02 C14-2025-0032 - Acres West Lot 20 Rezone; District 6 - Applicant Comments — original pdf

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From: To: Cc: Subject: Date: Attachments: Importance: Tisha Ritta Janet Taborn; Cindy Barron; CarlosyNancy; Michael Stark; Gema Lane; Lori Humphrey; Marshall Allman; april.dykman; Charlotte Rotthoff; Peggy Shaw; Aragon Andres & Ligia; Austin Mitchell; Bill Allen; Carl Snow; Jim Santora; Joann & Angelo Baylon; Kerri Adams; L. M. "Mac" Holder III; Lynne & Dario David; Carolyn & Joe Pils; benhur; wes; maldonadov; Lan & Steve Nguyen; Joe Joseph; mrj; vicki.mccoy; Mahir Khan; Asher Khan Sirwaitis, Sherri Re: C14-2025-0032, C14-2025-0060, C14-2008-0224(RCT) Friday, August 15, 2025 6:06:47 PM Outlook-pu52lgjx.png Outlook-pr121zjy.png Outlook-f4fwpzm0.png Outlook-4dy2m3ag.png image.png image.png SPICEWOOD-LOT-SITE PLAN OPTION 1.pdf SPICEWOOD-LOT-SITE PLAN OPTION 2.pdf High External Email - Exercise Caution Hello Residents of Acres West, Thank you to those who have taken the time to share your thoughts regarding our three pending zoning applications. I have reviewed all letters and statements submitted to the City’s public portal and wanted to follow up with you ahead of our hearing next week. My goal is to acknowledge the concerns raised, share additional information that may not have been previously communicated, and invite you to meet with me for an open conversation. Since late June, I have provided details on each case, requested feedback, and attempted to coordinate a meeting with the neighborhood. Unfortunately, I did not receive any responses until last week. To ensure everyone is included moving forward, I’ve copied all residents so you may contact me directly if you wish. Below, I’ve included some clarification and details for each case for your review. I understand weekday schedules can be challenging, so please let me know if this Sunday or Monday would work better for a meeting. While we don’t have a conference room available, I’m happy to coordinate a location that’s convenient for everyone. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and receiving any feedback from the neighborhood. Acres West Lot 20 Rezone (C14-2025-0032) - Rezone from DR to SF6 Attached are two early layout ideas for the vacant lot at 13608 Caldwell Dr. Since the property doesn’t yet have a zoning designation, it wouldn’t make sense to invest in detailed plans just yet but zoning will be required before anything can move forward. Due to the lot’s unusual shape and its location next to a commercial property, we feel a small townhome or condominium development would be the most compatible and thoughtful use of the space. We understand the concerns raised about traffic, drainage, neighborhood character, and property values. SF-6 zoning is consistent with other nearby communities and supports much-needed housing in our city. In many cases, well-designed, high-quality infill housing has helped strengthen property values and foster community investment. The owner will need to meet today’s stricter City requirements for stormwater, impervious cover, and mitigation measures. We’re also open to ideas like wildlife- friendly landscaping and thoughtful driveway placement/design to help address concerns. 02 C14-2025-0032 - Acres West Lot 20 Rezone; District 61 of 12At the end of the day, our goal is to work with the neighborhood so this property is developed in a way that’s responsible, attractive, and beneficial to the community. AE Medical & Retail Rezone (C14-2025-0060) - Modify Prohibited Uses Over the years, the owner has found it challenging to lease this property because of outdated use restrictions set more than 15 years ago. We’re asking to update the conditional overlay so it better fits today’s market and allows certain uses that are already common under the base zoning. Some uses currently restricted, like Group Homes, Residential Treatment, and Guidance Services are no longer considered appropriate to prohibit under the Fair Housing Act and per the legal department, City staff advised us to include them in the request. We understand the neighborhood’s concerns about adding certain uses and the potential for increased traffic. Please know that the current zoning ordinance for this property (Ordinance No. 20100624-107) already prohibits vehicular access to adjacent residential areas and we are not seeking to change that