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submitted by Patrick Manley
Attention Allandale kids: Your neighborhood improvement
project could be a winner!
Open to all Allandale school children (K-12)
This contest challenges you to use your creativity and
ingenuity to plan and execute a neighborhood project that accomplishes one or
more of the following criteria:
Creator of the winning project will receive a new
Hewlett-Packard consumer product (such as a digital camera, photo printer,
etc.)!
This is an ongoing challenge! Every six months, a new winner will be
selected by the Allandale Neighborhood Association Board.
Please submit your entry by writing a short paragraph
describing your project and how it enhances the Allandale neighborhood. If
appropriate, you also may include photos of your project. Please mail your
entry to:
Allandale Neighborhood Improvement Challenge
6200 Woodview Ave.
Austin, Tx 78757
John stated that he, his wife Cynthia, and Phyllis Brinkley
spoke to the McMansion issue during the public input phase. There was a general discussion on zoning
& replatting.
Continue reading "ANA Executive Committee Meeting 2-22-06" »
Amy and Steve Simmons of Amy's Ice Creams are proud to announce the
opening of their NEW cheeseburger joint called, Phil's Ice House.
Phil's Ice House is right next to the Amy's Ice Creams on Burnet Rd. at
Northland. Last year, Amy and Steve transformed Otis Hill's 1945 Humble
gas station into a magical place for the family with exciting colors
and a playscape. Come on by and try one of our cheeseburgers like the
"Rosedale", a 1/3 pound cheddar cheeseburger topped with onions,
pickles, and sweet Mesquite BBQ on a toasted sour dough bun.Abi and the
gang are waiting to serve you, so come on by!
Amy and Steve
As I was out riding this morining, I noticed a few of these signs at the entry points to the off-leash park along Great Northern. I recalled seeing this post to the listerve last week. I'm guessing Jerre vet's communication to the City may have had something to do with this.
"We once took our dogs to the off-leash Great Northern
park. We permitted our dogs to wade to
their hearts' content in the pond until they were both diagnosed with this
parasite last fall. Our vet researched
it thoroughly including communicating with the city. If you
Allandale Neighbor
Sunshine Community
Janet Williams
One day in 1967, at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats, a
60-something New Zealander named Burt Munro climbed aboard his customized 1920
Indian Twin Scout motorcycle, with no brakes and a wine cork for a gas tank
cap, and set a world land-speed record of slightly more than 201 mph that still
stands today. A pretty impressive feat, considering he suffered from a
dangerous heart condition and a bad prostate, and had almost no money. (continue reading The World's Fastest Indian)
submitted by Tom Linehan
Cold and wet on a Saturday afternoon. Those are perfect
conditions for homebrewing. Eight people attended Jeff Young's very thorough Intro to
Homebrewing session held at my house in Allandale. Three had never brewed before and the rest had varying
degrees of brewing experience. All came away knowing a lot more about
homebrewing. In another 2 weeks, we'll have a keg of Irish Red ready for
consumption. All indications are it will be good.
submitted by Paul Nagy
The monthly regularly scheduled Executive Committee meeting is this Wednesday evening beginning at 7 p.m. at the Yarborough Library for about an hour. Look for an agenda to be posted later today.
ANA has the room reserved for the fourth Wednesday of every month but starting times can vary. All meetings are open to anyone who lives or owns property in the neighborhood. There is also a chance at every meeting for attendees to bring up any issue they wish discussed.
Out of 3,000 homes in our neighborhood, only about 15 to 20 people are active on a regular basis. This a volunteer effort and the more, the merrier.
I rode the #3 bus, down Burnet Road, to the City Council meeting yesterday. I am pleased to report that the interim regulations on residential construction, adjusted to include duplexes, as well as single family homes, passed on 2nd and 3rd readings. The city council vote was 7-0. (continue reading Interim Regulations Pass Council on ...)
Supporters of the interim regulations for single-family development (McMansion ordinance) are needed at tomorrow night's public hearing. It will start at 6:00 at City Hall. There's concern that those opposed will pack the room and work to weaken it. Your presence is important. To learn more about the regulations, the City has set up a web page with links to the interim restrictions, an explanation of the process, a link to a F.A.R. calculalator, and links to related documents. You can also sign up to get email notifications related to the interim regulations.
Here's a link to Kerry Kimbrough's report on Monday's LUT meeting regarding the SCB striping plan. It's consistent with Jack Kern's report, however he adds that new sidewalks are on the way for SCB. This is new.
Julie Strong with the City's Public Works department also provided me with a wrapup of the meeting. You will find it here.
