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Residents tell Public Safety Commission Sunday lowrider events near Martin Park have become disruptive and unsafe
Summary
Multiple residents urged the commission to increase enforcement after describing loud gatherings, illegal parking and at least one shooting at weekly Sunday 'CPA' events near Martin Middle School and surrounding streets; they submitted petitions and asked for sustained APD presence and traffic-calming measures.
Several East Cesar Chavez residents told the Austin Public Safety Commission on Dec. 1 that recurring Sunday lowrider and car-club gatherings near Martin Middle School have degenerated into large, disruptive events that threaten neighborhood safety.
"This has helped mitigate some of the activity, but more needs to be done," said Joel Bader, who said he and his husband moved to Austin after military service and that more than 50 residents signed a petition he delivered to the commission. Bader described vehicles blocking streets, loud music, trash, racing in parking lots and, he said, a shooting on Aug. 24 when police later recovered shell casings.
Lori Renteria, a 40-year resident who said she worked on community policing projects with the Austin Police Department, corroborated Bader's account and described a long-term shift: "What happens on Sundays turned from a family tradition celebrating Mexican American culture of lowrider car and bicycle clubs into nothing more than an open-air drinking and drugging event that includes very few antique lowrider cars." Renteria noted that a sign marking Martin as a school-area drug-free zone has been removed during construction.
Both speakers asked the commission and city staff to sustain an increased law-enforcement presence on Sunday evenings, consider speed bumps on local streets, and use mounted patrols and other traffic-calming measures. Bader said he emailed the commission a detailed list of alleged violations and a petition of residents.
Another public commenter, Carlos Leon, raised separate but related public-safety concerns and alleged two instances in which he felt followed by marked APD vehicles; he said he filed complaints with the Office of Police Oversight and urged the commission to pursue investigations.
The commission did not take formal action during public comment. Chair (the commission chair) acknowledged the correspondence and said commissioners should have received the emails. Commissioners said they would follow up through staff and the appropriate city channels.
The commission's public comment period concluded after the speakers delivered their requests and staff confirmed the written materials were distributed to commissioners.
