Over 500 Subscribers

• President's Message by Holly Reed
  
• CodeNext Redevelopment by Michael Curry
• W.A.N.G. Monthly Meeting Minutes for JUNE
• HEB Update
• Community Not Commodity Petition - by Mary Ingle
• Neighborhood LINKS - STAY INFORMED
• WANG Board & City Council Contact info
• Neighborhood Real Estate Stats - July 2019
  
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension - Tawny Crazy Ants
• ACL Festival "No Parking" Map
• What's Happening around Austin - Duck Derby, White Linen Nights, Pride Parade + more

Remember to click on photos to enlarge or get link....

by Holly Reed, President

Land Development Code Rewrite Update

At our meeting on June 4th, the West Austin Neighborhood Group Board of Directors were joined by Board Members from Bryker Woods Neighborhood Association, Highland Park West Balcones Area Neighborhood Association and interested neighbors, to hear a critical update from Council Member Alison Alter and Kurt Cadena-Mitchell regarding Austin’s Land Development Code Revision. Council Member Alter has a number of concerns, one of which is the proposed mapping of “missing middle” housing, in what the policy direction calls Transition Zones. This mapping would greatly increase development entitlements in single family neighborhoods, extending 2 to 5 lots into neighborhoods, from transit corridors. Council Member Alter does not support this policy, as she believes it will jeopardize our City’s stated goals regarding affordability, protecting the environment, and implementing growth in an appropriate way. She summarized this rewrite of the Land Development Code by saying ”the whole central city is going to be upzoned.”

To help us understand what the current version of the Code Rewrite would mean for Austin’s central neighborhoods, please read the following article, by Michael Curry, who serves on the Bryker Woods Neighborhood Association Board, as well as the Central West Austin Neighborhood Plan Contact Team.

By Michael Curry

President's message continued:

Council Member Alter took questions from neighbors and stakeholders following her update at the WANG June 4th meeting. She encouraged neighbors to write their concerns to the Mayor and Council Members, and to get neighbors in other Districts involved.

WANG advises neighbors to do the following:

1. Write to the Mayor and all City Council members, and let them know you would like TRANSPARENCY during the Land Development Code Revision. Ask them to engage with the citizens of Austin, Neighborhood Groups and Neighborhood Plan Contact Teams during this process.

2. Sign this petition, asking the Austin City Council to withdraw the Transition Zone plan, which was created WITHOUT input from citizens of Austin, and develop a plan hand in hand WITH the local community:

https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/stop-transition-zones-in-austin/

3. STAY INFORMED! Visit the websites we’ve listed in our newsletter below, particularly

https://communitynotcommodity.com/do-you-live-in-a-transition-zone/

Thank you!

_________________________________________________________________________________________

WANG Minutes

June 4th 2019

Lions Municipal Golf Club

These are the minutes of the meeting of the West Austin Neighborhood Group Board of Directors held Tuesday, June 4, 2019 at 6:30 p.m., at Lions Municipal Golf Court Clubhouse.

I. Call to Order:

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM by President Holly Reed. Board members in attendance included: August Harris, Mary Arnold, Mike Cannatti, Joe Bennett, George Edwards, Blake Tollett, Joyce Basciano, Brady Pedneau, and Cathy Kyle.

II. Approval of Minutes:

Minutes for May 2019 were approved unanimously.

III. Neighborhood Communications:

A. HEB @ Lake Austin Blvd (LAB)

Lake Flato Architects and Leslie Sweet from HEB and the development team discussed the new HEB at LAB, current Randalls site. A brief presentation was made, and the HEB presenters opened the floor for questions.

They are proposing a 2-story structure; the ground level will have parking and a pharmacy. There will be cart-alators and elevators and an open set of stairs going up to second level. They will not ask for any variances in height – the building will stay under the 40’ height. The plan affords entry from from Newman or Exposition.

They are now subleasing to Randalls. The date for Randalls’ closure and construction start are not set, but they anticipate an 18-month construction timeline.

The curb cut is 100’ back from the intersection, which is required by ordinance. It was noted that the bus stops may need to be realigned.

