B-07 - Late Backup.pdf — original pdf

Backup

Clark, Kate From: Sent: To: Subject: Jim Karabaic Monday, August 23, 2021 10:35 PM Clark, Kate opposition to rezoning of 1725 Toomey Road property *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** Hello Ms. Clark,      I am submitting this letter in opposition to the proposed 'rezoning' of the property at 1725 Toomey Rd.  I have been a  resident here for many years, and I believe the 'rezoning' of this property will only worsen a safety issue that we are  already dealing with.    As you may know, there are several 'events' held throughout the year at Zilker Park and the surrounding  grounds.  Whenever we have one of these events such as ACL Festival, Blues on the Green, The Trail of Lights, etc, we  experience a large traffic jam all along our streets (Toomey Road and Sterzing avenue).  The safety concern is this:  With  cars packing both sides of the road and traffic at a standstill (it's like a full parking lot with cars barely moving for hours  at a time), there is absolutely NO WAY that the city would be able to get a fire truck down here, or an EMS vehicle, or a  police officer.   When we are 'blocked in' by these (already existing) traffic jams, we are at grave risk ‐ if we were in need  of the services of the Austin Fire Department, the Austin EMS, or the police.  Rezoning this property and increasing the  population here (fivefold) will only make it much worse.     The current number of units here is about forty.  The proposal for 'rezoning' includes a request for up to 215 units  here.  This is simply going to make the location even more 'unsafe', because it will just lead to even more cars and more  crowding.     Does the City of Austin have plans to completely 'relocate' the Austin City Limits Music Festival or the Blues on the  Green, or the Trail of Lights?  Do they have a plan to use the 'Starflight Helicopter here?  Will it land in the baseball  fields?     Finally, there is a legitimate concern to preserve at least some 'affordable housing' in the downtown Austin area.  The  people who live here are teachers, nurses, airline pilots, and state workers.  My neighbors are hard working people, and  we are not millionaires.  This area already has several high rise buildings in which the rents start at $2,000.00 a month  and go up from there. New condos start selling at 1.5 MILLION dollars.  None of my hard working middle class neighbors  ‐ none of us ‐ could possibly afford to live here if all the housing follows suit.     Please take these concerns into your decision ‐ making process.  Please help keep this neighborhood safe and  affordable for hard working middle class Austinites like the residents who choose to live here.   Thank you,  James  Karabaic,  unit #300, at 1725 Toomey Road.  CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links  or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to  cybersecurity@austintexas.gov.   1 Clark, Kate From: Sent: To: Subject: Kate,   Justin Huse Monday, August 23, 2021 12:55 PM Clark, Kate Letter of Opposition and Handouts *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** My name is Justin Huse and I currently live in Barton Springs Apartments on 1725 Toomey Road.  I am writing this to  inform you that I am vehemently opposed to rezoning this property, item B‐7 on the PC agenda.  This wonderful  apartment complex has existed since the 1970's and represents one of the last bastions of old Austin on Barton Springs  Road.  I myself have been fortunate to call this place home for over six years, while some of my neighbors have lived  here for decades.  As a native Austinite, I urge you to not allow this home for so many to be destroyed just to have  gaudy overpriced condos replace it.  Please let us continue to live in the place we call home.  Sincerely,  Justin Huse  CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links  or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to  cybersecurity@austintexas.gov.   1 Clark, Kate From: Sent: To: Subject: Hello,  Tuesday, August 24, 2021 11:06 AM Rivera, Andrew; Clark, Kate Opposition to rezoning 1725 Toomey Rd, B-7 PC agenda *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** I am writing in opposition to the rezoning of 1725 Toomey Rd. Austin 78704, item B‐7 on the PC agenda for the hearing  on Aug 24, 2021.  There are many reasons to oppose this: environmental impacts, displacement of residents, traffic chaos, public safety,  removal of heritage trees, and simply keeping Austin weird.  The tiny streets of Toomey and Sterzing are already impassable during major events or even busy weekends at the park.  This is a MAJOR safety issue that has concerned many residents for years. Emergency vehicles would not be able to get  through, and the streets are way too tiny to handle even the existing traffic on a regular basis, especially during any  festivals or events or weekends when many in the city want to be at the park. There is also a great deal of runoff from  car pollution into the sensitive creek and Edwards aquifer.  Many of the residents at 1725 Toomey Rd are long‐term local Austinites who help to keep Austin’s culture what it is.  There is a severe shortage of any even somewhat affordable housing in the Zilker/Barton Springs area. The problem of  displacement is not something Austin should want to be known for, and there are already many high rises in the area.  People don’t want more.  There are two endangered salamanders nearby and the creek pollution from urban runoff is already getting extremely  bad. This sensitive area should not be heavily developed. The more natural feels contributes much to Austin’s culture  and reputation.  