If you like the fact that, for all the soaring developments in Austin, you can still see the Capitol from many points around town, you should thank Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin.
The Heritage Society of Austin has given her its merit award for her campaign to keep Capitol view corridors intact. Capitol view corridors are what they sound like: stretches of the city that have an uninterrupted view of the entire dome of the Capitol (just being able to see the top point of the star held aloft by the Goddess of Liberty doesn’t count). There are 30 such corridors defined by state and 26 by council, and they restrict development along the line of sight.
According to a society press release, in the last session, Dukes derailed a bill that would have eliminated protections for the East Austin corridor views. She also got 143 (although Dukes’ website says 146) out of 150 state reps to sign a letter to the city of Austin about protecting the views.
But according to a Downtown Commission report to council on Oct. 11, there are conflicting definitions for five of those views and issues for developers being raised by relative topography of certain viewpoints. For example, in some areas, a building in a corridor could go up to 75 feet with no issue, but around Wooldridge Park they would have to max out at 25 feet. But it should be noted that the commission was also in favor of the bill that would have removed the East Austin view status.
This article appears in November 9 • 2007.
