Environmental Commission Regular Meeting of the Environmental Commission - Remote meeting to be held with social distancing modifications. See agenda for details.
Regular Meeting of the Environmental Commission August 5, 2020 at 3:00 P.M. Environmental Commission to be held August 5, 2020 with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in-person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance (day before the scheduled meeting, August 4, 2020 by noon). All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the August 5, 2020 Environmental Commission Meeting, residents must: •Call or email the commission liaison at: Kaela Champlin (512) 974-3443 or Kaela.Champlin@austintexas.gov, no later than noon, (the day before the meeting). The information required is the speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, and a telephone number or email address. •Once a request to speak has been called in or emailed to the board liaison, residents will receive either an email or phone call providing the telephone number to call on the day of the scheduled meeting. •Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. •Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. •Handouts or other information may be emailed to Kaela.Champlin@austintexas.gov by noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. •Residents may watch the meeting here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live 1 2. 3. Regular Meeting of the Environmental Commission August 5, 2020 3:00 P.M. To 4:30 P.M. VIA VIDEOCONFERENCING http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live COMMISSIONERS: Andrew Creel (D-1) Curtis Smith (D-2) Pam Thompson (D-3) Ryan Nill (D-4) Mary Ann Neely (D-5) Katie Coyne (D-6) Peggy Maceo (D-7) Linda Guerrero (D-9) Chair _________________________________________________________________________________ (Mayor) Vice Chair Wendy Gordon (D-10) Perry Bedford Kevin Ramberg (D-8) Secretary Agenda CALL TO ORDER 1. (5 minutes) APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ACTION a. Approval of the July 15, 2020 Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes STAFF BRIEFINGS a. Update on Green Infrastructure web portal—Erin Wood, Planner Principal, Watershed Protection Department (5 minutes) ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION a. Update on the Environmental Commission Annual Internal Review—Linda Guerrero, Environmental Commission Chair (5 minutes) b. Discuss and consider a recommendation to name an unnamed tributary in Battle Bend Neighborhood Park in memory of Watershed Protection Department employee Nick Down—Chris Herrington, Environmental Officer, Watershed Protection Department (10 minutes) c. Discuss and consider a …
M E M O R A N D U M TO: Mayor and Council Members THRU: Rey Arellano, Assistant City Manager Chris Shorter, Assistant City Manager FROM: Jorge L. Morales, P.E., CFM, Director, Watershed Protection Department Lucia Athens, Chief Sustainability Officer, Office of Sustainability DATE: July 17, 2020 SUBJECT: Update on Council Resolution No. 20170615-071 (Green Infrastructure) The purpose of this memorandum is to provide an update on outcomes related to Council Resolution No. 20170615-071, which directed the City Manager to assess the City’s progress toward achieving the vision, goals, policies, and actions relating to green infrastructure, as defined in the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan1 and to identify and evaluate opportunities and strategies to further integrate and leverage the City's green infrastructure related programs and projects. Staff provided two deliverables to Mayor and Council via a memo on March 30, 2018: a report entitled Green Stormwater Infrastructure: A Catalog of Infrastructure, Initiatives, and Next Steps as well as a framework for the development of an Integrated Green Infrastructure Plan. Attached is a matrix that provides an updated status for each element of the Council Resolution. Phase 1 of the framework for an Integrated Green Infrastructure Plan proposed to create a dynamic web portal to introduce the concept of green infrastructure and serve as a streamlined, user-friendly gateway to available data and resources. This phase has been completed with the launch of the Green Infrastructure web portal this June at http://arcg.is/0HXLyH0. The content was developed in partnership with multiple City departments, including Watershed Protection, Office of Sustainability, Parks and Recreation, Development Services, Austin Water, Public Works, and Planning and Zoning. The portal is divided into eleven major topics: Introduction, Urban Forest, Water Resources, Parks, Wildlands, Trails, Green Streets, Food, Habitat, Landscape, and Land Management. Using the ArcGIS Online Story Map format, the portal provides descriptions of key plans, programs, and regulations; maps of relevant data; links to additional resources; and ways for the community to get involved. For Phase 2 of the framework, the City hired local environmental planning firm, Siglo Group, to prepare a data-rich inventory of the city’s current green infrastructure and identify existing strengths and gaps. Data from multiple departments and external sources was compiled into a 1 Imagine Austin defines green infrastructure as an interconnected system of parks, waterways, open space, trails, green streets, tree canopy, agriculture, and stormwater management features that mimic natural hydrology. single resource, …
