After receiving scathing reviews about the frustrations and inefficiencies of its site review process, Austin has contracted with McKinsey to begin the work of overhauling the process.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson is prioritizing an overhaul of the city’s site review process, after receiving scathing reviews from a recent analysis by the global management consulting firm McKinsey & Co.
After surveying customers completing the site review process, as well as 150 city employees working in the 11 departments involved in the site review process, “found only 1% of respondents were satisfied with the process,” according to a paywalled article by Mike Christen for the Austin Business Journal.
Non-paywalled reporting on Mayor Watson’s response to the analysis is available in an article published by the Real Deal. Mayor Watson is quoted connecting the frustrations and the inefficiencies of the city’s site review process to the increasingly unaffordable hosing market in the city.
The Austin City Council subsequently voted on Thursday, August 31 to spend $2.5 million to hire McKinsey & Co. on a six-month contract to improve the site review process, as reported in a separate paywalled article by Christen (source article below)
FULL STORY: Austin taps McKinsey to improve site plan review process
Austin Lot Size Changes Could Make Homes More Affordable
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New York Suspends Land Use Reviews for Shelters
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Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service