Articles here are arranged in categories, some in more than one category. Many were included in News and Announcements in the past, but are now preserved for historical purposes; generally, this is because they are referenced elsewhere on the site.
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #16 – Be Sure Your Home Is Not a Source of Fire
Published on: January 27, 2015
NWACA has been diligent over the past few years in getting the Austin Fire Department, the Texas Forest Service, the City of Austin, Travis County and others to educate all of us in the dangers of urban wildfire. We’re...
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Front Yard Fridays – Try it!
Published on: December 23, 2014
Front Yard Fridays - Try it! NWACA neighbors on Glen Ridge Drive have started a fun way to meet the neighbors. They call it "Front Yard Fridays." NWACA Board member Shannon Meroney created the concept and started it with a...
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Map of APD Patrol Boundaries
Published on: December 18, 2014
On December 17, 2014, the APD changed the boundaries of its patrol areas, and now all of NWACA is covered in the Baker area of Region 1. Attached is a map of the new APD sectors, so that you see...
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Austin Oaks PUD – Official Update – Nov. 24, 2014
Published on: November 24, 2014
NWACA wishes to assure you that we continue to proceed exactly as communicated to our community regarding this matter: To date, we have: Conducted a Community Forum on the Austin Oaks (AO) PUD. Conducted a survey to get the community's...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #15: Fire Embers and Snowflakes
Published on: October 27, 2014
It is generally acknowledged by firefighters and fire experts that embers from a wild fire are more dangerous to homes and structures than the actual flames from the wildfire. Why is this? Well, the flight characteristics of fire embers are...
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Changes to City of Austin Roles Regarding Deer
Published on: October 21, 2014
The City of Austin has now changed some of the roles responsible for matters relating to deer in our neighborhoods, responding to recommendations of the Deer Working Group. Effective 10/1/13, enforcement of the Intentional Feeding of Deer Ordinance (Chapter 10-8)...
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Results of 2014 Survey of Issues
Published on: September 29, 2014
In late August and early September, 2014, NWACA conducted a survey of all households in the NWACA boundaries, gathering opinions about the proposed Austin Oaks PUD and asking for ratings on topics of interest for NWACA’s work in the coming...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #14 – Be Prepared for a Local Wildfire
Published on: September 29, 2014
About 2000 NWACA homes within a half mile of Stillhouse Hollow Preserve received a postcard from the Wildfire Division of the Austin Fire Department (AFD) last week, with this message on one side of the card. Our homes are...
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NWACA Board Vote on Austin Oaks PUD
Published on: September 19, 2014
The NWACA Board has voted unanimously to oppose the PUD Re-zoning Application for Austin Oaks based on the results of the NWACA residents’ survey, and the comments received at the NWACA Community Meeting on the Austin Oaks PUD Application. After thoughtful...
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Notes from 8-19-14 Community Meeting on Austin Oaks PUD
Published on: August 25, 2014
More than 300 people attended the Community Meeting about the Austin Oaks PUD on Tuesday, August 19, and most were very actively engaged. Neighbors provided a clear message to the City staff and the developer’s staff that those present oppose...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #13: Learn More and Become an Assessor
Published on: July 28, 2014
What do you know about urban wildfires? Bastrop - The Pinnacle Fire - Steiner Ranch – California - Colorado - Washington State - all have been in the news, all cases of wildfire that burned a lot of vegetation, destroyed...
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More Bike Lanes Coming – Be Careful with Right Turns
Published on: June 29, 2014
There have been questions raised about how to navigate right turns when the street has a bike lane, and perhaps a parking lane as well. A check with the City of Austin revealed the following information. Texas Transportation Code Sec....
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #12: Minimize Plant Flammability
Published on: May 28, 2014
An 8-page pamphlet from the Texas Forest Service reminds us that “Fire-resistant does not mean fire-proof. Homeowners should maintain a healthy landscape with proper cleaning, pruning and watering. Put the right plant in the right place.” “Firewise Landscaping in...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #11: Don’t Let Yard Debris Accumulate
Published on: April 30, 2014
We all now know that fire embers are a secondary starter of fires and they can fly as much as a mile from a wildfire source…starting new fires. Piles of dry tree limbs and other trimmings, brush, lawn debris, leaves,...
