03-2: Parks Board Memo on Code Amendment, September 2025 — original pdf

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M E M O R A N D U M TO: Parks and Recreation Board Members FROM: Jesús Aguirre, MBA, CPRE, Director Austin Parks and Recreation DATE: September 4, 2025 SUBJECT: Proposed Code Amendment related to Drainage Easements on Parkland This memo is to inform the Parks and Recreation Board of a proposed amendment to Section 25-7- 152(E) of the City of Austin Land Development Code (LDC), which pertains to drainage easement requirements. Background Current code requires that when a property owner submits a site development permit application, they must dedicate a public drainage easement encompassing the 100-year floodplain located on the property. The code includes provisions allowing the Austin Watershed Protection Director to grant an administrative variance under certain circumstances. Proposed Amendment The proposed amendment would add “parkland owned by the City of Austin” to the list of exceptions eligible for an administrative variance from the drainage easement requirement. Final ordinance language will be drafted by the Austin City Attorney’s Office. Importantly, this amendment does not waive or alter existing restrictions or development requirements within the 100-year floodplain. It only applies to the dedication of a drainage easement and only for City parkland. If the parkland is later sold through the Chapter 26 process or voter approval, the new property owner would be required to dedicate a drainage easement as part of any future site plan application. Rationale Allowing an administrative variance for City-owned parkland is expected to improve fiscal and administrative efficiency for public park development and capital projects. Austin Parks and Recreation (APR) and Austin Watershed Protection are in longstanding agreement that this change is appropriate and beneficial. Currently, each parkland development project must provide evidence of this agreement to apply for and receive a variance individually. Codifying this exception will streamline the process and reduce unnecessary administrative work for both departments. Page 1 of 2 Timeline and Next Steps Austin Watershed Protection is the lead on this code amendment. The anticipated schedule includes submittals to the Code Cabinet, Codes and Ordinances Joint Committee, Planning Commission and Environmental Commission starting in September 2025 with an anticipated Planning Commission Public Hearing in October and City Council in November. Should you have any questions, please reach out to D’Anne Williams, PLA, Project Manager, Danne.Williams@austintexas.gov. cc: Liana Kallivoka, PhD, PE, LEED Fellow, Assistant Director, APR Lindsey Machamer, P.E., Project Management Supervisor, Park Development, APR D’Anne Williams PLA, Project Manager, Park Development, APR Page 2 of 2