Update: The city has agreed to preserve 1-2 acres of the Pecan Grove and turn it into park land! This is no accident. The city received over 160 messages from neighbors saying loud and clear “Save the Pecan Grove!” Exactly how much depends on the developer and design chosen.
Details of the two meetings held by the city can be found HERE
We will be getting a presentation from some developers and having discussions at the following Zoom Meetings. Please Join…
Saturday, July 18, 2020
10:30AM – 12:00PM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://utexas.zoom.us/j/6083587402
Meeting ID: 608 358 7402
Saturday, August 8, 2020
10:30AM – 12:00PM
Starting at 1129 Tillery, the city owns 3 adjacent lots that add up to 5 acres. The pecan grove sits on 2 of the 5 acres. These lots are currently zoned SF-3 which means you can build 2 houses per lot for a total of 6 houses.
We are advocating for upzoning (with height restrictions) to medium density MF-2 (which allows 23 units per acre) on the land AROUND the pecan grove in exchange for preserving the pecan grove as open space. So instead of 6 houses, the remaining 3 acres could have a max of 69 units. We will ONLY advocate for this zoning change if we have assurances the Pecan Grove will be preserved.
The Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) should mandate that any developer preserve the pecan grove as park land, and maintain public access to the pecan grove via a foot path that allows pedestrian connectivity between Charles St and Tillery St.
The cultural, historical, and ecological value of the Pecan Grove at Tillery Street is significant. To this day it remains an important site for annual pecan picking. Generations of Texans have made a tradition of gathering pecans in the fall. It is a familiar sight to see a lone person bending at the waist to pick up paper-shell pecans or to see elderly folks with a few kids running around gathering the fallen bounty. Some turn the pecans into pies, pralines, and polvorones while others sell them to local buyers for extra money around the holidays. The Tillery Street Pecan Grove provides an important cultural site for this annual event and is worth saving.
