Transportation & Natural Resources
Announcement:
Proposed Revisions to Travis County Code Relating to Development Proposals in the Lake Travis Watershed, Availability of Groundwater, and Storm Water Management
Announcement - Proposed Revisions (printer friendly format)
The Travis County Commissioners Court is soliciting public input on proposed amendments governing development within the Lake Travis Watershed as well as subdivision and development in other unincorporated areas of Travis County.
The Commissioners Court held a public hearing on the proposed adoption of the amendments on January 12, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. in the Commissioners Courtroom on the first floor of the Travis County Administration Building at 314 W. 11th St., Austin, Texas 78701. You may view a copy of the amendments and related documents on this website, or you may download a copy of the amendments and related documents (zip file) to save to your computer.
The proposed amendments apply to two chapters in the Travis County Code:
- Chapter 64 - Regulations for Floodplain Management and Guidelines and Procedures for Development Permits
- Chapter 82 - Standards for Construction of Streets and Drainage in Subdivisions
Chapter 64 - Regulations for Floodplain Management and Guidelines and Procedures for Development Permits
Section 64.061, relating to the regulatory process for permits, is proposed to be amended to bring consistency among our development-related codes.
Chapter 82 - Standards for Construction of Streets and Drainage in Subdivisions
The proposed revisions would amend Chapter 82, relating to, Sections 82.002, 82.203, 82.204, and 82.209. The proposed revisions would also add new Section 82.211. Existing Section 82.210 would be repealed since this section was superseded in 2006 by the Court’s adoption of Subchapter C to Chapter 82 (Sections 82.220 – 82.241).
Section 82.211
The proposed rules include a new Section 82.211 that would supplant the application of the Travis County Interim Water Quality Rules (“IWQR”) in the Lake Travis watershed.
The new Section 82.211 includes either the existing standards in the IWQR or the requirements of the Lower Colorado River Authority’s (“LCRA”) Highland Lakes Watershed Ordinance (the “HLWO”), whichever is more stringent.Travis County’s adoption of standards that are equivalent to or more stringent than the HLWO would facilitate efforts by the County and the LCRA to make compliance and permitting activities more efficient and less duplicative.
Effectively, new section 82.211 adds the County as a jurisdiction to which the HLWO standards now apply. Section 82.211 would be applicable throughout the Lake Travis watershed, with the exception of incorporated cities and the ETJ of the City of Austin.
Section 82.002
Several new definitions are proposed for Section 82.002. These definitions have their basis in either LCRA or TCEQ requirements.
Sections 82.203 and 82.204
Sections 82.203 and 82.204, relating to a preliminary plan and a final plat, respectively, would impose more specific submittal requirements for developments that seek to rely upon groundwater as a water supply. The proposed revisions would require an applicant to provide TNR review staff with more specific information that would demonstrate that the local groundwater is an adequate source for a subdivision project. These requirements are consistent with a county’s authority in accordance with Texas Local Government Code, Chapters 212 and 232.
Section 82.209
Section 82.209, adopted by the Commissioners Court in 2005 as the IWQR, would be revised to specify that Section 82.211 applies in the Lake Travis watershed, rather than Section 82.209. Several non-substantive clarifications and typographical errors are proposed for revision.
Subsection (i) of 82.209 would be revised to specify that an application for a preliminary plan must include a storm water management plan that summarizes the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (“SWP3”) and the temporary structural and non-structural best management practices that will be used. Subsection (j) of Section 82.209 would be revised to reference the most current technical criteria.
Additional Information
For additional information please contact either:
Thomas Weber
Environmental Quality Program Manager
Phone: 512-854-4629
thomas.weber@co.travis.tx.us
Anna Bowlin
Development Services Division Director
Phone: 512-854-7561
anna.bowlin@co.travis.tx.us
Amendments and Documents
The proposed amendments and related documents are available via the links below:
- Memorandum
- Rule Summary and Line-by-Line Amendments
- Map of Lake Travis Watershed Area
- Takings Impact Assessment
- Summary of Proposed Travis County/LCRA Inter-Local Agreement
Last Modified: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 2:15 PM