South River City Citizens (SRCC): minutes for meeting of general
membership,
August 4, 2014
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MEETING OF THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP OF SRCC
MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 2014
7:15 PM
GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
205 East Monroe; Austin, Texas
MINUTES
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. Reminder: state your name when presenting or seconding a motion.
Presenter throughout: Eric Rangel, President, unless otherwise noted.
2. 7:20 Membership and voting announcements.
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, 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, he or she may renew at the meeting and be
eligible to vote.
3. 7:22 Approve minutes
from June 2, 2014, last regular monthly meeting
MOTION: Carol Martin / Norma Henderson - to approve the minutes from the June
meeting = PASSED
4. 7:25 Treasurer's report (see attachment to agenda distributed at meeing;
will also be available at Web site)
MOTION: Jean Mather / Sarah Campbell - to approve the Treasurer's Report =
PASSED
5. 7:30 Committee Chairs' reports--
1) Parks, Schools, Environment;
2) Planning & Zoning--items below;
3) Transportation & Public Safety--item below item below plus update on Annie - Woodland restriping;
4) Norwood;
5) Historic District;
8) Finance--status of projects funded by SRCC--item below;
9) ANC (Austin Neighborhoods Council);
10) Communication;
11) Quality of Life
Transportation: Annie / Woodland repaving and restriping will take place in the
next few weeks. The project covers from Congress to Parker and works to create
a more pedestrian friendly route. Following the resurfacing they will implement
a restriping plan similar to that which was brought to the June 25 public open
house. There were a few meetings to address issues of the residents most
affected and compromises were made based on that feedback. They worked
individually with different residents and neighbors to accommodate improved
solutions in certain locations along Annie and Woodland and changes will be
reflected in the final design. As part of a continuing City effort they are
required to add bike lanes and sidewalks when restriping. The primary project
changes which we have worked to provide include:
Adding parking along East Annie Street between East Side Drive and Newning on
the south side of the street for the eastern portion of the block.
Installing a wide shared bicycle and pedestrian path on Woodland Avenue between
Chelsea and Kenwood.
Improving sight distance at the intersection of Royal Crest and Woodland by
pulling parking back on each side of the intersection.
Sidewalk installation is expected to begin in 2015. We are encouraged to
provide feedback at all phases of the project. Aleksiina Chapman, Bicycle
Network Design, City of Austin Transportation Department (512) 974-7834, and John
Eastman, with the sidewalk program
OLD BUSINESS
6. 7:35 Update on 517 E. Oltorf -- request of Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in
Christ Jesus, Inc. (C14-2013-0081) to upzone to GR (with conditional
overlay) to increase its impervious cover limit and allow for additional
construction.
Presenters: Elloa Mathews, SRCC Area 5 Coordinator, and Marty Christman, SRCC
Parks, Schools, and Environment Committee Co-Chair
Presenters were not on hand.
NEW BUSINESS
7. 7:45 Report from zoning committee on the following properties: 410 E. Annie,
1106 Algarita, proposed Terrace Hotel at 110 Academy Drive/1101 Music Lane, 1106
Woodland (demo permit), 206 E. Live Oak (relocation permit).
Presenters: Jean Mather, Chair of SRCC Planning & Zoning committee; Kent
Anschutz, SRCC P&Z committee member
1106 Algarita - The property is bordered by an alley and next to a cliff,
creating a unique situation where they are unable to utilize the space and
requested a 2-foot setback variance in order to build a deck to flatten the area.
Austin Energy withdrew their opposition.
MOTION: Ken Anchutz / Jean Mather - to not oppose the request for variance =
PASSED
410 E. Annie - The property owner was not present. The owner is requesting a
variance because his second story garage apartment (built without a permit) is
620sqft so it is over the 550sqft limit. The committee decided not to take a
position until further notice.
1106 Woodland - This property consists of two large lots. No signage was posted
or letters sent to residents by the City.
206 E Live Oak - No signage was posted or letters sent to residents by the City.
This property is near the old Treehouse Grill. The owner is looking to relocate
the structure and the Historic Landmark Commission is meeting on August 25.
The home has a new location already sorted out. Neighbors are concerned about
parking in this area as higher density developments begin the fill in the area.
209 E Live Oak - This property is right next to the county building and has two
small units in the back. The owner is wanting SF-5 zoning and accepted a
postponement.
8. 7:55 Request for support/ideas regarding demolition and new construction at
509 Lockhart.
Presenter: Michele Webre, Bluebonnet Hills Historic District Chair
A developer is looking to build a couple two story homes with upstairs decks and
the neighbors are looking for help to negotiate a more amenable design versus
having decks overlooking their private space. It was suggested that they work
with the Zoning committee to see what options they have.
9. 8:05 SRCC Finance Committee:
-- Executive Committee approved SRCC sponsorship of the Travis Heights Art
Trail--Sponsorship level of $250 gives us a business card-sized mention. We have
done this in the past.
