Austin's LDC Rewrite: Diving Deep into the Issues for Urbanists

As a voice for Central Texans who want to help the region create and sustain better walkable urban communities, CNU-CTX is paying close attention to the upcoming rewrite of the City of Austin Land Development Code. The LDC rewrite is a major focus of the CNU-CTX Policy Committee, and chapter board members Steven Oliver and Dave Sullivan both sit on the 11-member Advisory Group appointed by the Austin City Council to advise City staff and the LDC consulting team led by Opticos Design.

Dave Sullivan, whose commitment and engagement to Austin's urban issues and sustainable future goes back decades — including 16 years of service on the Planning Commission — has helped CNU-CTX contribute to the LDC conversation with the first in a series of chapter-produced white papers on Central Texas' pressing urban issues. In this deep dive into a selection of the many major themes to be addressed by an LDC rewrite, Dave focuses on:

  • Increasing density vs. further sprawl
  • Promoting Affordable housing and family-friendly communities
  • Sustaining Austin's arts, music and culture
  • Fostering water conservation and water quality.

Many thanks to Dave Sullivan for this thoughtful and thought-provoking work, and to the full CNU-CTX Policy Committee for their efforts to advance the urbanist perspective in our dynamic region.