The OWANA OWL Newsletter Fall 2025 (Old West Austin Neighborhood Association)

 

THE OWL - WINTER 2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS Hello Old West Austin neighbors! Here's a preview of what's included in the OWL this quarter.  1. Notes from the Chair 2. December General Membership Meeting Agenda 3. New Steering Committee Bios 4. Committee Updates, including Zoning cases updates and Events re-cap 5. Zoning Highlights & Accomplishments 5. CCDC Update 6. Business Member Listing   NOTES FROM THE CHAIR Hello Old West Austin Neighbors, Wow, how this year has flown! Looking forward to seeing you Tuesday, December 2nd at Mathews Elementary cafeteria. Please come by 6:30 PM to mingle, start at 6:45, end at 7:55 before the building alarm goes off. Thank you for your participation and support of the Old West Austin community throughout the year. Please join me in thanking the incredible hard-working, OWANA Steering, Event, and Zoning committee members; many dedicating an insane amount of time. Thank YOU ALL! Please join us in recognizing Paula Hern, Erika Tatum, and Meghan Yancy as they roll off the OWANA Steering Committee. Thank you for your great work and service!!! This year OWANA:  Listened: Obtaining insights from over 100 OWANA members responding to two surveys, providing insights to better understand your needs.  Acted: Responding to the surveys, and other community input, we are working on: 1) Ways people can be engaged, volunteer, and connected, 2) Providing background information on zoning, 3) Helping to address safety issues, 4) Stepping up working with OWA businesses, and more.  Delivered: The 2025 events were awesome! We look forward to seeing you in 2026 from the Easter egg hunt to Halloween to music, and the July 4 parade.  Built: Established relationships with OWA business community, which helped lead to financial stability. Thank you, Mark Ashby, for your great work! Improved: Systems were modernized (from hand-kept spreadsheets). Thank you, Renae Alsobrook, Jeff Callahan, and Mark Carpenter.  Supported: You contributed to Mathews’ scholarship fund and Octoberama. Recognized: Awesome to see OWNA Zoning Team recognized in the Austin Business Journal and ABJ recognizing OWA’s Donn’s Depot.  The Zoning Committee delivered on amazing collaborations with developers. Check out their summary doc below. Thank you, Sheila Lyon, Donna Osborn, and the Zoning Team! As noted above, financially, OWANA moved from starting 2025 in the “red”, to ending in the “black”. Thank YOU ALL! And OWANA’s cool financial team Paul Shattuck and Margret Sullivan. Plus, worldwide recognition, London’s “Time Out”, September 2025, included Old West Austin/Clarksville among the Coolest Neighborhoods in the World (#33), the only neighborhood listed from Texas. Looking forward is what really excites us. For 2026, let’s do more to build our community, foster connections with our neighbors, and increase OWANA's positive voice within Austin City Council on issues that impact us all.  Let's: Establish OWA as the “Generation ATX”  blueprint neighborhood; furthering Mayor Watson’s vision “… to Make Austin the Best Place in America to Be a Kid”. Expand OWANA’s education engagement to include Austin High School, working to mentor next generation of leaders. Grow OWANA's business membership and collaborations. Take visionary action, as OWANA partners with AIA for a “Community by Design” Workshop; led by Evelyn Fujimoto and Chris Rice. More info to come. Your 4 action items, please:  1. Share: Pass on this email to five neighbors. 2. Invite: Invite them to join OWANA; exponentially growing OWANA membership. 3. Participate: From events to providing your survey insights to responding to requests for letters to City Council, to just saying hi to neighbors. 4. Take: Take time this holiday season to chill with your family and friends; relax, celebrate, and recharge. A few more acknowledgements are in order … William Osborn for his legal counsel and calm voice of reason, Nick Mehl for giving back his time to our community, and Shawn Shillington for always being there to help with his valuable insights. A special shout out to Adrienne Domas Goldsberry - OWANA Vice-Chair - for her tireless work, patience, and incredible work on the OWL! Wishing you and your families a fantastic holiday season and looking forward to working with you in 2026. Sincerely, Chair  Steve Amos   Old West Austin Neighborhood Association: We Build Community DECEMBER GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING Tuesday, December 2 at 6:45pm  Mathews Elementary School Cafeteria 906 W. Lynn St General Membership Meeting Agenda  Welcome and General Announcements Approve September General Membership meeting minutes (please review prior to meeting) Approve 2026 Budget (please review prior to meeting) Comparison of finances from last year for reference Zoning and Development update, including a discussion of the former St. Luke’s site (14th & W. Lynn) and update on potential future development at the Town Lake YMCA site. Guest Speakers Felecia Miller (new chair of CCDC) Update from Save Our Springs re. proposed MoPac South expansion Committee Updates Discussion. Adjourn meeting by 7:55pm. NEW STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER BIOS We will be voting on three new Steering