Zoning Overlays & Bonuses in Austin, TX (2026)
3 verified zoning overlays & bonuses rules for Austin, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Specific Plans Overview
Austin's Land Development Code in City Code Title 25 still uses 1980s-vintage Euclidean zoning categories paired with the Imagine Austin Future Land Use Map, after the CodeNEXT replacement effort was abandoned in 2018 and successor HOME initiatives moved incrementally.
Austin Land Development Code Governs After CodeNEXT Failed
Some RestrictionsTex. Loc. Gov't Code Sec. 232.003
Sec. 232.003. SUBDIVISION REQUIREMENTS. By an order adopted and entered in the minutes of the commissioners court, and after a notice is published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, the commissioners court may: (1) require a right-of-way on a street or road that functions as a main artery in a subdivision, of a width of not less than 50 feet or more than 100 feet; (2) require ...
Density Bonus Law
Austin's Land Development Code lets a property opt into a Density Bonus (DB) combining district under Sec. 25-2-181, trading income-restricted housing for extra height and eased development standards. Three programs exist: DB90, DBETOD, and DBCS, each layering different regulatory benefits onto the base zoning district.
Austin Density Bonus Combining Districts
Some RestrictionsAustin City Code Sec. 25-2-181
§ 25-2-181 - DENSITY BONUS COMBINING DISTRICTS. (A)Density bonus (DB) combining districts authorize a particular property to participate in a voluntary density bonus or incentive program that provides modifications to development regulations or other regulatory-related benefits in exchange for community benefits.(B)DB 90 Combining District allows residential uses on sites with certain commercia...
Downtown Design Guide
A downtown Austin project that wants extra height or floor area under the Downtown Density Bonus Program must first clear "Gatekeeper Requirements": substantial compliance with the city's Urban Design Guidelines as reviewed by the Design Commission, plus a covenant to build Great Streets streetscape improvements and a minimum two-star Austin Energy Green Building rating.
Austin Downtown Bonus Projects Must Meet Design Guide
Some RestrictionsAustin City Code Sec. 25-2-586(C)(1)(a)-(b)
(C)Program Requirements.(1)Gatekeeper Requirements.(a)To receive bonus area, the director must determine that the project substantially complies with the Urban Design Guidelines.(i)The applicant must submit to the director a schematic level site plan, building elevations, and other drawings, simulations or other documents necessary to fully describe the urban design character of the project and...
Looking for Travis County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Austin city rules.
Zoning Overlays & Bonuses in Travis County →