Austin planning commission approves stopgap CBD height rules, directs broader downtown review

The Austin Planning Commission on Oct. 14 approved a package of code amendments setting a new base height framework for the Central Business District (CBD) and made several related changes intended to preserve the downtown density bonus while staff develops a more comprehensive update.

The commission voted to adopt the staff presentation as the draft CBD amendment and approved multiple amendments and recommendations by unanimous vote. Commissioners also directed staff to return with analysis on the downtown density bonus by Feb. 1, 2027, and to consult with the city attorney’s office about whether a time-limited repeal or automatic sunset is legally feasible.

Why it matters: The changes are a near-term response to Texas Senate Bill 840 (referred to in the staff presentation as “SB 840”), which took effect Sept. 1 and removed local limits on floor‑area ratio (FAR) for multifamily or mixed‑use residential projects in commercial zones. Staff said that removal of FAR limits would render the density bonus program nonfunctional for CBD‑zoned sites unless the city establishes an alternative regulatory trigger.

Alan Paniam, a principal planner with Austin Planning, summarized the staff recommendation during the hearing: “As we looked at this pattern of change, our proposed amendment was to create a new maximum by‑right height limit of 350 feet for the central business district.” Paniam told commissioners the 350‑foot figure was chosen after analyzing recent projects and accounting for parking that would now count toward height but not toward FAR.

Public comment included a mix of developers, downtown residents and neighborhood groups.…