B-4 and B-5 (Correspondence from Los Arboles and SCNPCT) — original pdf

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July 24, 2020 RE: C14-2017-0010 - 4400 Nuckols Crossing Road Rezoning NPA-2016-0014.01 Plan Amendment - 4400 Nuckols Crossing Road Rezoning To Planning Commissioners and City Council Members, Based on updated information received at the 07/08/2020, 07/13/2020 and 07/22/2020 meetings with City Staff, Applicant, Austin Transportation Department, SE Combined Neighborhood Plan Contact Team and concerned neighbors, the Los Arboles Homeowners' Association OPPOSES rezoning 4400 Nuckols Crossing from SF-2-NP to MF-4-NP. Los Arboles consists of 314 single family homes with Viewpoint Dr as the entry into the neighborhood. Some of the considerations for opposition are listed below. 1. The proposed driveway to 4400 Nuckols Crossing will be only 150 ft from Viewpoint Dr on the east side of Nuckols Crossing and a driveway into Woodway Village Apartments on the west side of Nuckols Crossing. The accepted distance between driveways should be 500 ft. The Applicant has proposed a solution to the driveway problem by adding turn lanes in the right of way, possibly with vertical delineators in the middle of Nuckols Crossing. We believe this will cause a major hazard for vehicles turning in and out of Viewpoint Dr and the Woodway Village Apartments driveway and for through traffic on Nuckols Crossing. 3. Traffic on Nuckols Crossing is already 10 times the amount that this road is designed to ideally handle. Traffic counts taken in February 2020 indicate that existing vehicle trips is at 14,929. According to Section 25-6-116 of the Land Development Code, streets which have pavement width less than 30 feet are considered to be operating at an undesirable traffic level if the average daily traffic volume for such roadway exceeds 1,200 vehicles per day. Nuckols Crossing Road is currently operating at an undesirable level and will continue to do so with the addition of site traffic. These statistics, and the opinion that Nuckols Crossing is currently at an undesirable level, are taken directly from the Zoning Review Change Sheet provided by City Staff. The proposed development will add another 979 vehicle trips, an increase of over 13%. 4. The City has no plan to improve this section of Nuckols Crossing/E St Elmo. It is a narrow 2 lane road in very poor condition with no curbs, gutters, sidewalks or bike lanes, or even enough right of way to add them except in front of 4400 Nuckols Crossing. There is a very sharp curve with no sight lines where Nuckols Crossing becomes E St Elmo, just a short distance from the proposed driveway for this development. Vegetation and low water bridges contribute to the narrow lanes. The developer's proposal to add improvements would only cover the small area in front of the development and would not improve the quality of this road. There is no safe way for pedestrians or bicyclists to reach the nearest bus stop at Pleasant Valley and Todd Ln. 5. The developers have stated that this affordable housing complex for active seniors will make the development a needed addition to the neighborhood. There are 6 existing affordable housing complexes within a one and a half mile radius from 4400 Nuckols Crossing and more in the near East Riverside/Oltorf area. Potential tenants will come from anyplace, SE Austin applicants will not get priority treatment. There will be no benefit to the surrounding neighborhoods. 6. COA does not recommend MF-4-NP zoning which the Applicant states they need in order to build a 5 story building. The proposed 5 story building does not fit into the aesthetics of the neighborhood which is single family (Los Arboles) and townhome apartments (Woodway Village). There are no other buildings taller than 2 stories in this area. We ask that the Planning Commissioners and City Council Members review this rezoning request with a realistic view of what Nuckols Crossing/E St Elmo actually looks like and determine that this development would not fit into the neighborhood but instead create a major traffic hazard and clash with the existing aesthetics. Respectfully On behalf of the Los Arboles Homeowners’ Association, Laurel Francel Los Arboles HOA Vice President/Secretary 5609 Apple Orchard Lane Austin, TX 78744 l.francel@yahoo.com