Austin Planning Commission considering zoning changes for music venues

The commission is holding a public hearing over the proposed changes Tuesday evening.

Author: KVUE Staff

AUSTIN, Texas — The City of Austin is considering expanding where live music venues are allowed to operate, according to a report from KVUE's media partners at the Austin American-Statesman.

The Statesman reports that live music venues are currently treated as cocktail lounges in the City code. That heavily restricts the areas where venues can operate.

According to the report, advocates say defining live music venues that way is detrimental to their business models. That's why they're pushing for a definition specific to the venues themselves.

On the other hand, some worry that changing the code could simply increase the number of venues that are more interested in selling alcohol than in providing a space for live music.

Austin's planning commission is looking into changing the definition, though the proposed changes are still in draft form, subject to revisions. The Statesman said the changes are likely to be presented to the city council before the end of the year.

As it stands right now, the proposed definition's current language stipulates that performance venues must allocate a minimum of 50% of gross floor area for production and programming space, including "stages, green rooms, box offices and ticketing booths, audience areas, and equipment dedicated to producing plays, motion pictures, or other performances."

Live music venues would still be allowed to sell alcohol in line with normal operating procedures for bars, according to the Statesman, but each music venue expanding to new parts of the city would need to be approved for a conditional use permit by the City's Land Use Commission.

A recent presentation by the Economic Development Department to the city council showed the definition changes are projected to increase the number of lots live music venues will be able to utilize by 2,000%, or 12,700 lots.

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the code changes at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the City Council Chambers at Austin City Hall, located on West Second Street.