NSCNA Blog Archive

  • NATIONAL NIGHT OUT OCT 7

    Administrator

    National Night Out Registration Deadline Friday, Sept. 13:

    This year, National Night Out (NNO) is Tuesday, Oct. 7, but the registration deadline for hosting a NNO block party is Friday, Sept. 13. Parties need to be registered to receive a visit from APD, AFD, EMS or Code Compliance. To register online, go to www.nnoaustin.org. To get an application through the mail, call 512-974-4900.

    After you register, you’ll be told via either mail or email where to pick up a NNO bag which contains crime prevention information, posters, party invitations, and other items for use at your party.

    National Night Out Austin asks that you also register with the national office at www.natw.org. Texas has hosted the most NNO parties of any state for the past 18 years, and organizers of this year’s event want that streak to continue.

    In 2013, Austin held over 480 NNO block parties, making Austin #3 for the number of NNO parties held in cities with populations over 300,000. Only San Antonio and Minneapolis held more. Get to know your neighbors, have fun, and promote crime prevention and crime prevention awareness all at the same time by hosting a National Night Out party.

    Once you’re registered, please email your name and address to Roger Wines, Chair of NSCNA’s Safety Committee at safety@nscna.org. Roger will be keeping a list of block parties in our neighborhood to be posted on our website on or about Oct. 1.

    For more information on NNO, please go to www.nnoaustin.org or www.austintexas.gov/nno.

  • TRAFFIC CALMING ON ROCKWOOD

    Administrator

    Construction of traffic calming is now underway on Rockwood Lane between Steck Avenue and Ashdale Drive.
    The plans for the these traffic control devices can be viewed in two files by the following links:

    Rockwood_Boxdale_Firwood_1006_001

    Rockwood_Boxdale_Detour_1003_001

  • CodeTALKS Exploring Compatibility June 12 and 14

    Administrator

    The following information has been received from the City of Austin:

    CodeTALKS in June to explore approaches on Compatibility

    Q: What is compatibility?
    A: “A state in which two things are able to exist or occur together without problems or conflict.”

    How does Austin strike a balance between new development and the protection of existing neighborhood character?

    Join us for “CodeTALK: Exploring Compatibility” – a discussion on how the development community, neighborhoods, land use planners, and other Austinites view compatibility and its impact on what we care most about in our community. We’ll explore what’s working and not working with compatibility in Austin’s Land Development Code, and consider the best practices and tools used by other cities.

    One discussion – two choices of dates. Bring your questions and ideas!

    Thursday, June 12
    8 am – 10 am (Registration begins at 7:30 am)
    Palmer Events Center, Meeting Rooms 3-5, 900 Barton Springs Road, Austin

    Saturday, June 14
    9 am – Noon (Registration begins at 8:30 am)
    Palmer Events Center, Meeting Rooms 3-5, 900 Barton Springs Road, Austin
    RSVPs requested by June 11. Everyone who registers will receive some information in advance of the session.
    To register, visit codetalk-compat.eventbite.com/

    CodeTALKS are a series of community conversations on the key issues identified in the Land Development Code Diagnosis. At least four of the top 10 issues directly or indirectly affect compatibility in Austin. Visit www.austintexas.gov/codenext to learn more.

  • NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN STUDY AREA INFORMATIONAL MEETING AND DISCUSSION JUNE 5

    Administrator

    The City of Austin planning staff will host a public meeting:

    THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2014
    6:30 – 8:00 PM
    LAMAR MIDDLE SCHOOL CAFETERIA
    6201 WYNONA AVE, AUSTIN, TX 78757

    AGENDA:
    6:30 PM Introductions

    6:40 PM Presentation of proposed North Central Austin Study Area Planning Process by Planning and Development Review Staff

    7:00 PM Q&A

    The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the proposed planning process for the North Central Austin Study Area with the stakeholders from the directly involved neighborhoods, including North Shoal Creek.
    The following details were received by email from Mr. Mark Walters, Principal Planner in the City Planning and Development Review Department, who spoke at the March NSCNA meeting about the process for Neighborhood Plans:

    In response to community concerns over the proposed planning process for the North Central Austin Study Area, at the May 22nd City Council Meeting Council Member Laura Morrison pulled the resolution initiating the planning process from the agenda and directed staff to hold a meeting to gauge community interest in the proposed planning process. Council Member Laura Morrison is scheduled to be in attendance on Thursday and invitations will be extended to the other Council offices. Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole and Council Members Chris Riley and Cathy Tovo also expressed interest in this community discussion. The resolution was postponed until the Council’s June 12th meeting.

    The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the proposed planning process for the North Central Austin Study Area with the stakeholders from the directly involved neighborhoods. The study area was recommended for several reasons:
    • The Planning and Development Review Department has made a commitment to the City Council to provide all neighborhood planning areas an opportunity to engage in the planning process. Within the study area there are three neighborhood planning areas that have not had that opportunity: Rosedale, Allandale, and North Shoal Creek;
    • With all of the changes that have and are expected to occur along Burnet Road (and to a lesser degree Anderson Lane) this planning process presents an opportunity to look at these roadways in a more comprehensive fashion to develop a community-based vision and recommendations for land use, transportation, urban design, open space and parks, as well as other issues that are identified through the planning process;
    • This process will provide an opportunity to update the Crestview/Wooten Combined Neighborhood Plan and the Brentwood/Highland Combined Neighborhood Plan based on recommendations generated during the corridor studies;
    • Capital Metro will soon initiate MetroRapid bus service along Burnet Road and this process will allow planning in coordination with new transportation infrastructure.

    Given the changes occurring in this part of Austin, the proposed planning process could be a unique opportunity to complete plans for neighborhoods without plans, address a rapidly changing area of our city, update aging plans, as well as plan in coordination with new transportation improvements.

    We hope you are able to join us on Thursday to be part of the conversation- we look forward to discussing this project with you, as well as hearing your questions.

    If you have additional questions about this proposed planning process prior to our meeting, please contact:

    Mark Walters, Principle Planner
    512-974-7695
    mark.walters@austintexas.gov

    Jenn Todd, Senior Planner
    512-974-7659
    jennifer.todd@austintexas.gov

    The North Central Austin Study Area includes the North Shoal Creek, Wooten, Crestview, Allandale, Rosedale, Brentwood and Highland Neighborhoods.

  • CODENEXT CODE DIAGNOSIS MEETING MAY 19

    Administrator

    The City of Austin CodeNEXT team will present a Code Diagnosis presentation:

    When: Monday, May 19, 2014, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
    Location: Penn Field, Building C, 3601 S. Congress Ave.

    The announced purpose is to present and discuss “Code Diagnosis,” a review of the current land development code. Leading the presentation will be consultant Dan Parolek of Opticos Design Inc.

    The meeting is also referred to as CRACKING THE CODE: Revealing the major issues with Austin’s Land Development Code

    Earlier this month, the CodeNEXT team released the “Code Diagnosis” report which is available on the website www.austintexsas.gov/codenext by selecting “Reports & Documents.”
    Also available on the website is the “Listening to the Community Report.”

    You’ll also get the first look at the “Community Character in a Box,” the do-it-yourself community mapping and photo documentation effort underway. See highlights from neighborhoods that have participated so far, and learn more about how you can get involved.