South River City Citizens (SRCC): agenda for meeting of general
membership and election of officers,
April 7, 2014
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MEETING OF THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP OF SRCC
MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2014
7:15 PM
GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
205 East Monroe; Austin, Texas
A G E N D A
CALL TO ORDER/APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. 7:15 Meeting procedures, etiquette, welcome newcomers.
Reminder: state your name when presenting or seconding a motion.
Presenter throughout: Eric Rangel, President, unless otherwise noted.
2. 7:20 Membership & 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 March 4, 2014, last regular monthly meeting
MOTION: Marc Davis / Danette Chimenti - to approve the minutes = PASSED
4. 7:25 Treasurer's report (see attachment to agenda distributed at meeting;
will also be available at Web site)
Presenter: Nancy Byrd, Treasurer
MOTION: Carol Martin / Danette Chimenti - to approve the Treasurer's Report =
PASSED
5. 7:30 Committee Chairs' reports--
1) Parks, Schools, Environment;
2) Planning & Zoning--item below;
3) Transportation & Public Safety:
TxDOT has announced that it has withdrawn its proposal to close east-west crossings at I-35 at Woodland and St. John.
See the revised schematic
To better understand what is being proposed,
learn TxDOT terminology on its Web site.
According to TxDOT, "Super Streets" proposal has been removed for Travis
County. "Super Streets" involves closing more East/West lanes. Reconnect
Austin shows samples
Project Connect workshop taking place Saturday, April 12, 2014, from 9:00am to
12:30pm:
Project Connect: Central Corridor Step 5 Public Workshop, Midway Field House
(the former Antone’s) 2015 E Riverside Dr.Austin, TX 78741
There will be presentations starting at 9:30, 10:30, and 11:30 a.m. Participants
may join at any time during the event and can expect refreshments, live
music, and activities for kids. complete the
TxDOT survey: TxDOT is asking for feedback from stakeholders living in
neighborhoods adjacent to I-35 in Travis County. Please take the Neighborhood
Survey. Information gathered from the survey will be used by
the project team to better understand east/west connectivity issues and other
special concerns of the neighborhoods
Lead for the Neighborhood Watch Program, Raymond Sinatra, is stepping down. Job entails scheduling training session for Neighborhood Watch networks- APD provides train the trainer sessions, be contact point for the nbhd. See SRCC
website for contact information and let us know if you’re interested in helping this program grow and continue.
4) Norwood;
5) Historic District--item below;
8) Finance--status of projects funded by SRCC;
9) Reps to ANC (Austin Neighborhoods Council): Wallace Henderson has stepped down as our
ANC rep. If you are interested in attending the monthly ANC meetings and
reporting back to the General Membership, please let us know.
10) Communication;
11) Quality of Life
OLD BUSINESS
6. 7:40 Parking Issues surrounding South Congress Avenue
Presented by Chris Riley, Austin City Council
member; Leah Bojo, Policy Aide to
Council Member Riley
This has been a difficult issue that has been discussed at length for many
years. The current proposal involves using a combination of 1) limited
Residential Permit Parking (RPP); 2) painting the curbs to deter poor parking,
painting "hockey sticks" to define a parking space; 3) no installation of
parking meters at this stage. While the current RPP program generates about
$20,000 a year, the program administration cost is $80,000. It was noted that
the South Congress merchants might consider contributing to this expense.
Signage alone appears to be mostly effective but is not followed up with
enforcement. Beyond parking availability, residents are concerned about more
serious issues like loitering on private property, intoxication, trash, and
public urination. Early proposals to utilize parking meters along Congress Ave
were unpopular with merchants and with residents concerned about pushing parking
farther into the residential streets. Congress has been reconfigured with angled
back-in parking successfully. The discussion of options include: a) systematic
allocation a mix of meters, RPP, (meters on East/West streets; RPP on
North/South streets) b) one side of a street completely RPP (including merchant
employees) with other side open. Alternatives might be shuttles to parking lots
in the area are underutilized? A "business improvement" / taxation district
could be established to help fund some of these improvements. Could the total
number of events along South Congress be limited? This discussion is ongoing and
citizens are encouraged to participate.
7. 7:55 of Update on 517 E. Oltorf--Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in
Christ Jesus, Inc.’s 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.
Presenter: Marty Christman, SRCC member
The property owner is looking to upgrade from SF-2 (45% impervious cover) to GR
(90% impervious cover) and has pursued this with the City. Planning
Commission voted against GR and GO upzoning. We suggested that the applicant ask
for a variance for the impervious cover but showing a hardship appears to be
difficult to prove and the City suggested they would not get it. The current
impervious cover is approximately 83%. Would it be possible to split the
property so that half of it could be upzoned? On May 1st this case goes back to
Council but might be postponed. Without a proper survey there is no way to know
exactly what changes need to be made.
8. 8:05 Update on Historic Distric project
Presenter: Michele Webre, SRCC member
The design standards have been drafted and are available at
HistoricTravisHeights.org. They are in need of block captains to go door to door
for signatures supporting the district. Michele has been working since 2008 and
this is the last push to finish what has been started. The organizers have
worked hard to accommodate all types of homes and changes. There was discussion
of having a meeting, or series of meetings, to educate the neighbors and push
forward on the final steps. For more information, please check out the fabulous
website at HistoricTravisHeights.org, aka: the chicken yard signs.
NEW BUSINESS
9. 8:10 District 9 Neighborhood Leaders meetings - request for
volunteers to attend meetings where various neighborhoods that fall within the
same council district can discuss their issues, explore common interests. SRCC
needs to attend both District 9 and District 3 meetings.
Presenter: Eric Rangel, SRCC President
We are in two City Council Districts. Most of the SRCC is in District 9 and that
district has organized an alliance so neighborhoods can identify what issues we
have in common. District 3 also has a group meeting and we are looking for 3
volunteers to participate in each group. A form was handed out at the meeting
asking for attendees to identify issues important to them and that information
will be taken to the next meeting.
10. 8:15 Waiver Request 518 E. Live Oak The Zoning Committee of South River
City Citizens met on March 13th to discuss the proposed variances to the side
setbacks and the Macmansion ordinance at 518 E. Live Oak. The applicant, Ms. Dagmar Grieder,
is proposing to add a second story to the rear of the house, conforming to the existing first
floor exterior, to add a bedroom and bath. Front entrance to be preserved. The SRCC committee voted
not to oppose. This committee recommendation is subject to the vote of general membership of
SRCC on April 7.
Presenter: Jean Mather, SRCC Chair of Planning & Zoning committee
The Planning and Zoning Committee reviewed the case and recommended that we vote
not to oppose the variance.
MOTION: Jean Mather / Elloa Mathews - to support the Planning and Zoning
Committee's recommendation not to oppose the setback and tent intrusion
variances = PASSED
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
10. 8:20 Toni House - Wednesday the 16th will be a Community In A Box meeting for the
SRCC area East of I-35.
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