A large planned unit development is being proposed on West Riverside Drive, however, environmental officials on Wednesday said the developer needed to offer more for the environment if the project is to be considered.

A Hooters currently occupies the land at 425 W. Riverside Drive, but if the developer gets their way, the property will be the site of a more than 300,000-square-foot planned unit development.

The planned unit development, or PUD, was briefly presented to the Environmental Commission by city staff during the commission’s Wednesday evening meeting. According to Andrew Moore, a senior planner in the city’s Planning and Zoning Department, the PUD is proposed to encompass 270,000 square feet of commercial space and 21,000 square feet of residential space. Moore said 10 multifamily residential units are proposed, and 10 percent of units will be offered as affordable.

This PUD is the first major project that aligns with the South Central Waterfront Master Plan. The plan, adopted by the council in June, looks to reshape a major area of waterfront land, south of the Colorado River, into a district built around a green infrastructure system.

Wednesday’s PUD presentation followed an in-depth overview of the South Central Waterfront Master Plan, to refresh the commission about the plan and how this proposed PUD fits into that vision.

In order to proceed with the project, the development must first receive PUD zoning approval. According to the city’s Planning and Zoning Department, PUD zoning is appropriate if the development enhances preservation of the natural environment, encourages high quality and innovative design and ensures adequate public facilities and services for development within the PUD.

At the current stage of the proposal, the commissioners and city environmental staff expressed doubts that the development as proposed would provide the benefits required by a PUD. Chuck Lesniak, an environmental officer with the Watershed Protection Department, said he did not feel the proposal met the standards for environmental superiority, but said there are still ways for the developer to achieve those standards.

Commissioner Mary Ann Neely expressed similar comments and said she was not happy to see the developer requesting a height variance to add 11 extra floors on the residential unit without any extra environmental amenities.

“I’m tired of these PUDs that want a whole lot of space, but do very little to give our city something special,” Neely said. “These aren’t special. I’m tired of PUDs coming up that don’t make Austin a better place.”