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    City of Austin

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    Regional & Federal

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    Address and Property Research

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    Neighborhood Research

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    Terminology and Definitions

    Neighborhood Plans
    Neighborhood planning provides an opportunity for citizens to take a proactive role in the planning process and decide how their neighborhoods will move into the future while addressing land use, zoning, transportation and urban design issues.
    Subchapter E
    The standards are intended to raise the level of quality for all non-residential and mixed-use development, but within a regulatory structure offering options and flexibility, not strict requirements. New development is subject to a set of minimum site and building design standards, recognizing that all new development, regardless of size, should be subject to minimum standards. The regulations foster a built environment of aesthetic and sustainable value, enhance economic development efforts, promote Austin’s unique character and natural environment, and ensure an efficient development review process.
    Subchapter F
    The Residential Design and Compatibility or "McMansion" regulations, were designed to minimize the impact of new construction, remodels, and additions to existing buildings on surrounding properties in residential neighborhoods by defining an acceptable building area for each lot within which new development may occur. The standards were adopted to protect the character of Austin's older neighborhoods by ensuring that new construction, remodels, and additions are compatible in scale and bulk with existing neighborhoods.
    Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Regulating Plan
    TOD is a functional integration of land use and transit planning. It is compact, wakable, mixed-use development connected to high quality public transportation. Typical features include improved pedestrian and street connectivity, public amenities such as pocket parks and plazas, civic art, landscaping, and a concentration of residences and jobs in proximity to transit stations and commerical businesses.
    Imagine Austin Activity Corridor
    An area identified on the Growth Concept Map where an increased density of people, jobs and services will be located along the length of the corridor.
    Neighborhood Conservation Combining District
    A small area plan that establishes development regulations for unique neighborhoods in order to preserve their traditional character while allowing for controlled growth to occur. It sets standards for redevelopment that is compatible with the unique character of the neighorhood.
    Watershed
    A watershed is the area of land that drains to a particular location. In Austin, watersheds typically refer to the land draining to one of our larger creeks.