[Maillist] Time Sensitive - Important - Your Reponse Needed on Zoning Issue

[Mark W. Seeger]

Dear JHNA,

Our President, Bill Monroe, has asked that we circulate a petition to JHNA
polling individual members (one response per household) to gain a majority
vote on a zoning issue that has been brought before our association.  The
eleven households present at last evening's meeting voted unanimously to
oppose a zoning change from MF-4/LO to MF-6.  We require a tally of more
than 21 households to have a majority opinion from JHNA to bring forward to
the developer as we currently have 41 dues paying members.

IMMEDIATE  ACTION  REQUESTED  FROM  EACH  MEMBER  HOUSEHOLD

Please read the below summary and send an e-mail indicating that you either:

a) Oppose a zoning change from MF-4/LO to MF-6; or,
b) Support a zoning change from MF-4/LO to MF-6;

Send your e-mail response as soon as possible to:  mseeger at austin.rr.com.
Please do not hit "Reply" or "Reply All" as we would prefer to keep your
e-mail response directed to one e-mail account rather than to the entire
JHNA.

BACKGROUND

Last evening, Thursday - August 28th, a representative group of 11
households attended our special meeting to addressing a request from Bill
Hale for neighborhood support for a zoning change at the corner of Martin
Luther King Blvd. and West Avenue from MF-4/LO to MF-6 with some restricted
covenants that would be favorable to JH.  Mr. Hale currently has an option
to purchase the property and is evaluating the feasibility of moving forward
with a project.  The JHNA position will help him determine next steps.

With the existing MF-4/LO he has current plans for a density of 47
Condominiums with 94 parking spaces and a structure that is five stories
high.  If he is able to obtain his proposed MF-6, he has current plans for a
density of 68 Condominiums with 136 parking spaces.  Parking is currently
planned at street level with residential 2 bedroom units contained in the
upper floors.  Current plans are to market the property as residential units
for sale and not for lease.  Pictures circulated included a representation
of the possible size of the proposed units, roughly half the height of the
Nokonah on Lamar.

Discussion at the JHNA meeting last evening centered around the fact that
JHNA went on record successfully opposing zoning upgarde requests two years
ago for the same property which has been brought before us for the second
time. Additional concerns were expressed that the current plans for
development did not address traffic impact, were not compatible with the
historic fabric of the neighborhood, and that any change in zoning allowing
higher density
anywhere in JH would open the neighborhood to additional high density
development along the West Avenue corridor and other JH areas.  For these
reasons, JHNA wanted to remain strong and consistent in it's message to the
developer, as well
as potential other developers that we will not support modification of the
zoning for this parcel of land from MF-4/LO to MF-6 and probably any other
parcels. We will stay open, and discuss ideas among ourselves and potential
developers to help appropriate development in and around our neighborhood.

SUMMARY

Please take a moment to register your household's position on this issue so
that JHNA may expedite an official response to the developer by sending an
e-mail to mseeger at austin.rr.com.  A simple indication that you do or do not
support modification of the zoning would be greatly appreciated.  Copies of
the current development plans are available and if you have any questions,
please do not hesitate to ask.

Regards,

Mark Seeger