The removal of a heritage tree specifically for this rezoning process was very questionable, and will be publicized broadly  if the rezoning occurs partly for that. (See information from Dan Sewell)  Many (almost all) local residents don’t want to see Austin become like Dallas. Austin needs a bit of its quirky old heritage  and culture found in places like the Barton Springs Apt complex to keep its Austin vibe. This is a trait that makes the city  more valuable and more desirable for people.  Please don’t choose to displace all the lovely folks from their homes at 1725 Toomey Rd.  It would be devastating for  some. These are good people who are valuable and respected citizens in the community.  Thank you for truly considering all the very real and dangerous impacts this rezoning would cause.   Keep Austin Weird!  Much appreciated!  Sincerely,  1       CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links  or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to  cybersecurity@austintexas.gov.   2 Clark, Kate From: Sent: To: Subject: Hi Kate, David Borden Tuesday, August 24, 2021 11:50 AM Clark, Kate Opposition to Rezoning of 1725 Toomey Road *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** I am in opposition to to the rezoning of 1725 Toomey Road. I believe that the rezoning will cause undue safety concerns for the residents and neighboring communities. One example is an emergency vehicle can not get through during high traffic, especially on the corner that 1725 is located on. Thank you CAUTION: This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source. Please use caution when clicking links  or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to  cybersecurity@austintexas.gov.   1  08/23/2021 To: Planning Commissioners To Whom It May Concern: I am writing a Letter of Opposition regarding the rezoning of 1725 Toomey Road (Item B-7 on the PC agenda), which I am vehemently against. The Barton Springs Apartment, a building occupied by long-time tenants, including teachers, the elderly, and the disabled, such as me, is the type of lower income housing that is so desperately needed right now, as the gentrification of Austin washes away Texan culture and Texans themselves. But the Barton Springs Apartment also houses new tenants, who pay higher prices than older residents, as well. In other words, this building serves as an example of compromise in the great city of Austin, -- not allowing lower income residents to be dislocated or even possibly homeless, but also welcoming the new residents who can afford (and do not mind) paying the market value price of their apartments due to the great location. I have no doubt that the new owner could gain a better profit by simply remodeling half of the building or creating an extension, for fancier and more competitive apartments to offer for the highest price they wish to new tenants. It is clear that the current tenants who pay higher rents are aware of the older residents that pay lower rents, and, again, they understand and co-habit peacefully and happily. Demolishing this building would not only be costly, but it would also be a tragedy to the native Austin nature (trees) and eco system that exists here. Furthermore, as Austin rapidly changes, it is urgent to hold on to its history, giving it value, and keeping reflections of Austin past to understand Austin future. Barton Springs Apartment, built in 1967, gives us a story – the story of Austin – in every detail. The foundation of the building is phenomenal and unlike anything built today, which is why I once again argue that the owners have not considered more creative profitable solutions in taking advantage of what already exists, in their desperate urge to make a return on their investment. But, demolishing this beloved building, and destroying this peaceful and well-known corner of Austin is certainly not the All I ask is for your committee to consider negotiations and other solutions, and also consider the hazard of having a high rise with hundreds of units. We’ve recently seen in the news buildings collapse, and one has to wonder if this little corner of Toomey Road even has the capacity or space for such a project. solution. Yours, M. N. From: Mark Menn (apt. 211) Opposition to Rezoning and Demolition of Barton Springs Apartment 1725 Toomey Rd. To the committee, I, Mark Menn, have been a tenant of 1725 Toomey Road for thirty years as an affordable housing tenant, before and after retirement. I have the following points for my opposition to rezone and demolish Barton Springs Apartments: 1. Affordable Housing Availability Barton Springs Apartment: provides affordable housing for working class and student tenants. Zilkr on the Park and Coldwater / Condo apartments on both sides of the Barton Springs Apartments are already present with luxury units with several vacancies. By retaining Barton Springs Apartments affordable housing will remain available. 2. Traffic and Safety: With 5 baseball fields, Zack Theater, existing condos/apartments, and Zilker Park events; traffic and safety are already at a breaking point. 3. Culture of the Neighborhood: Barton Springs Apartments has four heritage pecan trees at the North parking lot on Toomey Road. These trees should be preserved since they produce the best pecans every two or three years. They were planted in the 1960s by the original owner when the apartments were named Casa Pecana. I do not have an email address; therefore, this letter is being transcribed and transmitted through my neighbor, Amarantha Negrao (apt 200). Thank you. Mark Menn