Short Articles • Nwaca.org

3/26/18 Presentation on Neighborhood Watch

Published on: April 2, 2018

If you were unable to attend the recent meeting on Neighborhood Watch, here's a copy of the presentation that was done by Officer Darrell Grayson. It has many helpful ideas about keeping our neighborhood safe. Northwest Hills Neighborhood Watch...

Results of 2018 Neighborhood Interest Survey

Published on: March 15, 2018

Results of the 2018 NWACA Board survey of neighborhood interests have been compiled and are available in the attached report. 2018 Interest Survey Results...

3/5/2018 ATD Presentation on Speed Mitigation

Published on: March 14, 2018

The Austin Transportation Department (ATD) held an informational meeting on March 5th to present plans for three new speed mitigation installations in our neighborhood: 1. Mesa Drive from First View Drive to Cross Valley Run 2. Hart Lane from Greystone...

8/10/17 LATM Update From COA

Published on: August 14, 2017

Attached is a memo to the Mayor and City Council from Rob Spillar, Director of the Austin Transportation Department, regarding the Local Area Traffic Management (LATM) program. He addresses changes planned for the program, as well as some specifics about...

Results of May 2017 Traffic Survey

Published on: June 15, 2017

The NWACA neighborhood participated in a survey of traffic issues during the month of May. Results of that survey are in the attached report. Highlights: a majority of respondents are seeing dangerous traffic behaviors speeding is the most predominant problem,...

Wildfire Maps Now Online

Published on: June 8, 2017

There were several GIS maps on display at the NWACA Annual meeting in May, which showed risk factors to our homes in times of wildfire (or house fire next door). Those have now been uploaded to the Wildfire Prevention Library....

Presentations from NWACA 2017 Annual Meeting

Published on: May 12, 2017

NWACA Annual Neighborhood Meeting Thursday, May 11, 2017, 7:00 – 9:00 PM See the slide presentations from the meeting here: 2017-NWACA-Annual-Meeting-slides 2017-NWACA-Annual-Meeting-OakWilt...

Austin Oaks PUD Approved on April 13, 2017

Published on: April 19, 2017

At its meeting last week, the Austin City Council passed a PUD ordinance for the Austin Oaks site. After making several amendments, Council voted 8-2 in favor of the PUD. (Councilmember Pool was out of town.) For more detail about...

2017 Neighborhood Interest Survey Results

Published on: March 10, 2017

Thank you to everyone who participated in the annual survey of neighborhood interests. We're pleased to know that you prefer having us use North Hills Drive for the 4th of July Parade, so the Parade Committee will make it the...

Austin Oaks on March 2 Council Agenda – recent discussions

Published on: February 28, 2017

In the last several weeks, members of the NWACA Board and of the Zoning Committee have met with the Mayor and members of City Council to discuss the plans for Austin Oaks. We have reiterated our support for the outcome...

Presentation from Jan 22 Town Hall on Austin Oaks PUD

Published on: February 13, 2017

Neighbors have asked that we post the presentation that was given at the NWACA Town Hall held on January 22, 2017. Please see the document here...

Results Posted for December/January Austin Oaks Survey

Published on: January 18, 2017

During December, 2016 and early January, 2017, NWACA conducted a survey of the neighborhood regarding the final plans submitted for the Austin Oaks PUD. The survey asked about aspects of the proposed PUD and concerns about it, as well as...

Bull Creek Park Survey Results

Published on: October 11, 2016

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department kicked-off the Bull Creek District Park planning process on September 17, 2016. Parks and Recreation Department staff conducted outreach and a park user survey in Bull Creek District Park. The survey was also made...

Austin Oaks Summary Chart

Published on: October 10, 2016

This chart summarizes data about the proposed Austin Oaks PUD over the last two years. It shows the current state of the site and key elements of the proposed changes from three points in time. The first point in time...

NWACA Board Resolution on Austin Oaks Submission – 9/14/16

Published on: September 22, 2016

At its September 14, 2016 NWACA Board meeting, the Board adopted the following resolution regarding the Austin Oaks latest PUD submission (as of 9/1/16): RESOLUTION NO. 2016‐5 WHEREAS, on February 10, 2016, the Northwest Austin Civic Association (NWACA) Board of...

