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[CALL TO ORDER]
WELCOME.IT IS DECEMBER, UH, THIRD 6:00 PM UM, THIS IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AT 6 3 1 0 WILLAMINA DELCO DRIVE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UM, COMMISSIONER ALLISON MORRISON HERE.
IT'S LIKE TRYING TO REMEMBER THE LAST NAME.
WE DO HAVE QUORUM, AND I THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE RUNNING LATE.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
DO WE HAVE, UM, A MOTION FOR THE MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING? I'LL MOVE APPROVAL.[2. Name: Arbor View Subdivision; C8-2025-0085.0A]
NEXT UP WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.UM, THIS IS OUR REVIEW, SUBDIVISION C EIGHT DASH 22 5 8 5 0 A.
DO WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT BEFORE THAT? WE DO NOT.
MY NAME IS MIKE MCDOUGALL, ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY PROGRAM MANAGER, AUSTIN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND THE PROJECT IS ARBOR VIEW SUBDIVISION AT 43 16 FAR WEST BOULEVARD.
THE CASE NUMBER IS C 8 20 25 0 0 85 0 A OH.
SO WE WILL COVER EIGHT TOPICS FOR THIS, UH, THIS PROJECT.
UH, THE VICINITY MAP, UH, PROPERTY DATA, A SYNOPSIS, SITE CONSTRAINTS, VARIANCE REQUESTS, VARIANCE RECOMMENDATION, ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION, AND VARIANCE CONDITIONS.
SO THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED NORTH OF THE RIVER, AND IT'S LOCATED BETWEEN LUKE 360 AND MOPAC OFF OF FAR WEST BOULEVARD, AS I, UH, JUST SAID A SECOND AGO.
AND THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED IN THE BULL CREEK WATERSHED.
IT'S IN THE WATER SUPPLY SUBURBAN WATERSHED CLASSIFICATION.
IT'S IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE, AND IT IS LOCATED OVER THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE.
UH, THERE IS STEEP, STEEP TOPOGRAPHY ON THE SITE, PREDOMINANTLY SLOPES OVER 25%, AND THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY UNDEVELOPED.
UH, AND THERE'S, UH, ADDITIONAL PROPERTY DATA.
THIS IS JUST A, A, A SITE PHOTO.
UH, UH, THIS IS A, THE VIEW OF THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS PARALLEL TO THE ROAD.
SO THE PROPERTY STEEPS, UH, SLOPES STEEPLY AWAY FROM THE ROAD TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE LOT.
AND THE PROPERTY IS A 0.56 ACRE, UH, PROPERTY.
UH, IT'S PROPOSED TO BE A SUBDIVISION LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 0.4 MILES WEST OF THE FAR WEST BOULEVARD AT MESA DRIVE.
THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY UN PLATTED.
SO THE, THE, THE, UH, PROPOSAL IS TO PLA THE PROPERTY THAT IS TO SUBDIVIDE THE PROPERTY.
UH, THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO PLAT A TWO LOT SUBDIVISION.
ONE LOT WILL BE A CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE LOT AND WILL NOT BE DEVELOPED.
THE OTHER LOT WILL BE A SINGLE FAMILY LOT.
SO THE WESTERN LOT WOULD BE THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE LOT, AND THE OTHER LOT WOULD BE THE SINGLE FAMILY LOT.
AS I MENTIONED A SECOND AGO, THE PROPERTY SLOPES TO THE NORTH AWAY FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY.
UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE SLOPES ARE GREATER THAN 25%, UH, RANGING 50 TO 80%.
UM, THE DRAINAGE ARROWS INDICATE THE DOWNHILL SLOPE.
THE YELLOW IS SLOPES OF ZERO TO 15%.
THE GREEN IS SLOPES FROM 15 TO 25%, AND THE WHITE IS ALL SLOPES OVER 25%.
UH, THE SITE CONSTRAINTS LDC 25 8 3 0 1 LIMITS CONSTRUCTION OF DRIVEWAYS ON SLOPES OVER 15%.
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TO CONSTRUCT A DRIVEWAY ON SLOPES OVER 15%.LDC 25 8 3 0 2 LIMITS THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS ON SLOPES OVER 15%, AND THE APPLICANT WOULD PROPOSE TO CONSTRUCT A BUILDING ON SLOPES OVER 15%.
SO TO CLARIFY, THE, THE APPLICATION IS TO SUBDIVIDE WITH THE INTENT TO BUILD A SINGLE FAMILY HOME AT SOME POINT.
AND OF COURSE, THE SINGLE FAMILY HOME WOULD BE A BUILDING AND A DRIVEWAY ON SLOPES OVER 15%.
LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE 25 8 4 23 LIMITS THE WATERSHED IMPERVIOUS COVER TO 30% OF THE NET SIDE AREA.
THE NET SET AREA IS ABOUT 775 SQUARE FEET.
UH, THE WAY THE NET SET AREA IS CALCULATED, STEEP SLOPES ARE BACKED OUT OF THE LOT SIZE.
SO WE TAKE THE LOT SIZE BACK UP THE STEEP SLOPES.
WHAT'S REMAINING IS THE NET SIDE AREA.
SO WHAT'S REMAINING IN THIS IS ABOUT 775 SQUARE FEET OF NET SIDE AREA.
THE WATERSHED IMPERVIOUS COVER IS 30% OF THE NET SET AREA.
SO THE ALLOWABLE IMPERVIOUS COVER IS ABOUT 232 SQUARE FEET.
SO THAT IS TO SAY THAT THIRD ITEM, THE WATERSHED IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMIT IS 232 SQUARE FEET.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES 3,900 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS COVER.
SO THERE ARE THREE VARIANCE REQUESTS.
NUMBER ONE, REQUEST A VARY FROM LDC 25 8 3 0 1 TO ALLOW THE CONSTRUCTION OF A DRIVEWAY ON SLOPES OVER 15%.
NUMBER TWO, REQUEST A VARY FROM LDC 25 8 3 0 2 TO ALLOW THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS ON SLOPES OVER 15%.
AND NUMBER THREE, REQUEST A VARY FROM LDC 25 8 4 23 TO EXCEED THE 30% NET SET AREA WATERSHED IMPERVIOUS COVERED LIMIT.
AND TO ALLOW 3,900 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS COVER.
THE, UH, LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE 25 8 41 HAS AN, HAS A SECTION CALLED THE FINDINGS OF FACT.
AND THAT DICTATES, UH, WHETHER STAFF CAN RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF VARIANCE.
AND SO, BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF FACT, IN 25 8 41, STAFF DOES NOT RECOMMEND THE REQUESTED VARIANCES HAVING DETERMINED THAT THE REQUIRED FINDINGS OF FACT HAVE NOT BEEN MET.
SPECIFICALLY IN RESPONSE TO FINDINGS OF FACT, LDC 25 8 41 A TWO C STAFF BELIEVES THAT THE VARIANCE WILL CREATE A SIGNIFICANT PROBABILITY OF HARMFUL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES BASED ON THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION ON STEEP SLOPES, INCLUDING, UH, NUMBER ONE, CONSTRUCTION AND SLEEP SLOPES GENERATES AND TRANSPORTS GREATER AMOUNTS OF SEDIMENT DURING CONSTRUCTION THAN SHALLOWER SLOPES.
AND THIS IS EXPECTED TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT WATER QUALITY.
A NUMBER TWO IMPERVIOUS COVER PREVENTS WATER INFILTRATION INTO THE SOIL.
INSTEAD, WATER RUNS ACROSS IMPERVIOUS SURFACES LIKE BUILDINGS AND DRIVEWAYS.
AND WHEN IT DOES THIS, IT PICKS UP POLLUTANTS AND SEDIMENT, POLLUTANTS AND SEDIMENT, DRAINED WATERWAYS AND DEGRADE WATER QUALITY.
AND THE DRAINAGE WOULD OCCUR MORE RAPIDLY ON STEEP SLOPES THAN ON SHALLOWER SLOPES.
AND NUMBER THREE, SITE STABILIZATION AND REVEGETATION OFFER CON, UH, AFTER CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES, UH, I'LL TRY, TRY IT AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE.
NUMBER THREE, SITE STABILIZATION AND REVEGETATION AFTER CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED ARE LESS FEASIBLE ON STEEPER SLOPES.
THAT IS, IT'S HARDER TO REVEGETATE AND STABILIZE THE SOIL AFTER CONSTRUCTION IS DONE.
AND SO WHAT THAT CAN, WHAT THAT MEANS IS ONGOING EROSION IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR ON STEEPER SLOPES.
AND SO THE STAFF DETERMINATION IS THAT DEVELOPMENT ON THE SITE WILL CREATE A SIGNIFICANT PROBABILITY OF HARMFUL, OF RAMBLE CONSEQUENCES BASED ON CODE AND CRITERIA.
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS, THOUGH THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO BUILD THE DEVELOPMENT ON PIERS TO MINIMIZE SITE DISTURBANCE DURING CONSTRUCTION AND TO REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, PIERS WILL BE INSTALLED UP TO ABOUT 35 FEET ABOVE THE GRADE TO SUPPORT A HORIZONTAL BUILDING FOUNDATION ON STEEP SLOPES.
PROPERTY LOCATED IMMEDIATELY TO THE WEST, NORTH AND EAST WAS PLOTTED MANY YEARS AGO, UH, WITHOUT THE REQUESTED VARIANCES.
THE PROPOSED SUBDIVISION IS REASONABLY UNBUILDABLE AND COULD NOT BE PLOTTED.
UM, IF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION VOTES TO RECOMMEND THE VARIANCES, CITY STAFF OFFERS THE FIVE, THE FOLLOWING FIVE VARIANCE CONDITIONS.
NUMBER ONE, IMPERIOUS COVERAGE SHALL BE LIMITED TO 3,900 SQUARE FEET FOR LOT ONE AND ZERO SQUARE FEET FOR LOT TWO.
LOT TWO WOULD BE THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE LOT, SO THERE'D BE NO CONSTRUCTION ON THAT LOT.
NUMBER TWO, PRIOR TO OCEANS OF A CITY OF AUSTIN BUILDING PERMIT, THE APPLICANT MUST HAVE AN APPROVED CITY OF AUSTIN SITE PLAN EXEMPTION TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF DETENTION OF 3,900 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS COVER AND AN EASEMENT.
WHAT THAT BASICALLY MEANS IS THAT THE, UH, THE ADDITIONAL RUNOFF FROM THE IMPERVIOUS COVER HAS TO BE CAPTURED AND REDUCED AND RELEASED AT THE SAME RATE AS PRE-CONSTRUCTION CONDITIONS.
AND THAT'S DONE BY CAPTURING THE WATER, DETAINING THE WATER, AND THEN RELEASING IT SLOWLY OVER TIME.
SO THE, THE VOLUME OF WATER IS GREATER, BUT THE RATE IS THE SAME.
IT JUST, IT'S JUST DRAINS AT A FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
NUMBER THREE, THE DETENTION WILL BE MAINTAINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CITY OF AUSTIN.
REQUIREMENTS NUMBER FOUR, SLAB ON GRADE FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION IS NOT ALLOWED.
THE FOUNDATION AND DRIVEWAY MUST BE CONSTRUCTED USING PIERS, AND THAT WOULD BE TO MINIMIZE ANY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
ANY GRADING EXCEEDING FOUR FEET OF DEPTH OR CONSTRUCTION SLOPES EXCEEDING 15% WILL REQUIRE LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCES IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS.
SO THE IDEA IS ANY FUTURE, UM, CONSTRUCTION ON THE PROPERTY WOULD'VE TO COME BACK TO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
THAT IS THE, THE, THE VARIANCES BEING REQUESTED HERE WOULD NOT APPLY TO ANYTHING EXCEPT WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED WITH THAT 3,900 SQUARE FOOT
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BUILDING AND DRIVEWAY.NUMBER FIVE, THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF STRUCTURES ON THE LOT MUST BE BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION FROM A SLOPE STABILITY ANALYSIS PERFORMED BY A LICENSED GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER AS VERIFIED BY THE CITY.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL SAY THANK YOU, AND I WILL, UH, TURN IT OVER TO THE APPLICANT.
UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? TURN THAT ONE ON.
UH, WELL, I, I, UH, MY NAME IS TERRY ORIN.
UH, I'M REPRESENTING THE, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY, UH, ALI TABY WITH ME IS ZA BAG, UH, WITH, UH, PROFESSIONAL TRUE CIVIL ENGINEERS.
UH, I AGREE WITH JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING MIKE SAID, EXCEPT HIS RECOMMENDATION, UH, OF DENIAL.
UH, AND I'D LIKE TO GET INTO THAT.
BUT FIRST, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT THIS PROPERTY.
UH, THIS PROPERTY IS THE LAST ORPHAN TRACK OF A 281 ACRE PARENT TRACK THAT WAS DEVELOPED IN THE 1970S AND EARLY 1980S.
AND, UM, IT WAS DEVELOPED UNDER A CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION CALLED THE, UH, FAR WEST CONCEPTUAL PLAN, UH, RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN 1977 TO ADDRESS HOW DO WE, WE BUILD THIS AREA OF, UH, NORTHWEST HILLS CAT MOUNTAIN.
UH, THAT'S THE SUBDIVISIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS PROPERTY, UH, WHICH HAS, YOU KNOW, RELATIVELY STEEP SLOPES.
UH, AND THEY CAME UP WITH A, A, A CONCEPT OF, YOU KNOW, BUILD CLOSE TO THE STRAI AND DEDICATE THE MAJORITY OF THE LOT, UM, UH, IN THE, ON THE STEEPER SLOPES IS DRAINAGE AND CONSERVATION EASEMENT LANDS.
SO THAT'S HOW ALL THE MEADOW MOUNTAIN SUBDIVISIONS WERE DEVELOPED.
UM, HOW PALLADIO, UH, SUBDIVISION WAS DEVELOPED.
UM, SECTION SEVEN WAS DEVELOPED.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS, THIS PROPERTY DIDN'T GET PLATTED DURING THAT, THAT ERA, UH, THE, UM, UH, 1980S BROUGHT ON THE, UH, UH, UH, SAVINGS AND LOAN CRISIS.
THERE WAS, UM, THE RTC GOT INVOLVED AND FORECLOSED ON THE PROPERTY, AND IT BOUNCED AROUND, UH, IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT, UH, UH, OWNERSHIPS.
BUT THE PROPERTY WAS ZONED SF THREE FOR THE LAST 45 YEARS.
UH, AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS BEEN PAYING TAXES ON IT.
UH, THE PROPERTY OWNERS, THERE'VE BEEN A NUMBER, UH, EVER SINCE THEN.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF THE, UH, OF THE BACKGROUND.
