Wonderful Lot in Central Austin, now what?

I came across a great article from Don R. Hancock who is a partner in Hancock & McGill, L.L.P. attorneys at law. He shared a response to his clients desire to build a home on a vacant lot they bought. In his letter he explained how environmentally conscious Austin is. The city has these protections to retain much of its natural beauty and help make the city a desirable place to live. On the "other side" of this discussion these same protections increase the expense and exact a cost when developing a property, demolish and re-build in the central part of City of Austin. Here are 6 steps to research;
1. Lot Status - is it a legal lot? what needs to be done to make it legal?
2. Historic Preservation - expect additional time for your project (75 days)...
3. Restrictions on Home Size - 40% of lot size with additional respect to #6 below
4. Tree Ordinance - start measuring and line that meeting up
5. Zoning - don't be surprised
6. Building Setback - know your set backs, get a current survey ordered
There are many issues which affect the ability to construct a residence in Central Austin. When preparing an offer work with your Realtor and consider calling Mr. Hancock.