Regular Meeting of the Environmental Commission June 15, 2022 at 6:00 P.M. Permitting and Development Center, Events Center, Room 1406 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, Austin, Texas 78752 Some members of the Environmental Commission will be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation. To register to speak remotely, call or email the Jackie Ramos, Watershed Protection Department, at (512) 964-9366, Jacqueline.Ramos@austintexas.gov, no later than noon, (the day before the meeting). The following information is required: speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). COMMISSIONERS: Haris Qureshi (D-1) Rachel Scott (D-2) Pam Thompson (D-3) Melinda Schiera (D-4) Kevin Ramberg (D-8) Chair Audrey Barrett Bixler (D-5) Ana Aguirre (D-9) Colin Nickells (D-6) Richard Brimer (D-10) Jennifer Bristol (D-7) Secretary Perry Bedford (Mayor) Vice-Chair _________________________________________________________________________________ Agenda CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers who register to speak no later than noon the day before the meeting will be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. 1 1. 2. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ACTION a. Approval of the June 1, 2022 Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Minutes (5 minutes) STAFF BRIEFINGS a. Update on Austin’s reservoirs monitoring and management efforts—Brent Bellinger, Environmental Scientist, Watershed Protection Department (30 minutes) b. Update on resolution relating to environmental protections and water quality; and initiating amendments to the City Code—Liz Johnston, Deputy Environmental Officer, Watershed Protection Department (30 minutes) COMMITTEE REPORTS a. Urban Forestry Committee – Richard Brimer (Committee Chair), Pam Thompson, b. Report on the Joint Sustainability Committee – Haris Qureshi (member) and Richard Rachel Scott, and Colin Nickells Brimer (alternate member) Committee – Jennifer Bristol c. Report on the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan Citizen’s Advisory d. Report on the Joint Committee of the Environmental Commission and Parks and Recreation Board –Pam Thompson, Rachel Scott, Perry Bedford, and Haris Qureshi e. Report on the South Central Waterfront Advisory Board – Ana Aguirre FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 5. ADJOURNMENT The …
The Reservoir Update - 2021 Brent Bellinger, Ph.D. Environmental Scientist Senior Watershed Protection Department June 15, 2022 2021/2022 Projects • On-going Projects • Reservoir monitoring – Austin Lakes Index (ALI) of Lake Austin, Lady Bird Lake, Lake Walter Long • Lake Austin native plant restoration • Collaboration with TPWD fishery monitoring • Zebra Mussel monitoring • Harmful Algal Proliferation (HAP) monitoring • With added sites • New Projects mitigation • Lady Bird nutrient management toward HAP • Collaboration with UT toward sediment bedform mapping and microplastic observations Austin Lakes Index (ALI) Current reservoir condition • Water quality, sediments, aquatic vegetation generally above average • Benthic invertebrates, habitat, eutrophication generally below average ReservoirLake AustinLady Bird LakeWalter E. Long LakeScore020406080100Water qualityBenthic invertebratesAquatic vegetationSediment chemistryHabitat structureEutrophicationOverall scoreExcellentVery goodGoodMarginalPoorBadFair Temporal Trends • Although overall scores appear steady, sub-index components can have large variability Year2010201220142016201820202022Overall lakes Index020406080100Lake AustinLady Bird LakeWalter E. Long LakeExcellentVery goodVery badBadPoorMarginalFairGood2010201220142016201820202022Water quality index405060708090Year2010201220142016201820202022Invertebrate index304050607080 Re-vegetation Efforts • Macrophytes doing well in cages in both reservoirs, thriving outside of cages in LBL • Maintained existing pens in both reservoirs, added new pens to Lake Austin Zebra Mussel Populations • “Ecosystem engineers” that have altered water quality, alter food webs • For example, water clarity correlated with densities L. Austin Flow LBL Year2018201920202021#/m210100100010000Lake AustinLady BirdBig Horn Dr.Kollmeyer Dr.Oppo. CommmonsOppo. Emma LongOpp. MananaRivercrestNalleHoldsworthWalsh#/m21101001000100002018 2019 2020 2021 Red Bud WestMoPac CageRailroad BridgeBoardwalk u. I-35Snake IslandHolly Peninsula#/m2110100100010000 Harmful Algal Proliferations (HAPs) Jessica Hollis Park – 3 positives Emma Long – 0 positives Jessica Hollis Park = 0.06 ± 0.03 mg ATX/kg Walsh Ramp = 1.56 ± 3.03 mg ATX/kg Red Bud – 9 positives Walsh Ramp – 3 positives Red Bud = 0.11 ± 0.13 mg ATX/kg Aud. shores = 0.007 ± 0.013 mg ATX/kg Festival Ramp = 0.002 ± 0.004 mg ATX/kg 19.68 ± 34.53 mg CYN/kg Auditorium Shores – 3 positives Festival Beach – 3 positives Nutrient Mitigation Pilot Project • Background: We are limited in the environmental drivers of HAPs that can be effectively managed • One of the most important drivers is Phosphorus (P) • Hypothesis being tested: Reducing available sediment P will negatively impact HAP growth and toxicity • Sediments of Lady Bird Lake are very P-rich Phoslock • Toward that end, we secured a multi-year contract with SePRO to apply lanthanum- modified bentonite toward sediment P management • Phoslock utilized globally to mitigate excess P that may be released from …
Motion Sheet CM Kelly June 9th, 2022 Item 61 I motion to add the following to line 120: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The City Manager is directed to come back with recommendations and considerations in the form of a memorandum of required city staff hours to initiate the completion of this resolution by September 1st, 2022.
