August-September 2004 SLNA Scoop Archives

09/30/04--Walgreens (final?) Vote at Council Today

Hey folks. Thursday COULD be the final vote on the Walgreens case. It will be up for 2nd and possibly 3rd (final) readings. Although no input via speaking is allowed, you can at any time fill out a card with your opinion. It could come up at any time after 4pm. As usual it's at the LCRA building on Lake Austin Blvd.
 
At this point passage is likely. We have shifted the focus of our efforts to clearly recording in the ordinance and covenants the developer's commitment to amenities for the neighborhood. These include widening a section of Bluebonnet, signal improvements at Lamar, adding sidewalks to Bluebonnet (extending to Del Curto on one side), restricting right turns out (east) onto Bluebonnet, improved drainage retention and reduced lighting. The above may be included in the city's requirements as part of the zoning case.
 
Additionally, in a Private Restrictive Covenant between the developer and SLNA, they are agreeing to the improved building aesthetics and landscaping standards we have discussed. They are providing for a $50,000 security deposit, which could be used by SLNA to sue for enforcement if there's a problem.
 
We are still seeking bike lanes on Bluebonnet, but it's not clear whether the city will accommodate that.
 
And, oh yeah, they have promised to build a new Taco Xpress. Didja hear about that?
 
Thanks to all who have worked on this (or just suffered through its progress). I'll keep you updated as it moves along.

Here is the message sent to the Council from SLNA outlining our position and concerns:

Dear Mayor, Council Members and Staff,

As you know the South Lamar Neighborhood Association opposes the South Lamar Walgreens zoning case. Notwithstanding that, we have worked with the applicant and his agent to resolve issues that will result from this development. I'm pleased that they have been responsive and thoughtful, and have attempted to address our concerns.

I believe SLNA and the applicant are in fundamental agreement on the substance of the issues. However, there remain some questions on how best to codify and record what has been agreed. Below is what we believe is most appropriate. We will of course rely on the expertise of City Council and staff on these questions.

There are two items the applicant and SLNA verbally agreed could go into the ordinance, but for which we have not seen the language that would go in the ordinance.

1) Drainage retention specification, committing to doubling required retention capacity.

2) Right turn onto Bluebonnet restriction. This would include the 'porkchop' as designed by applicant.

There are two things we're asking to move into the Conditional Overlay from other places. The applicant has not yet agreed to this. Below I'm using the page numbers as in the backup materials file.

1) The Public Restrictive Traffic Covenant (pg. 11-14). This specifies that declarant will not seek certificate of occupancy prior to the completion of Bluebonnet improvements specified in Barron's NTA item # 3. We would ask to move this from the Public R.C. to the Conditional Overlay of the Ordinance, as that would make it easier to enforce.

2) Lighting standards requirements (currently in the Private Restrictive Covenant) including the actual language of the Westlake descriptions, rather than referring to the Westlake standards as an appendix. We would ask to move this from the Private R.C. to the Conditional Overlay of the Ordinance, as that would make it easier to enforce.

Finally, on Bluebonnet we have requested bike lanes, with 10-foot instead of 12-foot car lanes. The applicant is not opposed, but it is unclear from staff whether this can be accommodated in the 36-foot pavement width. Using Barton Springs Road west of Lamar as a model, we reiterate this request.

Given the large number of issues, I believe the applicant and SLNA have worked hard to address them. I appreciate Council's attention and diligence in deciding these questions wisely. We remain committed to bringing the best solutions to the community.

Sincerely,

Kevin Lewis
President

 

09/07/04--Thornton Trash Cleanup This Saturday
Hey folks. Welcome to the quarterly street cleanup sponsored by SLNA. The weather should be beautiful, and it only takes a little while. See you there. -Kevin

 
Come Talk Trash with your Neighbors!

Saturday, September 11th
8:00am - 11:00am
meet at 2311 Thornton Road
(the Thornton Business Park)

Join us for the South Lamar Neighborhood Association's
quarterly trash pick up.  This time we are cleaning up
Thornton Road between Bridgeway and Oltorf.

