Over the last few weeks, there has been some discussion among staff/Council Members about the feasibility of some of our code models. Council Member Casar wrote online that he was told by staff that one of our most widely circulated models was "largely unbuildable under their proposed code". Of course, we know this is not true, but many of you have been led to believe that even if these models comply with the code, no one would build them the way we're showing them; they're just not realistic, they say.
Does this look familiar?
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| 3 stories, with rooftop deck and lots of covered porches, this pre-McMansion house looks a lot like the models we're generating. |
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| Here it is in context, towering over the neighboring properties. We don't have access to the plans for this house, but the height is likely substantially lower than it could be if built under the proposed code. |
Back in 2005, Austin was seeing its first real flush of tech money, and buildings like this (3 stories with rooftop decks, dwarfing the neighbors in the Holly neighborhood) were popping up in neighborhoods all over town. On any lot with a view of any sort, we were suddenly seeing rooftop decks and balconies.
Concerned about rising housing prices, property taxes, and an erosion of their enjoyment of their homes and yards prompted neighbors of these structures to push for a McMansion Ordinance to stop their proliferation. We haven't seen too many like this since the McMansion Ordinance was adopted, but now the Mayor and his City Council majority are working to ensure that incompatible housing can spread once again throughout the city.
Gina and I aren't making this stuff up. folks- we've just seen this movie before. If the code allows 3 stories with rooftop decks, they'll get built all over town.
Those who choose to ignore History are doomed to repeat it, right??
Development is a very risky business. To ensure that they get maximum return for the risk, investors and lenders force developers to build to exploit the maximum entitlements nearly every time. That's why it's essential to accurately model the code language to ensure that we're okay with what it's going to deliver; there's way too much riding on this to leave it to chance and hope it all works out.
Last week, the City Council tossed hundreds of extremely complex amendments into a blender, then poured out the glop and voted 7-4 to move it one step closer to adoption. When CM Alison Alter urged her colleagues to model the results, several of the majority bloc pushed back and defeated her efforts. How could that possibly end well?