Regular Meeting of the Environmental Commission September 17, 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. 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 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 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. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting on September 3rd, 2025. 1 DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. 3. Thank Commissioner Cofer for her service to the Environmental Commission – Liz Johnston, Environmental Officer, Watershed Protection Presentation of Development Assessment Report for 1404 East Riverside Drive, located at 1400 ½ and 1404 East Riverside Drive, CD-2025-0002 (District 3). Applicant: Amanda Swor, Drenner Group. Staff: Marcelle Boudreaux, Planning Department, and Leslie Lilly, Environmental Program Manager, Watershed Protection Department DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. Presentation and possible recommendation on Staff’s response to Council Resolution 20241121-073, related to Bird-Friendly design – Leslie Lilly, Environmental Conservation Program Manager, Watershed Protection Department. STAFF BRIEFINGS 5. 6. Staff briefing on Austin Water’s Wildlands – Sherri Kuhl, Environmental Resource Officer, and Justin Bates, Environmental Conservation Division Manager, Austin Water Staff briefing on a change to the Austin Parks and Recreation Concessions Policy to create Legacy Concessions – Idella Wilson, Contract Management Specialist IV, Austin Parks and Recreation – Idella Wilson, Contract Management Specialist IV, Austin …
RESPONSE TO COUNCIL RESOLUTION 20241121-073 BIRD-FRIENDLYDESIGN REPORT 9/10/2025 Response to 20241121-073 Table of Contents Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................. 4 Overview of Bird Friendly Design .......................................................................................................... 5 Migration and Habitat in Austin............................................................................................................ 5 Glass and Building Design Elements ..................................................................................................... 6 Lighting Standards to Minimize Light Pollution .................................................................................... 9 Behavioral practices ............................................................................................................................ 10 Benchmarking Report on Bird Friendly Design in North America ....................................................... 11 New York City, NY ............................................................................................................................... 11 Madison, WI ........................................................................................................................................ 12 Portland, ME ....................................................................................................................................... 12 Berkeley, CA ........................................................................................................................................ 13 Toronto, ON ........................................................................................................................................ 13 Arlington County, VA........................................................................................................................... 14 Bird Friendly Design in Austin ............................................................................................................. 15 Austin Energy Green Building ............................................................................................................. 15 Lights Out Austin! ................................................................................................................................ 16 Site Specific Regulations ..................................................................................................................... 16 Glass and Lighting Requirements in Code ........................................................................................... 17 Case Studies of Bird Friendly Projects in Austin.................................................................................. 17 Considerations for New Construction ................................................................................................. 19 Co-Benefits of Bird Friendly Design .................................................................................................... 19 The 100/100/100 rule ......................................................................................................................... 21 Best Practices for Low-, Mid-, and High-Rise Buildings ...................................................................... 21 Feasibility of Bird Friendly Building in Austin ....................................................................................... 23 Cost Estimates ..................................................................................................................................... 