Neighbors join forces to halt plans for new office space in Pecan Springs-Springdale

A proposal to upzone a residential cul-de-sac is ruffling feathers in the Pecan Springs-Springdale neighborhood, with a crowd of neighbors joining the Planning Commission meeting last week to voice their disapproval.

The request originally sought to rezone 6102, 6106 and 6108 Cherrylawn Circle from single-family to mixed-use, laying the groundwork for the site of a future office building. But following the ensuing backlash, applicant and tech CEO Emerson Smith is rethinking his approach, with promises to return with an alternative proposal next month.

Smith, who owns four properties along the street, currently houses his marketing platform Pushnami in an office building at 6600 N. Lamar Blvd., though he has stated in interviews that his employees work on a remote basis. His vision to relocate to Cherrylawn Circle has been uniformly panned by neighbors, drawing opposition from both the Pecan Springs-Springdale Neighborhood Association and East MLK Neighborhood Plan Contact Team.

Armed with a valid petition of protest, critics claim the proposed use is out of step with the existing residential setting, citing increased traffic, insufficient parking capacity and nighttime safety among their myriad concerns. Opponents also say the move would also violate guidelines outlined in the city’s zoning principles, which state that “zoning should satisfy a public need, and not constitute a grant of privilege to an individual owner.”

“Cherrylawn Circle is a residential cul-de-sac that does not have the necessary road or parking infrastructure to support commercial use,” neighbor Elizabeth Nitsch said in a written statement. “The applicant has also proposed typical office hours for these buildings, meaning that they will sit vacant at night and on the weekends. The unoccupied commercial buildings along Manor already see high rates of property crime, drug sales, and trespassing and there is no reason to think the offices on Cherrylawn Circle won’t prove to be a similar nuisance.”

“Office vacancy rates are at an all time high in Austin, so it is unclear why the applicant’s company now needs office space in a residential area with no amenities to support those offices,” added neighbor John Leigh.

At a clear impasse, Smith and his team have agreed to revise their proposal, though the details are still up in the air. Planning commissioners voted 10-1-1 to postpone the case to their Jan. 14 meeting, with Commissioner Grayson Cox against and Commissioner Adam Haynes abstaining.

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Posted In: Development, Planning, District 1