After completing the update to their comprehensive plan, Envision Taylor, city leaders knew they needed to update their zoning to match the vision.
The Taylor Vision
Taylor is a small town of about 15,000 residents but is close enough to Austin to see massive growth in the near future. With the new Samsung microchip facility under construction, Taylor is posed to grow rapidly. The character of old Taylor, which most in the community know as the 'real Taylor', was illegal under the zoning ordinance. But THAT is exactly what everyone wished to be built. The plan would need to be backed by codes and standards to ensure it would become reality.
The Simplecity Design team and Popken Development were brought in to facilitate the development of the new place type zoning.
The new Development Code continues the legacy of small-town charm across all neighborhoods, ensuring a variety of housing options, support of local businesses, and places where real community can grow.
Popken Development led community engagement to educate stakeholders on zoning code regulations, gather specific preferences and insights from the community, all the while developing creative avenues to bring new stakeholders into the zoning update process.
The Popken Development team managed:
Project website with resources, continuous feedback loop, past meeting videos, presentations, and timeline (Konveio)
Creative outreach: Zoning and History Bike Tour, On-site Self-Guided Code Tour of Taylor, outdoor livingroom-style booth at annual downtown event
Communications and press
Community and Task Force Meetings, virtual & in-person