23 Building Plan Review ........................................................................................................................... 25 Inspection and Compliance ................................................................................................................. 26 Education ............................................................................................................................................ 26 Stakeholder Engagement .................................................................................................................... 26 Boards and Commission ..................................................................................................................... 28 Staff Recommendations ..................................................................................................................... 29 1. Land Development Code Amendment ............................................................................................ 29 9/10/2025 Response to 20241121-073 2. Austin Energy Green Building Program and Policy Updates ........................................................... 29 3. Residential Educational Campaign .................................................................................................. 30 Contributors: ..................................................................................................................................... 31 References:........................................................................................................................................ 32 Appendix A: Benchmarking Data and City Regulations ........................................................................ 33 Appendix B: Austin Energy Green Building Program Requirements ..................................................... 34 Appendix C: Stakeholder Engagement Plan ........................................................................................ 36 Appendix D: Bird Friendly Design for Residential ................................................................................. 37 9/10/2025 Response to 20241121-073 Executive Summary implementation, In response to City Council Resolution 20241121-073, staff conducted comprehensive research on bird- friendly building design including stakeholder engagement with developers, environmental organizations, and the public through virtual sessions, public tours of the Austin Airport IT building, and professional roundtable discussions in collaboration with the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The following analysis provides an overview of the impact that building collisions have on bird populations and how Austin can address the problem through assessing local case studies, cost feasibility, and regulatory frameworks from peer cities including New York, Madison, Portland, Toronto, Berkeley, and Arlington County, VA. The report explores how Austin's built environment and land development regulations present many opportunities for bird-friendly design implementation, including already existing regulatory mechanisms and programs like Planned Unit Development (PUD) Zoning and the Austin …
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, September 3, 2025 The Environmental Commission convened in a Regular meeting on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive in Austin, Texas. Chair Bristol called the Environmental Commission Meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Jennifer Bristol, Mariana Krueger, Richard Brimer, Justin Fleury, Martin Luecke, David Sullivan Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Isabella Changsut, Commissioners Absent: Hanna Cofer, Annie Fierro, Ashika Ganguly, Haris Qureshi PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting on August 20th, 2025 The minutes of the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting on August 20th, 2025 were approved on Commissioner Sullivan’s motion, Commissioner Brimer’s second on a 6-0 vote. Commissioners Cofer, Fierro, Ganguly, and Qureshi were absent. Commissioner Krueger was off the dais. PUBLIC HEARINGS 2. Name: The Clovis at McKinney Falls, SP-2024-0202D Applicant: Jake Brown; LDG Development, LLC Location: 6507 McKinney Falls Parkway, Austin, Texas 78744 Council District: N/A - Extra Territorial Jurisdiction Staff: Mohamad Abdulkader, Senior Environmental Review Specialist, Development Services Department; 512-974-6303; Mohamad.abdulkader@austintexas.gov Applicant request: Variance request is as follows: Request to vary from LDC 25-8-342 to allow fill 8 feet to 15 feet. 1 Staff Recommendation: Staff recommended with conditions Speakers: Mohamad Abdulkader, DSD J Segura, Engineer for the project A motion to close the public hearing passed on Commissioner Bristol’s motion, Commissioner Sullivan’s second, on a 7-0 vote. Commissioners Cofer, Fierro, Ganguly, and Qureshi were absent. A motion to recommend the Clovis at McKinney Falls variance request with conditions passed on Commissioner Krueger’s motion, Commissioner Bristol’s second on a 7 –0 vote. Commissioners Cofer, Fierro, Ganguly, and Qureshi were absent. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. Presentation on Austin’s reservoirs monitoring and management efforts — Brent Bellinger, Conservation Program Supervisor, Watershed Protection Department Item conducted as posted. No action taken. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS None ADJOURNMENT Chair Bristol adjourned the meeting at 8:23 pm without objection. 2
