20260819-002, 5811 Southwest Parkway SOS Amendment C20-2026-008 Staff Report Updated — original pdf

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C20-2026-008 ORDINANCE AMENDMENT REVIEW SHEET Amendment: C20-2026-008 Site-Specific SOS Amendment. Description: Amends Land Development Code (LDC) 25-8 Article 13 Save Our Springs Initiative of the Land Development Code for proposed development at 5811 Southwest Parkway. Proposed Language: Consider an ordinance granting a site-specific amendment to City Code Chapter 25-8, Subchapter A, Article 13 (Save Our Springs Initiative), as minimally required to address development at the site located at 5811 Southwest Parkway. This action concerns land located in the Barton Springs Zone. Summary of proposed code amendment The amendment under consideration is related to proposed development at 5811 Southwest Parkway that was submitted for review in February 2025. The property is located in the Barton Creek Watershed, in the Barton Springs Zone, and within the recharge zone of the Edwards Aquifer, which pursuant to current city code and the Save Our Springs (SOS) ordinance, requires non-degradation water quality treatment for all development and impervious cover limited to 15% Net Site Area (NSA). The 3.026-acre site located at 5811 Southwest Parkway is an abandoned mobile home park. To redevelop the site as a childcare facility (commercial), the owner is committed to no expansion of impervious cover and standards that meet and exceed all the requirements of the Barton Springs Zone redevelopment ordinance. The owner is also committed to incorporating additional environmental and resource-efficient strategies such as rainwater harvesting systems and green roofs, design of swales and appropriate setbacks integrated into a healthy landscape, clustered development and hardscapes to preserve undisturbed space and trees, use of native plant species, and no use of toxic pesticides and herbicides. The SOS ordinance would limit the total impervious cover for the site to 15% Net Site Area (NSA) (0.4539 acres or 19,771.88 sqft). The proposed SOS amendment requests an impervious cover limit of 33.5% Gross Site Area (GSA) (1.01 acres or 43,995.60 sqft). The site currently has existing impervious cover of 33.9% (1.0258 acres or 44,683.848 sqft ). Lastly, because LDC 25-8-515 prohibits variances from the SOS Ordinance, a site-specific amendment to the SOS Ordinance approved by a supermajority of the City Council is necessary to allow the proposed development of 5811 Southwest Parkway. The proposed site-specific SOS amendments are being requested to allow the following improvements: • Removal of an abandoned mobile home park with outdated septic systems and failing drain fields 1 • Construction of a childcare facility with a covered play area, sport court, and C20-2026-008 associated parking Background: On January 31, 2019, City Council approved Resolution No. 20190131-040 to initiate variances and amendments to the Land Development Code, including site-specific amendments to Chapter 25-8, Subchapter A, Article 13 (Save Our Springs Initiative) as minimally required to address development related to the proposed development at 5811 Southwest Parkway. The 3.026-acre site is an abandoned mobile home park with outdated septic systems and failing drain fields that were constructed several years before the property was annexed by the City of Austin. The septic fields are to be removed, and the new development will be utilizing public wastewater. The applicant is proposing a site-specific SOS amendment to allow for the proposed development of the site while providing on site water quality treatment, a small reduction in impervious cover, and native plantings. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the proposed amendment and associated variances for the following reasons: • Small reduction in impervious cover from 33.9% to 33.5% • SOS non-degradation water quality treatment for entire site • Austin Energy Green Building rating of 2 star • Bird friendly building design • Integrated Pest Management • No artificial turf • • Complies with the Hill Country Roadway regulations • Two electric charging stations • Caliper inches of trees for mitigation has increased by 1 inch (3-inch to 4-inch) • All disturbed areas are shown to be revegetated with 609S • Landscape plants will be Texas native plantings Interpretive signage Board and Commission Actions August 19th, 2026, Considered by Environmental Commission. September 16th, 2026, Considered by Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee. October 13th, 2026, Considered by Planning Commission. Council Action November 5th, 2026: A public hearing will be scheduled. Ordinance Number: C20-2026-008 2 City Staff: Leslie Lilly Phone: (512) 535-8914 Email: Leslie.lilly@austintexas.gov C20-2026-008 3 Exhibit 1. Existing Conditions for 5811 Southwest Parkway C20-2026-008 4 C20-2026-008 5 Exhibit 2. Proposed Development C20-2026-008 6