Welcome to Ultraground. We clarify zoning meetings for you.
February 21st
A no-compromise gets a mixed-use zoning ripped away
You saved: 2h 41m
12205 Pecan Street SF-3 to LI | 12214 Jekel Circle SF-3 to LI
7014 McNeil Dr SF-6-CO to GO | 12507 Oro Valley Trail SF-4A to P
12460 Los Indios Trail I-RR to MF-3 | 6914 McNeil Dr I-RR to GR
6917 McNeil Dr SF-3 to CS | 6810 McNeil Dr I-SF-2 to GR
12602 Blackfoot Trail CS-1-MU | 6514 McNeil Dr I-RR to GO
DISTRICT: 6
Birgani's Property
Northern Austin | 0.34 Acres
This is the story of a team that refused to compromise on a zoning issue. Mr. Birgani asked for GR-MU zoning to build a mixed-use development. What did he get? An offer from staff for LO-MU.
The good news is that staff also agrees that GR-MU is a bridge too far and is instead recommending LO-MU limited office. And when you look at limited office, there are additional restrictions on the kinds of businesses that are more in line with that transition zone.
But the applicant team didn’t want this compromise. They said that they didn't want to help build more office space in a town where unleashed office space is busting out of our ears.
So LO is office right now, we are living at a time where we have an abundance of office space all over the country, and especially in Austin, Texas. You can't even get financing to build offices in this market that we live in after the pandemic.
And then there was pushback from the neighborhood.
Francine Vandergriff, President of the Indian Oaks Neighborhood Association, shared a presentation outlining the neighborhood's opposition to the rezoning request, citing the incompatibility of a commercial property with the single family residences in the area. She recommended rezoning to SF-2.
This site is also subject to the history of its neighbor. Commissioner Greenberg brought up how they recommended LO-MU for the neighboring site in 2017. City Council proceeded to ignore their recommendation and rezone the entire property GR-MU. Now it's a vape shop.
After the compromise came to a standstill, there was a motion to rezone to SF-2, which ended up being the final recommendation.
Oh, and if you're omitting single family neighbors in your existing site photos, Commissioner Thompson will notice and will point it out.
So LO is office right now, we are living at a time where we have an abundance of office space all over the country, and especially in Austin, Texas. You can't even get financing to build offices in this market that we live in after the Pandemic.
Owner: Abraham Birgani
Thank you for being a part of Ultraground.