REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2026, AT 6:00 P.M. PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER, ROOM 1405 6310 WILHELMINA DELCO DRIVE AUSTIN, TEXAS 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 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, contact Nicole Corona, 737-291-3084, Nicole.Corona@austintexas.gov. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Mariana Krueger, Chair Jennifer Bristol, Vice Chair Haris Qureshi, Secretary Richard Brimer Isabella Changsut Annie Fierro AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Justin Fleury Martin Luecke Allison Morrison David Sullivan The first ten 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 July 1, 2026. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding the history of Austin Watershed Protection ordinances. Presentation by Matt Hollon, Regulatory Policy Analyst, Austin Watershed Protection. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 4. 5. 6. Discussion of Environmental Commission Bylaws. Discussion of Robert’s Rules of Order, the Texas Open Meetings Act, and general commission procedures. Presentation by Commissioner Sullivan. Discussion of public comment process. Discussion of the 2025-2026 goals and objectives of the Environmental Commission. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS City Code requires at least two board members sponsor an item to be included on an agenda. This section of the agenda provides members an opportunity to request items for future agendas. Staff should assume that if there is no objection from other members expressed at the meeting, the members’ silence indicates approval for staff to include on the next agenda. 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. For assistance, please contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request language access accommodations no later than 48 hours before the scheduled meeting. Please call or email Nicole Corona at Austin Watershed Protection, at 737-291-3084, Nicole.Corona@austintexas.gov to request service or for additional information. For more information …
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MINUTES REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2026 The Environmental Commission convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at the Permitting and Development Center, Room 1405, located at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive in Austin, Texas. Chair Krueger called the Environmental Commission Meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Mariana Krueger, Chair Jennifer Bristol, Vice Chair Haris Qureshi, Secretary Justin Fleury Martin Luecke David Sullivan Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Richard Brimer Annie Fierro PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting on June 17, 2026. The minutes from the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting on June 17, 2026, were approved on Commissioner Sullivan’s motion, Commissioner Luecke’s second, on a 6-0 vote. Commissioners Brimer and Fierro were off the dais. Commissioners Changsut and Morrison were absent. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding Austin Watershed Protection's Reservoir Update for Fiscal Year 2025- 2026. Presentation by Brent Bellinger, Conservation Program Supervisor, Austin Watershed Protection. The presentation was made by Brent Bellinger, Conservation Program Supervisor, Austin Watershed Protection. 1 3. Staff briefing regarding Austin Resource Recovery's On-Demand Brush, Bulk, and Household Hazardous Waste Program. Presentation by Ron Romero, Assistant Director, Samuel Gilbert, Litter Abatement Division Manager, and Andy Dawson, Diversion Facilities Assistant Division Manager, Austin Resource Recovery. The presentation was made by Ron Romero, Assistant Director, Samuel Gilbert, Litter Abatement Division Manager, and Andy Dawson, Diversion Facilities Assistant Division Manager, Austin Resource Recovery. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. 5. Discussion and action to recommend approval of the Austin Water Capital Improvement Projects located in the Drinking Water Protection Zone for inclusion in the five-year Capital spending plan as required by Financial Policy #8. The motion to approve the Austin Water Capital Improvement Projects located in the Drinking Water Protection Zone for inclusion in the five-year Capital spending plan as required by Financial Policy #8, and request that the 2027 report reflect any water leak detection or abatement in the drinking water zone, was approved on Secretary Qureshi’s motion, Commissioner Sullivan’s second, on an 8-0 vote. Commissioners Changsut and Morrison were absent. Approve a recommendation to Council from the Dog’s Head Working Group regarding the environmental aspects and future potential City Council action, including a vote on the creation of a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), for the Dog’s Head area, located between the Colorado River, US Highway 183, and State …
