Monday, July 23, 2012


Hello Neighborhood Plan Contact Team  Representatives,

Please share these announcements with your networks.
Thanks
Margaret

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July 19, 2012
Community Health Assessment Presentations

What: The Austin/Travis County Health & Human Services Department is coordinating a comprehensive community health planning effort with partners from Travis County Health and Human Services and Veteran’s Services, Central Health, St. David’s Foundation, Seton Healthcare Family and the UT School of Public Health to measurably improve the health of Austin/Travis County residents. Through stakeholder interviews, focus groups and forums a Community Health Assessment (CHA) has been created. Key health indicators and findings of the CHA will now be presented to the public as next steps begin to develop a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).  

When: Thursday, July 26th
             1st Presentation: 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
             2nd Presentation: 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Where: City Hall-Council Chambers
              301 W 2nd Street

More information about the Austin/Travis County Community Health Assessment and Community Improvement Plan is available at:  www.austintexas.gov/healthforum .

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There is a new web based application designed by Code for America along with city staff to assist homeowners in determining wildfire danger risk around your home. Take a tour and sign up and learn suggestions on how to mitigate that risk.


Please consider sharing this info with your neighbors.

Margaret E. Valenti
Senior Neighborhood Planner
Contact Team and Education Coordinator

City of Austin
Planning & Development Review Department
505 Barton Springs Road, Austin Texas 78704

Friday, July 20, 2012


Hello Contact Team Representative,

I hope your rainy & cloudy summer is going well.  Here are three summer announcements for you!

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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. 

For more information please contact:
Abigail Webster
Conservation Program Associate
Austin Water

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Quarterly Contact Team Training – Save the date!
When: Tuesday August 21, 2012
Where: One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Rd.  3rd Floor Training Room
Title: Imagine Austin: how the comprehensive plan guides development
Description: Learn what Austin’s new comprehensive plan is and how it guides City regulations and spending.
6:00 – 7:30


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A series of development review instructional classes presented by the employees of the City of Austin's Planning & Development Review Department.

Citizens and developers who are interested in learning more about various permitting requirements and processes are welcome to attend any of the classes!

LOCATION OF ALL CLASSES:

Third Floor Training Room, One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Road
Free Parking in the Parking Garage, behind the building

Class Schedule:

Mon., July 23, Noon to 1:30pm
Development Information Search for the Public
Join us to learn the basics of Amanda, the development information system on the City of Austin website


Learn where to look for information about development including if a permit has been applied for, approved or expired. If you have heard about a development case near you, Amanda is the first place to look for answers! This session will help those who are not familiar with the City's permit viewer, and experienced users will find useful information as well.

August 1, 11:00 am to 12:30 pm
Imagine Austin

August 16, 12:30 - 2:00 pm
Environmental Review 101

August 16, 2:00 - 3:30 pm
Drainage & Water Quality Techniques

August 21, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
Underground Storage Tanks

August 23, 9:00 - 10:30 am
Transit Oriented Development

August 28, Noon - 1:30 pm
Tree Protection & Parking Requirements

August 30, 3:30 - 5:00 pm
Subdivision 101

The public is invited, however seating is limited. For more information, or to RSVP, contact: Lynn Tozser, 512-974-2698 or Lynn.Tozser@AustinTexas.gov

Margaret E. Valenti
Senior Neighborhood Planner
Contact Team and Education Coordinator

City of Austin
Planning & Development Review Department
505 Barton Springs Road, Austin Texas 78704

Thursday, June 28, 2012


Hello all,

Please take a look at the below message and share with your groups!

Stay cool and water your trees!

Margaret


Margaret E. Valenti
Senior Neighborhood Planner
Contact Team and Education Coordinator

City of Austin
Planning & Development Review Department
505 Barton Springs Road, Austin Texas 78704

Please note: E-mail correspondence to and from the City of Austin is subject to open records requests


From: Nina Hawkins [mailto:nina@treefolks.org]
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2012 3:03 PM
To: Valenti, Margaret
Subject: Please share!

Hi Margaret,

Would you please share the following events with the neighborhoods as you see appropriate?  We're trying to get the word out appreciating and caring for our urban trees!  Thanks so much!

