Why of permits, zoning, and neighborhood real estate watch!

Officer Crowder promotes a neighborhood crime watch. Good idea, IMO. This is on a different kind of neighborhood watch. A neighborhood real estate watch. Zoning exists in Austin. According to the 1953 edition of Government in Action, by 1948 all except one of American cities over 250,000 population had zoning (Austin was not yet that large). Austin is now about 660,000 population.

Why zoning? The 1938 edition of Government in Action, put it this way: “Modern city planning includes . . . limitations on the use of private property. A property-owner is not permitted to ruin a residential neighborhood by turning his dwelling into a factory or a garage. Such restrictions are called zoning. Zoning laws illustrate the need of surrendering freedom to do what one pleases with one’s own property in order that all may gain greater freedom or enjoyment.” From the high school textbook, “Government in Action”, by Keohane, Keohane, and McGoldrick, Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York-Chicago, 1938, page 398 There can be legal changes to zoning in three ways that I know of (note: I am new as zoning chair in Allandale, have only been in the position since January 10). 1) One way is rezoning which must go through the zoning commission and the city council. 2) Another is the in use of zoning variances. I will admit, I do not yet know about these. 3) A third thing that can change legal land use, is replotting. If the lot is large enough, it can be replotted into two. This needs signoff from the others in the subdivision. I am just learning about replotting. Illegal use. Construction and/or demolition without regard to zoning. That's where permits come in, and where permits are important. For electrical redo, a master electrician must be involved, at least to supervise the work. That can help the homeowner and the neighbors. The homeowner can know that the job will be done well, or the master electrician's state license can be revolked. The neighbors will know that the home next to them is not likely to burn down. To get a construction permit in Austin, one must provide a site plan. That was my experience when we bought this house, and before we moved in. Site plan for a lot that is SF-2, such as ours, requires no more than 45% of impervious cover. Impervious cover includes things which water does not go through, such as houses, concrete patios, concrete driveways, miscellaneous buildings. Partly because of the reality of rain, one does not want lots of impervious cover. Lots of impervious cover can mean floods, if the water has nowhere much to go but downhill. So, we are back to the matter of real estate watch. Will you watch what is going on in your part of Allandale? If construction is occurring, will you be willing to search the city www site for the permit(s) (I can provide you the www site). If zoning changes are requested, in your area, will you be willing to comment on whether you want those changes? Will you be willing to learn something about zoning (I can provide you city www sites on this, as well). Will you be willing to go to a maximum of 4 meetings in a year of a planning and zoning committee? So, let me know, either by posting here, or by sending me an email. and THANKS, for your interest in zoning, permits, and a real estate neighborhood watch. Best regards, John Keohane 5702 Wynona Avenue Austin, TX 78756 (512) 371-3853 keohane@prodigy.net Zoning committee chair. Allandale Neighborhood Association