TO: AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL:

We, the undersigned residents of Austin, are deeply concerned about the city-wide impact of commercial development along Bull Creek, including the proposed construction of an 11-story hotel at 6315 Spicewood Springs Rd., particularly as it affects water quality and safety. Bull Creek flows through significant portions of the City and supplies water to Austin residents already struggling with water quality issues. Commercial development also threatens the environmentally sensitive Bull Creek Park. The creek regularly floods, closing what is already a narrow two-lane section of Spicewood Springs Road, inhibiting access by emergency vehicles in an area where a drowning recently occurred. Increased development would further endanger public safety as well as water quality.

The City would be better served by utilizing the area for parkland, maintaining the nature preserve of Bull Creek Park and St. Edward’s Park, or for low-density housing or other less intensive development. We therefore urge the Council to decline to annex the property or otherwise provide City utilities for commercial development, and instead preserve the area for all of Austin’s citizens.