WATER SUPPLY RURAL WATERSHED REQUIREMENTS.

Austin City Code tit. 30, ch. 30-5, subch. A, art. 11

in effect

Austin City Code § 30-5-451 APPLICABILITY; COMPLIANCE.

§ 30-5-451 - APPLICABILITY; COMPLIANCE. (A) This article applies to development in a water supply rural watershed. (B) A person who develops in a water supply rural watershed must comply with the requirements of this article. Source: City Code Section 25-8-451; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. 031211-42.

Austin City Code § 30-5-452 WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE.

§ 30-5-452 - WATER QUALITY TRANSITION ZONE. (A) Development is prohibited in a water quality transition zone that lies over the South Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, except for: (1) development described in Article 7, Division 1 (Critical Water Quality Zone Restrictions); and (2) minor drainage facilities or water quality controls that comply with Section 30-5-364 (Floodplain Modification) and the floodplain modification criteria in the Environmental Criteria Manual. (B) Development is prohibited in a water quality transition zone that lies outside the South Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, except for: (1) development described in Article 7, Division 1 (Critical Water Quality Zone Restrictions); (2) streets; (3) minor drainage facilities or water quality controls that comply with Section 30-5-364 (Floodplain Modification) and the floodplain modification guidelines of the Environmental Criteria Manual; and; (4) duplex or single-family residential development with a minimum lot size of two acres and a density of not more than one unit for each three acres, excluding acreage in the 100-year flood plain. (C) A lot that lies within a critical water quality zone must also include at least two acres in a water quality transition zone or uplands zone. Source: City Code Section 25-8-453; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. 031211-42; Ord. 20131017-046.

Austin City Code § 30-5-453 UPLANDS ZONE.

§ 30-5-453 - UPLANDS ZONE. (A) This section applies to development in an uplands zone. Density and impervious cover limits are based on net site area. (B) For a duplex or single family residential use, density may not exceed: (1) one unit for each two acres, with a minimum lot size of three-quarters acre; or (2) if development intensity is transferred under Section 30-5-454 (Transfer of Development Intensity), one unit for each acre, with a minimum lot size of one-half acre. (C) This Subsection applies to cluster housing. (1) density may not exceed: (a) one unit for each acre; or (b) if development intensity is transferred under Section 30-5-454 (Transfer of Development Intensity), two units for each acre. (2) At least 40 percent of the uplands area of a site must be retained in or restored to its natural state to serve as a buffer. The buffer must be contiguous to the development, and must receive overland drainage from the developed areas of the site unless a water quality control is provided. Use of the buffer is limited to fences, water quality controls that comply with Subdivision 30-5-213(C)(3) (Water Quality Control Standards), utilities that cannot reasonably be located elsewhere, irrigation lines not associated with wastewater disposal, and access for site construction. A wastewater disposal area may not be located in the buffer. (D) This subsection applies to a commercial, residential multifamily use or mixed use. (1) Impervious cover may not exceed: (a) 20 percent; or (b) if development intensity is transferred under Section 30-5-454 (Transfer of Development Intensity), 25 percent. (2) At least 40 percent of the uplands area of a site must be retained in or restored to its natural state to serve as a buffer. The buffer must be contiguous to the development, and must receive overland drainage from the developed areas of the site unless a water quality control is provided. Use of the buffer is limited to fences, water quality controls that comply with Subdivision 30-5-213(C)(3) (Water Quality Control Standards), utilities that cannot reasonably be located elsewhere, irrigation lines not associated with wastewater disposal, and access for site construction. A wastewater disposal area may not be located in the buffer. Source: City Code Section 25-8-454; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. 031211-42; Ord. 20131017-046; Ord. No. 20170615-102, Pt. 51, 6-15-17.

Austin City Code § 30-5-454 TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT INTENSITY.

§ 30-5-454 - TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT INTENSITY. (A) An applicant who complies with a provision of this section qualifies for the development intensity transfer described in the provision, subject to the requirements in subsection (B) and the impervious cover limitations in section 30-5-453 (Uplands Zone). (1) The applicant may transfer one single- family residential housing unit or 6,000 square feet of impervious cover for commercial or multifamily development to an uplands zone for each acre of land in a critical water quality zone or water quality transition zone: (a) dedicated to the City, County, or another entity approved by the Watershed Protection Department director in fee simple and which the City, County, or other approved entity accepts; or (b) on which restrictions are placed to the benefit of the City, County, or other approved entity and which the City, County, or other approved entity accepts; and (c) the applicant does not include in impervious calculations elsewhere. (2) Land dedicated in fee simple to the City or County under this subsection may also be credited toward the parkland dedication requirements of Chapter 30-2, Article 3, Division 5 (Parkland Dedication). (B) An applicant who qualifies for a development intensity transfer under Subsection (A) must comply with requirements of this subsection to effect the transfer. (1) For transfers between two subdivided tracts: (a) An applicant may transfer development intensity to a receiving tract that is within the same watershed classification as the transferring tract. This limitation does not apply if the transferring and receiving tracts are both owned by the applicant and are separated only by property that is also owned by the applicant. (b) An applicant must concurrently plat the transferring and receiving tracts and must transfer all development intensity at that time. (c) An applicant must note the development intensity transfer on the plats of the transferring and receiving tracts, in a manner determined by the single office. (d) An applicant must file in the deed records a restrictive covenant, approved by the city attorney and county attorney, that runs with the transferring tract and describes the development intensity transfer. (2) For transfers between two site plans: (a) An applicant may transfer development intensity to a receiving tract that is within the same watershed classification as the transferring tract. This limitation does not apply if the transferring and receiving tracts are both owned by the applicant and are separated only by property that is also owned by the applicant. (b) The transfer must be noted on the receiving and transferring site plans; (c) An applicant must file in the deed records a restrictive covenant, approved by the City Attorney and county attorney, that runs with the transferring tract and describes the development intensity transfer. (d) The transfer must occur before the receiving and transferring site plans are released. (3) For transfers within a single site plan, an applicant must file in the deed records a restrictive covenant, approved by the City Attorney and county attorney, that runs with the transferring tract and describes the development intensity transfer. Source: City Code Section 25-8-455; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. 031211-42; Ord. 20131017-046.

Source: City of Austin, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/austin/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT30AUTRCOSURE_CH30-5EN_SUBCHAPTER_AWAQU_ART11WASURUWAREFetched: 10/27/2026