Committee members at Tuesday's meeting. Here's a little more about each of these volunteers: Jeff Callahan: Hi OWANA friends - I’m Jeff. I’ve lived in this wonderful neighborhood for about three years and grew up in the area. You may see me playing basketball at Pease Park, biking to Barton Springs, or enjoying a tasty bowl at Galaxy Café. I’ve been volunteering on the OWANA website since May, and I’m excited to use my tech skills to support the Steering Committee and continue improving owana.org. Scott Campbell: Originally from Fort Worth, Scott worked as an architect in New York City from 2001 to 2011, and in 2016 his family moved from Philadelphia to Austin. They lived on Waterston Street until earlier this year, when they moved homes withing the Old West Austin neighborhood. Having ten years of neighborhood residence, he is well familiar with the issues we are facing. Scott visited with the zoning committee last year as they planned an addition to their bungalow.  Marc Carlson: Marc Carlson has lived in the Austin area since March 2000 and has enjoyed watching the downtown area grow over the past 25 years. Marc and his wife Kim moved from Tempe, AZ for Marc to take the job as General Manager of the Austin Ice Bats hockey team. Marc was the CFO of the coffee importing company Serengeti Trading from March 2006 through July 2021, and is also an Investment Advisor Representative with Solomon Group Financial Services, LLC since October 2016. He was the Treasurer for West End Condo Association from 2008-2024. He also served as board Treasurer and Secretary for Enclave at Alta Vista HOA from Jan 2014 - Apr 2017, and as a representative member of the board for Ridge at Alta Vista HOA from April 2015 - April 2017 while he and his wife lived at the Enclave at Alta Vista in Lakeway. When he is not “working the numbers” for his personal financial clients, he enjoys acting in theater and movie productions, cycling, golf, and spending fun nights on the town with Kim. Thank you for volunteering Jeff, Scott, and Marc!  COMMITTEE UPDATES ZONING   Zoning Cases: 1306 West Lynn (St Luke United Methodist Church): - C14-2025-0109 APPLICANT:  Graham Brown Consulting LLC (Graham Brown) OWNER:  Rio Texas Conference United Methodist Church   Proposal:  The applicant is proposing to rezone approximately 33,100 square feet tract from MF-3-NP to LR-MU-CO.  The intention is to preserve and adaptively reuse the existing church structure on the front parcel with a community-oriented retail user. "We are excited to share that a private developer group comprised of 78703 residents has the former church property at 1306 West Lynn under contract.  The group is advancing a plan to preserve the historic buildings and transform the site into a community-centric adaptive reuse project. The concept includes a neighborhood bookstore with a café offering coffee, light fare, and beer & wine — creating a warm and welcoming gathering place for Clarksville residents.  The team is also in early conversations with prospective partners in the creative sector, including art galleries and small creative office users.  The aim is to establish a true community living room for 78703. The group anticipates completing the rezoning process in Q1 2026, with a target of opening the project before the end of 2026.  The rear portion of the property, already zoned for residential use, will be marketed separately for future residential development. All will be announced in due course, please reach out to Graham@gbc-projects.com for additional information.”  ~ Graham Brown Graham will be presenting his proposal at the OWANA General meeting on December 2. Status:  On going. W 6th & N Lamar (NW Corner): - C14-2024-0179 APPLICANT:  Armbrust and Brown PLLC, Richard T. Suttle OWNER:  600 North Lamar, Ltd. & 603 and 605 Baylor, Ltd. Proposal:  Request to rezone 600 N Lamar from CS-MU-CO-NP & CS-MU-V-CO-NP to eTOD-DBETOD-NP.  On September 11, City Council approved the rezoning on all three readings.  OWANA supported the case only after securing a finalized Restrictive Covenant containing the following neighborhood protections. Neighborhood Update: What the New Restrictive Covenant Secures for Old West Austin We’re excited to share an overview of the protections and community benefits that are now formally guaranteed through the Restrictive Covenant (RC) for the 6th & Lamar/Baylor project. These commitments are binding on all future owners and ensure the development remains compatible with the neighborhood. Key Highlights Building Height & Scale Strong height limits across the site, with the tallest portions located farthest from homes. Significant upper-story stepbacks on Baylor Street to reduce massing. Height automatically drops to 60 feet if any RC requirement is violated. Pedestrian, Bike & Streetscape Improvements Lamar Blvd: 11-ft sidewalk + 8-ft continuous landscaped buffer. W. 6th St.: Wider sidewalks, street trees, and a protected bike lane. Baylor St.: Continuous landscaped buffer (no breaks, no curb activity) + new sidewalk. These improvements create safer walking and biking conditions and add shade and greenery along all three frontages. Traffic & Parking Protections At least 95% of all parking must be underground. No parking entrances, valet, or drop-off zones allowed on Baylor Street. Any drop-off activity