August 2015 Vote for FAN At Large Members

public referendum created by FAN Operations [archived]



We are voting on three separate resolutions. The vote will close on Thursday, August 13th at noon.

questions (3)   |   voters & ballots   |   trustees (1)


This election is complete.


Tally

Question #1
Friends of Austin Neighborhoods respectfully asks the City Council to vote against the Blue Bonnet Hills Local Historic District. Please also encourage the City Manager to sponsor an update to the Local Historic District ordinance and it’s processes through an effort led by City Staff which includes an inclusive Citizen Advisory Group. The creation of Local Historic Districts should be transparent, involve all stakeholders, and require a two-thirds majority (65%) of neighborhood support, since the policies enforced through an LHD will restrict property rights in an area, and could harm the affordability and sale-ability for both homeowners and renters. Property right restrictions themselves (i.e. “the design standards”), including their administration and enforcement, must be clear to everyone involved prior to voting.

Agree41
Disagree4
Abstain7
Question #2
Small lot amnesty is an infill tool that some neighborhoods opted into that allows homeowners to use their original lot sizes for their homes. Small lot amnesty allows for more diversity in our neighborhoods, helps address affordability, and provides more housing options by allowing some homes on smaller lots. City of Austin staff now proposes that if a single owner ever built a home or fenced a property on multiple lots; that those multiple lots can never again exist independently with individual homes or be “disaggregated”. FAN does not support this change. Imagine Austin calls for smaller lots in Austin and FAN believes that neighborhoods should be allowed to keep this important infill tool.

Agree48
Disagree2
Abstain2
Question #3
The Planning Commission recommended banning Type 2 short term rentals (STRs) in accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and that recommendation is being considered by the Planning and Neighborhoods Committee on August 17th. Friends of Austin Neighborhoods (FAN) does not support this policy. Out of all new ADUs permitted in Austin between 2004 – 2014 there are approximately 12 ADUs that are Type 2 STRs showing that there is not an abundance of Type 2 STRs in ADUs. The current STR ordinance limits Type 2 STRs for all dwelling types to a small number of licenses – 3% of dwellings per census tract, making sure that no one census tract can have many Type 2 STRs (addressing “clustering” concerns) and limits their number city wide (addressing housing stock concerns). The current STR regulations in place provide strict limits and even without the limits the data suggests there would be few Type 2 STR ADUs in Austin. FAN supports abundant and diverse housing in Austin; including temporary housing options. STRs benefit our neighborhoods by providing a convenient place for Austinites to stay in their own neighborhoods during remodels or between houses or between leases, allows temporary housing for new Austinites relocating to Austin, provides housing for visiting families, provides local businesses temporary housing for their employees that work near our neighborhoods, provides temporary housing for flood and fire victims, while allowing homeowners the ability to make additional income in order to help pay their increasing property taxes so they can continue to live in the Austin homes that they love. FAN does not support the policy that would ban Type 2 STRs in ADUs.

Agree47
Disagree2
Abstain3
Audit Info