We wrote a few weeks back on one of the very worst Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning cases since the infamous Barton Creek PUD of 1990.  The so-called “Statesman PUD” is back on the city council agenda for next Thursday, July 28, Items 131 and 132. 

The Statesman PUD tract is 19 acres on the south shore of Lady Bird Lake, on the east side of the Congress Ave bat bridge.  If approved as proposed it would include 1300 units of ultra-luxury condos, 1 hotel, 1.5 million square feet of office, and 150,000 sq. ft. of retail in a set of towers reaching up to 525 feet in the air.  In effect, downtown would jump across the lake, with more development of a similar kind to follow along Barton Springs Road and Riverside.

Neighbors, environmentalists, park advocates, and fiscal conservatives are not really opposing the massive increase in density.  Rather the owners—some of the richest people in the world—are demanding  tens of millions of taxpayer subsidies for the project.  They also want to cheat us out of park land that would, under standard city rules, be required to be dedicated to the public. To compound the outrage, they want to retain management control of the too-little-park-land they are dedicating while cutting off existing public access to the lake along the Congress Ave. sidewalk. 

With your help and action by Councilmember Kathie Tovo  the matter was delayed in June because there was no draft ordinance and a giant haystack of staff backup documents contained almost none of the needles of important details stitching this  “welfare for the ultra-rich” scheme together. 
Its back now on next Thursday’s agenda and we need your help again to have it delayed and then denied in its current form.

Please take a few minutes to send an email to City Council to insist that it be (a) postponed again until all of the public’s questions are answered,(b) all of the taxpayer subsidies are removed, and (c) all of the park land dedication normally required is granted to the public without the private developers’ retaining control and limiting access to this “public” park land.

Please also share this with friends, neighbors and family who might join in to fix this mess. Stay tuned and we will provide the link to speak at the meeting, in person or remotely, starting on Monday.   
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Here are the email addresses for the Mayor and council. 
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Save Our Springs Alliance is pleased to announce a unique fundraiser on July 16, 2023 curated by internationally acclaimed artist and musician, Ben Livingston. Parthenia’s Majesty: A Cinematic Voyage is an immersive, audiovisual experience at the newly established Rosette Theatre at the Baker Center in Hyde Park. The 90 minute event (one at 2PM and one at 7PM) combines nostalgic short films celebrating the unrivaled beauty and rich history of Barton Springs with music, art, and refreshments. 
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The screenings will include Brian Leonard's mesmerizing cosmic underwater light dances and four short movies from Karen Kocher’s “Living Springs'' series. The highlight of the event will be the breathtaking underwater feature, 'A:X (The Tonkawa Word for Water)' created by renowned neon artist and springs advocate, Ben Livingston, with a captivating live score performed by composer and pedal steel virtuoso Bob Hoffnar. Livingston’s ephemeral footage, combined with Hoffnar’s ethereal soundscape, will take attendees on an introspective journey, inspiring conservation and advocacy for generations to come. Guests will also have the opportunity to view a collection of water-inspired artworks by sculptor and New Yorker cartoonist Julia “Jul” Suits.

Sponsors include Gruene Hall, Jim Brand, MD, Magnolia Cafe, Mary Jane Nalley, Robin Rather, and Family,  & Austin Classical Guitar.  read more about this event here and click button below to purchase your tickets. 

BUY TICKETS HERE 

Last week we asked you to email Austin’s Mayor and city council to remove a proposed extension of SH 45 SW that would have connected the south end of Mopac to I35 that was slipped into the draft city mobility plan. Many of you did. Council Member Kathie Tovo moved, and CM Ann Kitchen seconded, to remove the road from the City’s plan. The motion passed unanimously, minus CM Renteria’s abstention.
Thank you to all who wrote, to CMs Tovo and Kitchen, and to all of the council for taking prompt action to keep I35 interregional truck and car traffic off of Mopac and the Edwards Aquifer.

Now we need your help again!

One of the very worst Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning cases since the infamous Barton Creek PUD of 1990 is on this Thursday’s city council agenda. With PUD zoning, the applicant and City Council can throw out the City Code and write special rules for the specific project. It’s the worst kind of “let’s make a deal” that hides under the idea that a proposed PUD must be “superior” to development that actually complies with City code. Almost every time the proposal is inferior to standard compliance.

