20250507-004: Lifeworks at Tillery Staff Presentation — original pdf

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PSH – LifeWorks at Tillery SP-2025-0031C.SH Environmental Commission May 7, 2025 Heritage Tree Variance Request COMMISSION MEETING DATE: May 7th, 2025 NAME & NUMBER OF PROJECT: PSH – LifeWorks at Tillery, SP-2025-0031C.SH APPLICANT NAME: 3423 Tillery LLC LOCATION: 819 Tillery Street, Austin, TX, 78702 COUNCIL DISTRICT: District 3 STAFF: ORDINANCE: REQUEST: Naomi Rotramel, City Arborist, Development Services Department Heritage Tree Ordinance (LDC 25-8-641; LDC 25-8-643) The applicant is seeking the removal of a Heritage tree with a single stem over 30 inches in diameter. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: The request meets City Arborist approval criteria set forth in LDC 25-8-624(A)(2). The variance is recommended. Levels of Tree Ordinance Protection Land Development Code Approval Criteria Site and Project Description Site: • Zoned CS-MU-CO-MP: General Commercial Services, Mixed-Use Combining District, Conditional Overlay, and Neighborhood Plan Combining District • Located within the Boggy Creek watershed, classified as an urban watershed regulation area • The entire lot is 13 acres Project: • The site will be developed in three phases • The proposed development will consist of: • 120 SMART Housing Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) units on a one-acre lease • 240 Units at or below 80% Median Family Income (MFI) • 240 additional units • Two multifamily residential buildings and a few adjacent retail buildings along with one major driveway entry to the site from Tillery Street • Mixed use residential building with a sub-surface parking garage along Lyons Road Land Use Commission Variance Request Lease Area Phase 1 – Permanent Supportive Housing • One (1) Land Use Commission Heritage Pecan tree that is not either dead, diseased, or imminent hazard. • Tree #3510 has a single stem with a diameter of 32 inches and is centrally located within the PSH lease area. Alternative Layouts Preserving Tree 3510 Preservation of 34 Heritage Trees Phase I, II, &III • Commitment to meet preservation criteria in Environmental Criteria Manual (ECM 3.5.2) of 34 Heritage Trees • One Heritage tree transplant Administrative Variances • Six trees deemed dead, diseased, or imminent hazard (DDI) by five City Arborist staff • Four trees in poor condition • Two trees in fair and good condition Heritage Tree #3510 • Existing unpermitted impacts and soil compaction Limb failure and multiple attachments • • Structural defects • Fair to poor condition Heritage Tree #3510 • Cavity at load-bearing attachment of several scaffold limbs Tree #3510 Previously failed large limbs 4-8”diameter throughout the canopy Tree # 3510 – Advanced Assessment - Crown ResiTM Resistance Drill readings showing suspected decay Tree # 3510 – Advanced Assessment - Trunk Mitigation for Removal • The Environmental Criteria Manual (ECM) standard is 300% mitigation for Heritage trees • Payment will be made to the Urban Forest Replenishment Fund (UFRF) at $75 per inch for certified affordable developments for a total of $7,200. Staff Recommendation Following review of the applicant’s submitted materials and an assessment of on-site conditions, the City Arborist recommends approval of the proposed tree removal. The applicant has demonstrated that retention of the subject tree would prevent reasonable use of the property based on the following considerations: • • • • • • The location of the tree and its impact on the proposed development layout; Physical and design constraints of the site; The proposed land use and the lessor’s reluctance to accept the tree if relocated due to limitation of developable area on the remaining 12 acres of the site; Project funding limitations that preclude increasing building height to accommodate the tree; The applicant is committing to preserve 34 Heritage trees in compliance with ECM Section 3.5.2; Exploration of alternative design layouts that were ultimately determined to be unfeasible. Furthermore, there are no identified waivers, variances, or code modifications available that would enable development to proceed while preserving the tree in question. Questions?