Austin July 23 Council: Elmhurst wastewater contract + Girls’ School appeal

Austin City Council’s July 23, 2026 agenda includes two neighborhood-impact items: an Austin Water wastewater infrastructure contract for Elmhurst Drive, and a public hearing on an appeal of a conditional use permit for the Girls’ School of Austin at 2007 McCall Road.

Elmhurst Drive wastewater renewal: contract for pipe rehabilitation

Under Item 39, Council will be asked to authorize a construction services contract for the Elmhurst Drive Wastewater Pipe Renewal Project. The contract would be with HEI Civil Texas, LLC for $4,784,754 plus a $478,476 contingency, for a total contract amount not to exceed $5,263,300. The agenda lists the project in District 9.

Austin Water says the work is designed to reduce the risk of wastewater leaks and overflows by rehabilitating and replacing approximately 8,600 linear feet of deteriorating wastewater lines and 1,326 linear feet of deteriorating water lines. Most of the affected segments are expected to be rehabilitated using Cured-In-Place-Pipe (CIPP). CIPP involves inserting a resin-infused liner into a pipe and using hot steam to activate and cure the resin. Austin Water also says some areas would require traditional trench cut work.

Timeline-wise, Austin Water says it anticipates construction beginning in fall 2026 and taking about 12 months to complete. The contract recommendation language also states the contract allows 365 calendar days for completion.

Residents should also plan for on-the-ground construction impacts. The contract recommendation says the project includes lane closures and detours. It also says the contractor will ensure residents and businesses always have access to driveways, and that if access cannot be maintained, written notice of limited access would be provided to affected property owners at least 24 hours in advance. In addition, it describes planned temporary wastewater service interruptions during pipeline tie-ins and service reconnections, with residents notified at least 48 hours in advance.

Girls’ School CUP appeal: public hearing and a request to postpone

Item 96 is a public hearing to consider an appeal by Rusty and Mary Tally of the Planning Commission’s decision approving a conditional use permit for the Girls’ School of Austin at 2007 McCall Road (SPC-2026-0052A). The City’s recommendation packet identifies traffic and circulation tied to school pick-up and drop-off practices as key issues on appeal, along with on-street parking by school staff in the predominantly single-family residential neighborhood.

The backup materials for the hearing include a postponement request dated July 15, 2026. In that letter, the neighbor appellant asks Council to postpone consideration scheduled for July 23 to the August 27 or September 10 meetings, citing what the letter describes as “extensive additional information” requested by the Planning Commission at the April 28 hearing and what the letter characterizes as unresolved concerns about the completeness of the information for a meaningful discussion.

The letter lists multiple specific categories of “outstanding” items from the April 28 Planning Commission hearing, including bump-out and queuing data for a 3-car bump-out scenario; a plan for six-month traffic monitoring; a memorandum of understanding (MOU) documenting the traffic plan; a transportation demand management (TDM) plan; a movability/carpool program; evaluation of bus or shuttle options; off-site parking outreach; and codified traffic policies such as drop-off procedures, routing protocols, and staggered dismissal times.

What to watch next on July 23

For Elmhurst Drive residents, the practical question is how soon work can begin after Council authorizes the contract, and how lane closures and temporary service interruptions are managed through fall 2026 into the roughly 12-month construction window.

For neighbors around the Girls’ School site, Item 96 is a public hearing to consider the appeal. Because the postponement request is included in the backup packet, expect the discussion to focus on what information is already in the record—and whether Council needs more time for additional traffic and parking details before moving forward.

Sources

• Austin Water project page: Elmhurst Drive Wastewater Renewal
• Council backup letter: postponement request (File 26-1903)