A movement is developing in Austin to link downtown zoning variances to "voluntary" contributions to community programs.
While a density bonus sounds like a special gift to developers who meet the city's stated goal of a dense vertical downtown, in reality, it is the opposite.
Density bonuses essentially charge developers for variances -- if they want to build taller, they need to pay for the privilege.
Here is a summary from the Austin Chronicle:
The incentives are the...
$160 per trip
That's the social cost that Charles Kamonoff, an NYC environmental/transportation analysist, believes each driver who enters Manhattan's central business district imposes on other...
$160 per trip
That's the social cost that Charles Kamonoff, an NYC environmental/transportation analysist, believes each driver who enters Manhattan's central business district imposes on other drivers....
How gasoline use varies among metropolitan areas
Back in March, I wrote about economists Matthew Kahn and Ed Glaeser's work comparing carbon emissions among metropolitan areas.Among other things, they estimated how carbon emissions from...
It's Back: 800 West Applies for Height Variance
Last September, Fortis Development proposed a 250-foot, 200-unit, 25-story tower on 8th street and West Avenue near downtown. Since the area is currently zoned for buildings no taller than 60...
Austin's Low Population Density
Population density, the number of people per square mile, is an indicator of suburban sprawl. A large city with a low population density will be spread across a broader geographic area than...
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