September 10 Bull Creek District Park Master Planning Session

Published on: August 31, 2016

We received this announcement from the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department today, regarding upcoming improvements to Bull Creek District Park. Please come and give them your ideas. The Austin Parks and Recreation Department will kick off the Bull...

2016 Project Funds Available

Published on: August 6, 2016

The NWACA Board is making funds available for special projects in our neighborhood. If you have a proposal for a project that could benefit the neighborhood, please put together your application by August 31. For more information, please see this...

Burning Banned in City Parks – Wildfire Concern

Published on: July 22, 2016

On July 15, the Parks and Recreation Department issued a Parks Burning Restriction within all City parkland that took immediate affect. Smoking, open fires and grilling (with the exception of propane grills and stoves) are not allowed on all City-owned...

NWACA Board Resolution on Austin Oaks Charrette

Published on: February 19, 2016

At its February 10, 2016 monthly meeting, the NWACA Board of Directors passed this resolution endorsing the charrette process and supporting the outcome of the Austin Oaks charrette....

Update on OSMs for Austin Oaks Charrette

Published on: January 8, 2016

Development of the Objectives, Strategies, and Measures (OSMs) for the Austin Oaks charrette is continuing to move forward as we approach the charrette date. At this point, there is a draft OSM list created by the Charette Working Group (the...

Results of 2015 Neighborhood Interest Survey

Published on: December 9, 2015

Results are now available for the 2015 NWACA survey of Neighborhood Interests and Concerns. A summary of all responses to the questions: 2015 NWACA Interest Survey Results and a list of the comments provided for the final open question:...

Austin Oaks Charrette Neighborhood Update

Published on: November 19, 2015

Save the Date: During the week of January 24-29, 2016, the owner of the Austin Oaks site and the neighborhood stakeholders surrounding the site will participate in a design charrette in a collaborative effort to create a consensus-based design for...

10/27/15 Meeting about Austin Oaks Charrette

Published on: October 29, 2015

On Tuesday, October 27, the group of neighborhood representatives met again with Michael Whellan and Jon Ruff, to begin the planning for the neighborhood charrette for Austin Oaks. Ben Luckens, one of our neighbors who is a City Planning consultant...

COA Restricted Front and Side Yard Parking

Published on: October 27, 2015

NWACA received this notice from the City of Austin regarding off-street parking. The link internal to the message indicates that our area has already been "opted-in" to this parking restriction ordinance. This is passed on to the community as an...

Wildfire Prevention Tip # 24: Virtuous Firewise Pyramid

Published on: October 21, 2015

NWACA is a neighborhood with families occupying more than 4,000 homes, and we have some of the most beautiful trees and vegetation in the State of Texas. However, NWACA is also designated as one of the most potentially dangerous urban...

Wildfire Prevention Tip #23: Financial Reasons to be Firewise

Published on: September 16, 2015

NWACA’s Wildfire Prevention Committee continues to encourage the neighborhood to be aware of the risks of wildfires to the whole neighborhood. With the ongoing drought, our landscapes and green spaces become excellent fuel for fires that might be triggered from...

July and August Austin Oaks PUD Updates

Published on: August 28, 2015

Seven items have been added to the Library materials for the Austin Oaks PUD, a consolidated set of comments from the City Planning and Zoning Department regarding the April update from Drenner Group: 2015 07 16 Staff Comments and the...

Wildfire Prevention Tip #22: Insuring Valuables

Published on: August 16, 2015

A previous article addressed using home insurance policies to cover your valuables so that their value would be documented and your investment protected through your insurance company and/or the use of fire-rated safes. Much of the contents in your home...

Wildfire Prevention Tip #21: Protect Your Valuables with a Fireproof Safe

Published on: July 20, 2015

The NWACA Newsletter has provided articles for about two years on how to protect your home and property from urban wildfires…however, there are times when you can’t stop fate and your home is destroyed by fire. So how do you...

Summer Vacation – Crime Prevention Tips

Published on: June 30, 2015

July and August are two of the most common months for family summer vacations, and, unfortunately, for burglaries. The links below have great tips for preventing burglary while you are away on vacation. Chief among the tips are these: Make...

