. hancock neighborhood association newsletter - www.hancockna.org - august 2012 . UPDATE ON HANCOCK GOLF COURSE THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS By a vote of 5-2 the Austin City Council, at its August 2 meeting, approved short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods. Opposing the new rules were Council Members Laura Morrison and Kathie Tovo. According to a story in the August 3 edition of the Austin American-Statesman, there are no restrictions on the number of owner-occupied homes that can be rented on a short-term basis, i.e., 30 or fewer days. The rules also permit short-term rental of second units of an owneroccupied duplex and non-owner occupied rental homes. The Austin Parks and Recreation department made presentations to neighborhood stakeholders in May concerning the status of Hancock Golf Course. According to Kimberly McNeeley, PARD Assistant Director, PARD will provide fiscal information on the golf course in 2014. The two-year time period begins upon completion of the reclaimed water installation project slated to begin in August 2012. The city council passed consent to "...authorize and execute a contract through the Texas Local Government Purchasing Cooperative (BuyBoard) with ACM INDUSTRIES, INC. for the purchase of Rainbird Irrigation SysThe HNA membership at the July 18 membership meeting tem for the Hancock Golf Course for the Parks and Recreavoted to oppose the ordinance and subsequently, HNA tion Department." President Mike Hirsch sent the following letter to the The Department can now proceed with all purchases nec- mayor and council members: essary for installation and is currently working with an inAt the July 18th meeting of the Hancock Neighborhood ternal project manager on scheduling. Construction is not Association the membership voted to oppose the passage expected to significantly impact play at Hancock. Specific of the Short Term Rental Ordinance currently being coninstallation dates will be forwarded in the near future. sidered by the City Council. This proposed commercializaThe Golf Division, with the assistance of the Department tion of neighborhoods is seen as a threat to the long-term Preservation Planner, has researched options for historical viability of our community. We ask that you and all memdesignation, researched historically designated golf cours- bers of the City Council oppose passage of this ordinance. es across the country and met with the City Office of Historic Preservation. While historical preservation can be achieved via several options, the Department is looking for the most meaningful option and will prepare a full proposal. Wednesday PARD intends to provide stakeholders this information for feedback, bring this information before the Golf Advisory in August, bring the matter before the Parks Board and provide City Council with the action plan prior to seeking designation, McNeeley said. September 19, 7:00pm Next HNA Mtg Hancock Recreation Center JOIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMAIL GROUP - GROUPS.YAHOO.COM/GROUP/HANCOCKNEIGHBORHOODASSOCIATION - PAGE 1 . PRESIDENT'S LETTER HNA Officers President . . . . . . . . . Mike Hirsch Vice President . . . . . Rafi Anuar Secretary . . . . . . . . . Julia Reynolds Treasurer . . . . . . . . . Bruce Fairchild CANPAC Reps . . . . . . Bart Whatley & Mike Hirsch Neighborhood Council Liaison . . . Linda Guerrero Folks, I've been talking with many of our neighbors about the recent spike in tagging in our neighborhood. I have advised them (as others have advised on our listserv) to report all tagging incidents by calling 311, the city's nonemergency number. Be prepared to give a precise location of the tagging you've called to report. Summer time is a peak time for tagging activities. The sooner we report it, the quicker it is covered, and the less rewarding it is for the taggers. See the article in this newsletter with more details on the city's graffiti removal efforts. The 311 call-in service can be used to report a wide variety of neighborhood problems. This past month in addition to reporting tagging incidents, I have reported empty homes with holes in their roofs and collapsing structures (building code violations), side walks obstructed by the growth of vegetation, remains in the ground of broken street signs and other city fixtures, and signs illegally posted on city poles. I have reported problems I have personally noted as well as problems