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Planning Department briefs Mobility Committee on missing‑middle and mixed‑use zoning study
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Summary
Planning staff briefed the committee on a January 30, 2026 study identifying zoning gaps and recommending new districts and tools to enable missing‑middle housing and transit‑supportive densities near planned high‑capacity transit; committee members asked about parking and site standards.
The Planning Department presented the missing‑middle and mixed‑use zoning study to the Mobility Committee on March 5, describing proposals to add new zoning districts and design tools to enable missing‑middle housing types and mixed‑use development that support transit and walkability.
Assistant Director Andrea Bates said the study responds to council and land‑use commission recommendations and aligns with Austin’s mobility goals, including transit‑supportive densities within a half‑mile of planned high‑capacity transit. Jonathan Lee, senior planner, said the study is at the study phase and does not include detailed site development standards yet but noted the city generally does not set parking minimums and that the study would consider approaches such as locating parking off alleys or limiting driveways to support pedestrian‑oriented environments.
Council members welcomed the connection between land use and mobility and asked about how the study would move from concept to implementable standards. Planning staff said subsequent phases will examine form‑ and use‑based considerations and potential tools to limit auto‑oriented uses (drive‑thrus, large self‑storage footprints) and to emulate ETOD overlay precedents where appropriate.
The committee did not vote on any ordinance; staff said the study would inform future code changes and zoning proposals.