must occur inside the garage, keeping the neighborhood streets calmer and safer. Noise & Hours-of-Operation Limits No outdoor amplified sound or percussion instruments allowed anywhere on site. Outdoor restaurant music must be ambient only and kept within City noise limits. No outdoor live music after 11 p.m. Restaurants must close by 11 p.m. Sun–Wed and midnight Thu–Sat. No Bars or Cocktail Lounges Bars, taverns, and cocktail lounges are not permitted. Alcohol is allowed only as part of a traditional restaurant use. Short-Term Rental (STR) Restrictions STRs limited to 10% of all residential units. Must hold valid City permits. Neighborhood association (OWANA) may request one audit per year. Utilities & Design Existing powerlines along Baylor and the north alley will be buried Building design must consider and complement Old West Austin’s architectural character. Why This Matters The RC ensures: Predictable building heights Quieter surroundings Safer sidewalks and bike routes Reduced neighborhood cut-through traffic No bar-focused nightlife Long-term design compatibility Real accountability for future owners In addition, a Restrictive Covenant for 624 N Lamar (adjacent to 600 N Lamar - Kick Pleat) was finalized as part of OWANA’s support for the rezoning of 600 Lamar. The RC limits any future rezoning to a building height of 60 feet tall, except where the City’s height-exception rules might allow minor additional height. The covenant applies only if the project is actually built at 600 N Lamar.  If the project doesn’t break ground by December 31, 2031, the agreement simply expires. These protections reflect a couple of years of neighborhood input and are now permanently in place. Status:  Closed. W 6th & Walsh (the east side of Walsh between W 6th & W 5th) – C14-2025-0043 APPLICANT:  Manifold OWNER:  Stefanie and Stephen Griffith Proposal:   Request to rezone approximately 1.195 acres from CS-MU-CO-NP and CS-MU-V-CO-NP to LI-PDA-NP.  The applicant is proposing a multifamily rental development that includes on-site affordable housing, as well as 18-foot sidewalks and landscaped areas along W 6th and Walsh Streets.  In consideration of compatibility with the Harthan and Castle Hill Local Historic Districts located on the north side of W 6th Street, the Zoning Committee is requesting a maximum building height of 60 feet along West 6th Street.  The building massing would then step back to 90 feet and ultimately to 120 feet as it transitions toward West 5th Street. On July 24, City Council approved the rezoning on all three readings.  OWANA supported the case only after securing a finalized Restrictive Covenant containing the following neighborhood protections. We’re excited to share an overview of the protections and community benefits that are now formally guaranteed through the Restrictive Covenant (RC) for the 6th & Walsh project. These commitments are binding on all future owners and ensure the development remains compatible with the neighborhood. 6th & Walsh: What the Restrictive Covenant Means for Our Neighborhood The new Restrictive Covenant (RC) for 6th & Walsh outlines rules for building, design, streetscape, and operations.  These measures ensure that the project respects the neighborhood, provides public benefits, and maintains the character of Old West Austin. Building Height & Stepbacks Buildings are capped at 60 feet, unless they include at least 20% residential for rent (up to 90 feet) or 70% residential for rent (up to 120 feet). Portions of buildings above certain heights must step back from West 6th Street and Walsh Street to reduce bulk and maintain street-level character. Height measurements include allowances for roof equipment and rooftop structures per city code. Why This Matters: These limits keep the scale of the building compatible with surrounding historic homes and prevent oversized structures from dominating the streetscape. Pedestrian & Streetscape Requirements Ground-level uses: At least 75% of building façades along West 6th and Walsh must be pedestrian-friendly (shops, cafes, or other active uses). Sidewalks & planting zones: 8-foot planting zones plus 8-foot clear zones on West 6th and Walsh for trees, landscaping, and safe walking space. Trees & furnishings: Street trees planted every 30 feet, and nine bike racks installed along Walsh Street. Drop-off zones: Limited to two small, regulated zones to minimize traffic impacts. Why This Matters: Ensures walkable, shaded, and safe streets while keeping traffic and curb activity under control. Parking & Traffic All parking below ground, except for ADA or city-right-of-way spaces. Primary garage access on Walsh Street, with an additional access point for back of house services on Sayers Street. Minimizes surface parking and congestion on neighborhood streets. Residential & Affordable Housing Affordable units: Either 10% of units at 50% MFI or 12% at 60% MFI. Maintained for 40 years, with annual audits possible. Visitor units: Up to 10 for residents’ guests only—cannot be rented short-term. Short-term rentals: Strictly prohibited throughout the property. Why This Matters: Protects long-term affordability and ensures the neighborhood remains residential-focused, not a transient hotel environment. Design & Sustainability Building façades primarily brick or masonry; glass walls