Help Shape the Future Elgin! The Online Survey is Open
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ We had a great open house to share ideas about development options in Elgin and review the possible impacts of growth scenarios. If you missed the event or want to make additional comments, please check out the survey:
http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1180207/SPP-Elgin-Open-House-Survey
The Elgin newsletter handed out at the open house is linked below
Project Background
Elgin envisions itself as a community with a diversified foundation in sustainable agriculture, community development, and economic development that can be successful for the long haul. The Elgin project site is primarily located in the historic downtown and includes the Austin Community College Elgin Center, Union Depot Museum, Elgin Medical Center, Elgin Library, municipal government, post office, businesses, a grocery store, restaurants, churches, and several small manufacturers. The site has a diverse mix of housing that meets the needs of all ages and types of families.
The site area is already home to mixed-use development and multi-modal transportation with a variety of development options near CARTS transit service. The existing infrastructure can support future growth. Development here will include adaptive reuse, infill, and residential development with street level uses that maximize pedestrian activity.
The city is interested in a plan to help create transit oriented development within the area. An analysis of the current and proposed CARTS and Capital Metro transit stops is needed, including TOD urban design guidelines, recommended street cross-sections and concept plans, before-and-after illustrations and maps, and future action items with potential sources of funding.
Outdated zoning in the downtown district costs the city potential new businesses and sustainable development. Light industrial uses are grouped with heavy uses and must go through a laborious process to locate and remain in compliance. The city seeks a new draft code for a business district overlay that will provide options to encourage mixed-use, walkable developments, economic growth, and transit-oriented forms.
The application by the city to become a planning demonstration site is available below.