The plan complies with the required minimum parking by code, and it also meets impervious cover requirements. The plan has not been submitted for permit yet. The Brackenridge Development Agreement has to be amended to allow them to build the store as proposed.

HEB/Lake Flato are concerned about traffic congestion; the proposed design breaks up elements of scale of the store along the west side of the building along Exposition.

The plan includes a 10’ set back along Expo. with greater setback along LAB to give an open porch feel. The plan allows a 25’ setback to the porch area, then another 10’ to the glass front, with a shed roof. Café/coffee is available at street level and the design includes a double-height porch.

Neighbors can contact Leslie for updates and more information: sweet.leslie@heb.com and give feedback to Alison Alter’s office at district10@austintexas.gov. HEB will also have an informational micro-site for this store to provide input and to allow a forum for questions.

The store will offer organics, an opportunity to stay out of downtown, and a place for breakfast. HEB recognizes that the neighborhood is underserved with restaurants and meeting spaces. The store will include a wine/cheese/charcuterie bar experience; steak and fresh fish. The increased size of the store provides needed back-of-the store space for restaurant prep for steak and fish dinners.

The site will not have space for big kitchen with cooking classes. The existing Randall's bldg. is 34,012 sq. ft.; the new store will have 115,000 sq. ft., (approx. 3.3 times larger) including all levels. HEB wants to have regular groceries, not just upscale CM experience.

An arborist is looking at the trees that are on Newman. No determination has been made about which trees will be kept, or which will be lost.

The east elevation is stepped down in scale, and will be “lightly lit” (not garish or brightly lit). The brighter part of the store will be along LAB. HEB has no plans for any gathering areas on east side along Newman and 8th street. Their intent is for the store to be quiet toward the neighborhood. Employees are coming in and then moving up from the front at the LAB entrance.

Two traffic studies have been done and finalized in the last week. The more trip counts that they generate, the less they’ll be able to rely on LAB and Exposition.

B. Revisions to City’s Land Development Code (LDC) – Council Member Alison Alter

CM Alter reported that the City Mgr has asked Council for direction for the incarnation of new LDC. He asked specific questions, with the idea of then moving into a process. Alter believes that we need to focus increased density along transportation corridors; simplify the LDC; create zoning category that makes sense; make sure that corridor uses meet out goals; pay attention to environment and are not increasing flood risks; and support Alternative Dwelling Units (ADUs or “granny flats”).

Alter reported that the mapping portion is the problem. The direction for mapping went too far – amount of increased entitlements when they mapped. City staff took a goal of 135,000 units, of which 60,000 should be affordable (80% of mean family income), requiring that the Code upzone to create 405,000 units. This is a capacity number, not the amount that will actually be built.

The current LDC has capacity of 135,000 units. CodeNext draft 3, which the City Council voted NOT TO USE last August, aimed at creating at 280,000 new units. Now the City Manager and some Council members have brought it back to life, on steroids. The new stated goal of 405,000 new units is too intense, and gives City staff the authority to impose density that will impact neighborhoods. The upzoning is increasing land values and construction costs. The rationale is to increase supply to create affordability, but supply and demand does not work that way with real estate development.

There is broad agreement on Council that we need to increase density, but there is disagreement as to how much and how and where we should have increased density. Proposed “transition zones” can go 2-5 lots in to the neighborhood away from the major traffic corridors; the minimum is 4 units for lots but there may be a preservation bonus and a bonus for affordability.

CM Alter also noted problems with definitions – for example, “missing middle” is used repeatedly, but the term is used to refer to duplex to multiplex, which is not defined, and can include 26-30 units per acre.

CM Alter explained that the proposed LDC revision is essentially a massive up-zoning without any planning, therefore, will not deliver what we wanted. To get 405,000, have to give a lot of entitlements. The Mayor pushed housing priority, but CM Alter notes that housing is not the only priority. Particularly, we need parkland, especially if don’t have yards.

The next step entails an interdisciplinary internal team comprised of City staff to prepare remapping and zoning by the fall. Will not have the same amount of public engagement that we had with CodeNext; this process may go very very quickly. There will be planning meetings, 2 council meetings, and maybe one meeting before the Planning Commission. Council is pushing got get the LDC revisions approved by the end of the year so that they can focus on a transit bond in 2020.

