Minutes
SRCC GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING (www.srccatx.org)
Monday, September 2, 2019 7:15 PM
LIFE IN THE CITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (formerly Grace UMC)
205 E. MONROE, AUSTIN, TEXAS
AGENDA
To be sure you get a vote, become a member. You can join or renew online www.srccatx.org. Not sure if you are current? Email membership@srccatx.org and we’ll let you know.
CALL TO ORDER/APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. 7:15 Meeting procedures, etiquette, welcome newcomers. Verification of quorum. Reminder: state your name when presenting or seconding a motion. If an acronym is stated during the meeting and you don’t know what it means, please feel free to raise your hand and ask.*
Presenter throughout: Eric Cassady, SRCC President, president@srccatx.org, unless otherwise noted.
2. 7:23 Membership and voting. Pay multiple years in advance and get a discount. Single membership: 1-yr $20; 2-yr $35; 3-yr $50 / Family membership: 1-yr $35; 2-yr $65; 3-yr $95 NOTE: In order to vote or make motions, dues must be paid a month in advance, with the exception that if a former member’s dues have lapsed no more than 2 years, they may renew at the meeting and be eligible to vote.
3. 7:25 Treasurer’s Report – All reports available upon request to the Treasurer treasurer@srccatx.org
Presenter: Oliver Caruso (Treasurer)
4. 7:30 Committee Chairs reports
1) Planning and Zoning–see item below; 2) Historic Preservation; 3) Finance; 4) Mobility; 5) Public Safety; 6) Parks and Environment; 7) Schools; 8) Communications; 9) Executive Committee; 10) Land Development Code Rewrite ad hoc committee –see item below
Representatives: 11) ANC*; 12) SCC*; 13) South Central Waterfront–see item below; 14) St. Edward’s; 15) S. Central Affordable CDC
Planning and Zoning—The chair reported that several issues are on the docket: the Yellow Rose (actually Kim L. is on this, see the agenda item below) , Sunny Lane, BoA variance hearing pending, Waterloo School on Monroe (part of the Church on Congress) is seeking a conditional use permit for a small private school, 305 S. Congress PUD changes related resolution by SRCC to wait for the SWCVP update to be completed (see agenda item), Orange Line Soco Parking Study presentation planned for the Oct SRCC GM, Cap Metro Project Connect (Orange Line transitway) being reviewed and possible candidate for SRCC GM meeting preferable later this year or early 2020, 311 Leland St variance request to be reviewed when the agent provides the BoA package (also pending historic review).
Finance—The committee may meet in the next month to discuss a survey regarding the Statesman property. The committee may meet in the next month to discuss an Austin Neighborhoods Council survey or improvement of a play area at Travis Heights Elementary School.
Mobility—A volunteer has stepped forward to chair the committee. Her name is Paula Kothmann. She is seeking someone who bikes a lot to understand challenges.
Parks & Environment—David Todd reported that there was a meeting with Janet Renfro regarding Little Stacy. There has been a bit of work done there lately. The next phase of the project is to close the road that circles around the back of the park. It is going to be changed to an 8-foot wide mulched path for biking and hiking. This phase will start in November and last approximately 3 months. In addition, a number of representatives spoke about the money set aside for parks with the city and asked that some be used for the Blunn Creek Preserve.
Schools—Gretchen reported about a project to refresh and renovate Wildman Woods, a play area used by Travis Heights Elementary. She said that she would return in the future with more information. Tomorrow is back-to-school night at Lively MS (formerly Fulmore). Representatives from SRCC have signed up to register voters there.
Executive Committee–Nothing to report.
Land-Development Code Rewrite Ad Hoc—A member reported that they are still looking for volunteers.
South Central Waterfront—Our representative shared that on July 24, 2019 an application was filed for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) Amendment and Future Land Use Map (FLUM) Change for the former Austin AMerican Statesman tract now called 305 S. Congress. South Congress Parking Study has a follow up meeting about their findings with SRCC members at Central Standard at the South Congress Hotel on September 4, 2019. CapMetro Orange Line team has a SoCo stakeholder meeting on September 16, 2019 at St. Edward;s University with members of the South Congress Public Improvement District (PID), Texas School for the Deaf, and SRCC representatives. Both the Parking Study and the Orange Line projects are in early stages and will conduct community-wide meetings moving forward.
St. Edwards—A neighborhood member reported that the recent fireworks display at St. Edwards did not present any problems resulting from uncontrolled fires. He reminded us that the process for having fireworks in the city is lacking in terms of safety and payment of fees that fund the need for approval and monitoring. He asked that anyone interested contact him with questions or comments.
Communication—Gretchen reported that there will be a Fall newsletter, which means articles need to be submitted by the end of September. You can reach out at newsletter@srccatx.org
5. 7:50 Approve minutes from the August 5, 2019 monthly general meeting (available at www.srccatx.org)
Motion: Claudette Lowe/Al Amado to approve the minutes from the August meeting. 25/0/0 PASSED
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
6. 7:55 The SRCC Land Development Code (LDC) Rewrite Committee has been analyzing proposed changes to City code that could have a strong negative impact on our way of life in SRCC, and has drafted a one-page document of 7 Key Points which summarize a Position Paper approved by the SRCC in response to various Code Next proposals. For each Point, it is articulated how there is agreement with the proposed changes or their intent, and then suggested changes are provided to the approach based on comments collected from SRCC neighbors. There has been collaboration with other Central neighborhoods in order to strengthen our position. [VOTE EXPECTED]
Link to 7 Key Points document.
