Transect Zones

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Transect Zones are the proposed new form-based zoning paradigm for much of the urban core in CodeNEXT. While current "Euclidian" zones primarily regulate the allowed *use* of buildings and secondarily regulate the building form, form-based zoning focuses regulation on the allowed size and shape of buildings and also has some (more flexible) rules governing building uses. The aim is to create more walkable neighborhoods by allowing more businesses and more dwelling units among houses, creating more destinations within walking distance. Unfortunately, many of the proposed transect zones, especially the T3 ones, do not allow enough density to support walkability.


How They Work

Transect zone names follow the following convention:

 T +  [#]    +  [form descriptor]   + [optionally, setback level] + [optionally, Variation in Range of Uses]

where

  • [#] is a number that refers to the zone's land use intensity. For us, this is one of {3, 4, 5, 6}. Higher numbers are more intensive.
  • [form descriptor] : one of {NE, N, MS, U, UC}
    • NE : "Neighborhood Edge"
      • House-form
      • Generally more strictly residential, bigger setbacks
    • N : "Neighborhood"
      • House-form
      • Space between Bldgs
      • Somewhat flexible uses
    • MS: "Main Street"
      • block-form
      • maybe space between buildings, maybe not
      • Can have near-continuous frontage; adjacent to neighborhood
      • Example: Quacks in Hyde Park
    • U: "Urban"
      • Street of near continuous building frontage in mixed usage setting
    • UC: "Urban Core"
      • downtown

Building Forms Allowed In Each Zone

T3NE.WL T3NE T3N.DS T3N.IS T3MS T4N.DS T4N.IS T4N.SS T4MS T4NC T5N.SS T5U.SS T5U T5MS T6U T6UC
Small Form Cottage House X X X X
Small House X X X X X
Duplex: Front and Back X
Duplex: Stacked X X
Medium Form Wide House X X X X X X X
Long House X
Duplex: Side-by-side X X X X X X X
Multiplex: Medium X X X X X
Large Form Rowhouse: Medium X X X
Multiplex: Large X X
Multiple House Form Cottage Court X X X X X
Cottage Corner X X
Block Form Live/Work X X X X
Main Street X X X X
Courtyard Building X X X
Rowhouse: Large X X
Low-Rise X X
Large Block Form Mid-Rise X X X X X
High-Rise/Tower X X
ADU Accessory Dwelling Unit X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Uses Allowed in Each Zone

See Also:

