If you have been following the news in the Austin Daily Herald of June 2, 2015, you are reading of the possible development of the Fox Point Addition located east of the Austin Village Co-op. This development would have negative consequences for people living in the co-op, a retirement community which opened for occupancy in 2007.

In developing this property, three proposals have been formulated by city engineer, Steven Lang, to access the Fox Point property to eventually be developed into a housing nonprofit to develop 30 townhouse units at the site.

Lang’s first proposal, “Existing platted right-of-way for Fox Point PUD is a very project-specific design and would not optimize the site for the proposed HRA housing project.”

The second proposal by Lang, “A cul-de-sac design would serve this site well and if laid out properly, could optimize the site for development.” Lang says, “The downfall of this design is that it does not improve the overall mobility options for the residents of this area.”

His third proposal, and the one most objected to by the Austin Village Co-op, “This would be a 21st Avenue link. This design would serve this site well and if laid out well and if laid out well would optimize the site for development.” He goes on to say, “This option would also provide a neighborhood link to retail along the 18th Avenue Corridor,” and, he says, “would be the best alternative for police, fire and emergencies services.”

While we at the co-op respect these vital city services, we must add that, over the years, as far as we can observe, residents living in this area are already being adequately served.

And finally, in his third proposal, Lang states, “Disadvantages to this option would be the lack of willingness from the Village Co-op to work with us on the 21st Avenue connection. “Eminent domain,” he goes on to say, “May be required to make the connection to 21st Avenue.” And, finally, in the last lines of his proposal, Lang says, “Wetland mitigation may also be required in order to make the connection possible.”

Lang then says, “It would be our staff recommendation to move forward with Option No. 3.”

Overwhelmingly, the residents of Austin Village Co-op strongly oppose option three. First, while the new access road is under construction, our private driveway entry and exit to and from the co-op property will be blocked making it necessary to leave and enter our property through the gate to the north of the complex. This added traffic flow will not be welcome news to our neighbors living in that area. It was because of their concerns in 2006 and 2007 that the city required that we build our own private driveway. It is about half of this private driveway that the city engineer wishes to tear up for the link to the Fox Point Addition. When the road has been finished and is operational, how much more traffic can we estimate will use this road? We think a lot more. This is a concern for the security and safety of the residents. We oppose this Option 3 plan for those very major reasons.

And, as importantly, as Lang stated, “Wetland mitigation may also be required in order to make the connection possible.” In other words Lang is suggesting the destruction of more valuable wetland within the city of Austin. A number of our citizens may not realize that this precious resource is located just a few yards from our driveway entrance on 21st Avenue.

We at the Village co-op support progress that benefits the city of Austin but this option is not progress. We oppose the third option as presented to the Planning Commission on June 10th, 2015.

We would ask the city Planning Commission and the Austin City Council to consider carefully and, if indeed the Fox Point property is to be developed into a housing project, to strongly consider Option 2 and reject the flawed and unpopular Option 3.

Respectfully,

Darrell Larson, unit owner

Sidney Brown, chairman, Board of Directors