Contents: Overview of the density and character of the planned Mueller
redevelopment


In light of some things mentioned at Saturday's meeting, I wonder if everybody's
aware of the type of development currently planned for Mueller.

It is planned as a *dense,* *urban* area. The density of the apartment-zoned
areas are 40 dwellings per acre, the row-house zoned acres are 20 dwellings per
acre, and the "yard houses" (2.5 floors high) are on maximum 4,500 s.f. lots.
For comparison, the single-house (not apartment) areas of Hyde Park are about 5
dwellings per acre. Most buildings in the area are going to be between 2 and 5
stories high. Building setbacks are nearly nonexistent except in the "yard
house" neighborhoods, where they are very small.

I encourage you to check out the City of Austin's Mueller Redevelopment Plan
Website at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/mueller/  for some photographs and other
info about what's included in the plan.

This is a radical new step for Austin and I, personally, believe that it has the
potential to create a very vibrant, exciting, and rewarding place to live. For
one thing, it should reduce our dependence on cars (yay!) and be a viable
alternative to urban sprawl (double yay!). However, if you are envisioning lots
of green space, a creek or two, and bungalows, or you loathe parking garages,
cityscapes, and streets full of people, you will probably want to think hard
about this site. If it goes as planned, it is going to resemble San Francisco
(sans hills and fancy paint jobs) more than a bucolic paradise, or even Hyde
Park.

So - the landscaping in our community is going to be vitally important, but
there won't be a lot of space for it.  Greenspaces are mostly going to consist
of nearby parks (again, see the plan). Green design (materials excluded) issues
are going to be *urban* design issues - taking into account the sun and the
surrounding cityscape, not so much issues of topography, watersheds,
protection/establishment of nearby natural areas, wildlife, etc. Yes, there will
likely be some possums and raccoons, but don't expect more wildlife than
currently lives downtown.

The planners have several reasons for planning the site this way - a big one is
that dense development will help recoup the immense cost of ripping up the
runways, trucking away contaminated soil, and putting in all new infrastructure.
If it weren't developed this way, the land would likely be prohibitively
expensive. Also dense, transit and pedestrian friendly development fits in with
the city's "Smart Growth" initiative.

Cohousing works great in dense, urban areas, but it's usually hard to purchase a
large enough site or remodel existing buildings to suit co-housing's needs.
Rarely has there been an opportunity to develop cohousing in such an area from
the ground up. So we have a unique and exciting opportunity here. I just want to
make sure we're all are aware of the *type* of opportunity it is.

I did my best to check my facts in this e-mail. Corrections, however, are
appreciated. :-)

See ya!

Becky

I got this from another cohousing listserve.  I thought it might interest
people regarding some of the details of mixed income...

Selwyn


>X-Sieve: cmu-sieve 1.3
>Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 15:14:00 -0600
>X-Real-To: selwyn@...
>Reply-To: argyle@...
>Originator: cohousing-l
>Sender: cohousing-l@...
>From: "Kay Argyle" <argyle@...>
>To: Multiple recipients of list <cohousing-l@...>
>Subject: Re: Mixed Income Cohousing Communities
>X-Comment:  Developing cohousing - collaborative housing communities
>
>Wasatch Commons, Salt Lake City, used a program called CROWN to help
>finance five low-income rent-to-own units.  (We have 21 ordinary
>qualify-for-a-mortgage units, mostly owner-occupied.)  I wasn't part of the
>group while this was being proposed and have never worked on the
>affordability committee, so I don't know details of the program.
>
>The units are owned by Wasatch Cohousing, the company set up to develop
>Wasatch Commons.
>
>Applicants must qualify through the CROWN program.  Since cohousing isn't
>everyone's cup of tea and we'd rather not have residents who would rather
>not be here, Wasatch Commons persuaded the CROWN program to allow
>applicants to turn down the cohousing unit without losing their place on
>CROWN's waiting list.
>
>Our affordability committee interviews applicants, explains cohousing, and
>asks promising ones to attend a meeting to get a taste.
>
>The tenants are mostly single moms who are working and going to school.
>
>Renters are full members of the community for almost all purposes --
>committee work, offering proposals, blocking, signing up to cook, etc.  I
>think the tenants of the crown units even hold the voting proxy for
>Homeowners Association elections.
>
>What problems have arisen are symptomatic of our community's problems with
>information flow.  For instance, the tenants have ended up paying for much
>of their own landscaping, because the landscaping committee has never been
>able to find out what if any funds were available; and an overdue rent
>problem went on far too long because the management committee hadn't been
>set up and the person collecting the checks didn't know who to go to to ask
>for help dealing with it.
>
>Two units originally intended to be owner-occupied are rented out.  Since
>these renters are dealing with the home owner instead of the community,
>they haven't always gotten the orientation given by the affordability
>committee to crown applicants and the welcoming committee to prospective
>buyers.  Orientation is greatly complicated by the fact that we have
>members who "want to trust people" and refuse to codify anything, so we've
>never managed to consense any community rules, and newcomers aren't told up
>front they're expected to clean up after their dog and not smoke in the
>common house.
>
>In one case we lucked out -- the renters had no idea they were getting
>anything but an ordinary rental and were surprised but intrigued to
>discover otherwise.  In the other, the first renters claimed an interest in
>cohousing but never attended meetings or meals and were unobservant of the
>aforementioned unwritten community standards of behavior.  We're attempting
>to get the welcoming committee involved with rentals; the newest renter
>attended more community functions in the week before moving in than the
>previous did in all the months they lived there.
>
>Attempts to be sensitive to the special situations of lower-income
>residents have, ironically, sometimes resulted in them feeling singled out
>and treated differently, especially since each has a different point at
>which they prefer to pay their own way or do without.  We're slowly
>learning to balance on that tightrope, teetering between offering unwanted
>help and forgetting the restrictions insufficient money imposes.
>
>Kay Argyle
>Wasatch Commons
>SLC UT

I have compiled the info from the 3 emails I have received about peoples
preferences and the results are a little confusing.  How about if we send
them in two lists:  Preferences and Requirements.

So an example might look something like this:


Preferences:
------------------
vegan friendly
no diesel generators
elegant landscaping
yoga classes


Requirements:
---------------------
green building techniques (not too expensive)
no buying of land, only leasing


The approach that Leif proposed is:

1) Non-negotiables - Things that you must have or you will leave the group.
2) Wants - the things that you envision in your cohousing project. Some of
this is likely to become part of the mission statement
3) Dealbreakers - Things which if included, will cause you to leave the group.

