North Burnet/Gateway
North Burnet/Gateway
Wednesday, 07 November 2007
The first phase of the North Burnet/Gateway neighborhood plan received its final reading before approval at the Austin City Council Nov. 1. The area is being given an overlay to allow mixed-use development, taller buildings.
The planning and zoning department will begin Phase 1 by introducing design standards such as less surface parking and better sidewalks from the city’s Transit Oriented Development and Urban Design ordinances.
Currently, the only area to which urban design standards are applied, is the region south of Braker Lane and east of Burnet Road.
TOD standards will first be applied to the land within a quarter-mile radius of the North Burnet MetroRail station, the location of which is yet to be determined.
In Phase 2, a more comprehensive set of regulations will build on Phase 1, and must also be approved by the city council. Amendments made to Phase 1 include the following:
- The city will work with Texas Department of Public Transportation to improve Duval Road from MoPac to Burnet, possibly by extending the MoPac access roads using grade-separated crossing over the Union Pacific railroad tracks and modifying Duval Road where it runs into Gracy Farms to allow two-way traffic.
- A safe bicycle connection will be created from Shoal Creek Boulevard to the area north of US 183.
- The University of Texas’ Western Tract, now vacant land along Braker Lane, could be used for commercial mixed-use purposes, but destination retail would not be allowed.
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