Trash Bags and Gloves will be provided

So come meet your neighbors and help keep our
Neighborhood beautiful!

Questions?  Call Rona at 326-3338
 

09/03/04--Council Approves Walgreen's Zoning
City Council voted 6-1 to approve Walgreen's zoning on first reading, with Council Member McCracken voting opposed. Council has scheduled the required second (and possibly third) vote for September 30. There would likely be no public comment heard at that time, although anyone may email, fax or write their opinions to Council in the interim.

Given the SLNA and Zilker NA opposition, this was not *exactly* the outcome we had hoped for. The developer's team clearly worked hard to prove their case, and due credit to the folks from hither and yon who spoke in glowing terms of what must be one of the most beloved taco emporiums on the planet, and of the virtues of drive-through drug stores. Maria's plea was touching, and effective. As always, we celebrate her good fortune.

Many thanks to the citizens, of every viewpoint, who stayed to offer their thoughts and listen intently. Over 190 people signed in for and against, combined.  Obviously there were many strong feelings on both sides, but this was one of the most thoughtful and considerate set of arguments I have heard at Council. We opponents may have "lost" the vote this time, but I believe both sides made their cases strongly and honorably. As we have said all along, the results matter, but maintaining appreciation of our common interests, and our mutual respect matters just as much.

As Fernando of Taco Xpress said enthusiastically (before the vote), "This process is really great. It's wonderful to see so many people who care about their community, who will spend their time to say what's important to them. And it's great that the city listens to us." I could not agree more.

As we work through the rest of the process, let's take pride--all of us--in doing this well, and look forward to finding other Something Nice's for our backyards.

Regards,
Kevin Lewis
SLNA President

08/23/09--Walgreens Case Now at Council 9/2

Hey folks. Since my last email on Walgreens, Council postponed the Walgreens hearing to Sept. 2--Thursday NEXT week. (This is different from what's written in the newsletter--we thought it would be this Thurs, but no.) Please do plan to come and express your thoughts, either by speaking or by signing a card, which will be read into the record. You can sign a card at any time during the day, in case you can't be there that night. The case can come up any time after 4pm, but there is no set time. As always, you can send email to Council Members via our website www.southlamar.org.
 
At our August meeting residents reaffirmed their commitment to seeking a better plan than the one on the table now. We also talked about S.N.I.M.B.Y., Something Nice In My Backyard, which we hope will become the positive alternative to NIMBY (Not in my backyard). We've come up with a cool logo for this--stay tuned.
 
Also, I wanted to elaborate on a statement in my last email and the SLNA newsletter. It is my intention to keep Walgreens the focus of this discussion. They would do over $7 million in annual business there, and generate the bulk of the traffic. However, since Walgreens has chosen to put Taco Xpress in the spotlight, and to imply that it needs "saving," I felt compelled to make clear that we are not against "saving" Taco Xpress. In opposing the Walgreens deal, we are supportive of Taco Xpress and hopeful for their long-term success. Indeed, we went to the city's Board of Adjustment to lobby for a parking variance, without which their business could have been severely curtailed. That is an unusual position for a neighborhood association to take. I believe local businesses are treasures, and should be treated as such.
 
In speaking about Taco Xpress, I want to be perfectly accurate, so let me make sure there is no room for misinterpretation. In the newsletter I said, "We are glad they [Taco Xpress] have an iron-clad, long-term lease on their current location. Taco Xpress will be well taken care of in the event of any redevelopment of this property, as it should be."
 
To elaborate: Taco Xpress has represented that they have five years left on their lease. During the lease, anyone seeking to redevelop on their site would have to negotiate with them, as in the current situation. If there were no redevelopment within those five years, at the end of the lease, they would need to negotiate with the landowner for a new lease, or seek to lease or buy a site elsewhere. There is no guarantee that they would be successful in renewing the lease there, or in finding a new place. There is no guarantee that they would get an offer as good as this one. In short, there is no guarantee, with or without this deal, of whether they stay in business. However, the lease and the local appetite for great tacos and margaritas would seem to be in their favor.
 
