B-2 and B-3 - SCNPCT.pdf — original pdf

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Ana Aguirre Immediate Past Chair PO Box 19748 Austin, TX 78760 512-708-0647 July 26, 2021 Todd Shaw, Chair Yvette Flores, Secretary Awais Azhar Grayson Cox Jennifer Mushtaler Carmen Llanes Pulido Jeffrey Thompson Richard Mendoza, Ex-Officio Claire Hempel, Vice-Chair James Shieh, Parliamentarian Joao Paulo Connolly Patrick Howard Solveji Rosa Praxis Robert Schneider Jessica Cohen, Ex-Officio Arati Singh, AISD Ex-Officio RE: Neighborhood Plan Amendment Case Number: NPA-2021-0026.01 Rezoning Case Number: C14-2021-0039 Dear Honorable Chair Shaw and Commissioners: The Southeast Combined Neighborhood Plan Contact Team (SCNPCT) has a history of supporting responsible development. The SCNPCT held its regular monthly meeting on Monday, July 12, 2021, and met with representatives from the Rundberg area, who are part of the Eastern Crescent, to discuss the proposed FLUM and zoning changes pertaining to the properties located at 10609, 16011, 10613, 10615 Brownie Drive and 10610, 10612, 10614 Middle Fiskville Road: 1) Neighborhood Plan Amendment to change the land use designation on the FLUM from single family and neighborhood commercial to mixed use; and 2) Rezoning from SF-3-NP and LR-NP to MF-4-NP and CS-MU-NP. The SCNPCT took into consideration the information provided by the Rundberg area representatives. With a quorum present and based on the information provided and comparing shared concerns of the residents within the Eastern Crescent, the SCNPCT membership voted unanimously not to support the proposed changes to the land use designation on the FLUM from single family and neighborhood commercial to mixed use land use and rezoning from SF-3-NP and LR-NP to MF-4-NP and CS-MU-NP. The SCNPCT voted to support the Rundberg area residents and join their efforts. The shared historical concerns of the Eastern Crescent communities include the continued and unprecedented gentrification and displacement of low income and people of color residents. The impact will include increased property values, which will result in increased property taxes for homeowners or increased rental fees for current residents. This basically guarantees an accelerated displacement of this vulnerable community. Additionally, families and children with long-term established neighborhood ties, including ties with neighborhood schools, current community resources and support systems will be pushed out. This results in destabilizing those relationships and adds cruel stressors as these same displaced residents will have to work on creating new support systems in whatever areas outside of the City of Austin they manage to find are affordable to them. There is no demonstrated neighborhood benefit to the current residents in this portion of the Eastern Crescent. This proposal does not provide affordable housing comparable to the current population occupying this census tract. This area is lacking in parkland and the proposal refers to a fee-in-lieu as an option. If the fee-in-lieu option is utilized by the project, this will result in a higher rate of residents with no access to parkland, which will reduce the quality of life for current and future residents in this portion of the Eastern Crescent. Residents in the Eastern Crescent continue to be subjected to lower standards of a quality of life, which is unjust and discriminatory. Environmental concerns have been voiced – flooding and critical environmental features. What written assurances can be secured to ensure there is no adverse impact to current residents and properties and how will critical environmental features be protected? We respectfully request the Planning Commission not approve the neighborhood plan amendment and zoning change requests. We respectfully request the Planning Commission carefully consider the long-term and overall impact such changes would have on the current and future residents of this portion of the Eastern Crescent. A sincere effort must be made to ensure these residents are not displaced and current substandard quality of life elements are improved on and families stabilized. Respectfully submitted, Ana T. Aguirre Ana Aguirre, Immediate Past Chair Southeast Combined Neighborhood Plan Contact Team (SCNPCT) CC: Maureen Meredith, Housing and Planning Department Sherri Sirwaitis, Housing and Planning Department