The Planning Commission postponed a vote Tuesday on a complex package of environmental and water quality code amendments. Commissioners say much work remains to understand the full impact of the changes, especially as they relate to housing affordability. While many code changes are proposed, the biggest include requiring enhanced “functional green” landscaping in most new […]
Watershed Protection Department
The city’s Watershed Protection Department works to reduce the impact of floods, erosion and water pollution in the city. The department is mostly funded by the city’s drainage fee.
Posted inWater
Watershed Protection delivers long-awaited report on trash in creeks
The Environmental Commission heard a long-awaited presentation on trash in Austin creeks at its meeting last week. Two years ago, in response to a City Council direction, the Watershed Protection Department launched a comprehensive study on trash, including dockless mobility devices, and other contaminant buildup in city waterways. The Watershed Protection Department’s Applied Watershed Research […]
Posted inEnvironment
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 city code make much-needed updates to regulations around stormwater drainage, wastewater infrastructure, landscape requirements and […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Planning Commission worries new environmental regulations could make housing more expensive
After expressing concerns over the impact of new water quality and drainage regulations on housing affordability, members of the Planning Commission voted Tuesday to form a working group to tackle the code changes before giving a final recommendation to City Council. The rules, which were part of the failed Land Development Code rewrite, would help […]
Posted inEnvironment
Trash and scooters still clogging Austin creeks, study finds
The city’s attempts to keep garbage out of local creeks are still being stymied by discarded motorized scooters, according to the findings of a roughly six-month analysis of 20 watersheds throughout Austin. A memo released last week presented the findings of the Trash in Creeks field study that was completed this spring and gathered 19,467 […]
Posted inLand Development Code
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 potential impact of these updates on the future of Austin’s environmental resilience,” Environmental Officer Katie […]
Posted inPlanning
Planning Commission recommends floodplain redevelopment changes
Despite lingering concerns, the Planning Commission on July 12 recommended a tweak to floodplain regulations that would allow existing businesses within the floodplain to rebuild without special permission from City Council. The rule change would give city staffers the power to approve redevelopment of existing commercial buildings in the floodplain if they are rebuilt to […]
Posted inParks
Trail project moves to complete Oltorf-Riverside connection
The city’s Public Works Department is gearing up to finally complete a 3.5-mile urban trail that would connect Mabel Davis and Roy G. Guerrero Park in Southeast Austin. The new trail segment would bridge the existing gap between trails ending on East Riverside and Oltorf streets. With site plans submitted earlier this month and a […]
Posted inEnvironment
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 Commission meeting last week to give a high-level briefing on the department’s progress. Staff hopes […]
Posted inEnvironment
The dog-killing algae in Lady Bird Lake is back
Toxic blue-green algae has once again been detected in Lady Bird Lake. The city says it’s working to stifle the blooms that killed a handful of dogs in 2019. Next week, staff will treat the water at Red Bud Isle and on the northern banks of Lady Bird Lake east of Interstate 35 with a […]
Posted inEnvironment
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 in the community’s watershed. The department recently gave the Environmental Commission a rundown of the […]
Posted inEnvironment
Environmental Commission looks into acid waste spill at Samsung facility
Samsung’s semiconductor facility spilled a large amount of acidic wastewater into its stormwater pond and into a tributary of Harris Branch Creek in Northeast Austin, killing virtually all aquatic life within the 1.5-mile stretch. As much as 763,000 gallons of the acidic waste was discharged into the waterways for a period of up to 106 […]