The History of Austin’s Watershed Protection Ordinances Austin Watershed Protection | 07/15/2026 Presentation Outline Major, historic Austin moments The impact of geography, weather, demography, and politics Key watershed protection regulations Austin’s major watershed ordinances Concluding thoughts 4 4 Geography: Edwards Plateau Barton Creek looking toward downtown 5 Geography: Blackland Prairie Gilleland Creek at SH 130 Crossing 6 Lake Travis Lake Austin Lady Bird Lake Colorado River Welcome to AUSTIN 7 Rapid Population Growth 11th largest city in the U.S. 22% population change 2010-18 2nd highest rate in top 50 U.S. cities But recently slowing in Austin Current estimated population (2025) 1.03 million in full-purpose limits 2.62 million in the 5-county MSA Development required to keep pace MSA = Metropolitan Statistical Area Austin Population 1940-2025 + Projection to 2050 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,000,000 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 n o i t a l u p o P Projected Past 0 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 2040 2060 Year Source: https://demographics-austin.hub.arcgis.com/... 8 Citizen Involvement Highly aware & educated community Politically & socially active community 9 State Involvement Highly aware & educated community Politically & socially active community 10 Flash Flood Alley The Central Texas Hill Country is the most flash-flood-prone area in North America “Texas is a land of perennial drought, broken by the occasional devastating flood.” Unnamed National Weather Service meteorologist, 1927 Pontoon Bridge, 1869 Destroyed by flood < 1 year after built 12 Original Austin Dam Completed 1891 13 Original Austin Dam Destroyed 1900 14 2nd Dam begun, 1912… Damaged in construction by two large floods… never completely built 15 1935 Flood 16 1935 Flood 17 Construction of the Highland Lakes 18 Lake Travis at Mansfield Dam, built 1942 LCRA photo 19 Tom Miller Dam, built 1940 LCRA photo 20 1981 Memorial Day Flood 21 Barton Creek Square Mall Barton Springs: ~ 2 miles downstream 22 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQNrdLTvlFc 23 Eastern Headwaters Creeks 24 2013 Onion Creek Flood 25 Key Watershed Protection Regulations (from ordinances) Watershed classification (impervious cover and more) Impervious cover limits Floodplain restrictions/prohibitions Stream setbacks/buffers Erosion hazard zone (EHZ) requirements No adverse impact flood detention ponds Water quality controls (“ponds”) 26 26 Key Watershed Protection Regulations (from ordinances, continued) Erosion & sedimentation controls Critical Environmental Feature (CEF) setbacks/buffers Steep slope protections Cut & fill …
Robert’s Rules of Order for CoA Meetings Dave Sullivan Former Planning Commission Parliamentarian & Chair Current member of Housing Investment Review Committee, Environmental Commission, ATP Advisory Committee Environmental Comm. July 15, 2026 1 Robert’s Rules…. from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert%27s_Rules_of_Order • A U.S. Army officer, Henry Martyn Robert (1837–1923), saw a need for a standard of parliamentary procedure while living in San Francisco. He found San Francisco in the mid-to-late 19th century to be a chaotic place where meetings of any kind tended to be tumultuous, with little consistency of procedure and with people of many nationalities and traditions thrown together. • The first edition of the book, whose full title was Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies, was published in February 1876 by the then-Major Robert, with the short title Robert's Rules of Order placed on its cover. Environmental Comm. July 15, 2026 2 Lots of resources • https://robertsrulesmadesimple.com/ • Robert's Rules in Plain English, 2nd edition, Doris Zimmerman, HarperCollins Publishers, 2009 Environmental Comm. July 15, 2026 3 Main Principles: • Only one motion can be discussed at a time. • Everyone has the right to participate in discussion before anyone may speak a second time. • Everyone has the right to know what is going on at all times. • Only urgent matters may interrupt a speaker. Environmental Comm. July 15, 2026 4 Following presentation of an agenda item, and citizens speakers • Chair calls for a motion. • Generally, the chair facilitates the discussion, but she can also make or second a motion. • A motion, once made, must be seconded before discussion/debate begins. The maker and seconder get to explain why they put forward the motion. • Following the motion/second, the chair facilitates an orderly discussion or debate. Board rules may limit the time a member can speak. • One must wait until after everyone else has spoken before speaking a second time, unless it is to answer a question posed by another speaker. Environmental Comm. July 15, 2026 5 Types of motions… • Main motion (or base motion) on an agenda item. Req’s 2nd. • Amendment to main motion. Req’s 2nd. • Limit debate/Call for a vote. Req’s 2nd. Requires 2/3 vote… (8 yeas out of 11 members). • Postpone. Req’s 2nd. • Recess, Adjourn, Req’s 2nd. • Table a motion. Req’s 2nd. • Remove from the table (take up the issue). Req’s 2nd. …
