Resource
Manual
2002
EMERGENCY? CALL
9-1-1!
3-1-1 for Police
Non-Emergencies
Austin Police Department
Community Liaison Office
459-1877
April 2002
Lamplight Village Area Neighborhood
Association
Amended and reprinted with permission
September 2002
Alphabetical listings of City
Services
Abandoned
Vehicles on Lots 837-6078, 280-0075
Citizens can report
abandoned motor vehicles that are left on private property. An abandoned junked car is defined as
having an expired license plate or states inspection sticker AND is wrecked,
dismantled, or otherwise visually inoperable.
The vehicle must be visible from the public roadway. A ten (10) day
notice is placed on the vehicle giving the property owner 10(ten) days to move
or correct the vehicle or to request a hearing through Municipal Court. If the vehicle is not moved or corrected and
a hearing is not requested the vehicle will be impounded by the Police
Department and demolished.
The Austin Police
Department will also haul away vehicles that are abandoned if the property
owner will sign an affidavit stating that the vehicle has been on their
property without their consent for more than forty eight (48) hours and giving
the Police Department permission to tow the car off the lot. It takes about three to five days before the
vehicle is removed and there is no charge for this service.
Abandoned
Vehicles on Street 837-6078, 280-0075
Citizens can report
vehicles left on public property (streets) to the Police Department. An abandoned vehicle is defined as having an
expired license plate OR a vehicle that is visually inoperable. The vehicle will be tagged with a 72-hour
notice. If the vehicle is not moved or
corrected in that 72 hours the Police Department will impound it. The vehicle owner has 20 days to redeem the
vehicle and pay all storage and wrecker fees owed the City or the vehicle will
be sold at public auction. Trailers not
hooked to motor vehicles and left on public property can also be reported and
are handled in the same manner.
Animals
Running Loose -974-6033 (dispatcher)
(fax 974-6036)
Animal Control Unit of
the Animal Services Division of the Health and Human Services Department
responds to loose dog complaints. This
function is no longer the Environmental Health Services Division, which was
re-organized. The name for the City
shelter is the Town Lake Animal Shelter.
Blind
Corners and Mid-block Obstructions - 440-5150 (fax 440-5165)
Corners:
Vegetation or trees
blocking the view of oncoming traffic on corners should be reported immediately
to the Parks and Recreation Department.
The type of obstruction and exact location are needed. (Example:
a large bush is blocking the NorthEast corner of X Street and Y
Avenue. An inspector will check the
obstruction as soon as possible. If the
bushes are ornamental (i.e. planted by
owner) the owner will be notified and given two weeks to trim; otherwise, the
City will trim them. Weeds and brush are cut at the initial inspection.
Mid-block:
Vegetation or trees
located in the middle of a block and hanging over the street, sidewalk, or
right-of-way should be reported to the Parks and Recreation Department. The exact location of the problem area is
needed (example: a large tree in front of 1900 XYZ Street). An inspector will be sent to view the
obstruction. If it is an immediate
hazard and is located in the City right-of-way (example: preventing people
people leaving neighboring driveways from seeing oncoming traffic), it will be
cut back immediately. If not an
immediate hazard, it will be placed on the list to be handled in the order in
which the complaint is received. If it
is located on private property, the property owner will be notified to cut back
the growth.
Boarding
of Houses 974-1855 (fax 974-2326)
(Code Compliance Office)
In order for a home to be
boarded the house needs to be open and completely accessible to the
public. If the inspector considers it
to be a danger to the public it may be boarded within three (3) days.
Creek
Drainage Complaints - 974-3366
Report overgrown/trashed
creeks and drainage areas to the Watershed Protection Department. The exact location of the problem is
needed. An inspector will be sent to
investigate the reported area. If the
location is the responsibility of the private property owner, the owner will be
contacted.
Curb
Ramps and Sidewalk Requests - 974-7240 or 974-7046
To request the
installation or repair a curb ramp, call Transportation Planning and
Sustainability. Give exact information
(i.e. the ramp on the southwest corner of ABC Street has concrete
missing.) An engineer will be sent to
the access the damage and/or need and arrange for repair.
Crosswalks
- 457-4851 (fax 457-4868)
To request installation
of a new crosswalk or the maintenance of an existing crosswalk, call the
974-7129.
Dead
Animals - 494-9400
Dead animals in the right
of way are collected within a twenty-four-- (24) hour period Monday - Saturday
by calling the above number.
