NW Austin Neighborhood Alliance:
Allandale Neighborhood Association (ANA), Balcones Civic Association (BCA),
North Shoal Creek Neighborhood Association (NSCNA), & Northwest Austin Civic Association (NWACA)
Official Position Regarding Proposed Austin Oaks PUD
Case Number C814-2014-0120
Allandale Neighborhood Association (ANA), Balcones Civic Association (BCA),
North Shoal Creek Neighborhood Association (NSCNA), & Northwest Austin Civic Association (NWACA)
Official Position Regarding Proposed Austin Oaks PUD
Case Number C814-2014-0120
October 5th, 2014
The NW Austin Neighborhood Alliance, composed of ANA, BCA, NSCNA, and NWACA, was formed to review and make recommendations on the proposed Austin Oaks PUD zoning request. The Alliance represents 12,660 households at the ‘4 Corners’ intersection of Spicewood Springs Road and Mopac where the Austin Oaks PUD is proposed (ANA-Southeast corner, BCA-Northwest corner, NSCNA-Northeast corner and NWACA-Southwest corner).
The Alliance surveyed their respective residents, who overwhelmingly requested that the City of Austin Staff, Committees and City Council deny the proposed Austin Oaks PUD zoning request.
Facts About Austin Oaks PUD:
This corner of Spicewood Springs Road and Mopac requires careful attention to preserve the natural beauty of the abundant large native trees and wild plant materials found in similar areas of Austin west of the Balcones fault line. For the most part, the natural scenic beauty of the area has been skillfully and sensitively preserved as new developments have occurred, and this concern is of the utmost importance in preserving the environmental quality of the neighborhood as parcels are developed. Topographically, the area is varied and interesting in character, which has resulted in a wide variety of commercial and residential designs, many of which have effectively taken advantage of the dramatic views of the hills and valleys in the western two thirds of the neighborhood and beyond.
Over the years, the NW Austin Neighborhood Alliance has individually and successfully worked with numerous residential and commercial projects to ensure that the quality and natural beauty of the neighborhood is not lost. We continue to advocate to preserve the relatively uncluttered and natural wooded quality of the land while encouraging high quality and sensitive design of projects within the neighborhood and along its edges with improvements that enhance rather than detract from the environmental quality of the area.
The proposed Austin Oaks PUD project does not fit the long term goals of our neighborhoods, it contributes more traffic on roads that cannot handle it, exceeds the capacity of our overcrowded schools, and removes too many trees.
The NW Austin Neighborhood Alliance respectfully asks that you deny a zoning change for Austin Oaks case number C814-2014-0120.
Sincerely,
Debra Bailey-President, Balcones Civic Association
Kata Carbone-President, Allandale Neighborhood Association
Joyce Statz-President, Northwest Austin Civic Association
Kevin Wier-Liaison, North Shoal Creek Neighborhood Association
The NW Austin Neighborhood Alliance, composed of ANA, BCA, NSCNA, and NWACA, was formed to review and make recommendations on the proposed Austin Oaks PUD zoning request. The Alliance represents 12,660 households at the ‘4 Corners’ intersection of Spicewood Springs Road and Mopac where the Austin Oaks PUD is proposed (ANA-Southeast corner, BCA-Northwest corner, NSCNA-Northeast corner and NWACA-Southwest corner).
The Alliance surveyed their respective residents, who overwhelmingly requested that the City of Austin Staff, Committees and City Council deny the proposed Austin Oaks PUD zoning request.
Facts About Austin Oaks PUD:
- Does not meet the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan, which designates this area as a Neighborhood Center, the least dense of the activity centers
- Adds an estimated 21,000 car trips over existing traffic.
- Traffic Impact Analysis does not properly assume background traffic, omitting for example;:
- Far West: Vertical Mixed Use zoning on Far West from Chimney Corners to Mopac
- Spicewood: Austin Board of Realtors Building, Small Office at 4845 Spicewood
- Removes existing bike lanes on Hart Lane
- Project adds 125–150 students to currently overcrowded schools:
- Doss is at 200% capacity
- Murchison at 145% capacity
- Hill is at 135% capacity
- Pillow is at 114% capacity
- Gullett is at 128% capacity
- Height of the buildings is greater than anything outside of downtown (17, 14, 8 stories.)
- Creates a precedent for higher office towers along Mopac
- Loss of heritage and protected trees
This corner of Spicewood Springs Road and Mopac requires careful attention to preserve the natural beauty of the abundant large native trees and wild plant materials found in similar areas of Austin west of the Balcones fault line. For the most part, the natural scenic beauty of the area has been skillfully and sensitively preserved as new developments have occurred, and this concern is of the utmost importance in preserving the environmental quality of the neighborhood as parcels are developed. Topographically, the area is varied and interesting in character, which has resulted in a wide variety of commercial and residential designs, many of which have effectively taken advantage of the dramatic views of the hills and valleys in the western two thirds of the neighborhood and beyond.
Over the years, the NW Austin Neighborhood Alliance has individually and successfully worked with numerous residential and commercial projects to ensure that the quality and natural beauty of the neighborhood is not lost. We continue to advocate to preserve the relatively uncluttered and natural wooded quality of the land while encouraging high quality and sensitive design of projects within the neighborhood and along its edges with improvements that enhance rather than detract from the environmental quality of the area.
The proposed Austin Oaks PUD project does not fit the long term goals of our neighborhoods, it contributes more traffic on roads that cannot handle it, exceeds the capacity of our overcrowded schools, and removes too many trees.
The NW Austin Neighborhood Alliance respectfully asks that you deny a zoning change for Austin Oaks case number C814-2014-0120.
Sincerely,
Debra Bailey-President, Balcones Civic Association
Kata Carbone-President, Allandale Neighborhood Association
Joyce Statz-President, Northwest Austin Civic Association
Kevin Wier-Liaison, North Shoal Creek Neighborhood Association
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