With a flurry of residential and mixed-use development planned for the city's downtown, local officials hope to create a comprehensive vision that all stakeholders in the area can support.
" 'So many cities come up with downtown plans almost defensively; they are in such bad shape or can't figure out how to get the private sector to come in and build high-rise residential,' Mayor Will Wynn said. 'We're doing it because so many good things are happening in downtown and about to happen, but seemingly they are happening independent of one another.'
Lack of coordination and coherent public policies on downtown development have made it difficult for city leaders to balance the conflicting desires of developers, property owners, nearby residents and small businesses."
"Planners will look at locations for high-rises and high-density projects; ideas for how to pay for upgrades to downtown streets, sidewalks and waterlines; and the development potential of publicly owned land."
FULL STORY: Austin resolves to develop plan for downtown

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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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