Selwyn Polit
258-4307

This is James chiming in on the SIZE AND COST OF UNIT issue:

I think that our cohousing should have a great variety of different sized units.
Our
vibrancy and success, I believe, is based on developing a community that does
not
result in 250 units of exactly the same shape and size - and in 250 cookie
cutter
families living in them.  I believe that smart growth principles and other
olutions
(Like Christopher Alexander's _Pattern Language_ book) teach us that having
smaller
units dispersed among other units in a neighborhood helps keep communities
intergenerational.  Older, younger, or single people can live in small units -
or
groups of them in groups of small units.  A small unit could even be used as
sort of a
teenager's room for a growing family in another unit.  These units would also be
less
expensive than "standard" 2 bed 2 bath ones.  Likewise, there might be a need
for some
units that are larger than "standard", for larger families.

This will result in a great flexibility for the cohousing organization to
accommodate
different people during different parts of their lives, but also, and perhaps
most
importantly, means that families that grow or change over time don't have to
move away
from their cohousing just because they need more or fewer bedrooms.

It also means that we can have units of different prices.  A small unit would be
cheaper than a larger one because it takes up less real estate.  So if anyone is
feeling like they might not be able to afford a $160K unit, or if $160K sounds
like a
great deal for you and your eight children, you could pay a different price. 
Having
said that, larger or more expensive units should not financially subsidize
smaller
ones in any way.  Everyone will have to pay their fair share.  Likewise, we will
be
more successful as a business by offering such variety.  For example, in an
economic
downturn a family in a large unit may decide they don't need that third bedroom
and
move to a smaller, cheaper unit.  Their old unit can meet the need of a new
family,
while they can afford the smaller one and not have to move away.

Finally, it means that our society in general is improved because all of the
kids /
all of the old people / all of the moms and dads are not isolated together in
schools/retirement villages/suburbs and are instead interacting together
(cooking,
gardening, playing games, telling stories), building those networks of personal
relationships that help us grow and improve at all stages of our lives.  This
stimulation keeps us happier and more alive.

I also think that pets should be welcome. Within reason - no smelly barking
alligators.

I am sorry that I'll be a little late on Saturday, but go ahead and start with
out me.

Until then,

-James Canup

In a message dated 3/10/00, Natanya wrote:

<< One of the main principles of cohousing is that we live in smaller
homes than
most average American homes. The idea is that we would have the central
building for  a larger "living room" type communal area.  If we all
live in
1600 sq.ft.  homes then there is a chance that we might become nothing
more
than a rather congenial gated community. If you look at the plans for
the
homes at Hilltop, the 2 bedroom homes are around 900 square feet . This
is
not unusual for cohousing homes. If we look at the books about
cohousing they
all suggest less, not more space. <<


In theory "less space" is a perfect approach, though many co-housing
communities utilize personal spaces averaging 1500 square feet or so,
such as Manzanita out in Prescott, AZ.  That is not a huge space for a
family when you get in and walk around in it.

Smaller spaces are great where one has the complete freedom (zoning &
covenants) to construct them. An issue to consider here is that this
project is being attempted in Austin, TX... one of the hottest markets
in the country for new housing at this time. Should the city put the
airport redevelopment in the hands of a developer/financier, that
developer will have an investment in the entire property. One method of
protecting their investment and ensuing real estate values is via
restrictive deeds and building covenants pertaining to minimum square
footage and material requirements such as a percentage of masonry vs.
wood (very common in new Austin sub-divisions). While this may not be
desireable or fair from our viewpoint, it may present itself as a
parameter. Even if the city should assume the role of "developer" it
may still compel contractors to conform to "standard" building
specifications based on what is considered acceptable in today's Austin
market.

The group could include this issue on its "to do" list of zoning
variances to be secured from the city/developer. Another easier route
might be to focus on a townhouse or condominium-style approach to
design. This would more than likely satisfy the real-estate valuation
concerns of the powers-that-be and enable us to build living units
under 1000 square feet.

Brad

In a message dated 3/9/0 6:58:54 AM, Brad Leigh wrote:

<< Leif's projections of $100 per square foot are quite
reasonable. Considering that most 3-2 houses are a minimum of
1600 square feet, that's $160,000 per dwelling, plus the dough that
everyone would have to kick in for a central building w/industrial
kitchen and common rooms. Is everyone ready to take on the
160 - 170K buy-in? >>


One of the main principles of cohousing is that we live in smaller homes than
most average American homes. The idea is that we would have the central
building for  a larger "living room" type communal area.  If we all live in
1600 sq.ft.  homes then there is a chance that we might become nothing more
than a rather congenial gated community. If you look at the plans for the
homes at Hilltop, the 2 bedroom homes are around 900 square feet . This is
not unusual for cohousing homes. If we look at the books about cohousing they
all suggest less, not more space.

Natanya Diamant

Hola co-housers,
A couple of people have asked me about food for
Saturday's reunion. Breaking bread together always
enhances any gathering for me...but since we're
meeting from 2-4, it didn't feel quite right to plan a
potluck meal.  I offer an alternative.  How about if
folks bring snacks to share?  Crackers, cheese, bread,
spreads, jams, dips, veggies, sweets...  No
assignments, just bring what you will.  I will have
iced tea on hand.
Logistical reminder:
This Saturday (tomorrow)
2-4
Shanda Sansing's home
1428 Briarcliff
From IH 35 exit 51st street
Head East
Take a LEFT at the first stoplight (Berkman)
Take a LEFT at the first stoplight (Briarcliff)
My house is ~1 block down on the RIGHT.  It's white
brick with blue trim.
454-9860
See you then!  Shanda
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Thoughts on leasing

Leasing the land is a technical matter in essence, a contract between
lessor and lessee, that the City has in fact made elsewhere, with Computer
Science Corporation for leasing the area around the new City Hall.

What may be novel is the idea implied in Brad's suggestion of a number of
co-housing areas, that groups of co-housing could contract directly with
the City rather than having a single purchaser/lessee of the whole airport.

Having a number of co-housing areas might also mean more a design of
modules, rather than what ROMA had on the board so far, which I'll bring
with me Saturday, and which it is currently revising, but probably doesn't
visualize more than a single purchaser/lessee.

Jackie Goodman. mayor pro tem, is concerned that with leasing land rather
than selling it, the City won't have the money for putting in the
infrastructure of utilities, sewers, etc., so I have left a message at Jim
Musbach's office in San Fra ncisco, to send me the current projected cash
flow.  His office is under contract to ROMA to do this.  I hope to have
some news by Saturday.

Mary



Texans for LAND-USE INTEGRITY
110 East 37th St.  Rm 210     	   512  478-9812 tel .

Austin TX 78705 				   -2052 fax
	              .

Does anyone know if there are large amounts of toxins in the ground at the
old airport.  I was just talking with a friend today about toxins at the
new airport from spilled jet fuel and other nasty chemicals.  he told me
that parts of the parking lot are scheduled to be ripped out to clean up
the nasty chemicals that are in the ground.

Will this significantly affect children/adults playing on the ground?  Will
plants grown in the area be loaded with heavy metals and carcinogens?  Do
we have an expert in this field who could check this out for us?

