Tag Archives: City of Austin Environmental Commission
Environmental Commission recommends watershed code changes despite equity concerns
At its regular meeting last week, the Environmental Commission voted to recommend a group of watershed-related Land Development Code changes to City Council, along with a set of recommendations on public engagement and equity. The amendments to Title 25 of…
Environment • By Nina Hernandez • Sep 26, 2022
City works to prioritize non-vehicular transit
ATX Walk Bike Roll, a collaborative effort to improve the city’s sidewalks, urban trails and bicycle paths, is rolling right along. Representatives from the project met with the Environmental Commission last week to discuss how things are coming along as…
Transportation • By Willow Higgins • Aug 22, 2022
New water quality rules aim to promote green infrastructure
In a presentation to the Environmental Commission last Wednesday, staffers from the Watershed Protection Department presented a bundle of code updates aimed at improving water quality and making drainage infrastructure more environmentally friendly. “We couldn’t be more excited about the…
Land Development Code • By Jonathan Lee • Aug 10, 2022
Mercedes-Benz dealership nearing construction
A Mercedes-Benz dealership is one step closer to construction in South Austin after the Environmental Commission recommended a variance request last week, allowing private driveways to be built on the site in a critical water quality zone buffer. To comply…
Planning • By Willow Higgins • Jul 12, 2022
Incoming code amendments will set higher bar for watershed protections
Following a direction passed by City Council earlier this month, the Watershed Protection Department has kept busy refining a number of Land Development Code amendments to further the city’s environmental goals. Deputy Environmental Officer Liz Johnston stopped by the Environmental…
Environment • By Kali Bramble • Jun 22, 2022
City continues battle against toxic algae, zebra mussels
Despite record high temperatures, crowds are carrying on with Austin summertime traditions, flocking to cool off by Barton Creek and the Colorado River. Brent Bellinger, a reservoir ecologist for the city, stopped by Wednesday’s Environmental Commission meeting to share a…
Environment • By Kali Bramble • Jun 21, 2022
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Environmental Commission recommends wastewater service to future warehouse
The Environmental Commission voted last Wednesday to recommend a wastewater service extension request for a proposed 82,000-square-foot warehouse west of Oak Hill. Some commissioners were hesitant to approve the service extension, which will include constructing over 800 feet of force…
Planning • By Willow Higgins • Jun 7, 2022
Large housing development in the works on Barton Springs and Lamar
Developers are looking to rezone a property currently home to the Bicycle Sport Shop on Barton Springs Road and South Lamar Boulevard. If successfully rezoned as a planned unit development, the lot would be redeveloped as a nine-story building with…
Planning • By Willow Higgins • Jun 6, 2022
Waterways beginning to recover from Samsung acid waste spill
The tributary of Harris Branch Creek in Northeast Austin is beginning to recover from an acid waste spill that killed off the creek’s aquatic life. Samsung’s semiconductor facility discharged as much as 763,000 gallons of the acidic waste into its…
Environment • By Willow Higgins • May 20, 2022
How the Watershed Protection Department removes obstructions from Austin creeks
Austin, a city known for the rivers, creeks and springs that run through it, is also prone to flooding. The city’s Watershed Protection Department shoulders the responsibility of managing Austin’s waterways and reducing the impact of flooding, erosion and pollution…
Environment • By Willow Higgins • Apr 22, 2022
Environmental Commission recommends denial of city water services to entertainment complex
Plans to develop 70 acres adjacent to the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve into a mega entertainment complex went off course last night when the Environmental Commission unanimously voted to recommend denying the request to extend water and wastewater service to the…
Planning • By Willow Higgins • Feb 18, 2022
Tree division seeks to make enviro manual more user-friendly
The Environmental Criteria Manual, a book of rules used to help implement the city’s Land Development Code, hasn’t had a significant update in the past decade. But best practices for urban forestry have changed since then, and the manual is…
