The City of Austin is initiating a community-centric effort to update its comprehensive plan, Imagine Austin. First adopted by the Council in 2012, Imagine Austin is a 30-year plan envisioning the city as a beacon of sustainability, social equity, and economic opportunity. The plan celebrates diversity and creativity, recognizes community needs and values, promotes citizen leadership, and aims to make life's necessities affordable and accessible.
Since its approval, Austin has experienced significant changes including an increase of over 100,000 residents, a doubling of median home prices, a shift to a single-member district system for City Council, and voter approval for the transformative transit investment in Project Connect. These developments highlight the need for revising the comprehensive plan.
Last year, City Council authorized this update as part of the adopted City budget. The revision process will feature multiple phases of community engagement lasting through 2026. The first phase begins this month with Planning Department staff engaging residents and community groups across the city to discuss priorities and shared visions for Austin’s future.
“Our comprehensive plan is a living, breathing document that should reflect the values of our community,” said Planning Director Lauren Middleton-Pratt. “The Austin of 2024 doesn’t look like the Austin of 2012, and we know our city will continue to change and evolve. We look forward to collaborating with as many Austinites as possible to ensure that we create a document that shepherds an equitable, opportunity-rich future for everyone.”
The initial version of Imagine Austin was ratified after two years of extensive public engagement involving thousands of community members. It outlined a vision for an affordable, environmentally sustainable city promoting pathways to prosperity for all. Over the years, Imagine Austin has been amended multiple times to incorporate planning documents translating these ideals into concrete goals such as the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint, the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, and the Water Forward Plan.
These community-vetted goals have held City leaders accountable in guiding decisions on housing, transportation, environmental policies, and land development. During this revision process, City staff aim to integrate recently adopted Council policies ensuring internal consistency while reinforcing commitments to racial equity, resilience, sustainability, and access to opportunity through an equitable public participation process.
A new website has been launched where residents can learn more about the process. They can provide feedback via an online survey, invite staff to community meetings or sign up for email updates at www.speakupaustin.org/imagineaustin.