T3NE.WL T3NE T3N.DS T3N.IS T3N.IS-O T3MS T4N.IS T4N.IS-O T4N.SS T4N.SS-O T4MS T4MS-O T4N.DS T4N.DS-O T4NC T4NC-O T5N.SS T5N.SS-O T5U.SS T5U.SS-O T5U T5U-O T5MS T5MS-O T6U T6UC
Residential Residential Dwelling P P P P P P P P P P N/A P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P
Accessory Dwelling Unit P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P
Bed & Breakfast CUP CUP CUP CUP P P CUP P CUP P P P CUP P CUP P CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP P P P P
Senior/Retirement Housing ≤12 Residents MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP ? MUP MUP MUP MUP ? ? MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP P P P P P P P P
>12 Residents N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A ? N/A N/A MUP N/A P P N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A MUP MUP MUP MUP P P P P
Home Occupations P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P
Short-Term Rental P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P
Cooperative Housing N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P P P P P N/A P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P
Live/Work N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A N/A N/A N/A P P P P P P P P P P
Residential Support Services Group Home <7 Residents P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P
7 to 15 Residents CUP CUP CUP CUP P CUP CUP P CUP P CUP CUP CUP P CUP P CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP
Services Day Care Small (≤7 Children) P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P
Large (>7 and <20 Children) CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP P CUP CUP CUP CUP P P CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP P P P P P P P P
Commercial N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP P N/A CUP N/A CUP P P N/A CUP N/A CUP N/A CUP N/A N/A N/A N/A P P P P
Business and Financial/ Professional Services N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP P N/A CUP N/A CUP P P N/A CUP N/A CUP N/A CUP N/A P N/A P P P P P
Medical Services ≤2,500 sf N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A P N/A P P P N/A P N/A P P P P P P P P P P P
>2,500 and ≤5,000 sf N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A N/A N/A N/A P P P P P P P P P P
>5,000 sf N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A n/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP CUP CUP
Personal Services N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A P N/A P P P N/A P N/A P N/A N/A N/A P N/A P P P P P
Repair, Commercial (non- vehicular) N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP N/A N/A CUP N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Animal Services/Boarding Level 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P P P P
Level 2 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Level 3 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Commercial Services No Outside Storage N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P P P P P
With Incidental Outside Storage N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P N/A N/A N/A
Hotel/Motel N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P N/A P P P P P
Alternative Financial Services N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP CUP CUP CUP
Hospital N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP MUP MUP
Drive Through, Retail or Service Facility N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP CUP CUP CUP
Pawn Shop N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P P
Office Office, General (non- medical) N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A P N/A N/A P P N/A P N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P P P P
Civic and Public Assembly Library, Museum, or Public Art Gallery CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP P CUP CUP CUP CUP P P CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP P P P P
Meeting Facility (Public or Private) CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP P CUP CUP CUP CUP P P CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP P P P P
Public Safety Facility CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP P CUP CUP CUP CUP P P CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP P P P P
School Business or Trade N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A N/A N/A N/A P P P P P P P P P P
College or University CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP P CUP CUP CUP CUP P P CUP CUP CUP CUP P P P P P P P P P P
Private Primary CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP P CUP CUP CUP CUP P P CUP CUP CUP CUP P P P P P P P P P P
Private Secondary CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP P CUP CUP CUP CUP P P CUP CUP CUP CUP P P P P P P P P P P
Public Primary P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P
Public Secondary P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P
Government/ Civic N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A MUP N/A N/A N/A N/A MUP MUP N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A MUP MUP MUP MUP
Restaurants and Bars Bar/Nightclub Level 1 - No outside seating, no late night hours N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP MUP N/A CUP N/A CUP MUP MUP N/A CUP N/A CUP N/A N/A MUP MUP MUP MUP P P P P
Level 2 - Late hours and/or outdoor seating N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP CUP CUP CUP MUP MUP P P
Restaurant < 2,500sf N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A P N/A P P P N/A P N/A P N/A N/A P P P P P P P P
> 2,500 sf N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP N/A N/A CUP N/A CUP N/A CUP N/A CUP N/A CUP N/A N/A ? ? ? ? N/A CUP P P
Without Alcohol Sales N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A P N/A P P P N/A P N/A P N/A N/A P P P P P P P P
With Alcohol Sales N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP CUP N/A CUP N/A CUP CUP CUP N/A CUP N/A CUP N/A N/A MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP P P
Without Outside Seating N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A P N/A P P P N/A P N/A P N/A N/A P P P P P P P P
With outside seating N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP MUP N/A CUP N/A N/A MUP MUP N/A CUP N/A CUP N/A N/A MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP N/A N/A
Without Late Night Operation N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A P N/A P P P N/A P N/A P N/A N/A P P P P P P P P
With late night operation N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP CUP N/A CUP N/A CUP CUP CUP N/A CUP N/A CUP N/A N/A CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP P P
Micro-Brewery/ Micro-Distillery/ Winery N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A MUP N/A N/A N/A N/A MUP MUP N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP P P
Retail Food Sales (on or off site) N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A P N/A P P P N/A P N/A P N/A N/A N/A P N/A P P P P P
General Retail < 5,000 sf N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A P N/A P P P N/A P N/A P N/A N/A N/A P N/A P P P P P
> 5,000 and < 10,000 sf N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P P P P
With on-site Production N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A P N/A P P P N/A P N/A P N/A N/A N/A P N/A N/A P P P P
With outside storage ≤ 2,000 sf N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP CUP N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP CUP CUP CUP
With Outside storage > 2,000 sf N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Entertainment and Recreation Park/ Playground P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P
Recreation Community Nonprofit CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP
Indoor, for Profit ≤ 1,000 sf N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P P P P
Indoor, for Profit > 1,000 sf N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP P N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP P CUP CUP
Outdoor, for profit N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A MUP N/A N/A N/A N/A MUP MUP N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Studio: Art, Dance, Martial Arts, Music Studio, ≤ 500 sf N/A N/A N/A P P P P P P P P P P P P P N/A N/A P P P P P P P P
Studio, > 500 sf N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P N/A N/A N/A N/A P P N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P P P P P P P P
Entertainment Indoor N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP CUP N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A MUP N/A P P
Outdoor, limited N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A MUP N/A N/A N/A N/A MUP MUP N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A MUP N/A MUP MUP
Agriculture Community Agriculture P P P P P MUP P P P P MUP MUP P P P P MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP MUP
Automobile Related Parking Facility N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP
Other Accessory Uses P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P
Communications P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P
Telecommunications P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P
Utilities: Local CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP
Temporary Uses TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP TUP
Special Uses CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP N/A N/A N/A N/A
Transit Terminal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP


