Crestview and Allandale Working Together

Crestview and Allandale have been working together on 2 fronts now.

1) Crestview is supporting Allandale's lawsuit to fight big box at northcross with donations to their lawsuit fund.

2) Crestview is supporting Allandale's attempt to stop a developer from changing the agreed to VMU development options located at Burnet Road and North Loop (Antique Mall area) with a signed letter of support.

Last week, Allandale representatives called a meeting of surrounding neighborhoods. I attended this meeting for Crestview. There were Allandale, Brentwood, North Shoal Creek, and Crestview neighborhood representatives present. Allandale brought up their concerns with the VMU development on Burnet Road and North Loop and asked for a support letter from the neighborhoods. Crestview responded with this letter of support.

The concerns expressed at the meeting were:

1) Austin's implementation of VMU is not going as expected. Neighborhoods have too little power to influence, since VMU is an overlay and not a zoning change.

2) Affordable housing requirements are being dismissed by developers. *

3) How do we get controls to influence VMU development such that VMU development stays on track and meets the livable city goals.


* When I went to the Brentwood NA meeting on 7 Nov 2007, I heard the developer of the VMU project on Lamar Blvd. and North Loop area say that developers at most will do 10% at 80% (10% units at 80% of median income). He said that the better affordable housing numbers can only be met if the city provides subsidies.