At Your Doorstep, July 2004

At Your Doorstep Departments

Web Wise

Do your share for cleaner air

Ozone Season is in effect through October.

Air quality in Central Texas has been declining in recent years as a result of increased polluting activities in this area.

In 1999, the amounts of ground-level ozone recorded at regional monitoring sites exceeded the maximum amount allowed under the Federal Clean Air Act. For violating this health-based standard, the Central Texas region is now subject to a non-attainment designation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The City of Austin is a member of the CLEAN AIR Force of Central Texas, a regional non-profit, public-private partnership established to develop innovative solutions for healthy air.

Visit www.cityofaustin.org/airquality to learn how you can make a difference.

City observes holiday July 5

The City of Austin administrative offices, including offices of the City Council, will be closed Monday, July 5, in observance of Independence Day. Normal business hours will be observed on Tuesday, July 6.

Regular garbage, recycling and yard trimmings collection continues for Independence Day. Because the holiday falls on the weekend, there will be no change to collection schedules. The City of Austin Landfill will be closed on Monday, July 5. Contact the City of Austin Utility Customer Service Line at (512) 494-9400 or visit www.austinrecycles.com for more information.

Back to Departments Listing

Neighbor to Neighbor

Celebrate July 4 at Zilker Park

Spend this Independence Day with the people you love in the city you love. Central Texans will claim their grassy spot with the Austin Symphony Orchestra this July 4 for the largest Independence Day Celebration in the state.

Tens of thousands of families will be decked out in red, white and blue in the Northeast corner of Zilker Park Sunday, July 4, for an amazing event complete with a fireworks display over the city skyline backed by symphonic classics under the direction of the maestro Peter Bay. The Orchestra will perform at 8:30 p.m. followed by mile-high fireworks at approximately 9:30 p.m.

The spectacular H-E-B Austin Symphony July Fourth concert event is planned, produced and performed by the Austin Symphony with the help of sponsors. The event is free and open to the public.

For those in need of transportation, from 4 to 11 p.m. Capital Metro will provide a free shuttle service from Waterloo Park to the MoPac Expressway footbridge over Town Lake. Parking for these shuttles will be available in State Parking Garages A and B. This is a short stroll to the Capital Metro bus stop, where transportation to the concert site will be convenient.

Street closings for this event include the 1900 block of Barton Springs Road at 3 p.m. to the east and at the MoPac feeder road at noon on the west. The hike-and-bike trail will be closed between Lamar Boulevard and MoPac. Town Lake will be closed to all watercraft from 6 to 11 p.m. for this festivity.

For more information, visit www.austinsymphony.org or call (512) 476-6064.

Sponsors include H-E-B, ExxonMobil, Coca-Cola, City of Austin/Austin Arts Commission, Austin Parks and Recreation Department, Capital Metro, the Texas National Guard, Time Warner Cable/ News 8 Austin, Oldies 103.5, and the Austin American-Statesman.

City Manager to present Proposed Budget July 29

City Manager Toby Hammett Futrell will present the Proposed Budget for the next fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2004 Sept. 30, 2005) to the Austin City Council at its regularly scheduled meeting Thursday, July 29.

This is the next step in the budget process, with the adoption of the Budget for FY 2004- 05 tentatively scheduled for Sept. 13-15. The proposed schedule includes several budget presentations in which individual department directors present their budgets with an opportunity for public feedback.

City Council will approve the budget hearing schedule July 29, identifying which department will present at the following Council meetings.

Aug. 5	Budget presentations and public hearings.
Aug. 12	Budget presentations and public hearings.
Aug. 26	Budget presentations and public hearings.
Sept. 2	Budget presentations and public hearings.
Sept. 13 - 15	Budget approval readings.

Visit www.cityofaustin.org/budget to learn more about the City's budget.

Register now for National Night Out

Neighborhoods throughout Austin are being invited to join with thousands of communities nationwide on Tuesday, Aug. 3, to participate in the 21st Annual National Night Out.

