I guess everyone has seen the Zoning change notice. I was hoping that Stratus and HEB would entertain a Town Hall type meeting to discuss their plans and needs !? I guess I was wrong. Looks like they plan to go ahead with their big box without our input or comments.

Anyway, you should forward you comments to the City Council, right away. They are going to consider the latest Lowe's proposal on Thursday :

43. Consider settlement of Lowe's Home Centers, Inc. v. City of Austin, Cause No. GN300629, in the 98th Judicial District Court of Travis County, Texas (concerning development of the Lowe's tract, approximately 31 acres in the Barton Springs Zone located at the Northwest corner of Brodie Lane and Allegro Lugar, in the Barton Springs Zone). (Related Item 49)(Mayor Pro Tem Jackie Goodman and Council Member Brewster McCracken)



... this is NOT a public hearing, so you need to send you comments by phone or email (too late for a letter). It's easy to do:

Brewster McCracken, 974-2256
Jackie Goodman, 974-2255


or you can send on email to the whole council (no return email address required) This is the web site, just cut and paste it into your browser:

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council/groupemail.htm

Public meeting on HEB - Nov 9

New Village at Western Oaks HOA
Circle C HOA
Sierra Club
Save Barton Creek Association
Robert Breunig, Executive Director, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

November 4, 2003

Re: Proposed HEB on Stratus?’ tract 103

Stratus Properties has filed for a zoning change on tract 103, approximately 60 acres located on the north side of Slaughter at the intersection with Escarpment. Stratus intends to build an HEB grocery store and additional pad sites. The property was part of the ?“Stratus deal?” from August 2002 and was zoned for apartments in the deal.

As the City Council will soon be considered whether to grant Stratus this request, we would like to come together with neighbors, environmentalists, and interested citizens to discuss this new proposal initially without Stratus or HEB present so that there can be a free flow of information and concerns. We would like to follow up as a group in the coming weeks by meeting with both Stratus and HEB so that they can hear our concerns collectively rather than individually.

This is an invitation to join neighbors from New Villages at Western Oaks and Circle C, along with SOS Alliance, this Sunday at 3pm at Dick Nichols Park to discuss this proposal. The park is located off of Beckett Road, which is parallel to and just west of MoPac, north of Slaughter, and south of William Cannon. From Beckett, turn east into the park. In the case of rain, we will use the covered pavilion at the park.

For a map of the area, follow this link:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?countryid=250&addtohistory=&country=US&address=beckett+and+new+horizons&city=austin&state=tx&zipcode=&historyid=&submit=Get+Map.

SOS Alliance is not opposed to a zoning change on this property per se. Our intention is to work with neighbors and others to find out what people?’s concerns are and see if we can come up common positions that respect neighborhood needs and protect water quality.

Please join us this Sunday, November 9th, for an open discussion. Please distribute this invitation to members of your organization. You can r.s.v.p. to colin@sosalliance.org or 477-2320.

HEB presentation in Circle C

No, you didn't miss anything - you simply weren't invited!


Stratus Properties sent Steven Drenner to the home of Allen Young, in Vintage Place to discuss details of their new ''Escarpment Village'' shopping center. Allen told me that they had been reassured on their concerns about security and privacy, since his nieghborhood abutts the west side of the shopping center, where all of the other buildings will be placed.

He and his neighbors are worried about fast-food stores, too! Stratus said that they would try to encourage the kinds of stores the neighbors actually want, but that Trammell Crow will be in charge of securing those tenants and maintaining the shopping center. HEB is the only known tenant so far, and they are building their own store, but leasing the property from Stratus for 20 years.

There were issues and concerns about the project, at the Town Hall meeting (Nov 19th) at Kiker, too. Most of the concerns were about the sheer size of the H-E-B store (93,000 square feet - over 15% larger than the nearby stores) and the retention pond that will probably end-up at the corner of Slaughter Lane and Escarpment Blvd.

On Nov 20th, the CCHOA board of directors agreed to have Don Abrams create an ''architechtural ad hoc committee'' to study the ''Escarpment Village'' project.

Eventually, Stratus will invite 1 person to represent the neighborhoods on their advsiory board, which will include 2 people that they choose.

This might not work well, as the neigbhorhoods to the north may not feel like 1 person will adequately represent their own concerns.

HEB/Stratus coming Jan 6th

Martin Otto will be speaking for H-E-B at Kiker, 7pm, Jan 6, 2004. Stratus Properties will have someone there, but I'm not sure who, yet. Most likely, Steve Drenner.

While I have no idea what they will be presenting (because at this stage of zoning, all they need are technical details to allow for a shopping center instead of building apartments). Anything they say or show would be helpful, but unless they make committments in writing, it's just floating ideas.

The size of the H-E-B is still a concern and they aren't talking about it. The zoning will allow 161,000 square feet of retail buildings, but that can be divided up and shaped in many different ways.

I can't understand why H-E-B wants to build something 15% larger than what they already have on much busier streets and so far, they haven't given any reasons for wanting or needed such a large structure. It worries me that size is the issue, not the quality of the over all project.


Since this is the single most critical commercial property in our neighborhood, I think we should push hard to get a project that completely conforms to the Circle C Ranch master plan - which is family friendly and pedestrian accessible.

Ideally, this Escarpment Villages will look and feel like a village and not another Sunset Valley or Gateway center. It's difficult to articulate, but allowing fast food (which is a change with the ''GR'' zoning) may compromise the whole thing.

We can deal with lighting, signage, landscaping, and a long list of specific deed restrictions (most of which are required for all of the Stratus properties along Slaughter Lane), but since this also connects two very large neighborhood communities, we need to take care to make it work for us.


Please think about it and forward your ideas and comments, NOW, not after it's too late. We have a chance to be heard at the zoning hearing (and we didn't have that opportunity with Wal-Mart).


What I've heard is that more buildings, smaller buildings, and a random layout that favors pedestrians (give them dedicated and protect routes through the shopping center), community center features (kiosks, outdoor seating, bike paths, abundant shade, water features, and comon areas where small crowds can gather - this is what a Village theme should be. A design that attracts people, gets them out of their cars, and encourages them to mingle, window shop, visit with each other, or just hang out.

Cars will have to drive a little further, park a little further away, and drive-ups will be highly discouraged. Drive up ATM, banks, fast foods, Dry Cleaners - they can be found anywhere and close by already. We don't need any more Subway stores, Wal-Greens, or Jack in the Box. They are fine places, but they are not Village friendly businesses.

So, think about the finer stores that you like, but have to drive into downtown or up Hwy 183 to find. Sitdown resaurants like the Arbor has or a pub, a Breeds Hardware store, a Hallmark card store, an art gallery, a sports/hobby store.

Next time you have to drive 20 miles to a store you really like to visit, think about suggesting it to Stratus Properties. Otherwise, we may end up with a cheezy pizza joint, pet supply store, and a 10 lane drive up branch bank. I'm thinking that isn't what we'd like to see every day, driving down Escarpment Blvd or Slaughter Lane.