restriction. We’ve also heard concerns about uses such as gaming rooms, 24-hour restaurants, and drive-thru food establishments. The owner would like to reassure you that these are not part of his vision for the property and he has no interest in leasing to those types of businesses. In fact, none of the existing buildings are designed to accommodate drive-thru uses. Any new uses permitted as a result of this request would be located entirely within the existing buildings. No additional exterior lighting is planned and the owner is not seeking tenants whose operations would generate noise that could disturb the neighborhood. Below is a list of the specific prohibited uses we’re requesting to amend in the Conditional Overlay. To help us better address any concerns, could you please share which of these uses are of particular concern to the neighborhood? Tract One (GR-CO Zoning) Indoor Sports & Recreation Indoor Entertainment Private Secondary Educational Facilities Private Primary Educational Facilities Restaurant (General) Tract Two (GO-CO Zoning) Private Secondary Educational Facilities Private Primary Educational Facilities AE Medical & Retail Zoning Amendment C14-2008-0224(RCT) - Terminate Restrictive Covenant The current restrictive covenant places two main limitations on the property: 1. Business Hours Currently, operations are limited to 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. We are requesting the removal of this restriction to allow more flexible hours for certain types of businesses, such as private tutoring centers, sleep clinics, and coffee shops that may need to operate outside of that timeframe. These types of tenants can provide valuable services to the community and fit well with the character of the existing commercial center. Unfortunately, the current limitation has led the 02 C14-2025-0032 - Acres West Lot 20 Rezone; District 62 of 12owner to turn away many potential tenants over the years who would have otherwise been a good match for the property. 2. Landscaped Buffers The covenant also requires vegetative buffers along interior property lines next to residential areas. These landscape and mitigation measures were addressed during Phase 1 construction for the 11 residential lots along the northeastern boundary. More recently, an updated plan was approved for the southwest side of the site, which includes only one residential property, as your all aware is owned by the same property owner. The owner fully intends to maintain these buffers, as they will protect and add value for the future owners of Lot 20 (13608 Caldwell Dr). It would make little sense to develop the residential lot without providing a buffer from the adjacent commercial property. We’ve told the City know that, we’re happy to have this requirement written into the updated zoning ordinance for case C14-2025-0060. In any case, these landscape requirements will still be enforced during the site plan process. With that in mind, are the neighborhood’s concerns focused only on the request to extend business hours, or are there concerns about both of the restrictions mentioned in the covenant? . From: Cindy Barron Sent: Wednesday, August 6, 2025 11:17 AM To: Tisha Ritta <tisha@permitpartnerstx.com> Cc: Sherri Sirwaitis <Sherri.Sirwaitis@austintexas.gov>; Asher Khan Subject: Re: C14-2025-0032, C14-2025-0060, C14-2008-0224(RCT) Good morning Tisha. Most of our concerns have already been posted on the portal for all three cases. We are available Friday (8/8) afternoon if you would like to meet with us. Please let me know if that works for you. cindy Cindy Barron Acres West 13602 Caldwell Drive 02 C14-2025-0032 - Acres West Lot 20 Rezone; District 63 of 12Austin, TX 78750 (H)512/258-2142 (M)512/567-3928 From: Tisha Ritta Sent: Tuesday, August 5, 2025 12:28 PM To: Cindy Barron Cc: Asher Khan Subject: Re: C14-2025-0032, C14-2025-0060, C14-2008-0224(RCT) Hello Cindy & Asher, We've now approached two weeks until the August 19th Zoning and Platting Commission hearing. Can you please contact me to discuss the neighborhoods concerns at your earliest convenience. . From: Tisha Ritta Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 7:07 PM To: Cindy Barron Cc: Asher Khan Subject: Re: C14-2025-0032, C14-2025-0060, C14-2008-0224(RCT) Hello Cindy and Asher, I wanted to follow up to see if the neighborhood has had an opportunity to provide any input on the zoning cases since the information I shared two weeks ago. As we approach August, we’re starting to grow concerned about the lack of progress since agreeing to the postponement request. We’re doing our best to be considerate of the neighborhood’s concerns, but we’d really appreciate it if we could keep the process moving to respect everyone’s time and effort. We look forward to hearing from you soon. . 