Flooding
Complaints - 974-3355 (fax 974-3360)
Complaints about areas
prone to flooding should be directed to the Watershed Protection
Department. An inspector will visit the
location and determine what might be done to cure the problem. These situations
are often complex and may require a large amount of money to fix. Should the problem be of sufficient size and
cost, it may require scheduling and funding as a Capital Improvement Project.
Garbage
Pick Up 494-9400
The Solid Waste Services
Department picks up residential waste and recyclable products. If you have questions about garbage that has
not been picked up or how to get a recycling bin call the number above. Customer Service call 974-9048
Graffiti
Removal - 854-4125 (fax 854-4273)
The City can assist
property owners at no charge in the removal of graffiti. The City's Graffiti Abatement program can
also supply free paint or other graffiti removal materials to property owners. To report graffiti or for assistance in
graffiti removal, call the above number.
Household
Hazardous Waste
Collection Facility
974-4343 (fax 974-4341)
The home chemical
collection site is located at 2514 Business Center Drive. The Center is open two (2) days a week -
Tuesday and Wednesday from 12 noon to 7 p.m. to accept chemicals from City of
Austin and Travis County residents.
They accept automotive products, including oil and batteries, pool
chemicals, gardening chemicals, aerosol cans, paint, acid and miscellaneous
cleaning products.
Illegal
Dumping 494-9400
The Environmental health
Services Division of the Health and Human Services Department responds to
reports of illegal dumping in both the city and county. To report illegal dumping or an illegal dumpsite,
call the Dumping Hotline number above.
Municipal
Court 974-4800
Obstructions
in the Roadway - 440-8444
Items in the driving
lanes of the roads or in alleys should be reported to the Department of Public
Works and Transportation. Exact location
and type of obstruction should be reported (example: large box in the left-hand
lane of XY Blvd in the 1000 block heading north) A crew will be sent
immediately to remove the obstructions.
Parks
Maintenance - 440-5150 (fax
440-5165)
Maintenance in City parks
should be reported to the Parks and Recreation Department between 8 a.m. - 4
p.m. After hours reports may be made to the Austin Energy dispatch number
322-9100. Be as specific is possible
about the problem (example: drinking fountain on the southeast side of X park
is broken.) Parks personnel will be
sent to investigate and fix the problem.
Pedestrian
Sidewalk Program - 974-7240
To request sidewalk and
pedestrian information or report a problem in areas other than school zones,
call the above number.
Police
Helpful Numbers Gang Hotline 974-5098
Alarm Unit 974-5730 Homicide
Tip Line 477-3588
Auto Theft Information
(H.E.A.T. & VIN Etching) 974-5713 Jail
854-9889
Auto Theft Tip Line
974-5096 Main
- Austin Police Department 974-5000
Citizens Police Academy
416-5557 National
Night Out 459-1554
Civil Defense Battalion
707-7851 Non-Emergency
974-5750
Community Liaison Office
459-1877 Operation
Blue Santa 459-1877
District Representatives Police
Report (To purchase a copy) 974-5212
Northwest 974-5743 Public
Information Office 974-5017
Northeast 974-5598 Recruiting
305-4000
Central West 974-5254 Robbery
Tip Line 974-5092
Central East 974-5919 Sex
Crimes Tip Line 974-5230
Southwest 974-8241 Traffic
Office 974-5789
Southeast 974-8230 TRIAD
or S.A.L.T. (Seniors and Law Enforcement Together) 459-6257
Volunteers
in Policing (VIPs) 459-4309
Downtown 974-5253
Police
Reports by Phone - 974-5750
Police reports can be
made by telephone IF the situation is NOT an emergency and it not necessary for
a police officer to come to the scene of the crime. For instance, old thefts can be reported by telephone for insurance
claims. However, if the situation is an
emergency and a police officer is needed, callers must call 911.
Pothole
Complaints - 440-8444 (fax 440-8536)
Report potholes to the
Public Works and Transportation Department.
An inspector will be sent to look at the pothole and evaluate the
urgency of the repair. It will put on a
list for repair in priority order.
Rodent
Control 972-5600
Rodent and Vector Control
(RVC) program is a consultative (non-regulatory) program that provides services
to our citizens regarding:
·
How to eliminate
rodents through site assessments, consultations
and baiting or providing bait as needed;
·
How to eliminate
mosquitoes through site assessments, consultations,
larviciding (applying chemical treatment
to pools of water that breed
mosquitoes or have mosquito larvae) and
spraying for adult mosquitoes;
·
Respond to citizens
regarding stinging insects by conducting site
assessments, referrals,
consultations and in a few cases, treatment
which consists of using an
approved insecticide.
