(late-July)

• MUNY and WAYA June 25th meeting report
• Code NEXT - New direction....
• District 10 Update - Zebra mussels
• W.A.N.G Monthly Meeting Minutes for July
• Austin City Limits Festival Info
• WANG Board & City Council Contact info
• Letters to the Board...
  
• Neighborhood Real Estate Stats - July 10, 2018
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension - Head Lice

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article & photos by

Holly Reed

On June 25th, 2018, District 10 Council Member Alison Alter held a Town Hall Meeting to discuss the future of Lions Municipal Golf Course, aka “Muny” and the West Austin Youth Association, “WAYA.” Both Muny and WAYA sit on the Brackenridge Tract, which is owned by the University of Texas. Their leases expire in May of 2019, and both are in imminent danger of being closed, and the land sold to developers.

A standing room only crowd packed into the Muny Clubhouse that Monday evening, as Council Member Alter gave an update on the current state of affairs from the City’s side of the discussion, including possible ways in which UT might receive reasonable return on their land assets while preserving Muny and WAYA. Council Member Ora Houston, Mayor Steve Adler, Congressional District 25 Democratic Candidate Julie Oliver, Mayoral Candidate Laura Morrison, Board Members of the West Austin Neighborhood Group, Save Muny, Representatives from WAYA and Austin Neighborhoods Council were in attendance, along with neighbors, teachers, coaches, and concerned citizens. Council Member Alter introduced Junie Plummer, who will be assisting the City of Austin with the Brackenridge Tract negotiations.

Alter began the meeting by re-stating her commitment to preserving Muny and WAYA, and allowing the beautiful, historic green space to continue serving the Austin community forever. The City of Austin and the University of Texas are working through terms set in the Brackenridge Development Agreement of 1989. Although the City has the option to purchase the land, no offer has been made by either side. CM Alter and Mayor Adler noted that UT is open to discussing “reasonable value” for the land, a figure that has not been determined.

Council Member Alter and Kurt Cadena-Mitchell then gave presentations for some possible options to preserve Muny and WAYA that would give UT financial return on their assets:

• 
  

  · General Obligation Bonds (2018 Election)

  · Parkland Improvement District

  · Land Swap

  · Tax Increment Financing

  · Private Philanthropy

  · Parkland Dedication Credits

CM Alter stressed that any solution to preserve Lions Municipal Golf Course and the West Austin Youth Association must be approved by a majority vote of the City Council (6 Council Members.) Herein lies the challenge, for those who support preservation of this land as public green space: It is imperative that we write to ALL our Council Members, and the Mayor, asap asking them to approve a solution for the preservation of MUNY and WAYA:

https://austintexas.gov/email/all-council-members

A lively Q&A session followed the presentations, allowing citizens to voice their concerns, ask questions and make suggestions.

Neighbors will again have an opportunity to meet about the Brackenridge Tract on August 16th as Council Member Alter will hold another meeting from 7-8 PM at Lions Municipal Golf Course Clubhouse.

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In response to Mayor Adler's August 1st message on the City Council Message Board

Mayor Pro Tem Tovo, and Council Members Alter, Houston, and Pool released a Joint Statement:

For more than a year we have joined the community in sounding the alarm that CodeNEXT was broken. Those efforts included our proposed plan for a more equitable, sustainable, accessible, vibrant, and community-driven process. (See media release from June 19:http://www.tinyurl.com/PATHMediaRelease)

We appreciate that our colleagues have joined us in recognizing that CodeNEXT is flawed and that the public has lost all confidence in the process. The community has been sending warning signals for a long time that the process is off track, culminating in a citizen-led referendum with more than 32,000 signatures to put this issue to a public vote.

We see this as a full stop and support departing from the flawed process that CodeNEXT has become. We look forward to the opportunity to adopt a new community-driven path.

We thank the community groups and individuals as well as our city board and commission members who put in thousands of volunteer hours throughout this process.

Additionally, we look forward to the community voting on any future land development code revision, and trust that regardless of where the City Council lands on this rewrite effort, the public will have their voices heard at City Hall.

Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo
Council Member Ora Houston, District 1
Council Member Leslie Pool, District 7
Council Member Alison Alter, District 10

Mayor Adler's post on City Council message board suggests scrapping code next...

Mayor Adler on Wed Aug 01, 2018 sent out a notice on the City Council message board with the heading:

"We Should Consider if We Need a New and Different Process to Fix our Land Development Code."

Colleagues,
Austin’s biggest challenges, such as increasing unaffordability, displacement, gentrification, flooding, and traffic are getting worse. The land development code should be an important tool to help with these challenges, however, our current code is not serving us well. The need to revise this land development code is greater than ever before. Yet, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the CodeNEXT process, so divisive and poisoned, will not get us to a better place....

(to read his entire message by click on the link.....)

(link to PDF)

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From....

District 10 Council Member Alison Alter, City of Austin City Council

Dear Neighbors,

On any given sunny summer day in Austin, you will find our lakes, rivers, and pools filled with people looking for a break from the heat. With so many folks visiting our natural water sources this summer, I want to raise awareness of a growing problem. In recent years, Central Texas waters have been invaded by zebra mussels – a small, destructive invasive species that can spread quickly from one body of water to another by clinging to watercraft, clothing, people, and more.

These small, shelled creatures may not look dangerous, but zebra mussels can destroy aquatic ecosystems by eliminating the food supply of native species and have threatened local water supplies by clogging water intake lines. They can also ruin beaches and shores with their sharp shells, which may cause physical injury to both humans and animals.

Now that zebra mussels have invaded Lake Travis and Lake Austin, local creeks and Barton Springs Pool are at risk of an infestation.

The City's Watershed Department warns that people can easily spread this invasive species from one body of water to another without knowing it and has issued the following advice:

Young zebra mussels are invisible to the naked eye, and millions of them can live undetected on wet items for days and form new colonies when introduced into another body of water. After each time you swim, float, fish, or play in Lake Travis, Lake Austin, Lady Bird Lake, and “Barking Springs” (by Barton Springs Pool), it’s important to take the follow precautions:

• Wash your swimsuit, water shoes, wetsuits, and towels in hot water and dry them thoroughly
• Clean and dry all motor boats, canoes, kayaks, paddle board, toys, coolers, rafts, buckets, and other items
• Clean and dry your dogs

For more information, please see these infographics or visit the City's page on zebra mussels. With awareness and diligence, we can help prevent zebra mussels from invading our local creeks and Barton Springs Pool.

Sign up for District 10 Newsletter (click here) and you'll find several opportunities to learn about and give feedback on new plans for things like floodplain regulations and the new Shoal Creek Trail Plan. I also have included some upcoming ways to take advantage of City resources, and a fun event at Camp Mabry for the whole family. As always, please feel free to reach out to my office at District10@austintexas.gov if we can be of service.

Sincerely,

Alison Alter
Council Member, District 10

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WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

These are the minutes of the meeting of the West Austin Neighborhood Group Board of Directors held Tuesday, July 3, 2018 at 6:30 p.m., at Howson Library

I. Call to Order:

The meeting was called to order at 6:40 p.m. by President Cathy Kyle. Board members in attendance included: Mary Arnold, Mike Cannatti, Craig Lill, and Blake Tollett. Arriving late were Joyce Basciano and August Harris. Board members Elizabeth Adams, Joe Bennett, George Edwards, Holly Reed, and Haidar Khazen were not in attendance.

Ken Smith with Venture Four attended to discuss a project in our neighborhood.

II. Approval of Minutes

On a motion by Craig Lill, seconded by Mike Cannatti, the minutes from our June 5, 2018 meeting were approved as published.

III. Neighbor Communications

A. 2601 Bridle Path — Bill Oakey e-mailed the WANG board with questions about the

new construction on Bridle Path and whether or not it complied with city zoning and, in particular, whether it was being built too close to the street. Bill had an

incorrect address, but Cathy Kyle and Joyce both checked the new construction.

