McMansions.. (Dean: new construction, live, ordinance)

[Falcorockme]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Oh, there are a few lawyers that I know that will be moving down there, and I suspect there are a few Republicans amoung them .

okay, so maybe a few Republicans will move there vs. the thousands of rich liberal yuppies.

My point is, it's not conservatives who are ruining the town.

[atxcio]

Wasn't this supposed to be about McMansions?

Anyway, I don't see the McMansion ordinance going against freedom or capitalism in any way. It's basically neighborhood architectural standards, something many places have. If you don't want to build something that fits in with the neighborhood, fine -- there will always be another area that will let you build what you want. You have the freedom (if you can afford it) to build what you want, and live where you want. Sometimes, though, you can't have both at the same time.

Plus, what is wrong with the new highrise downtown condos? They are too expensive? No one is forced to live there. Sure, they aren't affordable housing, but they (mostly) are new dwellings in a place where there weren't any before. It's not like they knocked down cheap apartment buildings to put them up. There were hardly any people living downtown, and now they are building enough for thousands more to move in. Hopefully, those folks will stay mostly in downtown and not add to our traffic problem as much. It's a new thing, it might not even catch on, why get uptight about it?

Overall, I'm not convinced of the premise that bad things are happening to Austin. In fact, I see it going in a pretty good direction for the most part. And that's saying something, because I was here nearly 20 years ago... it was great then and it's great now. Some things I loved are gone but others have taken their place. Like cars and music, they just don't make them like they used to... which is good. Austin remaining exactly like it was 20 years ago would be awful.

[Tommy Jefferson]

Originally Posted by atxcio

I don't see the McMansion ordinance going against freedom or capitalism in any way. ...You have the freedom (if you can afford it) to build what you want, and live where you want.

That is totally false.

Government dictating what you can or cannot do with your own property is the exact OPPOSITE of freedom and liberty.

[Chris2000]

Whatever happened to "live and let live"?? Looking for our house, we went threw sSSOOOoo many different neighborhoods. Some we liked, others we did not. Some had charm, Others did not. In any case over Seven days I think we saw every kind of neighborhood you could imagine, So there are plenty of options out there.
Taking all the "McMansions" out of the area would just be removing a piece of difference FROM Austin. In a funny way having these houses mixed in, Actually keeps "Austin weird".
Alot of cities have forced codes on what can be built and were. THESE are the places you get bored driving threw. When you can drive past a nice old home that has been well cared for and exudes an older charm it can be striking. But if that same house is everywhere and there's nothing different its not so special anymore. It just becomes normal.
Its strange driving threw a neighborhood and seeing a nice old ranch style home, and then BOOM right next to it a "McMansion" hahahah We had a few double takes.
If thats not "Weird" I don't know what is.
Chris2000

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by Tommy Jefferson

That is totally false.

Government dictating what you can or cannot do with your own property is the exact OPPOSITE of freedom and liberty.

Sorry, it's not your right to build whatever you want wherever you want. That would be called anarchy. You are attempting to make a broad oversimplification, and it doesn't work.

Try this: Do you think people should be able to build without a permit on their own property?

[Mike78613]

Originally Posted by Falcorockme

Conservative vs. hippy has nothing to do with it. The Keep Austin weird vibe is being lost because of yuppie rich liberal democrat Hillary and Obama supporters who watch too much HGTV and want everything nice, big, modern and NEW.

And the Replublicans want.............

[Falcorockme]

Most Republicans aren't urban dwellers, they live out in the suburbs or small towns. We were talking about inside the city of Austin, loft apartments, old houses in Clarksville and the like.... Places where Republicans generally do not live.

[Lakewooder]

We in East Dallas have been at the forefront of fighting some of these rude intrusions for the last several years. We got caught by surprise in a few areas, but I would say we have the most historic, zoning overlays and conservation districts in Texas.

Conservation mmm, could that be from conservative?

Anyhow nobody is against new construction -- it's just the developers who shoe-horn monsters that have no consideration for the neighbors.

Also, a lot of people moved to our area because they hate change and many are historic architecture buffs. And natives have the right to some reasonable expectation that their hometown will stay some-what the same without undue influence from here-today-gone-tomorrow builders.

[love roses]

very well said Lakewooder!

[TexasHorseLady]

Agreed, admirably stated, Lakewooder!