Many diseases may be
transmitted from rodents and mosquitoes to humans. Examples of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes are St. Louis
Encephalitis, malaria, and yellow fever.
Rodents can transmit murine typhus fever salmonellosis, trichinosis, leptospirosis
and rat bite fever. All staff members,
including the supervisor, are non-commercial certified pesticide
applicators. For more information call
the number above.
School
Sidewalk Safety - 974-7240
To report a dangerous
condition or request an evaluation to have a school crossing guard assigned
near a school, call the above number.
School
Signs - 457-4885
To request a school zone
sign be posted or for the repair or maintenance of an existing school sign,
call the above number.
School
Zone Light Malfunction - 457-4851
To report a school zone
light malfunction, call the above number.
Sewage
Problems 972-5600
Contact the Environmental
Health Services Division of the Health and Human Services Department to report
an outside sewage problem. The division
will respond to complaints on private property within 24 hours or make
referrals to other departments as appropriate.
Stop
Signs - 457-4885
Stop signs are installed
as safety measures to assign right of way.
To determine if a stop sign is needed, there must be one of several
conditions including heavy traffic, poor visibility, and pattern of accidents
or near schools. Citizens can call the
number above for a service representative to monitor the location. If the location poses an immanent danger a
sign will be put up quickly; otherwise, it takes approximately 4-6 weeks to
install a stop sign.
Street
Lighting and Nightwatchman Lights--see
appropriate numbers below
Contact Austin Energy for
information about additional lighting to make the roadways and alleyways safer
in your neighborhood. Anyone living
inside the Austin City limits may request streetlights for their
neighborhood. An adjoining property
owner must make specific requests for alley lighting. Austin Energy will survey the area to determine if additional
street or alley lighting is required and the best location. Construction may take 10-12 weeks.
Nightwatchman lights are
similar to streetlights, but can be leased for private security by people
living inside the Austin City limits. Nightwatchman lights can also be used for lighting public or
private areas that are outside the city limits, but inside the Austin Energy
service area.
To request a streetlight
or Nightwatchman light call 505-7617 (North) or 505-7591 (South).
To report a problem with
streetlights or Nightwatchman lights, call 505-7046.
For billing questions on
Nightwatchman lights, call 505-7169.
Street
and Bridge Repairs - 440-8444
Citizens can report when
street surfaces or pothole conditions are considered dangerous and a possible
threat to public safety. Hazardous
conditions are defined as: items in the street, oil spills, and guard/bridge
rail damage of any kind or excessive rocks on the street. Emergency conditions or threats to public
safety will be responded to immediately.
If the citizens request is non-hazardous, a supervisor will inspect the
site and estimate when it will be cleaned up.
Minor repairs are usually done within five days. Major repairs may take months depending on
the situation.
Street
Signs Down - 457-4885
Citizens can report a
downed street sign or request a replacement sign by notifying the
Transportation Planning and Sustainability Department at the above number. After hours calls can referred to the
emergency dispatcher at 322-9500. Signs
are either classified as hazard or non-hazard.
Hazard signs are Stops, Yield, Do not enter, etc. or signs that have
fallen in such a manner as to be a hazard to pedestrians or vehicles. Hazard signs are dispatched for repair
immediately. Signs that do not fall
into the hazard category are typically replaced within four to six weeks.
Traffic
Signal Malfunction - 457-4850 or 457-4891
Citizens can report
malfunction of traffic signals to the Transportation Planning and
Sustainability Department. The response
time is normally within an hour for an inspector to survey the damage. However, depending on the severity (example:
downed pole, flashing lights) turn around time is prioritized ranging within a
couple of hours to a week. Damaged
signals from heavy storms may take even longer to repair. After hours, call emergency dispatch at
322-9500.
Traffic
Signals 457-4870
Traffic signals are
installed to control traffic. Criteria
for traffic signals are stringent and traffic conditions must justify the installation. To install a traffic signal, one of the
following criteria must be met: heavy volume of traffic and/or numerous
accidents at an intersection. Call the
Transportation Planning and Sustainability Department and give the location
where a traffic signal is needed. An
inspector will assess the situation by determining volume of traffic or if a
pattern of accidents is occurring.
Tree
Trimming 322-6771
Austin Energy manages a
tree-trimming program that helps lower the number of power outages caused by
fallen tree limbs. The system operates
in four-year cycles and designed to trim limbs that can blow into critical
electrical equipment and cause service interruptions. In addition to the regular tree-trimming program, Austin Energy
accepts special requests for trimming tree limbs away from power lines. Call Austin Energy at the above number for
assistance regarding trees on property that are growing over or into electrical
equipment.