Accepting Nominations for Austin Tree of the Year 2012
Austin's Tree of the Year Award is accepting nominations until July 31st.  Each year, one outstanding tree is recognized for providing a beautiful and healthy example of the benefits of proper tree selection, placement and care AND of the many benefits that urban trees provide to the Austin community.  For more information and to nominate YOUR favorite tree visit, www.treefolks.org.

Connect to the Roots of Your Community.  Become an Urban Forest Steward!The City of Austin Urban Forestry program and TreeFolks present the Urban Forest Steward series of workshops focused on building and protecting the urban canopy of Central Texas.
Drought, invasive species and habitat degradation constantly take a toll on Austin’s parks and natural areas. The Texas Forest Service estimates that Texas has lost up to 10 percent of its trees. The goal of the Urban Forest Steward series is to equip a cadre of citizens to help us gain ground in rebuilding our urban forest through education and volunteer leadership.
The topics to be covered are extensive and intend to give volunteers the tools to educate, train, and lead other volunteers in planting and maintaining our urban forest. Topics include Stewardship, Arboriculture, Urban Planning & Design, Volunteer Leadership, and Sustainability. Class dates are July 21, August 4, 18, September 15, and October 6 from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm at the AWU Center for Environmental Research at Hornsby Bend.  Attendees must attend at least four classes (with an optional fifth day) to graduate from the series.  To register visit: http://treefolks.org/ufs/

Join a Posse and Roundup some trees!
According to the Texas Forest Service, Texas has lost nearly 6 million city trees in the current drought.  Now more than ever we need to account for and value our urban forest and The Great Texas Tree Roundup is doing just that.  It’s easy to join and start mapping trees.  Once your trees are validated, you will be able to see the benefits provided by each tree in monetary terms.  An excellent tool for homeowners and tree lovers alike.  Two free workshops are scheduled for July 7th and 28th.  For more information or to register visit: http://www.treeroundup.org/participate/workshop_results.php

Nina Hawkins
Associate Director

TreeFolks
P.O. Box 704
Austin, TX  78725
(512) 443-LEAF

Would you like to receive tree care tips and keep up to date with TreeFolks programs and events?  Sign up to receive our e-newsletterLooking Up - News from the Urban Forest.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Crestview NPCT Bylaws are in Compliance with City Code

After emailing with the city, the city confirmed that the Crestview NPCT bylaws are in compliance with city code.  Section 9 item 4 of our bylaws states that "The Secretary shall submit annually to the City of Austin Planning & Development Review Department a list of the current officers, their terms and contact information."

Thank you for your submission of your contact teams bylaws; it is greatly appreciated.  After reviewing your bylaws there are some changes that need to be made in order to be in compliance with the City of Austin Land Development Code, Section 25-1-805, Neighborhood Plan Contact Team

To be recognized as an official contact team, the following requirements must be addressed for compliance with the Code.

  • Please add Section 25-1-805 Article D of the Code to the Crestview bylaws.

As a reminder the Land Development Code states:

§ 25-1-805  NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM.
     (A)     The director shall initiate the formation of a neighborhood plan contact team.
     (B)     The neighborhood plan contact team shall to the greatest extent practicable include at least one representative from each of the following groups within a neighborhood plan area:
          (1)     property owners;
          (2)     residential renters;
          (3)     business owners; and
          (4)     neighborhood organization members owning or renting property within the neighborhood plan area.
     (C)     Representatives shall to the greatest extent possible be drawn from the group of persons involved in the development of the neighborhood plan.
     (D)     The neighborhood plan contact team shall annually submit a list of its officers and members, including individual contact information and applicable membership category under Subsection (B), to the director.
     (E)     The neighborhood plan contact team shall submit new bylaws or changes in existing bylaws to the director.  The bylaws shall be based upon a standardized template provided by the director and shall address roles and responsibilities, boundaries, membership, decision-making, meetings and meeting notification, officers and duties, amendments to the bylaws, finances, and conflicts of interest.

Click here to view the Code: http://tiny.cc/o4uacw

We value the time and commitment that you and your contact team gives, but want to ensure that your contact team is inclusive, transparent and as representative as possible to the many interests to the community.  To do this, it is important your contact team complies with the expectations set forth in the Land Development Code. Complying with the Code provides contact teams the credibility to work on behalf of the neighborhood plan, in coordination with their neighborhood associations, plan amendment applicants, city staff and other community groups.