Although the new construction looks as if two new residences are being built, the

plans show that it is only one new home. Blake will respond to Mr. Oakey’s

e-mail.

B. Ken Smith spoke to the board about his plans to purchase a lot on Winsted Lane,

south of Enfield. It is a large, deep lot, and he has talked to city staff about

re-subdividing the lot into 4 lots, for four luxury homes with a common driveway. He intends to leave as many of the trees as possible, especially the Heritage trees. Mr. Smith was told about provisions in our adopted

Neighborhood Plan regarding garage placement that should be checked. Also train noise, and car traffic along Winsted were mentioned, based on reports from board members and other neighbors over the past few years. He recognizes

the lack of sidewalks along that portion of Winsted, and the options should his plans proceed. WANG does support sidewalks in that area. Cathy Kyle suggested that Mr. Smith might want to visit with neighbors along Quarry Road, as they might have questions and concerns.

IV. Land Matters — Blake Tollett reported that there were no notifications for cases re

properties in the WANG area.

V. Transportation

A. Cap Metro’s new routes — Joyce Basciano reported on a meeting that Cap Metro

held at Howson Library to discuss how the new schedules and routes were

working out, and about the experimental program to provide rides to and from

certain bus stops in our area for riders within a certain area. Though the number

attending was small, there were questions and comments that the Cap Metro folks were unable to answer, but they promised to try for another meeting, and to have some responses at that time.

VI. Membership — No report

VII. Newsletter - Content will be due to Haidar by July 12.

VIII. ANC Liaison Report Joyce Basciano reported on Leslie Pool’s visit to ANC about

the Soccer group’s proposal to use McKalla Place for a new stadium. There

were ANC members from that area that opposed the proposal, due to traffic

concerns and too little benefit to the city (such as $1 per year in city taxes from the soccer group for use of city land for the stadium). ANC was also updated about the lawsuit and court hearing re City Council’s refusal to place a citizen petition on the Nov. ballot re CodeNEXT.

IX. Treasurer’s Report — No report

X. Old Business

A. CodeNEXT - The Planning Commission recommendation for CodeNEXT to include

Corridor designations that name several streets in the WANG area and increased

development allowances in “transition” areas adjacent to the corridors is confusing. Mike Cannatti’s map shows how much of the WANG area that could be affected if the “transition” areas are a quarter mile on each side of the corridors. A suit filed by the Texas Attorney General seeking removal of ALL of

the current Planning Commissioners presumed to have a tie to real estate/ development interests is another complication and confusion re the status of

CodeNEXT and consideration of it by the City Council. And so far, there are five

council members who cannot support the current CodeNEXT recommendations.

B. Brackenridge Tract/bond package - Craig Lill reported on the June 25 meeting at

Lions Municipal Golf Course called by District 10 Council Member Alter to discuss these issues. There was standing room only. mMayor Adler, Council

Member Houston, Mayoral candidate Laura Morrison and Congressional candidate Julie Oliver attended, as well as Richard Suttle, (who represents UT).

A representative from WAYA spoke about the breadth of services they provide and the large number of kids served, from many parts of the city. Council Member Alter and Mayor Adler both spoke about negotiations with UT and the

possibility of acquiring the golf course from UT. Speakers were favorable to keeping the golf course/greenspace. Council Member Alter is planning another public meeting on these issues in August. August is also the deadline re what will be on the Bond Election ballot and she supports having at least $25 million on the ballot that might be used to help in securing Muny from UT. August Harris urged those present to let all the Council Members, UT Regents and President Fenves, know of their concerns and desires about the Golf Course and the rest of the Brackenridge Tract.

C. Survey - The WANG website has the link to the survey about the Brackenridge

Tract - (similar to a survey done about 10 years ago in preparation for our Neighborhood Planning meetings). August Harris will try sending e-mails urging more people to respond to the survey. Not as many have taken the survey so far, as are needed to emphasize the opinions in this area re proposals to develop other non- UT uses on the Brackenridge Tract (rather than have the golf course, Field Lab, and graduate student housing remain as primary uses) .

