Council approves Acacia Cliffs rezoning despite tenants' pleas; DB90 debate to continue

The Austin City Council approved a rezoning for the Acacia Cliffs apartment complex (agenda item 103) on second and third reading after a lengthy public hearing and technical testimony on June 5.

The rezoning will allow the property owner to pursue redevelopment under the staff-recommended plan. Mayor Kirk Watson moved the motion to approve the staff recommendation on second and third reading; Council Member José Velásquez seconded it. The council adopted the motion (the final roll call was recorded as 10 yes, 0 no, 1 abstention; Council Member Paige Ellis was shown as abstaining).

The approval followed more than three hours of public testimony and a technical presentation about slope stability at the site. Dozens of Acacia Cliffs residents said the complex — home to about 290 units of naturally occurring affordable housing — should be protected from demolition and that the city should postpone approval until the city’s DB90 density-bonus program is amended to require stronger tenant protections and 1-for-1 replacement of affordable units. “This rezoning would mean the loss of the 290 naturally occurring affordable housing units,” tenant organizer Noe Elias said during public comments. Several tenants described the property as…