The end of a lease is a challenging, though normal, time for any retailer. If the city would like to offer a program to support local retailers seeking to lease space, that could be good. Certainly, the city has seen clear to subsidize big developers, as in The Domain shopping center in north Austin, who often focus on national retail tenants. But that is a separate question from whether we should endorse one inappropriate development to support another beloved one. I believe we are advocating a plan within which local businesses would have a solid place. That should be a guiding principle in any discussion about development. Beyond that, let's try to keep the focus of this discussion on Walgreens.
 
Cheers,
Kevin

08/09/04--Walgreens Case Postponed to 8/26

Hey folks. The Walgreens rezoning hearing was scheduled for this week, Aug. 12 at City Council, at the developer's request. SLNA has now requested a postponement until Aug. 26. (Council is not meeting on the 19th.) Hearing questions from the developer on our traffic analysis, we wanted to further do more research, so that we can be perfectly clear. It is customary for our first postponement request to be honored.
 
I know that this discussion has taken a lot of energy, and can get technical and dry. But let's remember how much impact development can have, positive or negative, on the neighborhood. This is, literally and figuratively, a big deal. This is not about just saying "no," it's about advocating Something Nice in My Back Yard (S.N.I.M.B.Y--thanks to Bryan King's phraseology).
 
Let's also look forward to moving on to other good things, like Neighborhood Planning, National Neighborhood Day, more street cleanups, voter registration drives, and maybe even a whistle ban campaign for UP trains. Please do stay tuned in, and thanks for everyone's efforts who are making good things happen.
 
Below is my article on Walgreens for the August newsletter.
 
-Kevin
 

S.N.I.M.B.Y. or Walgreens?

 

Walgreens to be heard at City Council August 26

 

The proposal for a new Walgreens at South Lamar and Bluebonnet Lane will likely be heard at City Council meeting Thursday, August 26. Please plan to attend, to speak or sign a card expressing your opinion.

 

SLNA members voted at the June general meeting to oppose the plans for Walgreens. Overarching our discussion was this: We support Taco Xpress and celebrate their success. We are glad they have an iron-clad, long-term lease on their current location. Taco Xpress will be well taken care of in the event of any redevelopment of this property, as it should be.

 

Here are the main points of opposition to the Walgreens plan: This is a bad location for a high-volume, single-use, double drive-through drugstore. The plan would put several hundred new car trips daily onto Bluebonnet Lane, a residential collector street. Although the plan includes a widening of Bluebonnet intended to accommodate that added traffic, we felt the best idea is to keep only residential access on Bluebonnet, with commercial access limited to Lamar.

 

The Walgreens plan would also limit options for reuse of the trailer park land, just as we’re heading into the City Neighborhood Planning process. We could envision a multi-use redevelopment with integrated residential and local retail (like Taco Xpress). This plan would put a single-use, suburban-style chain store in the way of that vision.

 

SLNA members have spent literally hundreds of hours researching and discussing this project and its implications. Sometimes those discussions get thick with arcane technical points, so although details and facts are indeed critical, let’s zoom out back to the big picture.

 

What we’re really advocating here is Something Nice in My Backyard (S.N.I.M.B.Y.). In development circles, older neighborhoods resistant to change are sometimes called NIMBY (NOT In My Backyard)—against any change or development. That is not, and should not be our position. Our neighborhood, indeed our city and whole region, is in transition, and we will likely feel the growing pains. We should measure any proposals, not against the worst-case scenario, but against our best-case vision. It is not too much to ask, that our community reflect our vision for the future.

 

Please do express your opinions to City Council at or prior to the vote on Aug. 26. The Walgreens plans and contact information for council members is at www.southlamar.org, or by calling the city at 974-2000.