South River City Citizens (SRCC): minutes for meeting of general membership, June 4, 2012 return to SRCC home page



MEETING OF THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP OF SRCC
Monday, June 4, 2012
6:00 PM
GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
205 East Monroe; Austin, Texas


MINUTES


SRCC General Membership Meeting Minutes 6/4/2012


CALL TO ORDER/APPROVAL OF MINUTES
2. 7:20 Membership & voting announcements. Yard signs for SRCC monthly meetings.
Presenter: Carol Martin, Vice President and Membership Chair
We will explore the option to allow members to pay for multiple years with a small discount as an incentive.
3. 7:25 Approve minutes from May 7, 2012, last regular monthly meeting
MOTION: Jean Mather/Tim Boswell - to approve last month's minutes = PASSED
4. 7:30 Treasurer's Report
Presenter: Les Case, Treasurer
The financial report was presented and is available upon request. A question was posed about the Austin Community Foundation’s fees and it was shown that we have paid over $220 in fees so far this year. The finance committee is looking at ways to save on these fees.
4.5 Maria Conchola stopped by to thank us for our continued support.

OLD BUSINESS
5. 7:35 Update on the Reagan Signs site plan extension for its property on Woodland and I-35
Presenter: Pat Roeder and Sarah Campbell, Members
The City Council meeting on June 28th will decide the fate of this site plan. If it is approved they will have the opportunity to request another extension, leaving the door open till October. There are five heritage trees on the property that could be cleared if the current site plan is approved. Pat Roeder and several SRCC execs have met with all the council members except the Mayor and we will work to meet with him before the scheduled vote to explain our position.
6. 7:40 Update on the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan
Presenter: Marc Davis, President
Last month we supported the language that the Planning Commission added to the Comprehensive plan and asked City Council to retain it. The language expressed that any change to city code, before it is made, must take into account and preserve the existing neighborhood plans. The Comprehensive Plan hearing was postponed until the 14th and SRCC will be there to make sure this position is heard.
7. 7:45 Update from the South Congress Working Group regarding parking on and around South Congress
Presenter: Mary Lovell, Member, and Marc Davis, President
A year ago the SCWG was formed to work on a solution for the parking problems along South Congress with members of SRCC, BCNA, South Congress Merchants, and City staff. A consensus had not been reached last year so recently council member Riley proposed a new plan that involves parking meters on Congress and East/West neighborhood streets along with blanket RPP on the North/South streets. Members of SRCC that are in the affected areas met to discuss the plan and this feedback was taken to the following SCWG meeting. In this meeting, members collaborated and shared their feedback and it appears that large parts of Riley’s plan are not acceptable to all parties - primarily meters on neighborhood streets. Another meeting between SRCC and BCNA has been organized to discuss the issue further and attempt to come together on ideas that will be acceptable to both neighborhoods and those will be brought back to residents before the next SCWG meeting. A date has not been set for the next official SCWG meeting. There is talk of merchants working to have all existing RPP nullified at the state level as they attempted last year.

