Please review and forward the Austin Neighborhoods Council’s call to action.
 
Thank you, Melinda Schiera – NACA ANC Rep
ANC Delegates,
The City Council is scheduled to repeal the Project Duration provisions of our Land Development Code this Thursday, 21 March 2013. This action is being done as a “public emergency,” but there is no emergency.  No one is supporting or proposing that the City change development rules mid-stream, and that has not been the City’s practice. The City is in compliance with the state’s Chapter 245 regulations, according to testimony from Greg Guernsey, and opinion letters from City of Austin Law and the Travis County Attorney’s office.  These letters, along with other background information, are posted at http://www.ancweb.org/issues/projectDuration/projectDuration.htm.
The repeal of the Project Duration ordinance is an orchestrated maneuver by special interests to intimidate the City Council with threats of lawsuits and “forthcoming” legislative action, and to preserve and gain entitlements prior to codification of new watershed regulations and the Imagine Austin plan, and the unknown future of 10-One representation.  A complete repeal of the Project Duration article has significant consequences, with resulting development that runs counter to the community values that have been expressed with improved parkland dedication requirements, the Heritage Tree Ordinance, the McMansion Ordinance, the Waterfront Overlay, and the Great Streets program being among the “recent” changes that could be “grandfathered” from compliance. Repeal of the Project Duration provisions could delay realization of the Imagine Austin plan for decades.
Please review the information posted at http://www.ancweb.org/issues/projectDuration/projectDuration.htm, and let the City Council know you are OPPOSED to repealing the Project Duration provisions of our Land Development Code. This “emergency” action to repeal the entire Project Duration article is not necessary or warranted and will have irreversible consequences.  Contact the Council Members by:
email: http://austintexas.gov/mail/all-council-members
phone:  Mayor Leffingwell (974-2250), Mayor Pro Tem Cole (974-2266), CM Riley (974-2260), CM Martinez (974-2264), CM Tovo (974-2255), CM Morrison (974-2258), CM Spelman (974-2256)
attending a Press Conference at Noon tomorrow, Wednesday 20 March, at City Hall
sign in at the City Hall kiosk anytime before 10am Thursday in OPPOSITION to Item 22
attend the City Council meeting on Thursday, 21 March, beginning at 10am at City Hall
Feel free to pass this information to your friends, family, and neighborhood lists.
Thank you,
Carol
—
Carol Lee
ANC President, 2012-2013
[email protected]
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