Austin Promotes Smart Growth

Austin, Texas now has two-plus years of experience with its innovative incentive program to encourage smart growth. With this point-based system, a developer can earn enough points to waive some or all of the city’s development fees and increase the ceiling on city-paid infrastructure improvements needed for the project. The driver for this program is population growth and sprawl, which are dramatically affecting Austin and the surrounding area. Between 1990 and 1999, the city population increased from 465,000 to 630,000—more than 35%—and the population is projected to reach 800,000 by 2010. The Smart Growth Initiative is the City’s plan “to preserve and enhance the livability of Austin by managing our future growth.”

As a key part of this initiative, Austin identified Desired Development Zones (DDZ) where future growth is desirable. Several emerging models of development—including Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) and Transit Oriented Development (TOD)—are being encouraged in these areas.