Presenter: Paula Kothmann, SRCC LDC Code Rewrite Committee Chair, paula.kothmann@gmail.com
Position paper that the Land Development Ad Hoc Committee has been working on. This committee distilled the ideas from a previous position paper (from SRCC’s response to Code Next).
Updates from meeting:
- Working back from corridors (Congress Avenue, IH 35, and Riverside) the staff is looking to put more density, not just along the corridor, but also back into the neighborhood.
- All of the parking requirements will not be a part of the new projects. (New residents will have to park on the street.)
- Next update to the Council will be presented on Sept. 11th.
Previously we asked what current zoning allows in terms of increase in residents, but have not received an answer.
Paula asked that SRCC vote to support the seven positions the committee came up with in order to strengthen their position when dealing with the City.
Members of SRCC expressed concern about the wording of the summary letter and the differences between Code Next re-write 3 and the currently discussed plan. It was agreed that the summary letter will reference the original position paper (which was previously agreed upon by SRCC and posted on the website). Frustration was expressed by members that the City hasn’t done a parking study and the City is using the old flooding map.
MOTION: Paula Kothmann/Cynthia Milne That SRCC accept the proposal of 7 different points written and approved by the committee representative of the neighborhood’s position in Land Development Code Revision. 27/0/0 PASSED.
“Zoned Out†is a documentary that will be posted in Youtube about the Zoning Process that Austin has been going through.
NEW BUSINESS
7. 8:10 Several months ago, Expose, an adult-oriented business on South Congress closed. It appears that the property was purchased by the owners of the Yellow Rose, they intend to re-open it as another adult-oriented business. [VOTE POSSIBLE]
Presenter: Kim Lanzillotti, Area Coordinator, Area 8, kamerakim@gmail.com
Discussion will be postponed until a later time. A neighbor asked that someone look into police records for the Yellow Rose, as he is of the opinion that there is frequent violence at the other location.
8. 8:20 The property that formerly housed the Austin-American Statesman (305 S. Congress), referred to as the Statesman PUD, is being redeveloped as part of the South Central Waterfront., with some structures taller than 500 feet. Concerns include the % of rental housing units allocated to affordable incomes, and the amount of money that ‘the project’ will contribute to the public realm costs. SRCC P&Z is working to get support of other neighborhood associations, like Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association, to oppose the PUD application. We join the Bouldin Creek NA in recommending that the City Council should not approve any new entitlements above existing base zoning or those entitlements outlined in existing PUD ordinances for the Statesman tract or any other properties in the South Central Waterfront plan area until the Council has implemented the regulatory and financial measures needed to ensure that the Austin community may realize the full public benefits outlined in the South Central Waterfront Vision Plan. [VOTE EXPECTED]
Link to SRCC Planning & Zoning PUD Amendment Topics sheet for 305 S Congress.
Presenter: Russell Fraser, SRCC Planning & Zoning Committee Chair, Russell_Fraser@msn.com
Motion: Russell Fraser/Penelope Hyslop To adopt the Resolution regarding the proposed administrative amendment to City Ordinance No 890720-E, known informally as the Statesman PUD, located at 305 S. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas. (See full Resolution here) 26/0/0 PASSED.
9. 8:40 There are several upcoming community events at Good Shepherd on the Hill, including the Second Saturday Neighborhood Yard Sale on September 14, the upcoming Heavyweight Yoga classes Wednesday evenings starting September 11, and Music on the Hill with Jace and the Jackals on September 29.
Link to Good Shepherd homepage.
Link to Heavyweight Yoga Class.
Presenter: Sam Hensley, Director of Music & Mission, sam@gsaustin.org
Mr. Hensley shared some events that are coming to our neighborhood at Good Shepherd on the Hill:
- Neighborhood Yard Sale: Sept. 14th, 8am-11am
- Heavyweight Yoga: Wednesdays, Sept. 11th, 6pm-7pm.
- Music on the Hill (actually is inside the sanctuary): Sept. 29th, 5pm, $10 suggested donation (children encouraged)
8:45 GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Travis Heights Art Trail is scheduled for November 2-3, 2019. Charlotte Bell has more information – contact her at charwolf100@gmail.com
- VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! We need volunteers for open positions including
- OUTREACH COMMITTEE MEMBERS/CHAIR
- SRCC has restarted the NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH program, and is looking for participants. Anyone interested should contact Tom Groce, SRCC Public Safety Chair at tgroce71@gmail.com to get involved!
- Greater South River City Neighborhood Planning Contact Team members are stewards of our 2005 Neighborhood Plan. To join or for information, visit this page: https://www.srccatx.org/about/greater-south-river-city-neighborhood-plan/ Contact Terry Franz if interested: tmfranz@airmail.net
*Frequently used acronyms: ACF: Austin Community Fund; ANC: Austin Neighborhood Council; SF: Single Family zoning category; FLUM: Future Land Use Map; GSRC NPCT: Greater South River City Neighborhood Planning Contact Team; NCCD: Neighborhood Conservation Combining District; PUD: Planned Unit Development; SCC: South Central Coalition of NAs
Agenda Prepared by Dan Fredine, vicepresident@srccatx.org
Minutes Prepared by Mary Janecek-Friedman, secretary@srccatx.org