If the contact team does not address the items listed above the team will be considered “out of compliance” and this designation will be included as part of any Planning and Development Review staff reports presented to Planning Commission and or City Council. When the required documents are submitted the contact team will be considered in compliance.

To assist you with the required changes please review the attached bylaw template, which provides suggestions on how to address the items listed above.  Please respond to me within 2 weeks of this letter.  If you need additional time to submit your amended bylaws please let me know.




Sincerely,
Margaret Valenti
Contact Team and Education Coordinator

Wednesday, May 9, 2012


Contact Team Training next Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Quarterly Contact Team Training
6:00 – 7:30
One Texas Center (Barton Springs & South 1st)
3rd Floor Training Room
Light refreshments will be provided

Managing your Message
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”  Winston Churchill

Purpose: To provide community groups with a framework in which to present a complex, emotional idea to a governing body or community interest group in an effective, purposeful way.
Process: Using short lecturettes and small group activities introduce and reinforce the key elements of a successful message.
Payoff: Participates will be better able to organize, present and respond to questions and ideas with a clear and concise message.

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Get ready for Austin's newest event, where YOU are the main attraction:
Viva Streets! A fun, new festival where a car-free street becomes your playground

The City of Austin has partnered on Viva Streets!  Join the fun at this new, free festival that invites you to bicycle, play, get fit, people watch, and celebrate good health. On Sunday, May 20 10:00am – 3:00pm, over two miles of Sixth Street will become a car-free playground for thousands of Austinites. This is a born-in-Austin take on the Ciclovia, which is becoming an international phenomenon.
Everyone is welcome – bring friends, bring the family or your whole team or neighborhood.  Connect with the community and celebrate Austin.
Enjoy the spectacle and be part of the show.  Come equipped for your favorite activity – walking, biking, running, skateboarding, or inline skating – and then discover new ways to get your move on.  
Viva Streets! is a tobacco-free event
Find us on Facebook  |   Twitter: @vivastreetsatx   |   www.vivastreetsaustin.org

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East Riverside Corridor – Regulating Plan

The final piece of the Draft East Riverside Corridor (ERC) Regulating Plan is now online and available for review. The draft recommendations for the ERC Development Bonus (Article 6 of the Draft ERC Regulating Plan) can be accessed directly here: ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/npzd/Austingo/erc_db_recs.pdf or through a link on the East Riverside Corridor website. You can also review a printed copy at Ruiz Library, 1600 Grove Blvd., or at the 5th floor reception desk at One Texas Center505 Barton Springs Road.

Please send questions or comments about the draft recommendations to Erica Leak;Erica.leak@austintexas.gov  by Friday, May 25th. Following this public comment period, staff will schedule a review of the complete ERC Regulating Plan, including the development bonus program, by relevant Planning Commission Committees, followed by Planning Commission and City Council public hearings.

Remember that the East Riverside Corridor website address has changed to:http://www.austintexas.gov/eastriverside.

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Grant Opportunities Reminder!

The deadlines for two upcoming grant opportunities are fast approaching! Both of these grants can be leveraged with the City’s Neighborhood Partnering Program to obtain additional matching funding. For assistance with your grant submittal, please contact Justin Golbabai atJustin.Golbabai@austintexas.gov.

1) Austin Parks Foundation: Grant for Neighborhood Parks and Trails
If you have a great idea for a park improvement project, a park program or even a vision for a brand new park, Austin Parks Foundation grants can help! Every year, Austin Parks Foundation offers Austinites the chance to apply for grants of $500 to $50,000 to improve their neighborhood parks.  Grants can fund tools, equipment rentals, materials, park furnishings and professional services.  Grantees are required to match the grant fund with volunteer labor, community fund raising, and in-kind donations. The Grant application and more information can be found at http://www.austinparks.org/npg.html  Applications are due May 30th.