Transition zones include Enfield, Exposition, and Lake Austin Blvd in Tarrytown and Deep Eddy as well as 35th, 38th, and Lamar in Brykerwood. Lot sizes may be smaller, incentivizing demos and rebuilds. The plan also de-incentivizes building larger homes on a single lot. The plan imposes an aspirational target of 8,000 affordable units in District 10.

We must develop a clear and defensible message and build coalitions with other neighborhoods. Some good news is that the majority of council believe that neighborhood plans should be honored or adhered to.

We can also focus on electing council members who are more friendly to neighborhoods’ concerns. The terms for the following council members' terms expire this year: Jimmie Flannigan, Leslie Pool, Greg Casar, and Sabio “Pio”Renteria.

C. Austin ISD Changes Update

Dr. Peter Price, former principal of O’Henry MS, made a brief presentation highlighting the Legislature’s revamping of school funding which will help AISD significantly.

II. Land Matters

A. 2401 Winstead Lane – still waiting on plans. Could not attend meeting.

B. Maudie’s, 2608 W 7th St. – owners could not be present for the meeting.

III. Transportation:

A. Redbud Trail Bridge Update

The City has set an informational meeting for June 26, 27.

In 2012, the estimated cost was $18M. Now, cost is up to $54M. The new structure was included in last bond election, and passed. The new bridge will still have only 2 lanes of traffic, but will add wide hike and bike trails, which could be transformed into traffic lanes in the future. Westlake Hills does not want this because it will drive more traffic through Westlake. Also, we do not know the impact that the bridge will have on traffic.

V. Newsletter:

A. Summary of LDC rewrite.

VII. New Business

Next meeting July 2, 6:30 pm, Howson Public LIbrary.

VIII. Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned by President Holly Reed at 8:45 PM.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Representatives from HEB met with WANG at our June 4th Board Meeting. Architects David Lake and Kurt Vandewalle gave a presentation, showing drafts of a possible design for the store, which will replace the Randall’s on the corner of Exposition Blvd. and Lake Austin Blvd. The drafts show two levels of underground parking, with the ground level being covered parking, and the store on the second level. The store level would be accessed by escalators at the Lake Austin Blvd. entrance. The draft also shows a ground level plaza and pharmacy at the entrance. HEB will also be including a restaurant within the store, and would like to hear from neighbors regarding what dining options they would most like to have included.

The applicants (HEB and The University of Texas) are asking for amendments to the Brackenridge Development Agreement, signed by the City of Austin and the University of Texas in 1989. These amendments are listed below.

Neighbors are encouraged to give input and/or voice concerns by emailing Leslie Sweet, HEB’s Director of Public Affairs:

Sweet.Leslie@HEB.com

Applicant’s Requested Amendments to the Brackenridge Development Agreement

• On May 5, 2019, Armbrust and Brown, PLLC, as agent for The University of Texas System, requested that the City of Austin initiate an amendment to the Brackenridge Development Agreement (BDA) to modify the development standards applicable to the “Safeway Tract” provided in Article VII, Section 7.3 of the agreement.

Preliminary Exterior Elevations of Proposed HEB

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Organized 1973......"To preserve our neighborhood and protect it from deterioration"

Board of Directors

• President: Holly Reed President@westaustinng.com
  
• Secretary: Cathy Kyle Secretary@westaustinng.com
• Assistant Secretary: Blake Tollett AsstSecretary@westaustinng.com
• Treasurer: George Edwards Treasurer@westaustinng.com
• Past President: Cathy Kyle PastPresident@westaustinng.com

All Current Members (click on name to send email)

• Holly Reed ............................member since 2015 (President)
• Cathy Kyle ............................member since 2010 (Secretary)
• Blake Tollett .........................member since 1994 (Asst Secretary)
• George Edwards ..................member since 2004 (Treasurer)
• Mary Arnold .........................member since 2006 (Muny Tract)
• August "Happy" Harris.........member since 2005 (Transportation)
• Michael Cannatti .................member since 1999 (CWANPCT)
• Joseph M Bennett ...............member since 2001 (Membership)
• Haidar Khazen .....................member since 2014 (Web Master)
  
