Planning Commission backs rezoning for 4305–4309 Red River as amended

The Austin Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a plan amendment and rezoning for properties at 4305 and 4307–4309 Red River Street after debate and public comment.

City planning staff recommended rezoning the 0.35-acre site from single-family to a neighborhood mixed-use base (LR-MU) with a vertical mixed-use (v) component and a conditional overlay limiting certain uses. The applicant sought a rezoning that would allow a DB 90 combining district; the applicant's representative later withdrew DB 90 from the request. The commission approved the applicant request as amended to include the staff-style conditional overlay, 9–1, with Commissioner Cox voting no.

Supporters and the applicant portrayed the site as a transit-oriented location with nearby bus service and commercial nodes. Victoria Hassey of Thoroughbred Design, representing the landowner, described Red River as an active corridor with high walkability and transit access and said redevelopment could provide multimodal housing and some income-restricted units under bonus programs. Hassey said the subject site is roughly 0.35 acre and noted existing walk, transit and bikeability scores shown to the commission…