WHEN, WHEN WE, UH, CAME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION BEFORE, UH, AND THIS WAS LIKE IN 19 OR 2018, UM, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT BECAUSE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE WATERSHED ORDINANCE AND THE FACT THAT THIS, THIS, THAT ORDINANCE NO LONGER ALLOWS WHAT WAS ALLOWED FOR THE REST OF THE 281 ACRES UNDER THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT WE APPLY FOR, UH, A LAND STATUS DETERMINATION, WHICH WE, WE DID.
AND WE MET ALL THE CRITERIA FOR LAND STATUS DETERMINATION OF LEGAL LOT, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE, UH, AN ACTIVE UTILITY ACCOUNT.
UH, ALL THE, THE UTILITIES TO SERVE THIS TRACK HAVE BEEN IN THE GROUND SINCE THE EARLY 1980S.
UH, WATER WASTEWATER, UH, ELECTRIC, IT'S ALL UNDERGROUND.
IT'S ALL IN THE, UH, IN THE STREET RIGHT AWAY.
THE STREETS IN THE, THE STORM DRAINS ARE IN, IN FACT, THERE'S A STORM DRAIN INLET ON THIS PROPERTY.
AND IT, IT HAS A 24 INCH, UH, UH, STORM WATER INLET THAT THAT DISCHARGES DOWN
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INTO, UH, UH, THIS LOT.UM, SO, UM, MIKE, WHEN, WHEN HE, UH, REVIEWED THE THREE, UH, VARIANCES THAT WE REQUESTED, CONCLUDED THAT WE MET THE FINDINGS OF FACT ON, ON A ONE, UH, ON A TWO A, ON A TWO B, BUT NOT ON A, UH, TWO, THREE, WHICH SAYS, DEVELOPMENT WITH IT WITH THE VARIANCE WILL RESULT IN WATER QUALITY THAT IS AT LEAST AS EQUAL TO THE WATER QUALITY ACHIEVABLE WITHOUT THE VARIANCE.
UM, WE THINK THAT THE, THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE NOW, WHICH COULDN'T REALLY BE DEVELOPED IN THE 1980S 'CAUSE IT WOULD'VE BEEN TOO EXPENSIVE, UM, AND THE, THE PROPERTY VALUES JUST WOULDN'T HAVE SUPPORTED IT.
BUT, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT, UH, BY BUILDING THIS HOUSE ON PIERS, UH, WITH A DRIVEWAY THAT BASICALLY IS A BRIDGE FROM THE STREET TO THE HOUSE AND, AND TO THE, UH, BUILDING PLATFORM WITH A DETENTION POND THAT IS IN THE DRIVEWAY, THAT WE CAN MINIMIZE CONTACT WITH THE NATURAL, UH, GROUND AREA.
UM, AND SO, UH, WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF, OF CLEARING ALL OF OUR SUBDIVISION REVIEW COMMENTS, UH, WHEN THIS RECOMMENDATION OF DENIAL WAS MADE FOR THE THREE REASONS THAT MIKE JUST MENTIONED.
UH, HIS REPORT WAS DONE ON NOVEMBER 13, AND IT WASN'T UNTIL NOVEMBER 24TH THAT WE HAD CLEARED OUR DRAINAGE REVIEW COMMENTS.
AND I JUST, UM, I'M, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THESE, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU HAVE THAT.
I WANT TO GO THROUGH THE THREE, UH, POINTS THAT MIKE, UH, BROUGHT UP IS, UH, THE BASIS FOR DENIAL.
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, THE GREATER TRANSPORT OF SEDIMENT DURING CONSTRUCTION.
UH, WE'VE, WE'VE THOUGHT THROUGH THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, BESIDES THE NORMAL EROSION CONTROLS, UH, WE'RE INTENDING TO PUT ROCK GABIONS OR ROCK ROCK BURNS ON THE DOWN SLOPE SIDE OF WHERE THE, THE PIERS ARE GOING TO BE, UH, UH, DRILLED.
AND THE, THE PIERS, THERE WILL BE EIGHT PI THAT WILL SUPPORT THE BUILDING PLATFORM AND DRIVEWAY.
UH, WE WILL ALLOW NO, UM, EQUIPMENT THAT A MAN CAN'T CARRY, UM, UH, TO, TO DO THAT.
SO, UH, ANY, ANY JACKHAMMERING, UH, FOR THE PIER FOUNDATIONS WILL BE DONE BY HAND, BY HAND.
JACKHAMMER, UH, NO, NO VEHICLE, UH, WILL EVER, UH, GO ONTO THE PROPERTY.
UM, THE, THE, THE SLOPES ARE STEEP.
THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
AND YOU SAW A COUPLE OF THE PICTURES THAT MIKE, UH, SHOWED, BUT IT'S, IT'S RELATIVELY, UH, RESISTANT, UH, STABLE LIMESTONE ROCK.
THERE'S A LOT OF LARGE ROCK BOULDERS, UH, WITH A LOT OF, A LOT OF BRUSH ON THE PROPERTY.
WE DO NOT INTEND TO CLEAR ANY BRUSH UNDER THE, THE BUILDING ENVELOPE, UM, EXCEPT FOR THE EIGHT PIERS THAT WILL NEED TO BE, UH, DRILLED.
SO APPROXIMATELY TWO, 150 TO 300 SQUARE FEET.
I'M, I'M GONNA ASK A QUESTION REALLY QUICK.
DO YOU HAVE, UM, THIS IN YOUR SLIDES? YES.
IS THAT, IS THAT THE, UM, YEAH, IF YOU'LL ASK HIM TO, TO MOVE FORWARD, SO THEN WE CAN, EVERYBODY CAN SEE OKAY.
THAT, BY THE WAY, IF THIS, BUT JUST BACK UP FOR A SECOND.
HOW DO I, HOW DO I WORK THIS? I'LL LET YOU DO IT.
GO SHOW, SHOW THE, THE, THE DRAINAGE SO YOU CAN SEE THE LARGE ROCKS.
THIS IS THE, UH, THE CITY'S STORM WATER INLET, UH, THAT IT DRAINS DOWN ON THE FAR
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WESTERN END OF THE SITE.AND, UH, IF YOU GO DOWN THERE, YOU'LL SEE THAT, UH, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY STABLE.
UM, AND THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF VEGETATION ALL AROUND IT, AND THAT IT HASN'T HAD AN EROSIVE EFFECT.
GO AHEAD NOW TO THE CONTROLLING, KEEP GOING.
UH, CAN YOU REDUCE THAT A LITTLE BIT? YEP.
THERE, THERE, UH, SO YOU SEE WHERE THE, THE STREET IS, AND THE DARK SHADOWED AREA IS THE FOOTPRINT OF THE BUILDING AND THE DRIVEWAY.
THE, UM, DETENTION WILL BE CONTAINED WITHIN THE DRIVEWAY.
UH, AND IN A HUNDRED YEAR STORM EVENT, I THINK IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT, UH, THERE'LL BE A MAXIMUM OF THREE AND A HALF INCHES, THREE AND A HALF INCHES OF WATER, UM, WHICH WON'T GET INTO THE GARAGE BECAUSE THE GARAGE IS GONNA BE UP ABOUT FIVE INCHES.
UM, BY, UM, BY, BY, UH, KEEPING ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT ON A PLATFORM ABOVE THE, UH, THE STEEP SLOPES.
UH, WE, WE DON'T THINK THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE, UH, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SEDIMENT TRANSPORTED DURING, DURING CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THE, THE SECOND POINT THAT, UM, UH, MIKE MADE WAS THAT, UH, YOU GET FASTER TRANSPORT OF POLLUTANT RUNOFF FROM IMPERVIOUS COVER ON THE STEEP SLOPES.
AT THE TIME THAT HE, HE WROTE THIS, HE DIDN'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE FINAL, UH, REVIEW COMMENTS FROM, FROM DRAINAGE REVIEW, WHICH CALCULATED THAT THE, UM, THE CUBIC FEET PER SECOND OF STORMWATER RUNOFF WILL BE EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN IN THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT CONDITION.
AND THAT THE VELOCITY OF THAT RUNOFF AS IT GOES THROUGH THE DISSIPATOR AND ROCK BERM WILL BE 0.45 FEET PER SECOND.
UH, AND, UH, MR. GOMEZ CONCLUDED, UH, IN HIS REVIEW COMMENTS THAT, UM, THE CALCULATED VELOCITY OF 0.45 FEET PER SECOND IS LESS THAN WHAT THE ECM CONSIDERS NON EROSIVE, UH, WHICH I THINK IN THE ECM, IT ALLOWS UP TO, TO 3.0 OR 4.0 FEET PER SECOND.
SO HIS CONCLUSION WAS THAT, UM, THE, THE RATE OF DISCHARGE FROM THE DETENTION POND IN THE DRIVEWAY THROUGH THE APERTURE OPENING AT THE CORNER OF THE HOUSE IN A PIPE THAT, UH, TRANSMITS THE, UH, OR CONVEYS THE, THE STORM WATER AWAY FROM THE BUILDING FOOTPRINT AND THROUGH THE DISSIPATOR, UH, WILL NOT HAVE A CORROSIVE EFFECT.
AND I, I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY REASONABLE, INCREDIBLE TO BELIEVE WHEN YOU GO OUT THERE AND YOU SEE THE CITY'S STORM PIPE, UH, THAT IS 24 INCHES WIDE, UH, AND, UH, HAS, YOU KNOW, FAR MORE, UH, VELOCITY THAN WHAT WE'LL BE HAVING, UH, COMING OFF OF, UH, THIS DETENTION POND.
UM, I'LL, I'LL TRY AND WRAP IT UP HERE.
UH, THE, THE, UH, THIRD POINT WAS, UH, POST-CONSTRUCTION SITE STABILIZATION.
WE DISCUSSED THIS WITH A, UH, GEOTECH ENGINEER, UM, AND WE GOT SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FROM HIM.
WE AGREE WITH MIKE THAT WHILE THERE'S A LOT OF VEGETATION UNDERNEATH THE, UH, THIS BUILDING PLATFORM, OVER TIME, IT WILL DIE BECAUSE OF LACK OF SUNLIGHT.
UH, CORRECTIVE STEPS NEED TO BE
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TAKEN TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T GET THE TRANSPORT OF, OF, OF WATER, UH, FROM THE, THE SLOPES GOING UNDERNEATH THE BUILDING ENVELOPE AND PICKING UP, UH, UH, SEDIMENT AND CAUSING EROSION.AND, UM, WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT WE INTEND TO DO, UH, AND WE'LL PROBABLY DO IT IN THE FORM OF SOME KIND OF A PLAT NOTE, IS TO PUT ROCK BERMS OR GABON BASKETS ALONG THE, UH, THE TWO SIDES OF THE, THE BUILDING ENVELOPE GOING DOWN THE SLOPE, UH, TO INTERCEPT THE CONVEYANCE OF WATER THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE GO UNDERNEATH THE, THE BUILDING WHERE THERE WON'T BE VEGETATION.
SO THOSE ARE THE, UH, UH, THE THINGS THAT WE, UH, HAVE PROPOSED TO DO, UH, THAT WE THINK ADDRESS, UH, THE, THE THREE COMMENTS THAT, THAT HE MADE, UM, HIS CONDITIONS, IF, IF YOU CHOOSE TO APPROVE THIS, UH, THESE VARIANCES, WE AGREE WITH ALL FIVE OF THE CONDITIONS THAT HE, HE CAME UP WITH.
UM, THE, IN FACT, THE, THE SITE PLAN EXEMPTION AND THE DEED RESTRICTION HAVE ALREADY BEEN, AND THE, UH, DRAINAGE EASEMENT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DRAFTED AND, UH, ARE WAITING FOR LEGAL TO REVIEW AFTER, UH, THE ZCO, UH, HEARS THIS CASE.
UH, WE'LL BE, UH, HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AND, UH, MEZA CAN ANSWER ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND I SEE COMMISSIONER FLORES STILL WRITING, SO I'LL GO THIS DIRECTION OVER HERE.
COMMISSIONER BRIMER, THANK YOU, OR THANK YOU.
UH, I WAS OUT, I WALKED THE SITE TODAY.
UH, SO IF YOU COULD PUT BACK UP THAT SLIDE THAT SHOWED THE, UH, SLOPE, UH, WHOEVER'S THE EXHIBIT, THE, THE PLAN EXHIBIT, YEAH.
A SLOPE THAT SHOWED THE PIERS.
FURTHER BACK DOWN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT ONE A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN MAYBE.
UH, IS THAT YOUR REPRESENTATION OF THE SLOPE THERE? UH, YOU KNOW, THE PIERS AND WHERE THEY GO INTO THE GROUND? YOU WANNA ANSWER THAT? YEAH.
THE REASON I ASK IS I, I WALKED THAT, UH, PROPERTY TODAY, UH, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT ACCURATELY REPRESENTS THE, UH, TERRAIN.
UH, I'VE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF SKIING IN MY LIFE, AND, UH, I WOULD SAY THAT WALKING OFF ABOUT 10 FEET OFF THE STREET, IT MORE RESEMBLES AN EXPERT SKI SLOPE THAN IT DOES A 45 DEGREE ANGLE OR 30 DEGREE ANGLE LIKE THAT.
AND, UH, SO IT'S A LOT STEEPER THAN THAT.
ALSO, THAT REPRESENT THE SLOPE AS BEING FAIRLY, UH, EVEN FLAT.
THE EXACT NATURE OF THAT SLOPE IS, IT'S INCREDIBLY ROCKY.
I WOULD SAY IT'D BE VERY CHALLENGING FOR SOMEONE TO CLIMB THE HILL FROM THE BASE UP THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, THE CONSTRUCTION'S GONNA BE NOT BEING A CONSTRUCTION ENGINEER, BUT I WOULD SAY AT A BASE LEVEL, IT'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE CHALLENGING TO DO THE CONSTRUCTION THERE THAN, THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, THEN THAT DRAWING WOULD INDICATE, UH, AND THE, THE VEGETATION THERE IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE AS WELL.
AND AS YOU SAID, THE, UH, VEGETATION UNDERNEATH THE HOME AND THE DRIVEWAY AND EVERYTHING WILL BE TOAST, UH, WHEN IT'S GOING AWAY.
UM, SO THAT'S MY, MY FIRST COMMENT WITH IS, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, UH, AND I MAKE, I MAKE THAT COMMENT SIMPLY BECAUSE I WENT OUT AND OBSERVED THE PROPERTY FIRSTHAND TO SEE WHAT WE WERE ACTUALLY DEALING WITH, BECAUSE I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT IT.
