|
Barton Hills-Horseshoe Bend Neighborhood Association
Newsletter November, 1998 |
 |
|
President's Corner
|
Dear Neighbor:
Last month, we witnessed a senseless triple homicide in our midst. Our thoughts and condolences go out to all family members and friends. At the request of some neighbors, we are setting up a support group through APD Victim Services. If you are interested in participating please give me a call at 441-2049. You may also call Dolores Litton at APD Victim Services at 480-5104 to discuss your needs and concerns. November 3 is the most important election date in years. Ten bond packages will be on the ballot that have the potential for shaping Austin's future for decades to come. Please be informed, and please vote! The featured speaker at our October 27 meeting will be Council Member Daryl Slusher. He will discuss the bond package (Propositions 1-10). We also will have a forum for the two candidates for County Commissioner, Todd Baxter and Nan Clayton. I hope to see you at the meeting. We worked very hard to make it interesting and informative for you! Best wishes, Peter Hess |
|
June 23, 1998 Meeting Agenda
|
Neighborhood Association Meeting
Tuesday, 23 June 1998, 7 p.m. BBQ Dinner and Social Hour 6-7 p.m. St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 2128 Barton Hills Drive Agenda |
|
Election of Officers
|
At the October 27 meeting, we will have to elect our officers for 1999. If you would like to nominate a neighbor or yourself for any of the positions, please contact Rick Albers (448-1004), the chair of the Nominations Committee, by Friday, 23 October. The following neighbors will serve on the Nominations Committee: Rick Albers, Chair (448-1004)
Jane Anderson (443-8909) Kay Killen (447-4287) Diane Singleton (443-2403) Walter Schopfer (441-7096) The Nominations Committee will present their nominations for all six positions on the Executive Committee at our October 27 meeting. |
|
Bond Elections
|
On November 3, we will have to decide on a number of bonds that may help us shape the future of our city. City Council Member Daryl Slusher has agreed to speak on the bond elections. Check the City of Austin's web site to find out more about the bonds: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/bonds.
|
|
November 14 Tree Planting along Barton Parkway
|
We finally got the site plan for our tree planting in late September. The plan finds a good mix between shade trees and smaller ornamental trees. It looks very exciting, and we will display it at the neighborhood meeting on October 27. We invited all neighbors along Barton Parkway to an information meeting on October 13.
The planting will take place on Saturday, November 14, at 9 a.m. Sign-in will start at 8:30 at Homedale Circle. We should be able to plant the trees within two hours. We will have coffee and food for all volunteers. We need at least 50 volunteers. So please come out in the morning of November 14 for this neighborhood event! Please call Kevin Blackburn at 444-7881 to sign up. Bring your gloves and your shovel. The City staff will bring some tools; if you bring your own please put your name on it. All the holes for planting will be pre-dug so planting itself will not be overly strenuous. We will have some experienced team leaders from TreeFolks to show us how to plant the trees. Be there for the biggest neighborhood event of the year! |
|
Plans for Auditorium Shores (Palmer Auditorium, Coliseum)
|
The plans for Auditorium Shores and the creation of a Town Lake Park have been a rapidly evolving story since our last meeting. A couple of weeks ago, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by all the major stakeholders (Junior League of Austin, South Central Coalition, Friends of the Park, Arts* Center Stage). This Memorandum of Understanding forms the basis of support for Propositions 11 and 12 for neighborhood groups like the Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association and the South Central Coalition. We will get a full report from our member Larry Akers who has been very involved with the process. For a full text of the memorandum e-mail "phess@mail.utexas.edu".
|
|
Terrace PUD
|
Since 1986, our Neighborhood Association has been trying to prevent or at least limit development of a tract known as the Terrace Planned Unit Development (PUD). The Terrace PUD, created by City Council action on April 30, 1987, is a triangular property of 109 acres, bordered by MoPac to the west, by Loop 360 to the south, and by Barton Creek to the East. It lies straight across from the Horseshoe Bend area of our neighborhood. The northern part of the property already has been developed with apartment buildings, an office building, and a parking garage.
