CodeNEXT focus areas Jorge Rousselin from the city's Planning and Zoning Department discusses CodeNEXT focus areas with Austin City Council members during the Aug. 17 Planning and Neighborhoods Committee meeting.[/caption]

The process to rewrite Austin’s land development code—dubbed CodeNEXT—will advance this fall when city staff determine six to eight neighborhoods to test proposed new regulations.


Hyde Park has already volunteered to participate in the hypothetical code enforcement program, according to Jorge Rousselin from the city’s Planning and Zoning Department. Ultimately, the city will choose areas that embody characteristics of similar areas found throughout the city, he said.


Rousselin, who also participates on the CodeNEXT staff team, said Hyde Park could be included in the Nov. 16-21 workshop based on its interest.


“An area like Hyde Park would be very representative of multiple areas we have,” Rousselin said. “It would be a great candidate to consider as we move along.”


A final decision on what neighborhoods participate will be made by early September, he told the Planning and Neighborhoods Council Committee on Aug. 17.


All selected neighborhoods will be promptly notified of their anticipated participation, Rousselin said. The workshop will test proposed code standards under development as part of the code rewrite process.