CITY PLANNING CONSULTANTS
Planning policy and regulation for Florida communities
Austin & Austin advises municipalities and developers across Florida on land use, zoning, and infrastructure decisions suited to a coastal, rapidly growing region.
SELECTED WORK
Projects Across Florida
01
Punta Gorda 2045 Comprehensive Plan
Mrs. Austin managed the project to update the City of Punta Gorda Comprehensive Plan from 2022 to its adoption in 2024. The 2045 Comprehensive Plan was designed to implement major findings of Plan Punta Gorda 2019 Citywide Master Plan, authored by Dover Kohl and Partners. Mrs. Austin oversaw Dover Kohl and Partners work on the Future Land Use, Conservation, Coastal Management, Transportation and Historic Elements while drafting major complementary updates to the other seven Elements of the Plan. Punta Gorda 2045 Comprehensive Plan won awards in 2024 from the Florida Planning and Zoning Association and the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association.
02
City of Punta Gorda 2024 Land Development Regulations
Mr. Austin served as the project manager for the rewrite of the City of Punta Gorda Land Development Regulations. The 2024 Land Development Regulations were designed to implement major findings of Plan Punta Gorda 2019 Citywide Master Plan. The 2019 Master Plan project was delivered by Dover Kohl and Partners (DKP). The 2024 Land Development Regulations, provided a hybrid conventional zoning code along with a Form Based Code covering the traditional downtown and surrounding historic neighborhoods. Mr. Austin oversaw the work of DKP and their sub-consultant Spikowski and Associates, who authored the Form Based Code provisions, and drafted major complimentary revisions to the conventional zoning provisions.
03
Punta Gorda Gilchrist Park Harborwalk
Mr. Austin was integral in the planning and design of the Harborwalk at Gilchrist Park from drafting the initial concept design approved by City of Punta Gorda leaders in 2009 to overseeing engineering design through several project phases throughout the 2010’s. The Harborwalk at Gilchrist Park transformed Gilchrist Park including a new streetscape along W Retta Esplanade to new park amenities, 15 to 20 foot wide shared use path, and new seawall for increased coastal resiliency.
04
Punta Gorda Pathways
In 2007, Mr. Austin developed the City of Punta Gorda Alternative Transportation Plan. Once the Plan was adopted Punta Gorda Mayor Larry Friedman, came to the Urban Design office to ask a key question, “What is the most important thing we could do out of this plan?” Over the next week, Mr. Austin took the Mayor’s challenge to heart and developed a looping series of shared use paths designed to connect the major neighborhoods of the city to the historic downtown. Upon presentation of this concept, Mayor Friedman, called it the “Ring Around the City” and championed the cause of getting it built for the rest of his tenure on City Council. Almost 20 years later the “Ring Around the City”, now known as the Punta Gorda Pathways, is a living legacy of how good planning combined with visionary political leadership can transform how a community sees itself.
ABOUT THE FIRM
Austin & Austin Principals
Mitchell S. Austin, AICP, CNU-A
Mitchell Austin specializes in land use and transportation planning policy including comprehensive plan updates, zoning land development code rewrites, and special area plans. Mr. Austin has over 23 years of local government planning experience in coastal communities in Southwest Florida and in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area. Mr. Austin is well versed in the challenges of keeping local regulations and policy compliant with the constantly shifting State regulatory environment.
Brittany R. Austin, AICP, CNU-A
Brittany Austin specializes in land use planning policy with a focus on comprehensive plan updates and zoning code revision. Mrs. Austin has local government and private sector planning experience in Florida having worked for many communities including, Sanibel Island, City of Bonita Springs, City of Punta Gorda, City of Hallandale Beach, City of Hollywood, and the City of Sunny Isles Beach.
About Austin & Austin
Austin & Austin was founded on the principle that responsible growth requires planning grounded in technical rigor and a genuine understanding of the communities it serves. Based in Miami-Dade County, the firm advises municipalities, public agencies, and private clients throughout South Florida, bringing over 25 years of combined experience in land use, zoning, and transportation planning. Its principals have led comprehensive plan updates, development code rewrites, and public projects across Florida, including award-winning work for the City of Punta Gorda.
CONNECT
Plan the future of your community with Austin & Austin.
Austin & Austin welcomes inquiries from municipalities, public agencies, and private developers throughout Miami-Dade County and South Florida regarding comprehensive plans, land development regulations, and transportation planning.
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