Council approves code amendments to allow for future Butler Trail improvements

City Council passed a resolution last week to initiate a set of Land Development Code amendments that will allow for safety and mobility improvements to the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail.

The item passed on the consent agenda at Council’s regular meeting May 18. Sponsored by Mayor Pro Tem Paige Ellis, the resolution is aimed at resolving a conflict created by 2017 provisions added to the code that require infrastructure – including the Butler Trail – to be at least 50 feet from the shore of Lady Bird Lake. Those changes resulted in approximately 85 percent of the Butler Trail becoming non-compliant with city code.

The resolution further notes that the city’s Watershed Protection Department has “determined that many sections of the Butler Trail may require improvements to better support the ecological function of the shoreline and reduce erosion.”

In 2021, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, Urban Trails Program, Public Works Department and the Trail Conservancy published a safety and mobility study that included recommendations for maintenance and enhancements that will allow the trail to withstand increasing use. The study recommended the trail be at least 14 feet wide, with two-foot shoulders on each side.

That recommendation can’t go forward while the trail remains in violation of the city’s Land Development Code. The inability to do so could result in “significant negative impact to the recreational value of Butler Trail,” according to the resolution.

The resolution initiates amendments to allow the trail to remain within the Lady Bird Lake setback and allow for the capital improvements to be made. The resolution directs the city manager to process the code amendments as necessary and return with a draft ordinance for Council consideration by Oct. 1.

Charlotte Tonsor, executive projects director of the Trail Conservancy, spoke in favor of the item. She said residential employment density near the trail has doubled in the past 10 years and demographic data suggests it will double again by 2040.

“So this has and will continue to place demand on trail use, on all parts of the trail,” Tonsor said. “A key charge of the safety and mobility study, which I led for the Trail Conservancy, is to ensure safety for all trail users and preserve the restorative experience of the trail.”

Tonsor said the analysis found the No. 1 concern for trail users is trail width. The recommendation was also informed by best practices of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

“Without the support of these capacity-building solutions for the Butler Trail, where it exists now, the trail could become less safe, less comfortable and higher stress, especially as the area around the downtown trail will continue to grow over time,” Tonsor said.

Photo by Larry D. Moore, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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