The Bee Cave Bee

Why would the Covert "family oriented" business put a car dealership in the backyard of a nice family development? It can only be GREED.....they know they are not wanted. There is no reason to have a dealership here because the Bee Cave Community residents bought out here to be away from all that city hassle and noise...It's only 30 minutes away where they are now...not somewhere you go every day, maybe buy a car every 5-6 years and servicing can be done locally at reputable businesses. Personally, I love Oak Hill Automotive closer to the Y...and they do warranty work with no problem! You do NOT see car dealerships next to upscale neighborhoods anywhere else. They are noisy and BRIGHT and full of in/out traffic which is why you see them on Hwy 35 access roads, etc...not in a small community, not in the backyard of an existing homeowner, not close to schools. I will never buy a car from a Covert dealership if this gets built. Why don't they put it at the front of their ranch farther out 71 and then they can have it close to their home?!!

A car dealership is absolutely inappropriate right next to a residential neighborhood. The noise and light pollution will destroy the peaceful hill country atmosphere and the additional traffic will be a hazard on an already dangerous highway. This is completely irresponsible development.

#noCOVERTinbeecave

If you'd like to add your voice to those that oppose this development, you can do that by signing the petition at:

http://www.change.org/petitions/covert-auto-sales- stop-plans-for-developing-the-dealership-on- highway-71-w

To be kept informed of developments, you can subscribe to the yahoo group on this topic: send email to

nocovertinbeecave-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Don't let HWY 71 become the next I35 or Research Blvd "motor mile"!

petition against

NO MORE COVERT IN BEE CAVE!!


Yes on Twitter. Was created a hashtag: #noCOVERTinbeecave. Anyone with a Twitter account can tweet and please use this hashtag. I'm also checking Twitter often to see if anyone else tweets about this; if so, I am sending them a message to please use the hashtag. I am fairly new to Tweeting so if anyone else has any ideas, please email me directly. I'll also continue to Tweet about this every couple of days. Someone at the Community Impact newspaper had a Tweet about it.

They have also created a Facebook group called No Covert in Bee Cave. Perhaps we can house all the communication there. We can try to figure out a plan for those who don't have a FB account.


Messaging about Covert Ford Land Use Plan

-As residents of Bee Cave and frequent users of the area of Highway 71 where Covert Ford is planned, we are very concerned about the safety of the proposed turn lanes into and out of the dealership.

-We believe the City of Bee Cave should petition TxDOT for a traffic study to arrive at a safer alternative than the one proposed tonight; and would specifically ask that TxDOT explore acceleration, de-acceleration and turn lanes. As well, we ask that Council postpone tonight’s decision until the impact on traffic safety can be determined.

-This council approved a driveway into the Nitro Swim Center—one that is similar to the proposed ingress and egress of Covert Ford . . . and there have been numerous accidents at this driveway because there is no acceleration, de-acceleration or turn lane.
The traffic at Covert Ford will be much greater—if there have been numerous accidents at the Nitro Swim Center driveway, what should we expect from a much more highly trafficked business?

-We would like to request that Council postpone their decision on this plan to give neighbors—the people who will be most effected by this business-- the time to review this plan and to work with Covert Ford to arrive at a safe and neighborhood-friendly alternative.

-We understand that because this is in the ETJ of Bee Cave, this Council feels that its hands are tied about what it can and cannot approve—we assume that the amount of impervious cover that a car dealership requires would present a major concern regarding run-off and water quality and would also request that an environmental impact study be commissioned. If one has been authored, we would request the time to study it—again, requesting that any action tonight be postponed.

-We hope that Covert wants to be a good neighbor to the residents of Bee Cave and will welcome the opportunity to receive our input to ensure that safety is maximized, and that lighting and the impact on neighborhoods is minimized.

This is not about not supporting development in the area. Most of us support development for conveniences. However, this is not a development that belongs in this space. This space backs directly to a residential community, and is more of a business that should be around other commercial properties. There's a reason why most car dealerships are built off major freeways. 71 is not a major freeway in this area and cannot support a business of this type. There is no dedicated turn lane which will just cause more and more traffic issues in addition to accidents.

The noise alone is a huge issue. Noises all day every day coming from the service bay in addition to the sales section.

Covert will not be a good neighbor and they should go away.

Hi
I moved out to bee cave to get away from the noise, sights, and congestion of a city. I did not move to be near a large car dealership. Please build your car dealership away from neighborhoods. Would you want a large dealership at the entrance to your neighborhood? Would you like your house prices to drop?