UH, SO THAT, THAT, NOW I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
UM, I'M ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT CURIOUS WHEN WE GRANT
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VARIOUS VARIANCES LIKE THIS, UH, IF WE WERE TO APPROVE THIS, ARE WE SETTING A PRECEDENT THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT LATER ON? AND I HAVE A SPECIFIC SERIES OF TRACKS IN D 10 OR NEAR D 10 THAT I'M LOOKING AT THAT LOOK A LOT LIKE THAT.AND I AM CONCERNED THAT IF WE, OR I'M CURIOUS IF WE GRANT A VARIANCE FOR THIS, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UH, X NUMBER OF DEVELOPERS OR APPLICANTS, OR HOWEVER YOU WANT TO PHRASE IT, COMING BEFORE US IN A FEW YEARS REQUESTING VARIANCES THAT LOOK A LOT LIKE THIS BECAUSE THE TERRAIN LOOKS LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, HAS THE SAME FEATURES AS THIS.
AND, YOU KNOW, PRECEDENT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE KEEP IN MIND WHEN WE WORK ON OUR FINDINGS OF FACT.
UM, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE ARE VERY RARELY, IF EVER, UH, RECOMMEND APPROVAL FOR PREVIOUS COVER VARIANCES, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I, I THINK THAT IF THIS WERE TO GET APPROVED, UH, THIS WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE THAT FUTURE APPLICANTS COULD POINT TO AS, AS SOMETHING THAT DID GET APPROVED THAT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THIS.
SO, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S, IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT IT, IT THERE'S THE POTENTIAL.
BECAUSE THERE'S A PIECE OF PROPERTY COLLOQUIALLY NAMED HORSE THIEF RANCH FOR REASONS THAT I WON'T GO INTO OFF SPICEWOOD SPRINGS ROAD THAT RESEMBLES THIS A GREAT DEAL.
AND, UH, MY CONCERN IS THAT, UH, PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND DEVELOP IT IN A SIMILAR MANNER BECAUSE IT IS NOT FLAT, IT IS NOT EASILY CONDUCIVE TO CONSTRUCTION IN THE CONVENTIONAL MANNER.
AND I WOULD SUSPECT THAT THE DEVELOPERS WOULD WANT TO USE THE SAME TYPE OF ENGINEERING THERE.
AND IF WE APPROVE THIS, THEN ESSENTIALLY WE'RE ENCOURAGING OTHER PEOPLE TO ASK.
AND IT IS ALSO IN THE BULL CREEK WATERSHED, IN FACT, YOU CAN SPIT OFF OF IT INTO BULL CREEK.
AND SO WE WOULD BE CREATING A PRECEDENT PERHAPS FOR THAT TYPE OF THING.
SO THAT'S MY CURIOSITY WITH REGARD TO THAT, WITH, IF I COULD JUST, UH, MAKE ONE COMMENT ON THAT.
UM, THE OWNER ACTUALLY OWNED ANOTHER PROPERTY IN TOWN THAT WAS ALREADY PLATTED.
THAT WAS, IT WASN'T AS STEEP AS THIS, BUT IT WAS 35, 40 5%, UH, SLOPES.
AND, UH, HE WAS ABLE TO, TO BUILD A HOUSE ON PIERS USING SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT HE PROPOSES ON THIS SITE.
AND, UH, THE CITY PERMITTED IT, AND IT, IT, IT, IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION.
AND THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY WHEN WAS THAT? IN 2020, UH, IN 2020.
AND THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY, UH, PROBLEMS WITH IT.
BUT NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO BUILD ON A SITE LIKE THIS.
UH, HE JUST HAPPENED TO BUY THIS PROPERTY, UH, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO AND DIDN'T THINK HE WAS GONNA HAVE A PROBLEM BECAUSE HE DIDN'T ON THE OTHER SITE.
AND THEN, UH, UNDER CAME TO UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE IT WASN'T PLATTED YET, UM, IT WAS GONNA GO THROUGH THE PLAT THAT IT WAS GONNA BE SUBJECT TO THIS EXTRA SCRUTINY.
WELL, I UNDERSTAND EVERY LOT'S DIFFERENT, AND EVERY ISSUE IS DIFFERENT.
AND SO IT'S HARD TO MAKE A GENERALIZATION FROM THAT LOT TO THE HORSE THIEF RANCH AREA BECAUSE NOT HAVING PERSONALLY WALKED THAT OR DONE TOPOLOGY STUDIES OR CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
SO IT'S HARD TO MAKE A, YOU KNOW, ONE-TO-ONE COMPARISON.
HOWEVER, MY CONCERN IS FROM OBSERVING BOTH PROPERTIES CLOSELY, I, YOU KNOW, EXPRESS A CONCERN ABOUT THAT TYPE OF, UH, THING.
UH, CAN I ANSWER ON YOUR CROSS-SECTION? YEAH.
BASICALLY THE CROSS SECTION, YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, THAT'S FOR THE DETENTION POND IN THE DRIVEWAY.
AND THE CROSS-SECTION IS PRETTY MUCH PARALLEL TO THE ROAD.
THERE'S ANOTHER CROSS-SECTION, WHICH IS PERPENDICULAR, WHICH IS NOT SHOWN ON THAT ONE.
THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE A LITTLE BIT OF STEEPER SLOPE.
BUT THE CROSS-SECTION IS BASED ON THE SURVEY WE GOT DONE AND THE TOPO WE HAVE.
SO THE SLOPE YOU SEE ON THAT ONE IS ACCURATE ACCORDING TO THE EXISTING CONDITION.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT IT, THERE'S A SURVEY CONTOURS ON THAT ONE WITH THE CROSS SECTION YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
[00:35:01]
POND, SO WE CAN CLEAR THE DRAINAGE COMMAND, AND IT IS PARALLEL, PRETTY MUCH PARALLEL TO THE STREET, SO THAT'S WHY YOU DIDN'T SEE THAT STEEP SLOPE.BUT DURING THE REVIEW PROCESS, WE HAVE ANOTHER EXHIBIT NUMBER FOUR, WHICH SHOWS ANOTHER CROSS SECTION, WHICH IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE STREET.
I THINK MY THINKING IS THE CROSS SECTION YOU SEE IS ACCURATE.
NOW, WHAT WAS, UH, CAN YOU REVIEW AGAIN? OKAY, I, I PULLED UP SOME RECORDS FROM, UH, COMMENTS FROM NAKA THAT DATE BACK TO 2014 AND 2015 WHEN APPARENTLY THERE WAS, THIS CAME BEFORE SOME BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BACK THEN, AND YOU REFERENCED IT BACK IN 2018.
UH, UH, CAN MAYBE STAFF AND YOU REVISIT THAT AGAIN WHEN THE SCHOOL, BECAUSE I'VE GOT SOME INPUT FROM NAKA FROM BACK THEN.
SO I KNOW THAT THIS DID HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION VARIANCE WAS IN, DID YOU SAY 2018? I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME.
NO, I, I, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE 20 16 20 17 RANGE.
THE, THE EN UH, ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY WAS DONE IN 2013, BUT THE APPLICATION WASN'T SUBMITTED UNTIL, UH, 2016.
AND I, I THINK IT WAS IN 20 16, 20 17 WHEN IT WENT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD.
AND THEN WHEN WE, WHEN WE WENT TO THE ZAP CO, UH, THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE THINK YOU, WE THINK YOU OUGHT TO TRY AND GET A LAND STATUS DETERMINATION SO YOU CAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMPLY WITH ALL OF THESE REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE THE TRACK WAS CONFIGURED, UH, BACK AT THE SAME TIME, ACTUALLY, THE TRACK WAS CONFIGURED BY THE COLLECTIVE ACTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AKA ZKO, UM, AS, AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVED, UH, FINAL PLATS ON ALL SURROUNDING PROPERTIES TO THIS TRACK.
AND, AND THAT'S HOW IT GOT CONFIGURED.
AND IT WAS IN THE, UH, THE EARLY EIGHTIES WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
UH, SO WE TRIED THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT HUNG UP ON THE FACT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE AN ACTIVE UTILITY ACCOUNT, SO WE DID QUALIFY FOR THE LAND STATUS DETERMINATION.
I WASN'T ABLE TO LOCATE THAT STUFF.
SOMETIMES THE, THE SEARCH ENGINE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE IS LESS THAN OPTIMAL, BUT I DID PULL SOME STUFF FROM, UH, MILWAUKEE, SOME OF THEIR FEEDBACK FROM AT THAT TIME.
THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND I APPRECIATE STAFF TIME, UH, AND PULLING ALL THIS STUFF TOGETHER.
YOU DID A GREAT Y ALL OF YOU DID A GREAT JOB.
SO WHAT, WHAT WOULD PREVENT FURTHER EROSION FROM HAPPENING UNDERNEATH THAT MIGHT EXPOSE THE P THE BASE OF THE PEERS? CAN YOU YEP.
SO THIS, ON OUR DISCUSSION WITH THE GEOTECH ENGINEER, AND I'M ALSO A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE, THERE'S A LOT OF ROCKS ON THE SURFACE, WHICH HAS A LOT OF SHEER RESISTANCE.
AND MY BELIEF IS ONCE YOU BUILD THAT FOUNDATION, THE PIER GOES DOWN INTO GROUND, IT'LL MORE STABILIZE THE SOIL, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT LOOSE SOIL AND LOT OF ROCKS.
BUT ONCE YOU HAVE A FOUNDATION AND THE STRUCTURE PLACE, THE SOIL WILL BECOME MORE STABILIZED AND RESISTANCE TO SHEAR.
SO I THINK ONCE THE HOUSE GET BUILT AND THE PIER GOES DOWN INTO GROUND LIKE THREE TO FOUR FEET AND HAVE CONNECTIVITY WITH THE CONCRETE BEAMS, THE SOIL OR THE GROUND IS MORE STABILIZED, AND THAT'S WHAT THE GEOTECH GUY ALSO RECOMMEND.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY WE ALSO PROVIDING LITTLE BIT OF ROCK BERMS AND ALL THOSE JUST TO HAVE PROTECTION, IF ANYTHING, LIKE A SMALL SOIL SLIDE IS GOING TO PROTECT THAT.
AND THIS WOULD HOLD UP FOR 20 YEARS, 50 YEARS, A HUNDRED YEARS.
[00:40:01]
PASSED AWAY, IT'LL HOLD UPBECAUSE IT, IT BASICALLY, WE TRYING TO DO LIKE A CONCRETE STRUCTURE, LIKE 30 DIAMETER CONCRETE TUBE, USUALLY SEE THOSE KIND OF A STRUCTURE ON THOSE BRIDGES.
SO ONCE THAT CONCRETE IS STRUCTURE IN PLACE IS NOT A WOOD STRUCTURE, IT'S A CONCRETE, AND USUALLY THE CONCRETE HAS LESS MAINTENANCE AND IT LASTS LONGER.
YES, IF YOU BUILD WITH THE STEEL STRUCTURE FOR TIME BEING, IT GET ERODED, MAYBE IT LASTS FOR 20, 30, 50 YEARS, BUT THE CONCRETE USUALLY LASTS LONGER.
AND WE DID THE SIMILAR STRUCTURE FOR THE SAME CLIENT, IS A PRETTY STEEP SLOPE, LIKE 45 DEGREE, AND WE BUILD ON THAT ONE THE CONCRETE WALLS AND IS STILL STANDING THERE.
COMMISSIONER MORRISON? NO QUESTION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SOME OF MY QUESTIONS ARE, ARE SIMILAR JUST AROUND THE, THE GRADE OF THE SLOPE AND THE, UM, MITIGATIONS AGAINST FUTURE EROSION AND WHETHER, WHETHER THERE ARE EXAMPLES OF, UM, YOU KNOW, SUCCESSFUL LONG-TERM, UM, YOU KNOW, REVEGETATION ON, UH, RAISED STRUCTURES AT SIMILAR SLOPES.
THERE WON'T BE ANY REVEGETATION UNDERNEATH THE BUILDING ENVELOPE.
UM, WE'RE NOT GOING TO CLEAR IT, UM, EXCEPT FOR THE, THE EIGHT, UH, PEER PADS.
BUT EVENTUALLY IT, THE, THE VEGETATION UNDERNEATH IT WILL DIE, BUT ONLY THAT 3,900 SQUARE FOOT, UH, PLATFORM, UH, THE REST OF THE SITE, UH, WILL REMAIN UNDISTURBED.
THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY GRADING, UH, DONE ON THE PROPERTY.
UH, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY LANDSCAPING.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE IT NATURAL.
SO THE, THE WAY WE'RE GONNA PREVENT EROSION FROM UNDERNEATH THE BUILDING ENVELOPE IS BY THE PLACEMENT OF THESE ROCK GABIONS ON EITHER SIDE OF, OF THE, OF THE BUILDING AS YOU'RE GOING DOWN THE SLOPE.
AND THAT'LL, THAT'LL PREVENT THE CONVEYANCE LATERALLY A ACROSS AND UNDER THE BUILDING FOUNDATION.
AND THEN WITH THE, UM, WITH THE INCREASED SIZE OF THE, UH, OF THE COVER, OF THE IMPERVIOUS COVER, DOES THAT, IS, WILL THAT HAVE DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS IN TERM, UH, AS FAR AS THE, UM, POLLUTANT LOAD OR IMPACT ON THE, UH, WATER QUALITY? UM, THE, YOU YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT? YEAH.
BASICALLY, DURING THE DRAINAGE AND WATER QUALITY COMMENTS, WE ALREADY CLEARED ALL THOSE, AND THE GEOTECH GUY ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THERE'S SO MUCH ROCKS ON THE SURFACE.
AS LONG AS YOU DON'T HAVE ANY BACKFILL, LIKE 10 OR 20 FEET, THERE'S NO ISSUE FOR GLOBAL STABILITY ON THE SOIL.
AND THE WAY I LOOK AT IT AS A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER, ONCE YOU PUT THOSE CONCRETE PIERS INTO THE SOIL, SAY LIKE FOUR, FIVE FEET AND CONNECTING BEAMS, THE GROUND UNDER THE FOUNDATION PAD WILL MORE STABILIZE THAN WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
SO I DON'T THINK SO WE HAVE ANY ISSUES ON THE EROSION ONCE THERE'S A STRUCTURE GET BUILT.
IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION, YOU ARE SAYING WE'RE ASKING FOR A VARIANCE FROM 225 SQUARE FEET TO 3,900 SQUARE FEET, UM, YOU KNOW, A NORMAL, UH, LOT THAT'S A HALF ACRE, YOU WOULD ASSUME 5,000 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS COVER BEFORE YOU'D HAVE TO DO WATER QUALITY.
UM, WE ARE DEED RESTRICTING IT TO THE 3,900, WHICH IS NOT THAT MUCH IMPERVIOUS COVER.
OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU CALCULATE IT BASED UPON NET SIDE AREA, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OVER THE, UH, THE ALLOWED AMOUNT, BUT THE ALLOWED AMOUNT, UH, DOES NOT ALLOW ANY DEVELOPMENT ON THIS SIDE AT ALL.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S MY, THAT WAS THE, THAT WAS THE THING THAT STUCK THAT, UH, THE DELTA BETWEEN,
[00:45:01]
UM, THOSE NUMBERS WAS THE THING THAT STUCK OUT MOST TO ME.AND I THINK THE QUESTION ABOUT JUST SETTING A PRECEDENT THAT, UM, THAT
UH, SO PART, PART OF THE NEGOTIATION THROUGH THE, THE PLANNING REVIEW PROCESS WAS THAT WE WOULD DEED RESTRICT TO NO MORE THAN 3,900.
IF, IF I MAY OFFER SOME, SOME BACKUP INFORMATION.
AND I GUESS IF YOUR QUESTION IS ABOUT THE WATER QUALITY BASED ON THE DRAINAGE COMMENT, WE COMPLY WITH THE ECM FOR THE WATER QUALITY, AND THAT'S HOW WE CLEAR THE COMMENTS.
SO MIKE MCDOUGALL, UH, AUSTIN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES? UH, YES.
SO, UH, WHEN A SUBDIVISION IS CREATED, UH, MOST OF THE TIME WE DUNNO HOW BIG THE HOUSE WILL BE.
SO THE CODE TELLS US HOW BIG OF A HOUSE TO ASSUME ON EACH LOT, ON A LOT THIS SIZE, THE CODE TELLS US TO ASSUME 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
UH, THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO ACTUALLY BUILD A HOUSE 3,900 SQUARE FEET.
UM, THE, THE, ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS THAT THERE WON'T BE WATER QUALITY TREATMENT FOR THE PROPOSED IMPERVIOUS COVER.
IT'S NOT REQUIRED BASED ON THE CODE AND CRITERIA FOR A SINGLE FAMILY HOME OF 3,900 SQUARE FEET.
SO THERE WILL BE JUST ONE OFFER THAT THAT BACKGROUND, THERE WILL BE DRAINAGE, UH, TO INTERCEPT THE WATER AND RELEASE IT SLOWLY OVER TIME.
BUT THE CODE AND CRITERIA DID NOT REQUIRE, UH, WATER QUALITY TREATMENT FOR IMPERVIOUS COVER OF THIS AMOUNT ON A SINGLE FAMILY LOT.
AND I'VE GOT THE WATER QUALITY ENGINEER FROM THE CITY HERE AS WELL, WHO CAN OFFER ANY DETAILS ON THAT.
MOST OF THAT, MOST OF THAT 3,900 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS COVER WILL NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF PICKING UP ANY POLLUTANTS AS IT'S COMING OFF OF THE, THE ROOF OF THE HOUSE AND THE GARAGE.
THE, THE ONLY POLLUTANTS THAT IT COULD PICK UP WOULD BE FROM THE DRIVEWAY ITSELF.
I WILL HAVE TO SAY, UH, DISAGREE.
THERE ARE POLLUTANTS THAT COME OFF OF, OF, UH, ROOFS, BUILDING ROOFS, UM, AND THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE OVER 8,000 SQUARE FEET, BUILDINGS, ROADWAYS, PARKING DRIVEWAY, ALL OF THOSE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE WATER QUALITY TREATMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S DUST, IT'S BIRD POO, IT'S, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT FALLS ON THE BUILDING.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE SUBDIVISION, WE HAVE TWO LOTS.
THE SECOND LOT, WHICH HAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE IS GOING TO ACT LIKE A VEGETATED FILTER STRIP.
SO IT'S GOING TO ACT LIKE A WATER QUALITY POND.
SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS THAT CRITERIA, BUT IF YOU WORRIED ABOUT THE POLLUTION, I THINK THE AMOUNT OF TIME IS GOING TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE PROPERTY IS GOING TO GO THROUGH THE LOT, NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS UNDEVELOPED BASED ON THE SUBDIVISION.
SO IF THE CITY IS CONCERNED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT OF POLLUTION, THAT CAN ACT AS A VEGETATED FILTER STRIP.
AND THERE'S A PLATE NOTE ON THAT ONE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO DEVELOP THAT LOT.
AND THEN ONE LA MY LAST QUESTION IS, IF THE, UH, CURRENT OWNER OF THE SUBDIVISION WHO, WHO'S, WHO IS PLANNING TO LIVE IN THE HOUSE, IS IT THE CURRENT OWNER OR ARE THEY PLANNING TO SELL THE HOUSE? I'M, I'M NOT SURE IF HE'S GOING TO MOVE INTO IT OR NOT.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA ALLOW ANY, ANY, ANY LANDSCAPING, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA ALLOW ANY, ANY SITE GRADING ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, CURIOUS, WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING THESE PILLARS, ARE YOU, HOW ARE YOU GETTING YOUR CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT THERE? I I, I LOOKED AT PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ANGLE OF PITCH OF THIS AND THE, THE ROCKS AND EVERYTHING.
AND I'M WONDERING, WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE ARE YOU DOING WHEN YOU JUST GO BUILD THIS? IT'S ALL GONNA BE DONE BY HAND.
UM, THE HEAVIEST PIECE OF EQUIPMENT WILL BE A HANDHELD JACKHAMMER.
AND HOW DEEP IS THE, IS THE HOLE YOU'RE MAKING THREE TO FOUR FEET.
AND THAT'S INTO, INTO THE LIMESTONE? YES.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE PIT, THE, THE REBAR WILL BE PLACED IN IT, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE THOSE CARDBOARD, UM, TUBES, CONTAIN TUBES TO, FOR, UH, THE CONCRETE.
THE CONCRETE WILL BE POURED OR FROM A PUMPER TRUCK IN THE STREET, AND THE, THE CONCRETE BEAMS, CROSS BEAMS
[00:50:01]
WILL BE, UH, LOADED ONTO THE PIERS BY A CRANE IN THE STREET.SO THERE WON'T BE ANY EQUIPMENT, NOT EVEN, YOU'RE NOT BUILDING ANY KIND OF STRUCTURE OUT THERE TO HOLD THOSE UP.
AND WE DO HAVE, UH, OUR A STAFF GEOLOGIST, ERIC BROWN HERE, IF YOU HAVE GEOLOGY QUESTIONS.
AND THE ONE THING I CAN RESPOND ON CONSTRUCTION, WE DID THE SIMILAR TYPE OF HOUSE COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND DURING THE REVIEW PROCESS WITH THE CITY, I SHARED THOSE PICTURES.
AND THAT ONE WE SHOW THE GRAIN IS SITTING ON THE STREET AND THEY'RE PUTTING THE STEEL BEAM ALL THE WAY UP, SO THERE'S LESS DISTURBANCE ON THE SURFACE.
ONLY THING ONCE WE POUR THE FOUNDATION AND THE PIERS, AND AFTER THAT THE STRUCTURE SITS FROM THE STREET, SO THERE'S NO HEAVY EQUIPMENT INSIDE THE PROPERTY AND EVERYTHING IS HANDMADE CONCRETE AND ALL THOSE POURED BY THE PUMP HERE.
AND I SHARED THAT PICTURE WITH THE REVIEWER DURING THE REVIEW PROCESS, IF YOU LIKE, I CAN SEND YOU THOSE.
BUT THAT HOUSE IS ALREADY BUILT FIVE, 10 YEARS AGO AND IT STILL IS STANDING.
REALLY QUICK, DID YOU WANNA MAKE A COMMENT? YOU LOOK LIKE YOU WERE ABOUT TO HEAD TO A MICROPHONE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YEAH, I JUST COME, COME TO THE, COME ON UP TO MICROPHONE PLEASE.
I'M THE, UH, STAFF HYDROGEOLOGIST.
UM, I, UH, WENT OUT TO THIS SITE A COUPLE DIFFERENT TIMES AND, UM, I, UH, I THINK TO GET DOWN TO THE, THE COMPETENT BEDROCK THAT YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO, UH, ENFORCE THESE PIERS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE A LOT OF, UM, LOOSE BOULDERS AND OTHER MATERIAL THAT IS NOT GOING TO STABILIZE ANY, UM, LIKE IT'S NOT GONNA SUPPORT A, A PIER OR BUILDING ABOVE IT.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE A, A LOT OF MATERIAL TO GET DOWN TO THE COMPETENT BEDROCK THAT WOULD THEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DRILL DOWN AND POTENTIALLY SET THE REBAR AND THE PIERS.
UM, DOING, MOVING ALL OF THAT MATERIAL TO GET DOWN TO COMPETENT ROCK IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF DISTURBANCE THAT I DON'T THINK, UH, GIAN BASKET AT THE PROPERTY LINE IS GOING TO, UH, STOP SEDIMENT TRANSPORT.
UM, THIS IS A, A VERY STEEP SLOPE, AND THE PIERS WILL BE AT LEAST 30 FEET ABOVE GRADE TO GET DOWN TO THE FOUNDATION.
AND I THINK THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE FAIRLY DEEP, UM, BELOW EXISTING GRADE TO GET TO A, A COMPETENT BEDROCK, UM, THAT WOULD SUPPORT THAT OVERBURDEN.
SO, UH, THAT'S JUST MY GEOLOGIC OPINION.
I'M NOT A A, AN ENGINEER, BUT THANK YOU.
HAVING DUG HOLES LIKE THIS BEFORE, I KIND OF KNOW WHAT IT DOES.
WHAT, WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO BY HAND TO DO THIS.
YOU'RE GONNA DISTURB A LOT GOING DOWN THERE AND DOING THAT AND GETTING GUYS DOWN THERE.
IT'S ALSO GONNA BE KIND OF DANGEROUS.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE SOME SAFETY, UH, THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS AS FAR AS, UH, GETTING PEOPLE DOWN THERE TO BUILD THAT.
UM, KIND OF SURPRISED ME WHEN YOU SAID YOU'RE GONNA DO IT BY HAND, BUT THEN AGAIN, I LOOK AT IT AND I SEE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY.
THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO DO IT.
UM, BUT, UM, ONE OTHER QUESTION.
YOU SAID THIS IS AN ORPHAN LOT IN THIS 280, WAS IT 280 ACRES? YES.
AND THIS IS A HALF ACRE, THIS PARTICULAR, YES.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ORPHAN LOTS OUT THERE? IS THIS THE ONLY ONE? UH, THIS IS IT.
I, I, MIKE MELE, UH, AUSTIN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, I APOLOGIZE TO FOR INTERRUPTING.
UM, I, IT, IT'S VERY LIKELY THE ONLY ORPHAN LOT IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF IT'S THE ONLY ONE IN THE CITY.
UM, THE PRACTICE HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST FEW DECADES WHERE WE DON'T ALLOW LEFTOVER LOTS LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT DOES CREATE THIS EXACT PROBLEM.
AND I HAVE TAKEN VARIANCES BEFORE BECAUSE OF ORPHAN LOTS.
UH, SOMEBODY BOUGHT A LOT, THEY THOUGHT THEY FOUND A, UH, GREAT DEAL, THEN FOUND OUT THEY HAD TO PLOT IT HAD TO GO THROUGH VARIANCE PROCESS TO PLOT IT, TO BUILD A HOME.
UH, SO, UM, IN DECADES PAST A PROPERTY THAT WAS TOO DIFFICULT TO BUILD ON, OR MAYBE NOT CO COMPLIANT TO BUILD ON OR TOO EXPENSIVE, WAS LEFT OUTTA SUBDIVISIONS.
THAT'S NO LONGER THE PRO THE ALLOWED PROCESS BECAUSE IT CREATES THIS.
SO THERE ARE VERY LIKELY ORPHAN LOTS ELSEWHERE, BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OF THE SUBDIVISION JUST, YEAH, WHEN I
[00:55:01]
LOOK AT THE TOPOGRAPHY, IT'S LIKE A 50 FOOT DROP TO THE MIDDLE OF THE LOT FROM THE STREET, WHICH IS ENORMOUS.UM, SO YEAH, I'M, I'M A BIT CONCERNED ABOUT THE DAMAGE YOU'RE GONNA DO TO GO BUILD THIS THING.
ACTUALLY, THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FLORY.
I GUESS THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE MIGHT BE FOR MORE STAFF OR MY COLLEAGUES, UM, IF IT'S POLICY WORKFLOW.
SO THE APPLICANT, UM, MADE A PROPOSAL, UM, Y'ALL DENIED THE, YOU KNOW, OR THE, THE VARIANCES AND IS IT, IT'S REQUIRED TO GO IN FRONT OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ANY, ANYTIME THERE'S AN APPLICANT OR, UH, YEAH, PROCESS QUESTION.
SO THEY SUBMITTED A SUBDIVISION FOR REVIEW AND IN, UM, THE APPLICATION IS, UH, DISTRIBUTED TO A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT REVIEW DISCIPLINES.
UM, ERIC WAS, WAS ONE, MIKE WAS ANOTHER, DAVID WAS ANOTHER.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND SO WE TRY TO BRING VARIANCES WHEN AS MANY SUBSTANTIAL REVIEW COMMENTS CAN BE, UM, UH, RESOLVED.
UH, SO THAT THERE AREN'T KIND OF THESE OUTSTANDING ISSUES.
UM, BECAUSE THERE WAS ONLY ONE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UH, MEETING IN DECEMBER.
UH, YOU KNOW, THIS ONE WAS PUT ON THIS AGENDA RATHER THAN A LATER ONE, EVEN THOUGH DRAINAGE AND WATER QUALITY COMMENTS WEREN'T COMPLETELY FULLY BAKED, BUT WE, UH, HAD A GOOD IDEA THAT THEY, THE COMMENTS WOULD BE CLEARED.
SO COMMENTS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY CLEARED AT THIS POINT, EXCEPT FOR THE VARIANCE.
UM, AND WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE VARIANCE.
UM, IT GOES TO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, AND THEN ZONING AND PLATTING WOULD HAVE THE FINAL AUTHORITY TO GRANT THE, OR DENY THE ARIANS.
AND I GUESS FOR MY FUTURE RESEARCH, DO YOU ALL KNOW OF ANY PRECEDENT, UH, RECENTLY THAT WHERE Y'ALL DISAPPROVED SOMETHING IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION APPROVED? UM, THERE WAS A FIRE STATION THAT HAD AN IMPERVIOUS COVER VARIANCE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
THEY WERE, THAT WAS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL.
SO YEAH, I MEAN, IT DOES HAPPEN, UM, FROM TIME TO TIME.
AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS AN IMPERVIOUS COVER VARIANCE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE TYPICALLY DON'T RECOMMEND THOSE, BUT, UM, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN OTHERS.
I I'M NOT RE RECALLING OTHERS.
UM, AND I GUESS QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
UM, SO THE OWNER FIVE YEARS FROM NOW WANTS TO FENCE IT, HAVE DOG YARD, HAVE A FENCE SHED, WHAT, UH, TERRACE, THE BACKYARD TERRACE UNDERNEATH IT.
IS IT THE DEED RESTRICTION THAT'S PREVENTING 'EM WHEN YOU SAY WE'RE NOT GONNA ALLOW IT? UM, IS THAT THE CITY PERMIT CODE COMING IN? UM, HOW ARE YOU PREVENTING FUTURE? OKAY.
AND SO THEN THE CITY PERMIT, UH, REVIEWER GOES OUT TO MAKE SURE, 'CAUSE THAT SEEMS LIKE, UH, THEY'RE GONNA WANT A DOG, THEY'RE GONNA WANNA EXPAND, THEY'RE GONNA WANT, YOU KNOW, THAT OUTSIDE SPACE.
AND YEAH, I MEAN, IT, IT, PLA NOTES ARE THE BEST WAY TO CLARIFY THINGS LIKE THIS BECAUSE RESIDENTIAL REVIEWERS WILL SEE THAT.
HOWEVER, LAW WANTS US TO, OUR, OUR LAW DEPARTMENT, UM, EN ENCOURAGES US TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PLAT NOTES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND SO YEAH, IF A, A DEED RESTRICTION IS, IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT, UM, THE CITY OFTEN DOESN'T REALLY ENFORCE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
UM, BUT WE WILL, WE, WE WILL HAVE A NOTE ON THE PLAT THAT REFERENCES IF IT GETS APPROVED, THAT REFERENCES ANY CON YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THAT, THAT THERE WAS A VARIANCE AND THAT CONDITIONS APPLY.
IS THERE A BACKYARD OR A STAIRS DOWN TO THE, THERE'S NO BACKYARD WHO, I DON'T KNOW IF THE, THE LARGER CONTEXT, WHEN I LOOK AT IT, THERE'S A, I, I FORGOT THE NAME.
CAT MOUNTAIN, GREEN BELT DOWN THE HILL.
THE LAND IN BETWEEN THIS PLOT AND THAT GREEN BELT.
IS THAT ALL PRIVATE? IT'S TURN YOUR MIC ON.
UH, IT IS, IT'S IN A DRAINAGE AND CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON THE LOTS, UH, BEHIND IT.
SO I'M WONDERING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I HEARD THE NUMBERS, I THINK YOU'VE REFERRED IT AS THE DELTA, BUT GOING FROM, UH, THE NET SIZE OF SUGGESTION OF 200 SQUARE FEET TO 3,900, YOU KNOW, 15 TIMES IS QUITE SHOCKING.
AND SO I DO JUST WONDER, OKAY, IT CAN'T, MAYBE SHOULDN'T BE A HOUSE.
UM, BUT WONDERING IF THE CITY WOULD WANT IT.
THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD AS YOU KNOW, TRAILHEAD.
UM, FIRST THING THAT CAME TO MIND, I'LL SAY HONESTLY, STEEP SLOPES, NORTHWEST AUSTIN THOUGHT A GOLDEN CHEEK.
I DON'T KNOW IF OUR CITY LOOKS AT THAT AT ALL, BUT IT, I DIDN'T QUITE HEAR, UH, A SUSTAINABLE MESSAGE IN THE HOUSE BEYOND HONESTLY, PIERS AND ROCKS, UM, TO, TO, TO STOP IT.
IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE IT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE MOST SUSTAINABLE PROJECT THAT NEEDED WAS GONNA MEET THESE VARIANCES AND, I DON'T KNOW, JUST MAKE THE SITE BETTER.
[01:00:01]
UM, I, I THINK THE PROJECT IS QUITE SUSTAINABLE.I, I HEAR THAT YOUR CONCERNS AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE REAL ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE AND THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE AND POST CONSTRUCTION IS GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS.
UH, THAT'S WHY WE, UH, HAVE, HAVE AGREED TO SOME PLAT NOTES AND, AND DEED RESTRICTIONS AND AGREED WITH ALL FIVE OF THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS HERE IF YOU DO RECOMMEND THIS, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A CHALLENGING SITE TO BUILD ON, BUT ONCE IT'S BUILT, UM, I I, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE QUITE SUSTAINABLE.
WELL, I WOULD JUST MAYBE RECOMMEND NEXT TIME THOSE PRECEDENT IMAGES OF THOSE, UH, RADICALLY SUSTAINABLE HOUSES THAT, THAT, THAT Y'ALL ARE MODELING THIS AFTER I, I'VE SEEN SOME IN AUSTIN.
UM, NOT NECESSARILY ON STEEP SLOPES, BUT, UM, JUST A LITTLE BIT STRONGER MESSAGE.
UM, AND I DO SEE THERE IS ANOTHER SECTION LINE ON YOUR DRAWING THAT WOULD CAPTURE THE STEEPER SLOPE TO, TO HELP, UM, CONVEY THE ACTUAL SLOPE OF THE SITE.
UM, IF Y'ALL WANTED TO SHARE THAT, THAT WOULD BE NICE.
UH, COMMISSIONER MOORE? UH, IS THAT ME? DID YOU SAY IT MY NAME? YEAH, SORRY.
DID YOU CUT OFF? I TURNED OFF MY, MY PHONE AS I WAS SPEAKING.
UM, IS THERE A WIN-WIN, UH, SCENARIO? LIKE IF, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE ONE, UH, THE PERCENTAGE OF, IN PREVIOUS COVER, I'M THINKING, WELL, IF THE HOUSE IS LIKE THE, THE ACTUAL SQUARE FOOTAGE FOOT OF THE HAT, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY THAT IN ENGLISH, BUT THE OF THE HOUSE, IT IS SMALLER.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT THEN THE, THE DRIVEWAY CAN BE, I MEAN, IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGE, THEN IT WILL BE SMALLER AND IT WILL BE WITHIN THE, THE, THE CODE, OR IF IT'S, IF WE DON'T KNOW IF THE, IF WE DO NOT KNOW IF THIS PERSON IS GONNA LEAVE THERE, UH, CAN IT BE A SMALLER HOME AND CAN IT DO LIKE, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS LIKE ANY WAY THAT WE COULD SOLVE THIS IN A WIN-WIN SCENARIO.
AND I, AND, BUT YEAH, I, IS THERE ANY WAY, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT LIKE CHANGING THE SIZE OF THE, OF THE, UH, HOUSE OR IS IT SET THAT IT HAS TO BE THAT SIZE? WELL, I MEAN, THERE IS A, AN ECONOMIC POINT WHERE, I MEAN, THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE WAY TO BUILD A HOUSE.
UH, SO THE ECONOMICS KIND OF KIND OF DRIVE THAT TO SOME EXTENT.
PLUS YOU WANT SOMETHING THAT'S COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND AS FAR AS THE DRIVEWAY GOES, UM, THE DRIVEWAY IS THE DETENTION POND.
SO IT NEEDS TO BE SIZED, UH, UH, IN ORDER TO, UH, ALLOW FOR THE COLLECTION OF, UH, ALL THE STORM WATER.
SO IT, RIGHT NOW THE HOUSE IS A TWO, UH, TWO STORY HOUSE.
UM, THE SECOND STORY DOESN'T REALLY IMPACT, UH, FROM A SQUARE FOOTAGE STANDPOINT, DOESN'T REALLY IMPACT THE, UH, UH, OVERALL SIZE OF THE PROJECT.
UH, IT, IT COULD BE SMALLER, I SUPPOSE, BUT YOU GET INTO, UH, AN ECONOMIC ISSUE WHERE IF YOU MAKE IT TOO SMALL, IT DOESN'T, YOU CAN'T JUSTIFY IT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU CAN'T JUSTIFY IT, UH, ECONOMICALLY.
AND, AND I, SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID CAUGHT MY ATTENTION, ACTUALLY, YOU, YOU SAID THAT IN THAT AREA, THERE IS NO WAY THERE COULD, COULD NOT BE ANY DEVELOPMENT AT ALL IN THAT AREA IF LIKE, WE ARE FOLLOWING THE CODE.
IS THAT, IS THAT, DID I GET THAT RIGHT? IT COULDN'T BE WHAT, THERE COULDN'T BE ANY DEVELOPMENT AT ALL IN THAT AREA.
THAT'S IF WE FOLLOW CODES WITHOUT THE VARIANCE, IT, IT CANNOT BE BUILT ON.
AND IT'S BASICALLY, UM, A, A CONDEMNATION BY AFTER ADOPTED REGULATION.
UH, NOBODY WANTS TO PURSUE A CONDEMNATION CASE, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE WITH 225 SQUARE FEET OF ALLOWED IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE.
[01:05:01]
WE'RE ASKING A PERSON WHO BOUGHT A PIECE OF LAND TO NOT BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT, BASICALLY, RIGHT? LIKE THEY WOULD, YOU JUST HAVE TO, WELL, THE ONLY THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH IT IS SINGLE FAMILY OR DUPLEX.SO THAT, I MEAN, YOU CAN'T PUT A, A SNOW CONE STAND OR
HEY, Y'ALL, UH, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SO I SEE THAT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, VER VARIOUS VARIANCES.
FUN WORD, FUN PHRASE, UM, THAT, UH, WE ARE ASKING TO BE, TO APPROVE, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, 3,900 SQUARE FEET, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SORT OF THE FOOTPRINT.
UM, IS THERE ANY LIKE MASS TRANSIT IN THE AREA OR WOULD THIS BE STRICTLY JUST LIKE, YOU PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE A CAR TO BE ABLE TO FUNCTION IF, UH, YOU HAVE THIS HOUSE IN THIS
WELL, I MEAN, BASICALLY WHAT I WAS SAYING IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS, UH, LIKE, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER FLURRY SAID, FROM LIKE A SUSTAINABILITY PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? IT'S LIKE NOT ONLY IS THERE SORT OF LIKE THE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION AND WHATNOT, UH, BUT THEN THERE WOULD ALSO BE SORT OF LIKE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER'S LIVING THERE.
UH, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY MY POINT IS THAT, UH, MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE APPROVE VARIANCES LIKE THIS, UM, IT SHOULD BE IN A WAY THAT WOULD PROBABLY HELP THE ENVIRONMENT, WHETHER IT'S FOR, OR SUSTAINABILITY, RIGHT? WHETHER IT'S FOR, UH, AFFORDABILITY OR FOR, YOU KNOW, BEING CLOSE TO MASS TRANSIT SO THAT, UH, AT LEAST THAT PART COULD BE IMPROVED AS OPPOSED TO, UH, YOU KNOW, BUILDING IN ANOTHER AREA.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UH, ASK THAT OUT, PERSONAL CURIOSITY.
AND, UH, I DON'T THINK I REALLY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
SO, UH, APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S TIME.
VICE CHAIR KRUGER, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS.
UM, TO ME IT'S EVIDENCED BY THE NUMBER OF CITY STAFF THAT WE HAVE HERE.
WHAT A NUANCED AND ENVIRONMENTALLY IMPORTANT SITE THIS IS.
WE DON'T TYPICALLY SEE THIS MANY CITY STAFF FOR A VARIANCE, SO I JUST THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE.
AND THE OTHER THING I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ALL ON IS JUST THE LEVEL OF DETAIL IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
TO ME, I DON'T TYPICALLY SEE THIS FROM DEVELOPERS, AND I APPRECIATE GOING LINE BY LINE, ITEM BY ITEM TO ADDRESS THE STAFF CONCERNS.
I THINK THAT HAS GROUNDED THE CONVERSATION, IN FACT, AND I APPRECIATE WHERE YOU ALL HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS THAT WILL BE HAD, BECAUSE THEN I THINK THAT ENABLES US TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AROUND PERSPECTIVE AND VALUES RATHER THAN ARGUING OVER THE FACTS OF THE CASE.
SO WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.
AND FIRST OFF, I'M CURIOUS WHAT DISCUSSIONS YOU ALL HAVE HAD WITH THE NEIGHBORS, IF ANY, ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SITE, WHAT DISCUSSION WITH, WITH NEIGHBORS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, WE HAD DISCUSSIONS BACK IN 2017.
SO YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S PERSPECTIVE ON THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY? NO.
UM,
SO IT WAS, IT WAS VERY MUCH GENERALIZED.
UM, AND THIS TIME AROUND WE HAVE NOT HAD HAD ANY DISCUSSION.
UM, THERE WERE A FEW PEOPLE THAT COMMENTED, UH, JUST GENERALLY ASKING HOW, HOW DO YOU COMING DOWN TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD, IT WAS BOARD THEN NOT COMMISSIONED AND UH, UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T, I THINK THERE WAS ONE, ONE PERSON WHO WAS OPPOSED THAT MM-HMM
BUT, UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE LEVEL OF DETAIL AND ENGINEERING FOR THE HOME BACK THEN THAT WE HAVE NOW.
I DO THINK THAT CAN BE AN IMPORTANT PART, PART OF THE PROCESS AND JUST A DEMONSTRATION OF GOOD FAITH IN, IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, THAT YOU DO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE NEIGHBORS OR NOT.
[01:10:01]
WANTED TO INQUIRE ABOUT THAT.AND THEN I BELIEVE IT WAS, I FORGET IF IT WAS COMMISSIONER FLURRY OR LUKI WHO ASKED ABOUT THE UNDEVELOPED PROPERTY JUST TO THE NORTH, WHICH IS PART OF THE NORTH CAT, MOUNTAIN GREEN BELT.
AND HE MENTIONED THAT IT IS A DRAINAGE AND CONSERVATION EASEMENT THAT'S PRIVATELY OWNED.
IS THAT CORRECT? THE CAT MOUNTAIN WOULD BE TO THE SOUTH.
UH, THE SUBDIVISION TO THE NORTH ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DRAW THAT THIS PROPERTY IS IN IS PALLADIO POINT SUBDIVISION.
'CAUSE THERE IS, WHEN I LOOK AT THE AERIAL MAPS, UH, SO SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF GREEN SPACE THAT THIS ABUTS TO.
AND SO IS THAT, I GUESS I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION FOR THAT.
WHO OWNS IT? WHAT'S THE POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT THERE AS WELL? WELL, IT'S ALL DEVELOPED.
UH, ALL THESE LOTS ARE, ARE DEVELOPED AROUND IT.
