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

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MEMORANDUM To: From: Date: Subject: Mariana Kreuger, Chair, and Commissioners of the Environmental Commission Liz Johnston, Environmental Officer Austin Watershed Protection August 12, 2026 Site-Specific SOS Amendment for 5811 Southwest Parkway SPC-2025-0066C The purpose of this memorandum is to inform you that on the August 19, 2026, Environmental Commission agenda is a proposed amendment to the City’s Save Our Springs ordinance and related variances to Chapter 25-8 of the Land Development Code. The ordinance is being brought forward to enable development at the site located at 5811 Southwest Parkway (SPC-2025-0066C). This action concerns land located in the Barton Springs Zone. Project Description and 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 The 3.026-acre site is an abandoned mobile home park with outdated septic systems and failing drain fields that were constructed several years before the property was annexed by the City of Austin.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. The site is in the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone and Barton Springs Zone within the Barton Creek Watershed. The entire 3.026-acre site is located in uplands with no Critical Water Quality Zone (CWQZ) or Water Quality Transition Zone (WQTZ). There are also no Critical Environmental Features (CEFs) on the site. The existing impervious cover is 1.0258 acres or 44,683.848 square feet. Exhibit 1. Existing Conditions for 5811 Southwest Parkway Page 1 of 5 Date: Subject: August 12, 2026 Site-Specific SOS Amendment for 5811 Southwest Parkway SPC-2025-0066C Exhibit 2. Proposed Development Page 2 of 5 Date: Subject: August 12, 2026 Site-Specific SOS Amendment for 5811 Southwest Parkway SPC-2025-0066C Summary of Code Amendment Page 3 of 5 Date: Subject: August 12, 2026 Site-Specific SOS Amendment for 5811 Southwest Parkway SPC-2025-0066C 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 • Construction of a childcare facility with a covered play area, sport court, and associated parking 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 • Interpretive signage Page 4 of 5 Date: Subject: August 12, 2026 Site-Specific SOS Amendment for 5811 Southwest Parkway SPC-2025-0066C • 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 Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact Liz Johnston, Environmental Officer at Austin Watershed Protection, at Liz.Johnston@austintexas.gov or (512) 974-2619. cc: Jorge L. Morales, P.E., CFM, Director Austin Watershed Protection Saul A. Nuccitelli II, P.E., Deputy Director Austin Watershed Protection Page 5 of 5