minutes of SRCC meeting of general membership February 4, 2010 return to SRCC home page

SRCC general membership meeting notes - 2/1/10


Monday, February 1; 7:00 PM
GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
205 E. MONROE, AUSTIN, TEXAS

MEETING NOTES


1. meeting procedures and etiquette. welcome newcomers.

2. approve minutes from jan 4th, 2010, general membership meeting
MOTION: jean/brian - to approve the minutes = PASSED

3. vote on proposed resolution for srcc to act as a pass-through organization to receive grant monies to be deposited with save austin oaks for further oak wilt remediation in the newning/park area. presenter - robin sanders, member

another small outbreak of oak wilt has been identified at 1419 newning, the home of the parents of nathaniel chapin, the member who headed up the oak wilt effort a few years ago. there are currently enough funds to deal with this outbreak along with some state and city grant money available to help manage this and future outbreaks. robin prepared the following resolution that achieves the above stated purpose:

WHEREAS, the oak wilt disease presents a significant threat to housing values and quality of life in the SRCC neighborhood;
WHEREAS, government funds are available from the City of Austin and the State of Texas to aid the neighborhood in preventing and containing the disease;
WHEREAS, the government funds must be requested by a neighborhood organization;
and
WHEREAS, if funding occurs, it is at no cost to the organization
BE IT, THEREFORE, RESOLVED that the SRCC Neighborhood Association:
1) approves applying for government funds available for the prevention and containment of oak wilt in the neighborhood;
2) authorizes its officers to make and execute applications for such government funds on behalf of the Association; and
3) directs that all funds so received be deposited to Save Austin Oaks, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated solely to the prevention and containment of oak wilt.
MOTION: danette/betty - to approve the resolution = PASSED

4. the srcc executive committee is recommending changes to our dues categories and levels, as well as to the membership/dues form. the changes are being recommended to simplify and modernize (no one remembers when our dues were last raised). a handout illustrating the recommended changes will be available at the meeting. the changes are (1) to reduce our current 4 dues categories to two: single @ $20/year and family @ $35/year; and (2) to eliminate interest areas from the form, and to add a choice for "additional donations to srcc general fund." If passed, we propose the changes take effect feb 15, 2010.
presenter - sarah campbell, srcc president
it was agreed that there should not need to be a vote to make changes to the membership signup form.
MOTION: russell/betty - to approve item 1 = PASSED

5. owners of the park lane guest house at 221 park lane have submitted a site plan seeking a conditional use permit to operate as a bed and breakfast.
presenter - shakti khalsa, resident/owner
the property in question is at the corner of park and drake and has been in business as a bed and breakfast for 14 years, starting at a time when a license was not required to operate in that manner. this permit is strictly to grandfather an existing business and the owners have no plans or intentions to make any changes to the property, it is strictly a formality. no action was necessary.

6. review the latest draft of the heritage tree ordinance. on feb 4th, city council will consider changes to the city code related to protected and heritage trees. presenter - jean mather, chair of zoning and planning standing committee
danette chimenti, member, presented rather than jean. particular species of trees with a circumference of 19"+ are already "protected" but this new class "heritage" will add special restrictions on cutting down trees of 24"+. a tree measuring 24"-30" must go before the urban forestry board, and trees of 30"+ must go before planning commission. there are currently two recommendations being considered, one from staff and one from planning commission with the later being a much stronger ordinance. urban forestry has an even stronger plan. please email city council and give them your opinion on which plan to adopt.
MOTION: bob/toni - write letter to city declaring srcc support for planning commission's recommendations = PASSED

7. vote to elect teresa griffin as co-chair of zoning and planning standing committee to serve with jean mather
MOTION: danette/jean - elect teresa to danette's position = PASSED

8. discuss voluntary donations to grace methodist church and to john jordan, church caretaker, who has helped us with meetings and our 4th of july picnic for years. in over 35 years, srcc has never been required to pay for use of the church, yet we have no doubt contributed our fair share of ordinary wear and tear.
MOTION: bob/jean (garret amendment) - donate $100 to john annually and $150 to the church annually each december starting this december but with a backpayment for 2009 = PASSED

