April 28, 2025
City to Offer Free Land Development Academy for Community
AUSTIN, TX – Austinites who want to better understand the City of Austin’s land development requirements and site plan review process will soon have a new way to deepen their knowledge.
The City of Austin’s Land Development Academy will begin May 6, with a series of free virtual and in-person classes taught by the City experts who do this work. Over the course of the program, experts from multiple departments will host classes and coffee chats for interested residents.
The first series of classes will be taught by subject-matter experts from the Development Services Department. Those classes will be:
May 6: Understanding Technical Manuals & the Rulemaking Process (Virtual)
May 12: Site Plan 101 (Virtual)
May 19: Site Plan 102 (Virtual)
June 5: Overview of Environmental Regulation (Virtual)
June 10: Environmental Review Permitting, Part One (Permitting and Development Center)
June 11: Environmental Review Permitting, Part Two (Permitting and Development Center)
Land Development Academy participants will learn about the Land Development Code, the site plan review process, and how those topics work together to help Austin’s community thrive while protecting our safety, environment, and quality of life. The program will also include classes from the Law, Planning, and Watershed Protection departments, and more options from other departments will be added over time. Class participants also will have a chance to meet with instructors for an informal “Coffee Chat” after each class series to discuss topics from recent classes in more detail.
Providing training that offers insight into the site plan review process was a goal of the City’s Transforming Site Plan Review initiative, and classes for City staff began in 2024. This community-focused version of the Land Development Academy is a unique opportunity for property owners, developers, or anyone else in the community who wants to learn more about the development process.
Visit the Land Development Academy website to learn more and register for currently scheduled classes.
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