MetroRail increased route testing starting Sept. 2nd

Capital Metro is proposing to make schedule adjustments and possibly add trips to the MetroRail service, which would also include adjustments to the rail connector routes as part of the proposed January 2011 service changes. In order to ensure the proposed schedule adjustments to MetroRail service will run smoothly, Capital Metro must conduct dry-run tests of the new proposed schedule.

On Thursday, September 2, 2010, testing of the proposed schedule modifications will be performed during non-revenue hours. Two MetroRail trains will operate from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm from Downtown Station to Lakeline Station. Three MetroRail trains will operate from 7:30 pm to 12:30 am from Downtown Station to Leander Station. Passengers will not be on board during testing, however, all trains will make station stops during the test periods. Freight operations will be scheduled to run from 12:30 am – 4:00 am during this one-day testing. Currently, the freight operating window is from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm and from 9:00 pm to 4:00 am. Because freight trains do not operate on a set schedule, we will not know the exact number
of freight trains or their schedule until the day of testing on September 2.

During this testing, train activity will increase significantly. For these reasons, motorists, cyclists and pedestrians are encouraged to always expect a train, and to stay off the tracks.

National Night Out Host Applications - Deadline for Submission: Sept.15th

These will enable NNO hosts to get police and fire department folks to drop by for a visit.
2010 English Application
2010 Spanish Application
NNO Application Cover Letter

Imagine Austing and Neighborhood Plans - Sept. 1 Meeting

Hello, please join us for at community meeting on Wednesday September 1, 2010

WHO? All residents & interested stakeholders
WHERE? Town Lake Center, 721 Barton Springs Road
Free Parking is available in the garage behind the AE building.
Room: Shudde Fath
WHEN? Wednesday September 1, 2010
6:30pm to 8:30pm.
WHAT? An opportunity for participants to learn about the connection between Neighborhood Plans & Imagine Austin.

As part of the Imagine Austin planning process we seek to engage the public and take input on the relationship between neighborhood plans and the comprehensive plan.

We also aim to illustrate through an exercise the opportunities through which Imagine Austin can strengthen Neighborhood Plans.

Need more information: Please go to the following link for more information on the Imagine Austin and the comprehensive planning process. http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/compplan/nhood-plans.htm

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

08.09.10 CNA General Meeting Minutes

The meeting minutes are posted.

08.09.10 CNA General Meeting (tentative) Agenda

7pm, Wozniak Hall at St. Louis Church, corner of Morrow and Burnet.

Proposed agenda items:

General Meeting
(1) Announce NPCT neighborhood plan priorities vote meeting next
Monday (they need 12 votes).
(2) Update on Morrow-Lamar intersection (Highland-Crestview meeting
summary and next step)
(3) Steve from Sustainable Neighborhoods

Executive Meeting
(1) Ice cream social lessons learned and attendance estimate (based
upon logo votes)
(2) Check for FoBP

Sustainable Neighborhoods Meeting - Aug. 17

Austin's New Parks Planner to Discuss Pocket Parks - SN Mtg Tues 8/17

Kelly Snook, the new Parks and Recreation assistant director of operations, planning, design and construction, will speak to Sustainable Neighborhoods on Tuesday, August 17, about planning and design of pocket parks along transit corridors like Airport, Anderson, Burnet and Lamar.

Snook is also the incoming president of the Texas chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Pocket parks are a key gap in the City's zoning of Burnet, Lamar and other commercial streets to permit apartments and condos. Like many redevelopment issues, this is something that has to be planned for years before new buildings actually get built, or it will never happen. Snook brings experience in this area and will share her ideas with those in attendance.

The meeting is 6:30 to 8:00 PM at the Village Christian Apartments off Anderson. Directions here: http://sites.google.com/a/snaustin.org/snaustin-external-site/Home

Tree Plantings at Lamar MS, on Burnet Move Ahead

The tree planting on the south end of the Lamar Middle School track is scheduled for the weekend of October 2-3. Jody Jarrett, a licensed landscape architect, has prepared a site drawing and is inspecting a water line that may be available to provide irrigation. More details here.

The July SN meeting on street tree planting ended with a plan to plant at least a few trees on the east side of Burnet Rd from 2222 to 183. The goal is to find at least one business or property owner willing to work with us for each of the Brentwood, Crestview and Wooten "sectors." That search is now under way and two businesses have already expressed interest. More details here.

Please contact info@snaustin.org if you would be interested in donating volunteer time or funds for either tree project.

Friends of Brentwood Park: Feedback on Tree Planting Plan - Aug. 7

Greetings, Friends!

Please come join us in Brentwood Park this Saturday!

Morning Joe in the Park
Review / Feedback of Tree Planting Plan
This Saturday, Aug. 7th, 2010
9am - 11am at
Brentwood Park
Refreshments served

As many of you know, Friends of Brentwood Park has been working with Walter Passmore of the City's Urban Forestry Department over the last several months to develop and refine a plan to plant over 100 new trees in Brentwood Park this November. We are pleased to announce to the community that Austin Parks Foundation has just awarded FOBP a $6,000 grant for this project.

To learn more about the latest developments, plan to come to our Morning Joe in the Park open house event this Saturday. You can leave your rakes, wheelbarrows and pitchforks home for this event. ;-) We'll be serving coffee (courtesy of Genuine Joe) and refreshments. We'll also have the most up-to-date version of the planting plan and we’ve tagged trees with orange tape that are slated for removal. Most of all, we want your input before the plan is finalized. It’s important for the success of the project to demonstrate strong community support, so you will have an opportunity to add your name to a list of neighbors who support it. Please come out and join us on Saturday morning!

Our deepest gratitude goes to the neighborhood organizations that have contributed matching funds for this grant: Violet Crown Community Works, Crestview Neighborhood Association and Brentwood Neighborhood Association. In addition to their generous contributions, we committed to raise $850 more through donations from neighbors and local businesses. So far, we've raised about $350 of that, but we still need to raise $500 more to meet our matching funds commitment.

If you can't make it to the open house but are interested in helping us meet our grant match, here are some ways you can help:

--Any size tax-deductible donation may be made through Austin Parks Foundation's web page: by selecting "Brentwood Park, Friends of" under "Gifts to Special Funds."

--Drop a few bills in the donation jar at the Crestview Minimax service counter.

--Donate $100 or more to dedicate a tree in honor or memory of someone (more details available on our website at or at the open house).

--If you are a local business owner, consider making a donation of $100 or more to be recognized as an event sponsor.

Please drop me a line or give me a call if you have any questions!

Hedrich Michaelsen
459-1750