reported to me by our neighbors. I encourage all of you to make use of this city service to keep neighborhood problems in check. Most reports can be completed in about ten minutes. Mike Hirsch President, Hancock Neighborhood Association Please visit our website for email addresses hancock newsletter is published by the Hancock Neighborhood Association [HNA]. HNA meetings are held bi-monthly beginning in January, at 7pm on the 3rd Wednesday at the Hancock Recreation Center located at 41st & Red River. Editor . . . . . . Layout . . . . . . Advertising . . Webmaster . . Carol Moczygemba Bart Whatley Kathleen Strong--kstrong@wt.net George Wilson The Hancock neighborhood extends from 32nd to 45th Streets and Duval to I-35. HUFFSTICKLER GREEN UPDATE Sara Krause, program coordinator with the City of Austin, recently reported that the city will be pushing construction work on Huffstickler Green out to October. This is owing to the weather, and also to some other construction priorities. Huffstickler Green refers to the undeveloped parcel on the corner of 38th and Duval that is slated for development as a green space with benches. JOIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMAIL GROUP - GROUPS.YAHOO.COM/GROUP/HANCOCKNEIGHBORHOODASSOCIATION - PAGE 2 . STAGE 1 WATERING RESTRICTIONS Stage 1 Water Restrictions took effect on Monday July 16, 2012. Customers can water up to 2 days a week according to address. On your watering days, irrigation systems may be used only before 5 a.m. or after 7 p.m. and hose-end sprinklers may be used only before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. Adults and youth are eligible. Hand watering is allowed any time on any day of the week. The nominee must be a resident of the Hancock area. For more information see: www.austintexas.gov/ The nominee must not be employed by the City of department/stage-1-watering-restrictions Austin or on the executive committee of the Hancock Neighborhood Association. The Good Neighbor Award recognizes the ongoing efforts of Hancock residents who are making exceptional contributions to improve the quality of life in their neighborhood without seeking or receiving recognition for their service. RECOGNIZE YOUR GOOD NEIGHBORS Steve Vinklarek, of Vinklarek State Farm insurance, is a frequent advertiser in this newsletter. He would like to Nominations are due Monday, September 3, 2012. To subestablish a Good Neighbor Award as a way of saying thank mit your nomination along with the reasons you chose you to HNA neighborhood residents who go above and your Good Neighbor, please contact Steve Vinklarek State beyond. Farm at kris@steveinsures.com. You may choose to reDo you know a neighbor, family member or friend who main anonymous, but must include contact information helps to enhance your neighborhood? Someone who has for your nominee. performed a good deed or provided a service that you feel The winner will receive a $100 State Farm visa gift card. deserves recognition? Honor them with a Good Neighbor Other nominees will receive a Good Neighbor certificate of Award. recognition. The nominee must have made a significant contribution to their community during the current calendar year. JOIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMAIL GROUP - GROUPS.YAHOO.COM/GROUP/HANCOCKNEIGHBORHOODASSOCIATION - PAGE 3 . FREE TREEGATORS If you are an Austin Water customer or Austin Community Tree Recipient stop by Austin Water's Waller Creek Center located at 625 E. 10th Street to pick up a free Treegator. Treegators are slow release watering bags that evenly deliver water to the roots of young trees without run-off or evaporation. Trees should be 2-3 inches in diameter (about the size of your wrist) with branches at least 25" from the ground. Supplies are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. Pick up is available (one per Austin Water customer) between 8am and 4:30pm, Monday through Friday, at the 625 E. 10th Street first floor Customer Service office. JOIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMAIL GROUP - GROUPS.YAHOO.COM/GROUP/HANCOCKNEIGHBORHOODASSOCIATION - PAGE 4 . JOIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMAIL GROUP - GROUPS.YAHOO.COM/GROUP/HANCOCKNEIGHBORHOODASSOCIATION - PAGE 5 . NOTES FROM HNA MEMBERSHIP MEETING JULY 18, 2012 Members voted to approve a conditional use agreement for the day care center at 905 E. 38th St., with the stipulation that proprietors pay HNA $5,000 in