Before discussing CodeNEXT’s building heights and (lack of) compatibility standards, here is your REMINDER. Please plan to ATTEND AND SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS on CodeNEXT. • Saturday, April 28 at 10 am, Dove Spring Recreation Center, 5801 Ainez Drive, or • Tuesday, May 1 at 4 pm, at Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road Compatibility standards are a zoning tool used to prevent new development from adversely affecting nearby homes. These standards are especially needed AND HAVE BEEN RELIED ON to compensate for Austin’s frequent spot zoning and lack of good land use planning. Compatibility protections are intended to prevent large buildings from robbing sunlight, privacy, and peace and quiet from its neighbors. Austin’s compatibility standards include height limits wherein a 40’ tall building cannot be closer than 50’ from a single-family home; 50’ tall buildings must be at least 200’ away from single family homes, and 60’ tall buildings must be at least 300 feet away. Except in special circumstances like downtown, the university neighborhood, and the planned developments like the Domain, buildings in Austin are not currently allowed to be more than 60’ tall. CodeNEXT decimates Austin’s compatibility standards. Draft 3 of Code Next allows buildings up to up to 80’ tall in Mixed Use (MU5) zones, up to 85’ tall in Main Street (MS3) zones, and up to 90’ tall buildings in Residential Multi-Unit (RM5). The compatibility standards “baked in” to CodeNEXT ALLOW THESE VERY TALL BUILDINGS TO BE 100’ FROM SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. By increasing allowed building heights and limiting compatibility protections, CodeNEXT provides enough capacity to capture all central Texas growth within Austin instead of allowing growth to follow a pattern that spreads density out over surrounding towns and counties. This housing densification and population growth will adversely affect Austin’s environment, traffic congestion, affordability, infrastructure, utilities (water supply), public services (schools), views, sunlight, privacy, neighborhood character, and quality of life. Then Austin residents will again and again be asked to fund bonds to mitigate the negative effects of this growth and densification, STARTING THIS FALL, WITH THE NOVEMBER 2018 BOND ELECTION. Let the Planning Commission and Zoning and Platting Commission know that you are not ok with these changes.