We bought in Falconhead West because we wanted to live in a peaceful Hill Country community away from urban sprawl. The builders did not install street lights because residents want to enjoy a dark night sky. Covert's decision to build directly outside Falconhead West's entrance will destroy all that we sought with our decision to move here. In addition all residents will be affected financially with a negative impact on home values. We had no idea that Bee Cave would have little control over commercial development in our area. This has blind sided all of us. I hope Covert will reconsider their decision in light of the negative attitudes this decision has created with possible future costumers.

I am very upset with Covert located next to my home in Falconhead West. We all know and Covert knows that a dealership built right next to us will ruin our Hill Country scenery, cause noise pollution, light pollution, water pollution, increase the traffic, and increase the chances of accidents on I-71 and put my kids at risk taking school buses back and forth infront of Covert's proposed site. I do own GM vehicles and I do not have a problem at all taking them to Covert's North Austin location off Duval. I've been getting them service there for over 3 years now. If Covert continues their plans to build in Bee Cave next to Falconhead West, then I will no longer be a Covert customer and stop buying GM vehicles in disgust. Please Covert, don't ruin it for us in Bee Cave!

At the Bee Cave city council meeting last week the only representative that the Coverts sent was not even from their organization. This proves that they truly don't care about anything but making a profit. The representative stated that the Coverts want to be "good neighbors". The last time I checked a good neighbor would not knowingly destroy everything that their neighbor values. Hopefully the Coverts will decide to be truly good neighbors and go elsewhere.

The decision to put several car dealerships in the backyard of upscale residential neighborhoods is despicable. Property values for thousands of homeowners will be negatively impacted. I will never support a Covert business in the future if my property value goes down by tens of thousands of dollars. Beyond being completely inappropriate for the neighborhood, the ingress and egress at the site will create serious traffic hazards. There is no center turn lane, no deceleration lane, and no shoulder. It is already dangerous to turn into or out of the nearby swim center. Please reconsider your plans, Covert. This move will be very bad for your business.

I have no problem with the Coverts wanting to build a dealership out in Lakeway/Bee Cave, but not where they intend to do it. A lot of us paid a premium for green belt lots and the dealership would negate the green belt view and furthermore would decrease property values! Covert family please work with us!

Covert is wanting to build next to a quiet, low light neighborhood and in a corridor for LTISD buses and traffic to a current Elementary and a future middle and Elementary school.
School start and stop times are going to be a major congestion problem without the test drivers. What happens with 'new car' test drivers on the Hwy also? The test drivers will be driving into our neighborhood and back to the dealership that will sit ACROSS the Hwy from the LTISD Bus Depot/Barn and only a mile or so from a current elementary. Not to mention any shipment of cars or parts and the BIG trucks that will be entering and exiting this dealership.
Is there any information about potential issues with a school 'lock down'? Can law enforcement and other officials have clear access? What about current customers of Covert if a school lock down were to happen? Would they leave...?..Pose problems leaving or staying? Be an interference?
Much less the awful scenery this Covert dealership will bring and the noise and lights, but the safety concern for traffic and children in the schools and after school is a MAJOR one. I hope COVERT will have a change of heart in their 'family business' plan and realize they are hurting more families that will never buy from them if they move to the Bee Cave Hill Country.

I agree with the previous comments.

To further help others understand the direct impact of the noise and light pollution, take a look at the plans for the site. There are 3 houses in Falconhead West that are between 80-120 feet from fueling station and service bays proposed on the site, and many others who's backyards will look directly at the dealership.

Knowing that the city council had already denied Covert approval to build in Bee Cave, it would appear that the Covert's knowingly sought out the closest property out of the Council's range regardless of the sentiment of the community.

All the points regarding the Covert dealership are laid out above well, so I won't rehash the pertinent issues. All I'd like to add is that I think that the Coverts believe there problems will all go away as soon as they start ripping down trees and turning up precious Hill Country land. Coverts. Wake up! Your problems will not go away that easily. We all have choices. Yours is to put Texans at risk of death because you can't wait for the appropriate expansion of Hwy 71 to allow for a left hand turning lane. Your choice is to be a terrible neighbor by not following Bee Cave lighting and noise restrictions. Your choice is to ruin Hill Country land like BP darkened Gulf waters. Our choice is simple. We will not buy vehicles from any Covert dealership anywhere. Wake up Coverts! Why would you want to put a dealership right in the middle of an area where the residents will not buy or service their cars from/with you?! Why would you forever tarnish your hard earned brand by building a car dealership in a place that will cause certain deaths?! Coverts, think about what you are doing.

The Coverts have total disregard about its potential customers and care solely about the almighty dollar. It is sad that a business that was built on family values now has a distorted view of what is really important.