Selwyn

From Brad Leigh:

>it would probably be more effective
>to ask them to zone a larger section for several co-housing clusters.


I heartily second that motion.  My reason for maximizing the opportunity
for co-housing is that I believe the form is suited to the future more
solidly than the current system of mass producer and individual consumer. I
would even say, allow for co-housing to take up a significant proportion of
the planners' designated residential acreage.

I  wouldn't mention low-income housing to the City.  The principles of
"smart growth" mandate mixed income and I agree.

As for going to the City for GreenBuilding Funds, I have to plead total
ignorance on that issue, but if it boosts really energy-efficient
construction, let's go for it, though I  don't think it should be a
condition of leasing land.

I see getting to know each other as a parallel track that will go forward
of its  own momentum in a direction where it will. That's real life, what
makes it fascinating.

As for our relationship with Mueller Neighborhood Coalition,let's keep it
good. The theme becomes one of being good neighbors.  As with any new
neighbors, our contract with the property owner wouldn't concern MNC, but
what, where and how we build would.  Ideally we should keep the focus on
that because the land use arrangements with the City had all been worked
out. At least we can see where we  get on these arrangements before the MNC
meeting.  Jim Walker said that meeting is meant to coincide with ROMA's
visit.  I learned from ROMA they plan on coming Wednesday April 5th.

I'll report my thoughts and current inquiries about leasing in another
e-mail soon.

And thanks. Brad!

Mary

Having had a few days to muse over the potluck at Blakes, I have a few
simple observations I would like to share with the group...

It would appear there is strong consensus amongst several members to
move quickly and urgently toward acquiring appropriately zoned space in
the pending airport redevelopment for purposes of
establishing our sole co-housing group. Though the practical need for
speed and urgency is not lost upon me, please consider that an "urgent"
approach may compromise each member's natural
process of determining their own COMPATIBILITY with other members of
the group. There is a scenario in which land is acquired, buildings
built, moved into, and the project then struggles
because adequate time was not allowed for individuals to determine true
compatibility... a naturally evolving process that moves at its own
pace, and does not conform willingly to timetables.

Our methodology thus far is for each individual to determine their
likes, dislikes, what they must have, what they can do without, what
would make them leave the group, etc. Let's say one has an
issue that would make one leave "the group", does that mean they are no
longer a part of austintxco-housing?

I think there is a minor glitch in our approach thus far, which is
fine, after all, we're brand new and must go through some growing pains.

If I understand correctly, our focus is about creating and establishing
a single co-housing village in the new airport redevelopment and that
all members must reach an overall concensus about the
important issues, establish a mission statement, charter, etc. The
limit to the number of people who can live in a single village compels
us to limit the number of people we can include in the group.
We could miss out and exclude some great people. I think we may want to
slightly re-think this approach.

I believe that austintxco-housing should be a clearinghouse of ideas, a
means for any and all to access resources and network with like-minded
individuals involved in co-housing and intentional
community. It should be a place where people can share the full gamut
of ideas, procedures and technologies associated with co-housing and
intentional community. Within the domain of this
organization, there should be sub-groups, not just one, but several
sub-groups of members involved in establishing not one, but a variety
of co-housing and intentional communities.

The first of these sub-groups would be the "airport redevelopment
group" -- consisting of those members focused specifically on founding
that particular co-housing village. As the preferences of
members interested in that project percolate, and the process of
concensus, compatibility and natural selection run their course, that
project's residents will emerge and those members can get down
to the business of founding that particular co-housing village. Members
who elect not to participate in the airport village however, will still
have a forum in which to exchange ideas and network by
virtue of the parent entity... austintxcohousing. Those members'
evolving compatibility and goals may establish additional co-housing
communities in other locations, eventually leading to a
network of co-housing villages and a strong coalition. This kind of
organization presents all kinds of options including wholesale
food-buying co-ops, diversity, and micro-economies between the
various villages.

Regarding the airport project, again, rather than present the
powers-that-be at the city with a proposal to zone a small section for
"our single co-housing cluster", it would probably be more effective
to ask them to zone a larger section for several co-housing clusters.
If the idea is presented as an alternative to city-subsidized
low/medium-income housing, and, as an idea using "greenbuilding"
technology, it may be possible to have the city underwrite some or all
of the construction costs. Politicians could trot it out as their
showcase for progressive, cost-efficient, energy-efficient living.
The City of Austin is very big on its greenbuilding program. Let's say
for example, that we propose the city build five or six clusters as an
alternative to low/medium-range housing. The proposal
could be set up such that austintxco-housing has options on a minimum
of one cluster for "our" group and maybe two so as to account for the
possibility that two groups may emerge from our
founding members, each with a strong consensus and theme (cat-lovers
vs. people allergic to cats......  :)    In exchange, we use our
"experience" and resources to help the other "airport" clusters
get going and sustain their villages.

This approach also allows us to invest diversity of culture and
ethnicity into the various clusters.

Having the city underwrite some or all of the costs is something to
consider. Leif's projections of $100 per square foot are quite
reasonable. Considering that most 3-2 houses are a minimum of
1600 square feet, that's $160,000 per dwelling, plus the dough that
everyone would have to kick in for a central building w/industrial
kitchen and common rooms. Is everyone ready to take on the
160 - 170K buy-in? If we could get the city to pay for that, wouldn't
that be nice! We don't have to have them build it.... just pay for it.
If we position the project as a "green" project, we can take
control of the design and construction process and run the job
ourselves... saving them additional management costs. In this type of
situation, as long as we provide accurate bids for the city, once
they've approved the funds, we're home-free and can build some quality,
progressive, "green" housing utlizing rainwater collection,
zero-scaping and all things beholden to the City and good for
the planet.

If they approve construction of five or six villages in reasonable
proximity to one another, the pricetag would be significant, on par
with the kind of money spent by developers on a subdivision.
With a budget of that size, we shouldn't have any problem acquiring the
services of a good contractor and quality sub-contractors for the
duration of the project... currently a challenge in today's
hot, hot, hot Austin new-construction market.

For our efforts, we choose residents for one or two of the villages (at
little or no buy-in costs) and hold lotteries or selection processes to
determine residents of the other villages. Perhaps one is
strictly for low-income residents and the rest require reasonable
buy-in fees... anything's possible depending on how we structure the
proposal and the deal.

For those members choosing not to live in ANY of the airport co-housing
village/clusters, they still have the networking resources of
austintxco-housing as a forum for relating, exchanging ideas,
and eventually forming new co-housing village/clusters and intentional
communities in and around the greater Austin area.

For those of you taking a moment to read this, thank you for your time
and attention. I do appreciate it.

See you Saturday,

Brad Leigh

Hi you merry band of potential co-housers,
I would like some input procedure-wise.  Do we want folks to send their
lists to me directly or to post them to the listserve and I will compile
them from there?