Please take a few minutes to read our letter to council (below) on the “Statesman PUD,” which covers the old Austin American-Statesman property on the south shore of Lady Bird Lake and next to the Congress Avenue bat bridge. Then email the Mayor and Council and tell them to vote “NO” or postpone the Statesman PUD until a date at least two weeks after the draft PUD ordinance is posted to the public.

Also, please consider telling them NO subsidies of any kind; NO water quality variances; and full dedication of park land required by city ordinances (and “land” that is under the surface of Lady Bird Lake is not actually “land” and does not count).
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The only way a PUD won’t be a massive giveaway of both taxpayer dollars and standard city rules protecting water quality of the lake and dedicating required park land is if the PUD ordinance states explicitly there will be (a) no City subsidies of any kind (e.g. fee waivers or credits, tax refunds, etc.), (b) no water quality variances, and (c) all 9 acres of required park land on the lake are dedicated to the public and public management to mitigate the increased park land demand of building over 1300 units of ultra-luxury high rise condos, 1.5 million square feet of office, a hotel and 150,000 sq. ft. of commercial, with towers reaching up to 525 feet. 
Here are the email addresses for the mayor and council.
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

​32 YEARS OF CITIZEN ACTION!  AND NOW THIS . . .
Thirty-two years ago today, on June 7th, 1990, over 700 people packed City Hall to oppose the 5,000-acre Barton Creek PUD development.  Mayor Lee Cooke heard everyone who wanted to speak.  Speakers spoke all night long, and at 6:30 the next morning the Council voted 7-to-zero to deny project. 
That all night “Barton Creek Uprising” triggered the Save Our Springs movement, which led to voter approval of the SOS ordinance two years later, on August 8th, 1992. 

Watch highlights from the Barton Creek Uprising here.   Sing a few rounds of Barton Springs Eternal with Bill Oliver and friends here. Beat the record heat with a swim in the Springs today!! The pool is open until 9:50 p.m.  Celebrate 32 years of citizen action to Save Our Springs!!
Eternal Springs require eternal vigilance.  We need a little vigilance today!!.  This Thursday City Staff want the City Council to sneak through approval of an extension of SH 45 SW that would link South Mopac to Interstate 35.  This road link is buried in the details of the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, Item 52 on the council agenda.   If built, this SH 45 SW extension would instantly convert Mopac from a local commuter highway into an alternative to Interstate 35 interregional and interstate car and truck traffic.

Please take just 2 minutes to read our letter to City Council below and then email the Mayor and City Council (especially your own council member) and tell them to remove this roadway from the City transportation plan.  This is a simple thing to do and should not be controversial.  Here are the email addresses:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Thank you for taking action, once again, to keep Barton Springs clean and flowing!!

Thirty-two years ago today, on June 7th, 1990, over 700 people packed City Hall to oppose the 5,000-acre Barton Creek PUD development.  Mayor Lee Cooke heard everyone who wanted to speak.  Speakers spoke all night long, and at 6:30 the next morning the Council voted 7-to-zero to deny project. 

That all night “Barton Creek Uprising” triggered the Save Our Springs movement, which led to voter approval of the SOS ordinance two years later, on August 8th, 1992. 

Watch highlights from the Barton Creek Uprising here.   Sing a few rounds of Barton Springs Eternal with Bill Oliver and friends here. Beat the record heat with a swim in the Springs today!! The pool is open until 9:50 p.m.  Celebrate 32 years of citizen action to Save Our Springs!!

Eternal Springs require eternal vigilance.  We need a little vigilance today!!.  This Thursday City Staff want the City Council to sneak through approval of an extension of SH 45 SW that would link South Mopac to Interstate 35.  This road link is buried in the details of the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, Item 52 on the council agenda.   If built, this SH 45 SW extension would instantly convert Mopac from a local commuter highway into an alternative to Interstate 35 interregional and interstate car and truck traffic.

Please take just 2 minutes to read our letter to City Council below and then email the Mayor and City Council (especially your own council member) and tell them to remove this roadway from the City transportation plan.  This is a simple thing to do and should not be controversial. 