If Covert can invade our wonderful hill country neighborhood, your could be next. They are showing they have no respect for our lifestyle, the wildlife, and the children that play in these neighborhoods. But putting a dealership that borders on a neighborhood, they will bring test drivers into our neighborhood (who are more interested in checking out the car they are looking at, hence accidents will ensue) plus increased traffic and noise and light pollution. Efforts to contact Covert and ask for meeting to talk about this issue have been shot down in their end, with our representatives being told "This is a done deal, there is nothing to talk about." Good neighbors? More like a business who will steamroll others at all costs!

Ignoring the Bee Cave City Council's decision to not allow them to build their dealership in the city limits, Covert chose to pursue a location surrounded by city limits but outside of the City's jurisdiction. They have refused multiple requests to meet with citizens who would like to discuss the issue. I know this because I requested the meetings. Is this the type of behavior we can expect from this family owned business? According to their marketing they want to treat us like we're part of their family. By the way they have acted towards this community, I can tell you I don't want to be part of their family.

This dealership does not fit with our Bee Cave community and will be an increased safety risk to everyone around. Hwy 71 is a deadly stretch of road already and this will increase the risk of those deadly tragedies significantly. This is our Hill Country. This is our Bee Cave and we need to stand together as a community to protect it.

I welcome economic development in Bee Cave, but not the proposed Covert car dealership whose noise, lighting and traffic will destroy the beautiful residential communities around it. I am a retiree who cannot afford the degrading of my home and property values. A car dealership, along with its three-story parking garage, adjacent to Falconhead West is an irresponsible use of that land. We will be negatively affected every single day, many times a day, if a car dealership is built there. I will NEVER buy from Covert if this plan proceeds.

I echo the concerns detailed here - this is a terrible place for a car dealership. The safety concerns alone should speak volumes. Covert, if you care about your customers and this community you will find another location!

Great - we finally get a business out here and it is a car dealership? Ugh. Not at all the family types of business and controlled growth we wanted out here. Thanks for ruining so much about this stretch of Austin. On the plus side, we did have some fun making our No Covert decorated holiday cookies this year... bah humbug!

I have not read the book Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business, by John Mackey and Raj Sisodia, but the Wall Street Journal book review (Chicken Soup for a Davos Soul - Successful companies serve a purpose beyond making money) was a good read. It was particularly relevant, both because of the current #NoCovertinBeeCave situation and because one of the co-authors of the book, Mackey, is the co-CEO of Austin-based Whole Foods. I wonder if Mackey has ever met the Coverts - - and what he would say if he knew about this absurd idea of putting a car dealership literally in the backyard of a subdividion. It certainly would be interesting if he used the Coverts as an example of what NOT to do, if / when he goes on a book tour locally or nationally in the press, the media, etc. A few relevant excerpts from the article:

What does ("conscious capitalism") mean? Well, first, the authors say, it means having a clear purpose, beyond just making money....Conscious businesses consider the needs of all their stakeholders - which is to say, everyone touched by the businenss: employees, suppliers, customers and affected communitiese, as well as investors...Conscious businesses have conscious leaders, who are "primarily motivated by service to the purpose of the business and its stakeholders, and not by the pursuit of power and personal enrichment."

It is clear that the Covert Auto Group's leaders are the not just "Un" Conscious, but bordering on brain-dead.

Here's a link to the WSJ's book review:
http://online.wsj.com/article/ SB10001424127887324235104578243673073627726.html? KEYWORDS=alan+murray

A relatively small group of people are making a lot of noise about plans to build a car dealership on a piece of commercial property fronting on Hwy. 71 near the town of Bee Cave.

The complaints, though apparently heart felt are largely in my opinion unfounded. I recommend that folks actually visit car dealerships and decide for themselves.

In regards to "Ben-Emotion" response. I just had my car serviced today at Covert GMC off Research BLVD, North Austin, and from the looks of the Service Center, Gas Tank, Showroom, noises, and huge parking lot with 24 hour lights, no way am I convinced that that is what I and MANY in Falconhead Community want next door!! You are wrong to think this is a small group of people against Covert moving to Bee Cave. I've ran petitions in the neighborhood and I have been to many Bee Cave Council meetings to see the huge gatherings of people AGAINST Covert moving to Bee Cave. Sir, the complaints are REAL and our property values will go down due to Covert's greed. Have you driven around Falconhead Community? There are "No Covert" signs all around. But unfortunately, due to Covert's irresponsibility to care for our words, many Home For Sale signs have gone up in the past month. Covert actions are negative all around and we demand they go elsewhere besides Bee Cave to locate. Ben, you must work for Covert, right? It sure seems like it with your statement. Please do your research in Bee Cave and ask Bee Cave residents their opinion of more traffic, more cement parking lots, more noise in our nice neighborhood before posting.

Jeff assumes (we know the risk inherent in doing so)that anyone who doesn't march in lock step with him to be an agent of the "enemy" and should not be heard.