Minutes ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rosewood Neighborhood Contact Team Meeting March 15, 2007, 6:15 p.m. Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center Present ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Judith Clarkson, Paula Gilbert, Annie Hardy, Gilbert Rivera, Jane Rivera, Richard Weiss, and Laura Patlove from the City of Austin Old Business ---------------------------------------------------------------------- February minutes approved as written. Chair's Report ---------------------------------------------------------------------- A. Our recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Department to name the new pavilion at the Boggy Creek greenbelt after former Rosewood-Glen Oaks Neighborhood Association Liz Snipes was not accepted by the committee so tasked. B. RNCT can participate in Clean Sweep 2007 to clean up a portion of Boggy Creek. The team voted to do so; people who can participate should report to the pavilion on Nile Street at 9 am on March 31. There will be a meeting March 20 at Carver Library at 6 pm to discuss the streetcar line. C. Alice Glasgo asked RNCT to sign the application to rezone the Harvey Street tracts for their project. The team gave Jane guidance that she can do so, since Richard Weiss confirmed that it will not hurt the RNCT ability to make plan amendments, if she can negotiate more of what the team had requested. D. City Councilmember McCracken is hosting meetings on the Vertical Mixed Use (VMU) ordinance beginning Monday March 19. E. Council Member Martinez's aide forwarded information on the status of the odors at Boggy Creek indicating that it was not actual sewer leakage. F. Valdez Update Richard Weiss proposed the site plan and costs, and is waiting on a response. He could have more information at the April meeting. New Business ---------------------------------------------------------------------- A. Bond Review Board Member, Jennifer McPhail, from ADAPT, made a presentation on the process and the status of the Boggy Creek improvements. The Boggy Creek bonds address the wastewater issues in the neighborhood. According to Jennifer, the Boggy Creek bonds were originally #6 & #7 on the City's priority list, but were then bumped to #17, #18, and then #25 in favor of other bond projects. This bond has been long coming. Mike Kelly of the City explained to Jennifer that in April of 2007, the city will put out an RFP for the work, and construction is slated to begin in July of 2007 on the wastewater infrastructure (paid for by the annual budget, not a bond). Jennifer said that although it seems that the end of this battle is near, there is still much more work to do. Jennifer suggested that we follow up regularly on this case to retain the interest and focus of the City Council on the project, to ensure consistent funding through the 7-year process and the contact team agreed. Laura stated that, as a City Employee, she has access to follow the project process and can help in that endeavor. Jennifer suggested that we utilize a new tool, the Austin City Connection web page for Bond comments: . Judith suggested that everyone suggest to the Bond Advisory Board that the bond be returned to higher priority level. Team also decided the same suggestions should also be sent to the City Council. Gilbert reported that his contact at Water and Wastewater told him there had been sewage spillage due to recent regular maintenance. Mike Kelly mentioned that we should continue to report any sewage issues/drainage to the City. B. Vertical Mixed Use Ordinance Richard Weiss stated the original purpose of the VMU Ordinance was to deal with big box regulations, but it has since become a way to make Austin more pedestrian and growth friendly. Neighborhood planning and contact teams now have until June 4, 2007 to decide whether they will opt-in or opt-out for all eligible properties within their boundaries. VMU integrates two or more land uses in their requirements (condos, retail, etc.). VMU allows greater choice in how a developer wants to use the land, but requires the developer to build vertically. However, in situations where the vertical height is capped at a lower height in the Neighborhood Plan than in the VMU allowance, the plan height is the maximum. VMU would result in the neighborhood losing setbacks, which would bring the newly constructed buildings closer to the street (in accordance with the Transit-Oriented goal of easy access to store-fronts.) It would also result in a 20% reduction of required parking spaces in the urban core, which is essential to the VMU concept. The VMU ordinance can work well for both small and large projects. These elements of VMU are attractive to Developers: * reduced setbacks, elimination of floor-area-ration (FAR); * elimination of building coverage limits and site area requirements; * reduction of parking requirement from 80% to 60%; * allowance for additional retail uses (coffeehouses, etc.); * expedited reviews and fee wavers. These elements are attractive to neighbors: * 5% of units have to be affordable to families making 80% of the MFI, 5% of units have to be affordable to families making 100% of the MFI (this lasts for 99 years); * VMU property that will be available for rental (condos, etc.) will be required to have 10% of units available to families making 80% of the MFI for 40 years. Every property on a Core Transit Corridor is available to opt-in to VMU, and it is currently being considered for 12th Street. VMU requires that developers build in accordance with higher design standards, but the loosened restrictions make it a very persuasive proposition to developers. *Meeting adjourned*