Annual Internal Review This report covers the time period of 7/1/2019 to 6/30/2020 _Environmental Commission __ (Official Name of Board or Commission) The Board/Commission mission statement (per the City Code) is: Per section 2-1-144(F) of the City Code, the Environmental Commission may: 1) review and analyze the policies relating to the environmental quality of the city; (2) act as an advisory board to the city council, the city manager, and the department in their efforts to oversee the protection and integrity of the natural environment; (3) promote growth management and land use planning, minimize degradation of water resources, protect downstream areas, and promote recreation opportunities and environmental awareness; and (4) advise and recommend on any issue which the commission determines necessary or advisable for the enhancement and stewardship of the urban forest both public and private. (G) The commission shall: (1) assist the city council, the city manager, and the department in studying, promoting and enforcing environmental protection policies to assure the health, safety, welfare and quality of life of all citizens within the City's incorporated boundaries as well as those within its extraterritorial jurisdiction where the boundaries apply; and (2) oversee the development and implementation of a comprehensive plan for the planting, maintenance, and replacement of trees in the City's jurisdiction, and revise the plan as necessary. When a portion of the plan has been developed and established, it shall be submitted to the city council for adoption before implementation. Annual Review and Work Plan 7/1/2019 to 6/30/2020 Page 2 (H) The commission shall advise the city council, the city manager, and the department concerning policies, projects, and programs that affect the quality of life or have the potential to affect the environment, including those that relate to or affect: (1) water quality: (a) watershed protection; (b) urban runoff; (c) innovative wastewater treatment; (d) regional wastewater treatment; (e) improvement and protection of the Colorado River and the Edwards Aquifer; and (f) wastewater irrigation; (2) growth management and land use planning: (a) municipal utility district review; (b) capital improvement project review; and (c) the comprehensive plan; (3) construction controls for erosion and sedimentation; (4) City environmental policies regarding monitoring and enforcement; (5) solid waste disposal plan alternatives; (6) watershed protection: (a) flood control; (b) erosion control; (c) water quality; and (d) utility management; (7) roadway planning; (8) beautification; (9) recreation resources; (10) public education on environmental matters; (11) hazardous waste …
Vision Plan for John Treviño Jr. Metropolitan Park at Morrison Ranch Environmental Commission Meeting Charles Mabry, Associate Project Manager, PARD David Malda, Principal, GGN August 5, 2020 • 330 acres of former ranch 5 I-3 Walter E. Long Metro Park Park Context • 2003: Purchased by PARD • 2006: Named after John Treviño Jr., former Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem • 5,000 feet of Colorado River frontage • 2/3 of the site lies in the 100-year floodplain and TX-130 • Located at 9501 FM-969 between US-183 Ladybird Lake 3 8 1 S U e r o R i v d o l o r a C Decker Ln F M 9 6 9 Treviño Park M 973 F 0 R 13 S US 71 Austin-Bergstrom Intl Airport John Treviño Jr. at City of Austin park dedication in 2016 (Image credit: BetoATX) 2 MONTOPOLISDEL VALLECENTRAL EAST AUSTINDOWNTOWN AUSTIN Vision Plan Schedule 2019 MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC FEB MAR APR 2020 JAN Discovery Site Analysis Existing Conditions, Opportunities, and Challenges Report Develop Shared Vision Story Gathering Community Meeting #1 Summary What We’ve Heard: Vision & Values Community Meeting #2 Summary Focused Engagement Phases Ongoing Community Engagement Explore Concepts Preliminary Concepts Community Meeting #3 Summary Develop Vision Plan Preferred Vision Plan Community Meeting #4 Summary Document and Refine Draft (cid:55)(cid:74)(cid:84)(cid:74)(cid:80)(cid:79) Plan Report Boards and Commisions Review and Adopt City Council Final Vision Plan Report 3 Public Engagement: Approach Meetings and Events • 4 community meetings (two on-site at Treviño Park) • 11 Small Group Discussions • 3 Technical Advisory Group (TAG) Meetings Surveys • 3 community surveys (digital and print in English and Spanish) Individual outreach • Engagement with individuals, 16+ organizations, 3 neighborhood associations, and 5 local schools • In-person outreach in East Austin: 3 school events, 5 neighborhood/organization events, and 5 church services July 8 community meeting nature talk + hike December 7 community meeting with organization partners 4 Public Engagement: Listening 1) Site, parks, and your story • Connection to place • Notes & postcards • Oral histories • Survey: 398 respondents (41% responses from neighboring zip codes*) Community Priorities: 2) What we heard • Park Vision and Values • Opportunity to share feedback to date and confirm understanding of community goals Nature Stewardship + Education 3) An ideal day at Treviño Park • Site character, activities, design concepts • Survey: 222 respondents …