the event of breach of agreement. The Parks Committee reported that the City is currently pricing work for completion of the golf course trail over the 38th Street retaining wall. Eight volunteers participated in the most recent Waller Creek cleanup effort, earning a plaque from the City of Austin, which will be mounted in the vicinity of the creek. The Zoning Committee reported on the sale of Paul's Beauty Supply at 4306 Red River and thepurchase of the property by Austin Vintage Guitars, which requested a "light retail" zoning designation. The city Planning Commission approved the zoning change. HNA membership endorsed the change. See details on the HNA website. The former Concordia site has been purchased and work is underway. After reviewing the plans, the Zoning Committee confirmed they are in compliance with the existing agreement with HNA. The committee reported on the most recent meeting with representatives of the Perry Estate. The owner's current proposal includes using the mansion as special events center. A restaurant is still planned but details are unclear. Intentions are for everything east of the dividing wall to be used special for events; all west of wall will be high density/upscale residential properties up to four stories high (approximately 50 residences). A new street would divide the property. Parking would be both under buildings and surface parking. Plans are to remove the convent building along Red River and build new facilities in its place. Proposed zoning change of whole property to commercial. Parking and urban gardens planned for flood plain. This proposal is on the HNA website. Latest proposal includes outdoor amplified sound. For the complete Minutes from the meeting go to the HNA website at Hancockna.org JOIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMAIL GROUP - GROUPS.YAHOO.COM/GROUP/HANCOCKNEIGHBORHOODASSOCIATION - PAGE 6 . WALLER CREEK COMES CLEAN By Kathleen Strong Hancock Neighborhood Association, working with the Keep Austin Beautiful Adopt-a-Creek Program, has adopted the section of Waller Creek that starts at Hancock Golf Course on 41st Street, runs through the golf course, then under 38th Street, and through the neighborhood past Lee Elementary School to 32nd Street. Adopting the creek involves holding four creek cleanups each year to remove trash. The second quarter cleanup took place on June 23rd when the weather was just right for wading through the cool shaded water. Armed with grabbers and big plastic bags, eight volunteers picked up 10 bags of refuse and dozens of golf balls. Thanks to our volunteers Meredith and Dave Brown, Ron and Alexia Henrich, Sheila Ochner, Alan and Helen Singletary, and Kathleen Strong. Not only are creek cleanups important for aesthetic reasons, there are environmental reasons too. Trash can: Decrease oxygen levels as it decays in the creek Destroy aquatic habitat Harm aquatic life (particularly plastic and plastic bags.) In recognition of Hancock's adopting a segment of Waller Creek, Keep Austin Beautiful will place a plaque on the 41st Street Bridge. Our third quarter cleanup will be in September with the date to be posted on signs at the 4 corners of the golf course. All are welcome to come out and help. As our volunteer pool grows, we can look into expanding our activities to include marking storm drains, cutting seeds off invasive plants on the creek banks, and planting native riparian plants, those that live along the banks of a waterway. JOIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMAIL GROUP - GROUPS.YAHOO.COM/GROUP/HANCOCKNEIGHBORHOODASSOCIATION - PAGE 7 . JOIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMAIL GROUP - GROUPS.YAHOO.COM/GROUP/HANCOCKNEIGHBORHOODASSOCIATION - PAGE 8 . HANDY WEBSITES City of Austin Development http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/development/default.htm City of Austin Green Garden Project http://www.cityofaustin.org/greengarden/ City of Austin Neighborhood Planning http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/zoning/default.htm Central Austin Combined Neighborhood Planning Area http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/zoning/central_austin.htm Hancock Recreation Center http://coawebparks.ci.austin.tx.us/registrationmain.sdi JOIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMAIL GROUP - GROUPS.YAHOO.COM/GROUP/HANCOCKNEIGHBORHOODASSOCIATION - PAGE 9 . 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