2) Keep Austin Beautiful: Neighborhood Beautification Grants
The KAB Neighborhood Beautification Grants support neighborhoods in their efforts to beautify and improve public spaces.  Grants are available to support physical improvements in the right-of-way or on public property including neighborhood signs, garden installations, murals, creek restoration, information kiosks, graffiti abatement, and the development of community gathering spaces. Grant Amounts range from $500 to $2,500, and must be used within one year. Neighborhood groups must match the beautification grants with other funding, in-kind donations, or volunteer hours. The grant application and more information can be found online at http://www.keepaustinbeautiful.org/nbg. Applications are due June 1st.



Margaret E. Valenti
Senior Neighborhood Planner
Contact Team and Education Coordinator

City of Austin
Planning & Development Review Department
505 Barton Springs Road, Austin Texas 78704

Please note: E-mail correspondence to and from the City of Austin is subject to open records requests

Friday, April 27, 2012


Hello all,

THANKS to those of you who pointed out the date error below!

The correct date is:

Tuesday May 1st
Project Connect
6:00 – 7:30
One Texas Center (Barton Springs & South 1st)
3rd Floor Training Room
Light refreshments will be provided

Super sorry for the confusion.
Have a great weekend everybody!


Margaret E. Valenti
Senior Neighborhood Planner
Contact Team and Education Coordinator
(512) 974-2648

City of Austin
Planning & Development Review Department
505 Barton Springs Road, Austin Texas 78704

Please note: E-mail correspondence to and from the City of Austin is subject to open records requests

Thursday, April 26, 2012


Hello Contact Team Representatives,

Below are two important meetings for you & your fellow contact team members to attend.  I look forward to seeing you!

Monday May 1st
Project Connect
6:00 – 7:30
One Texas Center (Barton Springs & South 1st)
3rd Floor Training Room
Light refreshments will be provided

Attendees will learn about central Texas’ peak hour congestion challenges, and current regional plans to offer real alternatives.  We will discuss the differences among various types of high-capacity transit, including regional and commuter rail, urban rail, bus rapid transit, and in which scenarios each type is appropriate. Participants will then be engaged in an interactive process to gather their input on Project Connect, a regional partnership to advance a high-capacity transit system for our community.

Feel free to invite all your neighbors to this event!

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Tuesday May 15th
Quarterly Contact Team Training
6:00 – 7:30
One Texas Center (Barton Springs & South 1st)
3rd Floor Training Room
Light refreshments will be provided

Managing your Message
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”  Winston Churchill

Purpose: To provide community groups with a framework in which to present a complex, emotional idea to a governing body or community interest group in an effective, purposeful way.
Process: Using short lecturettes and small group activities introduce and reinforce the key elements of a successful message.
Payoff: Participates will be better able to organize, present and respond to questions and ideas with a clear and concise message.



Margaret E. Valenti
Senior Neighborhood Planner
Contact Team and Education Coordinator
(512) 974-2648

City of Austin
Planning & Development Review Department
505 Barton Springs Road, Austin Texas 78704

Please note: E-mail correspondence to and from the City of Austin is subject to open records requests

Wednesday, April 4, 2012


Hello Contact Team Representative!  Happy Spring!

Please share the following 4 announcements with your networks!
Thanks
Margaret


Urban Forestry Board asks Residents for Input on Public Plan to Guide Management of Public Trees

Members of the Urban Forestry Board will be conducting an open house meeting to solicit the public’s input on the Comprehensive Urban Forest Plan. The plan is currently being developed and will guide the way the City manages trees on all public property. The Parks and Recreation Department’s Urban Forestry Program and other City departments are assisting with the development of this plan.

This meeting will allow the general public to comment on existing content and contribute new ideas. Members of the Urban Forestry Board and the Urban Forestry Program staff will be available for discussions.

The open-house meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at the Northwest Recreation Center, located at 2913 Northland Drive (78757). The community is encouraged to attend anytime between 5:00pm to 8:00pm.

If you are unable to attend, you can still participate by providing feedback beginning Wednesday April 11th at Speak Up Austin! (https://austintexas.icanmakeitbetter.com/). The Comprehensive Urban Forest Management Plan will be located within the ‘Workbench’ category and is listed on the right hand side.

In addition, the community is encouraged to participate in an urban forest survey (www.austinurbanforestry.org) to share their perceptions, beliefs, and desires regarding the urban forest and the way it is managed. The results will be utilized by the Urban Forestry Board in making decisions about the Plan. This survey will close on April 18th.

