W.A.N.G. Monthly Meeting change!
PO Box 5722, Austin, TX 78763-5722
NOTICE: CHANGE OF LOCATION!
Dear Neighbors,
We apologize for the last minute notice, but we’ve had to make a location change for tomorrow’s (Tuesday) WANG Board Meeting.
WANG will be meeting this month at the West Austin Youth Association (WAYA) located at 1314 Exposition Blvd. 78703.
Please park in the WAYA lot and come in the front entrance.
Let us know if you have any questions.
We apologize that we have been behind getting our monthly newsletters sent out - so we have included our minutes from our March meeting with this notice. We also keep an archive of all our meeting minutes on our website - There is lots of news in the neighborhood and we will be sending out our latest Newsletter soon this month (by USPS and E-mail).....
OUR NEXT NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING.....
Please join us this month at the
West Austin Youth Association (WAYA)
(Our meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month!)
Optional RSVP (not required) below if you would like to let us know you are planning to attend and receive an agenda as it becomes available (usually the day of the meeting)
Tuesday, May 7, 2019, 06:30 PM
1314 Exposition Blvd, Austin, TX 78703, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
WANG MARCH 2019 MEETING MINUTES
WANG Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
March 5, 2019
Lions Municipal Golf Club
These are the minutes of the meeting of the West Austin Neighborhood Group Board of Directors held Tuesday, March 5, 2019 at 6:30 p.m., at the Lions Golf Course Clubhouse.
I. Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM by President Holly Reed. Board members in attendance included: Mary Arnold, Joyce Basciano, Joe Bennett, George Edwards, Craig Lill, Blake Tollett, Mike Cannatti and Brady Pedneau. Board members Elizabeth Adams, Haidar Khazen and August Harris were not in attendance.
Neighbors in attendance included Michael Curry and Sarah Searight.
II. Approval of Minutes:
Joyce Basciano made a motion to approve the February 5, 2019 Meeting Minutes. The motion was seconded by George Edwards, and approved unanimously.
III. Neighbor Communications: Sarah Searight asked WANG to continue its support of the Austin State Supported Living Center (ASSLC) as HB3080, introduced by State Representative Stephanie Klick in support the school is considered by the State Legislature. George Edwards moved to support keeping the ASSLC in its current location. The motion was seconded by Mary Arnold and approved unanimously.
IV. Land Matters:
A. The Twin Liquors/Maudie’s NP Amendment/Zoning Change. Ron Thrower and Victoria Hasse, agents for Twin Liquors presented the zoning changes from CS to CS-1-NP that would allow for the expansion of Twin Liquors into the space currently occupied by Maudie’s. Maudie’s plans to take over Goodwill’s space. Blake Tollett expressed concern that the expanded Twin Liquors facilities will become a city-wide destination making parking an issue for the neighbors. Michael Cannatti told the agents that we need more time to study the changes requested with respect to the Central West Austin Neighborhood Plan Future Land Use Map. Craig Lill commented that Twin Liquors would not have a license to have a bar within the store. Blake suggested the Board consider putting a conditional overlay on the zoning change as CS-1 allows for a large number of different commercial business options including stables, funeral service and storage facility. The case will probably be heard by Planning Commission in May and City Council in June 2019.
B. 2401 Winsted NP Amendment MF-2-NP to LR-MU-NP. Agent Amanda Swor was not present. The WANG Board initiated a discussion of this case that raises concerns about setting a bad precedent (of spot - zoning) in a residential area.
C. Walsh Boat Landing Re-Development 1600 Scenic Drive. Blake Tollett reported that the site plan for the redevelopment of the Walsh Boat Landing has been approved and construction could start in May. Funding for the construction design came from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept, but there is no funding to dredge the lake around the docks. The Austin Parks and Recreation Dept is not pleased that Commercial Boat operators will be able to use the new docks without restrictions and do not have to provide parking.
D. HLC 2/25 Meeting 1400 Winsted Lane Demolition. Blake Tollett reported that this case will return to the Historic Landmark Commission later this month.
V. Transportation:
A. ASMP Final Draft: Road through Muny: The REDBUD TRL-ENFIELD RD connector appeared on the Street Network Map and Table of the ASMP final draft. Mary Arnold suggested WANG write to Boards and Commissions as well as Council Members asking this road be removed, as it is premature and undermines negotiations between the City and UT regarding City acquisition of the golf course. Council will have a hearing on the ASMP on March 28th. WANG was not consulted or informed of the addition of the road and it was added after the ASMP public engagement period had closed.
Mary Arnold also informed the Board that Public Works is handling the proposed Red Bud Trail Bridge (aka Low Water Bridge) renovation. The new plans call for a 25’ high bridge that is 75’ wide. Westlake Hills has not been given the opportunity to weigh in on these changes. There has been one public meeting, in June of 2016.
