Minutes of Meeting
BARTON VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
Sunday, February 9, 2003, 4:00 PM, home of Donna Tiemann, 3203 Cupid Drive, Austin, TX, 78735

A neighborhood meeting was called to order upon written notice being delivered to each neighbor via the association newsletter. 

Secretary Carl Pearson opened the meeting at 4:10pm, at which 22 members were present.  The meeting was held at Donna Tiemann's home.

Minutes from the previous meeting were entered into the record.

Introductions of new members were made, and minutes from the previous meeting read into the record.

Ingrid Morton gave a Treasurer's report.  The bank account stood at $715.  A $35 check had been written to cover dues to membership in the Austin Neighborhood Council.  Due to an administrative error, the check was returned.

Of the 27 members, 5 had renewed at the last meeting.  Ingrid reiterated that amongst other things, the money helps pay dues to other associations, and put out the newsletter.  Ingrid then asked for those present who had not renewed to please take that action.

Donna mentions the status of the Brodie Tract, relating that meetings with City Council, petitions and other forms of communication have thus far paid off.  City of Austin is to review ways to keep property from being developed, having mandated a stakeholders group to determine uses for land.

At the stakeholders group, Ingrid represented BVNA, Donna and Harold Daniel represented Save Barton Creek Assoc.  Differing groups have pledged support to help keep the tract from being put on the sales block.

Donna passes out the resource pledge letter, and a draft of the stakeholder's report which will go to the City Manager and Council.

Though SOS ordinances indicate up to 15% of the tract can be developed (approximately 12 out of 83 acres), taking ravines and other elevations into account, about 6 acres can be developed.  Donna indicates that a portion of tract may still be sold, near WestGate.

Donna opines that instead of the land being put into a conservation easement, it should be put under the authority of the Parks & Recreation Department, so it can remain owned by City of Austin.  The Wastewater Department, which put up two million dollars of the five million purchase price for the tract, does not to manage land, as it's too small, and has trash, indigents, etc.  P&R would like to have the land.

Donna says BVNA recently joined the Austin Neighborhood Council.

Individual signatures asking to let city retain the land will help.  Media will help.  Currently it seems the city is trying to work with the various groups.

Horacio Gasquet asks about the Austin Neighborhood Council.  Donna explains it is a networking resource for area neighborhood groups, which also gives seminars on various city mechanisms, such as zoning.

The group gives Donna thanks for her work with the various groups.

Jean Wilkins asks when stakeholder proposal was supposed to go in to City Manager's office.  Ingrid says the current date is February 17.  Willie Conrad, Wastewater manager of Brodie Tract, has asked for certain verbiage to be left out of report as it is outside the scope of the proposal.

Ingrid says Willie Conrad would be open to having people help clean up the land, Kathryn Nichols is with the National Park Service.  She is also part of the stakeholder process, as a representative from the Federal level.

A neighbor reports seeing several trash bags near the Westgate end of the tract.  Ingrid informs the group that the City goes out two to three times a year and hauls off several large dump trucks of trash, so most likely the bags were from their collection process.

Horacio suggests making a tract clean-up a part of Earth Day.

Gail Moore asks if we should go to other neighborhood for signatures.  Donna says yes, but she's not yet sure how best to use the awareness the signatures will generate.

Patrick Larson asks if anything like the tours being done at Wild Basin had been suggested.  Donna says yes, education was the number one suggestion at the stakeholder group meetings.  Also hiking, biking, and bird watching.  Soccer, picnicking, and horseback riding were eliminated.

Cora Quinn says she was given a video tape of council meetings going back to 1983, and that the situation today is a lot better than back then.  General sentiment seems to be moving toward keeping the land undeveloped.

Jean is concerned where public access would occur.  Traffic is always a concern.  Ingrid replies that anything actually inside the neighborhood would probably not be appropriate, that the end of WestGate, and on the current trail access at the 360 access point would be the best spots.

Gail asks who we should vote for in mayoral elections.  Donna reiterates that as a non-profit, we should not officially recommend, but informal discussions can certainly occur after the meeting.

Donna then brings up the election of new officers.  Due to term limitations, certain officers must relinquish their current posts, though they could run for other posts if desired.

Election results are as follows:

Donna shows off artwork by neighbor Danny Garret, drawn up for newsletter banner.  Danny has given permission for the artwork to be used in future newsletters.

Horacio asks if we can arbitrarily add everyone's email address to the yahoo group email list.  There are no objections.

The meeting adjourned at 5:10 PM

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