What follows is a posting to the Allandale
Listserve regarding the outcome of yesterday's Land Use and Transportation
Committee meeting regarding the restriping of Shoal Creek submitted by Jack Kern. The Statesman also had an
article in today's paper about the outcome of the meeting, "Council likely
to ax curb islands." At its February 13th meeting LUT voted unanimously to recommend to full Council that option three
be implemented on SCB. "Finish removing the curb islands and leave
all the striping as is" is a rough quote of the short term instructions to
staff. (continue
reading Committee recommends...)
from Felicia Adams, RNA Co-presidentNeighbors,
As most of you now know, last Thursday the Austin City
Council voted 6-0 to pass the interim regulations only on 1st reading only. At
the meeting this Thursday, they will continue the public hearing and finalize
the ordinance (2nd and 3rd readings).
Here is a graphic that explains the
new interim restrictions (McMansion Ordinance) done by the Pemberton Heights
NA. (continue reading "More on the Interim..."
LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE
MEETING AGENDA
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE CITY COUNCIL LAND USE AND
TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE WILL MEET ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2006, AT 3:30
P.M. AT CITY HALL, 301 WEST SECOND STREET, IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS, AUSTIN, TEXAS
1. Citizen
Communication (3 minutes to speak)
2. Staff Update on
Design Standards Codification
3. Briefing and
Possible Action on the Vertical Mixed Use Interim Ordinance
4. Presentation from
the Planning Commission Subcommittee on the
5. Staff Update on
the Downtown Plan RFQ
6. Briefing and
Possible Action on Changes to Parking Garage Dimensions and Standards
7. Briefing and
Possible Action on the Shoal Creek Striping Plan
City Council voted for an interim moratorium on big new house construction last night. The debate carried on past 11:00 p.m. Here is the newspaper's coverage of it. Builders and neighborhoods were there in force. Allandale was represented by John Keohane. What follows is his summary of the proceedings:
Neighbors, There was testimony from all over the city on the
problems with McMansions, and those of us supporting the interim regulations had
great support from three sponsors on the council, but among those actually
coming to city hall, we were outnumbered, by about 244 to 86. The
pro-unfettered development got to go first, because so many of the before 6pm
signins were against any restrictions on how they have been doing
business.
Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins put on a great
show
In the darkest days of World War II, the Windmill Theater in London's Soho district was an emblem for the indomitable British spirit, even as Hitler's bombs threatened to destroy the city. "We Never Closed" became the motto of the theater, proudly declaring that it remained open while bombs fell and other theaters and clubs all closed. This is the backdrop for the story of British grande dame Laura Henderson, played by (who else but?) Judi Dench, a role that brought her a recent Oscar nomination. After all, it would hardly be Oscar night without Judi Dench up for something. (continue reading Mrs Henderson Presents)
Today's Opnion page in The Austin American-Statesman suggests there will be a lively debate at tonight's public hearing. Here's a link to the Statesman's position on the iterim development moratorium. I've also included links to the opinion page where a number of letters to the editor provide pro and con positions on the matter (see artciles to the right).
Here is the draft of the compatibility ordinance the City has prepared that was sent to the Austin Neighborhood Council listserve by ANC President Laura Morrison.
Allandale neighbors,
At 6pm, this Thursday, at city hall in
downtown Austin, is a public hearing on proposed interim standards for
building in residential areas of Austin.
In my opinion, this is an
important hearing, and I hope some of you will join me in being there to either
testify, or simply lend your support of those who do.(continue Public Hearing)
According to a story in today's Austin American-Statesman, "City planst to crack down on big homes in small neighborhoods," the Austin City Council will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, February 9th on interim development restrictions on large home construction in existing neighborhoods. The public hearing, according to the City's website, will start at 6:00.
THE
MATADOR: Three Oles! for Pierce Brosnan
Anyone who has ever been fired from
a job has heard this old bromide: it
will turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to you. For Pierce Brosnan, fired from his comfortable
job as James Bond, I believe it's true. In The Matador, a film very well-received at the 2005 Sundance Festival,
Brosnan delivers a knock-out performance, supported admirably by Greg Kinnear
and Hope Davis. (continue reading The Matador)
KUT did a short piece Tuesday, Jan 31, entitled "School Plan Highlights Density Fears" (audio) talking about the challenge the City faces with trying to create density while maintaining neighborhood character. This is particularly relevant as the City Council considers interim rules tonight on changes to city code to make sure neighborhood development is consistent with existing neighborhoods. You can also find a short blurb on this in today's Austin Chronicle in "Nake City," (scroll half way down the page to find it).