• Craig Lill ...............................member since 2017
• Joyce Basciano ...................member since 1999
• Brady Pedneau ................... member since 2019 (ANC Liason)

Honorary Committee Members

• Honorary Mayor Steve Adler
• Honorary Alison Alter
• Honorary Kathie Tovo

______________________________________________________________________________________

CodeNEXT is back. Recently, the City Council issued guidelines directing the staff to pick up where they left off last year with the ill-fated CodeNEXT project. The guidelines provide detailed instructions to rewrite Austin’s land development code with even worse consequence to current residents than CodeNEXT. The plan is to reshape almost every neighborhood, especially through “transition zones”. It could lead to the demolition and replacement of thousands of our community’s homes and small businesses. Property taxes will rise sharply, rents will go up, and thousands of Austinites will be displaced by speculators and affluent buyers and renters.

What does CodeNEXT have in store for you?

Local land speculators and their allies want to carve “transition” zones into single-family neighborhoods across Austin. Transition zones are for redevelopment, which simply means replacing current residents, both owners and renters alike. Even outside these zones, it is clear that all neighborhoods will be allowed to have large, expensive accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and the new zoning will allow more existing lots to be resubdivided for more units. Parking will be pushed to your streets.

If your lot is within a “transition” zone:

If your lot falls within one of these “transition” zones, neighboring lots could be redeveloped with multifamily units out of scale with your street, reducing the tree canopy and increasing flood risks. In some cases commercial businesses would be allowed. To find out if you are possibly in a transition zone, go to https://communitynotcommodity.com/2019/06/10/will-city-halls-transition-zones-push-austin-check-map-find/.Incredibly, if a residence within a transition zone is demolished, its replacement would have to conform to the new zoning (multifamily). The city plans to create transition zones in neighborhoods adjoining Imagine Austin corridors, Imagine Austin activity centers, and Transit Priority Networks (essentially bus routes running at 15 minute intervals).

For neighborhoods adjoining corridors and centers, the city wants to eliminate the current requirements that commercial properties meet compatibility standards (height and other restrictions) that protect nearby homes.

Going deeper into the neighborhood, upzoning would “generally” extend 2-5 (or more) lots deep. This could cover a distance of up to 2 ½ blocks, depending on street orientation. In some cases, homes that now abut designated corridors could be upzoned to the same zoning as the corridor which in the last version of CodeNEXT allowed up to 85 feet. These corridor heights would be stepped down into neighborhoods.

If your lot is outside of transition zones:

In addition to allowing ADUs everywhere, Council directed Staff to consider upzoning lots outside of transition zones. An email blast from Mayor Adler to select members of the community suggests that portions of neighborhoods outside transition zones would be upzoned for duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes “that are built in the same form and scale as a single-family home.”

Timeline

The Council directed staff and the Planning Commission to recommend the new code and maps for action by Council in October 2019. Apparently the only public feedback allowed on the code and maps will be minimal hearings at the Planning Commission and Council.

More details. Community Not Commodity has more details that can be found on its Resources page: https://communitynotcommodity.com

Is Your home in a Transition Zone?

Add your name to the Informal list to Stop Transition Zones

Austin Parks Foundation’s Movies in the Park/ Caddyshack at MUNY on August 16th

Help Save Muny

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Updated with New Members

Contact your City Council Representatives:

(click on name to send email)

• Mayor: Steve Adler 512-978-2100
  
• District 1: Natasha Harper Madison 512-978-2101
  
• District 2: Delia Garza 512-978-2102
  
• District 3: Sabino Renteria 512-978-2103
  
• District 4: Gregorio Casar 512-978-2104
  
• District 5: Ann Kitchen 512-978-2105
  
• District 6: Jimmy Flanigan 512-978-2106
  
• District 7: Leslie Pool 512-978-2107
  
• District 8: Paige Ellis 512-978-2108
  
• District 9: Kathie Tovo 512-978-2109
  
• District 10: Alison Alter 512-978-2110
  

Email All of the Council: Entire Council and Mayor

________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

by Wizzie Brown, BCE

The tawny crazy ant, also known in Texas as the Rasberry Crazy Ant, was originally discovered by pest management professional Tom Rasberry (hence the name) in Harris County in 2002. Since then, the ants have been distributed to other parts of the state via people, plants, materials, and other things and are currently confirmed in 40 Texas counties.