VI. Membership:
Joe Bennett informed the Board that we all need to work on increasing active membership. He has emailed 400 to 500 newsletters to WANG area residents and has received more email responses. Analytics show members’ preference for the online newsletter over that for the mailed newsletter.
VII. Newsletter:
Future newsletters will feature a series on the Brackenridge Tract and the former Pecan (Safeway) Store on Lake Austin Blvd. Newsletter content is due by March 15th.
VIII. ANC Liason Report:
Joyce Basciano reported that the ANC sent a response to the City Council’s Affordable Housing Resolution authored by Council Member Greg Casar. Mayor Adler spoke to the ANC general membership on February 27th regarding issues at the State Legislature that will directly impact Austin. Of greatest concern are HB2 and SB2 that will lower the cap on property taxes, the source of half the city’s revenue. The mayor identified several mobility initiatives in the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan one of which (Cap Metro’s Project Connect, a high capacity public transit system) may be on the ballot in 2020. The mayor hopes the recently approved $250M Affordable Housing Bond will leverage to give us $1B to spend on affordable (subsidized) housing. He reported that the non-profit Austin Housing Conservancy, has saved $100M worth of workforce housing in perpetuity in 2018. The Mayor wants “to plant permanent affordability” in “appropriate places” to maintain a diverse city. The City emphasizes its green and renewable goals and the mayor wants them to be included in the new Land Development Code. The City recently changed the metric and the goal for development incentives. The focus will be on incentivizing economic engines for middle skill jobs in more affordable (housing) areas of the city. The mayor doesn’t support recent “piecemeal” changes to the LDC by the PC. In the next 60 days he wants to make certain that CM Casar’s resolution doesn’t speak to development in general but to the 4% and 9% subsidies coming out of the $250 Bond. The intent is to get the best leverage possible for housing for the <50%MFI population. The question of Regional rail came up during Q&A. Currently there is no funding for it and Union Pacific is not interested in sharing or selling its tracks. Metrics for transportation and affordability were presented two weeks ago to the City as a way to measure success. Metrics were included in the 2016 Bonds and are posted on the City’s website.
Annick Beaudet, Assistant Director, COA Transportation Dept. gave a (PowerPoint) briefing of the final draft of the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP) that was released last week. The draft plan, two years in the making, purports to implement the goals and objectives of the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan (IACP). Ms Beaudet described ASMP as being “comprehensive and strategic” with an “eye” towards “affordability, access and equity”. Two years ago, Council gave the Transportation Dept “transit priority policy” authority, meaning the Dept can create Transit Priority Networks for vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians and other transit and can give direction to Cap Metro to more efficiently run its buses. The ASMP contains 128 staff created policies that identify projects all across the city. During Q&A, Ms. Beaudet could not say how many neighborhood associations were involved in the ASMP process or how the general vs specific (historically underserved or underrepresented) populations used in the study were chosen. Ms Beaudet did not have a response to the question of how staff explained the unintended consequences of the 3 mobility scenarios it presented to the public during the ASMP process.
IX. Treasurer’s Report:
George Edwards email reported that WANG has $7859.97 in the Business Account, $389.41 in the Tarrytown 4th of July Parade Account, and $1,208.75 in the Oak Wilt Account.
X. Old Business:
A. Affordable Housing Resolution WANG response: Holly Reed: WANG sent an email to Council on 2/21/2019 asking that action on the Affordable Housing Resolution, amending the Land Development Code in all commercial and residential areas of Austin, be postponed to allow for public input and for City Manager Cronk to release his plans for a revised LDC. Council voted unanimously to move forward with the Resolution. No. 20190221-027.
The WANG Board will reach out to Council Member Alter to discuss this Resolution.
XI. New Business:
A. “Origins of a Green Identity” Film / Kickstarter. Michael Cannatti reported on Kickstarter’s ongoing project to produce the film “Origins of Green Identity”, a documentary on the beginnings of the Austin environmental movement. A motion by Michael Cannatti for WANG to donate $250 to Kickstarter fundraiser was seconded by Joe Bennett and approved unanimously.
B. Next Meeting: Tuesday, April 2nd, 2019 6:30 PM Lions Municipal Golf Course Clubhouse
XII. Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned by President Holly Reed at 8:20 PM.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
WANG Board of Directors & Committee Members
Organized 1973......"To preserve our neighborhood and protect it from deterioration"
- 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 (ANC Liason)
- Brady Pedneau ...................member since 2019
Honorary Committee Members
- Honorary Mayor Steve Adler
- Honorary Alison Alter
- Honorary Kathie Tovo
Emergency Numbers:
Fire......................................................911
Ambulance (EMS) .............................911
Police Dept.......................512-975-5000
SCHOOLS:
Casis Elementary School.............512-414-2062
Austin High School.......................512-414-2505
O.Henry Middle School...............512-414-3229
Utilities:
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