Critiquing Austin's North Shoal Creek Neighborhood Plan

Susan Somers reviews the North Shoal Creek Neighborhood Plan, released recently by the Planning and Zoning Department of the city of Austin. 

"The plan is set to be the first new neighborhood plan in several years and City planning staff seem to have billed it as a kinder, gentler neighborhood plan: one that would try to fulfill the goals of Imagine Austin and identify new opportunities for growth," according to Somers. The plan also produces a little bit of a preview of the shape neighborhood plans might take in Austin when the city approves CodeNEXT, according to Somers.

Somers lists five things to like about the plan alongside five things to improve. Among the five things to like are support for apartments, walkability, and accessory dwelling units. On the list of things to improve are missing opportunities for missing middle housing types on corner lots, the sanctity of single-family homes in the "residential core," and more.