This morning I received some unfortunate news that F1 opponents are taking to the phones. In addition to emailing the Travis County Commissioners, please pick up the phone and tell Commissioner Gomez that you support Item #9 on tomorrow's agenda. Her number is +1 512 854 9444. We'll continue to share any news ASAP. Thank you!
On Tuesday, December 14, Travis County Commissioners will meet to "discuss traffic issues and vote on granting a floodplain variance" for the future home of F1 racing in the US. The Austin Business Journal reported what city officials want, what the developer wants, and what the traffic engineers at Kimley-Horn And Associates Inc. have come up with so far. You can check out the 42-page KHA report, complete with memos related to the floodpalin request, here, or peruse the Commission Agenda, here.
Since you have been so diligent in our previous Calls to Action, we're asking for your assistance on this (hopefully) final push. Below are the Travis County Commissioners’ emails and phone numbers, as well as draft language for your use. Phone numbers are also listed below so people can call in as well. Be sure to insert your name in the closing of the message.
In addition, you may attend the hearing at the Travis County Administration Building, 314 W. 11th, Commissioners Courtroom, 1st Floor, Austin, Texas 78701, at 9:00 am
Thank you for your continual support!
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sarah.eckhardt@co.travis.tx.us
commissioner.gomez@co.travis.tx.us
County Judge Sam Biscoe: +1 512 854 9555
Commissioner Ron Davis, Precinct 1: +1 512 854 9111
Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt, Precinct 2: +1 512 854 9222
Commissioner Karen Huber, Precinct 3: +1 512 854 9333
Commissioner Margaret Gomez, Precinct 4: +1 512 854 9444
Dear Travis County Commissioners,
As a strong advocate for bringing Formula 1 racing to Austin, Texas, I urge you to approve item #9 on the December 14 agenda regarding a flood plain variance at the United States Grand Prix site. County staff has recommended approval of this request, and your support will allow this beneficial project to continue moving forward.
The Formula 1 project will serve as a catalyst for improvements in the City of Austin’s Desired Development Zone and along the SH 130 corridor that have long been needed.
Supporting this item will bring this project a step further to becoming a reality. I am eager for the arrival of Formula 1 in Austin, Texas, and urge you to support these matters.
Sincerely,
Supporter of the Formula 1 United States Grand PrixTM
Austin City Council is meeting today to discuss water and wastewater funding as it applies to the Formula One site in Elroy, Texas.
We have been advised that Items # 2 and 3 on the Agenda will be discussed at 1:30PM CST today. You can watch a live feed of the meeting here.
We will also be live-tweeting on our Austin Grand Prix twitter account, which you can read and interact with us at, here.
More details to follow.
Thanks,
Update on 2010-11-18 22:40 by Kerri Olsen
Austin City Council voted unanimously, 7-0, to approve agenda items #2 and 3, as they pertain to the funding surrounding water & wastewater services in Elroy, Texas, the future home of The Formula One United States Grand Prix (TM). Recap and transcript to follow. Here is a pic of our Co-Founder, Kevin Olsen, voicing his support:
A special shout-out to our twitter friends who rode out the technology bumps along the way!
@AustinF1Hotels <-------BIG THANKS for the audio link!!
And last but certainly not least, Mayor Pro-tem, Austin City Council Mike Martinez - @MPTMike
Update on 2010-11-19 18:08 by Kerri Olsen
Austin City Council is on top of things! In less than 24 hours they've shared the uninterrupted broadcast of yesterday's City Council Meeting in its entirety.
So, as Mayor Lee Leffingwell introduced Items 2 & 3, "And now, Council, we'll go back to consider F2 and F3..." ;)
Part 1
Part 2
Like what you see? Wish your City Council was so on top of things? Why don't you let Austin know how great of a job they're doing and how excited you are about their support and the future home of Formula One racing in the United States!
Contact Austin City Council here (council members directly) or here (web contact form).
Have a great weekend!
First and foremost, thank you for contacting the ZAP Commission - the environmental variances were approved and now Tilke can grade the land to construct the course. More info from our friends at The Statesman, here.
A huge Thank You to Paul B. for showing his support of Formula 1 United States by sporting his COME AND RACE IT © t-shirt!