Recommendations

Comment Page/Section


Lot Depth should be reduced to a maximum of 75 feet. If the required lot depth is 100 feet this means that a corner lot that is 95 feet wide and 500 feet deep cannot be further subdivided. This is a complete waste of space in the urban core core

t3ne.wl 23-4D-2080 page 19 pdf 103 23-4D 2080 t3ne 23-4D-2090 page 25 pdf 109 t3n.ds 23-4D-2100 page 31 pdf 115 t3n.is 23-4D-2110 page 39 pdf 123


All the minimum lot depths should be eliminated or reduced to 50 feet. Under the current rules it seems like a 90 foot deep lot cannot have any of the primary building types on it. T3NE.WL 23-4D-2080 Section D page 20 pdf 104

T3NE 23-4D-2090 Section D page 26 pdf 110 T3N.DS 23-4D-2090 Section D page 32 pdf 116 T3N.IS 23-4D-2090 Section D page 40 pdf 124


Requiring ADU's to fit in a 28x24 footprint is overly restrictive. Considering that front houses have irregular shapes and other site constraints (trees, floodplain, drainage and other easements). If an ADU is under 1100 sq ft the ADU should not have to fit in a 28x24 footprint. This would also allow 1 story 1100 sq ft ADU's. T3NE.WL 23-4D-2080 Section D page 20 pdf 104

T3NE 23-4D-2090 Section D page 26 pdf 110 T3N.DS 23-4D-2090 Section D page 32 pdf 116 T3N.IS 23-4D-2090 Section D page 40 pdf 124

The side, rear, and front setbacks leave very little room for an ADU on most lots. In particular, the 20’ rear setback is the same for the primary structure and the ADU where alleys do not exist.

The rear setback should be five or ten foot setbacks for the ADU. The code should encourage ADUs by allowing for smaller setbacks when an ADU is built.

T3NE.WL 23-4D-2080 Section E page 21 pdf 105

T3NE 23-4D-2090 Section E page 27 pdf 111 T3N.DS 23-4D-2090 Section E page 33 pdf 117 T3N.IS 23-4D-2090 Section E page 41 pdf 125


Requiring parking behind the front facade of the building should be taken out. It will make it difficult to build ADU's and keep this existing house since currently many houses have parking pads in front of the front facade of the building. Most central Austin lots don't have room for rear parking for the front house and a ADU on the back part of the lot. Additionally this will increase impervious cover and hurt affordability by requiring longer driveways.

Requiring lots with an alley to only have parking accessed from the Alley should be taken out. This should remain as an option and not a requirement. This will increase impervious cover and hurt affordability by in many cases requiring longer driveways. In addition this will not be possible in many cases because of trees, floodplain and other site constraints. It will also make ADU's more difficult because the back of the lot is where most ADU's are placed. Additionally by increasing impervious cover it will be difficult to do much on these lots besides have a primary house and a long parking driveway from the back of the lot to the front house.


T3NE.WL 23-4D-2080 Section I page 22 pdf 106

T3NE 23-4D-2090 Section I page 28 pdf 112 T3N.DS 23-4D-2090 Section I page 34 pdf 118 T3N.IS 23-4D-2090 Section I page 42 pdf 126