Posting Language
Title
Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance regarding floodplain variances for the construction of a multi-family residential building at 506 West Avenue within the 25-year and 100-year floodplains of Shoal Creek.
De
Lead Department
Watershed Protection Department.
Fiscal Note
This item has no fiscal impact.
For More Information:
Kevin Shunk, Managing Engineer, Watershed Protection Department, 512-974-9176, kevin.shunk@austintexas.gov; Rebeka McKay, Supervising Engineer, Watershed Protection Department, 512-974-3353, rebeka.mckay@austintexas.gov.
Additional Backup Information:
The owner of the property located at 506 West Avenue has applied for site plan application permit SP-2023-0437C for a multi-family building. The proposed building includes 47 stories, 359 living units, 475,050 gross square feet, and 344 parking spaces. The lobby level is the first level of the building, with 10 levels of parking above the lobby. Above parking levels are 36 levels of residential units.
The property is adjacent to Shoal Creek and entirely within the 25-year and 100-year floodplains of Shoal Creek. The depth of the 100-year floodplain at the garage entrance is nearly 9 feet with a velocity of 3 feet/second. The distance from the garage entrance to an area that is outside the 100-year floodplain is approximately 300 feet. The lobby level is 2 feet above the 100-year floodplain.
The owner seeks variances from the City’s floodplain management regulations to 1) encroach on the 25-year and 100-year floodplains with the proposed building; 2) not provide normal access from the building to an area that is a minimum of one foot above the design flood elevation (100-year floodplain); and 3) exclude the building footprint from the required drainage easement.
THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS DENIAL OF THIS VARIANCE REQUEST.