limited to 30%. Residential buildings meet minimum green-building standards. Bird-friendly design for taller buildings to protect wildlife. Why This Matters: Preserves the historic aesthetic of the neighborhood while supporting sustainable, wildlife-conscious design. Noise & Operating Hours No outdoor amplified or percussion music. Mechanical equipment noise limited to 70 decibels at street level. Restaurants: Closed 11 PM–7 AM (Sun–Wed) and midnight–7 AM (Thu–Sat). Cocktail lounges prohibited. Utilities, Hiring & Construction Developer will bury utility lines along West 6th and Walsh where feasible. Prioritizes local contractors and workers. Construction hours limited to City-approved noise ordinance times. Transit & Multimodal Support Indoor bicycle storage for residents and employees. Developer to explore transit-supportive benefits, such as discounted Cap Metro passes or car-share memberships. Neighborhood Contributions $25,000 toward a neighborhood enhancement project (e.g., public art or park improvements). Contributions made prior to groundbreaking or, for public art, before final occupancy. In Summary The Restrictive Covenant ensures 6th & Walsh: Matches neighborhood scale and character Improves pedestrian, bike, and streetscape safety Provides long-term affordable housing Limits noise, nightlife, and short-term rentals Promotes sustainable, bird-friendly, and aesthetically compatible design Contributes to public spaces and neighborhood improvements These protections are permanent and legally binding, ensuring that development benefits the community and preserves the unique character of OWANA. Status:  Closed.    Shout-Out to Missy Apodaca! A huge thank-you to our neighbor Missy Apodaca for her generous gift to the OWANA Zoning Fund!  Your support helps us protect the charm, character, and historic beauty of our neighborhood. With new development proposals coming in fast, every contribution makes a real difference. Want to join the effort?  A gift to the Zoning Committee Fund helps guide thoughtful, neighborhood-friendly growth while keeping OWANA feeling like home.  Thank you for helping our community stay vibrant, connected, and full of character. To make a donation, go to: https://www.owana.org/support/#!form/Donation Click on Add under “ZONING SUPPORT FUND”. Please reference: OWANA Zoning Committee Fund. Donations and participation are essential if we are to be successful in representing you and your part of the neighborhood in more complicated zoning cases.  EVENTS RECAP We were busy with events this Fall! We estimate at least 150 people came out to West Austin Park before trick-or-treating for some snacks and drinks. We were so busy chatting that we don't have too many photos, but have included a few below. Thanks to everyone for coming out and a BIG thank you to CG&S Design-Build for sponsoring this event - they even provided fun prizes for kids and we really appreciate their support.  Live Music in West Austin Park on November 15 was a gorgeous (and warm!) day for great local music. Another big thank you to our outgoing Events Chair Erika Tatum for gathering these amazing musicians together to share their talents with us.  If any of you like event planning and want to help out with these and other OWANA events, we need your help! Email us at oldwestaustin@gmail.com. These events would not be possible without our sponsors. THANK YOU!  Astound Powered by Grande, C3 Events Clark's Oyster Bar Griffith Properties Jeffrey's Swedish Hill  Zydeco Development and a neighbor, Mark Smith. Zoning Highlights & Accomplishments As you can see from the descripiton above, our OWANA Zoning Committee works tirelessly to ensure that proposed new commercial and residential developments are compatible with our neighborhood and offer amenites that benefit neighborhood residents.  Want to learn more? Read through this document about recent proposals (some of which are already under construction) in our neighborhood. As Austin continues to grow, OWANA’s Zoning Committee remains a model of constructive engagement - balancing progress with preservation and ensuring that Old West Austin continues to thrive as one of the city’s most vibrant, livable, and respected neighborhoods.   Clarksville Community Development Corporation (CCDC) Update Can you believe we're already thinking about the holidays? Join the Clarksville Community Development Corporation and OWANA on December 14 for a family evening of fun and caroling. See info below, and hope to see you there!  And, CCDC has a new Board Chair, Felecia Miller! We'll hear from her at our Tuesday meeting, and you can read more about her here.    Odds & Ends Photo Descriptions: Top Left: A nice crowd watching Live Music in West Austin Park on November 15.  Top Right: Musicians at Live Music in West Austin Park.  Bottom Left: A quick snapshot of the Halloween crowd at West Austin Park.  Bottom Right: One of many great costumes at Halloween.....a jellyfish!  BUSINESS MEMBERS A sincere thank you to our current business members! You can find more information about how your business can be part of OWANA here.  G O L D   M E M B E R S  https://www.astound.com/texas/   Zydeco Development 901 Río Grande St #200 www.zydecodevelopment.com   S I L V E R   M E M B E R S    1112 North Lamar Blvd https://www.castlehillfitness.com/<