Bird Friendly Design in Austin Austin Watershed Protection Leslie Lilly City Staff Wa t e r s h e d P r o t e c t i o n Liz Johnston, Leslie Lilly, Elizabeth Funk Matt Hollon, Sean Watson A u s t i n E n e r g y G r e e n B u i l d i n g Garret Jaynes, Heidi Kasper D e v e l o p m e n t S e r v i c e s D e p a r t m e n t Farhana Biswas B u i l d i n g S e r v i c e s Kit Johnson, Nate Jackson A n i m a l S e r v i c e s Emery Sadkin P l a n n i n g Jordan Feldman 2 Resolution 20241121-073 • Came out of a recommendation from a working group and Resolution 20210902-050 on Lights Out Austin • Directs staff to: • Update on Light’s Out Austin • Explore integration of bird-friendly building techniques for new low-rise, mid-rise and high-rise buildings • Conduct a feasibility analysis on the potential impacts of these standards • Seek input from stakeholders, including developers, environmental organizations, and the public. 3 Migration and Habitat • Austin was designated a Bird City in 2023 • Austin within North America’s Central Flyway • Over 400 species of birds • Edwards Plateau and the Blackland Prairies habitat • Premier destination for birdwatchers throughout most of the year. • Birding generates more than $5 billion in annual ecotourism revenue in Texas ($279 billion nationwide) 4 The Problem Bird collisions have both local relevance and enormous impact. Birds do not perceive glass as a barrier. In daytime, birds encounter reflective or translucent glass. In nighttime, birds encounter artificial sources of light. Birds fly to these confusing features, without seeing the glass barriers. The collision is deadly. An estimated 1 billion birds die every year. 5 Solutions Glass Strategies B i r d - f r i e n d l y d e s i g n i n c l u d e s : • reducing the use of glass • reducing glass exposure (using solar shading, external insect/solar screens, louvers, etc.) • incorporating bird-friendly signals (markers) in or on the glass • UV coating, glazing, and etched or …
Wildlands for Water, Wildlife, and People Environmental Commission September 17, 2025 Environmental Resource Office (ERO) Wildland Conservation Division o Water Quality Protection Lands (WQPL) o Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP) Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan (BCCP) Center for Environmental Research at Hornsby Bend Climate Protection Austin: A biodiversity hotspot Austin’s population has doubled every 20-25 years Austin Austin Metro 87,930 214,603 186,545 301,261 345,890 585,051 656,562 1,249,763 961,855 2,283,371 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 Austin’s Wildlands: A Unique Gift A 30-year, $250M+ commitment to protecting Austin’s unique landscapes A large-scale network of conservation lands that benefit water, wildlife, and people • 49,000 acres and growing Managed under goals of two programs: • Balcones Canyonlands Preserve • Water Quality Protection Lands Intentionally placed with Austin Water to ensure support and stewardship into the future Balcones Canyonlands Preserve Goal: Protect woodland and cave habitat for endangered species & species of concern Provides mitigation for habitat loss from energy, communication and transportation infrastructure Public areas of preserve include some of Austin’s favorite places: o Barton Creek o Mt. Bonnell o Bull Creek Helps to protect quality of our water supply in Lake Travis & Lake Austin watersheds 33,000+ acres (COA + partners) Habitat Conservation Plan sets targets for size/configuration of land in each macrosite Protection of 62 named caves The BCCP facilitates development. 1,500+ landowners/ developers 400+ infrastructure projects 12,000+ acres Water Quality Protection Lands Goal: Protect and restore native grassland savannas and creeks that provide the main source of water flowing from Barton Springs Actively manage land over ¼ of the recharge zone to protect groundwater Prescribed burn program carefully mimics natural fire cycle using highly trained wildland fire professionals Goal of 100,000 acres protected over Barton Springs Zone 12,000+ acres in fee 22,000+ acres in conservation easements Plus regulatory protection Wildland Conservation Ongoing Management Understand • • Intensive monitoring of endangered species and species of concern Vegetation transects • Oak wilt monitoring • • • • Invasive species monitoring/mapping Drought, winter storm impacts Live fuel moisture monitoring In-house and external research Protect • • • • Boundary patrols Fence construction and repair Facility management Invasive species management • Wildfire fuel mitigation • Conservation easement reviews Restore/Enhance • Grassland and forest restoration Prescribed fire Seed collection Nursery operations • • • • Oak wilt trenching • • Karst feature …
