Item B-04 and B-05 (Letter to PC from Jason Lucio) — original pdf

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Jason Lucio 5501 Maple Marsh Ct. Austin, TX 78744 512-694-9377 jasonlucio@gmail.com July 27, 2020 Conor Kenny, Chair Planning Commission Members Planning Commission City of Austin RE: Neighborhood Plan Amendment Case Number: NPA-2016-0014.01.SH Rezoning Case Number: C14-2017-0010.SH Project Location: 4400 Nuckols Crossing Dear Commission Kenny and Planning Commissioners: As a resident of Dove Springs and member of the Arbor Ridge Homeowners Association, roughly 0.9 miles south of the proposed development, I stand in opposition to the amendment to the Southeast Combined Neighborhood Plan from SF-2 to MF-4, as well as the requested zoning change. I am a member of the SCNP Contact Team, a member of the Arbor Ridge Homeowners Association, and have attended the virtual community meetings with the applicant regarding this proposed development. The contact team has a history of supporting responsible development. This development is a project that I would normally support, but not in this specific location, as it is too dangerous. The entrance to the proposed development is on Nuckols Crossing, a substandard road, and is near a blind curve with quickly rising elevation. The proposed development is 100% low-income senior housing. Low-income residents are assumed to be low-income for life. They will need access to public transportation. However, without even sidewalks, the over half-mile trek to nearest public transportation is unacceptable and will put both pedestrian and driver lives at risk. Residents of this development will need to walk over a half-mile south to reach public transportation. The sidewalk starts several hundred feet to the south, and is on the opposite side of the street, with no pedestrian crossing, forcing residents to either jaywalk and dangerously cross traffic, or walk on an unimproved shoulder near a ditch. The other alternative will be to walk north over a half-mile, without a sidewalk, down a hill, around a blind curve, with thick brush on both sides. There are no street lights. We can assume that the low-income residents of the proposed development would use the new public health center planned for Dove Springs. However, there is no public transportation that travels down Nuckols Crossing, which means these senior low-income residents will need to walk over one mile, without access to a sidewalk for almost half a mile, in order to access public services, like the health center, recreation center, or library. The Austin Transportation Department traffic analysis, which has errors as to street width, does not take into account future growth of Southeast Austin. This dangerous stretch of road is already used by commuters as a north/south alternative route to McKinney Falls Parkway or Pleasant Valley. The most recent traffic analysis fails to take into account that the number of commuters will grow as more homes are built in Easton Park. Ten thousand homes are planned for that neighborhood and many of those commuters will utilize Nuckols Crossing/St. Elmo. Given that the road is substandard, the addition of this development at that location creates a dangerous situation for current and future residents, especially those living in the Los Arboles neighborhood and Woodway Village apartments. The entrance to the Los Arboles neighborhood and the exit from Woodway Village apartments is only a few hundred feet north of the sole entrance of the proposed development. It is unfortunate that I cannot support this development, as this is the type of development that would be beneficial to our neighborhood, but the risk is too great. While I welcome affordable housing for low-income resident in my neighborhood and anywhere in Austin, I do not welcome it at this dangerous location. As an engaged citizen and as public servants, it is incumbent on us to do what we can to protect the most vulnerable in our population. There can be no doubt that low- income residents and senior citizens are among the most vulnerable. Approving the applicant’s request will put their lives at risk. The Future Land Use Map should not be amended without a compelling reason. Not only would this zoning change and change to the FLUM be uncompelling, it would be irresponsible. The only reason to approve the request would be to increase the value to the owner and applicant, to the detriment of and risk of life to current residents of Dove Springs and the proposed development. Please do not approve the applicant’s request. Thank you for your consideration and your service. Respectfully, Jason Lucio Resident, Dove Springs Member, Arbor Ridge Homeowners Assocation Certified Public Accountant