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What to Do if You See Pruning February through June
Published on: April 29, 2014
Have you seen a contractor's workers pruning a live oak or a red oak between February and June? Professionals should know better, but unscrupulous “tree trimmers” apparently don't know or don't care. Do you have a new neighbor who might...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #10: Mulch Practices
Published on: April 4, 2014
Originally, mulch was a material consisting of leaves, bark or compost spread around and over a plant to enrich or insulate the soil. Today, most mulches are commercially produced wood chips, bark and other components. The vast majority of...
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Neighborhood Watch Support Now Available
Published on: March 28, 2014
NWACA is putting a strong focus on building up Neighborhood Watch groups, and you're invited to get involved. There is a library of materials about Neighborhood Watch on this page, under the header of Crime and Safety Committee Work. See...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #9 – Spring Cleaning in the Landscape
Published on: February 28, 2014
March is right around the corner and this is generally the time when homeowners return to their yards and gardens to get ready for the growing season. While you are cleaning away leaves and debris and trimming plants, it’s...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #8 – Register for Notifications
Published on: February 28, 2014
This month’s tip is a bit more generic than hardening a home; it applies to any citizen who wants to be notified of a regional emergency situation due to weather, wildfire, or other incident important to a broad population. The...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #7 – Wooden Fence Strategies
Published on: February 28, 2014
A rather vulnerable element for a home for wildfires is a wooden fence. From time to time, wood fences have been called “wicks” because grass fires can attack the bottom of a wooden fence and then follow it around...
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Reporting Coyote Sightings
Published on: February 10, 2014
If you observe coyotes or have an encounter with a coyote in our neighborhood, please call 3 - 1 - 1 and report it. The operator will ask several questions and then forward the information to Animal Control, who will...
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NWACA Parks
Published on: December 2, 2013
Attached is an article about the 7 parks and greenbelts in the NWACA area, along with photos and links for more information. NWACA Parks descriptions...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #6 – Ember-Proofing Turbine Vents
Published on: November 29, 2013
There is a wide assortment of rotary turbine roof exhaust vents. The majority are made of metal, generally either sheet metal or aluminum with typically a 12” or 14” louvered turbine that is either wind-driven or power-driven. Usually, a circular...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #5 – Screen the Ridge Vents
Published on: November 14, 2013
Roof and attic spaces are vented by a variety of different types of vents. The more common ones are soffit vents installed in the eave soffits (usually horizontally installed under eaves); end-gable vents (usually vertically installed in the vertical...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #4: Get a Home Risk Assessment
Published on: September 29, 2013
With a projected drought of more than 20 years, it’s not really a matter of if, but when, a wildfire event will happen in NWACA. Homeowners in the Western United States, in Steiner Ranch, Bastrop, and other Central Texas...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #3: Barbecue with Caution
Published on: August 30, 2013
Barbecuing baby-back ribs, brisket, chicken, and other fare in the backyard over a weekend during the summer is normally considered a fine Texas tradition! And more often than not, we probably store our prized barbecue pit/mobile kitchen on our deck…yep,...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #2: Firewise Landscaping
Published on: August 30, 2013
Firewise Communities require landscaping around homes to be lean, clean and green. The primary focus on landscaping is in the Home Ignition Zone, of which there are three primary zones: Zone 1 – the home and its immediate surroundings,...
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2013 Fourth of July Parade History
Published on: July 12, 2013
When did Northwest Hills start putting on a parade and why is it so important to the community? This is our 41st Annual Parade - reportedly the longest running in Austin. Everyone in Northwest Hills agrees that July 4th...
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Speed Studies – 2011
Published on: July 5, 2013
During 2011, the Transportation Committee worked with the Austin Police Department and the Austin Transportation Department to conduct volume and speed studies on busy streets in NWACA. Below is data from those studies. Street Hart Lane Lakewood Lemonwood North...
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Wildfire Prevention Tip #1: Hardening Existing Homes
Published on: July 4, 2013
To harden your home against embers and reduce wildfire fuel stores: Install screens of 1/8" or smaller opening sizes over attic vents, soffit vents, and other openings into the home If you have wooden vents, spray them with fire retardant...
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Help our Neighborhood as a “Fireplug!”
