OWANA STEERING COMMITTEE MINUTES FOR MAY 7, 2001

Present: Clemmie Cumming, Marjorie Hook, Katy O'Neill, Thom Person, Paul Seals, David Smith, Dave Sullivan, Red Wassenich, Mike Whisenhunt

Guests: From OWANA: Mark Stine. From OWANA Neighborhood Plan Implementation Committee: Mike Dahmus and Erin Wilhelm.
From WAYA: Louis Bratton, Greg Rives, Evan Williams. From City of Austin: Adam Smith.

I.NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN

Cecilia Williams, the head of the city's Neighborhood Planning department has resigned. Adam Smith has replaced her. He introduced himself and explained the city has reorganized the various areas that deal with neighborhood issues into one department, hopefully improving communication and efficiency. The new area is called the Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Department.

Dave Sullivan said the city is currently in its budget cycle, so little else will get done until that's finished in the fall. As part of our neighborhood plan, we have $20,000 to spend on capital improvements. This is probably a one-time allocation. The Neighborhood Plan Implementation Team will decide how to spend this.

Throughout the meeting, the large issue came up of whether our officially adopted plan actually has any effect on city decisions.

II. WHO KEPT THE DOGS OUT?: LEASH-FREE PARK AREA

Mark Stine explained his proposal for the Parks and Recreation Department on having a 6-month trial period for scheduled leash-free times in West Austin Park. The committee unanimously endorsed this. He will present it at the May 8 PARD meeting.
The neighborhood plan supports this idea, and there have been no reported problems during the unofficial leash-free times recently. Dog owners have done a good job of cleaning up after their pets. The leash-free times can be scheduled so they do not conflict with the newly instituted softball games sponsored by the West Austin Youth Association.

Reportedly there has been heavy-handed enforcement by Park Police preventing the leash-free times. It seems the only opposition to leash-free times is from a few bureaucrats in the PARD.

III.POSSIBLE ROAD EXPANSION

Representatives from the West Austin Youth Association (WAYA) showed plans by the city planners of the Seaholm project and the developers of the Sand Beach real estate development on the southeast corner of 5th and Lamar to develop roads that go all the way over to the soccer and baseball fields near the Humane Society. One of these roads would destroy two soccer fields WAYA uses and maintains.
Another road would create a safety hazard for the kids using these facilities (500-700 kids per night use these fields) and would be a serious barrier to going from our neighborhood to Town Lake. The plans also showed a intercity bus terminal between the Goodwill Building and Tips Iron Works.

The full status of these plans isn't clear. It is exceedingly odd that OWANA and WAYA only found out about these accidentally and were never consulted. Dave Sullivan will contact Austen Librach (spelling?) of the city to pursue.

The steering committee agreed to join with WAYA in opposing these plans as they currently appear.

Further information will be given in the June newsletter and at the general membership meeting.

IV.EMAIL LISTS & WEB

Mike Whisenhunt has created some new email lists to facilitate communication. He will be sending more information to us. He also wants to increase the useful links on the OWANA website (www.main.org/owana).
Send him suggestions at mwhisenhunt(at)yahoo.com

V.PRESSLER STREET DEVELOPMENT

David Smith showed plans for redesigns of the three new houses slated for Pressler Street, replacing three smaller houses currently there.
The developer, Alan Muskin, has met with OWANA representatives and the new houses seemingly will be much more in keeping with the scale and design of the area, de-emphasizing garages, using wood rather than stone, preserving large trees, and adding more front porch area. They are somewhat smaller than the original plans that we objected to.

A motion was unanimously passed that David write a letter to the Board of Adjustment rescinding the steering committee's previous letter objecting to the variances needed to build, with the assumption that the actual neighbors are now satisfied.

VI.MONAC UPDATE

The MoPac Neighborhood Association Coalition is continuing to monitor the MoPac expansion plans. At the April CAMPO meeting, over 900 residents showed up opposing the expansion. The next step is for CAMPO to decide in June which of the four options to pursue.
MONAC is pushing for the "no-build" option. The website for CAMPO is www.ci.austin.tx.us/campo

VII.HISTORIC DISTRICT PROJECT

Katy O'Neill reported she is going to meet with the head of the Texas State Historical Commission, which reviews applications for the National Historic District process. She thinks they are more likely to approve small, individual areas rather than entire neighborhoods, so our strategy may have to change.

VIII.CITY OF AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS CONFERENCE

The city is holding a day-long free conference on neighborhood issues on June 9, Saturday, from 8-5 at the LBJ Auditorium and Thompson Center. Registration is required by May 18, 499-2956.

IX.STEERING COMMITTEE CHANGES

Clemmie Cummings resigned her seat on the steering committee. Mark Stine was elected to this spot. David Smith resigned as committee chair (but retains his membership). Mark Stine was elected as the new chair.
All thanked David for the excellent job he has done as chair this past year.

- Respectfully submitted,

Red Wassenich, OWANA Secretary

May 8, 2001