Austin Parks and Recreation Policies and Procedures Update for Concessions in City Parks System Environmental Commission Meeting September 17, 2025 Presenters: Idella Wilson, Contract Management Specialist IV Suzanne Piper, DBA, Chief Administrative Officer Commercial Visitor Services Policy for Concessions in City’s Parks System Purpose Establish Policies and Procedures intended to maintain the aesthetic and environmental quality of the Parks System, provide positive recreational experiences to park visitors, and ensure a financial return to the City from park concessions. Authority In accordance with City Code Title 8, the Austin Parks and Recreation Director has the authority and responsibility to execute policies and procedures for concessions in City of Austin parks in accordance with City policies and best practices. Supersedes Policy: • March 12, 1998, Adopted by Council Resolution 980312-25 Definitions Applicable Rules means the applicable provisions of City Code Title 8, the Park Use Rules, and these Policies and Procedures, as they may be amended from time to time. Concession means a business owned by a private citizen or a privately- owned business operating in the Parks System pursuant to an agreement between the City and the citizen or business or a permit issued by the Department. Examples include, but are not limited to, food and beverage stands, boat and watercraft recreation services, bicycle rentals, pushcarts, and souvenir stands. Legacy Concession means an existing Permanent Concession that: • Has been continuously owned and operated in the same park location by the same person or a Family Member for at least 30 years; • Has operated under the same or a similar name for the entirety of its existence; • Contributes to the City’s history and culture, as determined by the Department in its sole discretion; and • Has maintained the physical features of the Concession in good condition. Concessionaire means a private citizen or privately owned business operating a Concession. Parks System means all City of Austin parks, parkland, park amenities, facilities, buildings or bodies of water. Department means Austin Parks and Recreation. Director means the Director of the Department or designee. Permanent Concession means a Concession operating pursuant to an agreement between the City and the Concessionaire with a term of more than six months. Family Member means a biological or adoptive parent, biological or adoptive grandparent, spouse (husband, wife, domestic partner), child (biological, adopted, stepchild, foster, legal ward), sibling (biological, adopted, stepsibling), and parent, grandparent, or sibling of a …
BRIEFING SUMMARY SHEET DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT CASE NUMBER: CD-2025-0002 REQUEST: Presentation of a Development Assessment Report for 1404 E. Riverside Planned Unit Development (PUD), located at 1400 ½ and 1404 East Riverside Drive, within the Lady Bird Lake Watershed in District 3. DEPARTMENT COMMENTS: The applicant has submitted a development assessment for an approximately 2.62-acre mixed use project located on the north side of East Riverside Drive, with frontage onto Lady Bird Lake, approximately 500 feet east of the intersection of East Riverside Drive and IH-35 frontage road (see Case Map – Exhibit A). The property in question is currently undeveloped and was previously the Acton Business School property, zoned ERC-CMU. It is located within the Waterfront Overlay combining district (WO), the WO East Riverside subdistrict. It is designated as “Specific Regulating District” on the Future Land Use Map in the East Riverside/ Oltorf Combined Neighborhood Plan. The property is located within the Lady Bird Lake Watershed, which is classified as an Urban Watershed. The proposed PUD is in an area that includes the 100-year floodplain and Critical Water Quality Zone (CWQZ). The current alignment of the Austin Light Rail Phase 1 runs alongside the property on East Riverside Drive. The proposed PUD consists of a development proposing 381 residential units. The project will include an amendment to the approved Acton School Redevelopment site plan (SP-2021-0451C), which permits 222 multifamily units, inclusive of 15 on-site affordable units, and includes 44% of site area for parkland dedication (see Development Assessment Application Letter – Exhibit B). The applicant states that they are seeking CS, general commercial services, district zoning and site development regulations for the PUD. The PUD seeks to remove the maximum height limitations established in the Waterfront Overlay, East Riverside subdistrict, which will allow a height maximum of 180 feet for the site. Further, the PUD proposes to allow a maximum of 65% impervious cover. The PUD proposes a maximum FAR of 4:1. In the Applicant summary, there is a note that they seek to establish the baseline at 2:1 FAR for purposes of complying with the development bonus as it applies to Development Bonuses (Chapter 25-2, Subchapter B, Article 2, Division 5, Subpart B, Section 2.5); the applicant notes they seek to retain the already approved 15 on-site affordable units and will comply with Development Bonuses for any additional requirements (see PUD Land Use Plan – Exhibit C). The envisioned …