Selwyn
selwyn@...
258-4307

The Mueller Neighborhood Coalition meeting has been postponed until it can
coincide with the visit of the Roma Planners, maybe around Mar 21.  Don't
forget the CAMPO hearing Mar 20 at Thompson Center. I will have "NO SH_i30"
badges for those interested.  It begins at 6:00.

Texans for LAND-USE INTEGRITY
110 East 37th St.  Rm 210     	   512  478-9812 tel .

Austin TX 78705 				   -2052 fax
	              .

Hi all,
Here are directions to my house--
I live east of IH 35, between 290 and 51st.  The
easiest way to get here from IH 35 is to--
--take the 51st exit and head EAST.
--after you pass the highway crossover area, turn LEFT
at the first stop light (Berkman)
--turn LEFT at the first stop light (Briarcliff)
--I am ~1 block up on the RIGHT.
--My address is 1428 Briarcliff
--White brick house, blue shutters.
--My phone number is 454-9860
See you Saturday at 2:00!
Shanda




--- eGroups Calendar <austintxcohousing@egroups.com>
wrote:
>
>
> Reminder from the austintxcohousing calendar at
> eGroups.com
>
> Event: Meeting
> URL:
>
http://www.egroups.com/cal?listname=austintxcohousing&md=d&day=11027
> Date:  Sat Mar 11, 2000
> Time:  2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
>
> The next meeting at Shana's house
>
> eGroups.com - The easiest way for groups of people
> to communicate!
> http://www.egroups.com
>
>
>
>
>
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Hi all,
I can't believe how well our first meeting came off!  I've never
participated in something like this but we seem to have an amazing group.

A few things:

1. Guidelines for mailing list
2. Woman in charge of the redevelopment project
3. Cohousing Developer's conference

Guidelines for mailing list

To make the mailing list work as smoothly as possible, I'm thinking that it
would be helpful to come up with some guidelines (a kind of FAQ: frequently
asked questions) for people to follow.  For example:
* Ask people to carefully format their e-mail so that it is easy to
read.  (As I have tried to do with this e-mail with the bold type indicating
different sections of the e-mail).  For example, if the e-mail is long, have
a table of contents at the top.  Just giving people an example of a clear,
easy-to-read e-mail might be helpful.  I think that people would be willing
to do this but many simply don't think about it or know that it is possible.
* Title of e-mail would clearly indicate the purpose of the message

If you have an opinion about doing this, please let me know.  Also, give me
your suggestions about what this FAQ should include.


Woman in charge of the redevelopment project up until May when ROMA (the
design firm in San Francisco that is designing the Mueller space) will
complete the plan:

Pamela Hefner, Robert Mueller Municipal Airport Redevelopment Advisory
Group, 499-3551,
		 pam.hefner@...
<mailto:pam.hefner@...>
	 Works with city planning dept, she's a planner by training

This advisory group which she is heading up will disband after May and I
believe that a new planning group will form.


Cohousing Developer's conference:

It would be excellent if one or more of us could go to this conference in
May.  Todd Dercatz of The Hilltop in San Marcos sent me the following:

Blake,
Sending this along with the idea that someone from the group might could
attend.  I should say though that most people being invited are either
leaders in the field, that is, have built or assisted in creating one or
more coho projects or are in the middle of creating one and are acting
as a burning soul/investor/partner in the development process.   But
don't be detered, they are really friendly helpful folks.  If someone
with a working knowledge of the development process can attend it might
be the first good investment you make.

Well, actually, if you haven't read both books you're already falling
behind.  Everyone should read the books.  Everyone should go through the
ic.org and cohousing.org and I strongly recommend, if the group is
serious about moving forward, that someone subscribe to cohousing
magazine and communities magazince and share them.
Conduct an inventory of what skills and talents people have in the
group.   Look for knowledge in the areas of finance, marketing, group
process and then it would be nice to have people who understand the
development and the production construction process.  These folks can
conduct research and lead teams that will help you make good progress.
just a bit for now
Todd

Dear Cohousing Professional,

Details for the Cohousing Professional scheduled for Seminar May 4-6,
2000 are coming together nicely.

The audience of 50 or so participants is expected to consist of a
variety of professionals, including architects, builders, developers,
project managers and community members interested or planning to play
these roles.

The presenters are all current or recent project managers on cohousing
projects.  We have received conformnation from John Abrams building
Island Cohousing in MA, Katie McCamant who has been a project manager on
several projects in the Bay Area, James Hamilton currently building a
project in Tucson, AZ and Jim Leach who will be giving more of a Keynote
address during one of our meals.

The overall design of the seminar will include two full days from 8-5
(Thursday and Friday) consisting catered breakfasts and lunches,
presentations with ample time for questions and answers, small group
discussions and free time.  Each 90 minute presentation would be 30-45
minutes of presentation with the rest of the time for Q & A. Saturday
will consist of an all-day tour of several completed cohousing
communities in the area.

The cost for the seminar depends on your relationship to The Cohousing
Network (TCN).  For non-members the registration cost is $300.  For
Professional members ($100) or corporate members ($250 & $500) the
registration is $255 (a 15% discount off the full price). For
individuals who are being sent by their cohousing group, AND the group
is an Group Members of TCN the cost is $150.

Sincerely, Zev Paiss, Executive Director, The Cohousing Network

The list of questions promised:

1) Non-negotiables - Things that you must have or you will leave the
group.
2) Wants - the things that you envision in your cohousing project. Some
of this is likely to become part of the mission statement.
3) Dealbreakers - Things which if included, will cause you to leave the
group.

Hi all, I just went exploring and found "events" on egroups.  So here is the
reminder about the upcoming meeting to talk about the following:
- mission/ who we are/ what we are
- lunch/a walk on the runway at Mueller to check it out
- info to report on
- a "get to know you " activity


Event: Meeting
Date:  Saturday March 11, 2000
Time:  2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Description: The next meeting at Shana's house

To add this event to your personal calendar, simply click on the following link:
http://www.egroups.com/cal?md=copy&prevMd=d&day=11027&eid=713247

If you have any other comments, you can reply to this message.

eGroups.com Calendar

Becky Weaver asked

>Does anyone know when the land is actually supposed to be *sold*? It's
>my understanding that the city is planning to do initial environmental
>remediation type stuff, then sell parcels of land to developers. Is
>that actually the case? The land sale date will have a major impact on
>what kind of timeline we are looking at.
==================

Actually the City doesn't have to sell the land at all, but only lease it,
which, if I understood the ROMA designer's financial consultant, Jim
Musbach, on my voice mail, is what he is looking at.

The advantage for the City of Austin would be a big one. The annual revenue
from leasing rather than selling lots at market value on this unusually
large  piece of land would amount to a substantial yield, a gusher in fact,
that would continue indefinitely, and increase as the value of land in
Austin continued to rise.  That revenue could be plowed back at first to
pay for building the infrastructure of Mueller, sewers, streets, etc..which
would reduce the debt load of the City. After that the revenue would still
be coming in.  More on that.