AND LIKE I I SAID, WHEN, WHEN THESE HOMES WERE, THESE SUBDIVISIONS WERE BEING PLATTED, UH, UNDER THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION, THEY WERE REQUIRED TO DEDICATE, UM, THE STEEP SLOPES FOR DRAINAGE AND CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
SO THAT'S ALL PRIVATELY OWNED PROPERTY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IDENTIFIED WITH SPECIFIC IMPROVED PROPERTIES.
SO THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LOT DIRECTLY ABUTTING THE BACKSIDE OF THIS LOT.
IT ACTUALLY CUTS ACROSS THE DRAW AND GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE OTHER SIDE OF, UH, ALONG, I THINK IT'S PALLADIO AND THERE'S A HOUSE ON THAT END.
SO ALL OF THAT, THAT HOUSE OWNS THAT WHOLE LOT.
I WISH THERE WERE A WAY TO GET THIS MAP UP IN FRONT, BUT THIS RED.IS THE HOUSE AND THERE'S THIS BIG SWATH OF GREEN SPACE.
SO ALL OF THE, ALL OF THAT GREEN SPACE IS PRIVATELY OWNED BY, IN PAL THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
SO, BUT THERE'S NOT GONNA BE DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE IT'S PART OF AN EASEMENT.
OH, THERE'S JUST THESE BIG, LONG LOTS.
AND THEN, WELL, I GUESS I'M WONDERING, MIKE, IF YOU CAN TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE NEW POLICY WITH THE ORPHAN LOTS.
I DON'T THINK I FULLY UNDERSTOOD THAT.
SO IS THE POLICY NOW THAT ALL LOTS WITHIN A DEVELOPMENT ARE JUST ASSUMED DEVELOPABLE DEVELOPABLE AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS VARIANCE PROCESS? OR IS IT THAT LOTS THAT HAVE THESE KINDS OF FEATURES ARE JUST NOT ALLOWED FOR DEVELOPMENT? MIKE MCDOUGAL AUSTIN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES? SO, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, THE, UM, THE PERIMETER LOTS NEXT TO A SUBDIVISION ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE EXCLUDED FROM THE SUBDIVISION.
THAT'S NOT PART OF, UH, DIRECTLY SUBDIVISION REVIEW.
IT'S MORE PART OF THE, OR EXCUSE ME, IT'S NOT PART OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.
IT'S PART OF SUBDIVISION REVIEW.
SO THE EXACT POLICY IS NOT CLEAR TO ME, BUT THE GENERAL CONCEPT AND THAT, BECAUSE IT'S DONE BY DIFFERENT REVIEW DISCIPLINE, NOT BY MINE, BUT THE GENERAL POLICY IS THAT IF THERE'S THIS, SAY THIS LOT ON THE EDGE OF THE SUBDIVISION, THAT THAT IS PART OF THE LAND THE APPLICANT OWNS AND IT'S PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, GOT ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ON AND OR, OR, OR IN CONFLICT WITH ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS FROM DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE, THEY CAN'T JUST LEAVE IT BEHIND.
THEY'VE GOTTA INCLUDE IT IN THE SUBDIVISION.
AND, UM, PART OF WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW DOES WHEN SOMEBODY WANTS TO CREATE A SUBDIVISION, SO IF YOU IMAGINE LIKE BRAND NEW RAW LAND, THERE'S NO LEGAL LOTS ANYWHERE, YOU KNOW, LIKE GO WAY OUT EAST SIDE TOWN, WEST SIDE OF TOWN.
ONE TASK ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW HAS, WHEN SOMEBODY WANTS TO CREATE A A A LEGAL LOT IS WE LOOK AT A LOT TO SEE IF IT'S REASONABLY BUILDABLE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEBODY, UH, WANTED TO CREATE A LOT THAT'S ENTIRELY WITHIN THE CREEK SETBACK WHERE THERE'S A NO BUILD AREA, WE'D SAY NO APPLICANT, YOU'RE PROPOSING TO MAKE THAT LOT A TO BE A SINGLE FAMILY LOT.
AND IT'S ENTIRELY UN BUILDABLE BECAUSE IT'S NEXT TO A CREEK OR NO APPLICANT THAT LOT, UH, YOU'RE PROPOSING TO MAKE IT A GAS STATION AND IT'S FIVE FEET FROM A MAJOR CREEK, YOU CAN'T BUILD A GAS STATION THERE, THE COAST DON'T ALLOW IT.
SO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW WOULD LOOK AT A LOT FOR, UM, FUTURE VIEWS BECAUSE WHEN SOMEBODY PLOTS A A LOT, THE NEXT EXPECT EXPECTATION IS THEY'RE GONNA BUILD ON A LOT.
SO MY TEAM WILL SAY THE LOT AND THE CONFIGURATION BEING PROPOSED, UH, LOOKING AT THAT LOT, IS IT BUILDABLE BASED ON THE PROPOSED, UH, LOT LINES.
AND IF IT'S NOT, THEN WE'LL REQUIRE THE APPLICANT TO MOVE THE LOT LINES AROUND TO MAKE THE LOT BUILDABLE.
THE PROBLEM IN THIS SITUATION, BECAUSE IT IS THE ORPHAN LOT, IS THAT THE LOT LIGHTS CAN'T BE MOVED AROUND AND MAKE IT BUILDABLE.
THERE'S NOWHERE TO MOVE THE LOT LINES.
AND EVEN IF YOU MOVE THE INTERNAL LOT LINE LEFT OR RIGHT, I SUPPOSE EAST OR WEST, ACTUALLY, UH, THEN IT'S STILL NOT BUILDABLE.
SO THAT, THAT'S THE SORT OF THE, THE CORNER THAT LEAVING THIS LOT BEHIND IS, IS PAINTED OR THIS PROPERTY BEHIND IS PAINTED US ALL IN.
I THINK I HEARD THAT IN, IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND ON THE ONE HAND I FEEL FOR YOU ALL AND THAT YOU'RE COMPARING THIS LOT TO NEIGHBORING LOTS AND SAYING, WELL, THEY COULD DO IT.
[01:15:01]
IS THIS LOT, ALL THAT DIFFERENT? SO I CAN EMPATHIZE WITH THAT, UM, TO A CERTAIN DEGREE FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO ECHO WHAT A NUMBER OF OTHER FOLKS HAVE BROUGHT UP, WHICH TO ME, A SALIENT QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE PUBLIC BENEFIT? IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE THESE VARIANCES IN MY VALUE SYSTEM, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME PUBLIC BENEFIT.SO TO MAKE A VARIANCE FOR A FIRE STATION IN MY MIND IS A VERY DIFFERENT QUESTION THAN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
SO I THINK THAT'S, AGAIN, WE CAN AGREE ON THE FACTS AND I KNOW YOU'RE INCREDIBLY INTELLIGENT ENGINEERS AND CAN PROBABLY COME UP WITH WAYS TO MAKE THIS FEASIBLE IN YOUR MIND.
BUT, UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE KNOW THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS THAT BUILDING ON A SITE LIKE THIS WILL HAVE IN THE IMMEDIATE AND IN THE LONG TERM.
AND WITHOUT AN ASSURANCE OF GREAT PUBLIC BENEFIT, I DON'T THINK I CAN ENDORSE IT, BUT IT'S, I DO APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THAT YOU ALL HAVE AND I CAN APPRECIATE THE POSITION THAT YOU ALL ARE IN, UM, WITH THIS ORPHAN LOT AND THE HOOPS THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO JUMP THROUGH.
UM, SO, UM, ARE THERE, ARE THERE, SO THERE'S, UM, THE ENVIR THE CRITICAL, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE AND ONE OF THOSE IS A C IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.
AND THEN ARE THERE SINKS ALSO ON THIS PROPERTY? THERE ARE NO SINK HOLES OR ANYTHING.
UM, THE GEOLOGY OF THE SITE FROM, UH, EAST TO WEST THERE IS THE LOWEST MEMBER OF THE EDWARDS RECHARGE ZONE, AND THEN THERE'S THE WALNUT AND THEN THE GLENROSE.
SO THERE ARE NO RECHARGE FEATURES WHERE WATER WILL BE GOING IN AND GETTING INTO THE AQUIFER.
UM, THERE WERE, THERE IS A, A MAPPED SEEP ON SITE.
UM, AND ADJACENT TO THAT THERE WAS A LARGE, UM, ATIC TUBE WHERE WATER HAS GOTTEN INTO THE UNDERGROUND, UH, ROCK AND CARVED A PATHWAY THROUGH THE ROCK.
UM, AND THOSE RARELY GO IN A STRAIGHT LINE.
SO YOU CAN, IF YOU'RE GOING DOWN DRILLING A, A PIER, HOW HOWEVER DEEP YOU YOU HAVE TO GO AND YOU INTERCEPT ONE OF THOSE, THAT CHANGES THE DYNAMIC OF HOW, HOW YOU CAN MITIGATE FOUR IMPACTS BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN'T JUST POUR CONCRETE DOWN THERE BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA LOSE IT IN THAT TUBE.
UM, THERE WITH, WITHOUT HAVING A, A, A FULL GEOTECHNICAL REPORT SHOWING, UM, HOW DEEP THEY THEY'RE GONNA GET FOR THE ROCK QUALITY THAT THEY'RE GONNA NEED TO, UM, SAFELY CONSTRUCT THE, THESE PIERS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, I I HAVE TO JUST RELY ON THE GEOLOGY AND THE, THE SITE CONDITIONS BECAUSE THE WALNUT AND THE GLEN ROSE ARE COMPETENT ENOUGH TO SUPPORT IT.
BUT ON THIS SITE IN PARTICULAR, A LOT OF IT HAS STARTED TO ERODE AND SETTLE IN WAYS THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO KIND OF SLOUGH DOWN THE, THE SLOPE AND, UM, WILL BE DESTABILIZED LONG TERM.
SO IN, IN YOUR OPINION, YOU FEEL LIKE, UM, BECAUSE OF HOW THE CONSTRUCTION OF ANY KIND WOULD DAMAGE THE SEAT THAT'S BUILT UPHILL FROM THE SEAT, IS THAT CORRECT? IT WOULD BE CHALLENGING TO SAY THAT IT WOULD BE A DIRECT IMPACT TO THAT PARTICULAR SEEP BECAUSE THERE, THERE'S NOT A, A HUGE VOLUME COMING OUT OF, OF THAT AREA ANYMORE, JUST BECAUSE YOU SEE THE ENTIRE AREA AROUND IT IS ALL SIGNAL FAMILY HOMES NOW.
SO THE, THE INFILTRATION AREA HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED, UM, CAUSING THE, THE LACK IN, IN VOLUME OF, OF THAT FEATURE.
BUT, UM, THE OLD PATHWAYS ARE STILL GONNA BE THERE.
UM, THERE IS STILL SOME WATER MOVING, SO IT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT, UH, THE, THE WHAT WATER IS COMING OUTTA THERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, WITHOUT DOING A, A FULL HYDROGEOLOGIC STUDY, IT'S JUST KIND OF IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW.
BUT, UM, THAT'S JUST KIND OF MY PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT THAT IT COULD IMPACT THE, THE WATER QUALITY, BUT NO MATTER WHAT, IT'S GONNA BE CONSTRUCTED ON INCREDIBLY STEEP SLOPES.
BUT THE IMPACT WILL BE FAR LESS THAN FROM THE 24 INCH CITY STORM WATER INLET THAT IS DIRECTLY DISCHARGING OVER THAT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S, AND IT'S NOT ERODING ANYTHING.
IT, 'CAUSE THE ROCK'S PRETTY STABLE THERE.
[01:20:01]
COMING OUT OF THAT STORM, UH, WATER INLET THAN WILL EVER BE COMING OFF OF THIS, UH, DEVELOPED SITE.ON YOUR EXHIBIT HERE, UM, THAT WAS SUBMITTED, UM, FROM TROJAN, UM, AND ASSOCIATES, UM, I DO SEE THE DRAIN HERE.
UM, IT SAYS UNDERGROUND CULVERT DISCHARGE AND, AND ONTO, LOOKS LIKE IT GOES PARTIALLY ONTO THE NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY AND THEN COMES BACK ONTO THIS PROPERTY AND IT DOES SAY HEAVY, HEAVILY ERODED BEDROCK.
SO IT DOES HAVE QUITE A BIT OF EROSION AS IT COMES, UM, THROUGH THAT AREA.
UM, AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT EXEMPLIFIES WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CHANGE WATER PATHWAYS, UH, ONTO, UM, YOU KNOW, STEEP SLOPES LIKE THIS.
SO, UM, AND IT LOOKS LIKE, IT LOOKS LIKE THE WAY THAT STORM WATER IS COMING INTO THIS PROPERTY, IT COMES ALONG THE ROAD AND THEN IT ALSO JUST STARTS GOING DOWN THE HILL.
IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, THERE'S A, THERE'S AN INLET AND THE ANGLE OF THE INLET IS DIRECTED TOWARD THE NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY, BUT IT TAKES A TURN AND COMES BACK AND COMES BACK ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, SO WITH THAT KIND OF IN MIND, UM, I, AND, AND LOOKING AT THE MAP FOR WHERE THE HOUSE IS TO BE BUILT, I'M, I'M CONFUSED THEN OF WHY THE, THE POND, THE RETENTION POND WOULD BE UNDER THE, THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY REALLY THE LOW POINT OF THE PROPERTY.
SO IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT'S REALLY GONNA BE THE CATCH BASE, THE NATURAL CATCH BASIN FOR WATER COMING OFF THE ROAD.
AND I WANNA HEAR, I WANNA HEAR BOTH FROM YOU AND I WANNA HEAR FROM STAFF AS WELL ON THAT.
SO LET ME EXPLAIN YOU, THE WAY THE HOUSE IS LOCATED, IT'S PRETTY FAR AWAY FROM THAT EXISTING INLET, WHICH DISCHARGING THE STORM.
WE AFFECTING THAT AREA AND PLUS IF YOU LOOK AT IT, THE HOUSE IS GOING TO SIT ON SEVEN TO EIGHT PIERS.
SO WE ARE NOT DISTURBING THAT SEAT, WHICH IS RELEASING AT THE CORNER OF OUR PROPERTY.
AND THEN IT ENTERS THAT LOT IS ALREADY A PART OF THE UNDEVELOPED AS PART OF THE SUBDIVISION.
SO I THINK THE ARGUMENT ON THAT ONE, THAT THE WATER IS COMING FROM THAT INLET AND IS SEEPING AND WE ARE GOING TO REDIRECT THAT SEED.
I THINK IT'S NOT CORRECT 'CAUSE WE ARE NOT DOING ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT REMAINS EXISTING.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE, IF YOU CAN GO ON THE LAST EXHIBIT WE HAVE, IF YOU CAN PRESENT IT AGAIN, I CAN EXPLAIN YOU MORE.
