Regular Meeting of the Environmental Commission February 21, 2024 at 6:00 PM Permitting And Development Center, Events Center, Room 1405 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 via 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 by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Elizabeth Funk, Watershed Protection Department, at (512) 568-2244, Elizabeth.Funk@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). CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Haris Qureshi Peter Einhorn Mariana Krueger Melinda Schiera Hanna Cofer AGENDA CALL TO ORDER Colin Nickells Jennifer Bristol, Secretary Kevin Ramberg, Chair David Sullivan Richard Brimer Perry Bedford, Vice Chair PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. 1 APPROVAL OF MINUTES DISCUSSION ITEMS Approve the minutes of the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting on February 7, 2024 Presentation of Development Assessment Report for 500 South Congress, located at 500 South Congress Avenue, CD-2023-0001 (District 9). Applicant: Richard T. Suttle, Armbrust & Brown, PLLC. Staff: Sherri Sirwaitis, Planning Department, and Leslie Lilly, Environmental Program Manager, Watershed Protection Department Presentation on the status of Austin Light Rail. Presenters: Jen Pyne, Executive Vice President Planning, Community & Federal Programs, Lisa Storer, Sustainable Design Program Manager, and Yannis Banks, Public Involvement Manager (Austin Transit Partnership) WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES Update from the Urban Forestry Committee – Richard Brimer (Committee Chair), Mariana Krueger, Colin Nickells, and Melinda Schiera Update from the Joint Sustainability Committee – Haris Qureshi (member) and Richard Brimer (alternate member) Update from the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan Citizen’s Advisory Committee – Jennifer Bristol Update from the Joint Committee of the Environmental Commission and Parks and Recreation Board – Perry Bedford, Hanna Cofer, Haris Qureshi, and Kevin Ramberg Update from the South Central …
Austin Light Rail Update Environmental Commission 1 FEBRUARY 21, 2024 PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION & INTEGRATED APPROACH WORK EFFORTS SCOPING 22 Upcoming Public Outreach Federal Process: NEPA MEETING LOCATION DATE/TIME University of Texas, Eastwoods Room, 2nd floor (ground level), Texas Union 2308 Whitis Ave, Austin, TX 78712 Thursday, February 1, 2024 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Montopolis Recreation and Community Center 1200 Montopolis Dr., Austin, TX 78741 Saturday, February 10, 2024 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. League of Women Voters, Cafetorium 3908 Avenue B, Suite 105, Austin, TX 78751 Virtual Open House Twin Oaks Library, Rooms 1 & 2 1800 S. 5th St., Austin, TX 78704 St. David's Episcopal, Sumners Hall 301 E. 8th St., Austin, TX 78701 Monday, February 12, 2024 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Thursday, February 22, 2024 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 27, 2024 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 29, 2024 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. 3 AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL PHASE 1- BASE DESIGN 9.8-mile Light Rail Transit (LRT) branched line, including 15 stations located north, south, and east of downtown Austin Light rail embedded in center of street PRIORITY EXTENSIONS Not included in the NEPA analysis Could be accelerated if additional funding becomes available 4 AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL ADVANCING DESIGN Evaluating design options identified through previous public engagement, technical and design opportunities STATION LOCATIONS Evaluating and optimizing proposed station locations MULTIMODAL INTEGRATION Study area to extend light rail bridge south of Lady Bird Lake Study area to locate bike and pedestrian facilities next to light rail, east of I-35 (center-running) along Riverside Drive Evaluate proposed end of line facilities and site locations 5 AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL NORTH SECTION Evaluate proposed end of line facilities and site locations 6 6 AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL DOWNTOWN SECTION DESIGN OPTION Option to add station near Wooldridge Square 7 7 DESIGN OPTION Option to locate station in private joint development off-street AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL SOUTH SECTION DESIGN OPTION (STUDY AREA) Study area to extend light rail bridge south of Lady Bird Lake Evaluate proposed end of line facilities and site locations DESIGN OPTION Consider options with and without Travis Heights station 8 8 AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL SOUTH SECTION DESIGN OPTION (STUDY AREA) FOR SOUTH OF LADY BIRD LAKE 1 OPTION Evaluating light rail running at street level 2 OPTION Evaluating light rail running on extended bridge 99 AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL EAST …
in a REGULAR meeting on ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, February 21, 2024 The ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION convened Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive in Austin, Texas. Chair Ramberg called the Environmental Commission Meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Hanna Cofer, Peter Einhorn, Haris Qureshi, Kevin Ramberg, Melina Schiera, and David Sullivan Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Perry Bedford, Richard Brimer, Jennifer Bristol, Mariana Krueger, Colin Nickells Commissioners Absent: None PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Adam Shedlosky, The Expedition School APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting on February 7, 2024 The minutes of the Environmental Commission Regular meeting on February 7, 2024 were approved on Commissioner Einhorn’s motion, Commissioner Bedford’s second on a 9-0 vote. Commissioners Schiera and Brimer abstained. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Presentation of Development Assessment Report for 500 South Congress, located at 500 South Congress Avenue, CD-2023-0001 (District 9). Applicant: Richard T. Suttle, Armbrust & Brown, PLLC. Staff: Sherri Sirwaitis, Planning Department, and Leslie Lilly, Environmental Program Manager, Watershed Protection Department Speakers: Sherri Sirwaitis, Planning Department Michael Iannacone, Related Companies Dawood Rouben, Related Companies Richard Suttle, Armbrust & Brown 1 Leslie Lilly, Watershed Protection Department Item conducted as posted. No action taken. 3. Presentation on the status of Austin Light Rail. Presenters: Jen Pyne, Executive Vice President Planning, Community & Federal Programs, Lisa Storer, Sustainable Design Program Manager, and Yannis Banks, Public Involvement Manager (Austin Transit Partnership) Speakers: Jennifer Pyne, Austin Transit Partnership Alvin Livingstone, Austin Transit Partnership Lisa Storer, Austin Transit Partnership Jocelyn Vicks, Austin Transit Partnership Zenobia Joseph, public commenter Liane Conte, Project Connect Office Item conducted as posted. No action taken. COMMITTEE UPDATES 4. Update from the Urban Forestry Committee – Richard Brimer (Committee Chair), Mariana Krueger, Colin Nickells, and Melinda Schiera 5. Update from the Joint Sustainability Committee – Haris Qureshi (member) and Richard Brimer (alternate member) Jennifer Bristol 6. Update from the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan Citizen’s Advisory Committee – 7. Update from the Joint Committee of the Environmental Commission and Parks and Recreation Board – Perry Bedford, Hanna Cofer, Haris Qureshi, and Kevin Ramberg 8. Update from the South Central Waterfront Advisory Board – David Sullivan FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Commissioner Qureshi mentioned a draft recommendation from the JSC regarding reducing emissions through concrete that he would like to bring to the Environmental Commission in the future. ADJOURNMENT Chair Ramberg adjourned the …
