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New Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for Height and Setback Restrictions Along Austin's Lady Bird Lake

Posted on: Friday, 7 September 2007, 00:15 CDT

SaveTownLake.org, an organization founded to promote responsible development in the Town Lake Corridor, today announced the results of a significant new survey that shows that Austinites, by a stunning margin, want the shores of Lady Bird Lake to be protected from encroaching development.

Respondents were asked a brief series of questions about their opinions regarding future development along the Austin lake front. 92.8% of the respondents agreed that Lady Bird Lake is a major part of the character of Austin and one of the things that make it a great place to live. 79.2% favor protecting the lake over any economic benefits of development. Only 13% disagreed. 87.3% would like to see the City purchase more land in the area to protect the integrity of the Lake, with only 9% disagreed.

When asked if they supported the City Council creating stronger restrictions on development in the Corridor, 72.8% favored stronger height restrictions while 82.6% want more stringent rules on proximity to the shore. 82.6% of those polled disapprove of the City negotiating with developers to grant exemptions or variances, while only 10% favored the practice.

"In light of these convincing poll results, it should be very difficult for developers and elected and appointed officials to ignore the vast majority of Austinites who support protecting Lady Bird Lake.

The survey was conducted by the respected Austin independent public opinion research firm Opinion Analytics. Respondents were selected as likely voters in City elections on the basis of prior voting history and were distributed geographically according to turnout patterns in similar elections. The interviews were conducted by telephone August 27 -- 29, 2007. The results are statistically accurate to within +/- 4.9% at the 95% confidence level.

The results come just ahead of a significant vote by the city Planning Commission on September 11. Developer CWS has proposed a project at 222/300 East Riverside that will require 11 variances from the 1986 Waterfront Overlay Ordinance, which was enacted to protect the shores of Town Lake. The CWS project calls for more than 700 residential units in multiple 200 ft. tall towers in an area that the current code allows buildings of only 35 ft. in height. The project is the largest high-rise condominium development in Austin history.

Last week, the city's Parks Board responded to increasing public concern over this and future developments in the Corridor by voting to recommend that the Planning Commission deny the variances.

To date approximately 5,000 people have signed a petition backing SaveTownLake.org's efforts. They've received the support of the Travis County Democratic Party, the Austin Neighborhoods Council which represents 81 neighborhood associations and the Save Our Springs Alliance. Four of the seven current City Council members have publicly expressed their opposition to granting variances involving the Town Lake Waterfront Overlay: Michael Martinez, Lee Leffingwell, Jennifer Kim and Sheryl Cole.

SaveTownLake.org is currently suing the City of Austin, claiming the City has improperly stripped much of the Waterfront Overlay's teeth, including the omission of height limitations and the denial of citizens' right to appeal decisions, while preserving developers' right of appeal. The City's latest attempt to have the lawsuit dismissed was denied.

For complete poll results and Find out more information go to www.savetownlake.org.

Source: Business Wire

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