Texas Open Meetings Act Dave Sullivan Former Planning Commission Parliamentarian & Chair Current member of Housing Investment Review Committee, Environmental Commission, ATP Advisory Committee Environmental Comm. July 15, 2026 1 Resources • TOMA online handbook: • https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sit es/default/files/files/divisions/open- government/openmeetings_hb.pdf • CoA meeting rules: • https://library.municode.com/tx/austin/c odes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT2A D_CH2-1CIBO Environmental Comm. July 15, 2026 2 The TOM Act • Adopted in 1967 as article 6252-17 of the Revised Civil Statutes, • Substantially revised in 1973 • Codified without substantive change in 1993 as Government Code chapter 551.5 • The Act has been amended many times since its enactment, e.g., with development of the Internet, and most recently to allow some remote attendance at meetings during the COVID period. Environmental Comm. July 15, 2026 3 Details • Quorum requirement. • Majority vote. • Meeting in public, some executive sessions allowed. • Meeting must be pre-noticed. • Err on the side or open government. • May use Robert’s Rules of Order to conduct meetings. • May not conduct meetings with procedures inconsistent with TOMA. Environmental Comm. July 15, 2026 4 Quorum & Voting • “Absent an express provision to the contrary, a proposition is carried in a deliberative body by a majority of the legal votes cast, a quorum being present. Thus, if a body is “composed of twelve members, a quorum of seven could act, and a majority of that quorum, four, could bind the body.” But….. • For CoA Boards & Commissions, a quorum must be present to hold a meeting, and a majority of “seats” must support any resolution to pass. So, if a CoA panel has 11 seats, and only 6 members are present (or online) for a meeting, a quorum is met, but only unanimous resolutions pass. (CITY CODE: CHAPTER 2-1. - CITY BOARDS) Environmental Comm. July 15, 2026 5 Posting requirements • Notice must be posted for a minimum length of time before each meeting. Section 551.043(a) states: “The notice of a meeting of a governmental body must be posted in a place readily accessible to the general public at all times for at least three business days before the scheduled date of the meeting.” • Posting must be on the Website and in a hard-copy public space. • Posting must give the public a good idea of what will be discussed. I.e., Agenda listings such as “City Manager Report” alone, without listing topics to be discussed, is …
Environmental Commission Workflow Land Use Variance Planned Unit Development Service Extension Request Environmental Commission Recommendation Environmental Commission Recommendation Environmental Commission Recommendation Project not within a neighborhood plan Project within a neighborhood plan Planning Commission Water and Wastewater Commission Zoning and Platting Commission Final hearing; determines final conditions and whether or not the variance is approved Planning Commission Final hearing; determines final conditions and whether or not the variance is approved Hears the case and votes for or against the development Hears the case and votes for or against the request Austin City Council Austin City Council Considers commissions’ recommendations and makes the final decision Considers commissions’ recommedations and makes the final decision Final Decision Final Decision Final Decision Final Decision Environmental Commission Workflow Code Changes, including code changes to 25-7 Drainage, 25-8 Supchapter A Water Quality, and Site-Specific Amendments to Save Our Springs (SOS) Initiation for Code Change Environmental Commission May make a recommendation for Planning Commission to initiate a code change Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee May make a recommendation for Planning Commission to initiate a code change Planning Commission May initiate a code change Austin City Council May initiate a code change Code change is initiated Environmental Commission Workflow Code Changes, including code changes to 25-7 Drainage, 25-8 Supchapter A Water Quality, and Site-Specific Amendments to Save Our Springs (SOS) Ordinance Adoption for Code Change Environmental Commission May make a recommendation to adopt a code change Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee May make a recommendation to adopt a code change Planning Commission Hears the case and makes a recommendation to Austin City Council Austin City Council Considers commissions’ recommendations and makes the final decision *SOS amendments need a super majority vote Ordinance is adopted