A second advantage for everyone is reducing sprawl. With no land to buy,
nobody looks for cheaper land further away or holds land out of use to sell
when prices are higher, two  principal causes of sprawl.


For the lessees there is one big advantage. Having to buy the land would
immobilize for years money they get to spend as lessees. And still their
right
to do what they like on the land, build, remodel, sell or rent out their
houses is the same as if they'd had to buy the land too. Landrent
establishes the right to the land exactly as taxes on it do.

      The problem in the past, going back centuries, is that landowners
don't part with land, but with Mueller Airport, the City of Austin already
owns the land!  It's the opportunity of a life-time!

      The main thing for co-housing is first to secure the lease for the
land needed, and to get the master designer to allow for modifications that
the co-housing group decides upon.

See you at the pot-luck this evening,

		 Mary Lehmann
Texans for LAND-USE INTEGRITY
110 East 37th St.  Rm 210     	   512  478-9812 tel .

Austin TX 78705 				   -2052 fax
	              .

Just an F.Y.I.,

    We have 10 definites and 2-4 maybe's for the
potluck on Sunday.  Lookin' forward to it...

Chris Ford

--- Robert Kirk <robert_kirk@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> ----Original Message Follows----
> From: Blake Stephenson
> <Blake.Stephenson@...>
> Reply-To: Blake.Stephenson@...
> To: "'Mueller-Neighborhoods@...'"
>
> <Mueller-Neighborhoods@...>,
>
> "'cherrywood@...'"
> <cherrywood@...>
> Subject: cohousing and Mueller: creating community
> Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2000 17:38:01 -0600
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I'm a member of the Cherrywood Neighborhood
> Association steering committee
> and am a big fan of intentional communities like
> cohousing.  For those of
> you who don't know what intentional communities or
> cohousing is, they are
> housing where people can live together in community.
>  If you want more info
> about the idea, check out
> Cohousing: http://www.cohousing.org/
> Intentional communities: http://www.ic.org/
>
> I've met several people recently and we are very
> excited about the idea of
> creating a cohousing community in central Austin and
> Mueller seems like it
> would be a perfect place to create one.  I know that
> plans for Mueller are
> well underway but I'm hoping that there may still be
> some way for us to have
> a cohousing community considered for the
> redevelopment area.
>
> If we aren't successful in creating a cohousing
> community for Mueller, we
> still plan to keep in touch to potentially create a
> cohousing community
> somewhere else in Central Austin.  If you are
> interested in joining us,
> please subscribe to our mailing list.  The e-mail is
> secure and you can
> easily remove yourself from the mailing list at any
> time:
>
> Send e-mail to austintxcohousing@egroups.com with
> subscribe in the subject
> line
>
> Please let me know if you have any suggestions about
> how to proceed with
> this idea.  I have no idea who the people are that I
> need to talk to.
>
> Blake Stephenson
>
>
>
______________________________________________________
>
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> austintxcohousing@eGroups.com
> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
> austintxcohousing-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>
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Hi all,

What's the agenda for the potluck Sunday? What topics should I come
prepared to  discuss/ask about?

I have some reference books on cohousing - would anyone like me to
bring them?

On a somewhat related topic, I was reading the archives (just joined
the list today) and I have some input about what a first step might be
as regards the city, planning team, etc. It is my understanding that
cohousing gets built via a core membership group, purchasing land and
building cohousing on it. Or sometimes this gets done by a developer
instead of a group of 'amateurs.'

So I'm not sure the city and planning people really can *do* much for
us. Naturaly we'll need to work very closely with the city, early and
often, about issues like zoning and code (Austin city code, at least in
the past, being unintentionally hostile to co-housing), potential road
re-routing (some co-ho groups have managed to move the location of
planned roads within new subdivisions), and the like. But from my
perspective, the first step would be to build a committed group with a
shared vision, then approach the appropriate city departments with that
in place. The city can't do anything for us till they know what we're
asking for.

Depending on the density we're looking at, wouldn't a co-housing
development fit fine into land zoned for multifamily residential, row
houses, yard houses, or those intriguing commercial/residential
mixed-use areas? We'd need to know what, if anything, in cohousing
violates the codes set up for these areas, before we'd know what issues
need working out with the city/planners. Or, what-zoned land would be
appropriate for purchase and development.

Code and zoning issues aside, isn't the actual design of the buildings,
ownership structure (condo/co-op, owned/leased) and site layout more or
less in the hands of the entity developing the land? (Pending the favor
of affected neighborhood associations, of course!) :-)

Does anyone know when the land is actually supposed to be *sold*? It's
my understanding that the city is planning to do initial environmental
remediation type stuff, then sell parcels of land to developers. Is
that actually the case? The land sale date will have a major impact on
what kind of timeline we are looking at.

I'm looking forward to meeting some of y'all on Sunday!

Becky Weaver
Cherrywood (Halfpenny Road)

Blake (And all others making referrals to our list)

   I MADE A MISTAKE ON HOW TO AUTOMATICALLY SUSCRIBE TO
OUR LIST!!!!!!


DO NOT - Send a blank message with "suscribe" in the
subject box to austintxcohousing@egroups.com!

DO - Send a completely blank message to

austintxcohousing-subscribe@eGroups.com

Thanx again,

Chris Ford



__________________________________________________
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Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
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Hello All,

     I hope you can make it to the potluck.  As Blake
mentioned it would be nice, but not essential, for you
to RSVP to me.  I would prefer that your responses be
through e-mail not by phone - easier for me to
coordinate that way.
    To help encourage a balanced potluck I am askin'
folks to bring their contribution based on the
following guidelines:

If your last name begins with an ...

A-E bring DRINKS - (de-caf soda, Tea, ?wine/beer?)
F-J bring APPITIZERS - (finger foods, chips/salsa)
K-S bring ENTREE - (hearty soup, veggie tacos, etc.)
T-Z bring DESSERT - (cake, cookies, ?)

   Tomorrow afternoon I will post a rough number of
people expected to attend to help you plan on how much
to bring.  If you haven't RSVP'ed PLEASE DO SO NOW.
   ** Please note if you are bringing an entree that
there should be multiple people bringing entrees so
you won't have to make huge portions to feed everyone.
**
  And if it looks like we're short on food we can
always have a pizza delivered.