Here is our next move: Austin City Council Members will meet on Thursday, November 18. You can send the following variation of the template message below.
lee.leffingwell@ci.austin.tx.us
bill.spelman@ci.austin.tx.us
randi.shade@ci.austin.tx.us
chris.riley@ci.austin.tx.us
mike.martinez@ci.austin.tx.us
sheryl.cole@ci.austin.tx.us
laura.morrison@ci.austin.tx.us
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Dear Mayor and Council members,
As a strong advocate for bringing Formula 1 racing to Austin, Texas, I urge you to approve items #2 and #3 on the agenda for November 18 related to a service extension request and development reimbursement for water and wastewater improvements for the region that includes the United States Grand Prix site. City staff and the Water and Wastewater Commission have recommended these items. And these items are consistent with past requests made throughout Austin’s ETJ. Additionally, the Environmental Board and Zoning and Platting Commission have recommended variances related to this project.
The Formula 1 project will serve as a catalyst for improvements in the City of Austin’s Desired Development Zone and SH 130 corridor that have long been needed.
Supporting these items will bring this project a step further to becoming a reality. I am eager for the arrival of Formula 1 in Austin, Texas, and urge you to support these matters.
Sincerely,
Supporter of the Formula 1 United States Grand PrixTM in Austin, Texas
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ALSO, if you're in the Central Texas area, please consider attending the City Council meeting tomorrow, Thursday, November 18, at 10:00 AM. The meeting is located at Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd Street. If you are able to stay for the meeting, please plan to arrive by 9:45 am in order to sign up in favor of Items #3 and #4. You may also sign up to speak in favor of these items at this time. Depending on the amount of time spent on other agenda items, Items #3 and #4 are expected to be up before noon.
Garage parking is free at City Hall on Council meeting days. If you are unable to stay for the meeting, you may sign up in favor of these items at City Hall anytime between now and 10 am on Thursday.
As always, thank you for your support!
Loyal Formula 1 fans and Austin Grand Prix readers, we need your support for the Formula 1 United States Grand PrixTM in the next meeting with the City of Austin! On Tuesday, November 16th, there will be a meeting for the Zoning and Platting Commission to discuss proposed changes necessary for the event.
We need anyone and everyone to do two things to help this happen:
1. Email the Zoning and Platting Commission members at
gbourgeois@jonescarter.com **Email address updated 11/16/10
Below is a draft email that you may use. Feel free to edit as you see fit.
Dear Zoning and Platting Commissioners:
As a strong advocate for bringing Formula 1 racing to Austin, Texas, I urge you to approve item #4 on the agenda for November 16, the cut and fill variance along with the slope variance for the United States Grand Prix site. City staff and the Environmental Board have recommended these two variances for the project. And the variance requests are consistent with past requests made throughout Austin. In addition, this project will serve as a catalyst in the City of Austin’s Desired Development Zone that has long been needed.
Supporting these variances will bring this project a step further to becoming a reality. I am eager for the arrival of Formula 1 in Austin, Texas, and urge you to support these matters.
Sincerely,
Supporter of the Formula 1 United States Grand PrixTM in Austin, Texas
2. Attending the ZAP Commission meeting Tuesday, November 16 at 6:00pm. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 301 W. 2nd Street. Please plan to arrive by 5:45 in order to sign up in favor of item #4. You may also sign up to speak in favor at this time. Garage parking tickets can be validated inside City Hall.
Politics is fun, right? We are hoping for a big turnout and lots of supporters willing to talk about the future facilities and the positive impact felt by having this event in Austin. Don't forget, wear your Come And Race ItTM shirt to the meeting as well and show your support to everyone!
Thanks!
Kevin
Courtesy of louellacourt.typepad.comThis evening the official Formula 1 United States Grand Prix (TM) site reported an official partnership with Haynes-Eaglin-Waters to provide minority-owned and women-owned business enterprise outreach and support. What does this mean? F1US is committed to supporting the local economy and making sure minority- and women-owned businesses have a chance to play a big role in developing this world class multi-purpose venue!
This reminds me of a slogan that originated in Austin: Keep Austin Weird! The Austin Independent Business Alliance coined this phrase in 2002 to promote small businesses in Austin by making Austinites think, shop and grow locally. You can find this slogan on bumper stickers, tye-dye t-shirts, coffee mugs, and proudly displayed in numerous locally-owned businesses around town. However, do not confuse Austin as a small-minded town: Austin is a major player on the global scale (technology, education and communication just to name a few) but one of the things that makes Austin "Austin" is that it values its resources and people and will work hard to support the people that make it "weird"!
Check out the Austin Independent Business Alliance and Keep Austin Weird and see how we like to keep it weird!