Dear Neighbor,

The Austin City Council will hold a public hearing 6 PM this Thursday at the LCRA Building, 3700 Lake Austin Blvd., to consider the No Aquifer Big Box Ordinance (Item #57) that will limit retail development in the Barton Springs Zone to 50,000 sq. ft. and grocery stores to 100,000 sq. ft. This will prevent mega-stores like Wal-Mart, Lowe's and Home Depot from locating in our neighborhoods and over the sensitive aquifer.

This ordinance has received the recommendations of the City Environmental Board and Planning Commission and is supported by numerous environmental and neighborhood organizations from across Austin.

However, at the 11th hour, the Chamber of Commerce and Real Estate Council are mobilizing to try and defeat this widely-supported initiative and are urging their memberships to e-mail the City Council in opposition and come to the public hearing.

So please do your best to attend the public hearing 6 PM Thurs. and voice your support for this reasonable and prudent effort to protect our neighborhoods, Barton Springs and drinking water supplies. Even if you do not wish to speak you can fill out a card in support that will be read into the record.

If you can't make it to the hearing Thurs. or even if you can, please take a moment to e-mail the City Council, identify yourself as a SW Austin resident, and ask them to Vote YES on Item #57, the No Aquifer Big Box Ordinance.

Thank you!

Council email addresses are:

will.wynn@ci.austin.tx.us,
daryl.slusher@ci.austin.tx.us, betty.dunkerley@ci.austin.tx.us,
jackie.goodman@ci.austin.tx.us, raul.alvarez@ci.austin.tx.us,
danny.thomas@ci.austin.tx.us, brewster.mccracken@ci.austin.tx.us

Betty Dunkerley replies to email

-----Original Message-----
From: Imacsal@aol.com
Sent to: betty.dunkerley@ci.austin.tx.us;
Subject: Vote YES on Item #57

I'm a SW Austin resident, and ask you to Vote YES on Item #57, the No Aquifer Big Box Ordinance.

Sal Costello
10300 Dalea Vista Ct
Austin, tx 78739
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In a message dated 12/2/03 5:23:58 PM, Betty.Dunkerley@ci.austin.tx.us writes:

I intend to support this item but question the size of the exemption for grocery stores (100,000sf) bd
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Mrs. Dunkerley,

I agree, I was disappointed with the 100,000 sq ft. It should be 75,000 sq ft.

HEB has a plan to put a 93,000 sq ft HEB at Escarpment & Slaughter. This size store is simply too big for the intersection and the Front door of our community. A 93,000 sq ft store needs large access roads such as Mopac. FYI: The HEB at Brodie Lane is 76,000 sq ft. I welcome a community size HEB such as the one at Brodie lane.

I intend on getting a petition signed by over a hundred of my neighbors that are concerned of this MegaGrocery Store. The petition will be brought to the zoning committee in January.

Anything that you can do to help us, would be appreciated.

Sal Costello
10300 Dalea Vista Ct
austin, tx 78739

Council Person's 2nd Reply

Austin City Council Person's 2nd Reply...''reduce the size'' of HEB.
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In a message dated 12/3/03 9:54:29 AM, Betty.Dunkerley@ci.austin.tx.us writes:

The HEB Stratus location will be grandfathered as well as several other sites in that area.? 

I agree with you that we need to reduce the size.? 

bd