AND PLUS, YES, THE FOOTPRINT LOOKS, BUT IT HAS ONLY LIKE SEVEN OR EIGHT PIERS.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE ARE DISTURBING ALL OF THE GROUND UNDER THE FOOTPRINT OF THE BUILDING AND THE SEAT IS AT THE CORNER OF THE PROPERTY AND WE ARE NOT EVEN GETTING CLOSE TO THAT ONE.
'CAUSE THAT PART OF THE SUBDIVISION PLA AND WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DEVELOP THAT ONE.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE HOUSE, THE HOUSE IS PRETTY MUCH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PROPERTY AND EVEN THE INLET WE CANNOT SEE ON THIS EXHIBIT.
SO IT'S IT'S WAY AT THE CORNER.
MIKE OR STAFF, DO YOU WANNA COMMENT ON THAT? UM, BASICALLY HIS DETENTION POND IS THE DRIVEWAY BECAUSE HE COULDN'T PUT IT ON THE SLOPE ON THE STEEP SLOPES, UM, BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF THERE'D BE A LOT MORE EROSION THAT WAY.
SO HE KEPT IT ON THE DRIVEWAY INSTEAD, I GUESS.
BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, I MEAN, IS THAT GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE BASED ON WHERE THE WATER IS NATURALLY WANTING TO GO AT THIS POINT? YEAH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PROPOSING TO PITCH THE ROOF IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT, THE WATER GOES FORWARD.
SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT, THERE WON'T, THEY'RE PROPOSING A ROOF THAT WILL NOT PUT ANY WATER GOING BACK ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE HOUSE.
AND I, AND, AND I GUESS THE REST OF MY QUESTION IS, IS SO THEY'RE ONLY, THAT IS ONLY CATCHING WATER THAT'S COMING OFF THE ROOF AND THE DRIVEWAY AND NOTHING ELSE, SO, CORRECT.
SO EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING ON THE ROAD, EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE DISCHARGE, THAT'S, NONE OF THAT IS ACTUALLY COMING INTO THERE.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO WHAT, AND COMMISSIONER BRISTOL, JUST TO CLARIFY REAL QUICKLY, I DIDN'T THINK THAT THE, THE, THE PIERS WOULD BE IMPACTING THE SPRING ITSELF.
UM, BUT I, I THINK THAT EIGHT 30 INCH DIAMETER PIERS COULD INTERCEPT SOME, UH, POTENTIAL HORIZON THAT IS
[01:25:01]
NOT EVIDENT FROM THE SURFACE.THAT COULD BE, UH, JUST A, A, A CHALLENGE TO CONSTRUCT OUR OWN.
SO JUST THE, THE GEOLOGY IS, IS, UH, DIFFUSE AND VERY FRACTURED.
UM, I, UM, I WANNA GO BACK TO SOMETHING THAT, UM, VICE CHAIR KRUGER SAID AS FAR AS CONNECTING WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND AM AM I CORRECT IN ASSUMING THAT IF THEY, UM, AND THIS IS A QUESTION PROBABLY FOR LIZ.
UM, IF THEY CONNECTED WITH THE NEIGHBORS, THEY SENT OUT PROBABLY A, YOU KNOW, FORMAL NOTICE TO THE NEIGHBORS BACK IN 2017, NOW THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT BUILDING.
DO THEY HAVE TO RECONNECT WITH THE NEIGHBORS OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO FOR A PUBLIC HEARING, FOR THE LAND USE COMMISSION NOTICE IS SENT OUT TO, UH, NEIGHBORS WITHIN A CERTAIN GEOGRAPHIC AREA.
SO THERE WILL BE NOTICE SENT FOR THE, UH, ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING.
AND WHEN IS THAT SCHEDULED TO COME ABOUT? I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S ON AN AGENDA YET, BUT IT WOULD BE JANUARY, I WOULD ASSUME.
UH, IT PROBABLY JANUARY, I THINK THE NEXT ZCO MEETING.
IF, UM, WHENEVER YOU'RE SPEAKING, JUST MAKE SURE YOU'RE SPEAKING INTO THE MIC 'CAUSE IT'S BEING RECORDED FOR THE PUBLIC.
THE NEXT ZCO MEETING IS, UH, DECEMBER 16.
SO I, I DON'T THINK WE CAN PROBABLY MAKE THAT.
UM, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'VE POSTED THE 2026, UH, CALENDAR YET, BUT, BUT YEAH, I ASSUME IT WOULD BE IN JANUARY.
BECAUSE IT, THEY HAVE TO HAVE X AMOUNT OF TIME RIGHT.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT IS, BUT CORRECT.
UM, YEAH, I JUST, UM, I ALSO WANNA VOICE MY CONCERN, UM, ABOUT THIS COMING, THIS PROJECT COMING FROM US LAND USE TO THEN GOING TO ZAP BECAUSE ZAP DOESN'T USUALLY HAVE DISCUSSION ON ITEMS, THEY JUST DO CONSENT.
AND SO THERE'S NOT A A LOT OF DISCUSSION THAT WILL HAPPEN, UM, AT THAT LEVEL UNLESS, UNLESS THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASKS FOR IT.
WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT IF THERE IS A STAFF RECOMMENDATION AGAINST, THEN TYPICALLY A COMMISSIONER WILL PULL, PULL IT FOR DISCUSSION.
THAT IS, THAT WOULD BE MY EXPECTATION OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
UM, OKAY, SO WE TALKED, UM, COMMISSIONER FLORY BROUGHT UP, AND I THINK SOME OF US WERE ALREADY KIND OF THINKING ABOUT IT, UM, ABOUT WHAT IS, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN THE PERSON WHO IS DEVELOPING THIS DECIDES THEY DON'T WANNA LIVE IN IT, UH, AND THEN THEY SELL IT? WHAT I, I REALLY DO FEEL LIKE WE NEED ASSURANCES OF SOME KIND, UM, THAT SAYS THEY'RE NOT GONNA COME IN THERE AND, YOU KNOW, ADD A BUNCH OF GRADE, UH, BRING IN SOME CUT AND FILL, PUT IN THE DOG RUN, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT A FLAT SPOT FOR THEIR KIDS TO PLAY, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW PROCEDURALLY WE GO ABOUT THAT, UM, OTHER THAN TO MAYBE PUT THAT INTO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT, AND THIS IS A QUESTION FOR STAFF AGAIN.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO ON THAT? I MEAN, I THINK THE APPLICANT IS ALREADY PROPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, LANGUAGE RELATED TO, TO NOT HAVING A YARD OR ANY, ANYTHING ELSE BESIDES WHAT IS PROPOSED.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, AND SO THAT IS PART OF WHAT WE RECOMMENDED.
IF, YOU KNOW, IF, IF IT WERE TO BE APPROVED, THAT WAS ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO WE WOULD, I THINK WE WOULD ALREADY WORK WITH THE APPLICANT IF IT DOES GET APPROVED TO HAVE SOME SORT OF LANGUAGE AND WORK WITH LAW TO MAKE SURE THAT IT COULD BE ENFORCEABLE.
UM, I DO WANNA TALK ABOUT THE TREES.
I DID SEE, UM, A LISTING IN HERE.
IT DOES LOOK LIKE THERE'S SOME THAT ARE 18 INCHES OR 15 INCHES OR LARGER.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER HOW EXACTLY WHAT IT SAID THERE, BUT ARE THERE ANY TREES OF CONCERN? IS WHAT I'M GUESS I'M ASKING.
MIKE MCDOUGALL, AUSTIN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, TREE SURVEY HERE, UH, THERE IS A 28.75 INCH LIVE OAK, SO IT'S A HERITAGE TREE.
UM, THERE'S ALSO A 25.75 HACKBERRY.
UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE TREES THOUGH ARE LESS THAN 19 INCHES.
AND ON SINGLE FAMILY PROPERTY, THE CITY HAS NO AUTHORITY FOR TREES LESS THAN 19 INCHES.
SO LOOKS LIKE THERE'S, UH, ONE, TWO, UM, ABOUT, UM, 12 TREES ON THE SITE.
[01:30:01]
AND SCAN DOWN THIS DOWN THE LIST, ONLY THREE ARE 19 INCHES AND GREATER.28.75 INCH, 28 INCH LIVE OAK, UH, 26 INCH HACKBERRY AND A 27 INCH HACKBERRY.
SO TWO HACKBERRIES ON A LIVE OAK ARE OVER NINE OR 19 INCHES OR GREATER ON THE PROPERTY.
AND, UM, AND IS THERE, ARE THEY IN THE DEVELOPMENT ZONE OR ARE THEY IN THE CONSERVANCY AREA? LIKE, HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE ON THAT.
WOULD THEY BE CUT DOWN IS WHAT I'M ASKING? ACTUALLY, TREE REVIEW IS, IS A SEPARATE REVIEW FROM ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, I I IT SOUNDS VERY ENVIRONMENTAL, BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY A, IT DOES SOUND REALLY ENVIRONMENTAL.
UH, IT'S, IT'S A PART OF CITY ARBOR REVIEW, SO I I DID NOT SPECIFICALLY REVIEW THAT, SO I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE.
UM, BUT THE APPLICANT MIGHT HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT APPLICANT, I THINK THEY'RE BASED ON THE SURVEY, MOST OF THE TREES ARE ALONG THE PROPERTY LINE, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE DEVELOPMENT WE HAVE IS AWAY FROM THERE.
SO I THINK WE'RE SAVING MOST OF ALL OF THE TREES, EXISTING TREES.
SO THEY'RE ON THE PROPERTY LINE, LIKE DOWN ON THE LOWER END, NOT UP, YEAH, NOT UP NEAR WHERE IT'S GONNA BE DOWN RIGHT.
SO WE ARE NOT DOING ANY DEVELOPMENT WHERE THOSE BIG HERITAGE TREES ARE.
SO, UM, I, I APPRECIATE THEY'RE BEING SAVED.
I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT DURING CONSTRUCTION, THAT VERY PROTECTED, UM, ON THAT.
SO THANKS FOR FOR GOING OVER THAT WITH ME.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION.
LET ME GET THROUGH ALL MY LITTLE PAPERS OVER HERE.
UM, I JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME COMMENTS EARLIER ABOUT THAT THIS PROPERTY WASN'T, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN ORPHAN PROPERTY AND IT HASN'T BEEN DEVELOPED.
AND YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PROPERTIES SIT EMPTY FOR A WHILE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT REALLY DEVELOPABLE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S LIKE KIND OF RISING TO THE CHALLENGE TO, YOU KNOW, YEAH.
TRY TO MAKE IT WORK AND HAVE SOMETHING, UM, KIND OF COOL ON HERE.
HOWEVER, UM, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE MAYBE THIS IS, HAS BEEN SITTING EMPTY FOR EMPTY FOR A WHILE, UM, FOR A REASON.
BUT, UM, JUST SEEING SOMETHING INTERESTING HERE.
ARE THERE, UM, ARE THERE ENDANGERED PLANTS ON THIS? THERE ARE EIGHT RARE THAT ARE KNOWN.
ARE THERE ENDANGERED PLANTS ON THIS? I DON'T IMMEDIATELY HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I CAN TELL YOU THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE ENDANGERED SPECIES AUTHORITY.
SPECIFICALLY THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
THE, UH, ONLY DIRECTS OR GIVES STAFF AUTHORITY TO REQUIRE THE APPLICANT TO NOTIFY, UH, THE COUNTY OR THE STATE OF, UH, DEVELOPMENT IN ENDANGERED SPECIES TERRITORY.
IT SAYS NOT OBSERVED, SO, OKAY.
I JUST SAW THIS BIG LIST OF ENDANGERED PLANT SPECIES.
OUR, OUR PREVIOUS, UH, FORM FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT BACK WHEN THIS FIRST CAME IN, UM, THERE WAS A REQUIREMENT TO ADDRESS ENDANGERED SPECIES, BUT BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE AUTHORITY OVER ENDANGERED SPECIES AND THINGS CHANGE ALL THE TIME, UM, WE REMOVED THAT FROM THE FORM.
BUT IT'S STILL IN THIS FORM, SO.
I THINK THAT CONCLUDES, UM, MY QUESTIONS.
I WANNA CONFER WITH SECRETARY FOR JUST ONE SECOND.
SO, UH, CHAIR, I HAVE A COUPLE OF ADDITIONS IF I COULD PLEASE KNOCK IT OUT.
UH, TO ADD SOMETHING THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER KRUEGER MENTIONED, UH, WITH REGARD THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, BACK, UH, ON, UH, OCTOBER 20TH, 2014, UH, JOYCE STATS, WHO AT THE TIME WAS THE HEAD OF, UH, THE NORTHWEST, UH, AUSTIN CIVIC ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT COVERS THAT AREA, UH, SENT A LETTER TO, UH, ZONING AND PLATTING IN OPPOSITION OF IT.
AND THERE WERE, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF COMMENTS THAT THEY MADE.
THE ONLY ONE THAT REALLY APPLIES TO US WAS THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF DEVELOPMENT ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.
AND SPEAKING WITH JOYCE TODAY, SHE REITERATED HER CONCERNS ON THAT, UH, THING.
SO I DID SPEAK WITH HER TODAY.
I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE BOARD, UH, TODAY AND HE ALSO, UH, SHARED THE, THE CONCERNS OF, YOU KNOW, THAT WERE SENT AT THAT TIME.
[01:35:01]
UH, SO ANYWAY, I'D LIKE TO MENTION THAT'S THE FEEDBACK THAT I RECEIVED FROM AKA TODAY WITH REGARD TO, UH, COMMISSIONER HARRIS' OR, UH, QURESHI, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT MASS TRANSIT.THERE IS A CITY BUS LINE THAT RUNS DOWN MESA, WHICH IS HALF MILE, THREE QUARTERS A MILE AWAY FROM WHERE THAT HOUSE IS.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT GOES 'CAUSE I DON'T DO BUSES, BUT IT RUNS DOWN THERE.
AND THAT'S THE CLOSEST BUS LINE TO WHERE I LIVE.
SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH IT AND I SEE THE BUSES THERE.
SO THAT'S THE CLOSEST BUS LINE, BUT THERE IS NO BUS THAT GOES ON FAR WEST BOULEVARD.
SO IT DOES, UH, IT DOES CLOSE TO MOPAC, BUT IT DOESN'T GO THERE, BUT NOT OUT TO WHERE THIS PARTICULAR HOUSE IS.
AND WITH REGARD TO, UH, LIZ'S COMMENT ABOUT ROOF, UH, ROOFS, UH, THEY DO CREATE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF POLLUTION DEPENDING UPON THE COMPOSITION OF THE ROOF.
