OWANA NEWSLETTER
MARCH 2000
Contents:
- Neighborhood Planning Workshop
- Traffic Calming Update
OWANA Neighborhood Planning Workshop
Mathews Elementary
February 26, 2000
Early morning rain didn’t dampen spirits or the turnout at OWANA’s recent Neighborhood Planning Workshop. Area residents began gathering shortly before 9 a.m. on February 26 at Mathews Elementary on West Lynn. Greeters at the door included David Smith, Steering Committee Chairperson and Charles Aubrey, Chairperson of the Membership Committee.
Participants signed in, made a name tag, and picked up their workshop materials. The materials included an agenda, area map, welcome letter explaining the process and history thus far, and an overview of what neighborhood planning is all about. In addition, participants received a Response Packet, which was designed to gather input in four key areas: Parks and Greenspace, Historic Preservation, Zoning and Land Use, and Transportation. The turnout was healthy—more than 70 individuals could be counted at any one time.
Just past the registration area—in the cafeteria—various displays and exhibits were set up for viewing. Examples included:
- Photographs of intersections and commercial/residential areas in the neighborhood.
- Land use maps, indicating how various properties are currently zoned.
- Sidewalk map, showing existing sidewalks and areas where sidewalks are missing.
- Historic preservation map, indicating the status of homes in the neighborhood.
- Examples of traffic calming options.
Patricia Bauer-Slate of Sweetish Hill Bakery provided refreshments for the workshop. Donations were accepted on behalf of the Mathews PTA on a volunteer basis. Several Mathews parents and children helped staff the refreshment table.
Mark Stine gave a welcome and brief orientation, then introduced the first discussion group. Led by Sam Archer, it focused on Parks and Greenspace. Some of the topics were: alternative uses for the old tennis court area, options concerning the swimming pool, and dog issues, including the possibility of a no-leash area.
After a break, Tere O’Connell and Terri Meyers lead the discussion on Historic Preservation. Areas of discussion included: an overview, history of Clarksville, definition of terms, pros and cons of historic districts/historic designations, and design guidelines.
Next up, was Zoning and Land Use panel, which included Paul Seals, Jim Cousar, Evan Williams, and Dave Sullivan. After an overview, participants discussed "mixed use" development along 5th and 6th streets, on Lamar Blvd., and on West Lynn—and what residents wanted to see added and excluded from the neighborhood. Affordability of housing (present and future and single and multi-family) was addressed as well. Other topics included UT’s married student housing and park land.
Transportation was the final panel discussion. Chaired by Mark Dahmus, the panel included Bill Peacock, Mark Ferrari, and Bill Snell. Stoplights on 5th and 6th streets came up first. Speeding, optimum speed, and enforcement of speeding were also discussed. Other topics included one-way vs. two-way streets, crosswalks on West Lynn, access to Austin High, and neighborhood parking issues.
Throughout the day, participants were encouraged to write down their comments, suggestions, and opinions on their Response Packets, which were gathered at the end of the workshop. An added bonus of the workshop was that quite a few individuals renewed their membership to OWANA.
A follow-up meeting was announced for Saturday, March 4 at Mark and Clemmie’s house at 1403 W. 10th Street. Anyone who had more to say was encouraged to attend.
Thanks to everyone who participated! Summary responses from the workshop will be available soon—so stay tuned!
Update from Traffic Calming Committee
by Sam L. Archer
"Sleeping Policemen" is the colloquial term for traffic calming installations in Europe and Great Britain. We must employ them in Old West Austin, as the Austin Police Department has told us in clear terms they cannot enforce the traffic rules.
The City of Austin Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW/T) committee for traffic calming planning in Old West Austin has been meeting about once a month since the initial neighborhood meeting in May 1999. Since then, the select working group has advised DPW/T personnel on the best time to collect traffic data, witnessed the collection of that data at thirty-six locations around the neighborhood, and received tabulated results from which traffic flows in Old West Austin can be constructed. The initially bewildering forest of numbers enables all the committee members to support their cases for going to the "traffic-calmer's toolbox" and selecting a chicane, curb extension, roundabout, set of speed humps, raised pedestrian crossing, signage or one of numerous other devices and recommending its placement at a particular point.
There is dedication and ardor in the committee to use the resources at its disposal to calm traffic in Old West Austin to the maximum extent practical, using numerous maps and creative thinking. As in all deliberative bodies, varying points-of-view are brought to bear, which is good preparation for the time when the committee must persuade the entire neighborhood to adopt the plan and recommend its realization in the concrete. Commuters and neighbors alike can be thankful that land mines and tank traps are not on the table for consideration.
Committee members are finding firsthand that the devils and the divinity both are in the details, which makes this writer thankful that there is good delineation of meeting ground rules, as well as role descriptions for the neighborhood chairman, COA staff, and members. There has been good adherence to those, enabling the committee to continue with productive work in an atmosphere that fosters plain-speaking with mutual respect.
The committee (a.k.a. working group) will continue to meet until an effective and acceptable plan has been wrought. Streets which have risen to the top of the discussion are: 12th, West Lynn, 10th, 9th, Palma Plaza, 13th and the Hartford Road Y. (Those are not in any particular order, and the list is not exhaustively complete.) There would appear to be even now signs of success in the committee's work, as markings have been observed which may be harbingers of new "Stop" and "Stop ahead" signs at 13th and Lorrain. Continuing to move ahead seeking a precarious balance between the desire for traffic calming, accessibility to the neighborhood by neighbors and their visitors, and budget constraints, the committee is really in the thick of it now. It has even begun scheduling intra-familial working sessions between official (DPW/T staff attended) meetings. The plan must be finished and presented to all neighbors for approval by a super-majority in just a few more months.
This fluxional moment in Austin's history has elicited excellent work from your DPW/T Committee for the Planning of Traffic Calming Installations in Old West Austin. We all hope their work is appreciated by the neighbors, and the resulting street improvements (isn't it nice to use that term for something we want instead of something we hate?) will be a source of satisfaction and pride for decades to come. Pray for them, chant for them or just wish them good luck. The committee needs them all.