said April Geruso, a division manager in the city’s planning department. 

However, Geruso said developers may have an opportunity to forgo certain requirements listed in the plan by paying fees to the city, where the planning commission can then use these fees to fund housing and parks throughout the area. 

The public commenting phase ended March 20 and the plan now undergoes a review and editing phase until mid-April to address any concerns or feedback from the surveys. The commission plans to present the revised draft to the City Council in May for final approval. 

“Importantly, (we want to create) a connected, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use district where thousands of Austinites can live, work and play,” Geruso said.