Residents of three South Austin neighborhoods met Aug. 22 at the Austin Public Library branch on Manchaca Road to discuss how to incorporate creativity policies into their combined neighborhood plan.

"[The community is discussing] everything from public art to performance space to education in the arts, classes, photography classes at [Austin Community College] all kinds of things," said Carol Haywood, comprehensive planning manager with the city of Austin.

She said residents' suggestions will help form the basis for the goals and policies included in the South Austin Combined Neighborhood Plan, which is part of the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan the city adopted in June 2012 to direct Austin's growth and redevelopment for the next 30 years. The yearlong SACNP process to identify what residents in the Garrison Park, South Manchaca and Westgate neighborhoods like about their area and where they want to see development is entering its policy phase and will culminate in an open house in December, city Planner Francis Reilly said.

At the meeting, suggestions from residents included adding a public activity space in front of the library; building a skateboard park; improving collaboration between neighborhood associations; improving sidewalks; hosting a farmers market; offering movies or music in the park; and incorporating murals, sculptures and other works of art into public spaces.

Resident Eva Gonzales said the neighborhoods should highlight elements from Latino, Asian and local Southern, or "Bubba," cultures, which she said are a quintessential part of Austin's culture overall.

"I want to see art that celebrates different parts of South Austin," she said. "I don't really want to see [these neighborhoods] all homogenized. This is a unique place, and it should stay unique."

Architect Roger Mueller lives in the Cherry Creek Southwest neighborhood, which is part of the Garrison Park neighborhood included in the SACNP planning area. He said he wants to see South Austin become a destination and take on a more urban feel.

"Right now this neighborhood feels disparate," he explained. "It feels like four or five different little homebuilder developments, and there's no real connection between the four or five of them. And there's real opportunity here because there's this community center that's made up of Crockett [High School] and the library and businesses there and [Austin Community College's South Austin campus] to create a city center just for these neighborhoods."

The next SACNP meeting is scheduled for Sept. 10 from 6:30–8:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of Cunningham Elementary School, 2200 Berkeley Ave. More information is available at https://austintexas.gov/department/south-austin-combined-neighborhood-plan.