D. Redbud Trail Bridge - The City Manager’s proposed project list for the November bond election includes $50 million to construct a NEW Redbud Trail

Bridge. This would replace the existing low-water bridge, i.e., Emmett Shelton

Bridge. While the 2012 Bonds included $3 million to design a new Redbud Trail Bridge, and an engineering firm was approved for the project in May 2015, only

one public meeting has been held to discuss the project with interested citizens, and that meeting was in June 2016. Some small drawings of aa possible routing and cross section of a new bridge are on the Public Works website, there is no information available to the public about the environmental and visual impact of these possible designs. There is no plan to add additional auto/truck vehicle lanes to the bridge, yet the new bridge could be about 3 times as wide as the existing bridge. The City of West Lake Hills has concerns about what they have been told so far about plans for the new bridge, and Public Works staff has met with their City Council. (Yet Public Works staff has NOT had another public meeting with citizens of Austin).

E. Annual Meeting - Because of on-going Council discussion of CodeNEXT and

the Lions Municipal Golf Course/Univ. of Texas negotiations, August Harris

supports having presentations/discussions about these topics at the Annual

Meeting. Those board members in attendance agreed.

XI. New Business

A. Precourt Soccer Stadium - There was no motion for any action to be taken

on this issue at this time.

B. ACL Negotiations - No report

C. Next Meeting - August 7, 2018, Howson Public Library at 6:30 p.m.

XII. Meeting Adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

In the absence of the Secretary of the WANG Board, Minutes taken by Mary Arnold.

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WANG meets with the City of Austin and the Organizers of the Austin City Limits Festival three times a year to coordinate and discuss any issues in the neighborhood during the two-week festival. We have coordinated with the City to locate enforceable “No Parking” signs, typically on one side of some of the more narrow streets in order to facilitate the passage of emergency vehicles through the neighborhood during the festival. This year the Festival is being held October 5-7 and 12-14.

The no parking signs will be set out on Oct 3 and will remain up until Oct 15. Please remember, If you are parked on the street side where the signs are located you must move your car to the other side of the street or you may be ticketed or towed.

The streets affected (see maps) will be

• Upson St (east side),
  
• Deep Eddy Ave (east side),
  
• Hearn St (west side),
  
• Meriden Ln (east side),
  
• W.7th St (north side), and
  
• Atlanta St (west side)
  

Click on the no parking map to the right to see the proposed sign locations. We will post the final one. If you would like to send us your comments and requests we will be be providing additional input to ACL in the next several weeks. ACL@westaustinng.com

WANG will be posting on our Web Site (www.WestAustinNG.com) a specially provided Call-in phone number that will be available to call to report any illegal parking or other issues happening in the neighborhood during the festival. This number will directly connect you to a City Staff member that will be able to dispatch police officers directly. We will send out a special newsletter mail out with the neighborhood phone in number before the festival. You may also send an email to ACL@westaustinng.com and request the number and we will provide you with the Call-in number when it is available.

ACL (2) 3 DAY PASS DRAWING

WANG will again be holding a drawing for two free ACL 3-Day passes to current PATRON Plus level or higher members. A PATRON-PLUS membership is $150 annually which includes you in the free drawing. You can upgrade your current Patron Level membership for $25. Two 3-Day passes are valued at $510!

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Organized 1973......"To preserve our neighborhood and protect it from deterioration"

Board of Directors

• President: Cathy Kyle President@westaustinng.com
  
• Secretary: Holly Reed Secretary@westaustinng.com
• Assistant Secretary: Blake Tollett AsstSecretary@westaustinng.com
• Treasurer: George Edwards Treasurer@westaustinng.com
• Past President: August "Happy" Harris III PastPresident@westaustinng.com

Committee Members (click on name to send email)

• Elizabeth Adams
• Mary Arnold
• Joyce Basciano
• Joseph M Bennett
• Michael Cannatti
• George Edwards
• Haidar Khazen
• Craig Lill
• Holly Reed

