C14H-2024-0162 - 7304 Knox Ln; District 10 Public Communication Part 5 — original pdf

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From: To: Subject: Date: Meghan Ellington Contreras, Kalan Knox Lane zoning and development plans. Monday, January 6, 2025 5:42:14 PM You don't often get email from Learn why this is important External Email - Exercise Caution To whom it may concern: I’m writing in regards to the Knox Lane zoning and development plan. My name is Meghan Ellington and my family lives on Spurlock, directly affected by the traffic from Running Rope. We have three kids, 10, 7 and 4, who constantly use our driveway, yard and adjacent street as a place to safely play. There are young children all up and down our street. There are no sidewalks on our street and all of these children regularly ride bikes and visit neighbors. Most of them also walk to school at Doss Elementary and walk home from school. We are all firmly opposed to the proposal from the developer to build up to 20 units on the historic and environmentally sensitive Knox property. Our opposition is based largely on three points: (1) The developer intends to use a single, short cul de sac as the sole entry and exit for 20 residences (including ADUs), which could conservatively mean 40 vehicles. Knox Lane is a short cul de sac, perhaps 50 yards long. The developer has not conducted a traffic study to my knowledge. The developer has continually increased the number of planned units for the space, without regard to the effects that these vehicles will have on the neighborhood and the environment. The increased traffic will be dangerous to the children in the neighborhood, bad for the many heritage trees adjoining Knox Lane, and detrimental to the area at large. (2) As was discussed previously at the historical commission meeting, the Knox property includes a spring fed pool (it has been estimated there may be up to 6 springs), which are believed to house an endangered salamander. To our knowledge, the developer has not conducted any hydrological study purporting to examine the impact that paving a massive portion of this property (the developer plans to put a private drive in where now there is open ground) will have on recharge zones for these springs or the endangered species inhabiting them. This type of groundwater is scarce natural resource, one that every citizen has an interest in protecting. No development should occur without an examination of the impact on the watershed of the planned paving. (3) The Knox site is a known archaeological and historically significant site. The Texas Archeological commission has recorded the presence of burnt stone middens evidencing previous native American use of the springs. It is likely that there are other sites of significant on the rest of the Knox tract, but no investigation has been made and no preservation efforts have occurred. Allowing important common cultural sites to be disturbed and destroyed so outside financiers can squeeze maximum profit out of a site cannot be what the City of Austin is about. A detailed study of the property needs These concerns must be addressed. The developer has made no effort to meet with residents to discuss this. They have, instead, hurried this agenda forward right after the holidays with minimal notice to residents. to be conducted. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Meghan Ellington CAUTION: This is an EXTERNAL email. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious or phishing email, please report it using the "Report Message" button in Outlook. For any additional questions or concerns, contact CSIRT at "cybersecurity@austintexas.gov".