The marina construction project at 1703 N. River Hills Road is charging ahead after a vote from the Zoning and Platting Commission last week. Following the recommendations of the Environmental Commission, the Zoning and Platting Commission approved the easing of dredging restrictions for the Lake Austin project, which will bring modifications to an existing marina […]
Lake Austin
Lake Austin is a water reservoir on the Colorado River, and the source of Austin’s drinking water. It was created by the 1939 construction of the Tom Miller Dam and is managed by the Lower Colorado River Authority.
Posted inEnvironment
Environmental Commission denies fuel line variance for Lake Austin marina project
An applicant seeking two code variances for the marina construction project at 1703 N. River Hills Road got mixed results at the Environmental Commission last week. On Nov. 16, the commission voted to recommend easing dredging restrictions for the Lake Austin project, but would not agree to recommend development of a gas fuel line with […]
Posted inLand Development Code
A ‘modest’ proposal: Lake Austin lot seeks variance
Citing excessive constraints on their land, one Lake Austin property owner went to the Board of Adjustment Nov. 9 seeking a break that would allow them to move forward with building a home. Eric Gomez, representing owner Malia Muir, said that, under the current setbacks, the property was “unreasonably limited” for residential use by Lake […]
Posted inZoning
Pier zoning takes one step forward
Joe Liemandt, who is the founder of the software company Trilogy, and his friend, Andy Price, purchased a 4.46-acre property on Lake Austin that previously housed the Pier restaurant at 1703 River Hills Road. The restaurant closed in 2005, but the marina built to serve the restaurant is still in place. Access to the property […]
Posted inWater
Austin to spend up to $4 million to tackle zebra mussel problem
Austin City Council has approved spending up to $4 million over the next five years on a liquid compound to remove zebra mussels from water intake systems. Zebra mussels are small invasive mollusks that can clog the pipes that pull water from reservoirs. Austin gets its water from Lake Austin and Lake Travis, which are […]
Posted inLand Development Code
BOA denies a new build designed for a new decade
When the first Lake Austin Watershed Ordinance went into effect in 1980, some properties had development rights curtailed overnight. The property at 2803 Edgewater Drive is one of those cases where the ordinance limited the buildable area on the property’s steep slopes to 196 feet. With such a small percentage of the three-acre lot classified […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Lake setbacks threaten construction of family home in West Lake
Paris Schindler, owner of the lot at 1901 Westlake Drive, came to the Board of Adjustment seeking a variance to construct a 6,354-square-foot family home. While normally a 2.26-acre property would easily accommodate such a structure, 44,000 square feet of the lot is within the Lake Austin setback and much of the property ascends a […]
Posted inCity Council
Council votes to tax Lake Austin homes
After hearing from a handful of residents who have never paid city property taxes on their Lake Austin homes, Council voted unanimously on Thursday to repeal an ordinance that exempted about 400 such properties from city taxes. Council also approved a resolution directing the city manager to look at ways the city might spend an […]
Posted inEnvironment
Despite zebra mussels, Austin’s waterways seeing a recovery trend
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 […]
Posted inPlanning
BoA grants boat dock variance, swayed by trees
After being denied a variance to reconstruct an existing dock to 44 feet instead of the code-compliant 30 feet, the case of 1515 Manana St. returned before the Board of Adjustment at its March 11 meeting. Based on a “substantial” amount of new information that Board Member Michael Von Ohlen noted was “critical to the […]
Posted inWater
Odd smell in Austin’s tap water likely caused by zebra mussels, city says
If you think your tap water smells strange today, you’re not alone. South and Central Austin residents began noticing the unusual smell Thursday morning. Austin Water initially said work on a waterline was to blame, but in an afternoon update, the utility said it was likely caused by the presence of zebra mussels in a […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Board of Adjustment rules: A private boat dock may not block public waters
Houses along Lake Austin are coveted pieces of property whose main focal point is the water. Some homes are even lucky enough to have inlet coves creep into their properties for their near-private use. However, when a home has a boat dock spanning the neck of the channel leading into a backyard cove, that brings […]