The Environmental Commission voted to approve the removal of a 32-inch heritage pecan tree in East Austin to allow construction of a 120-unit supportive housing project for youth exiting foster care and the juvenile justice system.
“This is the exact kind of project I wish we saw all the time on this commission because it’s an incredible project for a great group,” said Vice Chair Mariana Krueger. “At the same time, I think about the urban canopy on the east side in particular and the heat island effect.”
LifeWorks, an organization supporting families experiencing homelessness, secured a one-acre site at 819 Tillery Street through a donated long-term lease that converts to ownership that allows them to reduce costs for a supportive housing project that will be built on a 13-acre lot. The proposed project, called The Works III, is a 120-unit, four-story permanent supportive housing project designed with trauma-informed architecture and onsite social services for youth exiting foster care or the juvenile justice system. It will be fully owned and operated by LifeWorks.
Connor Kenny, principal at Capital A Housing, the project’s developer, said they asked the adjacent landowner to transplant the tree elsewhere on the site, but the request was denied because of existing tree preservation plans. Project funding requires all 120 units to be built, making it financially untenable to reduce the unit count or redesign around the tree.
“Our funding actually requires that we build all 120 units in the proposal,” Kenny said. “We can’t just cut 10 units or 20 units or 30 units. The site is jam-packed under our current proposal. If we were to go to five stories, which is what we need to do at minimum to accommodate this tree, the project goes out the window and is just really unfeasible.”
Kenny said that experts also found a significant risk of tree failure in the next few years, posing safety concerns for residents. While Capital A has relocated heritage trees on other projects, there isn’t enough room to move this tree within the site.
Credit: City of Austin
The city recommended the removal of the tree.
“The applicant has demonstrated that the retention of the subject tree would prevent reasonable use of the property,” said Naomi Rotramel, a city arborist. While the LifeWorks development takes place on one acre of the property, other heritage trees on the remaining 12 acres will be preserved. “The lessor is transplanting heritage trees on their part of the property and committing to preserving 34 heritage trees.”
“We’re saving over 97% of the heritage trees on this site,” Kenny said. “There’s one that just kind of kills the project.”
Vice Chair Krueger said she was concerned about the impact of eliminating the heritage tree.
“I also think of our constant efforts towards equity on the east side and what we know from research about how trees improve cardiovascular health, mental health, and diabetes rates,” Krueger said.
Commissioner Richard Brimer echoed these concerns about the canopy.
“Right now we have about 41 or 42 percent urban canopy and we’re shooting for 50 percent in 2040. The entire east side has a markedly lower canopy cover than the rest of West Austin, west of I-35,” Brimer said. “It’s with great reluctance that I consider cutting any tree down for any reason at all that’s not dead, diseased, or in imminent danger of collapsing under its own weight.”
Nhat Ho, an engineer on the project with Civilitude, said that they are designing the development to focus on green spaces with environmental features.
“The courtyard is an integral part of the building and it’s going to be fully programmed in order to meet the water quality and retention requirements of the city,” Ho said. “We are going to have green gardens and native plants on the site because it used to be kind of a nursery… and we are elevating the building pad in order to meet all of the requirements and build ponds and a rain garden.”
Chair Jennifer Bristol asked if LifeWorks planned to plant more trees in the central courtyard to further enhance the green space.
“LifeWorks works with kids that have experienced trauma and have gone through life hardships and I really wonder how they would feel about taking this tree,” Chair Jennifer Bristol said. “There’s a massive trauma that is going to be committed by removing this tree.”
LifeWorks CEO Liz Schoenfeld explained that their design process included feedback from the community the housing will serve.
“One of the things that we did when we were going through the design process is actually talk to young people who have experienced homelessness and many of the young people we serve are young parents,” said Schoenfeld. “One of the things they were very vocal about is a protected space within the courtyard for their children to be able to play. So the courtyard is going to predominantly be a space for their children and then programming associated with that in order to make sure that young folks have that case management.”
“A lot of the trees that we’re planning on replacing would probably be on the periphery of the building, but to the extent that we’re able to accommodate trees within the courtyard, I think that’s something we can talk to design about,” Schoenfeld said.
The Environmental Commission recommended approving the variance with conditions, including a five-year tree care plan for the 34 preserved heritage trees, coordination with Austin’s Urban Forestry Program for streetscape improvements, annual reporting on tree health, adherence to oak wilt prevention practices and use of mitigation funds to plant native, climate-resilient trees onsite. Additional requirements included partnering with local organizations to create a youth-focused tree education program and developing an onsite initiative that honors the history and ecological value of the site’s pecan grove.
The variance request passed with eight votes in favor. Commissioner Brimer abstained and Vice Chair Krueger voted against.
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City of Austin Environmental Commission: An advisory board to members of the Austin City Council. Its purview includes "all projects and programs which affect the quality of life for the citizens of Austin." In many cases, this includes development projects.
City of Austin Heritage Tree Ordinance: The city ordinance that prohibits the unlicensed destruction of trees greater than 19 inches in diameter.