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MOTION 202000805-003b Date: August 5, 2020 Subject: Recommendation to Name Tributary in Battle Bend Park Motion by: Kevin Ramberg Seconded by: Wendy Gordon RATIONALE: WHEREAS, Nicholas “Nick” Down was born on June 5, 1992 in Houston, Texas; and WHEREAS, while earning his bachelor’s degree at Texas State University, Nick served on the Bobcat Build Student Planning Committee, enthusiastically and effectively helping organize one of the largest, one-day community service projects in the State of Texas; and WHEREAS upon graduation, Nick joined the City of Austin’s Watershed Protection Department in May 2014, drawn by his great love of our natural environment and passion for public service; and WHEREAS Nick has put his irrepressible energy and talent into his work by creating maps and analyses used to understand and protect Austin's environmental and water resources, including our streams, trees, and open spaces; and WHEREAS one of Nick’s most memorable contributions was to the beautiful City of Creeks poster beloved by Watershed staff and shared widely with the public; and WHEREAS Nick and his wife Stephanie lived near Battle Bend Park and visited the park with their dog Otis, being attracted by their love of the outdoors; and WHEREAS the Watershed Protection Department completed a project in 2020 to daylight and restore a small, unnamed tributary in Battle Bend Park, which helped restore natural health and beauty to this community gem; Therefore, the Environmental Commission recommends the newly-daylighted and previously unnamed tributary of Williamson Creek within Battle Bend Park will be known as “Down Stream” in commemoration of the lifework of Nick Down to the betterment of Austin. 1 VOTE 10-0 For: Bedford, Smith, Thompson, Nill, Neely, Coyne, Maceo, Ramberg, Guerrero, and Gordon Against: None Abstain: None Recuse: None Absent: Creel Approved By: Linda Guerrero, Environmental Commission Chair 2
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MOTION 202000805-003c Date: August 5, 2020 Subject: Vision Plan for John Treviño Jr. Metropolitan Park at Morrison Ranch Motion by: Kevin Ramberg Seconded by: Linda Guerrero RATIONALE: WHEREAS, the Environmental Commission recognizes the need to develop and implement a vision plan for the John Treviño Metropolitan park at Morrison Ranch; and WHEREAS, the Environmental Commission recognizes the unique environmental setting of the site along the Colorado River; and WHERAS, the Environmental Commission recognizes that the Parks and Recreation Board recommended adoption of the Vision Plan; THEREFORE, the Environmental Commission recommends the adoption of the Vision Plan for the John Treviño Metropolitan Park at Morrison Ranch with the following Environmental Commission condition: As the Master Plan continues to develop, the Parks and Recreation Department will re-present the plan to the Environmental Commission and seek the Environmental Commission’s input. VOTE 11-0 For: Bedford, Creel, Smith, Thompson, Nill, Neely, Coyne, Maceo, Ramberg, Guerrero, and Gordon Against: None Abstain: None Recuse: None Absent: None Approved By: Linda Guerrero, Environmental Commission Chair 1
2. ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, August 5, 2020 The Environmental Commission convened in a public meeting on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 with Social Distancing Modifications via remote video conferencing. Commissioners in Attendance: Andrew Creel Ryan Nill Curtis Smith Pam Thompson Kevin Ramberg Linda Guerrero Wendy Gordon Perry Bedford Katie Coyne Peggy Maceo Mary Ann Neely Commissioners Absent: None Staff in Attendance: Kaela Champlin Jonathan Garner Chris Herrington Atha Phillips Radmon Rice Sherri Sirwaitis CALL TO ORDER Commissioner Guerrero called the meeting to order at 3:03 P.M. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ACTION a. Approval of the July 15, 2020 Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes (5 minutes) The minutes of the July 15, 2020 Environmental Commission regular meeting were approved on Commissioner Ramberg’s motion, Commissioner Coyne’s second on a 11-0 vote. STAFF BRIEFINGS a. Update on Green Infrastructure web portal—Erin Wood, Planner Principal, Watershed Protection Department (5 minutes) Item conducted as posted. No action taken. 1 3. 4. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION a. Update on the Environmental Commission Annual Internal Review—Linda Guerrero, Environmental Commission Chair (5 minutes) Item conducted as posted. No action taken. b. Discuss and consider a recommendation to name an unnamed tributary in Battle Bend Neighborhood Park in memory of Watershed Protection Department employee Nick Down—Chris Herrington, Environmental Officer, Watershed Protection Department (10 minutes) A motion to close the public hearing was approved on Commissioner Ramberg’s motion, Commissioner Neely’s second on a 10-0 vote. Commissioner Creel was off the dais. A motion to support a recommendation to name an unnamed tributary in Battle Bend Neighborhood Park in memory of Watershed Protection Department employee Nick Down as approved on Commissioner Ramberg’s motion, Commissioner Gordons’s second on a 10-0 vote. Commissioner Creel was off the dais. c. Discuss and consider a recommendation for the Vision Plan for John Treviño Jr. Metropolitan Park at Morrison Ranch—Charles Mabry, Associate Project Manager, Parks and Recreation Department and David Malda, Principal, GGN (30 minutes) A motion to close the public hearing was approved on Commissioner Coyne’s motion, Commissioner Ramberg’s second on a 11-0 vote. A motion to approve a recommendation for the adoption of the Vision Plan for the John Treviño Jr. Metropolitan Park at Morrison Ranch was approved on Commissioner Ramberg’s motion, Commissioner Guerrero’s second on a 11-0 vote. COMMITTEE REPORTS a. Urban Growth Policy and Water Quality Protection Committee – Pam Thompson, Kevin Ramberg, Mary Ann Neely, Curtis Smith, and …
