West Austin Neighborhood Group
MINUTES April 4, 2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
These are the minutes of the meeting of the West Austin Neighborhood Group Board of Directors (the “Board”) held Monday, April 4, 2016, at 6:30 p.m., at the Howson Public Library.
I. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Board President Cathy Kyle with the following board members in attendance: August Harris, Joe Bennett, Mary Arnold, Gunnar Seaquist, Blake Tollett, Elizabeth Adams, Haidar Khazen, and Mike Cannatti in attendance. Board Members, George Edwards and Holly Reed were not present.
II. Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the March meeting were approved.
III. Neighbor Communications:
A. Eagle Scout Project at Camp Mabry: Boy Scout Cornell Fuka of Austin’s Troop 5 made a presentation to the Board about his plan to build an ADA compliant dock at the Camp Mabry stock pond for his Eagle Scout service project.
IV Land Matters:
A. 2529 Winsted Ln.: The homeowner sought the Board’s support for a variance from the LDC to decrease the minimum rear yard setback from ten (10) feet to seven (7) feet in order to marinating a two-story additional living space detached structure, which was constructed by the previous owner of the property. Although the Board generally indicated that it would not oppose this request as long as there was no neighbor opposition and the landowner agreed not to install a kitchen or otherwise used the detached structure for a secondary residential use, a question was raised as to whether the variance, if granted, would violate the existing deed restrictions. Accordingly, the Board delayed taking any formal action on this item until it could make further investigation into applicable deed restrictions.
V. Transportation:
None.
VI. Membership:
Membership continues to increase. WANG now has a Facebook page:
VII. Newsletter:
Content will be due ten days from the Board meeting.
VIII. ANC Liason Report: Board Member Basciano informed the Board that the neighborhood representatives have requested that City Staff provide an example of zoning categories and revised code that have come out of the CodeNext process. Staff has refused to produce any examples of the coming changes, and instead appear poised to release the entirety of the revisions at one time in January of 2017. The neighborhoods are disappointed that after approximately $2.4 million dollars and three years, there appears to be little to show for it. There is also a new Citizens Advisory Group, which is tasked with doing citizen outreach on the CodeNext process. However, the members of that CAG have voiced frustration that they are not receiving enough information from the City to reach out to the public. Finally, Board Member Basciano informed the Board that there is a proposed resolution from the ANC on the Grove Development. The next ANC meeting will be on April 27, 2016.
IX. Treasurer’s Report:
None.
X. Old Business:
A. The Grove PUD Development: Board Member Harris briefed the Board on the progress of the Grove PUD.
B. Movie Night: The Neighborhood movie night will take place on May 14th at 6:30 p.m. The movie will be Inside Out, and P. Terry’s hamburgers will be available for purchase.
C. 505 Deep Eddy Ave: Board Member Tollett informed the Board that there has been no change in the City’s position in relation to 505 Deep Eddy Ave.
XI. New Business:
A. Land Development Code Amendments (Garage Placement/MF-6 zoning): The City Council will consider a code amendment to close a loophole in the garage placement design tool. The garage placement design tool was intended to limit the size of a garage to 50% of the width of the principal structure; however, City plan review staff have interpreted the code in manner that allows a garage to be 50% of the combined width of the garage and the principal structure. Approximately 27 neighborhoods that adopted the garage placement design tool are affected by the plan review staff interpretation that allows developers to build huge garages that are out of character with the neighborhoods. City neighborhood planning staff and city plan review staff agree that this interpretation is inconsistent with the design and intended purpose of the garage placement design tool. They initiated a code amendment to fix the code so that it clearly limits the size of a garage to 50% of the width of the principal structure. The West Austin Neighborhood Group was not one of the neighborhoods that originally adopted this design tool.
MF-6 Zoning amendment was not specifically discussed. Our Neighborhood Planning Area does not have MF-6 zoning, but if there is ever an upzoning to MF-6 in the NP we could be faced with taller structures than current code allows if the builder includes affordable units.
B. Support for Robertson Hill NA : The Robertson Hill NA has asked for the support of other Austin Neighborhood Associations in its efforts to oppose the proposed One Two East development along I-35 at E. 11th Street. This project is planned in the East 11th Street Neighborhood Conservation Combining District, which was created by the City in 1991 to encourage the revitalization of the E.11th corridor. Based on the circumstances at that time, the two tracts that comprise the site were granted perhaps excessive entitlements allowing 463,747 square feet of buildable space and maximum heights of 100 feet and 150 feet tall, respectively. There has been opposition to the currently planned development, however, because current economic conditions along the 11th St. corridor no longer support these excessive departures from established regulations. The builder’s response has been to coerce neighborhood approval through threats of less desirable development options. Board member Harris made a motion to support the Robertson NA’s opposition, which was seconded by Board Member Arnold, and passes unanimously by the Board.
C. May meeting: The next Board meeting will be held on May 2, 2016, at 6:00 p.m. at the Lions Municipal Golf Course clubhouse.
Adjourn
Board President Kyle adjourned the meeting.
3