SRCC GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING *MINUTES*
Monday, November 6, 2017 7:15 PM
LIFE IN THE CITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
(formerly Grace UMC)
205 E. MONROE, AUSTIN, TEXAS
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: Gretchen Otto, SRCC President, unless otherwise noted. (10 min)
2. 7:25 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. (2 min)
3. 7:27 Approve minutes from October 2, 2017 monthly general meeting (available at www.srccatx.org). (3 min)
Motion: Mike Kelly/Betty Weed – to approve the minutes from the October General Membership meeting = PASSED 24 for, 0 against, 0 abstain
4. 7:30 Treasurer’s Report – see attachment to agenda distributed at the meeting; all reports are available upon
request to the Treasurer. Presenter: Nancy Byrd, Treasurer (5 min)
5. 7:35 Committee Chairs reports
1) Planning and Zoning–see item below; 2) Historic Preservation–see item below; 3) Finance; 4) Mobility; 5) Public Safety (chair needed); 6) Parks and Environment; 7) Schools; 8) Communications (chair needed); 9)Executive Committee; 10) CodeNEXT ad hoc committee–see item below
Representatives: 11) ANC*; 12) SCC*; 13) South Central Waterfront–see item below; 14) St. Edward’s (10 min)
Public Safety – Interest has been growing in the Neighborhood Watch program, and we anticipate having discussion about it and recruiting volunteers at the December meeting.
Parks and Environment—David Todd indicated that thanks to volunteers, the first phase of Blunn Creek Nature Preserve cleanup is nearing completion. There are improvements going on at Heritage Oaks parks and could use more volunteers to help. A question was raised about the AISD tract at the headwaters of Bunn Creek that was for sale, and it was indicated that AISD decided not to sell the tract at this time.
ANC—James Bilodeau gave an update about the ANC CodeNEXT meeting. They were promoting the petition for a referendum on CodeNEXT, and Community Not Commodity was expressing concerns about the legality of CodeNEXT as it is being enacted.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
6. 7:45 CodeNEXT update. On October 17th SRCC hosted a CodeNEXT meeting and panel discussion with Mayor Adler, Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Tovo, and Planning Commissioner Karen McGraw. Notes from the meeting can be found on our website here:
Notes from 10/17/17 SRCC Specially Called Meeting on CodeNEXT
The deadline for comments on the second draft of CodeNEXT was October 31st. The SRCC/GSRC NPCT ad-hoc CodeNEXT committee has developed a position paper for SRCC regarding the second draft. The text of the paper can be found on our website here:
City website on CodeNEXT: http://www.austintexas.gov/department/codenext
Presenter: Gretchen Otto (10 min)
The SRCC position paper was sent to all City Council members and several commissions.
There were many questions that were submitted at the Oct 17 CodeNEXT meeting with the Mayor, but we did not have time to ask them. Those have been sent to the mayor’s office, but we have not yet received a response.
Jeff Kessel brought copies of the petition to require a referendum on CodeNEXT, for people (registered voters in Austin) to sign. There will be an item on the December agenda for SRCC to consider taking a position on the petition.
7. 7:55 Update on achieving National Register Historic District status for Travis Heights area.
Presenter: Angela Reed, SRCC Historic Preservation Committee (10 min)
Angela indicated that there have been fundraising activities in order to pay for the required historical survey, as well as the application fees. We received a $5k matching grant from Preservation Austin, and have submitted on a $10k grant from the Texas Historical Commission. That would provide most of the money needed to fund a survey. With current funds it is expected that the consultant will begin the survey December 1st.
A fundraising event is in the works – should you be interested in volunteering, please contact Angela at reed.as@gmail.com.
NEW BUSINESS
8. 8:05 Our District 51 State House Representative will discuss ballot amendments on the November 7th ballot.
Presenter/Guest: Texas State Representative Eddie Rodriguez, eddie.rodriguez@house.texas.gov (20 min)
Representative Rodriguez gave a brief description of the 7 state constitutional amendments on the November 7th ballot, and then answered questions from the membership.