AND THE REASON I KNOW THIS IS I WAS GONNA DO A CATCHMENT WATER SYSTEM, UH, BUT I WAS TOLD BY THE DEVELOPER OF THIS SYSTEM THAT I COULDN'T DO IT ON MY ROOF BECAUSE I WOULD DIE OF THE POLLUTANTS, UH, BECAUSE I HAVE AN ASPHALT ROOF.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT DOES, A ROOF WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE POLLUTION OF THE WATER DEPENDING UPON THE NATURE OF THE ROOF.
SO IF YOU HAVE IT LIKE CERTAIN METALS OR TILE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU CAN CATCH THAT WATER AND DRINK IT.
IF YOU DO AN ASPHALT ROOF, YOU DRINK THAT, YOU'RE DEAD.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY THAT WORKS.
WE DON'T WANT DUMP BY REGARDING THE ROOF.
YEAH, YOU DON'T WANNA DIRECT THE WATER OFF YOUR ROOF.
REGARDING THE ROOF FINISH, WE ARE GOING WITH THOSE COMMERCIAL TPO, SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THOSE RESIDENTIAL ASPHALT ROOFS, SO IT'S GOING TO BE A TPO.
YEAH, I MEAN IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF ROOF AND MATERIAL.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING ON THIS ONE IS A FLAT ROOF.
SO IT'S LIKE THOSE COMMERCIAL PROJECT, THEY SLOPE A LITTLE BIT, SO IT'S GOING DO EVERYTHING DRAIN INTO THEIR DRIVEWAY.
YEAH, AND I, YOU DIDN'T SPECIFY ANYTHING ABOUT THE ROOFING, BUT, UH, LIZ MENTIONED ABOUT THE ROOF AND SO I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THE MATERIAL, NO MATTER THE MATERIAL DUST GETS KICKED UP, IT HAS POLLUTANTS IN IT, IT LANDS ON THE ROOF, BIRDS FLY OVER AND DO WHAT THEY DO, ET CETERA.
LEAVES FALL, THEY START TO DECOMPOSE.
I MEAN, EVEN IF IT'S NATURAL, IT COULD HAVE, UM, IF IT'S CONCENTRATED, UM, YOU KNOW, NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO WATER QUALITY.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT, BUT THANKS.
YEAH, I BELIEVE, UH, WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE ONCE SAID A ROOF BY ANY OTHER NAME WOULD STILL POLLUTE JUST AS MUCH.
DO WE HAVE A, UH, RECOMMENDATION MOTION? WE DO.
SO THIS IS, UH, OVER THE ARBOR REVIEW SUBDIVISION.
C 8 2 0 2 5 C EIGHT DASH 2 0 2 5 DASH ZERO.
CAN WE GET A CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SO MOVE.
ALL IN FAVOR, APPRECIATE THE PROCEDURAL, UH, CLARIFICATION BY STAFF.
UH, SO THIS IS ABOUT, UH, CASE C EIGHT DASH 2 0 2 5 8 5 A IN THE ARB VIEW SUBDIVISION, GET MY SPEAKING VOICE RIGHT, WHEREAS, OKAY,
THIS IS EXACTLY HOW THEY DO BE.
UH, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING VARIANCE REQUESTS FROM LDC TWO FIVE DASH EIGHT DASH THREE ONE TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF A DRIVEWAY ON SLOPES OVER 15%.
LD TWO FIVE DASH LDC TWO FIVE DASH EIGHT DASH THREE TWO TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS ON SLOPES OVER 15% AND LDC TWO FIVE DASH EIGHT DASH 4 23 TO EXCEED THE 30% NET SITE AREA WATERSHED IMPERVIOUS COVER LIMIT, AND TO ALLOW 3,900 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND WHEREAS THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED IN THE BULL CREEK WATERSHED IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE AND IN THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE, AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT STAFF DOES NOT RECOMMEND THIS VARIANCE, HAVING DETERMINED THAT THE FINDINGS OF FACT HAVE NOT BEEN MET.
AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THAT APPROVAL OF THESE VARIANCES COULD SET A PRECEDENT ON HOW SLOPES AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES CAN BE BUILT UPON IN THE FUTURE.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS DENIAL OF THE REQUESTED VARIANCES.
IF THESE VARIANCES ARE GRANTED BY THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS BE ADOPTED.
STAFF CONDITIONS ARE IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE SHALL BE LIMITED TO 3,900 SQUARE FEET FOR LOT ONE, UH, AND ZERO SQUARE
[01:40:01]
FEET.PRIOR TO ISSUANCE OF THE COA BUILDING PERMIT, THE APPLICANT MUST HAVE A, UH, AN APPROVED CITY OF AUSTIN EXEMPTION FOR DETENTION OF 3,900 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS COVER AND AN EASEMENT.
THE DETENTION WILL BE MAINTAINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CITY OF AUSTIN.
REQUIREMENTS SLAB ON GRADE FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION IS NOT ALLOWED.
THE FOUNDATION AND DRIVEWAY MUST BE CONSTRUCTED USING PIERS.
ANY GRADING EXCEEDING FOUR FEET OF DEPTH OR CONSTRUCTION ON SLOPES EXCEEDING 15% WILL REQUIRE LAND USE COMMISSION VARIANCES IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REGULATIONS.
THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF STRUCTURES ON THE LOT MUST BE BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM A SLOPE STABILITY ANALYSIS PERFORMED BY A LICENSED GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER AS VERIFIED BY THE CITY.
ADDITIONALLY, UH, THERE ARE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, UH, CONDITIONS.
UH, THERE WILL BE NO ADDITIONAL FILL OR LEVELING IN THE FUTURE ON THE PROPERTY.
NO FUTURE ADDITIONAL GRADING ON THE PROPERTY UNLESS FOR THE USE OF EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE TO THE STRUCTURE.
CURRENT AND ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION CANNOT HARM THE GROUNDWATER SEEPS AND ANY ADDITIONAL FUTURE CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURE AND LAND USE, UH, SHALL COME BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
I'D LIKE, THERE'S SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED WITH REGARD TO LANDSCAPING, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S INCLUDED IN WHAT COMMISSIONER QURESHI JUST RECOMMENDED.
SO ARE YOU RECOMMENDING THAT THERE, UM, WELL, I'D LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING THE LANDSCAPING ISSUE IF WE DO NOT FEEL THAT THAT WAS ADDRESSED IN WHAT HE JUST READ.
SO WHAT YOU'RE RE YOU'RE MAKING A, A FRIENDLY, UM, YES.
I GUESS THEY'RE ALL FRIENDLY, RIGHT? UM, YES, WE'RE ALL FRIENDS.
IT DEPENDS, UM, TO, UM, RECOMMEND THAT NO ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING BE MADE ON THE PROPERTY.
PROHIBIT I THINK FOR THAT PROHIBIT SECTION SAYING IF ZONING AND PLATTING DISAGREES AND PASSES THIS, THEN NO, WE RECOMMEND ING EVERYTHING THAT STAFF SAID AND NO ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING.
SO IT WOULD BE UNDER OUR CONDITIONS OF NO ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING.
OR, OR ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING WOULD BE PROHIBITED.
BARRING ANY, UM, DISAGREEMENT OR, UH, OPPOSITION, WHICH, UH, IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO THAT? I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE OR HEAR ANY, SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND EDIT.
Y'ALL WANNA GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON IT ALL? UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF, UH, SECRETARY KORESH'S MOTION RAISE YOUR HAND.
THANKS, Y ALL AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND, UH, EMAIL THIS TO STAFF.
[3. Update on the Artificial Turf working group by Chair Brisol. ]
OUR NEXT, UM, AGENDA ITEM IS, UH, A WORKING GROUP UPDATE, UH, VICE CHAIR KRUEGER, DO YOU WANT TO TELL US ABOUT ARTIFICIAL TURF? I CAN.I HOPE I HAVEN'T MISSED ANYTHING IN THE EMAIL CHAIN BECAUSE MY WORK HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT CRAZY.
BUT, UM, YES, WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING, UM, OF THE WORKING GROUP FOR ARTIFICIAL TURF.
CAME UP WITH A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS, CAME UP WITH THE DIRECTION AND SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE GROUP.
WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON NOW IS, UH, BUILDING UP THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS WHO WE THINK OUGHT TO BE IN THE ROOM WITH US FOR THAT.
AND, UH, REMIND ME WHEN WE'RE SCHEDULED TO MEET AGAIN.
I BELIEVE IT'S DECEMBER 11TH, BUT LET ME CHECK ON THAT.
UM, YES, DECEMBER 11TH AT 6:00 PM YES.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE WE HAVE TO, UM, REPORT OUTSIDE OF THAT OTHER THAN WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
WE'RE HOPING TO GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE ROOM WHO CAN REALLY MAKE THIS, UM, YEAH, JUST THE BEST GROUP AND THE BEST EFFORT THAT WE CAN.
UH, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. YOU MISSED US.
WHAT'S THAT? DID YOU, YOU MISSED US, THE BUDGET COMMITTEE.
OH, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, RIGHT? SO I WELL, IT SAYS, UH, WORKING GROUP UPDATES.
YEAH, BUT IT OH, ON THE ARTIFICIAL.
YEAH, BUT YOU HAVE TO GET IT TO LIZ ELIZABETH WRIGHT BEFORE.
OH, THEN WE WON'T TELL YOU WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
I'M JUST WITHOUT ANYONE KNOWING, ONCE AGAIN, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION OPERATES MYSTER.
WE'LL NEVER TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE DOING.
JUST AS A REMINDER TO EVERYBODY WHO'S PART OF A WORKING GROUP OR ANY OF THE, UM, UPDATES, IT HAS TO GO TO ELIZABETH BEFORE
[01:45:01]
FRIDAY AT 4:00 PM IS THAT CORRECT? THIS IS A RECENT CHANGE.WE'D RATHER OPERATE IN TOP SECRET AND SPRING IT ON YOU AT THE LAST MINUTE.
I ACTUALLY, ELIZABETH FUNK WATERSHED, I HAVE TO POST ON THURSDAYS NOW, SO THE THURSDAY BEFORE THE MEETING.
UM, BUT REALLY THE WEDNESDAY IS WHEN I NEED IT
YEAH, SO EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE THEIR, OH, WE'RE NEVER GONNA, WE'RE NEVER GONNA LET YOU KNOW
WELL, I MEAN, WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING TODAY, SO
WE, WE, NO, WE DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING TODAY.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
WE WILL MEET SECRETLY IN THE FUTURE.UH, IF NOBODY HAS ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, YOU LOOK INQUISITIVE.
LIKE YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING, THE NOISE POLLUTION BEFORE.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED MORE SPECIFICS ON THAT, BUT, UH, GENERAL INTEREST YOU'VE YEAH, ELIZABETH, GO AHEAD.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SCHEDULED YET, BUT I HAVE IT IN THE WORKS.
I WOULD EXPECT FEBRUARY BECAUSE THE JANUARY 21ST, UH, IS VERY FULL AND WE'RE DOING A SPECIAL CALL THEN WE'RE NOT GONNA ADD IT TO THE SPECIAL CALL.
COMMISSIONER LUKI, ONCE UPON A TIME, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, RECYCLING CONCRETE AT SOME POINT, I THINK, UH, HAVE WE EVER LOOKED ANY FURTHER INTO, INTO THAT IDEA? WE SENT A, I HAD A RESPONSE FROM THE, UM, A, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, AND THEY SENT OUT A RESPONSE THAT THEY HAD, AND THEN I DIDN'T HAVE A CONTACT, THERE'S NO ONE ELSE WHO CAN SPEAK TO IT AT THE CITY THAT I COULD CONTACT.
UM, SO IF YOU ALL HAVE SOMEBODY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT TO SPEAK, WE CAN DO THAT.
I JUST DON'T, WE REACHED OUT TO OUR CITY FOLKS AND OKAY.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS SINCE YEAH, WE DID TALK ABOUT IT.
I, I'VE GOT NOTHING ON THAT MYSELF.
I'LL JUST EXPAND FOR A MOMENT ON NOISE POLLUTION, JUST THE SCALE OF IT FROM THE CITY LEAF BLOWER, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, EXTREMELY LOUD TO THE, IF WE'RE STAYING ON CITY FACILITIES, THEIR, YOU KNOW, WATER COOLING SYSTEM, AIR CONDITIONING UNITS OF REC CENTERS ARE VERY LOUD TO ANY, ANYTHING AT THE, THE SCALE OF HOW WE CONTROL NOISE, POLLUTION OF HIGHWAYS AND ROADS OR WHATNOT.
BUT, UM, FOR ME, WHAT REALLY STANDS OUT IS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE TO START A LEAF BLOWER RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, IT WOULD FILL THIS ROOM.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN ADVANCING, UM, RESTRICTIONS ON THAT.
AND MAYBE Y'ALL HAVE LOOKED AT THIS BEFORE.
UM, BUT I WAS GONNA SAY, UH, MAYBE IT MAY BE WORTH ROPING, UH, A TP AND UH, T DOT, ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL PROBABLY JUST BLOW Y'ALL OFF.
BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF, UH, VERY AMBITIOUS, UH, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ARE GONNA BE HAPPENING, UH, WITHIN, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THE NEXT DECADE OR SO, UH, MAY BE WORTH GETTING THEIR INPUT AS WELL ON WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO, UH, HELP COMBAT NOISE, NOISE POLLUTION.
UM, SO JUST A REMINDER THAT, UM, DECEMBER 17TH, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION PARTY STAFF IS WELCOME TO COME TOO.
UM, WE'LL HAVE LOTS OF SNACKS AND THINGS.
THIS, I PROMISE COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN, THERE WILL BE A TOWER OF FOOD AGAIN.
SO
UM, AND THEN WE DO HAVE THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING ON JANUARY 7TH.
UM, THAT ORIGINALLY WAS NOT ON OUR CALENDAR, BUT NOW IT IS.
SO, UH, I APOLOGIZE, I CAN'T BE AT THAT MEETING, BUT HOPEFULLY THE REST OF YOU CAN BE.
UM, AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE PICK UP OUR NORMAL SCHEDULED CYCLE OF MEETINGS AFTER THAT.
SO, UH, NO OTHER DISCUSSION OR, UH, AGENDA ITEMS. LET'S CALL THIS AT SEVEN FIFTY FOUR.
BUT THIS, LIKE, I, IT'S JUST LIKE A FOLLOW UP ON THE NOISE POLLUTION IS THE, IS IT, UM, WHICH DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILL BE IN CHARGE OF THAT ONE? BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A, A PARTICULAR ONE.
SO YEAH, SO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, IT'S A KIND OF A SUBCATEGORY OF THE CODE CODE DEPARTMENT.