Parks board declines to back Austin Water plan to use part of Palm Park for I‑35 utility relocations

The Austin Parks and Recreation Board on June 22 declined to recommend that City Council approve Austin Water’s request to permanently use 9,852 square feet of Palm Park and a temporary work area of 2,585 square feet for utility relocations tied to TxDOT’s I‑35 CapEx downtown project.

Paul Books, principal planner with Austin Parks and Recreation, and Stacy Gould, presenting for Austin Water, described the Chapter 26 application and the technical need: major utility relocations (including a 66‑inch water transmission main) are required because planned roadway and retaining‑wall work will eliminate available right‑of‑way for the pipes. Gould said agencies evaluated alternatives and chose an approach that minimizes surface disturbance by trenchless boring and locates a 30‑foot shaft partially within the park to allow the transmission main to remain in service while work proceeds. She said the proposal includes mitigation payments totaling $1,897,883 and a construction schedule that estimates utility work beginning in September 2027 and park reopening with final amenities by 2029.

At public comment, Marcus De Leon of the East Town Legacy Naval Association opposed taking permanent parkland: "It's very, very, very disheartening for me to hear this ... It's a lot," he said, arguing that Palm Park is sacred to his community and urging staff to find alternative routes. Board members asked specific technical and process questions, including whether the permanent easement area would be returned to public park use (staff said the surface would be restored and only manhole covers would appear) and whether federal funding and TxDOT reimbursement triggered Section 106 historic‑resource review for nearby Palm School (a board member said Palm School is eligible for the National Register).

TxDOT/CAPEX staff on the call said schematic‑stage environmental clearance had been completed but that further coordination with the TxDOT environmental and Palm School stakeholders would be needed to answer outstanding Section 106 questions.

Chair Ben Becker moved the board recommend City Council approve the permanent and temporary use and the mitigation payment; Board member Merritt seconded. During discussion several board members said they would oppose the motion because they were not satisfied the historic‑resource consultation and public involvement had been adequate; others said that, by design, the park would remain open to the public after construction. The roll call produced two votes in favor, three opposed and one abstention; the motion failed and the board did not forward a recommendation to City Council.

Austin Water staff emphasized measures intended to limit surface impacts — bored waterline installation under tree root zones, trenchless methods for most wastewater runs and locating bore pits outside the park — and said they had coordinated with Waterloo Greenway Conservancy, Austin Parks and Recreation and TxDOT on mitigation and access during construction.

Board members asked staff to continue coordination with Palm School stakeholders and TxDOT environmental staff and to provide more documentation of Section 106 and other historic‑resource work before the item returns to the board or is considered by City Council.