The news is full of horror stories about zebra mussels invading intake pipes and sediment causing city water to be of questionable quality. Yet statistics show that, overall, the waterways of Austin are regaining their health. According to Mateo Scoggins of the Watershed Protection Department, “We’re seeing an increase in overall health in these systems, which […]
City of Austin Environmental Commission
An advisory board to members of the Austin City Council. Its purview includes “all projects and programs which affect the quality of life for the citizens of Austin.” In many cases, this includes development projects.
Posted inPlanning
Environmental Commission recommends rimrock stairwell to lake
Shoreline access from the rimrock cliffs of Lake Austin has been a touchy subject in the past. While mechanized access has not been permissible for nearly a decade and property owners are only allowed to install pedestrian access, there are still cases that come before various commissions to rock the boat. The latest shoreline case […]
Posted inPlanning
West Austin housing development claims vested rights, compromises on development regulations
Even if a property remains undeveloped for years, the property’s vested rights can, in some cases, allow a project to be grandfathered into another era’s development regulations. In the case of a project at FM 620 at Storm Drive, that era is the 1970s. According to Atha Phillips, the Watershed Protection Department’s environmental program coordinator, who […]
Posted inDevelopment
Tree protection outweighs density concerns for Environmental Commission
There are only four reasons a heritage tree can be removed in the city of Austin: it must be dead, diseased, an imminent hazard, or prevent reasonable use of a property. Even if a tree meets one or more of these criteria, it is often with a heavy heart that the city allows for its […]
Posted inParks
Project Catalyst and Country Club Creek Trail: An ‘inopportune’ overlap
At the same meeting of the Environmental Commission where citizens aired their concerns about the Northern Walnut Creek Trail, commissioners had questions about the Country Club Creek Trail off of Riverside Drive. Commissioners wanted to know how plans for the Country Club Creek Trail could be impacted by the controversial 97-acre development known as Project […]
Posted inPlanning
New medical office moves forward with no recommendation from Environmental Commission
Trees are such an essential resource in Central Texas that even the thought of razing them to the ground can rattle the branches of the Environmental Commission. The city of Austin does not have the authority to mandate the preservation of heritage trees within the extraterritorial jurisdiction. Despite that, the Environmental Commission was uncomfortable approving […]
Posted inParks
Public expresses concern about Urban Trails causing erosion
In 2014, the city of Austin approved an Urban Trails Master Plan that laid out the path forward to construct 300 miles of non-motorized trails throughout the city. Five years later, construction is well underway, but community members have raised some concerns about the environmental impacts of one of the trails on the east side […]
Posted inPlanning
Bowie High School development plan nullified by new survey
Technological advancements are generally welcomed with open arms thanks to their potential to save time, money and recalculations. Unfortunately, applying these new capabilities to work done almost three decades ago can reveal errors that throw carefully negotiated plans out the door. In 2017, City Council approved a plan that would swap impervious cover from three […]
Posted inWater
Austin Water touts water conservation efforts
Despite Austin’s consistent growth and the city demographer’s prediction that city utilities will need to serve 4 million residents in the next 100 years, Austin Water feels confident that its facilities are up to the challenge. In terms of today’s water usage, “we’re where we were about 20 years and about 300,000 people ago,” Daryl […]
Posted inWater
Permanent zebra mussel solution still 18 months out
Following the odorous indication that a zebra mussel infestation had arrived in Austin waterways earlier this month, Austin Water has been working to come up with a solution to prevent a similar instance from recurring. Austin Water is already working to slow the population of zebra mussels by using chemical retardants in its piping systems and raw […]
Posted inPlanning
Citing density concerns, West Austin lot receives recommendation for subdivision
After purchasing his home in May 2016 under the assumption that the city would permit him to subdivide his 3.2-acre lot into two 1.6-acre lots, Rick Engel, the owner of Ski Shores restaurant, found himself still pleading his case almost three years later. His lot, which sits at 6910 West Courtyard Drive, is a long property […]
Posted inAustin
Watershed department works with city to clean up homeless camps
The number of people experiencing homelessness is growing in the city of Austin. Last fall, recognizing the crisis on the streets and the pressure on city resources, City Council approved an increased budget to help relieve the situation. In addition to a new “homelessness czar,” the budget includes funding for the Watershed Protection Department to […]