Wildfire Prevention Tip #20 – Water is Crucial

Published on: June 22, 2015

In the Sunday June 7, 2015 Austin American-Statesman, there was a front-page article entitled “Will Quenching Last?” It spoke in-depth to the rainfall and floods of the month of May, asking if those had stopped the drought. The short answer...

Drenner PUD Survey Results Report

Published on: June 17, 2015

Littlefield Consulting has published a results report of the phone survey conducted throughout District 10 for Drenner Group on May 17-18, 2015, regarding the Austin Oaks PUD. Read the report here: Littlefield Report...

NWACA Board Resolution on Austin Oaks PUD Issued

Published on: June 16, 2015

At its June 10, 2015 meeting, the NWACA Board of Directors reviewed the status of the rezoning request for the Austin Oaks property at Spicewood Springs Road and Mopac, considered input from the neighborhood, and discussed next steps the Board...

Wildfire Prevention Tip #19B Debunking Wildfire Myths

Published on: June 15, 2015

A myth is defined as “a widely held but false belief or idea, a misrepresentation of the truth, an exaggerated or idealized conception of a person or thing.” With the ever-increasing wildfire events around the United States and local fires...

Neighborhood Association Leaders Met on 5/30/15

Published on: June 3, 2015

On Saturday, 5/30/15, leaders from the 4 neighborhood associations surrounding the Austin Oaks property (NWACA, Balcones Civic Association, Allandale Neighborhood Association, and North Shoal Creek Neighborhood Association) again met to talk about the Austin Oaks PUD. We discussed: • the...

2015 Annual Meeting Files Posted

Published on: May 21, 2015

For those who were unable to attend the May 14, NWACA Annual Meeting, you may want to review the presentations and handouts from the meeting. See these files for the details: Slides: 2015 05 14 NWACA Annual Meeting slides Handouts:...

Wildfire Prevention Tip #19A – Avoid the Myths

Published on: May 21, 2015

A myth is defined as “a widely held but false belief or idea, a misrepresentation of the truth, an exaggerated or idealized conception of a person or thing.” With the ever-increasing wildfire events around the United States and local fires...

Key Points about NWACA and the Austin Oaks PUD

Published on: May 13, 2015

To clarify for everyone what the NWACA Board and the Ad Hoc PUD Committee have been and are doing with respect to the Austin Oaks PUD, the Committee has put together the key points below. At the Annual Meeting tomorrow...

Recent Meetings about the PUD

Published on: May 4, 2015

Neighbors, Based on authorization from the NWACA Board upon reviewing the results of the latest survey, members of the NWACA Ad Hoc PUD Committee and a NWACA Zoning Co-chair have had two meetings regarding the PUD over the last four...

Wildfire Prevention Tip #18 – Using the Plan

Published on: May 1, 2015

Over the last two years, two plans have been developed that help residents and homes of NWACA prepare to survive a wildfire. Each plan is a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). The overarching CWPP was developed by a joint task...

Sign up for your Free Wildfire Risk Assessment

Published on: April 20, 2015

The NWACA Wildfire Prevention Committee is working the Austin Fire Department's Wildfire Division to establish Firewise Communities throughout NWACA, enabling local residents to make their homes fire-adapted and resistant to the threat of wildfire.To get a free risk assessment for...

March 2015 Austin Oaks PUD Survey Results

Published on: April 9, 2015

During the month of March, 2015, NWACA ran a survey for the neighborhood to respond to changes proposed by the developer in December 2014 to the PUD zoning application for the Austin Oaks property. See the following documents for the...

Wildfire Prevention Tip #17 – What to Do When the Wildfire Comes

Published on: February 23, 2015

First, you should have already done all of the fire-damage prevention to your home talked about in the previous tips. Those “tips” helped you harden your home against urban wildfires and their deadly embers, by working on the landscape and vegetation-intense...

Safety Tip: Secure Your Garage Door

Published on: February 18, 2015

A very vulnerable part of a home is the garage door. Those with glass panels or windows can show the thief just what we have; those with a common type of garage door opener can be compromised by a thief...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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)...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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....

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....

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...

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...