Distribution map of Texas counties with confirmed presence of tawny crazy ants (in red)

Tawny crazy ants are about 1/8” and orangish-brown in color. With a good hand lens or microscope, you can see 12 segmented antennae, 1 node, and a circle of hairs at the tip of the abdomen. These ants can be confused with other ants, so if you are unsure of what you have check with your local Extension office.

Tawny crazy ants have a cyclical population level throughout the year with populations peaking in late summer, decreasing in the fall and then beginning to build again in the spring. Tawny crazy ants are capable of biting, but do NOT sting like fire ants. They are mostly nuisance pests, but can reach extraordinary population levels (in the millions) and can become a problem if they get into electrical equipment. Tawny crazy ants do not have nests or mounds like fire ants; they tend to nest under things- rocks, landscape timbers, flowerpots, etc.

For more information on this particular ant species go to http://urbanentomology.tamu.edu/ants/rasberry.html

Treatment Options

• Removing harborage areas- fallen limbs, rocks, leaf litter, etc. These ants will nest under pretty much anything on the ground, so you may want to remove anything that is not necessary.

• Alter moisture conditions (crazy ants prefer moist, humid conditions)- reduce watering, repair any water leaks, and improve drainage

• Eliminate honeydew producers from area. Crazy ants tend honeydew producers such as aphids, whiteflies, hoppers, mealybugs and scale insects.

• Use pesticide sprays to treat infested areas- under rocks, along landscape edging, etc. Pesticide sprays can also be used to create a barrier around the outside of the home. Piles of dead ants may build up in treated areas. If this occurs, remove dead ants to keep the pesticide barrier maintained.

• Hire a pest management professional (PMP). PMPs have access to pesticides that are unavailable to homeowners for tawny crazy ant treatment and they also have experience dealing with pest problems regularly.

For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist at 512.854.9600.

Check out my blog at www.urban-ipm.blogspot.com

Wizzie Brown, BCE

ebrown@ag.tamu.edu

512-854-9600

My Blogs: http://urban-ipm.blogspot.com/

https://agrilife.org/urban-ipm/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UrbanIPM/

Instagram: urbanipm, Twitter: @UrbanIPM

This work is supported by Crops Protection and Pest Management Competitive Grants Program [grant no. 2017-70006-27188 /project accession no. 1013905 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

We will again be putting out enforceable "No Parking" signs on one side of the street as noted in the map above. This helps keep streets open for emergency vehicles. Signs will be up and enforced the entire two weeks of the festival. We will again have a "call in" phone number to report any illegal parking or unwarranted behavior of fest-goers. Contact ACL@WestAustinNG.com to provide helpful comments before the festival.

Neighborhood Fundraising: Reserve your 3-Day wristband Now - Contact ACL@WestAustinNG.com

Click on the link (bar) above or on event below for more info of everything happening around Austin !!!!

• Austin Duck Derby - Aug 3
• White Linen Night - Aug 3
• Blues on the Green - Aug 7 - Sweet Spirit w/ Soul Man Sam
• Austin Pride Parade - Aug 10
• Austin Bat Fest - Aug 24
• ....and more

_________________________________________________________________________________________

EMERGENCY.......................................911

Fire......................................................911

Ambulance (EMS) .............................911

Police Dept.......................512-975-5000

Austin ISD......................................512-533-6000

Casis Elementary School.............512-414-2062

Austin High School.......................512-414-2505

O.Henry Middle School...............512-414-3229

City of Austin........................................512-494-9400

Texas Gas Service.............................1-800-700-2443

Grande Communications...................512-220-4600

AT&T (new service)...........................1-800-464-7928

Time Warner Cable (Cust. Svc)...........512-485-5555

Austin/Travis Hazardous Waste.........512-974-4343