Weather Warnings this Memorial Day
- At May 22, 2015
- By SLNA Admin
- In Uncategorized
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We all know the words “Memorial Day” and “flood” are no strangers to each other in Austin. With the increasingly wet and stormy weather forecast for this weekend, we encourage everyone to be extra careful around flooded areas. Thankfully, SLNA has not seen a double-digit rainfall flood in well over a decade. With the possibility of flash flooding being forecast, and our ever-changing landscape here in SLNA, there is no telling what would happen should we get a significant flood event. We do have creek drainage crossings on Del Curto, Clawson, Lightsey, Thornton, and Cinnamon Path, and low areas near the train tracks, where extreme caution should be exercised.
As always, if you do see flooding, please take photographs and/or video. This can help the city understand where our problem areas are, and take action to mitigate them.
Please keep your eye on the skies and have a wonderful Memorial Day holiday!
Council Member Kitchen Visits Membership Meeting
- At February 21, 2015
- By SLNA Admin
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Hello Neighbors! As we move into the new year we are also moving into a new chapter in Austin’s history with the adoption of the 10-1 geographical districting plan. Our District 5 Councilmember, Ann Kitchen, greeted us at our first 2015 Membership Meeting held on February 19. Councilmember Kitchen wanted us to know she is working on our behalf, and she gave us the contact information for her and her staff. She wants us to be involved in our city government and gave us information as to how to participate in the process.
We have already seen Councilmember Kitchen in action, helping with some SLNA neighborhood issues, and we are very grateful for her leadership and dedication to serving those in her District.
Click here to read her handouts – here is an excerpt:
Our goal is to be your voice for South Austin. We work for the citizens of District 5 and the city. Please contact us whenever you have a question, a problem you’d like our help with, or an idea for how the city can work better for you and your neighbors.
We are working to:
• Obtain your ideas on key issues and potential solutions
• create opportunities to talk with and be available to people who are not able to come down to City Hall
• Help individuals receive quality city services
• And keep our District 5 informed about key issuesContact lnformation:
Ann Kitchen
Councilmember, District 5
ann.kitchen@austintexas.govKelan Robinson
Constituent Liaison
kelan.robinson@austintexas.govDonna Tiemann
Senior Policy Advisor
donna.tiemann@austintexas.govKen Craig
Senior Policy Aide
ken.craig@austintexas.gov
Update on South Lamar Mitigation Plan
Do you remember when our neighborhood was peaceful and quiet, and this time of year you could, at long last, open your windows to enjoy the cool fall weather? It’s hard to even imagine that now with all of the construction noise, dust, and smells wafting through the neighborhood!
This seems like a very good time to update you on the status of the South Lamar Mitigation Plan. As you recall, the City Council passed a resolution directing the City Manager to come up with a mitigation plan to address the negative effects of infill development in our neighborhood. The City Manager was to give a presentation to the Comprehensive Plan and Transportation Council Committee by August 4, and report to Council by August 15, with a timeline for the Mitigation Plan and a detailed approach to develop the recommendations for the enhanced tools and related opportunities for the CodeNext effort.
Here’s what has been happening and the results to date of this Resolution:
- May 1 – City Council unanimously passed the South Lamar Mitigation Plan, Resolution No. 20140501-042
- July 9 – residents met with city staff to present issues of concern
- September 4 – City Staff gave their Briefing on the South Lamar Neighborhood Mitigation Plan to the Comprehensive Planning and Transportation Committee, addressing the South Lamar Neighborhood infill issues, city staff’s general findings, possible revisions to the Land Development Code, and next steps. The presenters were Mark Walters, Planner Senior, Planning and Development Review; Robert Spillar, Director, Austin Transportation; and Jorge Morales, Engineer, Watershed Protection. You can view the video of the presentation here (it is Item #5) and view their presentation document here.
- October 3 – Greg Guersney, Director of the Planning and Development Review Department, sent a Memo to City Council which is the City Staff response to the resolution with their recommendations. You can read that memo here.
There are certainly some items of concern in this memo and we hope you read it and get engaged in this ongoing process!
UPDATE 10/6/2015 – Recent proposals by COA Watershed Protection Department to address flooding and drainage issues were presented at a public meeting on September 3, 2015. See details in this post: Del Curto Storm Drain Improvements – West Bouldin Watershed