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SRCC general membership meeting notes - 6/1/2009
1. present meeting procedures. welcome newcomers.
2. approve minutes from 5/4/2009 membership meeting = postponed
3. congress avenue baptist church rezoning (C14-2009-0032) and neighborhood plan amendment
(NPA-2009-0022.01) applications for consideration, recommendations and vote. presenters- danette
chimenti, chair of GSRCC NPCT and henry gilmore, representative for church:
the church is requesting a change of zoning from SF-3 to GO (general office) for the back half of
the property and CS for the front half with a rollback provision if stated uses cease. SRCC would
have to work with the city to enforce this rollback. the church would also like to change the
property from civic to commercial so they can lease future parking garage space. the proposed
building would update overall efficiency and ADA compliance and small school serving up to 5th
grade with 10-15 students per class, a total of 100-120 students. the proposed garage would provide
100 parking spaces. completion of project is expected to take up to 10 years and more parking would
be available potentially in the underground parking in the yet to be built hotel across the street
in the church owned parking lot. currently the impervious cover is very high and would
be reduced.
MOTION: betty weed, kenny hilbig - SRCC agrees to a change to CS zoning and Commercial Use on the
western half (Congress side) of the Church tract, but strongly requests that the eastern half
(Nickerson side) remain SF-3 zoning and Civic Use = PASSED
4. variance request at 611 long bow lane to "decrease the minimum side street setback from 15 feet
to 0 feet in order to maintain an attached arport" (C15-2009-0032). carport already built. vote on
recommendations to the board of adjustment. presenter- jean mather, interim chair of zoning and
planning standing committee:
a case was made by the daughter of the property owner that she is
a 37 year elderly resident and wants covered parking. this home originally had a 2 car garage that
was closed in for extra living space.
MOTION: gene mather, elloa mathews - to oppose the variance = PASSED
5. status of illegal building and de-vegetation at 1006 melissa lane. presenter- jean mather,
interim chair of zoning and planning standing committee: a siteplan deadline of june 22nd was
missed by the representative, richard suttle. a request of support has been made for the following
letter to sue edwards, the assistant city manager-
"Dear Sue,
Suzanne Schuwerk will be sending you a chronology of events in a separate email. I wanted to send
you my assessment of the tree planting.
The neighbors to the north and east were shocked when more than thirty to forty multi-trunked trees
were cut down along Melissa Lane from Academy to its northern end. After investigation they
discovered that the manager of the property, Kevin Kimball, was responsible and that the right of
way was within the jurisdiction of the Park Department. In the following conversations with
various PARD members the neighbors pointed out that these trees had served as a compatibility
buffer, both visually and as a heat barrier, from the large parking lot, an existing non conforming
use of the MF-4 property, on the western side of the roadway.
Ms King worked out an agreement with the manager to put in ten 15 gallon small trees and shrubs,
fifteen feet on center, beginning at Academy and to seed the northern section with native grasses.
He was to install an irrigation line, watering twice weekly.
Ms King, a forester, was concentrating on providing a healthy spacing for these hardy shrubs/trees
and their irrigation, a minimal landscaping for Melissa Lane, a minor street. Lost was the
neighbors' concern for a buffer.
Deliberately removing trees from the right of way in a city committed to tree planting should be
equal to putting a structure in the right of way for which it has levied an annual fine of $2000 in
our neighborhood. We ask that at least 20 small (1- 2") caliper trees be added all along this
stretch with under-planting of sumac, etc. And that the irrigation be maintained as
promised.
Jean Mather, Chair
SRCC Zoning Committee"
MOTION: kenny hilbig, betty weed - support the letter = PASSED
6. presentation on next phase of blunn creek bank stabilization and rehabilitation between woodland
and monroe. presenter- kristin kasper of watershed protection and development review:
the first
phase was completed in 2006 with an additional 500 feet of project in the woodland/monroe area
slated to begin by the end of the summer. work will include beautification, removal of toxic wooden
posts and the addition of stone and vegetation.
MOTION: garret nick, betty weed - to support this work by the city = PASSED
7. permitting issues for new owners, jim and rosie vincent, of 1711 brackenridge (green house).
presenter- jean mather interim chair zoning and planning standing committee:
construction on this house started 3 years ago before the mcmansion ordinance was approved but
builder went under and project was not finished and now must be repermitted. the new owners are
asking for three variances, 1) reduce sidestreet setback from 15 to 5 feet to add a porch, 2)
increase the max height from 32 to 35 feet (this portion is already built) 3) increase floor to
area ratio from .4/1 to .67/1 to accommodate a breezeway from main house to garage
MOTION: jean mather, garret nick- oppose request #1, support request #2, support
request #3 = PASSED
8. botticelli's request before city for outdoor music venue permit, presenters- andrew botticelli,
owner/applicant and danette chimenti: botticelli's has been operating as a live outdoor music venue
without a permit to do so, the city recently changed the permitting process and is requiring them
to obtain a permit for this which requires them to notify affected parties, some of which have
requested a denial. affected parties are now negotiating a compromise.
MOTION: danette, jean- table discussion until owner and neighbors have a meeting to discuss issues
and work out a compromise = PASSED
9. variance request from mcmansion ordinance in 1900 block of newning: a lot was subdivided and two
duplexes constructed with the 2nd duplex violating the mcmansion ordinance. a neighbor has followed
up on this and learned the building was not constructed according to the site plan submitted, there
is currently no certificate of occupancy. jean mather will meet with the neighbor to discuss his
options and look into obtaining more documentation.
10. variance request at 1133 gillespie place to "decrease minimum front street setback from 25 feet
to 17 feet in order to maintain and extend a covered porch area", presenter- sarah campbell,
president:
the resident is mostly homebound and would like to extend his outdoor living space but is already
on the front setback line.
MOTION: garret nick, ?- to take a non-position = PASSED
11. 4th of july parade is coming together but they still need help on the day of the event with
setup and breakdown. please pre-order your shirts for $15
12. save austin oaks has achieved its financial goal to begin trenching immediately
garret
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