The City of Austin has created a project webpage for the Comal Park Renovation effort, follow the link below.

Comal Pocket Park Renovation website

Thursday, September 27, 2018
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

Chalmers Courts Community Room
1801 E. 4th Street
Austin, Texas 78702

Follow this link for more Information from The City of Austin Parks Department

Follow this link to view the ECC Contact Team letter supporting the Chalmer’s Court rehabilitation project.

7th (Sabine to Navasota) COA notification

Meeting Minutes – DRAFT
East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Plan Contact Team 
General Monthly Meeting – April 18, 2018 6:00pm 
Terrazas Branch Library, 1105 E. Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78702

I. Call to Order & Roll Call

a. Mark Rogers, Lee Gresham, Julio Perez, Susan Benz, Alma Lyra, Kristen Hotopp, Kristen Heaney, Sylvia Marroquin

II. Citizen Communication

a. Elena Rodriguez – RBJ Update

i. Ground breaking ceremony May 1, 10AM
ii. VIP speakers: Pio, State Rep Eddie Rodriguez, Mayor Steve Adler, Lucy Baines Johnson Turpin
iii.Utility work and tree relocations to commence shortly thereafter
iv. Administrative Office of AGC will be relocated into the tower.
v. Construction will start along the corridor near the dental office and AGC former office.

III. Reading and Approval – postponed

a. KH sent calendar reminders

MOTION – Mark Roger
ADD Janine Sisac, Endeavor Saltillo Stand Alone Affordable Update to the agenda

SECOND – Sylvia
ALL IN FAVOR

IV. Officers Reports

a. Treasurer – Spent $50 for Neighborhood Association dues for Gwen

V. Standing Committee & Sector Rep Reports

a. Discussion and possible action items

i. Historic Preservation Committee – Call for interested parties to chair the committee. Consider taking on the task.
ii. Land Use Committee – No news
iii.Julio inquires about property at Cesar Chavez and Attayac.

1. Julio will send address to Mark Rogers to confirm legal use

VI. Unfinished Business & General Orders

a. Cielo 4th and Comal – Tyler Buckler

i. Tyler submits new Creative Arts Space Proposal Sheet – Offer

1. Paying Fee In Lieu of roughly $500K to go from 40’ to 60’ – approved by City Council on first reading on March 8, 2018
2. For the additional 12’ height request, Cielo is offering 9,000 SF of affordable creative space at 50% market value for 1-5 years, 55% for 6-8 years, 60% for 9-10 years. The intent to scale up to market rate.
3. We want to say that we are part of the problem that is creating limited availability of creative art space and that’s why we wanted to give something back.
4. Additionally, City of Austin will maintain a right to purchase the 9,000 SF at any time throughout the reduced rent term of 10 years at fair market value.
5. Neighbor Input, Gwen – Cielo will get plenty of income from the additional 21,000 SF. Susan Benz confirms that $48/SF for $21,000 SF is $1M per year. It is a gain of $10M and giving up $2M.
Tyler- $48/SF is gross. Doesn’t include the cost to build it.
Tyler notes an Austin Oaks memo.
Julio asks, what is the value to the neighborhood?
Sylvia asks, if the added value is so low then why bother?
Tyler says that it may actually be a drag and we like the community benefit.
MARK – ECC is a neighborhood TOD.

MOTION – Mark Rogers
ECC-NPT honor the regulating plan as it relates to the Cielo 4th Street project

SECOND – Kristen Hotopp
Amendment, ECC to send a letter to council that restates our position that the height restriction for this project remain at 60’.

Mark to Tyler – we appreciate the effort.

Tyler – Values our time and understands the challenges around affordability and community benefit. This was our best try. We think it was a good try and we think it would allow the artist community to have more time as the city works though a possible solution for supporting funding for creative arts spaces.

Mark – Our job here is to look at the plan that’s in place and determine what the right thing I to do.

Susan – We’ve been sending a strong message about height.

ALL in FAVOR (Mark Rogers Abstained due to conflict of interest)

VII. NEW BUSINESS

a. Election of Business Rep – Brandon Testa

MOTION – Kristen Heaney
Deny Election of Brandon Testa as Business Representative.

SECOND – Julio Perez
ALL in FAVOR – UNANIMOUS

b. Outdoor Music Permits and Terms – Brian Block, the Music Office

i. Conversation regarding current rules and precedents
Intention of the code is intended to inspire and encourage good communication between the venue and the neighborhood.
If agreement existing between venues and neighbors

Our goal is to encourage good communication, understanding each other needs venue being a good operator and keeps neighborhood in mind and neighborhood understand what they need to be viable sustainable good operators and neighbors.

Susan mention that other neighborhood letter are just that, letters and that our ECC agreement has more detail related to hours.
The code speaks to SXSW – which is called Spring Festival Season. ONLY EXCEPTION to the code. It’s a 10 day period. Allows flexibility to go 10AM – 2AM. Code does not allow us to do extended hours during ACL.

Susan mentions that our agreement limits the number of event per year.
Brian says most neighborhoods do not dictate the number of events per year. The letter is not intended to be a regulatory thing.

ECCs limitations on the number of shows is not enforceable.
Mark mentions that what it is collaborative vs. regulatory.

Every OMV permit has a sound impact plan to account for impact to neighbors specific to each venue.

Restaurant patios can play music over a speaker system up to 70db but need a permit to have live music over 70db. It’s an inconsistency in the code.

Call 311 for complaints OR MUSIC HOTLINE (512) 593-9221

SO – Sound Ordinance Permit Search is possible

Music Department will be listing the venues on their website soon.

ii. Janine Sisac, Endeavor Saltillo Stand Alone Affordable Update

We applied for tax credits for the 2nd time and it looks like we will not be competitive due to HACA competition. No 2 TDHCA finding for 2 projects within 2 miles could be funded.

There is no way this project can receive funding this year unless HACA deal falls through.

2017 application included:
92 units – 90 units are affordable to 60% AMI and below.

(72) Studio and 1 bedroom, (12) 2 bedroom, and (8) 3 bedroom units.
To get some 3 bedroom units, we took our 4th story and made them taller to create an 8’ mezzanine floor for 3 bedroom units.

We will be coming back later this year and in December there will be a favorable request for support.

We stepped down for HACA benefit this year. Next year we need to have a turn.

Kristen Hotopp – Thank you for looking at the 3 bedroom possibility.

VIII. Community Announcements

a. The Trail Foundation is working with PARD to redevelop restaurant building at festival beach. JOBE-CORRAL Architects will be here next meeting to discuss the project.

IX. MOTION to Adjourn – Sylvia Marroquin

SECOND – Julio Perez
ALL in FAVOR
7:59 PM