Regular Meeting of the Environmental Commission November 17, 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) Vacant (D-4) 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 November 3, 2021 Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Minutes (5 minutes) ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION a. Approve the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Schedule for 2022 b. Hold an emergency election for vacant Environmental Commission officer positions for the May 2021 through April 2022 (10 minutes) 1. 2. 1 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS a. Name: Stillwater - Double Creek Phase 2, SP-2021-0178C Applicant: Lance Rosenfield, Malone Wheeler Inc Location: 10801 Brezza Lane, Austin, Texas, 78748 Council District: District 5 Staff: Mel Fuechec, Environmental Review Specialist Senior, DSD Watershed: Onion Creek, Suburban Watershed, Desired Development Zone Request: Request to vary from LDC 25-8-261 to allow development in the critical water quality zone. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends this variance 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 – Audrey Barrett Bixler 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 Protection Department, at (512) 974-3443 for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Environmental …
STILLWATER - DOUBLE CREEK PHASE 2 10801 BREZZA LN SP-2021-0178C Mel Fuechec Environmental Review Specialist Senior Development Services Department SITE LOCATION Site Location Austin ETJ Austin City Limits Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone Edwards Aquifer Contributing Zone PROPERTY DATA • Onion Creek • Suburban • Desired Development Zone • Full Purpose • Not located over Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone • No Critical Environmental Features • Council District 5 EXISTING CONDITIONS The lot is currently undeveloped and is bordered to the North and to the South by multi-family developments. The proposed multi-family development is consistent with the applicable zoning and surrounding properties. North BACKGROUND Austin Fire Department requires two points of ingress/egress. The applicant is proposing one access on Brezza Lane leading South to FM 1626 and another access on the private road leading East to IH 35. Brezza Lane dead ends at the North end of the lot, and there are no other points of access for this property. CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE North VARIANCE REQUEST The request is to vary from Land Development Code 25-8- 261 to allow development in the critical water quality zone for a driveway over the critical water quality zone in order to meet the health and safety requirement of having two points of ingress/egress as set by Austin Fire Department. VARIANCE RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval of the variance with the following conditions: 1) Internal, low-traffic pedestrian walkways throughout the site shall be constructed with permeable pavers or porous pavement in accordance with the Environmental Criteria Manual. This will decrease overall impervious cover and increase stormwater infiltration onsite and baseflow in the stream channel. 2) The critical water quality zone shall be crossed with a span bridge design instead of the normal box culvert. This will reduce the bridge’s footprint in the channel and allow for light to penetrate to the natural ground surface and for vegetation to grow thus maintaining a more natural stream channel. QUESTIONS? ADDITIONAL INFO -BRIDGE Example Span Bridge Example Box Culvert ADDITIONAL INFO -TREES 5.56 acres to be dedicated to City of Austin as parkland & 546 inches of native trees are to be planted onsite
1 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MOTION 20211117 003a Date: November 17, 2021 Subject: Stillwater - Double Creek Phase 2, SP-2021-0178C Motion by: Kevin Ramberg RATIONALE: WHEREAS, the Environmental Commission recognizes the applicant is requesting a variance from 25-8-261 to allow development in the Critical Water Quality Zone. WHEREAS, the Environmental Commission recognizes the site is located in the Onion Creek, Suburban Watershed and Desired Development Zone; and Seconded by: Perry Bedford WHEREAS, the Environmental Commission recognizes that Staff recommends this variance, (with two staff conditions) having determined the required Findings of Fact have been met. THEREFORE, the Environmental Commission recommends the variance request with the following: Staff Conditions: 1. Internal low-traffic pedestrian walkways throughout the site shall be constructed with permeable pavers or porous pavement in accordance with the Environmental Criteria Manual, to decrease overall impervious cover and increase stormwater infiltration onsite and baseflow in the stream channel. 2. The critical water quality zone will be crossed with a span bridge design instead of the normal box culvert. This will allow for light to penetrate to the natural ground surface and for vegetation to grow thus maintaining a more natural stream channel. and the following Environmental Commission Conditions: 1. The project will use biofiltration in both water quality ponds onsite. 2. The pond will not occur in the inner half critical water quality zone. VOTE 8-0 For: Bedford, Qureshi, Thompson, Barrett Bixler, Bristol, Ramberg, Guerrero, and Brimer Against: None Abstain: None Recuse: None Absent: Scott Approved By: Linda Guerrero, Environmental Commission Chair 2
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, November 17, 2021 The Environmental Commission convened in a public meeting on Wednesday, November 17, 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 Linda Guerrero Jennifer Bristol Commissioner attending remotely: Audrey Barrett Bixler Pam Thompson Commissioners absent: Rachel Scott Staff in Attendance: Mel Fuechec Kaela Champlin Liz Johnston Mike McDougal Sara Hartley CALL TO ORDER Chair Guerrero called the meeting to order at 6:00 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 November 3, 2021 Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Minutes (5 minutes) A motion to approve the November 3, 2021 Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Minutes was approved on Commissioner Ramberg’s motion, Commissioner Bedford’s second on a 8-0 vote. Commissioner Scott was absent. 1 2. 3. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION a. Approve the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Schedule for 2022 A motion to approve the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Schedule for 2022 was approved on Commissioner Bedford’s motion, Commissioner Ramberg’s second on a 8-0 vote. Commissioner Scott was absent. b. Hold an emergency election for vacant Environmental Commission officer positions for the May 2021 through April 2022 (10 minutes) Commissioner Bedford nominated Commissioner Ramberg for Vice-Chair. Commissioner Bristol nominated herself for Vice-Chair. Those voting for Commissioner Ramberg were: Commissioners Brimer, Ramberg, Guerrero, Qureshi, Bedford, Bixler, and Thompson. Commissioner Bristol voted for herself (7-1). Commissioner Ramberg nominated Commissioner Bristol for secretary. Those voting for Commissioner Bristol for secretary were Commissioners Bristol, Brimer, Ramberg, Guerrero, Qureshi, Bedford, Bixler, and Thompson (8-0). PUBLIC HEARINGS a. Name: Stillwater - Double Creek Phase 2, SP-2021-0178C Applicant: Lance Rosenfield, Malone Wheeler Inc Location: 10801 Brezza Lane, Austin, Texas, 78748 Council District: District 5 Watershed: Onion Creek, Suburban Watershed, Desired Development Zone Request: Request to vary from LDC 25-8-261 to allow development in the critical water Staff: Mel Fuechec, Environmental Review Specialist Senior, DSD quality zone. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends this variance with conditions. (30 minutes) Speakers Michael Whellan Lance Rosenfield A motion to close the public hearing was approved on Commissioner Ramberg’s motion, Commissioner Bedford’s second on a 8-0 vote. A motion to recommend approval of …
