The North Lamar combined neighborhood plan (Georgian Acres and North Lamar) was developed through an extensive two-and-a-half year process and approved by City Council in June 2010. It says:
Interstate Highway 35 (I-35) is the most heavily traveled roadway in Austin. It is also the eastern boundary for the North Lamar/Georgian Acres neighborhood planning area, running between US Highway 183 and Braker Lane. The varieties of businesses along its frontage road look like those found along interstate frontage roads across the country. Aside from a major manufacturing facility (i.e., Golfsmith), numerous motels, and several apartment complexes, the I-35 frontage contains a variety of local and regional commercial or light industrial uses.
Land located along an interstate frontage is traditionally set aside for more intense uses (e.g., commercial retail centers, offices, etc.). However, residential uses are oftentimes located along these roadways as a means to provide easy access to various points throughout a city. Neighborhood stakeholders declined to recommend additional housing along the freeway due to poor automobile and pedestrian access to the rest of the neighborhood as well as health concerns associated with air pollution generated by the high volume of traffic on I-35.
Along the I-35 Corridor (between US Highway 183 and Rundberg Lane), there are no fewer than ten hotels and/or motels; while most operate strictly as motels or hotels, some effectively operate as apartments. In recent years, several of these establishments have become neighborhood nuisances. Stakeholders contended that these establishments harbor a variety of criminal activities and code violations and suggest limiting future hotel construction or development along I-35 to mitigate any potential impacts they may create.
The zoning changes to implement restrictions on hotel and motel development and to retain/encourage commercial land use were implemented in June 2010:
Georgian Acres (south of Rundberg)
North Lamar (north of Rundberg)
North Lamar/Georgian Acres neighborhoods 