Public speakers urged more work on shoreline restoration, interpretive education and transparency around nonprofit park partners while city staff outlined erosion stabilization, invasive species removal and tree‑planting projects for Zilker Park at an Oct. 22, 2025 meeting of the Climate, Water, Environment, and Parks Committee.

In a string of public comments before the staff briefing, Mike Kanati, identified as chair of Zilker 351, asked the committee to endorse priority projects from the council‑approved Barton Springs Pool master plan that would reduce erosion and improve water quality and trail connections. "For over 20 years, city council has noted there are chronic conditions at Zilker that need immediate need for improvements," Kanati said, and he pointed committee attention to shoreline restoration, invasive removal and completion of a Zilker Loop trail described in the 2009 plan.

Other speakers pressed different points. Chris Flores, speaking from District 10, criticized private event operations in the park and said, "The commercializer contracts are not public. They're hidden from elected people and hidden from public in order to debate them." Mark May, who said he lives in District 5, questioned whether nonprofit partners—naming the Austin Parks Foundation (APF) without disputing its work—should contribute more financially to park upkeep: "Their CEO is compensated much more than our mayor," May said, noting what he described as large reserves reported by the nonprofit. Karen Coacher, speaking for the Barton Springs Conservancy and as the creator of the Living Springs documentary series, urged converting existing park structures into interpretive space and addressed access and sanitation issues on the pool’s south side as an environmental concern.

Staff from Austin Parks and Recreation and Watershed Protection then briefed the committee on environment and capital priorities for Zilker Metropolitan Park. Lindsay Mockemer, division manager for Park Development, and Jana Renfro, managing engineer in Watershed Protection’s Creek Flood and Erosion Division, framed their presentation on adopted and published guidance documents including the Barton Springs pool vision plan (adopted by council in Feb. 2009), the Zilker Park Working Group Report (2019) and the Zilker Park Natural Resources Inventory and Management Guidelines (2021).

Two projects were highlighted in detail:

- Sunken Gardens rehabilitation: Watershed staff said the project would stabilize an outfall channel from a spring into Barton Creek, protect historic structures and improve habitat for the Barton Springs salamander. Staff reported preliminary engineering was finished in fall 2025 and estimated roughly $1.5 million would be needed for design and project management and about $7.5 million for construction — a combined total of about $9 million that remained unfunded. The project is on the list of bond candidates.

- Barton Creek at Toomey (bank stabilization): staff described a bank failure that threatened the Butler Trail and required an emergency closure. Toomey stabilization is under construction and is scheduled to finish by the end of the calendar year; staff said about $1 million was used for engineering and project management and about $6 million for construction (roughly $7 million total) from bond funds.

Staff also described other recent and ongoing work: an emergency repair at Luna Point finalized in September; scoping for restoration at Barking Springs to address compaction, invasive plants and poor sight lines; and targeted invasive species removal programs coordinated through Keep Austin Beautiful and Austin Civilian Conservation Corps crews. Staff highlighted partner‑funded projects such as an Austin Parks Foundation‑backed three‑year Barton Creek Greenbelt trail maintenance and ecological restoration program and local volunteer efforts.

Tree planting examples provided by parks staff included the Pecan Grove picnic area (18 new trees plus soil decompaction and irrigation) funded by an FY25 urban forestry replenishment budget amendment, and a privately funded project near the Violet Crown Trailhead that expanded from about 3,000 to 6,000 square feet of invasive removal and planting. Projects in construction or nearing construction included the Zilker maintenance barn (completion spring/summer 2026), the Zilker Clubhouse rehabilitation (bidding phase) and the Joan Means Gabelli bathhouse rehabilitation (partial opening planned this fall with a new educational exhibit).

Staff also reviewed parking‑management and shuttle results: an internal Zilker loop shuttle operating from the Stratford Drive lot reported roughly 7,000 riders from Memorial Day through Labor Day and helped reduce polo‑field parking, which was limited to 50% and used only on weekends and for events. Staff said the shuttle performed especially well during wet field closures earlier in the season.

Committee members asked about funding for shoreline and long‑range planning and sought assurances that staff would pursue lighter‑touch, ecologically beneficial treatments where feasible. Jana Renfro said Watershed Protection’s prioritization tends to address the worst, often life‑safety‑level erosion issues first and that Sunken Gardens and Toomey reflected that process. Lindsay Mockemer said short‑term security and access improvements are being planned for the Zilker Clubhouse site in response to recent vandalism and unauthorized overnight use.

What happens next: Sunken Gardens is listed as an unfunded bond candidate; Watershed and Parks staff said they will seek funding and continue scoping restoration work with partners and volunteers. Staff noted multi‑year volunteer and partnership programs are expected to accompany capital investments.