Honorary Committee Members

• Honorary Mayor Steve Adler
• Honorary Alison Alter
• Honorary Kathie Tovo

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Contact your City Council Representatives:

(click on name to send email)

• Mayor: Steve Adler 512-978-2100
  
• District 1: Ora Houston 512-978-2101
  
• District 2: Delia Garza 512-978-2102
  
• District 3: Sabino Renteria 512-978-2103
  
• District 4: Gregorio Casar 512-978-2104
  
• District 5: Ann Kitchen 512-978-2105
  
• District 6: Jimmy Flanigan 512-978-2106
  
• District 7: Leslie Pool 512-978-2107
  
• District 8: Ellen Troxclair 512-978-2108
  
• District 9: Kathie Tovo 512-978-2109
  
• District 10: Alison Alter 512-978-2110
  

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Send us your comments (letters!) and thoughts on any other neighborhood issue for our "Letters to the Board" section.......let's work together

Email us at WANG-BOARD@WESTAUSTINNG.COM

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by Wizzie Brown, BCE

Head lice can become a problem brought home from summer camp or during the

school year. These insects are small, tan to gray, and wingless. Eggs, also called nits,

are glued to the hair shaft near the scalp. Nits are dark in color until they have hatched

and turn white. It takes 7-11 days for eggs to hatch. Females lay 3-5 eggs each day

and live from 7-10 days.

Head lice reside on the hairy part of the head. If they drop off, they only live for about 2

days. They are incapable of surviving on pets and are not known to transmit any

diseases from person to person.

Several states, including Texas, now have what are being called “super lice”.

Essentially these lice are resistant to pesticides commonly found in over the counter lice

treatments. If you are using an over the counter treatment for lice and they are not

dying, then you need to see a physician. Doctors are able to prescribe other treatments

that can kill the lice.

To manage lice:

1. Use an effective treatment. Head louse shampoos contain insecticides so they

must be used properly and with care. Wash the infested person’s hair in a sink

or basin so insecticide does not come into contact with other parts of the body.

The person shampooing should wear rubber gloves. Do NOT use off label

products such as flea & tick shampoo, other insecticides, or gasoline. Only treat

the infested person(s), but check everyone in the household.

2. Hair combing is an extremely important step in controlling head lice. Shampoos

may not kill all eggs, so thorough combing can help remove eggs from the hair

shaft. Wet hair and use a special metal louse comb to comb through small

sections of hair. Remove debris from the comb with a tissue and place it in a

plastic bag that can be sealed and disposed of when you are finished combing

through all hair. Hair should be combed daily until no more lice or nits are found.

3. Clothing and bedding of the infested person should be washed in hot, soapy

water at the same time as the treatment. If items cannot be washed, try dry

cleaning. For items that cannot be laundered, place them in a sealed plastic bag

in the freezer for at least 24 hours.

4. It’s important to contact anyone your child has had close contact with to let them

know of the head louse infestation. This can help everyone manage the problem

at the same time so there is less chance of reinfestation occurring.

For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist

Wizzie Brown, BCE

ebrown@ag.tamu.edu

512-854-9600

My Blogs: http://urban-ipm.blogspot.com/

https://agrilife.org/urban-ipm/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UrbanIPM/

Instagram: urbanipm, Twitter: @UrbanIPM

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Click on the link (bar) above for these events and more, happening around Austin !!!!

• Blues on the Green
  
• Austin Pride Parade
• Austin Bat Fest
  
• Zilker Relays
• Saengerrunde Tailgarten....and more

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EMERGENCY.......................................911

Fire......................................................911

Ambulance (EMS) .............................911

Police Dept.......................512-975-5000

Austin ISD......................................512-533-6000

Casis Elementary School.............512-414-2062

Austin High School.......................512-414-2505

O.Henry Middle School...............512-414-3229

City of Austin........................................512-494-9400

Texas Gas Service.............................1-800-700-2443

Grande Communications...................512-220-4600

AT&T (new service)...........................1-800-464-7928

Time Warner Cable (Cust. Svc)...........512-485-5555

Austin/Travis Hazardous Waste.........512-974-4343