Austin Police Department officers, firefighters and other City officials will attend neighborhood parties throughout Austin and participate in a neighborhood walk.

National Night Out is an opportunity to:

For the past nine years, Texas has led the nation in citizen and police involvement. Your participation in the Austin area National Night Out will show neighborhood strength, increase the police officer/citizen bond and make our community a safer place to live.

To officially participate in National Night Out events you must complete the National Night Out Application and mail it to the address below. You may also fax your application to (512) 974-6222.

Community Liasion Office
P.O. Box 689001
Austin, Texas 78768-9001

For additional information, and to download an application, visit www.cityofaustin.org/police/nno.htm. You may also contact Rosie Salinas at APD's Community Liasion Office at (512) 974-4900 or by e-mail at nno@ci.austin.tx.us.

Streetscapes

City wants to hear from you about traffic

Construction under way for part of Second Street Project

City officials want commuters and downtown motorists to know that construction is under way on the west end of the Second Street Project.

The project is expected to take four months and will impact Second Street between Colorado and San Antonio streets, the blocks running along the north side of the new City Hall.

Motorists should also be aware of changing area traffic patterns to allow for the work, which will improve traffic flow once the project is over. The traffic changes are:

• Second Street

Within the project zone (San Antonio to Colorado streets), one westbound lane will close and one will remain open for traffic.
The two blocks east of the construction zone, between Colorado and Brazos streets, will convert to two-way.

• Third Street
Also during the project, Third Street between San Antonio and Brazos streets will convert to one-way westbound, to help carry traffic during construction.
When the project concludes in November, the three blocks of Second Street between San Antonio and Colorado will reopen to two-way traffic, one lane each way.

The Second Street District Streetscape Project, also known as the Second Street Project, is part of the Great Streets Program. The program allows for wider sidewalks and more trees, benches and lighting for downtown Austin.

The project result will be streetscape improvements along a seven-block stretch of Second Street between San Antonio and Trinity streets. This first phase of the project will address reconstruction of the three blocks between Colorado and San Antonio streets. Sixteen inches of old, deteriorated roadway material will be replaced with new asphalt paving.

New curb-and-gutter and a wide sidewalk will be built on the north side of the street. The project includes limited but important drainage improvements at the intersections of Second and Guadalupe streets and Second and Lavaca streets. Parking also will be installed along the north side of the street within those blocks.

Motorists will see concrete barriers, which will separate the work zone from the single lane of traffic. Crews will reconstruct the south half of the road first. The contractor may close Second Street and/or the Guadalupe or Lavaca street intersections to expedite the work, with closures occurring on weekends only. The project is scheduled to be complete before the new City Hall opens in November 2004. The east end of the Second Street Project, between Colorado and Trinity near the Convention Center, is still in the conceptual stage.

Visit www.cityofaustin.org/news/2004/images/2nd_st_final_June14.jpg to view traffic pattern changes. For more information, contact Julie Strong, Public Works, (512) 974- 1413.

Back to Departments Listing

Big Ideas

Farmers' Market available two days a week

With growing interest and support by the community, the Austin Farmers' Market is now available downtown Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Austinites can support local farms, ranches, dairies and nurseries and enjoy festivities in downtown Austin. The Austin Farmers' Market is a growers-only market that provides an opportunity to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, eggs and plants. The public can also enjoy chef demos, children's activities and live local music.

The Austin Farmers' Market is at Republic Square Park, Fourth and Guadalupe streets. Following is the Market schedule:

Main Market schedule
9 a.m. 1 p.m. Saturdays
March 20, 2004 Dec. 18, 2004
Free parking is available around Republic Park. Additional parking is available in the four-story parking garage on San Antonio Street between Third and Fourth streets.

Wednesday Market schedule
11 a.m. 2 p.m. Wednesdays
June 23, 2004 Sept. 29, 2004
Metered parking is available around Republic Park.

Applications available for Neighborhood Park grants

The Austin Parks Foundation is providing some financial relief to neighborhoods that want to improve or build neighborhood parks.

