Oakmont Heights Neighborhood

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Number 11-01
November, 2011

The Oakmont Heights Neighborhood Association

Welcome to the annual newsletter of the Oakmont Heights Neighborhood Association (OHNA). The OHNA's purpose is to preserve and improve the quality of life in the neighborhood regarding land use, environmental protection, crime prevention, traffic control, and other neighborhood concerns. A neighborhood association (NA) provides neighbors with a strengthened voice in matters affecting the neighborhood. The OHNA is made up of Oakmont Heights neighbors, with an executive committee that monitors developments in the neighborhood, responds to inquiries, and represents the neighborhood. You can view the association By-Laws on the Oakmont Heights Web site (see below). This is the time of the year we produce our annual newsletter, and have our annual meeting. If you have time and interest to serve as an officer or executive committee member at large, please contact one of the current executive committee members (www.main.org/oakmont/officers.html) or come to the annual meeting.

Association Dues $5.00 for 2012

Annual neighborhood association dues for 2012 will continue to be $5.00 per household. Payment of dues allows you to vote at association meetings, although everyone is welcome to attend. Even if you are not able to attend meetings or help with association activities, your dues payment allows your neighborhood association to remain active. Please take a moment to complete the attached form and return your payment today.

Join the Oakmont E-Mail List

Join the Oakmont E-mail list, a forum for neighborhood news, events, and other information. To join, send a message to oakmont-subscribe@yahoogroups.com . Note: The list is not moderated; for security, it is configured to remove attachments and non-text items. If you have an attachment that needs posting, contact oakmont-owner@yahoogroups.com .

View Past Newsletters and Other Information on the Oakmont Web Site

Visit our Web site at www.main.org/oakmont for past newsletters and other information. E-mail comments and suggestions for content using the contact link on the site.

Annual Neighborhood Meeting Monday, November 28, 2011

The OHNA annual meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, November 28, in Harris Bell Hall at Westminster Manor.
Agenda:
1. Introduction
2. Approve mUpdate on Westminster Manor expansion
3. Minutes from 2010 Annual Meeting (view at www.main.org/oakmont/meetings)
4. Elect officers and fill at-large executive committee positions for 2012
5. Discuss items of neighborhood interest

• State cemetery and TxDOT properties
• Parking and traffic
• MoPac
• Other

Directions to Harris Bell Hall: Harris Bell Hall is on the third floor above the parking garage at Westminster Manor. Enter the building from the ground floor of the garage, via the driveway from Jackson Avenue. Walk up the drive into the garage and look to the left for an elevator. Take the elevator to the second floor. The receptionist in the Health Care Center will provide access to the third floor. The hall is across from the elevator.

State Cemetery and TxDOT Properties on Bull Creek Road

We keep saying that sooner or later the State will sell the State Cemetery and some of the TxDOT property along Bull Creek Rd between Oakmont Heights neighborhood (and our sister neighborhood Ridgelea) and 45th St. This past legislative session. the Legislature considered, but did not pass legislation to require the sale of the TXDoT campus and the cemetery annex property on Bull Creek Rd by August 31, 2013.
One wrinkle is that the cemetery annex property is dedicated by state law solely for use as a cemetery. But that could be changed or gotten around, especially considering that the Texas State Cemetery Committee may have an opportunity to acquire land adjacent to the existing cemetery. Another bill in a previous legislative session would have dedicated proceeds from the sale of the cemetery land to acquisition of other land for cemetery expansion. In the meantime, there are rumors that developers are taking ideas on their own to legislators, perhaps gearing up for the next session, or proposing other means of releasing the land. How the cemetery and TxDOT lands are (re)developed could have a big impact on surrounding neighborhoods, including Oakmont Heights, so we will keep a close watch on this hot topic, and alert the neighborhood of any news.

Parking and Traffic

Residential Permit Parking Program

The residents on 42nd St are implementing a residential parking permit program beginning 1/1/12, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, to overcome the problem of parking on their street routinely being taken up by non-residents. Information on the city's program is available at www.ci.austin.tx.us/transportation/respark_permit.htm.

Traffic Calming

From time to time neighbors have shared thoughts for and against traffic calming measures on some neighborhood streets. The city is proposing a change to its traffic calming program. The new program, called Local Area Traffic Management, initially will provide a process for mitigating excessive speeding, and eventually include methods for cut-through traffic. For more information, download www.ci.austin.tx.us/edims/document.cfm?id=160679.
The city requests comments by December 5th.

MoPac Improvement Project

Excerpts from MoPac Improvement Project October 2011 newsletter: "Potential ways to deal with traffic congestion on MoPac . . . are being narrowed down with the goal of having a single "preferred alternative" by spring. . . The build alternative . . . consists of adding one tolled express lane in each direction within existing right-of-way. . . . Currently, the Federal Highway Administration is reviewing the draft environmental assessment and the Project Team’s recommendation. If FHWA concurs with the recommendation, it will become the “preferred alternative.” The preferred alternative and the findings of the environmental assessment will be presented for public review and comment at a public hearing – tentatively scheduled to be held in the spring of 2012." This past summer, the project team conducted sound wall workshops by neighborhood, and votes for neighborhoods that met certain criteria. Oakmont Heights does not meet those criteria and therefore was not eligible. For more information visit the MoPac project website at www.mopacexpress.com/environmental.

Westminster Manor

Phase I of the Westminster Manor expansion project is nearly complete. The parking lot and garage are expected to open in mid-January 2012, and moves to the new units are expected to begin in late January. Move-in to the new health care center is planned for the first half of February 2012. Phase II of the expansion is expected to start in March 2012 and last about one year (2 months for demolition of the old health care center, and 10 months for completion of the remaining expansion construction).

Austin Marathon, February 19, 2012

The Austin Marathon and Half Marathon will take place on Sunday, February 19, 2012. Several streets in our neighborhood will be closed from 6 a.m. until about 11 a.m.: Jackson between 35th and 40th, and 40th between Jackson and Bull Creek. 35th St and Bull Creek Rd will both be down to one lane in each direction. For more information go to www.youraustinmarathon.com/course.

Safety and Security

Oakmont Heights is generally a safe and secure neighborhood, with lots of presence of neighbors, visitors, and employees of nearby businesses helping deter crime. Occasional spikes do occur. For information on crime prevention visit the Austin Police Department web site at www.ci.austin.tx.us/police/crime.htm.

Handy Links

A Note of Thanks to Westminster Manor

The OHNA thanks the folks at Westminster Manor for providing the space to hold our meetings.

Remember to visit the Oakmont Heights web site Please E-mail any comments and suggestions for content and links to Web Site or by using the contact link on the site.

Newsletters from the past

Newsletter from November 30, 2010

Newsletter from December 4, 2009

Newsletter from November 11, 2008

Newsletter from March 22, 2008

Newsletter from November 16, 2007

Newsletter from May 25, 2007

Newsletter from November 24, 2006

Newsletter from June 12, 2006

Newsletter from November 6, 2005

Newsletter from November 8, 2004

This page last updated: Tue Nov 23 18:57:36 2010 16:50:41 2010
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