Regular Meeting of the Environmental Commission October 20, 2021 at 6:00 P.M. Austin City Hall, Council Chambers, Room 1001 301 W. 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701 Some members of the Environmental Commission may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live COMMISSIONERS: Haris Qureshi (D-1) Rachel Scott (D-2) Pam Thompson (D-3) Katie Coyne (D-4) Vice Chair Jennifer Bristol (D-7) Kevin Ramberg (D-8) Vacant (D-6) Audrey Barrett Bixler (D-5) Linda Guerrero (D-9) Chair _________________________________________________________________________________ Richard Brimer (D-10) Perry Bedford (Mayor) Secretary Agenda CALL TO ORDER CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Speakers should sign up to speak prior to the meeting being called to order; you will receive a three-minute allotment to discuss topics not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ACTION a. Approval of the October 6, 2021 Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Minutes (5 minutes) (10 minutes) 1. 2. 3. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION a. Approve the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Schedule for 2022 PUBLIC HEARINGS Name: COA Fire & EMS Station - Davenport Village, SP-2021-0121D Applicant: Anna Merryman, Garza EMC LLC 1 Location: 4601 Westlake Dr., Austin, TX, 78746 Council District: Council District does not apply in Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Environmental Review Staff: Pamela Abee-Taulli, Environmental Program Coordinator, Development Services Department Watershed: St. Stephens Creek Watershed, Water Supply Rural Classification, Drinking Water Protection Zone Request: Variance request is as follows: 1. Vary 25-8-302(A)(2) to allow construction of a parking area on a slope with a gradient of more than 15 percent. 2. Vary 25-8-341 to allow cut over four feet to 17 feet. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends these variances with conditions (30 minutes) 4. COMMITTEE REPORTS a. Urban Forestry Committee –Pam Thompson, Richard Brimer, and Linda Guerrero b. Report on the Joint Sustainability Committee – Katie Coyne c. Report on the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan Citizen’s Advisory Committee – Kevin Ramberg d. Report on the Joint Committee of the Environmental Commission and Parks and Recreation Board –Linda Guerrero and Pam Thompson e. Report on the South Central Waterfront Advisory Board – Linda Guerrero FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days before the meeting date. Please call Kaela Champlin at Watershed …
ITEM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AGENDA COMMISSION MEETING DATE: October 20, 2021 NAME & NUMBER OF PROJECT: COA Fire & EMS Station - Davenport Village SP-2021-0121D NAME OF APPLICANT OR ORGANIZATION: Anna Merryman, Garza EMC LLC LOCATION: 4601 Westlake Dr., Austin, TX, 78746 COUNCIL DISTRICT: Council District does not apply in Extraterritorial Jurisdiction ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW STAFF: Pamela Abee-Taulli, Environmental Program Coordinator, Development Services Department, 512.974.1879, pamela.abee- taulli@austintexas.gov. WATERSHED: REQUEST: St. Stephens Creek Watershed, Water Supply Rural Classification, Drinking Water Protection Zone Variance request is as follows: Vary 25-8-302(A)(2) to allow construction of a parking area on a slope with a gradient of more than 15 percent. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends this variance, having determined the findings of fact to have been met. STAFF CONDITION: Applicant will provide landscape plan, including mitigation for removed trees, to provide enhanced soil stabilization and water quality for the site. Page 1 of 8 Development Services Department Staff Recommendations Concerning Required Findings Project Name: Ordinance Standard: Watershed Protection Ordinance Variance Request: COA Fire & EMS Station - Davenport Village Vary 25-8-302(A)(2) to allow construction of a parking area on a slope with a gradient of more than 15 percent. Include an explanation with each applicable finding of fact. A. Land Use Commission variance determinations from Chapter 25-8-41 of the City Code: 1. The surrounding area does not have adequate access to emergency The requirement will deprive the applicant of a privilege available to owners of similarly situated property with approximately contemporaneous development subject to similar code requirements. Yes facilities. This development will provide fire and EMS access that the community currently lacks. In similar situations, where development is deemed appropriate for the location but is constrained by the natural condition of the site (slopes exceeding 15 percent) as well as requirements related to the type of development (emergency vehicle accommodation), applications that have minimized the placement of development on slopes have been granted similar variances. 2. The variance: a) Is not necessitated by the scale, layout, construction method, or other design decision made by the applicant, unless the design decision provides greater overall environmental protection than is achievable without the variance; Yes This variance is for building a surface parking lot to be constructed on an area with slopes greater than 15 percent. The parking lot is minimally sized to accommodate the number of employees that will be at this station. Alternative layouts were considered. However, …