The City of Austin is committed with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request.

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Community Health Assessment (CHA) and Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).

Dear Community Partner:

Healthy People are the Foundation of our Thriving Community and with that in mind, we are working with community stakeholders and partners to produce a Community Health Assessment (CHA) and Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).

Attached to this message is a talking points tool that illustrates how facts and voices will build our CHA and CHIP.  Together We Thrive presents a way for all of us to begin and continue learning about our community’s strengths, resources, opportunities, and capacity.  Determining why some neighborhoods in our community are healthier than others can help us find ways to improve our community’s health and wellness. 

We are conducting interviews, focus groups, and forums throughout the county and city.  It is essential that the community’s voice is captured in Community Planning.  In March and April, we will conduct interviews and focus groups with community leaders and residents throughout Austin and Travis County.  We are hosting “My Health, My Voice” Forums throughout the county on the fourth Thursday of each month from February through September. Find dates and locations here: www.austintexas.gov/healthforum.

The next forum is scheduled for April 26, 2012, 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Manor New Tech High School Cafeteria, 10232 Highway 290 East, ManorTX 78653

As a valued community partner, we encourage you to help us spread the Together We Thrive message by sharing the attached One-Pager with your network. Also, join us at a health forum near you or contact us if you are interested in participating in a focus group.

With your help, we can build a stronger and prosperous community in which we all thrive. Together, we will do this.

Sincerely,

Shannon Jones
Deputy Director
Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department

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VIVA STREETS!  SAVE the DATE!

A fun, new festival where a car-free street becomes your playground!

When: May 20th, 10am-3pm
Where: Sixth Street – car-free for 2 miles
(Brazos to Robert Martinez)

Join the energetic fun at VIVA STREETS! ¬ --  a free festival that invites you to bicycle, play, get fit, people watch, and celebrate good health.  Everyone is welcome – bring friends, bring the family or your whole team or neighborhood.  Connect with the community and celebrate Austin.

Enjoy the spectacle and be part of the show.  Come equipped for your favorite activity – walking, biking, running, skateboarding, or inline skating – and then discover new ways to get your move on.  Eat, drink and shop along the route.  See you there!


VIVA STREETS! is a tobacco-free event.
Find us on Facebook  |   Twitter: @vivastreetsatx   |   www.vivastreetsaustin.org
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Proper Set Out of Trash and Recycling Containers

We need your help! Residents frequently set their trash and recycling carts too close together, causing operational issues for Austin Resource Recovery collection crews. Carts should be placed 5 feet apart and away from mailboxes, cars and other objects. Please help us spread the word to your neighbors, friends and family.

Why 5 feet apart?
The trucks that collect trash and recycling are equipped with automatic arms that pick up the carts. If carts are set too close together or too close to other objects, the drivers have to get out of their trucks to move the carts so the automatic arm can pick up the cart without bumping into or knocking over anything.

The crews can collect materials more safely and efficiently when your recycling cart, trash cart and yard trimmings are placed 5 feet apart from each other and from other objects like parked cars, mailboxes, etc.

What if I don’t have room to set my carts 5 feet apart? We understand that some areas won’t allow for this; simply set the carts as far apart as possible.

Other Important Collection Guidelines:
• Always place the handle of the cart toward your house.
• Your trash cart, recycling cart and yard trimmings must be placed at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on your collection day.
• Do not put recycling or yard trimmings in plastic bags. Plastic bags cannot be recycled in Single Stream Recycling and cannot be composted with yard trimmings.
• Help prevent litter by bagging your trash and allowing room for the cart lid to close.
• Extra bags of trash that do not fit in your trash cart with the lid closed must be placed next to the trash cart and tagged with an Extra Trash Sticker, which can be purchased at most local grocery stores ($4 + tax).
• Extra bags without a sticker will be charged a per-bag fee of $8 + tax.
• Do not put carts in the path of the mail truck or on top of a water meter.

For more information, visit austinrecycles.com.
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Margaret E. Valenti
Senior Neighborhood Planner
Contact Team and Education Coordinator

City of Austin
Planning & Development Review Department
505 Barton Springs Road, Austin Texas 78704

Please note: E-mail correspondence to and from the City of Austin is subject to open records requests