The Austin Parks Foundation's Neighborhood Park Grants Program allows citizens to build and strengthen community support for parks, enabling neighborhood residents to make positive changes in their parks and surrounding communities. Grants support collaborative efforts that enhance Austin's parks while improving the quality of life for the city's diverse neighborhoods.

Who can receive a grant?

Neighborhood and community-based groups are eligible for funding. Groups must be three or more people and demonstrate a need for and interest in actively improving their public park or green space.

How much are the grants?

Grants range from $300 to $2,500. Special consideration will be given to worthy projects with larger funding needs. The number of eligible proposals received and the amounts requested will determine the number of grants given per year.

What can be funded?

Grants will fund community-driven initiatives that enhance public parks and green space owned and managed by the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department.

Funding will support physical improvements, horticultural or greening projects, new and enhanced programs, and educational activities. Program and project activities should be related to increasing park use and building a community support base for park activity and improvements.

Austin Parks Foundation will place priority on projects that demonstrate active and committed community involvement, include a diversity of community partners, and employ creativity and innovation in project implementation and partnerships.

How to qualify?

• A community-matching component of 100 percent is required (an Austin Public Foundation grant of $1,000 would require a minimum community match of $1,000). The match can be a combination of cash, labor, or in-kind services and/or goods contributed to your project.
• Funds must be used within one year of receipt of grant.
• A signed Adopt-A-Park Agreement between grant recipient and appropriate City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department personnel is required prior to project implementation to demonstrate collaboration.
• Upon completion of project, grantee is required to submit a brief narrative report, pictures documenting the project, and a financial summary of expenses.

How to apply?

Submit 10 copies of the completed application to the Austin Parks Foundation (701 Brazos, Suite 170, Austin, TX 78701) by 5 p.m. July 16, 2004. Grant awards will be announced in September 2004.

For an application, visit www.austinparks.org. For more information, contact Jean Crow at (512) 477-1566 or jcrow@austinparks.org.

The Austin Parks Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) organization. For more than a decade, the Austin Parks Foundation has fostered partnerships and volunteerism that has enriched our community through the support of its talented staff, active members and generous community stewards.

For more information, visit www.austinparks.org.

Free Sunday concerts at Wooldridge Park

The Hartman Foundation Austin Symphony Summer Concert Series presents its third summer of free ensemble concerts running through Aug. 22 in the early evening at Wooldridge Park, Ninth and Guadalupe streets.

These 7:30 p.m. concerts are a gift from the Hartman Foundation and are presented to the Austin community as a thank you for its generous support. Each Sunday, a different ensemble will be featured under the gazebo, performing arrangements from jazz and light classical to pops selections and film scores.

Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner and blanket and make it a group outing. This project is also funded in part by the City of Austin/Austin Arts Commission, St. David's Healthcare Partnership, Time Warner Cable/News 8 Austin.

Additional information is available at the Austin Symphony Office, 11th and Red River streets. For more information, visit www.austinsymphony.org (512) 476-6064. All programs, artists, and dates are subject to change.

Back to Departments Listing

Health Check

Summer Shot Round-up to provide AISD students access to immunizations

The Texas Department of Health recently announced new rules for school immunization requirements, mandating that students be up-to-date with their immunizations in order to attend school.

For the first time, AISD will strictly observe the TDH immunization requirements and will have zero tolerance for vaccine delinquency. The Austin Independent School District anticipates that about 19,000 students will be affected by this new policy. As a result, "Summer Shot Round-Up," a community collaboration consisting of 16 partners will provide access to free or low-cost immunizations through August.

In its second year, Summer Shot Round-Up has proven to be a successful partnership in the immunization collaboration. Last summer 59,000 immunizations were provided. More than 70 Austin firefighters were trained to serve as shot providers to support the program.

The goal of the program is to improve the immunization rates and the health of children and adults in our community, while providing a successful model that can be replicated statewide.

For more information about Summer Shot Round-Up, call 2-1-1 Texas or visit www.summershotroundup.com.

