“McMansion-phobia": Restricting Home Size in Central Austin

Nature of the dispute:
Neighborhoods groups representing neighborhoods across Austin such as Tarrytown, Clarksville, Rosedale, and Hyde Park (to name a few) initiated the fight against what they see as an intrusion on the sanctity of their otherwise peaceful, commonly-themed, aesthetically-pleasing environs – large, obtrusive multifamily duplexes that don’t fit in with the surrounding buildings and bring nothing good to the area. The debate over the “rise of the McMansions” in neighborhoods like Tarrytown, which has seen the brunt of such development, is several years old.

The ordinance itself was designed as a short-term solution, pending a long-term plan. A task force of stakeholders was created last month by the City, charged with coming up with a more permanent solution to the problem. For about a month now, the task force has been ironing out the final plan that will go to City Council at 6 p.m. today for a final vote. Last Tuesday night, the task force’s proposal was finalized, and it includes the following highlights: (a) 0.4 to 1 FAR for single family residences, (b) an increased 0.5 to 1 FAR for duplexes & garage apartments, and (c) the creation of a “Residential Design Commission,” a bureaucratic organization that will have the power to say who gets to build what and who doesn’t (apparently some sort of real estate “fashion police”).

The rules would apply to new or remodeled homes and duplexes in the 48 neighborhoods closest to downtown. The limits wouldn’t include add-ons such as basements, attics and first-floor porches. The new rules would take effect August 15. A public hearing will be held on the plan today, City Hall, 6 p.m.

Sides in the debate:
Why neighborhood groups like the plan: Blocks the intrusion of "huge, ugly buildings." Preserves the integrity of our historic, central neighborhoods. Protects these old neighborhoods from over-development (groups point to aging infrastructures). Preserves homeowners’ enjoyment of their property, and preserves the value of their property. Preserves each neighborhood's unique culture, and prevents homogenization of the 48 neighborhoods closest to downtown. Puts a restraint on ravenous builders.

Why many homeowners & all developers dislike the plan: Plan hurts real estate developers’ ability to make money. Restricts homeowner freedom to build/remodel as they like. Plan is too broad, and doesn’t respect the unique economic and developmental realities of each neighborhood. Plan will result in a general smothering of the residential real estate market in central Austin, rather than allowing it to move ahead under well-crafted, flexible regulations.

What we think:
Hmm. We’re picking up a pattern here. The terms in this plan seem way too broad and extreme for such a complex and sensitive issue, and they appear to operate on a single assumption: That all Austin neighborhoods are the same, and that all larger, multifamily housing is a “McMansion” and thus bad. This is hardly the case. What works in Hyde Park may not work in Tarrytown. One builder may create a multifamily/large-scale residence that offends the sight of residents, while another builder may make one that adds value to the surrounding neighborhood and fits right in. To us, this plan seems like yet another “progressive” approach to a serious problem that is distinctly Austin in flavor – an expansive, sweeping measure that restricts an entire industry, without regard for a more detailed analysis of the problem itself. We understand and identify with the need to regulate development for the good of our city. We just don’t think this is a good enough plan for doing that.

The almighty goal, the sacred mantra of Austin smart growth is and, for several years, has been “downtown density.” Density is better than sprawl. This is certainly true. The more people living in the smallest lateral space possible, this seems better than the alternative, especially when people will be moving to Austin in droves regardless of what we do. But getting there takes intensive research, deliberate planning, and genuine compromise among all groups – not some heavy-handed, hasty, governmental smack-down that favors neighborhood groups, who motivations are questionable (especially when the homeowners they represent don’t seem to agree with them). The methods that our “progressive” groups use to get us to a “density future” in the core downtown area have, time and time again, proved themselves to be pathetically ancient, under-informed, reactionary, and above all, impractical. And it gives truly progressive-minded people in this city a bad name.

The problem here is that, in some cases, these large, multifamily residences fit in just fine with the surrounding neighborhood. We’ve seen them; it can work, if it’s done right. In some situations, these structures actually look good and don’t harm anyone else’s property rights in the neighborhood. Of course, this is usually not the case, but it can be. The point here is that, for the sake of smart growth, we need a plan that both encourages development while at the same time preserves the integrity of our older, historic areas. Simply restricting the size of buildings won’t work. Creating an organization with the ultimate say in what looks good and what doesn’t, that won’t work either. A flat ban that ignores the major differences between different parts of Austin simply will not achieve this goal. It will stifle central Austin residential development – all development, good and bad alike – and force residential builders to build further from the City. In other words, this plan will encourage urban sprawl and discourage density. Is the City really willing to place a ban on certain types of residential development, eschew density in favor of sprawl, simply because a few neighborhood associations want to exercise their power?

As with the proposed SOS Amendments – overbroad, poorly-worded, offensive to common sense, and unnecessarily extreme – which failed miserably and set real environmental progress in this city back several years, these “McMansion” rules are yet another over-broad, across-the-board measure that ignores the truly dynamic nature of development in Austin. It seems to us that a little more homework is needed on these intricacies before we use a canon to kill a mosquito. Otherwise, “progress” might actually turn out to be quite the opposite.

For further information, start here and here.

*Image courtesy of Wikipedia.