Hope to see you there,

Chris Ford


--- Blake Stephenson <Blake.Stephenson@...>
wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> We are going to have our first get together so that
> we can begin to get to
> know each other, share ideas, invite others who may
> be interested in
> cohousing in Austin, etc.  Please invite anyone else
> that you believe is
> interested in community housing in Austin.
>
> Here are the plans:
> Potluck at my home this Sunday March 5th from 7-9pm
> 2318 Lafayette in the Cherrywood neighboordhood (aka
> French Place) which
> adjoins the Mueller area
>
> RSVP to:
> Chris Ford 323-6870 cmonee@...
> Chris is going to coordinate who brings what.  If
> you want to come but
> aren't sure that you will be able to make it, please
> contact Chris anyway.
> Of course, you are welcome to just show up if you
> can at the last minute,
> but we aren't expecting a large crowd so the more
> people that can RSVP the
> better.
>
> If you are interested in receiving invitations and
> updates in the future,
> please subscribe to our mailing list:
> Send e-mail to austintxcohousing@egroups.com with
> subscribe in the subject
> line
> You can also check out past postings:
> http://www.egroups.com/group/austintxcohousing/
>
> Hope to see you there!
> Blake Stephenson
>
>
> Directions:
> My home is on Lafayette Ave which is 3 blocks east
> of I-35 and between 26th
> St and 29th St (don't let the 2318 address confuse
> you, my home is north of
> 26th St.)
>
> Coming from I-35 S:
> Exit Manor/26th St and get over quickly into the
> right hand lane
> R at the stop sign (which is Manor Rd)
> L at the first possible left (which is Lafayette,
> don't let the sign confuse
> you.  If you turned R, you would be on Chicon)
> Cross 26th St and my house is the second on the left
> (light blue with black
> shutters)
>
> Coming from I-35 N:
> Exit 26th St
> Pass 26th St (which goes off to the right)
> Left at stop sign (Manor Rd)
> Pass through stop sign under freeway (i.e. continue
> on Manor Rd)
> L at the first possible left (which is Lafayette,
> don't let the sign confuse
> you.  If you turned R, you would be on Chicon)
> Cross 26th St and my house is the second on the left
> (light blue with black
> shutters)
>
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> To Post a message, send it to:
> austintxcohousing@eGroups.com
> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
> austintxcohousing-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>
>
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> supplies at
> GreatEntertaining.com today. Green salami, brew
> kits, shamrock
> confetti, gold coins, & more. Erin Go Bragh!
>
http://click.egroups.com/1/2042/0/_/351532/_/951979732/
>
> eGroups.com Home:
> http://www.egroups.com/group/austintxcohousing/
> http://www.egroups.com - Simplifying group
> communications
>
>
>
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FORWARDED:

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to tell you all that this week's speaker is an expert in his
field and it should be an *excellent* talk.  He will offer a brief overview
of what cohousing is, how it is currently developed and some of the issues
for cohousing development.  Then he will facilitate an open a dialog, Q &
A, about how policy makers might  facilitate the growth of cohousing.  A
member of the Hilltop Cohousing, Mike Wills, an architect licensed in
Colorado, will also be on hand to talk about design issues of cohousing.
Please plan to attend!!


The University Growth Forum Presents
"Metropolitan America in the 21st Century"

Todd Derkacz
Hilltop Cohousing


TO DISCUSS:


ìARE YOU A SHOEHORN
FOR COHOUSING?î


Thursday, March 2, 11:00-12:30 pm
University of Texas
Board of Directorís Room, Texas Union
(Room #4.118)


Derkacz is currently serving as Assistant Fire Chief in San Marcos, Texas.
He and his wife Betsy, a building designer in San Marcos have devoted their
lives to studying the subjects of urban growth, neighborhood design and
sprawl since 1989.  By 1997, they were determined to create a more sensible
living environment using the cohousing model and have been pursuing that
vision ever since in San Marcos.  Both have attended several conferences
and participated in seminars on developing cohousing and maintain
professional relationships with leaders in the field.


Sponsored by the Community and Regional Planning Department of the
University of Texas
Please direct all inquiries to makela@...



Texans for LAND-USE INTEGRITY
110 East 37th St.  Rm 210     	   512  478-9812 tel/-2052 fax  .

Austin TX 78705
	              .

Hi everyone,

We are going to have our first get together so that we can begin to get to
know each other, share ideas, invite others who may be interested in
cohousing in Austin, etc.  Please invite anyone else that you believe is
interested in community housing in Austin.

Here are the plans:
Potluck at my home this Sunday March 5th from 7-9pm
2318 Lafayette in the Cherrywood neighboordhood (aka French Place) which
adjoins the Mueller area

RSVP to:
Chris Ford 323-6870 cmonee@...
Chris is going to coordinate who brings what.  If you want to come but
aren't sure that you will be able to make it, please contact Chris anyway.
Of course, you are welcome to just show up if you can at the last minute,
but we aren't expecting a large crowd so the more people that can RSVP the
better.

If you are interested in receiving invitations and updates in the future,
please subscribe to our mailing list:
Send e-mail to austintxcohousing@egroups.com with subscribe in the subject
line
You can also check out past postings:
http://www.egroups.com/group/austintxcohousing/

Hope to see you there!
Blake Stephenson


Directions:
My home is on Lafayette Ave which is 3 blocks east of I-35 and between 26th
St and 29th St (don't let the 2318 address confuse you, my home is north of
26th St.)

Coming from I-35 S:
Exit Manor/26th St and get over quickly into the right hand lane
R at the stop sign (which is Manor Rd)
L at the first possible left (which is Lafayette, don't let the sign confuse
you.  If you turned R, you would be on Chicon)
Cross 26th St and my house is the second on the left (light blue with black
shutters)

Coming from I-35 N:
Exit 26th St
Pass 26th St (which goes off to the right)
Left at stop sign (Manor Rd)
Pass through stop sign under freeway (i.e. continue on Manor Rd)
L at the first possible left (which is Lafayette, don't let the sign confuse
you.  If you turned R, you would be on Chicon)
Cross 26th St and my house is the second on the left (light blue with black
shutters)

----Original Message Follows----
From: Blake Stephenson <Blake.Stephenson@...>
Reply-To: Blake.Stephenson@...
To: "'Mueller-Neighborhoods@...'"
<Mueller-Neighborhoods@...>,
"'cherrywood@...'" <cherrywood@...>
Subject: cohousing and Mueller: creating community
Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2000 17:38:01 -0600

Hi everyone,

I'm a member of the Cherrywood Neighborhood Association steering committee
and am a big fan of intentional communities like cohousing.  For those of
you who don't know what intentional communities or cohousing is, they are
housing where people can live together in community.  If you want more info
about the idea, check out
Cohousing: http://www.cohousing.org/
Intentional communities: http://www.ic.org/

I've met several people recently and we are very excited about the idea of
creating a cohousing community in central Austin and Mueller seems like it
would be a perfect place to create one.  I know that plans for Mueller are
well underway but I'm hoping that there may still be some way for us to have
a cohousing community considered for the redevelopment area.

If we aren't successful in creating a cohousing community for Mueller, we
still plan to keep in touch to potentially create a cohousing community
somewhere else in Central Austin.  If you are interested in joining us,
please subscribe to our mailing list.  The e-mail is secure and you can
easily remove yourself from the mailing list at any time:

Send e-mail to austintxcohousing@egroups.com with subscribe in the subject
line

Please let me know if you have any suggestions about how to proceed with
this idea.  I have no idea who the people are that I need to talk to.

