ANA Executive Committee Meeting 8-30-2006

Gretchen opened the meeting and said the sale of the Farmers Market on Burnet is scheduled to close in September.

Budget

Paul Nagy, Treasurer, presented the budget. Allandale Neighborhood Association (ANA) has a balance of $31,650 and no payables. Two thirds of this amount is in a savings account and one third is in checking. Out of 3100 households in Allandale only 270 households are current members of the neighborhood association. Membership dues provide income of approximately $2300 a year. ANA gives $500 annually to Lamar and $500 to Gullett. With Lucy Read School now an active school, ANA will also vote on giving $500 to Lucy Read. This year ANA also gave an additional $500 to Gullett for The Teaching Garden.

The newsletter is self funding, bringing in a profit of approximately $200-$500 per year. With Phyllis Brinkley's absence during the production of the September newsletter Cathy Savage, our layout expert, has assumed the additional responsibility of working with advertisers, the printer, and the delivery person. In appreciation of the added work Cathy has taken on for ANA's September newsletter, Paul Nagy motioned that ANA pay Cathy a bonus of $350, in addition to this month’s fee of $480. Kay Newell seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Neighborhood Planning Survey
Kerry Kimbrough and Tom Linehan discussed the neighborhood survey they developed with Steven Zettner. Their goal is to take the pulse of ANA residents to determine their opinions of living in a central city neighborhood. This will help prepare ANA for the neighborhood planning process, which is to begin next year. The survey is focused on the types of information that will be beneficial to the planning process; opinions of neighbors on what they like about Allandale, what issues neighbors are concerned with, and what neighbors would like to see in Allandale in the future. This information is not only pertinent to the neighborhood planning process but would also provide the ANA Executive Committee with focus issues. There was a discussion of the number of times a year a survey might be sent to the neighbors, and ways for neighbors to submit the surveys. A question was raised if you have one set of respondents for survey #1 and a second set of respondents for survey #2, how do you measure or compare these responses. A suggestion was made to divide the neighborhood into sections, as each area of the neighborhood could present different issues. The decision was to move forward with the survey process and schedule a neighborhood planning meeting to discuss options and finalize the survey.

Jamie Knight /Knight Real Estate Corporation
Jamie Knight was invited to the ANA Executive Committee meeting as part of Allandale's Outreach program to businesses along Burnet Rd, to provide input into the neighborhood planning process, and to meet with the neighbors on Wynona directly west of Allandale Village/HEB.

HEB's 50-year lease expired two years ago; they are two years into the first of four 5-year lease extensions. HEB has pulled out of the Lamar/Airport development. They have looked into the Triangle and Northcross Mall but have decided against both. HEB feels the current location at Burnet and Allandale is the best location for this store. Even though this is the smallest Austin HEB, five years ago the store ranked #2 in sales for Austin. Jamie has approached HEB on a number of occasions concerning updating the store and making it more like a Central Market store - to date HEB has declined to change the store. Patrick Manley's father-in-law works for HEB headquarters in San Antonio and Patrick has discussed potential plans for the store with his father-in-law, the response has been the same, HEB has no plans at present to change the store. A member suggested that neighbors fill out HEB comment cards addressing what they would like to see the store become.

Kerry Kimbrough asked Jamie what his vision is for the property. Jamie is a proponent of 'new urbanism' or mixed-use developments (stores on the first floor and apartments/condos on the other floors). He doesn't know if that will work for Allandale Village, their vision for the next 25 years is to develop a larger grocery store and include small retailers. Jamie feels that Burnet Rd is changing along the lines of South Congress. Ken Carr is developing The Antique Marketplace into a mixed-use development. Jamie said depending on how well that does, it will determine if other mixed-use developments occur along Burnet Rd.

Eight households on Wynona Street, which back up to Allandale Village/HEB, attended the meeting. Sean Ramsey represented the Wynona neighbors and presented their questions and concerns to Jamie Knight.

1) Why are there unused parking spaces behind the center? According to Jamie they have to maintain those spaces in order to meet zoning requirements and to help meet the requirements should HEB decide to expand.

2) Why hasn't the privacy fence behind the center been continued across the length of the property? Jamie's mother met with the neighbors in 2003 and committed to an 8' privacy fence across the length of the property. At that time the neighbors disagreed on the placement of the fence and one neighbor declined. Jamie stated the offer still stood. After a discussion concerning placement and maintenance of the fence, Sean said the neighbors would get together and come back to Jamie with a proposal.

3) What is the purpose of the tin building behind the center? Jamie said it is to maintain impervious cover in the event HEB decides to expand, and they store paint and tile in the building.