Published on: June 18, 2013
The NWACA Wildfire Prevention Committee is organizing small portions of the NWACA neighborhood into street-level segments to focus on making homes in these areas fire adapted, minimizing their risk in a time of wildfire. In coordination with the Austin Fire...
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Bees Need to be Removed?
Published on: May 28, 2013
If you have honeybees making a nest in a tree or somewhere else in your yard, where they might pose a problem for your family, you can have them removed by an organization which will relocate them to a place...
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Plant List and Presentations Available
Published on: April 29, 2013
On Saturday, April 27, we had a presentation on deer-resistant and drought-resistant gardening, followed by a tour of neighborhood yards with landscaping that illustrated many of the examples discussed. For those who weren't able to attend, you can see two...
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Deer-resistant Plants
Published on: January 10, 2013
An often-asked question: what can we plant that the deer won’t eat? As the author of the article cited below says, if they’re hungry enough, they’ll eat your shoelaces if you don’t move fast enough! In this posting, we get...
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Pruning Season is November through January
Published on: November 18, 2011
The ideal season to prune Oaks is November through January. If this is the year to prune, have you scheduled the pruning some time before February 1? NWACA recommends employing only certified arborists and working with them to develop and...
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Illegal Hunting or Game Thievery
Published on: November 4, 2011
If you observe violations of state game laws, such as illegal bow-hunting, or game thievery, please contact Texas Parks and Wildlife Law Enforcement at 512-389-4848....
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Bull Creek District Park Remains an On-Leash Park for Dogs
Published on: February 21, 2011
Feb. 17, 2001 - News Release from Austin Parks and Recreation The Austin Parks and Recreation Department Director Sara Hensley, after a critical and careful analysis of the recent completed review of fecal contamination monitoring at the Bull Creek District...
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Speed Studies – 2010
Published on: December 31, 2010
The Austin Police Department completed a Stealth Box Study of traffic on Greystone Drive (4200 block between Mesa and West Rim) on December 2-3, 2010. The speed limit is 30 mph, but 46% of drivers were speeding over 30...
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Deer Information Session – September 8, 2010
Published on: September 8, 2010
About 25 people gathered on September 8, 2010 for a forum on living with the deer in Austin, hosted by the City of Austin (COA) Health Department, Rodent and Vector Control Program. The session included a brief presentation by Kelly...
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Austin Heritage Tree Ordinance Now in Effect
Published on: February 10, 2010
On February 4, 2010 the Austin City Council passed a Heritage Tree Ordinance. This ordinance amends the sections of the city code that protect trees, and it adds a new division for heritage trees. In the category of heritage trees,...
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Reporting Intentional Deer Feeding
Published on: January 26, 2010
In February 2009, the City of Austin passed an ordinance making it illegal to intentionally feed deer within the City limits. If you see someone breaking the law, contact contact 3-1-1. Make sure to have the address of the offender...
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Dealing with Dead Deer or Other Dead Animals
Published on: January 26, 2010
If you find a dead deer or other dead animal on a city street or other city property, contact 3-1-1 to report it to Austin Resource Recovery (formerly Solid Waste Services). Please note that the dead animal must be placed...
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Looking for New Parks
Published on: January 22, 2010
The Parks Committee watches for where we need new pocket parks, playgrounds, and/or park improvements. If you have suggestions or input, please let us know....
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Yes, there is still a problem!
Published on: January 20, 2010
Oak wilt has been worked on for years throughout the NWACA neighborhood. Unfortunately, outbreaks continue to happen annually. Over $500,000 has already been spent on trenching projects in our neighborhood, but we must work vigilantly to protect our treasured oaks....
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Prune Infrequently
Published on: January 20, 2010
Healthy Oak trees require only infrequent pruning every 5-10 years. Obviously, pruning should target dead limbs, limbs growing into buildings or utility lines, self-inflicted wounds (such as limbs rubbing together) and poor structural pattern growth. However, cosmetic pruning to strip...
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Feeding of Deer Prohibited in City of Austin
Published on: January 12, 2010
Here is the text of the City of Austin ordinance regarding the feeding of deer: ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS. § 10-8-1 DEFINITION. In this chapter FOOD means corn, fruit, oats, hay, nuts, wheat, alfalfa, salt blocks, grain, vegetables, and commercially...
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