Planning and Development Services Department accepted the Project Planning Award for the 2014 American Planning Association Central Texas Section Planning Awards: (from left) Joelle Jordan, Bradley Dushkin and Susan Brennan.

On Sept. 26, Planning and Development Services Department staff accepted the Project Planning Award for the 2014 American Planning Association Central Texas Section Planning Awards. The award was given for the City’s new Downtown Mixed-Use Districts adopted in July 2013.

The goal of the project was to make a user-friendly document that combined the form-based design standards recommended in the 2010 Downtown Master Plan with the City’s traditionally formatted zoning districts within the City’s Code of Ordinances.

Planning staff developed the districts in-house, but not without significant public input from a stakeholder taskforce, meetings with the downtown neighborhood association, and numerous public hearings at Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council meetings.

The project resulted in the adoption of three mixed-use districts of varying intensities and with varying design standards. City Council simultaneously rezoned over 400 parcels downtown to one of these districts. These three comprehensive mixed-use districts work together to facilitate the development of a vibrant and inviting downtown. To date, more than 20 development projects have utilized or are proposed under the new standards. This is due in large part to the flexibility of use and design offered in the new districts.

About the award

The American Planning Association Central Texas Section Planning Awards recognizes outstanding projects in the Central Texas Region that includes Bastrop, Bell, Blanco, Brazos, Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Calhoun, Coryell, Dewitt, Fayette, Goliad, Gonzales, Grimes, Hays, Jackson, Lampasas, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Llano, Madison, Mason, McCulloch, McLennan, Milam, Robertson, San Saba, Travis, Victoria, Washington, and Williamson Counties.