(since voting on this more information has been gathered. we have learned that john jordan's assistance is paid work, and that srcc owes him for last year's help at the annual potluck @ $75 and will owe him the same on March 2nd this year, so he will be paid $150 on March 2nd at his request. the church donation is still under review pending feedback from the church)

9. save town lake requests srcc support. presenter - jeff jack, former save town lake (STL) board member
jeff informed us that the crockett/statesman property has hired the same firm to push for PUD status as the one currently working on the southshore PUD in the EROC area. it has become urgent that we halt the granting of PUD status to these lakefront properties which allows them to circumvent the waterfront overlay requirements and to build much taller buildings than what the citizens of austin voted for. STL is holding a fundraiser at el sol y la luna on march 7th, from 6-10, with a $25 donation at the door. they are encouraging neighborhood associations and other groups to donate to assist STL in its lawsuit against the City. the City has attempted 3 times to have the lawsuit thrown out and 3 times has failed. Finishing the lawsuit can keep us from having to battle each development ourselves as they each follow the same pattern of undermining the current code. a $500 donation is recommended in order to be a sponsor.
MOTION: garret/danette - for the srcc to be a sponsor, collect private donations with a goal of $500 to be supplemented by srcc general funds if not met. if the goal is reached, that all funds and goal overages be donated to the STL event. an email call to action will be sent to srcc members via our listserv = PASSED

10. discuss issue of loose manhole covers threatening peace and quiet of residents along alameda between monroe and riverside.
presenter - bob drew, treasurer
recent epa mandated sewer upgrades are nearly completed but the manhole covers are not fitted properly causing much noise as traffic travels through the area at all hours.
MOTION: bob/linda = for srcc to send a letter to the appropriate people at the City and/or the contractors requesting they address the issue = PASSED

11. discuss application to rezone home and property at 1924 newning to historic.
MOTION: jean/toni - for srcc to send a letter of support to landmark commission and city council for the zoning change = PASSED

12. discuss jo's coffee on south congress and their application for an outdoor music venue.
MOTION: jean/russell - to have jo's adhere to the same agreement that was hashed out with botticelli's = PASSED

13. review and vote on application for the following street closure: the alley parallel to and west of south congress between elizabeth and monroe streets, for yard dog art gallery's "yard parties" during sxsw.
MOTION: danette/bob - to support bouldin's position on the issue = PASSED

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
14. new srcc meeting times to begin: (1) the annual potluck dinner and election of officers - tuesday, march 2nd at 6pm, and (2) all monthly general meetngs starting monday, april 5th to begin at 7:15.
this is due to a conflicting AA meeting that takes place each monday evening. the compromise was for AA to end 15 minutes early and us to start 15 minutes later ending the parking problem and delayed meeting starts.

15. it's never too early to start planning for our fabulous 4th of july parade and picnic!
presenter - russell fraser, member and last year's co-organizer
russell has broken the event down into 32 distinct tasks that are necessary to make the event work. this task list will make it easier for people to volunteer for particular things and keep things organized.
MOTION: russell/danette = to release $1,000 of the $1874.93 of existing 4th of july funds generated from last year to the organizers to cover the preliminary fees and costs (event insurance, parade permit, etc.) of the event = PASSED

16. street closures for: (1) mighty texas dog walk, sat april 17th, 2010, 5am-2pm, not in srcc boundaries; (2) art city austin, sat april 24-25, 2010, 11am-6pm, not in srcc boundaries

17. on feb 25th, city council will decide whether to adopt the east riverside corridor master plan (which will also require an amendment to the land development code, scheduled for the same date). more information about the plan is available at www.ci.austin.tx.us/urbandesign/riversideplan.htm
MOTION: jean/shannon - for srcc to support EROC's recommendations on the plan = PASSED

18. the norwood house and ANC reports.
presenter - wolf sittler, member and director of norwood posse and srcc rep to ANC
the city is making funds available through a "neighborhood cost share" program where a neighborhood shares the cost of a project and the city supplements with funds ranging from $75,000-$150,000. the norwood posse raised another $650 with a total over $8,000 and can now afford to cover the roof and plan the removal of asbestos. landscape architect earl broussard is working on the project as well as a graduate student from UT who has created elevations of the site.

Garret Nick

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