-- Recommendation that $2,100 of the Area 8 Traffic Calming funds be reallocated
for planting native grasses in the Blunn Creek Nature Preserve.
Presenter: Sam Martin, Chair of SRCC Finance Committee
-- Last year we donated $250 to the Travis Heights Art Trail and this year we did
not plan in time to make a decision at a general meeting so an Executive
Committee vote was made to support again this year in exchange for an ad
promoting the SRCC.
-- A large apartment complex built on South Congress resulted in money with which
to build traffic calming in Area 8. Extra money is being reallocated to work
being done in Blunn Creek as well as for headwater cleanup.
MOTION: Sam Martin / Sarah Campbell - to reallocate $2,100 from the traffic
calming money to be used in another project in Blunn Creek = PASSED
10. 8:10 Update on Good Shepherd Church's request for a Conditional Use Permit
to operate the property at 1700 Woodland Avenue as a Day Care Center.
Presenter: Sounthaly "Tune" Outhavong, SRCC Area 7 Coordinator
This is on the East side of I-35 and the church shared its plans with the
Executive Committee earlier this year. In April we received a notice about the
renovation plans along with the arrival of some temporary buildings and the
removal of a field of bluebonnets a few months later. In place of the field will
be water quality controls. The church agreed to limit the maximum number of
students to 150. The first year of the school will accommodate students from
another location while repairs are being made and then hope to remove the
portable buildings once those students return to the other location. A Boy Scout
will be planting screening shrubs for the portable buildings as part of a
project sooner than the City will require it. There are many ideas for dealing
with the traffic and parking as well as a plan for a community garden and they
will allow access to the playground when not in use for the school/daycare.
11. 8:15 Sign Review Board/Board of Adjustment heard a variance request to
increase the allowable size for a sign from 35 s.f. to 329 s.f. for the District
at SOCO apartment complex at 501 E. Oltorf. Board voted against but they are
appealing. P&Z comm previously voted to not object but we need to put it to a
general vote.
Presenter: Rick Krivoniak, property owner of adjacent duplexes, krivon@aol.com
The apartment complex called District at SOCO is looking to increase the size of
its sign from 35sqft to 329sqft. The owner of a couple duplexes directly
behind the complex is frustrated with the lack of response from the complex
concerning a range of issues.
MOTION: Sarah Campbell / Garret Nick - to oppose the variance for sign size at
the District at SoCo = PASSED
12. 8:20 Proposal to write a letter of support to the city for funding for the
next stage of planning for the south central waterfront plan. There is a request
for $200,000 to hire consultants to produce detailed documents to guide us into
the next phase.
Presenter: Garret Nick, SRCC Secretary and waterfront plan liaison
MOTION: Garret Nick / Sarah Campbell - to write a letter of support for funding
the next phase of this effort = PASSED
13. 8:25 Mobility 35 Project Update from TxDot and HNTB Engineering. Topics to
include: 1. Brief update on Woodland; 2. Discussion of what is proposed from
Riverside to Ben White; 3. Discussion of access to/from downtown from the
south.
Presenters: Steve Miller, VP HNTP and Project Manager, sjmiller@hntb.com; Stacey
Benningfield, Program Manager, Texas Department of Transportation,
stacey.benningfield@txdot.gov
200,000 cars a day cross Riverside at I-35 with no major improvements in 40
years. There are 22 active projects along this 65 mile corridor with 9 under
construction. It was a long presentation. September 9-11 there will be open
houses if you'd like to learn more or visit www.projectconnect.com
14. 8:55 President Eric J. Rangel's resignation of the presidency; nominations
and vote for replacement.
Presenters: Eric J. Rangel; Carol Martin
Eric wants to avoid any conflict of interest with him being the SRCC President
and running for City Council District 3. Much thanks to Eric Rangel for taking
on this role and being a model citizen. Carol Martin has identified a new
volunteer who has been active in the neighborhood and would like to nominate
Sounthaly "Tune" Outhavong. Tune has been in the area for three years and
active in city affairs.
MOTION: Carol Martin / Gayle Goff - to approve the nomination of Tune for SRCC
President = PASSED
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
-- Call for volunteers
-- Sheryl Cole was on hand to greet and share information with us about her plan
to run for Mayor. She spoke of her experience as a mother and community leader
and her desire to "pay it forward."
-- Kathie Tovo and Chris Riley were both present at the meeting to answer
questions about the upcoming City Council race.
Account reconciliation, Profit & Loss, and Balance reports available upon request
from the treasurer
Presenter: Nancy Byrd, Treasurer
*Frequently used acronyms: ACF - Austin Community Fund; ANC: Austin Neighborhood
Council; SF - Single Family zoning category; FLUM - Future Land Use Map
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