Environmental Commission Special Called Meeting of the Environmental Commission - Special Called Meeting: 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, Events Center Room 1405, Austin, Texas 78752
Special Called Meeting of the Environmental Commission July 16th, 2025 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. 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 Justin Fleury Mariana Krueger, Vice Chair Martin Luecke Hanna Cofer, Secretary Ashika Ganguly Annie Fierro Jennifer Bristol, Chair David Sullivan Richard Brimer Isabella Changsut CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL AGENDA The first 5 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. STAFF BRIEFINGS 1. 2. Staff briefing on Robert’s Rules and general commission procedures – Elizabeth Funk, Program Coordinator, Watershed Protection Department Staff briefing on best practices for Environmental Commission recommendations – Liz Johnston, Interim Environmental Officer, Watershed Protection Department DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. Discuss goals and objectives for the Environmental Commission 2025-2026 year – Environmental Commission Chair Jennifer Bristol ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans 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 (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Elizabeth 512-568-2244, Elizabeth.Funk@austintexas.gov; for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. Protection Department, Funk, Watershed at For more information on the Environmental Commission, please contact Elizabeth Funk, Watershed Protection Department, at 512-568-2244, Elizabeth.Funk@austintexas.gov.
Roberts Rules 101 Agenda • Quick overview of the Boards and Commissions structure • Environmental Commission purview/mission • TOMA • Roberts Rules 101 • Procedural Rules • Types of items on an agenda 2 Boards and Commissions Advisory boards Sovereign Boards • Make recommendations to Council • Exercise independent authority and • Tasked with issues and concerns of the public, exploring possible options, providing feedback and recommendations to Council EX: Environmental Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission make decisions • Established by federal law, state law or City Charter • Includes Land Use Commissions: • Planning Commission • Zoning and Platting Commission 3 Environmental Commission Act in an advisory capacity on all projects and programs which affect the quality of life for the citizens of Austin. See Section 2-1-144 of the City Code for additional duties. 4 The commission shall: 1. Review all variances to requirements for water quality protection; 2. Review the monitoring of storm water runoff in developed and undeveloped areas; 3. Review the efficiency of existing and proposed structural and nonstructural water quality controls; 4. Periodically review the effectiveness of Chapter 25-4 (Subdivision); 5. Review waste treatment permits within the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction; 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Review programs and policies for flood control, erosion control, and water quality; Review capital improvement projects; Review municipal utility district proposals and amendments; Review roadway plan amendments; Recommend urban runoff standards; Review the environmental elements of planned unit developments. 5 6 Watershed Protection Dept Mission Watershed Protection protects lives, property and the environment of our community by reducing the impact of flooding, erosion and water pollution. See organization chart here. 7 • Community Tree Preservation • Environmental Inspection • Environmental Review See org chart here. 8 TOMA Texas Open Meetings Act • State Law states that when a quorum of a governmental body is in attendance and that body discusses public business, the meeting must follow certain guidelines • Agenda must be posted 72 hours in advance of the meeting • Only subjects listed on the posted agenda be considered for that meetin • A simple majority (6 members) must be present or visible and audible (if attending online) • Avoid walking quorum and a daisy-chain quorum 9 Roberts Rules Main Motion • A motion must be made and seconded to initiate discussion on an issue posted for action Amendments • Additions that doesn’t change the meaning of …
Recommended with Conditions Finding of Facts and Conditional Approvals Presented to Environmental Commission on 7/16/2025 Liz Johnston, Interim Environmental Officer WPD EV Commission Recommendations Application types require distinct considerations • Land Use Commission Variances = Findings of Fact • Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) = Tier 1 & Tier 2 Superiority Items • MUDs = Extraordinary Community Benefits • Restrictive Covenant Amendments = Zoning laws apply • Save Our Springs site specific amendments = No code defined considerations. Water quality impacts are most important. Land Use Commission Variances • Land Use Commission (LUC) Variances occur when either Zoning and Platting or Planning Commission must approve the variance after receiving a recommendation from Environmental Commission • Variances are necessary when a proposed project cannot comply with the Land Development Code (LDC) • Environmental variances may be requested from any code requirement in 25-8 except 25-8 Article 13 Save Our Springs • Other code sections may require different variance processes. • Ex: Zoning variances are heard by the Board of Adjustment unless otherwise described • The LDC allows certain variances to be approved administratively (staff approved) Variance Approval Process • Both staff and applicant create separate versions of the Findings of Fact – submitted as backup with each variance • EVC may accept or reject staff’s recommendations • Recommended disapprovals should have a basis in not meeting one of the findings • PC & ZAP are the Land Use Commissions (LUCs) that hear environmental variances • Cases located in a neighborhood planning area are heard by Planning Commission. All others are heard by the Zoning and Platting Commission. • LUC issues final decision. • EVC variances have no appeals. Land Use Commission Variances FINDINGS OF FACT Land Development Code § 25-8-41 § 25-8-41 LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCES (A) It is the applicant's burden to establish that the findings described in this Section have been met. Except as provided in Subsections (B) and (C), the Land Use Commission may grant a variance from a requirement of this subchapter after determining that: (1) the requirement will deprive the applicant of a privilege available to owners of other similarly situated property with approximately contemporaneous development subject to similar code requirements; (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; …
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SPECIAL CALLED MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, July 16, 2025 The Environmental Commission convened in a Special Called meeting on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive in Austin, Texas. Chair Bristol called the Environmental Commission Meeting to order at 6:11 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Jennifer Bristol, Mariana Krueger, Annie Fierro, Martin Luecke, David Sullivan Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Richard Brimer Commissioners Absent: Haris Qureshi, Isabella Changsut, Hanna Cofer, Ashika Ganguly PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL STAFF BRIEFINGS 1. Staff briefing on Robert’s Rules and general commission procedures – Elizabeth Funk, Program Coordinator, Watershed Protection Department Item conducted as posted. No action taken. 2. Staff briefing on best practices for Environmental Commission recommendations – Liz Johnston, Interim Environmental Officer, Watershed Protection Item conducted as posted. No action taken. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. Discuss goals and objectives for the Environmental Commission 2025-2026 year – Environmental Commission Chair Jennifer Bristol Item conducted as posted. No action taken. 1 ADJOURNMEN Chair Bristol adjourned the meeting at 8:30 pm without objection. The minutes from the July 16, 2025 Special Called meeting were approved at the August 7, 2025 meeting on Commissioner Sullivan’s motion, Commissioner Krueger’s second on a 7- 0 vote. Commissioners Changsut and Ganguly were off the dais. Commissioners Cofer and Qureshi were absent. 2