02 C14-2025-0032 - Acres West Lot 20 Rezone; District 64 of 12From: Tisha Ritta Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2025 6:21 PM To: Cindy Barron Cc: Asher Khan Subject: Re: C14-2025-0032, C14-2025-0060, C14-2008-0224(RCT) Hi Cindy, I’ll reach out to the owner to see if there’s a conference room available for a potential meeting. That said, I don’t believe we have enough information at this stage to justify a formal presentation. I imagine many of the neighborhood’s questions or concerns can likely be addressed via email before moving forward with an in-person discussion. Below, I’ve included some clarification and details related to each case for your review. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and any feedback from the neighborhood. Acres West Lot 20 Rezone (C14-2025-0032) - Rezone from DR to SF6 The preliminary site layout I shared on July 1st is the only conceptual material we have at this time for the 13608 Caldwell Dr zoning case, I've reattached it here for easy reference. Since the property doesn’t yet have an approved zoning designation, it wouldn’t be practical for the owner to invest in detailed architectural or engineering plans just yet. The unique shape of the lot does present some design limitations, and because it directly borders a commercially zoned property, we felt a townhome or condominium layout would be the most compatible and thoughtful use of the space. Nonetheless, we want to be as collaborative and transparent as possible. Can you share more specifics on the neighborhood’s concerns with this zoning request? AE Medical & Retail Rezone (C14-2025-0060) - Modify Prohibited Uses Over the years, the owner has faced challenges securing tenants for the property due to outdated use restrictions that were put in place over 15 years ago. To better align with current market demands and attract a wider range of potential tenants, we’re requesting updates to the conditional overlay to allow certain uses that are typically permitted under the base zoning district. During our initial discussions with City planning staff, we were advised that some of the currently restricted uses, such as *Group Homes, Residential Treatment, and Guidance Services* are no longer considered appropriate to prohibit, based on legal guidance from the City Law Department. These uses support protected classes and are regulated under the Fair Housing Act. As a result, we’ve included them in our request. I understand that the neighborhood has expressed concerns regarding the addition of certain uses and traffic access. I’d like to clarify that the existing zoning ordinance for this property (Ordinance No. 02 C14-2025-0032 - Acres West Lot 20 Rezone; District 65 of 1220100624-107) already prohibits vehicular access to adjacent residential areas. This condition is outlined in Part 2.B of the attached ordinance and is not proposed to change as part of the current rezoning request. Below, I’ve outlined the specific prohibited uses we’re requesting to amend in the Conditional Overlay. To help us better address any concerns, could you please share which of these uses are of particular concern to the neighborhood? Tract One (GR-CO Zoning) Indoor Sports & Recreation Indoor Entertainment Private Secondary Educational Facilities Private Primary Educational Facilities Restaurant (General) Group Home* Tract Two (GO-CO Zoning) Private Secondary Educational Facilities Private Primary Educational Facilities Group Home* Guidance Services* Residential Treatment* Guidance Services* AE Medical & Retail Zoning Amendment C14-2008-0224(RCT) - Terminate Restrictive Covenant The current restrictive covenant places two main limitations on the property: 1. Business Hours Operations are currently limited to 7am–10pm. We're requesting the removal of this restriction to allow for more flexible hours, especially for uses like private tutoring centers or sleep clinics that may need to operate outside of that window. 