“This item really is about more than coffee shops, it’s about community. It’s about getting out of our cars and having space that people can enjoy whether it is that morning cup of coffee or have somewhere where they can walk with their kids," council member Ryan Alter, the measure's sponsor, said Oct. 10.
What's happening
Alter said he's pushing to streamline the addition of the kinds of smaller businesses that are less commonly found in Austin than elsewhere. His resolution referenced the Littlefield’s patio in West Austin and Desnudo coffee trucks in locations like an East Austin food truck park as examples of what he's hoping to see more of around town.
“We’ve had lots of conversations at the council about creating complete communities and just things that we can do to make our neighborhoods more livable, more community-focused," he said in an interview. "I’ve visited a number of cities where you just walk out and have the ability to, let’s say, go to a little cafe or something. And that’s a positive experience.”
With officials' approval, city staff will work on finding ways to "minimize barriers to and encourage accessibility of" places like coffee shops in more residential areas through technical zoning updates, other regulatory reforms or incentives. Alter said he hopes simplified city processes and other support can inspire more people to launch community-oriented spaces, in line with Austin's climate and planning goals to get residents out of their cars and promote more walkable areas.
"I can tell you I’ve talked to a number of people who say, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we had a coffee shop here,’ or ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we had this in our neighborhood?’ I hear that over and over again, and so I’m trying to be responsive to that," he said.
Updates are specifically focused on cafes and coffee trucks, Alter said, and won't be aimed at new allowances for other types of retailers in neighborhoods. Anyone seeking to open a business on a residential lot would also still have to go through the public rezoning process for commercial use, he noted.
City departments responsible for planning, economic development and public health will be involved in the review with a report due to council members within a year. Alter's resolution states that official policy updates under the plan could be made by early December 2026.
What they're saying
The proposal passed with unanimous council support this fall, and several members stated they hope to see new businesses inspired by the measure in their parts of town.
"Post-pandemic we have a much higher rate of people working from home, sometimes wanting to get out of their home, sometimes wanting to meet someone for a meeting. We also need community gathering spaces, particularly walkable and bikable ones, in order to strengthen those community bonds that make our life good in this city," said council member Krista Laine, who represents Northwest Austin.
Council member Chito Vela said the update falls under officials' goals to reduce reliance on personal vehicles, and encourage more community areas around town through policies like mixed-use development programs. And Southwest Austin council member Paige Ellis said Austinites will benefit from having more kinds of "third spaces" available separate from their homes and workplaces.
"This is a very creative way of trying to build our communities back together in a time when too many community members find themselves divided and separated from their other neighbors," she said. "This is not only a great place to be able to stop and get a cup of coffee, but hopefully to be able to blend back together communities and make sure they’re resilient in the future.”