According to the PUD agreement, the Terrace PUD is exempt from any subsequent ordinances (including S.O.S.)--as long as they stick with their original site plan. This has not been the case so we may have good grounds to oppose the project. The Association in the past has opposed the project because of the high visibility of the planned office building on top of the bluffs, because of the expected degradation of the water quality in Barton Creek and Barton Springs, and because of traffic concerns. The current owner and developer is W&G Partnership, Ltd. ("W" as in Clayton Williams). In the next phase, an office complex of close to 1,000,000 (one million) square feet is scheduled to be built. The prospective buyer of the office complex is the Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) which is based in El Segundo, CA. CSC currently employs 1,400 people in the Arboretum area, but they are looking for a new site so they can expand to 3,500 employees. Negotiations to get them to build their Austin headquarters in the Preferred Growth Corridor are under way. This site is environmentally very sensitive because of its proximity to Barton Creek. Very recently, caves were discovered on neighboring properties. This is significant because caves allow run-off to reach the aquifer without filtration. One of the caves appears to be large enough to pose structural problems for any building constructed on top of it. If you would like to get involved with the issue please call Peter Hess at 441-2049. |
|
AISD Attendance Boundary Update
|
The attendance boundary issue has been re-opened by the new school board which was elected in May. There will be a meeting at Barton Hills Elementary on Thursday, October 22, at 7 p.m. Citizen input is welcome.
|
|
Neighborwoods Program
|
Many of you found a yellow flag in your front yard and a flier on your door sometime in September. The City of Austin's NeighborWoods program distributed yellow doorhangers to all residents who are eligible for a free tree, to be planted in the right-of-way next to the curb. If you returned the yellow postcard to the City, the tree(s) will delivered to you in early November. If you think you need help with planting please give Peter Hess a call at 441-2049. We gladly will organize volunteers to help with the task.
|
|
Tree replacement at Barton Hills Elementary
|
The oak trees at Barton Hills Elementary keep dying. We lost several more over summer. We are trying to work out a tree planting program in conjunction with AISD and the Barton Hills Elementary PTA.
|
|
"The Beautification Project"
|
The Executive Committee received some inquires in regard to maintenance of property standards. A major issue seems to be long-term parking of RVs and boat trailers in driveways and even streets. We will bring up this issue at the upcoming meeting, and we will form a committee to study the issue if there is enough interest. If you are interested but cannot attend the meeting please give Peter Hess a call at 441-2049.
|
|
Barton Springs Environmental Assessment / Habitat Conservation Plan
|
In early October, the City of Austin received a permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service to clean Barton Springs and thus to keep it open to swimmers without major restrictions. The City in turn has to modify their cleaning procedures and has to make some structural modifications.
On August 10, the Executive Committee and some other interested members met with Robert Hansen, the endangered species biologist with the City of Austin, to discuss the issue. We were particularly concerned about the plans to build a permanent fence around the Sunken Gardens in order to keep swimmers out of the area. Unfortunately, the permit still requires the construction of the fence. |
|
Home Security
|
While there have been only a few isolated burglaries in our neighborhood over the past few months, crime prevention is always a timely issue. We would like to make you aware of the free Home Security Survey offered by the Austin Police Department. You will learn how you can strengthen entry spots, and upon completion of the program you may qualify for a 5-15% reduction in your homeowner insurance rate. The two crime prevention specialists assigned to our area are Sonya Carrion (707-7851) who spoke to us at our April meeting and Mario Renteria (707-2047).
|
| Projects on Barton Skyway and on Robert E. Lee | The replacement of water and wastewater lines in the Barton Skyway area now is scheduled to begin sometime in November, according to project manager Robert Reyna. During the first 6-8 weeks of the project, traffic lanes on Barton Skyway will be narrowed. In the new year, the project will move on to the feeder streets. The entire project will last about one year. The improvements at the intersection of Barton Springs Road and Robert E. Lee have been pushed back into the new year. Toan Nguyen, the project manager indicated three reasons for the delay. (1) The project requires the relocation of numerous utility lines before construction can begin. (2) Robert E. Lee Road is needed for the Trail of Lights detour. (3) We do not want Robert E. Lee Road to be closed while the traffic lanes at Barton Skyway are narrowed. We should have a complete update at our January meeting. |
| Executive Committee | The Executive Committee elected Janice and Will Godwin to fill the unexpired term of Wendy Disch as Corresponding Secretary. Wendy moved to California in August.
President: Peter Hess (441-2049) |
|
Your membership for 1999
|
Your membership for 1999 needs to be paid at least 10 days before our first meeting for 1999 which tentatively has been scheduled for January 26. According to our bylaws, you will not have voting rights at that meeting unless you pay your membership at least 10 days before the meeting. Please pay your 1999 membership at the upcoming meeting or send a check ($5) to Ferne and Walt Mizell, 2612 Barton Hills Drive, Austin, TX 78704. |
|
Name(s) (include full names of all 18+ household members) (1) ______________ (2) _________________ (3) _______________ Address: _____________________ Phone: (H) ________ (W) _________ E-mail: ____________________
|
|
BHNA Home > Newsletters > November, 1998
Copyright © 2002 Barton Hills Neighborhood Association
This page last modified on