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Agreement reached in development along Lady Bird Lake

10:24 PM CDT on Friday, April 18, 2008

Lady Bird Lake may soon see a makeover of sorts.

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Agreement reached in development along Lady Bird Lake
04/18/2008
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“It'll be a nice open space for public access and public use,” said founder and chairman of savetownlake.org, Tom Cooke

An agreement between savetownlake.org, the South River City Citizens and the CWS Capital property developers was finalized April 17. The three agreed on a new design and new limitations for future developments along the lake.

“These buildings along the water-front will be torn down and all of this will be park space,” said Cooke.

According to the proposal, no buildings can go up within 150 feet of the shoreline. Instead, more hike and bike trails and parks land will go along the water.

“It's kind of a hassle getting on and off. It would be nice to have it continuous the whole time,” said trail jogger Troy Zapata.

Right now, the trail dead-ends into a fence. Hikers have to go around buildings and onto main streets to get back onto the trail system.

“I actually never use that part because I hate running on sidewalk along Riverside, so if it just kept going that'd be perfect,” said trail jogger, Carlos Gieseken.

The agreement was two years in the making. If the proposal passes the Hike and Bike trail will extend behind an apartment fence. That means buildings like the apartment complex may get torn down.

Residents at the complex have mixed feelings.

“It's an eclectic variety of people. It's real Austin and I think it's really going to change,” said resident, Cynthia Gipson.

Gipson has lived at the complex for six years. On Friday she packed up her belongings to move out.

“We know it's eventually going to be torn down,” said Gipson.

For those involved in the Lady Bird Lake proposal, the changes will be worth the sacrifices.

The proposal still has to get city approval. Attorneys with CWS Capital developers say the plan will be filed with the city soon and will go through a public hearing before the City Parks and Recreation Board and the City Council.

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