B-06 BWNA Letter C-14-2021-0137; 3427 Jefferson St_.pdf — original pdf

Backup

Bryker Woods Neighborhood Association Austin, Texas October 22, 2021 Re: C-14-2021-0137; 3427 Jefferson St. Chair Todd Shaw Vice-Chair Claire Hempel Members of the Planning Commission Dear Chairman Shaw and Commissioners, We thank the Commission and the Applicant for the additional time to consider this matter and communicate with neighbors. We also appreciate the Applicant and Ms. Lynch for responding to our request for further information. This case involves the (former) Burger King at 35th and Jefferson. The parking lot on the north portion of the property is zoned CS, and the building to the south sits on property zoned LR. The Applicant proposes to demolish the building leaving a CS lot sitting next to an LR lot. The zoning application seeks to rezone the LR lot, extending CS zoning to the south. The applicant group has indicated that they are considering building a four-story office building with an underground parking garage covering both lots with an entrance and exit on Jefferson Ave. and two exits on Glenview Ave. We write now to inform the Commission that, after careful consideration, the Board of the Bryker Woods Neighborhood Association has voted to oppose the rezoning application. Among our concerns are, briefly, the following: 1. Expanding CS zoning in this location is inappropriate. Most of the Burger King property already has overly generous zoning. The current zoning allows for reasonable use of the properties. 2. A four-story office building, if built, is contextually too tall for the location. There is no four- story building on W. 35th St. Granting the application will allow a larger four-story office building than could be built under current zoning. 3. The traffic generated by a four-story office building, if built, will negatively impact the flow of traffic and the safety of surrounding streets. We disagree with the Applicant’s traffic numbers. The Applicant attributes too much traffic to the former Burger King and not enough potential traffic to their proposed use. In any event, the more salient comparison is between the traffic generated by a larger office building and the traffic generated by a smaller office building. Approving the application will allow a bigger building generating more traffic. 4. Granting the application will negatively impact the neighborhood. Denying the application will not deprive the Applicant of the reasonable use of the property. We respectfully request that you deny the application for CS zoning. Thank you for your service to the community. Respectfully, Greg Underwood, President Bryker Woods Neighborhood Association