Festival Beach food forest volunteers ask Austin Water to pause trenching tied to I-35 project

Santiago, a representative of Festival Beach Food Forest, told the Water and Wastewater Commission on Jan. 14 that construction tied to the I-35 expansion and related utility work is cutting into the volunteer-run site in East Austin and that crews only notified the group on Jan. 9.

"TxDOT has negotiated to do a 24 inches, freshwater pipeline underneath the pedestrian bridge that's being constructed as part of the I 35 expansion," Santiago said, and added that a 48-inch wastewater pipe is being installed through the food forest and that a temporary green line currently cuts directly into the site. He said the temporary line will be abandoned once a permanent alignment under I-35 is installed in the early 2030s and asked staff to consider a slower pace or alternate routing so the group can remove plantings and recapture their investment. Santiago said the project has already paid about $2,800,000 in mitigation fees.

Volunteer Angelina Olonis said the group had participated in quarterly meetings with City staff and TxDOT for 18 months and had been told the impacts would be limited to dust, noise and restricted parking, but that on Jan. 9 she was told crews planned a 16-foot-wide, 8-foot-deep trench that would permanently damage established plantings. "We can't do anything right now if it happens in a week," she said, describing the site as "permanent agriculture that's creating tree canopy and food and medicine in East Austin."

Commissioners did not take a formal action on the public comments. Director-level staff and division managers present invited the speakers to meet after the hearing: Division Manager Kevin Koller was identified in the meeting as available to follow up, and the chair said Austin Water staff would communicate with the affected organization.

Why it matters: The speakers said the work would cut through a volunteer-restored urban food forest and raised concerns about short notice, the adequacy of stakeholder notification, and permanent loss of plantings. The group specifically referenced the Chapter 26 process, which they said requires stakeholder input. Austin Water staff acknowledged the concerns and offered to continue outreach and follow up after the meeting.

What happens next: Staff invited the speakers to meet with division staff after the commission session, and the commission did not vote on or otherwise change project approvals during public communication. Austin Water has a public project website and staff contact points for continued outreach and said they will provide follow-up communication to the group.