Blake Stephenson


______________________________________________________

Wow Blake,

    Sounds like you've been workin' on this lots.  Wish
I could say the same but the last couple of weeks have
seen me swamped with other responsibilities.  I'm
still game for a potluck, but again I have many time
restrictions.  Perhaps a later-in-the-evening potluck
on Sunday March 5th?
    I am curious, is it Casa Verde the small group you
found who are involved with developing affordable
community housing?  Casa Verde was at the last
Strawbale Association Meeting and said that's what
they're planning an affordable Strawbale house in East
Austin.  Also I'd say keep your copy of the RMA plan
and share it at the potluck.  We can get several folks
to look it over for CoHousing opportunities within the
plan.

--- Blake Stephenson <Blake.Stephenson@...>
wrote:
> Hey guys,
> I've been sending out a bunch of e-mails and I've
> found a small group of
> people that are involved with developing affordable
> community housing.  They
> are very interested in our idea.  I'm waiting for
> feedback from them.
>
> I've also sent off an e-mail to the Mueller
> Neighborhoods Coalition mailing
> list inviting people to join our mailing list.  I am
> going to send a blurb
> to the editor of their newsletter so hopefully we
> will reach even more
> people that way.
>
> Jim Walker is supposed to give me a RMA (the Mueller
> site designers) contact
> though I'm not sure what I will do with it when I
> get it.
>
> Do you guys have anything to report?  Any ideas
> about how to proceed?  We
> need to keep things rolling.  Are we still going to
> do a potluck?
>
> Blake Stephenson
>
>
>
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> To Post a message, send it to:
> austintxcohousing@eGroups.com
> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
> austintxcohousing-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>
>
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Hey guys,
I've been sending out a bunch of e-mails and I've found a small group of
people that are involved with developing affordable community housing.  They
are very interested in our idea.  I'm waiting for feedback from them.

I've also sent off an e-mail to the Mueller Neighborhoods Coalition mailing
list inviting people to join our mailing list.  I am going to send a blurb
to the editor of their newsletter so hopefully we will reach even more
people that way.

Jim Walker is supposed to give me a RMA (the Mueller site designers) contact
though I'm not sure what I will do with it when I get it.

Do you guys have anything to report?  Any ideas about how to proceed?  We
need to keep things rolling.  Are we still going to do a potluck?

Blake Stephenson

This newsletter provides good info about the latest developments in Mueller.

The newsletter has these details about upcoming MUELLER NEIGHBORHOODS
COALITION meetings.  I've never been to one of these meetings but I'm
thinking that these meetings may be a good way to network and let our
interest in cohousing be known.   I can't go to the upcoming meeting on
Tuesday but it would be great if one of us could go and scout of the
situation.  Can one of you guys go?  If it seems worthwhile, I could
probably go to the meeting in March.  Here are the details of those
meetings:

Mueller Neighborhood Coalition Open Meeting
February 15, Tues. @ 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. @ Asbury United Methodist Church
     1600 block of E. 38 1/2 St. at Maplewood Rd.
6:30 - Round Robin Introductions
6:40 - General Announcements
Action/Discussion Items
6:50 - Voting on Bylaws
7:05 - ROMA MasterPlan Update (see related article)
7:35 - Interim Uses Updates
8:05 - Future meetings and election season
8:30 - Adjourn

Mueller Neighborhood Coalition Open Meeting
March 13, Tues. @ 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. @ Asbury United Methodist Church

Here's another important tidbit from the newsletter below:
ROMA is scheduled to come back in mid-March for their next to last meeting
with the Advisory Group. Changes have already been made to the plan based
on the January Advisory Group meeting and neighborhood input on the plan as
presented (see above). ROMA will be presenting their recommendations for
managing the redevelopment over these next two meetings.

ROMA is the company that is doing the development plans for the city.  If we
want to make our project work, it sounds like we would need to be actively
involved in this meeting or have made some real progress before this
meeting.

If you want to subscribe to the newsletter (which I recommend), send an
e-mail to Jim Walker whose address is below.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Walker [mailto:jwalk@...]
Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2000 3:57 PM
To: mueller-neighborhoods@...
Cc: jima@...; cherrywood@...
Subject: MNC Newsletter, Feb. 2000


MUELLER NEIGHBORHOODS COALITION
Feb. 2000

State House Dist. 50 Candidates Forum
Dawnna Dukes  -  Stella Roland
Saturday, Feb. 12, 10 a.m.
E. 19th St. Baptist Church
@ 3401 Rogge Ln.
(across from Pecan Springs Elementary)

Register to
  Vote!!
Then, VOTE.

Upcoming Meetings and Events
Mueller Neighborhood Coalition Open Meeting
February 15, Tues. @ 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. @ Asbury United Methodist Church
     1600 block of E. 38 1/2 St. at Maplewood Rd.
6:30 - Round Robin Introductions
6:40 - General Announcements
Action/Discussion Items
6:50 - Voting on Bylaws
7:05 - ROMA MasterPlan Update (see related article)
7:35 - Interim Uses Updates
8:05 - Future meetings and election season
8:30 - Adjourn
Mueller Neighborhood Coalition Open Meeting
March 13, Tues. @ 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. @ Asbury United Methodist Church

We’re coming into the 2000 election season, and while the State of Texas
has pulled out, we should ensure that our state elected officials know how
we feel about last minute attempts to undermine local planning . . . Even
more importantly are the upcoming City Council elections, be sure the folks
in your neighborhood have registered to vote and will go to the polls . . .

By-Laws
The final, latest version available on the web at
http://link.lanic.utexas.edu/~bennett/__cwd/is_rmma.htm. Some changes,
please review. If you do not have internet access, please call Jim Walker,
499-0526, to get a hard copy.

News from the State
While there is nothing new to report, we have established a paper trail
that may prove invaluable in the next State Legislative Session in 2001.
Our next steps should be to follow up with Senator Barrientos and other
state elected officials.
  The bottom line from the City is that the State didn’t come in under the
MOU, is no longer a part of Mueller redevelopment, and we have to move on
with redevelopment plans, period.

