Proposed ACL Staging Area/Parking Project in Zilker Park
(aka Stratford Drive Redevelopment Project)

Butler Landfill

Yellow outline indicates location of permanent staging area and parking lot (about 7.5 acres). Red outline indicates location of closed landfill. Click image to enlarge.

The Butler Landfill in Zilker Park was operated by the City from 1948 to 1967. It is entirely within the boundaries of Zilker Park and extends along Stratford Drive from just west of the Mopac Bridge to Lou Neff Road and the "Great Lawn" of Zilker Park. The landfill was closed in 1968 and cover soil was placed over the site. In 2002, additional cover was added to shed water and reduce rainfall infiltration that could create leachate from the landfill. It became an open green space with grass until the City started allowing this park site to be used as a temporary staging area for the ACL Music Festival (ACL) and overflow parking. Over the years, these increased staging and parking activities have disrupted or damaged the cover overlying the landfill. In 2016, the City's Park and Recreation Department (PARD) brought in loads of crushed rock, covering much of the grass, to allow wet-weather operation of the staging area for ACL. PARD said this was temporary. In 2018, PARD proposed a much larger permanent staging area for ACL. The stated purpose of the project was to protect the landfill cover so that ACL staging could occur for one month of the year with an accessory use to allow increased parking for other Zilker activities and events. However, this is inconsistent with the Parkland Events Task Force recommendation to develop a parking and traffic solution for parks that would reduce usage of green space parking. While ZNA appreciates the need to protect the landfill cover, we are also concerned about turning park land into a permanent parking lot. The ZNA Executive Committee opposes the project as currently proposed.

Latest Status of this Project:

Briefings/Hearings by PARD to Receive Community Feedback:

The last action on the permit was the June 20, 2018 motion passed unanimously 9-0 by the Environmental Commission. This motion recommended denial of the permit. PARD Director Kimberly McNeely placed the project on hold on 22 Jun 2018.

June 20, 2018 - Environmental Commission Minutes PARD Presentation ZNA Comments to EC Video of Hearing (click on Item 7A)
June 6, 2018 - Environmental Commission Minutes PARD Presentation ZNA Comments to EC Video of Hearing (click on Item 7A)
May 22, 2018 - Parks and Recreation Board Agenda PARD Presentation ZNA Comments to PARB Video of Hearing (click on Item D2)

Photos and Videos of the Site:

General Documents and Links Related to the Proposed Parking Project:

City of Austin Email Correspondence [03 Aug 2016 - 23 May 2018] (1.4 MB PDF)
Austin Monitor Article on Parks and Recreation Board Hearing [24 May 2018] (link)
Letter to City Council from Save Our Springs Alliance [20 May 2018] (<1 MB PDF)
Zilker Park Stratford Drive Upgrade "Fact Sheet" from PARD City Staff [17 May 2018] (<1 MB PDF)
City of Austin Press Release on the Project [25 Apr 2018] (PDF)
Landfill Location Map [16 Feb 2017] (2.4 MB PDF)
Atkins/C3 Proposed Options for Stratford Parking/Staging Area [01 May 2016] (14.8 MB PDF)
Parkland Events Task Force Final Report and Recommendations [Sep 2016] (5.0 MB PDF)

Construction Drawings for the Staging Area/Parking Projects:

Revised Rock Removal Construction Drawings [06 Jun 2018] (5.2 MB PDF)
Original Rock Removal Construction Drawings [xx Apr 2018] (4.8 MB PDF)
Revised Staging Area And Water Quality Pond Construction Drawings [15 May 2018] (24.8 MB PDF)
Revised Staging Area And Water Quality Pond Construction Drawings [23 Mar 2018] (6.6 MB PDF)
Original Staging Area And Water Quality Pond Construction Drawings [03 Jan 2018] (14.8 MB PDF)

City of Austin Site Plan Application Documents related to the staging area/parking project:

Applicant Response to Master Comment Report 1 [16 May 2018] (2.2 MB PDF; applicant responses in red)
Master Comment Report 1 [07 May 2018] (<1 MB PDF)
Applicant Response to Master Comment Report 0 [27 Mar 2018] (2.6 MB PDF; applicant responses in red)
Master Comment Report 0 [01 Mar 2018] (<1 MB PDF)
Initial Site Plan Application [09 Jan 2018] (6.2 MB PDF)

TCEQ Application Documents related to the staging area/parking projects:

Landfill Maintenance/Improvements Subchapter-T Permit

Response to NOD Letter #4 and Revised Application [03 Dec 2020] (have not obtained yet)
Response to NOD Letter #3 and Revised Application [12 Nov 2020] (20.8 MB PDF)
Response to NOD Letter #2 and Revised Application [23 Sep 2020] (18.6 MB PDF)
Response to NOD Letter #1 and Revised Application [30 Jun 2020] (22.3 MB PDF)
Subchapter-T Permit Application for Maintenance/Improvements [22 May 2020] (11.8 MB PDF)