4) Can something be done with the direction of the lights behind the center? The corner behind the Radio Shack has a new light installed lower than the previous light. Jamie asked the neighbors to look at the changes on that corner. They discussed the possible use of hoods to redirect the lights away from their homes. According to the neighbors the lights are more of a problem in winter when the trees are bare. The neighbors and Jamie will work on a compromise.

A reference was made to a center across Burnet Rd that has undergone a recent facelift. Jamie explained Allandale Village underwent a facelift ten years ago and that the center has a new roof. He is actively pursuing businesses for the center and has spoken with almost every restaurateur in Austin about the restaurant location in the corner of the center. The comment he keeps hearing is that the space is too large.

Zoning update
Anne Young and John Keohane provided the following update on Montview. The zoning request to change two-thirds of the lot at 5513 Montview was denied by the Zoning and Plating Commission; the applicant withdrew the case from the zoning process. John said the Drydock late night permit request is still pending. Jane Ross stated this would come before the Zoning and Plating Commission no earlier than Sept 19.

Montview Cut-Through Traffic
A question was raised about Burnet Rd business traffic cutting through lots on Montview. Gretchen suggested Anne Young speak with Brewster McCracken at ANA's October meeting to see if something can't be done to help alleviate the problem.

General Membership Meeting in September
The General Membership Meeting will be in September, Gretchen asked for meeting topic suggestions. Tom Linehan suggested inviting Chris Allen to give the neighborhood an overview of the Residential Development Regulations (McMansion) and what Chris sees as future central city development.

Currently there is a General Meeting in September, an Executive Committee meeting in October, and then another General Meeting in January. September's General Meeting will also include a discussion of moving the January General Meeting to March. And in conjunction, to move the next newsletter to the first of March, prior to the proposed March General Meeting, in a format to be decided. A sub-committee will look into the different options available for the newsletter.

Gretchen spoke about the need to rewrite the ANA by-laws, she would like to set up a by-laws sub-committee to present a draft copy of changes and/or amendments to the Executive Committee in January for review, and to then present a finalized version to the General Membership for approval in March. This is the first time in quite some time that there has been a full board due to a lack of volunteers. The Executive Committee/Board is represented by members that have served in their current positions for a full term of three years to members that are new this year. Five members of the Executive Committee/Board are coming to the end of their terms in September. Past requests on the listserve, website, and newsletter for volunteers to run the Fourth of July Parade, volunteers to head up Save Our Park Day, and volunteers to serve on the Executive Committee have largely gone unanswered. In that the Executive Committee/Board is a strong, diverse working group committed to Allandale and willing to continue serving the neighborhood; Gretchen suggested the Executive Committee amend the by-laws to remove term limits and to present this by-laws amendment to the membership at the September General Meeting. This would allow Executive Committee/Board members that are willing to continue serving the Allandale neighborhood. Paul Nagy made a motion to draft an amendment to remove term limits from the by-laws, and to correct the wording that an Executive Committee member running for the Office of President must have served on the 'current' Executive Committee for a period of one year. Patrick Manley seconded the motion. All voted in favor, one absent. A question was brought up concerning a nominating committee. According to Pat Briggs a nominating committee hasn't been used in the past four Executive Committees, people either offer to serve at a meeting or are actively working with the board and are asked to join. Paul motioned to amend the by-laws to delete the nominating committee from the by-laws. Patrick seconded. All voted in favor, one absent. Anne Young who was sitting in on the meeting said she felt it is important to have consistency on the Board.

Linnea Anderson
Linnea introduced herself and explained she is organizing the neighbors along Great Northern to learn about dealing with train noise and learning about the resources that are available and how to best incorporate that. Welcome aboard Linnea!

Shoal Creek Oak Tree Update
Leslie Christensen sent her latest oak tree update to the Board. Leslie has been working very hard on resolving the oak tree/ball moss problem along the Shoal Creek Greenbelt south of Northland. On Aug 4th Jay Culver and his whole crew of seven arborists and two general clean-up men worked for one day and deadheaded 50 out of the 190 trees in the greenbelt. Leslie's latest update is that Shane contacted Leslie to tell her that the City of Austin contract tree trimming company has agreed to send their men on their day off to work on deadheading more trees at no charge to the neighborhood association, they will donate the labor. In exchange for this tremendous offer, Allandale will help promote this via TV/radio/print and will provide water, Gatorade and food to the volunteers. Thank you Leslie for all of your hard work and determination in bringing this to fruition, the neighborhood and its oak trees can never thank you enough for all that you have done.

The meeting was adjourned.