Urban Transportation Commission backs North Lamar and South Congress ETOD station-area plans

The Urban Transportation Commission on May 6 unanimously approved a recommendation supporting two Equitable Transit Oriented Development (ETOD) station-area vision plans for the North Lamar Transit Center and the South Congress Transit Center, and heard updates from City of Austin planning staff and CapMetro on wider ETOD work across Project Connect corridors.

The recommendation, moved by Commission Chair Susan Summers and seconded by Commissioner Jacobson, asked City Council to adopt the two station-area vision plans and their related future land use map designations and incorporated edits the Planning Commission had suggested on multimodal connectivity and safety along divided corridors. The motion passed unanimously of those commissioners present.

City and transit staff told commissioners the ETOD approach emphasizes people-centered outcomes — affordable housing, anti-displacement measures, active transportation infrastructure and access to jobs, day care and workforce services — rather than only real-estate or built-form changes. Warner Cook, principal planner with the city, said the ETOD effort began in 2021 and that last spring City Council adopted code amendments and two new transit-supportive zoning combining districts focused on the phase 1…