 After a distressing week-end of decision making and looking at weather forecasts we have concluded this morning that we should err on the side of safety and cancel BSU tomorrow, April 23rd. There is a 30-60% chance of rain and thunderstorms depending on which forecast you view and we feel we just cannot take the chance with almost 1,000 people, equipment, food order, tents, etc. being affected. We are saddened and disappointed to say the least. We do have the BSU in September already scheduled and approved by the City and PARD. Please MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR SEPTEMBER 17th with a rain date of September 24th for the fall BSU. We hope to keep the schedule as is but adding more speakers and activities as well as more students. Please go to www.BartonSpringsUniversity.org for updates.
 We stopped the Leif Johnson Car Lot --for now. Last March, SOS was notified of plans by Leif Johnson Ford to build an 86,079 square foot car dealership in the heart of the Barton Springs Zone, immediately adjacent to the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve that protects the Golden Cheeked Warbler, an endangered species. Leif Johnson attempted to claim vested rights to exempt itself from the requirements of the City's Barton Springs Zone Overlay, which restricts retail uses in the Barton Springs Zone to no more than 50,000 square feet.
But, we fought back. After presenting our case to the City's legal department, the City agreed with us and refused to approve Leif Johnson's site plan. Leif Johnson sued the City in response, but we just got word that the City prevailed in district court. Leif Johnson will now be forced to either scale back its development or appeal the district court's decision. We'll keep you updated as the case continues, but hopefully the Golden Cheeked Warblers can rest a little easier knowing that a giant car dealership won't be threatening their home when they return to Austin. SOS thanks Alan Watts and Save Oak Hill for their continued vigilance in opposing the car dealership and the City's legal department (especially Asst. City Attorney Chad Shaw) for being receptive to our feedback and defending the City's ordinances. For more information about the car dealership, please visit StoptheCarLot.org. |