9. 8:25 Update from South Central Waterfront Advisory Board (SCWAB) representative about proposed Planned Unit Development (PUD) at 425 West Riverside. The SCWAB will hear the case and vote on November 20. VOTE EXPECTED. Proposed language:
“Whereas South River City Citizens is a stakeholder in the South Central Waterfront Initiative,
Whereas the Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association is contiguous with South River City Citizens Neighborhood Association,
Be it resolved that South River City Citizens supports the Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association in their opposition to the proposed PUD zoning for 425 West Riverside that requests rezoning from CS-1-V-NP to PUD-NP for Mixed Use with associated improvements until a financial framework (such as Tax Increment Funding or Public Improvement District) for the South Central Waterfront is in place.â€
Presenters: Wendy Todd, SRCC rep to SCWAB and Marc Davis, SRCC Planning & Zoning Committee (10 min)
A planning framework document for development in this area was developed about 1 ½ years ago, with an aim to develop towards a “green eco districtâ€. As part of that plan there would be a financial framework that would allow developers to contribute towards the planned common amenities of the district, though this is not in place yet. A developer is currently proposing a 195’ structure on the old Hooters property. The Bouldin Creek neighborhood is opposing this development until the financial framework is in place. The motion before SRCC is to support Bouldin.
Motion: Marc Davis/Russell Fraser – as stated above, amended in bold from original agenda item = PASSED 24 for, 0 against, 1 abstain
10. 8:35 Update regarding amendment to the restrictive covenant for the Magdalena Hotel on South Congress, regarding interim parking solution until garage is constructed. VOTE EXPECTED. Proposed language:
“Be it resolved that SRCC supports the amendment to the Restrictive Covenant between SRCC and the Magdalena Hotel to allow them to provide off-site valet parking to their guests in the event that the Music Lane Parking Garage is not complete at the time the Magdalena receives its Certificate of Occupancy.â€
Presenter: Marc Davis, SRCC Planning & Zoning Committee (10 min)
The parking garage for the hotel will be across the street in the Music Lane development. Both projects are planned to be constructed at the same time, and the Music Lane property is scheduled to complete first. The developer’s lenders are concerned about the implications of the remote possibility that the hotel were to be completed first, the restrictive covenant between the developer and the SRCC would not allow the hotel to operate without the Music Lane garage. The developer has proposed an amendment, and SRCC’s attorney has reviewed it. This amendment would allow for valet parking in a private lot (not on neighborhood streets) for up to 2 years, at a rate no higher than the cost of parking in the planned garage. In the event that the Music Lane garage is still not complete after 2 years, they must continue to provide valet parking but will be considered in violation of the Restrictive Covenant, thus allowing the neighborhood to pursue legal action if it so chooses.
Motion: Marc Davis/Angela Reed – as stated above = PASSED 24 for, 0 against, 1 abstain
11. 8:45 An application has been submitted for a local historic district on East Mary Street. The applicants are requesting that the SRCC support the application. VOTE EXPECTED. Proposed language:
“SRCC to write a letter in support of the application for a local historic district on E. Mary St.”â€
Presenter: James Bilodeau, SRCC Resident and LHD Applicant (10 min)
This is a LHD being proposed for a single block of E. Mary, which is a subset of the area that was originally proposed as the Bluebonnet Hills LHD. It affects 19 homeowners; 13 have already signed on, a few have not yet responded, and 1 is opposed. The enactment of a LHD requires support from 51% of property owners.
Motion: James Bilodeau/Angela Reed – as stated above = PASSED 21 for, 0 against, 2 abstain
12. 8:55 SRCC is forming an ad-hoc nominating committee for the upcoming officer elections. Open positions include President and Treasurer.
Presenter: Gretchen Otto (5 min)
Anyone who would like to be on the nominating committee should contact Gretchen or Carol Martin before the December meeting. We anticipate a vote at the December meeting to confirm the members of the nominating committee.
9:00 GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
-VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! We need volunteers for several open, and soon to be open, positions
—COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR, TREASURER (2018), PRESIDENT (2018)
-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
-Austin Monitor discount: SRCC16 for 20% off subscription
Account reconciliation, Profit & Loss and Balance reports available upon request from treasurer@srccatx.org or financecommittee@srccatx.org
*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; SCC: South Central Coalition of NAs
Agenda Prepared by Dan Fredine, vicepresident@srccatx.org
Agenda subject to change. Please check www.srccatx.org for most updated version.
