EROC NEWS FEBRUARY 2026
Malcolm Yeatts
EROC OFFICER VOTE RESULTS
The vote for the EROC Officers was unanimous since there was only one candidate for each position. We need more EROC residents to become involved in the contact team. The same people have been in these positions for years, and some of us are getting old. EROC is the only organization that advocates for the residents of the East Riverside area. To keep EROC effective, we need more people to get involved. Become involved by sending emails to City Council, submitting surveys, volunteering in parks, finding new members, attending some meetings. There are several items in this newsletter that require involvement.
HERITAGE OAKS PROPERTY VOTE
The EROC Contact Team is currently voting on a proposal to acquire the abandoned property adjacent to Heritage Oaks Park. Team members have been working for several years on acquiring the "orphan lot" along the south side of Heritage Oaks Park that has been and is currently a source of criminal activity and camping. APD does not have authority to access private property without permission from the owner to intervene, and no one will claim ownership of this property.
In September 2025, the EROC Contact Team voted to approve the following vote request:
9/2025 VOTE REQUEST:
The EROC Contact Team requests that the Parks Department use Parkland Dedication Fees generated in the EROC area to purchase the property adjacent to Heritage Oaks Park, Travis Central Appraisal Property ID 285948.
The Parks Department replied to this request saying that they could not
purchase a property at auction. EROC members have found another solution. The
lot was owned by an LLC who had not paid taxes in several years so the lot will
go to auction in March. We have found a developer who will devote a portion of
parkland dedication fees to the acquisition of the lot by the developer and
then dedicate that property to the City.
If the strip becomes parkland, we will then have much needed APD enforcement
for criminal activity & camping. This vote request is part of the EROC goal
to direct more of the fees generated from development in our area to park
projects located in the EROC area. Councilmember Velasquez would like
EROC Contact Team to confirm approval of this proposal in order to
support it.
EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR UPDATE
This “update” will change the zoning in EROC areas far from East Riverside Drive (see attached map). On the map, the original boundaries of the ERC are outlined in black. The “study area” in green extends south to Oltorf and includes residential neighborhoods. This study area will remove more residential neighborhoods from the EROC Plan and include them in the high-density zoning of the East Riverside Corridor Plan. The city needs more density in the East Riverside area to comply with requirements for federal grants to fund the Blue Line. EROC residents must become involved in the ERC update process to protect residential neighborhoods. Start getting involved by going to the link below and reading about the goals of the update and the schedule for future meetings. Then click on the “Share Your Thoughts” tab to leave comments on the update.
https://speakupaustin.org/s0322#tab-54200
EAST RIVERSIDE ZONING MEETING FEBRUARY 17 AT 7 PM
Unlike most meetings about zoning that are controlled by the city, this meeting has been organized by South River City Citizens, the Travis Heights neighborhood organization. The meeting will be held at the Wildflower Church at 1314 E. Oltorf. This meeting will discuss the impact to south Austin residential neighborhoods of the recent proposed zoning changes and ways to oppose the ERC update.
HOMELESS NAVIGATION CENTER AT 2401 S. I-35
Residents of the EROC and Travis Heights area, along with businesses along I-35, have formed a group to get the city to allocate more resources to this area to mitigate the impact of the proposed Homeless Navigation Center near the intersection of I-35 and Oltorf. One improvement: the La Quinta at Oltorf and I-35 will now have an office for the police patrols in this area. This navigation center will attract more homeless people to this area. Go to the following website for more information:
IT’S MY PARK DAY SATURDAY MARCH 7
There are two opportunities to improve EROC parks, at Mabel Davis and the Country Club Creek Greenbelt.
To register for the Country Club Creek Greenbelt event:
https://austinparks.givepulse.com/event/828748-Country-Club-Creek-Greenbelt-Improvements
To register for the Mabel Davis event:
https://www.givepulse.com/event/821748-Spring-Pick-a-thon-at-Mabel-Davis-District-Park
2026 BOND ELECTION LIST
District 3 Councilmember Velasquez said he would support the EROC request for an East Riverside community center, but that item was not even on the final list for consideration given by staff to City Council:
https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=466344
Improvements to the Woodland Pocket Park is a line item on this list but did not get enough priority points for consideration.
To get an East Riverside community center on the 2026 bond election ballot, everyone needs to tell City Council that this area needs a community center. Email all City Council members at this link:
https://www.austintexas.gov/email/all-council-members
GROVE-RIVERSIDE PROJECT
This city owned property will be another opportunity to get more parks, trails, recreational facilities, and owner-occupied housing in the East Riverside area:
https://www.austintexas.gov/page/grove-riverside-site
