Dougherty Arts Center
D9 Disappointment
RECEIVED Tue., Aug. 30, 2022
Dear Editor,
I was disappointed by Austin Sanders’ recent characterization of the D9 Council election as a competition between “pro-housing, pro-density urbanists” vs. “neighborhood activists, anti-development preservationists.” [“Urbanists Challenge Linda Guerrero for District 9 Hot Seat,” News, Aug. 26]
In fact, neighborhood activists have worked for decades to ensure Central Austin maintains and develops all kinds of housing for all kinds of people, as envisioned in the Imagine Austin comprehensive plan.
For example, neighborhood activists have:
• Fought the Triangle developer’s big box plans and won zoning to allow Austin’s first mixed-use development, creating hundreds of housing units.
• Supported the development of the 100+ units at Waller Creekside apartments.
• Rezoned Guadalupe between 27th-46th to allow multi-story housing above ground floor commercial uses.
• Supported rezoning the Baker School site to include a 50’ tall residential structure with affordability (later purchased by the city for a detention pond to address flooding).
• Supported demolition and rezoning of three homes at 405 - 407 W. 39th to create apartments.
• Worked to retain multifamily zoning on 4305-07 Speedway vs. a commercial-only development.
• Reduced lot sizes for ADUs on many lots before the city did this city-wide.
• Crafted the UNO district, allowing construction of thousands of new apartments while maintaining surrounding neighborhoods to provide a variety of housing types for the many different residents who live and work in Central Austin.
Our older central neighborhoods already include many housing types – duplexes, townhouses, ADUs, single-family homes, and apartments. Hyde Park alone has over 45 multifamily complexes throughout the neighborhood, often providing 60+ units per acre.
Using simplistic shorthand pitting “URBANISTs” against “NIMBYs” sows unnecessary division and is an insult to Austin residents who have worked for decades to balance our city’s needs in ways that maintain the quality of life for all. I hope the Chronicle’s future reporting will reflect a more nuanced view of these issues.
I was disappointed by Austin Sanders’ recent characterization of the D9 Council election as a competition between “pro-housing, pro-density urbanists” vs. “neighborhood activists, anti-development preservationists.” [“Urbanists Challenge Linda Guerrero for District 9 Hot Seat,” News, Aug. 26]
In fact, neighborhood activists have worked for decades to ensure Central Austin maintains and develops all kinds of housing for all kinds of people, as envisioned in the Imagine Austin comprehensive plan.
For example, neighborhood activists have:
• Fought the Triangle developer’s big box plans and won zoning to allow Austin’s first mixed-use development, creating hundreds of housing units.
• Supported the development of the 100+ units at Waller Creekside apartments.
• Rezoned Guadalupe between 27th-46th to allow multi-story housing above ground floor commercial uses.
• Supported rezoning the Baker School site to include a 50’ tall residential structure with affordability (later purchased by the city for a detention pond to address flooding).
• Supported demolition and rezoning of three homes at 405 - 407 W. 39th to create apartments.
• Worked to retain multifamily zoning on 4305-07 Speedway vs. a commercial-only development.
• Reduced lot sizes for ADUs on many lots before the city did this city-wide.
• Crafted the UNO district, allowing construction of thousands of new apartments while maintaining surrounding neighborhoods to provide a variety of housing types for the many different residents who live and work in Central Austin.
Our older central neighborhoods already include many housing types – duplexes, townhouses, ADUs, single-family homes, and apartments. Hyde Park alone has over 45 multifamily complexes throughout the neighborhood, often providing 60+ units per acre.
Using simplistic shorthand pitting “URBANISTs” against “NIMBYs” sows unnecessary division and is an insult to Austin residents who have worked for decades to balance our city’s needs in ways that maintain the quality of life for all. I hope the Chronicle’s future reporting will reflect a more nuanced view of these issues.
Karen McGraw