6/9 Item 61 Water Quality CM Vela Amendment 1 - V4 Proportionate Standards for Missing Middle Housing Add the following WHEREAS: WHEREAS, small scale missing middle housing projects (projects with approximately 3 to 12 units) are required to comply with the same procedures and requirements for review of water quality protections and site plans as large scale multifamily residential projects, while single family homes are not subject to those requirements, creating an incentive for developers to build single family homes over missing middle housing to avoid water quality regulations, contributing to suburban sprawl and the housing affordability crisis. Insert the following language after line 153: The City Council directs the City Manager to account for differences in the additional cost of compliance resulting from these code amendments between single family homes, small scale missing middle projects and larger multifamily projects, so that such costs are proportionate to the scale of the project, and do not disincentivize the construction of small scale missing middle projects in favor of single family homes. Add the following BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The City Council initiates City Code amendments and directs the City Manager to provide recommendations for changes to the City Code to ensure that the cost of compliance with water quality, drainage, and Site Plan requirements relating to single family homes and small scale missing middle projects is proportionate to the scale of the project, and does not disincentivize the construction of small scale missing middle projects in favor of single family homes, including applying some water quality and drainage requirements to single-family development as proposed during the LDC Revision.
6/9 Item 61 Water Quality CM Vela Amendment 1 - V4 to V5 Additions Bolded Proportionate Standards for Missing Middle Housing Add the following WHEREASes: WHEREAS, small scale missing middle housing projects (projects with approximately 3 to 12 units) are required to comply with the same procedures and requirements for review of water quality protections and site plans as large scale multifamily residential projects, while single family homes are not subject to those requirements, creating an incentive for developers to build single family homes over missing middle housing to avoid water quality regulations, contributing to suburban sprawl and the housing affordability crisis; WHEREAS, a large single family home can actually have more impervious cover than a multi-unit development, and the amount of impervious cover for a project is one of the key factors affecting drainage regardless of project type and should be taken into account when evaluating water quality and drainage requirements for site plans; Insert the following language after line 153: The City Council directs the City Manager to account for differences in the additional cost of compliance resulting from these code amendments between single family homes, small scale missing middle projects and larger multifamily projects, so that such costs are proportionate to the scale of the project and the amount of impervious cover, and do not disincentivize the construction of small scale missing middle projects in favor of single family homes. Add the following BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The City Council initiates City Code amendments and directs the City Manager to provide recommendations for changes to the City Code to ensure that the cost of compliance with water quality, drainage, and Site Plan requirements is proportionate to the amount of impervious cover for a project, and does not disincentivize the construction of small scale missing middle projects in favor of single family homes, including applying some water quality and drainage requirements to single-family development as proposed during the LDC Revision.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 RESOLUTION NO. WHEREAS, protecting our environment is the foundation for sustaining our planet, community, and economy; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin’s “State of Our Environment: 2020 Annual Report,” showed that creeks in the Desired Development Zone scored on average 10 points lower than those in the Drinking Water Protection Zone; and WHEREAS, the Drinking Water Protection Zone designation located on the west side of Austin has restricted development through regulations creating positive environmental outcomes, while the Desired Development Zone, located in Central and East Austin, has more permissive regulations that have resulted in some negative outcomes; and WHEREAS, properties located in the Desired Development Zone have more permissive development regulations with regard to the size of creek buffers, impervious cover limits, cut and fill, and construction on slopes; and WHEREAS, extensive empirical literature links exposure to nature with better health, and creeks provide city-wide opportunities to experience nature; and WHEREAS, current