NEW BUSINESS
8. 7:55 RPP Request for the 200 Block of E. Elizabeth and for 1600-1700 blocks of Brackenridge
Presenters: Tom Welch and Dean Janeff, Members
The 200 block of E. Elizabeth is behind Home Slice and the residents are asking for 5pm-12am M-F, 1pm-12am S-S on both sides of the street.
MOTION: Joe Day/Betty Weed - to endorse the RPP request for the 200 block of E. Elizabeth, 5pm-midnight M-F, 1pm-midnight S-S for both sides of the street = PASSED
The residents of 1600 and 1700 blocks of Brackenridge St are requesting RPP for both sides of the street. 5pm-10pm M-F, 1pm-10pm S-S.
MOTION: Sarah Campbell/Tim Boswell - to endorse the RPP request for the 1600 and 1700 blocks of Brackenridge St for 5pm-10pm M-F, 1pm-10pm S-S for both sides of the street = PASSED
The residents of 1500 block of Nickerson are requesting RPP during 5pm-midnight M-F, 1pm-midnight S-S on the East side only.
MOTION: Mary Lovell/Sarah Campbell - to endorse the RPP request for the 1500 block of Nickerson during 5pm-midnight M-F, 1pm-midnight S-S on the East side only = PASSED
The residents of the 1300 and 1400 blocks of Nickerson (both sides) are requesting RPP during 5pm-10pm M-F, 1pm-12am S-S.
MOTION: Jean Mather/Fred Krebs - to endorse the RPP request for the 1300 and 1400 blocks of Nickerson during 5pm-10pm M-F, 1pm-midnight S-S for both sides of the street = PASSED
9. 8:10 Speedy Stop’s take-over of the Tiger Mart on Oltorf and I-35 and its request to sell alcohol within 300’ of Travis High School
Presenters: Lou Snead, Faith Presbyterian Church, and others
The Church was asked by Exxon in the past if there would be an issue with them selling alcohol at that location and Exxon was denied based on the proximity to a child care center and a school. Due to a change in ownership they have renewed the request to sell alcohol despite the restrictions present. AISD has written a letter in opposition to the waiver. The issue at hand is child safety and they welcome our support.
MOTION: Betty Weed/Mary Lovell - that SRCC send a letter to the council in opposition to the waiver request (Jean Mather’s friendly amendment - “and make specific mention of the daycare and the high school”) = PASSED
10. 8:25 Neighborhood Habitat Challenge
Presenter: Erin Cord, PARD, and Gretchen Graham, Member
The new Austin Green Guide is out and there were copies present and a short presentation was given. An application for the challenge normally costs $20 but the city has purchased some to give away. The Travis Heights subdivision has already submitted 39 applications. Each certified yard gets a free tree. The challenge is to create a natural habitat in your yard to encourage wildlife. Check KeepAustinWild.com for more information.
11. 8:30 Stacy Park No-Mow Zones
Presenter: Todd Jackson, Watershed Protection They are trying to achieve water quality benefits by reducing mowing adjacent to creeks and repair the Riparian Zone . A very detailed presentation was given about this program and the goals they are looking to achieve by changing city mowing policies. Todd will work with David Todd and the Parks Committee to further explore this and bring it back for vote of support.
12. 8:40 Reclaiming the road behind Little Stacy Park
Presenter: Todd Jackson, Watershed Protection
Sunset Ln, behind Little Stacy, has been discussed as a possible reclaimed park space. The issues regarding EMS access have been resolved, but it’s not clear how parking would be managed if this street was returned to park land. This will be brought back to SRCC at a later date for further debate and discussion.
13. 8:50 Update from the AIA Sustainable Design Assessment Team regarding our waterfront
Presenter: Wendy Todd, Member
The American Institute of Architects created a sustainable design assessment for the South Shore Central sub-district of the waterfront, bounded by Lady Bird Lake, South First Street to the west, and East Bouldin Creek to the south and west. Visit SpeakUpAustin.org to voice your opinion. Wednesday night 5:30-8pm at the Mexican American Cultural Center there will be a presentation about the area and the findings. Information can be found on the Waterfront Advisory Board’s website and a map of the area here
14. 9:00 Update from ANC, Austin Neighborhood Council
Presenters: Wolf Sittler, Charles Price, co-representitives to ANC. ANC is endorsing single member districts with only the mayor running citywide. A resolution about STRs was to allow them for less than 60 days in homesteaded properties. June 7th meeting at 4pm at City Council to hear and possibly vote. An agreement with PARD will allow the Norwood House to begin the restoration process. Save Town Lake has endorsed the project.
15. 9:45 Marty Christman, Blunn Creek Preserve
During the Sherwood Oaks drainage improvement project a 30’ corridor was cut through the preserve in order to move and store supplies. The area was supposed to be restored but due to the drought has been delayed and is now filling with invasives. The entrance sign is also missing. Possibly a volunteer effort to lay some mulch is being organized.

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
14. 9:50 Bat Fest Street Closure and site plan extension for Brackenridge/Live Oak
Presenter: Marc Davis, President

Garret Nick, Secretary

 

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