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MOTION 20211020 003a Date: October 20, 2021 Subject: COA Fire & EMS Station - Davenport Village, SP-2021-0121D Motion by: Kevin Ramberg Seconded by: Perry Bedford RATIONALE: WHEREAS, the Environmental Commission recognizes the applicant is requesting a variance from 25-8-302(A)(2) to allow construction of a parking area on a slope with a gradient of more than 15 percent. WHEREAS, the Environmental Commission recognizes the applicant is requesting a variance from 25-8-341 to allow cut over four feet to 17 feet. WHEREAS, the Environmental Commission recognizes the site is located in the St. Stephens Creek Watershed, Water Supply Rural Classification, Drinking Water Protection Zone. WHEREAS, the Environmental Commission recognizes that Staff recommends these variances (with conditions) having determined the required Findings of Fact have been met. THEREFORE, the Environmental Commission recommends the variance request with the following Staff Condition: Applicant will provide landscape plan, including mitigation for removed trees, to provide enhanced soil stabilization and water quality for the site. For: Bedford, Qureshi, Scott, Thompson, Barrett Bixler, Bristol, Ramberg, Coyne, and Brimer Against: None Abstain: None Recuse: None Absent: Guerrero VOTE 9-0 Approved By: Linda Guerrero, Environmental Commission Chair 1
COA FIRE & EMS STATION - DAVENPORT VILLAGE Pamela Abee-Taulli Environmental Program Coordinator, Development Services Department 4601 WESTLAKE DR SP-2021-0121D PROJECT LOCATION [ PROPERTY DATA • St. Stephens Creek Watershed • Water Supply Rural • Drinking Water Protection Zone • Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (Travis County) • No creeks, creek buffers, or Critical Environmental Features onsite • Council District: NA [ VARIANCE REQUESTS Land Development Code § 25-8- 341 - CUT REQUIREMENTS. (A) Cuts on a tract of land may not exceed four feet of depth. 1. The variance request is to allow cut over 4 feet to 17 feet. Land Development Code § 25-8-302 - CONSTRUCTION OF A BUILDING OR PARKING AREA. (A) A person may not construct: (2) …a parking area on a slope with a gradient of more than 15 percent. 2. The variance request is to allow a parking area on a slope with a gradient of more than 15 percent. BACKGROUND • The two variance requests are necessary because of the slopes on the site. It is located at the foot of a Hill Country hill. • The City regulates development on slopes in order to • Preserve the natural & traditional character of the land, and • Minimize the potential for erosion, which pollutes air and waterways. [ VARIANCE REQUEST 1. Vary Land Development Code 25-8-341 to allow cut over 4 feet to 17 feet. -17.000 VARIANCE REQUEST 2. Vary Land Development Code 25-8-302 to allow a parking area on a slope with a gradient of more than 15 percent. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends both variances, having determined that the findings of fact required by Land Development Code section 25-8-41 have been met. Staff-recommended Conditions: Applicant will provide landscape plan, including mitigation for removed trees, to provide enhanced soil stabilization and water quality for the site. THANK YOU BACKGROUND • Complication for evaluating the variance request • This site has both natural & artificial slopes. • The variances are related only to the natural slopes. [ BACKGROUND • Site history 1940 Site [ BACKGROUND • Site history 1965 Site [ BACKGROUND • Site history 2000 Site [ BACKGROUND • Site history 2009 Site [ BACKGROUND • Site history 2014 Site [ BACKGROUND • The variances are only related to the natural slopes. 2021 Site [
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, October 20, 2021 The Environmental Commission convened in a public meeting on Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at City Hall in Council Chambers at 301 W. 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701. Commissioners attending in person: Perry Bedford Haris Qureshi Rick Brimer Kevin Ramberg Katie Coyne Jennifer Bristol Rachel Scott Commissioner attending remotely: Audrey Barrett Bixler Pam Thompson Commissioners absent: Linda Guerrero Staff in Attendance: Pamela Abee-Taulli Kaela Champlin Liz Johnston Mike McDougal CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Coyne called the meeting to order at 6:03 P.M. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Speakers should sign up to speak prior to the meeting being called to order; you will receive a three-minute allotment to discuss topics not posted on the agenda. None 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ACTION a. Approval of the October 6, 2021 Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Minutes (5 minutes) A motion to approve the minutes of the regular Environmental Commission Regular meeting was approved on Commissioner Ramberg’s motion, Commissioner Scott’s second on a 9-0 vote. Commissioner Guerrero was absent. 1 2. 3. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION a. Approve the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Schedule for 2022 (10 minutes) A motion to postpone the approval of the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Schedule for 2022 was approved on Commissioner Scott’s motion, Commissioner Ramberg’s second on a 9-0 vote. Commissioner Guerrero was absent. PUBLIC HEARINGS Name: COA Fire & EMS Station - Davenport Village, SP-2021-0121D Applicant: Anna Merryman, Garza EMC LLC Location: 4601 Westlake Dr., Austin, TX, 78746 Council District: Council District does not apply in Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Environmental Review Staff: Pamela Abee-Taulli, Environmental Program Coordinator, Development Services Department Watershed: St. Stephens Creek Watershed, Water Supply Rural Classification, Drinking Water Protection Zone Request: Variance request is as follows: 1. Vary 25-8-302(A)(2) to allow construction of a parking area on a slope with a gradient of more than 15 percent. 2. Vary 25-8-341 to allow cut over four feet to 17 feet. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends these variances with conditions (30 minutes) A motion to close the public hearing was approved on Commissioner Ramberg’s motion, Commissioner Bedford’s second on a 9-0 vote. Commissioner Guerrero was absent. A motion to approve the variances with conditions was approved on Commissioner Ramberg’s motion, Commissioner Bedford’s second on a 9-0 vote. Commissioner Guerrero was absent. 4. COMMITTEE REPORTS a. Urban Forestry Committee –Pam Thompson, Richard Brimer, and Linda Guerrero b. Report on the …
