Kicking off Fall with Development Services

'Tis the season for football, and while you work through the development process, the Building Connections newsletter is here to help you navigate it like a pro. We will keep you informed about changes to codes and business processes that might affect your project, large or small, so you can keep your eye on the end zone.

Let us know how we’re doing and what content would be useful in future editions to help you with your development projects. Please email your suggestions to DSDCommunications@austintexas.gov and, if you haven't already, sign up to receive this monthly newsletter. 

FY 2023 Budget Brings Additional Resources and Lower Fees for Many Processes

In August, the Austin City Council approved the Fiscal Year 2023 budget which goes into effect on Oct. 1. Included in that budget are resources for new programs that will improve the overall development experience, as well as a reduction in a significant number of development fees. Oct. 1 will also trigger implementation of several changes to payment processes.   

New programs and resources  

As part of this year’s budget, a total of 12 new positions were added to DSD.  

• Eight new positions were approved to support the creation of a Public Projects Team. This team will focus on review and management of public infrastructure projects and will ultimately result in additional review capacity for development projects overall.   
• Four new positions were approved to support DSD operations, including development-related escalations, the rules process, water quality and drainage review, and a new Chief Administrative Officer. These positions will focus on providing targeted development assistance, improvements to the rules adoption process, and strengthening executive level oversight and support.      

Reduced development fees, new event and venue fees 

Our revised fee structure for FY 2023 follows months of analysis and adjustments to consolidate fees, remove those that no longer apply, and eliminate fees for services provided by other departments. 

Under the approved budget: 

• Nearly half of DSD fees for development-related work will decrease by 10 percent, while the remaining development fees stay flat. 
• A new fee structure for special events and outdoor music venues will phase out General Fund support, enabling the move to a full cost-recovery model. 

When new fees go into effect Oct. 1, updates will be available on the DSD Fees webpage. Fees for events and outdoor music venues will be available on the Austin Center for Events webpage. 

Changes to payment processes

Beginning Oct. 1 customers will be responsible for credit card fees for online payments using the Austin Build + Connect (AB+C) portal. We encourage use of our fee-free options, which include direct bank (ACH) draft (now no longer limited to $100,000 in one transaction), in-person credit card payments less than $10,000, cash or check.  

For more information about the City of Austin’s Adopted 2022-23 Budget, see the announcement.

Chat Features, Hours Change to Improve Service

Chat boxes, which appear on several DSD webpages, have a few updates to help serve you better.

Chatbots

New chatbots will help customers get to the right place for online help more quickly and efficiently.

• When accessing the chat window, site visitors are asked for contact information and other questions to assess their specific needs and suggest online resources for initial assistance.
• If staff help is still needed, the conversation history and contact information will be provided to the appropriate agent. This new feature will help DSD answer your development questions more quickly, while also improving routing to the right staff.

New chat hours

New chat hours will help ensure staff can address incoming and pending inquiries effectively during DSD business hours.

• Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays: Chat for the Service Center is open 7:45 a.m. - 4 p.m. Chat for Commercial Intake, General Support, Land Use Review Intake and Residential Intake is open 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Wednesdays continue to be reserved for processing submitted applications and permit requests.

The DSD chat function is available using the blue icon at the bottom right corner of the DSD homepage.

Wait List Now Open for Future Get Tree Smart Sessions

There has been tremendous interest in the Development Services Department’s Get Tree Smart Lunch & Learn series. The final session on the current schedule is Oct. 13. That session is at capacity, but we have a wait list available. If space becomes available before the wait list closes on Oct. 5, we will notify registrants on a first-come, first-served basis. If you would like to be added, please register your name on this event page. 

Roots & Wings Branches Out, Schedule Now Available

The 5^th Annual Roots & Wings Festival begins Saturday, Oct. 22, and the schedule for the two-week festival celebrating Arbor Day and Monarch Appreciation Day is now available. All festival activities are free to participants and offer many opportunities to bring the experience close to home. This year’s festival holds extra significance, occurring months after Austin earned its certification as a Bee City USA Affiliate, recognizing our community’s commitment to conserving bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Multiple City of Austin departments and community partners support and host this annual event. Learn more and plan your activities at the Roots & Wings Festival website.

Upcoming Key Dates

Oct. 1: FY 2023 Begins, New Fees in Effect

Oct.13: Get Tree Smart Lunch & Learn Training (registration required)

Oct. 22 - Nov. 5: Roots and Wings Festival

Nov. 11: Veterans Day (City offices closed)

Nov. 24-25: Thanksgiving Holidays (City offices closed)