2. Landscaped Buffers The covenant also requires vegetative buffers along interior property lines next to residential areas. These landscape and mitigation requirements were already addressed in Phase 1 construction for the 11 residential lots along the northeastern boundary. More recently, an updated landscape and mitigation plan was approved under Site Plan Permit SP-2024-0215C to cover the southwest side of the site. We’ve also let the city know that if they’d prefer this buffer requirement be incorporated into the updated zoning ordinance for case C14-2025- 0060, the owner is happy to agree. With that in mind, are the neighborhood’s concerns focused only on the request to extend business hours, or are there concerns about both of the restrictions mentioned in the covenant? . 02 C14-2025-0032 - Acres West Lot 20 Rezone; District 66 of 12From: Cindy Barron Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2025 11:02 AM To: Tisha Ritta Subject: Re: C14-2025-0032, C14-2025-0060, C14-2008-0224(RCT) Good morning, Tisha, Sorry about the delay in getting back to you, but we wanted to get all three cases on the same public hearing schedule (August 19th) since they're all related to your client's site and plans. It would be most welcome if you could be prepared to present to us your client's plans, then we can follow-up with a Q & A session for all three cases. If you could come up with some options for dates and times that would be convenient to meet, I can let folks know and we can get back to you with our best choice. Also, does Spicewood Dermatology have a conference room in their building where we could meet? That would be so convenient. If not, we'll figure out something else close to or in our neighborhood. Thanks, Cindy Barron Acres West 13602 Caldwell Drive Austin, TX 78750 (H)512/258-2142 (M)512/567-3928 From: Tisha Ritta Sent: Monday, July 14, 2025 2:02 PM To: Cindy Barron Cc: Sherri Sirwaitis <sherri.sirwaitis@austintexas.gov> Subject: Re: C14-2025-0032 Hi Cindy, I hope you had a nice weekend. I'm following up on my email from two weeks ago regarding the proposed zoning for 13608 Caldwell Dr. I wanted to check in to see if the neighborhood has any questions or concerns that we can begin to address. I was also recently informed that you submitted a request to postpone both zoning cases C14-2025- 0060 and C14-2008-0224(RCT), which were originally scheduled for the July 15th Zoning and Platting Commission hearing. I’ve agreed to the neighborhood’s request to postpone to August 19th, but I would appreciate the opportunity to actively collaborate on the concerns that led to this request. 02 C14-2025-0032 - Acres West Lot 20 Rezone; District 67 of 12We’ve been working diligently to meet the City’s requirements and move these cases forward. I’m available and more than willing to open a dialogue so we can begin addressing any outstanding issues. Please feel free to reach out at your earliest convenience so we can keep the process moving and be respectful of everyone’s time and effort. From: Tisha Ritta Sent: Tuesday, July 1, 2025 10:49 AM To: Cindy Barron Cc: Sherri Sirwaitis <sherri.sirwaitis@austintexas.gov> Subject: Re: C14-2025-0032 Good morning Cindy, Thank you for your message and for sharing your concerns. I completely understand your need for additional time to coordinate with the Acres West members, and I support your request for a postponement. I agree that ensuring adequate time for meaningful discussion is important, and I appreciate your efforts to facilitate community engagement. I also recognize the frustration caused by the issues with the notification list, signage placement, and delays in communication from the City. These complications certainly created confusion, and I agree that they impacted the community’s ability to fully participate in the process. To help ensure communication remains clear and efficient moving forward, I kindly request that we work through a single point of contact who can serve as a liaison for the neighborhood. Based on past experience, having one representative helps streamline communication and avoid misunderstandings in what can often be a complex process. With that in mind, I’d like to schedule a meeting at your earliest availability. It would be very helpful if you could compile a list of the neighborhood’s concerns and any specific questions you or the community have for the property owner or myself, so we can come prepared and make the best