EROC NEWS NOVEMBER 2025
Malcolm Yeatts
EROC GENERAL MEETING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14 AT 6 PM ON ZOOM
The meeting had a presentation by the City Of Austin Public Works Department on changes to the East Riverside Corridor Plan and reports on area parks. Most of the meeting was devoted to discussions with the Homeless Strategy Office on the proposed navigation center at 2401 South I-35. The attached meeting notes were compiled by Gayle Goff and Lee Ann Landry. The video of this meeting can be viewed at this link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CHuDgSr_ghKwKfe26DpxhodOZglM8GWG/view?usp=sharing
NAVIGATION CENTER
At the October 9 meeting City Council approved purchasing the property just south of the Oltorf – I-35 intersection. The agenda item to approve the purchase was originally on the Consent Agenda, which means there would be no discussion on the dais, and no opportunity for citizens to speak. Due to many emails, the item was removed from the Consent Agenda at the last minute, and District 3 Councilmember Velasquez and District 9 Councilmember Qadri voted against the purchase of the property. This summer the City Council meeting rules were quietly changed to remove the ability of citizens to request that an item be removed from the Consent Agenda. Now, only a City Councilmember can request the removal.
Residents of the EROC area and South River City Citizens, the Travis Heights neighborhood association, have joined forces to advocate for more public safety resources for our area, and to keep the navigation center from creating the same situation in our area as the Sunrise Navigation Center has created around the Menchaca/Ben White area. The Homeless Strategy Office (HSO) has promised to create an advisory board that will help to decide what services are offered at the navigation center. The charter for this board is currently being finalized. Comments on the charter can be sent to the city at the city website. The comments will be accepted until 11/18/2025:
https://speakupaustin.org/housingnavigation#tab-71350
HSO will accept applications for members of the advisory board later this year. It is important that residents of this area have a voice in the operation of the navigation center. More information on the advisory board will be posted when available. If you would like to become active in the EROC - SRCC group that will independently monitor the navigation center, please contact me.
TRAVIS HIGH SCHOOL RESOURCE FAIR
Ed Miller spent months organizing the Resource Fair at Travis High School on Saturday, October 4. The resource fair hosted social services organizations that can benefit area residents. EROC had a table at the fair, and we made some important new contacts.
COFFEE HOUSE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
During all of the commotion over the navigation center at the October 9 City Council meeting, another item on the Consent Agenda was approved without discussion or citizen input. Item 24 on the Consent Agenda:
“Approve a resolution directing the City Manager to analyze ways to minimize barriers to and encourage accessibility of coffee shops, cafes, and coffee trucks in residential areas of the City and initiating amendments to City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to the extent necessary to carry out the goal of the resolution.”
CITY PLANS FOR TOKYO ELECTRON PROPERTY
The City of Austin has purchased the remainder of the former Tokyo Electron campus on Grove Blvd:
Carl Braun received a call from Adisa Communications; a public relations firm associated with the Austin Chamber of Commerce. Adisa is evidently coordinating public outreach for the development of this property. The city will be asking citizens what they want to see developed on this property. The plan is to build low-income housing. This could be an opportunity to request a community center as part of the development. More information on public outreach meetings will be released by the city this month.
IT’S MY PARK DAY
We had volunteers working in Mabel Davis Park, Heritage Oaks Park, and the Country Club Creek Greenbelt. Photos from these events are posted on the Country Club Creek Trail Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/AtxCCCT/
SOUTH PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD CUT-THROUGH (SP-2025-0221D)
The city has sent out notice of a Site Plan for the construction of the connection of South Pleasant Valley Road to Burleson Road. This construction will involve the rerouting of the Country Club Creek Trail. No date for start of construction has been posted.
CD-2025-0002 ACTON PROPERTY
The city has sent notice of the filing of an application for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) on the former Acton School property at Manlove and East Riverside Drive. This action will remove the property from the requirements of the East Riverside Corridor Plan. A PUD is required to provide public benefits in exchange for variances to zoning requirements. What public benefits could this property provide? We will have an opportunity to ask for public benefits when this zoning case is presented to City Council.
