ACC plan gets Council OK

Despite another skirmish over limited uses and conditional overlays, Austin Community College will be moving forward with plans to remodel its Rio Grande Campus. Though no City Council members voiced any issue with the project itself at their Oct. 5 meeting, Council Member Jimmy Flannigan pulled the case for discussion over concerns that the overlay and list of prohibited uses were unnecessary given the fact that the campus was zoned historic, in the criminal justice overlay, and unlikely to be redeveloped. “I think it is unnecessary and complicates the zoning in a way that only makes the job of our staff harder and the job of the community harder to better understand our zoning code,” said Flannigan, who made a motion to strike the additional “complications.” That amendment failed with only Flannigan and Council members Greg Casar and Ellen Troxclair voting in its favor. In the end, the zoning change to Downtown Mixed Use with a conditional overlay and historic zoning was approved unanimously. That will allow ACC to move forward with plans that include constructing covers for campus courtyards and reconfiguring its parking.