Trees
Hanging over the Roadways 440-5174 or 440-5150
Trees hanging over the
driving lanes or over a portion of the City's right-of-way should be reported
to the Parks and Recreation Department.
Please be as specific as possible about the locations (example: large
tree limbs hanging in the left hand lane of ABC Blvd. on the north side in the
2000 block.) Parks personnel will be
sent to assess the situation and schedule the removal on a prioritized basis.
Utility
Outages/Emergencies
Electric-494-9400
Water--912-6000
Electrical outages should
be reported to 322-9100. The automated
reporting system, called PowerLink, can route calls faster if the customer has
the PowerLink number for the location experiencing the outage. The PowerLink number is the middle six
digits of the City of Austin utility account number.
The
Water Trouble line is 912-6000.
Utility
Services -- 494-9400
The Call Center handles
calls regarding electric, water and various other fees that may appear on the
City of Austin utility bill.
Information includes tips on efficient or safe usage of utilities,
payment or billing options, consumption histories, billing, or consumption
troubleshooting and rates. Requests for
transfer, termination, accounts that were cut for non-payment, or initiation of
these services can be handled by the Call Center at the above number.
Victim
Services - 974-5037
Victim Services is a
crisis intervention division of the Austin Police Department that helps
citizens in immediate traumatic crime situations. Counselors usually arrive within 30 minutes after the police officers
have notified the crisis team. Victim
Services will later arrange for an appointment to be made for additional
counseling. All services rendered by
Victim Services are at no cost to the citizen and are available 24 hours a day.
Water
and Wastewater Problems - 912-6000
Citizens can report
problems with stop-ups, manhole overflows and/or bad taste in water. Once notified, an inspector investigates the
seriousness of the problem. If it is
determined to be a serious situation it will be taken care of the same day;
otherwise, it will be taken care of in the order it was called in.
Weeds
and Trash 494-9400 ext. 5
To report high weeds or
trash on vacant or occupied private property or on City property, call the
Environmental Health Services Division of the Health and Human Services
Department. The correction of high
weeds and trash problems on private property requires formal notification of
the property owner before fines can be assessed or abatement action can be
taken. An inspector will be sent to
access the property and find out who owns it.
Should the property owner fail to clean a vacant lot, the City will have
a contractor clean it and bill the property owner for the cost. However, the process could be a lengthy one
due to the technical requirements for proper legal notification of the property
owner. Bringing the matter before
Municipal Court pursues uncorrected weed and trash problems on occupied
property. The Municipal Court process
may lead to considerable fines being assessed against the property owner for
continuing violations of the city ordinance.
EMERGENCY? CALL
9-1-1!
3-1-1 for Police
Non-Emergencies
OTHER
IMPORTANT NUMBERS:
City
Council www.ci.austin.tx.us/council/contacts.htm __________________________
Council
Meeting Agenda - City Clerk 974-2210 __________________________
Mayor Gus Garcia 974-2250 __________________________
Pro Tem Jackie Goodman 974-2255 __________________________
Raul Alvarez 974-2644 __________________________
Daryl Slusher 974-2260 __________________________
Danny Thomas 974-2266 __________________________
Will Wynn 974-2200 __________________________
Betty Dunkerly 974-2258 __________________________
City
Manager Toby Futrell 974-2200 __________________________
Child Abuse
Hotline: 1-800-252-5200 __________________________
Electric
Engraver (for borrow from LVANA)
834-0599 __________________________
Environmental
Health Dept. __________________________
(High grass, rats,
vehicles, etc.) 469-2015 __________________________
Home
Chemical Collection Facility 416-8998 __________________________
Housing
Codes (residential) 974-2875 __________________________
OPERATION
I.D. (A.P.D.. electric engraver)
707-2047 __________________________
Permits: Building 974-2380 __________________________
Signs 974-2386 __________________________
Poison Center
Hotline
1 800 POISON-1
Time and
Temperature 973-3555
TXDOT
Travis North Maintenance -Parmer Lane 331-5361
Crime
Statistics and Sex Offenders www.ci.austin.tx.us/police
Owner of
Properties http//www.traviscad.org/home.htm
GIS
Parks Maps- City Directory of Land Development Parks
www.ci.austin.tx.us/growth/gis.htm
Map
of Lamplight Village Area http://malford.ci.austin.tx.us/gisstart.htm
COA Yard
Trimmings website http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/sws/yardtrimmings.htm
Better
Business Bureau http://www.bbb.org to file complaint
Revisions:
Revised Abandoned Vehicle Numbers 12/20/2002.