North Austin Civic Association

November, 2006

Neighborhood Goals - Take Action
by Brian Almon
Reprinted from NACA's newsletter, Your Neighborhood News,
from August, September and November/December, 2006
The NACA Neighborhood Plan was adopted by the Austin City Council in June 2000. The Plan identified 12 goals for the neighborhood, with 82 associated action items. Through a three-part series in the Naca Neighborhood News, Brian Almon provides us with an update on what has been accomplished in meeting the goals through the action items.
Goal 1 - Protect and enhance the existing neighborhood through code enforcement and property maintenance.

Much has been accomplished with code enforcement. After many years of effort on the part of NACA volunteers and other neighborhood associations, the City of Austin has finally recognized that we needed more code inspectors. The City is hiring more, establishing a user-friendly complaint system, and making available the enforcement staff for a better understanding of the issues. We have succeeded in getting some real problem properties cleaned.

Of course, one of the biggest achievements has been the passage of the no-parking-on-the-lawn ordinance.It took several years and many hours of meetings with City Council and City staff to get an ordinance that is easy to administer and fairly effective. Also, owners of properties that are overgrown with weeds and in need of repair are being reminded about their responsibility to maintain their properties. Appropriate action including reporting to code enforcement is taken if they don't respond.
[Your Neighborhood News, August, 2006]

[For more information on the parking ordnance and code enforcement, see the articles in the Archives section of the website. ~KNH]
Goal 2 -- Establish land use and zoning for future development that will improve the quality of life for neighborhood residents and businesses.

The zoning recommendations in the Plan were accepted by the City and have been implemented. The other major Objective in this Goal was to make Lamar Blvd. a "Great Street" with sidewalks, buried drainage and power lines, street medians, and landscaping. Unfortunately, the City has not had the funding to accomplish this objective.
[Your Neighborhood News, August, 2006]
Goal 3 - Create a more pedestrian and cyclist-friendly neighborhood by adding sidewalks and improving access to major centers of neighborhood activity.

NACA did a sidewalk survey in 1999, and some sidewalks have been added to our area. A major addition was made last year on the south side of Payton Gin Road from Lanier High School to Lamar Blvd. Also, new bicycle lanes have been installed along Parkfield.
[Your Neighborhood News, August, 2006]
Goal 4 - Improve the safety, comfort, and efficiency of Capital Metro services in the neighborhood.

Bus turnout lanes have been installed on Rundberg Lane (between HEB and the library). Most bus stops have had benches and trash receptacles installed, and more stops are being planned by CapMetro.
[Your Neighborhood News, August, 2006]

[For more information on the bus stop improvements, see the article in the Archives section of the website. ~KNH]
Goal 5 - - Protect residential areas from impacts of through traffic and improve traffic flow in the neighborhood.

Traffic flow is an important component of any neighborhood. Flow must be efficient and safe, both for vehicular traffic and pedestrians. The City of Austin did install signage restricting through truck traffic on several streets. Also, cycle times for some traffic lights have been improved. A major part of Rundberg Lane has been repaved since the approval of the Plan.
[Your Neighborhood News, September, 2006]
Goal 6 - Maintain and improve neighborhood parks, add new parks, and improve maintenance of all undeveloped green spaces.

With this goal, we had a vision for the vacant property behind HEB that borders between Rundberg and Rutland. We hoped to develop it into a park, but it appears now to be a prime candidate for the new Community Center, for which funding will be approved in the November bond election. [Proposition 3 passed with 72.5% of the vote. ~KNH] Another election item in this goal was the development of the green space at the corner of Payton Gin and Lamar. This green space is now known as Heron Hollow and is maintained by NACA. We have received additional trees from Tree Folks to be used at Heron Hollow. Improvements in the playground equipment and other amenities have been added to the Quail Creek Neighborhood Park, and additional lighting for the park is now being planned with the City.
[Your Neighborhood News, September, 2006]
Goal 7 - Improve neighborhood appearance by promoting landscaping, maintenance, Adopt-a-Block Street campaigns, and litter control.

The newsletter discusses on a regular basis the City Code concerning proper maintenance of lawns and property in general.
  • Trash pick-up along the 1000 and 1100 blocks of Rundberg Lane is now being done in the alley instead of the street.
  • With BFI funds, a bulky trash pick-up is done monthly on ten worthy streets. "Adopt A Street" program has been started on Payton Gin by NACA to limit the amount of trash.
  • The Beautification Volunteer program has been recognized by Keep Austin Beautiful as an outstanding effort to keep our city clean of trash. Regular monthly cleanups are planned for the major streets.
  • The Rundberg/Rutland Renaissance Project is underway to beautify one block of the Parkfield/Rundberg and Parkfield/Rutland intersections.
  • Valero was convinced to install landscaping with a watering system around its renovated Corner Store at Parkfield and Rutland.
  • Two existing street entrances to Quail Creek along Payton Gin were restored with flowers and shrubs, and a " Welcome to Quail Creek" sign was installed at the comer of Lamar and Rundberg.
  • Keep Austin Beautiful, the Austin Police Department. and other city departments coordinated a clean-up on Galewood Drive.
  • The "Yard of the Month" program expanded because of the many outstanding examples of beautiful lane in our neighborhood.
  • NACA volunteers and Boy Scouts painted several bridges in the neighborhood.
[Your Neighborhood News, September, 2006]
Goal 8 - Preserve and improve the neighborhood environment, including air and soil quality, and storm drainage.

NACA has organized a creek clean-up, with a goal to limit the amount of down-stream debris.
[Your Neighborhood News, September, 2006]

[For more information, see the link to the Austin Clean Water Program in the Roads to the Future feature of the website. ~KNH]
Goal 9 - Promote awareness of neighborhood's history.

NACA wanted to recognize the Old Fiskville site at the corner of North Lamar and Payton Gin. Volunteers helped make this a reality by working with the Texas Historical Commission to obtain recognition and a marker designating Heron Hollow as the site of Fiskville on September 15, 2005 . Special acknowledgment goes to William McGarry, Stephanie Neely, Sam Williams, Lisa Kerber, and Ernestine Thompson for their work on this effort.
[Your Neighborhood News, November-December, 2006]
Goal 10 - Reduce the actual incidence of crime and improve the sense of public safety in the area by maintaining a positive working relationship with the Austin Police Department (APD).
  • NACA encouraged the establishment of a neighborhood office for the police. Lanier High School provided space for District Representatives and staff so that DRs are available to address cars on lawn and other neighborhood problems.
  • NACA and Root Cause were successful in raising funds to purchase bicycles for patrols in specific areas to address pedestrian crime.
  • NACA has assisted APD with many outreach programs in our neighborhood and adjoining neighborhoods.
  • NACA has played an active role in the Chiefs Forum.
[Your Neighborhood News, November-December, 2006]
Goal 11 - Enhance services at the Little Walnut Creek Library.

NACA has encouraged Council members and city staff for several years to expand the parking facilities at the library. Plans are now underway to perform the expansion in 2007 when the library closes for renovation.

NACA has also addressed the entrance of the library with a tile entry and painted hand rails.
[Your Neighborhood News, November-December, 2006]
Goal 12 - Promote a sense of community spirit and cohesiveness and provide a focal point for a wide range of activities to serve our diverse population.

The main objective of this goal was a community center in the neighborhood. Hopefully, Proposition 3 on the November 7th ballot will pass. [It did - impressively. ~KNH] This proposition will provide funding for the center.
[Your Neighborhood News, November-December, 2006]
NACA Home Compiled and annotated by Keith Huntsman