November 7 ,2008
Teri McManus, Principal Planner
Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department
City of Austin
PO Box 1088
RE: Classification of Justin Lane in the Austin Metropolitan Roadway Plan
Ms. McManus
Please let this letter serve as a joint request from Brentwood Neighborhood Association (BNA) and Crestview Neighborhood Association (CNA) to have the city reclassify Justin Lane in the Austin Metropolitan Roadway Plan.
Currently, Justin Lane is classified as a minor arterial in the plan and we would like the city to consider charging the classification to that of neighborhood collector which would more accurately reflect the function and design of the road.
Justin Lane is a short thoroughfare that only runs between Lamar Boulevard and Burnet Road. It is predominately residential in character with a small element of commercial at either end. Crestview neighborhood children attending Brentwood Elementary School must cross Justin twice a day and the elderly must cross it if they want to visit a park as there is no parkland in Crestview. Residents living in Brentwood and walking to the grocery store in Crestview also cross Justin. As you can tell, it has quite a bit of pedestrian use.
Thank you for your consideration. Please contact us if you have any questions or comments.
[signed by Brentwood NA]
[signed by Crestview NA]
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Crestview Steering Committe votes to support Allandale with North Loop and Burnet property
Permit/Case: 2007-146614 ZC
Zoning Request: CS-MU-CO zoning for Vertical Mixed Use
Reference File: C14-2007-0161
Property Address: 5350 Burnet Road
November 1, 2007
Austin City Council members:
The steering committee of the Crestview Neighborhood Association has voted to oppose a change of zoning status at 5350 Burnet Rd. from CS-MU-CO to VMU, due to the dangerous precedent it sets for all future VMU along Burnet Road and Anderson Lane.
The developer proposes to increase residential density to 68 dwelling units per acre, a level approaching downtown density of 75 units/acre, but without adequate transportation infrastructure, connectivity, and walkability. We are strongly against downtown density along Burnet Road, especially downtown density unsupported by adequate transportation infrastructure and planned walkability.
We feel that the lack of density caps appropriate to the area of town is a key flaw in the current VMU ordinance. City staff has confirmed that VMU allows “as much density as physical limitations allow”, and our impression from the City’s Planning Commission is that this is just fine. That concept goes directly against New Urbanist and Smart Growth principles. The example of 5350 Burnet succinctly illustrates how developers will attempt to maximize density in exactly this way, with no regard for transportation impacts or connectivity with the surrounding neighborhood.
Using the proposed density for 5350 Burnet and applying it to all proposed VMU sites along Burnet and Anderson, we know that 18,616 new households could be added to our area of the city in the coming years, translating to 111,694 new vehicular trips per day. The developer at 5350 Burnet is targeting young professionals, who, being in a hurry, are unlikely to use existing mass transit options. Most of this traffic will go onto our streets. VMU, as currently implemented, will destroy our neighborhoods.
We think that the density levels, density zones, and walkability requirements described in the TOD and TN zoning categories may be better suited to certain locations along Burnet than the VMU ordinance alone. And properties not supported by robust mass transit and adequate walkability, in particular properties on shallow lots backing SF-2, should be dropped from the VMU overlay district entirely.
We know that there are plans over the coming two decades to improve mass transit along Burnet Road and Anderson Lane. We strongly feel that these plans need to be closely coordinated with plans for added density, in order to avoid traffic chaos along these streets and in the surrounding residential streets. When we see how mass transit will work, then we can better understand how, and how much, density can be accommodated. For now, we urge you not to gamble the future of our neighborhoods on a laissez faire approach to new density.
Thank you for your attention and support,
Chip Harris
Crestview Neighborhood Association Officer - President
Steve Keuhner
Crestview Neighborhood Association Officer – Vice President
Jonathan Locklin
Crestview Neighborhood Association Officer - Editor
Voting was held on November 5th through 6th 2007 and passed with 6 yes votes. The remaining 3 steering committee members were not available to vote at this time.
Zoning Request: CS-MU-CO zoning for Vertical Mixed Use
Reference File: C14-2007-0161
Property Address: 5350 Burnet Road
November 1, 2007
Austin City Council members:
The steering committee of the Crestview Neighborhood Association has voted to oppose a change of zoning status at 5350 Burnet Rd. from CS-MU-CO to VMU, due to the dangerous precedent it sets for all future VMU along Burnet Road and Anderson Lane.
The developer proposes to increase residential density to 68 dwelling units per acre, a level approaching downtown density of 75 units/acre, but without adequate transportation infrastructure, connectivity, and walkability. We are strongly against downtown density along Burnet Road, especially downtown density unsupported by adequate transportation infrastructure and planned walkability.
We feel that the lack of density caps appropriate to the area of town is a key flaw in the current VMU ordinance. City staff has confirmed that VMU allows “as much density as physical limitations allow”, and our impression from the City’s Planning Commission is that this is just fine. That concept goes directly against New Urbanist and Smart Growth principles. The example of 5350 Burnet succinctly illustrates how developers will attempt to maximize density in exactly this way, with no regard for transportation impacts or connectivity with the surrounding neighborhood.
Using the proposed density for 5350 Burnet and applying it to all proposed VMU sites along Burnet and Anderson, we know that 18,616 new households could be added to our area of the city in the coming years, translating to 111,694 new vehicular trips per day. The developer at 5350 Burnet is targeting young professionals, who, being in a hurry, are unlikely to use existing mass transit options. Most of this traffic will go onto our streets. VMU, as currently implemented, will destroy our neighborhoods.
We think that the density levels, density zones, and walkability requirements described in the TOD and TN zoning categories may be better suited to certain locations along Burnet than the VMU ordinance alone. And properties not supported by robust mass transit and adequate walkability, in particular properties on shallow lots backing SF-2, should be dropped from the VMU overlay district entirely.
We know that there are plans over the coming two decades to improve mass transit along Burnet Road and Anderson Lane. We strongly feel that these plans need to be closely coordinated with plans for added density, in order to avoid traffic chaos along these streets and in the surrounding residential streets. When we see how mass transit will work, then we can better understand how, and how much, density can be accommodated. For now, we urge you not to gamble the future of our neighborhoods on a laissez faire approach to new density.
Thank you for your attention and support,
Chip Harris
Crestview Neighborhood Association Officer - President
Steve Keuhner
Crestview Neighborhood Association Officer – Vice President
Jonathan Locklin
Crestview Neighborhood Association Officer - Editor
Voting was held on November 5th through 6th 2007 and passed with 6 yes votes. The remaining 3 steering committee members were not available to vote at this time.
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