South River City Citizens (SRCC): minutes for meeting of general membership, April 1, 2013 return to SRCC home page



MEETING OF THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP OF SRCC
MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2013
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. When making a motion or seconding a motion, please state your full name to be included in the minutes.
Presenter throughout: Marc Davis, President, unless otherwise noted.
2. 7:20 Membership & voting announcements. New membership fee structure effective immediately. If you pay multiple years in advance, you will 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

3. 7:25 Approve minutes from March 5, 2013, last regular monthly meeting
MOTION: Robert Reeves / Jeff Levenberg - to approve the minutes from March's meeting = passed
4. 7:28 Treasurer's Report, March 2013:
Account reconciliation, Profit & Loss, and Balance reports available upon request from treasurer from treasurer@srccatx.org Presenter: Nancy Byrd, Treasurer
5. 7:35 Committee Chairs' reports--
1) Parks, Schools, Environment (report below);
2) Planning & Zoning (report below);
3) Transportation & Public Safety (report below);
This Wednesday 7:30-9 at Grace United Methodist Church will be a training session for the Neighborhood Watch program. Our County Constable will attend to share information and answer questions. The Citizen Patrol program consists of residents placing magnetic signs on their car and cruise the neighborhood, use cell phones to report any suspicious activity. An important of the program is to make a visible presence. The goal of the training session is to have more people patrolling the neighborhood. There are currently 60 trained patrollers with only 5 of those regularly patrolling. Topics and tips will include how the process works and what to do and not do when on patrol as well as a 15 minute practice session. If you would like to volunteer 2 hours a month and help make a difference in the neighborhood, please come to the training session.
4) Norwood; no report
5) Historic District; no report
8) Financial; see item 6
9) Reps to ANC Austin Neighborhoods Council A presentation was made at the ANC meeting about encouraging recycling as well as a discussion on the Project Duration Ordinance. David Butts gave a talk about the changes involved in implementing the 10-1 City Council representation plan and moving the vote to November.;
10) Communication

OLD BUSINESS
6. 7:45 Update on Process for requesting SRCC funding for capital improvement projects
Presenter: Carol Martin, Vice President
The SRCC Neighborhood Association is asking its membership for capital project proposals within the SRCC boundaries. The Austin Community Foundation oversees an SRCC account that was established for the purpose of neighborhood planning. The money in the Austin Community Fund has been steadily depleted by fees and it has been decided we would be better off spending the money. Currently, expenditures from the account are limited primarily to capital projects. The SRCC Executive Committee has approved expenditure of the remaining funds (approximately $30,000) on one or more a capital projects. Proposed projects should be of benefit to the neighborhood within SRCC boundaries. The individual making a proposal must be a member of SRCC (contact membership@srccatx.org to confirm dues paid status) and is expected to be responsible for execution of the project, with oversight by the SRCC Executive Committee. Funding will be provided as invoices for services performed are delivered. Preference will be given to projects that can be completed relatively quickly.
DEADLINE for submissions is June 30, 2013. There is now a process for submitting ideas for capital improvement projects that will be voted on later this year. Request for Proposal forms can be found on the SRCC website: www.srccatx.org. Download a form and send completed forms to: SRCC Finance Committee, PO Box 40632, Austin, TX 78704. SRCC members can use the printed or online form to outline the details of the proposed project. Visit www.SRCCatx.org/proposal/ to get all the details. SRCC members will select the project at the November General Membership meeting, November 4, 2013.

NEW BUSINESS
7. 7:55 Update on the new Reagan Signs Site Plan and Request for Upzoning
Presenter: Marc Davis, President
On the NW corner of Woodland and I-35 there is a wooded plot that belongs to Reagan Signs and who have attempted to develop it numerous times but in ways not consistent with the current zoning, GO General Office. They are now proposing to lease the land to a self-storage company but this requires an upzoning to CS - Commercial Services . They have voluntarily offered to restrict all uses except storage if they get the CS zoning. We are currently in a question and answer phase with Reagan that involves many of the folks who have been following and working on this issue over the last few years. [see guide to zoning classification].
8. 8:05 ANC Action on the Master Plan and Land Development Code Process
Presenter: Jean Mather, Planning & Zoning Committee Chair
ANC Austin Neighborhoods Council discussed the process with the advisory committee that selects someone to review the Master Plan and make recommendations. No action was taken. It was noted that we need to revise our process for reviewing the ANC agenda and providing our feedback.
9. 8:15 Ramifications of the repeal of the Project Duration Ordinance
Presenter: Jean Mather, Planning & Zoning Committee Chair
The repeal of the Project Duration Ordinance will make it possible for expired projects permitted in the past to again be valid under state law. Members are encouraged to be mindful of any recent development projects in the neighborhood that went away due to site plan expiration since they may be revived by this repeal.
10. 8:25 Proposal to ask the City to install a more visually pleasing barrier at the entrance to the Blunn Creek Preserve at Longbow
Presenter: Ira Weinschel
Ira has lived next to the Long Bow entrance to the Blunn Creek Preserve for 12 years and has endured 3 years of construction during the Long Bow Storm drain Improvement Project. The original gate/barrier was removed and replaced with a large reflective barrier that obstructs the official Parks and Recreation Department sign designating the entrance to the Preserve. The Public Works Department seems to have missed the fact that this is an entrance to the preserve versus just a dead end. Marty Christman recommended that a meeting be set to include representatives from Public Works, Parks & Rec and SRCC residents.
MOTION: Ira Weinschel / Marty Christman - for SRCC to send a letter to the city outlining the issue and that we would like it resolved = PASSED
11. 8:35 Parkland Parking Ordinance
Presenter: Marc Davis, President
his is a proposal to use public parks parking lots for the benefit of private businesses to meet their parking requirements. There is an online petition for people to sign in opposition to the ordinance. Even though SRCC does not have any private businesses that are near our parks Stacy Park, Heritage Oaks Park, Blunn Creek Preserve, this ordinance will affect many parks near us and within neighborhood associations that we support. You can sign the petition petition
MOTION: Jean Mather / Ira Weinschel - for SRCC to oppose this ordinance = PASSED
12. 8:45 Presentation on the THIRST project
Presenter: Chris Cowden, Director Women & Their Work
This project is to memorialize the loss of 500,000,000 trees during the 2011 drought. The art project will be a dead 30 foot tree suspended over town lake and painted white with 14,000 prayer flags forming a 2.5 mile loop around Lady Bird Lake. This project is still in its infancy but was awarded $50,000 by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation to draw attention to the centrality of water to life.
13. 8:55 2013 Wildlife Habitat Challenge
Presenter: Marc Davis, President substituting for Gretchen Graham
Presenter: Marc Davis, President substituting for Gretchen Graham We participated in the Wildlife Habitat Challenge last year and got second place. The next challenge event is approaching and Gretchen would like to propose that we participate again.
MOTION: David Todd / Marty Chrisman - to participate in the challenge = PASSED


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Viva Streets!
This started in Columbia in the 70's where a busy thoroughfare is shut to motorized traffic and opened up to everyone. On May 19, 12pm-5pm, 6th street from San Jacinto past Chicon will be the location of this event.

Jeff Levenberg- He lives at the end of Edgecliff near the construction being done on the new lake boardwalk and noticed the trail being installed on the east side of the Blunn Creek trailhead than what was originally opposed. The access point is being built opposite Joe's Crabshack and doesn't appear to be connected to any sort of parking. It appears, through questioning of officials involved, there are some safety issues that have not been addressed.




 

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