Oakmont Heights Neighborhood

View this Newsletter as a PDF document.

Number 12-01
November, 2012

!!! HOT TOPIC !!!
State Cemetery Annex and
TxDOT Properties on Bull Creek Road

Stratus Properties has presented the Texas Facilities Commission with an unsolicited proposal to develop the Bull Creek Properties to include an HEB, movie theater, apartment buildings, and office buildings. Their proposal is attached to this newsletter. Concerns expressed by neighbors are listed below, and posted on the Oakmont Heights web page (www.main.org/oakmont):

• Heavy traffic on Bull Creek Road
• Traffic light at 45th street will be backed up for many blocks
• Noise from buildings and MoPac
• Light pollution from parking lots and signage
• Heavy traffic on Jackson and Oakmont
• Large service vehicles in and out of neighborhood
• Construction parking and noise
• More foot traffic through neighborhood
• Character of sleepy little urban neighborhood changes
• Loss of green space and wildflowers
• Need to catalog the large heritage trees
• Need independent traffic / water-quality / drainage / environmental studies
• Check for compliance with Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan
• Gas station
• Speed bumps
• Pavement behind 45th houses unnecessary and unwanted
• Add a small playground for neighborhood children

Annual Neighborhood Meeting Monday, November 5, 2012

The OHNA annual meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, November 5, in the Chapel at Westminster Manor. Agenda:
1. Introduction
2. Approve minutes from 2011 Annual Meeting (view at www.main.org/oakmont/meetings)
3. Elect officers and fill at-large executive committee positions for 2013
4. A presentation by Stratus Properties about their development plans for the TxDOT/Cemetery land followed by a Q\andA session.
5. Adjourn

Directions to the Westminster Chapel:

Enter the main lobby of the Preston building at 4100 Jackson Ave (the circle drive). Go straight to the elevator and go to the ground floor. The Chapel will be located right in front of the elevator.

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 2013 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.

MoPac Toll Lane Construction Project Starts Next Year

Construction is scheduled to begin mid-2013 to add tolled express lanes on Loop 1 (MoPac Expressway). The $200 million project will add a fourth lane in each direction from Cesar Chavez Blvd. to Parmer Lane. The fourth lane will be a toll lane that drivers may enter at certain points. Tolls will vary depending on traffic volume and time of day – the heavier the traffic, the higher the toll. The new lane will be added within existing right of way; in many places, especially south of Hwy. 2222, the width of existing lanes will be narrower. According to the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, the toll road authority in charge of the project, construction will take around two-and-a-half years, with completion in 2016. The authority says that it will require the contractor (yet to be named) to keep all MoPac lanes open during the day, with most construction occurring at night. They say that special efforts will be made to limit noise during construction.
The added lanes will add traffic noise. Some Central Austin neighborhoods along MoPac may benefit from concrete sound walls that will be constructed as part of the project. There will be no sound wall along the segment of MoPac next to our neighborhood. The residents of Oakmont Heights were not provided the opportunity to decide whether we wanted sound walls because none of our houses are directly adjacent to MoPac. Those who are directly adjacent – the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Camp Hubbard campus, Westminster Manor, and the apartment complexes on Bull Creek Rd. – said they did not want sound walls. Also, TxDOT said that the traffic noise decibel levels that it measured in our neighborhood one block from MoPac were below the level required for a sound wall and that the right of way is too narrow and would require moving a city water line. Despite our protests, they have not changed their decision.
For more information, see the project web site: www.mopacexpress.com.

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.

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 17, 2013

The Austin Marathon and Half Marathon will take place on Sunday, February 17, 2013. The course comes up Jackson Ave., turns down 40th to Bull Creek Rd., then continues north on Bull Creek. Runners are estimated to be coming through from about 7:45 to 11:15 a.m. Several streets in our neighborhood will be closed from 6 a.m. until about 11 a.m. For more information see youraustinmarathon.com.

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 28, 2011

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
We are being hosted by Metropolitan Austin Interactive Network (MAIN) and want to send them our most sincere thanks.