Rosewood Neighborhood Contact Team Monthly Meeting Thursday, April 17, 2008 6:15 p.m. Oak Springs Library Present ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Bryan Robison, Linda Hutchins, Judith Clarkson, Louis Herrera, Annie Hardy, Paul Rogers, Corey Pudhorodsky, Dusty McCormick, Gilbert Rivera, Jane Rivera, and Norman Boyd Old Business ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Minutes provided by Jane Rivera, who chaired the meeting. February minutes unanimously approved. Chair's Report ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Jane reported that we successfully carried out the Rosewood Neighborhood Planning Area portion of Clean Sweep Austin 2008 on April 2--thanks to all who participated! Jane was provided information on proposed changes to the Sign Ordinance to be covered next Tuesday in a public hearing at the Planning Commission that she received from the Chestnut and Upper Boggy Creek Neighborhood Planning Teams. What was of greatest concern was the opportunity for people to move billboards from a neighborhood where they are not wanted to another neighborhood. Yet only two billboards have been moved, and both were moved to the East Side. The other neighborhood planning teams each drafted a letter in opposition to the changes, and requested that Rosewood take the same action if the team was in agreement. Jane prepared a draft that she shared with the team. The team approved the draft and authorized Jane to send it. [Done--JR] Lonny provided a draft of the newsletter format, and members wrote comments on the draft for Jane to share with Lonny. Norman had some very helpful comments including his experience with a local Scout troop's flyer distribution service which we might be able to use to more effectively. Various members had ideas about possible ways we could use the newsletter as a tool to help raise funds including PR, team members contacts such as Louis's contact with Folk Life, Ken Burns documentary series on baseball fields, Jane's contact with Hector Galan, a documentary filmmaker, and Annie's contact with the Downtown segment. There was a request for an update on the Downs Field project. Gilbert reported that we have made no progress and he, as project chair, is calling a work group meeting to be held May 6, 2008. A new potential partner is a sorority at Huston Tillotson College. Jane reported that the Election Committee had provided her with a slate of candidates for the officers: Jane Rivera--Chair; Dusty McCormick--Vice Chair; and Greg Hammond--Secretary. All three members of the slate agreed to serve if elected, and at our last meeting there was the required vote to permit two of the nominees to run for another one year term. The slate was elected by acclamation. Harvey Street Townhomes Report ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Norman Boyd, a principal in Catera Development, is the builder of this project and came to discuss with us what he has built and explain why he needed the variances he requested that we had initially opposed. Many thanks to Norman for coming to let us know why you needed the variances and how you developed your project. He purchased the project from Bernice Butler, who had originally planned a more high-rise development of apartments, not individual units, to be a fully gated community. This concept was totally out of synch with the Clifford Sanchez neighborhood and with the Rosewood Neighborhood Plan. Norman's design is contemporary as was Ms. Butler's and Perry Lorenz's, but he has scaled back on the number of units and is building each unit to be a high end condo townhome that will be attached only at the garage. The project consists of two phases: 1. Phase I on Harvey is to be finished in May and includes 4 buildings of 8 units. 2. Phase II is on Sanchez and will be completed later to also consist of 4 buildings of 8 units. The variances were needed because there were a number of trees on the property that had to be protected, particularly on the lot at 1708 Sanchez being developed in Phase II. The City also required them to put in new manholes on Harvey and add sidewalks to Harvey, and likely Sanchez as well. There will be two sizes: 1700 square feet and 1800 square feet. The first size will sell for around $300,000 each and the larger will sell for around $325,000 each. They are not being built for rental or resale; they are using the highest quality materials and making them high end. *meeting adjourned*