Paramount Theatre
No Friend of the Grove
RECEIVED Thu., Sept. 22, 2016
Dear Editor,
The debate over the development of the Grove can’t be easily caricatured as NIMBYs vs. urbanists [“Grove at Shoal Creek Inches Forward,” News, Sept. 23]. I live close to the proposed development. I support urbanist policies, but I am against the Grove as currently proposed.
As an urbanist, I want connectivity, yet the Grove has no plans for bike lanes at 45th and Bull Creek. The neighborhoods surrounding the Grove do not have sidewalks. Crestview, the closest light rail station, is 3.5 miles away. It is unclear if city buses will service the Grove. Who would want to walk or bike along congested streets that are expected to have 19,000 or more cars per day?!
Because the Grove is so close to MoPac and lacks connectivity, it is a vehicle-centric development, not a transit-oriented development.
In addition, the Grove does not support the policies of the Imagine Austin comprehensive plan. While the Grove is compact, it is not connected and does not promote a walkable, bikeable, transit-based urban lifestyle.
The city should begin a dialogue with the developer using the Bull Creek Road Coalition (BCRC) proposed amendments as a starting point for sustainable growth.
The debate over the development of the Grove can’t be easily caricatured as NIMBYs vs. urbanists [“Grove at Shoal Creek Inches Forward,” News, Sept. 23]. I live close to the proposed development. I support urbanist policies, but I am against the Grove as currently proposed.
As an urbanist, I want connectivity, yet the Grove has no plans for bike lanes at 45th and Bull Creek. The neighborhoods surrounding the Grove do not have sidewalks. Crestview, the closest light rail station, is 3.5 miles away. It is unclear if city buses will service the Grove. Who would want to walk or bike along congested streets that are expected to have 19,000 or more cars per day?!
Because the Grove is so close to MoPac and lacks connectivity, it is a vehicle-centric development, not a transit-oriented development.
In addition, the Grove does not support the policies of the Imagine Austin comprehensive plan. While the Grove is compact, it is not connected and does not promote a walkable, bikeable, transit-based urban lifestyle.
The city should begin a dialogue with the developer using the Bull Creek Road Coalition (BCRC) proposed amendments as a starting point for sustainable growth.
Gigi Taylor