use of everyone's time. For context, this property has remained vacant for some time, and the goal of the current zoning request is to assign a zoning designation that would allow for development to occur. We’re still in the very early stages of design, and the owner was hesitant to invest further until there was more clarity on the zoning outcome. The unique shape of the lot presents certain design challenges and 02 C14-2025-0032 - Acres West Lot 20 Rezone; District 68 of 12given that it directly borders a commercially zoned property, we felt that a townhome/condominiumm layout is a more appropriate fit. The proposed SF-6 zoning designation is intended to support that concept in a way that aligns with the lot’s constraints and surrounding context. For visual reference, I’ve attached a very preliminary site plan layout reflecting the current concept. Please let me know your availability, and I’ll be happy to coordinate the meeting. From: Cindy Barron Sent: Monday, June 30, 2025 5:49 PM To: Tisha Ritta Cc: Sherri Sirwaitis <sherri.sirwaitis@austintexas.gov> Subject: C14-2025-0032 Hi Tisha, Thank you for your response. Unfortunately, the timeframe you've proposed to meet and discuss your plans for the property is too short for us to coordinate a meaningful meeting with the Acres West members prior to the ZAP Public Hearing. As a result, we will proceed with our request for a postponement to allow more time to schedule a suitable date, time, and location. Additionally, the notification of the address verification was dated April 14, 2025—over two months ago. We also encountered issues with the notification list you provided, which excluded numerous properties within the 500-foot radius that should have been included. We had to request a correction ourselves and did not receive the updated list until June 11, 2025. Furthermore, the original public hearing signage was not placed on the correct lot by the City, which created considerable confusion among property owners in Acres West. The public hearing notice for the ZAP meeting dated June 20, 2025, was not received by most recipients until Tuesday, June 24, or Wednesday, June 25, due to standard mailing delays. Compounding the confusion, there was no date or time for the ZAP Public Hearing posted on the AB+C Portal. 02 C14-2025-0032 - Acres West Lot 20 Rezone; District 69 of 12These oversights and delays significantly hindered the community’s ability to respond appropriately and could have been avoided. Red font = correction. Should've proofed better. Cindy Barron Acres West 13602 Caldwell Drive Austin, TX 78750 (H)512/258-2142 (M)512/567-3928 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". 02 C14-2025-0032 - Acres West Lot 20 Rezone; District 610 of 12THE PLAN LAYOUTS, BUILDING FEATURES DEMISING WALLS AND AREA TOTALS HEREIN SHOULD BE CONSIDERED APPROXIMATE. SPECIFIC ITEM LOCATIONS AND CRITICAL DIMENSIONS SHOULD BE FIELD VERIFIED. NORTH 7,828.4713 SF SUMMARY: SF-6 ZONING MIN. LOT: MIN. WIDTH: MAX. UNITS: MAX. HT.: FRONT SETBACK: SIDE SETBACK: REAR SETBACK: MAX. BLDG. AREA: 5,750 SF 50' 5 ? 35' 15' 5' 10' 40% = 3,131 SF ACTUAL: 3,000 SF 55% = 4,305 SF ACTUAL: 4,300 SF MAX IMP. AREA: GROUND COVERAGE BUILDING SUMMARY: 3 - 1,600 SF TWO LEVEL UNITS WITH 2 CAR GARAGE " 8 7 2 2'-5 2 4 3'-1 1" UNIT 3 1,600 SF 2 CAR GARAGE " 18 9 - ' 1 8 1 UNIT 2 1,600 SF UNIT 1 1,600 SF E G A R A G R A C 2 E G A R A G R A C 2 CALDWELL DRIVE 196'-21 8" SPICEWOOD ADJACENT LOT TEST STUDY 9-27-23 7,828.4713 SF .4092853 ACRE PLAN OPTION C SITE PLAN SCALE: NONE 02 C14-2025-0032 - Acres West Lot 20 Rezone; District 611 of 12 SUMMARY: SF-6 ZONING MIN. LOT: MIN. WIDTH: MAX. UNITS: MAX. HT.: FRONT SETBACK: SIDE SETBACK: REAR SETBACK: MAX. BLDG. AREA: GROUND COVERAGE 5,750 SF 50' 5 ? 35' 15' 5' 10' 40% = 3,131 SF ACTUAL: 2,800 SF 55% = 4,305 SF ACTUAL: 4,200 SF MAX IMP. AREA: BUILDING SUMMARY: 2 - 3,000 SF TWO LEVEL UNITS WITH 2 CAR GARAGE " 8 7 2 2'-5 THE PLAN LAYOUTS, BUILDING FEATURES DEMISING WALLS AND AREA TOTALS HEREIN SHOULD BE CONSIDERED APPROXIMATE. SPECIFIC ITEM LOCATIONS AND CRITICAL DIMENSIONS SHOULD BE FIELD VERIFIED. NORTH 7,828.4713 SF 2 4 3'-1 1" UNIT 1 3,000 SF 2 CAR GARAGE CALDWELL DRIVE 196'-21 8" " 18 9 - ' 1 8 1 UNIT 2 3,000 SF 2 CAR GARAGE SPICEWOOD ADJACENT LOT TEST STUDY 9-27-23 7,828.4713 SF .4092853 ACRE PLAN OPTION A SITE PLAN SCALE: NONE 02 C14-2025-0032 - Acres West Lot 20 Rezone; District 612 of 12