SRCC GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Monday, November 3, 2014 7:15 PM
GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
205 E. MONROE, AUSTIN, TEXAS
AGENDA
To be sure you get a vote, become a member. You can join or renew online www.srccatx.org. Not sure if you are current? Email membership@srccatx.org and we’ll let you know.
CALL TO ORDER/APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. 7:15 Meeting procedures, etiquette, welcome newcomers. Verification of quorum. Reminder: state your name when presenting or seconding a motion. If an acronym is stated during the meeting and you don’t know what it means, please feel free to raise your hand and ask (see also footnote*).
Presenter throughout: Sounthaly “Tune†Outhavong, SRCC President, unless otherwise noted.
2. 7:20 Membership and voting announcements. Pay multiple years in advance and get a discount.
Single membership: 1-yr $20; 2-yr $35; 3-yr $50 / Family membership: 1-yr $35; 2-yr $65; 3-yr $95
NOTE: In order to vote, dues must be paid a month in advance, with the exception that if a former member’s
dues have lapsed no more than 2 years, they may renew at the meeting and be eligible to vote.
3. 7:22 Approve minutes from October 6, 2014, last regular monthly meeting (available at www.srccatx.org).
MOTION: Claudette Lowe / Russell Frasier – to approve the minutes from the Oct 2014 GM meeting = PASSED
4. 7:25 Treasurer’s Report – see attachment to agenda distributed at the meeting; all reports are available upon
request to the Treasurer.
Presenter: Nancy Byrd, Treasurer
Sam Martin provided the report in place of Nancy. The cost to print the newsletter exceeded the income for this month. For any other details about the report, please contact treasurer@srccatx.org
5. 7:30 Committee Chairs reports
1) Parks, Schools, Environment; 2) Planning & Zoning–item below; 3) Transportation & Public Safety; 4) Norwood;
5) Historic District–item below; 8) Finance; status of projects funded by SRCC; 9) ANC*; 10) Communications–item
below
5- Norwood – They have hired a new project manager with lots of experience to oversee the act of moving the house to rebuild the foundation and then put the house back in place. The update was provided by Wolf Sitler.
8- Finance – One of the projects being funded from SRCC’s account at Austin Community Foundation is the Blunn Creek Preserve effort headed by David Todd. There was an expenditure made towards this project. The update was provided by Sam Martin.
9- Austin Neighborhood Council – The annual dues have been increased from $35 to $50. ANC leaders expressed a general lack of trust with the CodeNEXT effort that the City has been pursuing. CodeNEXT is the city project to revise the existing building codes that regulate how development must comply with neighborhood plans, compatibility standards, etc.
OLD BUSINESS
6. 7:35 Update on Terrace Hotel (110 Academy Drive/1101 Music Lane)–the developers have hired lawyer to work on retainer agreement, went before Planning Commission, next up is City Council.
Presenter: Marc Davis, SRCC Member
The SRCC group who has been working on this issue had us vote last month to approve a “blueprint†document that will ultimately be used to draft the three documents needed to complete the project. This will most likely not be ready in time for City Council this week and a postponement is foreseen.
NEW BUSINESS
7. 7:45 Blue Bonnet Hills Local Historic District update–application is officially under review with city.
Presenter: Angela Reed, interim director of Preservation Austin, reed.as@gmail.com
Eastside, Leland, Breckenridge, Newning and Annie are the bordering streets for this proposed Historic District. The application was officially filed with the City and notifications sent out. The Landmark Commission will review the application on Nov 17th, Planning Commission will review it on Dec 9th and City Council will review the application on December 11th. The design standards are similar to what was previously proposed but modified to fit this new, smaller area. Any donations can be sent to the Austin Community Fund with a note stating Bluebonnet Hills.
8. 7:55 Presentation of Travis Heights Art Trail guidebook and postcard; idea for logo contest at beginning of 2015.
Presenter: Sounthaly Outhavong, SRCC President
Our sponsorship of the Travis Heights Art Trail resulted in us having an ad in their program. One thing we were lacking was an official graphic or logo to represent the SRCC. The Executive Committee talked about organizing a logo contest within the neighborhood that the general membership could vote on. The contest will probably take place in the spring.
9. 8:05 Travis Heights Elementary’s Mission75 Fundraising campaign–information and request that SRCC make a donation.
Presenter: Marc Davis, SRCC Member
This year is THES’s 75th anniversary! The goal is to raise a bunch of money to help fund all their initiatives. In 2012, THES became the first in district charter school. This means it must meet all the same educational standards but the community gets to design the curriculum. Service learning is woven into all classes, cultural immersion is available, blended learning uses technology to let kids learn together regardless of their economic disadvantage or advanced learning skills. Movement and nutrition are made a priority. Sam Martin asked to table the issue until after the Finance Committee has a chance to discuss it. Visit mission75.com to get more information including options starting at $7.50 and adding zeros for additional levels.
10. 8:10 Social media announcement, update on Communications committee, call for volunteer for Communications Vice Chair.
Presenters: Sounthaly Outhavong, SRCC President, Justin Chang, SRCC Communications Chair
We welcomed Justin Chang as our new Communications Committee Chair! Thank you, Justin, for being a leader in the community. Some examples of how we can expand our communication tools to include more neighbors were discussed as well as ways to involve condos and apartment complexes. You can send your ideas and concerns to communications@srccatx.org.
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Call for Volunteers:
–Area Coordinator needed for Area 3a, boundaries: between IH35 and Travis Heights Blvd, from Woodland Ave to Riverside Drive. The names of block captains will be provided.
–Volunteers for Special Events Committee to organize the 4th of July, the Election Potluck and possibly other events.
–Request for volunteer who has experience drawing landscape plans. We have a basic file and need to add items and labels. Short time-frame and includes walking the site Heritage Oaks park for placement of benches.
–Request for volunteers to attend a 1-hr training session designed for NA. “Tips & Tools toward smarter conversations about Development Review”–overview of the various online resources available from the Planning & Development Review Dept. and briefly demonstrate how each of the tools works.
· Online Tools & Resources (links to commonly used websites & pages)
· Online Interactive Development Review Permitting and Inspection Database (a.k.a. “External AMANDAâ€)
· Interactive Development Web Map
· Zoning Profile Report
If there is interest, we’ll ask her if she can also cover resources to track Council & Commission actions.
–It was shared that Joe’s Crab Shack signed a lease for an additional 14 years.
–The Torchy’s Tacos alcohol permit meeting set for Council this week has been postponed.
Presenters: Gretchen Otto, SRCC Vice President; Carol Martin, SRCC Membership Chair
Account reconciliation, Profit & Loss and Balance reports available upon request from treasurer@srccatx.org
Presenter: Nancy Byrd, Treasurer
*Frequently used acronyms: ACF: Austin Community Fund; ANC: Austin Neighborhood Council; SF: Single Family zoning category; FLUM: Future Land Use Map; GSRC NPCT: Greater South River City Neighborhood Planning Contact Team, NCCD: Neighborhood Conservation Combining District
