Zoning and Platting CommissionDec. 6, 2022

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From: To: Subject: Date: Wendy, Rhoades, Wendy Peaceful Hill Rezoning Sunday, December 4, 2022 4:40:19 PM *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** I'm writing on behalf of our adjacent neighbors just across South Boggy Creek. When the new apartments were approved at 7400 South Congress just beside my home at 301 Blackberry, we were able to keep the entry and exit to those new buildings channeled out onto South Congress, and avoided having our Blackberry connected as a through street to Congress to provide a rear access. I notice in the case of this new and otherwise similar apartment development just across the creek from us that Foremost is being planned as a through street in the name of "connectivity." It will completely change the existing character of the residential neighborhood if Foremost becomes a connector from Peaceful Hill all the way through to I- 35. Providing denser housing on public transit routes is a worthy goal, but changing the character of an existing neighborhood is a sacrilege, and should be avoided at all costs. The same is true of forcing an existing residential neighborhood to accept the presence of four story apartments towers over the current single story owner occupied private homes. Connectivity and denser housing are worthwhile goals, but not in the context of ruining the quality of life of people who have invested years of their earnings in a quiet and calm existence that will be destroyed by this proposed new group of dense apartments. Peaceful hill should be granted the same right to a deeply wooded set-back and no heavily traveled connector street that was afforded to our neighborhood just to the north of them by a few blocks. Please, be considerate. Thank you. ~Ed Miller 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. From: To: Subject: Date: Rhoades, Wendy Peaceful Hill Rezoning Sunday, December 4, 2022 4:45:21 PM *** External Email - Exercise Caution *** Hello Wendy, I'm writing on behalf of our adjacent neighbors just across South Boggy Creek. When the new apartments were approved at 7400 South Congress just beside my home at 301 Blackberry, we were able to keep the entry and exit to those new buildings channeled out onto South Congress, and avoided having our Blackberry connected as a through street to Congress to provide rear access. I notice in the case of this new and otherwise similar apartment development just across the creek from us that Foremost is being planned as a through street in the name of "connectivity." It will completely change the existing character of the residential neighborhood if Foremost becomes a connector from Peaceful Hill all the way through to I-35. Providing denser housing on public transit routes is a worthy goal, but changing the character of an existing neighborhood is a sacrilege, and should be avoided at all costs. The same is true of forcing an existing residential neighborhood to accept the presence of four story apartment towers over the current single story owner occupied private homes. Connectivity and denser housing are worthwhile goals, but not in the context of ruining the quality of life of people who have invested years of their earnings in a quiet and calm existence that will be destroyed by this proposed new group of dense apartments. Peaceful hill should be granted the same right to a deeply wooded set-back and no heavily traveled connector street that was afforded to our neighborhood just to the north of them by a few blocks. Thank you. Dot Aikman Your Friendly Neighborhood Real Estate Broker Sky Realty 512-633-5281 ZAP 12-6-2022 - C14-2021-0123 - 7900 South Congress Good evening Chair and Commissioners, my name is Margaret Valenti and I live on Peaceful Hill Lane. I’m here this evening to speak on case # C14-2021-0123, on what my neighbors and I call the 43acre Peaceful Hill/Byrdhill Lane/South Congress project. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. I’d also like to thank my Peaceful Hill neighbors, John Stokes, Rene Pettyjohn, Sam Barrows, Mia Ibarra, John Orr, Chad Sitar, and Doug Votra. We and others have been involved in discussions regarding this project for well over a year. We all live directly across from the 43-acre property we are discussing tonight. While I’ve lived in my home for over 15 years, others have been here for twice as long. When I purchased my home, I knew that eventually the vacant land across from me would be developed. It’s been a good run. That being said, I want to make it clear to this commission that none of the PH neighbors have indicated they are against the development of this land. We are not opposing development but are requesting development that is compatible with the existing and nearby zoning. Since August 2021 when the applicant first proposed a 13-acre residential project on what is now referred to as Tract 1 we have consistently supported housing at the SF-6 zoning level. SF-6 is compatible with the neighboring land use of SF-2, SF-3. It is also consistent with the existing SF-6 Verrado development also on PH and the recently approved SF-6 zoning of the 7901 PH project that came before you just 2 months ago in October. Now that the proposed project has tripled in size to 43 acres and includes commercial use as well as a new road connecting S. Congress to Peaceful Hill, we are still saying yes to development but are more concerned about compatible zoning along our street. The neighbors have clearly stated they object to heights of 45ft, 55ft and 60ft. We also object to the proposed extension of Foremost Dr. connecting to Peaceful Hill Lane. We are asking for the following development standards in the form of amended staff CO’s or new CO’s: 1.We support the staff CO of a 30ft vegetative buffer, however we would amend it to include no sidewalk within the buffer and the sidewalk be built on project property and out of the ROW. 2. We support the staff CO’s prohibiting vehicular access to Peaceful Hill Lane from Tract 1, except for the portion of public right-of-way for extension of Foremost Drive however we would amend the CO to include: emergency access only in and out of Foremost Drive. 3. We support the staff recommended prohibited uses on Tract 1 but would like to add a new CO that prohibits: medical or diagnostic offices and facilities. 4. We support the staff recommended conditional uses on Tract 1 but would like to add a new CO that requires: all commercial space will be located 70 ft from western property line (Peaceful Hill) and located in building portions on easternmost and southernmost buildings 5. We would amended staff CO that establishes that no more than 50 % of all building facades located between 30 ft and 75 ft of the western property line to no more than 25% of all building facades be located between 30 ft and 70 ft of the western property line 6. We would amended staff CO that requires that at least 20% of all building facades shall be located more than 240 ft from the western property line to at least 50% of all building facades shall be located more than 240 ft from the western property line And finally, we would ask for a new CO that no buildings shall be taller than 35 ft within the first 70 ft of the western property line. From this line eastward, no building height shall exceed 50 ft. This speaks to the proposed heights of 45 ft, 56 ft and 60 ft on portions of Tract 1 which are not compatible with surrounding residences or other developments on the western side of Peaceful Hill I want to thank you all for hearing the case this evening. I am aware that some of my neighbors have additional comments about the project. Again, we support the requested zoning and CO’s for Tract 2 but object to the requested zoning and CO’s for Tract 1. Thank you again for all of your time and effort. I’m available for questions of you have.