20260415-001, Draft Meeting Minutes April 1, 2026 — original pdf
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ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MINUTES REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2026 The Environmental Commission convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at the Permitting and Development Center, Room 1405, located at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive in Austin, Texas. Vice Chair Krueger called the Environmental Commission Meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Mariana Krueger, Vice Chair Haris Qureshi, Secretary Richard Brimer Isabella Changsut Annie Fierro Justin Fleury Martin Luecke Mar Moretta-Urdiales Allison Morrison David Sullivan Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Jennifer Bristol, Chair PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Corbin Graham, Landfill leachate leakage in Walnut Creek watershed Roy Waley, Elon Musk’s data centers APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting on March 4, 2026. The minutes from the Environmental Commission Regular Meeting on March 4, 2026, were approved on Commissioner Sullivan’s motion, Commissioner Brimer’s second, on a 10-0 vote. Chair Bristol was off the dais. 1 PUBLIC HEARINGS 2. Name: 1404 East Riverside PUD, C814-2025-0111 Applicant: Amanda Swor, Drenner Group Location: 1404 East Riverside Drive Council District: 3 Staff: Sean Watson, Environmental Program Coordinator, Austin Watershed Protection, 512- 963-2167, Sean.Watson@austintexas.gov Applicant Request: The applicant proposes a new Planned Unit Development (PUD) Staff Recommendation: Recommended with conditions The meeting was recessed at 6:38 p.m. until 6:47 p.m. without objection. The public hearing was conducted, and a motion to close the public hearing was approved on Commissioner Sullivan’s motion, Commissioner Brimer’s second, on an 11-0 vote. The motion to recommend the project 1404 East Riverside PUD, C814-2025-0111, located at 1404 East Riverside Drive, to Council with conditions and the following amendments was approved on Secretary Qureshi’s motion, Commissioner Brimer’s second on an 11-0 vote. The following amendment was made by Commissioner Fleury and seconded by Chair Bristol. The amendment was to revise the condition “Of the existing parking on site, reserve at least ten parking spaces, including ADA-compliant parking, on the ground level garage floor for public parking and park access” to read: “Of the existing parking on site, reconsider reserving some parking spaces, including ADA- compliant parking, on the ground level garage floor for public parking and park access.” The amendment was approved on a 10-1 vote. Commissioner Brimer voted nay. The following amendment was made by Chair Bristol. The amendment was to remove the condition of maximum allowable height of 120 feet. The amendment was approved on an 11-0 vote without objection. 3. Name: Rundberg Multifamily, SP-2024-0381C.SH Applicant: Sydney Barre, WGI Location: 204 East Rundberg Lane Council District: 4 Staff: John Clement, Environmental Conservation Program Manager, Austin Watershed Protection, 512-974-1475, John.Clement@austintexas.gov Applicant Request: Request to vary from LDC 25-8-261 (G) to allow floodplain modification in a Critical Water Quality Zone (CWQZ); Request to vary from LDC 25-8-263(C)(3) to allow floodplain modification outside of a CWQZ in an area determined to be in good condition. Staff Recommendation: Recommended with conditions The public hearing was conducted, and a motion to close the public hearing was approved on Commissioner Sullivan’s motion, Commissioner Brimer’s second, on an 11-0 vote. 2 The motion to recommend the project Rundberg Multifamily, SP-2024-0381C.SH, located at 204 East Rundberg Lane, to Council with conditions was approved on Secretary Qureshi’s motion, Commissioner Brimer’s second on an 11-0 vote. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. Approve a recommendation to Council regarding the impact of data centers and their energy consumption and water usage. Sponsors: Commissioners Fleury and Sullivan. The motion to waive the rules and allow the Environmental Commission to meet after 10 p.m. was approved on Chair Bristol’s motion, Secretary Qureshi’s second, on an 11-0 vote. The motion to approve the recommendation to Council regarding data center environmental management was approved on Commissioner Fleury’s motion, Commissioner Brimer’s second, on a 10-0 vote. Commissioner Morrison abstained. 5. Conduct officer elections for the Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary. Mariana Krueger was elected as Chair on Chair Bristol’s motion, Secretary Qureshi’s second on a 10-0 vote. Commissioner Morrison was off the dais. Haris Qureshi was elected as Secretary on Vice Chair Kruger’s motion, Commissioner Changsut’s second, on a 10-0 vote. Commissioner Morrison was off the dais. Jennifer Bristol was elected as Vice Chair on Secretary Qureshi’s motion, Vice Chair Krueger’s second on a 10-0 vote. Commissioner Morrison was off the dais. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT Vice Chair Krueger adjourned the meeting at 10:11 p.m. without objection. 3