Environmental Commission recommends Save Our Springs Ordinance amendment

The city’s Environmental Commission voted on July 5 to recommend an amendment to the Save Our Springs Ordinance that will pave the way for the completion of the long-awaited Barton Springs Bathhouse rehabilitation.

The motion passed 10-0, with Commissioner Peter Einhorn absent.

At its regular meeting, the commission heard a presentation on the proposed site-specific amendment to the ordinance needed for the city’s ongoing efforts to renovate the facility, which is in dire need of access, plumbing and other structural repairs.

The rehabilitation of the bathhouse was a major component of the Barton Springs Pool Master Plan that City Council approved in 2009. It’s a joint project by the Transportation and Public Works departments, in partnership with the Parks and Recreation Department.

Leslie Lilly, environmental program coordinator for Watershed Protection, told the commission that the amendment is needed because the bathhouse was built in 1947 before the establishment of the SOS ordinance in 1992.

“There are a lot of components to the existing bathhouse that are not currently compliant with a few elements of the SOS Ordinance, and that’s why there is a requirement for the site-specific SOS amendment to rehabilitate the facility,” Lilly said.

The amendment proposes changing two parts of the SOS ordinance.

The first change would modify Section A of 25-8-514 to allow for impervious cover in excess of 15 percent. Lilly attributed the increase in impervious cover to the bathhouse parking lot and a new fire lane. She said the project will decrease the total amount of impervious cover on the site by 302 square feet.

The second change would amend Section B of 25-8-514 and allow for development in the Critical Water Quality Zone. Lilly said the project involves upgrading wastewater and water utility lines and the parking lot, installation of the fire lane and renovation of the actual bathhouse facility. Those actions would constitute construction.

Staff recommended approval of the amendments, provided that the project includes water quality treatment features like:

• A rain garden and vegetative filter trips to treat runoff from 0.4 acre of previously untreated parking lot area.
• Use of native species for all proposed plantings exterior to the construction.
• Reduction of net impervious cover by 302 square feet.
• Repair of all affected soils and revegetation/restoration of the site upon completion of the construction phase.

The amendment will continue winding through the commission process, and it is scheduled to go before Council at the end of August. That would mean construction could start this winter or early next year, with “substantial completion” by spring 2025.

Roy Waley of the Austin regional group of the Sierra Club said that the group largely is on board with the renovation project.

“All in all, we don’t have any problem with the renovations on this,” Waley said. “But we do have a big ask that during construction that the glorious trees around the bathhouse are protected.”

Mike Cannatti of the Barton Springs Conservancy also spoke in favor.

“We really hope that these will be approved so that we can keep the schedule of getting the construction launched either at the end of this year or, god forbid, early next year,” Cannatti said. “The concerns about letting this delay are not only that we would be continuing to use a deteriorated bathhouse, but construction costs could go up. I’ve been told it’s $100,000 a month the longer we wait.”

Commissioners approved the amendments, along with staff recommendations and one addition. The addition recommends the project team include more endangered species and conservation educational opportunities around the rain garden and throughout the pool area in inclusive and various languages.

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