For more information, contact Bob Flocke, Austin-Travis County Health and Human Services Department, (512) 972-5253; or Pam Crowther, Seton Healthcare Network, (512) 324-3170.

Back to Departments Listing

Money Wise

City to offer grant-writing workshop

The City of Austin along with the Texas Office of the Governor is offering a Grant Proposal Writing Workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 14-15 at the Small Business Development Center, 4100 Ed Bluestein Blvd.

The two-day workshop is $90 and is designed to familiarize novice and intermediate- level proposal writers with various aspects of proposal writing including:

The training format includes lecture and interactive activities. The seminar will provide participants with the tools to:

To register for the workshop, contact (512) 974-7806 by July 9. No-shows will be billed.

Back to Departments Listing

Children's Day Art Park provides musical experience

The Austin Symphony's Children's Day Art Park Program allows children to experience the magic of the arts. This exciting summer program features local musicians, dancers, storytellers, magicians, mimes and crafts people.

The program is 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. each Wednesday in July at Symphony Square, 11th and Red River streets. Admission is 50 cents for each child. Adults are free when accompanied by a child.

Youth may visit the Instrumental Petting Zoo where they can see, touch and play the instruments. Children can also talk to symphony musicians and hear them play their instruments, watch Ballet Folklorico, hear a country-western band, follow a real pied piper along the Lemonade Trail to the Magic Oak Tree and try their hands at different art projects under the Art Tent.

Sponsors include Target, 3M, Blue Bell, Foleys and the City of Austin/Austin Arts Commission. For more information, visit www.austinsymphony.org/education/public/artpark/.

Back to Departments Listing

Zone In

The following zoning cases are tentatively scheduled for the July 20 Planning Commission Agenda and the Aug. 26 City Council Agenda.

1. C14-04-0086 Pohl Brown & Associates Inc. (William Pohl), by Pohl Brown & Associates Inc. (William Pohl), Research Boulevard at Caldwell Ltd. From LO to GR. (Rattan Creek). City Staff: Sherri Gager, (512) 974-3057.

2. C14-04-0088 (Ciro Lopez), by (Ciro Lopez), 712 Pedernales St. From SF-3-NP, SF-3 to GR-MU-NP. (Boggy Creek). City Staff: Wendy Walsh, (512) 974-7719.

3. C14-04-0089 Compass Bank (James Ledfrer), by (Jim Bennett), 5811 Balcones Drive. From GR-CO to CS-CO. (Shoal Creek). City Staff: Glenn Rhoades, (512) 974-2775.

4. C14-04-0090 Artale Services Ltd. (Dennis Artale), by Artale Services Ltd. (Dennis Artale), 3100 W. Slaughter Lane. From LR-CO to GR-CO. (Slaughter Creek). City Staff: Wendy Walsh, (512) 974-7719.

5. C14-04-0091 (Fernando Loya), by (Phil Moncada), 901 E. 15th St. From SF-3-NP, SF- 3 to LO-MU-CO-NP. (Waller Creek). City Staff: Sherri Gager, (512) 974-3057.

6. C14-04-0092 (Neiman, John), by (John Hussey), 12852 N. U.S. 183. From DR to GR. (Rattan Creek). City Staff: Sherri Gager, (512) 974-3057.

7. C14-04-0093 Woodlawn Baptist Church (Joe Carr) by Lopez-Phelps, Vaughn (Amelia Lopez-Phelps), 4600 Manchaca Road. From SF-3 to GR. (Williamson Creek). City Staff: Wendy Walsh, (512) 974-7719.

8. C14-04-0094 (Dawn & Eldon Janssen), by Cunningham-Allen Inc. (Jana Rice), South IH 35 Service Road Northbound. From CS-CO to CS. (Slaughter Creek). City Staff: Wendy Walsh, (512) 974-7719.

9. C14-04-0095 Austin Home Center Associates (David Mills), by (Sarah Crocker), 9012 Research Blvd. From CS-NP to CS-1. (Little Walnut Creek). City Staff: Glenn Rhoades, (512) 974-2775.