code allows for structures such as in-channel detention basins and concrete wastewater manholes to be placed in creeks, which can cause erosion and other severe, often long-lasting consequences that can be expensive to reverse; and WHEREAS, the City is faced with the existing and growing threat of industrial discharges that can negatively impact creeks and communities located primarily on the east side of the City of Austin; and Page 1 of 8 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 WHEREAS, there has been a steady increase in the amount of land area in Austin covered by impervious surfaces and a corresponding steady decrease in the amount of pervious land area capable of absorbing rainfall; and WHEREAS, one result of the historically high rates of development is a rise in the amount of runoff that flows off-site from developed properties and into older, undersized stormwater drain systems, creeks, rivers, and lakes, contributing to increases in flooding severity, damage to private property, loss of life, and water pollution; and WHEREAS, currently City Code allows redeveloped sites to use existing impervious cover as a baseline for drainage calculations, resulting in increased runoff and contributing to flooding and erosive flows downstream; and WHEREAS, a U.S. Geological Survey study found that using green …
June 9, 2022 Item 61 Mayor Adler CM Harper-Madison CM Ellis MOTION SHEET I move to amend Item 61 as follows: Insert at Line 35: WHEREAS, increasing density reduces sprawl and thereby reduces traffic congestion, pollution, and development of open spaces and agricultural land; and The City Council initiates other code amendments, as necessary, to Insert at Line 150: accomplish the goals of this Resolution. Beginning at Line 154: The City Manager shall present these code amendments for Council consideration no later than September 15, 2022, except for amendments regarding the greenfield conditions as a baseline for redevelopments and steep slope protections. The City Council directs the City Manager to engage stakeholders and develop recommendations that would seek to offset the impact on affordability and capacity of requiring greenfield conditions as a baseline and steep slope protections on properties where they are not currently required. Offsets could include additional entitlements or waivers for impacted tracts. The City Manager shall present these recommended code amendments for Council consideration no later than December 8, 2022.
June 9, 2022 Item 61 Motion Sheet CM Renteria Amend the Be It Resolved clause beginning at line 163 to read: BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The City Council directs the City Manager to conduct an Affordability Impact Analysis and a Fiscal Impact Analysis for each proposed code or process change resulting from this resolution. The City Council directs the City Manager to provide the results of these analyses to Council at least two weeks prior to the implementation of any process change or the presentation of proposed code amendments for Council consideration. The City Council directs the City Manager to include these analyses as part of the Council agenda back up when an item resulting from this resolution is presented to Council for its consideration. Additionally, the City Council directs the City Manager to address the estimated costs of doing nothing to further protect against water pollution, localized flooding, and the heat island effect; of stabilizing creeks and shorelines after scouring and erosive floods; mitigating algae and bacteria in creeks and lakes; and increasing stormwater infrastructure throughout the City.
2022 Environmental Code Amendments Briefing to the Environmental Commission J u n e 1 5 , 2 0 2 2 C I T Y O F A U S T I N W A T E R S H E D P R O T E C T I O N D E P A R T M E N T Council Resolution #20220609-061 D i r e c t s C i t y M a n a g e r t o a c t o n e nv i ro n m e n t a l a n d d r a i n a g e c o n c e r n s a n d eva l u a t e i m p a c t s o f p ro p o s e d p ro c e s s a n d c o d e c h a n g e s o n a f f o r d a b i l i t y, h o u s i n g, a n d c o s t • • • Bring forth a plan to address environmental equity Increase monitoring of high risk/industrial sites Process improvements to better address high bacteria levels in creeks related to leaky wastewater infrastructure Bring forth code amendments related to environmental protection and flood reduction: • Subset of code changes identified by previous Land Development Code revision process • • Minor revisions and inconsistencies • • Improve protections for Colorado River downstream of the Longhorn Dam Evaluate impacts to housing C I T Y O F A U S T I N W A T E R S H E D P R O T E C T I O N D E P A R T M E N T 2 Affected Land Development Code (LDC) Chapters L D C C h a p t e r 2 5- 2 ( Z o n i n g ) • Landscape requirements (Functional Green) • DSD is lead department L D C 2 5- 7 ( D r a i n a g e ) • No adverse impact (greenfield detention requirements) 2 5- 8 S u b c h a p t e r A ( Wa t e r Q u a l i t y ) …
