In the San Marcos, Texas Code of Ordinances, Chapter 94 Development Standards, Edwards Aquifer Protection Regulations. The purpose of this ordinance is to protect the Edwards Aquifer from pollution. The aquifer has significant environmental, economic, and recreational values. The ordinance regulates development over the aquifer in order to protect health and environmental features such as endangered species. It functions by limiting impervious coverage in the recharge and transition zones of the aquifer... Read More

San Antonio establishes its Aquifer Recharge Zone and Watershed Protection law in order to meet its “goal of nondegradation which maintains or improves the quality of water entering the Edwards Aquifer.” Persons wishing to develop in the recharge zone must submit a lengthy application that details the features of the property, creates plans for sediment control, drainage, and maintenance, details the activities that will take place on the property, and sets up required monitoring and performance requirements as provided by the law... Read More

Interested parties, as defined in the statute, are provided with a process to meet, discuss, and attempt to resolve issues raised by an appeal of an administrative decision in a “meeting to resolve issues.”.. Read More

The purpose of the ordinance is “to preserve a clean and safe drinking water supply, to prevent further degradation of the water quality in Barton Creek, Barton Springs, and the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer, to provide for fair, consistent, and cost effective administration of the City's watershed protection ordinances, and to promote the public health, safety, and welfare.” The ordinance limits impervious coverage on certain areas of the Edwards Aquifer watershed and establishes regulations for buffers around specific water quality zones of.. Read More

Mission Verde focuses on economic growth and development to drive environmental and equitable outcomes, rather than using environmental goals to drive economic growth. The intent of the plan was to invest in energy saving initiatives that would save the consumer and the community money, and serve as a catalyst for job creation and innovation. Ordinance 2009-03-12-0179 discusses adopting the Sustainable Building Task Force, provides amendments to the city code to implement certain recommendations, providing for an effective date and severance. .. Read More

This ordinance provides the guidelines for transit-oriented development in Austin. Requirements for station area plans are given, and ways in which they may be amended are explained. Recommended parking densities are laid-out. Density requirements for different zones within a station area district are detailed... Read More

Austin adopted Resolution No. 20120426-081, creating the Austin Local Solar Advisory Committee, which included representatives from the solar industry, Chamber of Commerce, the environmental non-profit community, consumer advocate community, the Electric Utility Commission, and the Resource Management Commission. The Advisory Committee produced the Strategic Plan for Local Solar, providing recommendations for new policies, as well as amendments to the city’s zoning regulations, that will optimize Austin’s solar energy resource base... Read More

This initiative began in 2015 with an American Planning Association Plan4Health grant to address access to healthy food in the North Central area of Austin, Texas. The City, through its Office of Sustainability, created a Food Planning Pilot Program focused on priority populations who have historically struggled to find healthy, fresh foods at affordable prices. These populations include school children who qualify for free lunches, immigrants, refugees, and other struggling low-income groups. In response to the City Council’s Resolution in 201.. Read More

Austin’s “Affordability Unlocked” program provides waivers and bonuses in exchange for setting aside at least 50% of a new development’s units for a minimum of 40 years for rental and 99 years for ownership units. In rental units, 20% of all units must meet 50% AMI and affordable units must be affordable to households at 60% AMI or below to qualify. 25% of affordable units must either (a) have two or more bedrooms, (b) serve as supportive housing, or (c) serve as elderly housing. For sale units, affordable unit prices must be affordable to hous.. Read More

Under the El Paso, Texas sustainable development design standards, the City mandates that all city buildings meet green development standards and provides significant monetary incentives for private developers to do the same. El Paso has over 600,000 residents, and the climate is arid and warm with limited precipitation. The City recently started a sustainability campaign culminating in the “Green Summit 2009,” which presented the sustainable development design standards. El Paso mandates that all new city owned buildings over 5,000 sq. feet.. Read More

In San Marcos, Texas Code of Ordinances, Chapter 94 Development Standards, Edwards Aquifer Protection Regulations. The purpose of this ordinance is to protect the Edwards Aquifer from pollution. The aquifer has significant environmental, economic, and recreational values. The ordinance regulates development over the aquifer in order to protect health and environmental features such as endangered species. It functions by limiting impervious coverage in the recharge and transition zones of the aquifer... Read More

This ordinance establishes criteria and regulations for the preservation of trees within the City. The purpose of this ordinance is to promote site planning which furthers the preservation of mature trees and natural areas, to protect trees during construction; to facilitate site design and construction, which contribute to the long term viability of existing trees. This ordinance also requires that persons must obtain a tree removal permit before cutting down, destroying, or removing any protected tree as defined by the ordinance. .. Read More

The City of Austin, Texas has integrated zoning for solar within its zoning ordinance not as a separate section or chapter, but mostly within its Building Design Standards Article. According to its Zoning Ordinance, Austin permits solar collectors in Residential Use zoning districts as accessory use structures. In order to satisfy the building requirements under the Building Design Standards Article, each building must earn one point from a number of design options laid out in § 3.3.2, Table C. One of those options is to “integrate solar power .. Read More

Section 35-506(t) of San Antonio’s Unified Development Code states that the City has identified long, wide streets encourage speeding. The code requires that the length of blocks comply with section 35-15(b)(3); however, blocks can be lengthened if traffic calming features are implemented. Approved traffic calming features include roundabouts, median islands, and “T” intersections. The shorter block and increase in traffic calming features will cause residents to feel safer using alternative methods of transportation such as biking or wa.. Read More

Austin, Texas’s S.M.A.R.T Housing™ is housing that is safe, mixed-income, accessible, reasonably priced, transit oriented, and compliant with the city’s building code. The City’s S.M.A.R.T Housing™ program encourages the development of S.M.A.R.T housing™ by waving certain development fees and exempting the development fees from impact fees. In the City, a department cannot change an ordinance, rule, or process that impacts affordability of housing unless the City’s Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department prepares an affordabil.. Read More