About the Palm School Restrictive Covenants

Travis County Commissioners Court has heard from community stakeholders that Palm School should be preserved, that it should be open to the public for community uses, and that the connection between Palm School and Palm Park should be maintained. The restrictive covenants are designed to keep those priority commitments.

• Between May 2018-October 2019, Travis County solicited community input about Palm School. The community input helped inform the drafting of restrictive covenants for the site.
• Travis County staff drafted the covenants based on community input and the guidance of the Palm School Advisory Board. The Advisory Board operated in 2018-2019 and was composed of three representatives, with each one bringing expertise in one of three areas: culture, history, and real estate.
• Travis County Commissioners Court adopted the restrictive covenants on October 29, 2019.

The covenants run with the land, so even if the parcel is sold multiple times, the covenants will apply in perpetuity and can be enforced by Travis County.

• They affect the Primary Preservation Area (the building erected between 1892-1924) and the grounds as a whole:
  • They outline the restoration, preservation, and possible community uses of the Primary Preservation Area.
  • They outline areas of the parcel that will be “No-Build Zones,” where vegetation will help beautify the space for public use. Areas to the east, south, and west of the Primary Preservation Area are designated as No-Build Zones.

• If the Palm School parcel is sold, the Buyer must restore the Palm School Primary Preservation Area.
• Once the building is restored, the owner is required to preserve and maintain it.

• They require that at least 80% of the Primary Preservation Area space serve a public purpose, including programming that honors, emphasizes, and increases understanding of the cultural heritage of the site.
• The use, and any subsequent change in use, is subject to the County’s written approval.
• The public purpose space will be available and open to the public during normal building operating hours.
• Uses may include: community event space, community meeting rooms, museum, nonprofit office space, artist studio space, or educational program space.

If the property owner decides to undertake new construction on the site, the covenants require new construction to adhere to specific guidelines:

• It must be located north of the original Palm School entrance.
• The first two stories of any new construction must reference the architectural elements of the School and visually complement the School.
• Any new parking must either be below grade (below ground level) or, if above grade, will be limited to 20 feet in height and screened in a way that doesn’t detract from the School.
• New construction must allow viewing of Palm School from key access points and from Palm Park, and must maintain physical and visual connectivity between Palm School and Palm Park.
• New construction elements that abut Palm Park must incorporate elements that complement the Park, such as: a public lobby, public use, public meeting rooms and/or assembly space, and/or food service.

• New construction must allow viewing of Palm School from key access points and from Palm Park and must maintain physical and visual connectivity between Palm School and Palm Park.
• New construction elements that abut Palm Park must incorporate elements that complement the Park, such as: a public lobby, public use, public meeting rooms and/or assembly space, and/or food service.