AUSTIN, Texas — Numerous zoning cases were heard before Austin council members on Thursday during their regular scheduled meeting, with a bulk falling under the city's newest density bonus program, known as DB90.
A majority of people raised questions and concerns about the impacts and asked for postponements of the projects to get a better understanding of what the program would do.
According to the city's planning department, 47 zoning cases applications have been ushered under DB90, which allows developers to build up to 90-feet on commercially zoned properties in exchange for affordable housing.
KVUE spoke to resident Cathy Bartley earlier this month about her fight, alongside neighbors, against a new five-story development feet away from their home.
The rezoning would be in the area of Dillard Circle. Bartley lives along Sky View Road, which is less than a mile away.
Although the case was postponed until Sept. 26., Bartley still remains uncertain the neighborhood will prevail in finding a common ground with the city.
"Anything we say is not going to matter," Bartley said. "The developers are going to get everything they want; that DB90 has allowed them to do that. I don't know what will happen, but I'll have to accept it."
KVUE followed up another zoning case that left residents and business owners in East Austin concerned about the impacts of DB90. A plot of land on East 12th Street set to be transformed into a mixed-used apartment building.
That case was postponed until Sept. 12.
According to Jake Wegmann, a University of Texas expert on housing planning and development, DB90 has its benefits.
"This is not a very good time in general to build apartments for developers," Wegmann said. "A lot of apartment developers are pulling back. So the fact that dozens of projects are pursuing this suggests to me that it's offering an attractive incentive that's making developers want to use it."
Neighbors have pointed to impacts that include more traffic, how much affordability is being offered within the builds and the location of the developments.
Wegmann noted there are impacts to any development and the argument falls under the debates of whether the city should build more housing and where should it be placed. Wegmann agreed more housing should be built.
"If there weren't a huge amount of demand for housing in those areas, then no one would be investing tens or hundreds of millions of dollars to build these large apartment developments," Wegmann said. "I don't think anyone should look to DB90 to solve everything, but I think it does make certain things better."
Wegmann also said he does understand people not wanting a tall building plop up in a neighborhood they've known for years. But he noted there is a cost in not developing.
"I think just people should remember there is a cost to not allowing development to take place because then the city misses out on those tax revenues," Wegmann said.
Mayor Kirk Watson wasn't available for an official comment, but his office said that council has taken historic actions to make Austin more affordable and, "The tool of DB90 is consistent with the goal of affordability first."