Here are the email addresses:

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Thank you for taking action, once again, to keep Barton Springs clean and flowing!!

Save Our Springs Alliance does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.

These positions will be considered for part-time, contract, or full-time. 

Please submit your resume for the following positions to: [email protected]
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​Job Title:  Administrative Assistant & Database Manager

Database Management:  Responsible for directing or performing all activities related to maintaining a successful database environment. Includes: data entry of membership addresses and financial information;  cleaning up old data; creating thank you letters and lists through the system; making sure our crm system its related applications operate functionally and efficiently. Requires experience with Salsa CRM, Engage or other similar system.
Administrative Assistant:  In charge of phone system; light bookkeeping; ordering supplies; managing work room; filing; and other office responsibilities.  In addition, assist with SOS and Barton Springs University events. 

Job Title:  Marketing Coordinator
 
Save our Springs is in search of a Marketing Coordinator to support the planning, tracking and execution of brand marketing initiatives. Reporting to the Executive Director and Managing Director, the coordinator will play a key role in communicating the Save our Springs brand, increasing membership and expanding outreach initiatives.
 
For over 30 years, Save our Springs has served as Austin’s water watchdog, providing education, advocacy and legal support in order to protect the Central Texas watershed. This mid to entry level role is well suited for a marketing professional with member building skills, a passion for environmental causes and an eagerness to help a small nonprofit expand marketing efforts. 
 
The Marketing Coordinator can work remotely and/or at the SOS office.
Major Job Functions

• Coordinate, implement and track marketing plans for outreach and membership building.

• Collaborate with subject matter experts to help identify, develop and execute key strategies and maintain brand voice across audiences, assets, categories, and channels.

• Help with email marketing campaigns, from design and writing to execution.

• Write marketing copy for web, social, email, and print pieces.

• Provide creative direction for marketing and communication materials, regularly supporting creation of assets.

• Develop marketing reports through collecting, analyzing and summarizing results.

• Editing and assisting with writing such as grant applications.

 
Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in related field, such as journalism, marketing, business, nonprofit management and or 2-5 years of related experience

• Effective written and oral communication and organizational skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Suite
• Experience using email marketing tools such as Salsa Engage
• Experience managing social media platforms
• Strong critical thinking skills and attention to detail
• Creative thinker and self-starter who can anticipate needs as well as execute assigned tasks
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a small team
• Experience with audience segmentation for email campaigns and database management
• Experience distilling complex information and collaborating with subject matter experts

​KXAN recently published a wonderful 5-part TV news series on the wonders of Roy Creek and the threats posed by “Mirasol Springs,” a developer proposal that would surround the small Roy Creek canyon.  The creek emerges from springs and tumbles down a steep canyon to enter the Pedernales River very near Hamilton Pool Preserve.  We remain hopeful that the Mirasol Springs developers will withdraw their plans in favor creating a nature preserve that would protect Roy Creek and its unique freshwater ecosystem. 
Last year SOS filed a petition to list the Pedernales River Springs salamander as endangered in significant part in response to the threats posed to the species by the Mirasol project.  The small aquatic salamanders are found in the Roy Creek springs and a few others nearby.  Your generous support makes it possible for us to bring the very best of science, law, and citizen advocacy to protect the unique and vulnerable waters and wildlife of the Texas Hill Country.  

​Last week the developers of the “Violet Crown Amphitheatre” and mega-project proposed for 71 acres above Barton Creek near the SH 71 W/Southwest Parkway intersection withdrew their request for the extension of City of Austin water and sewer service to serve the project.  The withdrawal followed shortly upon a unanimous vote of the Austin Environmental Commission recommending against the extension requests.  That vote, in turn, came in response to an aggressive campaign by a coalition of conversation groups, including SOS, against the project. 
The project may not be completely dead, but it is in big trouble; the sponsors are not likely to find alternatives for water and sewer service for such a massive project.  Many thanks to everyone who helped us fend off this scheme. It was one of the worst we have seen in many years.  We’ll let you know if it resurfaces. 

HAYS COUNTY RESIDENTS-- CALL TO ACTION-- FIGHT THE FM 150 EXTENSION THAT THREATENS ONION CREEK! Please take two minutes to contact your county commissioner using this simple online form letter linked HERE. 
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