You are hereThere's still time to help East Side Pedal Pushers.... IF YOU HURRY!
There's still time to help East Side Pedal Pushers.... IF YOU HURRY!
Update (9:23pm): There were two people who showed up for the variance, and about 25-30 cyclists who opposed it, with about an equal number who signed the roster against the variance and then left. After a bit of discussion the board decided to delay their decision for another month so that Lee could meet with the neighborhood association. Several members of the board wanted to move to deny the motion (specifically boardmembers King and Van Olen), but they got beat to the punch by the motion to delay. One board member mentioned how parking his dually on that street effectively blocked traffic, and agreed with the adverse effects increased street parking would have. This was a good outcome.
Next meeting is November 10. More later, but everyone's leaving for beers and I'm going with. Good work y'all! See you in a month, same bat time, same bat council chamber.
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Update (9:13pm): We got first crack at the podium. Lee went first, after which 6 other ESPP-friendly speakers said their peace. We went 2-minutes over, so the people seeking the variance were also given an additional 2 minutes. Since most of the points of street usage, community and historical preservation were covered, I mentioned how it would impact the commuter cyclists of the east side if the shop were removed, as well as the dangers the increased street parking would cause to cyclists on the road.
The guy seeking the variance is saying that Lee's business has nothing to do with the building or the variance requested, and should have nothing to do with the issue.
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Update (9:00pm): It's on. The guy who's speaking on the two ladies' behalf is a hard-ass.
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Update (8:56pm): If you want to read the motion for variance in its' entirety, you can do so here:
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/agenda/2008/downloads/e12c1520080138_101308.p...
Their specific request is to waive the requirement for a minimum of 12 off-street parking spots if they're to remodel the building for use as a restaurant or (in this case) a cafe. This would force patrons to park on the street, increasing the use of right-of way by parked cars and also increasing the danger to bicycles of being caught in the "door zone" of a parked car. Since there are no bike lanes on this portion of 6th St. and there's no way of widening the street, allowing this variance would only take away from the limited amount of pavement through which a cyclist can navigate their way down the street. Talk about some bullshit.
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Welcome to ATXBS' VERY FIRST Liveweblog! Oh shit! That's right, we're getting with the times...
Speaking of time, you've still got time to get down here and sign the paper to help keep them from shutting down East Side Pedal Pushers with this zoning variance. The wheels of justice turn slowly, and this is taking forever. There's probably another hour of this crap before they get to Lee's case, so if you're in the area bike down to City Hall at Caesar Chavez and Guadalupe, enter the front door (leave your contraband at home), and sign this thing. If you're on Lee's side, this is how you want to sign the paper:
C15-2008-0138 - Against - Your Name - Your Address
Afterwards we're gonna grab a drink (if I can convince everyone else to go). Hope to see y'all here!
I would like to set the record straight here since, as you have admitted in most of your blogs about me and my family, you "dont know the legistics" of all this. I was brought to this space, 1100 east 6th St, because it was and is FOR RENT. From what I have understood from Lee, my realtor, and the landlord of this property, both present tenants Julia's Wedding Shop and ESPP have been on month to month for a while and were offered to sign a new lease at a higher rent and they both turned it down. Meanwhile the landlord has tried to show Lee other properties that he has turned down and continues to do so for Julia. The landlord spoke to both tenants letting them know that he will be looking for new tenants and showing the space.
This is where I enter the story. From the hate mail I've recieved from you people, let me make one thing clear. I am a sixth generation Texan, that's right! 6! So dont call me and my family fucking Yankees. I am an East Austin Resident, I work out of East Austin, I am an artist that represents East Austin, I AM EAST AUSTIN!
Lee was at his store when I was shown the space back in August. My realtor who happens to be a mutual friend of Lee's and I, asked him if he did indeed know that the building was for rent and he said YES and even later ask her to help him find a new space. I dont think it would be surprising to you that Lee was extremely kind in an akward situation for both of us and he even let me take measurements.
I had little time to decide if we (my mother, sister, and I) could indeed use this space since there was already a letter of intent for this building. And just for your information, the group trying to get this space before us is the kind of corporate development you seem to confuse us for. I dont have one investor involved, not one bank loan, I am an artist that waits tables on the side, my sister is a bilingual school teacher and my mother works for a lame temp agency. Hardly the "trumps" as you have mentioned. I have been saving for this for at least 5 years, I've been building work for this for at least 4 years, and my only partners is my mother and sister. We have every right to rent a building that is FOR RENT and try to accomplish our dream and we will continue to do so no matter how much hate mail, hasseling and boycott threats you people give us.
I feel very sorry for both ESPP and Julia's for having to move. I can relate for I have been "booted" from many of my rentals because my lease was up and I simply couldn't afford the higher rent, but I have certaintly NEVER thought to villanize the new tenants. Chances are we will not be able to use this space, so we will be back to looking for spaces just like them. I wish both present tenants all the luck and I only hope that the new places they find dont have current renters like them to make what I know all to well a difficult process to accomplish the dream of a small buisness owner.
PS. If you want to continue to write hate mail to my website, have the desantcy to leave a valid email address to hear my side. But I ask that you just leave us alone. Also, we do appreciate the appology from Julia's Wedding shop via the land lord yesterday. Thank You.