[provided by L. Orr, 4/10/04)
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Highlights of General Membership Meeting: Monday, April 5, 2004
SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF TIM MAHONEY
Kenny Hilbig presented a plaque honoring Tim Mahoney for his tenure as previous SRCC president. David Swann then moved to pass a resolution thanking Tim for his many services to the neighborhood in the past year. All present voted in favor of the motion, after an amendment passed to change the language referring to Wal-Mart.
NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN
Adam Smith (Principal Planner, Neighborhood Planning & Zoning Department of the City of Austin) made a presentation explaining the Neighborhood Planning Process, as well as the surveys distributed with the last newsletter.
An online version of the survey is available on the city neighborhood planning web site. (For areas west of the highway: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/zoning/gsrc.htm ; for areas east of the highway: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/zoning/eroc.htm) The deadline for surveys is Saturday, May 1.
Adam Smith noted that he could also help facilitate communication with other offices at the city on issues of importance to residents. For example, he reported that the noise ordinance, an ongoing concern to the SRCC, appears to be coming up for reconsideration before City Council.
Dawn Cizmar noted that the planning process has been underway since October for Areas 6 and 7 (east of IH-35), and expressed concern that the city had split the SRCC in this manner and that the process was producing different standards for each side of IH-35. She requested that the SRCC make more effort to coordinate both planning efforts.
Terry Franz made a motion that Jean Mather and Tim Mahoney be appointed chairs of the SRCC’s neighborhood planning committee. Speakers for the motion suggested that since Tim and Jean had attended all the previous year’s area meetings and were familiar with each area’s residents and issues, they should head the planning effort for the neighborhood. They also stated SRCC needed to implement an integrated structure that would include areas 6 and 7, which started their planning process last October, and for that reason was needed immediately. Speakers against the motion indicated that they felt such an appointment was premature and merited more discussion of the goals and purpose of such a committee. A motion was made to table Terry’s motion until the next meeting. It passed by a vote of 22 to 18.
Later, Terry Franz moved to make Jean Mather and Tim Mahoney interim chairs of a Neighborhood Planning Committee until the issue comes up for consideration at the May membership meeting. The motion passed, with one opposed and four abstentions.
BLUNN CREEK
Ginny Rohlich and Jean Drew (an SRCC member) from the City of Austin Watershed Protection & Development Review Department presented proposed Low Impact Development (LID) designs to control stormwater runoff into Blunn Creek near Stacy Park. Because the area under discussion includes a section of Sunset Lane used by parents dropping children off at Travis Heights Elementary School, several residents suggested communication with the school and PTA before proceeding.
Bob Drew requested that consideration of the Blunn Creek proposals presented by City Watershed be put on the agenda for the May membership meeting.
OAK WILT PROBLEM
Nathaniel Chapin presented the details of a neighborhood effort to stop the spread of Oak Wilt now occurring in Area 1, an organization named Save Austin Oaks (www.saveaustinoaks.org) and requested seed money for fundraising efforts. A motion was made to give the roughly $3000 in the Oak Wilt Fund to Save Austin Oaks. Tim Mahoney offered an amendment that Save Austin Oaks be an SRCC-controlled organization. Both the amendment and the motion passed.
Nathaniel Chapin and Kenny Hilbig requested that area coordinators help distribute flyers alerting residents to the Oak Wilt problem and announcing a special meeting on the subject Wednesday, April 14.
Gloria Lee requested that consideration of the donation of remaining Kaboom! funds to Save Austin Oaks be put on the agenda for the May membership meeting.
OTHER ANNOUCEMENTS AND NEW BUSINESS
* Tim Mahoney announced a check for $2500 to the SRCC to retire the debt relating to the attorney’s fees in the Fulmore TABC case, the remainder to be applied to communication. The check will be deposited with the SRCC after the organization’s non-profit status, lapsed for 2004, has been brought current.
* In response to rumors that the UT Shuttle service is planning to end the Parker Lane shuttle, Tim Mahoney moved that the SRCC send a letter requesting continuation of that shuttle.
* Sherri Ancipink announced plans to include Stacy Park in It’s Our Park Day activities, April 24. She requested the distribution of flyers announcing the event along with the Oak Wilt flyers.
* Bryan King informed members of an online city survey about commercial development: http://www.cityofaustin.org/planning/cd_intro.cfm