Rock Removal Subchapter-T Permit

TCEQ Approval of Rock Removal Permit [13 Jul 2018] (<1 MB PDF)
Response to NOD Letter #2 of Rock Removal Permit [09 Jul 2018] (have not obtained yet)
TCEQ NOD Letter #2 on Rock Removal Permit Application [xx xxx 2018] (have not obtained yet)
Response to NOD Letter #1 of Rock Removal Permit [15 Jun 2018] (<1 MB PDF)
TCEQ NOD Letter #1 on Rock Removal Permit Application [08 May 2018] (<1 MB PDF)
Subchapter-T Permit Application for Rock Removal [16 Apr 2018] (1.9 MB PDF)

Staging Area and WQ Pond Subchapter-T Permit

TCEQ Acceptance of Request to Withdraw Staging Area Permit Application [01 Aug 2018] (<1 MB PDF)
Request to Withdraw Staging Area Permit Application [17 Jul 2018] (<1 MB PDF)
TCEQ NOD Letter #2 on Staging Area Permit Application [20 Apr 2018] (<1 MB PDF)
Response to NOD Letter #1 on Staging Area Permit Application (revised application) [23 Mar 2018] (13.6 MB PDF)
TCEQ NOD Letter #1 on Staging Area Permit Application [02 Mar 2018] (<1 MB PDF)
Subchapter-T Permit Application for Staging Area and WQ Pond [01 Feb 2018] (10.3 MB PDF)

Edwards Aquifer Permit

TCEQ Approval of the Edwards Aquifer Permit and Water Pollution Abatement Plan [05 Apr 2018] (1.6 MB PDF)
Response to NOD Letter on Edwards Aquifer Permit Application with Revised Water Pollution Abatement Plan [28 Mar 2017] (29.9 MB PDF)
TCEQ NOD Letter on Edwards Aquifer Permit Application [15 Mar 2018] (have not obtained yet)
Application for Edwards Aquifer Permit and Water Pollution Abatement Plan [31 Jan 2018] (17.7 MB PDF)

Soil Borings Request

TCEQ Approval to Conduct Soil Borings [02 Mar 2017] (<1 MB PDF)
Request to Conduct Soil Borings [17 Feb 2017] (<1 MB PDF)

Butler Landfill Documents:

Butler Landfill Schneider Contract City Council Resolution [17 Dec 2009] (<1 MB PDF)
Butler Landfill Test Pit Report by Shaw [21 Jan 2009] (19.1 MB PDF)
Butler Landfill May 2005 Sampling Event Report by Shaw [Jul 2005] (<1 MB PDF)
Butler Landfill Fact Sheet [Nov 2004] (0.9 MB PDF)
Supplemental Landfill Assessement Report by Geomatrix Consultants [Nov 2004] (0.5 MB PDF)
Supplemental Landfill Assessement Site Visit Forms and Photographs for Butler Landfill [Nov 2004] (3.9 MB PDF)
Butler Landfill Apr 2004 Sampling Event Report by Shaw [Jun 2004] (5.2 MB PDF)
Butler Landfill Jan 2004 Sampling Event Report by Shaw [Apr 2004] (<1 MB PDF)
Butler Landfill Oct 2003 Sampling Event Report by Shaw [Feb 2004] (<1 MB PDF)
Butler Landfill Jentsch Contract City Council Resolution [11 Apr 2002] (<1 MB PDF)
Butler Landfill City Council Questions [11 Apr 2002] (<1 MB PDF)
City of Austin Letter to TCEQ [21 Dec 1998] (<1 MB PDF)
TCEQ Site Inspection Memo [04 Dec 1998] (<1 MB PDF)
Butler Landfill Task 6 Remedial Action Report by Emcon [30 Sep 1998] (9.8 MB)
Butler Landfill Task 5 Site Assessment Report by Emcon [05 Oct 1998] (51.4 MB)
Butler Landfill Task 1 Preliminary Site Assessment Report by Emcon [01 Dec 1997] (34.9 MB)
Butler Landfill Study by Radian Corporation [before 1998] (have not obtained yet)
City of Austin Landfill Report by URM [Nov 1984] (8.2 MB PDF)
Excerpts Related to Butler Landfill from Thomas P. Clark Master's Thesis (1972) (1.2 MB PDF)

Butler Landfill Groundwater Monitoring Results:

Summary of Groundwater Monitoring Analyses (<1 MB PDF)
30 May 1984 Groundwater Monitoring Laboratory Analyses (MW-1) (1.3 MB PDF)
23 Sep 1992 Groundwater Monitoring Laboratory Analyses (MW-1) (4.7 MB PDF)
22 Oct 1997 Groundwater Monitoring Laboartory Analyses (MW-1) (4.8 MB PDF)
18-20 Mar 1998 Groundwater Monitoring Laboratory Analyses (MW-2 through MW-7) (9.0 MB PDF)