News from the City
ROMA. Jim Adams and Jim Musbach were back in town last month to present the
“Preliminary Concepts of the Master Plan Revision” for the Mueller site.
The bulk of the meeting was a discussion of the Design Issues by Adams, and
Economic and Financial Issues by Musbach, with a lot of Advisory Group and
audience interaction and questions.
Much of the discussion swirled around the issues of streets
Two of the latest images of the masterplan are available on the Cherrywood
Neighborhood Association website.
The Regulating Plan which covers all of the site's uses is at:
http://asnic.utexas.edu/~bennett/__cwd/MuMstr1-00jan29.gif
The Town Center Concept, which is the vision of a central business district
with residential, and the most likely Phase I, is at:
http://asnic.utexas.edu/~bennett/__cwd/MuTwnCntr-00jan29.gif
And both are available in Adobe Acrobat format at:
http://asnic.utexas.edu/~bennett/__cwd/Mu-00jan29a.pdf
If you have any problems with these files, or don’t have internet access
but want copies of the maps, please let us know.
ROMA is scheduled to come back in mid-March for their next to last meeting
with the Advisory Group. Changes have already been made to the plan based
on the January Advisory Group meeting and neighborhood input on the plan as
presented (see above). ROMA will be presenting their recommendations for
managing the redevelopment over these next two meetings.
These meetings are important for any neighborhood folks who have the time
to attend. Many issues are discussed that directly affect the physical
layout of the masterplan. Items also come up in discussion regarding some
of the more established ideas, such as the perimeter greenbelt, without
neighborhood folks at these meetings, some of the design elements we take
for granted are questioned and may be reconsidered.
Interim Uses.
The Austin Film Society Sound Stages. This is the first major proposal for
a long-term interim use. At our last meeting we had an extended
presentation and Q&A period with the Austin Film Society (AFS) and then
passed two motions (and an important note that  Councilmember Jackie
Goodman was present throughout the presentation and Q&A):
1. The MNC approves the Austin Film Society concept of film sound stages as
a private interim use.
2. The MNC recommends to the Austin City Council that the community
oriented process engaged in to date by the Austin Film Society to develop
their current interim use proposal with neighborhoods should be the
precedent for future private interim uses.
On Thursday, Feb. 3, City Council approved “a resolution accepting the
recommendations of the MNC regarding the proposal of the AFS to establish a
multi-media support facility at the site of the former Robert Mueller
Municipal Airport and directing the City Manager to begin negotiations with
the Austin Film Society regarding their proposal.”
In addition, AFS has developed a business plan “for Interim Use of 20-acre
Site at RMMA,” which will presumably be one of the starting points for
negotiating a contract with City staff. This is the appropriate place to
remind ourselves that the MNC is not a formal party in negotiating interim
use contracts, but we do have a strong stake in ensuring that any interim
use does not hinder the redevelopment process or the masterplan, as well as
nurturing a relationship with interim occupants of Mueller, as our
neighbors.
As the next several weeks unfold there are several aspects of the entire
deal that we need to keep on the table.
- The MNC has supported the process in a so far, so good way, meaning both
a sincere thank you for involving us early, and a reminder that we’re still
watching and expect to remain involved.
- Yes, a successful 20 acre complex of film and multimedia sound stages is
good for Austin in and of itself, however, at Mueller the neighborhoods
supported this interim use also with the great hope that it will provide
the spark for a successful redevelopment on the other 700 acres of Mueller.
- And there is still the fear that the film studios will expand into other
hangars along E. 51st St. or acquire such a vested interest in the hangars
that AFS will become increasingly difficult to negotiate with or move in
the future.
All of the above are workable. As long as we continue to maintain open and
honest communications with the emerging private sector interests, City
staff and City Council about our interests and intent, we’ll be fine. If
you feel that the MNC has blinders on, or is being naive, or is not asking
the right questions or getting the right answers, come to the next meeting,
your opinion will be heard, but we can’t do that if you don’t speak up.
Also at our next meeting we’ll have a rundown of any other interim uses
being proposed or on the horizon.

Traffic
A UT class completed two very professional traffic studies, a “Neighborhood
Accessibility Study” of the Windsor Park/Pecan Springs/Springdale
neighborhoods, and “Future Transportation Issues” of the total site
buildout. Both studies were built on surveys from MNC members. We’ll have
copies you can check out at the meeting or contact Dr. Susan Handy,
471-4140, for copies of the reports.
These two reports can be used by the neighborhoods in reviewing the Traffic
Impact Analysis to be done by WHM Consultants, as part of the ROMA
contract. The Traffic Impact Analysis is scheduled to be completed and
released sometime in March.
Also on traffic, all of the neighborhoods around Mueller will hopefully
have completed a Neighborhood Plan, with the city’s help, over the next
several years in which specific traffic calming measures are identified and
initiated. Many traffic improvements are needed right now, and will be even
more so as the Mueller redevelopment proceeds.

The architectural firm, ROMA, which is doing the development design of
Mueller for the City has just come out with its latest update of its
recommended plans for Mueller.  It seems that the final stage of the plans
is supposed to be completed in May.  Jim Walker thought that it would be
difficult to get any plans changed at this point.  However, he did give me
one lead from whom I am awaiting a response.  Also, even if we can't affect
the outcome of the plans that are in process, maybe we could still lobby to
use some of the land that is set aside for apartment buildings for cohousing
(just a thought).

Here is a map of the latest Mueller plans which I got off of the cherrywood
site:

  <<MuMstr1-00jan29.gif>>

I have no idea how any of this stuff works but it seems that we would have
to lobby with the city and convince them of the merits of cohousing.  Since
it is a progressive idea and since Austin loves to see itself as being
progressive, we might be able to get the City to listen to us even at this
late date.  We could be the first city in Texas to create a cohousing
community (we'd have to beat our friends down in San Marcos which may not be
possible) which would help us with the lobbying/publicity potential of our
bid.

Gordon Bennett, who maintains the Cherrywood neighborhood homepage, has the
following web site dedicated to Mueller redevelopment in case you are
interested:
http://link.lanic.utexas.edu/~bennett/__cwd/is_rmma.htm

From this web page above, here is the latest chronology of the Mueller
plans:

May'00 Final Master Plan due from ROMA
March'00 Draft Master Plan due from ROMA (including Traffic Impact Analysis
from WHM)
00Jan29 ROMA makes available maps of new "Regulating Plan" and "Town Center
Concept" (Regulating
<http://asnic.utexas.edu/~bennett/__cwd/MuMstr1-00jan29.gif> 250K,
Regulating <http://asnic.utexas.edu/~bennett/__cwd/MuMstr2-00jan29.gif> 400K
-- bigger, Town Center
<http://asnic.utexas.edu/~bennett/__cwd/MuTwnCntr-00jan29.gif> 250K, Both
<http://asnic.utexas.edu/~bennett/__cwd/Mu-00jan29a.pdf> Adobe Acrobat PDF)

I'm beginning to think that if this Mueller cohousing project idea is going
to work it is going to require some viral marketing that happens via things
like e-mail because we need to get people involved that can help us ASAP.
It seems that there are those kinds of people around.  We just need to get
in touch with them.  I'm going to send out an e-mail to the Mueller
neighborhoods e-mail list.  I encourage you guys to target other types of
groups that you think are appropriate.

Blake

Hi,

    We are a group of Austinites interested in planning an intentional living
community.  Would you like to join us?

Cheers,

Chris